three diuine or Theologicall vertues this he might haue learned in his pops Primer lately printed and haue named them faith hope and charitie Wherein they doe speake more like Diuines then M. Fowler doth either like a Diuine or good Philosopher Amonge the Philosophers them selues he might haue found more vertues then foure He might also haue done somewhat for the helpe of his simple Reader for whose pleasure he hath made this Psalter if he had told him what those vertues were and why they be called Cardinall vertues For a simple man may thinke that they are so called of the Romish Cardinals a sect of men most voyd of vertues as by their particular doings may be easily founde out And to speake of the vertues needefull to a Christian there are many more then foure which a christian is to learne in the blessed booke of God the holy Scripture I meane So M. Fowler in this peece of his Psalter striketh but like a bungeling fidler not cleane not full but striketh very shorte and doth but fumble dally with them whom he would haue daūce after his pipe In his fourth petitiō he teacheth them which are minded to play on his Psalter to say Graunt me the spirite of penaunce contrition confession satisfaction to obtaine thy grace from filthy sinne to purge me Trewe penaunce we doe know and pray that it may be truly practised we do also know those tearmes which M. Fowler doth vse They are the same by which the popishe schoolemen doe set foorth their three partes of their Sacrament of penaunce But this their deuise is already so euidētly vndone and the filthe and forgery thereof so vnfolded by the learned wryters of our age that I will no further meddle therewith then to referre the reader to the readinge of the fourth chapter of the thirde booke of the Institutions of M. Caluin which if he will diligently read ouer he shall perceaue that in this popish partition is no perfect penance that this peece of worke as M. Fowler doth penne it is vnmeete to haue place in the prayer of a trewe Christian howe meete soeuer it be to be placed in this Psalter of M. Fowler And where he addeth that by this parted Penaunce he might obtaine Gods grace he knoweth not verily what grace meaneth For as the Apostle teacheth If grace be of workes it is no more grace he falleth from grace that doth by his workes thrust on him selfe to gaine deserue merite and gette grace In the fifte petition he teacheth vs to pray thus The catholike obseruances of the church make me to kepe truely What he meaneth by these catholike obseruaunces I dare not take on me to iudge I knowe them not But if he doe by them meane those fiue commaundementes of the church which his frend companiō M. Vaws hath set foorth in his Catechisme in which he doth but bungel and woulde faine imitate the Iesuites in their Catechisme Yf these be the catholike obseruances of the church of which M. Fowler speaketh or if he doe meane those preceptes of the church which his Pope Pius hathe packed together in his newe Primer I aunswere thus First we do deny that they be catholike Then that they be any obseruaunces of the true church of Christ As for that romish church which both hath and doth take vppon her to deliuer such commaundementes as God did neuer giue to his church we doe abhorre that proude harlot and all her commaundementes neither hath a Christian any warraunt of Gods worde to assure his conscience either to make this petition whiche is here sette downe by M. Fowler nor promise to be hearde if he make it and therefore it is to be lefte to the deuisers of it And surely this his petition doth not agree with the first pece of the next petition followinge that is Make my soule obedient to holy doctrine He whose soule is made obedient to holy doctrine doth detest all suche vnholie doctrines and obseruaunces as men doe deliuer out of their owne deuises suche as are the commaundementes and obseruaunces of the catholike churche of Rome and he prayeth God to keepe him from them he can not praye to keepe or obey them In the seauenth petition he hathe put in this for a prayer Thy blessed mother be mediatrice for me and purchase me a contrite hearte for that I haue offended thee You haue heard before howe Maister Fowler hath called the Lord Iesus the Mediator of saluation as though this were all that is in the Lord Iesus ▪ And you haue heard how I haue proued that our Lorde Iesus is the Mediator of our saluation and is also our Mediator of intercession Now Maister Fowler as though Iesus the onely Mediatour did not content him findeth vs out a newe Mediatour the Virgine Marie whome he will haue to be a mediatrice for him and a purchaser for him But we christians do knowe no other Mediator nor purchaser for vs but one euen that one only Lord Iesus the sonne of the virgin Mary for he is the Mediator betwene God and man euen that man Christ Iesus Iesus is as the Apostle calleth him He. 12. the Mediator of the New Testament The Gospell word of the New Testament doth teach vs to know Iesus to be the Mediator of al them which do appertaine to the New Testament are receaued into that couenaunt of life It doth not assigne vs any other Mediator not the virgin Mary not any Sainct nor Angell We dare not take this office from the sonne and giue it to the mother we will not forsake the sonne who is our certaine sure and only Mediator and go to the mother who hath no such office committed vnto her We learne also that a contrite harte is wroughte in the electe by the spirite and word of god We doe not knowe howe the virgine Mary can purchase this for vs Againe in that petition he placeth these wordes All thy Sainctes pray for me that I be not separate from thee and their blessed fellowshippe in the heauenly city Thoughe it be graunted to M. Fowler that the Sainctes in heauen doe pray for vs yet hathe he giuen vs no warrant of the worde of God to assure our cōsciences either to make our prayers to thē or to pray the Lord Iesus to speake to them or to appoint them to pray for vs The Lorde Iesus prayed for Peter that his faith might not faile if it had failed he had bien separated from the Lorde Christ Lette them therefore whiche feare this separation pray the Lorde Iesus to be euen so good to them in this point as he was to Peter For Christ prayed not for the Apostles only but for all them which shal beleue in him truly I pray not for these alone sayth he but for all them also which shall beleue in me through their worde Ioh. 17. We know that the Lorde Iesus him selfe maketh intercession for vs and with that we doe
their new psalmes of their owne Such a psalter is this and suche psalmes here hath M. Fovvler made if not worse then they were as worthy to be forbidden as they and to be auoyded of al true Christians who are as I said to learne of the Lord him self how to offer this sacrifice of prayer to him and it is our duetie both to thanke him that it hath pleased him to become our teacher and also to suffer our selues to be taught of him yea and to harken to that which is sayd and by the spirit of God taught vs. Coloss 3. Let the vvord of Christ dvvell in you plenteously in all vvisedom teaching and admonishing your ovvne selues in psalmes and himnes and spirituall songes singing vvith grace in your hartes vnto the Lord c. Prayse god TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader FOwler addeth vnto his fiddle whiche he calleth a Psalter an admonition It may I trust be as lawefull for me nowe in the ende of this booke to adde a few words in way of a necessary admonition VVhen the Pope sheweth himselfe liberal in giuinge of Pardons to them which will pray so as he appointeth them when papists are busie to make vs Psalters and such prety instrumentes whereon to pray a man woulde thinke that both he they were become very deuoute But euen these very same men when this word prayer is most busie in their mouthes haue in their hartes hands fowle bloody practises to cut the throates of theÌ„ whom they doe allure to pray with them In which they do not so closely work but God of his goodnes doth discouer theÌ„ blessed be his name for it He doth bevvray vnto vs that blood thrist vvhich lieth in their hartes For they do in dede secretly labor practise the sheding of our blood the murthering of vs all whilest they doe allure vs to pray as they prescribe vs And therfore iust cause we haue novve to complaine on these enemies as Dauid doth vppon his Psal. 55. The wordes of his mouth were softer then butter yet warre was in his hart His words were more gentle then oyle yet they were swords VVe may likevvise complaine as he doth Psal. 120. My soule hath to longe dwelt with him that hateth peace I seeke peace when I speake thereof they are bent to warre In these practises of the seede of Cain that is of these romish catholikes for so they vvil be called vve do se that fulfilled vvhich vvas foretold vs by our Sauior Christ Ioh. 16. That whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God seruice Thus are the childreÌ„ of God forevvarned that they shall finde enemies so deuout cruell that they shall thinke them selues to do good and acceptable sacrifice to God in slaying killing of them This is an opinion vvhich is putte into their mindes by the deuill that old murtherer liar in this murthering the murtherers do this their seruice to the deuil him selfe The old persequutinge Pagans thus serued their Gods that is the deuill him selfe in bloody slayinges and murtheringes of Christians In deede it is the delight of the deuil to smell the sauor of such sacrifices And therfore euen among the Pagans and Idolaters the deuill that olde murtherer hadde sovved this delusion that they vvere induced to thinke it to be a most acceptable seruice to their Idolls to offer vnto them men vvomen children in slaine sacrifice like beasts Yea some of theÌ„ did doate herein so egregiously that they spared not their ovvne sonnes and daughters but made vnnaturall slaughters of their naturall children to the deuil him selfe in their Idols And this vvas amonge them a thinge so common and horrible that euen of this their cruell inhumanity did some olde doctors and vvryters of Christes church gather argumentes to proue those Idols false deuils and their vvorshippe Idolatry and to dravv those Idolaters from their barbarous infidelitie to the faith of Christ The same pagans also vvere taught by the deuill their schoolemaister to thinke sometime that it vvas meete for them to pacifie their gods and to procure them selues felicity by makinge of hauocke and cruell slaughters of the godly olde Christians The same murtherer the deuill vvhich vvrought these mischiefes then doth vse still his olde pranckes and doth sturre vp papistes novv to practise the like inhumaine cruell slaughters vpon the poore flock sheepe of Christ as he did by Pagans then They thinke it an acceptable seruice sacrifice to their god But it is only a pleasing seruice to the deuill of hel and the deuill it is vvhom papistes do serue herein They thinke by these meanes to extinguish the faith the religion true profession of Christ that their popish Idols may keepe the place of God and be counted and vvorshipped as God only and alone vppon earth vvherein they serue the deuill himselfe to the vttermost of their povver Many are the vnnaturall slaughters vvhich not onelie before vs but euen in our age papistes haue made in Fraunce at Merindoll Paris and through that vvhole realme in Flaunders also and Spayne England and else vvhere as the histories of our age doe beare testimony But if that God vvhom Papists vvorship be such a cruel belly god that he is best pleased vvhen men are slayne for his pleasure vve may safely say then that that vvhich the Papists doe vvorshippe vvith such seruice is the very deuill of hell For the Lord God the maker of heauen and earth God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the onely true liuing God accepteth no such seruice no such sacrifice and he vvill in his appoynted time call these butchers and men quellers to as fearefull an accompte for these their cruell doings as once he called Cain for the slaughter of his brother Abell Yea let them proceede they shall but fill vppe the measure of their sinnes that vpon them as Christ sayth may come all the righteous blood that vvas shed vpon the earth from the blood of Abell the righteous vnto the blood of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias c. But you vvill say these men be deuoute in their prayers They doe pray so did Cain so did Doeg make a semblance of praying and sacrificing but this vvas but the counterfetting of these cast-avvayes And the Papists do think that vvhilest they do thus nourish this vnsatiable malice and deuise of these bloody massacres in their heartes yet that they doe pray so vvell theÌ„selues that they may allure others to pray vvith them But in these their thoughtes they do erre and are deceaued For the Lord him selfe sayeth by the Prophet Isai 1. VVhen you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many prayers I will not heare for your hands are full of blood The prayers therfore of these bloody papists are not hearde thankes be to God for it But let vs al vvhich do professe the religion of Iesus Christ in truth be admonished vvith care and diligence to practise right prayer acceptable to God by Iesus Christ our Sauior and not forget that vvhilest vve do pray papistes haue still their secrete practises to cut all our throates and therefore let vs be prepared for them Psal. 72. He shall redeeme their soules from deceite violence deere shal their blood be in his sight â—sal 25. â—nst Pij v. â—sai 2. Matth. 10. 2. Cor. 11. Marc. 12. Thâ— Psal. â— Matt Ber. in Serm. 1â— Ri. de s â—ict ex Io. â—ath Epiph. contra her lib. 1. to 3. Hierâ— Ioel. Act. â— Act. 13. Mathâ— Hieron in epist. ad Ephes lib. 2. cap. 3. Math. 21 Marke 1 Iacob 1. Ioan. 15. De verb. Ap. serm 14. Rom. 8. August in Epi. Ioan. tract 1. Petr. a soto August Hyâ—ognost Libr. 1. de praepar Euang Concil Trident Rom. 6. â—ath 20. Cip. serm de mort Vit. patr Rom. 16. Heb. 1. Epiph. li. 3. tom 2. Act. 7. Ioan. 15. 1. Tim. 2. Hieron in Ierem. 23. To. 2. concil cap. Grec Synod Cl. Alex. Matth. 23.
A WARNING TO TAKE HEEDE OF FOVVLERS PSALTER giuen by Th. Sampson ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautrollier for George Bishoppe 1578. TO MY VERY GODLY LOVING FREND AND BROTHER M. ROBERT ASKE GOLDSMITH AND ONE of the Bridgemaisters of the Citie of London YOV did sende of late vnto me at one time as you knovve tvvo bookes vvhich the Louanistes had sent into England the one vvas a Primer the other a Psalter The Primer is in latin and is as I thinke but a nevve burnishing of their old popish pelfe I did not peruse it neither do I entende to bestovv any labour thereabout For manye yeares are passed sithence I did leaue my Primer neither haue I any pleasure novve to looke vppon those pudles of poperie in vvhich I vvas plunged in the dayes of my youth and ignorance I do rather vvith the Psalmist humbly praye the Lorde not to remember the faultes and ignoraunces of my youth but according to his ovvne kindnes and for his goodnes sake to forgiue me It is besides all this novv become a tickle peice of vvorke M. Robert to medle vvith Primers vvill you knovv vvhy The olde Primers are of late greatly disgraced by pope Pius For he sayeth that they vvere filled vvith superstitious errours and sayth that many forged prayers vvere thrust into them vnder false and feyned names of Sainctes He calleth also all the pardons graunted in thē and printed in their rubrikes into doubte Thus doth this Pope dashe the deuotion of papistes Therefore lette olde papistes looke vvell vvhat Primers they vse and take heede vvhich of them they doe trust least they do not onely lose their labour but fall into the displeasure of the Pope And by the doinges of late Popes they maye see hovv vnsauery and vnsafe the doings of former Popes are for that vvhich one allovveth an other disallovveth one promiseth an other denyeth Therefore I thought good novv to leaue both them their Primer And because the Psalter seemed to be some straunge noueltie vvith vvhich the authours thought to make some freashe melodie I did take this their Psalter into my hande I did but touch the stringes thereof to taste vvhat sounde it did giue but I did not finde that in it vvhich the name seemeth to promise rather I finde in it vnsauery discorde stringes false and out of tune other such iarres as by perusing this litle pamphlet you may perceaue VVhich I doe not send to you my good brother as though I thought that you either delighted in such instruments as is that popishe Psalter or that you needed my helpe to dravv you from the delighte or daūger of such trumpery in vvhich Papists do take their pleasure God hath by his grace separated you farre from that secte and brought you into his ovvne schoole vvhere you may do vvith ioye heare learne and taste of the svveetnes of the Lorde and haue the songes of life and saluation praise the Lorde for it And pray him to holde you euer in this vvaye of life that you may alvvayes haue your harte and eare open and vvholly sette to heare the voice of Iesus and also closed shutte and fully turned from those false flatteringe and entising Syrene popishe voices vnto vvhich vvho so hearckneth pearisheth remediles Novve though you neede not my labour herein taken yet in recompence of your freindly and kinde remembring of me vvith such nevves as do come to your hāds I haue thought good to send you this vvritten paper to remaine vvith you as a token of my good vvill tovvardes you And if your sonne Iohn Aske of vvhose vvell doinge in God I haue some care vvith you may be admonished by it to learne euen in his youth to bevvare of such Popishe pastime as is made in that Popishe Psalter to giue heede to the truth of Iesus Christ the only true doctrine of our life and saluation I shal be gladde and reioyce to see him enryched vvith that fayth vvhich dvvelled in Gillian his naturall mother doth dvvel in you his natural father novv and so I hope shall vnto the ende That increase of true vnderstanding vvhich doth giue life in God I vvishe to you and all yours vvishe you the same to me and mine Lecester the 10. of October 1577. LAME Tho. Sampson Ephes 5. Be fulfilled with the spirite speakinge vnto your selues in Psalmes and hymnes spirituall songes singing and making melodie to the Lorde in your hartes giuing thankes alwayes for all thinges vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ A WARNING TO TAKE HEEDE OF FOWLERS PSALTER GIVEN By Tho. Sampson IT hath ben alwayes the manner of such as do departe from the trueth and faith which is in Christ Iesus onely and do betake them selues to the errour and vntruth of their owne choyse and are setled therein their manner hath ben and is I say to inuente and deuise such proper thinges as maye serue to induce other men to like of that which they doe and by litle and litle to draw them to become like to them selues And to this ende they doe vse to paint their owne foule doinges with faire coulours for they thinke if they shoulde at the first openly showe that grosenes which is in their errour they shoulde driue all men from them rather then allure any to them And therfore they do make a choise of goodly wordes and do set the same as closely as they can vpon their errour because they woulde by a shewe of that which is good deceaue men the more readily and draw them to their euill So many olde Heretiques did in their heresie retaine the name of Iesus Christ and vnder that most holy name they did hyde all their poyson They did speake some good thinges and cited also some sentences of holy Scripture vnder these good couers to conueye their errours into the mindes of men Likewise do the Papists now They haue and hold for the couer of their filthes and abhominacions the names of God of Christ of Iesus of the Church of the spirit of truth of Catholike and what not But all these they do vse but as a sconse to deceaue and vnder these faire titles to drawe simple soules into their filth They haue heretofore foughte for them selues in this lande with fire and sworde feircely but when that tyrannie was as now it is ouerturned through Gods great mercy towardes vs blessed be his name for it by the most mercyfull and milde gouernement of our gratious soueraine Queene Elizabeth whose life amōg vs reigne ouer vs God almighty prosper and prolonge They soughte a while to holde maintaine their owne with bookes and writinges full of forgeries and of furiouse speaches threates cursed speakinges They haue also had their practises to recouer againe into their hands that gouernment which once they had and now they haue loste In which desire they haue ben and are as desperately set as any cruell tyraunte euer was
lighte it is meate it is medecine For Iesus is lighte to them which sitte in darknes he is meate to them which do hunger and thrist after righteousnes and saluation he filleth the hungry with good thinges he is a medecine and a playster of life for the sicke soule and broken harte Yea if all these had misliked him he mighte haue tolde vs yet that one of his owne elders sayth that the name of Iesus is a sweete name a name full of delighte a name comforting a sinner a name of good hope and that this man thus speaking of this name Iesus brusteth foorth into prayer as it shoulde seeme feeling some excellent sweetnes in that name and sayth O Iesus be vnto me a Iesus that is O Sauiour be vnto me a sauiour or O sauiour saue me All these thinges M. Fowler doth passe ouer and giueth vs as he sayth a psalter of Iesus in which he doth teach vs oftē to name the name of Iesus But it is a matter of vnderstanding sence and feeling truely to speake of Iesus it is not a matter of fidling with tenne fingers as M. Fowler teacheth They which haue experience of Iesus do know this best This is not had nor fee lt by looking on the letters nor spelling of the name of Iesus by sillables nor yet by bare pronouncing the name Iesu The old heretikes called Marcosij made them selues much adoe about this name and the letters thereof yea and curiously deuised on some nomber which mighte be noted by the letters of this name as Epiphanius doth write And notably doth this auncient writer saye to them all as in one Vocem enim solum habes virtutem vero ipsius ignoras that is thou hast onely the worde or voice but the vertue or power thereof thou doest not know It is one thing to pronounce the worde and an other to vnderstand and feele the vertue and power noted by that word This this giueth life and therefore to speake of Iesus with vnderstāding and sense of that life and saluatiō which Iesus doth giue is such a thing as the holy Ghost doth worke in the elect alone whereof the Apostle sayeth 1. Cor. 12. No man can saye that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy Ghost If we saye the Lord Iesus truely we are taught so to do by the holy Ghost for it onely doth frame our tongues to make a true confession of the Lord Iesus and of the saluation which by faith we do feele in our hartes that we haue by him It teacheth vs to speake of Iesus not in bare speache alone but waying what we say as Hierom noteth in these wordes Tamen hoc ipsum dicere non sermone sed affectu cordis est ponderandum that is this saying is to be wayed with and in affection of harte not in or with bare speach Otherwise many haue vsed this name Iesus and pronounced it but euill and to their owne hurte We do reade of certeine vagabounde coniurers which tooke in hande to name ouer them that had euill spirits the name of the Lord Iesus saying We do adiure you by Iesus whom Paule preacheth They abused the name of Iesus they did not vnderstande the vertue and power of Iesus Though they did pronounce the word Iesus yet had they not faith in Iesus nor feeling of his power and sauing health They spake not of Iesus by the holy Ghost and in true vnderstanding and they did speede thereafter For the euill spirite aunswered them Iesus I acknowledge and Paule I know but who are ye Thus were these coniurers driuen awaye beaten and wounded euen by the euill spirite whom they thought to haue driuen awaye by pronouncing the name Iesus You maye see that coniurers and the deuill him selfe can name and pronounce the name of Iesus and yet are no whitte the better for so doing It is not therefore the bare pronouncinge of the name that doth profit at all as by this example is to be seene We do also reade of a certeine sorcerer that made him selfe so boulde of this name Iesus that he called him selfe Bariesus as though he were the very man of saluation And yet did this wretched man withstand so much as he coulde the doctrine of Iesus preached by Paule and sought to turne others from the faith and labored to peruerte the straight waye of the Lorde We are by Iesus Christ him selfe forwarned to take heede of such as shall abuse and counterfeit his name to deceaue and seduce vs beleeue them not sayth Christ Suche a company of counterfeits are in Poperie For in it they haue their brotherhoodes of Iesus their feastes of the name of Iesus their pardons of Iesus their Masse of the same mattens howres and euen song of it And of late dayes the Papists haue hatched and brought foorth a swarme of such vermine as call themselues Iesuites whose trauell is like to that of Bariesu that is to peruerte the right wayes of the Lorde Iesus to turne men from the true vnderstanding of the vertue and power of Iesus To this purpose be they sent foorth to carrye men from hearckening to the Gospell of Iesus and from beleeuing truly in Iesus and yet they be called Iesuites vnder this faire name to worke their feate that is to seduce men and leade them from Iesus They are enemies to Iesus to his doctrine power sauing health as both by their name doing and doctrine is proued at large by that learned writer of our age Martin Kemnitius And euen so to their new found psalter is the name of Iesu by them added but as a snare whereby the psalter maker woulde drawe his reader from the truth of Iesu into the puddle of poperie It may be maruailed greatly that Papistes dare thus boldly and impudently abuse the name of Iesus the name of our blessed God and Sauiour Haue they no conscience of breaking Gods commaundement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine for the Lorde will not holde him giltles that taketh his name in vaine Though now they do not feare to committe the faulte yet shall they not escape but by a true verdicte be founde guilty of it before god For to take his name to confirme a falshoode is to take his name in vaine and to breake his commaundemēt But thus do they now take the name of the Lorde Iesus therefore lette Papistes holde vp their handes and aunswere guiltie or not guiltie if they pleade not guiltie they shall abide the triall before God by his lawe and then they wil be founde guiltie I know it will grieue them to be thus charged but if any of them do thinke them selues to be ouercharged herein lette them tell vs truely who made them so bolde to applie the holy name of Iesus to their owne deuises to their Masses pardons brotherhoodes and such trumperie or to call their sectaries Iesuites or to call this their new deuise the psalter of
Iesu did Iesus Christ euer giue them commission thus to vse his name or did he euer make this psalter Lette them shew this by the holy Scriptures If he did not then lette them tell vs if any of his Apostles or disciples did make this psalter or did deliuer this psalter to vs and did tell vs on their creadite that it was the psalter of Iesus If neither Christ Iesus him selfe nor any of his Apostles nor disciples did deliuer this psalter to vs from whom then did it come who did make it who can assure vs that it is as they saye the psalter of Iesu Who was so bolde with the name of the Lord Iesus to put it to this psalter as though it were made by Iesus We know that there haue ben some olde deceauers which haue published their owne forgeries in the name of Iesus as there haue bene also manye double dealers which haue foysted out their falshoodes vnder the name of good men which haue bene of greate creadite in the Church of god Surely our Papistes coulde not haue picked out a more glorious name then is this name of Iesu vnder which they mighte haue sette foorth this their new founde psalter But this to do is to the authors thereof a thing most daungerous For it maketh them guiltie of taking the glorious name of Iesus in vaine and sheweth that they haue no deutifull regarde of the glory due to the Lord Iesus and to his most glorious name S. Paule intreating Philip. 2. how the Lorde of glorie Iesus Christ did for our sake humble him selfe and became obediente to the death euen the death of the crosse sayth also that now God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesu euery knee shoulde bowe of thinges in heauen and thinges in earth and thinges vnder the earth and that euery tonge shoulde confes that Iesus Christ is the Lorde vnto the glorie of God the father Thus doth the holy Apostle teach that God hath giuen to Iesus a name a dignitie and power aboue all names dignities and powers For all power in heauen and earth is giuen vnto him He is so aboue all that they all must bowe the knee at the name of Iesus which as Hierom sayth Non ad genua corporis sed ad subiectionem mentis inclinationem animae cordisque obsequium pertinet doth not pertaine to the bowinge of the knee of the bodie but it pertaineth to the subiection of the mind the bowinge of the soule and obedience of the harte for all must obey him and be subiect to Iesus to the will maiestie power of Iesus Christ Sithence this glorie is due and to be giuen to our Lorde Iesus and to his glorious name howe dare Papistes be thus bolde to vse and abuse it to filthie sectes of their owne setting foorth to brotherhoodes to pardons feastes Masses mattens psalters such like thinges as they deuise them selues vnder that most holy name to gette creadite to their falshoodes and sale to their marchaundise Now we Christians do know by the doings and preachings of Iesus which are sette foorth vnto vs by the most true witnesses of him that is by his holy Apostles and disciples we do by their witnes perceaue that Iesus made no such brotherhoodes feastes Masses mattens howres Euensonges pardons no such psalters for if he had they woulde haue made some mention of them Yea and by the comparing of that which they did truely write of Iesu with these forgeries of Papistes we see the contrariety betwene them so greate that their first most auncient and true writinge doth sufficiently condemne these popish nouelties and this new psalter as a noueltie of falshoode and errour I call it a noueltie as it is If Papistes will disproue me then lette them show what Apostle what auncient apostolique man what approued auncient catholique doctor what auncient generall councell hath commended vnto vs this psalter as the Psalter of Iesu If any shewe vs but if none then is it a noueltie deuised either by that secte of Iesuites or els it may be that Fowler now wanting worke to occupie his presse for his olde maisters which were wont to sette him on worke haue spente their stoare and do not occupie him so freashely as they haue done and him selfe desireth hath deuised with some of his brethren how to make this psalter and so it maye be called Fowlers psalter but not the psalter of Iesus He doth adorne his worke with this braue title Certaine deuoute and Godly petitions commonly called Iesus psalter What deuotion and godlynes is in them shall hereafter appeare But lette M. Fowler tell vs when did this common callinge beginne I saye when did it beginne and among whom It must haue a large compasse that is common Is it ynough to make it common because now the Papistes doe call it common or because M. Fowler doth by his printe call it common Truely this is but a straighte narrow and shorte common but euen such a common is this as is their catholicisme In this their psalter they do as truely name common as they do in the rest of their religion name Catholique for there is no truth in either of thē Neither is this psalter so commonly called nor their religion Catholique but onely so called by them selues It seemeth also that the worke of this psalter did fall out shorter then M. Fowler thought it would and therefore he hath filled vp aboue three score leaues of his booke as in one of his copies is to be seene though it be lefte out in the lesser booke with a certaine new deuised Imagerie so the sithence wordes fayled him he might yet fill vp his booke with some thing to feede the eyes of his simple reader that is with a new stampe of Imagerie This his workemanshippe of Imagerie he doth adorne with this title Godly contemplations for the vnlearned He doth also for confirmation of this his worke adde a sentence out of Basill which he turneth into English meeter yet cannot this his whole worke of Imagerie be warranted by that sentence of Basill For it speaketh of such Imagerie onely as is reported vnto vs by historie But there are among the images made by M. Fowler some whereof we haue no reports by historie In what historie doth he reade that the Lorde God almightie which made both heauen and earth did in the creatiō of them shew him selfe in the likenes of an aged person with a crowne vpon his heade It was wont to be among popish painters a triple Popelike crowne but with M. Fovvler it is nowe but a single crowne not so much as a close crowne such as kinges monarches do weare but euen such a one as it pleaseth M. Fowler to put vpon his head Who taught M. Fowler to be thus bold with the Lorde God to make such a base and earthlie image of his glorious and heauenlie Maiesty Let vs looke
the tenth petition he sayth Iesu sende me here my purgatory and preserue me from those torments of fier which euer shall punish sinne and iniquitie I will not without further proofe presume to say that M. Fowler is fallen into that beastly filth of Pithagoras who dreamed of a monstrous kinde of purgatory and purginge of soules in this mortall life But let M. Fowler awake out of his owne dreame and tell vs howe and where he hath found vs out this new purgatory that is such a one as he doth praye to haue in this life here Of which belike he is not greatly affraid for be teacheth his scholler to praye for it tenne times together But this is not that purgatory I trow out of which he prayeth in euery one of the petitions in his Psalter so bitterly to haue soules deliuered nor yet is it that purgatory of which his catholike fathers in the last councell of Trent doe conclude Neither is this fire which doth euer punish sinne that fire of the popish purgatory For if it doe euer punish sinne then doth it neuer cease nor ende But the fire of the popish purgatory hath an ende as Papistes them selues doe say if they say truely And therfore a Maister of that sect doth call that their purgatory fire ignem transitorium a fire transitory or passing away This purgatory then is none of those purgatories of which we haue hearde before neither is this fire that fire of purgatory It is needefull therefore that M. Fowler doe tell vs what fierles purgatory this is which he so busiely prayeth to haue in this life We must know what it is before we doe pray for it If it shall please him to tell vs what that purgatory is which he calleth my purgatory and desireth to haue it in this life we shall consider the matter more diligently with him in the mean time I leaue it to him selfe It followeth in his Psalter Mother of God Patriarches c. he reckneth vp a number of Sainctes I offer me to your merits and beseech you to pray for me at my passing helpe to protect me I suppose M. Fowler will accompt Abraham to be one among the Patriarches to whom he prayeth But what if Abraham doe not know him In the prophecie of â—saica 63. We reade of some who in their prayer to God seeme to be sturred vppe the more vehemently to praye vnto God himselfe for helpe by this doubtles say they thou art our father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israell knoweth vs not yet thou O Lord art our father and redemer thy name is for euer Loe here is a people which doe offer them selues to God their father and say that the Patriarches Abraham and Israel doe not know them If these Patriarches doe not knowe nor vnderstande of the liuing men what other Patriarches doe it Let M. Fowler tell vs this and also let him tell vs by what warrant of the word of God he doth teach his Reader to offer him selfe thus to the merites of the mother of God of the Patriarches Prophetes Sainctes c. We are taughte to offer our selues to god The sacrifices and offeringes whiche are to be made of our selues are to be made to God alone whose we are Rom. 12. And S. Peter 1. Peter 2. doth teache that the beleuing Christians are made a spirituall house and holy priesthoode to offer vppe sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ We haue not learned to offer our selues to the merits of the mother of God or of any Patriarche Prophet or Sainct liuinge or departed There were a kinde of olde heretickes which did make offeringes and sacrifices to the Virgin Mary as Epiphanius doth write This offring of which M. Fowler speaketh sauoreth strongly of that old heresie and therefore I leaue it as a stincking sacrifice to M. Fowler him selfe We haue likewise learned in the booke of God to trust to be saued by the merits of Christ alone and belike M. Fowler hath heard of such a thing For he doth immediatly in the same petition say My Lorde Iesus crucified for me by the merites of thy glorious passion I beseech thee graunt me these petitions And him selfe doth saye in an other place of his Psalter Thy mercy and thy merits my Sauiour euer be betwene them Gods wrathe and iudgement he meaneth and me Why doth M. Fowler like an Infidell in the tenth petition shewe him selfe to mistrust the merites of Iesus and doth therein offer him selfe to the merits of Gods mother and other Sainctes and nowe doth commit him selfe to the merits of Iesus Is not this a fowle iarre and discord in this Psalter of his I say again that we Christians haue learned to trust to the merits of Iesus Christ alone and to pray him to make intercession for vs We haue not learned to pray Sainctes to make intercession for vs for this is to depart from Christ We haue learned to pray the Lord Iesus both in our liuing in our passing to protect vs We haue not learned in any teacher of truth to aske this protection of the mother of God or other Sainctes The Prophet Dauid hauing him selfe good hope in Gods might mercy doth both commende him selfe and teacheth vs to commend our selues into the handes of God the Lorde our Redeemer Psal. 31. Into thy handes sayth he I doe commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lorde God of truth Thus Dauid doth acknowledge God to be his protector and safe keeper he doth not praye the mother of God he doth not praye Sainctes to protect him The same Dauid Psal. 121. sayth The Lord is thy keeper the Lord is thy shadow at thy right hand And againe the Lord shall preserue thee from all euill he shall keepe thy soule The Lorde shall preserue thy going out and comming in from hence forth and for euer He sayeth likewise Psal. 97. The Lorde preserueth the soules of his Sainctes he will deliuer them from the hand of the wicked The same Prophet Dauid Psal. 18. doth with thankefull hart to God and full mouth confesse this Thou hast giuen me sayth he the shielde of thy saluation and thy right hande hath staide me But what did M. Fowler neuer reade neither these nor those sweete sayings of the Lord our God in which he promiseth to be the protector of his elect to graunt them his sauing helpe Isai 41. God saith feare thou not for I am with thee be not afrayd for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and help thee and will sustayne thee with the right hand of my iustice The faithful man doth learne of Dauid to saye Psal. 28. The Lorde is my strength and my shielde my hart trusted in him I was helped therfore myne hart shal reioyce with my song wil I praise him The faithfull doe saye as Psal. 32. Our foule waiteth for the Lord for he is our helpe and our shielde And of the Prophet he learneth
for our sinnes 1. Ioan. 4. Thus doth the spirite of God lay forth that loue before vs in which lyeth our life Of this loue S. Paule hauing a right good taste wryteth Gal. 2. I liue sayth he by the faith of the sonne of God who loued me and hath giuen him selfe for me In this loue which Christ Iesus beareth to vs is the very life of the faithfull and therfore to it they must they do looke As we reade Apoca. 1. vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood made vs kinges priestes vnto God his father vnto him be glory dominion for euermore Thus are we taught to taste the loue wherewith Iesus Christ hath loued vs our selues howsoeuer either he loued his mother or she loued him In the thirteenth petition he hath put in this patche Make me patiently to suffer iniuries and rebukes in recompense of my disobedient hart to thee To suffer iniuries and rebukes for Christes sake patiently and for well doinge is a blessednes And can not this suffice Maister Fowler but he must also make his patience a recompense to God for the disobedience of his hart Of this his conceipte of recompencing God for sinne I haue spoken before and the lesse shall I neede to speake of it now because M. Fowler him selfe also euen in this same petition belike misdouting his owne recompencinge of God for his own sinnes doth flee to the recompence which the Lorde Iesus hath made for vs and sayeth Let thine obedience recompence for my obstinacy thine abstinence for my superfluity thy meekenes and thy patience for my pride irefull hart enmity thy charity for my malice thy deuotion for my dulnes thy louinge hart for my vnkindnes thy holy death for my wretched life for all my misery These are the words of M. Fowler in this same thirteenth petition in which he doth require the Lord Iesus to make the recompence for all his sinnes and misery And what is it then wherefore he woulde him selfe make recompence by his patience He sayeth for his disobedient hart But for this he prayeth the Lord Iesus to make recompence He seemeth in these wordes not to trust to the value of recompencing by his owne patience but prayeth that the pacience of the Lord Iesus may be a recompence for his owne pride irefull hart and enmity You see nowe once againe how contrary M. Fowler is to himselfe in this petition what a iarre this contrariety doth make in this his Psalter In deede the recompence which he woulde him selfe make by his patience for the disobedience of his own hart is farre out of tune and soundeth vnsauerily in the vnderstandinge of any true christian But this recompence which he findeth that Iesus hathe made for his elect is a sweete sauour of life to the soules of true christians agreeth with the saying of the Prophet Isai 53. He set or made his life for a sacrifice of sinne This recompence which Iesus Christ hathe made that which M. Fowler would himself make can not be coupled together For Iesus alone and only made the iust and full recompence for the sinnes of all them whiche are to be saued In the last that is in the fifteenth petition M. Fowler addeth This inuocation and Psalter of thee by the mediation of thy most entirely beloued mother purchase to me gratious life blessed ending free from debte and deadly sinne I beseech thee and after my bodily death euerlasting life with endlesse blisse and felicity M. Fowler must first proue that this is the Psalter of Iesus before he can thus call and commend it or attribute such force vnto it as he doth And lette the reader marke how M. Fowler him selfe as it were doubting of the value vertue or force of this his Psalter ioyneth to it as a poore help to helpe it forwarde the mediation of the blessed virgin Mary For he woulde haue his Psalter to be of valure to purchase for him by the mediation of the blessed virgin Mary Of her mediation we knowe nothinge as I haue said before we do trust only to the mediatiō of her most gracious sonne our good Lorde Iesus who is the one so the only Mediator betwene God and man For we are taught by S. Paul that there is one God and one Mediator betwene God man euen the man Christ Iesus But M Fowler like a slouēlike apoticary mingleth this his Psalter the mediation of the virgin Mary both together to the ende belike that if the one failed the other might serue the turne And he prayeth that this his medly may purchase first gracious life This tearme gracious which he vseth teacheth vs whatsoeuer he meaneth by gracious life that it is the worke of Gods free grace and therefore commeth not by purchase either of this Psalter or of the mediation of the virgin Mary He addeth that by this mingle he would purchase blessed endinge free from debte and deadely sinne Touchinge the payment of his debtes it may be that M. Fowler thinketh to prouide some poore helpe by printing of this Psalter and that the good vent thereof may be a great helpe to him if he be in debte But it is harde dealing to get the money of true men for false ware It is more hard to lay such snares of deceit to intrappe the simple soules of Christians as M. Fowler doth for getting of money to paye his debtes Whatsoeuer M. Fowler dreameth of payment of his debtes we knowe the payment and satisfaction for al our sinnes is the price which Iesus Christ payed in his most pretious bitter and bloody death suffred on the crosse for vs That onely maketh vs free other freedom purchased either by this Psalter or by the mediation of the Virgin Mary or any other way which M. Fowler and his fellowes can deuise we know none we wil none We doe by Gods grace knowe that freedome into which we are called by Iesus Christ who as he onely coulde so he hath most gratiously made vs free In that fredom by his grace we doe and shall stand By this mingle M. Fowler would purchase also life euerlasting He thinketh but simply and basely of life euerlasting which doth thinke that it may be purchased by such a filthy fiddle as is this Psalter or by such a mingle mangle as Fowler maketh But we haue learned and doe beleue that life euerlasting is as I sayd before the gifte of God thorough Iesus Christ our Lorde It is his gifte it is not by this Psalter nor by the mediation of the Virgin Mary to be purchased We doe giue vnto God the glorie and prayse due of and for the gifte of life euerlastinge by Iesus Christ We will not seeke it by any other meanes nor goe about to purchase that our selues which is thus gratiously and freely giuen vnto vs Thus endeth this Psalter sayth Maister Fowler and yet he addeth an admonition a poynt of