false doctrine may corrupt them, though the nature thereof be (as Paul saith) to infect as a cancer. So God many times will not that things do execute their natural operation. As we read of the bush which burned, and yet consumed not (Exod. iii. 2): likewise of the three children in the fiery furnace (Dan. iii. 25). And as Christ saith, that his sheep hearkened not unto the voice of the false preachers (John, x. 5), as many therefore as died before us, seduced by false preachers without repentance, the Scripture condemneth.

As many as believed them not, but trusted to the Scripture, or else were deceived, yet called for grace before they died, live eternally in joy and solace, and are saved, as John saith, in the blood of the Lamb. (Rev. ii.) I judge therefore in this point God to be no more severe than the Scripture teacheth, wherein he teacheth us what we should believe and judge of him. Thus I have spoken largely and truly to admonish my good reader to beware of man's laws in the cause of religion. As touching the superior powers of the earth, it is not unknown unto all them that have read and marked the Scriptures, that it appertaineth nothing to their office to make any law to govern the consciences of their subjects in religion, but to reign over them in this case as the word of God commandeth. (Deut. xvii.)

Howbeit, in their realms, provinces, and jurisdictions, they may make what laws they will, and as many as they will, command them to be kept as long as it pleaseth them, and change them at their pleasure, as they shall see occasion for the wealth and commodity of their realins; as we do see in all notable commonwealths amongst the Greeks and Romans and others. Unto the which superior powers we owe all obedience, both of body and goods, and likewise our daily prayers for them to Almighty

God to preserve their honours in grace and quietness. (Rom. xiii. 1. 1 Tim. ii. 2. 1 Pet. ii. 13. Matt. xxii. 21.) And as many divers commonwealths as there be, so many divers laws may there be. Howbeit all christened kings and kingdoms with other magistrates should reign by one law, and govern the churches of their realms only by the word of God, which is never to be changed, as I declared afore in the definition of God's law, that it is a rule never to be changed by superior power or inferior. So doth the holy Prophet David (that honoured God, reverenced the powers of the earth, and loved the common sort of people) teach (Psa. xxv. 4): "Shew me, good Lord, thy way, and lead me in a right path, for fear of those that lay wait for me." So commandeth Job (xxii. 22), to learn the law at the mouth of God.

I follow therefore the commandment of God, persuading every man to learn his faith in his law, as Moses did, commending the law unto the priests, the sons of Levi (Deut. xxxi. 11, 12, &c.): not only that they should know it, but shew it unto the whole multitude of the people, men, women, children, and strangers, that they might hear it, learn it, fear the Lord God, and observe his commandments. So Christ commanded his Apostles to preach, and their audience to hear the thing he commanded. (Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. Mark, xvi. 15.) With what diligence, and how it should be preached, learn in Neh. viii. 9.

It is well known by the places afore rehearsed, that the law of God requireth an inward and perfect obedience unto the will of God. The which this nature of men, corrupted by original sin, cannot

perform, as St. Paul proveth manifestly to the Romans. There remaineth in man as long as he liveth ignorance and blindness, that he knoweth not God nor his law, as he ought to do, but rebelleth by contumacy against God. For no man suffereth God's visitations and punishments with such patience as is required. No man can abide to hear his faults rebuked by the law, but hateth his admonitors, and would that there were neither God nor law, so that he might unpunished satisfy his pleasure. Likewise the will is so froward and perverse, that it willeth nothing of God or of his law, if it diminish any part of such goods or pleasure as the world requireth: as we may see by daily defection and departure from the knowledge of God's word in those that once were as ardent as fire, but now as the Gadarenes did (Matt. viii. 24. Mark, v. 1, &c. Luke, viii. 26, &c.), they desire Christ to depart out of their country, rather than they would lose their swine. Where now is the will that freely and frankly would forsake all the goods of the world, and also this mortal life, rather than to leave Jesus Christ, which, as John saith (vi. 68), only hath the word of eternal life?

It is not needful to prove this perverseness and wicked resistance against God and virtue by the example of others, but every man may find himself too much infected with this disease, would he look upon his own life, and be as equal a judge of himself, as he is timorous in judging of others. Then should he feel the same ill in himself, that he seeth in another, and see every man to be damned before God, except such as believe in Jesus Christ, and study to live after his law. (Rom. v, 1.)

Seeing the works of the law cannot deserve remission of sin, nor save man, yet God requireth our diligence and obedience unto the law, yet it is neces

sary to know the use of the law, and why it is given us.

The first use is civil and external, forbidding and punishing the transgression of politic and civil ordinance, as Paul writeth: "The law is given to the unjust." (Tin. i. 9.) Wherefore God commandeth the magistrates and superior powers of the earth to punish the transgressors of the law made for the preservation of every commonwealth, as we read (Deut. xix.), "Thou shalt remove the ill done in the commonwealth, that others may fear to do the same." Thou shalt have no pity upon the transgressor, for such pity as is used of man against this commandment towards the transgressors is rather a maintenance of ill, than a work of mercy,

The second use of the law is to inform and instruct man aright, what sin is, to accuse us, to fear us, and to damu us and our justice, because we perform not the law as it is required. (Rom. i. and vii.) Howbeit the law concludeth all men under sin, not to damn them, but to save them, if they come to Christ. (Rom. xi. Gal. iii.)

These two uses of the law appertain as well unto the infidels, as to them that believe: to such as be not regenerated, as to those that be regenerated: for those, that she cannot bring to Christ, she damneth.

The third use of the law is to shew unto the Christians, what works God requireth of them. For he would not that we should feign works of our own brains to serve him withal, as the bishops' laws that teach another faith and other works than the Old Testament or the New but requireth us to do the works commanded by him, as it is written Matt. xv. 9, "They worship me in vain with the precepts of inen." Therefore David saith (Psa. cxix. 105),

"Thy word (Lord God) is the light unto my feet.” By the knowledge of the law we judge all other men's writings, Christians and heathens, whether they write well or ill. And without a right knowledge in this law, no doctrine can be known, whether it be true or false.

This law judgeth, who defended the better part, Marcion or Tertullian; Augustine or Arius; Christ and his Apostles, or Caiaphas and his college of Scribes and Pharisees; the poor preachers, that with danger of life set forth the glory of God, or the Pope with his college of cardinals that with wicked laws study to deface the glory and majesty of Christ's church; where and what is the catholic church of the Christians, and where the synagogue of antichrist. No falsehood can be hid, if men seek the truth with this light.

If we examine our deeds or other men's by this law or canon, we, shall soon perceive whether they please God or displease. If we be praised and have an honest estimation amongst people, let us bring both our conscience and praise of the world unto this rule of God's word, and then shall every man judge himself, whether he be inwardly the same man that people esteem him for outwardly. In case man sustain likewise dispraise and contempt of such as be in the world, if the law of God bear testimony with his conscience, that it is rather the malice of the world than his demerits that oppresseth thus his good fame with the burden of slander; he shall rather rejoice that God hath preserved him from the crimes that he is falsely accused of, than impatiently suffer the malicious world maliciously to judge good to be evil, is their accustomed manner.

This law judgeth that Aristotle in his Morals teacheth better doctrine, when he condemneth the external fact, in case the mind and will concur not