But when we were not touched with anie of these things nor went about to reconcile our selues vnto God but as godles men supposed that God neither cared for nor yet would visit our wickednesse but heaped sinne vpon sinne And those which tooke vpon them to be our patrones shaking off and casting from them the rule of godlynes were kindled with hatred one agaynst another whilest they gaue themselues onely hereunto to wit to threatenings pride mallice and hatred euery one gréedely and in a manner of a certain tyrannie followed their owne ambition Then the Lord euen then I say made the daughter of Sion obscure dark according to the prophesie of Ieremie For hee lifted vp the right hand of her enemies turned from her his sword of defence was not her helpe in the day of battell but ceased from purifieng her threw her throne vnto the ground and shortned her daies aboue all this he poured out confusion and shame vppon her All these things are fulfilled amongst vs whilest we sée the places appointed to praier to be raced from the top to the very foundations the diuine and holy Scriptures to be burned in the middest of the market places and the Ministers of the Church with horrible confusion to run here and there to hide themselues and some were taken and put to open shame by theyr aduersaries and according to another prophesie Contempt was poured out euen vpon their Princes c. Thus farre Eusebius who after through his whole booke following describeth the martyrdomes calamities afflictions which the faithful in that most cruel persecution suffered Wherfore God is most earnestly diligently to be praied vnto that he wil vouchsafe to giue vs his grace repentance and mutuall concord least for our leude liues ingratitude and contentions he deale with vs as he hath done with those fathers before vs so deliuer vs into the cruell and bloudy hands of the Turkes and others the enemies of Christianitie God in his mercie turne this euill from vs. Moreouer all godly and Christian Princes and Magistrates according to their calling committed to them by GOD ought diligently to take héed hereunto and with al their might and wisdome helpe that the people of this Realme may altogether forsake those vnprofitable and troublesome contentions and cease to braule and quarrell with their brethren and fellow-seruants and that the ministers may fruitfully with great modestie grauitie preach vnto the congregation repentance amendement of life and true faith in Christ. It is written of king Iosophat that he sent certaine Princes Leuites and giuing vnto them the booke of the lawe of the Lorde commanded that they should teach true faith and the sincere worshipping of God The like did the most holy kings Ezechias and Iosias who religiously depriued from their offices all those which walked not rightly in the way of the Lord and did not according to the law of God Constantinus the great followed the example of those most holy kings performed the like in his Empire For when the Prelates in his time were at variance and contention among themselues and writ and preached one against another and were so bold to offer those contentious libels vnto the Emperour himselfe to the end that they might contend before him he receiuing al theyr bookes sharply reproued them inasmuch as they being by the prouidence of God appointed vnto the people for pastors and captaines of concord and charitie were so at variance among themselues Neither would heee giue any iudgement as touching theyr controuersies or yet reade their libels which they deliuered vnto him but cast them into the fire as he also commanded vpon paine of death that no man should reade the bookes of Arrius but burne them at the first hand that at the least they might thereby learne that those contentions and braules displeased his maiestie and so setting discord apart might afterwarde giue themselues to peace and concord In like manner when he sate with the Bishops at the Counsell of Nice amongst whome also many contentions were he laying forth the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles to wit the holy Bible commanded them to decide and end theyr controuersies by them and all of them with one consent to preach one and the selfe same faith This excellent example of the worthie Emperor Constantine whom God in this world honored with the title of Great whose name and glory through the whole world was famous of greate renowme among all men and is much more excellent in the eternall felicitie This example I say let all Princes and magistrates of this age follow touching the staying and suppressing of all controuersies among the prrofessors of the Gospell that thereby they may prouide for the peace and publike health of the Church Peace is that new yéeres gift which Christ gaue vnto vs at his birth It is the bond of perfection which he commended to his disciples in his whole life It is the legacie which he bequeathed vs at his death Pacem meam relinquo vobis My peace I leaue vnto you The Apostle Paul following the same example in euery Epistle that he wrote exhorteth vs vnto peace O nos miseros si quos toties repetita pax non mouit O miserable wretches that we be if peace so often repeated doth not moue Peius est sayth a Father ecclesiam scindere quam Idolis sacrificare It is a worse thing to be a schismatike then an idolater Also Saint Augustine exhorting vnto peace sayth Fratres teneamus charitatem sine qua fides nihil est habetâ—s autem charitateÌ„ si teneatis vnitatem Brethren let vs holde charitie without the which faith is nothing ye haue charity if ye kéepe vnitie The God of peace grant that as we may alreadie say in regard of our most gracious soueraigne Ladie Quéene Elizabeth mercy and truth haue met together so wee may one day also say in respect of our selues and this whole nation righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other And I beséech you brethren by the bléeding wounds of our sauiour and redéemer Iesus Christ that none doe increase olde faults by new offences but rather that euery man in sinceritie and holy obedience reforme his owne waies conforme his life according to the rule of perfect holinesse that so our conuersation before men may witnesse our perfect religion and we glorifie our father which is in heauen Let vs beautifie the chambers of our hearts with the florishing branches of a godly life mortifying and killing all those euill and peruerse affections which may blemish and darken those bright beames of Christian profession Let vs beare the sailes of our conuersations euen with the winde of Gods word and beséech we the holy Ghost to rule the stearne and guide the rudder of our thoughts least at anie time we cracke the barke of our religion against the rockes of euill tongues So shall our aduersaries bee ashamed to mutter against vs for liuing contrarie to that which we professe And God who is the God of peace shall in the end giue vnto vs his euerlasting peace in his heauenlie kingdome through Christ our Lorde Amen FINIS Ephes. 6. 13. Marke 4. 24. Math. 11. 19. Wisdome 1. 6 Verse 8. Cant. 6. 8 Isai. 5. 1 Psal. 125. 1 Isai 46. 13 Cant. 2. 1 1. Pet. 2. 9 Mat. 13. 47. Mat. 25. 1 Mat. 13. 24. 1. Iohn 2. 19 Apoc. 3. 15. Math 7. 23. Cyprian lib. de vnitate Ecclesiae The causes of Schisme Ierom. in Epist ad Euagrium Theodoret. li. 2. Fab. A definition of Schisme A distinction of Schisme Math. 10. 34 A most detestable schisme Deut. 13 False teachers a temptation Nestorius held that Marie was the mother of Christ but not the mother of God making two Christs Photinus denied the Godhead of Christ Apollinor held that Christ had no humane soule that he tooke no flesh of the virgin Marie but brought it from heaueÌ„ c Isai. 1 The dutie of good ministers Ambr. de incarnat Dom. cap. 2. Apoc. 9. False Apostles described Contentious Ministers Tit. 1. 9 Ministers must reproue errours Modestie and mildnes of spirit becommeth Ministers 1. Tim. 2. 24. A comparison betweene the Apostles and our reformers Peruerters of good things How schismes and errors in the Primitiue time of the Church were suppressed Tit 3. 10 The ancient fathers were euer enemies to scismatikes Concord The mischiefe of discord Singularitie Order 1. Cor. 11 Anabaptists hate order Cyprian lib. desimplicitate prelatorum Aug. epist. 152 contra Donatistas Uniformity in the seruice of God Exod. 12. 49 Iohn 4. 20 2. King 17. 24. Histor. tripart lib. 7. cap. 36. Inconstancie Eccle. 8. 9. 2 Tim. 6 Math. 13 Exod. 35. 30. ReligioÌ„ compared to mens bodies Innouation a dangerous euill 1. Cor. 9. 11 2. Iohn 1. 10 Martine reprehended by Paul for vaine babling Deprauers of good men False accusers Al heresie first beganne with vaine babling Pellagius Celestinus Arrius Sabellius Nouatius â—â—mon Magus â—iscilianus â—nabaptists â—ildebrand â—essalians â—eldstins An exhortatioÌ„â—o y â— ministers of the Church Rom. 1. 32 Ad Cassul presbit Galat. â— Math. 18. â— Clem. Stromat lib. 7 Act. 6. 4. Apoc. 2. 6 Matth. â— â— An exhortatâ—â—â— to hearers anâ— readers Math. 4. 24 1. Iohn 4. 1 Rom. 16 17 Rom. 16. 17 2. Tit 3. 6 Tit. 1. 10. 2. Tim. 3. 8 1. Tim. 6. 4 1. Tim. 5. 13 1. Tim. 1. 7 and verse 19. 2. Tim. 2. 16 2. Tim. 3. 5 verse 9 Ecclesiast hist. lib. 6. cap. 37 Lib de vnitate ecclesiae Eus. Eccle. hist. lib. 7. cap. 6 The deuils cords wherby he draweth men into heresie Lewes Cole and Ket Aug. in Psa. â—â— sub finem Ephe. 4. 3. Iohn 17. 21. Bernard in 〈◊〉 quem habuit ad sor de modo bene viueÌ„ 〈…〉 Psal. 122. 3. Act. 2. 46 Act. 4. 32 Inconstancie of y e multitude Iohn 6. 14. 15 Iohn 7. 1 Iohn 6. 60 Luke 6. 40 Luke 3. 15 and verse 20 Math. 14. 10 Act 14. 11 and verse 15. Gal. 4. 14 and vers 15. 16 2. Tim. 4. 3 Gal 1. 6 Eccle. 5 9 An exhortatioÌ„ to magistrats 2. Chron. 17 Martian and IustiniaÌ„ mad careful lawe to the lame purpose Reade Zozomenes li. 1. cap. 20 â— le 2. cap. 3. de libris 〈◊〉 heretici Luke 2. 14 Mat. 10. 1â— 1 Iohn 20. 26 August cont Petâ—â—anum
A Myrror for Martinists And all other Schismatiques which in these dangerous daies doe breake the godlie vnitie and disturbe the Christian peace of the Church Published by T. T. Math. 4. 24. Take heed what ye heare LONDON Printed by Iohn VVolfe 1590. The Preface THE Apostle Paul exhorting euerie Christian to take vnto him vniuersam illam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that same compleat armour of a godly man willeth him to girde himselfe with the girdle of truth This truth seemeth to haue great affinitie with mans nature because wee are made after Gods owne image who is truth it selfe that wee might expresse the same in our life in our words and in our maners But by reason of original sinne we all haue made shipwracke of the truth euerie man is become a liar Yet what man is he so vnregenerate that in open shew seemeth not to like and loue truth Doe not the greatest liers and most false accusers pretend truth Celsus and Antiphon two heretiques called their bookes Bookes of truth The false Prophets which deceiued Achab made a great brag of truth The deuill who can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light when he tempted Christ had in his mouth the infallible truth of Gods word But Prosper sayth very well Parum est si verum in ore est et falsum in corde And an other father to the same purpose saith Nihil prodest quia hymnum cantat lingua tua si sacrilegium exhalat vita tua It is a verie vile thing to haue truth in the mouth and falshood in the heart A theefe many times is not knowen by his face from a true man Experience proueth that as poisoning hearbes do grow greene as well as the wholesome And as counterfait golde looketh to the eie so faire as good coine so doth falsehoode appeare oftentimes like the truth yea to some more plausible and acceptable For art and science which should serue for the truth are by the subteltie of sathan verie often retayned against the same The wisest creature among beasts the serpent I meane was by the deuil abused to set forth lies to the seducing of the first man And do we not see that the same deuill imploieth still art learning ripe wittes and other good gifts which God hath giuen vnto men against the truth to wit such as are in the Papists Heretiques Brownists the familie of Loue Martinistes and all Schismatiques which neuer cease peruerting the truth It were to be wished that the lips of these men might be continually sealed as was the mouth of the image Angerona the Goddes of silence For better it were for them to be dumbe images of a vaine Goddesse then the clattering false spirites of sathan The hurt that may come vnto thee Christian Reader by the poison of these vipers if it do but touch thee for Sub melle latet venenum vnder the greene grasse lieth a serpent and falsehood is couloured with truth hath made me carefull for thy good to publish this small treatise Therefore such as it is take it well in worth and forget not this caueat of our sauiour Christ saying Take heede what ye heare Vlterius ne tende odijs A Myrror for Martinists WHen I call to minde the graue sentence of our sauiour Christ Wisedome is iustified of her children and doe beholde the miserable contentions with which the Church of England at this day is so vexed and turmoiled by the children of follie I cannot but on the one side condemne the late Martine libellers and their fauorites who hauing a bad cause do as leudly handle the same and on the other side mislike some repliers who notwithstanding they haue chosen the better part yet handle it not so charitably and modestly as it requireth And albeit the first scandale commeth by those foolish workers of iniquitie yet Angerona the Goddes of silence might better haue answered them then men of vncircumcised lips whose euill wordes corrupt good manners for wisedome will not in such sort be iustified of her children She is louing saith Salomon and will not absolue him that blasphemeth with his lips nay she will bring to passe that the iudgement of reproch shall not suffer him to escape These things considered I haue thought good to tender this Myrror to take from the face manifest spots wishing as hartely that the Church might be as frée from those Martine Libellers as they séeme to wish it to bee without all manner of blemishes and imperfections But although the Church of Christ for her simplicitie is called a doue for her fruitfulnes a vine for her beautie a rose for her strength mount Sion and for her holines a Priesthood yet is it not so pure and simple so long as it is vppon earth but that it fostereth foxes and wolues not so fruitfull but it hath thornes and thistles not so strong but the tyrants of the worlde doe sometime assaile and shake the same neither is it so holy but that prophane and wicked men séeme to haue place therein Our sauiour Christ sayd that the kingdome of heauen which is the Church hath in it fishes good and bad virgins wise and foolishe cockle and wheate yet these are not of the substance but as it were the dregs and excrements thereof The bodie of Christ is liuely neither hath it anie dead members and therefore Saint Iohn speaking of false Apostles sayth They went out from vs because they were not of vs for if they had ben of vs they had surely tarried with vs. Assuredly the wicked are conuersant in the Church no otherwise saith Saint Augustine then are corrupt and naughtie humours in a mans bodie for euen as those trouble corrupt the health so these vexe and disquiet the Church and are loathsome vnto Christ himselfe insomuch that he spueth them out of his mouth and will saie vnto them in that great daie Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie They then are too péeuish and wayward which at this day doe faine and imagine to themselues a Church so reformed héere in earth as they will haue nothing out of square in the same doe looke for that here which is no where to be found but in heauen And if they finde not the Church according to their conceit they incontinent forsake the same and make a scisme Which to the Church according to Cyprians opinion is more permitious than idolatrie For hee sayth that heresie and schisme succéeded in the place and selfe same degrée that idolatrie had afore time Christi aduentu prostratus inimicus vides idola derelicta c. The enimie Sathan being ouerthrowen by the comming of Christ séeing idols forsaken and his sees and temples to be left desart by reason of the great multitude of faithfull people deuised a new subtiltie vnder the verie title and name of Christianity to deceiue the vnwary he found out I saie heresies and
fauoured of the cōmon multitude whom he sought to please then beloued of God I will set before you those of more deserued fame and learning and thereby a greater temptation to good men Among which Photinus is to bée remēbred who not long after that he was called to the Church of Syrmitana by a general consent shewed himselfe soone after rather a tempter then a teacher insomuch that sodainly lyke that euill Prophet or dreamer of dreames of whome Moses speaketh he began to persuade the people committed vnto him to followe strange Gods that is to say strange errours which before they had not knowen to bring which wickednesse to passe he had great helpes as a singular wit profound learning and persuasible eloquence insomuch that he could speake copiously with delight and dispute and write subtilly and sententiouslie with commendation as plainly appeared by his bookes which he wrote in Gréeke and Latine But happily it befell that the shéepe of Christ committed vnto him hauing a vigilant eie and carefull regard vnto their faith soone remembred the forewarning of Moses and although they had in admiration the learning and eloquence of their pastour and prophet yet were they not ignorant of the temptation For him whom afore they followed as the bel-weather of the flocke the same now they began to shunne and flie from as a most dangerous woulfe As we are warned by this example of Photinus so also are we taught by another of Appollinar to beware of the danger of this Ecclesiastical temptation and to take diligent héed that we kéepe the faith This Appollinar was also a man of great learning as appeareth by those thirtie bookes which he wrote against Porphyrius and as he was learned so also he séemed zealous in ouerthrowing many heresies and confuting such errours as were contrarie to the faith It were too tedious to make report of all his workes by which he might séeme equall to the greatest builders of the Church But sée the mallice of sathan This man through a certaine prophane desire of hereticall curiositie began to be new-fangled and so as it were by the contagion of a leprosie he defiled and corrupted all his labours whereby his doctrine in the end shewed it selfe to be rather an Ecclesiasticall temptation than a building of the Church But of all the most dangerous tempters of olde time none may be compared to Origen in whom many things were singular many excellent and many wonderfull to speak of whose condigne praises in respect of the mans rare gifts a whole daie will scarse suffice all which notwithstanding did not make so much for the glorie of religion as they do set forth the greatnes of the temptation For what man is he that rather than hée would cast off one endued with such a wit so profound in learning in all science such swéete eloquence so holy a life and with so great grace will not vse this sentence that hee had rather to erre with Origen then with others to be of a true and sounde iudgement And yet for all this no common but a perillous temptation by him as the end shewed carried many from the integritie of faith insomuch that the selfe same Origen insolently abusing the grace of God trusting too much to his wit and standing too fast in his owne conceit made smal account of Christian religion thought himself more wise then others contemned the ancient rites of the Church and interpreted some places of Scripture after a new and strange sense giuing iust occasion to Moses to speak vnto the Church of Christ concerning him Thou shalt not heare the voice of that Prophet because the Lorde your God proueth you whether yee loue him or no. But what néede wée séeke examples so farre of when as at home daily we haue too many of these before our eies of such men as are indued with competent learning and other good giftes and hauing once begun well in the race of discretion to run a good course and like good builders to lay a good foundation to reare vp the Church of Christ by the preaching of the Gospel are now at the last lyke those foolish builders of Babel confounded in their worke building by presumption a tower of fonde conceit to themselues and are by the iust plague of God so diuided therein that some are Anabaptisticall Brownists some libertine Family-louists and some beside other sectes malecontent Martinists birdes hatcht of an euill egge a generation of vipers that can finde no life but by the destruction of their mother to too gréedie to séeke themselues not Christ hauing no care to maintaine the peace of his Church but contrariwise séeke to disturbe the same which preach not his Gospell simply but their selfe conceited deuises which are infinite which masking kinde of hypocrites haue their visors daily taken from theyr faces and the most godly wise do knowe them perfectly and can saie that they are no better than those seducing dreamers and false teachers of whom Moses speaketh by which God vseth to trie vs whether we loue him or not Who therefore séeing these dangerous daies doth not rather wish with Ieremie to dwell in y e wildernes that so they might leaue the societie of sinfull men and giue themselues onelie to contemplation that so also they might not sée the miseries like to fall vpon vs. Polycarpus that holy martyr scholler to Saint Iohn the Euangelist when he heard in his time but of a little discord in regard of that which at this daie raigneth both in Church and common wealth is reported to haue cried out Deus bone in quae tempora me reseruasti vt haec audiam Good God vntill what time hast thou kept continued me y t I shuld heare these things How much more iust occasion haue the godly of this age not onely to crie out with the heathen Oratour O tempora ô mores O times O manners but also with the Prophet Isay Heare O earth and hearken O heauen c. The godly and faithfull of this most Christian Church of England féeling and fearing the danger of Schisme doe euery where greatly complaine of the discorde among Ministers Such is the miserable corruption of this latter world that whereas calamities troubles and contentions do euery where abound and the dutie of the Ministers of the Church is euen as Fathers chiefe men and teachers or rather as messengers of peace in the house of God to teach men plaine and simplie and instruct and confirme them in faith to reproue sinne and errours to exhort vnto good workes to comfort the afflicted finally to stirre them vp both to peace charitie and concord to amendement of life and repentance from sinne yet notwithstanding many of them doe nothing lesse And which is worse they themselues are the authors of schisme and distracting of the simple and ignorant multitude vsing a contentious kinde of teaching and quarrelling among themselues that beeing ouerwhelmed with these
to forbid this But yet there must be great care had that it be a procéeding in déed and not rather a backsliding an innouation alteration from good to euill It is a profiting and a good proceeding when a thing is amplified and enlarged in it selfe and it is an alteration or innouation when one thing is transposed into another The vnderstanding knowledge and wisedome as well of euerie one as of all men as well of one man as of the whole Church must of necessitie grow greatly profit by the degrées of ages times but yet onely in one kind y â— is to saie in one religion in one sense and in one and the selfe same opinion The religion of mens soules may be resembled vnto y â— course and order of their bodies which albeit they growe to their full stature and bignesse by processe of time and yeres yet they are the verie same still that they were before There is great difference betweene the blossome of youth and the ripenes of age and yet olde men are the verie same that they were when they were yong insomuch that although the stature apparell and forme of the man be altered yet the nature abideth all one and the person is the same Small are the members of sucking babes greater when they be yong men yet all one the same The child hath as many sinewes vaines anâ— bones as the olde man and looke what the more ripe age hath the same did the séede of infancie bring forth so that olde men haue nothing new in them which afore time laie not hid in children There is no doubt then but that this is the most true rule of profiting the sure and comely order of growing when age alwaies discouereth those partes and formes in the greater which the wisdome of the creator made before in the smaller But if the forme of man be turned afterward into any other similitude and likenes then of his owne kinde or if he haue anie more or fewer members then he should the bodie then must néedes either decay or els become monstrous In like sorte Christian religion must follow these lineaments of profiting to wit in yeres it must bée made sound and perfect in time extended and inlarged in time extolled and aduanced and yet so that it abide vncorrupted and pure full and perfect in all the proper members and sences therof because it will not suffer alteration or innouation no losse of propertie nor anie varietie of definitioÌ„ As for example Our forefathers of olde time I meane in time of the Primitiue Church did sowe in this ecclesiasticall sowing the séedes of pure faith It were now vnfit that we their posteritie in sted of the true and pure grain should choose the deceitfull errors of tares but this rather is more méete and agréeing that the first the last not disagréeing with themselues wée reape the fruite from the increase of pure instruction and also of pure religion that when the first sproutes of those séedes by processe of time begin to appeare and is now prosperous and garnished yet nothing of the propertie of the naturall séede is altered And although another forme difference and distinction be added yet the same nature of kinde remaineth For God forbidde that the rosarie plant of true religion should be turned into briers and thornes Yea God forbid that in this spirituall Paradise the swéete Sinamom and fragrant Balsamus trees should yield forth fodenlie and vnlooked for deadlie poison Therefore whatsoeuer hath bene sowen in this church which is Gods husbandrie hath bin sowen by the faithfull and painfull labours of their fathers the same ought now to be trimmed and garnished by the industrie of the children and posteritie the same must flourish and waxe ripe the same must profite and be profited For it is meet that those ancient decrees of heauenlie Philosophie shoulde by processe of time be adorned beautified and polished but vnmâ—et to be changed abridged or maimed They may receiue cleerenes light and distinction and yet retaine fulnesse integrity and proprietie If this wicked libertie to chop and change to alter to innouate to set vp and pull downe according to euerie fantasticall deuice be granted I feare to thinke and quake to speak in what danger religion shall be to be defaced and quite abolished The which one done but in part we shall haue euerie yere euerie moneth nay euerie daie a new religion For the parts by little and little being reiected what will followe at the last but that the whole also shall be banished And if nouelties may displace auncient godly rules if prophane men may deface goldie Fathers which stand as pillers in the Church it wil at the last come to this that nothing in the Church shall bee leste vntouched nothing sound nothing free whereby in the end y â— which was afore time the closet of a chast pure and vncorrupt truth shall become a filthie sinke of abhominable errours and a soule cage of vncleane birdes But God for his mercie furne this awaie far from the mindes of his chosen and let this bee rather the furie and madnesse of the wicked The Church of Christ being a vigilant and wary keeper of the doctrine committed to her doth not change diminish nor alter anie thing at anie time concerning the same It cutteth not off necessarie matter it doth not adde superfluous thinges it looseth not that which belongeth to her it vsurpeth not forain and prophane things but withall endeuour she seeketh this that making much and embracing the most ancient rules and precepts faithfullie and wiselie the may further aduance that which at the first was but begun she may ratifie and establish things expressed and manifested may constantly keepe whatsoeuer was before confirmed and determined But to returne to the wordes of the Apostle O Tymothe saith he keepe that which is committed vnto thee and auoide prophane and vaine bablings Shunne saith he such as a viper as a scorpion and as a most dangerous serpent least they strike thee not onely by touching thee but also by their sight and breath Auoid them that is with such see you deale not If anie come vnto you saith the Apostle and bringeth not this doctrine What doctrine The Gospell of our Sauiour first preached by him then by Saint Peter Saint Paul and the rest of the Apostles and which hath so remained from age to age by the incorrupt tradition of truth and shall also so continue for euer vnto the worldes end What then Receiue him not to house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his euill Auoide saith Saint Paul prophane and vaine bablings And what is that Truelie such speeches and writings as sauour nothing of holinesse or religion with the which such as are members of the true Church are not acquainted Compare then the late seditious books of Martine and his mates with this sentence of
the Apostle and iudge if they be not full stuffed with these prophane bablings which we are commanded to shunne and auoide Looke into them and ye shal see both their mouthes and bookes ouerflowe with euill speeches braulings nips and tants yea and that against magistrates and such as are in chiefe authoritie Are not Gods ministers in these daies vsed with much more contumelie despight by the prophane and shameles libellers of our time then euer the heathen durst vse the Priestes of Iupiter Bee they not much bolder in deprauing them whom yet they know not thē Michael the Arechangell durst be when he stroue against the deuill to whom he would not giue railing speeches Mos hic semper fuit hereticorum quorum doctrinam nō possunt illorum vitam in odium adducere This euer was the custome saith a learned Father of heretiques to bring their doctrine into hatred whose life they could not depraue The same also was the practise of the Arrians long since who seeing it impossible to induce the people to their heresie while the good Bishops were had in reputation deuised therefore slanders and laied grieuous crimes against some of them Among which they charged the godly and learned Bishop Athanasius with murther and incontinencie With murther in that he should haue cut off one Arsemius his arme bringing forth the arme of a dead man for proofe of their purpose yet afterwarde Arsemius himselfe was knowen to liue and had both his armes With incontinencie in that he should haue rauished a certain woman who being suborned for that purpose did take a most shamelesse harlot without blushing to auouch it to his face though as afterward it was proued she neuer saw nor knew him And haue not like false accusations bene also of late forged against good and godly Prelates men for their profound learning and approued constancie worthie of all reuerence Good Christians which these malcontents would faine seeme to bee neuer vsed such prophane bablings this hath euer bene the manner of schismatiques and heretiques Who euer taught anie heresie that first began not with prophane bablings and ianglings so seuering and diuiding himselfe from the true Church That this is true examples will make it more then manifest For who at anie time before prophane Pellagius durst arrogate so great vertue and power of free will that he thought not the grace of God necessarie to all good works Who before that monstrous disciple of his Celestius denied all mankind to be vnder the guilt of Adams transgression Who before that blaspheming Arrius durst once thinke to diuide the vnitie of y ◠blessed Trinitie Who before that abhominable Sabellius durst once take in hand to confound the trinitie and vnitie Who before that cruell Nouatius called God cruell for that hee would rather haue the death of a sinner then that he should returne liue Who before Simon Magus Priscillianus euer affirmed that God was the author of euill Who euer before the Anabaptists disallowed baptisme to infants denied warre the power of the Magistrate and ecclesiasticall order as doe also our Martinists Who before Pope Gregorie the seuenth otherwise called Hildebrand challanged the authoritie of both swoordes to belong to the Church of Rome c. Who before the Enchetai or Messalians thought that men ought to do nothing els but pray cōtinually setting aside al other worldly busines And who before our new vpstart Martinists affirmed that men must doe nothing but to attende to preaching continuallie reiecting all formes of praier except such as their fantasies many times vnsauourly God wot vpon the sodaine do deuise Who before the Celestines our late Puritans did so much as dreame of a perfection in this life What should I speake of the Brownists Papists Family-louists and such like Many mo sectaries and heretiques there be of like sort both old and new which for breuities sake and loathing of Christian eares I omit By all which notwithstanding it doth euidently appeare that the guise of heretiques euer is to be singular new-phangled to delight in vain and prophane bablings by a false name of knowledge to make shipwracke of faith Whereas contrariwise sincere preachers in déede and true Christians without hypocrisie do continuallie and steadfastly hold fast one truth and doe condemne and abhorre prophane nouelties and as the Apostle said said againe If any man bring them any other doctrine then that which they haue alreadie receiued they should hold him accuised Wherefore I most humbly and heartely beséech all the Ministers of Christ that they end and cast away al their controuersies and that they knit themselues together in true concord charitie forgiuing each other their errors and offences auoiding new deuises and to teach the people not onely to know the truth but also to auoid the fellowship of the enemies therof So Saint Iohn taught others and so himselfe gaue example Fugiamus hinc ne balneum cadat super nos in quo est Cerinthus veritatis hostis Let us sayth he speedily depart hence least the bath wherein Cerinthus the enemie of the truth is doe fall vpon vs. Conuersing with them doth argue consent and allowance of their doings Digni sunt morte non solum qui faciunt illa sed etiam qui consentiunt ea facientibus Not onely they which cōmit such things are worthy of death but they also which haue pleasure in thē y ◠do thē Preach plain sound doctrine which euermore agreeth w t it self Bring the Church into one vnity with Christ so nere as you can faithfully indeuor your selues to preserue true concord therin Let the rule of S. Augustine preuaile with you to wit In quibus rebus nihil statuit certiscriptura mos populi Dei et instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda sunt In those things wherin the Scripture hath made no certain determination the manner custome of Gods people the constitutions of our ancestors are to be holden for a law But chiefly praie vnto God deuoutly with all feruencie for his grace holie spyrit that ye may do all these things with a willing and a ready mind For these things not obserued on your part an infinit nūber of souls through your fault shall most miserably be brought into danger of damnatio how then will ye excuse your selues at the houre of death and in that great daie of the Lord. Weigh well these things with your selues it is a horrible thing to fall into the burning wrath of the Lord. And as y ◠Apostle warneth you If ye bite and deuour one another take heede that ye be not consumed one of another Good graue and godlie men are iustly offended with your contentions for ye wounde the weak consciences of your brethren Ve vohis a scandalis c. Wo vnto you because of offences On the