The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wiseThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise

For if we will not lye against our own conscience, who can deny but that all the world is a very Egypt, and all the Christianity a very Babylon, full of all confusion? For he that will well ponder and ¹mark the language that the Christians do speak, & the diversities of opinions which are among them, but that he shall be constrained to say, that Babylon is not Babylon, in comparison of this. The one saith white, the other black. That which the one calleth day, one other calleth it night. That which is the light unto the one, is darkness to the other. That which the one findeth sweet, the other judgeeth it sour. That which is Jesus Christ, truth, and Paradise to the one, is Antichrist, lying and hell to the other. What is then to be done in this great variety and contrariety of opinions? What ought the poor ignorant people think of it? In what trouble and perplexity ought their poor consciences to be in, when they see the one to deny that which an other affirmeth? What opinion ought they rather follow? and of what side can their poor consciences find most rest? It is most certain, that there is but one verity, & that in such variety and contrariety of opinions and ²sentences, there cannot be but one true, and it may well he that they are all false, if man follow any other guide, then Gods only verity. What then is he that is of so sure a judgement, which can surely judge what is the best, the most certainest and infallible verity? There is none which can better judge of the Art, then the workman: of a matter, then he which hath some knowledge and experience. If we will then find any rest in our consciences, and obtain and get a good judgement, for to discern in that diversity of doctrine, what is the best and most ⟨image 9⟩certainest, and what is the truth that declareth all the other ³to be lyings, we must give our selves to the means by which we may attain thereunto. But it is hard to find, for it must be searched for out of all creatures, and yet nevertheless by the creatures. And therefore forasmuch as the thing seemeth to be hard, and that I see many poor consciences very much troubled and almost in despair, not knowing on which side to turn themselves, so much is the thing more worthy of pity and compassion.