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I speake of their denying to subscribe to the Articles concerning the substance of doctrine, which they confesse to be sound vsing a godly interpretation in a poynt or two. &c. what other abuses so euer there be in the booke of common prayer, or in the Church, yet that is no sufficient cause, why they shoulde refuse to subscribe to the truth of do∣ctrine professed in this Church, and conteyned in those Articles. Wherefore séeing
they confesse them to be sound, and yet denie to subscribe, who can otherwise iudge of them, than I haue signifyed in my Answer.
I acknowledge my selfe to be ignorante that in this and suche like phrases thys* 1.1 word Can, is taken for ought. When Saint Paule saithe, that we can do nothing a∣gainste the truth, he meaneth simply as he speaketh, and doth not there vse Can, for ought. For indeede we can do nothing against the truth, though we do the worst we can. It is no vsuall phrase, but an vnproper kind of speach to say, that a man cannot do a thing, when he should say that he ought not to do it, except he adde some thing, as he cannot do it lawfully, or well, or orderly, and such like. Wherefore my dulnesse is such that I cannot vnderstande suche darke speaches, vntill they be interpreted, and yet whether they woulde so interprete themselues or no, it maye be doubted.
If they bragge not of persecution, wherevnto tende these wordes of theirs, this is that we striue for, about which we haue suffered, not as euill doers. &c. and quote in the margent to proue it. 1. Pet. 3. as though they were persecuted by infidels?
How immodest soeuer I am in defending this cause, yet if it be compared eyther to* 1.2 their passing bitternesse, or to your spitefull speaches, and vnséemely tauntes and iestes, I shall appeare tootoo simple: and although I must néedes say thus much, that disturbers of the common peace of the Churche, and Schismatikes, deserue to be with sharpe wordes reproued, yet haue not I vsed that sharpenesse and bitternesse, whyche diuerse learned menne bothe olde and newe haue vsed in the lyke case.
If I haue done any man wrong let him come foorth and proue it, and I will ren∣der vnto him quadruple.
Can is not taken for ought, if it be spoken simply
Schismatiks deserue to be sharply re∣proued.