Doctor Hills Reasons for Upholding of Papistry Unmasked, Illustration 1 – Dedication
ACADEMIA OXONIENSIS
THE REASONS VVHICHWHICH DOCTOVR HILL HATH BROVGHT, FOR THE vpholding of Papistry, which is falselie termed the Catholike Religion: Vnmasked, and shewed to be very weake, and vponupon examination most insufficient for that purpose: By GEORGE ABBOT Doctor of Divinity & Deane of the Cathedrall Church in VVinchester.
The first Part.
Joh. 9. 4.
The night commeth when no man can worke.
Jer. 51. 6.
Flee out of the middes of Babylon, and deliver every man his soule: bee not destroyed in her iniquitie.
AT OXFORD, Printed by JOSEPH BARNES, & are to be sold in Paules Church-yarde at the signe of the Crowne by Simon VVaterson. 1604.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Thomas Baron of Buckhurst Knight of the Honorable Order of the Garter, L. High Treasurer of England, one of the LL of his Maiesties most Honorable Privy Councell, and Chauncellour of the Vniversitie of Oxford, my very especiall good Lord.
RIGHT Honorable, it is not vnknowne vntounto your Lordship that in the dayes of our late most blessed Soveraigne of famous memory, some vnnaturall Englishe, who as Fugitives had departed their Countrey, did maliciously and slaunderously write against our stare Ecclesiasticall and Civil, and oftentimes against those who governed both the one & the other. And albeit the pretence whereof they did make shew to the world, was only the restoring of the Romane Religion, yet men of deeper iudgmēt could not be ignorant, that they had a purpose to prepare their credulous Scholers for a day of alteration otherwise; and in the meane while to make them discontented with the present times, which they ceased not to lade with al calumniations, and wicked imputations whatsoever. Amongst this number was and is a certaine audacious person, vvho termeth himselfe Doctour Hill: and being a man of no more then a competent learning, but yet of a very bolde spirit, hath traced the steps of other his felowes which went before him. For he principally maketh shew to yeelde Reasons, why Popery should be the true faith of Christ, and for that purpose heapeth vp a many of weake and worne-out Arguments: but toward the middle of his booke falleth into other points, as if this Kingdome our Countrey, were a sinke of wickednesse beyond all the nations of the earth, and therefore detestable to God and good men. In respect of which vnsufferable defamations, it was helde most fit that this Treatise should receive an Aunswere: but especially for the pointes of Papistrie broched and vrged therein, which may beguile the harts of the simple, or such who are not indifferently affected. Having therefore at the intreaty of others vvho wishe the flourishing of true godlinesse, traveiled some-vvhat in this Argument, for the better setling of such as will take paines to reade or heare, it now remaineth that I should recōmend the protection therof, to your Honorable Lordship, to whō of right & duty it appertaineth. For as heere-tofore, so alwaies I must acknowledge, that whatsoever my poore labours can effect, is due vntounto your Lordship as to a special maintainer of true Religiō, a lover of our Coūtry, a Protectour of our Vniversity, an vp-holder of learning, & vntounto me a most Honorable Patrone.
Almighty God evermore blesse and encrease your Honour, to the good of his Church, to the service of the Kings most gracious Maiestie, & to the great benefite of this Common-wealth. From Vniversity College in Oxford. Ianuar. 4. 1604.
Your Lordships Chaplein much bounden
GEORGE ABBOT.