Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

I grant and confess that faith ¹is Gods gift in the heart of man, which GOD alone doth search and know: but men are judged by their words and deeds: Admit therefore that the erroneous opinion of the mind may not be punished, yet notwithstanding wicked and infective profession and doctrine, must in no wise be suffered. Verily no man doth in this world punish profane and wicked thoughts of the mind: but if those thoughts break forth into blasphemous words, then are those blaspheming tongues to be punished of good Princes: and yet by this I say not that godliness lieth in the magistrate to give and bestow. Justice is the very gift of GOD, which none but God doth give to men. But who is so foolish as to gather thereupon, that unjust men, robbers, murderers, and witches are not to be punished, because the magistrate by punishment cannot bestow righteousness, upon unrighteous people? We must therefore make a difference betwixt faith, as it is the gift of God in the heart of man, and as it is the outward profession uttered and declared before the face of men. For while false faith doth lurk and lye hid within the heart, and infecteth none but the unbeliever, so long the unbelieving infidel cannot be punished: but if this false and forged faith, that so lay hid, do once break forth to blasphemy, to the open tearing of God, and the infecting of his neighbours, then must that blasphemer and seducer be by and by plucked under, and kept from creeping to further annoyance. Not to suppress such a fellow as this, is to put a sword in a mad mans hand, to kill unwise and weakly men.

I graunt and confesse that faith ¹is Gods gifte in the hearte of manne, which GOD alone doth search and knowe: but men are iudged by their woordes and déedes: Admitte therefore that the erronious opinion of the minde may not bée punished, yet notwithstanding wicked and infectiue profession and doctrine, must in no wise bée suffered. Verilie no man doth in this world punishe prophane and wicked thoughtes of the minde: but if those thoughtes breake foorth into blasphemous woords, then are those blaspheming tongues to bée punished of good Princes: and yet by this I saye not that godlynesse lyeth in the magistrate to giue and bestow. Iustice is the verie gifte of GOD, which none but God doth giue to men. But whoe is so foolish as to gather thereuppon, that vniuste men, robbers, murderers, and witches are not to bée punished, because the magistrate by punishment cannot bestowe righteousnesse, vppon vnrighteous people? Wée must therefore make a difference betwixte faith, as it is the gifte of God in the heart of man, and as it is the outwarde profession vttered and declared before the face of men. For while false faith doth lurke and lye hidde within the heart, and infecteth none but the vnbeléeuer, so longe the vnbeléeuing infidel cannot bée punished: but if this false and forged faith, that so laye hidde, doe once breake foorth to blasphemie, to the open tearing of God, and the infecting of his neighbours, then must that blasphemer and seducer bée by and by pluckt vnder, and kept from créeping to further annoyaunce. Not to suppresse such a fellowe as this, is to put a sword in a madde mans hand, to kill vnwise and weakelie men.