Short Treatise Against the Donatists of England, Title page – Dedication
A SHORT TREATISE againſt the Donatiſts of England, whome we call Browniſts.
Wherein, by the Anſweres vntounto certayne Writings of theyrs, diuers of their hereſies are noted, with ſundry fantaſticall opinions.
By George Giffard, Miniſter of Gods holy Word in Maldon.
NON SOLO PANE VIVET HOMO: Luke 4
Verbum Dei manet in aeternum:
AT LONDON Printed for Toby Cooke, dwelling at the Tygers head in Paules Churchyard. 1590.
To the right Honourable, Sir VVilliam Cecill, Knight of the Garter, Baron of Burghley, Lorde high Treaſurer of England, and Chancelor of the Vniuerſitie of Cambridge, Grace and peace.
I Am (right Honourable) to excuſe my ſelfe in two thinges: the one, that I take vponupon me to write againſt the Browniſts, ſeeing there be ſo many great learned mē in our land, which doo refraine: the other, that I doo offer ſo ſlender a peece of woorke vntounto your Honour. Touching the former, the truth is, I hauehave beene vnwares drawne vntounto it, not purpoſing any ſuch matter. For more then two yeares paſt, there were brought vntounto me certaine articles which the Browniſts doo call, A breefe ſum of their profeſſion, with diuers arguments againſt read prayer. They were brought vntounto me by a Scholemaiſter in Eſſex, who of a godly minde▪ did deſire mee to write my iudgement of the ſame, which when I refuſed, hee vrged me with this, that diuerſe of the people about them were troubled, and did hang in ſuſpenſe, and for their ſakes he did require it, I did graunt his requeſt, and when they had my writings, they were carried to the cheefe men of that ſect. Not long after, I receiued large replies, where I perceiued that which before I did not ſo much as dreame of, namely, that they had made chalenge, and looked to be encountred by the learnedeſt in the land. They take it greeuouſly, and reprehend me, as hauing intercepted this buſineſſe, and taken it from the hands of the learned. Heerevpon I ſtayed long, purpoſing to giuegive them but ſhorte anſwer to their chiefe matters. But when I ſawe that aduantage was taken, as if I had receiued matters vnanſwerable, and that Browniſme did begin to ſpred in manye places of the land: I thought it not amiſſe, ſeeing the burthen thus to hauehave light vponupon me, though I be not able to deale ſo ſufficiently as ſuch a matter requireth: yet to publiſh to the world ſome of their hereſies, and frantike opinions, which are to be gathered from their writings. I hauehave not ſet downe the whole diſcourſe of wordes, which hath paſſed betweene them and me, for it would be ſomewhat tedious. But if any ſhall thinke I hauehave paſſed any reaſons of theirs vnanſwered, or wreſted their words from the true ſence, to gather hereſies: let them ſhew any particular, and I wil be able to cleere my ſelfe. And let men conſider, whether the Browniſme can be ſupported by any pillers, but thoſe hereſies which I hauehave noted. I meddle not with the controuerſies of our Church, but deale by way of admiſsion. I neuer receyued the names of any ſubſcribed to the writings I receiued, and for that cauſe I do name none. And now for the other point, why I preſume to offer it vntounto your honour. God hath giuen your honour to be an auncient graue Counſellor, and which many yeares hauehave borne, and ſtill doo beare, a great part of the waight of this our common-wealth, vnderunder her right excellent Maieſtie: and for that cauſe I iudge it meete your Honor ſhould ſee ſuch things as any way touch the generall eſtate. I truſt therefore, that although it be not for the ſlenderneſſe worthy to be offred to ſo honorable a perſon, yet it ſhall be accepted in ſome ſort. And touching your Honor, as I do not doubt of it but it ſhal be, ſo I wiſh & pray to God, that you may be one of thoſe of whome it is written, Pſal. 92. The righteous ſhall flouriſh like a palme tree, and ſhall growe like a Cedar in Lebanon. Being planted in the houſe of the Lord, they ſhall flouriſh in the Courtes of our God, they ſhall ſtill bring forth fruite in their age: they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing: to declare that the Lorde my rock is righteous, and that there is none iniquitie in him.
Your Honors in all duty to commaund, George Gyffard.