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A13311
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An apologie or defence agaynst the calumnacion of certayne men which preferring wylfull wyll and carnal reason before the playn trueth of Gods gospel, (do sclaundre those men, which for the better seruinge of God with a more pure conscience, according to his holy word) haue abandoned theyr liuinges and vocacion, abydinge as exyles in poore estate oute of theyr natyue cou[n]trye.
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I. T., fl. 1555.
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1555
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STC 23619; ESTC S103238
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12,085
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24
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¶ An Apologie or defence agaynst the calumnacion of certayne men which preferring wylfull wyll and carnal reason before the playn trueth of Gods gospel do sclaundre those men which for the better seruinge of God with a more pure conscience according to his holy word haue abandoned theyr liuinges and vocacion abydinge as exyles in poore estate oute of theyr natyue couÌ„trye ☞ ¶ Exodi .xxxiij. ☞ O Lord let our hartes euermore ioye in thy testimonies folowe not the multitude to doe euyll ¶ Psalm .lxxiij. ☞ Lyke as when a man waketh there remayneth nothing of his slepe how pleasaunt soeuer it was to the sleper So shall there be nothing left of theyr Goddes Where through they thought theÌ„ selues happy in this worlde But thou O Lord shalt rather make eueÌ„ theyr pictures to be abhorred of euerye man in the Cytie ¶ 1555. The mercy and fauour of God oure heauenly father purchased to vs by the merites of our Sauiour Christe Communicated to vs by his holy spirite I. T. Wisheth to the gentle Reader THe thing that moued me to vndertake to auÌ„swere this sclauÌ„dre good frende was not That I either thought or iudged my self so wyse or so learned as the I could set it forth with such wysdom or eloquenche as so good a matter and trewe cause requyred or as yf some learned maÌ„ had vndertaken it neyther do I write it to th ende it should be comen and receyued of all men or haue free accesse into all places but onelye to you my frend and to that towne where ye presently habyte the place of my birth and educacion As also for the excuse of those good mâ—r of that towne whiche in lyke maner with me haue abandoned geuen ouer theyr rowmes which men as in Greke and Latyn auctours they be ignoraunt By reason whereof they caÌ„ not explicate nor make knoweÌ„ to you the cause why they haue chosen this paynefull exyle so they wishe you and all other honeste men to know and vnderstand that neyther lightnesse rashe wyll or iâ—constancie hath moued them there vnto as some of that towne vntruely agaynst theyr owne knowledge doe surmyse blowe abroaâ—e But a good zeale grouÌ„ded vp on Gods trueth confyrmed by the opinion of all good and godly learned men and that they might with the more pure conscience serue god in the congregacion of the godly where Gods moste holy worde and Sacramentes are purely preached and ministred In the which place as the Prophete Dauid saythe It is better to dwel in a most poore degree then to abyde in wealth and prosperous estate among the wicked Which mynd and good purpose of theirs as a iuste excuse to satisâ—ye the mindes of good and godly men which principally they desyre They haue earnestly desyred me to make knowen and to put forth the same in writinge and to adresse this Apologie to you Knowig right well that although for lacke of learninge and wysoom I shall not be able to satisfye theyr expectacion or set it forth according to the worthynes of the matter For that I neuer haunted scoles or anye vniuersities Nor neuer was brought vp in any other state then with them as a most poore man and Souldiour simple and vnworthye yet because they shall aswell perceyue my good wyll and preste seruyce towardes them as charitie and our consuete familiaritie woulde and compelleth me as also for that my parte is in it participating the life obloque and sclaundre with them For that we haue wrought al one lyke facte and attempted one entrepryse These thinges wayed and proponed I haue the more gladly graunted to ful fyll theyr requestes praying you my frend of charitie to graunt me thus much fauour That yf I ether shal write or peÌ„ne any thig the agreeth not with your mind the opinioÌ„ of other meÌ„ not to coÌ„deÌ„ne it at the first sight because it maketh not for your purpose but rather coÌ„farre it with the scriptures of God the trew touchstone which al meÌ„s workes ought to be iudged by to the which I pray you submit your coÌ„scieÌ„ce yf ye find that it varie not froÌ„ the sacred word of god nor dissent froÌ„ the mynde of good godly learned meÌ„ TheÌ„ embrace it as a manifest trueth desyring god the father of al mercy for his soÌ„nes sake Christ in the worke of his holi spirite to make you consent to it And to testifye our doynges to be lawful and consonante to Gods gospell Staying your opinioÌ„ with this our aunswere putting other men to silence by the same And now to come to the causes which ye proponed to meÌ„ in my house saying ye were sente froÌ„ many good honest godly me which not a litle merueled that I had set away into flauÌ„ders my wife childreÌ„ much more that I my self was also delibered to folow Wherin as ye alledged they iudged I wrought vnwisely not according to knowledge but rather preferred a wil more wilful theÌ„ godli wise knowig aswell my poore estate litle riches with my great family as also the inciuil nature of this nacioÌ„ with finale relief saying wtin a short time begging to ouer take me for the I nether had arte faculte or occupacioÌ„ to liue by More the if god should tourne the impietie of this time I should neuer be able to recouer the like rowme or office so al my life waÌ„der in misery which they as my very frendes much lameÌ„ted with many other causes by you alledged thereby to staye my iourneye Which perswasioÌ„s as to the fleshe they semed harde and vneasi to be borne and tollerated of any worldly man So I for my parte do moste hartely praise God whose good worke it was they not abashed me nor altered my purpose as ye my frende know right well Secondlye ye alledged agaynst me the doynges of other meÌ„ which ye named both good honest and godly and of an vpright pure conscience which men obserued the ordre of thys tyme. Thyrdely ye sayd that yf my coÌ„science were so strayght laced as that I could not consente to the putting of my name into the boke among others you for your parte iudged it no synne nor felte any repugnauÌ„ce of coscience for your so doyng whérby ye iudged it no offence And yf it were sinne as ye sayde ye doubted yet it was a light synne and easy to be forgeueÌ„ saying God must remitte greater offences or els ye should neuer come in heauen Well now my frend accordinge to my conscience little knowledge receyued froÌ„ Gods word I wyll aunswere youre three causes alledged agaynst me Prayinge you to accept theÌ„ in as good parte as with an vnfayned harte good mynde I doe adresse them to you And as to the fyrste cause which ye preferred to staye my goynge whereas you manye good men lameÌ„ted that misery should oppresse me and that specially in a straunge land farre froÌ„ frendes Where I should be compelled eyther to begge or
aunswere of his wyfe or take it in good parte but condemning her as an aduoutresse would repudiat and forsake her And shal we perswade oure selues to please God Exod. xx Deut. vi beyng a ialouse God as the scripture calleth him who requyreth of vs the whole man to serue him withal when as we geue the greater parte of his creacion to the seruinge of Idols saying God knoweth hath my harte Well God deale with vs according to his greate mercy geue vs an hart to repeÌ„t knowledge our offences least we perishe in our sinnes for as God is mercyful so is he iust Christ saith Luk. xiiij Math. x. Luke ix he that setteth more by father or mother wife childreÌ„ landes riches or couÌ„tryr then by me is not mete for me nor worthye to be my disciple Reade the whole Chap. in Luke examen what the buylding of the towre signifieth Ye haue heard often taught preached that he the wyl professe the Gospel in tyme of prosperitie should cast accompt with him self what may happen to him for the same in the dayes of aduersitie Or els in vayne hath he begon to buy lde and shal be called a foolishe buylder I thinke there be a great many of honest good men in that towne which in times past haue bene feruent Gospellers and yet at this daye loue the trueth sorowing in their hartes the impiete of this tyme. That yf it were not for feare to lose theyr liuinges riches countrie to become poore in a straunge land would folowe seke Christ in the wildernes Apoca. xij searching with paine to seke out the narowe way But alas so colde is oure loue to Christe which hath so dearelye bought vs that we could be coÌ„tent to loue him so that we lose not by him But these doubtes to tast miserie poull vs from folowing poore Christ So frayle is our lyfe such a lumpe of synne corrupte tabernacle we are wrapped in That seyng the best waye knowing the better parte we can not chuse it nor walke in the same I pray God this sentence be not verified vpoÌ„ vs. Luke xij He that knoweth his maysters wyll doeth it not shal be beaten with many strypes By many tribulacions must we entre into the KingdoÌ„ of heaueÌ„ Christ sayth Luke ix he that putteth his hand to the plough loketh backe is not mete for the kingdoÌ„ of heaueÌ„ mat 24. x. It is not ynough for vs to haue begon in the knowledge of Christ oneles we perseuer folowe him to the end Closing our dayes in his peace which peace of Christ is better in a beggers bosome at the howre of death theÌ„ a mountayn of gold to a ryche maÌ„ with a troubled conscieÌ„ce Christ sayth my shepe heare my voyce now my freÌ„d because the voyce of oure shepeherde Christ Iohn x. is not to be heard in that towne where ye dwell Therefore I other men of that place haue abandoned our lyuinges vocacioÌ„ to seke oure shepeherd christ that we might heare his voice and participate his sacramentes purely ministred according to his holy worde in the place to our great comforte to prayse him where to our great consolacioÌ„ we now remayne In the which companie how ioyfull it is to be amoÌ„g The Prophete Dauid describeth in the lxxxiiij Psalm Psal 84. which I most hartely requyre you not onely to reade but diligentlye to marke examin what the Prophete meaneth in the same by thâ—â— place to iudge whether we haue righte in our doyuges or are iustely to be condeÌ„ned O my frend in that towne where ye presentely inhabite the gospel of Iesus Christ hath bene moste plenteously preached purely taught the space of seuen yeares Mat. xiij Mar. iiij And yf there shoulde no good grouÌ„d appeare after so much long sowinge of so good sede to bring forth encrease of good corne it mighte well be called a cursed place an yll soyle I saye this my frend yf al meÌ„ of that town which were called gospellers should obserue the ordre of this vnhappye tyme submitting theÌ„ selues to this vngodly religioÌ„ What a cause of triumphe should the papistes haue to reioyse perswadig blowing abrode no trueth or religion to be trew but onely that which they now teache set forth because all meÌ„ obserue the same But for because they see a nouÌ„bre of good godly learned meÌ„ with the losse of their liues spilling of their bloud to testifye it an vntruth As also a great nouÌ„bre of honest meÌ„ of good coÌ„uersacion doe departe theyr countrey leauing their riches liuinges some of theÌ„ beginneth to doubt whether his religioÌ„ be a truth or not Other which are of the worst sorte of papistes that most setteth forth this religion be ashamed to make greate boaste of their doctrine for that in the tyme of the gospel lyke dissemblers hipocrites they gaue place to the trueth and would in no wyse suffre for theyr religioÌ„ And nowe they seing men to dye and suffre penurie in a strauÌ„ge land it maketh them poul back their to much boasting of their religion so that by this meanes it appeareth most playne to him that hath but halfe an eye that the gospel is a moste manifeste trueth and pure religion in that men suffre for the same which is promysed to all them ij Tim. iâ— that wyll lyue godly in Christ Iesu These causes my frend many other moued me with other meÌ„ to vnder take this painful iourney greuous exyle Examen the boke of genesis poÌ„der wel the doyng of the old Patriarke Iacob who forsoke no smale substauÌ„ce riches beside the comodite of his couÌ„trey dwelling place Gene. 43. onli as the scripture sayth Because of famyne that occupied the soyle and land where he dwelte and in much payne and great trauayle in his olde dayes with a greate familie drew into Egipte a people in maners condicions not agreeyng with his nature Yf our father Iacob dyd vndertake this long and painful iourney to seke meate for the body coÌ„sidre my frend how much more we that are called Christians which haue professed Christ ought to seke for the fode of the soule which is the preaching of Gods holi word participacion of his holy SacrameÌ„tes by the which we waxe strong in fayth pacience all good workes Mat. iiij as Christ our mayster sayth Man shal not lyue by bread only but by euery worde the procedeth oute of the mouth of God Christ commaundeth by Esay the Prophet Esay lij saying to his people Away away get you out from thence and touche no vncleane thing Ieremie in another place cryeth Ierem. li. saying Flee away from Babilon euery man saue his lyfe O my frend do ye thinke that the word of the spirite of God speaking so earnestly with such vehemence by theâ—â—nouthes of