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
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.
the accompte of Psalters to matche it with theirs to make vp their packe of Psalters But what are these other two Psalters of which they tell vs Who hath blowen them foorth into the world Let them tell vs also why they do not adde to this nomber of Psalters those which their forefathers haue heretofore published as Psalters to the worlde in printe Be they now ashamed of them so may they be of this They printed at Parris a Primer anno 1554. in the 160. leafe of that booke they do giue vs an other Psalter which they do there call The Psalter of Sainct Hierome and they do in their Rubricke there tell vs for how many purposes good if we will beleeue them the same Psalter was printed In the same booke also Fol. 125 they tell vs howe S. Bernard was on a time in his prayers and the deuil sayd to him I know that there be certaine verses in the Psalter who that doth saye them dayly shall not pearishe for he shall haue knowledge of the daye that he shall dye but the feinde saye they woulde not shewe them to S. Bernard Then sayd S. Bernard I shall saye dayly the whole Psalter The feinde considering that S. Bernard should do so much profit to labour so he shewed him the verses there following This is their Rubricke in that place in which might be noted many thinges which now I passe ouer As first that the deuill is busie to dasill men in prayer Againe that this was a packe of verses bounde together by the deuill him selfe An handsome peice of worke be ye sure And thus he doth now busie him selfe by this newe founde Psalter to playe his olde pranckes But why be not these verses thus packed together called S. Bernard his Psalter as well as his verses and why be they not ioyned together as one Psalter with that other Psalter of S. Hierome to increase the number of Psalters For so mighte our Papists yeeld vnto vs more Psalters then three They maye know also if they will how that same their seraphicall doctor S. Bonauenture did most shamefully corrupte the most holy Psalter of Dauid chaunging through the whole Psalter the name of Lorde into Ladye to turne his reader from the Lord God whom the prophet Dauid praised and to whom he prayed vnto that Virgin Mary as his souerain The booke is in printe and therefore I leaue it to the veiw of them who lust to see such corrupte Popish blasphemies But how happeneth it now that our Papistes do make no accompt of that Psalter to be a Psalter Truely as full of filth and blasphemy as it is yet is it adorned by some of their forefathers in poperie with this glorious title The Psalter of the Virgin Mary compiled by the deuoute doctor Sainct Bonauenture Then the Virgin Mary with papists hath two Psalters or else some of them doe lye why doth not M. Fowler tel vs of them Surely I thinke he is as much bounde to tell vs of the one as of the other But it may be that by aduise he doth omitte these psalters because our papistes now be ashamed of the filth and corruption of their forefathers I would there were so much grace in them Truely if there were they would neuer haue sent foorth this new corruption of theirs They do therefore but deale doubly with the reader to tell him but of three psalters as if there were with them no more but three psalters wheras they haue so many But they woulde faine make a waye for this their new psalter therefore they suppresse the number and naminge of others They tell vs that this is the psalter of Iesu good wordes But why call they it a psalter There are some of their good maisters in popery which do tell vs that a psalter is an instrument of tenne stringes and these men do now tell vs that this their psalter hath 150. stringes I meane petitions therefore it is some new kinde of instrument deuised by their owne idle and corrupt braines Their saide maisters teach vs that the psalter that is the instrument which hath tenne stringes doth signifie the tenne commaundements And will M. Fowler tell vs on his credite that this his new psalter doth signifie the ten commaundements If he do so tell vs we shal be able I hope to proue that this his psalter is but a counterfaite and false signe More their maisters do teache vs that an hymne doth thus differ from a psalme For an hymne say they is that songe which is songe with the naturall voice but a Psalme is that which is played vpon an instrument Now sithence it is their pleasure to giue vs a psalter they will I thinke assigne some instrument wherevpon the psalmes of this psalter maye be played And so they do ful deuoutly forsooth For they do assigne to them which shall hādle this their psalter to playe the same vpon their Tenne fingers A proper instrument and soundeth as sweetly as when an Ape layeth his fore hands crosse one vpon an other and is taught to sweare by his owne tenne bones full sweetly kissing his proper pawes This verely is but apes playe But how aptly or vnaptly soeuer it is to be called a psalter all is made vp by adding vnto the psalter the name of Iesu for they call it the psalter of Iesu The name of Iesu hath in it an heauenly and glorious sweetnes when it is rightly looked into For he that doth know him selfe to be a sinner and that he is to receaue the rewarde of sinne that is death and damnation by the most iuste iustice of God When this man with a trembling and troubled spirite doth looke about quaking for feare and hungry of helpe and findeth that Iesus is the true and only Iesus that it is he that saueth his people from their sinnes and therefore is euen the same in deede which his name noteth that is a Sauiour This poore soule reioyseth with ioye vnspeakable because he hath founde a Iesus and fealeth in him selfe a taste of that kingdome of God which is righteousnes ioye and peace in the holy Ghost If M. Fowler did minde to teach his reader to vnderstand what the name of Iesus doth meane he would I thinke haue told him the same thing which the Angel did tell Ioseph Thou shalt cal his name Iesus for he shall saue his people frō their sinnes Where we learne that the name of Iesus doth signifie a Sauiour and Iesus is he called because it is he that doth saue his people from their sinnes And this sauinge health hath suche a sweete taste in it that it maketh the Virgin Marie Simeon and all other well taughte children of God which do rightely taste of this saluation to reioyce in God their sauiour M. Fowler mighte also haue tolde vs out of Bernard that Iesus is honey in the mouth and melodie in the eare and myrthe in the harte And also that the name of Iesus is
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