Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and…

Wherefore secondly, though great respect is to be given to men holy and learned, yet not such, that a man must be judged obstinate, if he submit not to their judgments and determinations. For,

Wherefore secondly, though great respect is to be given to men holy and learned, yet not such, that a man must be judged obstinate, if hee submit not to their judgments and determinations. For,

First, if a man should believe or do any thing before he sees §1some other grounds besides their judgments or examples, though the thing were in it self never so good, yet it would be sin to him. If indeed this were enough to answer Christ, Lord, I am a poor weak man, I cannot find out thy truths my self, therefore I seeing learned godly men to be of such a judgement, and doing such things, I thought it too much presumption for me to differ from them, therefore I also believed it to be true, and practised accordingly. This were an easy way for people to agree, and it might well be judged obstinacy to gainsay. But this account Christ will not take, for he tells us, Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin, and the judgments and practices of godly learned men, he never made to be the rule of faith.

First, if a man should believe or do any thing before he sees §1some other grounds besides their judgments or examples, though the thing were in it selfe never so good, yet it would be sin to him. If indeed this were enough to answer Christ, Lord, I am a poore weake man, I cannot find out thy truths my self, therefore I seeing learned godly men to be of such a judgement, and doing such things, I thought it too much presumption for mee to differ from them, therefore I also believed it to be true, and practised accordingly. This were an easie way for people to agree, and it might well be judged obstinacy to gainsay. But this account Christ will not take, for he tells us, Whatsoever is not of faith, is sinne, and the judgments and practices of godly learned men, he never made to be the rule of faith.