A Treatise of the Cohabitation Of the Faithful with the Unfaithful | Page 9

of their conuercion do quickly appeare / and of the other also it be by all meanes ernestly sought / both in the reprouing of their vnbeleif / and in alluring them to the truithe / It doth happen that ther conuercion is hindred by such companie and familiaritie. For whilest the vnbeleuers do se that the faithfull do lyue so frendly / and familiarly with them / they do iudge forthewith that their supersticion / and vnbeleif / is not so wicked a thinge / nor yet a thinge so to be abhorred and condenned / as it is reported / yea thus maye they be brought to imagin / that they maye be saued though they do perseuere / and contynue in their vnbeleif. For if it wer otherwise (shall they thincke) theise goode and godly men / wold not be thus familiar and frendly with vs.
I do omitt to speake of this / that many other of the brethern ther ar / which by the example of this conuersacion / do persuade themselues that they maye do euen the self same thinge / and so do beare with the wicked / and do wincke at their euell / bicause that they haue seen other men do so before them And thus it commith to pas / that by the example of sum men / this euell spreadith it self abroade so that in the end / our faith and Religion / is euen layed forth for the wicked and vngodly / to mocke / and contempn.
Often tymes also that thing happenith / which we reade to haue happened in Pauls tyme / amonge the Corinthians /
[[1. Cor. 10.]]
that the brethern by this conuersacion / ar brought to be partakers of the wickednesses / vile custumes / and Idolatries of the vnfaithfull: Which familiar conuersacion / dothe not only couple them with the vnfaithfull / but it is a meane to make them Idolatrours: for thauoiding of which / Paule cryeth out in the same place:
[[1. Cor. 10.]]
fle Idolatrie. I do likewise passe ouer with silence / that wher our weake and vnlearned brethern / do thus ioyne themselues in familiar conuersacion with the vnfaithfull / it can not be but betwene them and the vnfaithfull / sumtyme ther will happen communicacion of Religion: And then though it happ so that through want of learninge / our weaklinges do not slyppe and foile them selues / Yeat bicause they can not dissolue / and answer vnto the arguments / and subtile reasons of the aduersaries aptly / ther arisith then contentius stryfes betwen them / and not only this / but euel speakings / reproches / and hatreds / which thinges ar so farr from edifying / that they do altogether hynder and lett it: furthermor in these conflictes it happenith / that our weaklinges at lenghth are putt to silence / so that they neither speake to confes the truithe / nor to reproue that whiche is fals: Now consider heere what a libertie these men do lose: which christian libertie is in free boldenes in speakinge / to reproue that which is fals / as to confes godd / and his truithe. This libertie of free speaking and confessing / no christen man ought so to gyue ouer / but that he in all his talke shuld and might vse it.
But in this companie of vnbeleauers / these weaklinges do not / yea darre not vse it / les they in ther sayings / shuld be snatched vpp / and put to shame. Yet truly no men / nor ony companye of men shuld cause a christian to caste awaye this fredom and libertie.
[[2 Cor. 6.]]
For our purpose also makith that sayinge of S. Paul. Set your selues at large / for what felowshipp hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes? Or what companie hathe light with darcknes? Or what concorde hath christe withe Beliall? Either what parte hath he that beleauith / with an Infidell? Or how agreith the temple of godd / with Images? These wordes ar so playn that they neede not to be expownded: In which / this conuersacion of which we now do entreate / is most simplye / and playnly forbidden. The figures and ceremonies of Moses lawe ar taken awaye / but yet the thinge figured / which is as I might saye / the strenghth / the pythe / and foundacion of them / doth remayn.
[[Numer. 15.]]
Which thinge being true / I maye then aske this question. The lorde commaunded that the Iues shuld make gardes in the quartiers of their garments / and to put vppon the garde / a ribande of yelow silcke / &c. My question now is. Whi the lorde did commaunde / that the Iues shuld