the whole land with pestilence or with blood as he is likely to do for these wadges of execrable gold it is not the pontificall Lordships of byshops at whose commaundement the lordes sword will b Ierem. 47.6 returne againe into his sheath when your gasping soules shall cry for mercy at the Lords hands it is not the proud popelike Lordships of bishops their vsurped iurisdictions their prophane excommunications their railing slaunders against Gods truth and his seruants their blasphemous breathing of the holye ghost vppon their Idol priests that will driue the Lord to giue you and coÌ„fort Let me therfore though my person bee base conteÌ„ptible entreat your Hh. that the iudgements of God against sin both in this life and in the other of eternal woe and miserie may appeare so terrible in your eies of that vndoubted consequence as you will no longer retaine vnder your gouernment these thynges whose continuance doe giue the Lord iust cause in this life to pronounce this sentence by the mouth of c Iere. 22.29.30 Ieremiah against euery one of you and execute the same O earth earth earth heare the wordes of Iehouah write these men destitude of children men that shall not prosper in their daies yea there shall not be a man of their seed that shall prosper and sit at the counsell table or beare rule in England anye more And in the life to come to saye moreouer these a Luke 29.27 mine enemies that would not suffer mee to beare rule ouer them and their people bring hither and stay before my face yea binde them hand and foot and throw them to vtter darknes where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth And let me crauing vppon my knees with all submission and earnestnesse and more earnest if it were possible obtaine that my countrey-men by your meanes may haue the word preached euen the meanes wherby they may liue for euer with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Graunt them this my Lords though I die for it Oh I would thinke it an happie death which shoulde make mee the first messenger to carie such ioyful newes vnto the blessed b Luke 16. Saincts and aungels in heauen as that Wales were conuerted from sinne And this the Lord knoeth is the only scope of my writing and not the discrediting and galling of our lord-bishops Let not their places withstand the saluation of my brethren and the true seruice of God among them and if euer I either write or speak more against them any further then their sears are like to bee the ruine of her Maiestie and your Hh. let it cost mee my life Heare me in this sute good my Lords the rewarde whereof your soules shall find otherwise I am likelye to become a wearisome and an importunate sutor vnto you The couÌ„tenance of that creature is as yet vnseene that shal enforce me by the lords assistance to take a deniall at your hands The cause is so iust that if it were as sometimes it was by the c Act. 17.19 Apostle himselfe decided in the Athenians Areopago a court for heathen iustice of famous and celebrated memorie I doubt not but it should be heard And shall it not haue iustice at the christian counsell table of England Iustice my Ll. I say for I seeke nothing els but that the statutes of the God of iudgement iustice may be made knowen in my deare countrie where now they are vnheard off Then the which I knowe not what can be more iust neither can I see what iustice in trueth canne bee ministred by them that neglecte this cause Verelye for mine owne part GOD ayding me I will neuer leaue the suit vntill I either obtain it at your hands or bring the Lord in vengeance blood to plead with you for repelling his own cause Here I know it will be answered that counsellors can do nothing in the matter her Maiestie hath referted all vnto the prelates in church causes They haue dealt with her they cannot they may not be heard Be it that her maiestie hath bin mooued by you for the redresse of the church you shuld do it again againe and neuer leaue vntill you be heard Great matters are neuer brought to passe without great mightie endeuours Our sinnes haue otherwise deserued then that the Lord should at the first incline mercie vnto vs in the sight of her highnes would any of you alter any part of the gouernment of his familie being perswaded by leude flatterers that all were well vnlesse the abuse were shewed you earnestly delt with for a reformation And can you blame that our soueraigne is hardly drawen to reforme the Church whose estate euen in her hearing is said daily out of the pulpit to bee most flowrishing whereas the deformitie thereof is not made knowne vnto her I knowe it is no small perswasion that should draw a Monarch to alter and establishe new lawes vnles the vnanswerable necessitie thereof were made knowne vnto hir or him Hir Maiestie knoweth not I speake as I am perswaded the exacting necessitie that lieth vpon her shouldrrs of reâ—â—â—ning the Church e She knoweth not the estate of her vntaught and damned subiects to bee as it is Wherefore serue Counsellers if her eies must be euerie where to see euerie thing And what do your Hh. see if you see not our case and lament it In this point I grant her eies should be her owne chusers but if of ouersight the waightiest matters bee omitted should not you my Ll. put her in minde hereof and in submission intreat her yea and neuer leaue entreating vntill she yeeld to turne away the wrath of God from her selfe and her kingdome by abolishing vngodly ordinances and restoring beutie vnto SioÌ„ Which of you is he that hath that doth or wil performe this duetie to our Soueraigne which of you will make knowne vnto her this which I haue written I knowe I shal be traducted and torne againe in pieces with slaunders as a seditious firebrand of newe attemptes to stir vp her people to innouation at the least let me be made knowne vnto her by this name that some way I may come to the triall of my cause in hand and my warrantable proceedings therein I am neither papist Annabaptist libertine familian one that dareth seperate himself from the godly assemblies in this lande where the worde preached soundeth nor yet one that holdeth any thing either in substance or circumstance contrary to the wholsome doctrine expressed or included in Gods reuealed word of the old and new testament therefore let me haue the benefite of a Christian if not of a christian subiect not to be condemned before my cause be hearde whiche is not mine owne but the cause of God his Churches my countries and your Hh. I haue forged the most notable slaunders that euer were coyned or else the estate of my country is most miserable and yours no lesse lamentable
point you must or soake for euer in your owne confusion Difficulties in this case must not bee alleadged for if you seeke the Lorde with a sure purpose to serue him hee hath made a promise to be found of you b Prou. 2.16 Away then with those speaches how can we be prouided of preaching our liuinges are impropriated possessed by swine as nonresidents and hierlings Come by it as you can you shall goe to hell vnlesse you haue it A goodlie matter Is there no way to remooue these beasts by supplication to hir Maiestie c. and to place better in their steade Indeede you will seeke none Be it you can not remooue them Can you bestowe noe more to be instructed in the waye of life then that which law alreadie hath allienated from your possessions You neuer made account of your tythes as of your owne For shame bestow some thing that is yours to haue saluation made knowen vnto you Contemne not the grace of God offered vnto you in these daies of your peace For if you refuse to com vnto the Lord when he calleth behold your answer when you call for mercy at his handse There is a time a Prou. 1.24.30 of repentaunce indeede but that is limited according vnto the Lords will and not mans What should I take the paines to shewe howe ministers and their liuings may bee prouided for in Wales Seeing I see none readie as yet to entertain the worde and that which hath bene done heretofore in this point is not practized When anye are willing to entertaine counsell for this matter I dout not but it will be an easie consultation Not to doe in some place what may bee doone because euerie place cannot bee furnished with learned ministers and their liuinges is but to deride the Lorde to his face and delude his people of their saluation The inhabitants of the citie Thasus being besieged by the Athenians made a lawe that whosoeuer would motion a peaco to bee concluded with the enemie shdulde die the death Their citie began to bee distressed the people to perishe both with the swoorde and famine Hegetorides a citizen pitying the estate of his countrey tooke an halter about his necke came into the iudgement place Spake My maisters deale with me as you will but in any case make peace with the Athenians that my countrey may be saued by my death My case is like this mans I know not my daunger in wtiting these things I see you my dere natiue countrimen perish It pitieth me I come with the rope about my necke to saue you howsoeuer it goeth with me I labour that you may haue the Gospel preached among you though it cost mee my life I thinke it well bostowed And seing I seeke nothing hereby but the glorie of God and your saluation what deuils will be so shameles as to molest me for this worke and hinder the word preached If any such shall bee found I wishe them to consider before the deale with me what the Apostle setteth downe a 1. Thes 2.15 concerning the persecutours of those that seeke for preaching and the hinderers thereof namely that they please not God and are euen contrarie vnto all men and this their doing is a sealed writing that the vengeaunce of GOD will come vpon them to the full Answere it howe they may Be it as it will bee my comfort is the testimonie of my conscience that in simplicitie and singlenes of heart not onely as in the sight of Gods children vnto whose view and censure this poore labour is offered and his aungels but as in the presence of Iesus Christ I haue behaued my self in this cause hauing before mine eies that I am one day to yeeld an account vnto his maiesty both of my good meaning and also of all circumstaunces ouer-sight vaine and idle words in the action But alasse what can proceed from me that tasteth not of old Adam and the bodie of sinne which I carie about with me whersoeuer I haue offended either in matter or maner let it be shewed and I will with mine own hands destroy that which I haue built amisse be sorye for mine ouersight the most aeger censurer of my selfe and thank them from my heart who shall admonish mee of my fault Yea but the tractate concerning the Idoll ministerie tendeth to stirre vp my countrimen hir Maiesties subiects whereto To feele in what a miserable case they are before God and the worlde being without the word without the administration of the sacraments and without Christes holie discipline and in regarde thereof dutifully to entreat hir Maiesty and their honors that it may be redressed Truth And woulde to God they felt it To mislike of the ecclesiasticall gouernement nowe established among vs truth for it is forrain and Antychristian for the most part To mislike of the ciuil gouernment That is a slaunder and I dare write in in my forhead for a slander But why should I deale in this cause more then others The worthies of the Lord before me in preaching and writing for a learned ministerie ye haue dealt herein If they hadde not this is my reason Though all hir Maiesties subiects yea hir faithfullest counsellers should conspire against her highnes I my selfe against them al wold defend hir and her cause to the losse of my life ten thousand times And shall not I do the like seruice vnto the Lord To ende commending you all both honourable worshipfull ministers and people vnto the Lord and the worde of his grace I take my leaue of you in that exhortation which wee read in Iob. a Iob. 23.21.22.25 Acquaint your selues I pray you with the almightie and make peace with him thereby it shall go well with you receiue I pray you the law of his mouth and lay vppe his wordes in your hearts If you returne vnto him you shal be built vppe if you put iniquitie farre from your tabernacle the almightie shal be your defence you shall make your praier vnto him and hee shall heare you Christ Iesus giue them an heart to returne vnto thee and be thou founde of them for thy mercies sake Amen Amen Amen yea come quickly Lord Iesus Your poore countrey-man who in all dutifull good will hath wholy dedicated him selfe to doe you good in the Lorde IOHN PENRI THus I haue set downe the exhortation word for word as it was in the former impressiō without the altering or deminishing of any one thing three marginall notes added sauing the faults escaped in the printing And hauing heere and there diffused my reasons against the dumb ministers which I perceiue are not so easilie to bee gathered out of the same because the most part of them were brought in for other purposes I thought good in this place to set them downe syllogistically to the end it maye appear vnto the church of God vpon what grounds I denie them to be ministers But here first the state of the
yet I protest that I would as to my comfort I doe ioyne my selfe in the publike hearing of the worde receiuing of the sacraments praying fasting giuing of almes and other holy exercises which these congregations as the assemblies of Gods people amongst whō publike saluation is to be had and with these ministers as the messengers of Iesus Christ whose commission from him to make known vnto me the way of saluation I dare not deny for my soule because there is some want in the seale I mean the outward calling My reasons are these Where I am obscure the booke may giue light The conclusion for breuities sake I haue omitted in the most The Prosyllogisme or second proof of any doutfull action where it is omitted is afterwarde concluded in the syllogisme which serueth for a proofe of all my reasons where any of them might be thought to be weake Euery one that hath the * life of a minister good or bad or that is a minister in deede is ordained of God for the gathering a Rom. 12.3 1. Cor. 4.11.28 Ephes 4.12 together of the saintes For ther is no other minister spoken of in the word No bare reader is ordained of God for this end Therefore no bare reader is a minister in deede or hath the life of a minister good or bad The faithfull prechers in the Church of England haue and do shewe by the good euidence of their teachinge whereby soules are gathered vnto the church and fed therein that they were ordained of God for this ende Therefore the seperation from them and their assemblies is an vngodly wicked and scismatical rent from the visible body of the churche An vngodly wicked and scismaticall rent I call it vpon good deliberation aduice Because that seperation from the companye where publike saluation is had and professed which is made in such sort as if the sayde company had not the means of saluation sounding in it or worshipped God after a false maner is wicked and scismaticall Such is the rent of these men For as they themselues do anouch they are seperated from vs because in all our meetings the corruptions are so great that we serue the true God after a false maner hold not the foundation and so haue no meanes to be saued among vs. For the men thēselues I hope the Lorde will recall them and I am perswaded the most of them haue fallen into this snare of meare and simple ignorance And woe woe woe vnlesse they repent will be vnto them that in smiting and keeping backe the carefull and harmlesse sheapheardes haue beene the cause of this lamentable dispersion straying of the poore sheep For the course whiche they take in seekinge good things it is to be auoyded as a course very likely to shake them from eternall life that continue in it I know what I say For where is there now any more meanes left for them to be saued without their repentaunce we hauing the onely ordinarie meanes of saluation among vs as before is prooued wheras they seperate themselues from vs as from those who serue the true God after a false maner and plainly shew that they would haue no saluation rather then that whereof wee are by the mercies of God pertakers through the ministery of the worde in our assemblies They cannot deny I desire thē to grant no more then the reasons folowing the former proue in this point but that saluation is to be had by the ministery of our preachers And they also know that there is but one ordinary way to be saued which being accounted but in one assembly to be the way of seruing God after a false manner the passage of saluation is shut vp euery where vnto them that are thus seduced for any thing that I know to be reuealed Shall I because the churche-gouernement is not as yet established a Tit. 1.5 in Creta or is iniuriously kept out and some great corruptions tollerated in steade thereof therefore affirme that those congregations of the Cretians where the word of god is taught by men of fit gifts are assemblies where the true god is worshipped after a false manner and yet notwithstanding thinke I may be saued by the worde preached at Philippi continuing still in the same error Whereas they that deliuer the worde at Creta are men endued with as rare gifts from the Lorde for the worke of the ministery as vpright in life and haue called as many to saluation as they had done who are at Philippi I doubt hereof Naye if I seperate my selfe from the assemblies in Creta to go to Philippi it shall not be because I deny them to be meetings of Gods people among whome he ruleth by the scepter of the worde or because I account them prophane synagogs but because I see them too slacke in growing to that perfection whereunto they desire to bee brought so that my departing shall not be a separation but a going forwarde And while I addresse my selfe to goe forwarde I will be sure not to cut of my selfe from the publike meetinges where the worde preached is inioyned A strong maner of reformation for men to cutte them-selues off from the true Churche to the ende they may haue a perfect outward gouernment The practize of these silly men might seeme to be more tollerable if they had ioyned themselues with any Churche vnder heauen Nay I would see what church dareth receiue them as long as they holde these congregations for Idolatrous synagogs where that ordinance of God is by which men are brought out of the kingdome of darknes vnto the kingdome of Christ Euery one of the syllogismes noted with this marke * inferre the former conclusion against their practize I wishe their conuersion from my heart and will be readie to performe any christian duetie as a brother towards them that the Lord hath enabled me Euery minister (2) 2 indeed * of that ordinaunce a Ephes 4.13 which is to continue in the church for the worke of the ministerie to the worlds end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Noe bare reader is a minister of this ordinance For this ordinance is the woord preached Ergo no bare reader is a minister indeed (3) 3 Euery minister is able * to make the elect to be members of b Ephes 4.13 Christ No bare reader is such an instrument Ergo (4) 4 Euerie minister * is a meanes by the worde of the grace of God to giue the elect an inheritaunce among them that are c Act. 20.32 sanctified None of our readers is such a meanes ergo (5) 5 Euerie minister indeede is able to feed the * elect with the food of knowledge and d Iere. 3.15 vnderstanding None of our bare readers are able to do this ergo (6) 6 Euerie * minister at the least in regard of gifts is according vnto the Lords owne e Ierem. 3.15 heart that is his ordinance reuciled concerning his
this superioritie ouer her Maiestie as being within the bodie of the churche or no they leaue it to the consideration of others the instance woulde bee as much as their life were worth And what shold they endanger their liues by vttering that in particular which in generall belike may be affirmed with safetie The generall assertion that a priest may haue a lawfull superior authoritie ouer the vniuersall body of the church being true and voide of treason why shall not the particular instance that the pope may be this priest which may haue this superiour authoritie ouer hir Maiestie as being included within the vniuersall bodie of the church be so to if one priest may haue this authoritie what shall hinder whie the pope may not be this priest though hee be not his idolatrie he may leaue his pride he may leaue his triple crowne he may leaue his name of pope he may leaue and whie then may not he somtimes though not alwayes be capable of this lawfull superiour authoritie Many of the Popes themselues neuer sat at Rome but either at Lions Arminia or Avinion looke Platina Baâ—e Pantal. c. as well as some other priest yea but this priest must not haue his scare at Rome TheÌ„ he will remooue his chaire vnto Rauenna or Canterburie and so there shal be no difference between him and this priest wherof D. Bridges speaketh And by this good diuinitie Sixtus the fifth now pope of Rome being no idolater void of pride abandoning his triple crowne and name of pope remoouing also his seate vnto LAMBETH might bee that one priest among the residue that might haue a lawfull superionr authoritie ouer the vniuersall bodie of the church as D. Bridges without blushing hath affirmed Let him nowe go and barke at the godly ministers in this land as he doth slaunderously in the preface of his prophane booke The intentes of vndermining the cinill gouernment are found in the vndutifull casket of his own bosome whereof their clothes are not once priuie What shoulde I at this time lay open any more of his vndutifull positions his booke I will at all times prooue to bee nothing els but a popish quilt let him challenge me of mine offer when he wil. This matter concerning her Maiesties supremacie being too too haynous of it selfe I meane not to agrauate and make more odious Your Hh. may see how pestilent and pernicious this wicked gouernment of our prelats is euen vnto hir Maiesties supreame and superiour authority which neuer any sincerelie seeking for reformation at any time eyther denied or diminished the same being rightly vnderstood according to the meaning of the statute And whatsoeuer hee hath saide of the godly learned ministers you see that it is he his fathers house with the gouernment thereof that go about to tread vnder foot the Lords annointed And this is the good diuinity that this Balaam for his lucres sake is not ashamed to teache and your Hh. dread not to tollerate As though we hadde to little to answere before the Lorde for the Antichristian dominion of the pope in this lande hee must needs make a priest in the land which may fetch the plague from other nations to bee powred vppon vs. Rather then the madnes of suche a prophet should be vnrebuked the very dumbe asse speaking with a mans voice would gain-say the fury of such a philistian tongue I cannot thinke my Lordes but that the Lorde hath some memorable plagues reserued for you and vs vnder your gouernment if notwithstanding all these things you stil countenance such 〈◊〉 in Israell as beeing the very ornaments of the Lords tabernacle I haue set downe out of the infallible trueth of Gods eternall word the reasons whereby the holie ghost cutteth the throare of all the corruptions in our church and hath giuen a deaths wounde vnto the vitall parts of this popish ware-house of Doctor bridges And let me see who will dare to replie vpon them As for D. bridges him selfe his vnfauery and vnlearned stile his popishe reasons long since bannished out of the schooles of all sound deuines hys tranflation of other mens writings throughout hys whole booke his vngodly and abhominable a Page 655. praier that the preaching of the word may neuer bee had generally throughout the land his scripture b Page 287. being the subscription of the second epistle to c Page 562.349.560 Timothie his alleadging of writers as cleare against himselfe as blacke is to white as of Augustine Caluin Aretius c his d Page 44â— imperfect periodes without sence or sauour his a Page a 272. Bishop Iames Arch-bishops b Page 259.69 266 Tim. and Titus his translations of c Page 450. vos autem nolite vocari rabbi into will not you bee called rabbi with thousand other monumens of his prophane imprety sottish ignorance and want of learning euidently conuince that he was neuer as yet in Platonis Politia where any good learning grewe but hath wallowed him selfe all his life in Romuli fece whence learning hath ben long since bannished godlines neuer shone And therfore he of al others can disproue nothing vnlesse the question before hand be granted of his side Yet let him know that I wil either be answered or haue the cause granted at his hands For to omit that in 160. sheets of paper he hath don nothing but ouer thrown him selfe vtterly shamed his whoorishe cause by shewing the nakednes thereof translated other mens writings taught the reader howe to vnderstand the learned discoarse and added marginall notes so that if other men had neuer written he would haue said nothing this shal be found vndoubtedly true throughout the whole booke that he hath made a couenant before hand not to dispute vnlesse you graunt conclusion all and rather flatlie to be non plus then prooue any thing But our 4. bishops and their fautors are or would be accounted learned I desire no more against them al but to be iudicially heard according to the word if I bee disprooued in any one thing I haue written I will not desire to liue Hence it must needs followe your Hh. hauing regard vnto the state of your soules and bodies before the Lord and your good name amongst posterities that if these things set downe bee true if not bring vpon me deserued shame punishment you will either redresse the miserable estate of distressed Wales by erecting there a godly ministery and abbolishing of al Cananitish reliques or for the maintenance of a few vnconscionable and godlesse men aduenture to vndergo the fiery and flaming execution of the burning decree of Gods anger My LI. be not deceiued the Lord of heauen is angrie wyth you and his whole a Iosh 7.9.21 ezech 38.22 hoast for the Babilonish garments of these Achans Retaine them no longer if you woulde not fall before the enemie When the Lorde shall plead with you your wiues children families and
Let what I haue written be examined yea by mine aduersaries them selues if I haue anye and it shall appeare that I haue made a conscience how I haue dealt with my superiours especially those concerning whome it is said you are gods least I should seeme to leaue behinde mee the least print of a minde in anye sorte tending to diffame them or their gouernment As I haue beene carefull herof so let the Lord yea and no otherwise which I speake as far as my corruptions do permit graunt this cause and my selfe also if it be his wil fauour in your eies Indeede in regarde of the cause I commandatory wise vnto your Hh. but in regard of my selfe I come in feare and trembling as vnto the lords vice-gerents entreating most humbly that the dignitie of so worthy a cause be thought off nothing the more dishonorably because it is brought in my hands And I protest in respect of my sinnes that the Lord may iustly denie it the fauor it deserueth in your eies bicause I am a dealer therein But this should be no cause why your Hh. should giue it a repulse For in the eies and ears of al the world I make it known that it is the cause of the liuing god wherein I deale and that if it had beene possible for me to haue written more humbly dutifully I had done it Or if I had seene any way that might haue bene likelier to preuail with my superiors then this course I take the Lord to record vnto my soul that I would not haue vsed this And I would to GOD I could tell how to make the cause plaucible So far I am from setting down any thing that might carrie with it any shew of occasion to hinder and disgrace the same Well I haue done my endeuour the successe I expect at the lords hands vnto whom I commend the cause and the saluation of that pore people The sworde of iustice reached vnto you by the Lord himselfe to take punishment of him only that is an a Rom 13.4 euil doer I fear not because I haue not offended If it should be drawn against me for this action the president wold be such as they who ment hereafter to prophesie vnto your Hh. might be aduisedly counselled b Micha 2.6 not to prophisie the Lord as a token of your iust destruction to ensue would say they shal not prophesie nor take shame If I haue spoken any vntruth beare witnesse thereof if a truth I dare by the lords assistance stand to it and demand what he is that wil presume to obiect and throw himselfe vnto the vengeance of God by punishing me an innocent The Lord may for my other sinnes bring mine head vnto the graue with bloud but in this cause what haue I offended and therfore vndoubted woe will betide him that shall molest me for this worke Howsoeuer it be thus I haue performed a dutye towardes the Lorde and his church my countrey and your Hh. which I would doe if it were to be done againe though I were sure to endanger my life for it And be it known that I am not afraid of earth in this cause And if I perish I perishe my comfort is that I know whether to go and in that day wherin the secreats of all hearts shabe manifested the sinceritie of my cause also shall appeare It is enough for mee that howsoeuer I be miserable in regard of my sins yet vnto Christ I both liue and die and purpose by his grace if my life should be prloonged to liue herafter not vnto my self but vnto him to his church otherwise then hithertoo I haue doone The Lorde is able to raise vp those that are of purer hands and lippes then I am to speake and write in the cause of his honor in Wales the Lord make them whosoeuer they shal be neuer to be wanting vnto so good a cause the which because it may be the Lordes pleasure I shall leaue them behinde me in the worlde I earnestly and vehemently commende vnto them as by this my will and testament And haue you pore Wales in remembraunce good my Lordes by establishing the word preached there that the blessing of many a saued soule therein may follow her maiestie and your Hh. ouertake you light vpon you and sticke vnto you for euer The eternall God giue hir Maiestye and your Hh. the honour of building hys church in Wales multiply the daies of hir peace ouer vs blesse hir and you so in this life that in the life to come the inheritance of the kingdom of heauen may be hir and your portion so be it good Lord. Were my dutifull heart towards your Hh. throughly knowen then I doubt not but I should bee better knowen vnto you then by my name IOHN PENRI TO THE READER Master D. SOMES booke was published this day I haue read it The man I reuerence from my heart as a godly and learned man The reasons he vseth against me in the questions of the reading ministrie and communicating with them I had aunswered as you may see in this booke before he had written They are faultie either because they desire that for graunted which is the question or make those things of like nature wherein there is a great dissimilitude as the arguments drawen from the magistracie and the Leuiticall Priesthood I haue answered thē The cause the reuerence I owe vnto the man though the reasons he vseth deserue not to be twise read ouer will enforce me to answere him at large There be certaine faults escaped in the print beare with them