Answer to John De Albines, To the reader · Preface

Answer to John De Albines · To the reader · Preface

p. 1The preface to the Reader.

PLutarch a noble Philoſopher,aaThis preface for the moſt part of it might a proteſtant write againſt the popiſ… church, hereſies, and prelates. and a diligent Hiſtorician, writeth in the life of Demetrius a king of Macedonie, that whē an olde womā came to him, beſeeching him to heare her ſpeake, and he made aunſwere that he had no leaſure, the woman looking vponupon him, ſaide to him againe with a loude voice: why, hauehave you no leaſure … rule as a king ſhould? Which wordes ſo pearced the kinges heart, and ſo …eatly preuailed in him, that he forthwith gaue her audience, and from …at daie, none came to him for any matter, but gently, and with all di…gence he did heare them, and diſcuſſe their cauſes. Boyſterouſly were …ſe wordes ſpoken of a ſubiect, and not with that reuerence that was …eete to be giuen to a king. Notwithſtanding, as Cicero witneſſeth in …e ſecond of his Tuſculanes: Triſtis res eſt dolor, ſine dubio, aſpera, …mara, inimica naturae, ad patiendum tolerandum que difficilis: …orowe is a grieuous thing, without doubt ſharpe, bitter, and an enemy to …ature, harde to ſuffer and forbeare. Sorowe (as I ſuppoſe) conſtrayned …he ſeely woman to ſpeake as ſhee did, & veras exprimere voces, and …o vtter the truth. On the other ſide conſider, not onelyonly the gentle na…ure of this noble Prince, but alſo his great wiſedome, in conſidering …othing to be more ſeemely for a gouernour, then to heare mens cauſes …ndifferently, and to ſee all wronges redreſſed. Nihil (ſaieth the ſame Plutarch) tam egregium tam que proprium Regis eſſe videtur, quàm iuſticiae opus, Nothing is ſo excellent and ſo properly pertayning to him that is a magiſtrate, as iuſtice. I hauehave redde that the Tribunes, which were officers choſen for the defence of the Commons of Rome, had their gates or dores neuer ſhutte, neither by day, nor by night, in token that thither might bee the recourſe of all them that had neede of ſuccour. So ought eueryevery gouernour, whether hee bee ſpirituall or temporall, to bee a ſuccour, and as it were a caſtle and a fortreſſe to them that bee vnderunder his tuition. Dion Caſsius in his …ookes that he wrote de principe, amongſt other precepts, willeth chief…y and aboue all things, that whoſoeuer be the head of the people, be a diligent worſhipper and folower of God: next, that hee bee louing to his ſubiects, if he will hauehave them to be faithfull to him, and louelove him as ſubiectes ſhould their Prince. For it is not of likelyhood, ſaide Dion, neither doth nature permit, but that he that loueth, ſhould be loued, whē we ſee dogges p. 2to fawne, and horſes to neye to them, of whom they be cheriſhed. Againe, he would hauehave ſuch rulers to call themſelues ſhepherdes and feeders of men, rather then otherwiſe. So Homer calleth a king paſtorem populi, a ſhepherde & a feeder of the people. And Plato in his Dialogue called Minos, writeth, that Minos & Radamāthus, which gaue lawes to the men of Crete, were the true ſhepherdes of men, which was not ſpoken of ſo noble a Philoſopher without a iuſt cauſe: for nothing doth more nouriſh, mainteine & vpholde a common wealth then law, which, as Tullie in ſecundo de natura deorum ſayeth, eſt recti praeceptio, praui que depulſio, a commaunder of that which is good and honeſt, & an expulſer of all that is nought and vnhoneſt. Now, as a ſhepherdes care is, to ſee his ſheepe fedde in wholſome paſtures, & to be kept ſafe from wolues & al other beaſtes that would wery & deſtroy them: & if any in the flocke be infected with any outwarde ſcabbe, or inwarde maladie, to remedie it betime: or if the contagion admit no helpe, but is incureable, to hauehave ſuch a one away from the flocke, that he hurt none of them that be whole: Euen ſo muſt he that will be a ſhepheard of men, ſtudy for the good ordering and quietnes of the multitude, ouer whom he hath charge, and that al enormities that might diſturbe a common wealth, whether it be ſpiritual or ciuill be expelled, and that all faultes be redreſſed with due correction, vſing lenitie and ſeverity, after as hope or diſpaire of amendment ſhall appeare. Neither hath the name of a ſhepheard lacked his preheminence at any time. That good Abel, ad cuius munera Deus reſpexit, to whoſe gifts and ſacrifice God had reſpect, was a ſhepheard: Abraham, in whole ſeede God promiſed that all nations ſhould be bleſſed, was a ſhepheard: ſo was Iſaac his ſonne, and Iacob his nephewe, & his ſonnes alſo. Moyſes that noble captaine, and deliuerer of God his people, was a ſhepheard in the lande of Madian. Dauid, of whombbHere is Stephē named for Paul. Act. 13.Acts 13 S. Stephen ſayd, that God gaue this teſtimony: Inueni Dauid filium leſſe, virum ſecundum cor meum, qui faciet omnes voluntates meas: I hauehave found Dauid the ſonne of Ieſſe, a man after mine owne heart and minde, which ſhal doe all my will.ccThere is no mention of Stephen. Act. 13. This noble king Dauid was a ſhepheard. Theſe I ſuppoſe almightie God woulde hauehave to be enſamples to all them that be in authoriritie, for as Paul ſayth: Quaecun que ſcripta ſunt, ad noſtram eruditionem ſcripta ſunt, Al thinges that are written, are written for our inſtruction, that as they fedde that ſeely innocent cattell, ſo ſhould all Magiſtrates that profeſſe his ſons name, learne to gouerne the people in the obedience of his doctrine, that they might be innocētes manibus, & puro corde nec iurantes in dolo proximo ſuo, Innocents of their hands, and of a pure heart, which vſe no deceipt towardes their neighbours, but in all their doinges ſhewe themſelues to be, veras oues paſcuae Chriſti, the true ſheepe of the paſture of Ieſus Chriſt, who ſayeth: Bonus paſtor animam ſuam dat pro ouibus ſuis, A good ſhepheard giueth his life for his ſheepe. Few words, but full of pith: And neuer could moe things be ſpoken more compendiouſly. For what will he refuſe to doe? what labour, what trauaile, what paine will he forſake, which for that performance of that hee goeth about, will not ſpare his owne life?aaThis being true as it is, thereupon it followeth, that your popiſh Prieſts and prelates, who neither hauehave skill nor will to performe this duty, are no true ſheepheards. If a good ſhepheard ſetteth ſo great ſtore by his ſheepe, if he louelove them ſo tenderlie, that he will rather looſe his life then to ſee them in anie daunger, what will hee not doe els for them? Howe can it be otherwiſe, but that hee will ſee his flocke fedde in wholſome paſtures? howe can it bee thought, that hee will not tary with them to keepe them from wolues, from dogges that fall to biting of them, and from other like rauenous beaſtes? Who woulde imagine him to bee ſo negligent, that hee will not in the euening bring them home to the cote or folde? Will hee not, trowe you, if any be ſtrayed, goe ſeeke him out, and bring him againe to his fellowes? If anie be ſicke, will hee not ſee him holpen with all diligence? See therefore vvhat a great matter our Sauiour did comprehende and folde vp, as it were, and knit together in a bundell, all that can be deſired in a good herdeſman. O that gouernours whom god hath put in authoritie, per quem reges regnant, by whome kinges doe raigne, who bad Peter, if hee loued him, to feede his ſheepe, who hath alſo conſtitute vnderunder him feeders vponupon the earth, ſome ſpirituall, ſome temporall, O, I ſay, that they woulde diligently looke vponupon theſe wordes: A good ſhepheard giueth his life for the ſheepe, and ſeriouſly ponder in their minde what a charge is hid in this ſhort ſentence, how many things, princeps paſtorum, the prince of ſhepheards, as Peter calleth him, doth require of them whom hee hath made herdſmen vnderunder him, whoſe dutie is to be good paſtours and faithfull feeders like to their maſter. O that they would call to their minde, that they muſt at length depart hence, and come where it ſhall be ſaid to eueryevery one of them: Redde rationem villicationis tuae, GiueGive accompt of thy bayliwicke, Come forth and ſhew how thou haſt fedde my flocke that I committed to thy handes: Thou Biſhop, how haſt thou viſited thy dioceſſe, what Parſons, what Ʋicares haſt thou admitted? Thou Archdeacon, how often haſt thou viſited and ſeene eueryevery curate to do his duty? how haſt thou redreſſed al enormities & ſlaūders within thy iuriſdictiō? Thou parſon, thou vicar, thou curate, how haſt thou fed thy flocke with good enſā ples of charity & vertuous liuing, with keeping of hoſpitality to thy power, by preaching wholſome doctrine, in reuerently miniſtring my Sacramēts? Thou king, how haſt thou ruled thy Realme? What lawes haſt thou made for the ſetting forth of my glory, for the extirpation of hereſies, for maintenance of equity, for puniſhment of wrong, for prouiſion, that things may be ſolde at a competent price, that couetous men make no dearth to their condemnation, when I giuegive plenty? Thou Lord, how haſt thou gouerned vnderunder thy prince? Thou man of worſhip, how haſt thou endeuoured to hauehave quietnes kept, and the princes lawes to be obeyed? Thou Iuſtice, how haſt thou miniſtred right indifferently to all perſons? Thou Maior or head officer in any Citty or Towne, how haſt thou kept thy ſelfe cleere from periury? How haſt thou ſeene good order obſerued, and all idlenes and diſſolute maners to be baniſhed? Finally, thou, whatſoeuer officer or Magiſtrate thou be, how haſt thou regarded the common wealth, & preferred it afore thy priuate lucre or commodity? O that theſe things were conſidered: for as ſure as God liueth, theſe accōpts will he call vponupon ſtraightly. None ſhall eſcape, Cui multum datur (as S. Gregory ſaith) multum ab eo quaeretur, He that hath much giuen him, ſhall make a great accompt thereof, and much ſhall be of him required: And at that day percaſe he ſhall reckē himſelfe moſt fortunate and happie, that had leaſt in this worlde, and leaſt to doe. And he peraduenture moſt vnfortunate, that hath moſt to doe in this world, vnleſſe hee order it well, vnleſſe hee order it righteouſly, iuſtly, and ordinately.

Now, good Reader, thou haſt hearde, that Chriſt ſaith: Bonus paſtor animā ſuā dat pro ouibus ſuis, And to put thee out of doubt who is this good ſhepherde, he ſaieth: Ego ſum paſtor bonus, & cognoſco oues meas, & cognoſcunt me meae. I am the good ſhepherd, which will giuegive my life for my ſheepe, by my death to purchaſe them life, that as I will riſe, and die no more, ſo ſhall they after their bodily death ariſe at the laſt daie, neuer to die any more, but to liue alwaies with my father and me. I knowe my ſheepe, not al onelyonly that they be mine, but I ſo know them for mine, that I will be their ſuccour in their tribulations, I will ſtrengthen them in their perſecutions, I will receaue them into my ioy and glory, I know them, and they know me. This is then required of their ſheepe, that they knowe their ſhepherde. Three properties muſt be in eueryevery man or woman that ſhall hauehave this worthy name to be called a ſheepe of Chriſt.bbTheſe being as indeede they are the true properties of chriſts ſheepe, thereupō it muſt needes followe, that he hath but fewe ſheepe in the popiſh flocke. The firſt propertie is, that our Sauiour ſaieth, that his ſheepe doe know him. This knowledge hauehave Chriſts ſheepe of him, that by his godheade he is their father, by his manhoode he is their brother, & by his benefites he is their louing Lorde & maſter.ccThis and your doctrine of merits, ſatisfaction, and other by meanes beſides Chriſt, to erne your ſaluation by cannot ſtand together. They know it is he, & none other, that hath made their peace with God his father: Ipſe enim eſt pax noſtra, for he is our peace (Ad Epheſios ſecundo) he hath gotten vsus forgeueneſſe of our ſinnes, he hath deliuered vsus out of the bondage of the deuil, he hath purchaſed heauen for vsus, he is to vsus Turris fortitudinis, the tower of our ſtrength. The ſeconde propertie of Chriſtes ſheepe is, to heare their ſhepheards voice, and to giuegive no eare to the voice of any ſtranger. You wil aske me peraduenture, hovv you ſhould heare him,ddThis is more then euer all the ſort of you can proue. which although he be verily and bodily heere with vsus in the Sacrament of the Aultar, yet in his humane forme he is aſcended vp into heauen, and ſitteth on the right hande of his father? Wherevnto I aunſwere, that we muſt heare his voice ſounding by the mouth of hiseeTrue: but there by ſtraight is not ment yours, which along time hath beene an impudent harlot. Church, which is the very true ſpouſe of Ieſus Chriſt, Quā ſanctificauit, mundans eam lauacro aquae in verbo vitae, whom hee hath ſanctified and purified with the bath of water in the worde of life, vt exhiberet ipſe ſibi glorioſam eccleſiam non habentem maculam aut rugam, to make it a glorious Church to himſelfe without ſpot or wrinkle (Ad Epheſios. 5.) ffThus you take for granted that your ſynagogue is this church of of Chriſt, and that we hauehave departed from the church of Chriſt, both which are moſt falſe.If we hear the church, we hear Chriſt: for as the holy Biſhop & Martyr Irenaeus writeth in the forty Chapter of his thirde booke, Vbi eccleſia, ibi & ſpiritus, & vbi ſpiritus dei, illic eccleſia & omnis gratia, ſpiritus autem veritas where the Church is, there is the ſpirit of God, & where the ſpirit of God is, there is the Church & al grace, & the ſpirit is truth. Wherefore as the ſame godly father writeth in the forty and three Chapter of his fourth booke, we be bounde to be obedient to the Prelates of the Church, his qui ſucceſſionem habent ab Apoſtolis, to them that hauehave their ſucceſſion from the Apoſtles. Reliquos verò (ſaieth hee) qui abſiſtunt a ggThis principall ſucceſſion is ſucceſſion in truth which you are gone from long agoe.principali ſucceſsione, & quocunue loco colliguntur, ſuſpectos habere quaſi haereticos oportet, As for all other that goe away from theggWhich is in truth that which your ſynagogue long ago hath done. principall ſucceſſion, wee ought to ſuſpect them as heretickes. Theſe are Irenaeus wordes in the place nowe alleadged. And Chriſt ſaieth himſelfe: Qui vos audit, me audit, Hee that heareth you, heareth mee. Wherefore, if wee will heare Chriſt, as his father hath commaunded vsus, Ipſum audite, Heare him, Matth. 17. then muſt wee heare the Church.hhTheſe things are true of the true and pure church of Chriſt, liſtening to and following the voice of her husband, and not otherwiſe, and therefore not of your ſynagogue. The Church is our moſt holy Mother, whom we ought to hauehave in great reuerence, and to commit our ſelues wholly vntounto her, to heare her, and like obedient children, to doe what ſhe biddeth vsus. What the Church holdeth in matters of religion, that muſt we holde: what the Church preſcribeth, it is our duetie to followe: what the Church duplicate page duplicate page forbiddeth, that are we bound, vnderunder paine of damnation to auoyde in any wiſe.aaTherefore is it, that we dare not beleeue your Romiſh ſpirit, becauſe we trying it by the ſcriptures, finde it contrary to the ſpirit that was author of them. S. Iohn in the fourth Chapter of his firſt Epiſtle biddeth vsus beware, that wee beleeue not eueryevery ſpirite, but to trye the ſpirites, whether they be of God or not. Then, how can they be of God, which goe from the Church? S. Auguſtine in the expoſition of this Epiſtle of S. Iohn, tractatu primo, writeth thus:bbThis you hauehave done, therefore by his rule howe can you be in Chriſt. Qui eccleſiam relinquit, quomodo eſt in Chriſto, qui in membris Chriſti non eſt? Quomodo eſt in Chriſto, qui in corpore Chriſti non eſt? Hee that leaueth the Church, hovv is hee in Chriſt, that is not in the members of Chriſt? how is he in Chriſt, that is not in the body of Chriſt? By the which S. Auguſtine affirmeth, that the Church, which is the ſpouſe of Chriſt, is alſo the miſticall body of Chriſt, & Chriſt is the heade of the Church. As many therefore, as be Chriſt his ſheepe, they heare their ſhepheards voice in the Church. They wil not heare the voice of ſtrangers,ccYou ſhould hauehave exemplified in your owne doctors and thē had you ſaid well. as of Luther, Oecolampadius, Zuinglius, Caluin, and like heretikes, which for all their gay wordes, and crying ſtill, Chriſt and the Ghoſpel, may hauehave eueryevery one of thē, theſe verſes of Perſius in his fift Satyre worthily ſpoken to him.

Pelliculam veterem retines, & fronte politus

Aſtutā vapido ſeruas ſub pectore vulpem.

Thou keepeſt ſtill thine olde hyde vppon thee, and bearing a faire face, thou wrappeſt a wyly foxe vnderunder thy vaporous breſt.ddeuen your popes and doctors for theſe many yeares. Act. 20.Acts 20 Theſe bee they, of whome Saint Peter ſpeaketh in the ſeconde Chapter of his ſeconde Epiſtle: Magiſtri mendaces, qui introducunt ſectas perditionis, Lying maſters, bringing in ſectes of perdition, and denying the God that bought them. Howebeit, ſince it is ſo, as Paul ſayeth, There wil be alwaies rauening wolues, non parcentes gregi, not ſparing the flocke, And amōg our owne ſelues wil men ariſe, ſpeaking peruerſe things, And ſuch is our fraile nature, that as the wittie Horace ſayeth: eeAnd therefore the Romiſh ſtrū pet holdes out her poyſon in a golden Cup. Reu. 17.Rev 17Decipimur ſpecie recti,

We be ſoone deceiued vnderunder the colour of truth. It behoueth vsus to follow… the counſel of our head & principal maſter Ieſus Chriſt, which teacheth vsus an excellent document of heauenly philoſophy, ſaying:ffAnd therefore we had neede to take heede of you. Attendite vobis à falſis Prophetis, take ye heede to your ſelues, & beware of falſe Prophets, which come vntounto you, in veſtimentis ouium, in ſheepes cloathing, but inwardlie they are Lupi rapaces, Rauening wolues: We muſt, I ſaie, beware, that we be not deluded, and vnderunder colour of Euangelical varitie, bee made to receaue pernitious and damnable hereſies, as alas the more pittie, hath miſerably chaunced to our noble Realme ofggThis is true of Englād in reſpect of Qu. Maries daies, and ſo thē truly we might & did ſay vntounto you as you here now falſly ſay vntounto vsus. Englande, vnderunder colour of bringing vsus to truth, leading vsus await from the truth, to the vtter decay of all godlines, & ſetting vp of counter…aite religion.aaEuen this is the ſtate of your Church in deed. The weede hath nowe overgrowen the corne, euill, hurt…ull, and ſoulequelling weedes of hereſie hauehave ouergrowen, oppreſſed, pul…d downe to the grounde, and vtterly choked the good corne of chriſtian …eligion, and all eccleſiaſticall conſtitutions.bbThus we ſay & that iuſtly to our people in reſpect of you. Al you therefore that hauehave …een ſeduced, and taken weeds for wholſome flowers, beware leaſt with the …ench of ſuch rotten weedes, yee infect your ſoule to euerlaſting damnati…n. The infallible truth is dayly opened vntounto you,ccIt doth not at all appeare by the diſcourſe that there is any falſhood at all in our Religion. The falſhoode is mightily conuinced, as ſhall plainely appeare in the diſcourſe heare fol…owing. Stande no more in the defence of that, which you may eaſilie know and ſee with your eies, if ye will not be wilfully and obſtinately blinde, …o bee nothing but deceit:ddTheſe titles do rightly fit the popiſh Religion. What doe I call it, deceit? nay, I call it a moſt venimous poiſon to the ſoule, yea, and an helliſhe draught of endeleſſe …eath.eeThis part your papiſts play now in England in being recuſants of all ſound & good meanes to reforme them. Playe not the parte of a mad man, of whome Horace vvri…eth in the ſecond booke of his Epiſtles, that he was angry with his frends, …or that they had cauſed him to bee healed of his phrenſie, and reſtored to his wittes againe: Bee not angrye, that you may (if you will) bee brought out of the fowle miſte, into the cleere ayre, from darkeneſſe to …ight, from an horrible phrenſie to godly wiſedome. Followe the wholeſome counſel of Saint Paule in the fourth to the Epheſians, Vt non ſimus amplius pueri, qui fluctuemus, & circumferamur quouis vento doctrinae, per verſutiam hominum, per aſtutiam qua nos adoriuntur, vt imponant nobis, That we be no longer children, and fleete two and fro, caried hither and thither with eueryevery blaſt of doctrine, by the wilineſſe and craftineſſe of men, wherewith they ſet vponupon vsus to deceiue vsus. There hauehave beene a great manieffIn deed ſo many ſuch Ieſuites and Seminaries you hauehave ſent vsus ſuch ſprongē vp in our Realme of late, which hauehave taught vsus wronge Leſſons: Emendemus ergò in melius, Let vsus amend therefore. The thirde propertie is, that the ſheepe doe follow their Shephearde: This property is of ſo great importance, that without it the other two cannot auaile. It is not Inough to knowe Chriſt to be our refuge, our helpe and ſuccour:ggThis is true as long as the church retaineth the two former properties, which youre long ago hath loſt. It is not inough with that alſo to heare Chriſt ſpeaking to vsus in his Church, except we follow Chriſt & his Church, & ſhew our ſelues willingly to doe that which the Church commaundeth vsus: We muſt faſt, when the Church commaundeth vsus, & as it biddeth vsus: We muſt pray as the Church inſtructeth vsus, We muſt do thoſe good works that the Church teacheth vsus to doe. In obeying the Church, wee obey God: if wee bee diſobedient to the Church, wee diſobey God. For as Chryſoſtome ſaieth vponupon the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, vt corpus & caput vnus eſt homo, ita vnum eſt eccleſia & Chriſtus, As the body and the heade is but one man, ſo is Chriſt and his Church one thing. Doe therefore as the wiſe man biddeth thee, Audi diſciplinam patris tui, & ne dimittas legem matris tuae, Heare the diſcipline of thy father, and forſake not the lawe of thy mother: I meane, thy mother thehhHoly Church hold you there, for ſo long you ſay nothing for your vnholy and filthie Churche. holy church, whom as many as forſake, they forſake God alſo. For as holy Cyprian writeth de ſimplicitate praelatorum: Habere non poteſt Deum patrem, qui eccleſiam non habet matrem, He cannot hauehave God to be his father, that knoweth not the church for his mother.iiLet this rule be followed for the queſtions betwixt vsus, & your church ſhall bee found in thoſe pointes to hauehave ſet a broch thoſe things that thoſe moſt auncient Churches neuer were acquainted withall. Yee may ſee here euidently, that this holy man would hauehave vsus to be obedient vntounto, and diligently to keepe, the ordinances of our fathers, and not to inſtitute eueryevery …y new faſhions, as men moſt vnconſtant, and full of new fangles. The Lacedemonians are prayſed, that they ſuffered no ſtraunge ware to be brought into their citty, whereby the cittizens might be effeminated and corrupted in their maners, and for the ſame cauſe they extoll greatly Licurgus, which made the ſame law. Now, if the Lacedemonians were ſo ſerious obſeruers of their olde lawes and cuſtomes, what a ſhame ſhall this be to vsus chriſtian men (which were not taught of Licurgus, but of Chriſt himſelfe) daily to alter and change, not content with thoſe rites and ceremonies that were ord yned of auncient time out of memory? Irenaeus teacheth in his third booke againſt the hereſies of Valentine, and ſuch other, whoſe wordes taken out of his fourth Chapter of the ſaide booke, I will briefly rehearſe: Si quae de aliqua modica quaeſtione diſceptatio eſſet, nonne oporteret in antiquiſsimas recurrere eccleſias, in quibus Apoſtoli conuerſati ſunt, & ab eis de praeſenti quaeſtione, ſumere quod certum & reliquidum eſt? If any controuerſie ſhould be of any queſtion, were it neuer ſo little, muſt it not be meete to hauehave our recourſe vntounto the moſt ancient churches, in the which the Apoſtles were conuerſant, & of thē to receaue the plaine certaintie thereof? It followeth, Quid autem ſi neque Apoſtoli quidem Scripturas reliquiſlēt nobis, nōne oportebat ordinē ſe qui traditionis, quá tradiderūt his quibus cōmittebāt eccleſias? But what if the Apoſtles leftkkIf indeed they had left no ſcriptures then that had beene a good courſe but nowe ſeeing they ha…e, what their tradition was, is beſt lerned by them. But the better to hide your folly in citing theſe wordes, you ſubtily tranſlate ſcriptures nothing written of that matter. nothing writtē of that matter, muſt we not follow the tradition of thē, to whoſe gouernāce they cōmitted the churches? Here hauehave you the minde of Irenaeus, who was neere vntounto Chriſt his time: for as S. llHere againe the queſtion is begged, for you take for granted that your p…elates are lawfully called and ours not, both which we deny.Hierome teſtifieth in an Epiſtle to one Theodora, he was Diſciple to Papias, who was S. Iohn the Euangeliſts ſcholler. Hee would hauehave men to be taught of Chriſt, of his Apoſtles and their ſucceſſours, andmmOf the ſame minde are we, & therefore Chriſtian men are not to liſten to your prelates. not of euerie one, which raſhly and without lawfull authority taketh vponupon him to be a teacher. Chriſtian men ſhould be obedient to chriſtian ordinances, and followe that doctrine that is allowed by them that are lawfullie called, and hauehave the cenſure of doctrine committed to them. Such were the Apoſtles, called and put in authoritie by Chriſt. Such were they,nnBut ſuch hauehave not beene your Romiſh teachers theſe many hundred yeares. Witneſſe your owne writers who ſhewe how vnlawfully many of them came by their places. to whom theſe againe gaue the charge ouer any faithfull …ongregation. Such are all they which hauehave ſo from time to time …eene lawefullie called by them, that hauehave power to put others in authoritie, and ſo ſucceeded in due order, elſe, Quomodo praedicabunt niſi mittantur, Howe ſhall they preach, except they bee ſent, as …t is written in the tenth to the Romanes, and ſent by them which hauehave authoritie to ſende. Did not Saint Paul for that purpoſe leaue Titus in Creete? Did hee not alſo giuegive Timothie charge to laye handes too quickely on no man? To theſe that bee thus lawefullie ordeyned and called to hauehave cure and charge of ſoules, yee are bounde to giuegive an eare: by theſe yee muſt bee ruled in matters of Religion, and as obedient children to their spirituall fathers. And this biddeth Saint Hierome, writing to Nepotian:ooTrue and neceſſarie as long as the paſtour is ſuch as Paul wilde Titus to ordeine: but this helpeth yours little. Eſto ſubiectus pontifici tuo, & quaſi animae parentem ſuſpice, Bee ſubiect to thy Biſhop, and reuerence him as thy ſoules father. The ſame leſſon teacheth Chryſoſtome in an Homylie, De recipiendo Seueriano, where hee beginneth thus: Sicuti capiti corpus cohaerere neceſſarium eſt, ita eccleſiam ſacerdoti, & principi populum, As it is of neceſſitie, that the bodie cleaue to the heade, ſo it is likewiſe of neceſſitie, that the congregation cleaue to their Prieſt and spirituall ruler, and the people to their Prince. And within a fewe wordes after, hee alleadgeth for the confirmation of this matter, the Apoſtle writing thus to the Hebrewes, in the thirteenth Chapter:ppThis rule is not general without exception. For Chriſt hath ſaide take heede of falſe Prophets &c. Obedite praepoſitis veſtris, obtemperate eis, quia ipſi peruigilant pro vobis, quaſi pro animabus veſtris rationem reddituri, Obey them that hauehave the ouerſight of you, and doe as they woulde hauehave you, for they watch for your ſakes, as they which ſhall giuegive accomptes for your ſoules. This obedience doeth our Sauiour require of all men, ſaying: Qui vos audit, me audit, Hee that heareth you, heareth mee. This obedience to Chriſtes Church hath continued thoroughout all Chriſtendome time out of minde. And if the authoritie of the learned and holie fathers ought to beare ſway and preuaile, as of right it ought to doe indeede: Arrogantium enim hominum eſt, maiorum ſuorum authoritatem aſpernari, & ſe illis ingenio vel ſapientia anteponere: For it is the manner and property of proud arrogant perſons to contemne the authority of their elders, & to prefer themſelues before thē in wit or learning, If the conſent of all chriſtian Regions ſhould be regarded, prob…bilia (ſaieth Ariſtotle in the firſt Chapter of the firſt booke of his Topickes) quae videntur omnibus vel plurimis, Thoſe things are probable, which all men, or at the leaſt, the moſt part doe iudge to be ſo. If the long continuance of time muſt be of importance, In his enim (as witneſſeth S. Hilarie vponupon the hundred and eighteene pſalme) tanquàm in coelo verbum dei permanet, in quibus hoc verbum non offenditur, In them doth the word of God abide, among whom that worde is not offended.aaThis is but a vaine brag that you hauehave theſe three, as ſhall appeare I hope ſufficiētly in the anſwer to Albines treatiſe. For you hauehave not one of them in ſuch ſort, as that thereupon you may conclude as you doe. If theſe three, I ſaie, The authority of the learned Fathers, The common conſent of Chriſtian Regions, The long continuance of time, may be a ſufficient teſtimonie for the verity, we hauehave the true Goſpell, & the true ſence of it:bbTheſe are but ſhameleſſe beggings of the things in queſtion, and onelyonly your bare and therefore vaine words, for none of them you ſhal euer proue true. Our Religion is the very Chriſtian Religion, The order of Ceremonies that the Catholike Church doth vſe, is the right order, Our faſting and praying is according to the Scriptures, Our Church is the true and lawfull ſpouſe of Chriſt, from the which as many as ſeperate them ſelues, they are no ſheepe of Chriſtes folde, they are reprobate perſons, they are the children of Belial, they are impes of hell.ccWhat then? is the preſident of our next & laſt fathers yea though for ſome hundred or more yeares ſuch as we may not vary from? The vanity of this argument ſee cap. 38. of my anſwere. You knowe what order your fathers kept, howe they liued, and howe they beleeued: You are not ignorant, how you hauehave beene brought vp, inſtructed and tr…ned in the lawes of Chriſt. Whoſoeuer goeth about to infringe or breake any part of thatddYou muſt proue the order godly and laudable or elſe your aſſertion is falſe godly order, of that auncient cuſtome and laudable vſage, he is an hereticke, an enemy to God, a murtherer to mans ſoule, a diſturber of the common wealth, a ſubuerter of all honeſt diſcipline, and therefore moſt vnworthy to liue among men.

IeeThis complaint hath moſt iuſt & apparant ground eſpecially amongſt men of your owne faction, though it cannot be denied but that eueryevery where there is ſo lamentable cauſe thereof, but yet this preiudiceth our religion which condemnes all imoiety, no more then you would hauehave it to doe yours. hauehave heard, read and ſeene many things, yet can I not reade, beare, or ſee any world more contaminate and prone to al kinde of vices then this our age is. And howbeit afore our daies, there hauehave beene in all times and ages, men and women very vitious and monſtrous in their liuing, yet then vertue was vertue, and vice was vice: But now in our corrupt time, wee hauehave loſt the true names and vſe of all things, and vertue with vsus is taken for vice, and contrarily, vice is counted for vertue. They that bee ſtudious of modeſty, obſeruers of temperancie, and louers of ſobrietie, they be now a daies called Pinch-pennies, and ſuch that hunger droppeth out of their noſes.ffThis is falſe amongſt vsus, if by catholique you vnderſtande, as you ſhould, ſounde and true religion. If any be vertuous, & followers of the Catholike, which is the true Religion, they be called Phariſies & papiſts: The diſcreete man he is called an hypocrite, and the ſmall talker a foole and an ignorant perſon. On the other ſide, they that leade their liues in all kinde of riote, they be called handſome men, men of the right making, and ſuch as can tel how to keepe honeſt mens companie. Againe, the ſtatelier that one goeth, the …igher that he looketh, and the ſtouter and malapertlier that he ſpeaketh, be more is he praiſed among the worldlings for a wiſe man, who will not …uffer himſelfe to be ouertroden and made a laughing ſtocke to eueryevery raſ…all. With ſuch vaine glorious praiſes be ſuch proude Thraſoes extolled …nd magnified of the more part, and no ſmall number are giuen to flat…erie, and enhauſing of Clawbackes, that neuer could that ſaying of Te…ence be better verified then it is now: Obſe quium amicos, veritas o…odium parit, To holde vp mens yea and their naye, in holding with the bare, and running with the hounde, getteth a man frendes, but he that will laye flattery aſide, & tell the plaine truth, ſhal get nothing but hatred. Thus in theſe daies vice is extolled, & vertue contemned: Ill rule is made …f, and good rule neglected.

O heart diſſembled, which vnderunder coulour to be iuſt & true, canſt cloke vntounto vsus hipocriſie for deuotion, ambition for gentleneſſe, couetouſnes for …ōpetencie, cruelty for zeale, bolde babling without learning for eloquēce, floriſhing Rhetoricke without fruit or reaſō, folly for grauity, wilines without wit, and fleſhly wanton libertie, for liberty of the Goſpell. This is nothing els but the deuils drifte, alway couering his poiſon vnderunder ſome taſte of ſuger: Fallit enim vitium ſpecie virtutis & vmbra: ggThis inuectiue ſpeech we may iuſtly vſe of you and your ſide.For the ſumme & ende of all their falſe doctrine, is nothing els but malice with murther, to the ouerthrowe of Chriſtes Religion, and the true miniſters thereof. This is their ſheepes clothing, for an vnhappy reformation: Nam impia ſub dulci melle venena latent, VnderUnder ſweete honny is deadly venome hid. O blinde ignorance and ignorant blindnes! O cruell and damnable miſchiefe comming from the bottomeles pit of hel! O intollerable furiouſnes and hereſie more deteſtable then it mate any longer be ſuffered! The greate d…spleaſure, the extreame vengaunce, the cruell plagues of God hange ouer our heades, if this horrible hereſie be not ſhortly remoued frō mens mindes. OhhTheſe wordes iuſtly we maie breake out into, in reſpect of the infinite blaſphemies and abominations held and maintained by your ſide in this point. good god, how long wilt thou ſuffer this intollerable abhomination? It ſhameth me, it abhorreth me to thinke, that theſe ſhameles beaſtes are not aſhamed to ſpeake of the moſt bleſſed Sacramentes of Chriſtes Church: who is able to expreſſe either by tongue or penne their wicked abhomination? whye hauehave we a pleaſure to forſake the true vnderſtanding of Gods moſt ſacred worde, and become followers and bondſlaues of the deuils counterfaite and deceitfull expoſitions, & carnall reaſons ſet out by his miniſters, who in Religion areiiThis obiection of the diuerſitie of opinions, ſee anſwered at large Cap. 4. ſo deuided, that now they dreame one thing, and now another: this day they like, tomorowe they miſlike, & one is againſt another of them, euen in the higheſt miſterie of Chriſt his Religion. And no meruaile, for the deuill is their chiefe head, whom they ſerue, and he is full of lies, variaunce, diuiſion, and diſcorde: & vnderunder him their Schoolemaſters were, Hus, Luther, Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, Bucer, Melancthon, and the Archheretike Caluin, kkTherein there is no proofe that he helde any one hereſy.whoſe hereſies are confuted in the Diſcourſe hereafter enſuing.llThis is vntrue. Theſe with the reſt of that rable did neuer agree one with another, in their doings there is no vnity, no certainty at all: and therefore ſuch maſters, ſuch ſchollers come of them. And this diuiſion, this vnconſtancie of doctrine, was a manifeſt token, that they were not the children of our true mother the Catholike Church, nor miniſters of Chriſt, but the children of the deuill, and miniſters of Antichriſt, yea, very Antichriſts.mmWhich that you papiſts be is moſt certain, the contrari…ty of your doctrine with the auncient catholic e Church conſidered, which I hauehave noted cap. 17. & 29 of my anſwer. For whoſoeuer (ſaieth S. Auguſtine) is gone from the vnitie of the Catholicke Church, hee is become an Antichriſt? Theſe Antichriſts hauehave borne a great ſtroke now too long time in our Realme of England, in whom is no conſtancy, no ſtedfaſtneſſe of religion and doctrine: Theſe are they that hauehave damnably deceiued you, and hauehave with their damnable preachings intiſed you from Church to Church, from an heauenly Church to a malignant Church: from a louing mother,nnThis is falſe. to a flattering harlot: from the condition of grace, to the ſtate of perdition:ooTheſe words remaining we iuſtly ſay to, and of you. from truth to falſhoode, from faithfull beleeuing to carnall reaſoning, from ſauing Chriſt to deceauing Antichriſt. But (good Reader) beware, be not deceaued, & be not aſhamed to ariſe, that haſt ſo ſhamefully fallen, be not aſhamed to come home to your mother the Church, ſith ſhee is not aſhamed to receiue you: Let not folly loſe the thing that grace hath ſo preciouſlie offered and purchaſed: Let not wilfulneſſe and blindneſſe put out ſo great light as is now ſhewed vntounto thee, but embrace moſt humblie the doctrine of our mother the catholicke church, ſo ſhall you ſit in the lappe of ſo tender a mother, which will cheriſh you into life euerlaſting: Chooſe the beſt, whiles choiſe lieth in lot.

What were you aſhamed of your preface that you put not your name to it? Indeede it is ſo fonde and friuolous, that you might well enough be aſhamed to father it.