Church why doe our adversaries make no end of bitter contention against vs We have indeed great sure promises that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against his Church but that the ordinarie Ministers shall alwayes and all in common holde the trueth not one syllable yea contrarie we have not only manie and serious warnings of false prophetes to arise in the bowells of the church in sheepes clothing but also most clearlie foretold that such an Apostasie should come whereby Antichrist in al effectual deceyt should even sit and beare rule in the Temple of God If they will saye that the Church of Israel had not such promises of continuall presence and preservation of truth as the Christian Church hath It is a treacherous sophisme For they had also sure promises of continuall presence and preservation of truth according to the measure dispensed albeit not of so great measure of presence and light And as for that point whereof our adversaries glorie most and wherein now at last they are faine to place all defence namelie the prerogative of places and persons the Church of Israell had much more for them in so ample and many promises made of Ierusalem And to the house of Levie and familie of Aaron where as the Church vnder the Gospell in which neither at Ierusalem nor in any mountaine but every-where and of all men God is to bee worshipped in spirit and truth albeit having great sure promises of presence and preservation yet of tying God or his truth to any places or persons in all Scripture shee hath not so much as any shew of a warrant which if the holy Ghost had minded hee might with much lesse ado have reduced those many grave and earnest warnings given both by Christ in the dayes of his fleshe and by his Apostles thereafter of the perill of false prophetes and those carefull instructions of notes how to discerne and avoid them to a short and sure compende against all fraude bidding the Church but holde whatsoever the Bishop of Rome did holde for that hee forsooth could not erre If our adversaries yet oppone that howsoever the Church vnder the Law did sometime fall away all in common and that albeit the Christian Church should also in like manner yet the truth of God his promises should not therefore faile but that no such thing hath befallen the Christian Church or could befall her in respect of the great measure of light and cleare dispensation by the Gospell It is many wayes both foolish and impertinentlie alleadged for first it is a plaine taking of that which is in question Next as the state of our question is whither possiblie the Church may erre communiter tota and God his promise yet abyde true to oppone that shee hath not erred is alse ridiculous as if in disputation de iure one should answer de facto If God his promise still may consist albeit shee did so erre wee have the point wee pleade for And whither shee hath erred or not they must of necessitie come with vs to trye by such rules of examination as wee only labour to reduce them to and they in an evill conscience alwayes flee onely crying against vs The TeÌ„ple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord And the Church can not erre Thirdlie this their presumption of the ones possible and easie falling away and of the others assured standing in truth grounded vpon the lesse and greater measure of light it sheweth their foolishnes in divine matters For as whatsoever measure of light dispensed is God his free benefite so is our either imbracing or abyding therein his only gift Who as hee iustlie will give over presumptuous and secure men to groape even at noone day so is hee faithfull and wil not suffer his owne to bee tempted above that they are able but will give the issue with the tentation Wee have indeed to glorifie God and even to glorie in him for the huge measure of light and gracefull dispensation by the Gospell but so farre ought men to have bene from vaine boasting thereof or carnall and secure relying thervpon as in all watchfulnes and godly care they should have remembred with all that accordingly Satan was to advaunce the mysterie of iniquitie by all effectual working with all power signes and lying wonders and in all deceaveablenes of vnrighteousnes among them that perish because they receaved not the love of the truth that they might be saved and therefore God should send them strong delusion c. for Sathan as a craftie warriour and subtill enemie reserved and framed his last cunning force and maner of working according as he did see that for deceaving was requisite and accordinglie by God his wise permission iust iudgement obtained a throne even in the temple of God And as in the dealing of God it is not to be esteemed strange that he so farre gave over the world to the efficacie of errour whereby he iustlie punished the contempt of his truth and clearlie foretold the case so is it nothing derogatorie either to his goodnes and truth of his promises made to his Church or to his power of performance as our adversaries because the Lord whom they would make a varlet to their lustes hath iustlie cast dunge vpon their faces therefore by a doting dilemma would inforce vpon vs this blasphemie as a necessarie consecâ—arie of our doctrine For that if the Church have erred it must have beene that either GOD would not or then that hee could not keepe his promise to her But it is the propertie of their king Abaddon to blaspheme the name of God his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Wee both acknowledge his goodnes and praise his truth and power and confesse that by this course of dealing they are more highlie manifested then if the gates of hell and smoake of the bottomles pit had never assailed the Church Or if the weaknes of men had never appeared to the praise both of his goodnes and power For as his incomprehensible goodnes and constant truth are herein magnified that though all men be liers yet hee abydeth true and the infidelitie of men can not make his promise of none effect so did his infinite power exceedinglie extoll the selfe in this that as hee bringeth light out of darknes and maketh his light to shine in darknes as hee bringeth life out of death and preserveth the children of death so in the middest of Antichrist his vsurpation and such absolute domination in the holy Citie and Court of the Temple the visible Church as no possible meanes appeared of intertaining light yet hee not only all the while preserved two candlestickes and two olives true witnesses and Ministers of light and grace but also when spyed out by Antichrist they were cruellie murthered and in his and his sectatours estimation vtterlie vndone hee revived them in furder vigour to his and their terrour That while all the earth
token of vpright love as I maintain a iust cause and howbeit that either for qualitie or quantitie it bee farre vnequall to the certain truth and great worthines of the matter Yet shal it I hope affoord you an answere heereafter to any who disdainfully insulting would aske what say you Maisters for your callings and to bee as good as your word once given that vpon covenant the demanders would read it You should find an answer to that wherein they think vs put to non plus The grace of our Lord IESVS CHRIST be with you Your kinsman and loving Brother in Christ P. Forbes of Coirse A DEFENCE OF THE LAWFVL CALLING OF THE MINISTERS OF REFORMED Churches against the cavillations of Romanists TO any not well acquainted with the condition of the Church in our quarters and the peert perverse diligence of Romanistes against it through their many and strong favourers in great scarcitie of able Ministers the loÌ„g weak resistaÌ„ce made them this piece of paines how small soeuer yet may perhaps appeare superfluous in such store of both learned large treatises already writteÌ„ by our men in defeÌ„ce of the truth for overthrow of all that error can alledge against it so as in adding any more a man may seeme but vainlie to hale the coard of contention with theÌ„ who are already 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which maner the Church of God hath not And as for these simple blindfolded ones whom they lead away captive in error this sort of labour availeth not in that howsoever they are readie fide implicita to applaude whatsoever Pamphlet put abroad by any of their men and insolentlie insulting to interpret our silence to the aduantage of their owne and weaknes of our cause yet they stick not to professe that whatsoever we either writ or reply against theÌ„ they neither may nor will vouchafe to read it but much more inequitable heerein then the fellowes of Iehu they heare no sooner you know the man and what his talke was but they condemne it flatlie as false yet will not in any case no not thereafter heare it told them least perhaps vpon some respectes they might bee mooâ—ed to alter iudgement And veriâ—y I was my selfe a long time of this opinion that all â—uâ—theâ— iangling with them was vaine till at length perceâ—vâ—ng that not only their blinde leaders and also their miscaried ones became therevpon the more insolent but that even the resolution of some weak professours was also troubled who either had not the care to read or skill to discerne in our mens writingâ— what sufficientlie might haue stayed their hearts against all the obiections of the adversaries I then for mine owne part thought best by opening vp the booke of the Revelation to manifest so to all men having eies the mysterie of godlines that also of iniquitie impugning it that the judicious and attent Reader might both be instructed against their deceit and also made skilful to discerne so their trumperies that neither al the gold skarlet pearle and precious stones wherwith the whoore goeth masked shuld hide her nakednes not her golden cuppe cover the abominations fraudfullie propined therinto Which as by the helpe of God in some measure I performed at the request of the godly have made publik that my pâ—ines so had I resolved never any more to put pen to paper at least in this polemick kinde of writing But a godlie brother of the ministrie sending to me of late a litle whither a Iesuits or Priests Pamphlet whereof some written copies were sparsed in the couÌ„trie in the author his intent proving the Ministers of the Protestant Churches to haue no lawfull calling and that coÌ„sequentlie with vs is neither any true church nor true SacrameÌ„ts to the which he was requested by a well affected Gentleman to make an answer and desiring therevpon to know my iudgement in the general question I accordingly affoorded him a sheet of paper at which time two or three godly Gentlemen falling to be in companie with me and knowing of the matter they at that time soone after some of the ministry also were instant with me that what in my privat lettre to that Brother I had shortlie pointed at I would for common vse somewhat more at length set downe that the wel affected might have wherwitâ— to meet the adversaries cavillations at tâ—eir incident occasions of coÌ„ference about such matter For whose satisfaction I have heereby not so much set my selfe to encounter with any one for their treatises in great penurie of matter are most part spent in false personall crimination and calumnious railings which I disdaine to answer as shortlie to give to the godly a common antidot against all by answering such of their maine obiections as wherto all the rest easilie may be reduced that seeing by force of truth they are now at last driven dispairing of the matter it selfe for all other argument to quarrel our callings this sarie shift may be wrung from them also Wherin they may bee fitlie compared to those pleaders who being out of all hope of their cause labour to cast the court Or to such men against whom an authentick reversion good money being produced for outquyting from them a possession which otherwayes they can find no right to detaine they run by all meanes to annull the order But as at the Barr it were a preposterous order of pleading after peremptorie argumeÌ„ts proponed to returne to delatours so when the head of all defence is placed in them it argueth that even in the conscience of the proponer the peremptours are invalid 2. Thus the Priestes and Scribes of the Iewes whose successours and of whose spirit these men bewray themselves to be when after many assayes against Christes doctrine they were ever put to the worse in the end pryding themselves and with a great deale more reason then doe our adversaties in that ordinarie place which they brooked in the Church for all argument they come at last to this By what authoritie doest thou these thinges and who gave thee this authoritie where the Lord answering for him self then and for vs now in the like case most plainly at length sheweth that howsoever in the ordinarie course of a constitut Church a carefull regard must be had to the ordinarie calling yet when as sometime it falleth that the ordinarie husband-men become murtherers and the ordinarie builders become destroyers there God extraordinarilie stirreth vp men whose ministrie prooveth itself to be from heaven and not from men even by this that they â—ome in the way of righteousnes and sinners are converted by them that so the Lord of the vineyard may report fruit thereof even when the ordinarie husbandmen rebel and that the stone rejected even of the ordinarie builders may yet bee made the head of the corner which howsoever it bee marvailous in our eies yet it is the Lord his doing 3. Now this alone without furder though
not so fall from truth As if forsooth where all the members are apart bad infected that togither they could make vp a good or sound body Yea as we have alreadie cleared that the argumeÌ„tation from the church or promises made thereto to ordinarie Pastors in common is vicious and from the ordinarie Pastours al in common to vniversallie each one is much more halting so here even from the whole Pastours vniversallie to the generall counsell it is still faultie For no generall counsel can be brought but that albeit al therein had erred yet numbers of ordinarie Pastours were besides who might have holden the truth O but the Counsels have a special promise of the Lord his presence as which doe represent the whole church and he blesseth his owne ordinance This is still impudently to oppone one the same thing I denie not but the Lorde hath promised that where or whensoever two or three assemble in his name he wil be in the midst of them And I am perswaded that no number how small soever of lawful pastours hauing God and his honour singlie before their eies and proponing and following onely his reveiled will and in Christian love agreeing in one in that disposition humblie heartily in calling to the Lord did ever assemble themselves or shall at any time convene which have not found and shal not find the truth of his promise That no man esteeme me herby to loose a liberty for men to contemne God his ordinance in the assemblies of his Church more then before in the meane of preaching of the worde But I pray you had ever the Lord so limited him selfe that al counsels shal vndoubtedly alwayes so assemble as they may be ever secure of that promise miserable experience in all ages hath taught vs clearlie the contrarie So as the holy â—an Nazienzen did not stick to say that hee never did see any good effect of counsels And Constantin the Emperour in his epstle to the Synode of Tyrus roundly telleth themâ— that in all the dealings of Bishops hee could see nothing but an overthrow of al religioÌ„ So while men ar miscaried with the spirit of contention bitternes pryde avarice ambition and selfe-love they cannot indeed make the promise of God of none effect which alwayes abydeth stedfast but they depryve theÌ„selves of the fruit therof Besides this where voices are numbred not wayed albeit many assemble with good hearts yet ofteÌ„ major pars vincit melioreÌ„ the grater part obtaine against the best Thus Michaia was not only disdainfully checked but also buffeted imprisoned Thus Ierâ—mie was condemned delivered to the secular power as a man who was worthy of death thus our Lord Iesus was convicted condeÌ„ned of blasphemy and adiudged to die Neither giveth this a liberty to despyse counsels as which are the Lord his appointment for the rule of his house but it warneth wathchmen in feare trembling to take heed to their ministry not vainlie while they securely follow their owne lustes yet presumptuously to cry out The Temple of the Lord The Tèple of the Lord. The law shall not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the ancient For eveÌ„ the Lord answereth such men that the law shal perish from the Priest the counsel from the ancient And it is to waken al Christians wysely and carefully to discerne spirites Augustin in few wordes telleth how rightly both to trye and make good vse of counsels Nec ego Nicenam SynoduÌ„ tibi nec tu mihi Arminensem debes tanqua praejudicaturus obijcere Nec ego hujus authoritate nec tu illius detineris ScripturaruÌ„ authoritatibus non quoâ—umâ—â— proprijs sed quae vtrisâ— sunt coÌ„munes res cum re causa cuÌ„ causa ratio cuÌ„ratione certet that is neither ought I to obiect to thee as a preiudice the counsel of Nyce nor thou to obiect to me the counsel of Ariminum Neither am I holdeÌ„ to the authoritie of the one nor thou to the authoritie of the other let vs debate by authorities of Scriptures Which are common to vs both and not these authorities which are proper to either partie let matter bee set against matter cause against cause and reason plead against reason 17. The Romanists themselves perceaving well how weake incertain a warrant of truth is either the coÌ„munalty of pastours or the decrees of counsels which as Cadmus his race each al most destroy other they in end leave al other refuge and come to the Bishop of Rome and doe coÌ„fine al verity within his breast who though he be a Devill a Sorcerer a Sodomit a Simoniak a Murtherer an Heretik as was Ioh. 22. who denyed the immortality of the soule finally a despiser both of God and man yet he cannot erre in Cathedra in the chaire Thus as men mated with maintaining an vnequall match for a wrong cause their last defences are feeblest Wherein albeit not onely they be destitut of all warrant either of Scripture or sound Antiquity but that even a great part also of their owne Clergie are ashamed therof yet their Iesuits Seminaries are stil more then extreemly impudent It is inded true that some of the ancient fathers attributed much yea and too much to the church of Rome reverenced greatlie both the iudgement and authority thereof by reason of so many famous Bishops who still in that seat had both holden soundlie the true faith themselfes and had bene great ayders and conforters of others who in diverse parts did stryve and suffer for it And in this men otherwayes learned and holy were not only too liberal but even beyond measure prodigal because whatsoeuer either praise or prerogative they could have on the church of Rome as the course of things then went it made for the credit of their cause Satan even thus subtillie plowing with God his owne heifer for fetting forward the mysterie of iniquitie which mynding simplie but the defence of the good cause in the tyme these good men were not ware of But such an vnbridled blasphemous licence as the Popes since have vsurped taken to them selves and their Canonistes and Parasites have given them these god-fathers never dreamed of As any who readeth their writtes and stories and with iudgement considereth the cases and condition of these tymes will easely perceave and bee never a whit troubled with the hyperbolick and partly evill vnderstood partly false and supposititious praise and priviledges given to that seat Wherewith when any of the Bishops of Rome being too much tickled did presse thereupon to vsurpe intolerably they were theÌ„ oftner then once not only resisted but also their ambition freely checked and gravely rebuked As the headines of Viâ—â—â—r repressed by Ireneus Bishop of Lyâ—â—â— and Polycrates of Ephesus the act of the counsel of Chalcedon in favour of the Bishop of Constantinople constantlie maintained against all 〈◊〉 his chaffe and the act of the counsel of
extraordinarie calling wee have to worke miracles Who of any sound mynd can not but extreamlie wonder how by so manifold and childishe a cavillation men affecting the opinion of learning and holynes should so evidentlie make themselves ridiculous and bewray openlie an evill conscience For first as I have already cleared for our Churches in common they are impudent to deny our ordinarie vocation But to let this passe with them if my doctrine proove it selfe to bee the truth what place have such men as it convinced to bee â—yers to except against my vocation which justifieth it selfe sufficientlie even by that fame Doe men gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thistles And if necessitie were of miracles what greater can bee then this that The stone even reiected of the builders is yet made the head of the corner Which by the Lord his owne Testimony is marveilous in our eies and yet it is the Lod his doing If our doctrine bee truth their mouthes are stopped who directlie impugne it and if it bee false what foolishnes is it to crave a warrant of our callings as if all the miracles which ever were wrought could warrant a man to teach lyes Besides all this that miracles are alwayes requisite for iustifying an extraordinarie callinge it is falslie assumed For of Iohne Baptist whose callinge Christ his answer to the Priestes prooverh to have beene extraordinarie it is witnessed that hee wrought no miracles as neither did divers Prophets before him And whatsoever was then either vsed or requisit while that manner of dispensation had place yet now when the whole Counsell of GOD is reveiled and that manner of dispensation altered miracles in these our tymes without any more were even enough wherefore to mistrust the worker For that howsoever at the beginning of the Gospell in so strange and great alterations as were the inbringing of the Gentiles and the abrogation of the legall worshippe which was of GOD his owne appointement it was as sayeth Augustin miraculis inchoata begun with miracles yet now the Sonne of man having long agoe come in his kingdome with power and the Sinagogue beeing buried with honour the case in these last tymes varieth so farre as miracles and wonders are the badge of Antichrist who hath come with all effectuall working of Sathan in signes lying wonders and strong delusion So as whosoever now worketh miracles quanto magis miraâ—ilia confiâ—emur tanto cautius vitare debemus How much more wonderfull wee confesse them to be wee ought the more warilie to eshew them as sayeth the same Augustin And this diversitie oâ— dispensation the holy Ghost in goodly and convenient types most fitlie expresseth Chapter 4. and Chapter 15. of the Revelation In the first is put a cleare Christallin Sea with seven burning Lampes apart So to designe the pure word worship according thereto in these first tymes accompanied with the powerfull cooperation of the holy spirit but in such sort as then there was a distinct outward and visible dispensation and donation of the holy spirit by imposition of hands and kything in visible symbols of the holy spirit and divers gifts and miraculous operations In the fifteene Chapter is shewed again that the Sea is cleare as Christall and hath the ioyned operation of the holy spirit but the Sea is mingled with the fyre To shew in the last dispensation for overthrow of Antichrist a puritie of the word and worship the vertue of the spirit ioyned therewith as at first but yet so as no dispensation of the spirit should be but by and with the word as mingled therewith all outward and visible extraordinarie donation of the spirit and miraculous operations now ceassing And verelie an other manner was requisite for bringing in first the Gentiles to the faith and so casting Satan from heaven even that the Gospell should be miraculis inchoata then for overturning his fraudfully reerected throne in the church vnder pretence of the Lambe his hornes and to much different dealing for burying the Synagogue with honour then for thrusting Antichrist to the doore with shame At first the Lord had to procure credit to his Gospell as to his owne sacred will word next again he had by this Gospell so now obtaining as the partie to be detected and overthrowen thereby dare not openly denie the authoritie thereof but to convince the traitour covered vnder false pretences 25. To disproove this power of plaine and prevayling truth and to discredit the argument of our miraculous successe thereby our adversaries yet ryse against vs with two obiections The first is that if successe and wyde obtayning were a note of truth then also or more iustlie might Arrianisme and Mahometisme acclaime the title thereof as wee But these instances are sophisticallie brought against the truth and vs. For albeit wee confesse heresie to bee verie contagious and the word thereof to be fretting as a gangrene through the conveniencie it hath with the vaine humour of man who is naturallie a lyer yet when soever it is put to iust tryall by the truth then can it retaine no strength It is indeed true that truth alwayes prevayleth not for then the mysterie of iniquitie had never attayned to such height but this falleth not through the weaknes of truth but partlie through the vanity of men who falling away froÌ„ the love and due regard of truth are in God his iustice given vp to the efficacie of errour Partlie through their vniust furie reiecting and persecuting the truth vntryed wherein yet the great odds betwixt veritie and lyes is wonderfull in that even in the highest degree of prevailing error while Satan hath a throne in the verie temple of God yet even then as in Pergamus the truth still dwelleth and a number keep the name of God even where Satan his throne is and against the terrour of bloodshed Whereas on the other part truth being but admitted to plead for it selfe albeit the holders have little strength as in Philadelphia yet the adversaries are forced to come and worship at their feet But this we maintaine and hold that when ever it pleaseth the Lord to send out his light and truth for leading men to his holy mountaine and that herefie howe stronglie soever grounded is reduced to due examination thereby that then albeit it hath vsurped even the holy citie court of the tempel yet by the true measuring reed it will be clearlie found to be cast out Their argument is a deceitfull falacie by confounding of divers cases and causes of the truth admitted to plead and of the same againe after in God his iustice hid or by mens crueltie and vniust violence debarred from all defence And this is evident in both the alleadged instances For Arianisme albeit having for it great but vnsanctified both learning and eloquence yet was ever ashamed before the truth till by the crueltie and violence of Easterne Emperours in Asia and
A DEFENCE OF THE LAWFVL CALLING OF THE MINISTERS OF REFORMED CHVRCHES AGAINST THE CAVILLATIONS OF ROMANISTS Whereto is subjoined AN EPISTLE TO A RECVSANT FOR CLEARING AND MAINTAINING SOME POINTS of the former treatise of defence challenged by a Roman Elymas Bar-Iesus-it WITH A SHORT DISCOVERY OF THE ADVERSARIE his dottage in his impertinent and rediculously deceitfull demands BY PATRIK FORBES of Coirse Read ye never in the Scriptures the stone which the builders refused the same is made the head of the corner This was the Lords doing and it is merveilous in our eies Math. 21.42 Printed at Middelburgh by Richard Schilders dwelling in the langen Delft at the signe of the Olyphant Anno 1614. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL MY TENDER KINSMAN AND DEARE BROTHER IN CHRIST VVILLIAM STRACHIN OF TIPPERTIE GRACE and peace in our Lord Iesus Christ. RIGHT Worshipfull and dearely beloved both in the flesh in the Lord when not long agoe your love led you to come and visit me I was vpon the occasion even then offered a penning of this little piece whereof you craving earnestly at that time a copy and having therewith told me how you had left my tender kinsman and your owne faithfull friend Maister Thomas Michel Minister of the Gospel of Christ lying sick of an ague I covenanted with you that with the first who from you should bring me assurance of his cōvalescing you shuld in recompence of so good tidings report a copy heereof Which accordingly God to him you to me and I to you performed And whereof you had then a hastelie catched copy I now send you the principall and so I doe send it as dedicated to your name that whither soever it shall happen to come yea if possibly it may befal any so farre to fansie it as by print to publish it to the world yet it may alwayes cary with it this frontepiece for a monument of our mutuall affection that singular regard I have you in not onely for our conjunction in blood and these many courtesies and kindly offices wherof you wearie not to hold me still more and more your debtor but much more for these rare christiā vertues which in you are so much the more cōmendable as vailed vnder sweet and christiā modestie and in singlenes eying God and carefully attending on a good cōscience they never were curious either to be knowen of men or to currie the applause of the world Albeit I very well know that your sincere heart towards God constant care of walking christianly with all men have bred you both the losse of great carnal and yet but carnal friends and also many apparant worldly disadvantages In all which losse your incōparable commoditie is both huge in the purchase of that one thing which only is to be sought for and also passing praise worthy in that neither any break of duetie to the one neither anie errour of iudgement or defect of prudent and diligent endeavour in the other but a free choise of mind to forgoe willingly what you could have easilie either holden or acquired if you would but therefore would not for that in conscience you ought not hath made you to count light of such thinges as the men of this world madly running after doe lose both them selves and all these things also and yet heerein the Lord hath dealt so indulgently with you as you cannot but to the praise of his goodnes and truth acknowledge the verity of his promise in a hundreth fold gain euen in this lyfe When the other yeare I was dwelling by you and so was delighted with that sweet conversation and happy fellowshippe which I can never record but both with regret and ioy you remēber that one day Maister Thomas Michel brought Iohn Fraser his chalenge to the Ministers of Scotland which albeit some yeares ere then it had bene abroad in our countrie yet I had never seen nor heard of before that time And after I had read it he told me how grealty our countrie-Papists did glorie thereof And that so much the more as it had receaved no answer they imputing that to the strength of their owne and imbecillitie of our cause he willed me to cōsider if it were not expedient to say something thereto I answered him then that they had not great matter of insulting for any stuffe which was in that treatise wherto to make any answer it were but to maintain an endles iangling with men who would never be ashamed to repone vnto vs one and the same a hundreth times recocted crambe that nothing was in him which our mē had not often answered besides that whatsoever might have bene done at the first outcōming thereof yet now when it was stale and the author departed this life any particular answer should appeare vorimous But as for the matter specially disputed by him I was about to publish my commentarie vpon the Revelation whereby I hoped all equitable and judicious Readers should find themselves satisfied of all such doubtes as by his sophistical discourse might arise even to the most simple readers therof loving much rather thus to maintain truth then by contention of disputation which manner the Church of God hath not neither mind I for any Thrasonik braggs of our adversaries to alter this resolution though even a litle before your last visitation of me som copies of a new treatise of theirs inscribed a litle treatise of the Protestants profane calling wherein is proved how they have no true Pastours and consequently no true Church at all sparsed here in this part of the countrie the chiefe stage of their peirt pride with insolent high boasting have thus farre in holy indignation caried me as in defence of our callings to pen these few pages not particularly to meet that their treatise but generally to refell both it whatsoever thing els of any apparant weight in that argument alledged by any other I flee particular cōtesting loving to cleare points but not to plead with persons and liking to edifie all but loathing to scold with any Albeit so I might more clearly discover the childish and ridiculous ignorāce of whosoever is the author of that litle treatise and expone him more delightful to the Readers derision but neither desire I so to dally I know that a Brother before me hath vndertaken the taske to tread him overturne him in his owne traces This truly I must say that though in neither of the two either the first challenge or this late little treatise there be any such thing as may trouble the resolution of any meanly stayed mind yet the last for any apparant shew of skill commeth as far short of the other as he is otherwayes equall with him in high boasting and presumptuous promising of wonders but performing nothing at all Receave then my dear brother this little piece of my paines wherein and in ought that is mine you may iustly claime a special interest and receave it for a