A tract of the soueraigne iudge of controuersies in matters of religion. By Iohn Cameron minister of the Word of God, and divinity professour in the Academie of Montauban. Translated into English by Iohn Verneuil. M.A.

CHAP. 2. (Book 2)

The demand and proposall of those, who desire a holy reformation. (Book 2)

This is the complaint of them, who at this day grieue and sigh; lamenting the desolation of Israel and Iuda, who wish and demand, that as good Iosiah caused the book of the Law to be read before him,* 1.1 as Esdras, and Nehemiah did the like before the congregation, when they endeavoured to reforme the Church, and restore it to her first integrity: so the like may be practised at this day. If in Christendome all things be foūd conformable to this law in matters of Re∣ligion, there will be no neede of changing any thing therein, but to punish rather those vnquiet spirits, those troublesome and schismaticall heretickes, which trouble and marre by their novelties the peace of the Church, and repose of the

whole world. But if this conformitie be not there to bee found, but on the contrary a difference & disagreeing, why should not Gods truth be preferred before humaine inven∣tions, the law before there customes, and the kingdome of Iesus Christ before the tyranny, and dominion of him, who hath vsurped both over the living and the dead, over soule and body, prince and people, an authority in effect wholy soueraigne? And here let every soule in which there is left any touch of conscience, let every man in whom there is found the least sparke of manhood, remaining in such a division of the Church, in such a disagreeing especially a∣bout things of so great importance, judge which of the two doth rather practise the craft of Alcibiades in shunning and declining, whether they who demand that their procee∣dings be examined by the rule of this word, (which we all avouch to be inspired, dictated, and registred by the spirit of God, or else those who shunne nothing more then the cen∣sure of this word, of this Scripture, so farre as to charge it with defects, vnsufferable even in humaine writings, accu∣sing it of obscurity, ambiguity, and imperfections; which truly are the proprieties of the Oracles of Apollo, of the leaues of Sybil's, but little agreeable to the the law of the Almighty, the which the kingly Prophet so much magnifi∣eth as beeing perfect,* 1.2 pure, sure, and giving wisdome to the simple.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2 Kings 22. 10.
• * 1.2

  Psa. 9. 7. 8.