Where further ye ask if Abel did kill Cain or David Saul, or he which is born of the spirit, did kill him which is borne of the flesh? I answer, if your question be of Abel, David and Isaac, in their proper persons, that none of them did kill any of these fore named. But if thereof ye infer no more, is it lawful for any of gods elect,1 to kill any man, for his conscience sake. I answer, that if under the name of conscience ye include what soever seemeth good in your own eyes, that then ye affirm a great absurdity, manifestly repugning aswell to gods law, as to the examples of those, whom God hath highly praised, in his holy Scriptures. But because continually ye claim to your conscience, to remove from you that vain coverture. I ask if the murderer, adulterer, or any other malefactor, should be exempted from punishment of the law, although he allege, that he did all thing of conscience? I trust ye will confess, that he ought to be mocked, that will claim the patrocinie of conscience, when that he doth plainly offend against gods will revealed. ⟨p. 215⟩And why will ye not grant as much in this matter, which now standeth in controversy? because (say you) external crimes have no affinity with matters of religion. for the conscience of every man is not a like persuaded in the service and honouring of God,2 nether yet in such controversies as gods word hath not plainly decided. but I ask if that be a just excuse, why pernicious errors shall be obstinately defended, ether yet that gods established religion shall be contemptuously despised? To make the matter more plain, Israel and Judah were not both of one mind, in the honouring of God, after that the ten Tribes departed from the household of David, yea Judah in the self was often corrupted, with pestilent idolatry. insomuch that the fathers did offer their children to Moloch. which I am assured they did not without some zeal, which they thought to be good conscience. But not withstanding those controversies, divers opinions, and forged consciences at their own appetites, Elijah did kill the priests of Baal.3 & was• he borne I pray you of the flesh? or was he not rather regenerated by gods holy spirit? Jo•ias did kill all the priests of the hie places, & did burn mens bones upon their altars, and was he I beseech you brother to Cain,4 or rather fellow heir of the Kingdom promised with Abel.
Where further ye ask if Abel did kill Cayn or Dauid Saul, or he which is born of the spirit, did kill him which is borne of the flesh? I answer, if your question be of Abel, Dauid and Isaak, in their proper persons, that none of them did kill any of these fore named. But if thereof ye inferre no more, is it law•ul for any of gods elect,1 to kill any man, for his conscience sake. I answer, that if vnder the name of conscience ye include what soeuer semeth good in your owne eyes, that then ye affirme a great absurditie, manifestly repugning aswel to gods lawe, as to the examples of those, whom God hath hieghly praised, in his holie Scriptures. But because cō tinually ye claime to your conscience, to remoue from you that vaine couerture. I ask if the murtherer, adulterer, or any other malefactor, shoulde be exempted from punishmēt of ye law, althogh he alledge, that he did all thīg of cōsciēce? I trust ye wil cōfesse, that he oght to be mocked, yt wil claime the patrocinie of cōscience, when that he doth plainely offend against gods wil reueled. ⟨p. 215⟩And why will ye not grant asmuch in this mater, which now standeth in contrauersie? because (say you) externall crimes haue no affinitie with maters of religion. for ye conscience of euerie man is not a like persuaded in ye seruice and honoring of God,2 nether yet in such cō trouersies as gods worde hath not plainely decided. but I ask if that be a iust excuse, why pernicious errors shall be obstinatly defended, ether yet that gods established religion shall be contempteously dispised? To make ye mater more plaine, Israel and Iudah were not bothe of one minde, in the honoring of God, after yt the tenne Tribes departed frō the housholde of Dauid, yea Iuda in the self was often corrupted, with pestilent idolatrie. in somuch that the fathers did offer their children to Moloch. which I am assured they did not without some zeale, wc they thoght tobe good cōscience. But not withstanding those controuersies, diuers opiniōs, and forged consciences at their own appetites, Helias did kill the priestes of Baal.3 & was• he borne I pray you of ye flesh? or was he not rather regenerated by gods holie spirit? Io•ias did kill all ye priestes of the hie places, & did burne mēs bones vpō their altars, and was he I besech you brother to Cayn,4
- 1How anabaptist disabuse the name of con science.How anabaptist ••sabuse the name of cō science.
- 2Shifting of anabaptists.Shifting of anabaptistes.
- 3A•swe• to th• shifting
- 42. King 2•.
