to which repentance is vtterly denyed Else what shall wee say of S. Peter who both denyed and cursed the knowledge of Christ in himselfe Secondly if this be true as it is then may saluation be found and hoped for notwithstanding that deâ—iall cursing and approbation Thirdly it must be remembred that our question is of the whole body of the Church that iâ— neither of the popular part onely nor of the representatiue onely but of both together if then the one part onely shall doe as he saith and not the whole body who can say that there is no saluation to bee found therein or that it is vtterly falne away from Christ. So much for the Proposition In the next place I say the Assumption is euidently false if not more then slanderous For first the Church of Rome whether partially or wholly vnderstood neuer denyed neuer accursed sauing and iustifying Faith nor euer allowed a gracelesse faith onely which cannot saue c. Looke vpon all the Canons of the Councell of Trent and see whether any such thing bee to bee found therein or gathered therefrom doth it not distinguish betweene a living and a dead faith And doth it not say that the liuing Faith only iustifieth and not the dead what is it then that it denyeth and accurseth It is this first the forme and manner of Iustification by Faith when it is said to iustifie as the very forme of Iustification and not as a meere disposition thereto Secondly this assertion that a dead faith separate from grace is not a true faith though it cannot iustifie this is that which the Counsell denyeth and accurseth in this case and no more yet you say boldly if not impudently pag. 25. If any dare deny this hee will but bewray his shamelesse ignorance in this point In what point M. Burton That the Councell of Trent admitteth of no other faith then that which the Deuils and damned in hell haue O mouth O forehead Haue they a liuing Faith which is fruitfull in good workes Such a Faith as S. â—ames commendeth And doth not the Councell admit of this Faith yea of this onely for Iustification Reade the latter part of the seuenth Chapter of the sixt Session and bee ashamed Secondly say the Counsell had done so indeed Doth the whole Church of Rome doe it Doth the popular part therof doe it By your owne words page 25. they denie it Yea but they beleeue as the Church beleeues True but with a secret condition If the Church beleeue well and in that onely wherein it beleeueth aright Being deceiued in nothing but that they trust the Church too much for if they could be perswaded shee beleeueth amisse in any thing therein they would not beleeue as she doth But you will proue that Romes iustifying faith is different in kinde from the true sauing Faith of Christ. How Can you tell Marry thus That faith which Christ commendeth for the onely true sauing faith doth so iustifie a man that hee shall neuer come into condemnation but passe from death vnto life But the onely faith which the Church of Rome alloweth doth not so Ergo Aduertisement pag. 91. I answere A Papist or Arminian would denie the Proposition but I grant it and deny the Assumption for let the Church of Rome confesse what she will in her owne wrong I say that that faith which the Church of Rome onely alloweth for iustification viz a liuing faith fruitfull in good workes doth so saue and iustifie a man that hee cannot goe with it into condemnation and dare you say the contrary This is his first Argument The second is this That Church which cleaueth to Antichrist as her head whence she receiueth all her spirituall life is no true Church nor hath any saluation to be found or hoped for in her But the Church of Rome doth so Ergo. Aduertisement pag. 91. 92. I denie the Assumption Not for that I denie the Pope to be Antichrist or for that I would support the church of Rome in any of her abominations but first because the church of Rome doth not acknowledge the Pope to be Antichrist and so cleaueth not to him as her head in that name Secondly because although some Popes haue antichristianly said that all spirituall grace and life is deriued from the Pope and that some of their Parasites haue flatteringly acknowledged it yet neither the representatiue church of Rome by it selfe nor the popular by it selfe much lesse the whole and entire body did euer yeeld vnto it but haue from time to time opposed themselues against it especially if the question be of an absolute foueraigne and supreme head and not of a subordinate and ministeriall head as you propound it Thirdly because in these spiritual things there is such a coniunction of good and euill in this life that though the one cannot be separated from the other yet the one is not confounded with the other so as each of them receiues its life seuerally from its owne head and not from the head of the other As it is in the regenerate man in whom the flesh and the spirit are alwaies companions in this life yet so as the flesh receiueth nothing from the holy Ghost nor the spirit from Adams transgression And so is it in the case wee haue in hand for in the church of Rome there is an inseparable coniunction of Babylon and the people of God yet so as Babylon receiues no grace from Christ nor the people of GOD apostafie from the Pope for being members of both in diuers respects they haue grace from the one and apostasie from the other which in them are indeed nothing but flesh and spirit And so much for his second Argument The third pag. 34. hereof is thus framed A true visible Church hath the true markes of a true visible Church But the Church of Rome hath not those true markes Ergo. The Assumption whereof being to be denyed hee proueth it partly from the doctrine of the Church of England and partly from Bellarmine the mouth of the Church of Rome For the Church of England the Homily for Whitsunday saith The true Church of Christ hath alwayes three notes or marks whereby it is knowne Pure and sound doctrine c. Now if you would compare this with the Church of Rome c. To which I answer That these words must receiue a fauourable construction or else they make as much against him as against vs and with such construction they make more for vs then for him And what is this construction First they must bee vnderstood of the accidentall truth of the Church in regard of soundnesse as the words doe expresly import and not of essentiall truth in regard of Gods Couenant Secondly they must bee vnderstood euen of soundnesse comparatiuely and not simply that is in regard of the Primitiue Church and not otherwise Else hee must grant that the Church of Rome hath not beene a true visible Church these nine hundred yeares
his due as we say It is good therefore that all men be well aduised in this point in speaking of the Church of Rome Pro or contra as a true church or no it being a matter not to be maintained by finenesse of wit or quaint rhetoricall discourse but vpon sound ground substantiall demonstration Answer This is your anticipation wherein you answer a supposed obiection therby to free your selfe from fault in crying downe the truth and true visibility of the Church of Rome It is no fault say you because it is no vntruth But you know that is the question And besides haue you so soone forgotten your owne policy That though it were true yet the countenancing or pressing of it in these times might very well bee spared Can you imagine that in these lukewarme indifferent neutralizing dayes you shall not find enow that will take vp the bucklers against you will you giue the onset and bee faultlesse and shall they only that oppose you be the offenders there is no reason at all for that In a mutiny it is hard but both sides will bee found faulty well then Let the Deuill haue his due say you and so say I too yet it is good say you that all men be well aduised in this point c. Let this word stand Only I craue that it may not be taken for granted which you rhetorically beg of your friends that you haue the sound grounds and substantiall demonstrations and that wee haue nothing but finenesse of wit and quaint rhetoricall discourses and vpon these termes let the cause bee determined And so much for the quality of the question BVRTON Now for the more cleare and full yet briefe discussion of the point it shall suffice onely to answer such arguments as are vsed for it whereupon the positiue truth will easily be concluded Answer Now you come to the second argument of your Exordium by which you scrape acquaintance with your Readers which is a promise to handle this question well that is clearly fully and briefly to which end you thinke it sufficient to answer such arguments as are vsed against you But how you offend herein I haue shewed already BVRTON Wherein I must craue pardon hauing to deale in so weighty a cause and with such mighty Authors as haue already tanquam e Cathedra defined it But God forbid that the try all of truth should depend vpon the opinion of any mans person though neuer so great or esteemed in the opinion of the learned My brethren saith Saint Iames haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons And 〈…〉 Saint Augustine against Maximinus an Arrian Bishop said Nec â—u mihi Ariminense nec ego tibi Nicenum Concilium objiciam c. Answer This is the third argument taken from the condition of your person being so weake and vnworthy to deale in such a cause and with such Authors wherein first you craue pardon of your boldnes and after cleare your selfe of such imputations as may be laid to your charge For the former it is counted the part of an vnwise man to craue pardon of a fault when it is in his owne power not to offend If it bee a fault why would you runne into it if it be none why do you craue pardon But indeed it cannot be denied to be a great fault for any man to meddle in matters too high and with persons too great for him if Dauid Psalm 131. 1. and Siracides Ecclus 8. 1. say true For as Pyâ—â—acus counselled his friend in the case of mariage to doe as the â—â—ies playing w th top scourge said one to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tâ— tibi su 〈…〉 rem Take to thy selfe thy peere 〈…〉 is it good 〈◊〉 euery man to contend with his match and not to meddle with his betters vnlesse he will befoole himselfe in the end But it is the triall of truth you say and God forbid that should depend vpon the opinion of any mans person True But first a man must be sure of a warrant for his doing for euery man may not contend with his betters in triall of truth vpon his owne head Secondly he must not behaue himselfe laweâ—ly as you do here saying they haue defined the contrary tanquam è Cathedra Else it may fall out as you say to the Papists pag. 24. that God forbid will not serue the turne neither will S. Iames who would not haue many mast 〈…〉 s speake for you nor Saint Augustine who contended with his fellow Bishop plead for you And so much for your petition BVRTON Nor let any man here impute presumption to the weakness or vnworthinesse of my person as though I tooke a pride to bee 〈…〉 edling with such high matters and wherein great ones are interessed Alas God knowes I take so little pride herein c. Answer Come wee now to your purgation wherein you cleare your selfe of pride and presumption by way of anticipation Some man perhaps would say Vbi dolor ibi digitus and that where men are guilty of greatest weaknesse there they make greatest preparation and that when a man cleares himselfe without an accuser Aliquid latet quod non patet But seeing you call God to witnes I had rather beleeue you then suspect you yet giue me leaue to tell you what I could say against you if I were disposed notwithstanding all you can say for your selfe to the contrary First Dauid vbi supra makes it an infallible note of pride to be exercised in matters and with persons of this quality Secondly many passages in this your second Viall to goe no further do send forth a ranke sauor of some such thing as first those words Though it were true that the Church of Rome were a true Church yet the countenanting or pressing it in these times might very well bee spared which are very high So those It is good for all men to be well aduised in this point it being a matter not to be maintained by finenesse of wit c. wherein you couertly praise your selfe and dispraise your aduersaries intollerably So those I must craue pardon hauing to deale with such Authors as haue already tanquam 〈◊〉 Cathedra defined the cause Insolent words Then those Cucullus non facit Monachum which is as much as if you had said A Rochet makes not a Bishop And those What a strange doctrine is this for a learned Doctor and more then so of the Church of England to teach Doth he not deserue to be the Popes white sonne for it which are words of reproach Finally those Now let the Reuerend Author iudge indifferentlie hauing well waighed the former reasons whether wee doe ill or no in taking this his saying ill or whether wee had not reason to haue expected an ingenuous Palinodie or Augustine like retraction rather then such an Apologie which whether it be rather to bee pitied then any vncharitablenesse in the
hate all he deceiues himselfe and others with his old fallacie à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter And if he say their preaching cannot breed true sauing faith I pitie him BVRTON As if a Papist though neuer so simple could be humble there can be no greater pride then that which hee takes in his ignorance and can he be peaceable whose chiefe article of his Creed is to beleeue the Pope to be supreme â—uer all Kings and princes c. Answer If the thinke all Papists to bee such as he speakes of hee is not onely vncharitable but foolish Those simple and silly ignorants of which the Author speaketh both may be and 〈◊〉 humble and peaceable notwithstanding the pride and rebellion of the Po 〈…〉 orants and besides how doth their 〈◊〉 perie hinder them froâ— humilitie and peaceablenesse when their Kings and Princes themselues will haue them so to beleeue and hold BVRTON This is the beasts marke which who so receiueth shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God Reuel 14. 9. No Papist then as a Papist can be saued Answer That the beleefe of the Popes supremacie in all spirituall things and causes is the Beasts marke is Petitio principij And that all Papists doe receiue the Beasts marke is false vnlesse hee will say none of them all are written in the Lambes booke of life A Reuel 13. 8. Which I 〈…〉 not say The Conclusion iâ— altogether without premisse 〈…〉 if hee will-conclude any thing 〈…〉 That 〈◊〉 apist can be saued and not that No Papist 〈…〉 Papistoan be saued For the Ang 〈…〉 〈…〉 No 〈…〉 marke Ergo No papist can be saued BVRTON And of Babylon saith God Come out of her my people left ye be partakers of her sinnes Reuel 18. Babylon the dominion and religion of the beast of Antichrist Nothing then therein to be expected but the punishment of Babels sinnes Answer Babylon doth not alwayes signifie the dominion and religion of the beast sometimes it is taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the very Citie that is the seate of his dominion the Citie of Rome and so is it to be vnderstood Reuel 18. And for the Conclusion I say the same I said of the former that it hath no premisses for all that can well be concluded is this That God calleth his people out of the â—itie of Rome when 〈◊〉 is vpon the point of destrsction that they may not bodily perish with the wicked 〈◊〉 I hope hee will noisay that Gods people may 〈…〉 ingly pelish with them though for a time they pa 〈…〉 with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinnes and temporall punishments as often and ordinarily they doe So much for the first question and for the first Author The second question and Author May not a simple Papist miss-led by education or long custome or ouer-valuing the soueraigntie of the Romane Church Io in the simplicitie of his heart imbracing them find mercy at Gods hands by a general repentance and faith in the merit of Christ attended with charitie and other vertues BVRTON Here the state of the former question is quite altered by Faith and Repontance no doubt not onely an ignorant Papist but euen an Infidell may finde mercy c. Answere It is not true the state it still the same for the humble 〈…〉 able obedience of the former question implyeth the Faith and Repentence required in this question for without true faith and repentance there can be no humble and peaceable obedience And so it is true which I said before that hee diuideth one question into two and maketh his Authors differ which agree in one Besides I would desire him to tell why there hee denyed humilitie and peaceable behauiour to all Papists and yet here affords them Faith Repentance to saluation To this he answereth BVRTON But withall this silly Papist beleeuing and repenting must necessarily repent him of all his Idolatry as well as of all his other sinnes yes saith the Author by a generall repentance and faith what a strange doctrine is this for a learned Doctor to teach Surely Bellarmine himselfe with the whole rabble of Pontificians could doe no more c. Answer See here how Sarcastically hee writeth of the most wholsome and Catholike doctrine of generall Faith and Repentance and of the Author for teaching it who if hee be a Doctor of the Church of England his fault is the greater for why should this be Popish doctrine in his mouth which in Perkinses is sound and orthodoxe Doth not he say plainly in his Treatise of Repentance cap. 1. § Neither is this to trouble any That as God requires particular repentance for knowne sinnes so he accepts a generall repentance for such as be vnknowne And doth he not say also in the same place That sound Repentance for one speciall sinne brings with it Repentance for all sinnes And doth hee not say elsewhere Booke of Cases lib. 1. cap. 2. Sect. 3. paragraph But some may say That The greater this simple ignorance is the lesser is the sinne and that if we be carefull to obey God according to our knowledge hauing withall a care and desire to increase in the knowledge of God and his will God will haue vs excused And is not this the selfe-same mutatis mutandis which this Author or Doctor hath deliuered If the Pope and Bellarmine and the whole rabble of Pontificians would say no worse then so it would be the best daies worke wee did these seuenty yeares to be reconciled BVRTON But doth this generall repentance include Idolatry with all popish trumpery as things to bee repented of If not such repentance shall neuer bring him to saluation Answer Wee grant all This Repentance includeth all vnknowne sinnes and so all Idolatry and all other popish trumperie BVRTON If it doe include them then by faith in Christs merits he comes to be saued not as a Papist but as a true beleeuer renouncing Popery and then no Godamercy to his popery or to his silly ignorance Answer Loc here is the vpshot of all this is his strong hold wherein hee puts his whole trust in this question And yet God knowes it is but a meere starting hole as poore a shift and euasion as euer man can vse Here then let it be obserued that hee vseth two points of Sophistry and one of Folly of Sophistry first in the word Papist secondly in the word renouncing The word Papist is ambiguous sometime it is vsed sensu composito as the Schoolemen speake or largely sometimes sensu diviso or strictly In the compound sense it signifieth to inuert the words of Perkins an vnreformed Catholike that is one that holds the same necessary heads of Religion with the Protestant Churches yet so as he retaines all errours in doctrine whereby the said religion is corrupted in the Church of Rome ignorantly supposing them to bee the truth of God In the diuided sense it fignifies one that holds the errours of the Church of
BVRTON And for the essentiall principles of Christianity the Iewes at this day hold the Old Testament and if it bee said They deny Christ expressely the Papists doe so too implicitely and by their owne expresse doctrines of Trent haue no more communion with Christ then the Iewes haue Nay Papists doe expresly abiure the doctrine of Christ as wee shewed before in the Popes owne Bull. Answer The tongue that lyeth slayeth the soule Such comparisons are not onely odious but damnable If this zeale do not transport you to sinne I doubt not but euill-speakers raylers and slanderers may finde an easie passage into the kingdome of heauen Author Grant the Romanists to be but Christians how corrupt soeuer and wee cannot deny them the name of a Church BVRTON But why should we grant them that which neuer a Papist is able to demonstrate to vs or yet vndoubtedly to perswade himselfe of Answer This fond conceit is sufficiently answered already BVRTON Although for the bare name of Christians and of a Church wee will not much stand with them so they do not hereupon or any for them incroach and challenge the beeing and realitie yea or the very visibility of a true Church Answer You are very liberall of that which is none of your owne Can you bee content to afford the precious name of a Christian and of a Church of Christ to them which in mans iudgement not partially affected are not so The Iews would neuer doe it neither will the Papists doe it neither will the Reformed Churches doe it neither will any well informed Christian doe it But you will not much stand vpon it Author We are all the same Church by vertue of our outward vocation whosoeuer all the world ouer worship Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of God the Sauiour of the world and professe the same common Creed BVRTON Doth the Church of Rome worship Iesus Christ who for Christ worship the Beast and his Image bearing his mark Answer Doe all in the Church of Rome doe so what they whose names are written in the Lambs booke of life Reu. 13. 8. or are you sure that none of the Church of Rome liuing and dying professed members thereof are written therein BVRTON Doc they hold the same Creed that deny the faith without which they cannot say the first words of the Creed I beleeue in God Answer And dare you say that all and euery one in the Church of Rome doth so Author Rome doth both hold the foundation and destroy it she holds it directly destroyes it by consequent BVRTON What foundation doe they hold directly with vs wee shewed before that they haue nothing of Christ but the shell the shadow the Pope is the kernell if any Answer You said so indeed but you shewed it not yet if they haue the shell that is the outward profession of the foundation directly it is enough to make them be said to hold the foundation directly BVRTON Nay doe they hâ—ld more of Christ directly then the very society of Deuils doe yea or so much as they Answer They doe if your selfe say true for you say that To hold the foundation directly is to hold Iesus Christ so to be come in the slesh as therein to suffer and satisfie for our saluation becomming our Christ our Iesus redeeming vs from our sinnes by imputing his merits to vs that our sins might not be imputed to vs which were imputed to him by whose stripes wee are healed by whose righteousnesse imputed wee are perfectly iustified in the sight of God And all and euery point of this the Church of Rome directly holdeth BVRTON Nothing lesse yea she directly not by consequence onely directly I say shee denieth and destroyeth this foundation How and where in the Councell of Trent Sess. 6. Can. 10. Siquis dixerit homines per ipsam Christi iustitiam formaliter iustos esse Anathema sit Is not this a direct and flat expresse denyall of the foundation Answer Is this an expresse flat and direct denial of the foundatioÌ„ then Melancthon Caluin Illyricus and all sound and good Protestants doe expresly flatly and directly deny the Foundation for all of them doe and must hold this doctrine for accursed and all the Ministers of the Church of England haue cause to be ashamed of your ignorance boldnesse Mr. Burton who dare challenge the Church of Rome to denie the foundation directly in that wherein she holdeth and confirmeth the truth of the Gospel you must know therefore that in these words is condemned the damnable doctrine of Andrew Osiander and his followers who taught and held that a man is formally iustified by the very Righteousnesse by which Christ himselfe is essentially iust and righteous being partakers thereof by inhabitation This allegation therefore is a notable abuse not only of the Councel but of your selfe and the Reader See Bellarmine de Iustif. lib. 2. cap. 2. Sect. 2. His verbis though himselfe offend therein also afterwards BVRTON And in the 11th Canon If any shall say that men are iustified by the sole imputation of Christs righteousness or by sole remission of sins otherwise then by inherent righteousnesse by vs obtained thereby or also that the grace of God whereby wee are iustified is onely the fauour of God let him bee accursed What more direct deniall of the foundation Answer I might here challenge you for altering and changing the words of the Councell but I will not take all aduantages I answer therefore that it seems you know not the true meaning of the Councell for taking the word Iustification in the Councels owne sense this Canon containes very sound and Christian doctrine What then doth it mean by Iustification A compound of Protestant Iustification and Sanctification for so it defines Iustification cap. 7. of this Session in the first words Iustificatia est non sola peccatorum remissio sed sanctificatio renouatio interioris hominis per voluntariam susceptionem gratiae donorum and so the true sense and meaning of the Canon is this If any man shall say that men are so iustified by the sole imputation of Christs righteousnesse or by sole remission of sinnes that they are also sanctified thereby without inherent grace and charity or also that the grace whereby wee are so iustified is onely the fauour of God Let him bee accursed and let him be so indeed for me You will say this is nothing but meere iugling I grant it but it is not direct denyall of the foundation for here as Chemnitius acknowledgeth is both remission of sinnes and imputation of Christs righteousnesse included which though it be sufficient to iustification in the Protestant sense yet in the popish sense wherein sanctification is also required it is not sufficient BVRTON Is not this the foundation That Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners and how who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne bodie on the tree that we being dead to sins should liue
reader in taking such a saying ill let iudicious charity it selfe iudge where may a man finde pride if here bee none yet for all this you professe many things to the contrary as first that BVRTON My heart is euen torne in sunder to see the rufull rents of the Church of God and the truth so opposed so oppressed Answer But Ieremie tells you the heart is deceitfull aboue measure and the learned say that it is not so deceitfull in any thing as in pride in so much as if it were possible to be without pride yet would it be proud that it is not proud and so euen while your heart is torne in sunder with sorrow you may be proud in exercising your selfe in things and with persons that be too high notwithstanding BVRTON And when Gods glory suffers pardon mee if I professe my selfe a poore defendent Answer What without a calling might not Vzza put forth his hand to stay the shaking of the Arke and may you doe it But wherein I pray doth Gods glorie suffer any thing in our case Is it any dishonour to God to be faithfull in keeping his couenant for euer euen with his enemies Is not this the highest point of his glorie wherein of all the rest he most glorieth O Master Burton pretend not the glorie of God against the glory of God there is nothing more easie more vsuall more dangerous BVRTON Yea my profession not onely as a Christian but much more as a Minister of the Gospel bindes me to it Answere Then let all Christendome goe together by the eares and let Ministers bee the Ring-leaders and Boutefewes BVRTON And I know that God regardeth no mans person Answer True But he will haue all men to be sure of a warrant for their doings BVRTON And as the prouerbe is Cucullus non facit Monachum Answere Neither doth the wearing of a Lions skin make a Lyon BVRTON And were it not a matter so nearly concerning the glory of God and the saluation of Mens soules I had far rather sit mee downe in safe and sweet silence wherein I should haue the more opportunitie to pray for the peace of Ierusalem then any way stand vp to contend Answere Indeede this is the thing which of all other you had most need to purge your selfe of This contentious humor which some say is predominant in you for if Salomon say true a man so qualified must needes bee presumptuous And how doe you doe it You pretend againe the glory of God But you haue heard that that may be but a colour Next the saluation of mens soules But how can that be when you damne all Papists to the Deuill Thirdly your choise of priuate retirednesse But that is questionable Lastly your deuotion But Quid verba audiam cum facta vidiam BVRTON But it is Gods quarrell and that against Babylon Answer First let that be proued then let God bee a God of order and not of confusion BVRTON Peace is beautifull indeed but there is a what peace In which regard Christ the Prince of peace said I came not to send peace into the earth but a sword As faire as peace is wee must not make an Idoll of it we must keepe Christs peace Answer God forbid else But we must know then of what spirit we are Wee haue had late experience of the too 〈◊〉 desire of many forward spirits to breake our peace and to vnsheathe the sword but I cannot be perswaded that eyther this is Christs sword oâ— that that was not Christs pâ—â—be BVRTON And in these perillous dayes it being almost as dangerous to bee ignorant of the mystery of iniquitie as of the mystery of Godlinesse let no man thinke it labour superfluous or presumptuous to search out the true mysterie of Popery Answer You say well But first you must not doe it like Skogan as well where it is not as whereâ—â— is Then you must not doe it so that you take away all the mystery thereof at one blow by denying the Romane Church to bee a true or true visible Church of Christ â—or where then is any mysterie Is there any mysterie in Iudaisme â—urcisme or Paganisme BVRTON But I say in this 〈◊〉 kinde of 〈…〉 vpon 〈◊〉 Answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Necessitie with a great N. hath imposed this task vpon you and woe be to you if you do it not If you had said so much a first it had beene enough This is that I expected all this while but I hope I shall make it appeare that this Necessitie was neuer of Gods imposition And so much for your Preface Let vs now examine your sound and substantiall Answers But here I must admonish the Reader that he dealeth with three seuerall Authors with two hee contendeth very briefly and with a kinde of neglect about saluation in the Church of Rome with the third being a Reuerend Antistes of the Church of England hee findeth himselfe more to do that as I suppose because a kinde of Necessity hath imposed this taske vpon him BVRTON The first maine Argument which would conclude the Church of Rome to be a true Church is because say they a man in that Church may be saued for out of the Church no saluation Therefore the Church of Rome must be a true Church Answer These words as should seeme by the words say they are common to both the former Authors who if they haue framed their maine argument no better are worthy to be blamed vnlesse it were done popularly without suspition of opposition as it may very well bee supposed The argument is this Out of the true Church of Christ there is no saluation In the Church of Rome there is saluation Ergo The Church of Rome is not out of the true Church of Christ. BVRTON Who are they that may bee saued in the Church of Rome My Author expresseth An bonest ignorant Papist or some ignorant silly soules c. yea and this is deliuered in the name of our Church or at least of all those that being affected to the Church of Rome in some good measure would seeme to bee the Church of England Answer Whether you deale well with your Authors or no I know not for you do not seuer them so wel as you should and indeed wee shall finde in the end that you might well haue ioyned them together as one man for any disagreement that can be found between them It seemes here you haue to doe with one onely for I must goe by guesse not knowing wel what to make of your answer you seeme to deny the Assumption of the Argument by demanding who may bee saued in the Church of Rome and then bring in your author answering in the name of the Church of England and indeed taking the words you haue related in a good sense as I doubt not but the Author meant them and not as you misconstrue them they may well be deliuered not onely in the name of our Church but of all the
reformed Churches in the world Author We acknowledge an honest ignorant Papist may be saued and we haue not so learned Christ as to deny saluation to some ignorant silly soules whose humble peaceable obedience makes them safe among any part of men that professe the foundation Christ. BVRTON This makes well for Popish ignorance when all failes This also giues liberty to any Religion so it professe the foundation Christ that therein a man may be saued Answer First here is a good beginning with a notable point of sophistrie ex compositione dividendorum for he confounds two kindes of ignorance which are as different one from another as membra diuidentia can be for better vnderstanding whereof we are to remember that there are two kindes of ignorance one negatiue another priuatiue as the Schoolemen speake The former is the ignorance of that which was neuer reuealed or not reuealed sufficiently to procure distinct knowledge The latter is the ignorance of that which a man might haue knowne distinctly if hee would These two are commonly called simple affected ignorance Simple because a man is alwaies readie to embrace the knowledge of the truth when it shall please God to reueale it Affected because a man delights in darknesse more then light that his euill deeds may not be reproued and both of these may befall the learnedest man in the world As the former did Saint Paul before his conuersion and some of the Rulers of the Iewes as Saint Peter testifieth Acts 3. 17. and as the latter did other of those Rulers who closed their eyes that they might not see Mat. 13. 15. Now of these the Author means the former onely which is protestant ignorance as well as popish and the Answerer abuseth him in vnderstanding him of the latter which indeed is true popish ignorance and no other for then a man is popishly ignorant when he pleaseth himselfe in his ignorance and is taught so to doe and not when hee is willing to know if hee had the meanes and who doubteth but there are many millions of such in the Church of Rome which are those ignorant â—illy soules of whom the Author speaketh Secondly hee changeth the state of the question for whereas the Author saith such ignorants may bee saued among any part of mankind that profess the foundation Christ that is in any Christian Church he turnes it into any Religion professing Christ which is not the question for the question is of the Church and not of the Religion and from hence he proceeds cunningly to his first question Whether any â—apist may bee saued by his religion But here let it be acknowledged that wee agree with S. Augustiue lib. 1. de Baptis contra Donatistas That the societies of all Heretiques so farre as they retaine the profession of sauing truth and the ministration of the Sacrament of Baptisme are so farre forth still conioyned with the Catholique Church of God which in and by them bringeth forth children vnto God Marke his words Ecclesia Orthodoxa saith hee non Haeresis per Christi Baptismum generat qui generantur filij Dei etiam inter Haereticos BVRTON But here two questions would be resolued First whether any Papist by his religion may be saued Answer Here hee diuideth one question into two and maketh two Authors differ in opinion which agree in one And for the first question it was neuer moued by any thing I can perceiue from his Authors The question is Whether any man liuing and dying a Papist or member of the Church of Rome may be saued and not Whether any Papist may be saued by his religion This therfore is a trick of Leigerdumaine worthie such as pretend Gods glorie in hypocrifie BVRTON For resolution The Author rankes all Papists into two sorts either learned or silly ignorants For the learned hee confesseth it is very hard for them to be saued but if ignorant more easie Answer If his Author doe as hee saith hee marres a good cause in the handling but I doubt he belies him especially if this which he hath related be all that he saith For these wordâ— doe not imply a diuision of all Papists into learned and silly ignorants but of ignorant Papists into simple and wilfull ignorants and for the wilfull he confesseth it impossible for them to be saued if they so abide whether they be learned or vnlearned but the simple whether learned or vnlearned in his opinion may be saued and so thinke I too BVRTON So then if a Papist be saued he may thanke his ignorance Answer Was there euer any man in the world which would make such an inference Saint Paul was a persecutor blasphemer and wrong doer but he obtained mercy because hee did it ignorantly in vnbeleefe So then that Saint Paul obtaine 〈◊〉 he may thanke his ignorance and vnbeleefe Apage No this is all that can bee inferred there from that such ignorance as this 〈◊〉 not ponereobiceÌ„ as the Schoolmen speake that is lay a blocke in the way to saluation as the other doth he may bee saued notwithstanding this ignorance though not for this ignorance because it excuseth à tanto though not à totp from the degree of sinne though not from all sinne BVRTON But Christ the foundation is there prosessed well but how with popish ignorance teach a man to bee saued by Christ Faith comes by 〈…〉 ting and without faith no saluation by Christ But all Papists are taught to hate and abhorre 〈◊〉 preaching of the word how then is it possible they should be saued be they neuer so humble and peaceable Men. Answer The farther the worse doth it follow vpon any thing that hath been said that Popish ignorance will teach a man to be saued by Christ when it hath bin renoâ—nced as damnable Nay wee should shew our selues ideots if wee should say simple ignorance can doe it But how then are these ignorants saued by Christ why by faith man which comes by hearing the word preached yea but they haue it not nor can haue it yea they abhorre it and are taught so to doe Fie for shame that a man so well studied in the mystery of iniquitie should be either so ignorant therein or so ill affected to affirme so grosse an vntruth Reade the Councell of Trent Sess. 5. cap. 2. 24. cap. 4. and see whether this bee true which he faith It seemes hee hath not beene beholden to any of those many Cart-loads of Homilies Sermons Postills Meditations Hiemals and Aestiualls which are so diligently preached in the Church of Rome and farre better more soundly and diligently since that Councell then before To which many of our ordinary Preachers are much beholden And I would they were not better taught there in some places then ours are doleâ—s dico in many Churches in England Wales and Ireland Indeed they are taught to hate our Preachers as heretickes and our preaching as heresie but if he say therof that they haue none at all or
Rome without respect to the orthodoxe truth maintained therein Now to apply this to our purpose when wee say a papist may bee saued wee vnderstand it in the former more large sense And when the saith a papist cannot be faued he vnderstands it in the latter and more strict sense and so we are all agreed for as a theefe or a murderer or any other malefactor cannot be saued as he is such a one no more can a Papist as hee holdeth his errours for no vncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heauen this is the former point of his sophistrie The other is in the word renouncing For there are two kindes of renouncing One actuall and expresse another virtuall and infolded The actuall is when a man doth both in word and practice separate himselfe from the religion of the Church of Rome The virtuall is when in preparation of minde a man is ready to doc it so soone as it shall appeare to him to be sinfull and damnable when therefore he requireth that a Papist that must be saued should renounce his popery if he vnderstand the actuall renouncing thereof we acknowledge that it is necessary so soone as hee shall know and be conuicted of the euill of Popery but if he neuer be conuicted thereof so long as he liueth then we say the virtuall is sufficient which is included in generall repentance otherwise wee must confound sinnes knowne with vnknowne and generall repentance with particular This being considered a man may easily perceiue how a simple ignorant Papist whether learned or vnlearned may bee said to renounce his poperie and to be saued though he liue and die in the communion of that faith and religion So much for Sophistry Now his folly appeareth in this that he would haue us to hold that a Papist which we say may be iaued by a generall faith and repentance is saued as a Papist by vertue of his Popish ignorance idolatry and other trumpery and not as a true beleeuer by faith in Christs merits And that wee would haue some Godamercy to be giuen to Popery or silly ignorance for his saluation which ought to be so farre from the conceit of any well disposed Christian that all of vs must acknowledge that no Protestant as a Protestant communicating with the corruptions of seuerall Churches Dutch French Germane or the rest none of which are free from some enormities No Protestant I say as a Protestant can bee saued without this generall faith and repentance so as there can be no God amercy giuen to our Protestancy but onely to faith in Christs merits by which we come to be saued not as Protestants but as true beleeuers renouncing the corruptions of seuerall Churches And so a Protestant liuing and dying a Protestant may bee damned and a Papist liuing and dying a Papist may be saued BVRTON My conclusion is to be briefe No Papist as a Papist whether learned or ignorant can be saued My reason is because Popery denyeth the sauing faith of Christ and they want the meanes of faith therefore if they bee saued it must be extraordinarily c. Answere All this which followeth in this Section is nothing but an idle repetition of those things which haue beene formerly vrged and answered at large and therefore with reference thereto I pass it ouer The same also I say to the next wherein he takes it for granted that he speakes the truth and that his aduersaries do diuorce themselues from sound iudgement and right reason and haue no right charity but such as calleth euill good Because they say It is an hard sentence yea malicious and rash to say That in the Church of Rome there is no saluation All which I leaue to the discretion of the Reader So much for the two questions and the two former Authors BVRTON But others would not have it denyed that the Church of Rome is a true visible Church though not a true beleeuing Church Answer Hauing rid his hands of his two former Authors with a kinde of neglect as I said afore hee comes now to his meeke and sweet spirited Author a Reuerend Antistes of the Church of England our diuine Seneca c. against whom he bends all his forces and yet like Iudas as you see betrayeth him with kissing May not I say to him as Horace to Lydia in another case Lydia dic per omnes Te deos oro Sybarim cur properas amande Perdere So Burton for Gods sake tell me I thee pray Why thou so louingly dost Exon flay I acknowledge my poetry may bee blamed but the conceit may bee prety and tolerable though I say it my selfe for to say the truth he laboureth to kill him with kindnesse in that as much as in him lyeth hee blemisheth his well deserued Reuerend and Honorable name in the Church with his flattering opposition But he must be pardoned for he hath done it to the glory of God and the confusion of Babylon which if it might proue to be true I dare bee bold to say his Author would not only be ready to make an humble and ingenuous palinody or retractation as he sawcily requireth but euen to sacrifice his goods good name soule and body for euer But I doubt hee hath done Gods glory more hurt and Babylon more good then any Babylonian Papist hath done these many yeares Author That which Laertius speakes of Menodemus that in disputing his very eyes would sparkle is true of many of ours whose zeale transports them to such a detestation of the Romane Church as if it were all errour no Church affecting nothing more then an vtter opposition to their doctrine and ceremonies because theirs BVRTON What if we should deny this that the Church of Rome is a true visible Church Must we at the first dash be censured as men transported with zeale out of the detestation of the Church of Rome as if it were all error no Church c Answer How are you not ashamed to abuse your Reuerend Author doth hee censure all of them that deny the Church of Rome to be a true visible Church in this sort and manner are not his expresse words that it is true of many of them not of all Master Burton this dealing beseemes not one that contends for the glory of God and confusion of Babylon In my conscience no truly religious wise man will deny but many of them doe well deserue this censure and you for one BVRTON Because theirs that 's not it but because wholly Antichristian therefore we detest the whore Answer Is not that it M. Burton why then said you before in the depth of your policy that though it were true that the Church of Rome were a true Church yet the countenancing or pressing of it in these times might very well be spared haue you so soone forgotten your selfe and are the doctrine and ceremonies of that Church wholly Antichristian when you haue proued it say so but till then lay your hand
Christ and the Church of Rome is vtterly abrogated and abolished which I suppose heâ— will neuer be able to doe BVRTON But if the diuorce be sued out then you will say she ceaseth to be a spouse to her former husband well and is nor that diuorce betweene the Church of Rome and Christ yet sued forth yet certainly and that on both parties First on the Church of Romes part When say you In the Councell of Trent say we It is the duty and prâ—perty of Christs spouse to hearken to her husbands voice onely and to honour him Psal. 45. 11. Luke 9. 35. But the Church of Rome in the Councell of Trent hath taken out a bill of diuorce and hath emancipated her selfe wholly to the Pope as her husband to heare him in all things from that time forwards And this diuorce is ratified by the Bull of Pope Pius 4. super forma iuramenti professionis fidei in the end of the Councell Answer If I were disposed to picke quarrells I might haue excepted against many of your absurd phrases since I beganne to deale with you and against one here of a wiues emancipating her self to another husband But I ayme at the maine point I make no doubt then but the church of Rome hath long agone euen many hundred years before the Councell of Trent broken the Couenant of her God and still abideth in that transgression and so deserueth well enough to be diuorced from Christ for euer But that it was euer her desire to separate her selfe from Christ it will neuer be proued Nay rather it hath euer bin her cunning to make him a couer and cloake of all her whoredomes and abominations as a subtile adultresse dealeth with her long suffering and patient husband that so she may seeme to be a Matrone though she bee indeed a notable Strumpet and this is the highest point of the mystery of iniquity Now how you proue the contrary by the forme of oath of Obedience to the Bishop of Rome and of the Profession of the Romane faith decreed Sess. 24. cap. 12. of the Councell to be administred and taken and accordingly performed onely of such Clergy men as are to be preferred to Ecclesiasticall dignities or benefices with cure of soules doe you your selfe at your farther leisure consider As if a Schismatick should argue by the oathes of Supremacy Allegiance and Canonicall Obedience and by the subscription which are to be performed in the same case of all that are to be made Ministers or admitted to any preferment in the Church of England that the Church of England also hath sued out a diuorce from Christ and so is no true visible Church which God forbid As the fanaticall Brownists and Anabaptists say vpon the selfe same reason BVRTON Now if any will require a proofe on Christs part that he hath also publickly giuen the Church of Rome a bill of diuorce let him but search in Gods records Doth not Christ Reuel 17. openly declare the Church of Rome to be the Whore of Babylon and is there not a plaine bill of Diuorce Reuel 18 and that by a voice from heauen saying Come out of her my people c doth not Christ here separate his owne people his owne spouse out of Babylon And this diuorce on Christs part came to bee of force vpon the Councell of Trent when the Church of Romes second mariage was solemnly concluded and Christ excluded what need be said more to proue this Diuorce and that on both sides Answer What need bee said more quoth you marry much more then either you haue said yet or euer will bee able to say I trow what is it I pray you haue said now that you need to say no more Is it this That Rome and the Romane Church is the whore of Babylon Wee allow it Or that Christ would haue his people to separate from her we grant it But that the Church of Rome was maried to a second husband in the Councel of Trent Christ excluded or that those words Come out of her my people are a bill of diuorce or that Christ by them separateth his Spouse from her we vtterly deny To the first enough hath beene said in the last answer To the second wee say first that if Brightman your best master say true this place must not be vnderstood spiritually but literally of the locall departure of Gods people out of Rome and Gods calling them thereto at the last ouerthrow and destruction thereof as he called Lot out of Sodom and the Iewes out of the Easterne Babylon in the same words the Church out of Ierusalem when it was to be vtterly destroyed so that as Mice I vse his owne similitude perceiuing the house will fall doe leaue it and runne away so the people of God warned by the Angell will leaue Rome and shift for themselues which being so this Prophesie is not yet fulfilled Secondly if it be taken spiritually it is so far from prouing a diuorce that it proueth the quite contrary for first so long as Babylon hath a being this euocation will bee of vse and force because so long God shall haue a people in Babylon and so long there can bee no diuorce because God begets not children of any but of his Spouse the Church Secondly these words declare not what Christ himselfe either doth or will doe but what hee would haue his people to doe Now a Diuorce is not a separation of the Familie from the Mother or Mistris but of the husband from the wife Ergo here is no Diuorce intended To the third we say that seeing the wife is the whore and the whore is Babylon Christ intendeth not here to separate his Wife or Spouse from Babylon because in so doing he should separate his wife from his wife and Babylon from Babylon which implies a contradiction Author As it is a visible Church we haue not detracted to hold communion with it as Babylon we can haue nothing to doe with it BVRTON This distinction comes too late after the sentence of the diuorce is giuen on both sides Christ hath disclaimed her for his Spouse bidding his Spouse to come from her therefore whom God separateth let no man ioyne together yea in this case no distinction will serue to ioyne vs together againe in one communion Herein we must not hearken to the voice of any man bee he neuer so Reuerend before or against the voice of Christ By what distinction I pray can an honest and chaste Matrone salue her credit by keeping company or hauing communion with a notorious Strumpet Would it not seem a strange distinction to say The Deuill in his essence being good wee detract not to hold communion with him but as a Deuill wee can haue nothing to doe with him Answer You abuse your selfe and the Reader too bad and that in two things First in blaming the distinction Secondly in scandalizing your Author The distinction you say comes too late and is not
vseful to ioyne vs together again in one communion The former whereof is false as hath beene shewed in the former answers The latter dependeth vpon the scandals of the Author for the better vnderstanding whereof wee are to know That the reformed Churches neuer made a full and totall separation from the Church of Rome but onely partiall from her corruptions Non tam ab ea quam ab eius erroribus discessimus saith Iewel in his Apologie which is the common voice of all euen of Perkins himselfe in his Reformed Catholike who shâ—wes in euery head of doctrine how farre wee may and must hold communion with that Church and to this and no more hath the Reuerend Author respect in this assertion Now this Calumniator would make the world beleeue that his intent is to vse a meanes by help of this distinction to ioyne vs together againe in one communion in those things wherein we are already separated which as it was far from his heart and meaning for his whole Treatise tends to the contrary so indeed it were a vaine thing for him to endeuour it by this distinction For it would be all one as if hee should say As she is a visible Church wee may communicate with her in her corruptions But as she is Babylon we may not Which is indeede the folly which hee illustrateth by his two similitudes of societie with a strumpet and the deuill Thus you see the honesty and wisedome of the man and by this you may iudge of his zeale for the glory of God Author They haue not well heeded the charitable profession of zealous Luther Nos fatemur c. We professe saith hee that vnder the Papacie there is much Christian good yea all c. I say moreouer that vnder the Papacie is true Christianitie â—â—a the very kernell of Christianity c. BVRTON Luthers speech then was true But euer distingue tempora Luther wrote that before the Councell of Trent till which the Church of Rome had not altered the rule of Faith But now wee that liue after that Councell cannot say so for in that Councell the nut was crackt the kernell reiected yea anathematized and now they haue retained no more but the broken shell of a Church Answer It is a strange thing to see how men are enamoured of their owne conceits Qui amant ipsi sibi somnia singunt saith the Poet I warrant you if M. Burton were braied in a morter yet would not these toyes depart from him Huartus in his Tryall of wits reporteth of a Noble-mans Page in Spaine that being distracted of his wits imagined himselfe to be a King in which conceit he so pleased himselfe that when hee was cured hee was displeased with the Physitian that restored him to his right minde and so I doubt M. Burton will be with those that shew him the vanities of these his imaginations Well howsoeuer it be wee must be content and suffer him to abound in his owne sense till Time the Mother of Truth reueale his grosse mistakings and in the meane while lâ—t it bee sufficient answer to this long discourse that here is nothing but idle repetition of those things which haue beene already answered And hâ—â—herto we haue answered what hee hath obiected to what was said in the Booke of The old Religion concerning this argument Author Nothing can be so well said or done but may be ill taken BVRTON Now God forbid But is it well said or done to affirme that the Church of Rome is yet a true or a true visible Church Now let the Reuerend Author iudge indifferently hauing well weighed the former reasons whether we doe ill or no in taking his saying ill or whether wee had not reason to haue expected an ingenuous Palinodie or Augustine-like Retractation rather then such an Apologie which whether it be rather to be pitied then any vncharitablenesse in the Reader in taking such a saying ill let indicious charitie it selfe iudge Nor need we stretch the saying to imply that the Church of Rome is a true beleeuing Church Suffice it we except against any being yea or visibility of a true Church in the Synagogue of Rome Answer Some men are like Nettles which if a man handle softly they sting him but if hardly and roughly they are not felt Our Reuerend Antistes hauing but glanced at the zeale of some transported to such a detestation of the Romane church as if it were all error no church is deeply censured as if preferment had changed his note and taught him to speake more plausible language of the Church of Rome then eyther hee did or ought Hereupon he frames an Apologeticall milde and Christian Aduertisement to rectifie their iudgement lest their preiudice may turne more to their sinne then to his wrong What 's the issue Nothing but scorne for sooth they expected that the Reuerend Author well weighing the former reasons would haue made a pittifull Retractation and not such an Augustine-like Apologie Nay they will not acknowledge any the least mistaking in the matter yea those words Nothing can be so well said or done but may be ill taken which are the ordinary preamble to reconciliation are taken amisse and so proue themselues to be true through their frowardnesse What then is to be done Haec non succedit alia ineunda est via The Reuerend Author must vse them like hounds which the more a man beateth the better they loue him or like the wilde Irish which are most seruiceable when they are most slauishly vsed And so they shall haue their desire a Palinodie or Retractation which is That is repenteth him that hee hath dealt so fauourably with them For as for their reasons if they were not as bold and blinde as Bayard himselfe they would be ashamed to commend them to the iudgement of iudicious Charity Author Who sees not that visible referres to outward profession true to some essential principles of Christianitie neyther of them to soundnesse of beleefe BVRTON Is outward profession a sufficient marke of visibilitie for a Church This is none of those markes which the Church of England takes notice of a Church by Answer No Are not they the preaching of the word administration of sacraments and Ecclesiasticall discipline And what outward profession of Christianitie can any visible church make without these Outward profession therefore comprehendeth them all and so is a sufficient marke of visibilitie for a Church BVRTON Againe the Scripture calls them the Synagogue of Satan which call themselues Iewes and are not Answer True yet were they true Iewes in the flesh and outwardly Rom. 2. â—8 29. and so may a true visible Church of Christians be also BVRTON The Samaritanes sometimes professed themselues to bee of the Iewes religion and professed the worship of the Lord were they therefore a visible Church Answer The reason is not like because they neuer were in the Couenant of Gods grace but were aliens from the Common wealth of Israel
vnto righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed Nay saith the Councell of Trent directly wee are iustified by our inherent righteousness and so our stripes are healed and not by the righteousnesse of Christ simply imputed Thefore come out of her my people Answer How the Councell is to bee vnderstood I haue shewed already and being so vnderstood there is no direct denyall of the foundation Therefore although Gods people must come out of Babylon yet not vpon this ground And so I conclude as I beganne Apply Iohn Barber and thou shalt haue a new payre of sizors For marke the argument The foundation is Iesus Christ came to saue sinners c. But the Councel of Trent saith We are so iustified that wee are also sanctified by inherent righteousnesse Ergo Come out of her my people Author Thus I wrote well neare twenty yeares agone without clamour without censure If any of you be otherwise minded I dare boldly say hee shall doe more wrong to his cause then to his aduersary I differ not from the iudgement of our best Orthodoxe and approuedly Classicall Diuines BVRTON Let not antiquity in the holding of an opinion prescribe against truth Opinions Ancient O that S. Ambrose his words alledged by our Reuerend Author might here take place Nullus pud or est ad meliora transire then I hope he will be otherwise minded then to say He that denyeth the Church of Rome to be a true Church or a true visible Church shall doe more wrong to his cause then to his aduersarie Then he will no longer stand vpon the iudgement of particular persons in a point wherein our Reuerend Mother Church of England hath in her publique doctrine resolued the contrary So shall our diuine Seneca partake also of great Saint Augustines praise while by an humble and ingenuous Retractation he shall both purge away the staine and put a more glorious lustre to his most sweet pious and for their kinde vnparalleld workes And for me a poore vnworthy Minister I hope his meeke and sweet spirit hauing well weighed my reasons and pitied my weaknesses will be pleased to excuse me of any transportation of zeale vnlesse herein I haue exceeded the bounds in presuming so farre vpon the patience of such a Reuerend Antistes of our Church But I trust he will not impute this to any arrogancy of spirit when it shall appeare it is to vindicate Christs truth and glorie against the Synagogue of the proud Antichrist Answer It is well obserued that this fellow hath a notable dexterity in dedicating Epistles before his Bookes and in Prefaces Digressions Epilogues and the like but that in his Tracts Discourses and Disputations he is as hungry and dry as Famine it selfe This as it is true in all his writings so especially in this as I hope I haue in good measure made it appeare by the premisses And for this his conclusion All the glozing thereof â—ends to obtaine two requests One that the Reuerend Author would be brought to humble himselfe to him in an ingenuous Retractation And the other that he would hold him excused for his presumption Both are vnreasonable vnlesse hee will take that for a Retractation which before hath beene tendred and for an excuse that he supposeth it ignorant arrogance rather then zeale that hath transported him He would strike an impression into the innocent soule of the Reuerend Author that he hath contracted some stain by this assertion That the Church of Rome is a true or truly visible Church And indeed it is too well knowne that such companions as he is haue for a long time taken vpon them to bee the Censors of all mens doings and to cry vp and downe euery mans credit and reputation at their pleasure But God bee praised he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of their gunshot for it is well knowne to God and man that all his courses from the cradle haue beene such that Fame her selfe may lay her hand vpon her mouth so as he need not endeauor to purge away any staine which they shall impute vnto him The close of his Aduertisement will so possesse the soules of all good and honest men that the strife of tongues shall neuer bee able to molest him Thus saith he in a desire to stand but so right as I am in all honest iudgments I haue made this speedy and true Apology beseeching all Readers in the feare of God before whose barre we shall once giue an account of all our ouerlashings to iudge wisely and vprightly of what I haue written In a word to do me but iustice in their opinions and when I beg it fauour FINIS Iudg. 6. 31. Psalme 137. 9. Reuel 18. 6. The want of skill to shun a shame Doth bring a man to mickle blame Reuel 18. 4. Rom. 9. 6. Ier. 51. 45. Heb. 3. 13. Gal. 4 16. * See the 7. Chap. of the same Sess.