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And therefore though the Law of man punish not all, but only such as tend to the preseruation of gouernment yet this rather argueth that mans Law is partiall and de∣fectiue, thē that our thoghts are exempted therefrō. Nay, seeing the Law of man pre∣tends it descent from the law of God, and subordination
thereunto, therefore, seeing the Law of God reacheth to the thoughts, therefore ei∣ther the law of man must al∣so extend thereunto, or else it comes short of that perfe∣ction which is in the Law of God. But if wee obserue the iudiciall proceedings e∣uen of mans law, wee shall find, that it chalengeth some soueraintie ouer the thoghts: In that it not only by oaths requires an answer to what may bee demanded for the clearing of the truth, where as by a consequent the thoughts and purposes of euill, may be often scanned, as seruing either to aggrauate the fact, or to diminish the same, but as in case of trea∣son, so also in many other,
meeteth as well with the thoughts of euill, as the acti∣ons thereof. Howsoeuer, let God be true and euery man a lyar. Let it bee the glory of Gods Law, to bee spirituall, reaching to the inmost thoughts to procure sinceri∣tie. And let it be the humili∣ation of mans law, that while it onely or principally binds the outward man, it may proue hereby in some an oc∣casion of hypocrisie: And yet if we shall obserue, that euen the law of man bindes the conscience, in it subordi∣nation to the law of God, e∣uen in all things that are commanded thereby: doth it not hereby also chalenge some power ouer the mind, and thoughts, according to
which the cōscience is enfor∣med & so tied. And therfore as it is an argument of since∣ritie, euen wherein it bindes man therein, not of fashion, or custome, but euen of con∣science to submit thereto: so let it be the glory and priui∣ledge of sinceritie, to obey God aboue man: to make cōscience of thoughts which the law of man doth not reach vnto yea making con∣science of all things, agreea∣ble to the will of God.