when Christ comes to judge us all Then faith on earth shall be but small (z) Luke 18.8 How is the Church a City then (a) Mat. 5.14 Rais'd on a mount and seen of men And how a light set up on high That all that will may it espie How shall we to the Church complain (b) Mat. 18.17 If of the Church no shew remain This is thy Popish reasoning And Scriptures plain misconstruing The true meaning of those places Christ doth th' Apostles counsel give Soundly to preach and well to live Because their places were in sight And 't was their Office to give light They erring many might mislead Which in their steps might hap to tread If that their Doctrine were unsound In falshood many might be drown'd It was in vain for them to ween In doing ill not to be seen You are saith Christ upon a Mount To be well mark't make full account (c) Thus Chry. and Theophilact expounded this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This shews wherein our duty stands And what God looks for at our hands Who call'd are to the Ministry To labour in God's Husbandry (d) 1 Cor. 3.9 But from hence how may proved be The Churches visibility This place affords a slender proof And little for the Popes behoof Yet you perhaps will urge it still The Pastors are set on a hill And called Light even so say I But all men can them not descry For those which want spiritual eyes (e) Ephes 1.13 Nor are by searching (f) John 5.39 Scripture-wise (g) Ephes 5.15 17. This mounted City cannot see Nor where these lightsome Pastors be (h) This was the Answer of Aug. to the Donatists Tract 1. in Epi. Johan Christ bids us we the Church should tell If things be not reformed well By Church he means all such as be Indued with Authority (i) The same which Paul calleth Presbyterian 1 Tim. 4.14 The Eldership These Office-bearers all men see In times of setled Sovereignty Yea and among themselves th' are known †This answer the Papists cannot mislike for they make use of it for themselves Rhem. in Apoc. 12.6 The error of this Popish Argument When th' outward state is overthrown When that was said in special You turn to Church in general Thereby you may deceive some fools But soon it will be seen in Schools This argument of outward state Which for a mark you intimate Against that thing doth strongly make Which you to prove do undertake Romes state hath sometimes been obscur'd And hath disgraces foul endur'd Burnt (k) By the Goths 547. sackt (l) By Charles Duke of Burbon in the dayes of Pope Clement the seventh whereupon was made tâ—… clause in the Letany Sancta Maria c. O holy Mary pray for Pope Clement c. some Popes imprisoned (m) John 14. Boniface 8. about the year 1304. Some glad to fly (n) John 17. fled to Hetruria some banished (o) Vigilius 18. and Gregory the ninth about the year 1227. Where did your glorious Church abide When Popes were glad themselves to hide Peace peace no more of this for shame Rome saith you will her clean defame †Succession Succession commeth next in place Whereby thou seek'st thy Church to grace Your turn Succession cannot serve If from the Truth Succession swerve The Jewish Church from Aaron A just descent might stand upon Even when they crucifi'd our Lord And hated all that lov'd his Word If we shall say that Church was true Consisting of so vile a crue We cast Christ and the Apostles out Among the base and damned rout The Grecian Churches at this day For their defence as much can say (p) At Constantinople there hath been a perpetual succession from Saint Andrew Nicep At Alexandria from Saint Mark Yet you of them do give this doom That in Gods Church they have no room Yet if Succession were a sign Which your grand Captain Bellarmine Dares not avouch (q) Bellarmine saith it followeth negatively that where there is no succession there is no Church but not affirmatively that where there is succession there is a Church Lib. 4. de Eccl. cap. 8. I fain would see How Rome can prove her pedigree You call your Church Saint Peters Chair As though the Pope were Peters Heir But if that ground we once deny What Papist can it verifie You cannot prove by holy Writ Peter at Rome did Bishop sit The onely place which you do name (r) 1 Pet. 4.13 The Rhemists say that thereby Babylon is meaned Rome and so they confess Rome to be Babylon Returneth to your greatest shame The things you fetch from Historie Touching this point do not agree (Å¿) Orosius saith Peter came to Rome in the beginning of Claudius reign Hierom in the 2d year others in the 4th year other the 13. year Damasus saith he came thither in Neroes reign so that there is no certainty in that which they make an undoubted principle And what our part hath herein sed By Papists stands unanswered But if he Bishop were indeed Tell me who next did him succeed Some Clement (t) The Popes decrees hold so and some Linus hold (u) Dorotheus Euseb lib. 3. cap. 4. Thus your succession is control'd Once was a Pope suppos'd a man †John 8. Platina The womans name was Gilbertia a Dutch woman of Burguntium But prov'd in time a Curtezan Then either your Succession shrank Or you must put her in the rank When Popes there were some 2. (x) Two Popes together Anno 1083. Anno 1058. and 1062. or 3. (y) Bened. 9. Silvest 3. Greg. 6. all at one time and at another time Ben. 1. a Spanish Pope Greg. 12. a French Pope and John 23. an Italian Pope Where then might your succession be One Schisme held almost forty year (z) 39. years Pope against Pope as doth appear (a) Let their own Authors speak One Council (b) The Council of Constance did these Popes put down And to another gave the Crown When these false Popes the place possest I think you 'l say Succession ceast Popish Rime Unity ANother mark there is truly The Church must have Unity As our Saviour hath foretold One Shepheard and one fold One is my Spouse one is my Love One is my Darling and my Dove This is his Spouse and at some time He doth resemble it to a Vine His Father is the Husbandman A Branch is every Christian This is his Body Mystical The which he doth his Kingdom call Whereof Saint Peter had the Keys (c) What became of the Keys when Pope Julius the second threw them into Tyber And his Successors have alwayes (d) As though no body did succeed Peter but the Pope who is rather the successor of Romulus then Peter as Pope Hadrian the fourth said when he died And likewise Saint Paul saith One Baptisme and one
Fair-Play on both sides OR The surest way to HEAVEN DISCOVERED IN A DISPUTE BETWEEN A Roman-Catholick AND A PROTESTANT LONDON Printed for Richard Head at the Heart and Bible in Little-Brittain 1666. To my much esteemed Friend Mr. J. L. YOU will wonder I am sure considering my profession to see me become a Poet. And indeed I do almost marvel at my self knowing my self to want the two principal furtherances of Poetry the one is Natures instinct (a) They say Poeta noscitur If a man be not as it were a Poet born he shall never prove excellent in that faculty which God in his holy providence hath denyed me the other is A certain retired freedom from all such businesses which may breed destraction (b) Carmina secessum scribentis otia quae unt Ovid. de Trist which my publick calling besides private encomberances will not afford me Yet notwithstanding upon this present occasion I have even forced my self to this straitâ—r course of verse-making though I know that for my own ease having to deal in such a distempered and unruly subject that less limited and freer kind of discourse which Prose alloweth had been more convenient because the Rules of Cadence number to which our English Poetry specially is confined do many times so streighten an unaccustomed Practitioner that he is in hazard either of obscuring the sence which in a matter of this nature were something dangerous or of marring the Verse which to the apprehension of every common conceit were very ridiculous But howsoever I have erred in the carriage of this Verse I hope to you and to others whose favour either because of their judgement or their honesty I desire this shall excuse me that meeting with our common Adversary who appeareth sometime in shape of a Statesman debating of Titles and common-wealth affairs (c) Witness the Quodlibets c. sometime as a Petitioner to the King and Parliament (d) At the Kings first coming and now since the Parliament sometime as a plausible Perswader (e) Bâ—istows Motives and Books of that nature sometime as a restorer of the holy Text to the native purity thereof (f) Rhem. Test Grego Martin sometime as a man of a very tender conscience giving reasons why he cannot come to our Assemblies (g) Howlet sometime as a Raylor at our Government and an approver of our open enemies (h) The ward-word Quo teneam vultus mutantem Proted nodo that I say meeting with this time-serving Proteus in the fashion of a Rimer or Balladins and crept in as the manner of false Brethren 1 is (i) Galat. 2.4 Similes habet labra lactucas into â—oth the haâ—… and 〈…〉 simple seduced I have endeavoured to make 〈…〉 like the Lips as the Proverb is 〈…〉 sing to 〈◊〉 I am sure without wilful forsaking the plain truth of God 〈…〉 I shall 〈…〉 The service it 〈…〉 here 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 (k) He confeseth he 〈…〉 Protestant is 〈…〉 though 〈◊〉 say the truth it 〈…〉 through 〈…〉 yet set forth after any good or 〈…〉 but it is even 〈…〉 of certain 〈…〉 egations as to there the â—avings and scraps of 〈◊〉 other 〈…〉 order or proof 〈…〉 word of 〈…〉 than Orâ— Belike the 〈…〉 rough for those for whom it was provided as 〈◊〉 it is for those which turn their ears from the Truth and are given unto fables (l) 2 Tim. 4.4 and by some upon my knowledge to whom 〈◊〉 me God hath sent strong delusions that they should believe 〈◊〉 (m) â— Theâ— 2.11 it is highly magnified as a special preservative against supposed Heresie and as a well-framed Sconce which none of us all is able to overthrow In regard whereof knowing my self 〈…〉 others to contend earnestly for the maintainance 〈…〉 (n) Iude. 3. â—2 1â— I have undertaken this which you here see For my desire and true intent therein it is best known to him which seeth in 〈◊〉 (o) Maâ— â— and in his due time will make the counsels of all hearts manifest (p) 1 Cor. 4. â— Touching the thing it self how it is and how well it is I submit it to the sensure of the godly-wise praying them that with their favourable if not allowance yet at least connivance it may pass to the use of those to whom it is intended And among others I have directed it especially to you in part of recompence for a great deal of kindness intreating you to entertain 〈◊〉 with the like measure of Love wherein it is offered And so â—…ching God to fill you with the fruits of Righteousness (q) Phil. 1.11 I command you to his grace in Christ Jesus Your loving Friend SAM HIERON Modbury Aug. 20. 1604. FAIR PLAY Or a Dispute between a PROTESTANT and a ROMAN-CATHOLICK Wherein the true Religion is made clear to the meanest capacity Roman Catholick's Preface I Pray thee Protestant bear with me (a) Indeed a man had need to be very patient that meaneth to hear thee To ask thee Questions two or three And if an answer thou canst make More of thy counsel I will take (b) Yet I fear that though thou wert brayed in a Mortar with a Pestel among Wheat thy foolishness will not depart from thee Prov. 27.22 Many sundry Sects appear Now in the world far and near The Calvinist the Protestant The Zwinglian the Puritant The Brownest and the Family of Love And many more which I can prove And the Roman Faith truly Which you call Papistry And every one confess Jesu Saying that their Faith is true But amongst these tell me how The Truth from feigned lies to know All these in very deed Reherse all Articles in the Creed And every one of them saith That theirs is the Catholick Faith But this it is that I do seek (c) I believe thou art one of those which are ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 3.7 Take the Lanthorn which David used and thou shalt soon find the true Church Psal 119.105 To know the Church Catholick The Communion or Company Of holy men in Unity Protestants Answer His Preface I May not Papist suffer thee Because thy Questions idle be And if my Counsel thou wilt take Then hear the answer I will make Thou tell'st of Sects that do appear And seem'st the truth glad to inquire But ev'n in this I malice smell And see thy spiteful meaning well When thou these divers Sects dost name Thou wouldst thereby our Church defame (d) I have reason so to think because the multitude of supposed Sects amongst us is a common imputation See Brist Motives pag. 10. And make fools think that we them lov'd When as with us th' are not approv'd We do not hang on Clavins sleeve Nor yet on Zwinglius we believe And Puritans we do desie If right the name you do apply (e) Viz. If either by that name are understood those ancient
stones The golden lights (y) Those seven Churches were represented by seven golden Candlesticks Apoc. 1.20 of Saint Johns age Are now become even Sathans cage Prove thou that Rome hath not declind From th' ancient Church by Pauls resind And then I 'le say thou hast done more Then ever Papist did before But for first turning of our Nation I trow thou nam'st it but for fashion For they that look in History Thereof can find no certainty Simon Zelotes as some say (z) Niceph. lib. 2. cap. 40. Did first Christs Gospel here display Even whilst that Emperour did reign By whom our Saviour Christ was slain (a) Gildas Lib. de victoria Aurelii Ambrosii Some say that he of Arimathy (b) Joseph who buried Christ In the year of grace sixty three From France by Philip (c) Philip the Apostle was sent over To us the faith for to discover (d) So saith Gildas also Hereto agreeth a learned man That ancient Clark Tertullian That by th' Apostles Britany Was turn'd to Christianity (e) Tertul. in his book against the Jewes amongst other places converted by the Apostles reckoneth divers parts of France and Britain So doth Origen Hom. 4. upon Ezechiel Pope Elutherius long agoe (f) About the year of Christ 180. As his Epistle plain did show (g) This Epistle hath been found out of the ancient Records of the Kings of England Unto King Lucius hither sent Ere Ethelbert was king of Kent (h) Which was about 600. years after Christ We hold the faith that then was taught But you the same do set at naught (i) Eleutherius referred King Lucius to the Scriptures clean against the Papists course now and called him Gods Vicar in his kingdom which title the Pope alone doth now challenge When Rome the Truth doth once forsake Then we of Rome our leaves must take If that our Church were Catholick To come to Church thou wouldst not stick If of the word thou knewst the sence Thou soon would'st leave that fond pretence Our Church that truth doth firm embrace Which all those hold in every place Who leaving mens traditions clean Upon the Scriptures onely lean (k) That is truly Catholick which every where alwayes and by all viz. true Christians is believed Vincen. cont Haer. c. 3. Let Papists prove that the word Catholick being taken in that sence ours is not a Catholick Church Popish Rime Prophets SO saith the Prophet Malachy There should be offered far and nigh A clean Oblation or Sacrifice (l) When you read Altar and Sacrifice you think streight that makes for Mass not knowing or not seeming to know the language of the Scripture From place where now the Sun doth rise To the going down of the same And what is that I pray thee name If it be not the holy Mass I will be a Protestant as I was (m) If thou hadst been of us thou wouldst have continued with us 1 John 2.19 In the eighteenth Psalm I found The whole world should hear their sound (n) Namely of the Apostles and their Doctrine prove our Doctrine to disagree with theirs And if this mark you do not want Presently I will recant Protestants Answer Prophets THou cit'st a text of Malachy (o) Mal. 1.11 Hoping to prove thy Mass thereby Alas the reason is but small And helps that Idol not at all In it God threatneth the Jews †The opening of the place of Malachy Who their great priviledge did abuse And thought the Lord was tied to them And unto their Jerusalem The Prophet tells that God elsewhere Will find out those which shall him fear And in an order without blame Shall call upon his holy Name Speaking to their capacity The Legal tearms he doth apply (p) So Joel 2.28 The holy Ghost foretelling the Spiritual enlightning which the people shall have under Christ doth deliver it under the names of Visions and Dreams which notwithstanding were not ordinary in the times of the Gospel And calls our Gospel like Service A pure and spotless (q) Pure in Christ being accepted of God through him 1 Pet. 2.5 Sacrifice What ground is here then for the Mass It still remaineth as it was A gross device defaming Christ Who is our true and onely Priest (r) See more of this hereafter in speaking more directly of the Mass The speech of David of the Skies (Å¿) Psal 19.3 But according to their account Psal 18. Into the Apostles Paul applies (t) Rom. 10.18 And saith their sound went far and near As in the stories doth appear Tell me I pray what good to you This place you have alledg'd can do It maketh nought for Popery Or for your idle trumpery Indeed the infamous Fame is spread Of Antichrist your hideous head And all God's Children him do see The man of sin (r) 2 Thes 2.3 alone to be Th' Apostles Faith was far disperst And here in England was rehearst â—ith then our Doctrine is the same â—o it belongs part of their fame Popish Rime Continuance THis is another mark most sure The Faith of Christ must still endure †Christs Faith must endure therefore Rome is the true Church A hot argument as though the Christian Faith could endure no where but at Rome According as our Saviour said When for Saint Peter he had pray'd Simon thy faith shall never fail The gates of Hell shall not prevail †True the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church of Christ but Christ in despight of the Devil will have a Church upon earth what makes this for Rome The holy Ghost your comforter Shall remain with you for ever And I my self your surest friend Will be with you unto the end Saint Paul hath the like speech There shall be alwayes men to preach Apostles (p) Some say they are Apostles and are not Rev. 2.2 Doctors and the like In the Church Catholick If this be not the Church of Rome (q) Because you say it we are bound to believe it Then will I be converted soon Protestants Answer Continuance YOu say Christs faith must still endure I yield that nothing is more sure And alwayes God a Church will have Though thereat Satan rage and rave (Å¿) Mat. 16.18 And that is the uttermost which can be collected out of that place It glads my heart that Christ hath praid Thereby I know my Faith is staid (t) Luke 22.32 Christs prayer there belongs to all believers as well as to Saint Peter John 17.20 The comfort of Gods holy Sp'rit Is each good Christians sole delight This proves there still a Church shall be And herein thou and I agree To prove the Church tied to one Sea Requireth yet a better Plea The Faith of Christ may still abide Though Rome should into Tibur slide Gods Spirit is free and is not bound (u) John 3.8 Within the lists of Romish ground
their enmity Against your vile Idolatry (e) Bertram wrote against Transubstantiation ann 812. a Bishop of Florence was condemned for teaching that Antichrist was come ann 1114. Arnulph was murthered in Rome for preaching against the Pope and his Clergy anno 1128. Henry a Monk of Tolose was against prayer for the dead Pilgrimage Cream Oyl c. anno 1137. Jo. of Salisbury called the Clergy Pharisees the Pope Antichrist and Rome Babylon 1151. Gerard and Dulcimus which taught the Pope to be Antichrist were burnt with 30. more about the years 1164 1165 1166. The Waldenses which held in many points against the Pope were in anno 1167. and after increasing in divers places Almaris a Bishop burnt in Paris for holding against Transubstantiation Images Altars and praying to Saints 1206. Many in Suevia did preach the Pope to be an Heretick in the years 1236 1237 38. Grosted Bishop of Lincoln wrote against the Pope anno 1246. Arnold de Nova Villa against Masses and Sacrifices for the dead taught that the Popes belief was the Devils belief ann 1259. All Histories are full of the like examples these few may serve for a taste to satisfie an indifferent reader and to stop their mouths who say none were heard of of our Religion and Church till Luther But now the Lord hath let us see Your Antichrists deformity That all men might him fully know Before his final Overthrow Our Pastor chief (f) 1 Pet. 5.4 in Heaven did sit And so doth still saith holy Writ (g) Acts 4.21 On earth Universal Priest None dare be call'd but Antichrist (h) Gregory the Great a Bishop of Rome said that whoso calleth himself or desireth to be called Universal Bishop is the fore-runner of Antichrist Epist ad Eulogium lib. 7. He that our Church and Keys had sought By tokens in the Scripture taught Our Church and Keys he might have found Even when the World was most unsound Building of Churches nothing makes For that which here thou undertakes For then commend Demetrius Who builded Shrines at Ephesus (i) Acts 19.24 Well may the heathen People boast Of Piramees and Churches cost In Houses made God doth not dwell As holy Scripture doth us tell (k) Acts 7.48 Yet neither all the Churches here Erected by the Papists were Nor are by us abolished Places where God is worshipped If private men have evil done For it blame not Religion Those men that do Church-spoyling love Our Faith and Church doth not approve Those Cells and Dens of Idleness And Nurseries of Wickedness Upon good causes were displac'd As Baals Temples were defac'd (l) 2 Kings 10. †Touching Luthers Marriage A lawless Vow (m) It is well called a lawless Vow because it is of a thing which is not in mans power If it be said that by fasting and prayer it may be performed and continency obtained I answer the gifts of God are two-fold Some common to all Believers as Faith c. Some peculiar to some onely as this of Continency Now if by fasting and prayer we labour for the first sort we shall in some measure receive them but we have not the like assurance for the gifts of the latter sort because it may be the Lord is pleased otherwise to dispose Now to make such a Vow is a sin but to persist in it is a double evil of single life Luther well brake and took a wife Better the pure and spotless Bed (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.4 Then by unclean lusts to be led (o) 1 Cor. 7.9 Better the married Chastity (p) Papists do oppose marriage and chastity but Paul bids young women to be chast and subject to their Husbands Tit. 2.4 5. Then violent Virginity They ought not single to remain Who are not gifted to contain (q) 1 Cor. 7.9 Wedlock it self cannot defile It hath an honourable stile (r) Heb. 13.4 God doth it not to each man give Without the Marriage Bonds to live (ſ) Mat. 19.11 And it is allowed to a Bishop to be the Husband of one Wife 1 Tim. 3.2 The forced vows of singleness Have brought forth beastly filthiness Thou maist behold in History The fruits of Monkish Lechery (t) There were 6000. Infants heads found in Pope Gregories Mote as appears by the letter of Volutianus Bishop of Carthage or as some think of Huldericus Bishop of Augusta to Pope Nicholas against the forbidding of Priests marriage Thy poysoned Tongue doth further reach The noble Saxon to impeach Because to truth he did encline Thou callest him a Libertine When God was pleas'd to let him see How Christ his death hath made us free Then did he deem it slavery To bear the Romish Tyranny Though Antichrist did Rome possess †Who kept the Scriptures You kept the Scriptures I confess And in that long Apostacy Those Books were in your custody So I a Pirate false have known To keep the Goods were not his own And in the Ship to rule and raign When the right Owner hath been slain So did the Jewish Synagogue Safely keep Moses Decalogue And th' other Books (u) Viz. The Prophets and Psalms for so is the old Testament divided Moses the Prophets and Psalms Luk. 24.44 when cruelly They did Christ Jesus crucifie †Touching the calling of Ministers The Pastors which did first restore The truth which long lay hid before Thereto were called lawfully And even by your Authority You did them Priests and Doctors make And they from you this charge did take * In their admittance That they the Truth should soundly preach And in the same the People teach Hereto you caused them to swear That to the Faith they should adhere And never should Errors endure That were against the Doctrine pure That whereunto you did them call Full well they have performed all Truth they have sought to propagate And Heresies to ruinate As we account your Baptism true And never do the same renew †Yet it followeth not hereupon that Rome is a true Church There is in the Papacy a certain hidden Church and to it that Sacrament appertains Circumcision was used of old even among the Samaritans So may you make a lawful Priest Yet be not the pure Church of Christ We know that now you wiser be And swear your Priests to Popery (x) In their Oaths and Admissions they put in this clause The Catholick and Apostolick Church of Rome which in elder times was not used And bind them to maintain the state Of your three-crowned Potentate See now O Papist thou recant Th' art answer'd by a Protestant I counsel thee if thou be wise No new evasions to devise Thy tale of Ethelbert of Kent Is but a slender Argument (y) It is also answered before It skills not whence the Faith was brought Or who it first amongst us taught Let us into the Scriptures look (z) Esay 8.20 And duly search (a) John 5.39 Acts 17.11 that holy Book Thence shall we know wch Church to leave And unto which alone to cleave (b) We have found Christ in the Scriptures there we must also find the Church Aug. de Pastoribus Those swelling words (c) 2 Pet. 2.18 of Unity Succession and Antiquity Are but poor groundless fantasies To blind the simple peoples eyes Though that an Angel thou shouldst see Let him saith Paul accursed be (d) Gal. 1.8 If from the Scripture he doth erre Account him not Gods Minister If one arise and wonders show Seeking the truth to overthrow Though that might seem a motive strong Yet unto him death doth belong (e) Deut. 13.1 2 5. If threescore Bishops here and three Have been with us successively It either proves our Church is true Or else that mark makes nought for you That Faith for which Peter was slain Our English Church doth still retain We hear the Voice of CHRIST JESU (f) John 10.27 Who is the SON of GOD most true FINIS