But yet doth it not therefore follow, that such as have not bin taught are justified. For when as Saint Paul in the first too the Romans sayeth,1 that all the world is condemned of wickedness and unthankfulness, inasmuch as God had so showed himself to all men without exception, as sufficeth too take away all excuse from them: he addeth, that because they honoured not God as they ought to have done when they knew him, therefore he did cast them up into a lewd mind, and give them over too shameful and outrageous lusts: and thereupon he rehearseth horrible things. Among which, he setteth down whoredom, murder, and other wickedness and uncleanness, such as ought not to be once named among men. After them, he setteth down envy, lewd dealing in buying and selling, guilefulness, perjury, hatred, strife, and debate. Go too now, all this gear was not known among the unbelievers, and yet notwithstanding Saint Paul sayeth that all of them from the greatest too the least, were thankless towards God, and had defrauded him of his due honour, and therefore were all traitors, for they had plucked from him the thing that was his own, and therefore he paid them their deserved wages, namely because the seed of all sin is too be found in mans nature. All men then are fraught with as many vices as can be devised: but yet doth God hold them short, so as he suffereth not men too give over themselves to all naughtiness. And for proof thereof, many Infidels which have not natural reason to govern themselves withal, are notwithstanding chaste & shamefast, they spoil not other men of their goods, they be sober & honest, and to be short, they have many virtues after the opinion of the world. And why then are they condemned as whorehunters, thieves, and drunkards? It is because they have not those virtues in obedience unto God, neither is there any soundness in their heart: but they be restrained with fear of shame, or held in the way by some other means unknown too us. But yet doth God by that means spare mankind, too the end that •••gs should not go too havoc, nor men become altogether brute it •eastes. God then doth so rule ⟨image 295⟩the unbelievers, as that their virtues (howsoever the world go) cease not to be sinful still.
But yet doth it not therefore followe, that suche as haue not bin taught are iustified. For when as Sainct Paule in the first too the Romanes sayeth,1 that all the worlde is condemned of wickednesse and vnthankfulnesse, in asmuch as God had so shewed himselfe to all men without exception, as suffizeth too take away all excuce from them: he addeth, that bycause they honored not God as they ought to haue done when they knewe him, therefore he did cast them vp into a lewde minde, and giue them ouer too shamefull and outrageous lustes: and therevpon he reherceth horrible things. Among whiche, he setteth downe whoredome, murther, and other wickednesse and vncleannesse, such as ought not to be once named among men. After them, he setteth downe enuie, lewde dealing in buying and selling, guylefulnesse, periurie, hatred, stryfe, and debate. Go too now, all this geere was not knowen among the vnbeleeuers, and yet notwithstanding Sainct Paule sayeth that all of them from the greatest too the least, were thankelesse towardes God, and had defrauded him of his due honour, and therefore were all traytors, for they had plucked from him the thing that was his owne, and therefore he payde them their deserued wages, namely bycause the seede of all sinne is too bee found in mannes nature. All men then are fraught with as many vyces as can bee deuized: but yet dothe God holde them shorte, so as he suffereth not men too giue ouer themselues to all naughtinesse. And for proofe thereof, many Infidelles whiche haue not naturall reason to gouerne themselues withal, are notwithstāding chaste & shamefast, they spoyle not othermē of their goods, they be sober & honest, and to be short, they haue many vertues after the opiniō of the world. And why then are they condemned as whorehunters, theeues, and drunkardes? It is bycause they haue not those vertues in obedience vntoo God, nother is there any soundnesse in their harte: but they bee restrayned with feare of shame, or hilde in the way by some other meanes vnknowen too vs. But yet doothe God by that meanes spare mankinde, too the ende that •••gs should not go too hauocke, nor menne become altogither brut• it •eastes. God then dooth so rule ⟨image 295⟩the vnbeleeuers, as that their vertues (howsoeuer the worlde go) ceasse not to be sinfull still.
- 1Rom. 1. c. 20.
