hee hath so bewitched the miscarried fansie of Philadelphus that hee maketh no small account of his fellowship yea even my Lord his Father and my Ladie his Mother carrie him no lesse reverence and loue than if he were forsooth a person of some worth Philomathes And is this indeede Eubulus verilie I am glad I haue the occasion to see him for hee hath the report of a discreet Gentle-man and that hee hath some good Gift in teaching and I haue much longed to heare him Eriphilus What! Philomathes doe you account it a lawfull thing to heare anie of these Heretickes This Eubulus I tell you is an Oratour and can perswade foolish people to wiene much of him And I will not denie but he hath some piece of prudent and faire Carriage but Catholickes ought so much the more to shunne his fellowship lest they bee deceived with Showes Philomathes Verelie Eriphilus I can not altogether allow of your judgement in this for al-be-it I mislike their Church yet I haue heard some of their Preachers speake both powerfullie and holilie so as I can not denie but I haue beene some-times both instructed and edified by them And if wee will lay aside Passion and Praejudice wee must acknowledge that there bee some of them who are both excellentlie learned and exemplarlie holie men And thus much haue I gained by hearing of them that certainlie I perceiue our Writers to lay against them manie vnjust imputations so to make their doctrine odious as if they did maintaine things where-of I haue often heard them teach the contrarie And for mee I never can approoue that a good Cause be defended with Calumnies Eriphilus To speake plainlie to you Philomathes I thinke you are little from halting betwixt two and I can not account him a true Catholicke who will either heare or in anie thing approoue such Heretickes or will so much as once call in question what-so-ever the Church enjoyneth Philomathes I will beare with you to judge of mee as you please but I both am a true Catholicke and doe reverence the Church yet without light indifferentlie to embrace all things I thinke it not onelie brutish but also vnlawfull for Christians who haue to try what they holde And verilie saving the judgement of holie Church that opinion of implicite Faith hath both much disgraced the Catholicke Cause and hath made our Doctrine to bee suspected of maniâ—… But it is high time for vs to salute these Gentle-men CHAPTER II. Philomathes GOD saue you Masters Philadelphus GOD saue you Philomathes and you Eriphilus Doe your Effaires lye this way Eriphilus This same is our way and though it were not yet wee had reason to offer you the duetie of Convoy so as if it bee not displeasant vnto you wee will for a space keepe you companie Philadelphus Your companie is to vs verie acceptable Eriphilus But I pray you good Sir was it not the Minister Theriomachus who a little hence did part from you Philadelphus You haue judged rightlie Eriphilus And how falleth it for all his Clergie that now in almost halfe a yeare hee cannot finde an Answere to one Sheete of Paper which yet hee received with no small presumption that how-so-ever Pitch was defiling yet hee reâ—…mbled an hote Tongs which could contract no Contagion there-by Philadelphus By what Logicke will you inferre Eriphilus because hee hath made no Answere there-to that therefore hee could finde none to giue it Know you not that by the holie Ghost His owne Testimonie it is some-times foolishnesse to make answere And yet how are you bolde to affirme hee hath not answered it Haue you heard all the Conference hee ever had with the partie-presenter of that Sheete of Paper since the time hee received it Hee hath written nothing there-to you will say But from the defect of a written Answere to conclude of no answere at all it is an halting argumentation And haâ—… honest men thinke you who are busied in their publicke Callings nothing else a-doe but to waste time and travell in intertaining Plea with Contentions and ydle humours vpon everie pievish Pamphlet put out by them of thinges a thousand times refuted To answere ought is but a labour bootlesse When curious Questions are in pryde proposed On Soules fore-stall'd all travell tane is fruitlesse For Light is but to lowlie myndes exposed Manie protest them vprightlie disposed Singlie to search and receiue Institution Who yet keepe that with-in their Breastes inclosed Which barreth out all better Resolution Who with him-selfe concludes sine counsell craveth According to his Idoles hee receiveth Philomathes You haue set downe in your Sonnet a most certaine trueth For my selfe I protest I ever abhorred all contention and bitternesse in disputing And who for anie other ende maintaine Argument but in an vpright and calme care to finde out Trueth they are both displeasant to others and vnprofitable to themselues But seeing that Eriphilus hath casten in this matter and wee haue so convenient occasion of Eubulus companie and the time shall bee so well spent I would intreat Eubulus that if hee hath ought to answere to these Questions hee will vouchsafe to speake it and this I protest I require in vprightnesse because I doe thinke there bee diverse of them to which hardlie shall hee finde anie good answere Eubulus I never refused to conferre calmlie with anie but I hate contention and if you Philomathes jumpe with mee in this humour I will obey your request the more gladlie and I hope our Conference shall not bee altogether fruitlesse Haue you then these Questions by you and if not I can perhaps supplie your want Philomathes I haue them heere and will reade them to yoâ—… in order yet I am glad that you haue alreadie seene them for you may answere the more resolutelie to each This then is the Inscription A proper new Ballad where-in is contained Catholicke Questions to the Protestant Eriphilus I perceiue that you are alreadie acquainted with it How say you then Philadelphus is it not indeede a proper Ballad Philadelhpus How proper his Ballad is let poëts judge Out of my little skill I may boldlie affirme that for anie either grace it bringeth to his Arte or credite to his Cause hee might right well haue contented him-selfe to speake in Prose but his forme is good aneugh for his matter and hee is I warrand you no worse Poët than hee prooveth evidentlie a weake Divine Reason and Ryme if sweetlie they bee sembled Implant in Men the pleasanter Impression Quicke Arguments with Eloquence enaembled Draw contrare Myndes more quicklie to Confession But of true Fayth if vnder false Profession Songs bee made Syropes but to sweeten Errours Prudence will spye and keepe of Trueth possession Vnsnar'd with Syrens or yet tost with Terrours But that 's soone seene which wants both Sause Season Your raving Man hath neither Ryme nor Reason Eriphilus It is by evincing Syllogismes I trow and not by invectiue Sonnets Philadelphus that
even by a deceitfull confounding of what-so-ever poyntes of Trueth and what-so-ever degrees of Division or Dissention which must bee wyselie and carefullie distinguished For there bee manie poynts of Trueth wherein diversitie of judgement breaketh not the Vnitie of the Church Yea and manie Divisions and Dissentions which yet divyde not the dissenting Members one from another or if one from another yet neyther of them from the Head or common Bodie from which those onlie may bee sayde absolutelie to fall which holde not the Head or subvert directlie and with pertinacie the Foundation For manie in weaknesse will holde Opinions which in-deede doe even choppe agaynst the Foundation by cleare and necessarie Consequence but not immediatelie or directlie So as if you should challenge the Holders of that which their opinion doth import they wil not only deny it but evē abhorre the sequele of that which they mayntayne but not with that mynde And it were great want of Charitie to judge a-lyke of these and of the others Wee are all heere still compassed with Infirmitie knowing but in part and prophecying but in part In which Case the Apostle charitablie advyseth That Who are perfect they bee so mynded and if anie bee other-wayes mynded that the LORD will reveale it vnto them but that in the tyme in that where-to wee are come wee ought to proceede by one Rule mynding the same thinges I confesse manie hundreths doe regrate it with Teares That the Infirmitie of Mens myndes too farre in selfe-wiening wedded to their owne Sense and not humblie receiving Information or charitablie comporting with weake Brethren according to the Apostle's Rule both hath bred and still breedeth too manie bitter and vnnecessarie Distractions and scandalous Schismes about such thinges as if Humilitie and Loue had over-ruled Mens Affections neyther were nor are of such Moment where-fore the Vnitie of Men holding still one and the same Head and keeping one and the same Foundation should bee so lightlie broken or the Peace of GOD His House troubled But the weaknesse and not duelie-mortified Humours of Men maketh not the Trueth of GOD to fayle That Dissentions and Divisions are it declareth Men to bee yet in that part carnall but it doeth not separate them from the common Bodie so long as they holde one and the same LORD one Fayth one Hope one Baptisme and are vnited in one and the same Spirit no more than did this Defect in the Church of Corinth which al-be-it that heere-fore the Apostle did rebuke as carnall in that yet hee still did intitle with the Name of CHRIST His Church And though by anie such Schisme eyther a Person or Companie should bee divided from particular eyther Church or Churches it will not therefore follow I thinke none dare avouch it that there-fore they are separated from the Head or common Bodie so to make them in a-lyke Case with haereticall Subverters of the Foundation and Deserters of the Head Wee see by Experience in naturall Bodies That by inflicted Woundes such Gaps will bee made as the sides of the Wound eyther from other will start a-sunder and so one part of the Bodie by a separating Wound will be severed from another part which both will yet remayne still vnited in the common Bodie and bee part-takers of one and the same common Sense Motion and Lyfe from one and the same Head and Heart Thus Philomathes your Poet's Proposition absolutelie affirmed is false even when hee hath modified his indefinite All Poynts to all Poynts of Trueth Philomathes That no Vnitie argueth anie Companie to bee CHRIST'S Church but Vnitie in Trueth I must needs confesse it and that everie diversitie of opinion or everie degree of Distraction doth not separate the dissenters or distracted mutuallie from other or at least eyther of them from the common Bodie and Head I cannot denye but that you haue evinced it clearlie Yet so manie and so materiall are the Divisions amongst your Churches and your Quarrels are debated so bitterlie and againe so great is the Harmonie and Concord of the Romish Church as I thinke giveth just Reason to suspect of you that you are not nor can not bee vnited as you spake in one and the same LORD Fayth Hope Baptisme and Spirit and that the Church of Rome hath onlie and evidentlie this Honour Eubulus Now Philomathes you put the Lyfe of your Syllogisme in the Hands of your Assumption to stand or fall there-with And denying vs anie such Vnitie as may argue a Church of CHRIST you haue appropriated all to Rome how justlie we will even now examine and first your Objection against vs is manie wayes sophisticall First if such bee accounted ours who are none of vs the imputation is vnjust Wee acknowledge and doe lament it that there is too great Division and varietie of Sects calling themselues Christians in the worlde but what doe most part of them more or so much concerne vs as they concerne your Church of Rome out of whose dongue as noysome Flees they are bred and by Satan's craft comming to fly on vpon our Churches that by the mixture of their Poyson they may bring the Trueth in disgrace are onlie by vs diligentlie resisted and their Errours clearlie convinced while in the meane tyme your Romish Church whose brood they are is carelesse of anie thing but to suppresse the Trueth and calumniouslie to lay over on vs the Stinke of their owne Excrements As for such whom we will not disadvow in common how-so-ever wee will not justifie the Ambition Giddinesse and bitternesse of some particular Men who as fyre-brands disturbe humurouslie and vnnecessarilie the Peace of the Church I affirme that no such materiall Poynts are in differ betwixt vs in common wherefore wee both may not and ought not embrace others mutuallie as Brethren Which that wee doe not it is our weaknesse and the malicious worke of but a few evil-inspired Instruments seeking more their owne Estimation than GOD his Glorie and good of His Church And that no such Separation is betwixt vs but that how-so-ever by a cruell Wound of mercilesse Hands wee are separated one of vs from another yet wee are still joyned in the common Head and in the common Bodie each of vs to other So as your Man 's odious enumeration of Protestants Puritanes Calvinists Zwinglians and if you list to adde to them Lutheranes also is but a calumnious traducing of such as most part are not separated eyther from other or at least how-so-ever by some weaknesse they bee in that sort distracted yet are but one Bodie joyned in one and the same LORD Fayth Hope Baptisme and informed all of them by one and the same Spirit al-be-it not all in a-lyke measure Amongst whom there is no just breach of Communion how-so-ever that by a Wound of some cruell and dispitefull Men those you doe call Lutherians are vnnecessarilie separated from the rest but none of vs from the common Head and Bodie in which
is too well knowne and too tragicallie what attempted what archieved by them Iohan. Mariana Iesuit de Rege lib. 1. cap. 6. affirmeth That Subjects willing to doe so may depose the King from his Princelie state and that from all memorie it hath beene esteemed a prayse-worthie thing who-so-ever attempted to oppresse Tyrants And Pag. 60. If no meanes bee of obtayning a publicke Convention then who favouring the common Wishes shall attempt to kill a King or Prince I will not esteeme that hee hath done wrong For their advowed Impudencie in this pernicious Opinion let anie Man reade the Iesuit's Booke De Henrici tertii abdicatione which was put foorth at Lions Anno 1591 in the Praeface where-of are these wordes That seeing this is one and the same common Cause of that other Henrie a wicked Tyrant al-so c. therefore it is that since wee haue spoken of the just abdication of the first wee desire that wee may appeare so to haue spoken de hoc quoque excludendo immo conterendo perdendo of excluding yea downe-beating and destroying of this other al-so Mariana de Rege pag. 59. for King-killing alleadgeth the Exemple of Eâ—…ud as if common and ordinarie actions could bee warranded by extraordinarie which ought not to bee drawne in exemple And the same is brought al-so in defence of the Iesuits Tom. 6. memor lig pag. 281 and together with it diverse Romane Doctors are alleadged al-so to this same purpose as Cajetan Dominicus Soto Thomas Aquin. Sylvester Fumus But that you may yet see portentuous both Impudencie and Impietie Iohannes Mariana Iesuit De Rege lib. 1. cap. 7. pag 65. 67. hath these words Quid interest ferro an veneâ—…o perâ—…as c. that is What mattereth it whether thou kill with Knyfe or with Poyson That which is done by Poyson is done with lesse danger and more hope of impunitie Vpon my Warrand thou mayest vse Poyson but with this provision that bee who is killed there-by bee not compelled him-selfe to drinke the Poyson where-by hee may perish but that it bee outwardlie applyed by some other without vsing anie ayde of him who is killed there-by Seeing especiallie that so great is the strength of Poyson that eyther the Chayre or Apparell stroaked there-with may haue force to kill And in the ende of that same Chapter pag. 68. hee concludeth That it is lawfull by all meanes to compasse ones death so beeing that neyther wittinglie nor vnwittinglie hee bee made his owne Executioner And if it may neyther offende Philadelphus for some farre carnall conjunction hee had with him nor you Eriphilus who accounteth him an holie Martyr I might adde to the former a familiar and late Proofe of what Spirite those Men are in that brayne-sicke Traytor who beeing executed this other yeare for peartlie practized and phreneticallie professed Treason yet soone after for-sooth was canonized and by you Eriphilus esteemed a Martyre But it falleth you foule that you can never finde one to fill vp that Roll but Men both accused and clearlie convinced of Theft or Treason Philadelphus For anie Interest I had in that Man I may warrandablie say that vvhat-so-ever hee bee of HIS MAIESTIE'S Liedges vvho eyther thinketh so of him or speaketh of him as a Martyre hee meriteth most justlie to bee canonized in the Catalogue of arrand Traytors and to receiue the Recompence of such But nowe Eriphilus hath not Eubulus thinke you sufficientlie cleared the Trueth of that which you called a Calumnie And are these for-sooth the abstruse Mysteries of your Iesuits Divinitie And howe jumplie are they the Followers of IESVS vvho not onelie are open and audacious Encowragers to Murder but all-so so cunning Informers of all the diverse Manners of mischievous working and are so well practized in all the operatiue Powers and application of Poyson that they may bee moste apt APOTHECARIES for Pluto And it is goodlie to see howe in the open practise of monstrous Impietie yet they would make Asses belieue that at least they kill conscientiouslie For they are so squimmish for-sooth as in anie Case they will not haue a Man made his owne Executioner And this is just such an Holinesse as had the Priestes and Pharisees vvho whyles they were with all Falsehood Crueltie and bloodie and vnbrydeled Rage murdering the LORD IESVS yet they would neyther pollute their Sanctitie by entering into the Common HALL nor receiue the pryce of Blood into their TREASVRIE Thus Hypocrites even in the open Practise of moste grosse and detestable sinnes yet beare the justlie benummed worlde in hand that because they strayne Gnattes they can not but in a good Conscience swallowe Camels But vvhat a monstrous excecation of Men is this that so prodigious Impietie findeth amongst Professours of CHRISTIANITIE not onelie Patrocinie but all-so Admiration Where-as anie Heathen Man of setled Senses would skunner at the verie mention of such monstrous dealing vvhere-by all Bandes of Commerce amongst Men vvhich eyther DIVINITIE HVMANITIE or NATVRE by anie kynde of Lawe haue established are impiouslie vnhumanlie and vnnaturallie broken When GOD will not bee defended with a Lie neyther will haue vs to doe anie evill that good may ensue there-of shall a bare pretence of Zeale and intention of a good ende make more than Cyclopicke feritie and devilish Deceit to become good Religion VVhat if those honest-hearted Heathen whome the Record of Storie extolleth so much for TRVETH IVSTICE TEMPERANCE FORTITVDE and others MORALL VERTVES who yet knewe not the true GOD nor the sole Way of LYFE vvere raysed from the Death and did see and heare what Men called CHRISTIANS and acclayming the Title of KNOWLEDGE and HOLINESSE from all others doe not onelie practize but professe all-so vvould they not bee perswaded that all the Devils of Hell had come foorth vnder Ecclesiasticke Names and Habites to destroy the World Philomathes Let mee entreat you good Philadelphus to insist no more in this Subject other-wayes you will turne Eriphilus Choler into a burning Ague Philadelphus I will at your request forbeare it yet so as I must tell you this one word That I will rather choose to bee mine owne Varlot than eyther to haue the Chayre set vnto mee or mine Apparell reached mee by anie Page vvhich hath passed his Prentiship and hath beene initiated in the Secrets of the Chamber of Meditations And for Eriphilus I will presentlie refresh his Mynde with one Sonnet more vvhere-by to prevent his Ague or at least to giue him a mature Cooling in the verie beginning of his Fitte Doctrines of Devils with their Dealing joyned Are Signes of Satan's Synagogue most sure Wedlocke forbidden Abstinence enjoyned From what the LORD proclaymeth to bee pure His Doctrines are So is it not obscure Whom GOD designeth to bee Devilish Doctors His workes are Lies and Killing to procure And such men are his proper Sonnes and Proctors Your works then well be wray your Generation Knyues Powder Poyson and Aequivocation Philomathes Your
them or reading of their Bookes and that how-so-ever some coole-mynded Men can not brooke it thereis great reason of ridding away and dispatching out of the Worlde even by all meanes of such pestilent and pernicious Men vvho except they bee quyte razed out will not fayle to subvert the whole state of the World For I see Philomathes that by your giving Eare to their charming Speaches you are all-readie put in the Stayes yea halfe over-turned For me when-so-ever I heare ought of them to which I can not make Aunswere I then make the Signe of the Crosse over my Person and I turne myne Heart and Eares another way So as let them speake wryte or preach what they please how true playne and infallible so-ever it appeare yet I determine with my selfe That it is false and I rest vpon the Authoritie of holie Church whose Doctrine I count it sinne once to put in question Philomathes Agaynst an vndoubted Light and clearlie convincing Trueth it were in-deede high sinne once to deliberate much more curiouslie or carnallie to make question But for attayning to Knowledge and Resolution in doubtfull Matters to enquire humblie soberlie and sincerelie wee not onelie well may but all-so are of duetie holden And who without Light are carried vpon anie Man's Credite in Matters of Salvation I thinke they more resemble senselesse Blockes than wyse Christians As for your other Opinion of ridding away out of the Worlde by what-so-ever meanes those you call Haeretickes I am sorie to heare it of you and so much the more if you haue vttered it not onelie out of Passion but all-so out of a setled judgement And to speake freelie to you in this I thinke this Doctrine in manie of our Men bewrayeth evidentlie what Spirit they are of And for mee I not onelie can account them no Christians but even no Men at all or worthie of humane Societie who vnder anie Praetext of Zeale doe shake all Bandes of Pietie and Civilitie And it will bee assuredlie seene Eriphilus that this Tragicall and bloodie Wisedome where-by Men nowe are begun to thinke that the Catholicke Fayth must bee mayntayned shall bee the Meane to hasten the Ruine of the Romish Church vvhyle all the Worlde shall bee wakened by their owne Perill and cleare Sight of such monstrous Inhumanitie to destroy the Destroyers of the Earth EVBVLVS and PHILADELPHVS a-part EVBVLVS YOU did tell mee verie rightlie at our first Discoverie of these two Gentle-men that all-bee-it both of them Papistes yet they were of a much contrarie Disposition for so wee haue in-deede tryed them I loue this Philomathes his Towardnesse and I hope well of him The other's Waywardnesse and bitter Disposition I dislyke as farre Philadelphus You remember how even before our encountring of them I was wishing you to make some Answere to these Questions of this Ballader and Theriomachus was all-so of my judgement Now though you refused to doe so yet let mee intreat you thus farre as to wryte but a short Record of this our Dayes Conference Eubulus Though even that piece of Paynes were in my Opinion but ydle and vnprofitable yet it is too small a matter where-of to refuse you whom for manie respects I am holden both to loue and honour For other-wayes to wryte eyther at length or of purpose anie Answere to such things so often and so learnedl◅e confuted I neyther thinke it expedient for anie so ◅o bus◅e him-selfe and for me in so manifolde Distractions which you know I haue and a daylie Employment in the matters of my Calling together with such imbecillitie of Bodie as can not endure great Paynes I were even greatlie blame-worthie so to waste eyther Tyme or Travell There-fore hence-foorth let no Man put mee to businesse GOD grant wee may earnestlie studie to our owne Sanctification and according to that great Dispensation committed vnto vs wee may labour to worke the same carefullie in the Heartes of others and not to delight in contention of Disputations about Questions which but ingender Stryfe and doe more feast ydle Humours than they edifie Godlie Soules Illuminate O Blessed LORD of Lights The syled Eyes of simple ones to see Disclose the Deepnesse so of Satan's Slights That straying Sheepe may turne agayne to THEE Sling Babell as a Mill-stone in the Sea And let the NEW IERUSALEM All-Glorious Twelue Ports of Pearle cast vp for Entrie free To All who in the Lambs Blood are victorious Bring downe that Beast of all this Evill th'Enacter His Name his Number and his curst Character FINIS A PASTORALL ADMONITION TO REPENTANCE WHat wonder though they haue so small successe All Enterpryzes by vs vndertaken Wee meschantlie haue re-admitted Messe Which happilie was frō our sholders shakē Thus having foulie then our Faith forsaken All our Endevours duelie GOD deludeth HIS Choler kindleth still and can not slaken HEE justlie still our sinfull Sutes secludeth Nor shall our Foes but daylie vexe and wrong vs Till once wee put all strange Gods from among vs. No loue of Messe had ever ledde vs to it This Groundes was on Politicke Praetences But no Fraetence had driven vs to doe it If in our GOD wee had plac'd all Defences But from HIS Word so strayed haue our Senses In Humane Helpe wee our Repose haue placed And there-fore GOD vs rightlie recompenses Our Designes fayle our Doinges are disgraced To Asa King what GOD spake by Hanani Concerneth vs much more than him or anie From Syrian's King Asa succour sought And hyred them with State and Temples Treasure Wee vayner helpe at dearer ◅ate haue bought Of Asa's Sinne exceeding much the measure And doubled thus haue on vs GOD'S displeasure On-drawing vndeclynable Destruction Repent wee not whyle wee haue anie leasure It 's cleare by vndenyable Induction Some Wages Asa war'd out on that Nation Of Babell wee bring in th'Abhomination Prowde Ammons King with Iabesh was contented For to conclude a Covenant of Peace So being beastlie that they had consented To vnder-goe a singular Disgrace That pulling out their right Eyes from their Face All Israel hee might so make ashamed But much more ignominious is our Case Our Beastlinesse and much more to bee blamed Our Parties Pryde surpasse◅h that Exemple To Molech wee must re-erect a Temple Then let vs turne agayne to GOD who smytes vs And doubtlesse Hee will vnto vs returne Slyding abacke so long as it delytes vs Wee never shall misse Matter for to mourne It 's senselesse Pryde agaynst the Pricks to spurne Take counsell then while CHRIST vpon vs calleth His kindled wrath begin it once to burne Woe to the Wicked in His Fangues that falleth Will wee but put all strange Gods from among vs And all the World will bee too weake to wrong vs. With Pittie LORD respect Thy People poore In IESVS CHRIST who gracious and good Salvation to Sinners did procure By sheeding on the Crosse his Sacred Blood HEE is our Solace and Coelestiall Food Vs nursing vp in hope of endlesse Glorie