Apostles faith was so strong as it needed no meanes to stirre vp the same And I would tell you you say vntruly but that your skore is so full that now you be desperate Of these two bastardly propositions conceiued and brought forth by your selues and not by me you frame a Contradiction saying therupon that I will turne â—re I burne yea with the turning of an hand turne the cat in the pan and then you tell my pupils they may be pestilent proud of such a turne-about tutor Here wee may beholde as your honest dealing with me so your eloquence and modestie Besides I auouching the Apostles strong faith after Pentecost able for miracles whatsoeuer and therefore vnlikely the Lord should appoint a peculiar course for them for so short a time as from his transfiguration till then you collect from hence the weaknes of their faith till Penticost which I graunt you and more then that namely that their miraculous faith was vtterly extinct at this time And therfore no vse of fasting and prayer for the extraordinarie work but onely as it serued to the vsual maner of the Church in this case But you wil proue the apostles miraculous faith might faile aâ—ter Pentecost because their faith failed sometimes in doctrine and 〈◊〉 That we may vnderstand your meaning what do y◠〈◊〉 by Doctrine what by iudgement Doctrine vsuall is publike teaching and instruction Iudgment priuate thinking and opinion Did the Apostles erre in publike teaching You saye The Apostles and bretheren which were in Iudâ—a thought the word of God was not to be preached to the Gentils Act. 11. 2. You ground this ouâ— of these wordes And when Peter was ascâ—nded to Hâ—erusalem they of the circumcision contended against him VVho contended with him The Apostles say you but without any warrant from the text It seemeth S. Luke hauing mentioned the Apostles in the first verse doth of purpose in the second vse these generall termes They of the circumcision to distinguish these contenders with Peter froÌ„ the Apostles It may be the Apostles did not yet â—o clearly vnderstand this mistery yet it is not likelie they were in this caâ—e no more but equall to the weake brethren whereby theâ— should ioyne in contention with them Grant we also an errour here it was only in iudgement not in doctrine And as for Peters not going rightly to the truth of the Gospell it was not error Gat. 2. 13. 14 either in doctrine or iudgement but a timorous dissimulation for the time Iohn his falling downe before an Angell was errour through Râ—ue 19. 10 sodaine passion not proceeding from setled iudgement much lesse auouched in publike teaching Considering therefore these places proue not that the Apostles erred in doctrine and iudgement and that the Lord doth principallâ— promise that the Spirit of truth should lâ—ad Ioh. 16. 13 14. 26. 1. Cor. 3. 10. Ephes 2. â—0 them into all truth and bring all things to their remembrance which Christ had told them whereupon they be called Skilfull Maister-builders and the Church is said to be built vpon the foundation of the prophets and apostles It is admirable you dare so considently auouch such an assertion vpon so little or rather no warrant and of so dangerous consequence You childishly cauill at my speech where I say Their faith did not faile them after they receiued the holy Ghost in â—ag 127. c That fâ—â—nesse as if I had attributed such a fulnesse to theÌ„ as is not incident to a creature and yet I expresly distinguish it by note of restraint Act. 7. 55. 13. 9. Luc. 1. 41. Act. 2. 2. 4 That fulnesse that is such a plentifull measure as I had spoken of before Such an one as was said of Stephen â—hat hee was ful of the holy Ghost and of Paul and of Elizabeth when shee brake forth into that heauenly salutation of the blessed virgin that she was filled with the holy ghost The same is said of Zachaâ—y when he prophecied and of the Apostles that they were filled with the holy ghost And all these in the Concret but in the Abstract without all limitation to haue the fulnesse â—f the Spirit belongeth onely to a diuine person the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost So that whatsoeuer person hath the simple fulnesse of the Spirit the same is God as well as hee who hath the fulnesse of the Godhead Of Christ his fulnesse to whom the Father hath not giuen his Spirit by measure do all the elect receiue not the fulnes it selfe but grace for grace that is graces or gifts of the Spirit heaped vpon graces euery one according to the measure of the gift of Christ some eueÌ„ vntil their cup runne ouer All which discourse when at last you pag. 133. conclude that howsoeuer the Apostles were subiect to errour yet they could not posâ—iblie erre sâ— long as they heard the voice of Christ and but followed the onely directions of the spirit of truth And that they did neuer vniuersally erre Moreouer that they did neuer â—â—cline from the foundation it selfe lastly that they wâ—re recalled from their eâ—râ—ursâ— what singular thing do you ascribe to the Apostles that is not common to all beleeuers Are not the Apostles to be preferred aboue all other Ministers of the Gospell and beleeuers since theire dayes Yet you seeme to put them in the very same raâ—ke Nay you say in the top of the same page that there â—e some Fâ—stâ—noniâ—s of the Apostles which onely but slipped from humane infirmities and that these â—ow glorious soeuer in shew are not the testimony of Iesus therfore not the spirit of prophâ—cie you speake here very daungerously that I say no worse You argue the defect of the Apostles miraculous â—aith from their pag. 135. Act. 4. 29 30. 9. 40 〈◊〉 8. 8 praying in working miracles which rather is an argument for the continuance of it For if it had â—in vtterly extinâ— it had not bene to â—e obtained by prayer but if you say Prayer declareth the â—eaknes of it and that you meane such weaknesse as without prayer haâ— not beene able to effect the worke it is false 〈◊〉 hath beene oft â—emembred vnto you but if you take weaknesse for some lesse measure of Matt. 17. cheerefulnesse which had neede be stirred by inuocation of Gods holy name I graunt you such a weaknesse but this is too weake to strengthen any whit your cause you charge mee falsly in saying I denie that the apostles faith might did faile before they were filled with Doct. pag. 46 48 Doct. 49 pag. 136 the holy Spirit I know not how oft I affirme this which you say is the very point I denie Neither do I say it was but fortie dayes betweene Christ his transfigiâ—ation and Pentecost I do writtingly let passe manie of your lies it is a trouble to repeate them you see no inconuenience to approper these words This kind
misconstructions wrestings of Scriptures in absured collections in impudent reiecting the authoritie of the ancient in shamelesse pretending the names of good authours against their owne meanings in childish stumbling in the first rudiments of Arts in most frequent lying and slaundering and which is greatest of all in dangerous and scandalous assertions mixed with some notorious blasphemies and then it may be you shall carie the bell of al that haue written in our times Great cause there is we should all make bonefires for the publishing of your bookes or rather of your published bookes but especially M. Bishop who got the priuiledge ad imprimendum solum I beleeue he beshrewes your fingers for it A REPLIE TO THE THIRD DIALOGVE YOur Vses are sutable to your doctrine For what other thing can proceede from a Cockatrices egge then a serpent Yet Lycanthropus admires and applaudes them and so perhaps may some 1. Ioh. 2. 27 doe that be not well in their wits But they which haue receiued the annointing that teacheth vs concerning all things will abhorre your prodigious dotage and the more when they consider your vses which manifest plainly that your errours be not about strawes and rushes such as without danger might be contemned and neglected but which draw after them most perillous consequences mightily shaking the verie foundation and chiefest pillers of our faith You pretend that this your doctrine of finall determination of possessions dispossessions of Spirits and Diuels affordeth first an holy meditation concerning the vndoubted faithfulnesse and truth of our eternall God in that he promising four thousand years fully before to send the seed of a woman which should bruise the serpents head hath in his owne determined time fulfilled the same by sending his sonne We beleeue and know it that not one iote of the Lordes promise hath failed but doth your doctrine yeeld any confirmation of it Nay verily but doth vtterly ouerthrow it and make the Lord of truth to haue falsified his word The Lord hath promised by sending his sonne fully to subdue and vanquish Satan your doctrine doth teach vs that Christ by his death hath onely made an end of possessions and dispossessions of diuels that is that he hath only deliuered Demoniaks such as were actually tormented in their bodies by the Diuels What Are all the Elect Demoniakes Haue you not taught vs. that Possessions were very rare before Christs time and that it was verie probable there were none at all in Israel till a little before his comming and none after the Apostles Are only then these men deliuered by Christs death You haue quit the Lord indeed wel of his promise He promised the breaking of Satans head you make that Christ hath scarce pulled one lock of haire froÌ„ his head He promised deliuerance for al his elect you restrain this deliuerance only to m enactually possest with diuells He promised vs a giftâ— as iâ— were of an hundreth thousand talents you make him to haue satisfied his promise in bestowiÌ„g vpon vs an huÌ„dreth pence Do men satisfy bondes in such manner Doth a Creditor to whome is owing a thousand pound hold himselfe contented in receauing two or thre shillinges â—ye vpon your comfort you are miserable comforters But this determination you say of Satans Actuall possession may confirme faith and hope for the vtter subuersion of the whole kingdom of darknes I answer you ly falsly if your doctrine be true For hope can expect no more then faith doth presently imbrace but by your teaching faith doth not imbrace a ful vanguishing of satans kingdome by Christs death but onely an end of Actual possessions which neither was accomplished as hath bene shewed and therfore hope cannot looke for any further subuersion of Satans kingdome then is alredie Now let the godly iudge what lyeth hiden in your doctrine whether they be things to be tolerated and cooly dealt in or no or rather of such nature that if you will not reclaime them all louers of the truth ought to spit in your faces in detestation of your errours So likewise when you speak of God his al sufficiencie of Christs triumph and of the Diuels captiuitie who so euer trusts to your doctrine in these poynts shall perceaue he leanes vpon a staffe of reede which when hee shall stand in neede of it will breaâ—e a sunder and run through his body as may sufficiently be seene by this little that I haue nowe remembred as also by that hath beene more fully declared in Suruey of your Sixt Dialogue your vses then are wretched and therefore I leaue them The proper vse that can be made of your doctrine is that Christians should now shew their wisedome in practising that rule our Sauiour Christ hath taught them namely this beware of salse prophets which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening Math. 7. 15 wolues Thou hast seene in this book of theirs good Reader these men professing themselues The Lord his vnworthiest on earth In the subscription to three of theiâ— Epistles when they beginne their disputations to begin the same with prayer recreating themselues with singing of psalmes to wish the Reuerend brethren if they haue faulted either in matter or mannerto confute them and spare not withall desiring the blessing of God to light on their hearts for their labour that way to haue vsed many wordes of Dial. Discou pag. 7â— 262. Epist Dedi Ans goodly pretence of great obedience to the magistrate of great care of their brethrens good of great synceritie in calling euery thing to the triall of the Scripture and many such other faire shewes On the other side thou may st see by this Suruey and Reply what abundance of vile and grosse errors is packed vp in these their treatises What litle conscience they make of god his truth Of lying slandering how exceedingly they haue trifled in ech seuerall poynt and now by these vses how all tendes to this to descredit God his truth in fulfilling his promise to impeach his sufficiency for van quishing of fatan to restrain Christs triumph to a thing of nothing to limit Satans captiuitie with loosing of a skonse and such like which thinges beeing thus now it will shortly and easily more appeare whither these men be false prophets or no Foâ— if they shal recant themselues of their errours and as they haue giuen publike scandall to the Church in labouring to draw men after their fancies so againe in submission to the truth disclame all such opinio n dissonant from the sacred word throwing the first sâ—one at themselues to the end all other may beware of them then they shall be manif ested to haue shipped but of infirmiâ—ie and to be such indeed as they would seeme Otherwise if they will still maintaine defend them then thou â—eest good reader these mens sheepes clothing and how for thy sake I haue pulled it ouer their eares wheâ—by thou maâ—est behold them
my writings might make most for your purpose euen purposely maymed my writings which you deny and I affirme iudge thou indissirently betwene vs good reader And whether you will acknowledge and redresse the offred wrong whereof I complaine and which I trust to be a wrong I haue made manifest by this my Replie vnto all men to your owne consciences as you pretend you will nay seeme to abhorre not to do it if once the wrong shal be made to appeare saying God forbid that we should not doe it very willinglie in time both thou and I shall know And thus much for answer to their supposed contradictions For breuitie sake I omit my reply to the Absurdities wherewith you charge me and your slaunders conteined in them Here not vnfitly may I charge you with the contradictions Absurdities I find in your writinges and if it fall out so that your selues be found faultie in that wherof vniustly you accuse another then thereby learne henceforward to plucke rather the beame out of your own eyes then busie your selues so much about lesse then a mote in your brothers eye In their Answere page 55 and page 179 of their Discourses they say that the manifestation of Christ his deitie and declaration of his glorious spell were the maine ends of possâ—ssion and a little after that the possession of diuels were especially for these two ends therby in sinuating that there were some other ends or end Yet page 67 of the same booke they say that these were the two only ends of this vonderfull iudgement 2 In their Dial. dis page 58 they say angels doe euermore worke after an inuisible insensible and spirituall maner And the next leafe page 60 they say that angels in all their ambassages they do other manifest themselues by seeing and hearing or assist vs estsoonâ—s by some other sensible means And they bring Augustine flatly affirming that the angels do outwardly helpe vs by certaine visible apparitions or sights which they propose and offer before our eyes 3 In their Discourses pa. 42 they say the mind it selfe and it only is that wherein motion consisteth and the body is but the minds organon or instrument hauing naturally in it selfe no motion at all or no further motion at the most then for those only actions wherin the said mind whose organon it is imployeth the same But in pag. 74 of the same booke they affirme that the body it selfe hath and may accomplish or effect corporall operations and motions by it selfe alone without anie the direction moderation guidance or 〈◊〉 of the soule 4 In their Discourses pag. 116 they say the diuell did so bewitch and charme the Serpent as that through his craftie suggestion shee was very wel able to propound such a diuination or soothsâ—…ing as dâ—d presently circumuent or deceiue Fuah And in the same booke page 1 9 they say that a reasonable speech cannot possibly bee framed or vnderstood of anie but of a mind hauing vnderstanding and reason 5 In their Answer pa 50 they say These eight dâ—moniakes might be possessed though the diuell was not essentially inherent in anie one of their bodies But page 43 of the same booke they say The pâ—ssession of diuels whatsoeuer is ceased long since 6 In their Discourses 173 they say The Apostles might autheÌ„tically auouch for insallible truth whatsoeuer they preached But in their Answere page 126 128 129 130 they say that the apostles sometime failed in doctrine And a little after all these were their errâ—urs in doctrine and iudgement And againe It was expedient for the apostles to erre in some things that is some points of doctrine And this they vnderstand after the holy Ghost fell vpon them as is plaine by the aforesaid pages 7 In their Answer pag. 7 they say that wonders and miracles are flatly confounded but in their Dialogicall discourses 209 they say the diuel may worke wonders but can effect no miracles And pag 310 thus A thing effected by essentiall means howsoeuer it may be a wonder yet no miracle in any respect 8 In your Discourses pag. 352. for your parts you assure me that you are very farre from all suspition of a precompacted confederacie betweene Sommers and me Yet in page 42. of your Answere you say why should we wonder at all that two â—unning companâ—â—ns Meaning Sonnners and my selfe consedâ—rate together before should conclude such a course betweene themselues as the one by the helpe of the other should progmsâ—icate strange and meredâ—ble euents 9 In pag. 39. of their Discourses they tell vs There is not anie one sound Diuine that dâ—thâ—n t vnderstand Possession as they doe and none as I fondly imagine and yet in the â—pistle to the Reader prefixed before that booke that which they deliuer concerning possession and d sposs ssion of dâ—uels they call thâ—t priuate opinion and in page 195 of their Answere The Lord his lately revealed counsels Part of their absurd and vnsound Positions 1 Godby good Angels may effect fantasticall vaine and filthie effects Answers 15. 2 Good â—ngels may effect vaine and filthy effects ibid. 3 VVheresoeuer the Scriptures speake of Angels or diuels they speake only by metaphore ibid. 4 The Diuel hath no desire to be in any mans body Ans 22 5 The Iewes in Christs time did partly know the parties which were possessed from the often reuelation of the parties themselues answ 32 6 Godby his Spirit instructed the Cananitish woman mentioned Matth. 15 22 of her daughters malacie answ 33 7 The manifestation of Christs deitie and the confirmation of the Gospell the only ends of Possession answ 67 8 Christ hath put a finall end to the possession of diuels by his death and resurrection answ 66 9 The supernaturall actions or effects of the Diuel in Demoniaks cannot possibly be comprehended by humane senses Ans 69 10 The working of miracles was only in Christ and his Apostles dayes answ 90 11 God hath appointed plowing and sowing for a meanes of abundance or barrennes vpon the ground answ 172 12 Good angels do euormore worke after an invisible insensible and spirituall manner Dialogical discourses 58. This is to bee refuted by all those places where angels are said to haue appeared and spoken in visible formes vnto men 13 The body hath and may accomplish by her selfe alone corporall actions and motions without anie her soules direction moderation guidance or consent Dial. disc 74 14 The dead carcasse of a man or the body being separate from the soule may and doth also effect corporall actions and motions ibid. 15 The Diuel did so bewitch and so charme the Serpent as that through his craftie suggestion shee was very well able to propound such a diuination or soothsaying as did presently circumuent and deceiue Euah Dial. disc 16. Absurd that the Diuell should not onely thus make the Serpent it selfe to speake but also argue the matter like a reasonable creature 16 The apostles erred in some points of doctrine after the holy Ghost fell vpon them Yea it was expedient for them so to erre answ 126 128 129 130 17 It is verie erronious for able to imagin that the eyes may possibly be deceiued in discerning betweene spirits that is bodies assumed by spirits and true naturall bodies Dial. disc 157. You forget that Abraham and Lot were deceiued as appeareth by Gen. 18. and 19. FINIS I am to craue thy patience good Reader specially the authours for the late comming forth of this booke for I confesse it hath layen in my hands almost this halfe yeare
cast out diuels But what if they will not you aâ—e neuer a whit the nearer Such trumperie sha l haue no other answere â—or answere to your fourth reason I say a reprobate may appâ—â—l end the mercies of God the Creator but not of God the Redeemer And such apprehensiâ—n for the eâ—ecting of Satan â—ay â— ffice You slaunder me when â—ou say that in dispâ—ssâ—ssion of Sommers pag. 182 we purposely prayed to teach the bâ—â—olders that the wâ—rk â—as â—ffâ—cted by the onely â—ower of him tâ— whome wâ— put vp ouâ— prayâ—r â—uâ— what is pag. 183. 184. 185 it to say you sclander me You make no more account to scâ—ander me then to fillip me Againe I doe not say that parties bâ—wâ—â—â—hed haue no waâ—rant from the Scripture tâ— fast prayâ— as is apparanâ— in the place by you quoted where I counsell them to this holâ— exercise but only that ther is not such expresse mention in the word for the curing oâ— theâ— as for parties possessed And therefore all that is an idle dispute which you purpose for diuers pages together in this matter â—ou would â—aâ—â— haue me a companion in this wicked pag. 186 aâ—â—ertion which your selues maintain as is apparant afterwards But note good readeâ— foâ— an egregâ—ous blasphemy that these Answerers make tâ—e Lorâ— guiltie of the horrible sins coÌ„mitted by the wicked in sâ—â—king to the â—â—ueil for help in their miseries For how doe they proue it to be an absurâ—itie to condâ—mnâ— pâ—oples going to the diuel for helpe Surely thus 〈◊〉 â—t be a sinne to sâ—eke help of the diuel we shall make the Lord ginitâ—â— of this sin wâ—th uâ— whom it canâ—ot be done Thou â—eest what blasphemie this proposition coÌ„taineth for it plainly affor deth that which before I â—ay And the Conclusion to wit it is no â—â—nr e to â—â—eke â—elpe of the diuel is a conclusion of monstrous impietâ—e â—o where they would proue There is no warrant from the worae for prayer and â—asting to be vsed in behalfe of parties bewitched pag. 188. there argument is of this â—orte â—f there be no waâ—rant â—rom the word thaâ— sole prayer â—asting haue any power of themselues ex opere â—perato to râ—â—o â—e â—upernaturall â—udgemâ—â—ts of God then there is no waâ—rant for parties bâ— witchâ—d to vse fasting and prayer as hâ—lâ—efull in this â—ase But the first say they is true therfore the secâ—nd â—ut what do you sticke at parties bewitched You should haue inferred generally there is no warrant nor vse oâ— fasting and prayer at al for any thing ex opere oâ—erato O men strâ—â—ken with the blindnes of Sodoâ—e â—â—ich before the dâ—re seek the â—â—â—e and cannot â—ind it Is it your foolishnes thâ—t you cannot tell what you auouch Or your shamlesnes that you â—asâ—e not tâ—ougâ— youâ— names should be deseâ—uedly odious to all Or is it tâ—at you do so far â—eâ—pise all the learned of this land that you thinke there â—s not one man able to diâ—cearne such prod gious falshood â—uch â—retched persons would ratâ—er be câ—nfuted with a three corâ—ed wâ—ip theâ— by the writinges or wordes of any Anâ— if that will not serue it were â—eete such order migâ—t be taken with you tâ—at the Church of God sustaine no damge by you pag. 19â— Whether I haue so fondly trauersed this question of â—oss ssâ—oâ— as you saâ— I leaâ—â— it to the gâ—dly learned to determine to whose cenâ—ure I willinglâ— submit my selâ—e botâ— in this in al other mâ— writings But as for your iudgments I passe â—ot First make it appeaâ—e you haue eyes in your owne heads before â—ou take vpon you to telâ— what is straight or croked in â—e then â—anctifie â—our mouths bâ— câ—nfessing your lyes your sclaunders your blasphemies before you giue sentence of any my doings In the mean season if you will needs be bar king I will find such a bone for you to gnaw on as shall bee fit for your chaps â— 191 192 â—93 Concerning the counsell I gaue for fasting and prayer it was grounded from hence that in all iudgements of which kind possession is we are called to humiliation for which I cite in the margine an induction of diuers examples To which you answere first that with out particular knowledge of the iudgement prayers could not be made in faith to remoue it which is one oâ— those Axioms that neuer fails you such an one as Ahabs prophets were inspired with wheÌ„ they counsel led him to warre against Ramoth Shall not the poore countrey sicke man pray to God for some comfort in his distresse because he doth not know particularly the nature of his disease Secondly that the quoted Scriptures onely testifie the peoples â—umiliation by prayâ—r and fasting so oft as any strange iudgement was inflicted but proue not essentiall pâ—ssessions and dispossâ—ssions by those means yet they proue the counsell I gaue was warrantable and this I content my selfe with It is enough if my poore premises afforde mee one naturall and orderly conclusion at one time Euery mans Cow can not bring forth colts as yours do ag 194. 95 196. To conclude you tell vs your great confidence in the cause which no man needs to doubt of if he consider your former arrogant bold nesse nor much maruell at as strange if he call to minde your vncredible blindnesse But if your learning and conscâ—eâ—ce were more your confidence would be a great deale lesse Then you inâ—erre of the premises That if there be no possession nor dispossession nowe by fasting and prayer how greatly they haue erred that haue auouched it and how much they are to be blamed which cannot endure it should be impugned But contrariwise say I if all these things be true which you denie as hath beene prooued by stronger reason then you possibly withstand what doe â—ou deserue which haue troubled the Church with newe and singular opinions in these points and in broaching them haue offered to the world to choke them withall other verie many grosse fantasticall and impious absurdities and yet you dare intitle your fooleries The infallible truth and such as Glory praise is to be giuen to toe Lord for these his lately reuealed counsels by you concerning these intricate questions O intolerable proud ignorance Haue you by late reuelation cleared these intricate questions Indeed your assertions be late for they were neuer heard of in the Church before but they were neuer reuealed vnto you by the Spirit of truth but by that lying spirit whose image doth liuely appeare almost in euery argument you handle And yet that my selfe be not onely iudge let any man of vnderstanding waigh with equal balance that litle that hath beene replyed compare it with yours then giue sentence whether any since the time of our peace by our gratious Queene professing the gospell hath published any writing of diuinitie that doth come neare these your treatises in number of vnsound potions in
to be inwardly rauening woules if they be to be iudged wolues not only which rent the meÌ„bers of our bodies in sunder but also much more they which by infecting men with pestiferous opinions deliuer theÌ„ to saran to be torne in peeces both bodies and soules In this case it will behooue the Christian Magistrate both Ciuill Ecclesiasticall to take order that such cruel deucuring beasts may be driuen from Christs fold that they would consider that they make not dissensions scandales contrary to the doctrine we haue learned which stand for the truth but they which oppugne the truth It is the rebell that makes ciuil war the faithful subiects wepons are not agaiÌ„st the peace but for the peace neither is it the dog barkiÌ„g in the night that disquiets the shepheardes but the Wolues approching the kepers stirring is to be commended the theues assaulting he is to be defended This vse then the Magistrate is to make of your doctrine generally all the Christians of this land are to take it as a watchword to auoyd you as Scorpions that they may know you to be men â—hil 3. 19. â— Tim. 3. 5. â—ud 16. which haue made your bellies your god to glory in your shame which haue a forme of godlynes haue denied the power of it whose mouthes speake proude things hauing the persons of men in admiration for aduantage sake These manner of men are fortold should come in these last dayes our Church doth already feele it by lamentable experience If thou shalt make this vse Christian reader â— Cor. 11. 19 of their booke it shall not bee altogether vnprofitable for thee For It must needes be that heresies should come that they which are approued amongst vs may be knowne The Lord therefore strengthen vs so many as be of this number to stand for his truth and giue vs wise dome to discerne those which would craftily vndermine it that all such wicked workers beeing defeated wee may constantly walke in the puritie of it till the day of our Lorde Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy Spirit be all honour and praise for euer Amen FINIS Here foloweth my answere to the Contradictions they charge mee with contradictiâ— 13. The Discoursers charging me with a shamfull companie of Contradictions no lesse then fiftie I first framed an answere to them with full purpose to publish it therein haue made it plaine there is not a contradiction But this my Treatise prouing much larger then I intended the answere to them being of litle or no vse saue only to cleare my selfe of this slaunder and to discouer their filthinesse which needeth not I thought good rather to suppresse then publish it yet so as I will giue thee good Reader a taste thereof and of their vpright dealing herein assuring thee of my credit that euen such be the rest of their contradictions Answere Darell say they in his Doctrine pag. 54. saith that prayer and fasting being vsed aright will certainly prosper either to the remouing or sanctifying of the iudgment But pag. 56. he saith their is no assurance to preuaile contrad 23 I answere There is no assurance to preuaile that is we can not be sure the partie shall be deliuered the meanes being vsed for so are my wordes Had then I sayd pag. 54. fasting will certainlie prosper to the remouing of the iudgement and no more I had contradicted that I say pag 59 but adding or sanctifying a child may see here is no contradiction Such a contradiction is this Certenly the Discoursers wil ether be ashamed of their contradictions or their sinne is the greater Assuredly they will not be ashamed of their contradictions And this The sun is either vnder a cloud or set It is not vnder a cloud In his Detection 163. Darrell saith fire hath poweâ—r to burne in the same pag. hath no power to burne Ans All that we reade Detection 163. is that Somers hand being in the fire was not burnt Would euer any man these two excepted hence collect a contradiction How many thousands in this land haue said the same and among them not a few that be learned yet I dare say neither learned nor vnlearned euer feared they spake contraries Shadrach Meshech Abednego being in the fire were not burned and yet they that cast them into the fire were burnt I trust you wil not say here is a contradiction But confesse both these to be true Fire naturally burneth but restrayned by God the ouer-ruler o nature it doth not burne Secondly you should first haue shewed where I say Fire hath power to burne before you told vs that I speake contraries â—ntrad 24. In his Dotrine pag. 2. he saith that it suteth altogether with Satans â—ature to be filthie or wicked in speech But Detection 175. he saith that it sutethe as well with his nature to vse good and holy speeches My wordes Detection 175. be Holy wordes haue beene vttered by satan Tel me is this a false proposition Or yet this vncleane and Ans blasphemous speeches sute excellently with the nature of the vncleane spirit If both these be true which none will deny with what truth doe you say that I speake contraries whereof the one must needs be false These men sure had forgot when they doted of this contradiction that the diuel is as well by nature subtil and in his subtiltie ready to transforme him selfe into Angel of light as vncleane and wicked Of this stampe they haue 18 contradictions more In his Doctrine 47. He saith the disciples by vertue of their so large â—ontrad 11 a commission could cast out a diuel of any kinde But pag. 50. the Lunatike child was possest with one of the worst kinde of spirits and that thence it came the disciples could not cast him out To make this contradiction they haue detracted part of my words Ans in either proposition In the former these if their faith failed not which words or words to the same effect in the aforesaid pag. 47. the two pages precedent I vse no lesse then twelue times In the latter proposition where I say thence partly it came they detract this word partly wherby I intimate the Disciples faith did at that time faile them when they could not cast the diuel out of the lunatike child so that their incredulitie was one let which oft els where I expresse And this you well knewe as appeareth by your next contradiction the twelft I meane What meant you then thus to separate and rent asunder those words which of purpose I had coupled together And by detracting that which in either of the propositions iâ— so materiall and in the one I inculcate so often to pretend a contradiction where you knew none was Who hath bewitched you to vse such curled deuises for the compassing of your contradictions A cursed pretence must this needes be seeing it can not be done in ignorance For you