Turne you turne you from your euill waies Oh mark this word well For why will you die O yee house of Israell Though your sinnes wereas crimsin they shalbe made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shalbe as wooll This is a true saying by all meanes worthie to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners So God loued the worlde that hee hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perish but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne into the worlde that hee should condemne the world but that the worlde through him might be saued Hee that beleeueth in him c. reade forwarde to the 22. verse These and such like be the very first wordes that are spoken and they shall dayly heare to their comfort that resort to our Churches But still marke the condition of leauing our owne defections from God of repentance and turning from our owne wicked wayes c. Turne therefore from Popery and hearken to this doctrine and tell vs truely and in deed whether religion is more true and more comfortable vnto you This which is Christes and therefore ours we wish and will no other Or the Popes deliuered in this treatise that condemneth you as you heare And yet if all bee well marked for all this comfortable doctrine of y e gospel that is of God his mercy grace vnto sinners that by the way I may answere y t Popish cauill Preach we not carnall libertie wee set not open any windowe to sinne we make not men slouthfull and negligent in godly life and good workes c. as the Papists sclaunder this doctrine In opening this plentifull fountaine of God his grace to troubled and weake consciences we stop not vpp nor let not the brookes riuers course that issue thence of godlinesse and good life nay wee further aduance the same greatly I woulde the Papistes and Poperie did the like but that will they neuer doe we are faine to be occupied in scowring clensing where they haue troubled with their filthie mudde that our doctrine and religiō may herein the better be knowne This foundation doe we lay therof This order with the holy Apostle in summe doe wee keepe The grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we shoulde denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christe who gaue himself for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zelous of good workes So then the cleere manifestation of God his healthfull grace or the preaching of the Gospell of the grace of God which is the worde of life is so farre of from ouerthrowing godly life and good workes that it is the fountaine thereof it establysheth and setleth the same and like a good Schoole maister is occupied in faithfully teaching all 〈◊〉 towardes God and man God make vs good and meete schollers This we beleeue and this we professe this we dayly professe this we dayly propounde and teache in receiuing and following this course we are not deceiued we erre not nay we are sure we goe the right way we please God and subscribe to the docrine of the holy Ghoste rayle the aduersarie as much as he list against our doctrine and profession But I cannot let this Censurer passe thus that not onely cruelly handeleth his companions but her Maiestie the State the Lawes and Magistrates here If this saith he bee true as it is if God bee not vntrue where warranted tell vs bare affirmation suffiseth not then in what a miserable case standeth many a man in England at this day which take othes receiue Sacraments goe to Churche and commit many a like act directly against their owne consciences and against their owne knowledge you shoulde say against fantasticall opinion c. Nay what a case doe they stande in which know such thinges to 〈◊〉 directly against othēr mens consciences and yet do cōpel them to doe it As to receiue against their will to sweare agaist their will and the like c. First we tell you Sir for the Scriptures yee cited before for this purpose that yee corrupt the same and that which yee say is false and ill applyed Next wee say in iust defence of her Maiestie our dread Soueraigne and the State that yee 〈◊〉 them for there is no such enforcement by your owne confessiō but that it might be borne the going to church is simplie a willing free actiō in those of your religiō y t doe it here you say they receiue against their wil swere against their wil y e like Fol. 21. You say cōtrary y t it is not against their wil but a willing fre actiō absolutely simply speak thus stil ye answer for her maiestie the state condemn that you here say so you cōclude of it Wher things done by outward violence compulsion are simplie inuoluntary actions And yet if it were otherwise her maiestie the state 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cause all the packe of of you false Catholikes as much as in them lyeth to 〈◊〉 by the doctrine of the Gospell instructed and to be priuately also conferred withall for the remoouing of you from your foolish that I say not deuilish opinions They knowe what euer you brag of conscience that if you will not hearken and geue ouer to the Gospell and word of God it is but wilfull obstinacie and peeuish standing in your conceiued opinions It is senselesnes and not consciēce They know see that your proceedinges and busie stirres needes some sharper seueritie than hither vnto seeing you haue so greatly abused her maiesties former lenitie and clemencie According to dutie therefore to God in their calling doe they proceede Lastly they haue for their warrant the example of godly Emperours Kings and States both before Christ since set down in histories their lawes This am I forced often to tell you and your fellowes that so much and often maliciously repeate this intollerable and wicked 〈◊〉 For the other point of your allegation of Scriptures finde vs the wordes in the fourteenth chapter to the Romanes you set vs downe which ye shall neuer be able to doe looke euen vpon your owne translation Or else confesse when you are taken with the manner that you are a corrupter of the Scripture Is a mans corrupte or erroneous conscience or knowledge and fayth all one think you such knowledge if ye so will call it is one thing c onscience is another and faith differing from both a third thing Errour and falshod in knowledge bastard and corrupt the same be enemies to faith no friends to conscience
Pope and Sea of Rome her Maiesties sworne enemie and the Realines you goe about with slaunder to seuer and make dissention betweene her Maiestie her Lawes and the Ministers thereof beetweene her and her faythfull people and subiectes Ye 〈◊〉 and reporte tales to impeche the credite of particular persons In summe ye take too much vpon you ye woulde be credited in euerie thing with her Maiestie as though your saying were some heauenly Oracle Wilfully funne not headlong into moe and greater afflictions and calamities then her Maiestie and lawes will laye vppon you and you shall haue little or no cause to complaine suche is her Maiesties plentifull wisedome and goodnes and the great moderation that is vsed in making of lawes in this realme Great and narrowe is the knot thankes bee to God and harde and faste tyed betweene her Maiestie and her good and faithfull subiectes as your Pope and you to your regret haue tryed in seeking manie waies to dissolue that bande and yet hitherto neuer coulde preuaile nor neuer I trust shall If her Maiestie bee borne your Soueraigne Princesse and Mother and you bee her naturall Subiects and Children As in deede shee is all true hearted Englishmens and wee all her Maiesties more bounde if more may bee in respect of the Gospell among vs then euer to any Princes or Kinges before If your case be common with ours why then doe you hot Catholikes growe more out of kinde then the rest ofher Maiesties naturall subiects do Why before you neede runne you so fast and so hastily to Rome and to the Pope and thence seeke to make head to disquiet this State and your brethren and countrey men at home This is not onely no part of a Loyall subiect towardes his Prince and Countrey but hardly the part of a true hearted Englishman so vnnaturall is the dealing The better her Maiesties noble disposition and vertues are knowen and renoumed throughout the world the moremonstrous a great deale is this your wicked dealing with so gracious a Soueraigne and most naturall godly and carefull a Prince You can haue no greater condemnation or testimonie against you then your diuelishe betaking of your selues to the Stepmother that you haue chosen leauing her that God had appointed you whither yee list to take it of conscience or pollicie Runne whither yee shall seeke 〈◊〉 and neare you are not like to finde such a mother againe abroade Your stepmothers affection that you haue chosen lift her vp to the skie if you can with your prayses is in no comparison like shee is too harde hearted and too bloodye wee knowe her well enough and but to well Leaue her therefore leaue her Come out from that Babylon c. And like naturall and obedient children returne home to your owne deare Mother and Countrey whome ye haue so vnkindely and so undutifully forsaken Put your selues againe with submission into her handes so it seemeth you will but when you can not otherwise chose and yet hardly then too your fault here in is such as I hardely finde wordes to expresse the indignitie thereof If all bee well considered you haue very great cause of recourse and submission to her Maiestie and from her to forrainers and other no cause at all Leaue it therefore in time leaue it and come home At least for your part M. Howlet doe so if you bee abroade and beyond Sea without her Maiesties leaue But come with a single heart and a good conscience that is a changed man Put your selfe in deede without all dissimulation to her Maiesties mercie and to vs you shall bee moste welcome If miserie presse you with the prodigal Sonne hearken to this aduise the rather Better to learne by affliction and in it then neuer If your State be other by your returne let it appeare with howe franke a heart and well meaning minde you come home which will bee when God shall first touch your heartes to returne vnfaignedly and in deede from Poperie and superstition to that most mercifull heauenly father or else neuer This is the best Counsell I can at this time giue you For her Maisties being abroade among her Subiects in many partes of her Realme It is thankes bee to God and long may it continue much and often to our great ioy Shee needeth not be tolde of the State of her subiectes by you or goe by here say onely and receiue the reporte thereof from beyonde Sea Besides reportes gather and goe much by mens affections This that you report of such hurly burley and disquietnesse to bee in this Realme is as true as other reportes that come to you of thinges done here and all a like you are too light of credite Your representation of the miseries is but wordes yee make more a doe then yee neede a great deale If her Maiesties most moderate lawes against Poperie and Treason if her milde proceeding in the iust defence of her selfe her royall estate and the Realmes presse you will you doe well Giue ouer that dealing then that hath procured all this and liue quietly at home as Gods true seruauntes in the profession of the Gospell of Christ Jesus and in duetifull obedience to our Soueraigne Pray for her Matestie and the State with vs as wee are willed that wee may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie and all former quarrelles betweene you and vs in religion forgotten and forgiuen wee will liue in peace and charitie with you howe euer you thinke otherwise of vs. You make an If and doe well so to doe When you talke of her Maiesties disposition to delight in your calamities of others cruel appetite to desire blood which is as far frō her maiestie those of y t side as y e same is familiar vnto your popish religion It is happie howe euer yee thinke of other that yee cleare her Maiestie herein which testimonie from the enemie hath some force But howe euer ye brag of A readines to accept the offer of suffering death for your religion yet thanke God if yee be wise and her Maiestie that that offer hitherto hath not been made you nor them that ye be assured to bee so readie to accept thereof This I tell you for all your troubles are not delighted in heere much lesse bee they or your blood sought after These 〈◊〉 but your dreames You might well enough haue spared therefore that brag either of your selfe bing beyond sea or of your fellowes readines to suffer and to die in so euill a cause especially how euer you call it Catholike It is a question of 〈◊〉 man and of treason 〈◊〉 and rebellion not other that you call the Catholike cause Again you can at the most but warrant for your selfe Let other men alone hardely in this case And yet talking of suffering death you doe wisely in my opinion when yee ioyne those fewe that be here of your side in prison with your selfe and those that are fled
before vs a light to our steps to direct vs in al our waies O that we could and wold wholy giue ouer our selues to god to be 〈◊〉 therby we shold neuer delite more in popery nor yet in our own fācies Christ you say saith that he wil not haue one iot of his law to be passed ouer vnkept whosoeuer shal break one of the least of his commandementes shall haue least pare in the kingdome of heauen The which words of Christ Saint Iames explicating sayeth hee that keepeth all the whole lawe and doth offend but in one thing onelie yet is he guiltie in all the rest And againe to be imperfect is contrarie to the will of Christ which would haue vs perfect For Christes wordes you quote Matthewe 5. for the other Iames. 2. Now let me be bold to stay here a little and common and talke with you Is it not God his Law I pray you Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauē aboue c. Who breake the same and teach men so to doe Who strike it out of the number of the tenne commandemēts keepe it from the knowledge of the lay people Who but you papistes Is it not Christ his commandement in the Supper of the Lord Drinke you al of this Who breake and corrupt the same with false gloses But you Papistes Euen in this place of the. 5. of Mat. the. 6. 7. also Who but papistes make of Christ his precise commandementes counsels ouely so loosing or breaking rather the knot wherby God hath tyed men in dutie towardes him and all this to bring in workes of supererrogation merits the popish perfection of Fryers other their religious men c. things of their owne deuise Who at this day but Papists denyeth concupiscence or lust to be sinne which is forbidden in the tenth and last of God his commandements to the extolling of mans nature and derogating of Gods grace who to the like effect set our iustification by workes but they who is it I pray you tell me if you can that commeth to that perfection in life by workes that Christ here requireth who can say that he offendeth not in one thing which if he doe he is therby as you here tell vs out of S. Iames guiltie in all the rest There is no such man I trow That made the holy prophet say Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustifyed And againe If thou O Lord marke iniquities O Lord who shall stande But there is mercie with thee that thou maiest be feared c. Thus thinke we and thus had we rather speake then be deceiued with the papistes and vse their phrases Now then out of these places Thus doe I reason against mens being iustified by workes none that is guiltie in all Gods commandementes can alledge his workes for his iustice or can be iustified by workes but who euer offendeth but in one thing onely as I thinke you wil graunt euery man doeth is guiltie in all the rest as you alledge vs here out of S. Iames. Wherefore none that offendeth but in one thing onely or which is all one no mortall man can alleadge his workes for his iustice or can bee iustified by woorkes To bee iustified by woorkes and through workes to offende GOD and bee thereby guiltie and that in all his commandements be two contrary thinges and will euelly stand together which maketh vs I tell you to seeke out of our selues and to finde our righteousnes in Christ and to lay holde on him and it by fayth where alone it is truely and indeede to bee had And for our selues and our woorkes though receiued nowe to grace and iustified in Christ by faith We be continually and diligently occupied in godly good works cōmanded of God in his law acknowledging it to be our duetie so to doe as wherin true christianitie is liuely expressed and shewed foorth and doe likewise teach other the same and set them in that course Yet come we short euer of that Gods Law iustly'requireth therein at our hands we our selues would be glad to perfourme And therfore in the matter of our 〈◊〉 we renounce our owne righteousnes and cleaue onely to y t righteousnes of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ our Lord when we haue done all those things that are commanded vs yet say we as Christ our good maister teacheth vs. We are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was our duetie to doe c. Albeit then we distinguish ioyne neuertheles together iustifycation and sanctifycation faith and good workes as light heate in with the fire continuasly yet set we not vp workes of supererrogation to merit 〈◊〉 for our 〈◊〉 other or vainely vaunt of our meritorious deedes thinges deuised commonly by men and papists rather then proceeding from the spirit of God In summe papists extoll man and his nature diminishing thereby Gods glory and the riches of his grace we humble man and his nature we beate downe his pryde that looking on his foule feete hee maye haue no cause to bragge of his peacockes tayle that is by any meanes glory in him selfe on the other side we magnifie the great name of the eternall God and prayse his glorious grace towardes vs in Jesus Christ that as it is written He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. To whō as the same is due be all honour glory power dominion c. for euer Now let y e godly reader hardly iudge whether doctrine professiō the papists or ours serue more to the setting forth of God his honour and glory be more godly and sound groū ded on the sacred scriptures and sticking precisely to Gods law without breaking any 〈◊〉 thereof bee more necessary also and profitable for vs in the course of this transitorie life amids our many and manifold grosse corruptions and imperfections which we humbly acknowledge to be in our 〈◊〉 in other yea euen in the best yet neither flatter our selues therein nor teach other so where the papists set vp merits workes of supererrogatiō c. As to geue yet further example euen in this place of this papists corrupting of the holy scriptures to mans praise and gods and Christes dishonour Let vs consider one onely place by him selfe heere alleadged He pretendeth it to be in the first chapter of S. Pauls epistle to the Collossians but as he began with forgerie corrupting the words and sence of the holy ghost in the first text of scripture that he alledged out of S. Paule in the. 14. to the Romans as we haue seen in y e beginning of this his treatise So in this place now which is his last text concludeth he and bindeth vp the whole with corruption forgery stil he hath wanted none in the body middes of his discourse he is like him selfe