A Treatise of the Cohabitation Of the Faithful with the Unfaithful | Page 2

Chaldee / ys commaunded to trauayle in those countries / in whiche the people were altogither vngodlye and wicked Idolatrours / that ys / in the lande of Canaan / and in Egypte.
[[5]] [[Genes. 13.]]
Lot refused to continewe in the housholde / and familiar companie of Abraham / and did chose to dwell amonge the Sodomytes.
[[6]] [[4. Reg. 5.]]
Naaman the Sirian / after that he was healed of his leprosie / dyd returne to his Idolatrous nation.
[[7]] [[Marc. 5.]]
Christ our Sauior dyd not reteyne with him all those whom he dyd heale / but commaunded some of them to returne vnto their own famyliars / countrymen / and kinsfolkes (which yet were wicked / and infidels) among whom they sholde publishe and declare / what the lorde hade done for them.
[[8]]
The Iues both by the ciuile and canon lawes ar not only permitted to lyue among the christians / but also to haue their synagoges: and tribute is taken of them.
[[9]]
Some heretiques haue libertie giuen them by ciuile lawes / to dwell amonge the faithfull: for the lawes do not apoynte them all to be punished by deathe. We reade that the Nouations hade their Churches and congregations / permitted in Constantinople / in the tyme of Constantine the greate / and Theodosius / whiche were moste godlie Emperours.
These are the reasons by whiche many do persuade them selues and others / that yt ys lawfull for the godlie and faythful / to dwell together and to haue familiar conuersation withe the wicked and vnfaythfull /
[[The disposition of the Tretise.]]
To proue that their persuasions are false and vntrulie gathered of thes places / I muste propounde certayn diuisions: whiche beinge done / I shall put forthe certayne propositions or sentences In the prouinge of which to be true / ye shall playnlye perceyue howe these places alledged / are abused of them to maynteyne their false opinion.
[[The furst Diuision]]
Firste / I muste deuide betwene the estates and sortes of men: Some sortes of men / are Magistrates and rulers: some other be subiectes and of the comen sorte of people.
[[The second Diuision]]
The second diuision shalbe of cohabitation or dwelling together / of which one kinde ye free / that ys / where men be not compelled to communicate withe wicked superstitions / vngodly rites and Idolatries.
An other kinde of cohabitation / or dwellinge together there is which ys not free / and that ys where men are compelled to communicate withe wicked supersticions / to be presente at Idolatries / and so to defyle them selues.
[[The thred diuision.]]
The thirde diuision shalbe of the godlie and faithfull men them selues / whiche are thus familiarlie conuersaunte withe the vnbeleuers. Either they are learned stronge and able to confesse the doctrine of truithe in religion / and to reproue and conuince the false: orels they ar vnlearned / weake / and vnable to stande in the confession of the truithe / and reprouinge of vntruthe.
These three diuisions shall suffice. Nowe will I put forthe certeyne sentencis and propositions.
The firste sentence and proposition / shalbe of those which in estate and condicyon are priuate men and subiectes: Of that cohabitation and dwellinge whiche ys free. And of those men which are learned and stronge: of all wich I make this proposition.
[[The furst proposition.]]
Priuate men and subiectes / which ar learned and stronge / dwellinge in that place where they be free and not compelled to communicate withe wicked supersticions / they maye be famyliarlie conuersaunte / dwell and liue together with the vnbeleuers This maye they do / but yet vnder certeyn conditions / and obseruinge certeyn rules.
[[1]] [[Rules to bekept.]]
Of which the firste ys this / that they do teache thos vnbeleuers with whom they do liue and are familiarlie conuersaunte / and do instructe them in the truithe / trulye teachinge them and earnestlie callinge them / vnto the knowledge of the truithe / and faythe in Christe. And this they muste not leaue of to do so longe as they be dwellinge and familiar with them. To the end also that they maye do this the better / yt ys not vnlawfull / but moste conuenient for them to shewe them selues frendlie / gentill / and louinge unto the vnbeleauers withe whom they are familiarlie conuersaunte / and dwellinge / So that theise maye perceyue that the faythfull do loue them: els ys yt to be feared that they shall do no good withe them. for that doctrine ys moste redylie receyued of the hearer / which commeth from him / of whom the hearer ys persuaded / that he ys hys frende / and that he louithe hym indeede.
[[2]]
The second thinge that the faythfull must take heede of / and Rule which they must obserue ys this: That