Dialogue Wherein a Romish Rhyme is Confuted, Chapter 9
CHAPTER IX.
PHILADELPHVS.
NOW, (Philomathes) I thinke, you see, howe, at your Intreatie, Eubulus hath, clearlie, aunswered, vntounto all your Man's Questions: vvhere-of, at the beginning, you praesumed so much, as, that there were some of them, to which, verie hardlie, hee would finde an Aunswere.
Philomathes.
Verilie, (Philadelphus) I can not denye, but that I rest greatlie Debter, both to you, and to Eubulus, for this Dayes Communication: and, that, so cowardlie, at myne Intreatie, you were induced there-vntounto: where-in, I thinke, the tyme hath beene so well spent, as (if it may not bee vnpleasant vntounto him) it may make mee to bee, often, heere-after, a more than troublesome, Interrupter of Eubulus better Thoughtes.
As for your Aunsweres, I will not, so rashlie, determine, what to thinke: but, truelie, I must, vprightlie, confesse, that I hauehave heard more, than I expected: which, stirreth mee, to covet yet more; and, will make mee, carefullie, to catch all Occasions, to breede Eubulus farder Molestation.
Eubulus.
Your honest Heart, (Philomathes) will makeI. mee, all-wayes, glad, and readie to giuegive you Contentment, in ought I can: For, other-wayes, truelie, I, vtterlie, abhorre all contentious Disputation; and, I account, all, both Speach, and Paper, but badlie employed, which is spent, vponupon anie of such a Disposition.
My Counsell, vntounto you, and, out of vpright LoueLove, is; As GOD hath given you this, that you, both heare, and reade, calmlie, and carefullie: So, that you bee, both earnest, and instant, in all humble, and fervent Prayer, vntounto GOD, for the Direction of HIS Holie Spirit, in the right way of HIS Feare; which is the onelie Way, to true Illumination: and, not heate of Contention, Bitternesse, Pryde, Selfe-louelove, and Singularitie; which: (in GOD His justice, Who resisteth the Prowde, and giveth Grace vntounto the Humble) but involue Men, still, more and more, in Blyndnesse, and induration of Heart.
Philomathes.
I giuegive you heartie Thankes, all-so, for this your good, and loving Counsell: which, by GOD His Grace, I shall bee myndfull of, and labour to followe. And, nowe, vntounto that Grace of GOD, wee must, even heartilie, commende you: For, both the declyning tyme of the Day, and our Effayres, doe call vsus another way.
PHILADELPHVS, and EVBVLVS.
The BLESSING of GOD, accompanie you, in all your wayes: and, direct you, in the right Path of SALVATION.
PHILOMATHES, and ERIPHILVS, a-part.
PHILOMATHES.
AND, hauehave wee not, thinke you, (Eriphilus) spent, both pleasantlie, and profitablie, a piece of tyme? Trust mee, I can not, but lyke well of this Eubulus, his discreet Disposition: though but even now first acquaynted with him. And, hath hee not, thinke you, sayd much more, in the poynts, which wee hauehave passed, both agaynst vsus, and for them-selues, than wee could hauehave imagined, that, possiblie, they might hauehave brought? So, as, verilie, the longer, the more, I am induced, to thinke, and see, that it is a good, yea, a necessarie thing, for Christians, to bee humblie, and prudentlie carefull; in prooving, and trying, what they doe holde, in Matters of Fayth; where-in Men stand, in no lesse hazard, than of missing of, or hitting on, the right Way of Salvation.
Eriphilus.
I am so farre from your Temper, in this matter, (Philomathes) as, by the playne contrarie, I thinke, wee hauehave badlie bestowed this Day: where-in, with great indignation of Heart, I hauehave beene forced, to heare the Holie Church, disdaynfullie mocked, and bitterlie rayled vponupon. So, as I, both blame my selfe greatlie, for casting in anie such purpose, and you, al-so, for so curiouslie insisting there-in. And, by this Dayes experience, I perceiue, well, how just reason our Holie Fathers hauehave, to interdict Catholickes, absolutelie, of all; eyther hearing of these Heretickes, or conference with them, or reading of their Bookes: and, that how-so-ever, some coole-mynded Men, can not brooke it, thereis great reason, of ridding away, and dispatching, out of the Worlde, even by all meanes, of such pestilent and pernicious Men: vvho, except they bee quyte razed out, will not fayle, to subvert the whole state of the World. For, I see, (Philomathes) that, by your giving Eare, to their charming Speaches, you are, all-readie, put in the Stayes; yea, halfe over-turned. For me, when-so-ever I heare ought of them, to which I can not make Aunswere; I, then, make the Signe of the Crosse, over my Person; and, I turne myne Heart, and Eares, another way. So, as, let them speake, wryte, or preach, what they please, (how true, playne, and infallible, so-ever, it appeare;) yet, I determine, with my selfe, That it is false: and, I rest, vponupon the Authoritie of holie Church; whose Doctrine, I count it sinne, once to put in question.
Philomathes.
Agaynst an vndoubted Light, and clearlie convincing Trueth, it were, in-deede, high sinne, once to deliberate: much more, curiouslie, or carnallie, to make question. But, for attayning to Knowledge, and Resolution, in doubtfull Matters; to enquire humblie, soberlie, and sincerelie; wee not onelie well may, but, all-so, are, of duetie, holden. And, who, without Light, are carried, vponupon anie Man's Credite, in Matters of Salvation; I thinke, they more resemble senselesse Blockes, than wyse Christians.
As for your other Opinion, (of ridding away, out of the Worlde, by what-so-ever meanes, those you call Haeretickes) I am sorie to heare it of you: and, so much the more, if you hauehave vttered it, not onelie out of Passion; but, all-so, out of a setled judgement. And, to speake freelie to you, in this; I thinke, this Doctrine, in manie of our Men, bewrayeth, evidentlie, what Spirit they are of. And, for mee, I not onelie, can account them, no Christians; but, even, no Men at all; or, worthie of humane Societie: who, vnderunder anie Praetext of Zeale, doe shake all Bandes of Pietie, and Civilitie.
And, it will bee, assuredlie, seene, (Eriphilus) that this Tragicall, and bloodie Wisedome, (where-by Men, nowe, are begun to thinke, that the Catholicke Fayth, must bee mayntayned) shall bee the Meane, to hasten the Ruine of the Romish Church: vvhyle all the Worlde shall bee wakened, by their owne Perill, and cleare Sight, of such monstrous Inhumanitie, to destroy the Destroyers of the Earth.
EVBVLVS, and PHILADELPHVS, a-part.
EVBVLVS.
YOU did tell mee, verie rightlie, at our firstII. Discoverie of these two Gentle-men, that, all-bee-it, both of them Papistes; yet, they were, of a much contrarie Disposition: for, so wee hauehave, in-deede, tryed them. I louelove this Philomathes his Towardnesse; and, I hope well of him. The other's Waywardnesse, and bitter Disposition, I dislyke as farre.
Philadelphus.
You remember, how, even before our encountring of them, I was wishing you, to make some Answere to these Questions, of this Ballader: and, Theriomachus was, all-so, of my judgement. Now, though you refused to doe so; yet, let mee intreat you, thus farre, as to wryte, but a short Record, of this our Dayes Conference.
Eubulus.
Though, even that piece of Paynes, were, in myIII. Opinion, but ydle, and vnprofitable; yet, it is too small a matter, where-of to refuse you: whom, for manie respects, I am holden, both to louelove, and honour. For, other-wayes, to wryte, eyther at length, or of purpose, anie Answere, to such things, (so often, and, so learnedl…e, confuted) I neyther thinke it expedient, for anie, so …o bus…e him-selfe; and, for me, in so manifolde Distractions, which, you know, I hauehave, and, a daylie Employment, in the matters of my Calling; together, with such imbecillitie of Bodie, as can not endure great Paynes; I were even greatlie blame-worthie, so to waste, eyther Tyme, or Travell. There-fore, hence-foorth, let no Man put mee to businesse. GOD grant, wee may earnestlie studie, to our owne Sanctification; and, according to that great Dispensation committed vntounto vsus, wee may labour to worke the same, carefullie, in the Heartes of others: and, not to delight in contention of Disputations; about Questions, which but ingender Stryfe; and, doe more feast ydle Humours, than they edifie Godlie Soules.
Illuminate, O Blessed LORD of Lights,
The syled Eyes, of simple ones, to see:
Disclose the Deepnesse so of Satan's Slights,
That straying Sheepe, may turne agayne to THEE.
Sling Babell, as a Mill-stone, in the Sea;
And let the NEW IERUSALEM, All-Glorious,
Twelue Ports of Pearle cast vp, for Entrie free,
To All, who in the Lambs Blood are victorious.
Bring downe that Beast, of all this Evill th'Enacter;
His Name, his Number, and his curst Character.
FINIS.