The Sovereign Judge of Controversies in Matters of Religion, Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP. 1.
The subtility of those who shunne the reformation, and the sincerity of them who require it.
IT is sayd that Alcibiades as yet but young in yeares, but in craft and subtility already aged, comming on a day to visit Pericles, when one had told him that hee was busie making vp the accounts which hee was to giuegive of his office; immediately replyed, it was better for Pericles to busie himselfe, in seeking the meanes how hee might giuegive no accounts at all, and so went his wayes. This passage hath beene applauded by many as most sharpe and witty. But there are some, and of those not a few who much esteeme the vse and necessity of the councell it importeth: All bankrupts, pettifoggers, extortioners, and in a word, the whole rable of impostors make vse thereof, and hauehave recourse vntounto it, as to the onelyonly soveraigne remedie of their dispaire: and indeede hee that is convinced in his conscience, that knoweth that hee shall come short of his accounts, and in the proofe of his pretended right, it is his safest and easiest way to avoid the comming to any account, or triall at all. Where contrariwise, hee that hath a cleare conscience, his reckonings ready, his cause good, doth flye nothing more then such shifts; and desires, and endeauours aboue all to bee heard throughly, fearing least the prescription, exceptions, and pretences of cunning wranglers, though hee could make vse of them, should darken the equitie of his cause, and leaue behind it this scruple, that his cause in the issue of it, will prooue like to those other vntounto which it hath some resemblance in the proceeding. Would to GOD all men in the controversies of religion, were of the same opinion, and had the same courage, and true meaning, which humaine and civill wisdome doth suggest to vsus in our law suites, that wee would bee willing to come to an issue. And since wee all agree that our heauenly Father hath not left vsus without a Testament, that wee on both sides, know by what Notaries it hath beene receiued, where they hauehave enrolled it, since wee hauehave the law and the testimony, that wee would also hauehave our recourse with a joynt consent, to that Testament, to those Notaries, to their Registers, and say with one and the same voyce after the Prophet, To the law and to the testimony, if they speake not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Truely God revealeth not his will; the Prophets, the Apostles teach it not, but by his word; wee hauehave this word, what can wee aske more? would wee know what the judgement of God is, what the testimony of the Prophets, and Apostles are concerning that doctrine? ought not God himselfe to declare it? should not the Prophets and Apostles Publish it? Wee hauehave this declaration, wee hauehave (no Christian doubteth thereof) the authentique coppy of this publication, hauehave we not then what wee neede, what we seeke, and aske so earnestly, to wit a sentence and a finall decree on our controversies? Truely it is not necessary, that the King, the Secretary, the Court, the Register bee all present wheresoever it is requisite that the Kings will be knowne, if wee hauehave the order of the Court, wee are assured of the Edict and decree. Wee stand at this day on these termes, wee hauehave not to do with the Iewes, neither with the Turkes, who denie the authority, the one of a part, the other of the whole Scripture. Wee are Christians, wee beleeue, wee all protest that we hauehave in the Canonicall booke of the Scripture of the old and new Testament, the declaration of the will of God. We acknowledge on both sides that whatsoever is there contained, is the word of God which is able to make vsus wise vntounto salvation, and throughly furnished vntounto all good workes. 2 Timoth 3. 1… 17.Why do we then so earnestly demand the corporall presence of our judge? why do wee desire that he should giuegive vsus a Vicar, a substitute, since wee hauehave his decree, and acknowledge that hee hath pronounced it?
CHAP. 2.
The demand and proposall of those, who desire a holy reformation.
This is the complaint of them, who at this day grieue and sigh; lamenting the desolation of Israel and Iuda, who wish and demand, that as good Iosiah caused the book of the Law to be read before him,2 Kings 22. 10. as Esdras, and Nehemiah did the like before the congregation, when they endeavoured to reforme the Church, and restore it to her first integrity: so the like may be practised at this day. If in Christendome all things be foūd conformable to this law in matters of Religion, there will be no neede of changing any thing therein, but to punish rather those vnquiet spirits, those troublesome and schismaticall heretickes, which trouble and marre by their novelties the peace of the Church, and repose of the whole world. But if this conformitie be not there to bee found, but on the contrary a difference & disagreeing, why should not Gods truth be preferred before humaine inventions, the law before there customes, and the kingdome of Iesus Christ before the tyranny, and dominion of him, who hath vsurped both over the living and the dead, over soule and body, prince and people, an authority in effect wholy soueraigne? And here let every soule in which there is left any touch of conscience, let every man in whom there is found the least sparke of manhood, remaining in such a division of the Church, in such a disagreeing especially about things of so great importance, judge which of the two doth rather practise the craft of Alcibiades in shunning and declining, whether they who demand that their proceedings be examined by the rule of this word, (which we all avouch to be inspired, dictated, and registred by the spirit of God, or else those who shunne nothing more then the censure of this word, of this Scripture, so farre as to charge it with defects, vnsufferable even in humaine writings, accusing it of obscurity, ambiguity, and imperfections; which truly are the proprieties of the Oracles of Apollo, of the leaues of Sybil's, but little agreeable to the the law of the Almighty, the which the kingly Prophet so much magnifieth as beeing perfect, Psa. 9. 7. 8.pure, sure, and giving wisdome to the simple.