Defense of Perkins Book Called a Reformed Catholic, Front matter · Preface
speaker D. B. P. THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
GEntle Reader, I meane not here to entertayne thee with many wordes: the principall cause that moued me to write, was the honour and glorie of God, in defence of his sacred verity, then the imploying of his talent bestowed vponupon me: as well to sortifie the weaker sort of Catholikes in their faith, as to call backe and leade other (who wander vp and downe like to lost sheepe, after their owne fancies) into the right way.
The like reasons hauehave drawne me to this suruey of your reformation, with a resolute purpose to acknowledge any truth, that you shall shew me, though it be against the iudgment of all the Churches in Christendome.
I tooke in hand particularly the confutation of this booke, not onelyonly for that I vvas thereunto requested, by a friend of good intelligence and iudgement, who thought it very expedient: but also because perusing of it, I found it penned more Schollerlike, then the Protestants vse to doe ordinariely: For first the pointes in controuersie, are set downe dist…ctly, and for the most part truely. Afterward in confirmation of their opinion, the chiefe arguments are produced from both Scriptures, Fathers, and reason: Which are not vulgar, but called out of their Rabbins, Luther, Peter Ma…tir, Caluin, Kemnitius, and such like, though he name them not. Lastly, he placeth some obiections, made in fauour of the Catholike doctrine, and answereth to them as well as he could. And (which J speake to his commendation) doth performe all this very briefely and clearely. So that (to speake my o…i…on freely) I hauehave not seene any booke of like quantitie, published by a Protestant, to containe either more matter, or deliuered in better method. And consequently more apt to deceiue the simple: especially considering that he withal counterfeiteth to come as neere vntounto the Romane Church, as his tender conscience will permitte him, whereas indeede he walketh as wide from it, as any other noueller of this age.
speaker A. W. If the writings of Protestants hauehave bin lesse scholerlike, than in the handling of controuersies it were fit they should hauehave bin; whose fault is it but the Papists, whom they hauehave bin forced to answere in their owne kinde? It is not vnknowne to any of our English Rhemists, or Romanists, that Doctor Fulke, long since, desired to hauehave the matter brought to an issue, and tried by syllogismes, the very iudgement seate of true reason.
If you had knowne Master Perkins life, as well as you see his learning, you would neuer hauehave accused him of counterfeiting: whereof also me thinkes he may easily be acquited by that cleerenes which you discerne and acknowledge in him.
speaker D. B. P. Wherefore I esteemed my spare time best imployed about the discouering of it, being (as it vvere) an abridgement of the principall controuersies of these times, and doe endeuour after the same Scholasticall manner, vvithout all superfluity of vvordes, no lesse to maintaine and defend the Catholike party: then to confute all such reasons, as are by M. Perkins alleadged for the contrarie.
Reade this short treatise good Christian diligently, for thou shalt finde in it the marrovv and pith of many large volumes, contracted and drawne into a narrovv revvme. And read it ouer as it becommeth a good Christian, with a desire to finde out, and to follovv the truth, because it concerneth thy eternall saluation: and then iudge vvithout partiality, vvhether Religion hath better groundes in Gods vvord, more euident testimonie from the purest antiquitie, and is more conformable vntounto all Godlines, good life, and vpright dealing, (the infallible markes of the best Religion) and speedely imbrace that. Before I end this short preface, I must intreate thy patience to beare vvith the …aultes in Printing, vvhichwhich are too too many, but not so much to be blamed, if it be courteously considered that it vvas Printed farre from the Authour, vvith a Dutch composer, and ouerseene by an vnskilfull Corrector, the greatest of them shall be amended in the end of the booke.
speaker A. W. I will endeuour the like, or greater shortnes and plainnes, if I can; desiring nothing more of the Christian reader, than to remember that hee is to seeke the truth without partialitie: The place to seeke it in is the Scripture: the meanes to find it, the right vse of true reason. He that hunts for it in mens writings, either findes it not at all, or, at the least, hath no certaine knowledge that he hath found it. He that will trust other mens words rather than his owne eyes, deserues in reason to be deceiued.
speaker D. B. P. Before the Printing of this part was finished, I heard that M. Perkins was dead. I am sorrie that it commeth forth to late, to doe him anie good. Yet, his worke liuing to poison others, a preseruatiue against it, is neuerthelesse necessarie.
speaker A. W. It would hauehave done Master Perkins good to see by experience, how vaine it is for men to striue against God, for the Pope: but it would hauehave been little to your aduantage, to hauehave had such an aduersarie.