Reproof of Howlets Untimely Shrieking, Part 1 · Section 6

Reproof of Howlets Untimely Shrieking · Part 1 · Section 6

p. 5412 Now because as the Philosopher saith, that is onelyonly good vntounto eueryevery man, which ech mans vnderstanding tel.Ari st. lib. 1. Rhe. leth him to be good: vntounto the which the Scripture and … agree, when they say: that wee shall bee iudged at the last day, according to the testimonie of our conscience:2. Cor. 1.2 Cor 1 … followeth, that what soeuer wee doe contrary to our1. Ioan. 5.1 John 5 iudgement and conscience, is (according to the Apostle) damnable.Aug. li. de do. chri. ca. 10. &c lib. 1. ca. 40. Rom. 14.Rom 14 Because wee decerne it (to bee euill) and yet doe it. So that, howe good soeuer the action in it selfe were, (as for example, if a Gentile shoulde for feare, say or sweare that there were a Messias,) yet vntounto the doer, it should be a damnable sinne, because it seemed naught in his iudgement and conscience: and therefore to him, it shall bee so accounted at the last day. Which thing, hath made all good men from time to time, to stande very scrupulously in defence of their conscience, and not to commit any thinge, against the sentenceActs of religion not to be inforced. and approbation of the same. All Princes also, & Potentates of the woorlde, hauehave abstained from the beginning, for the very same consideration, from enforcing men to Actes against their consciences, especially in religion: as the histories both before Christe and since, doo declare. And amongest the very Turkes at this day, no man is compelled to doe any act of their religion, except he renonuce first his owne. And in the Indies and other farre partes of the worlde, where infinite Infidels are vnderunder the gouernemente of Christian Princes, it was neuer yet practised, nor euer thought lawfull by the Catholike Churche, that suche men shoulde bee inforced to any one acte of our religion. And the reason is: for that, if the doing of such actes shoulde … Vide di. Tho. & om. doc. 2.sinne vntounto the doers: because they doe them against their conscience, then muste needes the inforcement of suche Actes be2. q. de side. muche more greeuous and damnable sinne, to the inforcers.Heretikes may be in forced. Mary notwithstanding this, when a man hath receiued onceCy. de Ex. the Christian Catholike religion, and will by new deuises andMart. cap. 5. singularitie, corrupte the same, by running out and makingeIeron. ca. 5. ad Ephe. dissention in Christe his bodie, (as all Heretikes doe:) then, for the conseruation of vnitie in the Church, and sor restraintOptat. lib. 3. of this mans furye and pride, the Churche hath alwayescontra Dona. from the beginning allowed, that the Ciuill MagistrateAug. li. I. con. shoulde recalle suche a fellowe, by temporall punishment,Parm. cap. 7. to the vnitie of the whole bodie againe, as all the holy FathersLeo ep. 67. & 91. write to bee most necessarie, especially suche, as hadde most to doe with suche men, as Cyprian, Ierome, Optatus,Greg. li. ep. 32 Augustine, Leo, Gregorie, and Bernarde. And Saint p. 63Austin in diuers places, recalleth backe againe his opinion,Ber. ser. 66. … Cant. whiche hee sometimes helde to the contrary. So that wee keeping still our olde religion, and hauing not gone out fromAug. lib. 2. retract. ca. 5. & epist. 48. &. 50. the Protestantes, but they from vsus: wee cannot bee enforced by any iustice, to doe any acte of their religion.

HEnce yee gather y^t because ye alleadge your conscience, in this cause of yours. Therfore neither may ye do there against vnderunder paine of damnatiō, neither be enforced to doe otherwise then you doe vnderunder like paine to the enforcers, and because yee sawe you shoulde be excepted vponupon two wayes, yee prouide answere for the same first. If it bee alleadged against you, as is by vsus very truly alleadged, that the thing yee are called vntounto is, godly, honest, and good, and seemely to bee yeelded vntounto, and therefore no reason you shoulde in this case bee left to your pretended conscience, to followe that whiche is euill, but that you shoulde giuegive ouer and take a newe course: Yee affirme, howe good soeuer the action in it selfe bee, whervnto yee are called, yet the yeelding is damnable sinne to the doer, because it seemeth naught in his iudgement and conscience, and therefore to him it shall bee so accounted at the last day. So he must bee left to his pretended consicence in very bad thinges. Heereto yee bring (so had yee neede, & yet all will not serue) the examples of all Princes and Potentates of the worlde before Christe and since, and of the very Turkes themselues and other Infidels. To shewe that her Maiestie, and the State deale more cruelly by Lawe heere, with you then any other State, bee they neuer so barbarous, doe with their people, and that this will bee damnable vntounto them. You are in great and high matters, you had neede remember your selfe, and you neede to hauehave beene beter acquainted with Kinges and Princes, Estates & their affaires, then may be thought you be, or els hauehave let this far fet stuff alone. This geare beseemeth you & your spirit wel; M. Howlet, and that to & with her Maiestie her selfe, doth it not; Next, if any testimonies and examples of practise bee alleadged against you of temporall punishment, you turne them all ouer, in saying such proceeding was against Heretikes onelyonly, which make dissention in Christ his bodie. And although you prooue not the Papists to be out of that number, but that they may iustly bee counted Heretikes, as they bee in deede, and therefore by your owne doctrine of the Princes and States that iustly so take them, to be recalled and inforced by temporall punishment, or restrained at the least, yet to helpe your selfe as you may, as though popery were the true and right Christian religion, ye suppose that you hauehave no whit swarued from the truth: but that we whom yee call Protestants, hauehave gone from you & set vp a newe religion as though we, what shoulde I say wee; her Maiestie & the state, professed or called you to any other than to Iesus Christe onelyonly true and most auncient religion, comprised and expressed in the holy scriptures; or from that. The end of all …, y^t you must still doe as ye now do in abstayning from the Churche assemblies, &c. And by no iustice be inforced to the contrary. For that if your … conscience be persuaded herein, ye may not doe against that, though it be euill.

Nowe thus writeth M. Howlets authour heereof inFol. 17. the latter ende of the nienth reason of his treatise: Neither sufficeth it to say: Those suppositions are false & that there are not such thinges committed against God at the Protestantes Churches and seruices: for howsoeuer that bee (whereof I dispute not nowe) yet I being in my hearte of another religion, must needs thinke not onelyonly them but also all other religions what soeuer, to commit p. 64same, as I knowe they also thinke of mine. …, how good and holy soeuer they were, yea if they were angelsHaynous sin to enforce another man to do against his conscience. yet shoulde I be condemned for going amongst them: for that in my sight, iudgement, & conscience (by which only I must bee iudged) they must needes seeme enimies to God being of the contrary religion. By this it may appeareHow they did in Q. M. time compell men. howe greeuously they sinne dayly in England and cause other to sinne with them, whiche compell men byLooke Fol. 54. 58. terrour to doe actes of religion against their consciences. As to take othes, receiue Sacraments, goe to Churches, & the like, which being done (as I hauehave saide), with repugnant consciences, is horrible mortall sinne, as hath byn alreadie prooued, and consequently damnable both to the doers and inforcers ther of. And again, in the same ix. reason, speaking of the consciences of Infidels, and Heretikes amongest many thinges, hee thus writeth generally of all sortes of men. If there bee no man either so foolish or impious in the world, but must needes think that one only religion amongest Christians is true, and all other false. And if eueryevery man which hath any religion and is resoluedOne only … true, and all other …. therin, must needs presuppose this onelyonly truth, to bee in his own religion, then it followeth necessarily that hee must likewise persuade him selfe that all other religions besides his owne are false and erronious, and consequently all assemblies, Conuenticles, and publike Actes, of the same to bee wicked, damnable, dishonourable to God, contumelious to Christe, and therefore to his conscience (which thinketh so) detestable. And in another place before, his reasons, agreeing yet more fully & plaineFol. …. ly with M. How let: Surely as I am now minded I woulde not for tenne thousand worldes, compel a Iew to sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie: For albeit the thinge bee neuer so true, yet shoulde hee bee damned for swearing against his conscience and for compelling him to commit so haynous and greeuous a sinne, &c.

I may heere charge these men that they speake of conscience very doubtfully and diuersly, yea wickedly and dangerously: in that they make no better distinction betweene truth and falshood: good, and bad: a right and a wrong conscience, or erronious, as these men speake: the resolution of God in men, for their doinges, and mens false persuasions, reasons, and resolution, to common lower, & mens fansies and imaginations.

Conscience, as the very worde importeth, is a knowlege in vsus with an addition, or to speake plainer if I can, it is anforeign. God hir testimonie concurring with mās knowledge maketh conscience.inward sense or feeling of god his iudgement cōcurring w^t our knowledge: Whereof ariseth this, the testimonie of conscience, or our conscience bearing vsus witnesse, &c. Of which cōscience, what force it hath, to take away all excuse from men, before God, the Apostle disputeth, Rom 2. If yee like not this, I say, yee shall finde that some of your owne writers take conscience doublie or two wayes,Called foreign. sometime for that part or power of the minde that is alwayesOne father caleth conscience, the light of our vnderstanding: …. other otherwise. contrary to vice and euill, or alwayes accompaning that parte, and then it is euer right. Sometime is conscience, taken for an applying of our knowledge to some action, and so is it not a qualitie but an action, And thus is it not alwayes good or right say they. But for the purpose and matter wee hauehave in hand, and for our instruction and guiding, Besides that the very woorde and the Etymologie or discription thereof, teacheth vsus that conscience differeth from opinion, immagination, fancie, vaine conceipt, &c. As beeing a more high and heauenly gift especiall when it is directed by God his holy worde and Spirite. Wee hauehave further to marke, the generall doctrine of the holy Ghoste, set vsus downe in the scriptures, in vsing to our benefit or abusing to our hurt, euen Gods good creatures, and the note hee giueth of the p. 65force of conscience therin: vntounto the pure, al things are pure, but vntounto them that are defiled & vnbeleeuing, is nothing pure: But euen their mindes and consciences are defiled, Tit. 1. ….Titus 1saith the Apostle, and in particular, he saith further. That in the latter times some shall departe from the fayth, and shall giuegive heede vntounto spirites of errours, and doctrines of diuelles, which speake lies through hypocrisie, and hauehave1. Tim. 4. 2.1 Tim 4:2 their consciences burned with an hot iron, or be past feeling, Ephes. 4. 19.Eph 4:19as hee saith elswhere. And in an other place yet: some1. Tim. 1. 19.1 Tim 1:19 hauing put away good conscience as concerning fayth, hauehave made Shipwracke. And yet furder cōcerning naughtie men, andtheir pretended naughtie consciences, as they speake, not to be flattered or borne w^t in dealing naughtily, the doctrine and practise of our Sauiour Christ, is notableLooke …. 15. 2. 3. 12. &c. for vsus to followe: as is expressed in the Euangelistes. For our Sauiour Christ themaccuseth, and taketh vp the Scribes and Pharisees very short, who woulde seeme to make conscience of the traditions of the Elders, defendeth or excuseth his disciples in breaking thereof, and regardeth not the offence taken at his doctrine, and doing therein by the Pharisees, reade the place, and marke the whole. Nowe for the Conscience of the faithfull, we holde with the holy Ghost, that it is purged by the blood of Christe from dead workes, to serue the liuing God: and the hearts are purified, by fayth, &c. And that phrase of the holy Apostle,Heb. 9. 14.Heb 9:14 myconscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost, and the like woulde diligently bee obserued of Christians, notAct. 15. 9.Acts 15:9 to seuer in them selues the testimonie of conscience, fromRom. 9. 1.Rom 9:1 that heauenly testimonte of Gods spirite, as in deede not a conscience, but a good conscience is required of vsus by God. Herevppon say I to these men, and to their like, and to all such euill consciences of Infidelles, and other, as they bryng vsus in, that wherevpon so euer they gounde their pretended Consciences and what course soeuer they bee entred into: for religion and spiritual exercises in gods seruice, that as this doctrine of the scriptures is sound, true and safe so theirs is hollowe & vntrue and the thing is not godly nor good. Great is the iudgement of God amonge them that perish, because they receiued not the louelove of the truth, that they might be saued: Therefore to send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes, that all they might be damned which beleeue not the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes. Ye did run wel, saith s. Paul to the Galat. who did let you that you did not obeyGala. 5. 7. 8. 9. 10.Gal 5:7Gal 5:8Gal 5:9Gal 5:10 the truth. It is not the persuasion of him that calleth you. A little leauen doth leauen the whole lumpe. I hauehave trust in you through the Lord, that you wilbe none otherwise minded, but hee that troubleth you shall beare his condemnation, whosoeuer he be, &c. I woulde to God the very first wordes of this Apostolike sentence might bee verified in all that call themselues Romane Catholikes, and continued still in vsus, and that with the Apostle in the last sentence wee might trust well of them, as wee are assured the midle part may too truly bee applyed vntounto M. howlets persuasion & such like.

Where they holde both (M. Howlet) and his Authour this generall doctrine: howe good soeuer the action in it selfe be, or how true soeuer y^t thing y^t is affirmed be, as for example in case of religion, &c, that which is done affirmed by a Iew, an Infidell, or such like, yet if it be otherwise thought of in his sight, or if it be agaiust his vnderstanding, iudgement, and conscience, as they speake, the doer, affirmer, & inforcer thereto, shalbe damned for committing a deadly, haynous, and greeuous sinne.` This as it is deducted seemeth to me a strang Paradoxe in diuinitie, groūded (gentle Reader) possible on some mans diuelish wisdome, & reason: but surely vponupon a very false and dangerous Catholike principle of Popery, & sauouring altogether of y^e stinking puddle of that diuelish religion, yea of the Diuell of Hel himselfe the father and authour of that religion, which thus I represent vntounto thee out of the writings of the greatest doctours of that side: And yet sauing that they hauehave opened p. 60this filthie caue, or styrred the …, for the diuelishe wickednesse & filthinesse thereof, would I hauehave spared thy Christian eares: but that necessitie and the indignitie of the matter, to vtter their shame and villanie wherwith they staine both heauen & earth, enforceth, seeing the matter is thus farre brought, to speake thereof,

There be two cases of conscience, or conclusions of their Popishe writers: the one of an erroneous or naughtie conscience, and the bond thereof: the other of perplexitie, wherinto men as into a straight are driuen by this doctrine and religiō, whilest of necessitie they must do euill & cannotLooke …. 13.. Item, Concil. Toletan. choose: whereupon (M. Howlet and his Authour grounde their Paradoxe, or strange opinion, of which the one dependeth on the other. And both vponupon that sentence of Gratian 28. 91. par. 1. & par. Ex … quod contra … fit, … ad ….in his golden decree: All that is done against conscience buildeth to hell fire: which being well expounded, might stande though: but by the Popish doctrine, for som to abstain from euill be it neuer so villanous, to doe good be it neuer so precious, is or may be against conscience, in them or against their erroneous & lying conscience, this position is theirs and vtterly false.

Therefore for some say they to abstaine from euill bee it neuer so villanous, to doe good, be it neuer so precious buildeth to hel fire. Againe the lawe of nature may bee dispensed with (if two euils so presse as of necessitie y^t one must bee chosen:) for such cases their perplexitie maketh, &c. Popery can intangle and snare mens consciences, it can trouble, disquiet, yea prouide a slaughter house for them, relieue and quiet them it cannot. Though it be not so hard to enter this perplexed Labyrinth or Maze, as to get out of it againe when one is once entred, so deepe are the quiddities I tel you, and the questions greatly doubtful, the examples also many and straunge, that in this case are brought to holde men occupied with all, yet get out or helpe other therein as I may, by Gods goodnesse, I will enter by the Angelicall doctour D. Thomas, whose doctrine and Commentaries hauehave the allowance of the highest and greatest of that side, as a truth falling from heauen, confirmed also by heauenly visions, as approued aboue; Upon the Epistle to the Romanes, and the fourteenth Chapter, whiche place (M. Howlet,) and his fellowe woulde seeme to grounde vppon, and to whose writinges herein wee are sent, the willinglier doe I propounde him, thus writteth, D. Thomas, vnderunder questions propounding after his manner, his subtile doctrine by obiecting, answering, and resoluing:D. Tho. in Comentar. in 14 ad Ro. It may be doubted (sayth hee) whether if a man hauehave an erronious or naughtie conscience that he beleeue that y^t which is mortall sinne, is necessarie to saluation, whether such a conscience binde him: So as if he doe against the same, he commit damnable sinne: He resolueth not onelyonly vponupon the Epistle to the Romanes, but also in his Summe or common Places, and elswhere: that an erroneous or lying conscience in thinges of themselues simply euill bindeth a man; so that hee that doth against it highly displeaseth God, or as they speake, sinneth mortally or deadly, or to vse our mens wordes: it is to the doer and enforcer, a damnable sinne, or horrible mortall sinne, & the one and the other shalbe damned therefore. Herevpon riseth y^t second doubt or question of perplexitie in this case, whereinto men are brought of sinning damnably eueryevery way, in following their erronious conscience, or in doing against the same, and by implication at length, the Magistrates and ciuill Authoritie, Kinges and Princes themselues are wrapped in like perplexitie and damnation, for dealing with such by enforcement to doe against their wicked and diuelishe conscience.

These are the perplexed questions and resolutions in the case of conscience whereinto these prophane questionists and schoolemen tumble such mens consciences as beleeue and followe them, without euer being hable well to help them out againe. They make of the sacred scriptures. A tennis ball to tosse, and to play withal, they greatly disgrace & obscure the same in troubling the pure fountaines p. 67therof: And hauing entangled, troubled, & snared mens consciēces w^t their quidities, by abusinge gods gifts, they highly please and pleasure the Deuill, and highlye displease and dishonour Gods maiestie, leauing a testimony and example to all posteritie of Gods heauy iudgement, against all such as with vnwashen handes (as they speake) that is vnreuerently handle the holy word of the eternall God: But let vsus prosecute their question, & answer whether an erronious conscience in thinges simply and of themselues euill doe binde a man, so as if hee doo against the same he commit damnable sinne: be it in commaundinge to doo euill or forbidding to doo good, all is one. D. Thomas his answer you heare, is alwayes one and like him selfe affirmatiue and yea: The reaso why, is rendered in his summe:1. 2. … 19 Art. 5. because will followe the direction of reason and vnderstanding, or conscience, as hee speaketh: for hee maketh conscience the prescriptiō of reason, be it right or wrong,Omnis voluntas discordans a ratione siuerecta siue errante semper est mala. which reasō whē it doth erre propoūdeth to the will good for bad, and bad for good, or telleth vnderunder a shewe that that which is good is naught, and that whiche is naught is good: & so will accepteth, alloweth, & followeth the same, and thereafter is the wyl good or bad: for the goodnes & badnes of the wil dependeth on the obiect y^t is on y^t which is propounded vntounto it of reasō: whereupō he concludeth that wee must say that eueryevery wyll is simplye or vtterly euil alwayes, which disagreeth from reason: be reason right, bee it wronge, be that it propundeth true, bee itArist. …. lib. 7 false. And all this is grounded forsooth by D. Thomas vppon Aristole, who sayeth that, simply to speake: hee is incontinent that foloweth not right reason: but accedentally or after a maner, he that followeth not false reason. Here is false and lying reason, vnderunder title of good & truth, prescribing euill and falshod, and contrarilye vnderunder title of euill & falshod forbidding good and truth: Heere is wyl following false reasō accordingly in accepting or refusing that y^t is thus offered. Heere is lastly man hymselfe bounde vnderunder payne of damnation neyther to wyll, nor to doo against y^t which is by this false reasō or conscience thus prescribed. What vsually nowe followeth but execution, or action, & doing therafter: we may here iustlier cry out I trow with the holy Ghost and Gods worde, than M. Howlet, and his Catholikes doe of his pretended Riot: woe bee vntounto you that say, euil is good and good is euill: Woe be to that conscience, wo be vntounto that man that thus is guided, yea, that is boūd vnderunder paineof damnatiō, not to do against the euill that false reason, propoundeth him vnderunder the shew of good, but to reiect that good, that it propoūdeth him vnderunder the shewe of euill: Or which is all one, not to leaue in this case that which is euill, not to accept that which is good. Such blind leaders of the blinde, must needes at the length fall both into the ditche.

But for better explanation of this whole matter, let vsus see some of their examples giuen vsus in this case, of an erronious or lying conscience that bindeth. There wante not I warrant you in these mens examples taken from mens doings, according to this erronious conscience against both the Tables of Gods commaundements, the first, and the seconde. M. Howlet, and his fellowe gaue vsus two examples, against the first Table, of a Iewe and an Infidel in denying the Trinitie, & the Messias, or Sauiour of the world. Looke vppon their wordes afore set downe, and there may you finde the same: Adde to them another example set down in their Popishe decrees, in the margin in great letters, … is called the marrowe of the glose: The Iewes had sinned mortally or deadly, if they had not crucified Christ, whiche riseth vppon this question, whether the Iewes were bound in conscience to crucifie Christ, yea, or no; a deepe and worthy question among these men. And because…. 13. D. Thomas is so great a man in their bookes, to make euen with them, ioyne to this, one example more of him agaynst the first Table in his Summe in the place before p. 58alleaged. If to beleeue in Christ bee propounded to a man as an euill thing by false reason, the man that will beleeue in Christ doth naughtily, or the will accepting to beleeue in Christ is naught, because the thing is euill in the apprehension of Reason, albeit simply and in deed it be good: clarkely resolued, and like an Angelicall Doctour. Nowe if you will hauehave a Corollarium, or a conclusion, for a Surplusage in this first Table: Take the questions, that vponupon this errour of fayth and conscience in mattersLib. 4. dist. 30. Caus. 29. 9. …. glos. ibidem. of the first Table are mooued, and determined in other subtill schoole wryters, as namely this is one, in y^e Maister of the Sentences, and repeated in the golden decree, and allowed. If the diuell transfiguring him selfe into an Angell of light be beleeued to bee good, when he faigneth him selfe to bee good, it is no dangerous errour, and if the diuell shoulde then demaunde of some simple body: whether hee woulde bee partaker of his blessednes, and hee shoulde answere that hee woulde passe into the diuels fellowship whether shoulde hee being thus deceiued, be saide to hauehave consented into the fellowshippe of diuelish damnation, and not rather into the fellowship of eternall brightnesse: It is true, that this man sinneth not (sayth the glose) wherevpon going yet further, it is demaunded by Fryer Holcot, Holcot. Mai. …. super. lib. 3. …. 1. Art. 5.whether one worshipping the diuill transfigured into the shape of Christe, being deceiued by inuinsible errour or ignorance, as hee speaketh, bee excused from Idolatrie; Answering, hee sayth: I sayde that not onelyonly hee is excused from sinne, but he meriteth as much as hee should merite if he shoulde worshippe Christe, if he did that lay in him to discerne whether hee were Christe or no; proofe and reason why, one among the rest is, beecause the prescription of Conscience, when it is erroneous byndeth as muche as when it is true. But Iohn (vnderunder whose name this case is put) hath the prescriptiō of conscience though erronious that that which appeareth vntounto him is to bee worshipped as God: ergo, if hee worship not, he sinneth mortally. In summe Iohns worshipping of the deuill as God in this case: as not sinning in following his erronious csōcience & sinning if he do not according to the same, is besides reasō warrāted of this man by y^e M. of y^e Sentences, by Austin & the common glose. In the next article is demaunded agayne by M Holcot…. 6 …. whether any man may merit by a false faith; In this article hee answereth and saieth shortly that one may merite by a false faith in many cases. It is a common case among the people: he putteth many cases to proue his saying, and that some taken out of the Scripture, very clarkly you must suppose, amonge other hee sayeth: Put case that some olde wife heare her prelare (a great matter I tellDc quo ipsa … habere …. you) preache some hereticall article whereof shee is not bounde to hauehave any faithe perticularlye, I expresse his worde as well and as playnely as I can: yet she for the obedience she beareth and good wyll to beleeue whatsoeuer the Church beleeueth, agreeth willinglye to that he sayeth, (which is heresie) thinking that the Church beleeveth it, the case being thus, wee must say, sayth this Robert Holcot, that this olde woman in beleeuing heresie doth merite or doo a meritorious woorke, as they speake in Schooles, because she beleeueth an errour which by no meanes can be imputed vntounto her, that that is to be beleeued which is condemned, and therefore by implication she beleeueth the contrarie, because she beleeueth that this is the true faith: Nothing is true but that which the Churche beleeueth to be true, And therefore because the implicate faith is true, although the explicate be…. Implicita. not true whereunto she is not bounde, but she is deceiued…. Explicita. by simplycitie, therefore is there no daunger to her of error. Not much vnlyke to this, hath Peter Lumbarde the M. of y^e Sentences a question & answer, which also is p. 58repeated with approbation by Gratian, whiche possible gaue occasion to Holcot, to moue and decide his. If an heretique (saith the M.) shoulde vnderunder the name of Austin or Ambrose &c. offer himselfe to some Catholique, andLib. 4. …. distinct. 30 29. …. call him to the following of his faith, if he should agree: into whose fayth shoulde he be sayd to hauehave consented? Not into the Sect of her etikes, but into the sounde vprightnes of the Catholike fayth, which the heretike lyingly sayd he had. Much more I trowe if a Catholike prelate propound heresie. Here is heresie propounded by a Catholike teacher, and by an heretike, here is the same hearde, receiued, beleeued, and consented vntounto, without danger, heere is the partie excused, naye defended to doe well, and to merite, or to doe a meritorious woorke. What can be sayde more in commendation of the best woorkes that men can doe, the best woorkes that men doe, come in deed short of this degree. In this diffuse and intricate disputatiō of Erroneous cōscience, in matters of Fayth, religiō, and doings of men, in the first table of Gods commandements, mooued and resolued by questions and answers hast thou, in these men, a viewe (gentle reader) of some of the deepe misteries of the popish religion, which, what sounde matter of godly edification they containe, I referre to thy godly … and iudgement furder to examine: and … to examples in the Second Table, wherein their veastly … in this case of erronious cōscience is yet better and more easily seene; in cloking, & excusing … sinne.

Let vsus take but the seuenth commandement onelyonly: Thou shalt not commit adulterie. To note howe the breach thereof, vnderunder y^e pretence of error and conscience, is …, which example is common, and commeth often with these virginlike Friers. Thus saith your Maister: if a mā leauing in his coūtrey his wife, & going into a far countrey matrie another, & afterwarde repenting would leaue her, affirming that he had another which is aliue: and the Church suffer him not, being ignorant of that he affirmeth: Heere is demaunded whether in this seconde knot there bee marriage; Surely it may bee said; that it is not marriage, and that the woman is excused of crime by ignorance but that the man hath committed adulterie: It is wel, thus much is cōfessed, marke that wel: But that,Lib. 4. Senten. distinct. 38. since the time, that being willing & not able to returne to his first wife) hee is compelled by the Discipline of theHug. 4. sētent. cap. 4. Churche to retaine and keepe this seconde woman: hee beginneth to be excused (mark this stuffe) by obedience & feare, for this, that he, if this second woman require it, lye with her, of whome hee neuer ought to demaund the same: And so hauehave wee to iudge of other like cases, thus farre the Maister. Heere where the parties conscience mooueth him to leaue sinne and euill and to doe well, must he sinne and doe against his conscience beeing good; & ye see why & how, the authoritie of the Church, & the Popish discipline is great, I tel you, & in perplexitie he may be dispensed withall. If his conscience bee naught he may not do against it vnderunder paine of damnation. Againe, heere is whoredome confessed, and yet marke howe the partie that committeth it, is excused. Thus is the mans conscience in perplexitie for the sinne of whoredome clarkly releeued in excusing his continuance therein. But theLib 4. senten. distinct. 30. caus. 29. q. 1. & 34. Maister is some where holden, some where not of all, whiche though in this case, wherein I shewe what hee holdeth it make no great matter, if some followe as hugo or who yee will; some followe not: yet … will they … C. Si Virgo. Ignorantia excusat eum qui nesciens dormiuit cū sorore vxotis suae.swere for him in another place, wherein hee is holden and followed: That a man lying with his wiues … by ignorance is excused, if shee come to his bed at vnawares, it is called the ignorance of the person, for hee tooke her for his wife, and lay with her with an husbandly affection as with his wife. It is made Jacobs case with Lea forsooth &c. But with what conscience shall hee bee excused herein;1. 2. q. 19. Art. 6. with the very same I trow that the maister, the Councell, p. 70and the Cannon law, & pronounceth him to bee excused, y^t … with a naughtie and erroneous conscience, as they speake: For I am sure by a right conscience, hee neuer shall bee excused before God, from committing incest. The Similes that they goe about to prooue this matter by there, are euen like stuffe, and the same wee hauehave hearde before. The glose and the marrowe set downe more: If aQ c. Illud relarum. par. par ex vtra que . married wife bee lyen withall ignorantly, there is no whooredome committed. And againe, whooredome is not committed without guile, &c, And yet a little before, If a womans husbande bee dead, and shee beleeue hee be aliue, if shee marry shee is giltie of whoordome though she hauehave not committed whooredome, sayth the glose, suche I tell you is the force of an erroneous and lying conscience vponupon this excuse of Whoredome, and the dentall y^t it is any, is grounded on that which Gratian elswhere telleth vsus: That if a blinde man beleeuing hee lyeth with his wife, defile another woman hee is not guiltie of whooredome, because blindnesse is like ignorance: but if casting a Darte, or shutting, hee hap in play, &c. to kyll any man, he is guiltie (saith hee) of murther. This is good Diuinitie among our Englishe Romane CatholikesSee the defence of the Apologie, part. 4. cap. 1. divis. 1. at this day, as besides those that nowe write may bee seene in M. Harding a Proctor euen for the Stewes, and a mainteiner and enlarger of that filthie common saying: IfHarding in his detection. ye liue not chastly. doe it charily, which hee ralleth good counsell, and pertaining to layefolke aswel as to Clarkes,Si non castè tamcu cautè. Oh gentle companion. But to keepe mee to the Angelicall Doctour Fryer Thomas our mens great Authour, Thus in this matter of an erroneous conscience not disagreeing from the rest writeth he in his summe, If reason or conscience erre in this, that a man thinke some woman comming vntounto him in his bed, is his wife, and shee demaundyng it, he will ye with her, his will is excused, and is not will, because this errour proceedeth of a circumstaunce which excuseth and causeth the thing to be inuoluntary, In these examples; may a man liuely beholde, as in a …, the foundation and grounde of M. How lets doctrine, and his fellowes in this matter of conscience, whiche is euen by their doctrine, profession, and religion, to thrust forwarde their Catholikes or Schollers and followers, for want of helpe, that way belike headlong into hell fire: I am weerie and ashamed of these beastes villanies, I will therefore conclude, and ende this diuelishe doctrine, for this point, where I began it with D. Thomas, vponupon that text of Scripture, that these men vse to proue this matter by, euen the +. to the Romanes, that we may see their faithfull and holy expositions, the abusing of the text it selfe, I examine in his place. For the Question and resolution of an erronious conscience binding, let the reader remember what I hauehave before set downe out of D. Thomas. His examples … bee: If a man thinke he sinne mortally, except hee steale, or commit fornication, whether he may do against that hee thinketh, or against this his erroneous conscience, (as he nameth it) without mortally sinning or no? Hee obiecteth after his maner, first, the Lawe of GOD, which forbidding fornication and …, bindeth strenglyer then conscience: next hee … perplexitie in sinning eueryevery way, in committing fornication against Gods lawe, and in not committing fornication against his conscience: But hee resolueth generally euen like him …, as yee … before, and for fornication particularly …: If a man beleeue that not to commit fornication is mortall sinne, or to absteine from that vice: whilest hee choseth not to commit fornication, or to abstaine from it, hee choseth (they bee his woordes) to sinne mortally, or deadly, and so doth he finne mortally. And hereto maketh that (… hee) which the Apostle here speaketh. … lying spirite.

No we … that which is obiected to the contrarye … out of the lawe of God, hee … vp the matter p. 60and cuttes it of very shortly thus: that hindereth not, that is first obiected of the lawe of God, because there is one,S. Paul (being demaunded we must suppose whether this Thomas had attained to his meaning in his Cōmentaries) in vision answered him, yea, as much as mans sight can conceiue, the Crucifixe also answe red, thou hast writtten well of mee Thomas: the church beleueth and sayeth so. It is as true as the Gospell with Papistes. and the same bonde of a conscience, euen erronious, and of the lawe of God: for conscience doth not appoint any thing to bee done or auoyded, but that it beleeueth, the same is the lawe of God: for the lawe is not applied to our doinges, but by meanes of our conscience. And yet gentle D. Thomas, as litle account as yee make of the lawe of God the authoritie thereof, and bonde ouer mens consciences, here equalling the bonde of a noughtie and lying conscience therewith: if it bee the commandement of your Church, of Prelate, it bindeth, though conscience be to the contrarie. Besides, if a Prelate commaunde any thing that your Subiectes conscience telleth him to be contrary to the lawe of God. It is answered according to Bonauenture, that he is bound to lay away his conscience. &c. and obey, yea, if hee hauehave probable, and discreet, though not manifest and euident beleefe: for obedience, let him doe that which is commanded him, because he is bound in suche a doubt so to doe, and is excused for obedience sake, but let him by no meanes doe it of his owne will, because he may not for that he should sinne mortally &c. As for perplexitie of sinning, eueryevery way whereinto we are brought by this doctrine, which (as they teache) is while men bee in the bryers: sometime betweene two mortall sinnes, sometime betweene two veniall, sometime betweene a mortall and a veniall sinne, thus they speake. D. Thomas saith, that also is no hinderance to this doctrine: for it is no matter though one be perplexed by some suppositiō, though no man be simply perplexed: that is vponupon condition vnlesse he put away that erronious conscience, or he is perplexed while that cōscience remaineth. But here is playne contradiction and falling out betweene these doctors, as there is not sounde agreement, in that they write of an erronious, or lying conscience binding: for the case being thus supposed that they may not doe against their conscience though it be Erroneous and euill vponupon paine of damnation. Then commeth in M. Howlet, who … with his authour, sometime sayth of him selfe and other such Catholiks here, y^t eyther they must renounce God by doing that which in iudgement and conscieuce they condemne: be their consciēce right or wrong it is no matter: all is one: or els sustaine such intollerable molestations as they cānot beare. A hard strait, especially seeing, as he saith elsewhere Conscience dependeth of iudgement and not of wil, and so cannot be framed and reduced to conformimitie, &c.

Heere is a diuers aud doubtfull speech of conscience, and a greate extremitie that men be nowe brought into, as seemeth by this doctriue, what shall they doe; shall they, to burst out or come foorth of this maze, choose the lesse euill as they are willed in their canon, & by Gregory, which isDistinct. 13. contrary to that: wee may not do euill that good may comeBonauentur. Summa Angelica. &c. thereof: or shall they change their pretended consciences, y^t surely is the best, & so are they willed to doe, enen by some of their owne writers: As for that bonde of erroneous conscienceAugustin. D. Thomas. 1. 2. Q. 19. Art. 5. that they pretende it is none at all, nor of conscience simply, other wise then with God, and vnderunder him: Augustin sayth well (as D. Thomas, can alleadge) that the commandement of the inferiour power bindeth not, yf it be contrary to the commandement of the superiour power, as if … vnderunder gouernour of a Prouince, &c. bid that which his Emperour or head gouernour forbid: why did hee not answere that obiection so, where the Lawe of God, and conscience commaunde contraries: For I pray you in all reason, is not God, and our bonde of duette to him expressed in his worde written, aboue our conscience, and all dutie to man, if comparison be made, namely the same being confessed … erroneous and lying; But (M. Howlet saith) that can not be in him, & his fellowes, without … of God, but that say wee is false, we vtterly denie it: as that also is, that p. 72such a conscience dependeth of iudgement and not of will, when it is their owne meere wilfulnesse, and a foolishe, and false opinion and perswasion, or else if they needes will refuse counsaile, vnderunder hope to deceiue the Prince and State heere, and by their Rhetoricall and cunning lying, to bring them to their bende at last, where they she we themselues very confident and bolde. Let them sticke still in their supposed and condition all perplexitie, that is, in their filthie myre, which is but a vayne opinion of their owne, as their owne wryters alsosay: So wee may bee free from sucheGlose. in dist. 13. &c. naughtie, vayne, and diuelishe doctrine: Let them call vntounto them a heape of Heretikes, Idolatours, blasphemers, fleshly men, drunkardes, villaines, tagge and ragge, yea, the diuels of hell, themselues, to acknowledge and embrace this doctrine of theirs, and to professe this religion. Let them, if they needes will, ioyne heartes and handes together. Let them carry with them multitude, antiquitie, consent, their well meaning mindes, as they call them, aud what they wil besides, Let vsus crie: Heare ô heauen, heare ô earth, and be astonished: Heare ô Christians, Princes, and people, high and lowe, detest and abhorre this religion, and suche Saintes and Maisters. Let vsus followe Christ Iesus, the Prophetes, and Apostles, their doctrine, and the profession of the Gospell. I speake … this while but of Popishe profession, religion, and doctrine: I speake not of their life, behauiour, and conuersation, as fruites of their doctrine. There remaine in men infirmities: but such profession and doctrine, or teaching in religion and life, I crie out vponupon, I defie this religion, as moste abhominable abhomination before GOD and man, and crying for vengeance from heauen. And yet touche I but one parte, and one braunche that these men pull mee into, taking but their owne examples in the firste Table, and in one cōmandement of the second Table only. I assure thee, (… reader) that I lothe, and forspring thy eares … in this argumētto enter into some cases of consciēce, so they entitle and crowne their beastly filthynes, that these religious, maydenly Fryers, and saintes, as they must bee called, propounde and set vsus downe in their bookes, vnderunder questions and answears. Thine eares woulde glowe, if in this point, thou shouldest heare some of the meditations and stuffe, euen of a booke intituled, the Angelicall Summe, ofSumma Angelica, de casibus conscienciae. the cases of conscience, written by Fryer Angelus in deede and name, as he is reported: But away with this Popishe religion, Fye on the Diuell & his doctrine & impes. Our English Romanists hauehave at this day, as they tell vsus three1 Pet. 2. 2.1 Pet 2:2 readers among them in the cases of Conscience beyondeforeign Sea; But if that great Romishe Harlots brestes, yeelde her children suche sustenance, in steade of the syncere mylke ofErasmus in vita August. the woorde of God, or as Saint Peters very wordes are reasonable mylke, and without guyle: for all their great braggs, for all their baites to catche simple soules; we wish all men as they tender their owne saluation, to take heede of these Maisters & their religion. It is written (gentle reader) of Augustine, that hee opened and set abroade the … of the Manichee Heretikes, because the very opening thereof, was ynough to … and foyle them. This I hope wil serue the reader both for his profite to this ende, and for any iust defence vponupon the occasion ministred here.

Yet some what more for the matter, and our Soueraigne, and this States iust defence in the execution of the holesome lawes here established for the abrog … of …, superstition, treason, rebession, &c. and the good … of Christes true religion, godlinesse, and honestie. Against these quarell … let me say in generall, first to you Papists, whilest that vnderunder pretence of conscience, yee thus prouide for your selues in this per …, imagining that no iustice can inforce you to doe any acte of our Religion: yee prouide in the meane while very selenderly, and very euill for the common …, and for her Maiestie: for if this doctrine whereon your … examples p. 73are grounded bee generally true, That not in the doer only, but in the inforcer also nothing may bee attempted vnderunder paine of deadly sinne, and damnation, against any mans conscience, though it be erroneous, iudging that which is mortall sinne, to bee good and necessary: as infidelite, heresie, theft, whooredome, &c. Why not murther also with the rest: Howe then shall her Matestie and the State make and execute lawes, to restraine lewdnesse; If they say: It is against their conscience, not to doe the things by law forbidden them, or to abstaine from the same as you doe, they may not in iustice be inforced to doe against their conscience, that is, leaue robbing and other villanie: they may not be hanged, punished, or so forth, for the same. Will you hauehave thē punished that vnderunder paine of deadly sinne and damnation are bounde not too doe otherwise then they doe, or contrary thereunto at least. A great burden lyeth vponupon them, and will cannot bee forced, nor they may not be enforced to doe against their conscience, though it be naught, Againe, sir, necessityDe consecra. distinct. 5. discipulosin glosa. excuseth both a theefe, & a murderer by your Canon law and Doctrine, and that more then for Whooredome, because necessitie hath no law. Againe, in necessitie all things ought to bee common, &c. Thus seemeth her Maiestie, and the State likewise to bee brought into perplexitie, by these mens doctrine, that either they must leaue of making and executing wholesome ciuill lawes: or els be founde enforcers of some men, to doe against their conscience: Whereof, as this is by them accounted wicked and damnable, so the other must needs be to the State and common wealth at least very dangerous. But this with them is no great matter, where perplexitie is, they must choose y^e lesse euill, they wel deserue, these gentlemen, and the religion of God and his people; of Kinges, Princes, Ciuill Magistrates, and common wealthes also. There is talke of Libertines, Anabaptists, Householders of LoueLove, and I wote not who els: But Popery surely is a hotchpotche of all wickednesse, the mother of all sectcs and heresies, and the nurcerie of all mischiefe: Thus doe they seeme to reason, who so inforce men to doe against their erroneous conscience, commit heerein horrible mortall sinne, and are in a damnable case: But Magistrates by making and executing penall lawes vponupon traitours, theeues, murderers &c. pretending conscience enforce mē to do against their erroneous cōsciēce: therfore magistrates by making & executing penall lawes vponupon traitours, theeues & murderers, &c. pretending conscience commit horrible mortall sinne, and are in a damnable case.

Thus as in teaching that hee falleth and faulteth horribly that doth against that which his vnderstanding, reason, or erroneous conscience, as they speake, telleth him to bee good, though it bee mortall sinne: M. Howlet, and the Papistes open a windowe by their doctrine to the Libertines, and them that are leade by inspiration, and pretende the motion of the spirite altogether to cloke their filthie sinne, & wickednes vnderunder, if they yet y^t say; they may not resift the motiōs of y^e spirit, hauehave not a better or not so bad a pretence, but more religious then they that say: they may not vnderunder paine of damnation doe against reason, bee it right, be … wrong, which is Philosophical, and seemeth to be prophane: So againe by their doctrine of inforcement, and their threat of damnation against the enforcers of naughtie men to do against their naughtie conscience; they vnderunder. mine the lawfull authoritie of Ciuil Magistrates and their wholesome lawes, made and executed against sinne and wickednesse, and agree too well with the Anabaptistes, and suche other as allowe not of Magistrates: but as we highly thanke God for her Maiestie and this Gospelling state, of whome wee receiue this double benefite, first of heauenly doctrine and religion; whereby mens consciences out of Gods worde are rightly instructed and informed, and these vices and transgressions reprooued, and they enforced to haunt publike assemblies, & heare their dutie there shewed them that either are ignorant or wilfull: Next, of publike honestie and peace, maintained among vsus by lawes, and the p. 74… of the same, pretende they conscience or whatsoeuer, condignely restrained, and by seueritie punished: So againe, doe I tell them in a worde that Christes religion taken out of Gods booke, if they hauehave grace to enter the profession thereof, will ease all this matter, and voide and cleere that which they defusedly, and darkely, and dangerously teache, of an erroneous conscience and the bonde thereof, and of perplexitie: for in Gods booke, they shall … no such stuffe. But the matter being well & duly examined their persuasion will bee founde by that booke, to bee nothing lesse then conscience, and there wee are commaunded to doe that onelyonly that is good, and forbidden to doe that is euill, wee may not doe euill, no not that good may come thereof. Or if that like them best, let it beare the name of adiuelishe conscience, and so to bee refourmed, or otherwise to abide the smart which such wickednesse iustly deserueth, … out especially, to the hurt of Churche and common wealth. Grounde therefore gentle (M. Howlet) your conscience hence foorth vponupon Christe the true rocke, and his heauenly doctrine, and let Poperie goe: Or els bee content to reforme the same by that rule, wheresoeuer you hauehave grounded it afore time. Heare (if not mee in this case) yet some of your owne side, to induce you heereto. Bee not too much addicted to your D. Thomas, and your owne conceite, stay not obstinately on the text of your Canon Lawe. Be content to heare the glose, if he mend the text & say better. Though there be of your side that say: An erroneous conscience bindeth as strongly as a goodRob. Holcot. super senten. lib. 3. q. 1. art. 5.00. conscience, and that in the worst degree it bindeth a man to doe according vntounto it, So as if hee doe contrary to it, hee sinneth, so as his conscience abiding such, the man is perplexed, till he put it away, and an other way his erroneous1. Doyng contrary to … conscience is sume. 2. Doyng according to erronious conscience is not …. conscience bindeth him so, as if hee doe not accor ding vntounto it, hee sinneth, If hee doe according vntounto it, he sinneth not, which is Iohns case of worshipping the Diuell: Yet is there againe some euen of your side that say …: Where a mans cōscience biddeth him, that is contrary to the lawe of God, it bindeth him not to doe it, but bindeth him to lay away his conscience, which if (M. Howlet) and his authours, and other our Romane Catholikes at this day woulde hauehave consulted withall, or hearkened vntounto, they woulde I suppose, not hauehave made so euill a choyse as they doe, but hauehave written otherwise then they vsually nowe doe, following heerein the worser sort of their Doctours. The wordes of their owne glose in Commentarie vponupon the text of their Canon, not bearing the vntruth therof in the matter of perplexitie, correcteth y^e same, so forcible is Gods truth in some, euen in most popish daies: the wordes of your glose contrary to the text are these.

But wee must say no man, can bee perplexed betweeneGlose. in distinct. 13. two euils: because thence it woulde followe that some man of necessitie shoulde bee bounde to doe euill: but the Canon saith, that God would neuer render distruction: except a man were founde willingly to hauehave sinned, as 23. q. 4. Nabuchodonosor ver. vasis irae. Moreouer if, of necessitie wee were bounde to doe any thing: the lawe that forbiddeth it shoulde bee impossible, where as notwithstanding eueryevery lawe ought to bee possible, as before distinct. 4. erit. Perplexitie therefore as touching the thing it selfe is nothing but as touching the minde and foolishe opinion of some man, there is some perplexitie. Wherefore the Iewes were not perplexed vnlesse in mind, and therefore shoulde hauehave asked counsaile of the wiser and better learned: as of the Apostles or holy scriptures, &c.

Nowe returne I. M. Howlet, to the particular examination of your woordes, which that I bee not driuen to repeate, I desire the reader to peruse a part as I hauehave before set y^e same down: You make your entrāce into this great & religious matter of consciēce, by a prophane sentence takē out af Aristotles Rhetorique, but howe euer this maye serue Philosophicall, and your Schoole diuinitie: wherewith the … of Christes Gospell hath of some time p. 75beene too much bastarded, yet thankes be to God, hee hath opened our eyes to see and discerne betweene mans wisedome,… are Heretikes, Patriarches: sayth Tertussian, against Her, mogenes, … rome, &c. and the heauenly trueth, so as being forewarned by the holy Ghost, to beware least any man spoyle vsus through Philosophie and vaine deceite, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudimentes of the worlde, and not according to Christe, &c: We meane to take as good heede of your vayne speculations, as God shall giuegive grace: that is only good to eueryevery man (say you out of your Philosopher) which ech mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good, vntounto which the Scriptures & diuines …. Howe then, are the counselles and wayes of the Lorde, and those of men so opposed in the scriptures: the one approued and allowed, the other reiected; Howe is it so muche and so often cryed out vppon in the Scriptures, and men seuerely forbidden to followe their own wayes, or to doe that which seemeth good in their owne eyes: but that alwayes, and alonely, which is agreeable vntounto the Lord, vponupon whose direction, if we bee his, we wholly depende. There is hardly any thing more dangerous and hurtfull for men to follow, then that which is here made the fountaine of all good vntounto thē: Did not God, to draw frō following y^e direction of mans vnderstanding in this life, giuegive his people holy lawes and commandementes, to distinguishe betweene good and euill, and continually to direct them by, that they myght serue him in holinesse and righteousnes, in his presence,Luk. 1. 74. 75.Luke 1:74Luke 1:75 in his sight, or before him all the dayes of their life, that is: so, and in such order as hee in his holy worde appoynteth and auoweth; If any bee in Christe, he is a newe creature: Saith the Apostle, &c. How far differeth this holy doctrine2. Cor. 5. 17.2 Cor 5:17 of God, (as meeter and better for Christians to receiue) from that prophane sentence of M. Howlet; that is onelyonly good to eueryevery man which eche mans vnderstanding telleth him to bee good, &c. Is it euen so in deede; fie of that diuinitie: the holy Ghostes diuinitie, you see is cleane contrarie; It is yet further written. There is none that vnderstandeth,Rom. 3. 11, 12. &c.Rom 3:11Rom 3:12 there is none that seeketh God, all are gone1. Cor. 1. 19.1 Cor 1:19 out of the way, &c. And againe, I will destroy the wisedomeEsai. 29. 14.Isa 29:14 of the wise, and wil cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent. Hath not God made the wisdome of the world foolishnesse; &c. The wisedome of the flesh is enimitic agianstRom. 8. 6. 7.Rom 8:6Rom 8:7 God: death, &c. O Lorde I knowe (saith the Prophet) that the way of man is not in him selfe, neither is itIere. 10. 23.Jer 10:23 in man to walke, and to direct his steppes. And therefore the heauenly wise man sayth further also: All theProu. 16. 2. & 21. 2.Prov 16:2Prov 21:2 wayes of a man are cleane or right in his owne eyes: But the Lorde pondereth the Spirites. And this made the heauenly Prophet and king, though hee were very wise, yet leauing his owne vnderstanding to hauehave recourse herein to GOD by prayer: Thy handes hauehave made mee, andPsal. 119.Ps 119 fashioned me, giuegive me vnderstanding that I may learneIud. 7. 3.Judg 7:3 thy commandements, the steppes of a man are ruled by the Lorde: howe can a man then vnderstande his owneProu. 20. 24.Prov 20:24 way; sayth Salomon. And the reason is rendred elsewhere: All the imaginations, or deuices of the thoughts of mans heart (sayth God in Moses) are onelyonly euill continually. And againe, The Lorde knoweth the thoughtesGen. 6. 5.Gen 6:5 of man, that they are vanitie. And the Apostle yet further:&. 8. 21. The Lorde knoweth that the thoughtes of the wise beePsal. 94, 11.Ps 94:11 vaine: The hearte is deceitfull and euill aboue all thinges, who can knowe it? &c.

Better a great deale and more consonant to the doctrine of the scriptures than you, spake that olde father of the1. Cor. 3. 20.1 Cor 3:20 Greeke Church when comparing mans vnderstandingIerem. 17. 9.Jer 17:9 w^t diuinity & diuine matters, he said. There can be nothing…. in 2. worse than to goe about to discerne & measure GodsTim. 1. bom. 2. matters with mans reason: for so falleth eueryevery one from…. in 1. Tim 1. … 5.1 Tim 1:5 the foundation of faith, and is caried farre, wandering about with errour and is forsaken of the light. &c. You see it is blasphemie (sayth he in another place) to go about to discusse diuine matters with reasō, so hath mans reasō compared to Gods matters, nothing common or agreable, p. 76If we shal finally consider (sayth he in y^t former places)Idem …. 5. …. 1. Tim. in … verba: … Satana vt … non …. that Marciō, Manes, Valētinus & other that brought in wicked heresies & pernicious doctrins into the church measured diuine thinges with humane reason (looke vponupon your owne fathers M. Howlet and take them by the hand) We shall finde that so at length they became ashamedChrisost. in. 12. Ioan, Hom. 65. of the misterie of the holy incarnation, &c. Whose heresies also elsewhere he fathereth for their beginning vponupon the Gentiles & Philosophers. Augustine also a latin doctor retracting that which he had aforetime too philosophically written hereof against the Academikes saithlib. 1. …. … 1. thus: as touching mans nature there is nothing better in him then vnderstanding and reason, but he that will liue a blessed life must not liue according to that, for so liueth he after the manner of a man, where he should liue agreablie to God, to attaine to happines; to come whereunto the vnderstanding or minde may not be contented with it selfe, but must be subiect to God. &c, Amongst many other, let this here suffice, to shewe generally how well mans reason or vnderstanding agreeth with God, good diuinitie and religion.

For your Philosophers sentence, taken out of Aristotles Aristo. li. 1. …Rhetorique, which you make so great account of in diuinitie. Let vsus examine it yet a little more. First M. Howlet which hath beene and is your common fault, you cite not your sentence truly out of the Philosopher, if ye read it not there your self, be better aduised another time: if you knew the matter & willingly peruerted it, your fault is the greater. Leaue therefore both these faultes, or else giuegive vsus leaue to reprooue both in you. Looke vponupon your place in Aristotle,foreign consider his purpose, which is to shewe whence a man may take his proofes in consultation, referring the same to profit, which is his drift, and this profite he calleth good. Then let the reader hardly examine and confer Aristotles wordes with M. Howlets. Thus finde I Aristotle in this matter: amongst diuers other things that profit and help in doing matters wherof me consult, some simplie and acknowledged amongst all, some in parte for certaine respect & allowed of some men, al which he calleth good, as w^t him; good is diuided, into honest, profitable and pleasant thinges. Whatsoeuer thinges (sayth hee) vnderstanding would deliuer to eueryevery one & whatsoeuer things the vnderstanding, of, in, or about, eueryevery thing, deliuereth, that is to eueryevery mā, or to eueryevery thing good, he doth notsay, that onelyonly is good, which reckoneth vp a great sort of markes to knowe good by. Besides neither doth he say, eche mans vnderstanding, and so include corrupt mens vnderstanding, how bad soeuer it be, as in religion, you doe heere Heathen men, Turkes, Infidels and your selues Papistes, &c. In ciuilRecta ratio, mens …. Orandum vt sit mens sana in corpore sano. &c. things vnderstanding needeth to be ciuill, & you knowe Aristotle in the matter of vertue and good, speaketh oftē and much of right and good reason: and yee heare of a sounde minde in a sound body among the very heathen. Neither yet doth he confound a mans vnderstanding with the testimony of Conscience. Furthermore, Aristotle, can distinguishe this word good, as ye know, not into honest, pleasant, and profitable thinges onelyonly, but into thinges good indeede and apparantly good, simply and generally, and of it selfe good, and sometime particularly, and good to vsus, &c, these thinges and such other circumstances are necessary to bee knowne, to vnderstand rightly euen in philosophie the sentence ye fetch out of Aristotles Rhetorique. Agayne, wee must knowe hee speaketh of good in his rhetorique as it is the subiect or matter of an Oratour. And what is that, to speake of good, as it belongeth to diuinitie and a Diuine, or to a Christian, who for his actions or doinges must fetch from God, and his will and approbation, that that is good, and trie it by the Touch of his worde and Lawe, which is our only rule to know good and bad by, & not our owne vnderstanding. It were not to be maruelled at then though Aristotle, as a philosopher and wise heathen man, making vnderstanding and reason as it were a Queene or Prince in this little world man, to sit in his minde for doing ciuill p. 77thinges to rule, prescribe, command, order and make lawee, to the inferiour partes as the will and affections shoulde speake thus, and more too in morall philosophie. And yet ywis this Prince is many times but ill fauouredly sighted, and worse followed and obeyed: the truth and experience also telleth vsus farther y^t mens mindes are corrupted, their vnderstanding blinded, and become so weake and dull, in heauenly thinges in deede, to speake no more; that too … nowe, can they or will they tell what is good and godly: one that is pooreblinde, hath but an euill eye: to direct and guid a mans body aright. A blinde eye guideth yet woorse or nothing at all: and yet this is of it selfe mans reason and vnderstanding to leade him in good & godly thinges. I thinke your selfe wil graunt me, for the most parte; vnlesse the eyes of our vnderstanding be lightened by Gods holy spirit; and framed frō aboue. The light of the body is the eye, (sayth our Sauiour Christ) if thē thine eye be single thy wholeMat. 6. 22 23.Matt 6:22 body shalbe lyght: But if thine eye be euil thē thy body is dark. Wherfore if the light which is in thee be darkenes, how great is that darkenes; If therefore thy whole body shal be light hauing no part darke, saith he, in S. Luke) thenLuke. 11. 36.Luke 11:36 shall all be light, euen as when a candel doeth light thee with the brightnes. Your D. Thomas halfe a Philosopher, & halfe a Diuine could yet decide the matter thus outPsal. 4. 7.Ps 4:7 of the Psalme. Many say who shall shew vsus good thinges; the light of thy countenance Lorde is marked vponupon vsus; as though he should say: the light of reason that is in vsus, can so farre shewe vsus good thinges and rule our will, as1. 2. q. 19. art 4. it is the light of thy countenance, that is, taken from thy countenance: the naturall man is not capable of the1. Cor 2. 9. 101 Cor 2:91 Cor 2:10 thinges of the spirit of God: for they are foolishnes vntounto him; neither can he know thē because they are spiritually descerned (sayth the Apostle.) And againe: the thinges whiche eye hath not seene, neither eare hath hearde, neither came into mans heart, which God hath prepared for them that louelove him: but God hath reuealed thē vntounto vsus by his spirit, &c. Doe not the contrary opinions that be in mens mindes, not of the common sort only, where as the common saying is verified. So many men so many mindes, but euen in the wisest and grauest PhilosophersQuot capita tot sensus. Quot bomines tot …. themselues, declare the defect that is in mans vnderstanding to guide him by. What Philosopher euer knew himselfe aright; not knowing the corruption of mans nature. Did not one of the greatest of them professe that hee knewe thisStoikes, Peripatetikes. onelyonly: that he knewe nothing: was not the name of wisedome and wise men refused among the wisest of them. AndAcademikes, Epicures. &c. they content to be called but philosophers, that is louers of wisedome onelyonly, Did not the Academikes confesse and professe the vncertaintie and weakenes of mans mindforeign and vnderstanding; What vnderstanding of man euer conceiued the mistery of Christes incarnation: that the word was made flesh, or that one should be borne of a virgin, & such other misteries of our religion; In deede they were no Mysteries, if mans vnderstanding coulde reache and attaine vntounto them. Fleshe and bloode hath not reuealed this vntounto thee, but my father whiche is in heauen, sayth our Sauiour Christ vntounto Peter confessingMat. 16. 17.Matt 16:17 him. Is that onelyonly good to eueryevery man which ech mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good? then farewell in effect all goodnesse in Christes religion, Did not the imagination and opinion that there are many Gods, greater and lesser. &c proceede from this puddle of mans vnderstanding; whiles he would thereby measure the nature of God: Whence grew al the superstitions y^t euer were in the world: but frō y^t vanitie of mens minds, their vnderstāding,Rom. 1. 21. 22.Rom 1:21Rom 1:22 & reason. Well sayth the Apostle that men became vaine in their reasonings & their folish heart was darkned whē foreignthey professed themselues to be wise they became fooles &c. Is that onelyonly good vntounto eueryevery man, which ech mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good: How if mans vnderstanding and the worde of God disagree as they doe too too often, shall that onelyonly be good for him, that his vnderstanding telleth him to be good. In the Infidels iudgement p. 78and conscience, it seemeth good to saye: there is no Messias, it must be good for him, by your doctrine to holde that, and to yeeld … doe thereafter is not wicked. The doctrine of the Libertines and such as hold and teache that hand ouer head, men should follow the motions of the spirit, lesse absurde then yours heerein; you saye that is onelyonly good to eueryevery man which each mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good: they say the spirite mooueth me to this or that therefore I must doe it: goodly wordes of youres in Aristotles philosophie and so foorth, theirs in diuinitie, with better shewe then youres, which yet you would make vsus beleeue, that scriptures and diuines agree. But leauing the rule of the scriptures & Gods law, both are very dangerous and euil to rule men by. How far are ye of, from that pernitious doctrine: that eueryevery one shalbe saued by his owne religion, vnlesse possible you will hauehave all men saued without any religion, if that onelyonly be good to eueryevery man, which eche mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good. The Idolaters vnderstanding telleth him that idolatry is good, the blasphemers that blasphemie. &c. here is a confusiō of good in deed The wiseman sayth that the way of a foole is right in his owne eyes, is that and that onelyonly good to him; neither of both surely: for hee addeth. But he that heareth counsailePro. 12. 15.Prov 12:15 is wise. What is to say: euill is good and good euill: If this be not; to say, that is onelyonly good vntounto eueryevery man which ech mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good.

But let me giuegive you an example out of the same booke of your Maister Aristotle, that you here alleadge, because that possible may more preuaile with you, speaking of many honest and commendable thinges, in praysing as he doeth in your place alleadged of many good and profitable; in counsailing hee teacheth, that to bee reuenged of ones enemies, rather then to be reconciled is commendable, & rendreth the reason: for (sayth hee) to render euil for euil, or to requite, is a iust thing, & eueryevery iust thing is cōmendable. The Doctrine I ween, learned out of this your Maister Aristotle the Philosopher, made you to inuentVim vi repellere. you know what it meaneth. lyes of the faft at Stamforde, to quite, as you say the Puritan, and to write many such like thinges, as wee reade in this your Epistle dedicatorie. To be euen with one, is a iust and a commendable thinge: but howe euer this quite the …, it is quite contrary to the Scriptures and heauenly doctrine of Christ and his Apostles. Your Maister Aristotle, also in the same place you cite, sayth: those things are good & profitable, which eueryevery mā is most affected and dilighted withall, as the Warriour with victorie,Math. 5. 38. 39. 40. 41. 44. &c.Matt 5:38Matt 5:39Matt 5:40Matt 5:41Matt 5:44 the ambitious with honor, the couetous with monie, &c. scripture & diuines to agree with this hellike doctrine; God forbidde: Wee hauehave better Schoole maisters then so,Rom. 12. 17. 19. &c.Rom 12:17Rom 12:19 thankes bee to God. EueryEvery good giuing, and eueryevery perfect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from theIam. 1. 17.Jas 1:17 Father of lyghts, &c. euen to this father of glory must we pray for this gyft of wisedome, and reuelation, through the knowledge of him, that the eyes of our vnderstanding may bee lightened, that wee may knowe what the hope is of his calling, &c. It is a seconde grace and gyfte, that I may so speake, aboue and beyonde nature, and the lyght thereof, or eche mans vnderstandyng? Your Saint Thomas, if you woulde hauehave consulted but with him, would hauehave tolde you as muche. Searche the Scriptures: Are yee not therefore deceyued, because ye knowe not the Scriptures,Iohn 5. 39.John 5:39 &c. sayth our Sauiour Christ, heare him. As allMar. 12. 14.Mark 12:14 poyntes of Diuinitie and Religion woulde bee grounded on Gods booke, and the Scriptures, not vponupon the Philosophers, and Rhetorique: so especially, when there is question of conscience, or of doing or not doing thereafter, in matters of religion, shoulde wee hauehave recourse vntounto that heauenlye …: but yee say, The Scripture and Diuines agree to this sentence of the Philosopher, when they say: That we shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie our of conscience. Make this sentence playner, and expound it not by the first, least both fall out to be very false, & p. 79very pernitious; the better of the two, make of it what you can, is very perplexed, darke, and doubtfull, at least as you set it downe and followe it. This may be propounded in lecture among you by him, that is your publike reader in the cases of conscience, but wee hauehave seene to muche of your Schoole diuinitie and diuelishe doctrine in conscience, to haunte your Romishe lectures, or receiue that is therein taught, and professed. Our senses are better acquainted with the phrases of the Scriptures. If this latter sentence be all one with the other, and first cited out of Aristotle, thē might you hauehave spared your Philosophers Rhetoricall sentence, and rested vponupon this whiche yee pretende, to take out of the Scripture and Diuines. The heauenly Scripture hath no neede of mans wisedome, to bee vnderstood sayth one, but … y^t reuelation of y^t spirit: but first I tel you, I find not y^t wordsChristom. in Gen. cap. 5.Gen 5 ye set vsus downe in those Scriptures, whiche yee quote vsus in the margin, yee tell vsus of beeing iudged at the last day,Hom. 2. according to the testimonie of our conscience, yee sende vsus to 2. Cor. 1. and to 1. Iohn 3. The Apostle in the place ye poynt vsus, speaketh more particularly, of the testimony of a good conscience, onelyonly, and of his owne that hee had in this worlde, his wordes bee these: Our reioycing is this, the testimony of our conscience: that in simplicitie and godly purenes, not by fleshly wisedome, but by the grace of God, we hauehave had our conuersation in the worlde, &c. Marke here, that Saint Paul had his conuersation in the worlde, not directed by his owne vnderstanding, As your Philosophical sentence pretendeth, not by fleshly wisdome, but by the grace of God in simplicitie, and godly purenes. 2 Cor. 1. 3. 3.2 Cor 1:3The testimonie of suche a conscience, is a goodly matter, and to bee reioyced in, in deede let it bee, if you will a … feast, &c. And this is the oddes here, betweene a heathen and a Christian life, yet doth not the Apostle in this place saye generally: that wee shall bee iudged at the last day, according to the testimonie of our conscience, neither yet of him selfe sayth hee so muche, speaking of the testimonie of his own conscience. Though I deuy not, but y^t faithful being receiued … by gods mercy, & ingraffed into Christ by faith, shall hauehave matter of … in a good conscience, & in wel doing, euen at the last day, But you carry it further. The Apostle, in another place, speaking of his fidelitie in his Ministerie, and of a better conscience still, then you seeme hereto note, sheweth yet a higher Iudge rather and more sharper of sight, who will iudge him more thoroughly, then according to his owne vnderstanding and conscience: Nay, as one that durste not iustifie him selfe, though his conscience charged him with nothing in his function, hee reiecteth that iudgement from himselfe, and from all men also, as vnfitte and vnsufficient: vntounto the Lorde himselfe, who at his comming…. Cor. 4. 3. …. 5. will lighten thinges that are hidde in darkenesse, and make the counsailes of the hearts manifest. The other place yee cite, to shewe wee shall bee iudged at the last day, according to our conscience, is, out of Saint Iohns Epistle, where thus it is written: (I must ghesse, because yee neyther set downe the wordes, nor the verse) For thereby …. Ioh. 3. 19. 20. 21.John 3:19John 3:20John 3:21(that is by louing in deede and truth) wee knowe that we are of the truth, and shall before him assure our heartes: For if our heart condemne vsus, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloued if our heart condemne vsus not, then hauehave wee boldnesse towarde GOD. Here the Apostle speaketh of that boldnesse, and enterance with confidence, that the faithfull here hauehave towardes God, by Christ Iesus, and by fayth in him, & of the benefite thereof:looke S. Paul. Ephe. 3. 12.Eph 3:12 whiche, as by a certaine marke is expressed by true and vnfaygned louelove, and of the lacke of this full perswasion, againe, what a losse it is: here is nothing spoken of our being iudged at the last day, according to our conscience. And this is all I finde of this matter, in the places of Scripture here alleadged.De doct. chri. lib. cap. 10. & lib. 1. cap. 40.

For the Diuines that ye talke of, because yee quote vsus Augustin alone for all, & sende vsus to two places … him, and p. 80the matter is not great what is there saide, I referre it to the learned Readers iudgment, that is disposed to examine the places. You report heere & bring in Austin for proofe that wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience. Where Austin speaketh not of the iudgement of the last day, in neither of both the Chapters. Consult therefore with them, from whome ye tooke these places, that they may appoint you fitter for the purpose; or you better followe the simplicitie and sinceritie of the sacred Scriptures. If yee say Austin, name conscience, or speake a worde thereof in both the Chapters. I graunt you: … you must remember with all: that eueryevery thing may not be gathered of eueryevery worde: The two places much agree, & the first yee recite hath relatiō to the latter; hee saith not that whiche you speake heere. Againe, speaking very briefly, as for a conclusion of his first booke of Christian doctrine Of this sentence of S. Paul, The end…. Tit. 15. of the commaundement is louelove, out of a pure hearte and of a good conscience, and of faith vnfained; hee sheweth wherefore the Apostle put in that clause, of a good conscience Aug. de. doct. chri. lib. 1. cap. 40.which hee putteth for hope saith, Austin. Learne you also saith M. Howlet to adde this worde good to conscience: ioyne it with faith, and keepe that bonde or knot that the Apostle maketh in this sentence. And so if you can apply it to your selfe, yee shall not onelyonly hauehave great matter of reioycing: but her Maiestie, and the lawes also I doubt not, to beare with your conscience, and to tender the same as reason and equitie woulde: and besides because the same shalbe found to agree with Gods word, & to be grounded thereon, wee shalbee as readie to auowe and allow therof, as we now are to … the same, for y^t it is so directly contrary to the worde, and therefore neither for you to flatter your selues in, nor meete for the State to allowe or beare withall. Wee doubt nothing but that the testimonie of a good & vpright conscience is of great waight and force and to be respected and hearkened vntounto: So that we remember still … a pure heart therewith, and an vnfained faith, which must euer hauehave the light of Gods worde goe before or accompanie the fame, in the faithfull, that vnderunder the colour of conscience, other persuation, or the rule of reason deceiue vsus not. The … of all is: I would hauehave you know conscience a right, and distinguish wel betweene a good and a naughtie conscience by the Scriptures. For the accord or agreement betweene your two sentences, one, and the first, taken out of Aristotles Rhethorike: that is onelyonly good vntounto eueryevery man, which eche mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good. The other, as is supposed out of diuinitie: that wee shall be iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience. Make them you agree, as you can, I cannot see the agreement betweene them. Vnderstanding is one thing, and the testimonie of our cōscience is another thing, good to eueryevery man nowe, and … at the last day bee two: Finally, the two sentences, as in wordes, so in substance and meaning, seeme vtterly to disagree, I woulde therefore, whereas you say: the scriptures and diuines agree vntounto the Philosophers saying: you woulde or coulde hauehave made the Philosophers saying agree with the scriptures rather, whiche though yee shall trauell, as yee doe, by enticing speache of mans wisedome, to performe: Yet all is but inD. Thom. 1. 2 q. 19. arr. 4. vaine, the thing will neuer come about. Let Philosophie goe therefore, and the Philosopher in testing the fountaine & rule of good … vsus Christians. Let Gods word and law, or the holy Scriptures bee our rule there in alone: according to that: there is one rule and measure for one thing: let reasonVnius vna est regula & mē sura. in …, & with your S. Thomas if ye will be the … of … actions: let y^t spirit of god be y^t beginning of all good in vsus that be …, …, and other. Augustin, a Diuine whome yee … in this matter,Tomo. 3. Senten. excerpt. ex August. saith very well against your first sentence of Philosophie in this sentence of his: Faith openeth the way to vnderstanding, and … it. And againe, as is p. 81alleadged in your owne decrees: All the life of the vnfaithfull is sinne: neither can it bee good, that is doone28. q. 1. … without God: for where there lacketh the knowledge of the enternall, vnchangeable truth, there is false vertue euen in the best behauiour and manners. And concerning the phrases & maner of speaking of Philosophers and diuines howe different they ought to bee, thus saith Austin: Philosophers speake with wordes at will, and in matters very harde to vnderstande, feare not the offence of religious eares: but we that are Christians and … hauehaveAugu. de Ciuitate Dei. … 10. cap. 23. a lawe to speake after a certaine rule, least libertie of speech or wordes, breede wicked opinion of those things which are signified thereby. And thus muche concerning your two sentences and the agreement thereof, wherevpon all the rest, that followeth here of this matter seemeth to be grounded.

Of your propositions thus taken from Philosophers & Diuines, yee say it followeth that whatsoeuer wee doe contrary to our iudgement and conscience, is according to the apostle, damnable, because wee decerne it to be euill and yet doe it, But that which the Apostle heere saith, for all your whatsoeuer & false glose, must bee vnderstood in those things, which are lawfull, saith your owne D. Thomas in y^t very next sentence & verse before y^t last; vponupon these wordes, which are y^t groūd of that that followeth, Blessed is hee that condemneth not himselfe in that he alloweth. That moderation shoulde yee hauehave kept, but yee doe not: for yee say, bee the action in it selfe neuer so good, and the man that doth it neuer so bad (as seemeth) for you name vsus a Gentile or Heathen man, and to confesse there is messias, yet because it seemed naught in his iudgement and conscience, therefore to him shall it be accounted a damnable sinne at the last day. Heereby it appeareth yee holde: that at the last day the testimonie of a … iudgement and naughtie conscience; euen of an Heathen shalbe admitted to cleere him from euill, and to condemne him for doing good, or that any man shalbe damned at the day for acknowledging there is a Messias, against his wicked iudgement and conscience at least; will there not bee other matters sufficient and I nowe thinke you, to condemne such men for: but that such cases and causes as these vnwonted and vnmentioned in the Scriptures, shoulde after they bee by your heades deuised and moued, then also be alleadged; This is prophane and vaine babbling and brawling which breedeth questions, rather then godlye edifiyng which is by faith: which thing the holy Apostle S. Paule so carefully warneth his schollers Timothie and1. Tim. I. 4. 7. & 6. 4. 5. 20. 2. Tim. 2. 16. 23.1 Tim 1:41 Tim 1:71 Tim 6:41 Tim 6:51 Tim 6:202 Tim 2:162 Tim 2:23 Titus in many places to take heede of, & to auoide, they may beseeme your scholding disputes, your subttle schooles and readinges, they beseeme not her maiesties eares, they agree not with the diuinitie schooles of the holy Ghoste. DidTit. 3. 9. & ep.Titus 3:9 your testimonies of Scriptures and Diuines you set vsus downe, teathe you this; or whence had you it; shall wee be iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of ourTreatise Fol. 57. pag. 2. conscience be it good, bee it bad, must wee bee iudged by that onelyonly? Shall it bee now good, and then good and so alwayes good, to the Gentile to denie the Messias; because his vnderstanding, iudgemēt and conscience telleth it him to bee good? &c. This is a maruellous and strange Paradoxe, the foundation & building thereon are muche alike. Is there no difference nor oddes; Before I further examine the matter you tell vsus: Let mee a litle consider howe you handle the holy Scripture with your foule handes, or our euill fauoured clawes, and how vntowardly you alleadge your testimonies still; because wee decerne it, to bee euill, and yet doe it: Yee quote vsus for it: Rom. 14. though yee name no verse, yet your words seeme to sende vsus to the last verse of the Chapter, which hangeth on the wordes before, & are a reason rendered. Yee cite the wordes falsely & corrupt the sense: Which that it may the better be perceiued, I will set downe both your wordes and also the Apostles. Thus you: Whatsoeuer we doe contrary to our iudgement and conscience, is according to p. 74the Apostle, damnable, because we decerne it to bee … and yet doe it. The Apostle thus: He that doubteth,Rom. 14. 23.Rom 14:23 if hee eate, is condemned, because he … not of faith. And whatsoeuer, is not of faith is sinne. The Apostle speaketh particularly, and of a certaine matter whiche restraineth his note of vniuersalitie: You generally without any restraint or obseruation of the circumstance of the text, and matter treated of: hee of a faythfull man and of fayth: You giuegive vsus an example of a Heathen man, and talke at randome of our owne iudgement and conscience, he speaketh of eating, which is an outwarde action, and of it selfe as they speake, indifferent: You in a far otherkind of things of their own nature good or euill. We acknowledge, in sum the holy Apostles words and sense, we find not yours in the text ye sende vsus too. And it is an ill commentary that corrupteth the text. The Apostle saith, because not of faith.

Nowe because you hauehave set downe, in steade thereof, iudgement and conscience, you foyst also into the text, the woorde: decerne, Because wee decerne it to bee euill, and yet doe it. If you say you followe the Author of this your discourse, with whom yet in citing this texte, yee altogetherQuod. enim exfide non est. peccatum est That according to his conscience, hoc est secundum conscientiam. agree not, though yee both corrupt the same foully: As of him I speake in his place, so let me here tell you (what opinion soeuer, greater then reason you hauehave, of your Maister) wee are not bounde I tell you, to followe neither him nor you in corrupting of the holy Scriptures, yee both put in the worde decerne, of your owne, and yee put our iudgement, conscience, or knowledge for fayth: which it seemeth,As S. … expoundeth it, &c. saith, Gregorie Martin, whence possible all, or the most of this stuffe was fetched by your Authour and you. ye take out of your Schoole mens Commentaries: But I woulde you woulde not change the wordes of holy scripture, into your Scholasticall wryters expositions, and termes, and set vsus the same down for scripture stil: Yf your parenthesis here, (according to the Apostle) were thus, (according to our D. Thomas, or Schoole Doctors, &c. or according to our notes, taken at the Lecture in cases of conscience, then might it paraduenture stande right: but the Apostle and your D. Thomas, or Schoole doctors, &c. not1. 2. q. 19. Art. 5. being one, you take to muche vponupon you, and wee can giuegive you no such licentious libertie, to vse the ones name for the other, I see … you driue: It is a principle with you that Byrdes of one feather, must flie and holde together. Errour agreeth very well (commonly) with errour and falshood: Your common translation of the Byble, (like as your Scholemen) must bee kept and followed inuiolably, not to be checkt nor corrected by the … or Greeke text vnderunder paine of the Popes great curse, hence belike you and your fellowe, woulde seeme to take your woorde: decerne, But sir, there is falshood in fellowshippe, though your eyes, M, Howlet, coulde not possibly discerne, neyther by day nor by night, eueryevery letter & sillable, and therfore might easily be deceiued, in taking one word for another, y^t were somewhat like; yet y^e Autor of your treatise, mee thinketh, might hauehave lookt better to y^e matter, if it had bin but for deceiuing of you herein, & many other y^t follow him. Where both of you hauehave it decerne, euen your common translation, if ye looke well on it, hath discerne, Now Gramarians y^t shew y^t etymologyDiscernere, Verbum forense. of words wil tel you, y^t discerne, & decerne, be two wordes different in signification: discerne: is to put difference beetweene thinges: decerne, is a higher woorde of iudgement and authoritie, whereof wee call A decree, &c. And your Pope decernimus statuimus, &c. They that leaue both your woorde of decerning or iudging, deuised by your selues, and discerning, which the worde of your vulgar latine Translation, in this last verse of the 14. chapter to the Romanes, and translate it by the woorde of doubting, as both in Latine and Englishe is done, hauehave both better, and … rendred it, and expressed by a fit woorde, the meaning of the holy Ghost also. Cauell not here at, nor barke not at our translation, for leauiug heere your vulgar, and common translation, he leaueth himselfe in another place, and translateth this very worde, as our men doe heere. But p. 83dogges will barke, euen at the Moone. You must bee content to … your owne lawe, and to giuegive vsus leaue to dealeIam. …. 6. with you truly in that, wherein you vntruely take to your selues libertie against vsus, you so prie into our translations, and translating of the Scriptures, that the least fault must be espied, yea, where there is none, fault must bee imagined and deuised, and we roundly taken vp, and compared to aTrea. Fol. 40. Page. 2. boy in a Grammer Schoole, that shoulde bee brecht, so yee speake, and further, and worse to, whereof in his place. Leaue your decerning, iudging, and discerning: leaue (for shame) your corrupting of the holy Scriptures, in woorde and sense: leaue your caueling, and carping at our translations of the Byble: vse in all, a better, and more vpright conscience, then hitherto.

For the matter of an action good in it selfe, and the example yee bring vsus in, deuised of a Gentile, that shoulde for feare, say or sweare that there were a Messias, it is altogether impertinent, and besids the Apostles purpose, who as I sayde, treateth not in that place of things simply good, or euyll, or of bearing with a thing euill in it selfe, and of the owne nature, muche lesse with impietie or superstition, he speaketh but of outwarde thinges, hee speaketh not of Gentiles, or Infidels, nor yet of obstinate Christians, that walke stubburnely, vtterly condemning the profession of the Gospell: but of a brother, a faithfull man, and one that hath receiued and embraced the profession of the Gospell, and is weake through ignorance of some one point, partaining to Christian libertie, in the outwarde vse of Gods creatures, wherin he is not yet thorowly instructed: of bearing with such a one, by those whom God hath called to more plentifull knowledge of his heauenly truth, speaketh hee. Againe, the maner and the end of bearing must be considered, which is not to nourish errour, or to obstinate & harden the weake in their opinion and doing: but rather to drawe them by all meanes we may from errour, and to aduance them more and more in the knowledge of the truth. The Apostle calleth it beefore in this chapter edification when he biddeth vsus followe the thinges which concerne peace and wherwith one may edifie another, or as he speaketh in y^e beginning of y^e next chap. Let eueryevery mā please his neighbour in that which is good to edificatiō. Lastly, the matters y^e Apostle here speaketh of particularly, would bee cōsidered, which are not al outward things, but such as God himselfe was authour of in his Lawe. As distinction of meates and dayes, which while the Iewes, being wonne to the Gospel did in those dayes retaine, though they did it ignorantly not knowing the libertie of the Gospel, yet (till they might be fully perswaded therin by fayth, which is grounded on doctrine and the word, they were vounde to keepe by the commandement of God himselfe.

These circumstances considered, it will not be harde to spy out M. Howlets and his fellowes ill dealing in this place, & to hauehave the true sense & meaning, which if it be not wrapped and obscured with subtill quidities taken out of schoole questions, will playnely enough fall out of it felfe thus: that the faythfull for his particular regarde being in doubt or lacking the ful persuasion of Faith (whiche is giuen by measure, and hath his time of growing and encreasing) can not without danger, nor shoulde not attempt to doe that wherin he is not by the word of God and faith, yet throughly resolued, when he may without danger of offending, abstaine from the outwarde action, not stiffely standing nor flatering himself in his opinion: but moderating his doing by the gifte and measure of faith, which he hath, readie vponupon further instruction and knowledge to growe forwarde and to profite. A thing verily in his kinde much to be commended, and greatly to be borne with, is this respect of conscience, not to rushe into the doing of eueryevery thing without all sense or remorce of conscience, not to attempt things, or presume to doe the same, except the minde be thorowly persuaded that God is therewith pleased, which it cannot bee but by faith, and faith is grounded on the woorde of God. p. 84Christ shall not breake a brused reade, nor quenche the smoking flaxe, saith the holy Ghost. I would we all considered this point better then we commonly doe, both in ourEsay. 42. 3.Isa 42:3 selues, and in those with whom wee dayly and vsually liue,Math. 12. 20Matt 12:20

But what maketh all this doctrine of the Apostle eyther for Gentiles and Dogs, that neuer were in the church or for papistes, and other obstinate and wilful heretikes that breake out of Christes true church; doe flatter themselues in there follyes; vntounto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure (saith the Apostle,) but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled. &c. What makethTit. 1. 15.Titus 1:15 it against her Maiestie and her vpright and equall lawes to stay the execution thereof; against superstitious & sedicious persons bursting foorth into violent actes and attempts against her Maiesties royall person and the state, and her most peaceable and quiet gouernement, to followe that man of sinne, the Pope of Rome, it maketh greatly. Against you M. Howlet and your felowes that abuse so great lenitie, much to the cleering of her Maiestie, and the state in meeting with your obstinacy maketh it greatly. M. How let telles vsus here of an Insidell that should say there were a Messias. &c. And his fellow in his discourse of a Iewe too sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie against their cō sciences. What a sinne it were to the doer and to the inforcer. But this is none of their case, nor her Maiestie or her lawes in dealing with thē. They hauehave had now aboue these twentie yeeres the preaching of the Gospel. And I trust, if not they that too vnchristianly and vnnaturallye of late hauehave withdrawne themselues from God & prince, to betake themselues to the Pope, yet those that liue vnderunder her Maiesties gouernment, and in her dominions, shall more and more (which God also graunt) hauehave the same dayly to informe and direct their consciences aright in all godlinesse and honestie Such is her highnes godly and tender care ouer vsus al. She like our good Prince forceth nones consciences, but very mildely proceedeth by order and lawe, as she needes must, to restraine the fury and pride onelyonly of such as make dissention in Christ his bodie, corrupt his sincere religion, and growe perillousto her royall estate and the realmes. If this touch you M. Howlet, or your fellow hot catholikes, thanke your selues, you teach here that it is lawful to restraine by temporal punishment such felowes, and her Maiestie taketh it so to, Not as allowed by the church (which is your popish opinion) but as geuen of God and warranted by his word. For heerein also I tell you, we differ from you, that you make the ciuill magistrates authoritie; to hang of the churches allowance, as you here insinuate, so to bring princes vnderunder the popes check. Wee goe higher and say that the autoritie is immediately geuen them of God, and from him ouer eueryevery soule within their gouernment, and so dependeth on the ordinance of the eternal God and his woord. We say your church challengeth too muche and haleth things too fast to it. Magistrates waxe eueryevery day more godly wise than other, and will not be easily abused as afore time.

Yee speake of recalling home by temporall punishment such as you accoūt heretikes to y^e vnity of Christ his body, agayn, Your doctrine herein, & your violent practise scarcely agree; when you get the temporall swoorde on your side. Is that to recall them home; By fire and fagot to con sume them to asshes, which is your manner: These are two diuers endes ye know, learned, vnlearned, young, olde, men, women, no sort and degree spared. If her maiestie and her lawes repute you papistes for heretikes (as iustly yee may be reputed) what hauehave ye to say for your selues; A bare deniall onelye: retaining still poperie and heresie in opinion, and broching the same still among vsus, will hardly serue your turne, if you be put to it Be more equall & milde towardes other vnlesse yee looke to hauehave the same measure measured to you that yee meat to others and that with a great deale more vprightnes and better conscience. But I am in doubt your, Catholike Church will neuer leaue p. 85the trickes of a Stepmother or a strumpet rather. Ye know y^e story of y^e two womens pleading before king Salomō, for a childe, eyther alleadging her selfe to be the mother: but whē the liuing child should hauehave beene killed and deuided at the Kinges commandement, the true mothers heart was mooued with compassion: and could by no meanes yeelde or abide1. King. 3. 261 Kgs 3:26 to hauehave the childe killed, but the other that pretended onelyonly and was not indeede the mother, was very forwarde to hauehave it killed and deuided. I will saye no more: but I woulde you hot Catholikes and your popish church, had but halfe that compassion, and tendernes of hearte, and respect to mens liues, that the profession and the professors of the Gospell hauehave. But it is not in you, there is a contrary nature and a contrary dealing in the wolfe, and in the shepherd & the sheep, Your handes hauehave been too lōg imbrued in the. blood of Gods saintes, & it is the proper marke of your bloodte Antichristian church. It is that, ye glorie in; God, amend you, if it be his blessed will, or else cut you shorter, Be your selfe iudge herein, M. Howlet. If you tell vsus your conscience in deed: or let the world tel. To whom you refer vsus, in comparing her maiestie our most dread soueraigne Queene Elizabeth, and her peaceable and milde gouernment (hauing beene so greatly disturbed and prouoked to the contrary) and other princes, and the former times, that hauehave not been acquainted with the profession of the gospel. And againe you say, and truely that her maiesties noble &Sect. 6. mercifull disposition is knowne and renowmed, through out the worlde, The world (you say) doth know how that the great merciemercy and clemencie of her Maiestie, hath staied oftentimes and restrained penalties from their execution and from the ouerthrowing of diuers men &c. It doth so indeede, and so doth it by experience of the sharpe executions done aforetime by your procurements, and the ouerthrowe of diuers both men and families, which feele the smarte, at this day. As you call your selues Catholikes and vsus protestantes, yea heretikes at pleasure, so in like manner say you, and say only; your religion is the old & so ours must be the newe religion, wee are gone out from you, and not you from vsus. &c. But leaue these (enuiously deuised) doubtfull and rackt tearmes of yours & vsus. &c, and hauehave recourse to the scriptures: Let vsus there and thence make our plea, and then you shalbe founde to be that ye call vsus, & we to be that you would so fain chalēg to your selues, to beautifie your euil cause: as it needeth. Else let the word of God be iudge between vsus: and look who be found to hauehave swarued from the Prophets & Apostles doctrine; or … hauehave gone and fallen from that and them, let those be heretikes, Spare not, In the meane while, in our iust defence let our denial suffice to answer the vniust … and accusations bringing onelyonly words without any proofe.

Concerning the comparison ye make of her … & this state, with other princes and states, not Christian onelyonly, but Turkes and Infidels, your meaning and drifte therein may easily be espied. It deserueth another answer than my words, & yet to clere herein both our soueraigne & the state towardes the world, I tolde you before that your case is not like to Turkes and Infidels: Besides, her maiestie and this state, are not bounde to follow other Princes examples, she being as free as they are, in y^e gouernmēt of her people; whē doubt may be made: First whether that be true you tell vsus of Princes and their order of gouerning Infidels: HaueHave you beene brought vp among the Turkes: hauehave you trauailed into the Indies and farre partes of the worlde that you tell vsus of, to know this you report vsus of the Infidelles &c? Know you of your selfe that this was neuer yet practised; Or goe you by report onelyonly, I think you take it at other. Next doubt may be made by Princes and states, whether they you talke of, vse those Infidels that be vnderunder their gouernement well and vprightly, and whether euen in this point they doe well or no; that being supposed which you affirme of them, which thing they had neede and will vnderstand too, before they … bounde to follow their example p. 86in gouerning the people subiect vntounto them. This is reason, and princes ouer other princes and states, chalenge no such superioritie of prescribing, in order of gouernment as you here too vnaduisedly doe. Neyther are princes too curious to enquire, examine and iudge, how the rest order their subiectes in such cases, but content themselues with ruling their own people in y^e feare of God, according to their owne dutie and Gods worde. I adde yet further, that whereas you alleadge, It was neuer yet practised, nor euer thought lawfull by the Catholike church, that Infidelles should be enforced to any one act of our religion. And running stil to your D. Thomas, say vide D. Thomas. &c. I answer2. 2. q. 10. …. 8. and say, that Thomas his question is, Whether Infidelles are to be compelled to fayth or to beleeue. Which because it is aboue mans power to doe, as beeing the gift of God, or as he speaketh, To receiue fayth, pertaineth to the will, and the will cannot be forced. Therefore no mortall man may as seemeth, take vponupon him to force that which he cannot perfourme: But your question is of perfourming any acte of Christian religion, & comming to Church, the one, that is faith is a heauenly inward gift, and is in the hearte, the other, that is comming to church &c. is an externall and outwarde acte, and a profession of religion, or an inducement and outward exercise and means to bring vsus to fayth, and to encrease and continue the same in vsus. Now we say that the ciuill magistrate hath not onelyonly authoritie frō God, but is of dutie bound to maintain Gods honour, and as a principall parte of his charge, to see the cōmandements of the first Table of Gods lawe outwardly kept and perfourmed by al his subiectes, without exception, so much as he may: punishing the trāsgressors also: vntounto which honour of God, and first Table of his commandementes pertaine the actes and outward exercises of Gods true seruice and christian religion. As then wee highlye praise G O D dayly for her maiestie in this behalfe, and for the singuler care she hath ouer vsus her poore subiectes, to prouide vsus of preaching, and other meanes to bring vsus to God, and to furder vsus in all godlines: So doe wee tell you plainly, that her Maiestie by authoritie may (& doth therein, but her duetie) enforce you to haunt Church Assē blies, to heare the preaching of the Gospell, &c. Which bee the proper meanes to beginne, encrease and continue faith and godlines in you and vsus. Her part, her care, and charge it is, to prouide and take heede nothing bee put vppon her people in Gods matters, & his seruice, but y^t which is warranted by his holy word, which whilest her maiesty is occupied in, you disturbe her Godly proceeding too much out of season & time, & too vndutifully, D. Thomas euē in his question of Infidelles, sayth. They are to be compelled yet, of the faythfull if they hauehave power, not to hinder Chtistes fayth or religion eyther by blasphemies and rayling, or by naughtie persuasions, or else by open persecution and violence, &c, Marke well your D. Thomas his poyntes. Now if Infidelles, which were neuer Christened, maye bee compelled in these thinges by your Thomas his iudgement, much more maye you be restrained in your rages, and violente and vnreasonable dealings: punished for your disturbances, and printing and spreading of seditious libels and bookes, to the hinderance of the course of Christes Gospell amongest vsus, and the peruerting and poysoning of diuers; especially such as are of the simpler sort, and therfore easily seduced. And this is not disagreeing from Thomas his wordes, though you cannot abide, to hauehave the same appli ed to you, be it neuer so true, in you, This is your faulte, D. Thomas telleth expressely. Yee may bee compelled toAdVincen. sium contra epistolā Parmeniani ad Bonifacium. episto. 50. perfourme that ye hauehave promised, and holde that yee hauehave once receiued,. And bringeth good testimonies against you out of Augustine. You I say, that hauehave been baptized into the fayth of Christ, not of Rome nor the Popish church, and hardely any one of you founde, within this Realme or among you English Romanistes, that being of age now leaue this Realme, that hauehave not in the time of the p. 87profession of the Gospel here, gone to Church, and done other actes of our religion at one time or other in blessed king Edwards dayes, now, or both. Againe yee know that your D. Thomas his manner in his summe, commonly is after he hath obiected agaynst the truth, to set on the contra ry side, that he taketh to be the truth, & in this question, after he hath out of other men obiected: That Infidelles are by no meanes to be compelled to the fayth, he addeth as it were of his own. But of the cōtrarie side is y^t which is sayd in the. 14. of Luke, Goe out, into the wayes and hedges & compell them to come in, that my house may bee filled: But men enter into the house of God: that is into the holy church by fayth, Therefore some saith he, are to be com pelled to the fayth. This hauehave I set downe that you may see what vātage you hauehave by sending vsus to your S. Thomas and your other doctours, for indeed sir, to shew you might here hauehave spared wel enough in your margin Omnes doct. I could further alleadge to the contrary your subtil Doctor.In. 4. distinct. 4. quest. 9. vltim. Iohn Scot, who had great followers. He holdeth herein, that it were godly and well done: If Infidels were compelled of their Princes with threats & feare, to faith & religiō: Euen against your D. Thomas, & that you here set vsus downe; You knowe or may knowe, howe common a thing it is in your religion (not in this Article onelyonly) to finde the Scotists against the Thomists: Doctor against Doctor &c. But I had rather vnfoulde my selfe and the reader out of these contradictions and braules of your Popishe wryters, then sticke therein. Her Maiestie, besides that she simply and vtterly taketh not vponupon her by force and violence, to compell to fayth, as though shee coulde giuegive and imprint the same in mens heartes, though shee set forth, maynteine, and binde all her subiectes to outwarde meanes and exercises of religion, as I hauehave sayde, thereby shewing what shee wisheth and driueth vntounto, which shee also vseth her self, neither sitteth shee in the conscience of any, which is proper to your Pope, his lawes, and your religion: besides that her Maiestie is free herein I say: Shee moreouer vseth her selfe in this case so godly, so wisely, so vprightly, and so moderately towards you, that deserue so ill, as if any faulte, may iustly bee founde, it is in this: that some of you are notConc. Tolet. Iohn. Scot. vt super. straightlier lookt vntounto, and more roundlier proceeded withall: But her Maiestie is wise ynough. Zizebutus a prince, is commended in one of the councelles, and in your owneDistin. 45. ca. de Iudaeis. Decrees, and counted very religious, in compelling to Christianitie.

This is that in summe I woulde say vntounto you, for answere in this matter: For as much as there is no societie of people, so barbarous lyghtly, that liue without some outwarde exercise of Religion, and God hath beautified and commended Ciuill Magistrates in kingdomes, Common wealthes, and Cities vnderunder the tytle of Gods, and hath ordayned them as his Ministers for our good, that we may receiue prayse frō autortie in doyng well, and in doingRom. 13.Rom 13 otherwise, stande in feare, as who beareth not the swoorde in vayne: for hee is the Minister of God, to take vengeance on him that doth euill. Againe, forasmuch as this Image of God, is in nothing more seene, namely, in publike persons, & those of Autoritie then in procuring, promoting, & aduancing dayly of Gods honour and seruice, by their power, and by giuing & shewing good exāple to others: for which cause principally they are aduanced, & as on a mountain placed in Royall chaire, that therefore I say, those Christian Kings & Queens, whō God hath called to this honor, to be Foster Fathers and Nurses to his Churche and people, doeEsai. 49. 23.Isa 49:23 well, and very acceptable seruice to GOD, (and are highly & highly, to bee commended, and heartily and continually to bee prayed for of all, for that the aduersarie on the other side, is mightie and suttle, not onelyonly for ranging them selues to Gods holy and true Religion, taken out of the sacred Scriptures, and the outward exercises of the same, but for inducing also by the wisedome and power giuen them of GOD, all people and personnes subiect to them vntounto p. 88the like, by making good and wholsome lawes, by encouragement, and by feare, according as the qualitie and circumstance of place, tyme, and person, require without all tyranny, and vsurpation of the roome, and place of the most high God of heauen, ouer mens consciences on the one side; and yet without all loosenesse on the other side, in omitting such oportunitie and meanes, as God offereth for the benefite of the holye people, the Saintes of the moste High. I speake of these, and of suche as are by office called to publique and high charge among them, in Churche & cōmon wealth, euen christian Kings, Queens &c. Of whō thus it is prophecied: The kingdome and dominion,Daniel. 7. 27Dan 7:27 and the greatnes of the kingdome vnderunder the whole heauen shall be giuen to the holy people, of the most high, whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome, and all powers shall serue and obey him. This seemeth to bee spoken of Christ his kingdome, and the time of the Gospel. &c. Nowe this consecrating of her selfe, and her authoritie wholly to GOD and his seruice, to the benefite of his Church is it, and it alone which her Maiestie, in this case, of many yeeres hath, & stil doth, to Gods glory, & her singular cōmendation, put in executiō amōg vsus her people, growing, I hope, dayly from good to better: And this is that also, which no honest, faithfull, good man, can iustly bee offended withall. This hauehave I, if not ouerthrowne, in your opinion perhappes, your bulwarkes: yet sufficiently for this matter cleared the trueth, I trust her Maiestie also, and the state against your vniust quarrels and slanders.