this Argument as I vprightlie protest in the Presence of HIM Whome I serue in the GOSPELL of HIS Sonne That laying aside the verie selfe cleare and infallible Groundes of Trueth delivered in Scripture where-vpon agaynst all eyther Probabilities or Praesumptions our Fayth may and must solidlie relye there is no Reason in the Worlde so effectuall to assure my Soule of the Veritie of our Religion and that wee are of CHRIST His true Church as are the verie chiefe thinges which our Adversaries doe object agaynst vs. Neyther anie so pregnant a Motiue to perswade mee laying aside the consideration of their playne haereticall Opinions that they are the Antichristian Bodie as even those things where-in they doe chiefelie and most insolentlie glorie Which to cleare vnto you at such length and in such evidence as I well could and the Matter al-so requyreth it were a longer Speach than this short Occasion of Conference affordeth vs. But if you list to take paynes you may reade what I haue at more length written heereof in my DISPVTATIONS FOR OVR CALLINGES and in my COMMENTARIE on the REVELATION VVhich with the little that I haue nowe sayde when you haue more deeplie considered then if you remayne yet vnsatisfyed how-so-ever I neyther loue to contende vvith the Humourous nor to multiplye Babling vpon Blockes yet I vvill at your Desyre not sticke to take more paynes vpon your Ingenuitie Philomathes I will GOD willing reade those Bookes where-vnto you haue sharpened mine Appetite by that which you haue nowe spoken having there-by so filled mine Heart with great Doubts of such things as I accounted inexpugnable poynts that I can not choose but to insist till I bee setled as it shall please GOD to informe me in that which is the right Way of His Feare Philadelphus How invisible so-ever wee bee Eriphilus and how short so-ever you bee of sight yet I hope you may now perceiue your owne foyle in the chiefe Flowre of your Forces so as Eubulus hath not as you presumed evanished in Invisibilitie but hath made all your long and vaynlie vaunted of Visibilitie to vanish in a vayne Smoake What 's visible but there-to Visibilitie In common doth though not a-lyke conveane Why should the Bryde without all Probabilitie Visible hers then singularlie wiene Thinges visible attour are not aye seene And thinges ev'n seene yet will escape Perception Of lightned Men and what perceived beene Mules agaynst that will madlie make Exception The Church was aye seene visible perceived Of cleare but no of rakie Eyes that raved Philomathes Whether wee haue anie such Foyle as you alleadge or you such Victorie as you presume Philadelphus you are al-wayes readie to sing your owne Triumph But now al-be-it wee haue indeede al-readie passed thorow these Markes where-in wee esteeme our selues strongest and that Eubulus hath I must confesse answered more than I exspected yet I pray you let vs heare what he hath to say agaynst the rest The next Marke is VNITIE and thus our Poet speaketh of it CHAPTER VI. UNITIE THis is another Marke truelie The Church must haue VNITIE As our Saviour hath fore-tolde One Shepheard and one Sheep-folde One is my Spouse one is my Loue One is my Darling and my Doue This is His House and at some-tyme Hee doth resemble it to a Vine HIS Father is the Husband-man A Branch is everie Christian. This is HIS Bodie mysticall The which HEE doth HIS Kingdome call Where-of Saynct Peter had the Keyes And his Successours haue all-wayes This is the Pillar and the Ground Where-in all Trueth is to bee found So lyke-wyse Saynct Paul sayeth One Baptisme and one Fayth And one LORD IESU Haue no Dissention amongst you Shew mee anie Companie That in all Poyntes doe agree Except the Holie Church of Rome Then will I bee converted soone Eubulus That which as I thinke I haue evinced of all your Man 's former Marks I affirme of this also That it is impertinentlie yea falselie produced for a proper Marke of the Church in so farre as it is a common condition of manie thinges yea all thinges that are hoc ipso quod sunt anum sunt even in that they are they are in that same one as all Schooles acknowledge The Devils are vnited for Satan's Kingdome is not divided against it selfe And Briggands banded to robbe and sheede Blood are one So as still you see that your Man's mayne Proposition of his mayne Argument is vayne and sophisticall Neyther will VNITIE in all poynts ever conclude more of the Church of CHRIST than of the Antichristian bodie except VNITIE in all poynts be modified and of an indefinite VNITIE it be defined an VNITIE in all poynts of Trueth To which only demonstratiue Marke as I haue shewed of all the former so this of VNITIE must bee reduced also if there-on you would builde anie sure Conclusion For of the Antichristian Companie the holie Ghost hath in playne Tearmes fore-tolde These haue one mynde and shall giue their power and authoritie to the Beast and a little after For GOD hath put in their Hearts to fulfill his will and to doe with one consent for to giue their Kingdomes to the Beast vntill the wordes of GOD bee fulfilled And this is indeede that VNITIE where-of your Men so much glorie even a Conspiracie in Errour and no true VNITIE in Trueth as their manifolde and shamelesse Shiftings in a cleare evidence of a selfe-accusing-guiltinesse from subduing their doctrine to just examination by Scripture the sole Rule of Veritie make more than manifest Now Satan never yet envyed VNITIE in Errour or ZEALE in Superstition Philomathes Well to let this goe with you of VNITIE which you haue indeede evinced of the former that it is no proper Marke yet as I sayde and you also admitted of the others so you can not denye of VNITIE but that it is a true Attribute of the Church and that therefore our Man's Argument for the Church of Rome concludeth verie clearlie thus The Church of CHRIST must bee a Companie keeping Vnitie in all Poynts But onlie of all Companies the Church of Rome keepeth Vnitie in all Poynts There-fore the Church of Rome is the onelie true Church of CHRIST Eubulus I will not quarrell the forme of your Syllogisme for that your Assumption hath the nature of a negatiue Position I say your Proposition is sophisticall and your Assumption shameleslie false where-by your Conclusion commeth to nought As for the Proposition though you shold modifie your indefinite all Poynts to definitlie all Poynts of Trueth yet hath it in-folded a deepe Deceit For if it bee vnderstood of All Poyntes of Trueth so absolutelie as who keepe not Vnitie in all and everie poynt there-of bee excluded from the Title of CHRIST HIS Church then is your Proposition perniciouslie false And your Man would but frauduleâ—…tlie put foorth a bloodie Table of Proscription where-by cruellie to forfault manie good Christian and Church from the Communion of the Bodie
EUBULUS OR A DIALOGVE Where-in a rugged Romish Ryme inscrybed Catholicke Questions to the Protestant is confuted and the Questions there-of answered BY P. A. Answere a Foole to his foolishnesse lest hee bee wyse in his owne conceit Proverbs 26. 5. ABERDENE PRINTED BY EDWARD RABAN Dwelling vpon the Market-place At the Towns Arms 1627. WITH PRIVILEDGE TO THE MOST HONOVRABLE VERTVOVS and Christian Ladie ANNA LADIE GORDON c. OF this DIALOGVE MADAME written now thirteene Yeares a-goe no more was at that tyme intended but a few Manuscripts for satisfying some Godlie Myndes and obviating the insolencie of some ignorant and ydle Humours foolishlie glorying of nothing Yet even so was it bolde then to betake it selfe to the shadow of Your most Honourable NAME though it never had yet the Cowrage to present it selfe to a Kisse of Your Hands and perhaps had lyen buried in this its Shamefastnesse for ever if vpon the renewed impudent Importunitie of the same sort of Men at the instant desyre of some well-affected Christians it did not now come out to a more publicke view of the World In which case if it should eyther neglect or disclayme so Noble an Ones acclaymed Patrocinie al-be-it there-by could bee no imparement to Your Honour to whose great worth manie such Dedications can adde no lustre yet were it some Disgrace to the Treatise it selfe and discredite al-so to the Author thereof who yet liveth no lesse affected than ever to serue Your Ladiship in the LORD Receiue then that which is Your owne as a poore but an vpright Token how farre the Author and all of his Calling account them-selues obliedged to giue Your Honour all Heartening and Encowragement for cleaving so constantlie agaynst manyfolde assaultes and temptations to that Trueth which heerein is defended The GOD of all Trueth still more and more stablish strengthen and confirme You there-in blesse Your most Honourable Lord and You with all Happinesse heere and bring You both in ende to Eternall Blessednesse with HIM-SELFE in the Heavens YOVR LADISHIPS Humble Servant P. A. TO THE READER IT may perhaps Christian Reader appeare strange to thee and little beseeming my Place and Age that I deigne so ridiculous a Ryme with so large an Answere yea with anie Answere at all But so it fell out that now aboue thirteene years a-goe the perverse Sedulitie of seducing Priests and the foolish Insolencie of ignoranâ—… Souls seduced by them and vaynlie glorying of this their Ballad which numbers of them had continuallie in their mouthes who never had eyther read or gotten by heart anie one Psalme of David did worke in a certayne verie honourable and worthie Noble Man such holie Indignation agaynst the one and pittifull Compassion of the other as made him seriouslie solicite me to make some Answere there-to Which to doe I was induced by his Intreatie though much agaynst myne owne Disposition Who as I loue and commend the accurate Inquisition and clearing of Trueth by calme and Christian Conference and sober and sedulous Indagation So from myne Heart I ever abborred all litigious Contestation in what-so-ever Argument but most of all in matters of Religion And yet such is the miserable mishap of our tyme or rather of mad Humours in our-time that nothing is so bitterly and with so great Heat Passion and damnable spyte debated as are poyntes of Divinitie And this intemperie hath so farre in common taken all myndes as that all Christianitie is now turned in odious and humourous Disputation and all both Men and Women will be for-sooth of a partie all-be-it most part of them so ignorant as they know neyther what they holde or what they impugne no more vnderstaÌ„ding what they speake of than doe Pyoâ—…s or Parockets those wordes which they are taught to prattle And withall so carrying in all their other Conversation as it is both shame sinne that they should be so and acious as to take anie such Argument in their mouthes who hate to be reformed and in all their wayes make not Conscience of anie Sinne. Yet they are incessantlie holde to mooue Questions of Religion who beeing posed agayne can not answere to the simple questions of the Childrens Catechisme Thus be at of Disputation hath not onlie cooled but even all-most extinguished all Devotion and not only breedeth Stryfe but even all-where breaketh out to more vngodlinesse You shall hardlie fall now in anie fellowship where you shall not heare some one or other question of Religion egarlie prophanelie miserablie torne and tossed amoÌ„gst such and acious and impure mouthes as neyther inwardly in their Souls 〈◊〉 â—…ny sense or outwardlie in their carriage anie practise of true Religion Will you talke with these Questioners of true Pietie of Fayth of Regeneration of Christian lyfe of Mortification subduing our affections of Christian patience of the worke of GOD'S Spirit in our Soules for those effectes of the joyes of the holie Ghost or finallie of anie case of Conscience they shall stand as dumbe as Fishes you shal be to them a Barbarian aâ—… strange as one speaking Aethiopian to an Yrish With whom though I haue no delight to deale in this sort yet the mouthers of perverse men must bee stopped Baal's Priests must bee checked with holie scorne and Fools must be some-tymes answered to their follie lest they should appeare wyse in their owne conceits Now as for these Reasons I having my service then assigned me in those Quarters where this Folliâ—… brake foorth was at that tyme stirred to wryte this Treatise and even then to giue out some one or two Manuscripts there-of where-by to calme some-what those insolent Insulters and to confirme godlie though weake Mynds and it having accordinglie in some measure wrought that effect then I there-vpon did cast it by hand as in myne owne Estimation no more vsefull or to be regarded But whyle now agayne our Adversaries of late through too great indulgence and connivence granted them haue risen to greater insolencie than before and impudentlie repone to vs not onlie the same Matter but al-so in the same manner shameleslie and senseleslie still blazing al-where abroad this their Proper Ballad aâ—… if never anie thing had beene sayd there-vnto divers well affected Brethren knowing that I had a Copie there-of by me dealt instantlie with me that this Treatise might be put to the PRESSE For whose satisfaction I haue given way to the Printing of it wishing heartilie it may both please thee and be profitable vnto thee and all honest Hearts seeking in singlenesse for Confirmation and stablishment in Trueth and praying GOD that all of vs may seriouslie studie not so much to Ydle and vnprofitable Wranglings as both to learne ourselues and to teach others that Doctrine which is according to godlinesse Fare-well THYNE IN CHRIST P. A. TO PHILADELPHUS LOE PHILADELPHVS hovv Thy loue hath led mee To penning of this PAMPHLET for Thy pleasure Where-of vvith Reason vvell I could haue fred mee If this I durst
you must answere to these Questions Eubulus By a Sonnet one may verie convenientlie giue sentence of a Song and Philadelpbus will but let you see Eriphilus that wee are not so farre borne in despite of all the Muses but that wee could render you as compact Verses as anie your proper Ballad hath in it Yet let it bee as you desire wee will leaue Sonnets a little and come to Syllogismes Philomathes reade on Philomathes Gladlie Thus then hee beginneth I pray thee Protestant beare with mee To aske thee Questions two or three And if an answere thou canst make More of thy counsell I will take Manie and sundrie Sects appeare Now in the Worlde farre and neare The Protestant the Puritane The Calvinist the Zvvingliane The Brovvnists and the Fam'lie of Loue And manie moe which I can prooue And the Romane Fayth truelie Which you doe call Papistrie All these in verie deede Rehearse all Articles in the Creede And ev'rie one of them sayth That their's is the Catholicke Fayth How should I amongst all these Know the Trueth from feigned Lies For ev'rie one confesse IESU Saying that their Faith is true But this is it that I doe seeke To know the Church Catholicke The Communion or the companie Of bolie Men in vnitie Eubulus This hath beene the Question which in all times perverse and ignorant men haue pretended for them as is cleare by these wordes of Chrysostome Homil. 33. in Act. Tom. 3. The Heathen man sayeth I would bee a Christian but I know not to whom I should cleane Manie Debates are amongst you I know not what Doctrine to choose seeing on both sides they pretende Scripture Answere him This maketh much for vs For if wee did say that our Fayth were grounded vpon naturall reasons thou hadst reason to bee troubled but when wee betake vs to the Scriptures which are playne and true thou mayest easilie discerne If anie man agree with Them hee is a Christian and who so oppugneth Them hee is farre from this Rule This same Chrysostome in 2. ad Thessal 2. All things are cleare and playne in divine Scriptures what-so-ever thinges are necessarie are manifest in them Agayne the same Chrysostome in Ioann cap. 10. Homil. 58. The Scriptures leade vs to GOD and open to vs the knowledge of Him they both make and keepe the Sheepe neyther suffer they Wolâ—…es to breake in For as a most strong Doore they debarre Heretickes and place the Godlie in suretie Neyther so beeing wee bee willing shall they ever suffer vs to fall away in Errour Now al-be-it I well might for all answere oppose to your Poet these Passages yet lest you complayne Philomathes that I passe him too slenderlie I take vp the summe of your Man his mayne Question to bee this Amongst so manie diverse Sects all rehearsing the common Creed and each acclayming the Title of the Church hovve and by what Marks we may discerne the true Church of CHRIST from such as falselie doe vsurpe that Title Philomathes You haue exceeding well taken vp the state of the Question And I pray you is it not a necessarie Question and worthie of a carefull consideration Eubulus Yea verilie but in proponing where-of and in answering there-to your Questioneâ—… bewrayeth either want of Care or want of Skill or which is worse want of Conscience For if hee could prooue moe Sectes than hee proponeth as both hee professeth and I confesse hee might why would hee not rather produce them than for malicious vp-making of a number where no number is make them diverse who are but one For everie difference of Opinion maketh not a diverse Sect much lesse doe diverse names of men who disagree in no materiall point Philadelphus You miss-take the matter Eubulus it is not maliciouslie done of him but for Metres sake to make vp his Verses which other-wayes would not haue runne well Eubulus Well this is his least al-be-it even a lourd-Errour But next Philomathes for resolution of his Question if hee had not willinglie set him-selfe to wander out of a right and plaine way so to draw others after him in the darke Mist of drumblie Disputations hee might haue taken the onlie sure and infallible Marke from CHRIST His owne Mouth Who as hee is the onelie LORD of the House great Shepheard of the Sheepe and Bridegroome of the Bryde so can Hee best of anie leade vs to know them rightlie Philomathes That must bee of all other the most certaine Note and I long to heare it Eubulus CHRIST giveth His Sheepe this Marke That they know the voyce of the great Shepheard and follow it and that they will not follow the voyce of a Stranger for they know it not Where-by that is vndoubtedlie the true Church where the voyce of CHRIST and His voyce onelie is purelie preached and religiouslie received If anie man loue Mee bee will keepe My Word and My Father will loue him and Wee will come to him and will dwell with him Hee that loveth Mee not keepeth not My Wordes c. Philomathes This is most true but the Question remaineth still as doubtfull as before for what-so-ever Companie doeth acclaime to it selfe the Title of the Church they no lesse boldlie affirme that they doe heare the voyce of CHRIST so as you haue but cast vs in a new dispute what iâ—… CHRIST His voyce which his true Sheepe doe heare and by hearing where-of they may bee discerned to bee of His Sheepe-folde Eubulus Neyther CHRIST nor His Apostles nor the succeeding Orthodox Fathers haue left place to make question heere-of to anie who wilfullie winketh not for Hee hath left vs His holie Scriptures and commandeth to search them for a Witnesse of Him Now the way to know Him and to know His true Church which is his fulnesse must of necessitie bee one More-over that which maketh the man of GOD wise absolute and perfect to everie good worke must make him wise to discerne the true Church also But the Scriptures make the man of GOD wise absolute and perfect to everie good worke therefore they make him wise to discerne the true Church also So then the Scriptures are CHRIST His voyce and they onlie are now to bee helde for His voyce for In vaine doe men worship sayeth the LORD teaching for Doctrines the Traditions of men And when-so-ever anie Church falleth to heare anie other Voyce or follow anie other Speaker then Shee looketh aside to the Flockes of his Companions and of a faithfull Citie beginneth to become an Harlor And as Ierome pertinentlie speaketh Egredietur è finibus suis Shee transgresseth her owne Limits Your men Philomathes darken all disputation by deceit of Aequivocations and confounding of distinct Considerations and Cases It is a much different thing to discerne the Church of CHRIST in common from Infidels Forraigners And againe in that communitie of the Church to discerne betwixt the true worshippers and the false betwixt the
vnder Sense and so can bee no Marke at all Sophisticall for that of that which we confesse to be a true Attribute of the Church hee would conclude a discerning Marke But all Attributes are not Markes Now Eriphilus refell mine Argument or graunt mee I pray you some respite from burning for without merite you haue al-readie burned too manie vpon humour Philadelphus You could not away Eriphilus with my Sonnets but as I thinke Eubulus Syllogismes are no lesse pricking Philomathes But I pray you Eubulus how-so-ever your Reasons are subtill and I can not denye but builded vpon confessed Grounds and how-so-ever that Catholicke is an Attribute as you call it of the Church is apprehended by Fayth yet seeing that the moste approoved Fathers in their Disputations agaynst the Heretickes of their tymes doe presse them sore with the Authoritie of the Catholicke Church which they ordinarilie oppose vnto them it would appeare that they had some reason to doe so and that even Vniversalitie is in some respect a Marke of the true Church Neyther see I howe you can disapprooue our Mens Argument agaynst you brought from this Note except you will condemne those Famous and Auncient Fathers also as having vaynlie and sophisticallie reasoned for the Trueth Eubulus To cleare you Philomathes of all doubt heerein and to free our selues from anie eyther conscience of our owne guiltinesse where-fore we would reject this Reason or of anie vnreverend Opinion of those Fathers who as you truelie affirme in some Cases and Respectes did vse it the aequivocation of this word Catholicke must be opened vp where-by your Doctours willinglie illude and where-by your simple ones are vnwittinglie deceived For the Catholicke Church is of the Fathers so called eyther properlie and absolutelie or improperlie and but in some speciall Respect and Relation Absolutelie and most properlie the Catholicke Church is the whole number of what-so-ever tyme or place who haue beene are or shall bee vnited vnto CHRIST their Head and liue in Him by His Spirit whether heere on Earth fighting or hence in Heaven triumphing Absolutelie and lesse properlie the Catholicke Church is the whole militant companie heere on Earth of what-so-ever Kinred Tongue or Nation vnder one and the same common Ensigne of Christian Profession whether Hypocrites or true Professours whether pure or corrupt Worshippers whether Orthodox or Hereticall as even Bellarmine argueth Cap. 7. De Notis Eccles. In anie of which Cases shee is believed and in her Vniversalitie falleth not vnder Sense Improperlie agayne and in opposite Relation the Church is called CATHOLICKE for two Respects The one In opposite Relation to the Church of the Iewes which was limited within the compasse of one People and of one Region the Christian Church no more so confined but spread indifferentlie over all is called the CATHOLICKE CHVRCH Neyther thus because that eyther al-wayes all Peoples Vniversallie or moste parte of Men embrace the Gospell but because the Entrie is opened and offered indifferentlie vnto all The other Respect was the opposite Relation to hereticall Companies separating them-selues by Errour from the common Bodie of the Church Trueth mayntayned there-in And in this last Respect it is that al-most the Fathers cōmonlie speak of it calling the Cōmunitie of the Visible Church retayning Trueth in relation to particular hereticall Companies the CATHOLICKE CHVRCH And in this Sense opposing ordinarilie to arrogant men the Authoritie Multitude Consent Succession c. of the Catholicke Church as you haue alleadged Philomathes But in this manner of the Fathers reasoning two things are carefullie to bee marked whereby the Fathers shall bee found both pertinentlie and prudentlie to haue vsed this Argument where by your men now shall bee seene evidentlie and impudentlie to abuse it The first is that state and condition of the Church wherein this Argument hath place according as it was when the Fathers vsed it The second is what weight or moment the Fathers placed in it The state of the Church then was in common pure holding Trueth and by the force thereof purging or expelling all in-bred or accressing evils or Heresies So as then though by an improper Speach yet the Communalitie of the Church keeping Trueth in relation to a few Declyners might not impertinentlie bee called the Catholicke Church and her authoritie might well haue beene opposed vnto them But who in a plaine contrarie state and condition of the Church when Errour obtaineth in common and Trueth is afflicted and borne downe yet without consideration of the altered State and Condition would still vse the same reason from Multitude and what-so-ever or how-so-ever an obtaining State hee were a ridiculous Sophister confounding diverse and distinct times and cases To reason from the state of the Church in Ephesus where-in evill was not tollerated to the state of the Church in Smirna where-in Heretickes waxed prowde and despysed the abject state of true Professours it were sophisticall but much more sophisticall to reason from the state in Ephesus to the state in Pergamus when the true Church dwelt even where Satan's Throne was knowne to GOD though hid from the worldlie sort To reason from the Woman cloathed with the Sunne treading the Moone and crowned with twelue Starres to the same Woman lurking in the Wildernesse it concludeth not for as in the first Case the Fathers had reason and did wyselie to convince by all Advantages so whyle the Case is clearlie altered according as by Scripture was fore-tolde and Antichrist hath obtayned a Throne even in the Temple when the Evill or Gangrene in the bodie and having even over-gone the Bodie in common will contende agaynst the healthsome remnant then are wee both to leaue improper Speaches and wyselie to distinguish deceitfullie-confounded Tymes and Cases and properlie to pleade That the Gangrene in the Bodie and even affecting and over-going the Bodie in common yet is but an Adherent or accressing Evill in but not of the Bodie and That the healthsome remnant retayning the Lyfe of the Head and by vertue there-of resisting the over-going Gangrene is the true Catholicke Church And this altered Condition of Tyme and of the Church in tyme which maketh the Argument some-tyme pertinentlie vsed to bee nowe ridiculous besides that both SCRIPTVRE hath fore-tolde it the FATHERS did see the working on of it and wee haue aboundantlie often prooved and still offer to prooue it It is cleare also by that other Poynt which I propounded to bee observed in this reasoning of the FATHERS namelie What Weyght or Moment they placed in that same Argument VVhere-in they even professe That they vsed it not as an infallible demonstratiue Marke but as a Motiue vvhich beeing joyned with cleare TRVETH was worthie to bee regarded but which eyther without TRVETH or agaynst TRVETH should carrie no Credite This is evident by Augustine vsing this same Argument agaynst Faustus Manichaeus and opposing the Authoritie of the Catholicke Church Multitude Antiquitie Succession c.
to his bare bragging of the TRVETH Which TRVETH not-with-standing sayeth that Father if you can show so clearlie as it can not bee gayne-sayde it is to bee praeferred to all these thinges where-by I am holden within the Catholicke Church If the name of the Catholicke Church were in this place properlie to bee taken then should Augustine's supposed Case be ridiculous For Trueth can never be found any-where els but within the Catholicke Church taken properlie Where-by it is cleare that the Catholicke Church in this and such other places is taken for the Communalitie of the visible Church which having Trueth should bee regarded But to whose Authoritie not the lesse the cleare Trueth found with never so few Holders is to bee preferred For Wee ought not to consent no not to Catholicke Bishops sayeth the same Father if they holde anie Opinion contrarie to Canonicke Scriptures Where-by is manifest both in what Sense the Fathers reasoned from the Authoritie of the Catholicke Church and what force they placed in that Argument and that how-so-ever by them and in that tyme and case of a Church it was not inconvenientlie vsed yet that now in so farre different a state still to vsurpe it in a lyke manner were extreame impudencie This Chrysostome did both fore-see and gaue warning of it that the altered state of the Church behooved to bring men to a more neare and proper Rule of Examination as in his Testimonies aboue cited is cleare In that how-so-ever before that Heresie obtayned place in the Church and the abhomination of desolation stood also in sanctis Ecclesiae locis in the holie places of the Church manie wayes were to discerne the Church as while Trueth helde place in common was Vniversalitie improperlie taken Multitude Consent Succession c yet now after that hereticall contagion hath infected the Bodie in common no manner of way is to discerne the true Church amidst the corrupted communitie of the Church but onlie the Scriptures You are greatlie deceived Philomathes if you esteeme the Church therefore to bee called CATHOLICKE eyther because al-wayes the moste parte of men shall come in to her and embrace the Profession or yet That of such as come in to her the moste parte shall al-wayes holde the Trueth But Shee is CATHOLICKE because her Gates that are nowe casten open to all Kinreds Tongues and Nations that the righteous Nation may enter in And how-so-ever that neyther most part come in neyther of such as are in her is the most part of her or saved yet all vniversallie who are saved must both bee in her and of her And how-so-ever in her most part keepe not Trueth yet no Trueth is but in her If as your Men are al-readie perceiving and there-vpon are gnawing their Tongues for sorrowe the Trueth preached by vs take in short tyme such successe as the Waters of your Euphrates shall be dryed vp and if Multitude and Consent of Nations shall bee with vs will you there-fore yeelde vs the Title of the Catholicke Church If multitude of Holders bee al-wayes a sure Marke of the true Church how sayeth the Scripture That All shall follow the Beast And you confesse That Antichrist when hee commeth shall obtayne Vniversallie Now if in Antichrist his vsurpation Vniversalitie shall bee no Note of the Church how see you not That verie vnjustlie you lay it al-wayes agaynst vs and That what-so-ever Vniversalitie you can alleadge for your Pope it exeemeth him not from beeing that Antichrist except hee cleare him-selfe by better Defences Thus I hope I haue cleared That wee neyther disprooue the Fathers reasoning agaynst Heretickes in opposing to them the Authoritie of the Catholicke Church and yet that you haue not there-fore anie eyther Right in their Argument or Ground there-vpon to make CATHOLICKE a discerning Marke of the Church So as your man's mayne Proposition so farre as concerneth this Note of Vniversalitie is still sophisticall and vayne But nowe if it were even a discerning Marke as your Men would make it yet let vs trye howe justlie your Church doeth vindicate it to her selfe and let vs examine your Man's mayne Assumption in that part Philadelphus As you haue dressed his Proposition in that part I thinke all labour agaynst his Assumption were ydle For if CATHOLICKE can bee no discerning Marke of the Church no not anie Marke at all as you haue at length and evidentlie evinced how can it bee Romes Marke Eubulus Yet Philadelphus I will omit no-thing where-by I may possiblie induce Eriphilus to take more of my counsell But in refelling this your Man's Assumption of his mayne Argument where-by hee appropriateth to Rome the Title of the Catholicke Church I must protest Eriphilus that it bee no praejudice to my matter that you doe so confidentlie call your selues Catholickes and your Companie the Catholicke Church else if you will haue this your vsurping of that name to carrie anie weight and that therefore you will haue vs to account so of you I desire of you the same aequitablenesse in our Case That because wee both esteeme and call our selues The Catholicke Church and Catholicke Men that therefore you will holde vs for such Or if you consider that an Argument à dici ad esse concludeth not and that there-fore pertinentlie the Logicians place before their Categories the Distinction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of thinges that are sayde and of thinges that are Then let vs lay aside what eyther you of your selues or wee of our selues doe partiallie speake or arrogantlie arrogate and let vs trye what is true of vs both Philomathes Your Protestation is most aequitable For a bare Clayme except it bee instructed can make no Title Eubulus Then Philomathes in that part of your Poet's Ryme which is inscrybed CATHOLICKE and which you did lastlie reade besides the Proposition which I haue refelled hee assumeth That the Note of Catholicke or Vniversalitie conveaneth properlie to the Church of Rome Which false Assumption hee seeketh to sustayne by foure Reasons the first of which hee concludeth thus What Companie did take in hand and accordinglie first performed the publishing of the Gospell thorow the Worlde and converted all Nations to the Fayth that must bee the Companie to which the Title of CATHOLICKE or VNIVERSALITIE properlie belongeth and that Companie is the Catholicke Church But the Church of Rome onlie did both vnder-take and performe this There-fore the Church of Rome is the Catholicke Church and to her properlie that Note belongeth Now heere some Poëticall inspiration hath transported your man to giue vs such whether a definition or description of Catholicke as till now none ever heard of Wee esteemed as I haue shewed that the Catholicke Church had beene that companie of what-so-ever Tyme Place or Nation which in the communion of one and the same Spirit joyned to their Head CHRIST doe make vp the fulnesse of His mysticall Bodie whether in the Heavens triumphing or as yet heere in their course fighting
or in another consideration wee call the Catholicke Church all of all Kinreds Tongues and Nations who vnder one and the same common Ensigne of Christian Profession giue their names to CHRIST and are in the count of His House heere whether they bee onlie in it or also of it or to speake improperlie as in some Cases the Fathers doe the Catholicke Church is the communitie of the Church holding Trueth in relation to Declyners there-from But your Poet appropriating this Title to the first Converters hath forfaulted from this Dignitie all the Converted by them And thus his Proposition is not onlie false but even ridiculous For how-so-ever the Converters of others by an improper Speach may be called Catholicks as anie particular Church holding Trueth is called a Catholicke Church or anie faithfull Man a Catholicke man because they are true partes of the Catholicke Church in which onlie is Trueth Lyfe and Salvation yet to call anie particular eyther person order of persons or companie the Catholicke man persons or Church it is an insolentlie arrogant Speach His Assumption I distinguish If hee affirme That Rome first converted all Nations to the Fayth and was the first publisher of the Gospell it is so shameleslie false as I thinke Satan might blush to broach out such a Lie How did Paul glorie in the LORD and that before hee did see Rome that from Arabia to Illyricum he had filled all with the Gospell of CHRIST and that most part where CHRIST had not beene named not building on anie other man's foundation Haue all the other eleven Apostles besides Peter forgotten thinke you their LORD's Commission of whom wee haue no certayne record that ever anie did see Rome If converting Nations to the Fayth might appropriate to anie Church downe of the same But no Companie offereth to GOD a cleane Sacrifice from the rysing of the Sunne to the setting of the same but the Church of Rome There-fore the Church of Rome is onlie and properlie the Catholicke Church The Proposition of this his Syllogisme hee taketh from the Prophet Malachie His Assumption hee prooveth stronglie for-sooth by an vndenyable Trueth That Onelie the Church of Rome offereth all-where the holie Sacrifice of the Messe Which hee maketh no question but that is the onlie cleane Sacrifice offered to GOD all-where from the rysing to the setting of the Sunne And thus hee thinketh his Conclusion can not fayle him Eriphilus And so I thinke also Eubulus and I hope shall thinke so still for anie Aunswere you are able to make there-vnto how-so-ever you would seeme for-sooth to make a verie light account of it and would according to your manner laugh-over those Argumentes which most pintch you Eubulus Then advert what I haue to say and thinke syne what you please The Condition of CHRIST His Church set downe by Malachie whence the Poet bringeth his Proposition I acknowledge according to the Prophet his sense and wordes which your man Eriphilus resumeth deceitfullie The wordes are these From the ◅sing of the Sunne to the going downe there-of My Name shall bee great amongst the Gentiles and in all places Incense shall bee brought to My Name and a cleane Gift These cleare and distinct wordes eyther ignorantlie or fraudfullie your man obscureth perverteth and involveth to darken the difference betwixt expiatorie Sacrifices or Sacrifices for sinne and other Oblations of Prayse or due Worship vvhich both in their diverse Types are most distinctlie put and in the Anagogicke Veritie must bee diverselie considered And this your man doeth to bring some Colour to his Assumption which is impudentlie false Neyther will the Offering of your Messe which is neyther cleane holie nor a Sacrifice but a most sacrilegious prophanation of an holie Sacrament and the moste detestable Idolatrie that ever was defended for good Worship appropriate to Rome the Offring all-where of Incense and a cleane Gift to the LORD Are you so shallow a Man in Scripture Eriphilus that you know not how all true Christians anie-where beeing made Kinges and Priestes to GOD in CHRIST doe offer vp to Him the Sacrifices of Prayse even the Calues of the Lippes Doe wee not offer vp our selues an holie living acceptable Sacrifice even our reasonable Service What-so-ever workes of Charitie wee in the feare and loue of GOD performe are they not Sacrifices and accepted in CHRIST To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such Sacrifices GOD is well pleased sayeth the Apostle Is not the Liberalitie of the Philippians by the same Apostle called A Sacrifice of sweet Savour and acceptable to GOD Your Man his whole Senses haue beene drowned in his Challice when so doltishlie hee forgot him-selfe as to leaue no cleane Offering in the Church but his monstrous Messe As for anie other Sacrifice for sinne but that one and once for all offered wee acknowledge not So as your Messe may be well relegated to sicke Swyne for whom vpon conveaned pryce your Men haue mumbled out a million Now as your Questioner playeth the Cavillatour both in that hee confoundeth diverse kyndes of Sacrifices and also that hee acknowledgeth not with cleare Scripture anie other cleane Oblation in the Christian Church but the Mischiefe of the Messe So hee illudeth more-over by reasoning from Sacrifice and Oblation figuratiuelie and allegoricallie spoken of to Sacrifice and Oblation in proprietie of signification from typicall speaches concluding not allegoricallie but properlie and that most ignorantlie foolishlie The Prophets fore-speaking of CHRIST His Kingdome doe ordinarilie expresse the Condition thereof vnder Legall Types where-by it was fore-shadowed Which is so evident in all their manner of Dispensation as it is marvell if anie dare pretende to misknow it Speaking of the Conversion of Nations a◅d of their Association to the Church they prophecie That all Nations shall come yearlie and worship at HIERUSALEM Which to vnderstand properlie it were to bee a proper Asse in Divinitie For expressing of the great measure of Light and Knowledge vnder the Gospell they prophecie That all men shall see Visions and dreame Dreames to declare that the Worship of GOD shall bee no more tyed to anie one place but that all-where who worship Him in Spirit and Trueth shall bee accepted Isaia telleth of three Altars to bee erected one in Iudea one in Assyria and one in Aegypt And thus to show how the worship of GOD should bee no more confined within the Iewish natiō or precinct of Canaan Malacbie fore-telleth That Incense and a cleane Gift shall bee offered in all places and that the Name of the LORD shall bee great from the rysing of the Sunne to the going-downe there-of And howe will you out of this make your monstrous Messe or out of your Messe make the miserable Mongers there-of to bee the Catholicke Church except first you make Mules of Men Or is there anie eyther Shame or Sinceritie in disputing when vpon typicall Praedictions Conclusions are inferred
Syrope Philadelphus is little lesse vnpleasant than your Potion so as Eriphilus hath to provide him-selfe other-wayes of Patience But leaving this I will turne mee agayne to Eubulus who gaue the Wound which you well satyricklie haue rankled You remember Eubulus that you compryzed our Man's whole Discourse of HAERETICKES in this mayne Syllogisme To whom the Notes of HAERETICKES doe properlie conveane and in whom are found manyfolde Defectes which can not befall the true Church they must of necessitie bee baereticall But to the Protestant Churches the Notes of HAERETICKES doe properlie conveane and in them are found manyfolde Defectes which can not befall the true Church There-fore the Protestant Churches are haereticall The Proposition of this Argument you admitted To the first part of the Assumption as touching the Notes of Haeretickes you haue so answered that labouring to cleare your selues you haue layde over well sadlie that Imputation vpon our Church Nowe then all-be-it wee haue the longer but the lesse Esperance of prevayling yet seeing this other poynt concerning the Defectes found in you or affirmed of you resteth nowe onelie of all our Man's Poēsie to bee spoken of I would heare your Aunsweres all-so vnto his Interrogatours there-vpon Eubulus Of this Philomathes I will acquyte my selfe with small a-doe for that all-most all the Defectes objected vnto vs are vpon your Poet 's praesumed Opinion That wee want those Markes where-of hath beene spoken So as anie sensible Man in that which wee haue all-readie sayde shall finde all his subsequent Questions sufficientlie aunswered Besides that else-where I haue aunswered them at such length as my Discourse heere may bee the shorter and you yet aboundantlie satisfied if not with that which I now say yet with easie paynes to reade mine other TREATISES Nowe then reade foorth in order your Man's Questions Philomathes I will both gladlie heare what you shall now say and will not wearie al-so to reade what else-where you haue written These now are the Questions You say your Fayth did appeare For the space of sixe hundreth Yeare But tell mee if thou can When Papistrie first began Where were the Servants of the LORD That none of them durst speake a word To defend the knowne Trueth ************** Did Saynct Peter's Fayth fayle Did the Gates of Hell prevayle Did the Salt lose its savour Was the Bryde out of favour Was the Pillar over-throwne By vvhich all Trueth vvas to bee knowne By this thou vvouldst prooue playne All CHRIST'S Promise to bee vayne Sea Heavens and Earth shall passe in-deede But of this Word no jot vvee reade Where haue you beene so long a tyme To vvhom did your Light shyne Where did your principall Pastor sit Who kept your Keyes vvho fed your Sheepe Show mee some Church that you haue built I can shew manie that you haue spilt Were all damned eternallie Who vvere not of your Companie How might a Man haue found you out To haue tryall in matters of doubt When no such Companie did appeare For so manie hundreth Yeare Till LUTHER a lying Frier On vvhom the Devill ◅ad desire Brake his Vow and married a Nun And then your Haeresie first begun And favoured in SAXONIE By a Duke that loved Libertie And in King EDWARD'S tyme truelie It first infected our Countrey For a thousand yeares you say That Papistrie did beare the sway And during all that space No Protestant did show his Face Who kept the holie Scripture then From the hands of wicked men Who had Authoritie to ordayne Or make Priests or Bishops agayne For hee that entereth without order As a Thiefe doth kill and murder Hee is a Wolfe and not a Priest And Enemie to our Saviour CHRIST And one thing doth make mee muze That no Priest you did refuse Ordayned by the Church of Rome But hee was excepted soone If hee would say your Service Hee should haue a Benefice Without anie farder Order And accounted for the Better How may shee make a lawfull Priest If shee bee not the Church of CHRIST Answere this if that thou can And I will bee a Protestan But while your Answere you devyse I counsell all Men that bee wyse To holde the Fayth mayntayned heere The space of a thousand Yeare Brought to vs English-men By our Apostle Sainct Austine Who from Rome vvas hither sent When EDWARD vvas King of KENT Who learn'd his Fayth of Gregorie ◅ Which Fayth vvas kept successiuelie By three-score Bishops and three From Saynct Peter's tyme vvee see Who learn'd his Fayth of CHRIST IESU Who is the Sonne of GOD most true To HIM bee all Honour and Prayse Who doeth defende HIS Church al-wayes Eubulus You may perceiue Philomathes the trueth of that which I sayde vnto you that all these yourman's questions are coincident with the cases of Continuance Visibilitie wherof we haue spoken except that in end for giving vs a deadly blow in his conceit he close all vp with the question of our Callings And to make cleare to you how your man multiplieth words in vayne without knowledge I reduce all his impertinent pratling to this mayne Argument If things affirmed by you of your Churches can not consist with the Promise of CHRIST made to His Church and Her certaine condition thereby and if you are forced to acknowledge of the Church of Rome that which can not bee competent to anie Companie but to CHRIST'S Church then are your Churches Haereticall and the Church of Rome is the Church of CHRIST But the thinges affirmed by you of your Churches can not consist with the Promise of CHRIST made to His Church and Her certayne Condition there-by and that which you grant of the Church of Rome is onlie competent to CHRIST HIS Church There-fore your Churches are Haereticall and the Church of Rome is the Church of CHRIST Philomathes Verilie our Poet if hee were even heere present could alleadge no Prevarication on you in the vpright compryzing of the summe of his Discourse And if you shall answere to it as clearlie and ingeniouslie as you haue ingeniouslie propounded it vndoubtedlie the best of this Game will bee yours Eubulus The Proposition of his Argument is true but his Assumption is extreamlie false where-of hee laboureth to fortifie the first part touching the Defects alleadged on our Churches thus The Promise of CHRIST to His Church is That Peter's fayth shall never fayle that The Gates of Hell shall not prevayle against her that The Salt shall not lose its savour that The Bryde shall not bee out of favour that The Church shall remaine the stable Pillar of Trueth c. and According to this Promise the certayne Condition of the Church is That Shee al-wayes continueth and is visible But by these things which you affirme of your Churches Peter's Fayth should haue fayled The Gates of Hell should haue prevayled the Salt should haue lost its savour the Spouse should haue beene out of favour the Pillar should haue beene over-throwne and the Church of
even by a deceitfull confounding of what-so-ever poyntes of Trueth and what-so-ever degrees of Division or Dissention which must bee wyselie and carefullie distinguished For there bee manie poynts of Trueth wherein diversitie of judgement breaketh not the Vnitie of the Church Yea and manie Divisions and Dissentions which yet divyde not the dissenting Members one from another or if one from another yet neyther of them from the Head or common Bodie from which those onlie may bee sayde absolutelie to fall which holde not the Head or subvert directlie and with pertinacie the Foundation For manie in weaknesse will holde Opinions which in-deede doe even choppe agaynst the Foundation by cleare and necessarie Consequence but not immediatelie or directlie So as if you should challenge the Holders of that which their opinion doth import they wil not only deny it but evē abhorre the sequele of that which they mayntayne but not with that mynde And it were great want of Charitie to judge a-lyke of these and of the others Wee are all heere still compassed with Infirmitie knowing but in part and prophecying but in part In which Case the Apostle charitablie advyseth That Who are perfect they bee so mynded and if anie bee other-wayes mynded that the LORD will reveale it vnto them but that in the tyme in that where-to wee are come wee ought to proceede by one Rule mynding the same thinges I confesse manie hundreths doe regrate it with Teares That the Infirmitie of Mens myndes too farre in selfe-wiening wedded to their owne Sense and not humblie receiving Information or charitablie comporting with weake Brethren according to the Apostle's Rule both hath bred and still breedeth too manie bitter and vnnecessarie Distractions and scandalous Schismes about such thinges as if Humilitie and Loue had over-ruled Mens Affections neyther were nor are of such Moment where-fore the Vnitie of Men holding still one and the same Head and keeping one and the same Foundation should bee so lightlie broken or the Peace of GOD His House troubled But the weaknesse and not duelie-mortified Humours of Men maketh not the Trueth of GOD to fayle That Dissentions and Divisions are it declareth Men to bee yet in that part carnall but it doeth not separate them from the common Bodie so long as they holde one and the same LORD one Fayth one Hope one Baptisme and are vnited in one and the same Spirit no more than did this Defect in the Church of Corinth which al-be-it that heere-fore the Apostle did rebuke as carnall in that yet hee still did intitle with the Name of CHRIST His Church And though by anie such Schisme eyther a Person or Companie should bee divided from particular eyther Church or Churches it will not therefore follow I thinke none dare avouch it that there-fore they are separated from the Head or common Bodie so to make them in a-lyke Case with haereticall Subverters of the Foundation and Deserters of the Head Wee see by Experience in naturall Bodies That by inflicted Woundes such Gaps will bee made as the sides of the Wound eyther from other will start a-sunder and so one part of the Bodie by a separating Wound will be severed from another part which both will yet remayne still vnited in the common Bodie and bee part-takers of one and the same common Sense Motion and Lyfe from one and the same Head and Heart Thus Philomathes your Poet's Proposition absolutelie affirmed is false even when hee hath modified his indefinite All Poynts to all Poynts of Trueth Philomathes That no Vnitie argueth anie Companie to bee CHRIST'S Church but Vnitie in Trueth I must needs confesse it and that everie diversitie of opinion or everie degree of Distraction doth not separate the dissenters or distracted mutuallie from other or at least eyther of them from the common Bodie and Head I cannot denye but that you haue evinced it clearlie Yet so manie and so materiall are the Divisions amongst your Churches and your Quarrels are debated so bitterlie and againe so great is the Harmonie and Concord of the Romish Church as I thinke giveth just Reason to suspect of you that you are not nor can not bee vnited as you spake in one and the same LORD Fayth Hope Baptisme and Spirit and that the Church of Rome hath onlie and evidentlie this Honour Eubulus Now Philomathes you put the Lyfe of your Syllogisme in the Hands of your Assumption to stand or fall there-with And denying vs anie such Vnitie as may argue a Church of CHRIST you haue appropriated all to Rome how justlie we will even now examine and first your Objection against vs is manie wayes sophisticall First if such bee accounted ours who are none of vs the imputation is vnjust Wee acknowledge and doe lament it that there is too great Division and varietie of Sects calling themselues Christians in the worlde but what doe most part of them more or so much concerne vs as they concerne your Church of Rome out of whose dongue as noysome Flees they are bred and by Satan's craft comming to fly on vpon our Churches that by the mixture of their Poyson they may bring the Trueth in disgrace are onlie by vs diligentlie resisted and their Errours clearlie convinced while in the meane tyme your Romish Church whose brood they are is carelesse of anie thing but to suppresse the Trueth and calumniouslie to lay over on vs the Stinke of their owne Excrements As for such whom we will not disadvow in common how-so-ever wee will not justifie the Ambition Giddinesse and bitternesse of some particular Men who as fyre-brands disturbe humurouslie and vnnecessarilie the Peace of the Church I affirme that no such materiall Poynts are in differ betwixt vs in common wherefore wee both may not and ought not embrace others mutuallie as Brethren Which that wee doe not it is our weaknesse and the malicious worke of but a few evil-inspired Instruments seeking more their owne Estimation than GOD his Glorie and good of His Church And that no such Separation is betwixt vs but that how-so-ever by a cruell Wound of mercilesse Hands wee are separated one of vs from another yet wee are still joyned in the common Head and in the common Bodie each of vs to other So as your Man 's odious enumeration of Protestants Puritanes Calvinists Zwinglians and if you list to adde to them Lutheranes also is but a calumnious traducing of such as most part are not separated eyther from other or at least how-so-ever by some weaknesse they bee in that sort distracted yet are but one Bodie joyned in one and the same LORD Fayth Hope Baptisme and informed all of them by one and the same Spirit al-be-it not all in a-lyke measure Amongst whom there is no just breach of Communion how-so-ever that by a Wound of some cruell and dispitefull Men those you doe call Lutherians are vnnecessarilie separated from the rest but none of vs from the common Head and Bodie in which
we are still vnited and will be yet more more nearlie our Concord in GOD and His Trueth growing as your Vnitie in Evill shall be broken off the will of GOD being fulfilled in all the worke of Antichrist's deceit justlie vpon the Worlde for contempt of His Trueth And thus Philomathes your Assumption where-by you denye vs anie such Vnitie as of necessitie is requyred in the Church of CHRIST for keeping justlie that Account is false And no lesse false is it al-so in that what you would robbe vs of you doe appropriate to Rome which can not bee truelie praysed for anie Vnitie except that which before I mentioned out of the seaventeenth Chapter of the REVELATION which is the onlie Vnitie proper vnto her and accordinglie there fore-tolde of her For other-wayes shee hath fallen away foulie both from the Head and the Foundation and can never bee sayde to haue keeped Vnitie with the true Bodie other-wayes than the accressing Sore or Apostume in the Bodie but not of it may bee sayde to bee one with the Bodie And your Man bewrayeth verie well howe poorelie provyded hee is of anie sure probation of his Vnitie when for all Argument where-by to evince an Vnion in one LORD one Fayth one Hope one Baptisme and one true and sanctifying Spirit hee is not ashamed impudentlie to take that which is the verie mayne poynt in question Whither I pray you did his Poëticke Furie transport him when without blushing to sustayne his Assumption on which all the lyfe of his Cause depended hee brought this onlie and goodlie Argument That Church onlie keepeth Vnitie in all poynts which cleaveth to the Pope But the Church of Rome onelie cleaveth to the Pope There-fore the Church of Rome onlie keepeth Vnitie in all poynts The Proposition of this his Demonstration he prooveth by this That the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heavē were given to Peter But the Pope is Peter's Successour Ergo doe you requyre mee Philomathes to make anie aunswere to these your Man his Raveries Or if hee had beene set of verie purpose to play the Praevaricator in the Cause which hee pleadeth could hee more ridiculouslie I will not say haue reasoned but raved Wee neyther deny nor envy your Church her Vnitie with the Pope al-be-it in christian Compassion wee pittie it But wee deny your Mischiefe to haue anie Vnion eyther with the Head Foundation or Bodie except as a Sore in it but not of it And to cleare yet farder the falsehood of your Man's mayne Assumption of Vnitie That the Church of Rome keepeth Vnitie in all poynts and how vayne hee is in vaunting there-of if your Poet had as carefullie picked out the Partialities of his Romish Church even in this their damnable and cursed conspiracie as hee hath with a perverse mynde and poysonable Eye pryed in our Distractions What great matter of Insulting hath hee or anie of his profession against our Churches for any Division betwixt vs and these whom they doe call LVTHERIANS If he were as powerfull a Peace-maker as he prooveth an impertinent Pratler he might haue found at Home to worke vpon not only great Dissentions but even as bitter and materiall Digladiations as anie is amongst vs. When al our Controversie amongst our selues about the manner of Presence and participation of CHRIST in the sacred Supper is duelie weighed what shall bee found there-in comparable to the manyfolde Debates amongst your Schoolemen about the manner of their prodigious TRANSSVBSTANTIATION whence as from an horrible Hydra so manie monstruouslie diverse Heads haue sprung vp in their Schooles as never will bee reconciled till Fyre from Heaven burne vp all that intoxicated Bodie When your Poët shall put at one the Scotists and Thomists the Franciscanes and Domicians the Schoole-men and the Canonists their other Clergie and the Iesuists when Blacke-well and Bellarmine shall accord vpon that mayne Poynt of the Pope's Supremacie which to belieue and that both In temporalibus spiritualibus is de necessitate salutis that is Necessarie to Salvation sayeth the one partie then might hee with the more credite praesume to taxe our Distractions Loripedem rectus derideat Aethiopem albus Now then your Man's Proposition of his mayne Syllogisme of VNITIE beeing sophisticall and his Assumption clearlie false he will hardlie I trow vpon such Antecedents conclude well that the Church of Rome is the onlie true Church of CHRIST Philadelphus You haue admitted the Church of Rome an VNITIE but such as where-in they haue neyther anie matter of Glorying and are but even scarse well vnited in that same sacrilegious Societie Who are vnited onlie but in Evill And scarselie well are in that same compacted Lesse may they glorie than their Guyde the Devill Whose Kingdome is not in it selfe distracted Killers and Rogues are in a Course contracted That Concord onlie comes to bee commended When vncorrupt Companions vncoacted For Trueth and truelie are to-gether bended In Unitie which is not thus defyned Fiends Robbers Killers may bee close combyned Philomathes As Eubulus in doing his best to take from our Poët the prayse of a deepe Divine so I perceiue Philadelphus that you mynde not to permit him the Monopolie of the MVSES But now it resteth to speake of the Note of HOLINESSE and I much muze Eubulus if as of all the former so you will affirme of this al-so That it is no proper Marke For I am sure that to nothing vnder Heaven doeth the propertie of HOLINESSE conveane but to the Church of CHRIST onlie And agayne according to the Law you alleadged of Propers that what-so-ever Men are holie they must bee of the Church of CHRIST for Holinesse becommeth His House Philadelphus The Prophet ELISHA beeing consulted by great Personages and vpon great Poynts called for a Minstrell And mine Advyse were Eubulus before you aunswere to this Marke of HOLINESSE that even for refreshing of our Spirites a little 〈◊〉 heare their Man's Melodie vpon that poynt Eriphilus As your Myndes are mistuned you may perhaps finde your selues nor greatlie cheared there-with For how-so-ever Eubulus lyke a slipperie Eele by subtilties of Distinctions hath slidden thorow all our preceeding Marks yet as Philomathes hath rightlie sayde I hope HOLYNESSE is such a sure one as you can not deny except you would once and in this one Poynt prooue true Men even to professe your selues a prophane Companie Eubulus What-so-ever a propertie wee shall finde HOLINESSE to bee yet Eriphilus I take bitter Passion to bee no proper Poynt of it And therefore what-so-ever your Man's Musicke might worke in vs yet shall it not incontinentlie come praesentlie in place for mitigating of your owne Cholericke Motions by some greater Sympathie which perhaps it shall finde in you than it can waken vp in our as you call them mistuned Myndes Therefore Philomathes bring out your Cure quicklie for succouring of your Companion Philomathes In-deede the consideration of HOLINESSE would requyre a calme Constitution And these are our Man's Verses there-of