repentance before the Lord Iudg. 20. 26. Now the sinne of the Israelites for which they receiuing such a double foyle appeareth by the text to haue beene first too much confidence of the victorie in regard partly of the goodnes of their cause partly of their great multitude and secondly that although they sought vnto god in that behalfe yet they sought not in such humble and earnest manner as they should haue done and also did at the last when they had not onely warrant from God to goe againe to battell but also a promise of victorie Now if these sinnes be so dangerous to a good and iust cause what may be feared of great sinnes Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken concerning them that are of our religion THE FOVRTH VSE CONCERning Atheists and all those that are of no religion TOuching them that are not of our religion they are especially either Atheists and such as are of no religion or Papists By Atheists I meane not onely such as in deede and openly professe theÌ„selues to be such not fearing plainly to denie God and all religion of which sort we hauee too many euen in our lande but also such as doe beare men in hand that they are of our religion but in truth are not For albeit they will goe to Church and performe other outward duties that our religion requireth yea will also sometime speake and doe something for our religion yet all is but in pollicie they practise onely the precepts of cursed Machiuel and therfore if any change should come which the God of heauen keepe from vs they are as readie for any religion as for this To this sort of Atheists I doe also referre many ciuill men that neuer knew or heard of Machiuel himselfe neither of his precepts which come also to Church c. and liue likewise vprightly as touching ciuill righteousnes and outward equitie amongst their neighbours which will also sometimes talke of religion both ours and poperie and yet in truth also are of no religion at all neither Protestants nor Papists Moreouer hitherto belongeth a great multitude of poore soules in this land that for want of instruction are so ignorant that they know not what religion is or any point of religion and which therefore make no difference betwixt our religion and poperie All these I wish seriously to consider of my former arguments and thereby to prouoke themselues to make more account of religion generally and secondly of our religion onely then euer they haue done As they haue heard our religion to be of God and acceptable vnto him so let them know that they cannot please God in any other waie but onely in our religion How miserable therefore wretched and fearefull is their estate and condition Let all such therefore lament this their miserie heartily thanking God that they vnderstood it before their ende and whilst it is called to daie let them not harden their hearts but heare the voice of God yet calling them to his true religion and knocking at the dore of their consciences to be entertained with his truth Let them seeke the Lord whilst he may be found and call vpon him whilst he is neare Esa 55. 6. least neglecting his grace offered vnto them the Lord remooue his kingdome and depart himselfe as it were out of their hearing and so withdraw his mercies from them and poure out his iudgements vpon them that they stretch out their hands and the Lord hide his eyes they make many praiers and the Lord heare not Esa 1. 15. they seeke and there be none to be found to helpe them Ioh. 7. 34. yea least notwithstanding their seeking they die for all that in their sinnes Ioh. 8. 21. Let such as now laugh at and make as it were a Maie-game of all religion and the professours thereof weepe mourne in time for their such laughing least the Lord also doe laugh them to scorne in their miserie Psal 73. 13. and doe mocke theÌ„ when their feare commeth Prov. 1. 26. bringing such heauines vpon them that they cannot laugh though they would yea and in the ende casting them into the place of vtter darknes feare horrour where is nothing but weeping and gâ—ashing of teeth Math. 8. 12. that is in hel fire that neuer shall be quenched where their worme dieth not and their fire neuer goeth out Mark 9. 43 44. Those also that hitherto haue beene secure and careles regarding no religion let them likewise in time better regard such meanes as whereby they may be drawne to our religion THE FIFTH VSE CONCERning weake and ignorant Papists TO Papists also I saie the same especially to such as are Papists in a kind of conscience that is to such as are not of that religion of any obstinate and wilfull minde but because in ignorance they are perswaded their religion to be the right waie and ours to be a wrong or by-waie I doubt not but that there are many such in the land Yea I hope that many Papists are such This I doe hope of such Papists as bring not forth those fruits that poperie approoueth of whereof I haue spoken in my sixt argument before which are also mercifull and readie to doe good not to them onely of their owne religion but also to other These I hope to be rather ignorant then wilfull Papists therefore I haue also some good hope of their conuersion in time especially if it might please God to mooue their hearts to haue regard of the perfect law of god which conuerteth the soule Psal 19. 7. And truly in the Christian loue that I beare vnto these and in the pittie and compassion I haue of their soules as I see them full of pittie and compassion towards the bodies of other and likewise to haue many other excellent commendable things in them I haue the rather set penne to paper for the writing of this treatise to trie if it might please my good God to blesse my labour vnto their good euen to the winning of them to our religion For I protest vnto them and God knoweth I speake the truth of my heart and lie not neither dissemble that I so desire their saluation that I would be gladder thereof then of all worldly wealth and good whatsoeuer In the meane time me thinketh that howsoeuer they be commended for many excellent things indeede not very common yet all their commendation is very defectiue and lame for want of commendation touching true religion Yea certenly when a man hath saide all that he can in commending such persons and then saith that these were excellent men or worthie women were it not for one thing that is for their religion this one thing wanting is more then all they haue For this one thing concerneth God all the other for which Papists are commonly coÌ„mended concerne but men And our Sauiour saith that the great and first or chiefest commandement is to loue the Lord our God c. Math. 22. 38. yea
this is so great that the other without this concerning men not being grounded vpon this are not onely litle but in truth touching themselues nothing at all For Christ calleth this not onely the greater but also the first commandement Now where there is no first there can be no second Notwithstanding I hoping this want of true religion in them to be as I saide especially of ignorance doe therefore the better hope of their more easie conuersion and doe the more heartily wish the same that there may be no such defect in their commendation as there is but that it may be more full and perfect Such therefore hauing vouchsafed to reade my former arguments I doe also most heartily desire according to right to iudge of them Some I haue heard to haue renounced poperie vpon the sight of the great ouerthrow of the great Spanish Navie in our narrow seas anno 1588. by the mightie power of God in our behalfe as Rahab hearing of the great and mightie works of God for the Israelites renounced her owne people and was incorporated into the bodie of Israel Ios 2. 11. If that one argument before more largely handled in this treatise did so greatly preuaile to the conuersion of some howe much more ought all the arguments before applied to this purpose preuaile with other in like sort Let none therefore so lightly regard all such things as whereby our religion is so commended and poperie so euidently euicted 2 Let none oppose the religion of their fathers and forefathers c. to all other contrarie arguments Indeede Dauid exhorteth Salomon to know the God of his father and to serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde c. 1. Chron. 28. 9. and this is an excellent instruction for all fathers to giue vnto their children and likewise for all children to learne of their fathers when as the fathers haue knowne serued the same God that Dauid had knowne and serued and that according to his word as Dauid had done but if so be the fathers know not neither serue that God or not in that manner that God requireth then it is a foolish and wicked instruction to be vrged to the children by the fathers or to be obeied by the children namely to know and serue the God of their fathers 3 For when fathers haue rebelled against God not walked in his statutes and ordinances then the Lord oftentimes complaineth of the children that haue walked in such steppes of their fathers and therefore also threatneth the greater and heauier iudgement against them In the 78. psal v. 57. the Prophet complaineth of the wickednes of the Israelites and amplifieth the same by like example of their fathers They turned backe saith the Prophet and dealt falsly like their fathers they turned backe like a deceitfull bowe So Christ also speaketh vnto the Iewes as to a people past hope therefore biddeth them to fulfill also the measure of their fathers Math. 23. 32. So likewise Steuen amplifieth the sinne of the Iewes by the like example of their fathers Ye stiffnecked and vncircumcised hearts and eares ye haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe ye c. Act. 7. 51. Therefore also the Lord many times admonisheth the Israelites and Iewes not to walke in the waies neither to doe the works of their fathers Harden not your hearts saith one Prophet as in the daie of contention or tentation in the wildernes where your fathers tempted me c. psal 59. 8. By an other Prophet God speaketh thus I saide vnto their children in the wildernes walke ye not in the ordinances of your fathers neither obserue their manners neither defile your selues with their idolls Ezech. 20. 18. So the messengers that Hezekiah sent forth to inuite the Israelites to the Passeouer at Ierusalem bidde them not to be like their fathers c. neither stiffnecked like their fathers c. 2. Chron. 30. 7 8. In like sort speaketh Zachariah Be ye not like your fathers c. Zachar. 1. 4. Many other the like places are in the scriptures whereby we see this argument not to be good This was the religion of our fathers therefore it shall be ours 4 Yea certenly this is the very argument of many obstinate Iewes for the defence of their idolatrie The word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord we will not heare it of thee but we will doe whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth to burne incense vnto the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her as we haue done both we our forefathers Ier. 44. 16 17. Thus answered the wicked Iewes and thus answered many Papists saying they will not heare the word of God but will praie to the virgin Marie whō they call indeed the Queene of heauen as hath bin shewed before and to other such heauenly things for no other reason but because they and their fathers haue done so But such Papists as loue their owne saluation I exhort in the Lord not to be so wedded to the religion of their fathers Will any of you say thus My father was a ttaytour to his Prince and was therefore executed therefore I also will be a traytour to my Prince that I may beheaded drawne hanged and quartered as my father was Some it may be will not sticke to say so but all that are wise will take heede of such words and thoughts Therefore why also will you say My father was a Papist and idolatour and of that religion that God hath condemned and so consequently a traytour vnto God therefore also will I be so will any of you say especially such as God hath aduanced to great honour or worship and wealth in the land My father or grandfather was a sadler or butcher or grasier or husbandman or of some other the like meane trade therefore also I will be so I thinke none so foolish why then will ye say the like and ten times worse in religion will any of you saie My father or my mother or both had this or that bodily disease and died thereof for want of remedie therefore also I feeling the like in my selfe will not be cured of it though I may I thinke none so madde Why then will ye say the like touching such a grieuous spirituall sicknesse of your soules as poperie is why will ye die in your sinnes and not be saued O ye Papists and many other that are not yet of our religion 5 Neither doe I say these things as condemning yours and my forefathers I condemne not them but I condemne their religion As for themselues I leaue them vnto the Lord as not knowing whither they secretly repented or no of their poperie before their end If they did not repent it is farre more better to condemne them then to condemne the worde of God of any vntruth and God himselfe of any vnrighteousnesse Be ye not therefore like the
church least also touching those things that I haue gathered out of their seruice bookes any should imagine them to be such as they themselues should now disclaime I haue sufficiently preuented these obiections in the addition it selfe shewing that the authors by me here traâ—uced had great allowance from the Popes owne vnholines and were of high estimation in their churches and likewise proouing their ancient seruice books in the things here expressed not to differ froÌ„ their new books newly reformed by the couÌ„cil of TreÌ„t neither yet to be any whit in a manner now reuoked Much other the like popish trash I might haue noted out of other the like popish bookes but to avoid tediousnes vnto other I did the more willingly spare my owne paines Thus committing your selues with the successe of these my labours vnto the Lord who worke both in you and in me more perfect hatred of popery and all other errours and more vnfained loue of his truth that we may the better continue therein and be the more plentiful in all the fruits thereof I do louingly take my leaue of you froÌ„ Billerim in Essex the seuenth of March in the yeere of our Lord according to the coÌ„putation of the church of England 1597. almost nowe ended Yours in the Lord vnfainedly Thomas Stoughton The generall summe of all all things comprehended in this treatise following The reasons why this worke was taken in hand and the state of this cause beeing first breefly declared then followe these generall arguments against popery and for our religion 1 All true religion and acceptable to God is wrought in the hearts of men by the ministerie of God his word conteiued in holy scripture Popery is not wrought by the ministerie of that worde in as much as where that word is most plentifully sincerely taught there popery most falleth and where that word is wanting there popery most abounde as also because papists will neither voluntarily come nor by authority be drawne either to the preaching or reading thereof in our Churches neither doe delight in the priuate reading thereof at home ergo Popery is not true religion c. 2 All true religion is vpheld and maintained by good and lawefull meanes needing no euill vnlavvefull meanes to vphold it But popery is vpheld and maintained by all vnlawfull meanes as by force and violence by fire and fagot corrupting adding vnto and diminishing the text of scriptures by false alleadging the authorities of men by clipping and mangling the works of the auncient fathers both in citing their testimonies and also in printing of the bookes themselues by authority of the popish church by lying miracles and such other indirect meanes ergo c. 3 The subiect matter of true religion is contained in the written word of God The subiect mat of poperie is not comprised in that written worde of God but is directly contrarie therevnto in all the principall points thereof ergo c. 4 The forme of true religion is also comprehended in the canonicall Scripture The forme of poperis is not there comprehended but is altogether diuers from the forme of God his worship in that word prescribed yea rather poperie hath in a manner no worship of God at all ergo 5 All true religion referreth all things to God his glorie Poperie referreth not all things to God his glorie but so aduanceth the Pope saints and man himselfe that it spoileth God of all his glorie ergo 6 True religion bringeth forth obedience to the â—orall law of God contained in the tenne commandements Poperie and not Papists onely baingeth forth no such obedience but transgresseth euery one of these commaundements and that in the highest degree ergo 7 True religion worketh true ioy and sound comfort in euery heart where it taketh true place as certifying she same both of the present fauour of God and also of the continuance thereof Poperie worketh no such ioy and comfort as the which depriueth men of the Scriptures whereby their eyes are to be opened and their mindes instructed in true wisdome as the which teacheth likewise that it is presumption for a man to say that he is perswaded of God his fauour and of his owne saluation and wherein no man euer knoweth whither he receiueth the true sacrament or not ergo 8 All true religion is wise as he that is the author thereof Poperie is not wise but most foolish and ridiculous grossely worshipping many homely relikes absurdly baptizing bells and Churches c. and without all wit and reason much more without diuinitie citing condemning and excommunicating them that are dead ergo 9 All true religion is vnsauorie and vnpleasant to the nature of man But poperie is most pleasant thereunto because it teacheth men not to take any paines in the scriptures yea forbiddeth all such paines because it affirmeth that the worke done is sufficient howsoeuer it be done and that therefore men neede not to be carefull about their hearts because also it commendeth especially the commandements of men giuing all libertie vnto men from the commaundements of God and teaching that what good soeuer is neglected or what euill soeuer is by any committed yet by confession of all this with the mouth by a little voluntarie afflicting of the bodie and especially by a peece of money a man may haue forgiuenes of all ergo The contrarie of all the former arguments is prooued of our religion from whence it follovveth that it is true and acceptable vnto God 10 Both the former conclusions the one against poperie the other for our religion are prooued by actuall testimonies of God These are shewed to be 1 The gifts of God promised to the latter times for the commendation of the Gospel 2 The works of God The gifts of God are shewed to haue beene 1 Excedingly decaied and almost dead and buried in the chiefe times of poperie 2 Repaired reuiued raised vp and greatly to haue flourished c. at the breaking forth of our religion out of the darknes of poperie The works of Godare either single against poperie against our religion or mixt both against poperie and for our religion All these former arguments beeing plentifully handled then followeth the conclusion wherein are exemplified the manifold vse of the whole treatise Concerning them which are of our religion all generally vveake and strong more particularly great persons and those also either generally all or specially Dauids Worthies not ofour religion Atheists and all of no religion Papists 1 weake erring onely of ignorance 2 obstinate and wilfull A GENERAL TREATISE AGAINST POPERIE AND IN DEFENCE OF the religion by publike authoritie professed in England and in other Churches reformed THE PREFACE IT cannot be denied but that many excellent learned and godly men haue both plentifully and soundly and also profitably and fruitfully written most worthie treatises for confutation of all particular points of poperie and like wise for confirmation of all particular points of our religion In this
treatise also the mysterie of iniquitie in poperie is so fully discouered and the truth of our religion from point to point particularly so euidently declared that all men of any iudgement exercised in those treatises may easily see both the one the other yea many haue seene doe see both the one the other Notwithstanding as many haue seene doe see it so also Satan the god of this world doth stil detaine many in their former blindnes and ignorance Yea the nearer that his kingdome is to an ende the more diligently he goeth about like a roaring lyon seeking still whome he may deuoure Therefore he ceaseth not by his chiefe instrument the man of sinne and child of perdition I meane the Bishop and Pope of Rome continually to send forth into all corners of the realme swarmes of Iesuits and Seminarie priests as to harden those in poperie that haue not yet renounced that profession so also to infect other there with that are either of no religion or that hauing embraced ours are not yet sufficiently setled and grounded therein And truly both waies he doth the more preuaile partly because many haue not abilitie to buie the bookes of particular controuersies betwixt vs and the Papists they beeing some what costly partly because they haue no leisure to read them beeing many and large and partly because they haue no iudgement to conceiue of them beeing matters of learning and learnedly handled Where he cannot effect that which he would for the hardening of men in poperie or drawing them to poperie there he goeth another waie to worke either corrupting them with some other heresie or making them altogether profane and working in them a contempt of all religion Because all is one to him whether men be Papists or other heretikes or of no religion at all 2 Thus therefore seeing true religion euery where to decay the kingdome of Satan more and more daily to be enlarged partly by poperie partly by other heresies and partly by profanenes and contempt of all religion I haue thought good an other waie to trie the conuersion both of the ignorant Papists that are yet perswaded their religion to be sound and true and that wherein they please God and also of other heretikes and profane persons themselues if it be possible and likewise the confirmation and strengthening of such as professing our religion in shewe are notwithstanding vnstaied and wauering and therefore readie to be drawne any other waie To all these therefore I doe here offer these generall arguments following in defence of our religion and against poperie so briefly and plainely set downe that euen all that are not able to goe to the price of bookes of particular controuersies or that cannot intende the reading of them to waigh and conceiue them may yet generally see the truth of our religion and the falshood of poperie and seeing these things may likewise more seriously consider of our religion and contrarily of the most daungerous fearefull and wretched estate of all Papists and likewise of all other that are not as yet of our religion that so the one sort may not forsake our holy fellowship and the other may ioyne with vs and that both ioyned together in one truth may zealously professe it bringing forth plentifull fruits thereof Neither would I haue men wholly to content them-selues with these generall reasons neglecting particular treatises of particular controuersies but rather by this treatise to be the more encouraged to the reading of the other and to be made the fitter and euery waie the more able to iudge of them 3 That all men may the better see my meaning in this whole treatise and know the state of the whole cause by our religion I doe here vnderstand the religion now established publikely by publike authoritie professed in England and such other Churches as haue iustly forsaken Rome and are in good measure well reformed according to the word of God contained in holy Scripture To speake more plainly I meane by our religion that substance doctrine of faith wherein we dissent from the Church of Rome and doe all of vs consent among our selues both we with those other Churches and those other Churches with vs in this land By poperie like wise I vnderstand all that doctrine of the church of Rome which differeth and dissenteth from this our religion the doctrine held and professed publikely here in England other Churches in like manner reformed In this treatise therefore I doe vndertake by plaine and euident argumēts fit for the capacitie of all sorts both poore and rich both learned vnlearned though they can read or vnderstand onely the english tongue to prooue that this our religion is of God and that which God as touching the substance and doctrine thereof doth well accept and like of and contrarily by like arguments as plainely to shew that poperie is not of God and therefore also not in any account with him but abominable and detestable in in his sight THE FIRST ARGVMENT TOVCHING THE breeding and begetting of true religion THVS hauing declared both the reasons that moued me to this work and likewise the state of the whole cause hādled herein I will now enter into the arguments thēselues Here therefore first of al let vs consider the chiefe and principall meanes whereby both that religion that is of God and acceptable vnto God is at the first begunne and framed and afterward further built and perfected in them that atteine vnto it and also of the like meanes whereby poperie is at the first hatched and afterward brooded further strengthoned Touching the former it is most certaine that it is alwayes begunne by the word of God For the Apostle S. Paule expressly teacheth vs. Rom. 10. 17. That faith is by hearing the word of god preached S. Iames also chap. 1. 18. saith that we are begotten againe by the word of truth Our Sauiour likewise in the parable of the seede Matth. 13. plainely sheweth that that onely is good ground into the which the seede of god his word falling bringeth forth good fruite and so likewise that that onely is to be accounted good fruite which springeth from the seede of the word As the word of god is the only ordinary meanes whereby faith and regeneration are begunne in euerie man whome God will haue to be saued so also it is the especiall meanes whereby they are to be further built till they be finished S. Peter exhorteth the Christians to whome he wrote that as they were allreadie borne a new by the word of God 1. Pet. 1. 23. So also as new borne babes they should desire the sincere milke of the word that they might grow thereby chap. 2. verse 2. Saint Paule likewise hauing first exhorted the Thessalonians not to quench the spirit which they had receiued that is to cherish the spirite meaning the worke of faith regeneration wrought by the spirit a Metonymy of the cause
The like they doe with the Scriptures in many other places as appeareth by their vulgar translation edition of the Scriptures in latine the which although it were not theirs at the first yet because they condemne all other and do onelie commaund this as authenticall forbidding also anie man to appeale from the same to the originall text in the Hebrew and Greeke therefore it is to be accepted theirs In that translation and edition many things are wanting that are in the originall text and manie things also corrupted In the 9. of Matth. verse 13. Our Sauiour saith I came not to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance In their trāslation are these two words to repentāce left out Rom. 11. 6. All these words are wanting in their translation If of workes then not of grace or else were worke no more worke Ioh. 14. 26. For these words he shal teach you al things and bringe all things to your remembrance which I haue told you For these words I saie which I haue told you their translation saith which I shall tell you Thus they reade for help of their traditions to make the common people beleeue that Christ speaketh in this place of some thinges which he would speak afterward that he had nor spoken before Manie other places there are in like manner either clipped or corrupted If their cause were good why should they susteine it by such vile meanes 6 Let vs here further remember their exceeding crueltie and most bloudie dealing for the continuall maintenance of their religion If fire faggot had not better holpen them then preaching disputing their religion had neuer been so vniuersall as it is For although the blood of the Martires be called the seed of the Church and haue been a notable meanes to confirme many in the profession of the Gospell Yet other also haue thereby been drawne from it and for feare haue receiued poperie As therefore the Priestes Scribes Pharises and other Iewes when they were not able by the Scriptures to resist the wisedome of our Sauiour of Stephan of the Apostles the spirit that spake in them did vse force and violence for their last chiefest argument euen so haue the Priestes Scribes and Pharises of the Church of Rome alwaies done Such alwaies hath bin their crueltie that as diuers wild beasts and birdes make the flesh and blood of other to be their nourishment and life so also the blood of the Protestants hath been their speciall releefe The crueltie exercised here in our owne lād as sometime before so especially in the late time of Queene Marie doth plētifully witnesse the same The like may be said of the Spanish inquisitiō the chiefe meanes of vpholding poperie not onely in Spaine it selfe but also in manie other countries The crueltie thereof is so great and barbarous that the crueltie of Nero Domitian and all other the like professed enemies vnto Christ Iesus and his Gospell is nothing to be compared thereto The copies thereof are to be seene printed in english for iustifying that which I write A man would thinke that all the deuills in hell should neuer haue deuised such tortures and most exquisite punishments except it were thus manifest Here also is to be considered the most bloodie massaker in Fraunce Anno 1572. in the which of noble men gentlemen learned men cōmon persons thought to be protestants in Paris were slaine and most violently cruellie murthered without anie proceeding by order of law the number at the least of ten thousand within three daies and within lesse then one moneth presently after in manie other cities townes of France were in like sort slaine murthered 20000. more So that as it should haue bin with the Iewes through all the prouinces of Ahashuerosh if the cursed purpose of Hamā had proceeded to effect so also was it with all the knowne or suspected protestants in Fraunce vpon whom the merciles Papists could lay hāds what doth this else witnesse but that the religion of the Papists is like vnto that wicked decree of Ahashuerosh from the same fountaine Neither may this be said to haue bin a fault onely of that nation For the great ioye of the Pope with all his Cardinalls at Rome their procession their gunshott and singing Te Deum in honor of the bloody act doe euidently shew both the approbation of the thing done by the whole Church of Rome and also that the said Pope and Cardinalls were acquainted with the matter before and had an hand stroke in it I confesse I note this out of the booke of Martires but no Papist is therefore to suspect the truth of the matter for this historie there reported is but briefly gathered out of the French Chronicles and Histories which do more largely describe the same Besids this act is so late was so notorious at the first committing thereof that there needeth not the testimony of anie writer to be suspected therein Thus we see that a piller of blood is the chiefe piller of the Romish Church such as now it is 7 The like obiection made against our religion from the execution of manie Seminarie priestes and Iesuites in our owne land hath bin sufficiently aunswered by others For they haue not been executed to maintaine and vphold our religion but for their haynous treasons whereby they haue sought the sacred life of her Maiestie in bringing in of forreyners here to vsurpe the kingdome and the ouerthrow of the whole land their owne naturall cūtrey Therefore this horrible treason against both their Prince and countrey beeing especially authorized by the Pope himself and his Clergie not onely for the seducing of the subiects from all obedience to her highnes but also for the shedding of her blood as also the like treasons of manie other to the same intent attēpted by the same authoritie doe plainely disclaime their religion as not beeing of God neither acceptable vnto God For truth seeketh no corners truth requireth no such stilts to goe by Neither did our Sauiour vse such meanes to commend himselfe his doctrine though he might haue commaunded more then twelue legions of Angels neither after his ascension did the Apostles or anie of thē so further the gospel 8 To these meanes before mentioned I may add their foule abusing of the simple people with pretended reuelations lying miracles thereby to make them to account their religion to be as diuine and from heauen as by the same meanes well looked into it doth manifestlie appeare to be altogether diuolish and from hell it self Such was the practise of certaine Monkes Friers with Elizabeth Barton a Nunne in Kent whom they called by the name of the holie maid of Kent This holie maide by the deuice of the foresaid Monkes and Fryers fained her selfe to liue with no other food then that which was brought vnto her immediately by the Angells of heauen shee made also as though oftentimes shee laie
in a traunce wherein shee did straungly alter her coūtenance with the other partes of her bodie and spake manie things in commendation of Idolatrie pilgrimage and other like points of popery and likewise in derogation of the Gospell in disallowance of King Henrie his diuorce from the Ladie Katherine the late wife of his elder brother Prince Arthur threatning as it were by way of prophecying that if he proceeded therein he should not be king one moneth after This knauerie beeing found out both shee and her abettors namely certen Munks Fryers Priests were executed for it See the booke of Martyres printed 1583. p. 1054. And other histories thereof The like is reported in the same booke p. 1291. out of the ninth booke of Sleydan his commentaries of certaine fryers of Orleance in Fraunce who because the Maiors wife of the citie vpon her death bed had desired her husband that shee might be buried without the solemnities then commonlie vsed at the funeralls of such persons whereby their noses were wiped of a great part of their accustomed gaine caused a boye in the time of their night seruice to make a straunge noyse in one of the vaults of the church where shee was buried as if he had been a spirit This boyish spirit or spirituall boye thus inspired by the deuill and the fryers and coniured like wise after their popish and deuelish manner hauing signified that he was a dumb spirit by signes also shewed that he was the soule of the said Maiors wife before buried now condemned in hell for the heresie of Martin Luther This frierlie prancke being found out the fryers by authority of the King were committed to prison where they continued a long time before they were released Let the reader see this more largelie in the booke of Martirs Sleidan his commentaries As these and such like meanes continuallie applied to shore vp popery do shew the rottēnes thereof so our religion continuing and standing right notwithstanding manie stormes and tempests against it doth shew it selfe to be sound and vpholden by him onely whose power none is able to resist But of this more shall be spoken afterward vpon other occasion THE THIRD ARGVMENT TOVCHING THE SVB iect matter of true religion AS these meanes hitherto spoken of doe mightelie speake against poperie and teach the verie simplest that are that it is not of God so also doth the matter substāce of popery speake as much For it is partly directlie contratie vnto and partlie farre differing from the matter and substance of that religion which God himselfe hath commended in his Scriptures and the which no mā can denie to be acceptable vnto god This is manifest first of all because that religion which the Scriptures commend is true knowledge of God of Christ Iesus of the truth The Lord saith by the Prophet Ose I desire mercie and not sacrifice and the knowledge of god more then burnt offrings Ose 6. 6. Oftentimes also the Lord reproueth and complaineth of the ignorance want of knowledge in his people as the cause of all euills both which they committed also which came vpō them as Ier. 9. 3. and in many other places S. Peter also saith in the name of all the Apostles We beleeue and know that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Ioh. 6. 69. Our Sauiour Christ saith This is life eternall that they knovve thee to be the onely very God and him whome thou hast sent Jesus Christ Ioh. 17. 3. He like wise promiseth the knowledge of the truth to all his true disciples Ioh. 8. 32. The Apostle saith God will haue all men to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. And againe he describeth faith to be the knowledge of the truth according to godlines Tit. 1. 1. He forbiddeth also the Corinthians not to be children in vnderstanding 1. Cor. 14. 20. The Ephesians also not to be vnwise but to vnderstand what the will of the Lord is Eph. 5. 17. Finally the Apostle S. Peter biddeth the Christians to whome he wrote to ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge 2. Pet. 1. 5. By these and many other the like places we see that the Scriptures commend knowledge as the first matter of faith and religion We see also what knowledge they doe commend namely of God of Christ of the truth according to godlines of the will of God of the Scriptures themselues and that to all sorts of men Now what shall we saie is the matter of Poperie Truly to speake according to the nature of things poperie hath indeede no matter at all but is a meere vacuitie or emptines for the most part For may it be saide that poperie is knowledge and that of these things No certenly but it is a principle of poperie that ignorance is the mother of deuotion Therefore the whole popish Church generally condemneth all knowledge of God and of the scriptures in the common people prohibiting them the vse of any part of the scriptures as we haue heard before and teaching and commaunding them onely to beleeue as the Church beleeueth This they saie is sufficient faith and sufficient religion And indeede touching deuotion to their religion they speake most truly For no man will haue any deuotion vnto it that knowerh ought of God in the scriptures But to beleeue as the Church that is as their Church beleeueth is neither true faith nor the shadow of true faith but rather of faith in the deuills The most part also of them when they teach this faith haue it not but can onely say that they haue it and that they doe beleeue as the Church beleeueth The most I saie doe onely saie that they doe so beleeue They doe not in deede beleeue as the Church beleeueth For how can they sith they knowe not what the Church beleeueth Yet are their bare words taken allowed for currant good lawfull faith of Rome I graunt with griefe that many amongst vs know not the principles of our religion yet no man alloweth such ignorance but euery godly man condemneth it and is grieued for it But be it that they did in deede beleeue as their Romish Church beleeueth and that they knew as much as the best Doctour and all their Romish Doctours know touching their religion yet this is not ynough For now to enter into the particular matter of their religiō First the Scripture teacheth vs oftētimes that there is but one God one Lord one Mediatour betweene God man Christ Iesus but poperie teacheth that there are many gods many mediatours For doth it not cōmunicate the peculiar properties of God the vbiquitie or vniuersall presence and such like vnto the body of Christ and doe they not so make an other god thereof doe they not attribute the doing thereof to seuerall saints for seuerall countries diseases and other seuerall affaires which is onely proper to God whereby they make so many seuerall
Lord gaue such gifts of his spirit in such extraordinarie measure and manner yet he will neuer leaue his gospel without such a traine of the graces of the graces of his spirit as shall be somewhat answerable to the flourishing thereof and meete likewise to commend the same the better vnto the world 5 Sith this is so I demaund whether this promise were performed to the church of Rome holding the same doctrine that now it hath held for the space of seauen or eight hundred yeares and enioying that outward glorie and magnificence the which also these yeares it hath enioyed Certenly to this my demaund it cannot be affirmatiuely answered with any truth For all men know or may know the contrarie yea the Papists themselues if they be not past all shame and grace will acknowledge the contrasie For when the Pope beganne to set his foote vpon the staires and to ascende towardes that dignitie whereunto he is now mounted then began the holy Ghost also as it were to take the wings of an Eagle or doue and to flie awaie and returne againe towardes the heauens from whence before he came Euer since that time also as the Pope hath climed the ladder of his magnificences so the spirit of God hath mounted more and more towards heauen and hath gone further and further out of the sight of men The more that the Pope and popetie haue growne and flourished the more haue all the gifts and graces of God his spirit decaied and â—ithered At the last when the Pope was reuealed to be the man of sinne the sonne of perdition c. and the verie Antichrist that is when he was come to the toppe and perfection of his pride then also did the holy Ghost in a manner take his leaue and bidde all the world almost farewell at the least touching his visible presence When all Kings and Princes had receiued and drunken the cup of his fornications whereby beeing intoxicated and depriued of all true knowledge of God and common sense they abiected themselues vnto him and put their necks vnder his girdle yea abased themselues in most slauish manner to hold his stiroop and kisse his filthie feete when also they had receiued his marke in their foreheads that is themselues had embraced his damnable doctrines and stooped vnto his abominable idols and commanded also their people to doe the like when I say the Pope and poperie vvere thus aduanced and had iustled both the true religion of God and also all authoritie of Princes out of the throne and most proudly did sit in it themselues as it were booted and spurred when I say againe the Pope with all his abominations did thus sit in the chaire of estate both of Princes and also of God himselfe then what true knowledge was there I wil not say of God but euen of arts of tongues and almost of any good humanitie 6 For triall of these things if any thinke I slaunder them let the rolles and Chronicles of those times be searched let the bookes of those ages be perused let their matter their phrase and style be examined Was not the knowledge of the Greeke so rare that it was a common prouerb Graecum est legi non potest It is Greeke it cannot be read And could the Hebrew tongue be more plentifull No verily but much rarer What also shall I say of the Latin tongue was the knowledge of that in those times any better very little Euery boie indeede learned their primmer and to say his praiers and to helpe the Priest to saie Masse in latin yet could he not tell whether he praied to God or the deuill whether he asked bread or a stone fish or a scorpion yea not one Priest of an hundreth did vnderstand the Mattins that he continually said or the masses that he daily sung Rome was wont to be the mother of this tongue and the Vniuersitie and house of the eloquent oratours but hauing once entertained the deepe mysterie of transubstantiation of bread into the bodie of Christ all the former eloquence of this place was also transubstantiated into barbarisme This tongue indeede was the common tongue of their religion at Rome and elswhere yet when their religion was at the full then also was the knowledge of this tongue in the wane yea in the very last quarter halfe spent For it would make any man of knowledge to laugh to reade or heare the words phrase style of those books that were then written In their praiers indeede in which is least neede of eloquence especially in their praiers to the Saints and chiefly to the virgine Marie by two or three figures they affected a kinde of eloquence to please the eares of men and to make the praiers goe the more roundly that â—o men might take the more delight in saying or singing of them but in most of their other writings there is nothing but plaine dunstable latin yea nothing for the most part but barbarisme 7 If any man yet desire further proofe of this ignorance wherewith I charge the chiefe times of Poperie let them read what M. Lambert reporteth touching the same in his perambulation of Kent writing of the place called Cliffe what I saie he reporteth in that place of that matter out of William Malmesburie de rebus gestis pontificum Anglorum namely that Curbert the eleuenth Archbishop of Canterburie in a great Synode of all or most of the Bishops of his Prouince assembled by himselfe to the foresaide Cliffe then called Cloueshoo did there decree that the Priests themselues should first learne and then teach their parishioners the Lord his praier and the articles of his beleefe in the English tongue In the same place also he noteth that king Alfred in his preface vpon the pastoral of Gregorie which he translated saith that when he came first to his kingdome he knew not one priest of the south side of Humber that vnderstood his seruice in latin or that could translate an epistle into English Further he addeth that Alfric in his proeme to the grammer saith that a little before the time of Dunstan the Archbishop there was neuer an English priest that could either indite or vnderstande a latine epistle and lastly that William Malmesburie himselfe saith that at the time of the Conquest almost all the Bishops of England were vnlearned 8 This is not to be vnderstood of the knowledge of the latin tongue onely but also of the very matter it selfe and that not onely of books of diumitie but also of bookes of philosophie and humanitie Their absurd and grosse definitions their infinite intricate foolish and vnlearned distinctions wherein notwithstanding consisteth all their learning and deepenes as they of Thyatira saide Revel 2. 24 will not onely wearie and tyre any young scholler but also make a learned man sicke at the very heart Euery man that is any thing acquainted with Peter Lombard Gratian Scotus Durandus Thomas Aquinas Occam Gerson Haymo and such like
Countie addressed himselfe to this last course which indeede was the last course of that daie and for cuer to the king for the staues beeing broken and the King his vizzard suddenly falling off so doth the Lord worke to bring his iudgements to pasle one of the shiuers pearsed his head vnto the braines and suddenly so festered that no surgeons could cure the same Thus the King lost one of those eyes where with he threatned to haue seene the burning of those persoÌ„s died also of that hurt 8 Neither may we here well omit the death of Charles the ninth of that name King of France in whose time by whose meanes that bloodie massacre before mentioned was done in Paris and in many other cities of France For as the King had delighted himselfe in the blood of his Saints so himselfe also in his youth at the age of 25. yeares died of a most grieuous bleeding Many other the like examples are recorded by M. Fox both of our owne countrie and also of other nations of some that were stricken with madnes of some that did hang or drowne themselues and of other that died in despaire most fearefully and that in such manner as that all the world might see the iust iudgement of God against them both for their religion and also their malicious persecuting of such as were of our religion 9 To these will I adde an other example not yet written by any but yet as trew as any of the former whereof not with standing some are knowne to all the world and also no lesse worthie the writing then the former At great Wenham in Suffolke in the daies of King Henrie the eight there dwelt one M. Cardinal whose wife hauing heard one M. Worthe a godly man good preacher preach at Hadley about some three myles from thence at her returne home entreated her husbande one daie to request M. Worthe to come and preach with them Master Cardinall though at the first fearing some danger of law yet at the last yeelded and indeede proceeded and procured M. Worth to come thither The parson of the saide Wenham beeing popish withstood M. VVorth beeing come saying that no such should preach there M. Cardinal intreated but the parson denied beeing like â—o the dogge in the manger that wil neither eate â—aie himselfe nor suffer the horse at the racke to eate any So I saie this parson as some also doe â—n these daies neither would nor could doe good himselfe neither would suffer any other â—o doe any At length M. Cardinall seeing the parson so wilfull and obstinate saide that M. VVorth should preach doe the parson what he could to the contrarie and come what daunger would come In fine they went all to Church and many other vpon knowledge of M. VVorth his preaching were assembled Now when M. VVorth should begin his sermon the parson according to his froward word for the disturbing of him went toward the high altar to saie masle VVhat followed a most worthie example of God his iustice For presently before all the people assembled the Lord smote this popish parson for dead for the time drawing his mouth vp to his eare and so made him past saying of masse Notwithstanding beeing carried out of the church for auoiding further trouble of the congregation he was within little time recouered of his life yet neuer recouered his witts and senses but liuing long after continued a foole all the daies of his life and turned the spit 〈◊〉 was imploied vpon some other seruice in the saide M. Cardinall his house euer after I haue heard this of many very credible persons who had often heard it from M. VVorth long time after euen in this Queenes daies viccar of Dedham in Essex and of many other that were present at that sermon and were eye witnesses of the iudgement Some also are yet liuing about VVenham aforesaid that knew it 10 I might adde many other examples of God his iudgements against like persons for like cause but these shall be sufficient For by these who seeth not that hath any eyes at all to see in what account poperie is with the Lord Let all men therefore by these examples take heede that they deceiue not themselues Let not them blindfold their owne eyes that they may not see the things thus manifest Let them not disgrace the reports of M. Fox sith many things written by him are also written by other before him from whome he borrowed that which he did write Some things of his are samous and knowne to all men I am not ignorant that M. Fox in writing some things vpon the report of others might sometime erre And although his slippe in such things be taken great hold of by the Papists who there by take occasion to disgrace all the truth he hath written to couer their owne crueltie to conceale God his iudgements to harden themselues in poperie and the more easily to draw other to be of this minde yet let the wise and true Christian consider that it was by the deuills great policie to mooue some no doubt in colour of synceritie and pretending a minde of helping M. Fox in that worthie worke to informe him with some vntruths that by his writing of them vpon such information all the rest of his writing might be in disgrace as being in like manner vntrue This no doubt was the subtiltie of the old serpent and of his viperous litter so to disgrace that noble worke and so to obscure those euident examples of Gods disalowance of their religion as though he had written no truth when the most of the things by him chronicled are as cleare as the sunne is in the midst of the brightest sommer day But albeit some be giuen ouer in the iust iudgement of God to beleeue truthes to be lies because they haue embraced lies for truthes yet I hope that such as belong vnto the Lord though perhaps by such deuises they haue beene abused will now make better vse of these examples that I haue set downe and the like Thus much for those works of God against poperie and Papists whereby he hath as it were immediately testified his dislike of both THE FOVRTH BRANCH OF the tenth argument touching the workes of God for our religion NOwe although by the former workes God hath also testified his approbation of our religion yet let vs nowe further consider and marke diligently what he hath directly done for our religion the professours thereof Truly such haue beene the great and mightie works of God for our religion that as the Prophet saith God is knowne in Iudah his name is great in Israel psal 76. And againe The Lord loueth the gates of Sion aboue all the habitation of Iacob glorious things are spoken of the citi of God psal 87. 2 3. So also it may be said of many particular persons that haue boldly professed and stoutly maintained our religion and chiefly of those cities countries and kingdoms
be read vpon the seueral daies of the feast of the conception of the virgin as we read certaine portions of scripture for seuerall lessons of seuerall daies These lessons I had thought to haue set down both in latin and english for the better credit of them but because I see they would be too long I wil therefore make choice of some of the most daintie of them and those alâ—o I will set downe but partly in latin and wholly in english for breuitie sake 6 This therefore following was the fifth lesson for the second daie of the feast of her conception Beatus Bern. post mortem suam c. that is in english Blessed Bern. an abbot after his death appeared all shining to one of his brethren Now all his apparrell beeing The word translated brethren may also be traÌ„â—â—ted â—riars c. white in his breast onely there seemed a spot of a very blacke colour His brother inquiring where he had receiued that blacke spot he answered I thought good to appeare vnto thee with such a spot because whilst I liued I was in an errour thinking the mother of our In quadam extiâ—â— non virâ— opâ—nionâ— Lord to haue receiued the Originall staine Therefore my sonne tell vnto the faithfull people what things thou hast seene 7 The sixt lesson for the same daie is this In reuelationibus beate Brigâ—tte habetur c. that is in english In the reuelations of bâ—essed Bridgit it is reported that a certaine chaplin of hers a famous doctour of sacred diuinitie named Mathias entreated blessed Bridgit Si benedicta virgo Maria ab originali fuâ—â— viâ—io detur pata saying I beseech thee O daughter vouchsafe to reueale vnto me if the blessed virgin Marie were defiled with originall sinne Blessed Bridgit answered I did once desire the most pure virgin to shew me the maÌ„ner of her most holy conception and she answered Know that I coÌ„ming of my parents Ioachim Annaâ— was preserued from all pollutioÌ„ of sinnes The foresaide brother hearing these things presently laied aside his opinion and yearely preaching he did most deuoutly celebrate the feast of the immaculate conception 8 For the fourth lesson of the third day of her conception they read this Legitur in quodam beati dominici opusculo quod cum regularis esset canonicus c. that is It is read in a certain work of blessed Dominick that when he was a regular Canon in the Bishoprick of Tholossa he disputed with certaine heretiks which affirmed many conclusions contrary to truth Now amongst other opinions they preached this vnto the people namely that the virgin was not preserued from original sinne When blessed Dominicke saw that he could not perswade them the truth he tooke this order with them that both sides should put their conclusions together in a burning ouen and Taliter cum â—is conuenit that those should be accounted for true which should not be consumed by the heate of the fire They put therefore their conclusions in the middest of the fire amongst many other things saying that the virgin Mary was defiled with originall pollution Blessed Dominick affirmed the contrarie Presently therefore the deuouring flame consumed the false conclusions of the hereticks But the most true sayings of blessed Dominick remained in the middes of the burning flame for three daies togither without any hurt at all and no signe of fire appeared in them 9 For the fifth lesson of the same day they read this tale following In regno Vngarie quidam This might well herfor the papists haue a thousand waies to poison and secretly to murther their owne catholike Kings yea and their own popes Might not they therefore much more secretly take away the life of one that so openly oppugned such a chiefe principle of their religion theologie magister c. that is In the kingdome of Hungarie a certaine master of diuinitie preached before the King against the coÌ„ception of the vndefiled virgin saying that shee was sanctified but not conceiued without staine who so soone as he had thus vnreuerently spoken these things receiued the punishment of this boldnes and presently gaue vp the ghost In the citie also of Tholosa a certaine frier feared not to preach in like manner But hauing ended his sermon he came to a certaine chappell to say masse In this chappell there was an image of the glorious virgin grauen in marble When therefore the fâ—ier presumed to goe vp to the altar the blessed mother of God the virgin shewed him a very terrible and angrie countenaÌ„ce and turned a Was this possible in the ladie of pitie Here seeme to want these words from sinne but this defect is in their latine it selfe her face from him and so shee continueth to this daie 10 For the sixth lesson of the same day they read this In ducatu Subaudiensi iuxta moÌ„tem sancti Bernardi c. that is In the duc hie of Subaudia by the mount of S. Bernard a certaine frier seeing the women going to the preaching of the conception rebuked them saying that the most pure virgin was not in her conception preserued by her beloued sonne and he addeth If it be so I desire this miracle to be shewed vpon me by the blessed virgin that I may die before the euening So therefore it came to passe For in the same houre the other friers found him hanged by the feete and dead 11 In the fourth daies seruice for the fourth lesson there is a trimme tale of a very eloquent frier in Tholosa who for preaching against the conception of the virgin was presently rent in sunder deuoured of a wolfe c. 12 In the fift and sixt lessons for the same day there is a long tale out of Anselmus for iustifying the immaculate conception of the virgin This tale beeing too long to set downe word for word I haue thought good to set downe the summe onely thâ—reof in this manner The Danes taking it grieuously that William the Conquerour had taken England from them and that so they were as it were depriued of their inheritance made all preparation that might be for expelling the â—aide William and his forces VVilliam the Conquerour therefore hearing thereof sent one Elfinus a man of excellent wit abbot of the monasterie of Rhemes into Danske to enquire the truth This Elfinus hauing dispatched his masters busines in his returne homeward was with his whole companie in great daunger vpon the sea In the middes of which daunger hauing commended themselues to the blessed Virgin and expecting nothing but death suddenly amongst the waues nere vnto the shippe they did see a very * Venerabilem virum pontisiciali insuls decoratum conspexere The deuill can transforme himselfe into the likenes of an angel of light much more into the likenes oâ— a bishop reuerend man adorned with a Bishops mytre who said vnto the Abbat thus Vis periculum euadere vis sanus ad patriam
note leauing the further consideration of them to the godly reader 5 First therefore sith all these things doe most liuely shew the extreame follie high abominatioÌ„ of poperie how ought all papists to be ashamed of their religion How ought all Protestants that sometimes haue bin papists to be grieued for their poperie How ought they likewise to mourne for any of their frieÌ„ds yea for any other yet remaining in that estate yet shut vp in the shadow of death How ioyfull likewise and thankfull ought we to be that God hath opened our eies to see these things that he hath not sent his angel onely into our houses as sometime he did into the house of Lot to take him guide him out of SodoÌ„ before fire came froÌ„ heauen to destroy that citie but also hath giueÌ„ vs his holy spirit in our hearts thereby deliuered vs froÌ„ so ridiculous so grosse so horrible a religioÌ„ 6 Further we see by these things how dangerous it is not to beleeue the truth and how blockish we are if we be left vnto our selues Verily there is no errour so foolish so absurd so grosse so abominable so monstrous but that if God doe forsake vs if he take his spirit from vs if he leaue vs to our selues we are readie to beleeue it as truth yea to be zealous therein yea farre more zealous then any of Gods owne children are in the truth 7 O therfore let vs not deceiue our selues late vs hate poperie as such a monster ought to be hated let vs make that account of the truth giue such credit obedieÌ„ce theruÌ„to that for our conteÌ„pt light account thereof God neither giue poperie any returne againe vnto vs. Let vs earnestly pray let vs keepe watch by night ward by day let vs alwaies with all carefulnes looke vnto our selues let vs take heede of all Iesuits seminatie priests yea of all papists and likewise of all other meanes whereby we may be entangled with this filthie sottish religion and be drawne thereunto Let vs delight in the communion fellowship of al them that loue the truth and are able to confirme strengthen helpe vs forward in this religion which now generally we professe vsing all other good means commended vnto vs for the same end Let vs take heed not onely of the maine stock of poperie but also of euery bough branch twigge yea of euery leafe for there is dâ—ungerous if not deadly poison in thâ— least patch of poperie And as the whole substance of popish doctrine was not hatched all at once but now one egge laide laide and then an other now one chicken and then an other now one opinion and then an other vntill all the whole brood was come forth and when it was throughly hatched brought forth it had not all the stature nor all the feathers nor all the strength the first day but crept and got vp by litle and litle so the deuil being stil as subtil as he was and seeing poperie now to be banished and grieuing that it is forced to liue so long in exile therefore daily laboureth as alas by too great experience we daily see by litle litle againe to winne vs thereunto Priuately indeede in many places of this land and it is to be feared in too many I pray God also that it be not in too great places and with too great persons he laboureth where the whole body of popery doth remaine there to vphold it and where it is not there also wholly to bring it in againe For we see many now to be Papists euen of both sexes yea some to be recusant papists whose fathers were little more then borne in the beginning of the raigne of her most excellent Maiestie But although Satan the olde aduersarie where he thinketh he may be bold and where he hath fitte instruments to worke by hath in some priuate places euen in this flourishing time and bright light of the gospel drawne some to the whole doctrine and religion of popeâ—ie yet he will not as yet be so bold as to attempt this publikely NotwithstaÌ„ding he goeth about it by degrees by litle litle tunning as it were and filling his vessels here there one with stroÌ„g popish drink an other with small that is one with a maine point of poperie another with a smal point yea not onely tunning filling theÌ„ ther with but also tapping broching theÌ„ so filled giuing of the drink of theÌ„ by whole kannes to other to drinke And this he doth according to his old subtiltie hoping the more easily to bring in to broach all againe so to make all drunkeÌ„ againe with the cuppe of fornications that is in the haÌ„d of the whore strumpet of Rome 8 Wherefore in the feare of God in the tender loue that I beare vnto the soules of all I doe admonish all to take heede of this euil Whatsoeuer hath bin accounted poperie by good reason shewed to be repugnaÌ„t to the truth coÌ„mon consent of all churches reformed held as erronious heretical let all diligeÌ„tly take heed they neuer coÌ„ceiue any good liking thereof again If we feare any more to embrace all poperie let vs take heede that in the mean time we neuer entertain any one opinion therof though neuer so litle If we feare to be drunken with the stroÌ„gest drink or with many cups of poperie let vs refraine from tasting therof For as with them that delight in strong drinke one cup draweth on an other so also may we feare it wil be with theÌ„ which begin to smel of any one point of poperie It is dangerous it is dangerous to drinke in any one errour of poperie though neuer so small especially to persist in the liking thereof to say when we haue tasted it This is good and most dangerous it is to coÌ„mend the same to other to make them to drinke of the same cup with vs all this is very daÌ„gerous whither we doe it for some good liking of the thing it self or in regard of our own estimatioÌ„ or in any other respect whatsoeuer For we may feare least the Lord harden our hearts euen to like of those errors which as yet our soules abhor 9 I write not this to gal or gird at any or to disgrace any one particular person my heart hateth all such hatred delighteth in loue peace as wel in the credit of other as of my selfe but in a general loue I do generally admonish all to take heede in this behalfe The Apostle speaketh in the like generall maÌ„ner not admonishing some onely but also euery one to take heed least at any time there should be in any an euill vnfaithful heart to fal away Hebr. 3. 12. froÌ„ the liuing Lord. Yea after that he had testified vnto theÌ„ that he was perswaded good things Hebr. 6. 9. of theÌ„ such as did accompanie saluation yet he speaketh as generally exhorting theÌ„ to take heede that no man did fall away froÌ„ the grace of Hebr. 12. 15. God Adding further as a special means to take heede thereof that they should not suffer any roote of bitternes so much as once to spring vp amongst theÌ„ where by the root of bitternes all men know he meaneth errours and heresies Finally he addeth these reasons fitst that such roots or root would trouble theÌ„ secoÌ„dly that it would defile theÌ„ There is none therefore so stroÌ„g in the grace of God but that he may fal though not finally as hath bin shewed in my treatise if he be secure take not great heed 〈…〉 himselfe There is none so well 〈◊〉 with the sweet precious liquor of Gods truth but that he may becom bitter by suffering such bitter rootes to spring vp in his heart There is none at such peace with men and with his owne conscience but that he may be disquieted disturbed and troubled There is none so well was washed clensed by the pure water of Gods holy spirit but that he may be polluted defiled There is none therefore that may thinke this mine admonition of taking heede vnto himselfe to be superfluous and needles for him 11 To conclude I do again in all huÌ„ble maÌ„ner beseech all whoÌ„soeuer both all the reuerend fathers gouernours of our church also all other my learned and good brethreÌ„ as well remaining vnder our mothers wings in the Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxenford as also alreadie called forth to labour in the ministerie of the word in particular churches all these I say I doe huÌ„bly beseech earnestly exhort to be feruent in spirit in behalfe of the truth and with all zeale to vpholde defend maintaine and daily in the places where we liue and in the hearts of the people ouer whoÌ„ the holy Ghost hath made vs ouerseers to further to encrease and to enlarge that sound and wholesome doctrine which hitherto hath bin taught by vs and heard like wise and in some measure receiued by those amongst whome we haue laboured THE ENDE