A treatise of the cohabitation of the faithful with the unfaithful Whereunto is added.…A treatise of the cohabitacyon of the faithfull with the vnfaithfull Whereunto is added.…

But some man will object against me / and say / if so be that the unfaithful be not yet persuaded / they shall then embrace truth against their conscience / which thing if the prince compel them to do / then he compelleth them to sin. Here must we make a difference between the thing that of it self is sin / and that which is so by chance / by some fortune / or some other thing that happeneth / per accidens, as the Logicians do say: for when the ⟨image 46⟩Magistrate / in the matter which now we have in hand / doth propound unto these his subjects / the thing that is right / good / just / and commanded of God / providing to have them taught therein / and they will not be taught / if then he enforceth them outwardly to use none other order in religion then is commanded of God / and to forsake, all other / he doth that which is just and appertaining to his office. But that sin is intermingled in this matter / truly it is not through the fault of the prince / but it is of the unbelief of these men / of which the prince can not be justly accused / when he hath diligently done his part / that they should be well instructed. Moreover let them which do object this consider / that by the same reason that they accuse these princes we may accuse God: for he doth propound his law / which is most perfect to be observed of all men. Should men say? we are weak / our nature is corrupt and infected / neither can we do these things as thou dost command them / And why dost thou then enforce this law upon us? If we do con tarry to that which thou doest command / verily we sin / and if we go not about to do it we sin / we shall sin also if we go about to do that which thou commandest / for we want of perfection / neither do we obey as we should do: wherefore do what we will / we shall not avoid sin: unto this the Lord would answer.

But some man will obiecte against me / and say / yf so be that the vnfaithfull be not yet persuaded / they shall then embrace truthe against theyr conscience / which thinge yf the prince compell them to do / then he compelleth them to synne. Here must we make a difference betwene the thinge that of it selfe is synne / and that which is so by chaunce / by some fortune / or some other thinge that happeneth / per accidens, as the Logicians do saye: for whē the Ma ⟨image 46⟩gistrate / in the matter which now we haue in hād / dothe propounde vnto these his subiectes / the thing that is right / goode / iuste / and cōmaunded of God / prouidinge to haue them taughte therin / and they will not be taughte / yf then he enforceth them owtwardlye to vse none other order in religion then is commaunded of Godd / and to forsake, all other / he doth that which is iuste and appertayninge to his office. But that synne is entermingled in this matter / truly it is not throughe the faulte of the prince / but it is of the vnbeleif of these men / of whiche the prince can not be iustly accused / when he hath diligētly done his part / that they shold be well instructed. Morouer let them which do obiecte this consider / that by the same reason that they accuse these princes we may accuse God: for he doth propounde his lawe / which is moste perfyte to be obserued of all men. Shuld men saye? we are weake / our nature is corrupte and infected / neither can we do these thinges as thou dost commaunde them / And why dost thou then enforce this lawe vpon vs? If we do cō tarie to that which thou doest commaunde / verely we synne / and yf we go not about to do it we synne / we shall synne also yf we go aboute to do that which thou commaundest / for we want of perfection / neyther do we obey as we sholde do: wherfore do what we will / we shall not auoyde synne: vnto this the Lorde wolde aunswer.