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A20920	Certayne letters, translated into English, being first written in Latine. Two, by the reverend and learned Mr. Francis Iunius, divinitie reader at Leyden in Holland. The other, by the exiled English Church, abiding for the present at Amsterdam in Holland. Together with the confession of faith prefixed: where vpon the said letters were first written	Junius, Franciscus, 1545-1602.; R. G., fl. 1602.; Junius, Franciscus, 1545-1602. Christian letter.; Johnson, Francis, 1562-1618.; Ainsworth, Henry, 1571-1622?	1602 (1602)	STC 7298; ESTC S105409	64,792	60

may tarry in it without ship wracke of faith and conscience or take from it the name of a Church especially seeing euery Church consisteth of Pastors and flocke which if some Pastors or Prelates trouble yet it is vnmeete that this name either should be taken away from the other Pastors which Christ doth witnesse by the doctrine of truth or from the flocke which Christ hath purchased with his owne bloode and doth daily sanctifie with the washing of the newe birth by the worde This ought to be sufficient for you if any thing have offended you at home that now the fatherly mercifull providence of God hath provided for you elsewhere Certainely whiles yee inueigh against those Churches yee shal make that your cause neuer the better neither more probable with good men which thing if yee have not yet considered and conceived by my aduise and counsell and by the admonition of those which wish you wel experience it selfe at last God grant it be not to late and he informe you in good will prooue all th●se things vnto you For by the trueth of doctrine holinesse of life by the worke of faith and patience and by the dueties of charitie euen towards them of whome yee professe that ye are wronged yee shal rather approove your selves and your cause thē by outcryes and publishing of writings euen as our Sauiour is saide to bring iudgement to victorie not by filling the streetes with shouting and clamours but by blowing gently into the smoking flax and tender handling the bruised reede Which thinges seeing they be so I beseech you most louing brethrē in Christ by that most holi name of Christ which ye profese by those bowels mercie wherewith Christ hath embraced vs frō on high that yee would thinke of another course that yee would take another way to salvation to edificatiō to peace If there be consent shake not your faith which is not to be winnowed againe by new reasons This course is suspitious But if it must needs be sifted let it suffice you that it be first approved by those servants of God among whome yee dwell this is certainnly a lawfull course Forgiue the former iniuries if any have beene by Christian charitie to them from whom yee have received the same hide them frō others by Christiā wisdome There is no feare that by so doing yee should be burst God will enlarge your harts by the spirite of charitie most cōmodiously Looke to your selues that overcomming al sharpnesse and al bitternesse of minde yee may be acceptable to Christ and profitable to the Church and that the sweet odour of your pietie may be spread in speach in life in order to all the godly without the stench of enmitie and schisme Iudge not that yee be not iudged But abstaine from those heavie determinations and conclusions as they call them against othermen neither labour either to get Abetters or partakers in that your former iudgement which would be saide in you to be a spice of faction in them of imprudencie or else to drawe them to an vnseasonable vncivill inconvenient and dangerous deliuerie of opinions Pitie your selues I beseech you most louing brethren and the whole flocke which is gathered among you Haue pittie of them whome thorough error infirmitie yee cry out be hurt Pitie your entertainers among whome it were a most i●iurious thing that ye should sowe these tates especially being admonished And it would be a greate indignitie by clamours and writings to brede in them suspicions and sinister opinions eyther of your selves or of those your adversaries as you count them or els of both Finally pitie the Church of Christ which verily it is not comely nor expedient neither in any case tolerable amōg so many and greeuous wounds which are universally given vnto it to be further galled with this particular wound So let God almightie loue you and Iesus Christ that most mercifull Lord and our Sauiour be mercifull vnto you And if I shall be able to doe any good in the publicke cause and yours assure your selves that I will spare no diligence no labour no paines that you with vs and all togither may be filled with sāctimony without which none shal se God with the good things of the Lord in his house and before his face And the God of peace which hath raised from the dead our Lord Iesus that great sheepeheard of the sheepe by the blood of the eternall couenant make you perfect in euery good worke to doe his will working in you that which is acceptable in his sight by Iesus Christ to whom be glorie for ever and ever Amen And I pray you brethren suffer this word of exhortation which I have briefely writtē vnto you The grace of God be with you all Amen From Leyden this Saturday the 9. of Ianuary 1599. Yours in the Lord Francis Iunius The answer to the Letter aforesaid To the Reverend and learned Mr. Francis Iunius our beloved brother in Christ At Leyden in Holland GRace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Iesus Christ our Saviour Reverend Sr. and beloved brother in Christ we have lately received your letter which you sent vnsealed to the Ministers of the Dutch and frēch Churches that it might first be read of thē and them be delyvered to vs. We have also read and weighed it and thought it meet to wryte agayne partly to thank you that vouched safe to write vnto vs partly to satisfy you if we can in some thinges wherein we see you are mistaken In the wryting wherof we humbly request that speaking freely that which the thing it self requireth you would take it in good part as you are woōt Many thinges indeed you have wrytten which we do willingly acknowledg and consent therein with you Those we will not touch at all The rest we will prosequute in the same order as by your self ●hey are propounded Whereas there was a litle booke exhibited vnto you by one of vs it is not so to be takē as if you were called vpō alone or apart from others For the brother which delyvered you the booke certified vs that this passed betwene you that by you it should be communicated with your Colleagues the governours of that Vniversity and that you tooke vpon you to do it Now if you have so done how is it that you alone wryte back againe why also do you so often repeat and seeme to reprehend that you you we say alone apart are called vpon If you have not done it mynde then on whome the blame lyeth that it is not communicated with thē in that Vniversity to whome by vs it was dedicated And we do now agayne entreat you that being myndfull of your promyse you would performe it that so you with the other learned and godly men and brethren there may eyther convynce our fayth and cause of errour or els together with vs conted for this sayth once gyven to

rightly to be observed among them 5. They worship God in the Idol temples of Antichrist Exod. 20.4 with Deut. 12 2 3. 2. King 10 26 27 28. and 18 4. Act. 17 23. Rev. 18 11 12 c 6 The Ministers have their set mayntenance after another manner then Christ hath ordeyned 1. Cor 9 14. And that also such as by which any Ministery at all whether popish or other whatsoever might be maynteyned 7. Their elders chaunge yearly and do not continew in their office according to the doctrine of the Apostles and practise of the Primitive Churches Rom. 12 4 5 6 7 8. 1. Cor. 12 11 12 c Act 20.17.28 1. Pet. 5.1 2.3 4 See also Numb 8.24 c. 8. They celebrate Mariage in the Church as if it were a part of the Ecclesiasticall administration wheras it is in the nature of it merely civill Ruth 4. chap. 9. They vse a new censure of Suspension which Christ hath not appointed Mat. 28.20 Gal. 3.15 2. Tim. 3.16 17. 10. They observe dayes and tymes consecrating certeyn dayes in the yeare to the Nativity Resurrection Ascension of Christ etc. Exod. 20. commaundement 2. and 4. Rev. 1.10 1 Cor. 1● 1.4.2 Act 20.7 Col. 2 16.17 Esa 66 23. Gal 10.11 11 They recei●e vnrepētant excommunicates to be membres of their Church which by this meanes becometh one body with such as be delivered vnto Sathā 1. Cor. 5.5 1. Tim. 1.20 These among other are the corruptions of the church aforesaid which they are neyther able to defend nor willing to forsake Herein therfore we differ from them as they which knowe this estate of theirs may perceive by our confession compared with their errours noted before which the Lord give them to see and mynd And for your self good Sir take you heed in godlynes that in this cause you do not in any respect with hold the duty which you ow vnto them or defence which you ow vnto the truth So let God almighty also love you and Christ our Saviour be mercifull vnto you And this you may do truly Godlye brotherly wisely with great profit to vs and the Church of Christ every where Therfore we exhort and beseech you in the lord that you be carefull alwayes to help no way to hurt the Church and cause of Christ by your studyes endev●urs labours which being thus directed the Lord Iesus blesse to the glory of his name and your owne comfort for ever Amen Amsterdam The first day of the seventh moneth called Iuly 1602. Yours in Christ by whose grace we witnesse the truth of his Gospell● against the will worship and remnants of Antichrist what soever Francis ●ohnson Stanshall Mercer David Bres●o Henry Ainsworth C●ristoph●r Boman Daniel Studley Thomas Bishop With the rest of the brethren of the English Church now living as straungers at Amsterdam A third letter written by Mr. Iunius vpon receipt of the last aforesaid and of his tvvo former imprinted before in England and therevpon by vs sent vnto him included withall To his beloved brethren in Christ the English people at Amsterdam Salutations in Christ AN huge bundell of letters beloved brethren I received from you yesterday in the evening I gave you counsell to rest from questiōs you commaund me to enter into questions I continew still in my purpose for I esteem more of peace in the Church then of the seeds of strife they that are fedde with these seeds shall reap the fruit Where you conclude and pronounce that I do therefore assent vnto you it is a false conclusion As towching the matter I have enjoyned my self silence and although I be an hundred tymes called vpon by letters I will continew still in the argument of counsell till I see another course taken If it like you not let it alone neyther do I like the handling of questions in this tyme. It is more according to God that I be silent from questions in this estate of things then that I powre forth my self and you together into them You move many things in your letters I wil rest frō those things and will occupy my self religiously in the work of the Lord. Christian wisdome will never suffer me to speak of questiōs controverted the one party being vnheard That my letters vnto you were translated into English I have now first knowen it by you I knew not that it was done You object that my letters were not shewed by you I beleev it for both by letters and reports of many I have ben certifyed that they were not shewed If it please you shew them for me you may All shall see how false reports have ben given forth concerning thē I neyther am ashamed of them neyther ever will be But I pitty you I speak it vnfeynedly who for my letters give forth in publick your conclusions With good men good dealing should be used That the copyes of my letters were carryed into England your selves may easily cōjecture by what meanes it came to passe About tē moneths synce the Soveraign Quenes Ambassadour was there and two of your company dined with him What hapned at that dinner you can remember He came hither vnto me he marveled at the fact of your departure I told him that I had writtē vnto you he desired a copy To you I gave counsell whosoever gave it forth in publick hath done it without my knouwledg I will not answer for an others doing but for myne owne In the meane while I will pray God that he frame your mynds vnto the truth wisdome love and peace and all our mynds vnto his glory Farewell in the Lord. From Leyden in Holland The 16. day of Iuly 1602. Yours vnfeynedly Fr. Iunius The Answer to Mr. Iunius his third letter To the reverend and our beloued brother in Christ Mr. Fr. Iunius at Leyden in Holland Grace and peace in Iesus Christ YOur third and very brief letter beloved Sir we received this last week They were your letters imprinted and included that made the ●uge bundell if so it were It is not well said of you that terme the Confession of Christian faith and defēce of publishing it to be questiōs and se●ds of strife nor that you say we cōman● you to enter into questions For the conclus●on whether it be true or false now let others judge which shall see your letters together with ours Towching the matter you have enjoyned your self silence Yea and towching the maner and other things also where you can fynd no answer neyther Yet for the matter it self if so be that with the Papists Anabaptists or any the like we did erre frō the true faith we doubt not but you would open your mouth to answer to refute to convince But because in our faith you can shew no errour and yet in this tyme and estate of things like not ●o stand for vs and this cause it is safest to be silent Wisely done in deed but not according to God who denoūcing by the Prophet hath said Cursed be

Certayne Letters translated into English being first written in Latine Two by the reverend and learned Mr. Francis Iunius Divinitie Reader at Leyden in Holland The other by the exiled English Church abiding for the present at Amsterdam in Holland Together with the Confession of faith prefixed where vpon the said letters were first written Esa 53.1 Who beleveth our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Printed in the yeare 1602. R.G. the translatour of M. Iunius his letters To the Christian Reader SVch as of late yeares have rent themselues from the holie service of God used im the publique congregations and Churches of England being destitute of any sound warrant from the worde of God have sought from time to time so much the more earnestly as the manner of such is to shroude themselves vnder the shadowe of humane authoritie Hēce it came to passe that Master Francis Iunius a mā of great learning and godlinesse was solicited by some of them as may appeare by these letters ensuing in the yeare 99. to be a favourer of their erronious opinions and of their vnchristian disordered and vndutifull proceedings whose answere being delivered by himselfe to a religious and worshipful knight and so comming to my handes I have presumed to communicate with thee by the motion of some godly and well disposed hoping that through the blessing of God and thy prayers it may proove a good meanes to stay such as are wavering to confirme such as doe stand and to recover such as are fallen For although he doe not enter into an exact discussing of the question with arguments objections and answeres yet he vseth a very grave and godly admonition which is oftentimes of greater fruite then a long and learned disputation And whosoever doth diligently studie the booke of God shal finde that the holy Prophets Apostles do in manie places insist upō a plaine simple asleve●ation of the truth rather then vpon multitude of proof arguments Besides if we observe the story of the holy Martyrs of our own Church others we may preceive that by the sound profession of their faith and suffering for the same they have glorified God and advanced the kingdome of Iesus Christ aswel as others have done by arguments and reasons And yet notwithstanding if thou do well obserue these letters of Master Iunius thou shalt finde in them not vaine and emptie wordes but waightie and sounde reasons grounded upon the holie Scriptures of God Thus praying thee to take these first fruites of my poore laboures in this kinde in good part and beseching god to give a blessing hereunto I bid thee heartily farewel in the Lord. Thyne in the Lord R.G. The Answer to R.G. his Epistle prefixed before Mr. Iunius letters SUch as have separated themselves from the corrupt service of God vsed in the publick congregations and parishes of England being persecuted with af●lictions reproches and slanders both at home and in the land whe● now they live exiles have ben constreyned to publish to the world the confession of their Christian faith and causes of their departure from the foresayd English synagogues for clearing of the truth of God and witnesses of the same both which were much and many wayes calumniated More specially they dedicated that litle book to al Christian vniversities neer about to be discussed approved or reproved by the godly learned in them And sending one in particular to the hands of M.H. Iunius a man of great learning and godlines dwelling neer vnto them to be by him and the rest of his brethrē of the vniversitie at Leyden judged of they received from him a letter lately by one R.G. trāslated and printed in English whether with the authors consent or not is yet vnknowne but the copy as the publisher sayth was given out by the author himself who might had done wel to have given a copy of the answer likewise or if he did the translator hath not dealt indifferently to publish one and not an other How ever it were al men may see how just and necessary occasion those eriled Christians now have to print their answer also which vpō the receipt of his Letter they sent vnto him but hitherto have spared to give out any one copy either of his or theirs whether for doubt of their owne cause or reverend regard rather of that mā let the sequel declare and let the discrete reader by it judge whether party hath most advantage As for the translators censure that they sought to shrowd themselves vnder the shadow of humane authoritie this brief narratiō of the cariage of the matter and the plaine apologie which they make vnto Mr. Iunius of their proceedings wil shew it vnto al godly wyse to be but the surmise of a malicious hart And were it not that the weaknes and badnes of their cause compelleth them thus to doe it might seem strange that any of the church of England would publish such a writing as this in their owne defence as if it approved their estate and condēned those foresayd Christian exiles when any whose eyes ar in his head may see by Mr Iunius his writing vnto them as Christian brethren and refusing at al to vndertake the maintenance of those English parishes or conviction of such as separate from them how far it is frō justifying those synagogues estate Yea al wiseharted may and will we doubt not easily discerne how naked and helplesse they be which neither by their friends at home nor the most learned abroad can otherwise be ●elieved then by such things as hitherto they have printed Or howsoever this present generation shall judge of these things yet the ages to come which wil be lesse partial wil easily give sentence The better to certify thee good reader of the whole cause and cariage therof here is with these Lecters set forth also their Confession of faith with the Epis●le and preface as it is in Latine And wheras ther is since that time published also a second epistle of Mr. Iunius ther is now the answer to it set forth likewise which answer was presently written vpon the receipt of his Letter but not then sent for causes partly before noted and now more fully signified and sent to Mr. Iunius himself The things which here are mentioned of corruptions in some other churches and dealings that have passed about thē ar yet spared from being published in print at large til further occasion and provocation be Onely the general and brief h●●ds of the matter in controversie at now printed as they were sent vnto Mr. Iunius although we were loth to do it but that their was necessarie occasion given by things which passed in the Letters as al mē may see Moreover it is not to be omitted how in the printed copy of Mr. Iunius Letter some things were corrupted by alteration omission and c. Otherwise then in the original by himself first sent they do stand and ar yet to

the Saints The one of these we take it must needes be donne And we gather it by comparing together Iam. 5.19.12 with Iude ver 3. This also is the very thing which we did desire and still do desire in that Epistle dedicatory And let these thinges once spoken suffyce we pray you for the crimination of calling on you apar● which in this letter of yours you have so oftē objected and repeated Next you propound three tinges to be considered in the booke it self of which you promyse to speake briefly and brotherly what you thinke 1. The first head you say is of the doctrine which we professe in our booke Be it so indeed Here we expected because you purpose to wryte of the doctrine we professe that you would have discussed the articles of our fayth and reproved the errours if there be any by the light of Gods word And who would not have expected this But behold there is not a word of the doctrine and fayth it self What may this meane Is it because your self beleeu this faith to be trew-sound groūded on the word of God and agreable thervnto If so why thē wryting these thinges do you not professe it Why do you dissemble it specially whē you heare that this fayth is traduced as schisme as heresy but you see perhaps that in the doctrine of faith we erre from the truth If it be so why then wryte you and yet shew not the errours why do you not as much as in you is bring into the way such as do erre Do not whē request is made that the errours may be shewed by the light of the holy Scripture Certainly your godlynes perswadeth otherwise yea God himself requireth otherwise Iam. 5.19.20 Yet now when you touch not the doctrine it self what is it that you wryte in this behalf Even this only that you would perswade we have erred herein that we have publyshed the confession of our faith First of al this concerneth the maner not the matter it self But yet let vs weigh your reasons If say you there be a certayne consent of doctrine then there was no need that we should set forth a new Confession in this agreement of holy and ancient doctrine Doe you indeed speak as you thinke How is it then that some while synce when the Germane and French Churches had before publyshed their Confessions of fayth yet afterward the Belgick Scotish and other Churches set forth theirs also notwitstanding that they agreed with them in the holy and anncient doctrine Yea tell vs we pray you what you think of that godly and learned Mr. Beza his pryvate Confession of fayth lately publyshed Not to speake of many other wrytten and divulged by many of the martyrs also in their severall ages Do not all these agree in the holy and anncyent doctrine of Godlynes Or should not therfore these Confessions have bene publyshed What soever you shall say for them mynd the same also as spoken for vs. Secondly you say if there be any dissention in doctrine that ought not to be dissembled c. But what is this to vs who have playnely shewed and reckned vp the thinges wherein we dissent from the Church of England with whom we have to do in this behalf Neyther that only but have also in our Confession not obscurely signified concerning the thinges wherein the other Churches of this city and ours as yet do not agree After these thinges you come to discusse the end and fact of our publyshing this Confession Touching the end we have shewed it in the epistle and preface set before the booke it self And we answer further that we did this to the same end that all the reformed Churches of late did publysh theirs For proof wherof let the preface of the Harmony of Confessions compared with ours speak for vs. If you take away the reasons by both alleadged we yeeld But if you cannot then see whether both here and other where often in this letter you do not through our sydes strike at all these Churches lykewise Our cause and cleering we commyt to God and to all godly that love the truth Such as before knewe not our cause they may now by this meanes have knowledg therof Such as be enemyes of God of the Church of the truth have nothing by this book of ours wherof to rejoyce They will rather be grieved when thus they shall see Antichrist that man of synne to be more and more discovered whom the Lord in the end will wholy consume and abolysh with the spirit of his mouth in the testimony not in the silence of his servants 2. Thes 2.8 with Rev. 12.11 and 14 6 7 8. and 20.4 Fynally such as be weak and by reason of the stink of schismes know not the true body of Christ whervnto they should joyne themselves they may by this meanes be better instructed and induced more certainly to know and imbrace the true Church and fayth of Christ Thus desyre we that the publyck good of the Church be holye forward that Christ may have the preeminence over all And thus have we spoken of the end in which as yet we see not any mistaking or errour Touching the fact we answer in lyke maner as before concerning the end Yea and the thinges which here you bring for not doing it in publyck you may vrge the very same lykewise against all the reformed Churches against Athanasius Origen Augustine Tertullian and others of the fathers against Zuinglius Luther Calvine Beza and many other of these ages godly men and divers of them also Martyrs of Iesus Christ who have set forth in publyck their Confessions of fayth private their apologies complaynts disputations yea and their letters concerning matters in religion publyckly controverted But these things perhaps came not in your mynd whiles there was before your eyes only the contemplation of our particular cause which thing your self we trust will perceive if you turne your eyes a lytle from vs vnto others approved by your self Moreover howsoever the evill wherof you wryte do prevayte in publyck yet alwayes and every where wisdome is justified of her children as Christ hath taught Mat. 11.16.19 And this shall suffice vs and all that are godly Lastly in a case of such weight and necessity who should rather be called vpon then the students of the holy Scriptures in Christian vniversityes Who we pray you are esteemed to be of better or sounder judgment Whome doth it more concerne to take knowledg of the truth and errours in religion Who should better instruct in the truth or convince falshoold And to conclude who can or ought to attend more to the discussing of these things But you object that seeing we have here found place of rest here also we must receive the judgment of our doctrine and fayth if we will have the same lawfully knowen and approved c. Here come many things to be considered First what if the rest and breathing which here we enjoye come

vnto vs not by the Ministers of whome you speak but by the Magistrats which we do alwayes and every where acknowledg with thanckes Secondly what if these ministers men indeed learned and wise should be of the same mynd with you that they would not heare or speake any thing concerning our fayth and cause inasmuch as they would not be eyther intercessours or examiners or Iudges Furthermore what if our Confession of fayth have ben exhibited to them above three yeares synce that by them it might eyther be approved or the errours if there be any convinced What if some of them have denounced vs as hereticks and schismaticks What if they have received certayne articles full of lyes and sclaunders spread abroad against vs and yet to this daye have not gyven vs a copy of them no though they were desyred What if vpon occasion offered we have dealt with them touching certaine corruptions yet remayning in their Churches which notwithstanding they would not so much as acknowledg And finally what if we after the concealing and not regarding of all these thinges have now agayne this last yeare delyvered them the Confession of our fayth in wryting before it was put forth in print You see what we could answer in this behalf but we would rather have burned these thinges in forgetfulnes if you had not so vrged vs as from you they might not now be concealed Pardon you therfore and let them also we intreat pardon vs that we speak freely for you would have vs speak yea you constreyne vs against our will to wryte these things which we would have covered in silence hoping hereafter for better Besydes these we answer also that in the preface before our Confession is signified that not here only but almost every where we are traduced as heretickes and schismaticks and that therfore it concerned vs to declare our fayth and cause not to these only but vnto all The very thing which before vs on lyke occasion as is aforesaid both dyvers of the ffathers have don of old and in later wines almost all the reformed Churches and of the Martyrs not a few And hitherto of your reasons alleadged against the publyshing of our our fayth Which how weak they are now judg your self But suppose they were strong and that therfore herein we had erred that our Confession came forth in publyck yet now it is publyshed the errours if any be found in it are certeynly to be shewed and convinced by the word of God Otherwise you may easily gather that we shall be more cōfirmed in this fayth And seing you Learned Sr. do purposely wryte cōcerning the Doctrine which we professe and yet shew not any one errour in the Doctrine consider wel what you have done Will you be ready to help them who erre as you think in the manner and circumstāces and will you afford no help at all in the matter and fayth it self Far be this from you from your godlynes learning wisdome charity And thus much of the first poynt which you noted concerning doctrine 2 The second head is of the fact wherof as you say we accuse the Englysh Churches Here also we expected that you would have discussed those fower poynts which are particularly rehearsed in the preface of this book and which we shewed to be done and vsed by them dayly in their divine worship for which also we testifyed that we are banished and have departed from them But of these neyther have you not one word And yet this was the specyall fact which we noted for to be considered in that Church That other of the Prelats tyranny and persecution of vs we touched but by the way and in a few wordes We marvell therfore yea and greatly marvell that these thinges which directly concerne the matter and cause it self should thus every where be let passe by you who yet pretend to bring into the way such as do erre But les vs see nevertheles what the thinges are which you do here so much vrge The first is that those Churches from which we have departed should not by vs be accused About the word accusation we will not contend Onely this we say we vse it no● that we remember except whē we treat of our owne cause who by them are accused of heresy schisme sedition etc. Of which for asmuch as we are accused among them here and every where what good man will deny vnto vs place of defence But you say no man desyreth to know why we came thence and that the injury also hath left to prosequute vs being departed from them How these things escaped you we marvell For in both of them you wryte other wise then the thing is For both many do dayly desier to know why we came thence and the injury hath prosequuted vs being departed into this place to this very day Of the former we need cyte no witnesses for they are almost infinite Of the latter besydes the Latine bookes publyshed at home by our owne contreymen besydes the libels which they have sparsed against vs in this city besydes the sclaunders wherewith then do also pursue vs every where besydes all these we say the Ministers them selves of the Churches Dutch and Frēch both here at Amsterdam and at Dordrecht are able to testifye they have received as we said afore certeyne articles full of lyes and sclaunders wrytten against vs and yet still they have them for ought we know Moreover if none of these things had fallē out opēly before the world yet who knoweth not that Antichrists retinew such as be the Prelats do still resemble the nature and conditions of the Dragon who out of his mouth cast waters like a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be caryed away of the flood whom being present he could not devoure Rev. 12. and 13 chap. As for that you annexe of concealing injuryes it hath ben observed by vs as much as we could For neyther have we in particular related them neyther can we if we would We have noted only in generall that these Prelats have done the very things which the Scripture foretold should by the Beast and Antichrist be commytted Neyther are we in this kind of writing eyther the first or alone Thus heretofore have many of the servants of God wrytten who in their severall countries have ben many wayes ve●ed by Antichrist Neyther that only but they have also noted downe the particuler persons names places tymes martyrdomes causes actions injuryes Search if you please the ecclesiasticall writers almost of everye age search the Acts and momments of the martyrs in this countrey in ours in Scotland in France in the other countryes almost all here about yea search the Acts of the Apostles and see if such particular historyes be not there also recorded Yet further tell vs we pray you if this course had ben held by all which you seem to exact of vs from whence then could you or any other have

see not what is to turne back againe from whence men came if this be not c But if those things ●e true which I thincke are not lykely to wit that the Metropolytanes retayne in vse those most fil●hy abuses then which the Church of Antichrist hath not any thing more intollerable namely pruralyties of benefyces lycences of non residency l●cences to mary and eat flesh and other the lyke this were cert●nly which I speake with horrour not a corruption of Christianity but a manifest defection from Christ and therfore they not to be condemned but commended rather which oppose them selves to such endevours c. These and many other the lyke sayings he hath in his epistles and other bookes publyshed Now as touching the things which he thought not to be so much as lykely we know them to be most true neyther these only but almost an hundreth the lyke as we have touched in the preface of our Confession Among which we bes●ec● you consider these three specially yet so as you turne not your eyes away frō the rest the confirmation of such a● have be●● baptised when nowe they are waxen older administred by the Prelats themselves vnto this day Their holy Orders of Clergy The discipline and sanctions of the Cannō Law as they call it yet reteyned in that Churche and tell vs we pray you freely and syncerely what now you think of the estate of that Church and of our separation ●erily if we conceive you right your self expound the marke the name and the nomber of the name of the Beast to be vnderstood of these three last aforesaid abhomynations of Antichrist In your exposition of Rev. 13. ver 16.17.18 And to receive these you know also well i● forbydden vnto all vnder payne of eternall damnation Rev. 14.9.10 11. and 18.4.5 But to returne to M. Beza agayne in him there are many thinges cōcerning our cause to be carefully observed first that his private epistles he set forth in publyck secondly that in t●● he di● not dissemble but freely and ingeniously declare his iudgment of the estate of the Church of England thirdly that yet he was n● busibody or vnwise which would clime into th●● seate or by provoking that church made his cause the worse with good mē etc. fourthly if ther were nothing els yet by this we may well think that what you say of your self is not the answer of the other brethrē which are in any place in Churches and Vniversityes lastly that he should not have burst if he had dissembled these things nor yet while he wrote the godly and faythfully was factious vnciuill or sowed any ●a●es but ha●e witnes to the truth of the Gospel of Christ and did truly shew that ●e trod in the steps of the Apostle who wryteth and testifyet thus of himself and of all the faithful servāts of Christ we cānot ●o any thing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 But these things by the way Yet so as you may well consider with your self beloved Brother whether the things which here and ther in your letter you seem to insinuate against vs fal not vpō the very head of that most godly mā Mr. Beza by lyke right or rather indeed by lyke wrōg Of other lyke godly and learned 〈◊〉 we will not now speake it shall suffice here to have mencioned him alone And where you seem to acknowledg for true Pastors the Prelats and Priests by thē created such as the English ministery is knowē to be mynd how well you have done this and how agreably with the Spirit of God which calleth such Locusts false Prophets the whores marchants c. But touching that which you speak of Christ our Saviour how he brought iudgment to victory not by crying out and filling the streets with clamours but by blowing softly vpon the smoking flax and handling tenderly the brused reed This we do indeed most willingly acknowledg and pray that we may alwayes followe this his most sacred example Neverthelesse this also must be remembred that Christ dealt after one maner with the weack of whome here the speach is after an other with the * Scribes and Pharisees and other the like sworne enemyes of the truth such as at this day be the Prelats and their complices which who is it that doth not know who is it that doth not acknowledg The same also may be seē in the Apostles of Christ and in their dealing with Simon Magus Elymas Hymenaeus Alexander Philetus Diotrephes c. Which things being so we humbly besech you reverend and beloved Sr. by that most holy name of Christ which you professe by the mercyes of God wherewith he hath loved vs in Christ that you would thnik of another course then such as yet it seemeth you allow that you would take an other way for discovering and destroying the defection of Antichrist for setting forward the salvation edificatiō and peace both of vs and others Hold on to defend the true fayth as now a good while you have done with great praise and fruit of the godly and discover errours maynteyne good causes and forsake evill Strive for Christ and the truth of his Gospell and fight against Antichrist and the remnants of his Apostasy Let it be manifest to all what your mynd and judgment is not only concerning the fayth of Christ but also concerning the mystery Apostasy and iniquity of Antichrist ffinally as touching our selves in specyall if you wryte agayne we do humbly and earnestly entreat if any where we have erred in our fayth and chuse that you vouchsafe to shew it vs by the light of Gods word Otherwise it wil be suspected seing you bestow so much paynes in discussing these things which concerne the māner and not the matter it self that eyther you do dissemble your iudgment what soever it be or that in very deed you are of the same mynd with vs specially seing now you have wrytten that you do not any preiudice at all to our cause and have spoken this religiously before the Lord. Pity● we pray you our Church here exiled every where reproched eaten vp in a maner with deep poverty despised and afflicted wel nere of al against which sathan hath now a long tyme attempted all vtmost extremyties Pity them from whome we have departed who vnder pretence of the Gospell contynew still in Antichristian defection and do so stifley hold and eagerly maynteyne it as there is scant any among them that dare so much as hisse against it Pity these Churches among whome we sejourne in which wheter you look at the publyck prayers or the Administration of the Sacraments or the execution of discipline there be sundry ●a●es if they may be called ●ares or rather corruptions and those also not of small moment at which as is reported the Anabaptists and others not a few that lyve here do stumble of which also we have heretofore conferred frendly with the ministers of these Churches

he that doth the worck of the Lord fraudulētly and cursed be he that kepeth back his sword from bloo● On the contrary Blessed be he that shall reward thee as thou hast rewarded vs o daughter of Babel to be destroyed Blessed be he that shall take and scattering dash thy children against the stones If this against Moab and the materiall Babylō how much more against Antichrist and the spirituall Babylon with al the daughters and abominatiōs thereof If this against the shadow and type how much more against the substance and body it self Of the argument of co●nsell ynough is said If you repeat it a thousand tymes and yet take not away our answer and reasons alledged in our first letters we will alwayes repeat the same answer againe Those many things which are conteyned in your letters and ours do now come forth in publick Neyther doubt we but this is the work of the Lord. See therefore that you be occupied therein religiously That any should speak of things controverted we desier not otherwise then the reformed Churches and those godly mē and Martyrs of Iesus who with like purpose have published their confessions of faith and causes of their troubles being so constreyned That your letters were not shewed by vs we wrote not but this that we gave not a copy of them to any for what cause we wrote in our former Shewed they were and read in the publick meeting of our Church If your mynd were to have them shewed to others that knew we not But now that you write this is your mynd we shall shew them together with ours publickly vnto all And if any have givē forth any false reports con●erning them let thē now be ashamed In the meane time your self provided by sending yours at first vnsealed that they should be shewed to others and be read also of others before vs. Neyther doth it excuse the matter which you wrote in your second that ●●e messenger shewed you not to w●ōer whither you should have written and that therefore you sought and wayted an whole moneth being vncertayne thereof For we did signify both these expressely in the Epistle dedicatory prefixed before that book which by the messenger was delivered vnto you Els how knew you at the moneths end more thē before whither and to whō to send Or when you knew why did you not seale your letters Was it because you would have the shewed We beleev it as also that for the same cause the copyes of thē were caryed into England And this too we knew before they were translated in English but we held our peace wayting to see what would follow therevpon Now your self see they are translated and given forth in publick For them therefore and with them we trāslate and publish ours by which will appeare that we have dealt well with good men You may call them as you please it skilleth vs litle this is the very thing we desier and endevour that the simplicity of the Gospell of Christ the iniquity of the defectiō of Antichrist may more and more be made knowen vnto all If for this thing you pity vs we will beare it praying that God in Christ would pitty you Where you write that two of our company dined with that honorable Ambassadour it is not true that we know of Neyther can we cell what hapned at that dinner He sent not for vs to come vnto him neyther did we like to intrude our selves If by vs he would have ben certifyed of our cause we would have done it willingly and syncerely And you also when he demaunded of you might have shewed our letters with your owne and the cōfession of our faith and given also copyes of both the letters So might the Translatour have given forth both in publick So had you provided that sentence should not be given the one party being vnheard Which thing Christian wisdome your self say suffreth not ●o be done in questions controverted In this behalf therfore you have erred and this by you is to be answered notwithstāding that for his doing himself is to answer that translated and published yours without your knowledg For our selves if any where we erre shew it we pray you agayne and agayne by the word of God that is by the onely rule of truth and we shal yeeld most willingly And thus we pray God that he would guyde you together with vs and all his alway vnto Iesus Christ and that he would keep vs in him who onely is the way the truth and the life Whose name be blessed for ever Amen Amsterdam Iuly 21. 1602. Yours in the truth and peace of the Gospell of Christ F. Io. H. Ains D. St. S. Mer. C. Bom. T. Bis D. Bre. Together with the other brethren of the English Church at Amsterdam * For proof herof see Mr. Iunius owne words noted in the margine of his letter herafter folowing and compare also this edition of it with the translators before published Act. 28 22 b Rev. 12. c Psal 105 13 14. d 1 Pet 2.9 e Psal 46.1 f Apoc. 2 5. gap 2 Cor 6 14 15 c. Psal 9● 20. 2 Thes 2 3. h Psa 37 27 Ier. 51 6. Rev. 18 4. 14 1. Neh. 6 6.7.8 Harmon of confess i 1 Pet. 2 5. Ier. 51 26 k Act. 2 38 40 41 8 36 37 15 9. Ioh. 10 3.4 5. Esa 35 8.9 l Ioh. 15 2.5 Mat ●8 15 17 Lev. 13 46. Numb 4.13 m Ioh 15 19. and 17.14 16. Mat. 3 12 Lev. 20.24 26. 1. Ioh. 4.5.6 About forty ecclesiastical popish offices are at this daye in the Churche of Englād never a one appointed by Christ in his testament Apoc. 13. vvith what words rites in what habit gesture these things are to be done they are taught in their rub●ik Some of them in certaine English books se● forth have reckned aboue 100. popish corruptions yet reteyned in this church o Rom. 12 1. Cor. 12. Eph. 4. p Iohn 4 24 Mat 15 9 q Deu 6 4 5 Mat. 16 6 2. Cor. 6 14 15 Psal 106 34 35.36 s Iude ver 3 t 2 Cor. 6 17. u Eph. 5 11. w Reb. 18 4 14 10 11. Mat. 6 24. x 2. King 16 10 11 12. Apoc 13 12 14 15. y Ier. 51 6. Mich. 2 10. Rev. 18 4. 2 Cor. 6 17. Act. 2 40. z Ps 9.12 Heb. 13 3 A Gal. 4.4.5 6. 5.1.2 Heb. 8. 9 10. chap. 2 Cor. 4 7 Iam. 2 1 * Deut. 6.4 1. Tim 2.5 Ephe. 4.4.5.6 1 Cor. 8.6 12.4.5.6.13 Ier. 6.16 Ioh. 14.6 ‡ 1 Tim. 6.3.13.14 Mat. 15.9 28.20 Deut. 4.2.6 12.32 1 cor 4.17 14.33 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 Gal. 1.8.9 Re●el 22.18.19 * Ioh. 4.24 ‡ Exod. 3.14 Rom. 11.36 Act. 17.28 ☽ 1 Tim. 1.17 Esa 6.3 66.1.2 1 Ioh. 5.7 Mat. 28.19 Prou. 8.22 Heb. 1.3 Phil. 2.6 1 Cor. 8.6 Micah 5.2 Psal 2.7 Gal. 4.6 Ioh. 1.1.2.18 10.30.38 15.26 Heb. ● 14 * Ioh.