An epistle to the faithful necessary for all the children of GodAn epistle to the faithfull necessary for all the children of God

Although then that the party Infidel displease ¹God, because of her infidelity, yet doeth it not follow thereby, that I may not use it in that for which God hath given it unto me, & according to his order that he hath set among men as well as with any other creature of god, as with the Magistrate, the Prince, and the father being infidels: for if God have given me a Magistrate, or a Prince that is an Infidel, I may use him as touching his office without offence to God, for although he be an Infidel and displeaseth God therein, yet his office ceaseth not to be of God: and therefore I may ⟨image 54⟩use him to the honour of God, in all things that concern the office of a true Magistrate, so that I consent not, or agree to his Idolatry. For although that he through his infidelity cannot please God in his own person, yet to me which use him according to the ordinance of God, he is holy. In this manner Saint Paul did use the Burgesses of Rome, and did appeal before the Emperor, and used the Pagan Magistrates to defend his cause in that they were Ministers of God: but he did never therefore allow the Idolatry of Rome, nor consented to any thing that was against God, so the faithful man may use his unfaithful wife: if he be to marry, he doth evil, if he take her to wife, whom he knoweth to be an infidel, but if he have her already, before he know the trueth, and she will not receive the trueth with him, he may use her not withstanding as his wife, for although she be evil and polluted before God as touching her self, yet is she sanctified to the use of the faithful, ²for seeing all belongeth to God, the faithful man may use all that belongeth to God; as his own, because he is the child of God, and for ³that all the treasures of God belongeth unto him, for all is ours.

Although then that the partie Infidell displease ¹God, because of her infidelitie, yet doeth it not followe thereby, that I may not vse it in that for which God hath giuen it vnto me, & according to his order that hee hath set among men as well as with any other creature of god, as with the Magistrate, the Prince, and the father being infidels: for if God haue giuen mee a Magistrate, or a Prince that is an Infidell, I may vse him as touching his office without offence to God, for although hee bee an Infidell and displeaseth God therein, yet his office ceaseth not to bee of God: and therefore I may