the holy Ghost his set vs downe by that chosen vessell the blessed Apostle who prayeth Christians to walke worthy their calling whereunto they are called with all humblenes of minde meeknes with long suffering supporting one another in loue endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the Spirite in the bonde of peace There is one bodie and one spirit c. looke the place To discerne and distinguishe therefore thinges aright here needeth the Spirite of the Lorde the spirite of wisedome vnderstanding the spirite of counsaile and strength the spirite of knowledge and of the feare of the Lorde that may make vs prudent in the feare of the Lord c. whereof the Prophet sayth It shoulde rest vpon Christ who receyued the fame for the behoofe of his Churche and vs to be guided by Wee haue receiued sayth Saint Paule not the spirite of the worlde but the spirite which is of God that we may know the things which are giuē vs of God And the Anoynting which yee receiued of him dwelleth in you saith Saint Iohn and Yee neede not that any man teach you but as the same anoynting teacheth you of all things it is true and is not lying and as it taught you yee shall abide in him Agayne our Sauiour Christ It is written in the Prophetes And they shal be all taught of God A good and sure Schoolemaister is this Spirit of truth to lead vs into all trueth to bring into our remembrance whatsoeuer Christ hath tolde vs and to redresse and direct our wayes according to God his holy woorde which is the truth God only vouchsafe to 〈◊〉 our eares and to touche our heartes continually to heare beleeue and obey this truth Thus much in respect of some certaine for their better satisfiyng if it may be This matter beside the scriptures which may and ought to suffise hath 〈◊〉 and is diducted at large by some writers both olde and new as they are called where the same for them that list may be seen namely Augustine in his writings aforetime against the Donatists and such like wadeth herein very godly and wisely in my opinion and such godly men in our time also as write against Anabaptistes and y e like that are infected herein that I neede not to adde there vnto And besides I doe but here touch the same by the way as a caueat to preuent or cut of cauill and quarrelling if it may be hauing rather to occupie meselfe in answering the 〈◊〉 sarie at this time as one that what reason or answere soeuer other may be thought to haue and to make he surely his fellow Romanists haue very litle or none as who may be thought to haue beene in the orders of this Churche sufficiently if not too muche respected and borne with nowe aboue these twentie yeeres whiche may serue with all the worlde to our 〈◊〉 and the States 〈◊〉 here towardes these men And that a through and full reformation of the Church need not be forborne in respect of them I woulde this great and necessarie matter might as easily be obtayned which our sinnes onely let as it is not harde to answere what euer those fellowes can nowe alleadge for them selues Unto the examination therefore of this mans particular Reasons for refusall of comming to Church I nowe turne my selfe THE first Reason why I being a Catholike in minde may not goe to the Churches or seruice of the contrary Religion is because I perswading my selfe their doctrine to be false doctrine and consequently venemous vnto the hearer I may not venture my soule to bee infected with the same So that the firste proposition or grounde of this first reason to make it in forme of argument is this No man that perswadeth himselfe the doctrine nowe professed and taught in the Church of Englande is false and venemous to the hearer may venture his soule to be infected therewith But euery Romane Catholike is a man that perswadeth him selfe the doctrine nowe professed and taught in the Church of England is false doctrine and venemous to the hearer Therefore no Romane Catholike may venture his soule to be infected therewith First Sir such Catholikes as are of contrary opinion vnto you herein for whose sake you wrote this discourse must you suppose will denie one of your two propositions finde shifts to auoyde all your proofes which will not bee harde to bee done for those of your religion But let them shift with you as they and you can agree I am no patrone of theirs I will speake and answere to the matter Therefore to this first Argument or Reason I answere that it is vayne and naught because it is grounded vpon opinion fancie and ones perswading of him selfe and doing after his perswasion and not vpon the matter and truth Nowe these two matters be diuers and doe differ much I perswade my selfe that such a thing is thus or so And such a thing in deed is thus or so The reason why because one may be and to often is deceiued in perswading himself of things otherwise then they be But the truth is alwaies one and 〈◊〉 not according to our perswasion neither 〈◊〉 thereon What if one perswade himselfe y t he is a Prince or haue a bag of money is he so or hath he it euer the more or euer the sooner for that neuer a whit sure Or if one perswade himself there is a snake in his bed shall he not sleepe neere it or if your fellow perswade himself you go about to deceiue him shall hee not trust you Surely our doing or not doing of thinges euen appertayning to this lyfe to haue the same well done must not depende vpon our own perswasion which is very changeable and vncertayne but our perswasion to doe any thing must depende rather vpon the trueth and goodnesse of the matter that wee minde to doe Otherwise one perswading him selfe that euery man hee shall meete will kil him may not venture to goe abroad about his 〈◊〉 nor come in the companie of any man perswading himselfe that what euer hee eate or drinke poysoneth him hee may not venture to eate nor drinke for being 〈◊〉 And so within a while die like a foole and be guiltie of his owne death because hee will not lay away his owne 〈◊〉 perswasion In religion and matters of 〈◊〉 is this argument much more 〈◊〉 vaine as y t which hath 〈◊〉 and doeth from Gods truth and is the mother and nurse of all superstition and 〈◊〉 So as if this disputer or reasoner will needes grounde this argument or reason vpon his perswasion yet must he giue seaue to 〈◊〉 the grounde of his perswasion whether it bee good or bad true or false And not say as he doth elsewhére that he will not dispute thereof but howe euer that bee the perswasion may not be done against be it true be it false First rather let him prooue the goodnes truth therof
scriptures directing ruling your consciences thereby On the other side againe wyll you as honest dutifull Subiects renouncing all forraigne power of Prelate Prince or Potentate whatsoeuer betake your selues hence forwarde to bee gouerned by her Maiestie and the temporall lawes of this lande and such Statutes as for the good and peaceable guiding thereof be by her Maiestie the State made agreed vpon in the high court of 〈◊〉 according to the order of this Realme What say you to this condition I aske you because I am in doubt whether you will in the ende stand to the resolution and iudgement of her Maiestie the State herein Nor to any in deed but vnto your Pope your selues and yet had yee neede I tell you resolue be resolued in this point before you make sute to her maiestie so earnest sute to haue publike disputation as wherevpon your eternall saluation dependeth c. And to this point answere hardly in your next writing for in this Epistle DEDICATORIE your wordes hetherto seeme to imploy som cōtradictiō in this matter or els your sute seemeth yf not hollowly yet cunningly made to your vantage but preiudiciall and perillous to this quiet and peaceable state setled nowe aboue these xxii yeeres together in this kind of gouernement of reiecting the authoritie of the Pope of Rome and Popish religion and receiuing the profession of the Gospel and acknowledging her Maiesties Royall soueraigntie ouer all States and degrees All which is wel and sufficiently warranted and maintained by the expresse testimonie of Gods holy worde and the wholesome lawes of this Realme as hath beene and is still both for the one the other by proofe published to the viewe of all the worlde You M. Howlet and your late start vp Iesuites and other English Romanistes or Rhemistes to be plaine with you are too weake in the shoulders God haue the glory to take in hande by disputation or otherwise to vndermine or shake this Godly State or to prooue your owne cause good Yee are but princockes and babes for the most part in comparison of those of your side aforetime that stoode in the front of the battaile whose force yet God be thanked haue beene well tryed and met with all It is vnto you a harde 〈◊〉 of the decay and vtter ruine shortly to fall vpon your huge Antichristian kingdome as that was an after demonstration in the Poet Naeuius that Tullie mencioneth when newe Oratours foolish young men arise and take in hande the administration of the common wealth who were wont so to bragge of gray haires olde men c. Yea 〈◊〉 is that that hath alreadie beene a great part of the vndoing ofit on your behalfes Young men I speake not to reproch age nor to touche towardly youth may haue good heades fresh memorie quicke sight sharpe wit ioly art and prompt and readie tongues and wordes at will which thinges if they bee well applyed wherein is all haue their commendation as in young men But in heauenly matters Gods truth reuealed in his written worde his feare a setled vnderstanding and iudgement framed by Gods holy spirite ioyned with simplicitie and sinceritie in Christes religion and a reuerent humble minde to Godwarde directed alwayes by the sacred Scriptures in young or olde are a great deale more worth and yet by your vaunt you seeme to trust much to the other and thereupon are you so earnest for disputation Of your vaine Scholasticall disputations and arguments pro contra that can make quidlibet ex quolibet or as wee speake Make men beleeue that the Moone is made of greene cheese or that the Crowe is white by your sophistrie The Churche of God to the hurt thereof hath had too great experience afore time and the faithfull at this day see but too muche of this stuffe in your subtill Doctor Scotus your Angelicall Doctors Quodlibetal questions and in numbers of bookes of that stampe We haue beene faithfully warned by the holy ghost to take heed of admitting that kind of dealing a great while since namely in Saint Paules Epistles to Timothie And in deed by tryall we find dayly that by wrangling iangling and vaine disputiug the truth commonly goeth to wracke and is lost besides other inconueniences that arise thereby There be other meanes to try out the truth by then this This kinde of exercise vnlesse it bee very soberly kept and vsed with great moderation is very dangerous in matters of diuinitie And yet God be thanked for his gifts you may be and are euen in this exercise matcheable and to bee matched if neede were with your equals heere at home You that make these great bragges were but yesterday to talke of in Oxeford you haue left your fellowes and your betters too behind you in Oxeford Cābrige abrod also if you will giue other besides your selues leaue to iudge but let vs heare what you tell vs more of y e particulars for you offer also of your liberalitie two other wayes of dealing besides publike disputation These are your wordes 15 ANd as for the particulars wee shall easily agree with them For wee offer all these three wayes both iointly and seuerally that is either by trying out the truthe by briefe scholasticall arguments or by continuall speeche for a certaine space to be allotted out the other part presently or vpon studie to answere the same or finally by preaching before your Maiestie or where els your Maiestie shall appoint And for our safeties we aske nothing els but only your Maiesties worde set downe vnto vs in no ampler maner then the Councell of Trent made the safe conduct to our aduersaries which they notwithstanding refused to accept But I hope they shall see that wee will not refuse or mistrust your Maiesties worde if we may once see it set downe by proclamation or otherwise by letters pattents for our safetie but that within 80. dayes after by the grace of God wee shall appeare before your highnesse with what danger soeuer to our liues otherwise for the try all of Gods truth which we make no doubt but to be cleare on our side 16 If our aduersaries refuse this offer they shall shewe too muche distrust in their owne case for it is with great labour perill and disaduantage on our partes and on their sides nothing at all I woulde they durst make but halfe the like offer for their comming hyther on this side the Seas it shoulde bee most thankefully taken and they with great safetie and all gentle intreatie disputed withall aud made to see as I presume their owne weakenesse But seeing this is not to bee hoped for wee relye vpon the other beseeching your Maiestie most humbly instantly that our iust demaund may be graunted for the tryall of Gods truth most necessary for vs all too our eternall saluation YEE talke vnto vs of three wayes of conference both ioyntly and seuerally as yee speake but all must
Oracle according to Christs answere so you beeleeue geuen Fryer Thomas by the mouth of the Image of the crucifixe Thou hast written well of me Thomas Furdermore if one woulde enter into more particular examination of that you say it were not harde to improoue this your subtile exposition and by as good ground to ascribe to the father authority to the sonn natiuitie or with the scripture power grace which you appropriate to the father and the holy Ghost And to the holy Ghost communitie of the father the son vnitie societie charitie or else power which you ascribe here to the father as it may be to both the father and the holy Ghost c. This were not hard for him to do y t were disposed to dally w t the Scriptures and truth of God as you do drawing y t same into diuers vncertain expositiōs too irreligeously Gregory hath not one word of sin against the holy Ghost in place ye quote I graunt you he speaketh of insirmitie ignorance and purpose but euery sinne done aduisedly or of purpose is not sinne against the holy Ghost I pray you sir if these your catholikes did commit a sinne and that a greeuous sinne in haunting Protestants churches which I trust they doe with better and more religious minds than you iudge or hereafter at least will Iudge nothing beefore the time vntill the Lorde come c. and so sinne not at all But serue God faythfully But I say put the case there be some such naughtie men then God amende them But why I pray you may they not be iudged to do y t they do of humane frailtie as did Peter seeing you say they doe it for feare fauour or some worldly cause This is but hard freedome harde election and hardly to be called meere will and malice if al these termes be admitted to define sinne against the holy Ghost Augustines modestie noted by Thomas would haue beseemed you This is a deepe question let the light of exposition thereof be sought for of the Lorde I tel you beloued there is not possible a greater nor a harder questiō in al the holy Scriptures Thus far Augustine Whose description both Petrus Lombardus and Thomas auowe and like better then I doe youres There seeme ywis moe thinges required in the description of it than you heere expresse In your heat you shake vp these your catholikes God make them wise and you shall gaine little eyther by them or by that kinde of handling It is better going to the Popes hell or by his pretended sending thither than by his that is able to destroy both body and soule in hell fire Wherefore let vs feare him that is the eternall God which alone hath power to saue and to destroy I speake not all this while to defend any man in doing against conscience any thing or if these men haue so shaken off al reniorce of conscience that they are lulled a sleepe in securitie I with them to awake to learne a better religion which is ioyned with conscience I answere the aduersaries vniust charge and threat and hope the best of such as communicate with Christes church and religion here professed or shewe them whereto they haue at least to trust I woulde haue none flatter themselues in euill which these men cariyng such a conscience as he here speaketh of or suche a minde and not altering the same doe and are in a dangerous case for nourishing such a serpent in their bosome as is poperie and yet dissemble with all the worlde in pretending to be of another religion The mans talke here hauing been possible abrode a shriuing of many or taken it frō them that haue so done and so knowing their consciences better then we that liue among them and are dayly conuersant with them for that we sift not their consciences may make one doubte there bee manye hollowe harted Catholikes among vs or worldlinges rather and Atheistes for in deed such are vtterly without God haue no cōscience at al. I wishe them therefore to looke about thē men may be damned many a one is damned for other sins thē the sin against the holy Ghost how euer they sinne that greeuously I dare not say they sinne against the holy Ghost for al this or may not ' be good mē in time to cōe Thus make I mine argumēt against y e aduersarie Nothing supposed to be done of feare fauour or other passiō can be iustly called sin against the holy Ghost The Catholikes cōmunicating w t our churches is a thing supposed to be done of feare fauour or other passion euen by this man and other of that syde Therefore the Catholikes communicating with our Churches can not bee iustly called sinne against the holy Ghost Thus far of those that you accompt the worst and to to badde Catholikes I pray God we may find them good Christians And yet if they haue learned any euill they haue learned it of your religion and in your schoole I haue beene herein the longer bicause the whole booke seemeth to be written against this kinde of men God open their eyes they may see knowe and discerne their friendes from their foes bee carefull and watchfull amending at least in time to come that which is amisse The third sort of catholikes or the seconde as you tearm them quite leauing out such as your selfe are agree but in one of the three points I spake of before dissent in two they iudge all religions beside theyr owne say you false erronious damnable this haue they cōmon with other Romane catholikes but they thinke it lawfull for some worldly respect as for sauing their offices dignities liberties credits or the like to shewe themselues conformable men in going to church and other church proceedinges here c. thinking also other too scrupulous that stand in refusal of y e same This make you y e proper difference of these from other catholikes Nowe as they agree with the rest in the first point so in going to church taking othe communicating c. they disagree from hot Catholikes and agree therein with those I haue at large discoursed of euen now te The more I perceiue they acquaint them selues with the Gospell of Christ here professed and receiued the more dutifull they shewe them selues to her Matestie the worse bee they liked of you but the matter is not great Albeit these agree no better with you hot Catholikes but dissent in mo pointes then the other that went afore yet ye thought it pollicie belike hauing so scourged and taken vp those somewhat here to spare these men least you should do your religion too much hurt if you should fal too farre out with all besides your selues In places elsewhere you take them vp very sharply thogh but here thinking good to forbe are least you should want another mayne branche of your tree yee haue thought good to make
of hypocrisie and hypocrites whom that religion maketh such ye might haue spared to talke of this kinde of men here They that knowe him not you say as in deede no man doth furder then hee vttereth and sheweth him selfe must needes presume him to goe of conscience and as a fauourer of that Religion and so be brought to like the better of that religion and the worse of the Catholike by his example You say true This is and if not needes must bee all christian and honest mens opinion of him yea ours vnlesse he must be taken to bee the diuels childe and of his religion And then knowe you him inwardely to be a Catholike a true Christian or of Christes religion and that we follow we denie him to be ridde him from vs and take him to your heape for his religion if he bee suchy a one You say Anibrose did accuse Valentinian the Emperour for giuing a publike Scandale to the worlde because he did but permit certaine altars to the Gentiles saying that men woulde thinke that he priuily fauoured them Ye giue a good lesson to warne Princes that bee professours of the Gospell to take heede they permit Papistes to haue no altars to sacrifice vpon in their dominions for giuing the like offence And for you Romane Catholikes that sue for tolleration for the free exercise of your Romane religion may her Maiestie answere you by your own rule and Reason We thanke you sir for giuing vs still so good weapons to beate your selues withall This is your very case Nowe let the Reader applye and make his profite of the rest The thirde reason is this When and where going and not going to Churche is made a signe 〈◊〉 betwixt a Catholike and a 〈◊〉 then and there is it not lawefull for a Catholike to goe to the Protestants Churches But so is it heere nowe wherefore it is not lawefull c. The first part of this reason he explaneth by diuision of the wayes whereby the professour of any religion may be 〈◊〉 which he maketh there by wordes workes and signe hee setteth out the whole by example of the Iewe in Italie familiarly knowne by our English Romanistes among whom the Iewe liueth in free profession of his religion and therefore had neede to be distinguished from christians by some markes But among vs heere in Englande where there is no such faction and diuersitie of religion by order of lawe vnder our gracious Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth tollerated but all bounde to professe the true christian religion to Gods glory and her Maiesties singular commendation neither is there neither needeth there in this policie any such distinction deuised by mē to seuer betwene religion and religion that is betweene truth and falshood Protestants and Papistes we content our selues with the notes and markes to knowe the professours of christian religion in Englande which are set vs downe in the holy worde of God which also depende not on mens cpinions nor are at their pleasure variable but are stayed vpon a 〈◊〉 better groūd And therfore we returne thcse voluntarie marks signes to note religiō the professors therof by to you to Rome to Italie where volūtary religiō or superstitiō raigne gaine is thought to be godlines We thank God and her Maiestie for our freedom frō the same and that we may liue at home in England in good conscience and sincere professiō of Christes religion without needing to runne into Italy where there is suche danger to denie the christian faith as yee tell vs of Looke you English Italianates to that and other the like dangers that ye haue willingly cast your selues headlong into And thus much concerning your first deuise in this reason 〈◊〉 that where telling vs of a Iewe yee affirme that to keep the Saterday holy day is a work proper to Iudaisme And againe that 〈◊〉 a christian yeelde therein to vse the same he sinneth greeuously and in effect denieth his faith Due might demaunde whether you English Romanistes and such other Catholikes in Italie do 〈◊〉 beare to keepe holy euen any of your late Pope canonized Saints dayes falling on the Saterday for feare of conformitie with the Iewes in that behalfe I weene not Thē in an externall signe as a yeallow cap wearing on the head which is a matter of lesse importance bee not too harde wherein though I thinke not the whole waight of our religion to consist yet speak I not on the other side as though I liked conformitie of the professours of Christes religion to antichriste and his ministers in any tokens and marks of their religion whatsoeuer I speake heere nothing of your grosse prophane exāple of a Tauern bush in liken ng the same to holy signes of religiō which too prophanely in my iudgement yee byd the Reader marke hee may also marke that as yee make going to Churche to seuer vs from you and to distinguish our religion from yours which is knowne by not going to Churche or by abstaining from Church so the haunting of Churche assemblies argueth some religion to bee in our men and that they carry religious mindes and abstaining from Churche assemblies which ye make a proper and peculiar signe of a true catholike argueth as much religion as is in a Horse For the proofe of the seconde part of your reason that the going to Churche in Englande is an apparant signe of a schismatike and the not going of a catholike It is manifestly to be proved yee say but it is not so easily doone as saide for vnlesse we will presume going to the Protestants churches to be hereticall as you doe and say a Catholike must so doe which is starke false your proofe will not goe forwarde All is still grounded on your false supposition and on the double and doubtfull taking of the termes of catholike and schismatike Al is but hollow and double dealing and belongeth for those wordes to the fallation of equiuocation that yee may finde moe slights then one in your reasoning Must the Protestant be a schismatik and a Papist a catholike because you presume and thinke so presume and thinke otherwise and as the truth is or at least notwithstanding your presumption giue vs leaue to thinke and say the contrary as the truth enforceth vs. But let vs see howe by presumption you prooue going to Church to be a peculiar signe distinctiue betwixt religion and religion First yee prooue it by the commanndement and exaction thereof You take vpon you to make a Cōmentarie to expounde the proceedings heere You make your self priuie of her Maiesties meaning and the Sates you 〈◊〉 imagine no other ende that men are commaunded to come to churche but to shewe themselues conformable to the religion heere professed You might knowe Sir there be and may bee diuers ends of one thing Considering that God hath instituted church assemblies to the good and benefite of his people if to the end his Maiestie may be obeyed accordingly and
It wil make you sweate and your shoulders ake too before you will be able to remoue these two blockes If you possible stumble at them and breake your shinnes thanke your selfe of your hurt who are more busie with them then you neede be Obedience yea and protestation of obedience to her Maiestie and her wholesome lawes in this behalfe aggrawateth the sinne rather then diminisheth it you say although I thinke there bee none that hath so little regarde to his Soules health as to goe to Church ouelie for obedience sake and not of a religious minde also He that thinketh it is naught to speake against the Pope at Paules Crosse which is your example though you call it rayling thinketh therein amisse and therefore being commanded if occasion serue therto shall do well to obey and doe it redressing his former foolish thinking which too absurdly still you make conscience when it is indeede but a fancie and a dreame tel vs it is Pilats case as much as lōg as you wil we wil 〈◊〉 bid you prooue it Your pope is not Christ fir nor the clearing or condemning of him the like doing to Pilats with Christ there is great oddes in the case Of pretended conscience c. I think I haue said enough and of the foolish and wicked band of a naughtie and erroneous conscience whereof you talke Prooue stil I bid you or hold your peace that haunting our churches is naught though you suppose it that is imagin and dreame so We that by experience finde and knowe the contrary can not graunt it you Obedience to her maiestie and protestation thereof in haunting holie church assemblies here authorised by law maketh the sinne greater Disobedience to her maiestie her godly lawes herein disloyalty rebelliō treason c. not onely diminish the subiectes faulte towardes their prince but is a vertue with you it is a confession of your popish catholike faith Obediēce to your pope to a prelate in a naughtie thing to your church euē against cōscience excuseth I haue giuē exāples a tast before this is your religiō cōscience After this fighting as you do stil w t your own shadow you make an obiection of your owne and answere it at pleasure And because you like not to single the matter it is your own word you huddle you shuffle double iūbling vp thinges full euell fauouredly together For reckoning how manie thinges are conteined in going to Church you bring us forth some that we acknowledge but diuers and very manie of your owne deuising which we iustlie reiect and 〈◊〉 as our answere before doth sufficiently declare Single things therfore I pray you seuer distinguish betweene good and bad one and the other better then you here doe or else keepe your annexes as you call them to sporte your selfe withall defend your obstinacie by word by writinges by imprisonment or as you will make al the world know your sturres and gaze vpon you to please your selues therein as much as lyketh you yet shall it be obstinacie stil say and doe what you can the more the matter commeth into trial the lesse credit and vauntage hath it of your side The conscience of the Catholike that thinketh he doth naught in haunting our Church assemblies is diuelish and dangerous as we haue seene the explanation of the church as you call it that is of the popish route and antichristian stuagogue is like to y t imagined conscience you labour hard to bring the church assemblies here into discredit You tel vs of the holding vp of a finger onely How vnlawfull it were in this case you adde such is your modestie a similitude of lifting vp but of a straw to the diuell in token of obedience which you say is as much as if one did word by word deny his creed But I weene not there is a differēce in the greatnes betweene sinne and sinne all sinnes are not equall Afterward of courtesie and grace you make vs foure qualificatiōs as you term thē which may make going to church lawful by the iudgement of your diuines meere particular knowne temporall busines How gingerly and nicely you walke in the matter These conditions added to going to church make it al one you say as not to go to church at al. You so prophane it as it is no better in your opinion then 〈◊〉 of the market or some like worldly busines which exercise is good enough for those of your religiō if you leaue but such a going to church as is al one with not going at al then may I shortly answer you as good neuer a whit as neuer the better In that which followeth in this third conclusion of Naaman the Sirian you so handle the matter as I know not whether you make his fact sinne or no if he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what needed he to seeke pardon at God his hande purchasing the same frō the prophet to be obtained by his praier If he sinned what tolleration could the prophet giue him therin For our case there is no difficultie therefore I omit it without further discussion your expositiō of y e whole In the fourth and last conclusion that you gather supposing lalfhood still you shewe your self very precise against our God his seruice for you say a man may not yeeld in any one little point therein which you would further ground vpon an other conclusion also If all be not lawfull then no part of it is lawful which groūd of yours how you can proue better then y t rest if you be put therto I wote not but I think hardly enough Neuerthelesse I now put you not vnto that labour you haue enough to doe alreadie and more then will euer be well done or cleared we must admit supposition for any thing you haue yet sayd I see not why our exercises in 〈◊〉 may not be thought lawful cōmēdable godly also For the general doctrine you here deliuer vs that God accepteth no particion no mayme in our seruice but eyther al or none must be his that we must walke with an vpright heart before him in roundnes of conscience without limitation dissimulatiō or haulting sticking precisely 〈◊〉 his holy law and commandements it is most true and as a heauenlye trueth so wee receiue it But the whole is verye badlye applied to your popish diuels seruice The textes of scripture that you cite talke of the sinceritie of God his seruice of his law and of his commandements c. Holde you there keepe to his holy word and we shall agree but you doe not you will not you may not you can not your false suppositiō deceiueth you there is a way saith the wife man that seemeth right to a man but the yssues therof are the wayes of death O y t the word of y t Lord in religion in life in gods matters in ours euery where euery way might be a lātern to our feet to be cōtinually caried
euer That which S. Paule and we with S. Paule ascribe vnto god and Christ that they may haue the glory in all that doeth this forgerer ascribe vnto man and vs corrupting both S. Paules yea the holy ghosts wordes the sence of the sacred scriptures also for where S. Paule liuely describing the office of the true Christ sheweth what benefite the church Gods people receiue from god by him thereby discerning and seuering him from all false Christes there this fellow as though there wanted other false Christs sets man or our selues in place to take gods and Christes office and roome vpon vs. Thus S. Paule And you which were in timee past strangers and enimies your minds being set in euil works hath hee reconciled in the bodie of his fleshe thorow death to present you holy vnblameable without fault in his sight Thus this gentle companion telles vs S. Paule saith y t Christ died for vs to the end We should exhibite our selues holie and vnspotted and irreprehensible in his sight And yet he further corrupteth the text with his Commentarie Let the Reader compare examine and iudge indifferently of the whole For the rest either it needeth no answere or is alreadie answeared before Wherefore I will here ende wishing vs onelie that at this day professe the Gospel and Christes true religion to apply to the confirming of vs in the trueth those testimonies and places which this man abusing the 〈◊〉 applyeth to Poperie and falshood Let his and his fellowes blynde zeale and feruentnesse in lyes awake vs that sleepe in securitie Let it serue to condemne our kay coldnesse in y e matters of God and our saluation which is I weene if not all yet as the common so the greatest fault of vs 〈◊〉 professours of the Gospel at this day We heare what he saith and saith truely If errour finde such zeale what zeale ought trueth to haue If they be stout in fancies and sticke so harde to their pretended consciēces how should we sticke and stande to conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on Gods holie worde without 〈◊〉 betweene two opinions If the Lorde be God followe him if Baal be 〈◊〉 then goe after him Let vs heare for shame and apply to our selues at least at this mans admonition and calling the 〈◊〉 of the Ephesians taken out of the beginning of the second Chapter of S. JOhn his reuelation let vs not be betweene both luke warme neither colde nor hot as the same S. Iohn telleth vs the Laodicians were Looke the place to the end of the Chapter Let vs be zealous therefore and amend c. For God is a ielous God Separate your selues layth the Lord touch no uncleane thing c. Lastly with our knowledge ioyning zeale let vs remēber apply to our selues in the trueth of God his holie religion that which he euen here in the end of his work truelie telleth vs that God accepteth no partition no limitatiō no mayme in our seruice But either al or none must be his Let vs follow herein the example of S. Basile Gods resolute 〈◊〉 that this man reciteth vs out of Theodoret and retayne and beare in mynde the most worthy and excellent saying also as he calleth it of Christes holy Martyr S. Cyprian rather that in steede of his Father wherewith he concludeth his booke I may conclude with holy Scriptures let vs high and 〈◊〉 one other well marke beare in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and execute God giue grace we may so doe as Gods cause and glory shall require amongest other that most worthy and excellent speech and counsell may I bee bold to say of the holy Ghost vttered by Iosue in the last Chapter of that booke reade and peruse it I heartily pray thee Gentle Reader for thine owne profite at the least from the xiiii verse of that Chapter onwarde to the ende make thy profite of all and so farewell hartely in Christ. I beseech thee in thy prayers remember to pray among y t rest for the aduancemēt cōtmuance of Gods holie Gospell in sinceritie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vs free frō all dregges of Poperie also for the prosperitie of the Queenes most excellent Maiestie our dread 〈◊〉 in all thinges and for the preseruation and blessing euery way of this whole Church and Land our deare Countrie and that thou in heart prayest procure indeede that is by all meanes endeuour in thy 〈◊〉 effectually to 〈◊〉 and to put the same in practise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory and his Churches benefite Amen P. W. 2. Thes. 2. Cor. 4. 4. 2. Thes. 2. 10. 11. 12. 2. Thes. 2. 8. Iude. ver 22. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. Hovvlet the madge Hovv let highly schritchith an maketh an yll fauoured noyse to the Nightinghale whose melodie pleasant note is knowen 〈◊〉 30. 68. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flac. 〈◊〉 De testibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baleus De illustr 〈◊〉 Britan. Actes 〈◊〉 Tome 1. 〈◊〉 705. 706 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fasciculo rerum expetendarum 〈◊〉 fugiendarum 〈◊〉 De Clamengiis in collatione 2. 〈◊〉 per scriptum super materia Concilii Generalis 〈◊〉 Scholasticum 〈◊〉 This was Pope Iohn the 23. Hee wrote this in the 〈◊〉 of the Councel of Constance about the yere of our Lord. 1414 Masse of the holy Ghost at the beginning of the Councel Esay 5. 20. 1. Iohn 4. 1. Ephes. 5. 13. 1. Thes. 5. 5. 1. Cor. 2. 4. Tertul. aduersus 〈◊〉 Two causes of dedication Persuade not before you teach as heretikes do 〈◊〉 Tertull. In the second xii section of his Epistle dedicatorie c. Or in the reasons of refusall 〈◊〉 5. 57. c. Cicero Fol. 41. pag. 2. Fol. 4. 5. The foundation of our religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fol. 20. page 1. Fol. 6. page 1. Fol. 28. page 1. Fol. 60. In this point whether it be lawfull for these Catholikes to goe to protestantes Churches or no Sect. 3. Fol. 39. pag. 2. a Looke the 〈◊〉 discourse Fol. 65. Prou. 13. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. Vabentinian con 〈◊〉 lib. 1. Tit 25. 〈◊〉 forensis est vt qui in precib mentitus fuerit non ills prosit quod 〈◊〉 Aug. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist. 50. D. Thom. 2. 2. 9. 10. act 8. Psal. 22 12. 13. 〈◊〉 13. 17. 〈◊〉 c. Magna 〈◊〉 illecebra 〈◊〉 spes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tim. 1. 5. 19. Sect. 9. Arist. lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Howlets third section 〈◊〉 religions 〈◊〉 3. Sect. 16. 18. Domini Francis Augusti Carmel Aposalip 9. 3. Fol. 39. pag. 2 Galat. 4. 18. Apocal. 3. 16 2. 2. q. 188. Ar. 1. Matth. 13. 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 9. Mat. 23. 9. Renela 12. 9 〈◊〉 3. 15. Section 13. Ignatius 〈◊〉 Philadelphiens 〈◊〉 antiquitas Christus 〈◊〉 Fol. 16. pag. 〈◊〉 Section 〈◊〉 Straightnesse to Catholikes Fol. 16. page 2. Marke this supposition and applie it to our time The maner of dissēbling Schismatiks liuely expressed O dānable dissēbling this is done by many in
message vttereth it with his owne wordes Wee crye out of the ryot c. Hee may issue from Pope Iohn the three and twentiethes spirit well inough as one of that broode for the agreement that is betweene both As for vs wee may not dislike nor maruel at this choyse of these fathers like Pope like spirite the rather for that wee reade that this foule and vnluckie birde I meane madge Howlet hath aforetime waited vpon the Pope and serued his vnholy holynesse euen in counsell as his familiar spirite whiche is as worshipfull an office I tell you as this carrier and letter bringer serueth in now howeuer the ill fauoured madge Howlet be wondred at among men or other birdes or be taken to be but an vnluckie messenger Let mee bee bolde with thee 〈◊〉 Reader for the satisfaction of some here vpon such resemblance and agreement betweene the parties and other circumstances to set downe the olde storie of the madge Howlet not taken out of newe writers of these dayes which yet haue faithfully and truely deliuered vs the same in wryting as to leaue other those reuerende and learned fathers Maister Iohn Bale in Latine and Maister Iohn Foxe in Englishe our owne Countrey men haue done Neuerthelesse though I agree with them and namely with Maister Foxes storie and allowe the same as fully agreeing heerein with the first Authour and truthe wrangle the aduersarie against those woorthie fathers worthye woorkes as much as he list yet haue I thought good to fetch this nowe out of a worthye Doctour and Archdeacon of our aduersaries owne Church called Nicholas de Clamengiis to whom maister Foxe honestly and truely sendeth vs and with whom also I sawe the booke This Nichol de Clamengiis liuing in the time whē the thing happened wrote the same His booke also was since printed publishd in a Popish time a popish place c. That I say nothing of Orthuinus Gratius cēsure thereon who being a popish priest yet in setting this forth amōg other things denieth not the truth heereof So as the aduersarie cannot easily cauil After this Archdeacon had declared the notoriousnesse of the matter and the good testimonie hee had thereof thus setteth he vs downe the storie aboue eight score yeeres since Balthasar Cossa sayth hee about foure yeeres since called a Councel at Rome c. Nowe at the entrie or before the first session of the 〈◊〉 when Masse for the holy Ghost as the manner is was done and the Councel nowe were set and Balthasar himselfe in a chayre prouided for him on high aboue the rest behold a foule vnluckie Owle which is alwayes a messenger of some corps or other misfortune as they say commeth out of his hole and flickering about with his shreeching noyse stayes himselfe vpon the midle beame of S. Martines temple where they sate in the Councell casting his brode eyes directly vppon Balthasar All there present fel in a wonderment that a night birde which shunneth the light came in the middes of the assembly at brode day light by which wonder and strange sight they did not without cause thinke some mischiefe to bee foreshewed Behold saide they one to another softly the spirit is come in the shape of an Owle And when the rest looking one on an other vpō Balthasar could scarsely forbear laugh ter Balthasar himself vpon whome alone this madge Howlet casting his eyes stedfastly looked did blushe for shame sweate for anger and fretted in his minde and at length not knowing how to helpe otherwise this his so great disgrace breaking vp the councell arose and went his way There followed after another session wherein againe after the same maner the madge Howlet though as I thinke not called failed not to bee present casting still his foule eyes vpon Balthasar which m. Howlet he seeing to be returned was not without iust cause more troubled and striken with shame than afore and not being able to abide the sight of the madge Howlet any longer he commanded him to be beaten away with libbets and clubbes and with crying noyse but M. Howlet neuer a whit disquieted either with their shreeching noyse or other disturbaunce woulde not flie away till with muche cudgeling at him being very sore beaten hee fell downe dead before them all These things saith our Authour learned I of a certaine faithfull and trustie friende who at that time came straight and directly from Rome of whiche I making doubt by reason of the strangenesse thereof my friende being very earnestly sworne Assured me hee told mee that was moste true and added further that all that were present were hereby brought into an vtter contempt disdaine and mocking of that councell and the whole companie by little and little falling away hee affirmed there was nothing at all there doone to any purpose Thus farre Clamengius cited very truely by maister Foxe For the Gentleman the authours worshipfull friende as hee speaketh if there be any suche and he not too farre gone I wish him to bee aduised and take heede what scholemaisters hee betake his conscience to be framed by the matter is of no small importance let him at leastwise without preiudicate opinion heare and reade both sides before hee iudge or thruste himselfe too farre ouer the shoes for our part what euer opinion the aduersaries bee of leauing the rest to hym that is aboue wee desire no more at his handes this is it wee haue from the beginning and many a day sought and requested If hee will heare this counsell hee shall first see that wee drawe him not from the Pope and Popishe religion to carry him to depende vppon any mortall man in the case of religion and conscience bee he neuer so high or mightie but only vppon the true and immortall God of heauen and his sacred mouth Next that wee propounde him not doctrines deuised by mans braine and after recōmended vnder title of the Church to intangle his cōscienee and without eyther grounde or good reason make him perplexed and doubtfull by subtill quidities and questions as these men doe but after we haue brought him to feede in the pleasant and sweete pasture and to drinke of the pure and liuely fountaine of Gods holy woorde which is the trueth hee shall see wee endeuour to vnwrap and vnfoulde his conscience from snares to quiet the same with the true peace of God teaching him to make conscience where God and his woorde woulde and no where els and to looke well to these two points in the case of conscience God may and doth make lawes to bynde conscience withall and onely God may deale therein and no mortall man muche lesse that man of sinne the Pope In summe the more precisely in these matters pertayning to his soules health he shall cleaue to God and his holye truth contayned in the Scriptures renouncing all sectes and partes of whomesoeuer aswell Pope as other the better shall he please I will not say
that the crime of Disloyaltie is obiected vnto you c. Heereuppon you puffe and fume or woulde seeme to bee angry yee amplifie the matter yee apeale yee protest yee bestirre you euery way heere is praeda Mysorum expounded and set out with dogge Rhetorike and much adoe The thing might haue been 〈◊〉 taken and vttered with more 〈◊〉 and modestie and your deedes if yee had any might better cleere you with wyse men than wordes will Your iudgement of the man in this passion and in your owne case will hardly bee esteemed This vpbrayding of imprisonment this charging with phantasticall opinions and shewing none and saying that the man with whome yee are 〈◊〉 can deuise any newe Religion at any time vppon 〈◊〉 weekes warning giuen him grounded but vppon this if men reporte truely This vncharitable and naughty dealing I say may sauour of immoderat choler and heate but of litle trueth or honest modestie you would scarsely be content to bee so vsed your selfe Though it bee no parte of the matter to stande in defence of particular men and their 〈◊〉 neither take I great delight in that course yet if that be the partie ye quote in your margine M. Howlet I answere not by reporte and heare say as you too lightly doe but vppon better knowledge that it is very vntrue a slaunder that you reporte of his deuising of any newe Religion vppon a weekes warning c. And that hee hath beene knowen neuer to haue altered his iudgement in Religion since hee first entred the profession thereof and at this day also thankes bee to God keepeth the true paterne of the wholesome doctrine of saluation and constantly trauaileth for the mainteynance of the Fayth against you and such other as fallen into Heresie impugne the same It maketh no great matter what you reporte of him or such other when almost yee can say well of no good man the worse hee heareth of you in this case the better wil hee bee liked among the godly Touching the matter I would your deedes M. Howlet and your fellowes did not plainely confirme and approoue that hee writeth if you bee so stifly addicted vnto Popishe heresie as yee seeme to professe and so obstinate in refusing by othe to acknowledge her Maiesties Soueraigntie giuen of GOD and by lawe propounded to her subiects heere Thinke not that it is this man his singular opinion in wryting and printing but the common opinion heere of the best that in the case you are ye be enemies to God her Royall Maiestie and the State that worse tearmes also may beseeme you your deserts wel ynough Bee not angrie therefore at this your to much stirring will but increase the opinion of you Haue you beene all this while in laying downe your griefes in disclosing your miseries and vnfolding at large nowe your pittifull afflicted case and such intollerable molestations as you cannot beare brought into such extremitie as neuer was hearde of in Englande before And is all come to this that the geuing out publikely in print of these woordes that al Papists are enemies to GOD and her Royall Maiestie is aboue all things the most grieuous iniurious and intollerable Is this the deepest wounde and the greatest hurte yee haue Is this such extremitie as was neuer hearde of in England before Alas seely mouse that appeareth after the mountaines great trauaile I woulde when your side commaunded wee had beene persecuted but by tongue and penne Is that bloody persecutiō forgotten nowe these 〈◊〉 man but wordes and in your owne estimation but the wordes and opinion of a straunge brainsicke fellowe holding phantastical opinions and vyle in the reputation of the worlde what neede you bee so much moued thereat Yee are of a noble courage file not your handes vppon euery one yee meete I see M. Howlet your choise and meaning heerein cunningly to seeke to treade vpon the hedge where it is lowest you are commonly in extremities either with the greatest or the least you can hardly keepe the golden measure and meane in any thing This renteth your Catholique hartes forsooth which are priuey of your owne trueth and duetifull affection towardes her highnesse estate and personne woulde to God that that is so priuey to your selues vnknowen to others her Maiestie at least to whome it appertaineth might bee made priuey to in deede by your submissions to her authoritie renouncing all foreigne power I woulde yee woulde haue made her Maiestie priuey before yee ran away made your selues slaues to that Beast of Rome I woulde before you had thus dealt with her Subiectes and Printed your booke without her leaue and against her minde you would haue made her Maiestie priuey of y e matter I would you would yet now at the lēgth returne home vpō her Maiesties commandement and intimation giuen vnto you of her pleasure and doe as some of your fellowes companie doe repent and stande to her Maiesties mercy Ye need not be ashamed nor afrayde you shal haue examples here before your eyes of honester men I feare than some of you will prooue except you doe the lyke This is good sooth and trueth and the duetifull and bounden affection of subiects this is good plaine English dealing man without Romish farded 〈◊〉 or deepe Italian fetches if yee bee so desirous to cleere your selues as yee pretende yeelde to this motion in time Otherwise your Rhetorique is but colde it perswadeth not all that you say or can say for your selues hath been is considered it is hardly worth the hearing Hee that prayseth him selfe is not allowed but hee whome the Lorde prayseth How if her Maiestie reply relie as you speake vpon her iust interest how if shee say ye plaine more than ye neede or haue cause for if this mans wordes be the worst is done vnto you that you make much adoe of a litle or nothing in comparison howe if her Maiestie tell you where the trueth of the matter is to bee tryed in deedes and good euidence words are in vaine and preuaile not howe if therefore shee 〈◊〉 you leaue flourishing that is a vaine praysing and vaunting your Loyaltie in glorious wordes set out with colors of petre Rhetorique 〈◊〉 you for her satisfaction and assurance goe to the matter and by taking the othe of submission testifie and approoue your obedience and shame your aduersaries that way Let another man praise thee saith the wise man and not thyne owne mouth a stranger and not thyne owne lippes Namely wee are bidden there Not to boaste our selues before the King You keepe no measure 〈◊〉 M. Howlet And in refusing conformitie to take the othe of obedience and to goe to Church vpon the reasons of the treatise folowing Ye maintaine a very corrupt conscience if it may beare the name of conscience which is so ill staied If words may be receiued your pay verely is good if deeds bee required your money is not currant That
imagine to aske of your Maiestie any so great gift recompence or benefite in this worlde as shoulde be to them some fauourable tolleration with their consciences in religion the which consciences depending of iudegement and vnderstanding and not of affect and will can not be framed by them at their pleasures nor consequently reduced alwayes to such conformitie as is prescribed to them by their Superiours and yet this nothing deminisheth their duetifull loue towards the same Superiours seeing conscience as I haue said dependeth of iudgement and not of will BEcause you Catholiques are touched and that iustly with the crime of disobedience and rebellion towardes our soueraigne and that the whole fault hereof proceedeth from you that teache and leade the rest hereunto yee take some paines and seeke heere to cleare Poperie of that note but ill fauoredly and to little purpose for when you haue all sayd the matter is where it was you neither cleare your selues nor satisfie other you giue vs still faire wordes and make odious cōparisons besids the matter taking occasion in the most of this part to slander charge mē at home here and abroade aliue and dead one and other and still to vaunt and praise your selues and so make all things to serue your turne Herein spende you nowe sixe or seuen pages in this your Epistle to her Maiestie Whereof I must particularly speake some thing In the very entrye yee say yee medle with no mans particular fact but speake of the Catholik religion in generall So ye leaue vs a generall that can bee vndermined and ouerthrowne by no particulars Take away particulars and whereof will your generall consist Thus prouide you a salue for all the trecheries attempts taught and committed by any person of your side in any tyme So you salue vp the Popes bulles if you accompt him a man among other and his doing a particular facte So to make an ende yee salue vp all other libelles and writings made by any of those of your side what treason so euer they containe So yevantage your selfe greatly as ye weene and no lesse seeke you to disaduantage vs for what bryng you against vs and our religion in this case but particular mens writings and particular not factes but words of men Thus can you to charge in generall our religion both in doctrine and demeanour conclude without all reason A generall affirmatiue against vs by one or two particular examples but no particulars as I haue saide how contrary so euer they be in doctrine and behauiour to your Catholike religion in generall may ouerthrowe that you generally denie to fall into that religion Me thinketh you shoulde giue vs the same libertie ye take to your selues you medle you say with no mans particular fact and yet you will driue vs to answere for particulars 1 Your position hath two partes one to cleare your selues and your religion to wit you say that the Catholike religion in generall is vniustly touched by any secte of our time for teaching disobedience or rebellion against their Princes or as your note hath The Catholike faith teacheth obedience more then other religions This is for you I well wote not what you meane by your Catholike religion in generall nor howe you may vnderstande your note to bee some way true that your Catholike faith teacheth slauish obedience more then any other religion In that it maketh Emperours Kinges Potentates of the world and ciuil Magistrates so subiect to the Pope as to 〈◊〉 on their neckes to set them to holde his Stirrop his brydle to leade his Palfrey to kisse his foote c. Which al be but duties of obedience on their behalfes to set vp his creatures the Prelates of the Clergie to be Lordes ouer Gods Church whose seruantes they ought to bee As your very Pope also professeth himselfe to bee the seruant of the seruantes of God But as Salomon saith When a seruāt raigneth or is Lord it is one of the things of three or foure for the which the earth is moued can not susteine it selfe So this and such like slauishe obedience is nothing to the commendation of your Popishe religion which in too vile speeche and maner subiecteth into it those that yee call of the Laytte For obedience of subiectes to Princes it teacheth it so farre as may serue the turne of that religion and their ambitious mindes that I haue spoken of 2. The other part of your position here is to charge vs our religion to wit that the finall ende of our doctrine doing is to haue no gouernours or ruler at all that all heretiks and sectaries of our time such you call vs in euery coūtrey where they are contraried seeke to disturbe and molest by rebellion their Lordes and Princes teaching the same to be lawfull that they rushe into euerye thing with inordinate violence and like of nothing that order and obedience layeth downe vnto them whiche howe Clarkelike you proue wee shall God willing see in his place for first haue I to speake of you your faith doctrine religiō demeanor touching obediēce disobediēce w t is y t marke you shoote at or should be at least if ye rightly handled or perfourmed that yee take in hand Thus muft I stil put you in remēbrance of that where you shold proue and shewe that your faith and your religion that is the popishe faith and religion at this day is the Catholike fayth and religion as you terme it there you faile in your proofe It must needes bee supposed you are Catholikes and wee Heretikes and Sectaries because you say so without all proofe but the truth is farre otherwise False Catholikes or Catholikes in name may goe in opinion of men for Catholikes but true Catholikes shall they neuer be Leaue this equiuocation and ambiguitie of woordes and speeches and giue vs a sounder proofe then hitherto if ye haue it that Papistes bee true Catholiques and we Heretiks and Sectaries els giue vs leaue to beleeue that all ye say is not Gospell Our controuersie is not with the Catholik religion in general but with your Popish religion in particular The profession and fruites of your Popishe religion and disobedience to our Soueraigne the State and lawes here if we goe not without the compasse of these times will alwaies stoppe you from making a good argument to cleare your religion from rebellion namely when you deale with her Maiestie who is priuie of your whole doctrine and practise Yf you make a perfect argument eyther will one of your sentences be flatte false and so must be denied and you put to a harde prufe or els there is no remedy but ye must run for a poore helpe to an Elench and fallatiō which is a bad kind of reasoning You y t can not be reduced to conformitie prescribed by your Superiours Inducing you to your soules healthes to godlines to the cōmon good quiet of the countrey had not
many pointes We are not we may not nor no reason why wee should be y e mainteiners of any mēs errours This article as it is set vs downe here by you is That I may say what seemeth to me not only false but also seditious so is it reputed amōg vs y t which ye father vpō M. Wickliffe here agreeth better with the Pope and your Popishe religion then with the Gospell of Christ and our religion Doth not your Pope and Popishe religion disable and seeke to dispossesse any lawfull prince onely supposed by those of your side to fall into the mortall sinne of heresie and arme his subiectes against him Your selues also must define both mortall sinne and heresie too full euill fauouredly ywis as al men may easily see Did not Wickliffe in his life time write that the Clergie moued by the Fryers went about that matter here in Englnade hath not the Pope your father claymed the ryght of disposing all ciuill and earthly Kingdomes hath he not called the King of England to omit other his vassall as though he held his kingdome but as his tennant and at his pleasure I haue shewed you before where you shall finde our doctrine and profession of Magistrates more sounde holy and reuerent then yours els woulde I be ashamed of it But you will say you sende vs to the places where we shall finde that this was Wickliffes doctrine howe say wee to that I say you doe it full ilfauouredly you quote vs in deed three places whereof two are pretended to bee taken from the lying spirites and wrytings of Gods aduersarie and Wickliffes The third vntruly as farre as I can see out of his owne workes whiche are very hardly come by nowe a dayes and yet as I coulde recouered I 〈◊〉 Trialogue And I haue read read againe the thirde Chapter of the fourth booke of Wickliffes Trialogue where you sende vs to seeke that yee impose vpon Wickliffe whereof I praye you entreateth hee there for sooth this is the argumēt To shew in this speech of Christ This is my body What is signified by this woorde This. wherein establishing the truth he mightely ouerthroweth your Popish corrupt doctrine of this Sacrament Now for M. Wycklyff to teache in that place the article you set vs downe were nothing to the purpose And this I say if any such worde as ye reporte be in this place ye send vs vnto let me leese my credite for euer if not let y e Christiā reader take heede for euer howe hee trust your lying spirite in quoting things Howe can you reporte trueth of vs when your religion forbiddeth to reade our wrytings vnlesse it bee to reprooue them yee knowe your owne tearmes best Yee take al one from anothers reporte and beeing our sworne enemies howe is it to bee thought you will reporte truely of vs and of our opinions and wrytings but the fault may possibly bee in the Printer or you taking this from your Authours second promised parte vnperformed yet might bee deceyued as indeed you or hee set vs downe in another place this article to bee in the 36. chapter of the 4. booke of Wycklyffs Trialogue Thus your Authour and you leade about the reader vncertainly not knowing where to seeke y t you alledge There is as much to be had of this article in the 36. chapter of that booke as in the place before alleaged which is nothing at all The matter hee handleth in this 36. chapter is how Fryers so greatly poysoned kingdomes wherein they dwelt as in those dayes they did So wee send you still to seeke vs a newe place for this article in Wycklyff Marke your wordes Cogge not foyst not Tell vs where the wordes as you set them downe be to be had Tell vs not what begging and lying fryers may haue deuised or your enuyous Papisticall wryters of this mans doctrine you set vs the article downe as though it were his owne woordes I am not ignorant that in Wycklyffs life time not much an vnlike slaunder as the latter part of your article containeth was raysed against the profession of the Gospel by the wicked fryers that then liued Nowe come I to the two other places you send vs vnto in your marginall quotation I meruaile you bee not ashamed to sende vs for the report of Wickliffes doctrine to his so deadly enimies one of the testimonies is fetched but from a yesterdayes byrde to speake of who was vnborne many yeeres after Wickliffe was dead I meane that obstinate enimie to Christes Gospell brawling and rayling Cocleus who is saide to haue died 1552. well toward 200. yeeres after Wickliffs daies whose bookes long before y t time being condemned to be burnt were then hardly to bee gotten neither sought after but to that end nor regarded by those of your side but let that enimies testimonie of Wickliffs doctrine goe as not worth the examining The Councell of Constance remaineth as the thirde testimony herein It seemeth yee make great account of that for you set it in the first place you will say peraduenture it is a publike testimonie is grounded vpon moe testimonies also I reade Wickliffes articles set downe by diuers and confuted by some of your side yet doe I not finde by the former reporters no not Popes and Papistes that liued about that time this article as you set it vs downe and in this Coūcel of Constance you 〈◊〉 not this article you charge him with heere so are you a false reporter of the Councell too Which I say not to 〈◊〉 their spight and hatred that were there assembled against poore Wickliffe and suche other Wickliffes bookes 〈◊〉 then before that time were condemned to bee burnt so 〈◊〉 no man might reade keepe haue or vse any of them but to their reproof hee also was before the assembly of that 〈◊〉 many yeeres dead and was by the vnholy fathers 〈◊〉 assembled appointed to bee taken vp againe and his bones to bee burnt so feruent and hot was their Popish charitie or rage rather according to their custome in these later tymes Nowe when Wycklyff was dead and his bookes thus consumed by fire no mastrie for them that had al the world at will and commandement to make men beleeue Wycklyff wrote that which they his mortal enemies listed to charge him with but let thē beleue it that list we are not bound to their report And yet syr though that conncel set Wycklyffs articles downe to malicioussy we finde not this article in y t Sessiō of y t coūcel y e you set vs downe If you referre vs to y e 15. article there set downe against Wycklyff you take away for your vaūtage you spightfully adde as good as halfe in this article you set vs downe other enemies to y e Gospel to Wycklyff afore tyme haue delt lesse shamelesly in setting downe this article then you doe so doeth at this day Saunders your owne
pretended consicence in very bad thinges Heereto yee bring so had yee neede yet all will not serue the examples of all Princes and Potentates of the worlde before Christe and since and of the very Turkes themselues and other Infidels To shewe that her Maiestie and the State deale more cruelly by Lawe heere with you then any other State bee they neuer so barbarous doe with their people and that this will bee damnable vnto them You are in great and high matters you had neede remember your selfe and you neede to haue beene beter acquainted with Kinges and Princes Estates their affaires then may be thought you be or els haue let this far fet stuff alone This geare beseemeth you your spirit wel M. Howlet and that to with her Maiestie her selfe doth it not Next if any testimonies and examples of practise bee alleadged against you of temporall punishment you turne them all ouer in saying such proceeding was against Heretikes onely which make dissention in Christ his bodie And although you prooue not the Papists to be out of that number but that they may iustly bee counted Heretikes as they bee in deede and therefore by your owne doctrine of the Princes and States that iustly so take them to be recalled and inforced by temporall punishment or restrained at the least yet to helpe your selfe as you may as though popery were the true and right Christian religion ye suppose that you haue no whit swarued from the truth but that we whom yee call Protestants haue gone from you set vp a newe religion as though we what shoulde I say wee her Maiestie the state professed or called you to any other than to Iesus Christe onely true and most auncient religion comprised and expressed in the holy scriptures or from that The end of all 〈◊〉 y t you must still doe as ye now do in abstayning from the Churche assemblies c. And by no iustice be inforced to the contrary For that if your 〈◊〉 conscience be persuaded herein ye may not doe against that though it be euill Nowe thus writeth M. Howlets authour heereof in the latter ende of the nienth reason of his treatise Neither sufficeth it to say Those suppositions are false that there are not such thinges committed against God at the Protestantes Churches and seruices for howsoeuer that bee whereof I dispute not nowe yet I being in my hearte of another religion must needs thinke not onely them but also all other religions what soeuer to commit same as I knowe they also thinke of mine 〈◊〉 how good and holy soeuer they were yea if they were angels yet shoulde I be condemned for going amongst them for that in my sight iudgement conscience by which only I must bee iudged they must needes seeme enimies to God being of the contrary religion By this it may appeare howe greeuously they sinne dayly in England and cause other to sinne with them whiche compell men by terrour to doe actes of religion against their consciences As to take othes receiue Sacraments goe to Churches the like which being done as I haue saide with repugnant consciences is horrible mortall sinne as hath byn alreadie prooued and consequently damnable both to the doers and inforcers ther of And again in the same ix reason speaking of the consciences of Infidels and Heretikes amongest many thinges hee thus writeth generally of all sortes of men If there bee no man either so foolish or impious in the world but must needes think that one only religion amongest Christians is true and all other false And if euery man which hath any religion and is resolued therin must needs presuppose this onely truth to bee in his own religion then it followeth necessarily that hee must likewise persuade him selfe that all other religions besides his owne are false and erronious and consequently all assemblies Conuenticles and publike Actes of the same to bee wicked damnable dishonourable to God contumelious to Christe and therefore to his conscience which thinketh so detestable And in another place before his reasons agreeing yet more fully plaine ly with M. How let Surely as I am now minded I woulde not for tenne thousand worldes compel a Iew to sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie For albeit the thinge bee neuer so true yet shoulde hee bee damned for swearing against his conscience and for compelling him to commit so haynous and greeuous a sinne c. I may heere charge these men that they speake of conscience very doubtfully and diuersly yea wickedly and dangerously in that they make no better distinction betweene truth and falshood good and bad a right and a wrong conscience or erronious as these men speake the resolution of God in men for their doinges and mens false persuasions reasons and resolution to common lower mens fansies and imaginations Conscience as the very worde importeth is a knowlege in vs with an addition or to speake plainer if I can it is an inward sense or feeling of god his iudgement cōcurring w t our knowledge Whereof ariseth this the testimonie of conscience or our conscience bearing vs witnesse c. Of which cōscience what force it hath to take away all excuse from men before God the Apostle disputeth Rom 2. If yee like not this I say yee shall finde that some of your owne writers take conscience doublie or two wayes sometime for that part or power of the minde that is alwayes contrary to vice and euill or alwayes accompaning that parte and then it is euer right Sometime is conscience taken for an applying of our knowledge to some action and so is it not a qualitie but an action And thus is it not alwayes good or right say they But for the purpose and matter wee haue in hand and for our instruction and guiding Besides that the very woorde and the Etymologie or discription thereof teacheth vs that conscience differeth from opinion immagination fancie vaine conceipt c. As beeing a more high and heauenly gift especiall when it is directed by God his holy worde and Spirite Wee haue further to marke the generall doctrine of the holy Ghoste set vs downe in the scriptures in vsing to our benefit or abusing to our hurt euen Gods good creatures and the note hee giueth of the force of conscience therin vnto the pure al things are pure but vnto them that are defiled vnbeleeuing is nothing pure But euen their mindes and consciences are defiled saith the Apostle and in particular he saith further That in the latter times some shall departe from the fayth and shall giue heede vnto spirites of errours and doctrines of diuelles which speake lies through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with an hot iron or be past feeling as hee saith elswhere And in an other place yet some hauing put away good conscience as concerning fayth haue made Shipwracke And
open a windowe by their doctrine to the Libertines and them that are leade by inspiration and pretende the motion of the spirite altogether to cloke their filthie sinne wickednes vnder if they yet y t say they may not resift the motiōs of y e spirit haue not a better or not so bad a pretence but more religious then they that say they may not vnder paine of damnation doe against reason bee it right be 〈◊〉 wrong which is Philosophical and seemeth to be prophane So againe by their doctrine of inforcement and their threat of damnation against the enforcers of naughtie men to do against their naughtie conscience they vnder mine the lawfull authoritie of Ciuil Magistrates and their wholesome lawes made and executed against sinne and wickednesse and agree too well with the Anabaptistes and suche other as allowe not of Magistrates but as we highly thanke God for her Maiestie and this Gospelling state of whome wee receiue this double benefite first of heauenly doctrine and religion whereby mens consciences out of Gods worde are rightly instructed and informed and these vices and transgressions reprooued and they enforced to haunt publike assemblies heare their dutie there shewed them that either are ignorant or wilfull Next of publike honestie and peace maintained among vs by lawes and the 〈◊〉 of the same pretende they conscience or whatsoeuer condignely restrained and by seueritie punished So againe doe I tell them in a worde that Christes religion taken out of Gods booke if they haue grace to enter the profession thereof will ease all this matter and voide and cleere that which they defusedly and darkely and dangerously teache of an erroneous conscience and the bonde thereof and of perplexitie for in Gods booke they shall 〈◊〉 no such stuffe But the matter being well duly examined their persuasion will bee founde by that booke to bee nothing lesse then conscience and there wee are commaunded to doe that onely that is good and forbidden to doe that is euill wee may not doe euill no not that good may come thereof Or if that like them best let it beare the name of adiuelishe conscience and so to bee refourmed or otherwise to abide the smart which such wickednesse iustly deserueth 〈◊〉 out especially to the hurt of Churche and common wealth Grounde therefore gentle M. Howlet your conscience hence foorth vpon Christe the true rocke and his heauenly doctrine and let Poperie goe Or els bee content to reforme the same by that rule wheresoeuer you haue grounded it afore time Heare if not mee in this case yet some of your owne side to induce you heereto Bee not too much addicted to your D. Thomas and your owne conceite stay not obstinately on the text of your Canon Lawe Be content to heare the glose if he mend the text say better Though there be of your side that say An erroneous conscience bindeth as strongly as a good conscience and that in the worst degree it bindeth a man to doe according vnto it So as if hee doe contrary to it hee sinneth so as his conscience abiding such the man is perplexed till he put it away and an other way his erroneous conscience bindeth him so as if hee doe not accor ding vnto it hee sinneth If hee doe according vnto it he sinneth not which is Iohns case of worshipping the Diuell Yet is there againe some euen of your side that say 〈◊〉 Where a mans cōscience biddeth him that is contrary to the lawe of God it bindeth him not to doe it but bindeth him to lay away his conscience which if M. Howlet and his authours and other our Romane Catholikes at this day woulde haue consulted withall or hearkened vnto they woulde I suppose not haue made so euill a choyse as they doe but haue written otherwise then they vsually nowe doe following heerein the worser sort of their Doctours The wordes of their owne glose in Commentarie vpon the text of their Canon not bearing the vntruth therof in the matter of perplexitie correcteth y e same so forcible is Gods truth in some euen in most popish daies the wordes of your glose contrary to the text are these But wee must say no man can bee perplexed betweene two euils because thence it woulde followe that some man of necessitie shoulde bee bounde to doe euill but the Canon saith that God would neuer render distruction except a man were founde willingly to haue sinned as 23. q. 4. Nabuchodonosor ver vasis irae Moreouer if of necessitie wee were bounde to doe any thing the lawe that forbiddeth it shoulde bee impossible where as notwithstanding euery lawe ought to bee possible as before distinct 4. erit Perplexitie therefore as touching the thing it selfe is nothing but as touching the minde and foolishe opinion of some man there is some perplexitie Wherefore the Iewes were not perplexed vnlesse in mind and therefore shoulde haue asked counsaile of the wiser and better learned as of the Apostles or holy scriptures c. Nowe returne I. M. Howlet to the particular examination of your woordes which that I bee not driuen to repeate I desire the reader to peruse a part as I haue before set y e same down You make your entrāce into this great religious matter of consciēce by a prophane sentence takē out af Aristotles Rhetorique but howe euer this maye serue Philosophicall and your Schoole diuinitie wherewith the 〈◊〉 of Christes Gospell hath of some time beene too much bastarded yet thankes be to God hee hath opened our eyes to see and discerne betweene mans wisedome and the heauenly trueth so as being forewarned by the holy Ghost to beware least any man spoyle vs through Philosophie and vaine deceite according to the tradition of men according to the rudimentes of the worlde and not according to Christe c We meane to take as good heede of your vayne speculations as God shall giue grace that is only good to euery man say you out of your Philosopher which ech mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good vnto which the Scriptures diuines 〈◊〉 Howe then are the counselles and wayes of the Lorde and those of men so opposed in the scriptures the one approued and allowed the other reiected Howe is it so muche and so often cryed out vppon in the Scriptures and men seuerely forbidden to followe their own wayes or to doe that which seemeth good in their owne eyes but that alwayes and alonely which is agreeable vnto the Lord vpon whose direction if we bee his we wholly depende There is hardly any thing more dangerous and hurtfull for men to follow then that which is here made the fountaine of all good vnto thē Did not God to draw frō following y e direction of mans vnderstanding in this life giue his people holy lawes and commandementes to distinguishe betweene good and euill and continually to direct them by that they myght serue him in holinesse and righteousnes in his presence
with victorie the ambitious with honor the couetous with monie c. scripture diuines to agree with this hellike doctrine God forbidde Wee haue better Schoole maisters then so thankes bee to God Euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lyghts c. euen to this father of glory must we pray for this gyft of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him that the eyes of our vnderstanding may bee lightened that wee may knowe what the hope is of his calling c. It is a seconde grace and gyfte that I may so speake aboue and beyonde nature and the lyght thereof or eche mans vnderstandyng Your Saint Thomas if you woulde haue consulted but with him would haue tolde you as muche Searche the Scriptures Are yee not therefore deceyued because ye knowe not the Scriptures c. sayth our Sauiour Christ heare him As all poyntes of Diuinitie and Religion woulde bee grounded on Gods booke and the Scriptures not vpon the Philosophers and Rhetorique so especially when there is question of conscience or of doing or not doing thereafter in matters of religion shoulde wee haue recourse vnto that heauenlye 〈◊〉 but yee say The Scripture and Diuines agree to this sentence of the Philosopher when they say That we shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie our of conscience Make this sentence playner and expound it not by the first least both fall out to be very false very pernitious the better of the two make of it what you can is very perplexed darke and doubtfull at least as you set it downe and followe it This may be propounded in lecture among you by him that is your publike reader in the cases of conscience but wee haue seene to muche of your Schoole diuinitie and diuelishe doctrine in conscience to haunte your Romishe lectures or receiue that is therein taught and professed Our senses are better acquainted with the phrases of the Scriptures If this latter sentence be all one with the other and first cited out of Aristotle thē might you haue spared your Philosophers Rhetoricall sentence and rested vpon this whiche yee pretende to take out of the Scripture and Diuines The heauenly Scripture hath no neede of mans wisedome to bee vnderstood sayth one but 〈◊〉 y t reuelation of y t spirit but first I tel you I find not y t words ye set vs downe in those Scriptures whiche yee quote vs in the margin yee tell vs of beeing iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience yee sende vs to 2. Cor. 1. and to 1. Iohn 3. The Apostle in the place ye poynt vs speaketh more particularly of the testimony of a good conscience onely and of his owne that hee had in this worlde his wordes bee these Our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenes not by fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the worlde c. Marke here that Saint Paul had his conuersation in the worlde not directed by his owne vnderstanding As your Philosophical sentence pretendeth not by fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God in simplicitie and godly purenes The testimonie of suche a conscience is a goodly matter and to bee reioyced in in deede let it bee if you will a 〈◊〉 feast c. And this is the oddes here betweene a heathen and a Christian life yet doth not the Apostle in this place saye generally that wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience neither yet of him selfe sayth hee so muche speaking of the testimonie of his own conscience Though I deuy not but y t faithful being receiued 〈◊〉 by gods mercy ingraffed into Christ by faith shall haue matter of 〈◊〉 in a good conscience in wel doing euen at the last day But you carry it further The Apostle in another place speaking of his fidelitie in his Ministerie and of a better conscience still then you seeme hereto note sheweth yet a higher Iudge rather and more sharper of sight who will iudge him more thoroughly then according to his owne vnderstanding and conscience Nay as one that durste not iustifie him selfe though his conscience charged him with nothing in his function hee reiecteth that iudgement from himselfe and from all men also as vnfitte and vnsufficient vnto the Lorde himselfe who at his comming will lighten thinges that are hidde in darkenesse and make the counsailes of the hearts manifest The other place yee cite to shewe wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to our conscience is out of Saint Iohns Epistle where thus it is written I must ghesse because yee neyther set downe the wordes nor the verse For thereby that is by louing in deede and truth wee knowe that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our heartes For if our heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things Beloued if our heart condemne vs not then haue wee boldnesse towarde GOD. Here the Apostle speaketh of that boldnesse and enterance with confidence that the faithfull here haue towardes God by Christ Iesus and by fayth in him of the benefite thereof whiche as by a certaine marke is expressed by true and vnfaygned loue and of the lacke of this full perswasion againe what a losse it is here is nothing spoken of our being iudged at the last day according to our conscience And this is all I finde of this matter in the places of Scripture here alleadged For the Diuines that ye talke of because yee quote vs Augustin alone for all sende vs to two places 〈◊〉 him and the matter is not great what is there saide I referre it to the learned Readers iudgment that is disposed to examine the places You report heere bring in Austin for proofe that wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience Where Austin speaketh not of the iudgement of the last day in neither of both the Chapters Consult therefore with them from whome ye tooke these places that they may appoint you fitter for the purpose or you better followe the simplicitie and sinceritie of the sacred Scriptures If yee say Austin name conscience or speake a worde thereof in both the Chapters I graunt you 〈◊〉 you must remember with all that euery thing may not be gathered of euery worde The two places much agree the first yee recite hath relatiō to the latter hee saith not that whiche you speake heere Againe speaking very briefly as for a conclusion of his first booke of Christian doctrine Of this sentence of S. Paul The end of the commaundement is loue out of a pure hearte and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained hee sheweth wherefore the Apostle put in that
clause of a good conscience which hee putteth for hope saith Austin Learne you also saith M. Howlet to adde this worde good to conscience ioyne it with faith and keepe that bonde or knot that the Apostle maketh in this sentence And so if you can apply it to your selfe yee shall not onely haue great matter of reioycing but her Maiestie and the lawes also I doubt not to beare with your conscience and to tender the same as reason and equitie woulde and besides because the same shalbe found to agree with Gods word to be grounded thereon wee shalbee as readie to auowe and allow therof as we now are to 〈◊〉 the same for y t it is so directly contrary to the worde and therefore neither for you to flatter your selues in nor meete for the State to allowe or beare withall Wee doubt nothing but that the testimonie of a good vpright conscience is of great waight and force and to be respected and hearkened vnto So that we remember still 〈◊〉 a pure heart therewith and an vnfained faith which must euer haue the light of Gods worde goe before or accompanie the fame in the faithfull that vnder the colour of conscience other persuation or the rule of reason deceiue vs not The 〈◊〉 of all is I would haue you know conscience a right and distinguish wel betweene a good and a naughtie conscience by the Scriptures For the accord or agreement betweene your two sentences one and the first taken out of Aristotles Rhethorike that is onely good vnto euery man which eche mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good The other as is supposed out of diuinitie that wee shall be iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience Make them you agree as you can I cannot see the agreement betweene them Vnderstanding is one thing and the testimonie of our cōscience is another thing good to euery man nowe and 〈◊〉 at the last day bee two Finally the two sentences as in wordes so in substance and meaning seeme vtterly to disagree I woulde therefore whereas you say the scriptures and diuines agree vnto the Philosophers saying you woulde or coulde haue made the Philosophers saying agree with the scriptures rather whiche though yee shall trauell as yee doe by enticing speache of mans wisedome to performe Yet all is but in vaine the thing will neuer come about Let Philosophie goe therefore and the Philosopher in testing the fountaine rule of good 〈◊〉 vs Christians Let Gods word and law or the holy Scriptures bee our rule there in alone according to that there is one rule and measure for one thing let reason in 〈◊〉 with your S. Thomas if ye will be the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actions let y t spirit of god be y t beginning of all good in vs that be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and other Augustin a Diuine whome yee 〈◊〉 in this matter saith very well against your first sentence of Philosophie in this sentence of his Faith openeth the way to vnderstanding and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it And againe as is alleadged in your owne decrees All the life of the vnfaithfull is sinne neither can it bee good that is doone without God for where there lacketh the knowledge of the enternall vnchangeable truth there is false vertue euen in the best behauiour and manners And concerning the phrases maner of speaking of Philosophers and diuines howe different they ought to bee thus saith Austin Philosophers speake with wordes at will and in matters very harde to vnderstande feare not the offence of religious eares but we that are Christians and 〈◊〉 haue a lawe to speake after a certaine rule least libertie of speech or wordes breede wicked opinion of those things which are signified thereby And thus muche concerning your two sentences and the agreement thereof wherevpon all the rest that followeth here of this matter seemeth to be grounded Of your propositions thus taken from Philosophers Diuines yee say it followeth that whatsoeuer wee doe contrary to our iudgement and conscience is according to the apostle damnable because wee decerne it to be euill and yet doe it But that which the Apostle heere saith for all your whatsoeuer false glose must bee vnderstood in those things which are lawfull saith your owne D. Thomas in y t very next sentence verse before y t last vpon these wordes which are y t groūd of that that followeth Blessed is hee that condemneth not himselfe in that he alloweth That moderation shoulde yee haue kept but yee doe not for yee say bee the action in it selfe neuer so good and the man that doth it neuer so bad as seemeth for you name vs a Gentile or Heathen man and to confesse there is messias yet because it seemed naught in his iudgement and conscience therefore to him shall it be accounted a damnable sinne at the last day Heereby it appeareth yee holde that at the last day the testimonie of a 〈◊〉 iudgement and naughtie conscience euen of an Heathen shalbe admitted to cleere him from euill and to condemne him for doing good or that any man shalbe damned at the day for acknowledging there is a Messias against his wicked iudgement and conscience at least will there not bee other matters sufficient and I nowe thinke you to condemne such men for but that such cases and causes as these vnwonted and vnmentioned in the Scriptures shoulde after they bee by your heades deuised and moued then also be alleadged This is prophane and vaine babbling and brawling which breedeth questions rather then godlye edifiyng which is by faith which thing the holy Apostle S. Paule so carefully warneth his schollers Timothie and Titus in many places to take heede of to auoide they may beseeme your scholding disputes your subttle schooles and readinges they beseeme not her maiesties eares they agree not with the diuinitie schooles of the holy Ghoste Did your testimonies of Scriptures and Diuines you set vs downe teathe you this or whence had you it shall wee be iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience be it good bee it bad must wee bee iudged by that onely Shall it bee now good and then good and so alwayes good to the Gentile to denie the Messias because his vnderstanding iudgemēt and conscience telleth it him to bee good c. This is a maruellous and strange Paradoxe the foundation building thereon are muche alike Is there no difference nor oddes Before I further examine the matter you tell vs Let mee a litle consider howe you handle the holy Scripture with your foule handes or our euill fauoured clawes and how vntowardly you alleadge your testimonies still because wee decerne it to bee euill and yet doe it Yee quote vs for it Rom. 14. though yee name no verse yet your words seeme to sende vs to the last verse of the Chapter which hangeth on the wordes before are a reason
telleth expressely Yee may bee compelled to perfourme that ye haue promised and holde that yee haue once receiued And bringeth good testimonies against you out of Augustine You I say that haue been baptized into the fayth of Christ not of Rome nor the Popish church and hardely any one of you founde within this Realme or among you English Romanistes that being of age now leaue this Realme that haue not in the time of the profession of the Gospel here gone to Church and done other actes of our religion at one time or other in blessed king Edwards dayes now or both Againe yee know that your D. Thomas his manner in his summe commonly is after he hath obiected agaynst the truth to set on the contra ry side that he taketh to be the truth in this question after he hath out of other men obiected That Infidelles are by no meanes to be compelled to the fayth he addeth as it were of his own But of the cōtrarie side is y t which is sayd in the. 14. of Luke Goe out into the wayes and hedges compell them to come in that my house may bee filled But men enter into the house of God that is into the holy church by fayth Therefore some saith he are to be com pelled to the fayth This haue I set downe that you may see what vātage you haue by sending vs to your S. Thomas and your other doctours for indeed sir to shew you might here haue spared wel enough in your margin Omnes doct I could further alleadge to the contrary your subtil Doctor Iohn Scot who had great followers He holdeth herein that it were godly and well done If Infidels were compelled of their Princes with threats feare to faith religiō Euen against your D. Thomas that you here set vs downe You knowe or may knowe howe common a thing it is in your religion not in this Article onely to finde the Scotists against the Thomists Doctor against Doctor c. But I had rather vnfoulde my selfe and the reader out of these contradictions and braules of your Popishe wryters then sticke therein Her Maiestie besides that she simply and vtterly taketh not vpon her by force and violence to compell to fayth as though shee coulde giue and imprint the same in mens heartes though shee set forth maynteine and binde all her subiectes to outwarde meanes and exercises of religion as I haue sayde thereby shewing what shee wisheth and driueth vnto which shee also vseth her self neither sitteth shee in the conscience of any which is proper to your Pope his lawes and your religion besides that her Maiestie is free herein I say Shee moreouer vseth her selfe in this case so godly so wisely so vprightly and so moderately towards you that deserue so ill as if any faulte may iustly bee founde it is in this that some of you are not straightlier lookt vnto and more roundlier proceeded withall But her Maiestie is wise ynough Zizebutus a prince is commended in one of the councelles and in your owne Decrees and counted very religious in compelling to Christianitie This is that in summe I woulde say vnto you for answere in this matter For as much as there is no societie of people so barbarous lyghtly that liue without some outwarde exercise of Religion and God hath beautified and commended Ciuill Magistrates in kingdomes Common wealthes and Cities vnder the tytle of Gods and hath ordayned them as his Ministers for our good that we may receiue prayse frō autortie in doyng well and in doing otherwise stande in feare as who beareth not the swoorde in vayne for hee is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Againe forasmuch as this Image of God is in nothing more seene namely in publike persons those of Autoritie then in procuring promoting aduancing dayly of Gods honour and seruice by their power and by giuing shewing good exāple to others for which cause principally they are aduanced as on a mountain placed in Royall chaire that therefore I say those Christian Kings Queens whō God hath called to this honor to be Foster Fathers and Nurses to his Churche and people doe well and very acceptable seruice to GOD and are highly highly to bee commended and heartily and continually to bee prayed for of all for that the aduersarie on the other side is mightie and suttle not onely for ranging them selues to Gods holy and true Religion taken out of the sacred Scriptures and the outward exercises of the same but for inducing also by the wisedome and power giuen them of GOD all people and personnes subiect to them vnto the like by making good and wholsome lawes by encouragement and by feare according as the qualitie and circumstance of place tyme and person require without all tyranny and vsurpation of the roome and place of the most high God of heauen ouer mens consciences on the one side and yet without all loosenesse on the other side in omitting such oportunitie and meanes as God offereth for the benefite of the holye people the Saintes of the moste High I speake of these and of suche as are by office called to publique and high charge among them in Churche cōmon wealth euen christian Kings Queens c. Of whō thus it is prophecied The kingdome and dominion and the greatnes of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall be giuen to the holy people of the most high whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all powers shall serue and obey him This seemeth to bee spoken of Christ his kingdome and the time of the Gospel c. Nowe this consecrating of her selfe and her authoritie wholly to GOD and his seruice to the benefite of his Church is it and it alone which her Maiestie in this case of many yeeres hath stil doth to Gods glory her singular cōmendation put in executiō amōg vs her people growing I hope dayly from good to better And this is that also which no honest faithfull good man can iustly bee offended withall This haue I if not ouerthrowne in your opinion perhappes your bulwarkes yet sufficiently for this matter cleared the trueth I trust her Maiestie also and the state against your vniust quarrels and slanders 13 Nowe proceede I with your wordes Besides this say you as no wise Noble man after many Ages of quiet possession would suffer another to recouer his Barronie without shewinge of verie good euidence So wee in reason are not to bee blamed if wee 〈◊〉 helde the possession of the Catholike Churche in Englande for these thousand yeres by our aduer saries confession do stande with them yet and require some euidence before we consent to giue vp the same Hereto they haue shewed vs none but onely woordes and forgerie they entred into possession without tryall of the tytle they thrust vs out before sentence or proofe wee crye out of the
graunted Which you very instantly seeme to demaund but with your after parle conditional indenting with her maiestie yee seeme againe to flie touche that I say nothing heere of the vntimely asking of disputation at her maiesties handes after you haue a litle before twise doone the same When wee see greater cause than hytherto or any good to be gotten by going ouer Sea then may that voyage bee thought of or soone enough taken in hande of vs English Subiectes at her Maiesties appointment When yee haue ouerthrowne those of our side in the low Countries Germanie Fraunce c. that they shoulde neede helpe in the cause of the Gospell whiche will neuer bee while you liue Then were soone enough to make your bragges and to call vs to combate In the meane while what shoulde I say but whether you lie or relye it is all but vpon wordes and talke shifting of thinges by cunning This you haue Rethoricke enough to inforce But alack where truth and matter faile there are wordes and Rethorick little worth You that can handle an ill cause so handsomly would I wishe to try what you can doe in a good but that in deede needeth not so much a doe speaking well one may soone persuade wise men saith one which opinion M. Howlet it might haue beseemed you to haue had of her maiestie at least 17 AND nowe to leaue all these thinges to the holy prouidence of God and to the high wisedome of your most excellent Maiestie to consider of wee are humbly to craue at this time and most instantly to request that your Highnesse will not take in euill part this our bolde recourse vnto your Royall person in these our afflictions and passing great calamites You are borne our Soueraigne Princes and mother and wee your naturall Subiectes and children whether then shoulde children runne in their afflictions but vnto the loue and tender care of their deare mother especially shee beeing such a mother as her power is sufficient to releeue them in all pointes her goodwill testified by infinite benefites and her noble and mercifull disposition knowne and renouned through out the worlde 18 If your Maiestie were abrod in many partes of your Realme to vnderstande the miseries heare the cryes see the lifting vp of hands to heauen for the present afflictions which this persecution hath brought I knowe your Maiestie would bee much mooued as all men are heere by the only reporte of the same I coulde touche certaine particulars of importance to that effect But I will keepe the lawe of Areopagus I will say nothing to mooue my Iudge whose wisedome I well know and whose goodnesse I nothing at all mistrust 19 If your highnesse were of that disposition from which you are most farre of as to take pleasure in our afflictions delite and comfort in our calamities wee coulde bee content for to beare this and ten times more in so good a cause as wee suffer for And if there bee any other of such cruel appetite whom your Maiestie shoulde thinke good to be satisfied with blood there want no Catholikes both there and here which would most willingly offer themselues to purchase 〈◊〉 vnto the rest Diuers are in bondes there most ready I am sure to accept such an offer and if that number wyll not suffice let the worde bee but spoken and many more shall most ioyfully present themselues from hence hauing reserued our selues to none other ende if God woulde make vs worthie of that and that by our deathes wee might giue testimonie to the Catholike cause and redeeme the pitifull vexation of so many thousand afflicted people at this day in England 20 IESVS Christe in abundance of mercie blesse your Maiestie to whome as hee knoweth I wishe as much good as to mine owne soule persuading my selfe that all good Catholikes in Englande doe the same And they which goe about to insinuate the Contrary are in mine opinion but appointed instruments by the common enimie to dispoyle your Maiesty of your strongest piller and best right hande as soone after their purpose had it woulde appeare and shall be more manifest before the last tribunal seat where we al shalbe presented shortly without difference of persons and where the cogitations of all heartes shalbe reuealed and examined and in iustice of iudgement rightfully rewarded Nowe matters are craftily clowded up and false visards put on vpon euery action Then all shall appeare in sinceritie and truth and nothing auayle but only the testimonie of a good conscience The which Catholikes by suffering doe seeke to retaine and which God of his infinite goodnesse inspire your Maiestie graciously without enforcement to permit vnto them still Your Maiesties most humble and obedient Subiect I. Howlet After all this a doe you will seeme at length to craue pardon at her Maiesties handes or rather because you will seeme to be in no fault but to excuse your presumption you request that her Highnes will not take in euill part this your bolde attempt Clarkely spoken and like an Drator where vpon you alleadge reason that hath induced you hereto taken partly from the bonde and knot whereby her Maiestie and her subiectes are narrowly linked together partely from necessitie and extreame miseries that yee pretende you are brought into This is the 〈◊〉 of your long boasting withall howe readie you and other of your side are to spende your bloodes in defence of your religion and Church This is in summe the effect of the three next Sections and that which remayneth for a Conclusion of your Dedicatorie Epistle your ouer rashe boldenes in thus dealing with her Maiestie needeth greatly of crauing pardon Howeuer you craftily cloude it vp and put a false vizarde thereon that I may turne to you your owne phrase not so much for hauing recourse to her highnesse in your pretended miseries which either are not so great or else easily releeued if ye so will your selues but in respect of your double dealing rather in pretending one thing and doyng the cleane contrarye not contayning your selfe within the bounds ye talke of You might with good leaue of her Maiestie haue propounded your case and haue had recourse vnto her Highnesse if her Maiestie had been ignoraunt thereof as I thinke none in the land knoweth it now better such is her wisdome and godly and great care ower her Subiectes wherein you doe her highnesse the more wrong in supposing shee liueth here among her Subiectes as a stranger without vnderstanding and pitiyug the harde case of any of her Maiesties naturall honest and dutifull subiectes bearing or forbearing your vntrue perswasion It may please her maiesty to pardon that folly but to feed her highnes eares w t bare words without deeds nay your deedes being cleane contrary and very naught how should her Maiestie take this in good part for you are a Proctor for your selfe and other that you call Catholikes that haue giuen your faith to the
great matters and personages Meane personages be no fit matter for their high stile and yet God bee thanked among them of countenance and great calling there are not so many so vnwise in this case as they woulde make men beleeue that abstaine from comming to Church and refuse the oth of Allegeance It is a sort of Runneagates of very meane calling that liue for most part on exhibitiō almes of other mē at Rome Rhemes c. Say this man here what he will as long as hee will they shal be iudged at the last day with a more indifferent vpright iudgement at Gods hands thē by their own corrupt consciēces or vaine opinions fancies False also is y t he saith that these men sticke to their faith sworne vnto God in their oth of Baptisme which because I treate of elswhere I referre the Reader to y t place Neere onely I note that this man maketh but two degrees of a publike faith or othe and that truly one to God the other to the ciuile magistrate vnder God which he calleth Englishe Subiectes secondarie faith and allegeance sworne vnto her highnes as to the substitute of God according to the distribution of our Sauiour Christe in the Gospell Giue to Caesar the things whiche are Caesars and giue vnto God those that are Gods I woulde hee and his fellowes woulde haue kept them to this simplicitie and honest dealing still Then shoulde they not vpon a late reconcilement to the Pope and Poperie by a third faith and othe contrary to both these haue so vnnaturally and vnchristianly shaken of obedience to God and her Maiestie First her Maiestie in Gods name commaundeth that they shoulde haunt Church assemblies and heare the preaching of the Gospel pray with the congregation and receiue Christes Sacraments Baptisme and the Lordes Supper make publike confession of the christian faith c. according to order heere taken by her Maiestie and y e State after the rule of the Gospell In refusing to doe this they breake their first oth and promise of Baptisme if they there made any to God as seemeth they confesse they did Next her Maiestie requireth that they shoulde by oth acknowledge her soueraigntie as Gods substitute ouer them that they should returne home into their Natiue countrie liue vnder their and our most naturall and gracious Queene with other true hearted English Subieets Shee cannot be yeelded vnto nor obeyed heerein by them They make another substitute vnto god here ouer English subiects besides her maiestie in matters of obediēce to their prince her lawes They doe offer her Maiestie great wrong who by their owne confession giue vnto her the seconde place the second othe may not shee iustly require at their handes to keepe their secondarie fayth and Alleageance sworne vnto her highnesse as to the Substitute of God Let them neuer talke of their obedient and well meaning mindes that voluntarily and violently so freely runne to the breaking of their secondarie fayth and alleagiance sworne vnto their ciuil Magistrate call it they as they list It can bee adiudged in deed and truth no lesse then Periurie and they in taking this wrong course periured and forsworne men It is a great worde and a high with these men to talke of their obedient and well meaning mindes Let them leaue their good intentes and well meaning mindes without all warrant of Gods booke yea commonly contrary therevnto and let her Maiestie haue them obedient according to the wordes and well meaning of the Scriptures and shee will be content to quite their well meaning myndes otherwise Yf neither the scripture nor her maiesties laws according to the Scriptures nor I that at this time put thē in minde of their dueties towards both can auaile At least with them that delight in ancient fathers let the testimonie of that most ancient father among other teaching them their duetie according to the doctrine of the Scriptures preuaile with them herein who speaking of the cheefe Ciuill Maiestrate in his time and of the Christians vsage in obedience and duetifulnesse towardes him being an enimie to the Gospell and a persecutour in those dayes wryteth thus wee reuerence or honoure the Emperour as a man next vnto God and inferiour or lesse then God onely For so is he greater then all men whilest he is lesse thē the onely true God Let Papistes embrace followe this heauenly truth vttered by our Sauiour Christ vnder the name of God and Caesar whiche are but two this being likewise repeated afterwarde by the Apostle vnder the name of God and the king and heere by this father of God the Emperour kept still keepe this moderation rule and stick therto without talking of God the Pope and then the Emperour the King Prince and Ciuill Magistrate for that is but an ill Commentarie that corrupteth the text In that which remayneth is the Argument of this Discoursing letter expressed c. The Authour promiseth most briefly to touch three thinges in this letter to his friende First what cause or reason the Catholiks haue to stande as they doe in the Refusal of thinges offered them especially of going to the Church Secondely what way or meanes they may vse to remedie or ease themselues of this affliction nowe layde ' vpon them for their consciences so hee termeth their stubburnesse Thirdely if that way or meanes doe not preuaile then howe they ought to beare and endure the same Wee see the grounde of the whole letter that is nowe published and made a Treatise or Discourse As it wel may bee so called for in deede he that euen nowe promised most briefly to touche three thinges in this letter hath so amplie discoursed trotting vp and downe in his first course that wearying himselfe partly by euill disposition of bodye as he sayde elsewhere partly by other sudden busines falling vpon him he was both inforced to leaue the place and the matter and tyme fayling him and he saying more of the first point then hee purposed at the beginning the Messēger also that brought that that was written awaye being as seemeth in poste haste he forgate likewise belike what he had promised at the beginning and therevpon eyther himselfe or some other for him rather as appeareth is forced to excuse the omission of the seconde and thirde part promised at the beginning Thus haue wee a treatise hereof borne out of time maymed and more then halfe a Monster You that are so great schoolemen and Orators shoulde haue learned at the least out of Tullie that to omit any thing in deuiding is a very great fault Yet two things are here cleane omitted or two partes of your owne diuision c. It helpeth you not if you Scholasticall men bee Scholastically or Schoolelike followed to say you haue reckened vs vppe all three partes that you purposed to treate of for we reply that you promised to treate of all three Nowe to runne such
of our Religon and to better agree with Papistes and Poperie then with the Gospel of Christ. Puritans as it pleaseth you Papists to call some here are by you expounded in this Treatise to be the hotter sort of Protestants So that here be but two sortes of Protestants and this is the difference yee make Of Protestants some here are hotter and some are colder and yet neyther sinne against the holy Ghost Are these diuers in Religion Then I pray you make the like of you Catholikes as you will be called for some of you are hot some are colde some Puritan Catholikes of y t hotter and better sort as ye say Some other more conformable men as you here speake And so of colde Catholikes yee tell vs in another place of your booke Adde the contrary difference and ye shal find a sort of hot Catholikes too Or else if you wil make three sortes of Catholiks heere in Englande as you nowe expresse vs and so one sort more then you make of Protestants When you haue reconciled your selues in opinions Then will it bee time enough for you to talke of great diuision among vs here in Religion for some difference in opinion that is founde among vs which you count an insolluble argument of your side against vs and yet may easily you see bee turned on your owne heades Your three sortes of Catholikes that I say you here expresse thus doe I set downe taking the same from your owne woordes The Catholikes that are in this wryting iustified onely are suche as iudge all other Religions false erroneous and damnable besides their owne whiche they call the Catholike Roman religion This is one point common to al Catholiks true false one and other With all these iudge all perticipation with the religion here professed in deede worde or shewe by othe by sacramentes c. naught forbidden and vnlawfull Another or the seconde point not so common to all herevppon by no meanes will they admit or consent to communicate with the same This is the thirde and last point proper to true Catholiks as you call them M. Howlet the authour of this Treatise and such like bee of this first sort of Catholiks There are made another sort of Catholikes that are said to agree with these in the two first pointes disagreeing from them in the thirde onely And yet these that agree so well with them in opinion and dissent from them in doing onely and that as they speake for feare or some worldely respect the former Catholikes so abhorre and detest that they pronounce these yet aliue in God his prouidence dead and damned in hell They are priuie to their consciences they knowe who shal goe thither nay they sende at pleasure whome they liste they leaue these men without comforte or hope of pardon and esteeme them no Christians much lesse Catholikes so hee here pronounceth of them Of the thirde sorte I speake after in his place that agree with the first onely in one and the first of the three pointes disagreeing in the other two pointes These seconde Catholikes in the meane while aduise I thus Take heed to your selues all y t at this day liue in Englande and be in heart of the Romishe religion or haue to these your ghostly fathers by shrifte or other wise shewed your selues to bee such finding your selues in this seconde ranke of Catholikes prouide for your selues I counsell you it standeth you in hande once for you are shutte out of doores for euer from the communion of the Church of Rome in this life and are firebrandes appointed by Gods prouidence to hell in the worlde to come by definitiue sentence while yee yet liue here your Maister of whom you haue learned your religion and who best knoweth as seemeth your heartes and consciences and the nomber of you speaketh thus telling vs there bee very many such in Englande though we hardly beleeue him you must suppose whyle you holde you to that Religion that this is the Sentence of the Pope of Rome and so of the Catholique Churche and of GOD him selfe in heauen immutable and vnreuocable neuer to bee forgiuen neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come This is true if God be not vntrue sayth this Catholike M. Alas poore men and women Consider in time into what extremitie and miserie yee are thrust by those whome yee holde of and whome ye haue taken all this while to be your good friendes I pittie your harde case I assure you It greeueth mee to heare tell of your eternall damnation in hell fire They talke of the case of perplexitie wherein men are sometime wrapped But here men are tumbled and wrapped in a harder case by this religion if harder may be for dispensation with them might serue where men be forced or by necessitie driuen to choose and doe euill as they can speake here is no hope of any they are alreadie paste all recouery in their determination GOD giue poore soules grace to consider this geare at the heart Leauing the maze of Poperie I will nowe endeuour to speake out of Gods booke some what better to your comfort good heartes that yee may see the difference betweene the Gospell aud Poperie our Religion and that bee it neuer so vnholie will needes bee called Catholique They vngodly and vncharitably 〈◊〉 you and driue you with maine force into dispaire for euer Salue it vp as they can we call you we comfort you we stretch out our armes to imbrace you God rather sending vs to preache the Gospell to cal sinners to repentance by vs as his instrumēts doth this for you but marke well howe to repentance I say and in y t Christ Iesu doth god and wee call you Be not deceiued in assuring you in Gods name as we are bounde of pardon for all the sinnes that ye haue euer heretofore committed frō the beginning We bring you no pardon frō Rome nor from the Pope of which you see your selues to be out of al hope by those your Ghostly fathers iudgement that were sent came hyther to reconcile true catholikes as they speake to the Pope you are none of them they tell you nowe the resolute truth with thē and their conscience If they speake otherwise hereafter neuer beleeue them that pretending conscience speake this without all conscience But wee tell you out of Gods word there is yet some hope and comfort for you so you will leaue that Popish religion and betake your selues to the profession of the Gospel of Christ turning from your sinnes and transgressions into the way of righteousnesse Hearken heare and beleeue vs we wil not speake vnto you our owne imaginations and fancies and call them our conscience and truth But we bring you the worde of the eternall God and his reuealed will and truth which is this that as he liueth he desireth not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way liue
else must he heare from vs that whiche the Galatians 〈◊〉 themselues amisse sometimes 〈◊〉 from S. Paule This perswasion is not of him that calleth you c. Or to shewe the vanitie of the reason in an example of his owne alleadged here Let vs propounde that If dame Eue saith hee had not presumed to heare the serpent talke shee had not beene beguiled But if shee say I delighting in the tree forbidden to satisfie her eye and desire had not perswaded her selfe that the Serpentes talke had beene the trueth and so perswading her husbande also to leaue the truth of Gods worde to beleeue fansie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lie brought him to obey her voice as shee did the Serpents they had not eaten of the fruite for bidden and so had not wrapped themselues and vs in miserie Then the neerer cause and Reason whereby both Adam and Eue were beguiled and the more proper that we neede not run farre off was the false perswasion they had and admitted vpon the Serpents talke against Gods expressed woorde and commandement whiche to make like your reason thus I 〈◊〉 Dame Eue perswading her selfe the tree was good for meate and to be desired to get knowledge and her husbande by her meanes the like might not venture to lacke lease so great a good benefite or might not venture 〈◊〉 do the contrary which shee he perswaded themselues was euill to them Adde you the rest if ye like to make this a good Reason for I answer you that it is very like to yours and all one in effect which is grounded likewise vpon 〈◊〉 and that a false vaine and dangerous 〈◊〉 contrary to the truth the scriptures phrase 〈◊〉 this case is good I am perswaded through the Lord c. In religion let vs learne to speake religiously with this religious Apostle c. Remember I pray you that I am the answerer and if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee can proue no better then thus I suppose ye knowe the order of the Schooles you may be 〈◊〉 answered for all the great bragges bee made of your dexteritie and skill in briefe scholasticall arguments Because you are such a Reasoner to conuince and so great bragges is made of this Treatise besides you say your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire 〈◊〉 is onely to giue some 〈◊〉 to them in Englande especially to her Maiestie the right honourable her counsel the learned and wise in Englande c. I aske of you ouer and aboue that I haue sayde to M. Howlet your fellow when you will make this a good syllogisme or Reason you know what I meane to conuince or to satisfie any y t is of a contrary iudgemēt vnto you I say not her highnes her graue and honorable wise coūsellers which are not so easily led as you in your muses and studdes imagin but any meane learned man of a contrary religion vnlesse one will suppose and imagine your propositions to be principles as your 〈◊〉 doth so doubte of nothing ye say or let your proofe bee an asking of the principle which is Sophistrie and no good Logique Let your compagnions and fellowes tell you what they will or let this argument and reason serue those that are already perswaded in your false religion and so neede no Reasons to conuince them Summe bragge or crowe like a Cocke vpon your owne dunghill as much as ye will I that 〈◊〉 but a simple rude man not many a day of any Uniuersitie and so not comparable with the learned and freshe Uniuersitie disputers will yet boldely heere make you this offer that keeping your propositions if you make not an Elench or fallacion of this I may say the like in the rest that is a starke naughtie Reason or a badde Syllogisiue consisting onely of particulars or of foure termes as they speake c. Briefely if you make in good mode and figure to prooue and conuince by not faultie in matter or fourme or in both let me be the answerer and I will yeelde you the whole cause You heare a playne mans offer Buckle your selfe to it take the vantage but it wil make you sweat ere you come to the end or can perfourme it you must seeke a newe midle terme as they speake in Schooles and newe propositions to confirme and proue your 〈◊〉 or else 〈◊〉 with your owne fellowes onely and stay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supposition but howe euer they easily yeelde to false propositions and 〈◊〉 wee can not suppose falshod to bee Truth and 〈◊〉 falshod And sure then can not 〈◊〉 proceede in reasoning against vs to conclude that you woulde haue false propositions wee can not nor will not admit True will not serue your turne you knowe the Logique rule Truth can not proue falshod wee can defende easily enough against all Sophistrie in the worlde that the Crowe is blacke and not white And thankes bee vnto God for his vnspeakeable gyft as it is harde for you to proue Poperie to be the truth and Popishe religion to bee the true Catholique religion So is it on the other side easie for vs to mayntayne and cleare the truth and the profession of the Gospel against all your cauilling Reasons So as one might 〈◊〉 at your impudencie and with what faces you dare presume to make your great bragges and chalenges in these learned dayes But you are knowne well enough you dare doe what you 〈◊〉 to doe and pretend one thing and meane another I am the bolder at the entrance here to mention this that the reader may knowe what he shall 〈◊〉 if hee list to enter into examination of your 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 we see the foundation of your first Reason howe darkely it is layed vpon a false perswasion whereof if the reader list to heare farder what I say he must haue 〈◊〉 to that I haue written ther of against M. Howlet before and you all touching erronious conscience and the bonde thereof Though the foundation of this Reason thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may bee seene that it can not 〈◊〉 yet let 〈◊〉 heare what this Reasoner sayth therof further Hauing 〈◊〉 himselfe our doctrine to bee false and consequently venemous to the hearer and so may not venture his soule to be infected He rendreth a reason to conuince and proue I trowe For saith hee as it is damnable for a man to kil himselfe and consequently deadly 〈◊〉 without iust cause to put his body in 〈◊〉 danger of death so is it much more offensiue to God to put my soule ten thousande times of more value then my body in danger to the deadly stroke of false 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Note this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He doth wel to set his marginal note to expresse his meaning we might else by his much more haue iudged it to haue beene a comparison and so taken from another place in Logique whereby thinges greater lesse or equall bee compared together But let that goe for the forme and kinde of
proue this as he onely affirmeth the same and occupieth himselfe in prouing that requireth no proofe with vs wee shoulde haue more a doe with him He is occupied in shewing at large howe bad Schisme and Schismatiks heresie and heretiks bee how to bee detested and their company shunned what punishment they deserue and haue to looke for c. But that our religion and we are such and in this case there is hee for proofe in effect muet And yet except that be prooued not supposed onely the rest serueth to little purpose For the vnitie of Christes Church we haue diligently to obserue that as it is and ought to bee with euery of vs precious so to consider again that the same is grounded in the vnitie that we haue with our Sauiour Christ the father without whom there is no sound vnitie Further we haue to note that it is called the vnitie of the spirit for that it is begunne continued and kept by the spi rit of God in spirituall and heauenly matters And these two pointes be expressed in the very textes here cited by this Reasoner out of the Gospell and S. Paule for one 〈◊〉 forme of beliefe one forme of Seruice one forme of Sacramentes and the like that this man sayth shoulde bee in Christes Churche as it is very obscurely and shortly spoken so I see no such 〈◊〉 thereof So we may haue the substance and matter for formes we will not greatly striue If there be any matter of importance we like well the synceritie of Christian religion and Apostolike simplicitie bee alwaies kept The wayght force of Christian vnity lieth in deed in greater pointes than in outwarde formes wherof ye make mention out of S Paule and may see more in the Acts of the Apostles c. Concerning the testimonies of the Fathers we graunt with Irenaee that heretikes that bring strange fire to the Lordes Aulter that is as hee expoundeth strange doctrines shalbe burned as Nadab and Abiu They that rise vp against the truth and exhort other against the Church of God remaine in hell swallowed vp with y t opening of the earth as they about Chore Dathan and Abirom They that cut and seuer the vnitie of the Church haue the same punishment of God that Ieroboam had What is this against vs why may not the same bee applyed vnto you and your doctrines and dealinges with this Church Let the Gospel and Spirit of life be the Piller and strength of the Church Let it bee the foundation and Piller of our Fayth as the same Irenaee speaketh Doe not as Irenaee sayth heretikes doe and we finde you to doe who whē they are reproued by y t scriptures are turned into the accusation of the scriptures themselues as though they were not right nor were of authoritie both because they are diuersly vttered and also because the Truth cannot be found out by them of such as know not Tradition c and you will haue little vantage Augustine also in his book or Epistle of the vnitie of the Church against Petilians Epistle helpeth you and your case very little For the question was then where the Church was whether euery where or bounde to a certaine place person and sect or no As for example Aphrica Donatus and Donatistes then Rome Pope and Papistes nowe Augustine there tyeth the Churche to no Sea maketh Christe alone the heade thereof and the Churche Christes body dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth Againe Augustine alleadgeth and prooueth also out of the holy Scriptures as none can deny the same but hee that professeth himselfe to bee an enimie to the same Scriptures Let vs not heare saith hee I say thus thou sayest thus but let vs heare Thus saith the Lord. There be verily the bookes of the Lord to the authoritie whereof we both agree we both giue credite we both serue There let vs seeke the Churche there let vs discusse our cause I will not haue the holy Church shewed by the doctrines of men but by heauenly Oracles on infallible truth of God Nowe adde your wordes that you heere alleadge out of Augustine yet so if it please you as ye take the beginning of the chapter afore you and so come orderly to your wordes here cited which are after the beginning of the chapter whole Christ sayth hee is the heade the body The head is the onely begotten sonne of God and the bodie his Church the Bridegroome and the Bride Two in one fleshe Whosoeuer dissent from the scriptures concerning the head himselfe thus doe you in making vs two spirituall heades of the Church Christ and the Pope though they be found in all places wherin there is a church to be pointed they are not in the Church And againe whoeuer agree to the holy scriptures concerning the head himselfe and communicate not with the vnitie of the Churche are not in the Church because they dissent from Christes owne testimonie of Christes body which is the Church c. These be Austens woords agreeing with that is afore that we learne to discerne and know the true Church of Christe aright by the scriptures and not otherwise And that wee learne to beginne with Christ the heade and so come downe to the Church his bodie and keepe no preposte rous order Now let the reader hardly reade and examine your wordes and iudge of the whole In y e eleuenth chapter of the same booke of the vnitie of the Churche doth Austen notably write hereof Touching Cyprian Chrisostome and the rest for the vnitie of the Church we willingly admitte that they say so as with Cyprian yee will saye concerning false peace and agreement That is no peace but warr neither is he ioyned to the Church that is separated from the Gospell And w t Chrisostome or who euer it were ioyned w t Chrisostomes works for them that will knowe whiche is the true Church of Christ There is now no way to know y e same but only by the scriptures c. The ignorāce wherof brought foorth heresie corrupt life and mingled and turned all vpside downe as Chrisostome sayth elsewhere As for vs we ioyn with those that are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ him selfe being the head corner stone c. We broch no newe doctrine no newe religion we make no separation But as we beleeue that there is a Holy catholike church and a communion of Saintes so as members and partes we ioyne our selues to the same dispersed ouer the whole worlde in vnitie of Christes true doctrine and in loue and peace with all reuerence The Antichristian Sinagogue of Rome as it reiecteth vs with Christ and his doctrine so againe doe we detest and goe out from it as from that Babylon whereof mētion is so oft and much made in the scriptures In summe whether we be heritikes or you Let Christ let the worde
corruptions and haue floung them out of the Text of Scriptures and restored the truth and the Text But your religion towards the Pope and Poperie hath taken away all religion towardes God and his worde As may bee seene in infinite places of the Bible obserued by the godly and learned aforetime and nowe a dayes and by diuers of your owne side and notably in the Newe Testament by Faber Valla Erasmus c. and by those that haue examined and answered your Trent Coūcell as Caluin Kemnitius other To whose writings I refer the Christiā Reader herein to turn all that heere is saide against vs and our translation vpon the Papistes and their corrupt translation of the holy scriptures which I would haue forborne to haue entred into except necessitie and this discoursers importunitie had pulde mee into this odious matter to shew the Papistes partiall and hollowe dealing heerein Nowe because this common Latine translation of the Bible hath gone and still doth with many vnder the name of Hierome his translation and hath gotten thereby credit for the man his great learning our aduersaries also as seemeth woulde faine haue it reputed for Hierom his Therfore shall it not be amisse out of many places to bring one out of Hierome in his Commentaries vpon the Scriptures which plainely condemneth and reprooueth these Gentlemens corrupt translation as not good and so none of Hieromehis A little leauen corrupteth the whole lumpe Thus the olde translation as they call it Hierome thus a little leauē leaueneth or sowreth the whole lump immediatly after in his Cōmentarie on those words It is ill in our Latine bookes saith hee a little leauen corrupteth the whole lumpe and the interpreter translated rather his owne meaning than the Apostle his wordes c. A shrewde checke of your translation by Hierome Why will yee not mende it If you say it bee Hieromes Why will yee not let him mende it But let vs proceede for y e place of the second booke of the Machabees which is the seconde faulte you find in our trāslatiō of y e Bible cōsidering y t it is neuer read in our publike church meetings you might haue spared y t frō being a fault in our seruice sauing y t wher you find none ye think good to deuise imagine faults to put the same vpon vs will we nill wee If ye had had any store ye might would no doubt haue made better fitter choyse to haue found faulte with the English translation read in our assemblies either your skill is not great or your store poore and slender or lastly our English Bibles too well translated to bee iustly controuled by you Your conclusion grounded vppon so weake and slender premises or proofes thereof must needes but ill fauouredly followe This I say and when I haue saide yet reporte mee too any learned indifferente Reader vppon conference with the Greeke to Judge that in these bookes of the Maccabees which are among the Apocrypha as they are called that is priuately and secretly read rather thē opēly approued receiued to be canonical scriptures as Hierom sayth Our english bibles keepe more 〈◊〉 and come neerer to the Greek text than your vulgar translation and more helpe vpon conference shall the Englishe Reader haue to vnderstande the sense of the Authour than at the other Although in deede the Greeke it selfe euen here be somewhat diffused and darke And therefore no maruaile the originall or fountaine being troubled if translations bee not the playnest Iosephus a Iewe hath in Hebrew written fiue bookes of the Iewishe Hystories from their captiuitie in Babylon vntyll Pilate their President In which bookes among other thinges are written the worthye Actes of the Maccabees And entreating this very place in that booke he maketh no mention of this prayer for the dead And this Ioseph Ben Gorion is thought to bee that Iason of Cyrenae out of whome this booke of the Maccabees was taken as an Abrigemēt So as I maruaile howe that shoulde orderly come into the Abrigement whiche is not founde in the bodie of the storie written at large And yet the Abridger doth but tel his opinion of Iudas and his facte wherein if he haue not said and done as he shoulde let him as he requesteth in the ende be pardoned especially seeing he leueth the truth of things in particular to the Authour Besides this it is noted to be noted to be contrary to the custome of the Iewes euen to this day to sacrifice or pray for the dead And what commaundement or warrant is there in God his Lame for the same Lastly to leaue other thinges the example of Razis in killing himselfe an ancient and famous man among the Iewes seemeth likewise to be commended in this storie by this abridger which is not iustifiable by the scriptures though Yee neede not therefore make so great a doe 〈◊〉 the one particular example of Iudas thus commended here to grounde a doctrine thereon for oblations and prayers for the dead nor checke our English translation in the 12. Chapter of the 2. booke of the Maccabees if you consider the matter well sauing that where you haue little or no proofe as the Canonicall Scriptures prooue not that article there you had neede make much of a little or but of the shewe of a thing onely Your deuised Purgatorie and Diriges and Masses haue made this doctrine of prayer for the dead so gainefull vnto you as you are nowe lothe to let it goe The godlie learned and my good brother D. Fulke a paineful and profitable minister in Christs church easeth mee heere by his trauaile As he doth in many other places that I may nowe the more haste to an ende that the Reader findeth not in one to his contentment that possible may he finde in the other I referre therefore to him in that may be here missing and walke somewhat the more confidently and at large after him and his answere hereto which is gone before because he is well knowen God haue the glorie to be so sufficient as he is Thus much concerning the Scripture read in our Assemblies c. So yee speake too lauishly and lewdly Let the reader by this iudge in the rest of your vpright honest and plaine dealing which if you write againe I wishe you to bee better aduised in if you haue respect to your honestie and good name You say and belie vs that throughout the Scripture where idoles are forbidden we translate it images And here in your margin yesay See the English Byble Dedicated to King Henry It is worth the noting that where this gentleman findeth such fault with the Byble Dedicated as he saith To King Henry y e 8. chargeth vs or side and men with that translation those of his owne side then approued the same and some of the greatest Clergie men were then 〈◊〉 and dealers therein He shall neuer bee able
be had in wordes and speeche Flying and flowing wordes are rife with Dratours Logicians there profession requireth it but how well soeuer you haue heretofore sped by words in dispute or persuasion ye are not yet come to that value that with Caesar yee may say veni vidi vici as though all were in your handes and your owne Yee talke of brief scholasticall arguments where may a man seeke them where shall we finde them Your authours reasons that you make so great account of shewe very litle skill in Logicke what euer the matter be and yet there seemeth to haue been the proper place where that cunning if there had been any shoulde haue bee shewed We wonder in what Schoole you or he learned to frame the maimed arguments y e weake and sclender reasons yee set vs downe which leaue out necessarie proofes of thinges in controuersie vnnecessarily 〈◊〉 in proouing things not in controuersie This argueth poore skill in the art of disputing Strengthen your weake arguments that are set downe in this discourse whereof yee make so great account Of his nine reasons make vs of all but one good sounde and substantiall briefe scholasticall argument to make vs see our owne weakenesse c. as you speake It is an easie matter to conuince them y e are your owne men alredie But reprooue our doctrine or prooue your owne to our shame and confusion once Let it be your labour M. Howlet to ease your frend if you wil that brag vs so greatly of disputation aud scholasticall arguments But sir leaue out I pray you Paralogismes leaue captious arguments that is 〈◊〉 not you 〈◊〉 Catholikes set vs downe counterfet principles agreeing with your name and matter and so reason 〈◊〉 supposittons quite false and 〈◊〉 grounded doe not when you make an argument occupie your selfe in prouyng that wee denie not and passing ouer without proofe that we denie which I admonishe you of afore hand because it is your Authours common maner in his vnreasonable Reasons set vs downe in his discourse howe Scholasticallie or like a Disputer if you knowe not Let Aristotles Elenchs tell you But I say mende these faules or bragge not of your Scholasticall arguments which are full of faultes 2 Your seconde way of conference is continuall speech wherein like a babling Orator you wil seeme so to excell thinking that you haue marueylous great vauntage of all the worlde besides that yee dare giue your aduersaries leaue to answer you eyther presently or vpon studie But sir yee had not neede to staie vpon your three places taken out of the firste booke of Aristotles Rhetorique wherwith as with floures ye decke this your Epistle dedicatorie to her Maiestie You may be better seene in Aristotles Rhetorique that is as seemes you make of it in cunning of pretie words and sentences to delight and perswad withall then in Gods booke that is in heauenly matters and thinges appertayning to conscience But if you will looke no further of looke at least on your foule talons and bee not proude of a Peacocks tayle A man woulde haue thought that your dainty or quaize stomacke shoulde not well digest long speeche that could so euill brooke the godly Sermons made at the publike fast at Stamforde the last Sommer that yee lothed the length of them onely vpon a hearsay insomuch that yee imagine the continuall speech to haue lasted tenne or twelue houres together Whereas the longest Sermon then made was as I vnderstande two houres and a halfe or somewhat aboue in an extraordinarie Exercise You say of them with a disliking and vntruly also that they haue a desire to heare themselues speake ten or twelue houres together These are your Rhetoricke termes I coulde vse an other worde as you deserue but I forbeare Here now like a Declaymer or an Orator you woulde haue a continuall speech to be allotted out tell howe many houres together you desire to heare your selues speake or howe long ye will declame that the certaine space may bee considered of them to whom it doth appertaine In the meane space Thus marking thinges with your chalke and cole as they say you allowe and condemne as pleaseth you sometimes as it were Chilo or as Menelaus in Homer The Lacedemonians short speeche seemeth to like you sometimes like the Ionians or Battus you loue to haue your tongue runne at randon pleasurably You are the Newe Orators c. that I spake of before 3 From Rhetorique and Logique you come at length to the holye exercise of religion For the last of your three wayes not of wryting but of talke still is preaching That vsual and ordinarie exercise is taken vp but of late as newly begunne among you by your newe religious Iesuites As I take it or else taken from the beggerly Fryers I praye you 〈◊〉 often and howe vsually doe seculare Priestes vse to preache beyonde the Seas that for beyng to bolde ouer you I aske you nothing of the matter yee preache of wherein you are too prophane As you measure other men so to measure your selues by your owne foote shall wee say that when you woulde dispute vse continuall speech or preache before her Maiestie c. It is for a desire you haue to heare your selues speake c A dumme masking Masse secretely saide as your Priestes occupation to blaspheme God in is a meeter exercise for you your fellowes If you bee 〈◊〉 shauen as it may be you be but some Schoolemaister But for preaching sir pulpittes serue not for Orators heere nowe a dayes neither bee her Maiesties eares acquainted to heare blasphemies out of pulpits nor yet inuectiues What we haue to hope or looke for from you if you may get into pulpits is not harde to ghesse Your Sorbonne or the like is a fitter place for scoulding 〈◊〉 Pulpits thankes be to God are appointed to better and more religious vses among vs which haue been and are too badly prophaned by those of your side But forwarde as boasters and braggers be not alwayes the greatest doers when it commeth to the pushe so 〈◊〉 Howlet you shewe your selfe a very cowardly Thraso that euen in the beginning after so great bragges and sute for combate before you performe any thing you take so great care for your person and safetie and for your fellowes also for you will needes condition with your dread and liege Soueraigne and gracious Prince and ours before you will appeare before her highnesse you will not come hither I perceiue vpon the gage of your heades if yee bee vanquished yee will not giue them for washing and yet our men were brought to your disputation as Prisoners and knewe before what should become of thē after What are all your faire flattering speches c. come to this now euē now you were most humbly on your knees asking at her Maiesties hāds disputatiō All I perceiue is but Crocodyles teares as the prouerbe is You brage before of your patient obedience in
Turne you turne you from your euill waies Oh mark this word well For why will you die O yee house of Israell Though your sinnes wereas crimsin they shalbe made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shalbe as wooll This is a true saying by all meanes worthie to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners So God loued the worlde that hee hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perish but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne into the worlde that hee should condemne the world but that the worlde through him might be saued Hee that beleeueth in him c. reade forwarde to the 22. verse These and such like be the very first wordes that are spoken and they shall dayly heare to their comfort that resort to our Churches But still marke the condition of leauing our owne defections from God of repentance and turning from our owne wicked wayes c. Turne therefore from Popery and hearken to this doctrine and tell vs truely and in deed whether religion is more true and more comfortable vnto you This which is Christes and therefore ours we wish and will no other Or the Popes deliuered in this treatise that condemneth you as you heare And yet if all bee well marked for all this comfortable doctrine of y e gospel that is of God his mercy grace vnto sinners that by the way I may answere y t Popish cauill Preach we not carnall libertie wee set not open any windowe to sinne we make not men slouthfull and negligent in godly life and good workes c. as the Papists sclaunder this doctrine In opening this plentifull fountaine of God his grace to troubled and weake consciences we stop not vpp nor let not the brookes riuers course that issue thence of godlinesse and good life nay wee further aduance the same greatly I woulde the Papistes and Poperie did the like but that will they neuer doe we are faine to be occupied in scowring clensing where they haue troubled with their filthie mudde that our doctrine and religiō may herein the better be knowne This foundation doe we lay therof This order with the holy Apostle in summe doe wee keepe The grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we shoulde denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christe who gaue himself for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zelous of good workes So then the cleere manifestation of God his healthfull grace or the preaching of the Gospell of the grace of God which is the worde of life is so farre of from ouerthrowing godly life and good workes that it is the fountaine thereof it establysheth and setleth the same and like a good Schoole maister is occupied in faithfully teaching all 〈◊〉 towardes God and man God make vs good and meete schollers This we beleeue and this we professe this we dayly professe this we dayly propounde and teache in receiuing and following this course we are not deceiued we erre not nay we are sure we goe the right way we please God and subscribe to the docrine of the holy Ghoste rayle the aduersarie as much as he list against our doctrine and profession But I cannot let this Censurer passe thus that not onely cruelly handeleth his companions but her Maiestie the State the Lawes and Magistrates here If this saith he bee true as it is if God bee not vntrue where warranted tell vs bare affirmation suffiseth not then in what a miserable case standeth many a man in England at this day which take othes receiue Sacraments goe to Churche and commit many a like act directly against their owne consciences and against their owne knowledge you shoulde say against fantasticall opinion c. Nay what a case doe they stande in which know such thinges to 〈◊〉 directly against othēr mens consciences and yet do cōpel them to doe it As to receiue against their will to sweare agaist their will and the like c. First we tell you Sir for the Scriptures yee cited before for this purpose that yee corrupt the same and that which yee say is false and ill applyed Next wee say in iust defence of her Maiestie our dread Soueraigne and the State that yee 〈◊〉 them for there is no such enforcement by your owne confessiō but that it might be borne the going to church is simplie a willing free actiō in those of your religiō y t doe it here you say they receiue against their wil swere against their wil y e like Fol. 21. You say cōtrary y t it is not against their wil but a willing fre actiō absolutely simply speak thus stil ye answer for her maiestie the state condemn that you here say so you cōclude of it Wher things done by outward violence compulsion are simplie inuoluntary actions And yet if it were otherwise her maiestie the state 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cause all the packe of of you false Catholikes as much as in them lyeth to 〈◊〉 by the doctrine of the Gospell instructed and to be priuately also conferred withall for the remoouing of you from your foolish that I say not deuilish opinions They knowe what euer you brag of conscience that if you will not hearken and geue ouer to the Gospell and word of God it is but wilfull obstinacie and peeuish standing in your conceiued opinions It is senselesnes and not consciēce They know see that your proceedinges and busie stirres needes some sharper seueritie than hither vnto seeing you haue so greatly abused her maiesties former lenitie and clemencie According to dutie therefore to God in their calling doe they proceede Lastly they haue for their warrant the example of godly Emperours Kings and States both before Christ since set down in histories their lawes This am I forced often to tell you and your fellowes that so much and often maliciously repeate this intollerable and wicked 〈◊〉 For the other point of your allegation of Scriptures finde vs the wordes in the fourteenth chapter to the Romanes you set vs downe which ye shall neuer be able to doe looke euen vpon your owne translation Or else confesse when you are taken with the manner that you are a corrupter of the Scripture Is a mans corrupte or erroneous conscience or knowledge and fayth all one think you such knowledge if ye so will call it is one thing c onscience is another and faith differing from both a third thing Errour and falshod in knowledge bastard and corrupt the same be enemies to faith no friends to conscience