A declaration of the ten holy co[m]maundementes of almighty God written Exo. 20. Deu.…A declaration of the ten holy co[m]maundementes of allmygthye God wroten Exo. 20. Deu.…

Caput XIX. 6. Ignorance.

Caput XIX. 6. Ignoraunce.

The sixth let or impediment where with men excuse them selves from the obedience of the law of god / is the pretence of ignorance / the which they think shall excuse them. Thus they say: the scripture hath so many mysteries in it self / and is to hard for our capacity. Some time the letter / sometime the spirit / and sometime both must be under stand. farther they say the doctors brawl / and chide between them selves / and how should the unlearned understand it aright. Who can tell saith an other whether this be the true law or not. if it were the true law of god / then should it contain all verities / and have no need of mans laws. Now the greatest part of such as hath the name of Christianity / say that God's laws saveth no man / instructeth no man aright / no it is not wholesome for man / except it be helped / and aided by the law of the bishops. thus the world o with to the bishops decrees that have called the authority of the holy testament / that containeth all truth (who is ⟨p. CCXXX⟩sufficiency / and verity is sealed with the precious blood of Christ) into doubt / and not into doubt only / but clean abrogated it / and preferred there own laws. Confer there preachings / and ministration of the Sacraments with the Holy word / and law of God / and see. Other say I have no wit to under stand the word of God / and if I had yet have I no leisure to learn it. Against this objection Moses answereth / and saith this law is sufficient / is simple / and plain / ease to be understand / a perfect doctrine / and required of all men. Thus he proveth it. Preceptum istud quod ego praecipio tibi hodie non est mirabiliter supra te, nec procul positum, Deut. 30. that is to say the commandment that I prescribe unto the to day is not far above the / nor put far from thee. Read the last half of the chapter. By the which words it appeareth that God hath made his will / and pleasure / simple / and plainly open unto his people / with apt sentences / and open words / and also put the same near unto us that we should not seek it with great danger of our lief / to sail into the Indies for it / or look it in heaven above as those that receive all things by revelation or apparitions of Angels / or other such means. But Moses saith it is no need of any such Ambassadors / and so faith Abraham