as you suppose note to my shame yet I hold it not ignominious to change for the better vpon these and others so graue considerations as in this Treatise I shall set downe for your and others satisfaction Saul when he stoned Stephan and the other Martyrs had zeale but without knowledge so had I while I was of your opinion and confesse with Paul 19 But the libeller iam sapit vs pravus for he glorieth in vomiting his owne shame Sapiebam vt paruulus my vndiscreete zeale blinded my vnderstanding and in my iudgement there wanted ripenesse and maturitie As you do now so did I then storme within my selfe to see his Maiestie 20 As though his Highnesse were not able to rule himselfe ruled by the Protestants not onely in those 21 A Machauellian pract se to bring the Puritans in detestation with his Maiestie who neuer accompted thus of his Coronation and Vnction Papisticall ceremonies of his coronation and vnction but also in the whole course and practise of the Communion Booke and administration of sacraments that he should leaue the whole state of the Church of England in the same sort as a he found it Fol. 5 and take vpon him the title of 22 Good Sir there is difference betwene Supremacie and Supreame head this latter Caluin saith that some attributed vnto K. Henry 8. of vndiscreet zeale supremacy in matters of Religion a point highly blamed in K. Henry 8. by Master Caluin who without all controuersie was one of the chiefâ—st instruments of the Gospell and therefore neuer as yet receiued by any of our reformed Churches At his Maiesties first comming to the Crowne we expected nothing lesse then this suddaine 23 Soft and faire the weathâ—r is not so calme not the reasoÌ„ still as you would make the world beleeue calme towards the Papistes They liue in peace and pay no more the Statute and that by commaundement from the King Some that lost their lands and countrey are now restored to both with grace which made me wonder at the first and enter into due consideration of the fact when conferring with some of knowen wisedome and zeale I vnderstoode that the Marques Rosne Lord Treasurer of France sent hither as Embassadour did amongst other points very mainly 24 Whether this be true or no his Maiestie best knoweth and I thinke iâ— is extreame presumption and arrogancy for aâ—y â—ubiect to disclose the secrets of his Soueraigne But what do not disloyall Papists dare to It may be that Marques de Rosne perswaded the K not to force any 〈◊〉 Protestans Subiects to the businesse of Religion but it is not likely he spake any thing in fauour of Papists and if he did his Maiestie knoweth what he hath to do well inough perswade his Maiestie not to force any of his subiects in the businesse of Religion himselfe being as you know a very good Christian And further vnderstanding how 25 Great Britaine hath no cause God be thanked to e uie them this quietnesse quietly our brethren in France liue together with the Papists vnder lawes prouided for that purpose I finde that this b Nobleman hath dealt honourably with his Maiestie and giuen the same aduise by which the King his Master wonne Fraunce and established his 26 Because the Papistes would neuer acknowledge him to be their lawfull King vntill he had made profession of their Religion Crowne in peace I will not follow the Libeller in his immethodicall idle Digressions sit to preuaile with worldly mindes that neuer tasted the truth which if I should labour to repell with such a discoursing style I should but waste paper and wearie the Reader wherefore I will ioyne issue with him in as fewe tearmes as may be The Libellers Proposition His Proposition briefly is this No man is to be compelled to embrace Religion by the temporall sword of the Magistrates power but is to be perswaded by the eternall sword of Gods holy word In the meane time he would haue euery man left to himselfe to embrace what Religion he pleaseth as he professeth fol. 23. b. What we are to iudge of this Proposition is fully declared in the former part of this Treatise But to speake yet more plainly vpon the present occasion I can but wonder with what face the Papistes dare frame such a Proposition as is directly contrary vnto the doctrine and practise of their Church Why for shame rebuke they that in others which they allow in themselues Wherefore do they dayly compell infinite numbers with extreame violence to recant and foresweare the perswasion of their faith The Papistes would compell but not be compelled to Religion Or can they yeeld any reason that they may compell others but none must compell them Their inquiring their burning their murdering of thousands without any respect of innocent guiltie learned vnlearned olde yong men women is indeede very lamentable This kinde of compulsion The Popish Compulsion whereby their Prelates make it their occupation to persecute to death all sorts ages and sexes which refuse their schoole trickes and diuellâ—sh Decretals we detest with our hart and disswade with our tongue affirming that they ought rather with mildenesse patience seeke to recouer such as they thinke lost Yet in Christian Kings and Princes How Christian Princes may compell who beare the Sword as the Apostle saith not in vain are Gods Lieutenants not onely to procure peace betweene men but also by lawes to maintaine Religion towards God we doe not dispraise moderate correction when neede so requireth who with conuenient sharpnesse of positiue Lawes ought to amerce banish and diuersely punish Heretiques Which Christian iustice tempered with equitie exercised by his most excellent Maiestie neither can their friends deny to be charitable nor themselues gainesay to be sutable to that coaction which the Scriptures commend in Iosiah and other godly Kings which the vertuous Emperours followed in the Primitiue Church and which the ancient Fathers vpon deepe Consideration found allowed by God himselfe as the chiefe point which he requireth at the hands of Christian Princes True it is that Religion vseth rather to perswade then to compell that GOD did rather shew then exact the true knowledge of himselfe and that true Bishops and Pastours ought rather teach then torment their flocke Yet are the obstinate and stubborne refractaries Papistes may be compelled to abandon their Heresie who refuse instruction to be compelled by the Magistrates for dread of punishment tempered with good instruction to forsake their heresies and forbeare their Idolatries wherewith Christ is dishonoured and his trueth defaced Otherwise questionlesse the Lord will enter into iudgement with his Deputies and Vicegerents and exact a strict accompt for his name blasphemed his Sonne refused his trueth scorned his Sacraments prophaned his word exiled and then what answere must be made for the ruine and shipwrake of faith the haruest of sinne and
Common-wealth where Heresie and Idolatrie is exercised Emperours plagued for toleration Constantius 21 Theodoret and after him Nicephorus speaking of Constantius say At that time when he heard that Iulian whom he had declared Caesar of all Europe began to conspire and moue sedition against him that had extolled him to so great honour departing from Syria into Cilicia he fell into an Apoplexie and died Because he kept not the heritage of his Fathers pietie whole he was destitute of that helper which his Father had ordained for him wherefore he grieuouslie and bitterly lamented that he had changed Religion Theodoret. lib. 2. cap. 31. Niceph. lib. 9. cap. 50. lib. 10. cap. 1. For he repented of three things although all too late as Greg. Nazianzen testifieth 1. That he had elected Iulian to be Caesar 2. That he had banished Athanasius 3. That he had changed Religion Naz. in vita Atha apud Nice priori loco 22 Iulian. Also The death of wicked Iulian as Theodoret speaketh declared his temeritie and impietie in granting toleration to the Gentiles and to all Heretiques For going ouer into Persia to warre against the Christians vpon the sudden he was wounded with an arrow which he tooke out of his body and filling his hand full of blood he threw it vp into the aire crying out Thou hast ouercome ô Galilean so this blasphemous dogge termed our blessed Sauiour thou hast ouer come and so died presently Theodor lib. 3. cap. 20. Niceph. lib. 10. cap. 34. 23 Likewise Valens Valens that great fauourer of Heretiques being in great distresse was forsaken of his brother Valentinian who sent him answere that it was not lawfull to ayde him that fought against God and refusing the councell of Terentius and Traiane his Captaines and of Isaac Bishop of Bretanioa who tould him that fighting against God he must needes be dest tute of Gods helpe would notwithstanding desperately fight against the Barbarians and sending his armie to the battaile he withdrew himselfe into a village hard by expecting the euent of the field But his Soldiers being not able to stand in the Barbarians face turned their backes and fled the Barbarians pursuing after them made a great slaughter and comming vpon the village where Valens was they burned it together with the Emperour Theod. l. 4. cap. 28. Niceph. lib. 11. c. 49. 50. 24 Basiliscus the Tyrant being by Gods iudgements betraied by his owne Captaines Basiliscus and deliuered into the hands of Zeno the Emperour was sent into Cappadocia and there murdered with his wife and children Niceph. lib. 16. cap. 8. 25 Hauing spoken of the Emperours on whom God shewed his iudgements for wicked toleration and collusion with Heretiques it remaineth to speake a word or two of common-wealthes which in like maner were punished by diuine wrath Common-wealthes and cities plagued for Toleration Nicomedia 26 Constantius in fauour of the Arians calling diuers Synods at Nicomedia when there was a Synode congregated a sudden earthquake ouerthrew almost all the buildings in the citie together with the temple that had beene but lately built and the citie walles wherewith infinite numbers were slaine and the timber taking fire by reason of the furnaces baths and shops of artificers the whole Citie seemed as it had beene but one bonefire Nice lib. 9. cap. 39. The Roman Empire 27 During the raigne of Iulian the Apostata God sent diuers calamities into the Roman Empire insomuch that it was not safe for men to tarrie within dores by reason of earthquakes nor to walke abroad by reason of great tempests of thunders lightnings haile c. Alexandria The citie of Alexandria was ouerflowne and drowned with the sea Also at other times the drought was so great that it killed all fruits and infected the aire whereupon ensued such a famine that men were faine to feed on beasts foode which ended with a pestilence and very great mortalitie 28 Of Valens his times thus writeth Nicephorus After the warre against Procopius there fell haile as big as great stones and there were such earthquakes in diuers places which did very great harme in many countries Nicea but quite ouerthrew Nicca a citie in Bithynia This was the twelfth yeare after the Subuersion of Nicomedia And not long after by another earthquake Seruia a citie in Hellespont Seruia was vtterly destroyed And a little after shewing the cause of these calamities he addeth This haile and earthquakes as most men thinke Note well proceeded from the anger of God against the Emperor because he banished many Bishops and was about to put to death whosoeuer did not subscribe vnto the opinions of Eudoxius Nicep li. 11. c. 5. CHAP. IX A Consideration of an Epistle apologeticall written by a Puritane-Papist in fauour of Protestants Papists and those of the Reformation HAVING laide downe such Reasons as in my simple opinion may moue any reasonable moderate and sober man fearing God to derest factious Toleration it remaineth to answer the arguments of the contrarie Paradox which because they are couched together in a small Pamphlet lately cast abroad to moue sedition I will briefly examine that whole Tractate ab ouo admalum as they say It is a litle booke in 8o. conterning 3. sheets of paper the number of euery folio shal be set in the margine in his due place the former side or face shal be distinguished by the letter a and the latter by b The Title is this Fol. 1 a AN EPISTLE OR APOLOGIE 1 Yea rather of a false idolatrous and vncharitable Papist of a true and charitable brother of the reformed Church in fauour of Protestants Papists and those of the Reformation for a 2 As if the proceedings against Papists hitherto were immoderate more moderat course of proceeding in matters of Religion by searching the Scriptures and examining their Spirits for the sense and true meaning of them by a peaceable conference and such easy meanes as were practised in the Apostolicall and Primitiue Church for planting the faith and rooting out of errour tending to 3 He speaketh by contraries vnitie of Religion loyaltie to the Kings Maiestie increase of honour to him and his posterity and good of the Common-wealth ANSWER A CERTAINE Stranger comming on Embassage vnto the Senators of Rome and colouring his hoarie haire and pale cheeks with vermillion hiew a graue Senatour espying the deceit stoode vp and saide What synceritie are we to expect for at this mans hands whose lockes and lookes and lips doe lie So the Libeller counterfeiting a sweete voice as Iacobs but hauing rough hands as Esaus The auctor of the Epistle a dissembling Hypocrite styling himselfe a true and charitable Brother of the Reformed Church being indeed an old Idolatrous Papist that hateth to be reformed what synceritie are we to looke for at his hands that so notablie dissembleth his religion euen at the first entrance But for all his cunning
Pogonatus 17 Constantinus Pogonatus confirming the Decrees of the sixt Synode added grieuous penalties against the refractarie Heteroclites Synod 6. sess 18. 18 Alexius the Emperour Alexius is said to cause one Basilius either a Physitian or a Monke to be burned for Heresie at Constantinople King Edward the sixt 19 Vnto these I will adde one memorable example of the worthy and famous Prince King Edward the Sixt of whom it is noted to his great commendation that fewe or no Sermons were preached at his Court but he would be at them and againe that he was neuer present at any commonly but he would excerp or note them with his owne hand This godly King being dealt with by his Counsellours that the Lady Mary his owne Sister which succeeded in the Kingdome might be tolerated to vse her conscience in Religion his Answere and resolution was negatiue So doth Master Foxe report in the Acts and Monuments in these words In the daies of King EDVVARD the VI. Carolus the Emperour made request to the said King and his Counsell to permit Lady Mary to haue Masse in her house without preiudice of the Law And the Counsell on a time sitting vpon matters of policie hauing that in question sent Cranmer then Archbishop of Canterburie and Ridley then Bishop of London to entreate the King for the same Who comming to his Grace alleadged their reasons and perswasions for the accomplishing thereof So the King hearing what they could say replied his answere againe out of the Scriptures so groundedly grauely and fully that they were enforced to giue place to his replication and grant the same to be true Then they after long debating in this manner with his Maiestie laboured politiquely in an other sort and alleadged what danger the denying thereof might bring to his Grace what breach of amitie of the Emperours part what troubles what vnkindnesse and what occasions sundry waies it would enforce c. Vnto whom the King answered willing them to content themselues for he would he said spend his life and all he had rather then to agree and grant to that he knew certainely to be against the truth The which when the Bishops heard notwithstanding they vrged him still to grant and would by no meanes haue his nay Then the good King seeing their importunate suite that needes they would haue his Maiestie grant thereto in the end his tender hart bursting out in bitter weeping and sobbing desired them to be content Whereat the Bishops themselues seeing his zeale and constancie wept as fast as he and tooke their leaue of his Grace and comming from him the Archbishop tooke Master Cheke his Schoolemaster by the hand and said Ah Master Cheke you may be glad all the daies of your life that you haue such a Schooler for he hath more Diuinitie in his little finger then all we haue in all our bodies Thus farre Master Foxe Acts and Mon. Tom. 2. pag. 1295. Col. 2. edit Anni 1583. CHAP. VII That most of these Lawes against Toleration and mixture of diuers Religions were promulgated at the instance and request of the Auncient Fathers And that when the Emperours began to slacke the execution of Iustice to be indulgent and to collude with Heretiques they were either greatlie blamed or at least admonished by them Also the Cause wherefore some Emperours were more conniuent and indulgent towards Heretiques The Fathers procured Lawes to be enacted against Toleration THESE Lawes and Edicts against Heretiques were not onely approued by the Auncient Fathers but for the most part enacted and decreed at their suite and entreatie as may be manifestly gathered for that after euery Generall Synode new Lawes were published by the Emperours against the new Heretiques no doubt at the request of the said holy Fathers 1 Aurelianus a heathen Emperour made a decree against Paulus Samosatenus at the request of the Fathers of the Synode at Antioch Euseb Hist Eccles lib. 7. cap. 24. Niceph. lib. 6. cap. 29. 2 Constantine the Great seeing he executed the sentence of the Nicene Synod concerning the burning of Arius his bookes at the instance of Alexander Bishop of Alexandria as Socrates Zozomenus and Nicephorus doe testifie Who doubteth but that by the instinct of the Fathers of the same Synode he published that Constitution against Arius which he sent to all Bishops throughout the world Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 6. Zozom lib. 1. cap. 20. Niceph. lib. 8. cap. 18. 25. 3 Theodosius Maior after that the Arian and Macedonian Heresies were condemned in the second Oecumenicall Synode and in the first at Constantinople made a Constitution that the Arians should be expelled out of the Churches and whosoeuer did not acknowledge Christ to be equal with God his Father and that the Catholiques should be substituted in their places at the entreatie of the Fathers of those assemblies Niceph. lib. 12. cap. 13. 15. 4 The same Emperour at the request of the Ephesine Synode published many Edicts against Nestorius whereby he banished him caused his followers to be termed Eunomian Heretiques decreed that his bookes should be burned as is manifest by the Councels Epistle vnto the Emperours Theodosius and Valentinianus Ex actis Concil Ephesini ab Ant. Contio editis 5 The 7. Councell of Chalcedon in their very Acts exclaimed Let Dioscorus the Egyptian Heretique be banished and wrote letters vnto the Emperours Valentinianus and Martianus saying This verily we teach your godly Empirie that you might consider both his Dioscorus malice and the sinceritie of the iust sentence we take God to record pronounced against him For our parts we haue done our duetie and we beleeue that you are most godly and most Christian Emperours knowing the horrour of your venerable auctoritie against euill men and what care you haue of Ecclesiasticall peace Vpon the receipt of which letters those seuere lawes were decreed against the Heretiques which are registred among the acts of the said Councell Act. 2. Concil Chalced Tom. 2. Concil Act. 3. 16. 6 But if at any time the holy Fathers saw the Emperours mindes changed or any thing inclined to remissenesse towards Heretiques or any way to collude or fauour them they presently disswaded them sometimes by milde admonitions and sometimes by seuerer increpations and censures The Emperours admonished by the Fathers So at the counsell of Ascholius Bishop of Thessalonica who affirmed that the East swarmed with Heresies partly through the lenitie of Constantius and partly through the improbitie of Valens Theodosius sent his edict against Heretiques from Thessalonica to Constantinople whereby Demophilus was expelled and Gregorie Nazianzen surrogated into his office Zozom lib. 7. cap. 4. Niceph. lib. 12. cap. 6. 7. 8. 7 When the Arians by diuerse deceipts laboured to alienate the Emperour Theodosius his mind from fauouring the Catholiques to thinke better of their faction and had preuailed so farre that vnlesse the Empresse Placilla as we haue noted before had disswaded her husband he had
might finde the trueth and come to the vnitie of the same faith But a we see it hath not succeeded so well as we expected Fol. 9 and I feare the cause hath beene for that in times past the rigour of statute lawes hath as it were fettered the Gospell and the booke of Articles set downe by a 2 And yet the Libeller would not be deemed a Papist few heads without conference with their brethren hath hindred our Christian libertie in the interpretation thereof with lesse shew of trueth 3 Jgnoratio Elenchi than did before the decrees of Generall Councels and the vniforme consent of ancient Fathers For 4 A phanaticall Proposition of the Libeller in vaine doth a man reade and search the trueth if he may not as freely interpret scripture as reade it And why should we forbid any to be heard in his interpretation whereas in this time of so many sects and Religions both within the Realme and abroad we may as Paul saith better iudge of the trueth when we haue heard with patience what euery man can say and alledge in his cause He that commandeth vs to try and examine the spirits whether they be of God or no would neuer giue aduice to extinguish them or forbid vs to 5 Poperie hath been many times examined and alwayes deprehended to be as it is indeed Antichristianisme know them and vpon what ground they relie Some lawes forbidding men to expound the word otherwise than it seemed good to the Church established by the late b Queene were 6 And are still although it be to your great griefe once in force which lawes howsoeuer they might seeme tolerable in respest of 7 The Libellers inueterate malice against the late Queene her whom the Apostle would not permit to speake in the Congregation for that she was a woman and not fit to iudge in such matters if a conference had beene granted she being lesse grounded in the knowledge of Gods law than our selues yet now in the reigne of his Maiestie who is profound in learning and mature in iudgement free conference may be permitted for the libertie of the Gospell aswell in the free interpretation as in free reading of it and the contrarie lawes repealed as ouer violent in such a cause and preiudiciall to the bolting out of the trueth or at the least suspended vntill a iust triall be made by a learned and amiable conference thorow all the points of our controuersies This were a sweet way to come to 8 Vnitie is a rare effect of Conferences vnitie or if any force at all were to be vsed in matters of faith it should be rather to compell such as seeme to be in errour to be present at such conference than to force them without 9 As if Poperie had beene nerer tried triall to shew outwardly to be of another profession than in heart they are Fol. 10 Which a how fruitlesse a thing it is and might be 10 Nothing lesse preiudiciall to the King and State the wise Gouernour Constantius father to our Constantine the great may teach vs. Who desirous to know what sort of Christians he might best trust set forth an Edict that whosoeuer should refuse to doe sacrifice to the Idols should be disarmed dishonoured displaced and suffer further punishment at the Emperours pleasure Whereupon some of his Christian Captaines and Souldiers did sacrifice to the Idols others standing constant in the faith wherin they were baptized would neither change in heart nor yet in outward shew seeme other than true and faithfull Christians The wisdome of this Constantius though then a Pagan was such as he iudged those Christians that denied their faith by this outward act of Idolatry most vnwoorthy to serue him who of a base and seruile feare had forsaken the God they serued but cherished and highly honoured the other as men that by their 11 But Popish Religion teacheth that all saithfulnesse is subordinate vnto the Popes will Religion had learned to be faithfull to whomsoeuer they had giuen their troth This point of so deepe b consideration in a Pagan seemeth admirable as it is exceeding comfortable to vs all to see how the Lord hath giuen the like measure of vnderstanding to our King who among many instructions giuen the Prince his sonne obserued the same ground for triall of his subiects and confessed himselfe that he neuer found any more faithfull to him in all his distresses than such as had beene 12 Wel applied Constantius maketh true Religion and faith in God to be the ground of sincere obedience and the Libeller maketh faithfull obedience towards an earthly Prince to be the ground of Religion faithfull to the Queene his mother who were not all you know of his Religion How certaine a triall this is to discerne loyall hearts he will easily perceiue that looketh into the state of our dayes wherein as we see more sects and more inconstancie in beliefe than in any other age since Christ so withall we finde lesse fidelitie in friend lesse trust in seruants and more dissembling in all states than euer heretofore was heard or practized 13 This place is 1 Tim 4. where the Papists are very euidently described In the latter dayes sayth Christ many shall fall away from the faith and thinke you that in those dayes he shall finde faith and fidelitie of one man to another In the same measure that faith is broken toward God in heauen it will breake and faile assuredly towards man in earth In matter of faith sayth Paul the heart and a tongue should agree together Fol. 11 Corde creditur ad iustitiam ore autem confessâ—â— fit ad salutem And shall we aduise our Prince who hath beâ—ne so well brought vp in the schoole of Gods word to vse such meanes with his subiects in matters of their faith as may separate their outward 14 Both behauiour and conscience ought to be recâ—â—â—ieâ— accorâ—ing vnto the rule of trueth behauiour from their inward conscience or teach theÌ„ to be dâ—sloyall to himselfe by forcing them to be false to God in their Religion By violence of lawes he may make mâ—ny dissemble their faith with repining heart and grudge of minde to their assured 15 His Maiestie laboreth to bring such as are in the state of damnation vnto the state of Grace and saluation not of the contrarie damnation because therein they sinne against their owne consciences yet sure it is that as no man can alter his opinion as he list or at his pleasure so force can neuer change his faith vntill his grounds and arguments shall be by better reasons conuinced The Libeller being almost out of breath in reckoning vp of his Reasons for promiscuous toleration of all Sects and professions of Religion whatsoeuer The Libellers Digressions to recreate and solace himselfe a little maketh two Digressions The former whereof is a Lucianicall discourse concerning reading and interpreting
of Scripture without any meanes rule or limitation to the analogie of faith which because it is but a giddie speach of a malicious Machiauelist and lying Papist to disgrace Religion it needeth no further refutation then a bare deniall The Later is of triall by conference concerning which because the Libeller proposeth the same againe a little after I will forbeare to speake any thing vntill we come to that place Then he produceth an argument to proue how fruitlesse a thing it is how preiudiciall to the King and State to cause men to shew themselues outwardly to be of another profession then in heart they are which he laboureth to proue by the example of Constantius the father of Constantine the Greate who would admit none to be about him that were vnfaithfull in their religion towards God If this be true then would he neuer admit Papistes whose perfidiousnesse towards God in iustling Christ out of his throne in denying him to be our perfect and alone Sauiour in adulterating his word and mangling Religion is notoriously knowne Obedience to God the ground of obedience to the Magistrate And indeed obedience and fidelitie towards the Prince must needs flow and proceed from conscience in Religion towards God grounded vpon the written word But Papistes that embrace a Religion patched like a Beggers cloake and compiled of all Heresies and preferre their owne deuises and traditions before the will of God reuealed in his word cannot possibly carry themselues faithfully towards any Prince which thing also is euidently seene by their daily practise their obedience and faithfulnesse being pinned vpon the Popes sleeue to be disposed where he listeth The Princes securitie and greatest force lyeth in the faithfull harts of his subiects and the hart or affection of man is neuer wonne by violence and if we will bring all to the course of the Primitiue Church we must note that then no 1 But heresies were 1. strained by seueritie of lawes euen in the Primitiue Church violence was vsed to establish the Gospell The Scriptures were searched but the 2 The foolish Libeller knoweth not what interpretation signifieth otherwise he can not be ignorant that in the place he quoteth all interpretations were limited according to the analogie faith interpretations were not restrained as b you may see 1 Cor. 14. and shall we now stop mens mouthes and tye them with statute lawes to the iudgement of a fewe and make their opinions as a Popish Decree and that too before due examination and triall In the Primitiue Church there arose a controuersie whether the Law of Moises were still to be obserued together with the Law of Christ for appeasing whereof the Iewes tooke one way not much vnlike to yours the Apostles an other way such as I now perswade The course of the Apostles was conuenerunt Apostoli seniores the learned in both Lawes held a councell and conference and resolued the question to the contentment of all the Christians which were before of different opinion in the matter This course was then taken and 3 A sound Popish Consequence Christ promised to be there where two or three should be assembled together in his name Ergo Councels cannot erre because Christ promised to be where Christians in his name should thus assemble and conferre together to finde out the truth the Christians from that time in like case haue taken the same course Pastors and Bishops of the whole world were called together in the first councell of Nice where that blasphemous Arrius who denied Christ to be God was a yet inuited to the triall of his Doctrine Fol. 12 and was heard what he could say for defence thereof and so from age to age as heresies haue risen in the Church like course of conference hath beene taken to confirme the faithfull and conuert the misbeleeuers euen vntill these late daies as appeareth by those conferences which haue beene in Germanie not onely among the 4 But what likenesse is there betweene the Popish conuenticles and the anncient Councels Papists but also among the followers of those notable reformers M. Luther and M. Caluin by reason of the diuersities of their opinions in matters of 5 The Libeller is very industrious to note this Faith The Iewes thought by whippes and threatnings to stop the mouths of Christs Disciples that they should not perswade nor speake in the name of Iesus but the more they were forbid the more they spake as it hath also fallen out among vs of late yeares in 6 As if the Papists in England spake in the name of Iesus and not in the name of the Pope England Such Constitutions therefore in my opinion are not conuenient and as for my selfe as I doe not misdoubt the truth of my beleefe or 7 No doubt the Libeller hath more courage then strength feare any conference or disputation with any contrarie sect so am I not wedded in such sort to mine owne sense that I altogether 8 Popish pretence disdaine other mens iudgements in the true meaning of the Scriptures especially of b those most auncient and therefore most reuerend assemblies from all coastes of the earth where Christians liued which being neere to the time of the Apostles could not but giue great light what doctrine the Apostles had taught in those Countreyes and in what sense the Scriptures were deliuered In this sort did M. Iuell openly at Pauls Crosse confidently challendge the Papists and in case that they should disagree from him in the sense and interpretation of the Scriptures he was content to referre himselfe to the vniforme Faith of the Fathers in the first sixe hundred yeares For it was not likely that 9 Who of vs euer affirmed that Gods Church was ouerthrowen we know the Gates of hell cannot preuaile against it Gods Church was in so fewe yeares ouerthrowen or that any but the Apostles could haue that priuiledge to plant Christian doctrine in all nations of the earth as noteth Tertullian lib. de praescriptionibus This Challenge of M. Iuells was accepted by his aduersaries and many a good Soule that had care of saluation and desire of the truth was much edified thereby hoping that by this meanes the truth would come to light and which were the primitiue faith and doctrine of the Apostles be easily discerned And a when some violent heades perswaded that M. Iuells challendge should proceede no further Fol. 13 but that the answeares of his aduersaries should be 10 This was done because the wise Magistrates saw that the Papistes were solemnely sworne that they would neither reade not heare B. Iewels booke read but greedily embraced the poysoned writings of his Aduersaries by Proclamation repressed many began to stagger and thinke that the truth was rather on their side for otherwise said they why should not the answeres be seene and read especially where M. Iuells replies were rife in euery mans hands For most certaine it is