Confutation of Monstrous and Horrible Heresies, To the reader
To the Reader, grace and peace.
THe holie Apoſtle ſpeaking of the comming of the Romiſhe Antichriſt,2. Theſ. 2.10. ſheweth that the Lorde woulde ſet vp that rennagate ſeat, as it were an executioner or ſergeant of his wrathfull iudgement, againſt thoſe which ſhould not hauehave the louelove of the trueth: that they which would not effectually beleeue it, receiuing ſentence of the Lord himſelf to beleeue lies effectually, ſhoulde be put to the execution thereof by the miniſterie of that ſeat. The truth wherof as in other places of Europe, ſo in this our Countrey eſpecially, is euidently ſeene: where the Lord ſitting in his Aſsiſe not twiſe a yeare, but all the whole yeare long, reuengeth the ſhameful contempt and neglect of his truth: by ſending numbers to their ſtie or walter againe, which beeing drawne into the fouldes of Chriſt by the preaching of the Goſpell, behaued themſelues coldly and careleſly therein. And albeit in long proceſſe of time, this only cāker of Poperie, be able to eat vp the whole church: yet the ſinnes of our Countrey crie ſo loude, that is to ſay are done ſo openly and ſo vncōtrolledly in the ſight of the Lord, that as if he woulde make a ſhort hande of all, he ſetteth vponupon vsus with diuerſe engines, at once to pull downe that which he hath ſo graciouſly builded, and with diuerſe axes layde euen to the roote, vtterly to cutte vp that which his owne hand hath planted.
And to follow the former compariſon, as where there are great ſtore of fellons, the Iuſtices of Aſsiſe, are faine to ſeuer and ſingle themſelues, to make the ſpeedier hande of them: euen ſo through heapes of thoſe which hauehave no louelove of the truth in them, the lord is as it were faine to erect vp other iudgement ſeates, by the which hee may eaſe himſelfe of them: and to appoint other hangmen, for their quicker diſpatch to the place wherevnto they are adiudged. And therefore contenteth not himſelf now with the hereſie of the Papiſtes, which hauehave beene a long time the principall ſincke to receiue the outcaſtes of the Church, nor with the hereſie of the Arians and Anabaptiſts, as it were other houſes of office, whereunto ſome of the filth of the Church hath beene diſcharged: but ſtirreth vp other brandes of hell, to ſet fire as it were in euerie corner of the Church. Of this ſort are the vnlouely companie of them that call themſelues the Familie of louelove.
Wherevpon it may be vnderſtanded howe vntruly the Goſpel is charged, as that which is in ſmall fauour with God: becauſe in the time of the preaching thereof, there riſe ſuch damnable ſectes, and that from them, which hauehave borne the name of Goſpellers. Wherein the Goſpel needeth ſo little to feare the confeſſion hereof: that the ſame tendeth euen to the iuſtifying of the great price and eſtimation, that the Lorde hath it in. For as the great eſtimation of the lawes of the lande, is taken from the ſeuere puniſhment practiſed againſt the deſpiſers of them: ſo theſe fearefull iudgements executed vponupon them, which in their mouthes vaunting the Goſpel, in their workes denied the vertue of the ſame, are preachers of the great ielouſie, which the Lord hath ouer the doctrine of the Goſpel. Which alſo becauſe he woulde not hauehave ſlaundered with the filth of ſuch ſectes, he ſo ordereth the matter: that where our Church hath no ſtrength to throw thē out, they ſhould willingly caſt out thēſelues: therby to receiue their ſhame vponupon their owne heades, & to cleare the Goſpel with all reaſonable men, of that ſlaunder which ſome would gladly faſten vponupon it. For if holding their monſtrous opinions, they had notwithſtanding remained in the boſome of the Church: although falſly, yet colourably it might hauehave bene ſaid, that the Goſpel fauoureth ſuch misſhapen & deformed things. But when as the Lord, in care to vphold the good report of the Goſpel, hath caſt them out, and they in a conſcience of the hatred that the Goſpelling Churches beare vntounto ſuch frenſies, hauehave ſundered themſelues from them: it is maruaile that there can be anie ſo blind as not to ſee, or ſo impudent as not to confeſſe, that neither the goſpel is the mother, nor the Churches thereof the nourcerie of any ſuch helliſh opinions▪ It is not therefore the louelove of the Goſpel profeſſed of vsus, but the want of louelove, not the profeſsion but the fruitleſſe profeſsion: that is cauſe of theſe confuſions.
Whereof there is yet more clearer proofe, in that as the rout of theſe heretiks, looked for the enmitie of our Churches: ſo hauehave they felt their hand more ſore vponupon thē, then the hand of any other cōpany in the world: yea our Churches litle finger hath weyed heauier vponupon thē, then the loines of all other aſſemblies whatſoeuer. The Papiſts pretēd great enmitie to the Anabaptiſts, Swinkfeldians, Arians, & other ſuch deteſtable Antitrinitaries: yet for twentie of our fields fought againſt thē, they are not able to ſhew two: for a hundreth ſtrokes giuen by vsus, they are ſcarce able to ſhew one giuen by them: that is to ſay, they are ſcarce able to ſhew a line for a leafe, or a leaf for a booke. And euen in this Apoſtume of the familie of louelove doubt you nothing, but the Papiſts make ſhew of ſuch a hatred, as cannot be outmatched. Howbeit it if you loke either to the cauſe, or the effect of hatred, you ſhall ſee their viſard eaſily pulled of. As touching the cauſe, it ſhal plainly appere by the diſcourſe of their opinions: that the Papiſtes hauing moe thinges in common with them then wee hauehave, hauehave leſſe cauſe of hatred then we. And for the effect, let them ſhewe where anie of the Iuſtices leaning to Poperie, hauehave ſo carefully and painefully dealt for the ſuppreſsing of them: as hauehave the Iuſtices which fauour the Goſpel. Or let them ſhewe, where anie of their Popiſhe Cleargie, hath laboured for the ouerthrowe of their Hereſies: as hauehave the Miniſters of the Goſpel. I meane not to charge their Cleargie for not ſpeaking, where their ſilence is ſo iuſt: but yet for not writing, howe can they deliuer themſelues, conſidering their leyſure which they both hauehave a hundreth folde more then our Miniſters, and which they can vſe againſt vsus at their pleaſure.
But as in this effect of our hatred againſt hereſies, we hauehave in Chriſt Ieſus a godly triumph, in reſpect of the Papiſtes: ſo for the want of that care which ſhould further be in vsus, aſwel for the preuenting of ſuch miſchiefs before they fal, as for the remouing of them when they are fallen: we, euē we all hauehave great cauſe to hang down our heads. For albeit the lord in his moſt iuſt iudgemēt, for reuenge of the contempt of the Goſpel, hath giuen vp theſe miſerable men to their owne fantaſies: yet is it alſo' certaine that our incircumſpection hath had a mighty ſtroke, to the bringing of it to paſſe. For firſt the gates of the Citie of God with vsus, lie ſo wide open to all that will enter in: as if wee might looke for that ſecuritie here vppon earth, that both doores and barres, lockes and keyes ſhoulde bee needeleſſe. For if anie will enter into our Churches, who almoſte is there, to aske him from whence hee came: to inſtruct him of the lawes of the Citie: to require publike, both confeſsion of his former infidelitie, and profeſsion of a ſounder fayth? Secondly, if being thus raſhly admitted, there were yet ſome wall or raile to holde them in, vntill ſuch time as they might bee better taught: The careleſſe receiuing of them, might hauehave beene ſomewhat recompenced by a narrowe watche and warde, that they ſhoulde not iſſue out againe. But both the gates of our entring in, and going out, being thus vnkept: there groweth vntounto the Church an infamous ſlaunder, whileſt they are all iudged to hauehave beene of our Religion, the greateſt number whereof hauehave beene ſuch babes therein, as they knewe not the difference betwene their right and left hand. So that the bare name of Goſpellers excepted, which they gat by treading now and then vponupon the pauement of our aſſemblies: they ſtill remained in the ſame ignoraunce of the truth, wherein they were at firſt. Where againe it appeareth, howe vniuſtly the Goſpell is charged with theſe fallings away, which it woulde hauehave ſtayed, if it might hauehave had the full courſe: as is to be ſeene in other places, where the ſame Goſpell being receiued, ſuch offences ſo thicke and threefold hauehave not enſued. For this happineſſe, that no offences at all ſhould bee: happened not vntounto the Churches gouerned by the Apoſtles themſelues.
This then being a great peece of our fault, for that we met not with theſe miſchiefs aforehand: another peece is, that due care hath not bene taken, for the aboliſhing of them, after they were entred in vponupon vsus. Wherevnto albeit (as is aforeſayd) diuerſe godly, both Magiſtrates and Miniſters hauehave put to their hand: yet as in a houſe ſet on fire, all runne to the quenching of it, ſo it behoued that to the ſuppreſsing of this fire, comming forth of the bottomleſſe pit of hell, all ioyntly ſhoulde hauehave giuen their attendance, and euerie one hauehave drawne a bucket of thoſe waters,1 Sam. 7.15. which the Iſraelites did in their calamitie. For I meane not, that they ſhoulde hauehave met to deale with the familie of louelove: but with the Lorde our God. Who as in his iuſt wrath, hee hath raiſed vp this curſed ſect: ſo vnleſſe the ſame bee firſt appeaſed, in humbling our ſelues before him in prayer with weeping and faſting, our eyes may faint in our heades with looking for remedie either of this euill or of any other, that hang ouer vsus.
But I ſee well enough what the cauſe is: why in ſo great an ouerplus of cares for other things, there is yet ſo ſmall care taken of this, and it is, becauſe it is not eſteemed perillous vntounto the eſtate. So (by the way) is the glorie of God troden vnderunder our feete, which howſoeuer it be defaced: yet ſo that it be imagined (for truly it cannot be) without hazard of the eſtate, there is almoſt none that layeth it to his heart. But yet tell mee (I pray you) howe come we to be ſo ſecure of the eſtate againſt this route of heretikes. For let it not hurt the eſtate, that it is the peſtilenteſt hereſie that euer was in the land, that it leaueth neuer a peece of the knowledge of GOD whole and vnſhaken, that it is a maſſe or packe of Poperie, Arianiſme, Anabaptiſme, and Libertiſme: I ſay let all this not once touch the foote of the eſtate, which notwithſtanding preaſeth to the verie throate of it: yet that it maketh no conſcience of anie duetie to men, their owne brood onelyonly excepted, that they may lie to all, ſo they ſay true to themſelues, that they thinke euerie thing lawfull (how filthie and howe diſorderly ſoeuer) that their fantaſticall ſpirite telleth them, doeth it not goe ſtraitly and directly to the ouerthrowe of the cōmon wealth? For if it ſhoulde but ſuddenly come into the giddie pate of one of their perfites, that there ought to be no Magiſtrate, or that none ought to bee better than other, or poſſeſſe more then other: it muſt bee by and by holden for ſo reſolute a doctrine amongeſt them, as if it had beene ripely debated and decreed by all the Vniuerſities in Europe: yea (a horrible thing) as if it hadde proceeded from the ſacred mouth of GOD. And who can tell, whether theſe bee their thoughts alreadie: which they ſmother, vntill ſuch time as they hauehave gotten an armie to execute them.
A number in this lande, vppon a falſe alarme, hauehave beene in a vaine iealouſie and feare of Puritaniſme. Nowe the iuſtice of GOD hath payed vsus. For that which was ſpoken before in ſlaunder, nowe may bee ſpoken in trueth: and that which was beleeued, when it was not, is ſcarce ſuſpected when it is. For if you ſeeke after the Puritans, theſe they bee. Which although for their looſeneſſe of life, they are from the toppe to the toe nothing but blottes:Iud. 12. yet bragge they of all perfection, euen vntounto a verie deifying of themſelues, what miſchiefe therefore yee feare might come from the Puritans, that looke for aſſuredly at their handes.
How beit the ouglineſſe of this Hereſie which ſhoulde driue to a feare, doeth (as it ſeemeth) make men careleſſe of it. For they thinke that ſuch a monſtrous misſhapen hereſie, ſhoulde finde louers either verie fewe, or if anie number: yet ſuch ſweepinges of the people, as may, at good leyſure, eaſily bee caſt out. For the firſt whereof, they little knowe either what the corrupt nature of man is: or what is the deſert of the contempt of the Goſpel amongeſt vsus. For there is no wickedneſſe ſo groſſe, the print whereof our waxie and pliable nature to all euill, is not meete to receyue: and it is the Lordes iuſt iudgement, that they which hauehave deſpiſed the higheſt wiſedome, ſhoulde be throwne into the extremeſt follie.
And if anie hartning were taken, in that they are of the raſcall ſort. Firſt it is not generally true: theſe ſhameleſſe dogges thruſting themſelues (for a fatter ſoppe) into houſes of great wealth. Secondly their baſeneſſe, ſhoulde not free vsus from the feare of them: if we remember that the Iuie which is ſo deſpiſed and ſo lowe a ſhrub, doth in climing by little and little, kill the talleſt and mightieſt Oake in the forreſt.Actes. 19.23. Take example firſt of Demetrius the Siluerſmith, who ſet the whole Citie in an vprore, agaynſt the Goſpel: and then of Alexander the Copperſmith,2. Tim. 4.14. of whom by the complaintes which Saint Paule maketh of him, and imprecations againſt him: it is apparaunt, that he had by him receyued more hinderance in his miniſterie, then by anie other, either Doctours of the Lawe, or Princes of the common wealth. And if they were ſo ſtrengthleſſe, as they be ſuppoſed: yet the ſwarmes of them ſhoulde cauſe men to bee waking, vnleſſe they hauehave forgotten, that neither all the wiſedome nor power of Egypt, was able to reſiſte the armie of Lice, which the Lorde ſente againſte them. And it is to bee feared, leaſt this louſie cōpany of the familie of LoueLove, be ſtirred vp, not onelyonly to beat vsus, but as it were to dry beate vsus: that like as the Goſpell hath beene mocked amongſt vsus, ſo the Lorde ſhould choſe him ſuch rods, wherwith he might as it were in great ſcorne and diſdaine ſtrike vsus againe. Such were the Hunnes, Gothes, & Vandales, which being rayſed out of the dunghil, and men of whome ther was no reckoning made: yet had they ſuch ſtrength through the weake profeſſion of the Goſpel, ſuch greate ſucceſſe through the ſmal ſucceſſe therof, ſuch ſwiftneſſe through the ſlackneſſe in it: that ſetting vponupon the mightieſt and moſte warlike nation in the world, they made in ſhort time ſuch a hād of them, as if men had had to do with Mice, or fire had met with Stubble: ſuch a woonderfull GOD is the Lorde, who as he oftentimes in merciemercy, deliuereth his by thinges of nothing: ſo againe in wrath, hee plageth them by thinges of like value.
But peraduenture, as the verie name of the houſeholde of louelove, is their great glory: ſo it may breede in vsus an opinon of their harmleſneſſe. For who can feare any euill from louelove, which doth good to all, and hurteth none. How beit adde only (which the trueth it ſelfe doth prooue) that it is the houſholde of Selfeloue: and then what miſchiefe is there, whiche wee may not make iuſt account of, if their handes be as able to deliuer it, as their heartes are frutefull to conceiue it. For except a fewe faire ſpeaches, wherewith they would (forſooth) approue them ſelues to bee led with the ſpirit of LoueLove, and which are rather a cloke to couer their hatred againſt vsus, then any wholeſome fruite of vnfained louelove: their louelove is ſo lame, that it cannot ſteppe a foote out of their owne doores. And as we hauehave nothing to truſt to in this title, ſo they in vaunting them ſelues of it, doe but glorie in their owne ſhame. For I can as well affoord it them, to the diſcouerie of their owne fylth, as the name of Ieſuites vntounto the Papiſtes, which pride themſelues therein. For as they leauing the title of Chriſtiās cōmended to vsus in the holy ſcripture,Actes. 17. and coyning a new of their owne braine, carrie the note of their intollerable arrogancie in their forehead, red of all which vnderſtand anie thing of Chriſtian modeſtie: euen ſo alſo is it in this vermin. For beſides their pride, whereby they hauehave ſought them ſelues a title apart from others: what an intollerable arrogancie is it, to leaue the titles of the ſcripture,Gal. 6. for a liking they hauehave to thoſe of their owne forge? For if they would needes ſingle themſelues by a ſeuerall name: why tooke they not the name of the houſeholde of fayth mencioned in the Scripture, rather then the name of the houſeholde of LoueLove, wherof there is no ſuch mention.
The ſame or not vnlike iudgement, of their ſtrange phraſes, wherewith they apparell and ſet foorth their ſtraūge opinions & deuiſes: that to thoſe which hauehave their ſences wel inured to diſcerne of doctrines, it will be as eaſy thereby to diſcry their new learning, as it is to know an outlandiſh man by his toung or ſpeach. For they are ſo ſwelling, as if they had feared leaſt they ſhould not hauehave beene ſufficiently knowen, to bee of thoſe deceiuers,2. Pet. 18. Iude. 16. which the Apoſtles Saint Peter and S. Iude hauehave marked out: vnleſſe they had ſhewed vsus this brande, which the holie Apoſtles did ſet vponupon their tounges. Albeit to ſay the trueth, in this manner of handeling, there is not more pride, then crafte and deceite. For therefore, no doubt, doe they ſo farre paſſe and exceede the meaſure of the common ſpeach: that the ruder ſorte not able to vnderſtand them, beeing aſtonied, might be as it were hanged in an admiration of them. Whereof if I ſhould giuegive you a paterne, I could not doe it more aptely then in ſending you to the gibberiſh of our Rogues, or of the counterfait ſort of Egyptians: which were woonte to hauehave a ſpeciall chat: wherewithall they amazed the ſimple men, whileſt they drewe them into their nettes. Whatſoeuer it is, it is moſt vnlike the language of the holie ſpirit of God. For in ſteede that it doeth vtter graue and high matters, in a lowe and familiar ſtile: they ſet forth their trifling and halfepeny doctrines, with loftie and high phraſes of ſpeech.
Nowe it remayneth, that for the glory of God ſo ſhamefully defaced, for the trueth ſo ſlaunderouſly reported, for the Church ſo grieuouſly ſtricken, for the common wealth preſently wounded, & further hazarded: that all thoſe to whome the Lord hath giuen any meanes of ſtopping this gap, where at his wrath hath thus broken in vponupon vsus, make haſt to the reſcue of the trueth, and reſiſtance of the euill.
Firſt of all therefore we muſt all humble our ſelues vnderunder the reuenging hand of GOD, in prayer and faſting, in ſackcloth and aſhes: that if by ſtanding before the Iudge, and confeſſing our giltineſſe of crime, wee doe put the halter as it were aboute our owne necks, hee may peraduenture hauehave compaſſion on vsus, and repente him bothe of this, and other the euils which hee threateneth againſt vsus. The exerciſe whereof ought (without all controuerſie) to bee publike: to the end, that the Church with all hir Children together lying proſtrate before his Maieſtie, all their cryes & complaints at once ſent vp, may ſo ring in his eares, as that he may be the rather moued to pittie towardes her. But if it be holden out, from the publike aſſemblyes: then the Lorde caſteth this charge of ſanctifying a faſt vppon priuate and common houſes. And if the priuate houſes bee ſparred againſt it, through their careleſſe Maiſters: yet let eueryevery faithfull perſon, who trembleth and quaketh when the Lorde roareth, take him to his Chamber for the humbling and ſubmitting of himſelfe before his GOD.
Then her Maieſtie is heere moſte humbly to bee deſired, that that God which hath preſerued her royall perſon vntounto the crowne, and in the crowne, from all the treaſons intended againſt her: may hauehave her ſword (or rather his owne ſwoorde committed vntounto her) drawne vppon theſe horrible treaſons, which are in a high hand committed directly againſt his own perſon: to the launchinge of ſuch as are curable, and to the quite cutting off of thoſe that are deſperate, the Captaines eſpecially. Her moſte honourable Councel, is likewiſe moſt humbly to be deſired, that they would ſo croude vp other their weightie and graue conſultations, that this alſo which in weightineſſe, giueth place but vntounto few, may hauehave the rowme that it deſerueth. Namely how her Maieſties Swoorde, may be moſt coningly and rightly handeled, for the ſpeedieſt and effectualleſt riddaunce heereof. Her worſhipfull Iuſtices and other inferiour Magiſtrates, that they would ſo diligently waite vppon the execution: as that they remember, that the greater haſt they make againſt them, the greater ſtay the Lorde will make in his iudgement againſt vsus. The carefull miniſters of the land, that they would not onelyonly labour to kepe their flockes from the contagion of this peſtilence: but ſeek alſo to pull ſuch out of the fire, as through ſimple ignorance hauehave fallen into it. The godly people, that they would remember dayly ſo to commend the good ſucceſſe of both the miniſteries, of the worde and of the ſworde, vntounto the Lord: that the proſpering in the ſubduing of this deteſtable hereſy, it may (by continuance of a godly peace) go well with them and theirs after them. So ſhall not onelyonly the euill it ſelfe, but alſo the ſlaunderous charges againſt the Goſpel, be cleane wiped away: whileſt the hereſies which ſprang without the fault of the Goſpel, ſhall be remooued by the power of the Goſpel: & whilſt the euils which roſe through the ſleepineſſe of ſome of the profeſſors, ſhall be put downe through the watchfulneſſe of them all: whileſt finally this hereſie being of ſome confuted, of other ſome puniſhed, prayed againſt of all: the Goſpell may hauehave a greater triumph in the conqueſt of this hereſie, then if it had neuer beene inuaded by it.
FINIS.