Against Popery, Title page – Dedication 1
A GENERALL TREATISE AGAINST POPERIE, AND IN DEFENCE OF THE RELIGION BY PVBLIKE AVTHORITIE PROFESSED IN ENGLAND AND OTHER CHƲRCHES REFORMED.
VVherein they that either want leiſure to read, or that hauehave not iudgement to conceiue, or that are not able to buie the learned treatiſes of other concerning particular points of religion, may yet euidently ſee poperie not to be of God, and our religion to be acceptable in his ſight.
Ʋery neceſſarie for theſe times, for the confirmation and ſtrengthening of men in our religion, that neither by Jeſuits, nor by any other, they may be drawne to poperie, or any other hereſie or ſect: and likewiſe for the winning of Papiſts and Atheiſts to an vnfained liking and true profeſſion of our religion.
BY THOMAS STOVGHTON miniſter of the word.
PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT. Printer to the Vniuerſitie of Cambridge. 1598.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND MOST TRVLY RELIGIOƲS AND vertuous Lord, Robert Lord Rich, Thomas Stoughton wiſheth increaſe of all true pietie and honour in this life, and eternall glory in the life to come.
RIght Honourable, your fauour hauing beene ſuch towards me, as that both either vponupon my cō mendation before I was by face knowne vntounto your Lordſhip, and eſpecially my ſelfe ſithens that time hauehave thereby ſared the better, I could not but in all dutie thinke of ſome way, whereby to ſhew my ſelfe in ſome meaſure thankfull for the ſame. Hauing therfore taken a litle paines in gathering theſe generall arguments againſt the whole maſſe & lumpe of poperie, as in defence likewiſe of the generall doctrine publikely, and by publike authoritie profeſſed in England, I thought your Honourable curteſie to be ſuch, that theſe my labours would be accepted as ſome teſtimonie of my gratefull minde. Neither am I bold to offer them vntounto your Honour, in reſpect onelyonly of that your ſingular fauour towards my ſelfe, but alſo becauſe the ſame your Honorable fauour hath beene extended and is extended towardes all, whome your Honour hath ſeene forward in the profeſſion of that religion, the defence whereof is the chiefe ſubiect matter of this treatiſe. Yea ſo hauehave you vouchſafed to countenance ſuch perſons from time to time not diſdaining the meaneſt, that this your Chriſtian and godly minde is much more worthie this worke, then the worke it ſelfe any waies worthy to be preſented to ſo great a perſon. For by this louelove towardes the profeſſours of the truth, hath euidently appeared your affection towards the truth it ſelfe. This affection alſo towardes the truth it ſelfe, euen towardes the truth, which in this treatiſe is commended and iuſtified, hath in like manner beene moſt plainely teſtified vntounto this whole countrey of Eſſex, by your ſingular care for the placing of godly and ſufficient miniſters in all places, where the patronage of benefices by the auncient lawes of this realmes hath beene your right. And both theſe, to wit, your louelove vntounto the perſons profeſſing this religion, and your like affection towards the religion it ſelfe, hauehave plētifully declared your true zeale of God himſelfe and of Chriſt Ieſus. For Chriſt accoū teth that done to himſelfe, that is done to them Math. 25. 40.that belong vntounto him. And as the enmitie againſt God his truth and the profeſſours thereof, endeauouring to ſuppreſſe the one and to repreſſe the other, doth teſtifie the like enmitie againſt God himſelfe and Chriſt Ieſus, ſo the Ma…h. 25. 43. Act. 9. 4.contrarie louelove towardes both, doth declare the like louelove towards God himſelfe and Chriſt Ieſus. Further your honourable care (before mentioned) for the furthering of this religion, ſhewed by prouiding ſuch ſufficient miniſters for inſtruction of the people in the true knowledge thereof and obedience thereunto, hath alſo witneſſed and doth daily witneſſe your vnfained louelove vntounto men. For what greater worke can there be for the benefits of their ſoules? yea both of their ſoules and of their bodies, of this life and of the life to come. For who knoweth not but that as the Gospell is the power of God vntounto ſaluation, Rom. 1. 16. Iam. 1. 21. 2. Tim. 3. 15. Pſal. 19. 7. Frov. 1. 4.and the word conteined in the holy Scriptures (which alſo containe this religion here commended) is able to make men wiſe vntounto the ſame ſaluation: ſo alſo that that wiſdome which the goſpel and word of God teacheth, hath in Prov. 3. 16.her right hand length of daies, and in her left hand riches and glorie? As therefore to hinder the goſpel and word of God, doth plainly bewray the hatred of men, which cannot be ſaued by any other meanes without it, (for which cauſe the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the Iewes ſaith firſt, that they 1. Theſſ. 2. 15, 16.were contrarie or aduerſaries vntounto all men, & then immediatly addeth as a reaſon or confirmation of the former, that they had forbidden them to preach the word vntounto the Gentiles, vvhereby they might be ſaued) ſo to promote the ſame word, can not but witnes the contrarie. Finally this your godly care, hath in like ſort the better witneſſed, & doth witnes your faithful heart, both towards her moſt excellent Maieſtie, and alſo towardes the whole realme. For it cannot be but that the more the true knowledge and feare of God aboundeth, by the more plentiful preaching of the word alſo will abound true obedience vntounto her Highnes, and vnfained louelove betwixt ſubiect and ſubiect: by both which the barres of the gates of the whole kingdome, muſt neceſſarily be the ſtronger againſt all fortaine aduerſaries. Sith therefore (Right honourable) it hath pleaſed God, of his aboundant goodnes and rich grace, beſides your great earthly honour, thus more highly to honour and aduance you in heauenly things, as I doe in this reſpect the more boldly dedicate this treatiſe of religion to your Honour ſo zealous of religion, ſo in all humilitie I deſire the ſame to accept therof, and to vouchſafe your honourable protection therunto. And becauſe your former zeale perſwadeth me the ſame of your Honour, that the like perſwaded the Apoſtle of the Philippians, namely, that he Philip. 1. 6.that hath begun this good worke, will alſo finiſh the ſame: therefore that vſe of this treatiſe, which in the ende I wiſh generally to all great perſons alreadie called to the fellowſhip of this true religion, I doe more ſpecially commend vntounto your Honour, namely that you will yet be zealous thereof, as hitherto you hauehave beene and are. Yea let not your zeale onelyonly continue, but let it be ſuch alſo as Salomon deſcribeth the louelove of the Church to be, ſtrong as death, cruell (or hard, or Cantic. 8. 6, 7.inuincible) as the graue, whoſe coales are fierie coales, and as a vehement flame, (or as the flame of God) and the which much water cannot quench. Yea becauſe the Lord Ieſus reprehendeth the ſlaking of the firſt louelove of the Church of Epheſus, Rev. 2. 4, 5.threatning alſo to come againſt her, and to remooue her candleſticke out of her place, except ſhee repented and did her firſt works: therefore alſo your louelove abound more and more, as the Apoſtle writeth vntounto the Philippians: and as our Sauiour himſelfe Phil. 1. 9.commendeth the louelove of the Church of Thyatira, ſaying, that her workes were more at the Rev. 2. 19.laſt then at the firſt. This the Lord requireth of all, but eſpecially of ſuch as himſelfe hath moſt highly aduanced, and made the ſonnes of the Pſal. 29. 1.mightie: yea this is the ende for which he doth thus aduance them, and make them ſo mightie. Eſter 4. 14.Neither neede any man to feare any diſgrace or diſhonour by ſuch forwardnes in zeale: yea rather eueryevery man is to hope the contrarie. For God himſelfe hath expreſſely promiſed, to 1. Sam. 2. 3….honour them that ſhall honour him. Therefore the Apoſtle hoped and fully aſſured himſelfe, that in Phil. 1. 40.nothing he ſhould be aſhamed, but that Chriſt ſhould be magnified in his bodie: where by oppoſing his owne ſhame to the magnifying of Chriſt, and the magnifying likewiſe of Chriſt to his owne ſhame, he plainely teacheth, that they that ſtudie and bend their endeauours moſt to magnifie and exalt Chriſt, neede not to feare any ſhame and diſgrace of themſelues. Moreouer they that continue the honouring of him, with that honour and according to that honour whereunto he hath exalted them, ſhall build vp the ſurer houſe to their owne poſteritie. For as the Prophet ſpeaking generally of the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his commandements, Pſal. 112. 1. 2.that his ſeede ſhall be mightie vponupon the earth: ſo more particularly the Lord promiſed to Dauid, to ſet vp his ſeede after him, which 2. Sam. 7. 12.ſhould proceede out of his bodie, and to eſtabliſh his kingdome. And this promiſe all men knowe to hauehave beene moſt amply performed. Yea to Iehu (a man not ſo according to God his owne heart as Dauid was) did the Lord promiſe, that becauſe he had diligently executed that which was right in 1. King. 10. 30.God his eyes, &c. (though not with a perfect heart) therfore his ſonnes vntounto the fourth generation, ſhould ſit vponupon the throne of Iſrael. This promiſe alſo was performed vntounto the full. For Iehu himſelfe beeing reckoned for one, Zecharia the ſonne of Ieroboam king of Iſrael, was the fifth diſcent from Iehu. And this honour was more then the honour of any other king of Iſrael, after the diuiſion of the kingdome. For no other king of Iſrael beſides Iehu, had aboue one or two at the moſt (as ſeuerall generàtions) of their owne ſtocke and line, to ſucceede them in the kingdome. Three indeede are ſaid to hauehave ſucceeded Homri, to wit, Ahab, Ahazia, and Iehoram: but this laſt was not the ſonne of the middle, but both Ahazia and Iehoram were brethren, and the ſonnes of Ahab and Iezabel. Now to returne to the fruit of beeing zealous in honouring 2. King. 3. … and 9. 22.the Lord, when the threede of all earthly honour ſhall be drawne to an ende, ſo as that it can not poſſibly be lengthened one inch more, then ſhall beginne the honour that is without ende. Then ſhall Chriſt confeſſe them before the Mat. 10. 22. cō pared with Luke 12. 8.Father, and before his Angels in heaeuen, that hauehave confeſſed him before men in the earth. He will not commit the proclaiming of their praiſe to any other, as Ahaſhueroſh did the praiſe Eſter 6. 11.of Mordecai vntounto Haman, but euen himſelfe will be as it were the Herauld thereof. Neither will he whiſper the praiſe of ſuch in ſecret, but he will publiſh and proclaime it in the greateſt and moſt honourable aſſemblie that euer was. Yea this Ieſus the king of glorie ſhall Math. 23. 35. Dan. 12. 3. Math. 22. 30. Philip. 3. 21. 1. Ioh. 3. 2.place them at his right hande, and ſhall make them like to the ſtarres, yea to the ſonne in firmament, yea to the angels, yea euen vntounto himſelfe. Verily (Right honourable) this glorie, though it ſhould continue but one daie, is more then all earthly glorie, though it ſhould continue a thouſand yeares. If Dauid ſaide the like of the courts of God vponupon earth, what may be Pſal. 84. 10.ſaide of the higheſt court of God in the higheſt heauen? what heart therefore would not be enflamed and ſet on fire with the knowledge and certen aſſurance of theſe things? when Peter, Iames, and Iohn, did ſee Chriſt Ieſus in the mountaine with Moſes and Elias in that glorious apparell for a while, which one day they ſhould put on for euer, how were they affected there with? Truly ſo that although they themſelues were not one whit transfigured with Chriſt, yet they could hauehave bin cōtent for euer to hauehave dwelt in that mountaine, onelyonly to hauehave enioyed this glorious ſight of Chriſt, Moſes, and Elias. For what ſaid they? Peter ſpeaketh for the reſt, as oftentimes he did for all (not as beeing the head of all, but as hauing the boldeſt ſpirit) and ſaid, Maſter, it is good for vsus to be heare: if thou wilt let vsus make three tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moſes, and one for Elias. Were theſe thus rauiſhed with the bodily ſight of the glorie onelyonly of Chriſt and of two other, and that vponupon the earth, and but for a time? How then ſhould the heart of eueryevery Chriſtian be rauiſhed with the ſpiritual ſight by faith of the euerlaſting glorie of Chriſt Ieſus, of all the Saints generally, and of himſelfe particularly, which one day they and himſelfe ſhall hauehave for euer in the heauens, and whereof in the meane time by the ſame faith, they and he are as certenly aſſured, as if they were alreadie in poſſeſſion thereof? How zealous alſo ſhould eueryevery the like Chriſtian heart be of this our religion, whereto onelyonly this glorie is promiſed, and whereby onelyonly it is to be attained? So great was the glorie of Moſes, hauing talked but a while with the Lord in the mountaine at the receiuing of the law, that without a vaile the Iſraelites could not looke vponupon him. Exod. 34. 33.Was glorie ſo great at the giuing of the law vntounto Moſes? How great then ſhall it be at the finall rewarding of the perfect obſeruation and full ſatisfaction of the law by Chriſt Ieſus? was glorie ſo great after a while talking with the Lord? how great then ſhall it be when we ſhall hauehave our whole conuerſation and liue with God for euer? was glorie ſo great in an earthly mountaine? how great then ſhall it be in the high heauens? was glorie ſo great vponupon corruption? how great then ſhall it be, when that that is ſowen in diſhonour, ſhall be raiſed altogether in glorie? was glorie ſo great vponupon weaknes? how great then ſhall it be, when that that is ſowen in weaknes, ſhall be applied in power? Finally was glorie ſo great vponupon a naturall bodie? how great then ſhall it be, when that that is ſowen a naturall bodie, ſhall be raiſed in a spirituall bodie? I write not theſe things (Right Honourable) ſo much for the enlarging of your zeale towards the religion in this treatiſe following commended, as for the better prouoking alſo and quickning of this zeale in all other the like noble perſons. The rather alſo and the more plentifully hauehave I beene bold to deale herein in this my epiſtle Dedicatorie, becauſe I thought it might be, that ſome would read this epiſtle, which would read but little elſe of this booke: and that otherſome would hereby be the more excited to the reading of the whole treatiſe. Now what ſhall I ſay more? The ſame God that hath begun this noble worke of zeale in your noble heart towards this religion, make the ſame perfect. The ſame God that hath ſo highly aduanced you vponupon the earth, that ſometime you ſit with moſt noble Queene Elizabeth cloathed with Parliament roabes in great dignitie, ſo alſo exalt you, that you may walke with his ſonne Chriſt Ieſus in heart clothed in white, yea and that you may Rev. 3. 4. ad 2….ſit with him in his throne for euer, as himſelfe ſitteth in the throne of his Father. Thus moſt humblie crauing pardon of my boldneſſe, I doe alſo humbly take my leaue of your Honor. At Billerim in Eſſex, the 7. of March, in the yeare of our Lord, according to the computation of the Church of England. 1597. almoſt expired.
Your Honours moſt humble to command in the Lord, Thomas Stoughton.