the questions whereof ariseth our controuersie were so harde and intricate that they exceeded your capacities I would not haue entruded my selfe into your presence with this maner of persuasion but would haue referred my selfe rather to the censure of the learned But for as much as this Religion of Gods holy Gospell which we professe is so resplēdisant in the eyes and eares of all men as the bright shyning Sunne in whott Sommers day the doctrine I say wherewith we are enstructed which preacheth Repētaunce to the bruysed cōscience which agayne imputeth vnto the penitent persons free righteousnesse and deliueraunce from Sinne by fayth without workes in Christ Iesu onely which forbiddeth Idolatry which restrayneth to adde or diminish any title from the prescript rule of holy Scriptures which forbiddeth the inuocation of the dead and prayeng to straūge Goddes which acknowledgeth the humanitie of Christ the Sonne of God to be in no place but at the right hand of the Father which approueth honest and honorable estate of Wedlocke in all persons indifferently which hath made all foode and sustenaunce both fishe and flesh without choyse beyng receaued with thankesgeuyng subiect to the necessary vse of man which taketh away all confidence and affiaunce vsually ascribed vnto merites and workes which calleth vs away from the opiniō of soules health to be set in obseruation of prescribed dayes and monethes which reduceth vs from the naked elementes of the world from worshippyng of signes and outward ceremonies which I say cleareth our hartes and myndes from the bondage of mens traditions and dreames and doth ensure and establish vs in mearcy and grace which allureth all persons indifferently to the readyng of holy Scriptures which denyeth to no man the participation of the Cuppe of the new Testament in the bloud of Iesu Christ which abbridgeth all Ministers of the word from desire of all worldly superiority And to stay here frō the reckoning vpp of all the rest which are more notable and manisest then the bright shynyng Sunne in mydday what cann your Maiestie atchieue more worthy or more beseemyng your highe excellency then to admitt into the secrett closett of your soule this most euident trueth of heauenly discipline If your highnesse be not as yet made acquainted therewith or if ye know the same to be infallible and true that ye will no longer shrowde vnder your protection such pestilent errours allready disclosed and repugnaunt to the knowen veritie wherewith your grace may one day hereafter paraduenture desire to be shielded before the dreadfull Iudgemēt seate of the Lord of hostes accordyng to the promise of Iesu Christ. And the trueth sayth he shall deliuer you Iohn 8. And if your highnes shal be persuaded that this reformatiō of Religion whereof I haue treated doth not apperteigne to your estate or to the charge of seculer Princes what doth the wordes of Osori emporte thē wheras writyng of our gracious Queene Elizabeth he doth so carefully admonish her Maiestie to vouchsafe especiall regard to know what the glory of Christ meaneth what the law of the Lord teacheth how much the rule of sacred religiō doth exact of her highnes Again whereas in the same Epistle he doth very learnedly pronoūce that the speciall duty of Princely gouernemēt ought to be wholy employed to the preseruatiō of true and pure Religion Pag. 10. But els otherwise if your grace do thoroughly conceaue that is most true that the gracious restitutiō of gods holy word doth no lesse cōcerne the furtheraūce of the Gospell then the preseruatiō of your Royall estate Saluation of your subiectes I most humbly then beseech you most noble kyng by that redoubled linke of pietie wherewith you are first bounde vnto the Lord That as your Maiestie shall playnly perceaue this cause which we are entred vpon not to varye or decline any iote awrye from the true touchestone of the liuely word neuer so litle that your highnesse of your excellent clemency will vouchsafe to aduertize your Bysh. Osorius That being myndfull of his professiō he do behaue him selfe in debatyng the state of Religion in the vprightenes of iudgement so as the cause requireth and frō henceforth he desiste frō backbyting his neighbours with clamorous lyeng and slaunderous reproches who haue rather deserued well of him then in any respect offended him If he be of opinion that errours ought to be rooted out of the Church lett him first cōuince those for errours which he gaynesayth and shew him selfe abler man to make proofe by Argumēt thē to resist with onely cauillyng By such meanes will he be deemed a more profitable member of the Church and procure him selfe lesse hatred It is an easie matter for euery common rascall to vomitt out disdaynefull names of infamous persons as Protagoras Diagoras Cicloppes Blindsinckes Epicures gortellguttes and monsters But it fitteth comlyer for learned men and more profitable for the Christian congregation to lay aside distompered choler and instruct the vnlearned and reclayme the obstinate with sounde Argumentes and expresse testimonies of the Scriptures If this order be not obserued euery carter may soone by aucthoritie clayme to be a cōmon rayler An other methode of writyng was requisite in Osorius more effectuall to edifie then as he hath vttered in his bookes For this sufficeth not for him to reuile men with odious names as callyng them madd impudent childish and infaūtes and to declame whole cōmon places vsed agaynst heretiques I doe know and playnly confesse That it is most necessary to oppugne erronious sectes heresies But it is not errour forthwith that hath somewhat a bitter smatclie and is vnsauory to euery queysie stomacke neither is it allwayes trueth that is plausible to eche fonde and dotyng phantasie But wise men ought chiefly haue considered how euery mans assertiō is framed to the agreablenes of the word of God Yet now a dayes I cann not tell how the carte is sett before the horse and the preposterous frowardnes of some persons haue brought to passe that bycause men shall not be guided by the Gospell they will runne before it so mens imaginatiōs shall not obey but beare the principall Banner before But where as the right squaryer of Christian fayth hath none other sure foundation but that onely which is grounded vpon the holy Scriptures our dutie hadd bene to direct the buildyng of our Religion by this lyne and leuell and to ramme fast the wallworkes hereof with this cemente and morter But now I cann not tell how it is so come to passe that many do worke guyte contrary For they despise this well fenced order and hauyng as litle regarde to the meanyng purporte of the word they rayse to them selues a Church which they call Catholicke and the same they assigne to be the onely guide and gouernesse yet notwithstandyng they make no demonstration whether it be the Church of Christ yea or nay But measuryng the same by the onely Title of the Romish See
were at that tyme no nor deéme your selfe more holy theÌ„ Aaron Therfore where you seé so manifest Idolatry in them why make you so proude bragges of the innocencie of your Nation But you will happely say that those dayes are out of memory no such matter sticketh now in your fingers will ye therefore that I bryng you home and euidently disproue the ignorauÌ„ce and vnaduised follie of you your people by the testimonies of your owne fraternitie Truly I am contented so to doe and I will paint out your Idolatry so playnly in the sight of all men that can seé and be willyng to seé that no well disposed persons may doubt thereof hereafter Peraduduenture your eyes will dazell through corruption of dayly custome as it happened to Cerberus the dogge of hell sodenly drawen out of his darcke doungeon into the bright sunne shyne First you will graunt me this as I suppose which all your Papisticall Godmakers will yeld vnto that in that your transubstantiated white Wafers is inclosed a certeine Diuine essence and the onely substaunce of bread flowen quyte away I know not whither but that the accidents of bread remayne as at the first to witte the roundnes white colour and such like Hereof then followeth of necessitie euen by your owne Argument that who soeuer doth worshyp the white colour or any externall thyng therof subiect to the senses spectible view is a manifest Idolatour Aunswere me to this place my Lord I beseéch you if there be any sparckle oftene fayth in you Tell me when your simple vnlettered people cluster in heapes together to your Altares heaue vppe their handes knocke their brestes reuerently behold and humbly worshyp that your white rounde singyng Cake holden betwixt your fingers and lifted ouer your heades as if it were our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesu him selfe when I say this seély rude multitude doth so humble them selues and are moued in affection can they discerne betwixt the accidentes of the bread and the substaunce if they can surely your nation is deépely seéne in Logicke But if they cannot Then we may rightly conclude vpon the suppositions of your owne Deuines that they commit open Idolatry bycause they do worshyp not onely the essence of God farre hidden within wholy remoued from their senses but also the outward signes which they behold and seé with their eyes You are taken here Osorius neither can you escape me for either you must serape out your Decreés and CanoÌ„s which will procure you mortall hatred or els you must neédes coÌ„fesse the dayly Idolatry of your people except ye deny that the outwarde forme of bread is worshypped by them wherein they will witnes agaynst you if neéde shall require And therfore if your fayned God may euidently be founde culpable of euideÌ„t Idolatry Your errour is much more apparant in worshyppyng of Images I did set downe before the wordes of our Sauiour Iesu Christ vsed to the woman of Samaria touchyng the true worshyppyng of God Aboue alledged also the auncient custome of the Primitiue Church when as no grauen or paynted Images were permitted to be worshipped In this most assured testimonies and ordinaunces of our Religion this our great Deuine and Maister is altogether mumme but that hee cauilleth a litle I know not what about the Images of the Crosse to witte That the fame was deepely emprinted in the harts of meÌ„ in that auÌ„cient and florishing age of the primitiue Church but that pictures were needelesse sith that tyme. The same doe we also confesse franckly For there be two notable rules very true prescribed by God as Principles whereby the auncient vse and rule of Christian Religion and dueties of Christian lyfe may be dayly enured preserued The one is that we apply our myndes to read the holy Scriptures The other is that we yeld atteÌ„tiue eare vnto them For all Scripture sayth Paule is geuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teache to admonish to improue to amende and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be perfect and prepared vnto all good workes If we bee made absolute and perfect by the holy Scriptures what neéde we any helpe of your pictures In those holy Scriptures is the liuely Image of God the Father the liuely picture of Iesu Christ our Sauiour the true Crosse true worshippyng true Religion to bee founde But you are fouly fallen away from this auncient veritie you haue wickedly buryed in darkenesse the Testament of Iesu Christ you haue treacherously discredited the authoritie of holy Scriptures and in place of these pure and knowen founteines of our true Religion ye haue in your Churches planted a wonderfull rabble of woâ—meeaten pictures and portraictes of dead bodyes to be worshipped you haue instructed the rude and vnlettered people with mens traditious and haue vtterly drowned the holy Scriptures beyng the most pleasaunt and plentyfull foode of the soule with ouerflowyng puddles of stinckyng Ceremonies This is very true Osorius yea it is to true And you beyng a Byshop and a distributer of the holy misteries of God shall to your intollerable anguish of mynde feéle this to be true which you shal be sommoned before the dreadfull Iudgement seate of the Lord From whence you shal be throwen into euerlasting tormentes if ye amende not in tyme. But there is no droppe of sounde or sober witte in you for amyddes your disputation touchyng the worshyppyng of God you sodenly skippe from the matter and returne to your wonted shiftes and demaunde of vs. If wee haue founde our selues more inclinable to praye sith the abolishyng of Images then before First of all This concerneth not the controuersie anythyng at all Then who hath authorised you beyng a Portingall to be Iudge and Inquisitour ouer vs Englishmen Enquire ye for the demeanours of your owne people of Siluain and let vs alone with our owne Byshops It greéueth you much that the Reliques of Thomas of CauÌ„terbury are defaced whom it pleaseth you to call a most holy man beyng in very déede an exectable Traytour O goodly Doctour of the Church that require vs to worshyp the rotten stinckyng carkase of a pielde trayterous Priest Persuade that els where for in England women children and naturall fooles do detest the stincking Rames crauyne and Idolatrous Shryne of that Rebellious traytour Neither are you pleased bycause I rubbe your Schoolemen on the gall a very sacred societie if we credite you most pure pillers of Christian ReligioÌ„ agréeyng consentyng with the auncient Apostles but if they be tryed by their owne trinckettes they wil be founded a pestilent generation of Uipers full of vnsauory brabbles corrupt doctrine altogether boyde of witte addicted to all superstitioÌ„ And there is no discréet person amongest our aduersaries that hath any smatche of founde learnyng except a very fewe but doe vtterly detest and reiect this filthy puddle of SchoolemeÌ„ And yet you sir Ierome suppose to
eyes and hādes yea the very body in deéde naturally corporally and substauncially present the very same Christ I say full and whole in qualitie and quātitie with all his dimensions euen as he sitteth now at the right hand of the Father so that Christ may seéme now to dwell no lōger in heauen but to haue translated him selfe into much more precious and purer tabernacles And hereupon this cōmeth to passe That Priestes Monckes and Bishops as the very familiar guestes of Christ Nourished with this heauenly foode and dayly more and more strēgthened thereby doe attaine those heauenly and euerlastyng treasures so happely doe withstād the rage of lust so stoughtly and keepe their vowed chastitie most purely And no maruell for whosoeuer be so nourished with the most sacred body of Christ and carry him about dayly not in their myndes onely but in their bodies also how can it be chosen but that of very necessitie All drousinesse of sinnes must be shakē from them and an heauenly dawnyng of cleare light must shyne in them and must needes be replenished with heauēly treasures and out of the same yeld most glorious fruites of righteousnesse All which to be true the presidentes of their Angelicke holynes and chastitie scattered abroad euery where of the which the commō people tell so many and so commendable tales doe manifestly declare Let not this be forgotten among that whereas in the sacred holy Masse is such a miraculous operation also which as it were a certeine soueraigne Panax and a casket full of Pādoraes treasory may serue to cure the greéfes of all malladies is medicinable for the pestilence for all noysome cōtagions preseruatiue agaynst thūder agaynst Infidels agaynst misfortunes agaynst Agues a present remedy to obteine seasonable weather liquour of life for the sicke a cleare acquitall to the dead from all paynes of Purgatory a medicinable drenche for sicke Horses and Swine what maruell is it if these dayly worshippers of so heauenly a treasure beyng garded with the garrison of so inestimable a Iewell do become such creatures as in whose maners nothyng can be espyed but altogether chast and maydenly yea poolished beautified with all blossomes of vertue But amongest these this one thyng chiefly happeneth very straunge and incredible to be spoken especially in those Byshoppes and Massemongers who beyng enuironed about with so many comfortable Sacrifices dayly whenas they be otherwise rauished with so ardent and zealous affection towardes all other partes of Relligion towardes Masses toward pypyng and singyng toward Confessions and such like holy exercizes that to heare any Godly Sermons to Preach the Gospell of peace wherein the glory of Christ and the sauetie of the people consisteth chiefly they are so hard frosen and so thoroughly benommed as that they seéme scarse warme yea and altogether without sense and feélyng of their duety towardes Christ or of any carefull regard at all of their flocke or of any remorse of conscience to performe their function I speake not here of Oso nor of a few others like vnto him against whō this complaint happely may not so truly be enforced namely sithēce this Bishop is carefull and diligent in curyng his owne charge as him selfe telleth vs But of other Massemongers and shauelynges what will Osorius him selfe say vnto me who to the great fraude and detriment of the Church do so carelesly negligently attend their charge yea and neuer come at it at all They doe performe their duties by the ministery of others say you And such as of them selues are lesse able and vnfitte to preach do yet procure good wise and Relligious mē not of Bucers or Martyrs Relligion but such as are nouseled vp in the readyng of holy Scriptures Doctours and holy Fathers of the Churche who haue skill to teache the people pure chaste and Relligious doctrine Be it as you say Osorius but in the meane space where is that power and efficacy of that wonderfull Sacrament wherewith men are so inflamed and so raysed vppe as you say to all earnest and studious endeuour of godlynesse and to the desire of attainyng all heauenly Treasory At the least where is that charitie which beyng alwayes ready and inclined to doe good to all men by all meanes possible ought not deteigne and foreclose other men from the knowledge of holy Scripture And what shall we say then to those pastours and shepheardes who hauyng charge of Christs sheépe either of them selues can not or will not feéde their flock do not onely not opē their mouthes them selues vnto them but also do forbidd them the vse of the Scriptures in that lāguage wherewith they be acquainted whereby they might more easily attayne to the vnderstandyng of the same by their own industry This contumelious iniury beyng not in any respect collerable in the Church of Christ nor defensible by any coulourable excuse yet this delicate Rhetorician to helpe the ignoraūce of the vnlettered seémeth to haue foūde out of his perspectiues a certeine old wormeaten quircke or shift framing his Similitude from the pearcyng light of the Sunne Which beyng either vnpearceable for the clearenes therof doth blind the sight if the eyes be ouer much bente thereunto or if it shyne not at all profiteth not to thē that are enclosed in a darke doūgeon or do turne their eyes frō it In like maner they which turne away their dazeled eyes from the bright light and knowledge of holy scripture or do force the eye sight of the mynde thereunto more earnestly then is needefull do waxe blynd altogether Wherfore sithence it is so he concludeth herupon that it is a very great poynt of wysedome in them to foresee that the Rude people be not altogether defrauded of all light of Gods word nor yet that they may be oppressed with the ouermuch clearnes thereof For Aunswere For as much as the word of God is as your selfe do confesse the light of the worlde I beseech you Osorius what can be more appropried or peculiar to light then that it spread it selfe abroad ouer all places and persones or what can be more contrary vnto light then to be pent vppe vnder a Bushell And what els doth your discreéte foresight and prouident prouision but shut the word of God close vnder a Bushell when as you procure so pretely that the sacred Testament of Christ may not be deliuered in any other Language but such as the vnletteredd cannot vnderstand And what is this els I pray you but that the rude multitude shall see no light at all but be ouerwhelmed with a perpetuall dazellnes of sight whiles heé that readeth may not vnderstand what heé doth reade and whiles also in your Churches Masses Ceremonyes Supplications and Sacramentes they seé nothing but vtter darckenesse and heare nothing but in an vnknowne Language but in holy Sermones say you we do enstruct and teach them as much as shall seeme Necessary to the endeuour of godlynes
whether we should seéke vnto many Aduocates and Mediators for the ease of our miseries Of Inuocation adoration and worshipping this is not a new but an auncient comaundement Thus shalt worshippe the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And agayne thou shalt make to thy selfe no grauen Image nor the likenes of any thing c. And with what face then do you accuse them of innouation who obserue these thinges according to the prescript rule of the auncient commaundement God did institute in his Church two Sacramentes as appeareth euidently which he commaunded vs to obserue very carefully and deligently If we do not frequent these in that sincerity of Religion as we ought to doe Let vs be condemned But if we doe herein according to duetye and simplicitye of true Religion I pray you what Noueltye is in thys our doinge If we measure the auntient Fathers and Authors of true doctrine by number of yeares we say with Iustine Paule is the Father of Fathers whose authority is of such credite that if an Aungell of heauen would bring any thyng contrary to that which Paule hath taught let him be holden accursed But the same Paule gaue freé liberty to all persons ingenerall to take wyues and did dignify the Mariage bedde by this tytle honourable And called the forbidding of Mariage the doctrine of Deuils And there were amongest the Apostles some which did not only marry wiues but did lead them about with them also according as was lawfull for them to do And how is this contrarye to the auncient custome examples of the Elders If ministers who are appoynted to the ministery in Churches marry wiues for the necessary comfort of theyr liuelyhood We read the scriptures to the vnlettered people in their mother toung we do cōmunicate with them also vnder both kindes both bread and wyne If the Apostles did not vse the same Lett Osorious haue the prise I will further debate thus with this vpright and frendlye Reader desire him that he will vouchsafe to peruse all the parts of our doctrine and view with his eyes euery angle and corner of our Churches Peraduenture he seéth no portrayctes of Images blazed abroad to be worshipped for pence he beholdeth Bare wals and iudgeth them more like vnto Barnes then vnto Churches Yet was the most Auntient Temple of Salomon euen such an other Barne yea such a Barne also was the Tabernacle of God more auncient then the other in the Law carnall may not we wante the gaze of Images in the spirituall Law He seéth no tapers lighted at high noone no palmes no Reliques no belles no oyle no spittle no consecrated fire nor water he seéth not the Sacramentall bread lyfted vppe aloft worshipped he seéth no markette of pardōs no Iubiles no sacrificatory Masses no shauelinges nor beardlesse Priestes no differences of dayes of monethes yeares garemēts meates and colors no stately and pompeous supplications and Processions besides innumerable other Byshapes of frameshapen Ceremonies all which whether ought to be tollerated in Christian Churches I do not at this time discusse Yet this I deale with and enquire of my Reader whether our Churches which doe lacke all these trumperies deserue rather to be condemned of nouelty or do more neérely resemble the liuely and perfect patterne and countenaunce of the most true and most auncient Church But Luther doth teach that freéwill hath no power at all that whatsoeuer a man doth is sinne that whatsoeuer good or euill we do commeth of absolute and vnauoydable necessity c. And what can be spoken so sincerely but by sinister construing may be depraued For how deépely doth not the deadlye sting of Momus wound if it may freély pearce without resistaunce Luther doth embase the power of freéwill in deéde but in that man onely that is not yet regenerate but in thinges appertayning vnto God wherin he weakeneth the effectuall force of freéwill he doth strengthen and establish it with the accesse of Gods grace Of the greatnesse of Sinne and distinction of necessity hath bene spoken so much already that it is neédelesse now to redouble the same agayne All which notwithstanding the indifferent Reader shall finde nothing to be spoken by hym that was not spoken before his time and drawen from the very fountaines and most auntient springes of the Prophettes and Apostles as hath bene declared before both out of the Prophette Esay who recoūteth all our righteousnesse no better worth then a foule menstruous clothe out of Moyses Paule the Prophets who haue taught this doctrine to be most assured That it is God that doth harden the hartes that doth deliuer ouer into reprobate mindes which hath created the wicked man the euill day and that there is no euill in the City that the Lord hath not wrought c. All which if a man should preach in these dayes in the same wordes there is no doubt but Osorius would accuse him of hereticall nouelty Of the iustifyng fayth Luther did discourse very aboundantly and profoundly and with all no lesse faythfuly and truely Whose iudgement we do all embrace gladly and ioyfully And render vnto God most harty thanks for this his inestimable benefite finding nothing in this doctrine that is not throughlye approued most true not onely by the testimony of the Apostles but by the generall consent and agreément of the most auntient Prophettes Paule doth teach that man is iustified in the sight of God by fayth without workes Luther doth teach that we are iustified by fayth onely what difference is there here I pray you Osorius ascribeth rewardes to workes Paule doth openlye take away all rewarde from workes Whose Iudgement is more true or more auntient And what kinde of new doctrine is there here now If Luther agreéing with Paule excludynge workes do establish fayth onely in the doctrine iustification and yet not so altogether excluding workes as that he woulde haue no workes practized but so and in such wise as they may not be sayd to iustify so that now godly and carefull endeuour in faythfull workes should not be sequestred but wicked confidence and vayne superstitious glorying vpon merites vtterlye cutte of rather With which kinde of doctrine if Osorius be offended as with a certayne new fangled Gospell whether is it more reasonable that the euerlasting truth of GOD shall geue place to Osorius persuasiōs or that Osorius should reuoke his errour according to the rule of the trueth In this therefore that Luther teacheth that fayth onely doth iustify in the sighte of God is no new doctrine but the doctrine of Paule But that the minde and meaning of Paule may the better be conceaued it might haue bene added out of S. Iames the best Interpretor of Paule as the which doth more fully expresse the meanyng of Paule what manner of men they be whom onely fayth doth iustify not wicked obstinate Sinners
know not But in my conceipt it appeareth none otherwise then if some Poet would rayse vp some Furyes of hell as Megera or Alecto out of that fiery lake to lye and to rayle he could not haue imagined any other speaches more apt appropried to all reprochefullnesse then this your Epistle seémeth to be Wherefore as you can not make your Epistle excusable of most haynous slaunderyng without a most manyfest lye so is that also in no respect more true wherein you doe accuse Haddon of the same cryme Who being as you say neuer knowen to you nor euer prouoked by you with any euill word yet doth gnawe your Epistle with slaunderous teeth and doth rushe ragingly vpon you as it were a wilde Boare deadly wounded with the hunters speare In good sooth Osorius you doe very lyuely represent vnto vs a singuler patterne of that olde Phariseé in the Gospell who very briefly beholding a very small moate in his brothers eye was not able to discerne a monstruous beame in his own eye so forcible is the dazeled blindenes of selfe Loue. For euen with lyke insensibiltye doth Osorius beyng himselfe a very cursed speaker expostulate with Haddon about cursed speaking You say he was neuer prouoked by you In deéde neuer by name I confesse But when as that your beastly Epistle and mōstruous Antithesis then the which I neuer sawe any more foolishely talkatiue did rayle agaynst so many godly personages he being one of the same noumber and vnder the same predicamēt of them that were slaundered could not but acknowledge the common quarrell and iniurye of others to be stretched out also vnto himselfe And therefore made aunswere in his owne and their behalfe though not without his owne furniture and pollicye yet much more modestly I will not say then became him surely more quietly a great deale then such an Importunate aduersary deserued for so was it requisite according to your desert Osorius that you should not haue hadd a more entreatable aunswerer but a farre other maner of aunswere that might haue blazed out your armes in their right colours and haue paynted you out altogether according to your due deseruings But Haddon thought it better to haue cōsideration of publique humanity then of his owne priuate griefe And yet as though he attempted all the force sharpenesse of his penne agaynst you it is a wonder to seé what mounteynes you rend abroade because he was not impeached as you saye nor teazed with any iniurious word of yours Go to then And howe had the people and Natiō of England displeased you that you must neédes rage so rudely agaynst them rather then Haddon might agaynst you For so you proceade And yet he runneth furiously agaynst me as though it were say you a wylde Boare deadly wounded with some boarspeare c. How furiously I pray you I would fayne learne what Because he doth commend your witt prayse your dexteritye of nature aduaunce your Eloquence and highly esteéme your bookes and especially that which you wrate of Nobilitye as your selfe cōfesse no lesse is this the part of a madd man or the courteous commendation of a frendly wellwiller And here I beseéch theé gentle Reader Iudge with me herein indifferently what difference there is betwixt the disposition of these two Haddon and Osorius wherof the one doth with frendly prayses aduaunce the style the Eloquence and artificiall disposition of wordes in Osorius thother a most vngratefull creature of man and beast blynded with selfe loue drowned in malice swallowed vpp with his owne conceipt doth so not vouchsafe a man in all mens Iudgements graue wise and excellently learned one ynche so much of commendable place emongest the learned that he shameth not to condemne him euen of most base ignoraunce extreame childishnes as one that is not able to expres by mouth his owne meaning and can vtter nothing purely nothing fully nothing playnely Wherein I doe now appeale to the Readers iudgemēt whether Haddon doth rage more agaynst Osorius lyke a furyous Boare or whether Osorius doe more impudently lye agaynst Haddon lyke a shamelesse Goate But because these meadowes haue bene reasonably well ouerflowed alreadye I thinke it not amisse to shutt vpp the hatches here This Enterlude is at the length come now to the last cast wherein this tourne coate getting a new Coape vpon his back and putting on an other visor vpon his face doth chaunge himselfe as it were into an Angell of light A man would veryly thinke that some one of the superexcellent Seraphycall sort of the ix orders of Aungells were flowen downe frō heauen speaking with whotte burning zeale of Charitye Where calling God himselfe to be his wittnes and Iudge he doth binde himselfe with a most holy protestatiō that we should firmely beleeue that he vndertooke not this trauaile of wryting agaynst Haddō as vrged thereūto for any other cause then of a very earnest desire and zealous affection vnto pure and most sincere Religiō We haue heard of his affection Now let vs harken to the dutyfull loue of Christian Charity more thē brotherly compassion of his and lett vs weépe with him for ioy For on this wise he doth proceéde If you did know sayth he how great compassion I take of you with what deepe desire I am rauished for your sauetye that as it is the part of a good Christian man I would willingly suffer losse of lyfe for you and for your Countrymens sake Surely you would become frendes with me c. If the duetyes and partes of true Loue and charitye may be valued by wordes and not by matter what can be found more vertuous then this minde what may seéme more louing or more fully replenished with charitable zeale of our sauety For what loue can be greater thē for a man to yeald ouer his owne lyfe for an other mans safety But if you will vouchsafe to compare these wordes written here with the slaunders Tauntes and Reproches which are skattered euery where before and will examine Osorius thoroughly within and without I am afrayd a man shall not finde him the man in proofe that appeareth before in wordes but a cleane contrary conditioned man nor very much differing from the shape of those whom Cicero doth not vnfittly decypher vnto vs. Of all the kindes of fraude and vnrighteous dealing there is none more pestilent sayth he then the craft of those men which when they doe deceaue most will so handle the matter that they may be taken for very honest men Not much vnlyke hereunto seémeth to haue happened in Osorius at this present For after that he hath slaundered and rayled lyke a common skold in a Cage in backbyting and reuyling the names and cōuersations of men whose lyfe he neuer knew nor vnderstandeth their doctrine yea and with such an insolent kinde of sawcynesse nypping and skoffing that no common Barretor could haue more fiercely exclaymed agaynst the most Rascall in
Asscention day and Whitsonday and the Feast of all Saintes be passed ouer with no lesse brauery if besides this outward shew vayne glorious pompe nothing be ministred els to rayse vppe Fayth to the contemplation of matters of farre greater importaunce For what may we thinke when Christ was first Circumcized when he was first named A Sauiour wheÌ„ in floud Iordan he was Baptized of Iohn and manifested agayne to be the Sonne of God by a most excellent voyce from heauen when as he was tempted of the Deuill after sixe weékes fasting whenas hauyng finished that triumphe of his Resurrection asscended into heauen he powred vpon his Apostles clouen fiery tounges may we thinke I say that all these were done to none other end but that we should in remembrauÌ„ce of them keépe idle holy dayes in pastyme play And yet we do not much finde fault with the memorials of those thyngs in godly affected myndes wheÌ„as they be rightly taught vnto them as certeine helpes and aydes of godly exercizes eueÌ„ so also we do not vtterly reiect those holy dayes approued of auÌ„cient tyme by vse and custome yea rather we do in many places reteigne and keépe the same Holy dayes as they doe albeit not with like ceremony as farre as we may without reproche of superstition For euen we also do assemble our selues together and come to the Church celebratyng the memory of the byrth of Christ his Resurrection and Ascention and the Feast of Peâ—therost also but not as a memoriall alone whereof we ought to be myndefull euery day and euery houre but seékyng an occasion of the day to heare somewhat that may conduce to sounde and pure Religion and the edifieng of our fayth vnto saluation And therfore we doe not simply deny and reiect these holy dayes but the maner of solemnizyng the same the stinking abuses superstitious worshyppyng the multitude of holy dayes your soâ—ges and sonnettes for the most part idolatrous your prayers and inuocations most manifestly repugnaunt and iniurious to the glory of Christ those we do vtterly abolish and not without cause The Iewes had their solemne holy dayes in tymes past though in nomber not so many yet prescribed by God him selfe They had also their bloud offringes and Sacrifices Fastynges Easter Solemnities and the brasen Serpent wherof as loÌ„g as they folowed the lawfull vse as beyng certeine signes and meane instruments shadowes leadyng to the endes whereunto they were instituted they were acceptable enough vnto God But after that by turnyng catte in the panne they placed the chief worshyppyng of God and principall marke of true Religion in those thynges which of their owne nature were the last and of least valew how horrible and execrable they became in the sight of God no man can tell you better then Esay yâ— Prophet What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices ' I am full of them the Burnt offring of your Rammes and fatte of your fattlinges the bloud of your Calues of your Lambes and of your Goates I would not haue when you come before my presence who sought for these thinges at your handes to walke so in my Courtes offer no more any Sacrifice in vayne your Incense is abhominable in my fight your new Moones and Sabbathes and other holy dayes I will not away with your assemblies are wicked my soule hateth you Kalendes and solemne Feastes I am greeued with these things and ouerladen with them And when you stretche forth your hands vnto me I will turne away my face from you and when you multiplie your prayers I will not heare you c. And yet God him selfe ordeined all these thynges in his owne law What then Doth God condemne the thynges which he commaunded No truly but bycause they wrested forced those thynges to an other end then they were instituted for bycause they were fastened wholy to those and had settled the chief foundation of ReligioÌ„ in these Rites neglecting in the meane tyme the greater and high matters of the Law this now was it that the Lord could not away withall Go to Le ts vs also now take a through view of your notable Feastes and solemne worshyppynges and let vs compare your ordinaunces who liue now vnder the Spirituall law with that people that liued vnder the carnall Law For they neither worshypped their Sacrifices nor burnt offringes at any tyme they neuer painted the resemblaunce or counterfaite of Gods couÌ„tenauÌ„ce in table or picture they neuer bedecke their TeÌ„ples with Images they did neuer set downe any visible signes or portraictes of Patriarches or Saints to be gazed vpoÌ„ neither did they euer gadde on Pilgrimage to visite theÌ„ to their Psalmes Prayers they had nothyng patched els nothyng intermixt froÌ„ els where they made no intercessioÌ„ to Saintes Sainctesses they neuer made inuocation to the dead In their Lessons was neuer any thyng heard but Gods scripture onely nor any thyng pronounced out of the Scriptures that was not in their mother toung intelligible enough of all sortes young and old indifferently Briefly there was nothyng exercized but by the expresse prescript and commaundement of Gods law so that the state and condition of the Iewish Feastes may seéme to be farre more â—afie and tollerable then yours if we haue respect to the onely outward forme superstition of myndes And yet as I sayd before I do not stand so much in this point but that ChristiaÌ„s may haue their holy dayes and solemne Feastes wherein they may refresh them selues be raysed to the remembraunce of Gods benefites and manifold mercyes bestowed vpon vs so that the same be obserued wtout preiudice of fayth in simplicitie of vnfayned piety Neither am I so curious to haue that comely traditions of our elders to be abolished so the true ReligioÌ„ remaine meane whiles vndeffled the vse wherof coÌ„sisteth not in outwards ceremonies nor in corporall exercises nor in places and times but in spirit truth so that false preposterous hipocriticall deuotion be abandoned wherewith God waxed wroth and was highly displeased For how many christiaÌ„s may a man seé which do measure the chiefe worshyppyng of God by any other endes almost then by their dayly frequenting churches often hearyng of Masses keéping the euens and holydayes orderly fasting the Ember dayes carefully reiterating their Paternosters and Aues often and solemnely powring out their Synnes into theyr priestes bosomes in Lent treatably croochyng and kneélyng to the Crucifixe barefooted and barelegged humbly Receiuyng the very body and bloud of Christ vnder the formes of bread wyne once a yeare yea euen in their death beddes deuoutly and that besides there remayneth nought to be superadded to attain perfect saluation beleuing stedfastly nor that they be ought indepted to Christ vdoubtedly but suppose vnfaynedly that they ought forthwith for these causes receiue heauen for theyr meéd of very duety I besech you If Esay the Prophet liued now
agayne amoÌ„gst ChristiaÌ„s or S. Paule the Apostle and should behold these our serions and toylesome triflinges in our temples these cunnyng counterfaytes Images Alters bread worshippinges and the whole face of Christian Religion so transformed into Apishe ceremonies should seé how prety holy you will shew your selues in trinckets and toyes and how retchles and vnmindefull of the principall poyntes of doctrine how niggardly skraping from relieuing the poore how vnmeasurably prodigall in buildyng of Temples in decking of Monasteries in enriching of churches in costly coapes in Iewels and plate in dawbing of walles in glyding of postes how excessiuely sumptuous In corporall exercises which are of small value how foreward and couragious but in the exercise of true pietye whiche is profitable for all things how litle or no care at all employed as that it may seéme we haue either forlorne all mercy and compassion or that pitty and mercye haue forsaken their owne intralles and vowelles Moreouer in iudging our brethren how frowardly headstrong in burning and killing how â—ooâ—cherly cruell and Sauadge If Esay the Prophet and the Apostle Paule I say did behold these thinges and withall did seé before their eyes such and so much christian blood sucked out spilt by your meanes so many thowsandes of martires murthered and sent vnder the Altar would not he most rightfully or woulde not God by the mouth of his Prophet in much more fiercenes and vehemeÌ„cy of stomack redubble the saying agaynst you more iustly then he did sometimes agaynst the Iewes I will not accept your holidayes your sabbaothes soleÌ„ne feastinges your asseÌ„blies are wicked my soule hateth your kaleÌ„ds soleÌ„nities I am greued with theÌ„ am ouerladeÌ„ with theÌ„ Why haue we fasted and thou hast not beholden vs Behold in the day of your fasting your mindes are enclined to wickednes You fast to contention and strife and oppresse your brethren cruelly wrongfully and without cause Be your washed be ye clensed remoue away the euill imaginations of your hartes out of my sight What would Paule haue added moreouer who endued you at the first with a farre other manner of doctrine if he should now behold your doctrines your rites inuocations decreés masses multitude of holidayes your ceremonies worshippinges croochings and kneélinges and the disorderous abuses of all your religion if heé should note that the coÌ„fideÌ„ce affyaunce wh he taught to be placed in Christ onely were by you transposed translated into an infinite heap of aduocates proctors rent euen in sunder by you Would he acknowledge you for ChristiaÌ„s I pray you or at least standing in great feare of you would he not exclaim agayn vpon you You obserue dayes and monethes I am afrayd of you c. But it is well Osorius doth now at length beginne to speak somewhat to the matter I do confesse in deed saith he that al those things wherof I haue made meÌ„cioÌ„ all others of the same sort which I haue omitted for I think it not needfull to rehearse al by name are not of any such great perfectioÌ„ for they be certayne principles certayne â—ecessary helpes for vs where with as yet our weake and mortall estate hath some familiarity and acquayntaunce and of this we haue good proof by dayly experience c. The loÌ„g processe therfore that you made of state feasts and other gadding holydayes in the yeare belike are of the quality then as you haue said Osor. of that wh though you seéme to haue rehearsed very many yet haue you not remembred all In deéde in this you speake the trueth For you haue ouerskipt almost an innumerable multitude besides these to witte the feastes of the Sayncts and she Saynts And first of Saynct Iohn Baptist the feastes of the Apostles Martyrs moreouer of Confessours Uirgyns Byshoppes and Abbots of the inuention and exaltation of the holy crosse of hallowing of Ashes of Gangeweéke and procession of Saincte Michael of Sainct Peters chayre Sainct George Sainct Nicholas Sainct Katherine Sainct Thomas of the assumption coÌ„ception natiuity and Annnuciation and visitation of our blessed Uirgine Mary of the patrone of the church dedication day and Relicksonday And who is able wich toung to expresse all which in such clusters are crepte into the Kalender that it might iustly haue bene feared least if the popes holines had coÌ„tinued a while longer in good credite all working dayes should haue bene turned into holydayes or euerlasting Iubilees But forasmuch as Osorius is contented to pare away these skrappes as not altogether so necessary for his commentaries we will be contented also to make as litle account of them and to returne agayne to Osor. description wherein the same also which he doth very fittely deny is not altogether true namely that the things which he rehearsed are not valuable as perfect but are certayne principles and necessarye helpes prouided for such as groaning yet vnder the burden of flesh and blood are not throughly huÌ„bled in spirite But I beseéch you good honest man what maner of speache is this what kynde of helpes be these wherof you treat is it euen so Syr to carry candles burning at hygh noone in the eyes and gaze of all men call you this a helpe for weake memoryes or rather a playne president of ridiculous superstition to worshippe the crucifixe barefooted and barelegged to fall groueling before Images to sette vp tapers and caÌ„dles burning before them to part stakes of the honour due vnto God with he Sayntes and sheé Sayntes to make vowes vnto them to craue their helpe in mishappes and misfortunes to 〈◊〉 as much to theyr merites as to Chryst himselfe to nourish thâ—â—â—norauÌ„ce of the vnlettered in an vnknowne touÌ„g to remoue the vnlearned multitude from the reading of scriptures to carry them with dumme and colde ceremonies where ye list to feéde the eares with musicke and song whose soules you ought to haue fed with the word of God and enstructed vnto fayth finally to make a greater brable and sturre for the breach of these holy dayes and neglecting those ceremonies yea to hate your brethren more deadly rack them to more tortures for these peéuish Bables more spightfully then for not performing the lawe of the Lord Will you perswade vs to account these to be principles of piety or shall we boldly call them rather mysteries of iniquity and playne blockes and lettes of true Religion What shall we thinke of this that not contented yet to haue so largely debated of the celebrating of holy daies and the manifold Fruit of the same he proceédeth further beateth the naile to this issue that he maketh now of the very same principles a very necessitie which earst he vouchsafed no place towardes the attayning of perfection So that now these shadowes and signes of holy thinges though of themselues vnperfect doe yet yeélde great helpes to perfect pietye not onely in these that are weak but seéme also very necessary