wisedome righteousnesse and giueth them to God alone to whome they belong the gospell is a doctrine concerning Christ which is neyther law nor worke but our righteousnes sanctification redemption That he might be made an oblation for the sinnes of the whole world that our sinnes might be forgiuen for his sake and not for the workes of the law nor our owne righteousnesse we acknowledge and confesse that there is nothing in vs that is able to deserue grace and the forgiuenesse of sinnes but that at wee obteyne it by the free mercy of God onely for Christes sake whereby we doe not seeke to set forth mans worthinesse but Gods mercy offered vnto vs in Christ For Christ and the Law cannot agree together in the conscience the one must giue place and he that cannot beeleeue that God will forgiue him his sinnes for Christes sake how can he be leeue that his sinnes shall be forgiuen for the workes of the law which no man yet was euer able to performe They that doe mingle the law and the gospell together doe perueit both for either Christ must remayne and the lawe giue place or the law must remayne and Christ must giue place For he that will needes couple the law with the gospell doth not onely blemish and darken the knowledge of grace which Paul so often speaketh of but also he taketh away Christ with al his benefites The law indeed was giuen to vtter sinne death and damnation whereby to driue vs to Christ The Law is our schoolmaster to bring vs to Christ saith the Apostle Gala. 3. and our Sauiour himselfe in the sixt of Iohn Do not thinke that I will accuse you to my father there is another that accuseth you euen Moses in whome you trust One place of Scripture conteyning some threatening of the law beateth downe all consolations besides and so shaketh all our inward powers that it maketh vs to forget iustification grace the gospell and Christ himselfe The law no doubt is holy righteous and good consequently the workes of the law are holy righteous and good yet notwithstanding a man is not therby iustified before God but made the rather subiect to the curse And although there be nothing more necessary then the lawe and the workes thereof yet by the same a man may be brought to the deniall of Christ for of the lawe many times commeth a trust and affiance in workes and where that is there can bee no affiance in Christ the righteousnesse of the lawe is to fulfill the law according to this saying of the Apostle He that shall doe these thinges shall liue in them but the righteousnesse of sayth is to beeleeue according to this saying The righteous manne dooth lyue by fayth Now the Papistes that doe so much indeuour to establish the righteousnesse of workes doe thereby tread downe the righteousnesse of Christ for although it be true that workes must followe faith yet in the worke of our saluation there must bee no medly we must relye in the one or in the other now faith worketh not but beleeueth in Christ who is our propytion and remission of sinnes but the effect of the law is not to make righteous and to giue life but to shewe forth sinne and to destroy and although the lawe sayeth Hee that shall doe these thinges shall liue in them yet I would but see a Papist that could poynt me out but one man that had so performed the workes of the law to merite eternall life by his owne deseruings who so euer seeketh to make himselfe holy by the lawe what canne he imagine but that God beeing angry must needes be pacified with good works what workes can he now performe wherin he findeth not some imperfections his fasting his praying his worshipping his sacrificing he thinketh still that he hath omitted somewhat or that he haâ—h not done them as hee ought they cannot therefore quiet his conscience If our reward should be according to our workes there should no man be saued when our best deedes compared to the law are damnable sinnes neither by it is any flesh iustified as it appeareth in the 3. to the Rom. for the fulfilling of the law is onely to beleeue in Christ neyther is it written in the gospell hee that worketh but he that beleeueth shall be saued and therfore they that doe seeke heauen by works are such as doe not vnderstand the treasures that are layd vp for them in Christ There is no man so foolish to condemne good workes as the Papist most slaunderously reporteth but wee condemne confidence in good workes that should eyther iustifie or make righteous whereby the precious bloud of Christ should be made altogether vnprofitable for those that doe seeke their iustification by Lawe or workes what is it else but a flat deniall of Christ But here commeth reason now to debate the matter who hearing of iustification by fayth beginneth to storme what sayth it are all my good workes then nothing worth haue I fasted haue I prayed haue I bin charitable in bestowing my money to build chappels to builde chanteryes to giue perpetuities to massing priestes to buy Coopes vestments Crosses and chalyces are all these nothing worth haue I laboured in vaine In any case therefore when wee come to debate of these matters away with reason which is an vtter enemie to fayth and leaneth not to the righteousnesse of fayth but to it owne righteousnesse or at the least to the righteousnesse of the lawe now wher Law and reason are once linkt together there fayth looseth her virginitie for mans reason taketh more pleasure in measuring of God by her owne imagination then by his worde and doth those with better will and greater zeale that shee her selfe hath chosen then those that God hath commaunded And therefore if with the papist we should goe about to measure the thinges appertaining to fayth and saluation but according to the rule of reason wee should finde both great absurditie and many impossibilities for who can beleeue the articles of the Christian fayth that Christ the sonne of God was conceiued and borne in the wombe of the virgine Mary that he was borne and suffered the most reprochfull death of the Crosse that the dead shall rise at the last day and howe absurde and foolish dooth it seeme to reason that in the Lordes Supper the body bloude of Christ should spiritually be offered vnto vs or that the Sacrament of baptisme should be the receiuing of the holy Ghost or if we had no better speculation then to looke with the eyes of reason how could we see or beleeue the blessed trinitie but how foolish and impossible did it seeme in the iudgement of reason when God sayde vnto Abraham that he should haue a son of the withered and barren body of his wife Sara we may therfore conclude and that vndoubtedly that in the searching out of thinges that are diuine there is nothing more vnreasonable then that which
haue not onely wrested out matter to their owne discontent but haue sought to whet on others to be as angry as themselues but amongst the rest of these find-faults that are so displeased with my booke what should I say to him that in the presence and hearing of no lesse honorable then the Lord Deputy himselfe would avowe that booke to be no better then a libell that was first intended for the glory of God for the seruice of his maiestie And that was licenced to the presse by authoritie that the Kinges maiestie himselfe hath pleased to pervse that our gratious yong Prince vouchsafed the like that was dedicated to the most honorable and worthy Earle the Lord high Treasurer of Englande and to bee shorte that was both seene and permitted by the most of the Lords of his maiesties most honorable counsayle Now for him that in so saucy and malipert a manner woulde tearme that to be a libell that hadde beene thus surueied and ouerlookt did rather argue a minde ouer loaden with malice and a tongue fraughted with lying and slandering then any token eyther of wit or modestie But as wee are taught wee must doe good against euill and the rather to showe a charitable disposition I will doe as I am taught to pray for him and in no worse language then we bee taught in the Letany to pray for his Maiesties most honorable Counsayle That it woulde please God to indue him with grace witte and vnderstanding But that I am pressed in mine own defence to make it known howe my Booke became to be so exclaimed at I woulde omitte to speake of one occasion that was offered at an honest Aldermans house at Dublyne who kindly feasting his neighbours and good friendes where a woman if I may tearme her to bee a woman that hath forgotten to blush but such a creature there was that amongst the wholl assembly beeganne to picke quarrelles both at me and my booke belying and slaundering both it and me with such false and vntrue reportes that a number of those that had neuer seene the booke it selfe beleeued all to bee true that shee reported And being thus caryed from hand to hand I was brought into a generall obloquie throughout the whol citie of Dublyne but especially amongest the citizens wiues amongst the which there bee a number of graue wise and sober women that I haue euer esteemed and helde in reuerent regard but we see the malice of a wicked woman will seeke reuenge if it bee but on a dogge but what should I say to this womanne reporter that in some respectes I coulde resemble to nothyng more like then to a Pipe of Tabacco and let her goe for smoake fortitude doth shew it selfe more worthy in suffering then in doing wrong Iason the Thessalian beeing assayled and woâ—â—ded by an enemie who hadde an intent to haue stabbed him hadde an impostumation opened which saued his life so the stab of disgrace that is offered by an enemie may serue to cure heale our neglected and hidden infirmities A wise manne may make great profite by the reportes of his most malicious enemies who discouering his imperfections may learne thereby to mende his faults but this argueth our vile corruption when our best offices are performed by our worst acquaintance But now to speake to the mayne poynt howe my Booke beecame to bee so contemptible to the Irishe it was the papist indeede that pyckt so manie quarrelles against it and although they would not openly manifest the matter but tooke other occasions whereat to be angry yet that was the hidden griefe that stirred vppe their Choler they cannot indure to heare their holy father so truely translated from the Vicar of Christ to bee indeed the Vicar of the Deuill It is truth that in those two Bookes I haue made manifest aswell of the Pope himselfe what he is as of his religion whereunto it draweth but without any malice or ill intent to any particular man in Ireland but in pittie and commiseratioÌ„ of a great number And although that the Popes wholl broode of vermine as Fryers Iesuites Seminaries and other Popish priestes haue vowed themselues agaynst the truth of God yet there be a number of others that are misse-ledd and dayly seduced by these blinde guides that it may please GOD to open their eyes in tyme and to receiue the truth of the Gospel with a sober mildnesse He that beleeueth not to day shall haue grace giuen him and he may beleeue to morrow in the meane time I doe not despise him but I doe both pittie him and pray for him These be the men to whom I haue adressed my lynes and doe charitablie beseech them not to respect who it is that hath written but to consider what it is that is written let them then iudge as it shall please God to put in their mindes And although that at this tyme my desire bee rather to take away offence then to giue offence yet I cannot dissemble with religion but that I must needes make manifest this holy Catholicke broode of Rome that deceiueth the poore people of Ireland and as our Sauiour sayde by the Pharises that oppresseth the poore widdow and fatherlesse that lyueth in idlenesse in whooredome in practising of murther treason rebellion and Summa summarum in all manner of mischiefe They be the Agents and Factors for the most insatiable marchant in the 〈◊〉 I meane the Pope that selleth Gods lawes his owne traditions hee selleth sinne hee selleth righteousnes hee selleth CHRIST hee selleth the blessed Sacramente of his fleshe and bloude hee selleth the workes of Saintes hee selleth Christes merites hee selleth the people of God he selleth holy orders hee selleth pardon and remission of sinnes hee selleth GOD and all his ordinances and all for money But is not this a monstrous hypocrisie that the Pope will be called the seruant of seruants and yet will take vppon him to be the Lord of Lordes and King of Kinges The Pope is a more detestable enemie to the true Catholicke Church then eyther Turke or infidell for those that seeke to vphoulde his abhominations those hee maketh Saintes and those that doe impugne his doctrine by the scriptures them hee persecuteth and against those Princes where hee cannot preuaile with those excommunications his curses and his Bellowing Bulles them hee seeketh to confounde by poysonyng by stabbing or by murtheryng in one sorte or another Spoyles massacres and treasons euen to the destruction and murthering of Princes by their seruantes and subiectes if a pryest doe but say the worde are accounted iust honorable meritorious holy but for a Prince to defende his owne right or in executing iustice vppon such of the Popes Vagaboundes as are sent to seduce to conspire and to practise villanie he is an hereticke a schismaticke a disobedient childe to the Church and he must be poysoned stabbed or blowne vp with gun-powder there must be some thing exployted against him hee must not liue if
much the more fauour the Iayler will shewe him These officers that I speake of be such as are belonging to cities and townes corporat yea to the citty of Dubline it selfe amongst the which there are some that on sunday mornings will first heare a masse then after that they will attend the Maior to Christchurch hauing put him into his pue they conuey themselues from out of the church into a tauerne where they sit til the Sermon be done that they must wait of the Mayor backe againe to his house I doe not speake this in any malicious humour wherby to indignifie the city of Dubline amongst the inhabitantes whereof although there be some few that be ill yet I know there be a great nūber of most worthy citizēs that do shew no lesse zeale and feruency in the worshipping of God then loue and loyaltie to the seruice of the king who for the better aduancement of those affaires that doe belong to his maiestie do wish and desire that not onely the Mayor and Sheryues in euery Citie and towne corporate throughout the Realme of Ireland should receiue the oath of alleageance but that there should not be a Sergeant a Constable a Iayler or any other pettie officer admited but such as are tractable to his maiesties proceedings submissiue to take vppon them the oath of obedience But some perhaps will say that the Citties in Ireland no not Dublyne it selfe is able yeare after yeare to make choise of a Mayor and two Sheryues that will willingly take the oath of obedience to his maiestie the which if it should bee true as God forbid it shoulde so bee what a gratious clemencie then in a prince that will suffer a people to inioy so large liberties as euery Cittie throughout that realme is commonly infranchized that are so repugnant and opposite vnto him To come now to the 17. speaking Of the trade and trafficke that is vsed in Dublyne some of them doe exclaime against me that I haue wonderfully wronged the cittie in speaking against their multitude of Alehouses which they call Tauerns but as good lucke woulde haue it there bee others beside my selfe that haue founde out that fault and first a most reuerent and worthie magistrate the Lord chiefe Barrone of his maiesties Exchequer in Ireland who in his oration to the late Mayor of Dublyne when he came to take his oath at the Chequer barre gaue him aduertisements of that superabundance of Alehouses and of the abuses and inconueniences that did grow by the sufferance of them There was a learned doctor likewise that openly exclaimed at the abhomination that was vsed in those multitude of Alehouses in a Sermon at Christ-Church before the Lord Deputy and the state and before maister Mayor himselfe and those fewe of his brethren that doe vse to come to Church But if it be a fault in me more then in the rest to speake against these things let it passe for one of my ouersights for I see he that speakes against pride drunkennesse and lechery shall want no enemies There followeth now a grieuous quarrell and aboue all the rest most bitterly agrauated against me and there hath beene inquirie made in the matter whither I haue belyed the Citie or no in saying the Aldermens wiues sould ale my wordes are The best sort of women as Aldermens wiues and the rest of the able sort are those that doe brewe Now let it be vnderstood as without dissimulation I ment it that some Aldermens wiues did brew ale to the intent to sell it againe by the dosins by the barrell or by the great as we call it is this such an indignity to all to say that some haue done so or what discredite to her that shoulde so doe any more to brew ale then to make malte or to indeuour any other thinges that belonges to good huswifery that euery wise womanne is to vnder take It is not the brewing of ale but the number of idle huswiues that vnder the pretence of selling do keepe filthy houses shamefull to be spoken of this is it that offendeth But I can tell where this and worse matter too was agravated agaynst me to some Aldermens wiues by a femall creature and by such a one I warrant you that doth thinke her selfe to be in as good request as Pudding Tabacco But let me say for mine owne excuse for the Aldermen of Dublyne themselues there be many of them my good friends whom I dearely loue there is not any one of them that I thinke to bee my foe or that I doe hate and therefore to slander them with matter of vntruth I would be ill ashamed Now for their wiues in generall and for all the rest of the citizens wiues of Dublyne that be of the better sort I protest it confidently and I speake it from my heart I neuer heard women les infamed or misse-reported in any citty or towne wheresoeuer I haue trauayled so that if Thucidides rule be true that those women are to be accounted most honest that are least spoken of I say the citizens wyues of Dublyne may march in equall ranke with those women that are least steyned or misreputed In a fewe wordes now to expresse mine owne meaning first for this construction that is made against me about the brewing of ale I doe confesse of mine owne knowledge that there bee diuerse Aldermens wyues and many other women beesides that neuer vsed it but if they hadd it is not the brewing of Ale that I find fault with nor with the selling of it by those women that are honest but by those that are well knowne to be shameful liuers it is agaynst them and against no other that I do exclaime I doe acknowledge likewise that Alehouses and victuallyng houses be both of them necessary and therfore howsoeuer they interpret my words those that be wise can conceiue of my meaning these typling houses by honest housholders and not by these knowne strumpets that vnder the colour of selling ale doe liue in that loathsomnesse of life too shamefull to bee spoken of There is yet one other vnkindnesse conceiued agaynst me for speaking of the extortion that is vsed by the Bakers of Dublyne that will bee sure to make their breade after double the rate that corne is sould for a matter especially looked into in euery Citty and towne And as it appeareth in the Englishe Cronicle the liberties of London haue beene ceased into the handes of the king for this tollerating with the inormity of Bakers and it hath euermore beene thought a matter most behouefull to punish and that with all extremity this extortion in Bakers because it onely pincheth the poorer sorte that are worst able to beare it I protest I cannot revoke this as an ouersight that I haue spoken agaynst the Bakers but doe rather inforce it that eyther they should be reformed or else that the country Bakers that wil make their bread according to a true assise might be
tallied vpon a payre of Beades that are presensented to Saintes Images and Idoles but the works of darknes of sinne and of damnation All such religion where God is worshipped without his word and commaundement is idolatry and the more holy it seemeth in outward showe so much the more dangerous this abstinency of the Papistes in forbearing of flesh and eating of fishe their praying vpon beades their worshipping of Saints their vowes their pilgrimages are all Idolatry We doe not reiect fasting and other good exercises as things vnnecessary but we say that by these exercises wee doe not obtayne remission of Sinnes and heerevpon the papistes both ignorantly doe iudge and slanderously doe reporte that wee speake against good workes Whether thou eate or not eate thou art neyther better nor worse saith the Apostle now if any man would say if thou eate thou sinnest or if thou abstaine thou art righteous hee should but shewe his ignorance it is a small matter to eate or not to eate but when a man doth beleeue that in abstaining hee meriteth heauen or is thereby the more holy heere God is denied and Christ is reiected and the blessinges of God thereby abused and to thinke that life or saluation or death and damnation dependeth in the obseruation heereof is a deuillish superstition and full of blasphemy It is truth the papistes doe fast they pray they watch they do lay crosses on them selues but by this they thinke to appease the wrath of God to deserue grace to worke their righteousnes to make themselues holy by this they take from God his Maiestie his diuinity his mercy And doe attribute the worke of their saluation to their owne merites and deseruings Our Sauiour in the 6. of Mathew reproued those workes that are not performed by faith but what workes bee those that hee there rebuketh euen such as are commaunded by the scriptures and such as euery true Christian must put in practise namely fasting praying deedes of almes for the Scriptures themselues being once corrupted with glosses as our papistes do accustome and as they haue made manifest in their Remish Testament is no more Gods word so those thinges that are commaunded by the Scriptures being once peruerted and alienated from their true vses are neyther to be accoūted for good workes or godly deeds now what are become of those merits of congruence before faith when fasting praying and almes giuing are reprooued Christe heere destroyeth not fasting praying and almes deedes but hee preacheth against the purpose and intent howe they were peruerted by the Scribes and Pharisees so we that do seeke our saluation in Christ onely doe not seeke to destroy the deeds of good workes as the papistes vntruely doe report but wee say that those that doe seeke their iustification in them as the papist doth teach are most iniurious to the bloud of Christ Turkes and Iewes doe giue almes as plentifully as any Christians doe yet it is abhominable for lacke of faith and knowledg of the true intent In the offeringes that were made by Abell and Caine wee see that though the workes that are performed by vngodly persons doe make as glorious a show as the deedes of the godly yet in the sight of God which looketh on the heart the deede is good because of the man and not the man because of the deede The wrath of God consumeth these holy and faithles workes as it did Nadab and Abihu And here if we did but turne our eies vnto the Pharisees which before the comming of Christ in his flesh had layed the foundatiō of freewill wheron they built their holy workes see what followed vpon feruency and zeale they thrust themselues out of the holy rest of forgiuenes of sinnes by faith in the bloud of Christ Mee thinkes the Pharisees and our papistes doe drawe together in one line for the Pharisees persecuted Christ because hee reprooued their holy workes and our papistes are as angry towards vs because we renounce their superstitious merites and seeke our iustification in the bloode of Christ Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes then Abraham obtained not this righteousnesse before God through the workes of the lawe for at that time there was no law nor in foure hundred and odd yeares after then if there were no law there could be neither worke nor merit what then but the bare promise which Abraham beleeued and it was accounted to him for righteousnes Abell and Caine They offered their oblations vnto the Lord but the Lord had respect to the offering of Abell you see now sayth the papist that God hath respect to offerings and therefore works do iustifie but what blindnes is this that will not suffer them to see that God had first respect to the person of Abell which pleased the Lord because of his faith their workes were both one they both offered oblations what was then the difference Abell was faithfull and Caine an hypocrite presuming on his owne merit as our Papistes doe It is truth faith and good workes are neere neighbours for they still dwell together in a righteous man but as touchinge their office there is a great separation for the lawe can haue no dominion but ouer the fleshe and faith alone must dwell in the conscience and sending Moses away with his lawe there shee planteth Christ with his righteousnes for the bleeuing conscience must know of no law He that hath once receiued Christ by faith and knoweth that hee is his righteousnes and life doubtles he will not be idle but as a good tree he will bring foorth good fruite for the beleeuing man hath the holy Ghost and where the holy Ghost dwelleth it will not suffer a man to be idle but stirreth him vp to all exercises of piety and godlines and of true religion to the loue of God to the patient suffering of afflictions to prayer to thankesgiuing to the exercise of charity towards all men but these good works and this charity following faith doe neither forme nor adorne my faith but my faith both formeth and adorneth them Faith and workes therefore must be so taught as the one hee not confounded by the other for he that teacheth works onely as the papistes are accustomed then saith is lost if faith onely be taught then carnall men by and by begin to dreame that workes are not needefull Faith is the beleeuing of Gods promises and a sure trust and confidence of goodnes and truth and true faith is impossible to be had without the spirit of God for it is aboue all naturall power that a man in the time of affliction when God scourgeth him should then beleeue that God then loueth and prepareth for his good Faith giueth glory onely vnto God which is the greatest seruice man can doe vnto him for without faith God looseth his glory his wisedome his righteousnesse his truth and his mercy And to conclude there is neyther Maiestie nor diuinity remaining vnto God