vs but first God and next to God satissie her Maiestie our dread soueraigne and his who pretendeth not by her selfe nor her lawes to make any of her subiectes to be of her Religion but vs altogether with her selfe of Gods true certayne and most holie Religion Shee sitteth in no mans conscience as doth the Pope ywis in doing this shortely to say he shall shewe himselfe to bee a faythfull and good seruaunt to GOD and her Maiestie bearing a duetifull minde lyke a true subiect to her godly lawes in euery respecte a profitable member also shall hee shewe him selfe to bee in Church and common wealth and most of all which hee hath to consider of his owne friende all which benefites hee quite spoyleth himselfe of in following the course these men sette hym in who as blynde guydes conducte him in the darkenes by bywayes of traditions forefathers custome multitude good intentes and meaning as they call them and all without the light of Gods holy woorde or any good warrant Nowe as there are two partes of this booke the Epistle dedicatorie to her Maiestie and the treatise or reasons where vnto accordingly I haue to answere so for the matter the drift wherto this booke tendeth the manner of handling the whole generally to speake it so bewrayeth it selfe as the indifferent Reader may and will I doubt not easily espie out the treacherie Poyson to infect deadly couered and as it were sugured that is with faire wordes glosed and recōmended is the whole matter for what haue wee els to iugde of reasons not grounded on any art of reason and of persuasion without all foundation The whole that so great account is made of was a letter from a friend to a friende shuffled vp in hast as the writer confesseth Why then did not the same rest in the friends handes or in the writers custodie among other common letters and papers vnlesse those of wisedome and authoritie heere vppon knowledge sight and perusing it had beene called for and as other things that passe abrode it 〈◊〉 beene orderly allowed of if it should haue been found meet Forsooth madge Howlet and his fellowes opinion must rule heerein to make a Treatise and discourse thereof and at length to publish the same in print wherby besides the rest they may shewe what great reasons they stay their consciences vppon as they speake to the condemning of others yea of their own side that thinke not and do not as they doe and what weightie motiues also they haue to moue her Maiestie withall and what inuincible Scholasticall argumentes wee must looke for at these terrible fellowes handes Of all which that I may heere briefly and in summe giue a note I say if their store behinde bee no better then this they nowe sende vs for all their great bragges wee may turne them ouer to Sophisters and laddes in the Schooles to answere them so little neede wee surely feare their hie woordes and threates Well what opinion and liking so euer maister Howlet and his fellows haue of this worke of theirs and what fruite they may looke for it to bring foorth among suche as are wedded to 〈◊〉 therby inclinable to moue sedition and rebellion in this state which appeareth to bee their meaning what euer they pretende we once in considering thereof see their purpose and drift not to bee good for in going about to confirme and encourage suche to goe on forwarde in their deuilishe and stubborne opinion which abstaine from publique Church assembles here wherein to Gods glorie are vsed the preaching of Christes Gospell the administration of his sacramentes godly prayers ct And againe to refuse the othe of alleageance to her Maiestie alluring other to the like they drawe men as much as in them is from the ordinarie meanes whereby God beginneth aduaunceth and continueth faith and Religion in his they dishonour his Maiestie in swaruing from the rule of his holy woorde they pine away and slaye their owne soules and theirs that hearken vnto them Besides this offence to God and priuate hurt to thē selues and others they induce them further to disobey in the highest degree their gracious Soueraigne and ours and to break her wholsome lawes made for the aduauncement of Christes syncere Religion and the suppressing of Idolatrie and superstition and for the maintenance of her Royal estate and most lawfull dignitie among her subiectes they offend moreouer all the godly minded weake ones also by their euil exāple and dealing That I speak nothing of vtter enemies to the truth which can learne no good hereby Finally they seeke to make a schisme and to maintaine heresie in this holy Congregation and seditiously disturbing the peace and quiet here they make a way to a newe rebellion if it bee possible for them infecting other with the same opinion and obstinacie whiche are not hitherto so hot and forward or peruerse and frowarde in this matter These and such like things are sought to bee iustified maintained and defended by coloured reason and false perswasion and all vnder pretence of conscience in this booke They must be tollerated in these doings her Maiestie and the state must be satisfied therewith otherwise they playne of the state and publique authoritie here they deuise and inuent sclanders they chalenge and threate they bragge and vaunt they whine and repine and what not They are loth to let goe their holde and to leese all their labour being come so farre as from Rome the poore helpe of Italian and Romane souldiers which our English Italianated Romanistes had by suite procured from the Pope traiterously by force of late to inuade her Maiesties dominions thorough Gods prouidence nowe failyng and deceiuing their expectation these spirituall doues of the Pope I meane the Iesuites byrdes once of the Popes Seminaries and other such sollicitors and procters of Poperie as comming like postes from beyonde the seas flie here vp and down among vs applying them selues to the time haue thought good to holde another course till they may be able to make such head againe as in her Maiesties raigne they did first in Englande and afterwarde of late in Irelande For least those of their companie that are left after the suppressing of the rebelles among vs shoulde be dismaide and discouraged setting a good face on the matter they comfort them with such wordes and motiues as they may in so bad a matter and least when they can not openly in person goe abroade their well willers and friendes whereof they bragge of moe here then I trust they shall finde shoulde want their ayde in aduauncing the proude prelate of Rome and his religion against the eternall God of heauen and her Maiestie our naturall and dread soueraigne and Prince here vpon they print and cast abroad this and such like libels full of holownes and vauntes contayning litle or no other matter as such doe easily and at first fight perceiue which vntaught by them are none of their disciples
reasoning in proouing matters wee had rather heare of good strong and sounde proofes by Syllogismes than by weake 〈◊〉 but let that also passe Let vs take such 〈◊〉 all argumentes as are offered vs. Prooue your similitude what it wil and as well as it can it prooueth not that you bring it in for Note your similitude your selfe and make the conclusion and you shall fee you prooue not that you propounded but reason from one thing to another or propound one thing and conclude another It is an vnlikely likelihood for the matter it is to be applied vnto if you would haue made it like to that it shoulde prooue or whiche you bring it for Thus seemeth me should you haue made it As a man perswading himselfe bodily foode to bee infectious to his bodie or dangerous may not vse the same So in doctrine perswading himselfe that it is heresie or false he may not heare and receiue the same or some such way And then haue I shewed the weakenes and folly of the argument before and giuen example thereof that I neede not repeate the 〈◊〉 I say good meate shall be wholesome for the bodie and necessary too perswade men themselues therein as they will And the sounde doctrine of the Gospell heere professed and preached shall be much more wholesome and necessarie for the soule to keep to your kinde of comparing persuade you your selues therin as you list The testimonies of scripture c. that ye alleadge make nothing to the contrary hereof 〈◊〉 fully against you and the venime and danger of Poperie and Popish doctrine and heresie The very 〈◊〉 of the text with a religious minde will 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 testimonie of your abusing the same and your 〈◊〉 and your followers heerein I maruaile not a little 〈◊〉 you grounding this your first reason vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same againe ouerthrowe perswasion For after you haue cited in one text by and by as it were by way of obiecting and answering without farther proceeding ye reason against perswasion If your men at least per swade themselues in that they thinke you will obtrude to your fellow and to vs too your perswasiō vnder the title of conscience not to be done against though it bee erroneous yee will not let other no not your fellowe rest in his persuasion Bide the law you make to other This is a very good touch to trie perswasiō and mens doings by the scriptures I would you would euer keepe that ground and trial in al y t matters in controuersie betweene you and vs That that which is done without warrant of scripture or is against scripture should be condemned reiected With this ouerthrowe we your perswasion here pretended with this ouerthrow we al your Reasons your whole religion and kingdōe of poperie mightily Popery y t is not grounded on holy scriptures nor followeth gods booke filleth mēs minds ful of vaine perswasions and their heades ful of ydle fancies which they that stay them selues vpon Gods holy word are free from their consciences clered As for example papists promise them selues many good thinges whereof they are in the end disapointed and so confounded for that they haue no warrant from God nor assurance of his worde Other limiting their hope keeping the same within the compasse of Gods worde and promise are not confounded but enioye the same and are blessed Blessed are they that put their trust in him Hope maketh not ashamed because it hath Gods promise going before Againe papistes and the vngod ly are afrayd where no feare is haue a faintnes and cowardlines in their heartes the sound of a leafe shaken chaseth them in 〈◊〉 they entangle and snare their constiences without neede whereas they that obserue 〈◊〉 and counsell that is heare Gods word stay vpon it and followe the 〈◊〉 as a light to guide them by c. are 〈◊〉 from such feare and liue in great and godly securitie Poperie it is alone and not Gods word that telleth them there is danger of infection in haunting our Church assemblies For your allegations and proofes out of the bookes that are Apocrypha which with you are as good and substantiall as Canonicall scriptures No distinction is to bee kept All is one with you I will not now charge you because the doctrine is true and agreeing to the Canonicall Scriptures and to be applied of our men to you and your religion as the rest yee heape together And yet yee must remember what Hierome in his prologues set before your owne translation of the Byble sayth of that booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach and the like It were no hard matter to take the staffe here out of your handes and to beate your selfe withal As the diligent reader euen in this first reason may easilye perceiue So fitly doe these testimonies heere alleadged serue vs against you and can by no means bee forced against 〈◊〉 profession you may carry a persuasion to ground your reason vpon we shal haue y e truth y e matter to ground ours vpon Let me in passing take an example from you in answere for our dread Soueraigne and the States dealing here with you You tell vs of seucre lawes in the primitiue Churche made for prohibiting of corrupt and naughtie seruice sermons and reading of like bookes yee referre vs for proofe to the Emperours Martian and Iustinian and to the noble and zelous first Christian Emperour Constantine What doth her Maiestie other then followe those and like examples in forbidding your popish masse Your seditious bookes ful of poyson c. You say Constantine made it death for any man to read Arrius bookes and reason say you Are you angred that her maiestie dealeth not so with you and your bookes which are like If that bee the faulte it may be mended soone enough to your cost your Pope and Popishe heresie is no lesse dandgerous and hurtfull at this day then Arrius was then If you put her Maiestie in minde and call vpon such lawes to be made heere nowe 〈◊〉 like cause you maye quickely make a rodde for your selues the matter will hardely possible afterwarde bee 〈◊〉 with wordes or taken vp at your pleasures againe If you can do no more I counsel you yet to hold your peaces sit stil and be quiet For the rest where ye thunder out against 〈◊〉 Luther and iumble vp together the Professors of the Gospell in odious tearmes with other heretikes and sectaries of your broode as which your M. Howlet in the beginning of his Epistle Dedicatory to her Maiestie hath before confessed that yee neede not father the same heere on Lut her you doe but vtter your stomacke against Gods seruant in whom there were rare and excellent giftes of God and with whom and by whom his spirit mightily wrought for the aduancement of the Gospel in these later dayes shaking the very foundations of your Antichristiā kingdome It were not harde to shew here your errour
oftē I wil leaue these three reasons of Schisme Participation with heresie and 〈◊〉 after I haue noted a worde or two there of more till these men can alleadge some sounde proofe that wee are that which they bee that is Schismatikes and Heretikes For Dissimulation as we loue plaine dealing and Christs Religion and the truth is ioyned with a godly simplicitie so hope we well that thase that come to Church aslemblies here doe the same with a single and vpright heart wee sitte not in their heartes and consciences we knowe not what is in them Which thing if they doe not they haue learned their dissimulation in Poperie and not in Christes schoole nor of y e profession of his Gospel Though I send not them quicke to hell with this discourser as I haue said yet surely are they to be reputed very bad folke so as hardly can there bee worse commonly among men especially in cases of religion let them examine themselues by the holy scriptures learne their duetie thence and repent in time else will they bee founde neyther true seruantes of God nor duetifull subiectes to her Maiestie in the ende nor yet good common wealth men God giue grace to consider hereof to shame the diuell wee eyther iudge them not or iudge the best and charitably of them I maruell not a litle at these words of yours in the latter ende of your Reason of Dissimulation many a thousand now in England being as throughly perswaded in heart of the trueth of the Catholike religion as the Apostles and other Christians at that time that is in the time of the Apostles were of theirs are cōtent not withstanding to heare digest admit and execute all or most parte of these thinges recited contrary to the sayde religion Here yee liken together the Apostles and olde Christians and many of your Catholikes nowe in Englande the Apostles and Christians religion then and your catholike religion nowe and you shewe these mens vsage to be vnlikely and diuerse in sticking to these two religions By the way heere I note that your Catholike religion and the Apostles and christians then bee two religions and diuerse else yee speake verye 〈◊〉 But let that goe howe can you or any in englande be as throughly perswaded in heart of your Catholike religion nowe which is false and not only net grounded on Gods worde but contrary thervnto as the Apostles and Christians in the primitiue Churche were of theirs which had God and the Scriptures for their grounde and warraunt Though a house buylded on the sande may haue a faire shewe yet in strength for want of a good foundation it can neuer be so strong as that which is buylt on a Rocke He that heareth Christes woordes and doeth the same is like a wise builder on a Rocke I wis he that heareth your Masse Mattens c. is farre off from that 〈◊〉 in blindenesse may be easily gathered thereby and a senselessenes whereof commeth no good but muche hurt As the contrary commeth by hearing Sermons and preaching of the Gospell Constancie and a good conscience is rather lost then retayned much lesse gayned or encreased by your blynd and superstitious religion You run to your olde starting hole of perswading your selues bee it ryght bee it wrong But to haue a true a sounde and a good setled perswasion for religion and matters of conscience it must be stayed in heauen it must be warranted by Gods holie worde and Scriptures whiche you for your religion are distitute of els can it not be I will 〈◊〉 say so thorough as the Apostles c. But in truth not good nor to bee trusted vnto Your seuenth reason is that our Gods seruice is naught and dishonorable to God and therefore must be abstained from Surely you say somewhat nowe if you coulde prooue that yee say this is the first the last and all the reasons that are worth the examining the foundation and grounde of all the rest Let vs see therefore how you goe about to prooue this point forsooth at the first entrie ye leaue of your proofe and fall a confuting of our reason before you prooue the matter One may perceiue it is easier with you in wordes to finde fault then in deede to mende it or iustly to shewe where and wherein the fault lyeth that other might mende the same The Scriptures lye in your way like a shrewd blocke yee thinke good therefore first to assay to remooue that and then to proceede in your purpose after Handeled Dratour like with your figure accordingly but florished at in deede rather then any thing els doone That wee haue the Bible and the Scriptures so familiar and so strong on our side that offendeth you that angreth you that hindreth your purpose greatly But we thanke God therfore highly Burne the Bibles and burne them againe fume and fret rage and doe what you can yet bidding battaile to God he will be founde stronger then you and yee shall not pruaile Alas poore scripture is that it so offendeth you it is the swoorde of the spirite It bringeth vs many yea infinite other necessary and vnspeakeable commodities we cannot forgoe it sir wee are vtterly vndoone if it be takē away from vs. I pray you giue vs leaue to haue it and to vse it Can you not prooue our church assemblies naught but you must impugne and disgrace the scriptures Must you needes beginn and make entrance there Happy for vs vnhappie for you A happie turne for vs that wee and our cause nor our God his seruice cannot be foiled but with the scriptures an vnhappie matche for you but euen to mislike with Gods booke What woulde you haue vs to commend our God his seruice with better then the Scriptures Wee that are Christians like that better then traditions and inuentions of men which you here talke of very cunningly quoting vs Augustine in the Margin as though hee in those places condemned Scriptures to contmende traditions which is neither so nor so as wee shall see after by examination thereof Take you therefore these traditions and leaue vs the scriptures so we may feede 〈◊〉 pure fine wheate eate your Cods huskes chaffe and what you will Ye are nowe in the matter in controuersie betwene vs we confesse It hath been the question betwene Papists and Protestants that is betweene you and vs full these threescore yeeres now together who shalbe y t iudge to decide y e matters in cōtrouersie betweene vs we say the holy Scriptures and woorde of God wee appeale to that you say no not the Scriptures by any meanes It is the Heretikes booke let the writinges on both partes be perused for proofe and try all heereof but let vs goe forwarde w t this reasoner If our seruice being full of scripture as yee say it bee no good argument that the same is therefore infallible good I pray you let vs know the good argumēt y e wil proue your
Heretikes and sectaries as you here report What fauour I praie you deserueth it at y t Queene of Englands hands if this bee true to haue filled her realme with 〈◊〉 and sectaries You plaine next of the good and wholsome lawes here made against poperie and of the execution thereof great cause I trowe if that were true ye falsly and sclanderously say more too Hereto you adioine for proofe certaine particular matters auowing the Loyaltie and obedience of you Catholikes towardes ciuill Princes and sharplie yea leawdlie by sclander charging other w t disobedience This is the some of that you write for the most part in eight of your next leaues A worthie matter to be treated of before her Maiestie when all is well waied But I must somewhat examine there is no remedie what you say a part and in order First you compare diuers religiōs together and shewe that poperie fareth hardely and the woorst Hardly sure can there be founde a worse religion and more contrarie to the sincere Gospell of Christ here professed or that so much troubleth the good and quiet estate of Christs Church in this lande and Realme and therefore needeth most looking too 3 THere are at this day in this your Maiesties Realme foure knowne religions and the professours thereof distinct both in name spirite and doctrine that is to say the Catholikes the Protestants the Puritanes and the housholders of loue Besides all other petie sects newly borne and yet groueling on the ground Of these foure sortes of men as the Catholikes are the first the auncientest the more in number and the most beneficiall to all the rest hauing begotten and bred vp the other and deliuered to them this Realme conserned by Catholike religion these thousand yeres and more so did they alwaies hope to receiue more fauour then the rest or at leastwise equall tolleration with other religions disalowed by the state But God knoweth it hath fallen out quite contrary For other religions haue been permitted to put out their heades to growe to aduaunce themselues in common speech to mount to pulpits with litle or no controulement But the Catholik religion hath been so beaten in with the terrour of lawes and the rigorous execution of the same as the very suspition thereof hath not escaped vnpunished FIrst let mee aske M. Howlet where you were when you wrote thus to her Maiestie you say in the beginning of these wordes in this your Maiesties Realme and in the latter ende againe this Realme Were you at Doway printing your book or occupied in Londō or els where in England about it the booke possible might be sēt to Doway or you bee printing it there another time shift it ouer I pray you Heere your wordes importe you were in Englande when you wrote this preface elsewhere in the same preface they import you were beyond Sea Alyar had neede haue a good memory sauing that you Catholiks can worke wonders and by coniuring make one and the same humane body to bee in many and diuers places at one time A man might make a doubt of this question but let y t passe When you would perticularly reckō vp y e seueral knowne religiōs not all approued nor allowed nay all disallowed condemned sauing that only one which is Iesus Christes but being onely in this Realme ye bring them into foure heads as for the petie sects that you are so priuie of as birds of your own hatching till they be fledge and come abroad that we may knowe them we can say little But your Popish religion M. Howlet were lesse vnhappie and both we the world should be lesse troubled with you nowe a daies if to speake but of religious men besides seculer priests among regulars it had but foure distinct religions and orders of beggerly fryers euery one stoutly standing against other in defence of his Patron and order of religion These be to to many and yet is the worlde troubled with a great many moe for besids the great swarines of these Locustes there be I wot not how many sectes or religions crept in so as the Popes them selues haue bin faine to restraine frō rashnes in instituting mo or newe religions for bringing in confusion And yet obserue gentle reader that the Pope hath authoritie to institute newe 〈◊〉 and none without his authoritie may doe the same obserue also that there be in Poperie old religions and newe religions c. It were 〈◊〉 long to speake of Canonists Schoolemen Thomists Scotistes and such other and the seuerall different opinions they holde but in the late dayes of Poperie here were there not sir as many religions and moe to besides your owne sectes Arrians Anabaptistes Libertines c. Though none in effect were persecuted but the poore Protestantes as ye call them These mens peculiar heresies in examinatiōs were commonly neuer touched peruse the recordes of these there was little or no accompt made in those dayes of ignorance and darkenes while men slept the enemy was busie in sowing his tares As you 〈◊〉 giue here names of sects to bring these times into hatred so all ambiguitie spitefulnes laid aside first take to your selues your religion some fitter name for true Catholiks we btterly denie you to be All are not Catholiks that take the name of Catholikes for so should the Arrians and other herettques in their time haue been Catholikes true Catholikes heretiques sectaries as antiquitie reporteth Under the name of Protestants ye comprehende all those y t forsaking the Pope Popish religion haue betaken thēselues to Christ and his holy Gospel grounding their religion vpō Gods word his heauenly truth comprised in the Canonical scriptures of the old newe Testament written by the Prophets Apostles and thereuppon are called in these tyntes Gospellers a fitter naine than that you call them by Protestants Of which religion and number wee acknowledge our selues to bee and thanke God for the same Cathari or Puritan heretiques I knowe none heere God bee thanked but I ghesse whome you meane Your Authour 〈◊〉 the whotter sorte of Protestants are called Puritans Nowe supposing their religion that you call the Protestants to bee the trueth of God as it is indeede and that you that will bee called Catholikes like not but condemne colde Catholikes as badde ones and require zeale and feruentnesse I pray you tel vs euen in your consciēce if Protestants bee to bee allowed whether sorte of 〈◊〉 are to be liked the whotter or the colder yet such still that ye abuse not your self as with their zeale carry ioine godly knowledge It is good to bee zealous in a good thing alwaies saith the holy Ghost And you wot what is said to them of Laodicea in the Reuelat. for that they were luke warme neither cold nor whot that they shoulde bee spued out We hope that if you whot Catholikes wil allow any Protestāts y e poore
aboue a thousand yeres but to descende for since that time Antichrist and his corruptions haue growen apace in the Churche shewed themselues and preuailed much God so punishing mens ingratitude But if yee ascende from a thousande yeeres if ye list to the beginning of the world and let Gods booke bee iudge wee shut out Aristotle your Philosophers and prophane men in this case you will finde 〈◊〉 vantage not in Auncientnesse though without trueth that were no great matter yet you will stil be found to come after behind giue vs leaue to say as he in old time said christ is my ātiquity Thus if you 〈◊〉 of y e old true religion thus must ye think thus must ye do Thus for trial we wish you to do ioining gods booke euer with antiquitie And so Let that that is first be true let that that is afterward brought in be false As one speaketh Gods holy word is afore al is aboue al 〈◊〉 than al that yee alledge or can do for proufe of your religion carying any good shew with it this is y e touchstone y t we woulde haue our religiō your religiō al religiōs in the world tried by It is a lowd lie a vile slander to reporte crie in her Maiesties eares y t such 〈◊〉 fauour is here shewed on y e one side as that other religiōs thā Christs haue been 〈◊〉 to put out their heads to grow to aduance themselues in cómon speech to moūt to pulpits without controulmét such extremitie on the other side that the verie suspicion of your religion hath not escaped vnpunished by terror of Lawes rigorous execution therof For one part those of your side and godles men among vs by raising slanders haue done what they can from time to time as you do to bring diuers godly men into discredite haue but to much preuailed with some though God hath alwaies giuen 〈◊〉 to the truth cleered innocencie What y t smart of some the whilest hath beene you dissemble euery body knoweth best where their shoe pincheth them I write not An Apologie nowe nor take not vpon mee to enter into euerie mans particular cause to maintaine or defend y t same much lesse to diffame accuse our Lawes and the executiō therof by her Maiesties Ministers I owe more reuerence to the state than so to do I only shew the vanitie of your reporte you can for your vantage finde out tel her Maiestie in this epistle of one whom Newgate possessed long time for his fantastical opinions as you 〈◊〉 speake wherfore soeuer the matter were in deed you vtter your choler nay your malice spight you cannot finde out one of your owne side so brainesicke that euen nowe writing an Apology on your behalfs taketh vpon him by expresse tearmes to confute her Maiesties late proclamations c. You cānot finde one so brainesicke that euen now being obstinately giuen to poperie 〈◊〉 one of his owne fellowes in his heate or rage rather Againe syr may you not remember if it please you of executiō done by fire vpō some in London abroade not long since for heresie which were no Papists nor of your Catholike religion as you define deuide things Was this litle or no controlement Litle surely or none in your opinion so long as it is not vpon your selues But what tragedies make you vs of fleabitings vpon any of your side which yet deserue worst both of church and cōmon wealth Ye thinke to winne by exclamatiō outcry Neuer was there any of your side yet that in her Maiesties daies and happy raigne euer suffred death or was executed for this religiō nor any other that I know for but these few I haue named yet this is y t string ye heere so much harpe on this is your argument that your religiō hath found lesse fauor tolleratiō thā any other newer sect or religiō whatsoeuer yea that the tempest hath been so terrible your persecution so vniuersal as the like was neuer felt nor heard of in England before c 4 THe lawe made by Protestants prohibiting the practise of other religions besides their owne allotteth out the same punishment to all them that doe any way vary from the publike communion booke or otherwise say seruice then is appointed there as it doth to the Catholikes for hearing or saying of a masse And although the worlde knoweth that the order set downe in that booke bee commonly broken by euery Minister at his pleasure and obserued almost no where yet small punishment hath euer insued thereof But for hearing of a Masse were it neuer so secrete or vttered by neuer so weake meanes what imprisoning what arraigning what condemning hath there beene The examples are lamentable and many fresh in memory and in diuers families will be to all posteritie miserable 5 To this nowe ifwee adde the extreeme penalties layde vpon the practise of certaine particulars in the Chatholike religion as imprisonment perpetuall losse of goods and landes and life also for refusall of an othe against my religion death for reconciling my selfe to God by my ghostly father death for giuing the supreame pastor supreame authoritie in causes of the Church death for bringing in a Crucifix in remembrance of the crucified death for bringing in a seely payre of beades a medall or an Agnus Dei in deuotion of the Lambe that tooke away my sinnes whiche penalties haue not beene layd vpon the practise of other religions your Maiestie shall easily finde to bee true so much as I haue saide which is that the Catholike religion where in wee were borne baptized and breede vp our forefathers liued died most holyly in the same hath founde lesse fauour and tolleration then any other newer sect or religion what soeuer 6 And albeit the worlde doth know howe that the great mercie and clemencie of your Maiestie hath stayed oftentimes and restrained these penalties from their execution from the ouerthrowing of diuers men whom otherwise they might and woulde haue oppressed yet notwithstanding as I haue said there want not very pitifull exāples abroad which woulde moue greatly and make to bleede that Princely and compassionable heart of your highnesse if their miseries in particular were knowen to the same especially it being in such subiectes as loued and doe loue most tenderly your Maiestie for such a cause as lieth not in them to remoue that is for their conscience and iudgement in religion ANd because to verifie your infamous lie and sclander in this behalfe you adioyne hereafter particular examples of two learned Bishoppes that are principall dealers in the high Commission for Ecclesiasticall causes vnder her Maiestie thoughe they need not my cleering to her Maiestie and the state that put them in trust yet to open your impudent vanitie and to satisfie such as be not to muche affectionate to your side for the
the Law made by Protestants prohibiting the practise of other religions besides their owne allotteth out the same punishment to al thē that do any way varie from the publike Communion booke or otherwise say seruice than is appointed there as it doeth to the Catholikes for hearing or saying of a Masse What haue you to plaine of in y t fauourablenes of this law towards you Is this straightnesse to Catholikes what more equitie and bearing with woulde you in these times haue an Immunitie to be exempted from all lawes and penalties I blame you not yee so fast and so many waies indanger your selues by breache of lawes that yee neede this remedie greatly but yee deserue it ill the penaltie and the execution of the lawe is that yee plaine of and yet is no more done than lawe if alwaies so much It grieueth you that other fare not as hardly as you The comparison is odious the cause is not equall your minde also is enuious your opinion and affection parciall An enuyous man they say pyneth away at another mans welfare Is your eye euil because her Maiestie is good Murmure not you haue no wrong They that are iustly punished when other of grace and fauour are spared cannot plaine of Iniustice as though they had wrong It is a priuiledge that God in his matters and Princes States and other ciuile Magistrates haue in iniuries done vnto them by iustice to exact and execute penalties where they bee due and by mercie sometime to pardō and release offences done against their Persons vpon great consideration to some certaine without doing any iniustice Iustice mercy may goe stand together and both of them are seuered from extremitie and parcialitie You might spare well ynough many of your exoruations and 〈◊〉 figures you neede not make such exclamation as you doe You thinke that saying and hearing of Masse is too hardly handled by our lawes heere You weigh not the matter aright nor indifferently First what is the Masse Next what meane you to buy such Deuilishe tromperie so deere Your Masse for both saying and hearing is iustly abrogated heere as a thing that in respect of the sacrifice thereof containeth blasphemie against God is iniurious to Christs death and Passion is an Idoll erected directly contrarie to the institution of the Supper of the Lorde and a meere profanation thereof farced and stuft full of grosse superstitions to poison mens soules with so farre from edifying that it destroieth that I speake nothing of the Apishe toyes therein containing great mysteries with you fitter indeede for a stage then for the holie house of GOD. You heare briefly and in summe our opinion of your Masse If you can say better for it out of Gods booke let vs heare that and yee shall God willing heare of vs againe In the meane while for breuitie because you do but touche it in passing I surcease also from doing that nowe which is so often and well done already and rest thervpon and to answere you I denie your suppositiōs till you bring vs some proofe which you doe not heere If ye cannot liue without saying and hearing this abhominable Masse plaine no longer of the miseries that yee willingly runne headlong into the punishement is very moderate and gentle nothing so harde as your desert is in this behalfe It is your honour as seemeth you trauell to recouer your Helena a rare perle a precious iewell mych good dite you with it draffe is good inough for Swine Refuse neither heate nor colde Runne I pray you thorowe fire and water to come to it if yee needes will but yee were better bee admonished and aduised At least all the godly wise will if it bee but for so hainously dishonouring God and deadly wounding their owne soules Thus writeth your Authour in his booke the hearing of Masse is not onely woorth the ventering of a hundred Markes or sixe moneths imprisonment but also of an hundred thousand liues if a man coulde loose euery one for that cause sixe tymes and an hundred tymes miserable is that man which for any worldely respect doeth depriue himselfe of so great a benefite as the participation of this sacrifice is The lyke to this I say of the practise of the other particulars that ye mention and the penalties layed thereon yet is it not harde to spye out your cloaking and colouring of thinges in speeche It is vnnaturall vnreasonable vnconscionable vnduetifull It is against the lawe of GOD and man and namely of this our Countrey that an Englishe man shoulde refuse the othe of allegeance and obedience to our most naturall and dread Soueraigne and vnder pretence of Religion giue it to that proude Prelate of Rome If you haue any thing to say to the contrary bring it foorth our answere you heare our grounds and proofes are so pregnant as if yee considered them wel they might shame or winne you but your religion possible hindreth you from reading the bookes on that side as your Authours opinion is least indeede that good shoulde come therof and therefore it auaileth litle to wryte for you What mischiefs haue beene wrought by your deuised eareshrifte What is nowe sought thereby in your reconciliation what the foundation and vse thereof hath afore time been What a 〈◊〉 and slaughter house to mens consciences Is to well knowen at this day to thinke it may bee set out with colours to commende it the worlde waxeth too wise to bee abused with such grosse absurdities yee talke of a reconciling to God I 〈◊〉 to say in trueth to whome Yet in your reconcilement by your Ghostly father your confiteor must go before his Misereatur In reconcilemēt of your selues to her Maiestie and the State take at leastwyse if yee will followe no better the worldly wise mans counsaile if your stomackes bee come downe confesse and submit your selues to mercie Yee talke much of death as though yee suffered paine of death heere for your religion yee repyne are grieued and offended that other haue not beene put to death for practise of their religion and yet doe I not knowe any of your side that hath suffered the same as I sayde for his Religion in all her Maiesties most happy raigne vnlesse there haue beene founde besides seditious and trayterous dealing in the partie against her Maiesties Royall dignitie and personne and the State of this 〈◊〉 which by wholesome lawes it behoueth her Maiestie to conserue as lyke a good mother of her Countreys shee hath hithertoo done and still doth Yee say among other thinges it is death heere for geuing the supreme Pastour supreme authoritie in causes of the Churche Speake plainely wee say it is for geuing away to the Pope GOD his and Christ his right and tytle and for denying vnder them her Maiesties souerainety in her dominions Wee say yee say vntruelie as the woordes lye It is so farre of from beeing death to giue to the supreme Pastor supreme
need to brag of your obedience towards your superiors But while you frame a good scholasticall argument to mainteine your Popish religion that teacheth and practiseth disobedience and rebellion against our common Soueraigne and Queene which will be a good while to I hauing spoken thus much in generall will further and more particularly therewhilest enter to speake of your doctrine and demeanour heerein Then will I so much as shall be necessarie answere to those particulars ye obiect here against vs our religion And yet here entring into a large fielde to rip vp your corrupt doctrine and rebellious demeanour towardes princes there is so much matter to treate of that in suche plentie it is harde to keepe measure to giue ouer and come out againe wherof notwithstanding I must haue special regarde and minde so to doe This haue I to desire you not to bee offended with all If I be any where founde in the matter to vse the same lawe towardes you that you doe towardes vs. For your doctrine therefore of obedience and demeanour also first I must admonishe without you were better that we may not call you that bee the children of the Pope and Popishe religion at this day to the Apostles doctrine and their rule and practise set vs downe in the scriptures at the beginning the things bee too vnequall and we may be no bolder with you then so farre as your Churche teacheth you and your supreme Pastors voyce that is the Pope calleth you herein and yet here fal some good words from you contrary to the rest of your doctrine set vs down in your bookes and your demeanour at this day towardes our soueraigne I heare what glorious shewe your words haue and I see you set vs downe in your margin Rom. 13. Which heauenly doctrine we receiue we teach we stedfast ly holde and practise The Scriptures are the foundation and grounde of our profession we can not we may not we will not refuse them our bookes as publique recordes testifie the same Euery soule must bring euery mothers child of yours to be subiect to our Soueraigne Queene as to the chiefe it is not spoken to lay men as your glose vpō the decretals expoundeth it* But I see you sende vs further in your margin to Saint Thomas and om Doct. that is all your doctors there is a Vide afore it that is a watche worde to looke vpon the matter As for Augustin Chrysostom Ambros. that come after your D. Tho. om Doct. They teache all one doctrine heerein with the Apostles and therefore trying that they say by that rule finding it conformable wee receiue it w t their iust cōmendation They are no Popishe teachers but better expoūders of the scriptures morefaithful sounde in this point the your late schole Doctors bicause M. How bidsvs looke I wish the reader that vnderstandeth Latin to looke and see their Popishe doctrine of the authoritie of a King or Emperour in the Decretalles hee shall see howe the Pope playeth legerdemain falsefieth the Scriptures and doeth worse if worse may bee shewing what spirite hee is ledde with If that chapter and the glose were in English it would lothe any Christian eares And again looke Dist. xcvi And yet many of that age are somewhat more indifferent teachers and dealers than you whot and bad Catholikes bee for the most parte nowe adayes that so grossely folowe the Pope and Poperie that by writings dooings ye stirre him vp and raise sedition against our natural Soueraigne Prince and yours and this State and Realme too vnnaturally vnduetifully and vnchristianly Iwis I haue looked syr as your Authour whome you followe willeth vpon the place of your S. Tho. wee are sent vnto In seeking I finde neuer a word of this matter of Magistrats and obedience there as which deuided into three Articles treateth of the vsing of Gods name in adiuring which belongeth to the thirde commaundement but you following your Authour in citing and quoting places who for his greate haste in wryting had not tyme to suruiew or reede any parte of his treatise ouer againe and is therefore according to his request to bee borne withall it may bee you were deceiued also with him But let that goe as a small matter Tell vs your selues to what place of D. Thom. you sende vs rather than to that you name In the meane while as you and your Authour say and set vs downe one and the selfe same thing So your D. Thom. by your leaue where in his summe he treateth of that argumēt disagreeth from you both which that the reader may some what perceiue thogh I lyke not to be so occupied I wil shortly set down both your words some parte of his also Thus your Authour whome you follow The Catholyke churche hath alwayes taught her children that how hardly soeuer their Prince should deale with them yet are they bounde to beare it patiently obay him for conscience sake as substitute of God placed in that roome for their punishement if he rule not wel which apertaineth not to the sub iect to iudge of Good wordes howe cōmeth it to passe that you Catholikes vse not your selues thus towards her Maiestie then how commeth it to passe that your fellowes in their bookes printed abroade teache otherwise stirre vp sedition here then Ye shewe your selues to bee another Baalams or Cayphas children whose mouths must serue the holy Ghost at this time to vtter y e trueth though the instrument meanes be very vnfit the whole serue your side to litle purpose who elsewhere teache practise the contrary Be not angrie at the comparison your owne side 〈◊〉 Popish Prelates to Baalam Cayphas But your D. Thom. to whom you send vs disputing whether mans law put necessitte on vs in the Court of conscience and hauing obiected to the contrarie as his manner is out of the tenth of Esay Wo be to them that make vniust lawes c. Hee answereth and saith that that place speaketh of a lawe that laieth an vniust burden vpon subiects whereunto the order of power graunted of God streacheth not it self Wherfore in such cases man is not bounde to obay the lawe if hee bee able to resist without Scandale that I may keepe his word and your treatises or greater detriment And againe wee must say that a man is bound so farre to obay secular princes as the order of Iustice requyreth And therefore if they haue not iust but vsurped principalitie or if they commande vniust things their subiects are not bounde to obay them except peraduenture by some accident for the auoyding of scandale or danger and can yee make that obedience for conscience sake Againe in another place agreeing with the Decrees and alledging the authoritie of Pope Gregory the seuenth hee wryteth as perillously for her Maiestie and this state and all one with that which y e wicked
It had been better you had been hanged with them All of them at their death praied that the restitution of the Catholike fayth begun might be happily atchieued They reioyced by this tale in their owne miserie and wee in Gods blessing and the happinesse of our countrey deliuered and eased of such traitours So both sides were pleased and all was well Let Saunders himselfe nowe in Irelande doe the like and his complices and if it like him it shall not offende vs. But I thinke he they wil rather trust to a payre of heeles when they haue kindled the fire of rebellion if they see thinges prosper not as N. Morton and the Captaynes in that rebellion lefte the people when they had thrust them ouer the 〈◊〉 in rebelliō This is their manhood for all their great bragges A note of an euill conscience and an euill cause God sende vs better and more resolute Captaines in defence of Gods truth our Prince and Countrey He hath done it Thankes be to his Maiesties therefore I thinke the poore people of the North that were then seduced by N. Morton and induced by other that ran away and left them in the bryars when they had brought them into rebellion be sufficiently warned to take heede of suche mates a good while againe I pray God they be And he vouchsafe to giue all good subiectes grace to be warned thereby After he hath thus set vs downe a popishe Gospell and doctrine confirmed by like myracle or lying wonders c. Told vs also of a right confession of the Popish Catholike faith and religion indeede high Treason and rebellion and so was punished He reckeneth vp neere halfe a hundred by name of the most famous traitors rebels that were in the North popish confessors Martires must we needs repute thē as he doth c. I forbeare to enter any further in laying abroade the dirtie mire that this filthy varlet made a priest at Rome it selfe forsooth hath cast vs from him in his foresayde serpentine booke woorthylie Dedicated to Pope Pius 5. Hee may bee called Impius well ynough for his dealing towardes her Maiestie and this State about that verye tyme euen as his Successor since this very Pope lately also and still dealeth They can now a dayes treade in no other steppes M. Howlet commendeth the nuyete and modest proceedinges of the Catholique parte But hee that shall obserue the vnquiete and vnmodest wryting and proceeding but of this one Englishe Romane Catholike of his whiche is a chiefe Ryngleader among them shall easily in him learne by the stampe and marke to knowe an vncatholik or rather to vse M. Howlets phrase a Popish catholike and Sectarye euen As a Lyon is knowne by his Clawes so liuely sheweth hee hym selfe in his colours It seemeth they haue of late taken a newe course in wrytinge differing from the common sorte of their predecessors afore tyme for their writinges nowe a dayes besids the mingling of poyson and diuilishe doctrine of Poperie are farced full of sedition and treason as which seemeth to be their principall intent and purpose where vnto they driue in their traiterous bookes whiche they set abroade and bryng hither among vs. All lightly drawe in one line all agree in one and with the Pope and his wicked Bulles iumpe as the fitte foundation and meete matter to staie and feede all trecherye and Treason on Wee must needes haue recourse to some mens wrytings and bookes at least to shewe that they of M. Howlets secte and religion teach disobedience and rebellion against their Princes In some men likewise must we needs note demeanour behauiour else can we not perfourme that which hee so greatly heere prouoketh vs vnto Againe M. Howlet doth the like in charging aforehand the professors and profession of our Religion particularly and by name I trust therefore I shall bee borne with in taking the like course heere whereas otherwise I protest I had rather in silence haue passed ouer this matter then to haue entred so farre and in particulars The thing thogh abominable lothsom to all godly minds and to be 〈◊〉 and spit at of all faithfull subiectes in this Realme is yet too too notorious I omitte here Bristowes seditious motiues approued by Doctor Allen forsooth and such other Traiterous bookes all agreeing in one The answeres made vnto them by Godly and learned men may be seene of them that liste to vnderstande more hereof Let it suffice for doctrine by this taste out of their Popishe writers to haue shewed howe shamelesly M. Howlet heere entreth this common place of his Catholikes teaching obedience to their Princes and their quiet and modest proceedings and that to and before her Maiestie whom of all other Christian Princes at this day they most vilainouslye and spitefully deale with all setting downe in bookes thus expresly their doctrine and minde cleane contrarye to that they will here seeme to affirme Yet before I leaue this place of doctrine I wishe the reader among other the testimonies M. Howlet out of the old fathers quoteth here in the margin of his booke diligently to note and obserue Chrysostoms wordes in this very place that he sendeth vs vnto whereunto agree the wordes of Theophylact. a later writer of their side also vpō these words Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers c. Although thou be an Apostle saith Chrysost. although thou be an Euangelist although a Prophet or whatsoeuer thou be els for this subiectiō ouerthroweth not religion godlines c. Why thē should not your Pope himselfe be subiect to the Magistrate ciuill powre He is belike none of the children of the Catholike Church or els the Catholike Church teacheth not all her children without exception true obedience with the Cpistle c. Which you yet affirme by this fathers testimonie that you bring vs foorth We holde to this doctrine of Saint Paul Let euery soule c. And of Saint Peter also who calleth the king the Highest and it is well and truly thus explayned by Chrysostome without exempting any and in this point do you and wee disagree you see whome wee followe Now let vs come to see somewhat more of your Popishe demeanour towardes Princes The practise of Prelates and Popelinges and their whole studie and life at this day is almost nothing els but a putting in vre ofseditious doctrine and so hardly can the one be seuered from the other I will yet shortly touch two or three home matters of former times besides that I haue said leauing forraigne dealings abrod with Emperors kings of other countries c. What but naughtie demeanour of the Pope made King Williā in his time alleadge y t no Archebishop nor Bishop of his Reahne should haue respect to the Court of Rome or to the Pope what but that mooued the Emperour to reprooue King Henry the thirde for suffering his Countrie to bee so impudently impouerished by the
make mention of and suche as your Authour or you seeme to promise shall followe and to shewe that the proceedings of your Catholike part bee not so quiet modest as is in wordes to her Maiestie heere pretended neither they such important a stay in euery of her Maiesties Countries as is heere iollily bragged Though vppon occasion I haue beene rounde in this matter and it may seeme sharpe that I here vtter yet let the matter bee well wayed and I shall not bee founde I trust to haue exceeded the bounds of truth and charitie I protest that I meane not to excite or stirre vp my Soueraigne to any crueltie or the State or any of authoritie heere though on the other side I bee so farre of from disliking of iustice and execution of wholesome lawes that though the same turne to the hurt and mischiefe of some yet I like that better then that an inconuenience should grow to the publike state Let mē looke to themselues but that it is not requisite or needefull nor my part to deale in prescribing nor yet in aduising the wisedome of those that rule this State I am so farre of from hastening any particular mans vndoing that I wold wishe which I am assured is without mee thought of and sought that all meanes might bee vsed to the recalling of men home conferrence and other before execution especially of death And is it not so I doe but preuent the aduersaries cauill and shewe my purpose and meaning I neede not nor list not to wade any further heerein The particular rebellions in the North Irelande and such other sturs from time to time by your Catholike part as to well knowne to all men I here omit Further to diduct and come now to answere that which is obiected in this behalfe to vs by the aduersarie whiche generally consisteth as the former in doctrine and demeanour For our doctrine of Magistrats obedience as we professe no other then that which is set vs foorth and plainly layed vs down in the holy scriptures So I marueile agayne that M. Howlet beyng an Englishe man leaueth out those publique testimonies and wrytinges of our 〈◊〉 in this matter whiche to the viewe of the worlde are published by this Church both in Latine and Englishe to expresse their iudgement herein and chargeth our doctrine with particular mens bookes and teachings of late yeres to bring hatred and displeasure or spitefully to wrecke and reuenge himself vpon some one man if he can doe no more where of though some be aliue yet others are dead so can not answere for thēselues but their books must be their clering to all y t world If the godly doctrine we professe here had bin by you read with a single heart before rash iudgemēt wel weighed as in y e bookes aforesaid is declared you would haue forborne I take it these words y t our final end is as our doctrine declareth To haue no gouernour or ruler at all Whence you tooke this doctrine you y t are so ful of quotatiōs here quote vs nothing And we tell you plainly y t things deuised by your brame or picked out of your fingers ends be none of our doctrine wee say it is a great and vntrue slander ye charge this Church with Her Maiestie though diuers times disturbed in her State by you false Catholiks hath raigned in a Gospelling time nowe aboue twenty yeres as chiefe gouernor by y t doctrine of y t Gospel ruler ouer y t professors thereof in much honor great quiet highly to Gods glory her Maiesties singular cōmendation y t exceeding comfort of all true harted englishe mē her Maiesties natural most bonden subiects and many moe yeres may shee raigne we dayly do beseech y t almighty to y t promoting of Christs holy Gospel y t benefit of his Church her own comfort honor Though it be to y t regret renting of all popish Catholike hearts in Christendome To charge our doctrine about Magistates w tall you set vs down three or foure sentēces takē out of three worthie men Christes faithfull souldiers and seruantes in their time The first is M. John Wickliffe one of our progenitours say you one of the singular instrumentes that it pleased God in his time to vse for the aduauncement of his Gospel say we and so rare a one that hee might iustly bee counted among the rest a bright starre shining and giuing light to a great many to their inestimable comfort he opened long since such a wicket as greatly profited the postetitie in Gods matters The seconde whom you alleadge is Doctor Martin Luther whose rare and excellent giftes euery way mightily both astonished the highest of your side in state Ecclesiastical and 〈◊〉 and no lesse furthered and profited Gods cause and encouraged all the godly by his godly and learned writings and otherwise The thirde is that odde and incomparable man of our time The reuerende Father and most painefull and faithfull Pastor and Teacher in Christes Church M John Caluin Whom thogh your heart swelt you can not discredite among Gods seruantes nor iustly staine his trauailes and writings left among vs for the benefite of Gods Church so hath it pleased his maiestie to blesse this good mans labours The Diuell I confesse as in other hath beene very busie in his instruments to deface and disgrace this excellent man diuers wayes but euer their mischiefes returned vpon their owne pates and they euen as many as haue risen and bent thēselues against him haue had the foyle to their shame Although wee highly prayse God for these men and for his great gifts in them as in others giuing them likewise their due cōmēdation as reasō is yet would I y t you M. Howlet and your fellowes shoulde knowe we make none of them nor them all our Pope to depende of them and their authoritie ne yet the Authours of our religion as you do the man of sinne at Rome But we reserue this priuiledge to Jesus Christ alone w tout being addicted to any mans doctrine or writings for faith and religion further then he shal teach vs by canonicall scriptures All these men are dead gone ye might haue let them rest in peace w tout slanderously charging them if it had so pleased you M. Howlet But it shall not be amisse to enter into particular examination of that ye say first therefore let vs see what it is yee charge M. Wickliffe withall and howe you doe it Iohn Wickliffe say you one of their progenitors teacheth that a Prince if he rule euill or fal into mortal sinne is no longer prince but that his subiects may rise against him and punish him at their pleasures If Wyckliffe should haue holden any errour the times wherein he liued considered it were not greatly to be marueyled at God rather is highly to be praysed that in so corrupt and blinde times he sawe and helde the truth in
many pointes We are not we may not nor no reason why wee should be y e mainteiners of any mēs errours This article as it is set vs downe here by you is That I may say what seemeth to me not only false but also seditious so is it reputed amōg vs y t which ye father vpō M. Wickliffe here agreeth better with the Pope and your Popishe religion then with the Gospell of Christ and our religion Doth not your Pope and Popishe religion disable and seeke to dispossesse any lawfull prince onely supposed by those of your side to fall into the mortall sinne of heresie and arme his subiectes against him Your selues also must define both mortall sinne and heresie too full euill fauouredly ywis as al men may easily see Did not Wickliffe in his life time write that the Clergie moued by the Fryers went about that matter here in Englnade hath not the Pope your father claymed the ryght of disposing all ciuill and earthly Kingdomes hath he not called the King of England to omit other his vassall as though he held his kingdome but as his tennant and at his pleasure I haue shewed you before where you shall finde our doctrine and profession of Magistrates more sounde holy and reuerent then yours els woulde I be ashamed of it But you will say you sende vs to the places where we shall finde that this was Wickliffes doctrine howe say wee to that I say you doe it full ilfauouredly you quote vs in deed three places whereof two are pretended to bee taken from the lying spirites and wrytings of Gods aduersarie and Wickliffes The third vntruly as farre as I can see out of his owne workes whiche are very hardly come by nowe a dayes and yet as I coulde recouered I 〈◊〉 Trialogue And I haue read read againe the thirde Chapter of the fourth booke of Wickliffes Trialogue where you sende vs to seeke that yee impose vpon Wickliffe whereof I praye you entreateth hee there for sooth this is the argumēt To shew in this speech of Christ This is my body What is signified by this woorde This. wherein establishing the truth he mightely ouerthroweth your Popish corrupt doctrine of this Sacrament Now for M. Wycklyff to teache in that place the article you set vs downe were nothing to the purpose And this I say if any such worde as ye reporte be in this place ye send vs vnto let me leese my credite for euer if not let y e Christiā reader take heede for euer howe hee trust your lying spirite in quoting things Howe can you reporte trueth of vs when your religion forbiddeth to reade our wrytings vnlesse it bee to reprooue them yee knowe your owne tearmes best Yee take al one from anothers reporte and beeing our sworne enemies howe is it to bee thought you will reporte truely of vs and of our opinions and wrytings but the fault may possibly bee in the Printer or you taking this from your Authours second promised parte vnperformed yet might bee deceyued as indeed you or hee set vs downe in another place this article to bee in the 36. chapter of the 4. booke of Wycklyffs Trialogue Thus your Authour and you leade about the reader vncertainly not knowing where to seeke y t you alledge There is as much to be had of this article in the 36. chapter of that booke as in the place before alleaged which is nothing at all The matter hee handleth in this 36. chapter is how Fryers so greatly poysoned kingdomes wherein they dwelt as in those dayes they did So wee send you still to seeke vs a newe place for this article in Wycklyff Marke your wordes Cogge not foyst not Tell vs where the wordes as you set them downe be to be had Tell vs not what begging and lying fryers may haue deuised or your enuyous Papisticall wryters of this mans doctrine you set vs the article downe as though it were his owne woordes I am not ignorant that in Wycklyffs life time not much an vnlike slaunder as the latter part of your article containeth was raysed against the profession of the Gospel by the wicked fryers that then liued Nowe come I to the two other places you send vs vnto in your marginall quotation I meruaile you bee not ashamed to sende vs for the report of Wickliffes doctrine to his so deadly enimies one of the testimonies is fetched but from a yesterdayes byrde to speake of who was vnborne many yeeres after Wickliffe was dead I meane that obstinate enimie to Christes Gospell brawling and rayling Cocleus who is saide to haue died 1552. well toward 200. yeeres after Wickliffs daies whose bookes long before y t time being condemned to be burnt were then hardly to bee gotten neither sought after but to that end nor regarded by those of your side but let that enimies testimonie of Wickliffs doctrine goe as not worth the examining The Councell of Constance remaineth as the thirde testimony herein It seemeth yee make great account of that for you set it in the first place you will say peraduenture it is a publike testimonie is grounded vpon moe testimonies also I reade Wickliffes articles set downe by diuers and confuted by some of your side yet doe I not finde by the former reporters no not Popes and Papistes that liued about that time this article as you set it vs downe and in this Coūcel of Constance you 〈◊〉 not this article you charge him with heere so are you a false reporter of the Councell too Which I say not to 〈◊〉 their spight and hatred that were there assembled against poore Wickliffe and suche other Wickliffes bookes 〈◊〉 then before that time were condemned to bee burnt so 〈◊〉 no man might reade keepe haue or vse any of them but to their reproof hee also was before the assembly of that 〈◊〉 many yeeres dead and was by the vnholy fathers 〈◊〉 assembled appointed to bee taken vp againe and his bones to bee burnt so feruent and hot was their Popish charitie or rage rather according to their custome in these later tymes Nowe when Wycklyff was dead and his bookes thus consumed by fire no mastrie for them that had al the world at will and commandement to make men beleeue Wycklyff wrote that which they his mortal enemies listed to charge him with but let thē beleue it that list we are not bound to their report And yet syr though that conncel set Wycklyffs articles downe to malicioussy we finde not this article in y t Sessiō of y t coūcel y e you set vs downe If you referre vs to y e 15. article there set downe against Wycklyff you take away for your vaūtage you spightfully adde as good as halfe in this article you set vs downe other enemies to y e Gospel to Wycklyff afore tyme haue delt lesse shamelesly in setting downe this article then you doe so doeth at this day Saunders your owne
respect of Christ and his spiritual kingdome euen so doeth Luther in some respect onely euen touching their soules things properly belonging to the heauenly kingdome and euerlasting life teache that Christians are free and exempted from all Princes Lawes and not simply euery way or for this life and ciuile gouernement The collection therfore that pickt out of your fingers ends you and your Pope Popishe wryters to whome you heere sende vs of your selues may and would faine gather as though Luthers doctrine were the cause of the famous rebellion that followed in Germanie or such lyke is not worth a halfe penie you may keepe it to your selues It is as if one shoulde reason immediatly after a storme foloweth fayre weather therfore the storme is cause of the faire weather c. here in very few lines besides forgery are at the least two grosse deceyts or fallacions as they cal them in the schooles And if yee thus gather whose doctrine was the cause of the like famous rebellion of the countriemen there aboue twētie yeeres before and so some nombre of yeeres ere Luther professed the Gospel Luthers doctrine was the cause of that rebellion euen as Christ A stumbling stock and a Rock to make men fall is cause of the destruction of the wicked he and his Gospel of the sword and diuision in the world Howe Luther misliked their sedicious proceeding Can it better appeare than by his godly and earnest wryting vnto them and against them euen at that very tyme Wherof see in the beginning of the fifth booke of Sleydans Commentaries at large But let me bee bolde leauing other heere and matching one with one to set downe your gloses woordes and the collection that is made therevppon in Commentarie vpon Commentarie which at length corrupteth the Text As you doe Luther and his woordes by your 〈◊〉 and false collection In the Gospell after S Matthewe where our Sauiour Christ speaking of paying tribute to Ciuile Magistrats saith to Peter Howe seemeth it to thee Peter the kings of the earth of whom doe they take tributs or custome of children or of strangers Then Peter saith vnto him of strangers then Jesus sayth vnto him then the children are free c. Your glose taking the same from another hath If in euery kingdome the sonnes of that king which is ouer the same kingdome bee free Then the sonnes of that king to whome all kingdomes are subiect ought to bee free in euery kingdome Hence is collected Because Christians bee Gods sonnes To whome all kingdomes bee subiect that therefore they are free frō paying tribute to any Ciuile power so seeme the woordes of the glose literally expoūded to importe Others expoūd the words of the glose of the childrens freedom concerning y t soule which abydeth free as euē your S. * Tho. speaketh and not concerning the body and bodily subiectiōn which is due to superiours Giue vs then like libertie and leaue or Luther himselfe to expounde howe and howe farre Christians are free and exempted from Princes lawes as you take your selues for to salue your glose you nor any shal haue iust cause to plaine of his doctrine D. Luthers words I am sure wil better beare a good and honest exposition for the soules and consciences of men than your gloses and sommes collection of your side vpon the same will doe for your Popishe clergies immunities he is no smal one of your sort to omit other at this time that in a third commentary gathereth thus vppon the words of the glose before mēcioned after he hath cited Thomas his exposition The glose might notwithstanding be othcrwise expounded saith hee in saying that by the sonnes of the eternal king or kingdom hee vnderstandeth not all Christians but those that rule in the kingdom as childrē or sonnes And these are bishops priests those y t forsaking al folow Christ which shal iudge the world for these in this world as the kings sonnes by their state must set foorth and cherish the kingdom of God ought also to be free from y t bondage or seruice of temporall Lords And this agreeth saith he with the doctrine of our Sauiour whilest hee insinuateth that Peter the Apostle is free adioyning least we offēd thē pay for thee And w t y e glose speaking of freedom in this life while he saith the childrē of the kingdō vnder which al kingdoms are ought to be free in euery earthly kingdom Here is much a doe for here is first the Glose vpon the text somewhat obscure then here is Thomas expoūding the glose to salue it hold it vpright y e rather bicause it is taken out of Augustin then heere is yet furder Cardinall Caietan commenting vppon Doctor Thomas who vpon the glose still for there is all the matter pleadeth for the immunitie of the Clergie and concludeth full ill fauouredly for by this Doctors exposition both Christ and the glose serue to exempt Bishoppes Priestes Fryers and y e rest of the Popish Clergie from paying tributes and from other bodily subiection to ciuill Magistrates according to the immunities giuen them by their Pope Nowe let the reader scanne matching this Popishe doctrine with Luthers whether teache more loosenes from obedience to ciuill Princes this doctrine of the Gospell thus deliuered by Luther or y e contrary deliuered by your Pope his chāpions This may serue for the clering opening of these words of Luther here set down y e right expositiō taking therof according to y e Authours meaning especially seeing they stand as words culd out of his bookes vpō y e report of y t Pope only Papists If any list to see more for D. Luthers clering let him looke vpon other which answere Popishe sclanders wherewith they goe about to charge this holy man of God and namely vpon that worthie and learned father M. Iewel against Harding euen in this matter of Magistrates and obedience Because M. Caluin is saide by M. Howlet to agree with the doctrine of M. Luther as in deede hee doth wherevpon hee might haue easily vnderstood the meaning of the sentence taken out of M. Luther If it had so pleased him and with his Pope haue left it out of the number of Luthers heresies as it pleased them to call his doctrine Therefore come I nowe to that diuine and learned father M. Caluin This I like for M. Caluin in you better than in that is before that ye sende vs to his owne workes the first place ye charge this godly man withall Though yee bastarde and corrupt the same by your glose ye take out of the 10. Chapter of the fourth booke of his Institution the 2. and last out of the 19. Chapter of the 3 booke of the same Institution But sir in neyther of both doeth hee make any large or further discourse of Princes and Subiectes If ye woulde haue knowen or described to other
his iudgement in that matter ye should haue repaired and sent vs to y e place where at large of purpose he ētreateth thereof which he doth in the twentie or last chapter of the fourth booke of his Institution expressely handlyng there the heauenly authoritie of Magistrates and the duetie of good and obedient subiectes whiche Chapter is written wholly of Politique gouermnent Wherein M. Howlet prooue him if you can to haue written vngodly seditiously or vntruely No as hee writeth very godly and with great authoritie of scriptures and reason so doth he very reuerently and modestly also if any other writer old or new as they say doe so after another manner and sort then eyther you here doe to her Maiestie for all your flattering floures or then your sort haue of late or now doe of Princes and 〈◊〉 els where I woulde wishe the godly and christian reader to bee well acquainted with this M. Caluins writings and I doubt not to affirme to bee true here that was else where saide Let him thinke he hath greatly 〈◊〉 in matters of religion who is brought into a loue and liking of Caluins writings And yet I make neither him my God nor his writings my Byble for all this reuerent thinking and speaking of him and his writings Euen in this matter of Magistrates I praye thee gentle reader looke but into that last Chapter and thou shalt see it shal be hard for thee to read else where 〈◊〉 or profoūder iudgement of a diuine for the excellent dignitie of ciuill Princes and Magistrates or for subiectes and priuate mens obedience to thy satisfaction and contentmēt and to be able with all to confute whateuer M. Howlet or his side can cauill against this seruaunt of GOD or Christes religion here 〈◊〉 I will not nowe stande in diducting this matter but note thus much by the way and nowe come M. Howlet to answere your glenings and pyckings out of his writings In the 10. Chapter of the 4. booke of his Institution he treateth of the authoritie of the Churche in making lawes and of the Popes and popishe Prelates tyrannie ouer mens consciences in that behalfe and namely handling this question whether it be lawfull for the Church by her lawes to binde mens consciences he freely inueigheth against your popish Churches licentiousnes in that behalf without any whit preiudicing politique order onely reseruing mens soules and consciences free to bee spiritually guided by God Christ and his holy woorde in the matters appertayning to the soules health and saluation Nowe M. Howlet if this doctrine mislike you that mens soules and consciences should be aboue the cōpasse of mens authoritie and lawes then condemne our 〈◊〉 Christ the Prophetes and Apostles with M. Caluin who make one spirituall Judge King Lorde and Lawgiuer ouer mens soules that is able to saue and destroy willing vs so to giue to Ceasar those thinges that are Caesars that we giue to God the thinges that are Gods to feare him that hath authoritie to cast into hell and to destroy both soule and body there Whereas men what power soeuer they haue ouer the body afterwarde can doe nothing more nor are not able to kill the soule Againe Yee are bought with a price be not the seruantes of men Stande in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free and be not intangled agayne with the yoke of bondage In the kingdome of God there is neyther Iewe nor Grecian circumcision nor vncircumcision bonde nor free male nor female but ye are all one in Christ he is all in all thinges And yet in place may this distinction bee made and must also be as I noted before Your faulte herein is that yee distinguishe not aright betweene the ciuill and outwarde Courte and the Spirituall Courte of conscience as they speake and Maister Caluin here noteth and else where also howe euer your Fafather and Church haue taken vpon them to deale with mens consctences which is Gods seat to sit and rule there wherein they shewe what they bee yet neither our 〈◊〉 nor other ciuill Princes vsurpe so much ouer Gods right that is proper to Antechrist and your faction Concerning the first Article your corruption and false collection therein are so shamelesse that they may be easily espied I wishe the reader to haue but recourse to the place ye quote to finde out your trecherie or false allegatiō in peruerting the authours woordes and sense to be able to answere the same Excellently well doth M. Caluin in that place defining and treating of conscience reconcile these two pointes togethcr First that mens consciences for their spirituall gouernment are aboue mens reaches reserued only to God which also in time of ignorance as y e said M. Caluin sayth was seene and obserued by your Popish writers though practise were to the contrary as may name ly be seene in your Saint Thomas Next that we must bee subiect to our ciuill Magistrates and that for conscience sake according to the doctrine of the Apostle not so much respecting the thinges commaunded or forbidden by them which of them selues touche not conscience as the generall ende and commandement of the eternall God that hath appointed this order and willed vs by his commandement to be subiect to autoritie And this is it the Apostle tendeth to in his epistle to the Romanes so as leauing your caueling in wordes and syllables if you coulde and woulde distinguishe betwene the ciuill Courte and the court of conscience and betweene generall and particular as M. Caluin speaketh All scrupule auoyded this matter might bee eased and better matter gathered from this godly wryter then you too 〈◊〉 pretende to bee there The booke being both in Englishe and in Latine let the reder iudge of the whole you M. Howlet and your fellowes shall neuer be able to stayne M. Caluin and his doctrine nor cleare your selues from malice c. while you liue if you deale plainely Set vs downe the booke Chapter Section and Caluins wordes for we haue no cause other wise to trust you as you doe your fellowes The second place or article that yee take out of Caluin is so plaine true as I maruell what yee meant to charge him therewith for speaking of Christian libertie hee saith That the consciences of the faithfull are exempted from the power of all men by reason of the libertie giuen thē by Christ so as they are not to be intangled in the snares of constitutions in those things wherein the Lord would haue them free But adde I pray you as hee doth there That as the matter is very worthie and meete to bee knowne so needeth it a large and plaine declaration by reason of the adoe that partly seditious persons partly quarell pickers make as though all obedience of men which is not meant were thereby also taken away and ouerthrowne To preuent this inconuenience doth maister Caluin there a
shorter Be your selfe iudge herein M. Howlet If you tell vs your conscience in deed or let the world tel To whom you refer vs in comparing her maiestie our most dread soueraigne Queene Elizabeth and her peaceable and milde gouernment hauing beene so greatly disturbed and prouoked to the contrary and other princes and the former times that haue not been acquainted with the profession of the gospel And againe you say and truely that her maiesties noble mercifull disposition is knowne and renowmed through out the worlde The world you say doth know how that the great mercie and clemencie of her Maiestie hath staied oftentimes and restrained penalties from their execution and from the ouerthrowing of diuers men c. It doth so indeede and so doth it by experience of the sharpe executions done aforetime by your procurements and the ouerthrowe of diuers both men and families which feele the smarte at this day As you call your selues Catholikes and vs protestantes yea heretikes at pleasure so in like manner say you and say only your religion is the old so ours must be the newe religion wee are gone out from you and not you from vs. c. But leaue these enuiously deuised doubtfull and rackt tearmes of yours vs. c and haue recourse to the scriptures Let vs there and thence make our plea and then you shalbe founde to be that ye call vs we to be that you would so fain chalēg to your selues to beautifie your euil cause as it needeth Else let the word of God be iudge between vs and look who be found to haue swarued from the Prophets Apostles doctrine or 〈◊〉 haue gone and fallen from that and them let those be heretikes Spare not In the meane while in our iust defence let our denial suffice to answer the vniust 〈◊〉 and accusations bringing onely words without any proofe Concerning the comparison ye make of her 〈◊〉 this state with other princes and states not Christian onely but Turkes and Infidels your meaning and drifte therein may easily be espied It deserueth another answer than my words yet to clere herein both our soueraigne the state towardes the world I tolde you before that your case is not like to Turkes and Infidels Besides her maiestie and this state are not bounde to follow other Princes examples she being as free as they are in y e gouernmēt of her people whē doubt may be made First whether that be true you tell vs of Princes and their order of gouerning Infidels Haue you beene brought vp among the Turkes haue you trauailed into the Indies and farre partes of the worlde that you tell vs of to know this you report vs of the Infidelles c Know you of your selfe that this was neuer yet practised Or goe you by report onely I think you take it at other Next doubt may be made by Princes and states whether they you talke of vse those Infidels that be vnder their gouernement well and vprightly and whether euen in this point they doe well or no that being supposed which you affirme of them which thing they had neede and will vnderstand too before they 〈◊〉 bounde to follow their example in gouerning the people subiect vnto them This is reason and princes ouer other princes and states chalenge no such superioritie of prescribing in order of gouernment as you here too vnaduisedly doe Neyther are princes too curious to enquire examine and iudge how the rest order their subiectes in such cases but content themselues with ruling their own people in y e feare of God according to their owne dutie and Gods worde I adde yet further that whereas you alleadge It was neuer yet practised nor euer thought lawfull by the Catholike church that Infidelles should be enforced to any one act of our religion And running stil to your D. Thomas say vide D. Thomas c. I answer and say that Thomas his question is Whether Infidelles are to be compelled to fayth or to beleeue Which because it is aboue mans power to doe as beeing the gift of God or as he speaketh To receiue fayth pertaineth to the will and the will cannot be forced Therefore no mortall man may as seemeth take vpon him to force that which he cannot perfourme But your question is of perfourming any acte of Christian religion comming to Church the one that is faith is a heauenly inward gift and is in the hearte the other that is comming to church c. is an externall and outwarde acte and a profession of religion or an inducement and outward exercise and means to bring vs to fayth and to encrease and continue the same in vs. Now we say that the ciuill magistrate hath not onely authoritie frō God but is of dutie bound to maintain Gods honour and as a principall parte of his charge to see the cōmandements of the first Table of Gods lawe outwardly kept and perfourmed by al his subiectes without exception so much as he may punishing the trāsgressors also vnto which honour of God and first Table of his commandementes pertaine the actes and outward exercises of Gods true seruice and christian religion As then wee highlye praise G O D dayly for her maiestie in this behalfe and for the singuler care she hath ouer vs her poore subiectes to prouide vs of preaching and other meanes to bring vs to God and to furder vs in all godlines So doe wee tell you plainly that her Maiestie by authoritie may doth therein but her duetie enforce you to haunt Church Assēblies to heare the preaching of the Gospell c. Which bee the proper meanes to beginne encrease and continue faith and godlines in you and vs. Her part her care and charge it is to prouide and take heede nothing bee put vppon her people in Gods matters his seruice but y t which is warranted by his holy word which whilest her maiesty is occupied in you disturbe her Godly proceeding too much out of season time too vndutifully D. Thomas euē in his question of Infidelles sayth They are to be compelled yet of the faythfull if they haue power not to hinder Chtistes fayth or religion eyther by blasphemies and rayling or by naughtie persuasions or else by open persecution and violence c Marke well your D. Thomas his poyntes Now if Infidelles which were neuer Christened maye bee compelled in these thinges by your Thomas his iudgement much more maye you be restrained in your rages and violente and vnreasonable dealings punished for your disturbances and printing and spreading of seditious libels and bookes to the hinderance of the course of Christes Gospell amongest vs and the peruerting and poysoning of diuers especially such as are of the simpler sort and therfore easily seduced And this is not disagreeing from Thomas his wordes though you cannot abide to haue the same appli ed to you be it neuer so true in you This is your faulte D. Thomas
to recouer it Notwithstanding any prohibition of her maiesties by proclamation c yee can and doe write print publishe and scatter your bookes and sedicious libels still although with little vantage and I hope shall with lesse still euery day then other for now you beginne to take in hand not so much to improue our religion or to proue your owne as to inueigh against the ciuill state to confute her Maiesties lawes Actes of Parliament proclamations c. These be fit argumēts for your wise politike head to treate of Such is the respect ye haue to her maiesty y e state your dutie of obedience herein Thinke not M Howlet they be afrayde of you without all cause nowe that when the time was if euer offered your side disputation which your men then refused as I sayde howe and vpon what occasion not they onely but her Maiestie the state and honorable here can very well tell the thing was not done in hucker mucker It seemeth now aboue twentie yeres after that time out of season to craue disputation yet tel me I pray you M. Howlet one thing whether if your request and your fellowes were graunted of Disputation before her Maiestie or such as her highnes should please to appointe thereto if it should so fall out by Gods prouidence that yee should take a fayre fall in the wrestle at your aduersaries hands her maiestie or the other appointed geuing sentence against you would yee acknowledge yee had a fall no nor yet that yee were foyled would yee yeelde and geue ouer your romish profession it is no parte of your meaning I feare me you would plaine of disorder and want of indifferencie and competent iudges c. Some thing or other you would finde to shift of the matter as yee did in the former conference would yee or would yee not What gayned you by that you say You knowe you cannot bee vanquished herein you make no doubt but that Gods truth is clere on your side Indeede there is the matter it is easier to cast you downe than to stop your mouthes If yee cannot dispute yet can you braule and wrangle that is not harde to be done it is an arte easily learned among you For disputation sirs to leaue the disputation in the happie dayes of her maiesties raigne and other long ago to note onely one time were they not of our side that in conuocation in queen Maries dayes disputed with the greatest clarkes of your side when your men ruffled and ruled the rost was not the like agayne done at Oxenford by those reuerende fathers of our side which neuer came thence after but sealed in your vniuersitie after disputation that truth with their bloodes which they had before preached and taught why set you vs not out these disputations truely that the worlde maye see them You are ashamed as seemeth Seeing you write and printe dayly If Gods truth be so clere on your side Why haue ye not al this while set it vs downe in steed of your seditious pāphlets Or why doe ye not yet set it vs downe in your books ye sēd so fast ouer amōg vs cōtaining in maner now a daies nothing but braules grēning groining snarring against the state and her 〈◊〉 wholesome lawes proclamations c for repressing of poperie superstition sedicious and rebellious vsage and dealing that we might haue some fit matter for our profession to answeare more than hath beene alreadie seene wayed and answered furbushing nowe and then vp as hādsomely as you can your rusty stuffe you geue vs but woordes onely without matter your coine that carrieth the Popes marke being brought to the touch and waightes is by long and often triall found to bee a counterfaited coine in steede of good siluer it is knowne to be baser than copper when we waigh and trie by Gods truth that you would haue vs takefor good gold in al the offers yee make vs we finde nothing but drosse Let vs not bring guilefull ballances sayth your cannon Lawe out of Ierome where to weigh that we wil after our owne pleasure saying this is heauie this is light but let vs bring gods ballance of holy scriptures as out of the Lordes treasures and let vs therein weigh what is heauier c. Your reasons in sumine thus waied are nothing but colourable wordes and shewe which in this cleere light of the Gospell wil not satisfie nor serue In vaine therefore seemeth to be your petition your replication explanation supplication your earnest vrging by frendship by request by letters to diuers preachers c. which I thinke is as false as that you report here of the dealing therin with the Byshop of London and thereupon you did well to put it in that parenthesis Ifye be not deceiued As in little or nothing yee be otherwise You forget greatly M. Howlet with whom you deale and to whome you write You make great vauntes and in words offer much you perfourme in deed nothing In your margin is quoted An humble demande of disputation You bring vs that foorth often we know this geare so well at the first sight now as we cannot easily be deceiued It is not the setting on of a fayre glosse or glosing the matter that will nowe serue Is the trueth cleere on your side Why call you it in controuersie then why so earnestly demand and seeke you for disputation for resolution of mens doubtes c. If yee demand conference for your satisfaction or to resolue your doubtes you haue not beene refused nay you haue beene and are still offred it yee are sought vpon and the best of your side here refuse it That may be priuately done if that be your end and some good come thereof But ye demaunde publike disputation yee are earnest therein ye demaunde it againe and againe what is the reason Why woulde you so faine haue publike disputation There must be some honest and necessary end alleadged there must be also by her 〈◊〉 appointmente some Moderators and some order lawefully to proceede therein First haue you talked with the rest of your side are yee all ageed vpon the sute to her Maiestie humbly to desire publike disputations Next if this bee the ende of disputation as you say for the tryall of Gods truth that mens doubtes may bee resolued most necessary for you all to your eternall saluation Will ye then being required yeelde to Gods truth when your doubtes shall bee resolued and sufficiently resolued by the Scriptures and y t in the iudgement of her 〈◊〉 who by Gods appointment hath the moderating of the whole in this realme And in the iudgement of the State here wil you of that side not stand any longer obstinat in your former opinions but giue ouer as Gods faithfull seruants to his truth become professors of the Gospell of Christ abiuring all erroneous and Popish fancies Rearing your religion out of Gods holy booke the sacred
be had in wordes and speeche Flying and flowing wordes are rife with Dratours Logicians there profession requireth it but how well soeuer you haue heretofore sped by words in dispute or persuasion ye are not yet come to that value that with Caesar yee may say veni vidi vici as though all were in your handes and your owne Yee talke of brief scholasticall arguments where may a man seeke them where shall we finde them Your authours reasons that you make so great account of shewe very litle skill in Logicke what euer the matter be and yet there seemeth to haue been the proper place where that cunning if there had been any shoulde haue bee shewed We wonder in what Schoole you or he learned to frame the maimed arguments y e weake and sclender reasons yee set vs downe which leaue out necessarie proofes of thinges in controuersie vnnecessarily 〈◊〉 in proouing things not in controuersie This argueth poore skill in the art of disputing Strengthen your weake arguments that are set downe in this discourse whereof yee make so great account Of his nine reasons make vs of all but one good sounde and substantiall briefe scholasticall argument to make vs see our owne weakenesse c. as you speake It is an easie matter to conuince them y e are your owne men alredie But reprooue our doctrine or prooue your owne to our shame and confusion once Let it be your labour M. Howlet to ease your frend if you wil that brag vs so greatly of disputation aud scholasticall arguments But sir leaue out I pray you Paralogismes leaue captious arguments that is 〈◊〉 not you 〈◊〉 Catholikes set vs downe counterfet principles agreeing with your name and matter and so reason 〈◊〉 supposittons quite false and 〈◊〉 grounded doe not when you make an argument occupie your selfe in prouyng that wee denie not and passing ouer without proofe that we denie which I admonishe you of afore hand because it is your Authours common maner in his vnreasonable Reasons set vs downe in his discourse howe Scholasticallie or like a Disputer if you knowe not Let Aristotles Elenchs tell you But I say mende these faules or bragge not of your Scholasticall arguments which are full of faultes 2 Your seconde way of conference is continuall speech wherein like a babling Orator you wil seeme so to excell thinking that you haue marueylous great vauntage of all the worlde besides that yee dare giue your aduersaries leaue to answer you eyther presently or vpon studie But sir yee had not neede to staie vpon your three places taken out of the firste booke of Aristotles Rhetorique wherwith as with floures ye decke this your Epistle dedicatorie to her Maiestie You may be better seene in Aristotles Rhetorique that is as seemes you make of it in cunning of pretie words and sentences to delight and perswad withall then in Gods booke that is in heauenly matters and thinges appertayning to conscience But if you will looke no further of looke at least on your foule talons and bee not proude of a Peacocks tayle A man woulde haue thought that your dainty or quaize stomacke shoulde not well digest long speeche that could so euill brooke the godly Sermons made at the publike fast at Stamforde the last Sommer that yee lothed the length of them onely vpon a hearsay insomuch that yee imagine the continuall speech to haue lasted tenne or twelue houres together Whereas the longest Sermon then made was as I vnderstande two houres and a halfe or somewhat aboue in an extraordinarie Exercise You say of them with a disliking and vntruly also that they haue a desire to heare themselues speake ten or twelue houres together These are your Rhetoricke termes I coulde vse an other worde as you deserue but I forbeare Here now like a Declaymer or an Orator you woulde haue a continuall speech to be allotted out tell howe many houres together you desire to heare your selues speake or howe long ye will declame that the certaine space may bee considered of them to whom it doth appertaine In the meane space Thus marking thinges with your chalke and cole as they say you allowe and condemne as pleaseth you sometimes as it were Chilo or as Menelaus in Homer The Lacedemonians short speeche seemeth to like you sometimes like the Ionians or Battus you loue to haue your tongue runne at randon pleasurably You are the Newe Orators c. that I spake of before 3 From Rhetorique and Logique you come at length to the holye exercise of religion For the last of your three wayes not of wryting but of talke still is preaching That vsual and ordinarie exercise is taken vp but of late as newly begunne among you by your newe religious Iesuites As I take it or else taken from the beggerly Fryers I praye you 〈◊〉 often and howe vsually doe seculare Priestes vse to preache beyonde the Seas that for beyng to bolde ouer you I aske you nothing of the matter yee preache of wherein you are too prophane As you measure other men so to measure your selues by your owne foote shall wee say that when you woulde dispute vse continuall speech or preache before her Maiestie c. It is for a desire you haue to heare your selues speake c A dumme masking Masse secretely saide as your Priestes occupation to blaspheme God in is a meeter exercise for you your fellowes If you bee 〈◊〉 shauen as it may be you be but some Schoolemaister But for preaching sir pulpittes serue not for Orators heere nowe a dayes neither bee her Maiesties eares acquainted to heare blasphemies out of pulpits nor yet inuectiues What we haue to hope or looke for from you if you may get into pulpits is not harde to ghesse Your Sorbonne or the like is a fitter place for scoulding 〈◊〉 Pulpits thankes be to God are appointed to better and more religious vses among vs which haue been and are too badly prophaned by those of your side But forwarde as boasters and braggers be not alwayes the greatest doers when it commeth to the pushe so 〈◊〉 Howlet you shewe your selfe a very cowardly Thraso that euen in the beginning after so great bragges and sute for combate before you performe any thing you take so great care for your person and safetie and for your fellowes also for you will needes condition with your dread and liege Soueraigne and gracious Prince and ours before you will appeare before her highnesse you will not come hither I perceiue vpon the gage of your heades if yee bee vanquished yee will not giue them for washing and yet our men were brought to your disputation as Prisoners and knewe before what should become of thē after What are all your faire flattering speches c. come to this now euē now you were most humbly on your knees asking at her Maiesties hāds disputatiō All I perceiue is but Crocodyles teares as the prouerbe is You brage before of your patient obedience in
the Pope the banner being now displayed on both sides and the field pitched Ye are seene and found comming in the fight with weapon in hand from vnder y e enemies standerd to presse as hard as ye can against the religion her maiesty professeth the state What would yee haue her maiestie or the state that lead the contrarye Campe iudge of you ye carie a wrong cognisance and that bewrayeth you God in abundance of mercie long blesse her maiestie with all kind of blessings spiritual and temporall to Gods glory dayly more and more her maiesties honour the benifite of Gods church and the conuersion or confusion of al her enemies and specially to the confusion of that Antichrist of Rome that hath and still doeth so maliciously and spightfully seeke the subuersion of Gods holy Gospel and her maiesty and this state the professors therof God againe of his goodnes long continue with increase the sincere profession of Christs holy Gospel religion among vs vnder her maiestie and in all make vs thankfull for so great benefites Amen An answere to the booke that of a letter is made a Treatise or discourse by M. Howlet BEfore the Reasons of the Papists refusall to go to Church there is a Preface in this booke of theirs as there is a recapitulation and Epilogus with addition in the latter ende But the whole body of the worke is comprised in the ix Reasons Generally and in summe in the writers preface there are two pointes contained whereof the first is the sorrow comfort that the Authour conceiued of the Gentleman his freendes letters with the matter and cause thereof The other containeth the occasion ground and substance of the authours labour partly nowe perfourmed partly promised to followe hereafter In which part is made A diuision of Catholikes and a necessarie supposition as hee calleth it This is that he handeleth for the most part in the sixe first leaues After follow in order the reasons of refusal whereof wee shall see God willing in their place In the meane while for this part I say that the pitifull description of Englande at this day which he maketh the cause of his sorrowe is a counterfaited matter betweene these two Papistes deuised to giue better colour and shewe to the whole Tragedie They haue heere raised and still seeke to doe least this five kindled by them should seeme to bee vppon none or small occasion God be thanked for the greate peace and quiet that this Realme hath long vnder her Maiesties happy gouernment enioyed to the admiratiō of Forrayners and those abrode while great troubles haue risen round about vs elswhere And though it be hard to finde among many such rest in any former Princes dayes as wee haue in this peaceable gouernement vnder her Maiestie hytherto enioyed which God long continue and giue vs grace to see and consider the same accordingly yet if a certaine of these sturring vnnaturall Subiects abrod were not more busily headded then needeth a great deale both they and wee all might haue liued in some more rest heere at home to Gods glory our dread Soueraignes comfort and the benefite of the whole common wealth Thus haue wee all to thanke them and they themselues alone as the authours of all if by sturres there haue growne any disquietnesse and hurt either to them or to vs here And y t soner they leaue this course y e soner will there bee an end of troubles To mooue commiseration and pitie by Rhetoricall figure they guilefully imagine greater miseries than in truth bee founde heere among vs. Thankes bee to God and her Maiestie therfore they attaine not their with and desired purpose in this behalfe The rare matter of comfort that the discourser sporteth himselfe withall is the obstinacie of a fewe Papistes which shewe their vndutifulnesse first to God his holy Gospell and worde Next to her Maiestie and her good and wholesome lawes made against superstition and idolatry All which vndutifulnesse is couered vnder the cloke of conscience when in deede it is nothing lesse as in place wee shewe So as with some altering of this mans woordes we may say The Diuell or cōmon enimie laugheth thereat the example is very euill to those abrode that shall heare thereof and perillous to the state at home while other like thēselues may seeme to be incouraged in naughtie vsage the good and dutifull subiects are offended molested with this treacher ous dealing the Prince also and the state more troubled then otherwise needed in preuenting and repressing the seditions that are heereby attempted and mooued neither taking comfort in such Mates presently nor hoping any good at their hands in time to come vnlesse God giue thē better minds then they yet shew themselue to haue For howe can her Maiestie trust them that vngodly breaking God his testament and the othe made vnto his Maiestie in Baptisme as this man calleth it betake themselues not to Christe and Christian religion comprised in holy scriptures but to Rome and Romishe religion deuised by men that I say not by the Diuell of Hell himselfe and withall leauing their naturall borne Soueraigne and Prince followe the Pope and forraine power to her Graces great preiudice and the impayring so much as they may of her royall dignitie and title which also to the vttermost of their power they impugne and would bring into hazarde And as for those of contrary religion vnto them that is suche as here sticke to the Gospel and the sincere profession thereof how can they like of such as make no conscience to roue without the boundes of Gods booke in his matters choosing to themselues a religion at pleasure if will worship may rather be called religion then by the owne proper name of superstition so this whole parte might haue beene spared well enough if it had liked the authour Where the Authour makes the lawfull and iust punishments layde vpon certaine of late in England to be for different opinions in religion only as though they were otherwise quiet men and good Subiects besides the publike testimonies of the lawes and state here to the contrary what euer they say or pretend all the worlde that haue any eyes may see that they iustly suffer in respect of sedicious and rebellious attemptes and the busie sturres they make in disquieting at home and abrode this peaceable state And albeit it please the authour to cal it Constancie and faithfulnesse to God yet they that list to examine shall finde it an inconstant turning from y t dutifull obedience which they had once sworn to their soueraigne prince ioyned w t vnconscionable great vnfaithfulnes to God her Maiestie M. Howlet his fellow to make shew only to make shew talke of Nobilitie Noble men great worship and Worshipfull men many Gentlemē men of countenance and credite in their countries important stayes to her Maiestie and state heere c. They are all in amplifications in
great matters and personages Meane personages be no fit matter for their high stile and yet God bee thanked among them of countenance and great calling there are not so many so vnwise in this case as they woulde make men beleeue that abstaine from comming to Church and refuse the oth of Allegeance It is a sort of Runneagates of very meane calling that liue for most part on exhibitiō almes of other mē at Rome Rhemes c. Say this man here what he will as long as hee will they shal be iudged at the last day with a more indifferent vpright iudgement at Gods hands thē by their own corrupt consciēces or vaine opinions fancies False also is y t he saith that these men sticke to their faith sworne vnto God in their oth of Baptisme which because I treate of elswhere I referre the Reader to y t place Neere onely I note that this man maketh but two degrees of a publike faith or othe and that truly one to God the other to the ciuile magistrate vnder God which he calleth Englishe Subiectes secondarie faith and allegeance sworne vnto her highnes as to the substitute of God according to the distribution of our Sauiour Christe in the Gospell Giue to Caesar the things whiche are Caesars and giue vnto God those that are Gods I woulde hee and his fellowes woulde haue kept them to this simplicitie and honest dealing still Then shoulde they not vpon a late reconcilement to the Pope and Poperie by a third faith and othe contrary to both these haue so vnnaturally and vnchristianly shaken of obedience to God and her Maiestie First her Maiestie in Gods name commaundeth that they shoulde haunt Church assemblies and heare the preaching of the Gospel pray with the congregation and receiue Christes Sacraments Baptisme and the Lordes Supper make publike confession of the christian faith c. according to order heere taken by her Maiestie and y e State after the rule of the Gospell In refusing to doe this they breake their first oth and promise of Baptisme if they there made any to God as seemeth they confesse they did Next her Maiestie requireth that they shoulde by oth acknowledge her soueraigntie as Gods substitute ouer them that they should returne home into their Natiue countrie liue vnder their and our most naturall and gracious Queene with other true hearted English Subieets Shee cannot be yeelded vnto nor obeyed heerein by them They make another substitute vnto god here ouer English subiects besides her maiestie in matters of obediēce to their prince her lawes They doe offer her Maiestie great wrong who by their owne confession giue vnto her the seconde place the second othe may not shee iustly require at their handes to keepe their secondarie fayth and Alleageance sworne vnto her highnesse as to the Substitute of God Let them neuer talke of their obedient and well meaning mindes that voluntarily and violently so freely runne to the breaking of their secondarie fayth and alleagiance sworne vnto their ciuil Magistrate call it they as they list It can bee adiudged in deed and truth no lesse then Periurie and they in taking this wrong course periured and forsworne men It is a great worde and a high with these men to talke of their obedient and well meaning mindes Let them leaue their good intentes and well meaning mindes without all warrant of Gods booke yea commonly contrary therevnto and let her Maiestie haue them obedient according to the wordes and well meaning of the Scriptures and shee will be content to quite their well meaning myndes otherwise Yf neither the scripture nor her maiesties laws according to the Scriptures nor I that at this time put thē in minde of their dueties towards both can auaile At least with them that delight in ancient fathers let the testimonie of that most ancient father among other teaching them their duetie according to the doctrine of the Scriptures preuaile with them herein who speaking of the cheefe Ciuill Maiestrate in his time and of the Christians vsage in obedience and duetifulnesse towardes him being an enimie to the Gospell and a persecutour in those dayes wryteth thus wee reuerence or honoure the Emperour as a man next vnto God and inferiour or lesse then God onely For so is he greater then all men whilest he is lesse thē the onely true God Let Papistes embrace followe this heauenly truth vttered by our Sauiour Christ vnder the name of God and Caesar whiche are but two this being likewise repeated afterwarde by the Apostle vnder the name of God and the king and heere by this father of God the Emperour kept still keepe this moderation rule and stick therto without talking of God the Pope and then the Emperour the King Prince and Ciuill Magistrate for that is but an ill Commentarie that corrupteth the text In that which remayneth is the Argument of this Discoursing letter expressed c. The Authour promiseth most briefly to touch three thinges in this letter to his friende First what cause or reason the Catholiks haue to stande as they doe in the Refusal of thinges offered them especially of going to the Church Secondely what way or meanes they may vse to remedie or ease themselues of this affliction nowe layde ' vpon them for their consciences so hee termeth their stubburnesse Thirdely if that way or meanes doe not preuaile then howe they ought to beare and endure the same Wee see the grounde of the whole letter that is nowe published and made a Treatise or Discourse As it wel may bee so called for in deede he that euen nowe promised most briefly to touche three thinges in this letter hath so amplie discoursed trotting vp and downe in his first course that wearying himselfe partly by euill disposition of bodye as he sayde elsewhere partly by other sudden busines falling vpon him he was both inforced to leaue the place and the matter and tyme fayling him and he saying more of the first point then hee purposed at the beginning the Messēger also that brought that that was written awaye being as seemeth in poste haste he forgate likewise belike what he had promised at the beginning and therevpon eyther himselfe or some other for him rather as appeareth is forced to excuse the omission of the seconde and thirde part promised at the beginning Thus haue wee a treatise hereof borne out of time maymed and more then halfe a Monster You that are so great schoolemen and Orators shoulde haue learned at the least out of Tullie that to omit any thing in deuiding is a very great fault Yet two things are here cleane omitted or two partes of your owne diuision c. It helpeth you not if you Scholasticall men bee Scholastically or Schoolelike followed to say you haue reckened vs vppe all three partes that you purposed to treate of for we reply that you promised to treate of all three Nowe to runne such
Rome and Romane which be particular wordes restraining the word Catholike wee are content to call it with your fellowe M. Howlet in his EPISTLE DEDICATORIE the Christian Catholike Religion or the holy catholike and Apostolike Religion of the first Instrumentes and Planters thereof as wee see set vs downe in their writinges or such like speech for the knowledge distinction and triall of our religion we refuse not We are not wedded to one forme of words in that that may be diuersely expressed as in time and with time tearmes and speeches that for a time serue men varie but we woulde auoide cloudie ambiguitie in speech if this I haue now spoken of be the true religion ye receiue embrace and beeleeue we doe so with you and you with vs that is wee agree But vnderstand withall that hereby we ouerthrowe all Poperie and Popish religion as we doe Anabaptistrie and all other false religions whatsoeuer deuised and erected by men not warranted by Gods holy written worde call ye the same Romane Italian Germane French Spanish English Scottish or what else you will where and of whome soeuer it be professed all is one either it is that I haue here shortly described or els it is false and naught The true and Christian catholike religion is not tyed to any certaine place person or time but belongeth indifferently to all the Faithful in al ages and in all places eyther therfore tel vs whether you meane by the catho like Romane religion that Religion which the faithful people dwelling at Rome helde in the time of the Apostles To whom S. Paule the Apostle of vs Gentiles and so of the Romanes wrote the epistle extant and entituled to the Romanes as he did diuers other to particular churches of y e Gentiles as y t thē was hauing yet beleeuing Iewes among them Or if you take it other wise make y e religiō you meane first agree with that religion which those Romanes then helde and were instructed in which was all one with that of the Ephesians Phillipians Thessalonians and other Churches planted by the Apostles and with ours now or ours rather is one with theirs the which is expressed vnto vs in their writinges whereto we sticke and not to the places and people or persons that haue succeeded which all haue greatly swarued since frō y t they then were Or else if you like not to call your religion to this triall keepe your supposition to your selfe as false til you haue prooued the matter for we cannot to be plain w t you nor we may not receiue the Romane religion as it is at this day and hath beene now some hundreths of yeres for the Truth much lesse for y e only truth vnlesse we mind withal to quite abandō God his eternal Truth expressed vnto vs as his reuealed will that is in the canonicall Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament which is commonly called The holy byble as directly contrary to your Romane and Popish religion at this day as white is to black Truth to Falshood Christ to Antichrist God to the Diuell wherof let that booke be the iudge betweene vs. Looke whose religion that booke will iustifie looke whose it will condemne that doe we likewise iustifie or condemne by what name soeuer it be called what coulour or shewe soeuer bee set vppon it wee must bring it to that triall It is not the name of traditions It is not vnwritten verities It is not multitude c which be the props and pillers of your Romane church and religion that can call vs from the infallible written Truth of God howeuer therefore your glosed and false supposition maye satisfie your side or serue a glosed and false religion it cannot serue this church and state you may not looke to haue it by and by receiued of the Queenes most excellent maiestie of the honourable Lordes of her priuie counsaile and other the godly learned wise of englād You might think y t could not nor would not perswade so godly and honourable personages that is meeter for the ignorant sort and fooles you must lay a better foundatiō you must bring better euidence before your Reasons can conuince Suppositions shoulde be certaine principles and euident truthes not so manifest falshoode as this is to be receiued without proofe wee can not suppose at least we cannot knowe that is not I wishe therefore ye had trauailed in proouing this captious and false supposition that after your reasons might haue come the better to their effect end of cōuincing or we seen your feeble weakenes in your cause But that you were not able to perfourme you thought best to suppose and occupie your selfe in flourishing with shew of 〈◊〉 reasons groūded on false principles rather then forciblye to prooue or to reason soundly But Aristotle could haue tolde you that in Art of reasoning thus to doe is to make a Paralogisme or in plainer english to speake it is a kinde of iugling and of false and naughtie dealing Suppose not that the Romane religion as it is at this day is the onely old religion and all other newe The religion we professe is as truer so older than your newe Romane religion As Christ his Apostles and their writings are before those vpon whom and whose writings you would haue vs to depend It may bee in some kinde that your olde vesselles be not fit to receiue this newe 〈◊〉 If the vessels breake though the wine be spilt yet the vessels perish I counsaile you therefore to bring newe vessels and newe heartes that the newe wine beeing put into newe vessels both may be preserued rather then that you abhorre and reiect the newe wine because it agreeth not with your olde leaking vessels An olde ragged coate An olde rotten tree An old decayed house c. If you will needs sticke vpon old and newe are not the best and moste to bee commended you knowe Please not your selfe therefore so much in these tearmes But leaue them and goe to the matter Let Gods booke still I say be iudge betweene vs for the thinges you bring foorth and the thinges we bring and there an end Wee purpose and hope for religion to liue and dye with that booke For your Catholikes you say there are two sortes and yet if I can iudge ought yee make three first you tell vs of such as be so wicked and their case so damnable as yee minde not to intreate of them then you tell vs of another sort of Catholikes for whome this Treatise was made to reforme their persuasion builded as you say only vppon their owne fantasie Yee might as well haue vsed your owne phrase of Conscience if it had pleased you though indeede for abusing the good worde of conscience false persuasiō or fancy were euerie where fitter for you all in your profession Thirdly you make yet an other sort of catholikes besides these two and them you call the onely true Catholikes which
all Church Ministerie and functions are heere exercised by meere lay men and yet in the meane while her Maiestie accounteth iustly it to be her office and duetie and to appertaine to a kingly authoritie according to the high dignitie of her royall throne and princely estate calling to moderate by al meanes to assist according to Gods holy worde and to see the same faithfully executed by euery particular in their degree which who so 〈◊〉 or deny her Maiestie prouoke Gods heauie wrath and displeasure and she we them selues vnwoorthy to liue much lesse to enioy so great blessinges vnder so gracious a Soueraigne She taketh only y t which is by Gods word due to Princes and Ciuill Magistrates shee will suffer no one besides her selfe to be the chiefe Gouernour in her dominions vnder God Christ and the worde call yee him Prince or Prelate shee requireth her subiectes first and principally to be Gods faithfull seruauntes in duely and reuerently keeping the exercises of true Christian religion euery one in their calling expressed in the two Cables of Gods holy commaundementes which by her authoritie giuen of God shee mainteyueth and like a godly Prynce purposeth still so to doe Next vnfaynedlye to acknowledge the Soueraigntie giuen to her Maiestie from God for all outwarde and Ciuill pollicie in her dominions This iustly may shee chalenge and more she requireth not and who is there that iustly can refuse or denie her Maiesty this Out of Gods booke rere religion confirme faith edifie conscience growe and profite dayly in godly knowledge and practise thereof In summe walke in single vprightnesse of heart with God and man and where this is the more seene there are the parties the better liked and commended by her Maiestie the State y t both God may bee the truelyer serued her Maiestie obeyed and others by good example in life and conuersation edified This is that I say briefly that the profession of religion here at this day in her Matestie the State and her people is no newe profession nor any other but such as is common with the Patriarches Prophetes Apostles and all Gods faythful people that haue liued in any age and is warranted by Gods holy worde written Nowe if in bending and contendyng hereto her Maiestie the State and people euery one in their place haue not thorowly and fully attayned to their purpose in reformation and practise hitherto yet is not the profession and purpose to be blamed yea their will and affection is much to be commended and they to be encouraged and stirred vp to growe dayly from good to better in these cold naughty daies while other seeing in so waightie and necessarie a matter many and great abuses sit still and either maintaine or winke thereat Prayer in this great worke is of all and aboue all to be adioyned and such helpe of Godly knowledge wisedome counsell and other giftes as God bestoweth on any woulde bee brought forth to the aduauncement of this heauenly worke euery one keeping his boundes and calling The foule and filthie dung hill of Poperie and superstition is not so soone voy ded our sinnes are the onely or the greatest impediment and let of the full finishing of this worke if there bee any thing wanting it is our heartie repentance and vnfayned turning to GOD with thankfull heartes expressed in wordes and deedes for the graces 〈◊〉 vpon vs. In the meane while where the profession I haue spokē of is and the worke taken in hande and entred as wee see here among vs I say there are none but very obstinate and wilfull men that will refuse to come to the publike Churche assemblies to heare the worde of God preached the Sacraments of Christe and publike prayers c. comfortablie administred which that I may in other wordes somewhat formally for our aduersaries pleasure expresse thus now I frame my reason None supposed to haue Gods feare before their eies to haue care of their owne saluation to haue respect to her Maiestie and their dutie towardes so vertuous and gracious a Soueraigne her godly wholsome lawes Againe to haue due and charitable consideration of the Church of God and their Christian brethrē and common honesty among men No such I say can or ought to refuse to come to church exercises vsed here amōg vs at this day But all persons of what state or condition soeuer they be liuing in Englande are supposed to be such that is to haue Gods feare before their eies to haue care of their owne saluation to haue respect to her Maiestie and their dutie towardes so vertuous and gracious a Soueraigne and her godly and wholesome lawes Againe to haue due and charitable consideration of the churche of God and their christian brethren and common honestie among men Wherefore no persons of what state and condition soeuer they ve liuing in Englande can or ought to refuse to come to Churche exercises vsed here amongst vs at this day The conclusion or the sequell of this argument and reason being so well grounded the aduersaries cannot nor will not I thinke denie me if they will let them turne mee to the proofe of the goodnesse thereof or of the fourme of any argument I haue made them The grounde of the first part of mine argument and the reason is because amongst other godly thinges as publike prayers prouision for the poore c. Here is professed and set foorth principally in Church assemblies the Ministerie or Preaching of Gods holy worde Gospel professed the obedient hearing and receyuing thereof with the administration of Christes Sacraments according to the rule of Gods booke which be notes exercises of Gods true and faithfull congregation whereunto euery true christian ought to associate and ioyne himselfe The seconde or middle part of my reason there is none I take it would be thought so wicked as to make question or doubt of Though the 〈◊〉 and flender dealing of our aduersarie in particularly seeking to find out faultes in our church exercise in his seuenth reason bee a sufficient cleering therof to him and his worde with those y t list aduisedly and with indifferency to weigh y e same when they see he 〈◊〉 chargeth it and 〈◊〉 it vntouched for ought he 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 we shall see God willing when 〈◊〉 come thither yet because I haue not to regarde the aduersarie only but some other also and among the rest suche especially as are sunple rude somwhat ignorant Therefore will I bee bold a little to wade here in the proofe of the particular partes of that peece of mine argument wherein may seeme any 〈◊〉 or to shew the head of the fountaine spring whēce the whole is deriued Marke well the argument namely the first part of it for some furder better proofe whereof I note this that followeth None that are supposed to haue Gods feare before their eyes will refuse to come to Churche heere Why so For
proue this as he onely affirmeth the same and occupieth himselfe in prouing that requireth no proofe with vs wee shoulde haue more a doe with him He is occupied in shewing at large howe bad Schisme and Schismatiks heresie and heretiks bee how to bee detested and their company shunned what punishment they deserue and haue to looke for c. But that our religion and we are such and in this case there is hee for proofe in effect muet And yet except that be prooued not supposed onely the rest serueth to little purpose For the vnitie of Christes Church we haue diligently to obserue that as it is and ought to bee with euery of vs precious so to consider again that the same is grounded in the vnitie that we haue with our Sauiour Christ the father without whom there is no sound vnitie Further we haue to note that it is called the vnitie of the spirit for that it is begunne continued and kept by the spi rit of God in spirituall and heauenly matters And these two pointes be expressed in the very textes here cited by this Reasoner out of the Gospell and S. Paule for one 〈◊〉 forme of beliefe one forme of Seruice one forme of Sacramentes and the like that this man sayth shoulde bee in Christes Churche as it is very obscurely and shortly spoken so I see no such 〈◊〉 thereof So we may haue the substance and matter for formes we will not greatly striue If there be any matter of importance we like well the synceritie of Christian religion and Apostolike simplicitie bee alwaies kept The wayght force of Christian vnity lieth in deed in greater pointes than in outwarde formes wherof ye make mention out of S Paule and may see more in the Acts of the Apostles c. Concerning the testimonies of the Fathers we graunt with Irenaee that heretikes that bring strange fire to the Lordes Aulter that is as hee expoundeth strange doctrines shalbe burned as Nadab and Abiu They that rise vp against the truth and exhort other against the Church of God remaine in hell swallowed vp with y t opening of the earth as they about Chore Dathan and Abirom They that cut and seuer the vnitie of the Church haue the same punishment of God that Ieroboam had What is this against vs why may not the same bee applyed vnto you and your doctrines and dealinges with this Church Let the Gospel and Spirit of life be the Piller and strength of the Church Let it bee the foundation and Piller of our Fayth as the same Irenaee speaketh Doe not as Irenaee sayth heretikes doe and we finde you to doe who whē they are reproued by y t scriptures are turned into the accusation of the scriptures themselues as though they were not right nor were of authoritie both because they are diuersly vttered and also because the Truth cannot be found out by them of such as know not Tradition c and you will haue little vantage Augustine also in his book or Epistle of the vnitie of the Church against Petilians Epistle helpeth you and your case very little For the question was then where the Church was whether euery where or bounde to a certaine place person and sect or no As for example Aphrica Donatus and Donatistes then Rome Pope and Papistes nowe Augustine there tyeth the Churche to no Sea maketh Christe alone the heade thereof and the Churche Christes body dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth Againe Augustine alleadgeth and prooueth also out of the holy Scriptures as none can deny the same but hee that professeth himselfe to bee an enimie to the same Scriptures Let vs not heare saith hee I say thus thou sayest thus but let vs heare Thus saith the Lord. There be verily the bookes of the Lord to the authoritie whereof we both agree we both giue credite we both serue There let vs seeke the Churche there let vs discusse our cause I will not haue the holy Church shewed by the doctrines of men but by heauenly Oracles on infallible truth of God Nowe adde your wordes that you heere alleadge out of Augustine yet so if it please you as ye take the beginning of the chapter afore you and so come orderly to your wordes here cited which are after the beginning of the chapter whole Christ sayth hee is the heade the body The head is the onely begotten sonne of God and the bodie his Church the Bridegroome and the Bride Two in one fleshe Whosoeuer dissent from the scriptures concerning the head himselfe thus doe you in making vs two spirituall heades of the Church Christ and the Pope though they be found in all places wherin there is a church to be pointed they are not in the Church And againe whoeuer agree to the holy scriptures concerning the head himselfe and communicate not with the vnitie of the Churche are not in the Church because they dissent from Christes owne testimonie of Christes body which is the Church c. These be Austens woords agreeing with that is afore that we learne to discerne and know the true Church of Christe aright by the scriptures and not otherwise And that wee learne to beginne with Christ the heade and so come downe to the Church his bodie and keepe no preposte rous order Now let the reader hardly reade and examine your wordes and iudge of the whole In y e eleuenth chapter of the same booke of the vnitie of the Churche doth Austen notably write hereof Touching Cyprian Chrisostome and the rest for the vnitie of the Church we willingly admitte that they say so as with Cyprian yee will saye concerning false peace and agreement That is no peace but warr neither is he ioyned to the Church that is separated from the Gospell And w t Chrisostome or who euer it were ioyned w t Chrisostomes works for them that will knowe whiche is the true Church of Christ There is now no way to know y e same but only by the scriptures c. The ignorāce wherof brought foorth heresie corrupt life and mingled and turned all vpside downe as Chrisostome sayth elsewhere As for vs we ioyn with those that are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ him selfe being the head corner stone c. We broch no newe doctrine no newe religion we make no separation But as we beleeue that there is a Holy catholike church and a communion of Saintes so as members and partes we ioyne our selues to the same dispersed ouer the whole worlde in vnitie of Christes true doctrine and in loue and peace with all reuerence The Antichristian Sinagogue of Rome as it reiecteth vs with Christ and his doctrine so againe doe we detest and goe out from it as from that Babylon whereof mētion is so oft and much made in the scriptures In summe whether we be heritikes or you Let Christ let the worde
c. For Idols Idolaters you haue this word in y e very last booke and last chapter of the new Testament ver 15. Reuelatiō 2. Idols twise verse 14. 20. Let this serue to note your vntrue slander To woorship or religiously serue besides God we make the same an Idoll The outwarde representation also thereof or Image is in scriptures called an Idol Hee nameth an expresse place here where we shall find Images for Idols in the very last wordes of the fifth chapter of Saint Iohn his fyrst Epistle First that is but one place and one example which is a very bad proofe to shewe that wee translate Images for Idols throughout the scripture next thus it is read in our Church assemblies at this present what euer this lying quareller dreame euen in the Byble translated vnder her maiesties gouernement and printed with priuilege by her highnes Printer Richarde Iugge 1568. and. 1572. and set into Churches and there dayly read and expounded Babes keepe your selues from Idols Then are you not 〈◊〉 onely but a shamelesse lyer and a slanderer and abuser of the people So is it likewise translated in the english Bible printed at Geneua 1560. in the beginning of her maiesties happy raigne and dedicated vnto her highnes So is it translated in that worthie Theodore Beza his newe Testament dedicated also to our Soueraigne c. But how is it translated in your authenticall translation I pray you that must alone bee approoued and receiued without checke and all other in comparison therof reiected There is that faulte ye charge vs with if that be a faulte as in 〈◊〉 I iudge it to be none or not so greate Idole beeing the Greeke and Image the Latin and English word Then if any English Bybles haue left the word Idols and vsed the word Images in this place of S. Iohn yet is no more done thē you permit your selues and therfore yee need not call it manifest and wilfull corruption c. Except it be to discredite that you account your owne translation If that bee your griefe to see or heare the word Images in I. Iohn the. 5. 21. forbidden though it be not greatly materiall the circumstance considered yet to satisfie and please you if that will serue that word Image is remooued and the Greeke worde Idole kept in diuers of our english translations why mend you not your own common latin translation not here onely wherewith we charge you not but in infinite other places wherein the same is verye corrupt Where you would cleere your church of Idols and Idolatrie by his childish distinction betweene Idols and Images It is so wel answered as I neede adde nothing to that the Godly learned haue here of sayd Ye know it is Hierome his manner on the Prophets to applie to the times and persons vnder Christ that which is spoken of Idols and Idolatrie vnder the Prophets to shewe their are among Christians Idols Idolatours that wee neede not cast the same from vs to the Heathen as though Christendome were free frō Idols and Idolatours Which I would it were if it pleased God but wil neuer be so long as you maintain Images in churches the worship therof which is cleere plaine Idolatry In yours all other religions mans vaine fancie braine idle head is the source fountaine and first-shop to conceiue and 〈◊〉 Idols and Idolatry in afterward the hand is made an instrumēt to fashiō frame an outward forme or picture of that Lye which is there first conceiued c. Call the same a God an Idole an Image a Picture or what you will In grossenes in cunning there may be some diuersitie in effect al is flat Idolatry whatsoeuer we choose Let al y t world iudge who be shamlesse corruptors and wylfull to drawe yea to peruert the scripture to their owne purpose in this point that I talke of to goe 〈◊〉 further now They that heere translate Images as your vulgare translation 〈◊〉 and some other doe But not as I haue shewed the english Byble printed in her maiesties raigne and read at this day in our Churches as yee vniustly slander Or you Papists that for the retaining and maintaining of your Idolatry or Images and Image worship among the people haue quite rased out the second commandement of the ten agaynst Images and Idolatry or if you will haue it gentlier spoken haue left it out of those latin and english primers and bookes wherein the ten commandementes were expressed to be learned of the common people here in times past I know your shift for such forgerie but 〈◊〉 me thinketh haue let the wordes stand and follow in order as God pronounced and propounded the same to his people in the scriptures ten wordes are not many you might haue kept your shift for a better purpose if it so had pleased you For the matter as the scripture telleth vs that such stuffe teacheth lyes is contrary to the doctrine of the same scripture So Lactantius sayth vndoubtedly there is no religion where an Image is Images are voyde of religion c. And the Heathen and heretike charged the Christians in the primitiue Church with this that they had no Images as though Christians had beene too blame for being without Images who if they had had Images coulde not haue beene so charged or might haue answered at the least otherwise than they doe And as one of your owne men writeth out of Hierom almost all the ancient fathers condemned the woorshipping of Images for feare of Idolatry than the which no wickednes can be greater c. Famous is the story of Epiphanius translated into Latin by Hierom who cut in peeces the paynted vaile wherein the image of Christ or some saint was hanging at the dore of the Temple for that it was against the authoritie of the scriptures that a mans image should hang in the Church and against our religion sayth hee And more famous yet is the publike edict of sundry the olde christian Emperours in forbidding Images and the worship thereof not thinking it to pertaine to religion that the Image of any should be worshipped no not of Christ whose Image by name they forbad as in their decree is to be seene c. You see the hanging of Christes Image in the Church or any Saintes the worshipping also of such Images is condēned and forbidden Now would I know of you in what commandement the same is forbidden vnlesse it be in that which forbiddeth Idolatry Idols Plead against those of your side against these anciēt fathers y e emperours c. If ye needs wil Say what ye wil ye shal neuer be able to cleere your Images set vp in Temples from being Idols nor your woorshipping thereof from idolatry which you must doe better than hitherto before you can make vs beleeue the contrary or otherwise of them then the scriptures and antiquitie teach and report
corruptions and haue floung them out of the Text of Scriptures and restored the truth and the Text But your religion towards the Pope and Poperie hath taken away all religion towardes God and his worde As may bee seene in infinite places of the Bible obserued by the godly and learned aforetime and nowe a dayes and by diuers of your owne side and notably in the Newe Testament by Faber Valla Erasmus c. and by those that haue examined and answered your Trent Coūcell as Caluin Kemnitius other To whose writings I refer the Christiā Reader herein to turn all that heere is saide against vs and our translation vpon the Papistes and their corrupt translation of the holy scriptures which I would haue forborne to haue entred into except necessitie and this discoursers importunitie had pulde mee into this odious matter to shew the Papistes partiall and hollowe dealing heerein Nowe because this common Latine translation of the Bible hath gone and still doth with many vnder the name of Hierome his translation and hath gotten thereby credit for the man his great learning our aduersaries also as seemeth woulde faine haue it reputed for Hierom his Therfore shall it not be amisse out of many places to bring one out of Hierome in his Commentaries vpon the Scriptures which plainely condemneth and reprooueth these Gentlemens corrupt translation as not good and so none of Hieromehis A little leauen corrupteth the whole lumpe Thus the olde translation as they call it Hierome thus a little leauē leaueneth or sowreth the whole lump immediatly after in his Cōmentarie on those words It is ill in our Latine bookes saith hee a little leauen corrupteth the whole lumpe and the interpreter translated rather his owne meaning than the Apostle his wordes c. A shrewde checke of your translation by Hierome Why will yee not mende it If you say it bee Hieromes Why will yee not let him mende it But let vs proceede for y e place of the second booke of the Machabees which is the seconde faulte you find in our trāslatiō of y e Bible cōsidering y t it is neuer read in our publike church meetings you might haue spared y t frō being a fault in our seruice sauing y t wher you find none ye think good to deuise imagine faults to put the same vpon vs will we nill wee If ye had had any store ye might would no doubt haue made better fitter choyse to haue found faulte with the English translation read in our assemblies either your skill is not great or your store poore and slender or lastly our English Bibles too well translated to bee iustly controuled by you Your conclusion grounded vppon so weake and slender premises or proofes thereof must needes but ill fauouredly followe This I say and when I haue saide yet reporte mee too any learned indifferente Reader vppon conference with the Greeke to Judge that in these bookes of the Maccabees which are among the Apocrypha as they are called that is priuately and secretly read rather thē opēly approued receiued to be canonical scriptures as Hierom sayth Our english bibles keepe more 〈◊〉 and come neerer to the Greek text than your vulgar translation and more helpe vpon conference shall the Englishe Reader haue to vnderstande the sense of the Authour than at the other Although in deede the Greeke it selfe euen here be somewhat diffused and darke And therefore no maruaile the originall or fountaine being troubled if translations bee not the playnest Iosephus a Iewe hath in Hebrew written fiue bookes of the Iewishe Hystories from their captiuitie in Babylon vntyll Pilate their President In which bookes among other thinges are written the worthye Actes of the Maccabees And entreating this very place in that booke he maketh no mention of this prayer for the dead And this Ioseph Ben Gorion is thought to bee that Iason of Cyrenae out of whome this booke of the Maccabees was taken as an Abrigemēt So as I maruaile howe that shoulde orderly come into the Abrigement whiche is not founde in the bodie of the storie written at large And yet the Abridger doth but tel his opinion of Iudas and his facte wherein if he haue not said and done as he shoulde let him as he requesteth in the ende be pardoned especially seeing he leueth the truth of things in particular to the Authour Besides this it is noted to be noted to be contrary to the custome of the Iewes euen to this day to sacrifice or pray for the dead And what commaundement or warrant is there in God his Lame for the same Lastly to leaue other thinges the example of Razis in killing himselfe an ancient and famous man among the Iewes seemeth likewise to be commended in this storie by this abridger which is not iustifiable by the scriptures though Yee neede not therefore make so great a doe 〈◊〉 the one particular example of Iudas thus commended here to grounde a doctrine thereon for oblations and prayers for the dead nor checke our English translation in the 12. Chapter of the 2. booke of the Maccabees if you consider the matter well sauing that where you haue little or no proofe as the Canonicall Scriptures prooue not that article there you had neede make much of a little or but of the shewe of a thing onely Your deuised Purgatorie and Diriges and Masses haue made this doctrine of prayer for the dead so gainefull vnto you as you are nowe lothe to let it goe The godlie learned and my good brother D. Fulke a paineful and profitable minister in Christs church easeth mee heere by his trauaile As he doth in many other places that I may nowe the more haste to an ende that the Reader findeth not in one to his contentment that possible may he finde in the other I referre therefore to him in that may be here missing and walke somewhat the more confidently and at large after him and his answere hereto which is gone before because he is well knowen God haue the glorie to be so sufficient as he is Thus much concerning the Scripture read in our Assemblies c. So yee speake too lauishly and lewdly Let the reader by this iudge in the rest of your vpright honest and plaine dealing which if you write againe I wishe you to bee better aduised in if you haue respect to your honestie and good name You say and belie vs that throughout the Scripture where idoles are forbidden we translate it images And here in your margin yesay See the English Byble Dedicated to King Henry It is worth the noting that where this gentleman findeth such fault with the Byble Dedicated as he saith To King Henry y e 8. chargeth vs or side and men with that translation those of his owne side then approued the same and some of the greatest Clergie men were then 〈◊〉 and dealers therein He shall neuer bee able
to denie but that Cutbert Tonstall a piller of the popish Church here Bishop then of Durresme and in Queene Maries time also was a principall man in perusing that translation at the king his commaundement If your self had looked but on the very first chapter of the first booke of the Maccabees in the Englishe Byble and the latter ende of the Chapter besides that you might haue seene whose successours the Pope and you Papistes bee in renting cutting burning and destroying Bybles 1. Maccabees 1. 59. 60. Yee might haue founde the woord idole and idoles foure times vsed there in the Englishe Bible translated in that our renoumed Prince his dayes king Henry the 8 once more in deede than in your common translation that ye make so much of Let the reader looke the Chapter and iudge So farre are we off from that you vainely surmise and put vpon vs measuring vs by your owne foote The seconde fault you finde is for that our God his seruice and sacraments is not sayed and ministred by Priestes but by meere lay men so ye speake though wee haue but too many of your Popishe Priestes among vs But Sir for this grounde of your Reason Is the seruice or sacramentes therefore to be accompted naught because the partie that ministreth the same is not a conuenient minister Ye doe not make I take it the sacrament to depend on the worthinesse of the Minister As for saying Church seruice that God his Ministers are bounde vnto it is the preaching of God his word and gospel the administring of Christ his Sacrament Baptisme and the Lord his Supper and withall to make publique Prayers with the Assemblie As in deede these thinges can not bee perfourmed without publique Prayer c. Other seruice as your Popishe Mattens Masse Euensong Compline 〈◊〉 c. Wee leaue willingly to your popishe Priestes of whom and their office in Christe his Churche no more then of this kinde of your seruice wee haue no mention nor warrant in al the Newe Testament But for sacramentes doe you not holde I pray you and teach with your Canon lawe taken out of Austin that Baptisme is holie of it selfe which is giuen in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost so that there is also in the same sacrament the authoritie of tradition by our Lord to the Apostles and by them to the Bishops other Priestes and laye persons also that are Christians comming from the same beginning and stocke c. And in the glose there the Lord deliuered the forme of Baptising to the Apostles and by them to others euen lay persons And in another place pope Iohn saith to do this work of baptising if it be need ful is freely graūted to faithful lay mē according to cano nical authoritie First therfore I say for this place y t your Priestes be intruders into Church offices without lawfull calling from God Next if lay men haue any thing to doe in this businesse of Churche ministerie I say they take the authoritie from your popishe religion not from Christ nor the Christian religion that we professe Thirdly I say that this is no sufficient reason to stay from our Church assemblies whereto you driue neither is one bounde alwayes to enquire of the person or certainely to vnderstand whether hee be a Priest or no before they come to the Church or receiue but to respect the matter which is God his the edifiyng of our owne consciences thereby c. and for the rest to suppose the man that executeth that charge is a publike church minister lawfully called or standeth and is reputed for such a one at least while the Church and state disaloweth him not I speake not in defence of any that without lawefull calling medle in Church functions nor that they of authoritie may suffer and beare with such or let them alone I speake only for the satisfying of priuate mens consciences in this case Lastly I say if that be your let of comming to Church it may be soone eased For there be diuers and to many as I sayed here in the Ministerie that haue bin afore time priestes Chuse your place your person and come to Church but you meane it not I weene it is but a shift and a cloke to couer more mischiefe vnder For the name of priestes because it is somewhat doubtfully taken and wee loue to speake playnely Therefore we call such Christ his Ministers Pastours Byshops or Ouerseers and such other names as we finde in the Apostles wrytings doe wee giue our church ministers agreeable to their holy functiōs We leaue the name of Priestes and their sacrifieing office as vnwonted and vnused by the holie Ghost in the newe Testament in Church functions in the time of the Gospel whō and whose phrase of speaking in his matters especially we like well to followe so much as we may though wee loue not in the meane while to striue about names where the matter is plain You quot your margin but you set vs down the words of no expresse testimonie neyther in deede is it materiall to stande vpon wordes or to coulour thinges by doubtfulnesse of speach when the matter is euident And therefore leauing your priests and priesthood without all foundation and staye of God his booke yee turne to the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews whiche after your manner yee cite falsely against vs and runne at large that no man may take vnto him this honour but he that is called of GOD shoulde yee haue say de as Aaron was Ye say true For in deede no man is meete to bee our high Priest but Iesus Christ who was appointed and called therto of God and of whom and his preisthood Aaron was a figure The more wrong a great deale doth your pope to Christ and to his church also to take vpō him y e title office of high Priest in Christ his Church without warrant from God seeing it was allotted by a singular prerogatiue to our Sauiour Christ alone of his Father As the Apostle 〈◊〉 by in the next verse declareth Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee And againe yet straight way Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec The greater and more is your fault still that will needes succeede him in the office of Priesthood whether he will or no When hee neither needeth nor shall haue any successor As who liueth a Priest for euer And calling all Christians into the fellowship of his Priesthood hath made vs a Royall priesthood and Kings and Priests to God euen his Father without appointing any to serue the office of a sacrificing priest in Church Ministerie Shewe as good a warrant of God his calling you to the office of Priesthood to sacrifice the Sonne of God dayly for the quicke and the dead c. and wee will yeelde but yee can not Nay yee cite the scripture
that cause that is for your abominable masse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take it your popish priestes and all and away with the same out of Christes church to the Diuell if yee will 〈◊〉 it first came amōg vs. Your doctors c. haue 〈◊〉 are so answered as I neede not stand therein vpon this occasion If yee take that or any other matter in hande yee cannot goe vnanswered God be thanked for his giftes I list not now to repeate that is and hath beene so often well and truely tolde you heerein The like to this I tell you of your popish and apish ceremonies Wee liue not in a ceremoniall time nor in a ceremoniall Churche to heape vp the number of them nowe Wee are content you be the fathers and fosterers of your superstitious and vnnecessary ceremonies of your seuen sacraments yea seuen hundred if you wil for your priest in his pontificalibus and massing apparell is compounded I trow of nothing if we will beleeue you but of misteries and so of sacraments all your religion is ceremoniall and mysticall but all of your owne deuising Wee as those that are called to worship God in spirite and truth that is after a more spirituall and heauenly maner inwardly in a seruice more agreeable to Gods nature then that which is shadowed by Ceremonies content our selues heerein with Gods wisedome desire to keepe sobrietie and following the rule of the Scriptures referre all heerin to order comelinesse and edification especially But not such as is fleshly and agreeable to fleshly men minds but suche as is correspondent and agreeable with the crucifides kingdome and the preaching of the Crosse. Our sacraments we confesse are not ashamed in this time of y t Gospell vnder Christ to cōfesse thē being in number most fewe in obseruation most easie and yet in signification most heauenly When you can prooue that ye heere only say that wee either haue not most fewe that is two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lordes Supper according to our Sauiour Christes holy institution or are bounde to haue moe you shall heare what wee haue further to answere and say vnto you If y t which haue beene alreadie saide content you not as it may doe any reasonable men that wilfully 〈◊〉 not themselues Our Communion can bee no Sacrament you say yet you cannot bee ignorant that the word and matter are taken out of the Scripture much lesse then can your priuate Sacrifice and Action that is secrete coniuring sole receauing c. bee a Sacrament Houseling and being houseled once a yeere which is a halfe receiuing of I wote not what not of a Sacramente sure where you haue left no Element is suche a prophanation and contempt of Christes Sacrament as hardly can there bee a greater Let not vs then among 〈◊〉 the Communion of the body and blood of Christe is celebrated monethly or quarterly at least of euery one bee called contemners of Christes Sacramentes and charged with Sacriledge and you Papistes bee let goe scotfree who in steede of ofte receiuing content your selues with gasing crouching kneeling c. The like I tell you of prayer for the dead of our prayers c. in the mother tongue You are alwayes so like your selfe as yee can hardely deceiue any that once knowe you or will knowe you THE eight Reason is grounded vpon the losse of the benefite of the Romish Catholik religion If they goe to Churche heere which is made a great matter a waightie Before wee enter into that is particularly saide heereof let vs examine this generall grounde Heere is no more alleadged for the Papistes refraining from our assemblies then may bee alleadged by the Iewe the Turke or any Heathen by the Arrian Anabaptist or any Heretike who in communicating with an other religion leeseth the benefite of his owne And therefore as we may answere the one so may wee doe the other that is that it is no losse at al to forgoe that which is not beneficiall to any but hurtfull to all yea as some losse is a gaine so is it a great gaine not only to forgoe so Diuelishe and poysonfull a religion but with all to gaine the truth by the profession of the Gospell How beneficiall soeuer a man haue esteemed and founde a 〈◊〉 and lying aforetime to bee yet hath he loste nothing thereby that leaueth that custome and vseth himselfe to the telling of the truth yea hee hath gayned greatly by that change To haue mens eyes opened by the ministerie and preaching of the Gospell that they may turne from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ c is no losse but an incomparable gayne And this is your very case to the worlde warde more gaine and benefite many wayes by your voluntarie religion then by the sincere profession of the holy Gospell of Christe Iesus I graunt to the soule and Godwarde no profite but vnspeakeable hurt gotten by the profession of Poperie Where vpon I counsel all to leaue those filthy puddles of Poperie and to drinke of this pure fountayne of the water of life that is to leaue that god the Pope his lawe and traditions his idolatrous Religion and superstitions and to betake them selues to the true God of heauen to Iesus Christ his holy Scriptures and worde to be guided by contayned in the Byble and booke of God That which this discourser calleth a losse that let them count an inestimable benefite And what euer these men slander vs withall yet wee protest it before the eternall God that our meaning is not to drawe any from Poperie to any Religion deuised by men howe wise or mightie soeuer they bee but to the true Religion of Iesus Christ set vs downe in Gods booke Let them betake themselues to that let them professe the gospel of christ Iesus they shal go long enough vnblamed for their profession by vs let them answere their profession and liue according thereunto as is set downe in the same booke of GOD they shall please vs marueilously wel it is all wee require at their hands wee wil wishe peace vnto them and to the Israel of God Though then wee wishe men to depart frō that whoorishe Babylon of Rome though wee 〈◊〉 them saue them selues from this frowarde generation c. Yet wishe wee them well to marke whether we cal them we leaue them not at randon we call them not to followe our Religion framed at our pleasure much lesse call wee them to Atheisme but we call them from that vsurper and woolfe to Christ Jesus the Prince of Pastours our onely high Priest and the Byshop of our soules Reade the 1. Peter 2. if but onely the last verse of the Chapter and see whither and to whome S. Peter himselfe called men euen the Church Let his successour as he falsely pretendeth doe the like at least if he call
vs to himselfe or any for him let vs learne to knowe him and them Let vs marke our losse and take heede of the change though they that heare this Counsell shall bee accompted of the Papistes 〈◊〉 Schismatikes and I wot not what for leauing the Idole of Rome it maketh no matter the gaine and vantage is so passing great as it will easily satisfie and recompence all A great losse think say you to parte from the Churche of Rome an inestimable gaine say and thinke we more 〈◊〉 to win Jesus Christ which will not bee in stifely cleauing to the other Christ and Antichist light and darkenesse the temple of God Idoles haue no agreement The things that were vantage vnto Saint Paul the same counted hee losse for Christes sake But let vs see what the losses bee that by parting from Poperie men haue They are saieth this reasoner sixe in nomber whereof let vs see particularly the first losse is men leese the benefite of the sacrifice of the Masse a great matter and often repeated by you without sounde of the goodnesse thereof but with vs a happie losse sure beyng of all blasphemies and idolatries the most abhominable But sayth this discourser here our Sauiour Christ appointed his bodie to bee offered vp dayly in the oblation of the Masse for the commoditie of the whole worlde quicke and dead c. I heare you say so sir but I aske you where what our sauiour Christe appointed is faithfully recorded vnto vs by the foure Euangelists the faithfull witnesses of all that Christ 〈◊〉 did and taught neuer a worde of your Massing sacrifice there No yes I pray you Do this in remembrance of mee Do this that is sacrifice this for do is to sacrifice so doth the Heathen 〈◊〉 Uirgile vse the worde and so may we by the Poet expounde Christes meaning to bee gentle stuffe and a Clarkelye proofe to corrupt the sacred scriptures with prophane gloses If you haue any better proofe for your massing sacrifice out of the Euangelists whiche tell vs faithfully what was appointed by our Sauiour Christ let vs heare of it Else hearken to S. Paul who receiued of the Lorde that which he also deliuered vnto the Church and is a faithful and trustie expounder of the three Euangelistes Now he in his exposition of these wordes not onely ouerthroweth your counterfaite sacrifice but your newe deuised transubstantiation also who repeating this doe in remembrance of mee expoundeth the same of eating and drinking not of Sacrificing and saith for as often as yee shall 〈◊〉 this bread and drinke this cup yee shewe the Lordes death till hee come c. Marke these wordes well So that where yee say this was appointed by our Sauiour to offer vp his body dayly c. We say you say vntruly and are founde a false witnesse bearer but yee runne to the fathers finding nothing in the Euangelistes or Scriptures to make for you but as in time and place wee reuerence the fathers so agayne tell wee you that wee are not bounde to follow the errors of the fathers but what if the fathers call the Supper of the Lorde sometime a Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they say or by a figure what if they say it is a Sacrifice because there is offered to God thankes giuing of which it taketh also the name and because the remembrance of that one Sacrifice of Christ once offered is therein celebrated by the Church according to S. Paules exposition as often as ye shal eate this 〈◊〉 and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death till hee come c. What maketh this for your Massing propiciatorie sacrifice or the offering of Christes bodie for obtaining of grace auoiding of all euils for the remission of sinnes both of quicke and dead or dayly in the oblation of the Masse for the cōmoditie of y e whole world quick dead as you speake whiche commeth all to one Why may not we reconcile the fathers with the scriptures Giue vs leaue I pray you heerein y wis your owne Maister sayth that which is offered and consecrated of the Priest is called 〈◊〉 and oblation because it is a remembrance and representation of the true sacrifice and holy oblation made on the 〈◊〉 of the Crosse. And againe because in the Sacramēt there is a remēbrance of that which was once done c. In this sense denie wee not the Supper of the Lorde to bee called a sacrifice because praise and thanksgiuing are there offered vnto the Lorde and wee are not without this kinde of sacrifice in the celebration of the Lordes Supper as I saide before And if by haunting our Churche assemblies you had been aswel acquainted with our booke of common Praier as nowe blinded with malice ye are readie to cauill and slaunder yee might haue founde wee reiect not the worde of sacrifice of prayse and thanksgiuing in the action of the Lorde his Supper Nay that wee offer not only that but our selues also c. to bee a reasonable holy and liuely sacrifice vnto the Lorde according to the doctrine of the Apostle beside the sacrifice of almes c. That yee neede neyther say we haue no sacrifice because wee haue not your abhominable Idoll of the Masse nor that they depriue them selues of participation of the sacrifice of Christes body and blood that haunt our Churche assemblies Euery one of vs by the working of God his spirite in vs and by faith applyeth to 〈◊〉 Christe and his sacrifice with the fruit of his death and passion more effectually and more faithfully thā any mortal man besides can apply y e same vnto vs. We aduaunce 〈◊〉 our faith therein with the participation that is by the often vse and 〈◊〉 of this holy Sacrament with the worde preached withall Wee trust not your Popish application in his Masse who commonly sacrificeth for money as indeede all your religion is for gaine No penny no pater noster they say with you If the Churche of God shoulde receiue no commoditie of Christes sacrifice or of his death and passion till your priest applyed the same it woulde neuer bee Keepe this your application therefore with the commoditie thereof to your selues we wil hearkē to y e holy ghost a better scholemaister then you who by the Apostle thus speaketh amongst other thinges The cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christe The bread whiche wee breake is it not the Communion of the bodie of Christe Seeing therefore brethren that by the blood of Iesus wee bee bold to enter into the holy place by the newe and liuing way whiche hee hath prepared for vs through the vayle whiche is his fleshe and seeing wee haue an High priest which is ouer the house of God Let vs draw neere with a true hearte in assurance of faith sprinckled in our heartes from
euer That which S. Paule and we with S. Paule ascribe vnto god and Christ that they may haue the glory in all that doeth this forgerer ascribe vnto man and vs corrupting both S. Paules yea the holy ghosts wordes the sence of the sacred scriptures also for where S. Paule liuely describing the office of the true Christ sheweth what benefite the church Gods people receiue from god by him thereby discerning and seuering him from all false Christes there this fellow as though there wanted other false Christs sets man or our selues in place to take gods and Christes office and roome vpon vs. Thus S. Paule And you which were in timee past strangers and enimies your minds being set in euil works hath hee reconciled in the bodie of his fleshe thorow death to present you holy vnblameable without fault in his sight Thus this gentle companion telles vs S. Paule saith y t Christ died for vs to the end We should exhibite our selues holie and vnspotted and irreprehensible in his sight And yet he further corrupteth the text with his Commentarie Let the Reader compare examine and iudge indifferently of the whole For the rest either it needeth no answere or is alreadie answeared before Wherefore I will here ende wishing vs onelie that at this day professe the Gospel and Christes true religion to apply to the confirming of vs in the trueth those testimonies and places which this man abusing the 〈◊〉 applyeth to Poperie and falshood Let his and his fellowes blynde zeale and feruentnesse in lyes awake vs that sleepe in securitie Let it serue to condemne our kay coldnesse in y e matters of God and our saluation which is I weene if not all yet as the common so the greatest fault of vs 〈◊〉 professours of the Gospel at this day We heare what he saith and saith truely If errour finde such zeale what zeale ought trueth to haue If they be stout in fancies and sticke so harde to their pretended consciēces how should we sticke and stande to conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on Gods holie worde without 〈◊〉 betweene two opinions If the Lorde be God followe him if Baal be 〈◊〉 then goe after him Let vs heare for shame and apply to our selues at least at this mans admonition and calling the 〈◊〉 of the Ephesians taken out of the beginning of the second Chapter of S. JOhn his reuelation let vs not be betweene both luke warme neither colde nor hot as the same S. Iohn telleth vs the Laodicians were Looke the place to the end of the Chapter Let vs be zealous therefore and amend c. For God is a ielous God Separate your selues layth the Lord touch no uncleane thing c. Lastly with our knowledge ioyning zeale let vs remēber apply to our selues in the trueth of God his holie religion that which he euen here in the end of his work truelie telleth vs that God accepteth no partition no limitatiō no mayme in our seruice But either al or none must be his Let vs follow herein the example of S. Basile Gods resolute 〈◊〉 that this man reciteth vs out of Theodoret and retayne and beare in mynde the most worthy and excellent saying also as he calleth it of Christes holy Martyr S. Cyprian rather that in steede of his Father wherewith he concludeth his booke I may conclude with holy Scriptures let vs high and 〈◊〉 one other well marke beare in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and execute God giue grace we may so doe as Gods cause and glory shall require amongest other that most worthy and excellent speech and counsell may I bee bold to say of the holy Ghost vttered by Iosue in the last Chapter of that booke reade and peruse it I heartily pray thee Gentle Reader for thine owne profite at the least from the xiiii verse of that Chapter onwarde to the ende make thy profite of all and so farewell hartely in Christ. I beseech thee in thy prayers remember to pray among y t rest for the aduancemēt cōtmuance of Gods holie Gospell in sinceritie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vs free frō all dregges of Poperie also for the prosperitie of the Queenes most excellent Maiestie our dread 〈◊〉 in all thinges and for the preseruation and blessing euery way of this whole Church and Land our deare Countrie and that thou in heart prayest procure indeede that is by all meanes endeuour in thy 〈◊〉 effectually to 〈◊〉 and to put the same in practise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory and his Churches benefite Amen P. W. 2. Thes. 2. Cor. 4. 4. 2. Thes. 2. 10. 11. 12. 2. Thes. 2. 8. Iude. ver 22. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. Hovvlet the madge Hovv let highly schritchith an maketh an yll fauoured noyse to the Nightinghale whose melodie pleasant note is knowen 〈◊〉 30. 68. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flac. 〈◊〉 De testibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baleus De illustr 〈◊〉 Britan. Actes 〈◊〉 Tome 1. 〈◊〉 705. 706 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fasciculo rerum expetendarum 〈◊〉 fugiendarum 〈◊〉 De Clamengiis in collatione 2. 〈◊〉 per scriptum super materia Concilii Generalis 〈◊〉 Scholasticum 〈◊〉 This was Pope Iohn the 23. Hee wrote this in the 〈◊〉 of the Councel of Constance about the yere of our Lord. 1414 Masse of the holy Ghost at the beginning of the Councel Esay 5. 20. 1. Iohn 4. 1. Ephes. 5. 13. 1. Thes. 5. 5. 1. Cor. 2. 4. Tertul. aduersus 〈◊〉 Two causes of dedication Persuade not before you teach as heretikes do 〈◊〉 Tertull. In the second xii section of his Epistle dedicatorie c. Or in the reasons of refusall 〈◊〉 5. 57. c. Cicero Fol. 41. pag. 2. Fol. 4. 5. The foundation of our religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fol. 20. page 1. Fol. 6. page 1. Fol. 28. page 1. Fol. 60. In this point whether it be lawfull for these Catholikes to goe to protestantes Churches or no Sect. 3. Fol. 39. pag. 2. a Looke the 〈◊〉 discourse Fol. 65. Prou. 13. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. Vabentinian con 〈◊〉 lib. 1. Tit 25. 〈◊〉 forensis est vt qui in precib mentitus fuerit non ills prosit quod 〈◊〉 Aug. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist. 50. D. Thom. 2. 2. 9. 10. act 8. Psal. 22 12. 13. 〈◊〉 13. 17. 〈◊〉 c. Magna 〈◊〉 illecebra 〈◊〉 spes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tim. 1. 5. 19. Sect. 9. Arist. lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Howlets third section 〈◊〉 religions 〈◊〉 3. Sect. 16. 18. Domini Francis Augusti Carmel Aposalip 9. 3. Fol. 39. pag. 2 Galat. 4. 18. Apocal. 3. 16 2. 2. q. 188. Ar. 1. Matth. 13. 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 9. Mat. 23. 9. Renela 12. 9 〈◊〉 3. 15. Section 13. Ignatius 〈◊〉 Philadelphiens 〈◊〉 antiquitas Christus 〈◊〉 Fol. 16. pag. 〈◊〉 Section 〈◊〉 Straightnesse to Catholikes Fol. 16. page 2. Marke this supposition and applie it to our time The maner of dissēbling Schismatiks liuely expressed O dānable dissēbling this is done by many in
iudge and as many as thereafter and according thereunto list to iudge and as much say I of Schismatikes in Augustines wordes thus if you will whether we be Schismatiks or you neither I nor thou but let Christ be asked that hee may iudge or shewe his Church In the application of this to vs and our assemblies and to your men that haunt the same yee say The communion of the Church confisteth in three thinges that all christians haue one sacrifice one and the selfe same seruice of God There bee greater in warde spirituall thinges wherein the vnitie of the Church doth 〈◊〉 consist In the vnitie of the spirit one heart one minde loue peace consent in one Christian doctrine fayth c. But let vs see these that yee thought made for your purpose What is the sacrifice yee meane If it be that which Christ offered vpon the Crosse to his Father for the redemption of the worlde wee say it is common to all Christians all are partakers of it and we are directed thereunto contially both by doctrine and also by the vse of the Supper among vs. If you meane the Sacrifice of your blasphemous masse thē thank we God y t we are free frō it as frō a most abhominable blasphemie The giuing vp of our bodies A liuing Sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God c. The sacrifice of distributing and doing good the sacrifice of Praise and thankesgiuing c. These grounded on Gods word in vse among vs are belike no sacrifices we haue no sacrifice at al say you none w t you but your massing sacrifice as seemeth we are al made priests though to offer vp these spirituall sacrifices wherewith God is pleased You haue of your selues without all warrant of Gods worde erected a massing priesthood Keep it we bid you to your selues Of Sacraments we haue in deede but two Baptisme and the Lords Supper As those which Christ instituted and lefte in his Church we acknowledge not your number of seuen sacraments for that the word warranteth them not Those that Christ hath lefte the lesse they haue of your superstitions and ceremonies the more neerely they be administred according to Christes Institution the better is God pleased therewith the better are wee contented also Thus speaketh the holy Ghost of the benefite and of the vnitie represented and bestowed on the Church in our sacraments of Baptisme and the Lordes Supper In one Spirit are wee all baptised into one body and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit And agayne we that are many are one breade and one bodie because we all are partakers of one breade therhood c. Let the reader cōpare your translation with Cyprians or M. Hardings translation if yee will to see your slight then considering all circumstances Let him iudge whether Cyprians time beare anie such orders and degrees as ye imagine to be aboue a Byshop in those times Thus writeth and speaketh Cyprian in the assembly of many byshops in those daies at Carthage in coūsel which is also repeated by Augustine None of vs appointeth him self to be a bishop of bishops or driueth his fellowes w t tyrannous feare to necessitie of obedience seeing euery Byshop according to his free libertie and power is at his own choyse as one that can not bee iudged of another as hee him selfe also can not iudge another But let vs all looke for the iudgement of our Lord Jesus Christ who one alone hath power both to place vs in the gouernement of his Church and to iudge also of our doyng Here is more plaine wordes for the equalitie of Byshoppes in those dayes and against that one Byshop shoulde bee iudge ouer all other Byshops then can be pickt out of the other place for an vniuersall or generall Pastour ouer all or thorough the worlde yea here is plainly shewed there was no one Bishop of Bishops or iudge ouer his fellowe Byshops in those dayes And that the Byshop of Rome was fellowe Byshop and Brother with therest and so reputed and called And let none cauill on that y t this Epistle was written to the Byshoppe of Rome and therfore these words by a prerogatiue are to be vnderstood of him when as Cyprian vseth the same testimonies to shewe the dignitie and authoritie of a Byshop in his owne respect and speaking of himselfe and sayth whence sprang and spring Schismes and 〈◊〉 but hence whilest the Byshop that is one and gouerneth the church is contemned by the proude presumption of certaine men and a man vouchsafed with honour of God is iudged of vnworthie men This Cyprian of himfelfe being Byshop of Carthage whome though Christians seemed then to name their Pope as is reported yet I thinke these men doe not nor will not accompt him general Pastour of all the world nor to haue such preeminence and prerogatiue as they chalenge to the Pope at this day heade of the Church c. For al this Rome must needes haue that alone he nor none els shall haue it It is not the worde of one Byshop wherewith Cyprian here calleth himself much lesse of one Priest as this Reasoners place reporteth that will enforce that he woulde gather or such iurisdiction and authoritie as he imagineth where findeth hee one generall Pastour ouer al the worlde not here sure Is not your general Pastours soueraintie y t you dreame of grounded on Peters supremacie whereof there is not one worde in all the scriptures and doth not this noble Martyre Saint Cyprian aboue thirteene hundred yeeres agoe say thus of the Apostles The rest were that that Peter was endewed with all honour and power and after him another Father speaking of the Byshops sayeth where euer they bee they are of one and the same merite or estimation and of the same Priesthod and Ministerie The whole brotherhood was that particular congregation where hee was Byshop of whom hee treateth were it the Bishop of Rome or any other Bishop For there is one Bishopricke a part whreof is throughly holden of euery one in particular saith Cyprian but let Cyprian and his place goe which is at large answered by other for them that list to see more Let this man if he will gaine his cause against vs reason soundely out of the scripturs and booke of God which he can not doe and that maketh him to seeke these outleapes But when all is sayde the best and surest holde for this generall Byshop ouer all is that wicked Emperour Phocas and his authoritie and gift to Boniface a pope of Rome many C. yeres after Cyprians time Considering the course that this Reasoner holdeth howe easie it is to answere all that he bringeth foorth and that the same is alreadie answered elsewhere by diuers in their bookes and lately by a godly and learned brother for troubling the reader ouer long and not to repeat one the same things