A Brief Answer, Text (1 of 3)

A Brief Answer · Text (1 of 3)

p. 1The answer of Edm. Bunny vntounto the Praeface and Annotations of R. P.

I HaueHave at the length (with much adoo,11Not thinking at the first to make any answer here vntounto by what reason I was after induced vntounto it. got sight of that, which (by others) before I had heard you had doone against mee. Wherein you hauehave so far discouered your selfe, that for a time, after that I had pērused your dooings, I thought it needles to make any further answere vntounto you: partly because that such a quarrell is more priuate, then that it needeth to bee imparted to others; but especially, for that the matter that you bring, is so weake, as that it needeth none to cast it downe, but doth easily fall of it selfe, without any further impugning of it. But when I had further considered withall, howe confidently you are woont to speake on your owne behalfe, when you hauehave no iote of truth to beare you out; and howe readie some others are to beleeue whatsoeuer you say: in this respect I thought it best to make you answer, that so both your selfe and others also may better perceiue that oftimes you complaine without any p. 2cause; and that, when as you make most a doe, there is not alwaies any great matter to occasion the same. And so I must giuegive you to vnderstand, that although in these your dooings you deepely charge me, yet hauehave I giuen you so little cause so to do, as that whatsoeuer contempt and reproch you did meane to cast vponupon me, and by that occasion vponupon others also, the same is like all to bee yours, and to redound vntounto your selfe the author of it: and that not onelyonly in those things wherein you hauehave directed your stile against mee, and others; but also in that which in this edition you hauehave otherwise brought vsus.

Of that which he had doone against me. Of the Title of the booke, wherein he would charge me, to hauehave bin desirous to hauehave crept into the credit of it. First, by altering the maner of it to his best aduantage.2 Against me you hauehave directed your stile, first about certaine matters going before: and then about certain others that appertaine to the books themselues. Concerning those things that go bebefore, first you take in hand the title: & that you set downe in so cunning manner, to your best aduantage, as that although you do not in plaine speech, charge me with any thing: yet seemeth it therby that you could be content to induce your readers to thinke, that I would gladly hauehave crept into the credit of it, as though it had beene mine owne doing. Howbeit I did plainly set down the supposed author of it, so far as out of the booke it selfe I was able to gather: & further, then the title it selfe did lead. For wheras I did thus set it down A book of Christian exercise, appertaining to Resolution, that is shewing how that we shuld resolue our selues to become Christians indeed, by R. P. & then a certaine p. 3space after that, Perused, & accompanied now with a Treatise tending to Pacification, by Ed. Bunny, so distinguishing the one from the other, and putting mine owne name to no more than was mine, & setting those two letters vntounto the other, that I found in the end of the praeface following: you hauehave told your gentle Reader, that I hauehave giuen it this title, A booke of Christian exercise, &c. Perused, and accompanied with a Treatise tending to Pacification by Edm. Bunny. Wherin although you durst not be so bold, as plainly to charge me, that I would seeme to take vponupon mee more than was mine: yet in couert maner you go very neere it, in suppressing those letters that I put to the former part of the title; and by setting my name in such sort in the end of the latter, as that it might seeme to hauehave bene set by me to them both. The seely help that you hauehave for your self, is in your miserable, &c. but plain dealing had bene much better. And that you ment to giuegive the occasion,Then by striking out a word that made against him. that others might think that I had vsed so indirect dealing, another thing also doth very much boad, if it do not cleerly proue it: & that is, when you came to recite the latter part of the title, as I had set it, ther, because you saw the maner of it was such, as that it would not take it well, that you should so vse me, therfore did you therwithal cut his toong out of his head, that it might not bewray you. For whereas I had noted in the title, that nowe that book of Resolutiō, was accompanied with that other Treatise of mine tending to Pacification, because p. 4that it did plainely import, that that booke of Resolution was before, and none of mine: therfore you strooke out that worde Now, that others might the more easily conceiue that opinion of mee, that therein you laboured to cast vponupon mee. If in truth you were persuaded, that you had such aduantage against me in those things that follow, as afterward you would seeme that you are, you might well hauehave spared this kind of dealing: and either you should hauehave set downe the whole, as I did, so to affoord me my iust defence; or else you should hauehave suppressed that (togither with the other) which being seuered from that other, might for your sake seem to charge me with that which I did not.How hee hath altered my name, either of grosse negligence, or some foolish mysterie. Now, that herein you doe leaue out one of the letters of my name (and not onelyonly here, but continually after, almost throughout your whole booke) I know not well what to say vntounto it. If you hauehave done it of set purpose, belike you hauehave some mysterie in it: if it be so, then bring it foorth, and accordingly you shall heare from mee againe, if neede so require. If not, that is, if you hauehave no mysterie in it, then is your negligence very apparant, that hauing it set down right vntounto you, you hauehave so very often missed it, when you were to set it downe againe. And wheresoeuer such negligence reigneth; belike the matters are not great, that there we may looke for. But because that this matter was but of small importance, wee will bee perswaded, that you made store of your diligence heere, and would not gladly spende anie part of it p. 5now, that so you might hauehave the more in a readines for that which followeth.

3 After the title you take in hand the sentence of Scripture which I did set vnderunder the same,Of the sentence of scripture. Iesus Christ yesterday, and to day, and the same for euer. Heb. 13.8. and therein you charge me two special wayes: and yet notwithstanding you leaue vntounto me greater aduauntage against you therein, then you hauehave any against me, in any part of the whole whatsoeuer. But belike the sentence it selfe being so pregnant as it is, against the very sinewes and marrow of your profession, did at the first, euen at the verie sight thereof, so offend your eies, that afterward you could not deale peaceably with it. First, (you say) you see not, to what purpose I should place that sentence there:What fault he findeth in mee about it. you cal it a mysterie; and you thinke it were hard for other men to coniecture, why I did it. What if you knowe not why it was done? What need that offend you? So that the sentence it selfe be good, what neede you be greeued that you finde it there? Are your gatherings or gleanings of that nature, that such a sentence may not bee allowed such place among them. But because you cannot coniecture, nor others neither, as you suppose, what reason I had there to place it, I will not sticke my selfe to tell you, that which may satisfie you and those others. You must know I had to deale with that, which did not in diuers pointes agree with the truth it selfe in Iesus Christ: which when I laboured to take away, it might be notwithstanding, that I left p. 6some vnespied of mee. In which respect, euerie one may plainely see, that it did very fitly appertaine to the purpose: both to be a defence vntounto me, for such corruptions as I tooke from it; and to be a preseruatiue withall, against such corruptions as remained (if any such were) shewing therby, that I meant not to commend or leaue any other vntounto them, but only Iesus Christ our Sauior. And if you had not blind-folded your selfe, before you came to it, with a setled purpose, to catch at whatsoeuer you might get any holde of, your selfe no doubt must needs hauehave seene it: so fitlie it doth agree with the purpose that I had in hād, and the argument it selfe doth so plainely witnes the same. Then you proceede to a further matter, and deale more hardly, both with mee, and the text it selfe. The text you would hauehave supposed to be, not onelyonly in it selfe harde or obscure; but also one of those Obscure sentences or places, wherewith The holie Fathers noted the ancient heretikes to delight themselues, and deceiue others: and then, comming to mee, that I hauehave to that ende brought it in; that is, to delight my selfe, & deceiue others. Wherein that you may preuaile the better, in your margēt you send vsus to Epiphanius & Augustine, & after a sort to S. Peter too, as thogh we should find the same in them. Who knoweth not, I pray you, that heretiks were wont (as plainly appeereth now in your selues) to vse certain sentences of scripture, to establish their errours withall? But what is that to this purpose? HaueHave you anie p. 7dowt of any such dealing in this? must Iesus Christ yesterday & to day, & the same for euer, be now so obscure, so apt to deceiue, & so ready a tricke for an heretike? I know what you mean: and, if you durst for shame, you would speak plainlier than you do. If Iesus Christ be the only Sauior, for al the ages already past, for the time present, & for the time to com, you see not well where to cog in those other deuises, & mony-doctrines that you hauehave of your owne. For this cause therfore needs must this also be an obscure sentence, & apt to deceiue: & to vse the same, the tricke of an heretike? But doe you thinke that Epiphanius or Augustine would sooth you herein: or that S. Peter meant of any such matter? If they would, find it, & set it down: if not, how is it then (marke whence you are falne) that you are not ashamed so fowly to wrest them.What aduantage therein he hath left against himselfe. The aduantage that herein you hauehave left to me against your self, is (in comparisō) no great matter; & yet such as I saide: & such as it is, needs must you heare of it, because you are so ready to catch at others. It resteth therfore in these 2. points: one, that you do the sentence some wrong, to set it down so negligently & cōfusedly as you do, not distinguishing the members thereof by orderly pointing, as you had it of me, & as it is (witnes your selues) in the text it self;How indistinctly (& therfore ilfauoredly) he setteth down that text of scripture. the other, that twise togither you do so resolutely ascribe it to S. Paul. Touching the first it may be but the ouersight of you or your printer: howbeit, both of you ought to hauehave vsed more diligēce in it. The sentēce is to good purpose, it is p. 8weightie, and of great importance: you ought to hauehave seene better vntounto it; both he for his part, and you for yours. But I doubt very much, that your Printer hath doone, but as you your selfe set it downe vntounto him: and that you hauehave doone it of purpose, nothing at all regarding how confusedly, nor how ill-fauoredly you serue vsus with the word of God. But we will not so take it at your handes. With ill will you are brought at length to hauehave some dealing with the written worde of God: and very shame hath woon at your hands, not so far to abandon your selues from the scriptures, as otherwise full gladly you would. And nowe that you must for shame doe somewhat, you would gladly do it as ill-fauouredly as you might, that so wee might find, neither life, nor comfort, nor sense therin. But you shall not so abuse the word of life: you shall not shrinke from it, and yet you shall not sliue it neither. Whereunto if we may be so bolde as to adde, that your selfe is one of these Iesuite-friers (that late ofspring of that ruinous Popedom) as that R. P. that is thought to bee the authour of this booke, is said to be: you hauehave done well, so to let the world vnderstand (and you may do well to marke it your selfe) what ill accord there is, betwixt Iesus and Iesuites whensoeuer they meete. You had no sooner espied him to be in place, but by and by your stomake rose against him: and some way or other must you needes shewe your gall, there was no remedie. As touching the latter of them, I denie not, but that it is the iudgement p. 9of diuers of the ancient fathers,How resolutely hee setteth down, that which the fathers before, nor the learned now, could so fully agree on. that it might bee the Apostle Saint Paul that wrote it; and, of some that it was: and so likewise of the writers nowe. But yet you cannot bee ignorant withall, that the matter was then in question among them: & yet is, with the learned now. What ground therefore can you hauehave to affirme so resolutely, that which the fathers of olde, and the learned now, hauehave not yet so throughly decided? If you alledge the determination of the church of Rome, we hold it for nothing in these matters now: since the time that you are departed away from the faith, in so manie things as you are: and hauehave banded your selues against the Lord, and his annointed. And if needs you will looke to be allowed this libertie, that you may so determine vponupon it, as you thinke good, you had need first to see how those reasons may be answered, that are to the contrarie: rather than so seruilely to cleaue to the bare iudgement of those, that set it downe as themselues list (I speake it but of your owne companions nowe) without regarding vntounto what side the strongest reasons incline. Seeing that we do all agree, that it is Apostolical, and the vndoubted word of God, it can be no derogatiue vntounto it, soberly to harken further of him that wrote it, neither yet to doubt in such a point of an opinion but so farre receiued, so long as wee see not the reasons cleared, that are to the contrarie. But it may be you wil thinke, that these things are so small in themselues, that the aduantage, that therein you hauehave left vntounto mee, was not p. 10to be regarded, nor so to be laide to your charge. Whether it be litle or great, it forceth not now: but this may I plainely set downe vntounto you, that the lesser of them both is of that importance, that therein (as I said) you hauehave giuen greater cause or iust reproofe; than I did to you, or any other, not onelyonly for setting downe the sentence it selfe in such sort as I did, but also in all the rest that followeth. When you were so readie to reproue another vponupon your owne surmise, without any sufficient ground for your perswasion therein: you should hauehave taken such heed to your selfe, as that wherein you condemned another, your selfe were not found more faultie than he.

His idle caueling about the first page, a sufficient pattern of all the rest.4 Being come thus far, your conclusion is, And this for the first Page. Yea verily: your dealing about my first Page onelyonly, may bee sufficient to teach vsus all, how ready you are to pick som quarrel or other; & what indifferencie or plain dealing we may looke for at your hands, in al the rest. And I will assure the Reader, togither with you, that such as this your beginning is, such & none other is that which followeth: in the one you hauehave giuen a tast of the other. For such occasiō as I gaue you (in the disposing of the title, & in prefixing the sentence aforesaid) so to inueigh against me as you do, such hauehave I giuē you in that which followeth: & as you deal in these things against me, as if there were a fault cōmitted, when as notwithstanding you hauehave found none, & do not, nor can not lay any to my charge, euē so do you in the rest p. 11likewise, as (I trust) the indifferent Reader shall soon perceiue. And so you hauehave done very well, so distinctly to point your finger as you doe, to this your woorthy handling of those matters that you met withall in the first page: & I am content, if so you wil hauehave it, that it shall stand for a right pattern of al the rest. Be it now whatsoeuer it can be: such as this is, such is the other; & any man that will, may in this beginning, see the whole course that you do hold vntill the ending.

5 Which that your self may better declare,A friuolous slander of the keies & crown, vpō the Archbishop of Yorke his Armes. as you hauehave ended with this your first page: so hauehave you a fresh begū with the next. For there, by placing the arms of the church of York, & the Archbishop (that now is) togither, you readily infer (a conclusion no doubt, that followeth on the premisses, passing wel) that it is with vsus Good doctrine now, & very commendable in my L. g. of York. to claim both keies & crown from Peters seat, which in the bishop of Rome, is made so hainous, & so bitterly inueied against daily. But do you in good sadnes beleeue, that now we hauehave any doctrine of such matters: or if we had, that we account the same to be good? or hauehave you the face to make this comparison betwixt the churches of Yorke & Rome: as though it were none other claiming of the keies and crowne from Peters seat, which in the B. of Rome, is (as pleaseth you to terme it) made so hainous &c. but onelyonly such, as by setting down the armes of the church of York, is challenged to the Archbishop there? If you be but in iest, the matter may be more easilie p. 12borne: if you bee in earnest, it is too grosse and too plaine an vntruth, for any to oppose themselues against it. Your owne fellowes will take so ill with it, that your vnshamefastnes neede not to be chastised of any other.As good title thereunto, onelyonly by coupling their armes togither, as they hauehave any by the word of God. But seing that you hauehave set the comparison, I will not sticke to put you in mind of one speciall point thereto appertaining. You know how your Bishop of Rome hath claymed both the keies and the crowne; and that you suppose the same to stand, by very good warrant from the worde of God: on the other side, you know how little the Archbishop of Yorke hath claimed the matters you speake of (the one of them nothing at all; nor the other neither in such sort as you meane) and that your selfe can bee in no wise induced to thinke, that onelyonly by the marshaling or setting downe the armes of the church and his togither, hee may iustly make any claime vntounto them. And yet are not you able to finde in the holy Scriptures, any one place whatsoeuer, whereon you may better ground that vsurpation of your Bishop of Rome, as peculiar to that Sea of his (the Crowne at all, or the Keies either out of his dioces:) than any bodie els may be able to prooue, that by this title onelyonly, that is, by setting downe of their armes togither, the Archbishop of Yorke may take vppon him those thinges that you talke of. Insomuch that as that can neuer bee prooued, nor hath so much as shew of reason, not anie peece of ground-worke at all: no more hath that of yours in the word of God; howsoeuer that p. 13hitherto you hauehave otherwise borne the world in hand. And, whereas it appeereth in this your new booke,His printers Alphabet: fit for the matter hee hath in hand. that the first letter of the Alphabet that your Printer hath vsed in the printing thereof (I meane for the capitall, or greater letters) is euer deckt with a couple of deuils, shaking out their tailes, and laying their handes on the first letter of those your labours (as appeereth in al those chapters that begin with the first letter of the Alphabet (six or seuen in all) it shall bee as easie a matter to prooue, that your whole Booke (whatsoeuer thereof is yours) is of the deuill, only because that by your Printers good meanes in the first letter of your Alphabet they doe so often and so readily meet togither to confer on the matter, or else to confirme it, by such imposing of handes, as there they vse, as for you to proue, that, by ioining those arms togither (which is all out of which you hauehave made that large conclusiō) it is with vsus good Doctrine now, and very commendable in my Lords grace of Yorke, to claime both keies and crowne from Peters seat. The common prouerbe is, that it is but an ill procession, wherein the deuill beareth the crosse: and that would not sticke (as weake as it is) to yeeld a stronger proofe for the one, than is any that you hauehave for the other.

6 Then comming to my Epistle Dedicatorie,VponUpon the Epistle Dedicatorie he associateth himselfe to an there much plainlier you shew forth your selfe in your right and proper colours. And yet in this place I wil say nothing of your so base and homely gibing: much lesse of your altering and leauing p. 14out, in that which you alledge out of mee; seeing the matters are not of any great importance. But the matter that I charge you withall, is, that there you shew your selfe to be so impudently giuen to reproch, euen such a one also, who in manie good respectes you ought to reuerence (your selfe can easily know whom I meane) that first you seeme cleane to forget how wicked an ymp he was, that did but discouer that great ouersight of his father Noah, & made report thereof to his brethren; and did not seeke himselfe rather in silence and reuerence to make it vp, before it had beene further knowne: and what a iudgement it pleased God thereupon to thunder foorth against him by the mouth of his father, & against his posteritie also. There was (not far off) a better example in both his brethren for you to hauehave followed, if you had the grace to hauehave takē the same: & so much strō ger against you, as in this you knowe there was a fault indeed, & in the other you settle your selfe but in the weake report of others, & in your own naughtie surmise. But you make no great reckoning to say the worst you can of any of vsus: our Bishops are no Noahs to you; & therfore that example of Cham crosseth you not. Put case it do not: yet was ther no help with you, but that needs you must ioine your selfe to such a company in so bad an action as that? When (by all likelyhood) you could not bee ignorant, how that same vponupon the hearing was found to be a wicked practise, & that by the highest court that we hauehave, & the parties p. 15condemned for it (who afterward also, for the most & chiefest of them, did themselues confes it) was your desire of reproching so great, that yet notwithstāding you must take in hand so bad a matter, & sort your self to such a condemned company as those? But belike you were loth there shuld be any so bad a matter among vsus, and you not to hauehave a hand in it also: & could not find the worst of thē al so base a people, but that, in such an actiō as that, they were company good inough for your selfe. Howbeit, howsoeuer you can be perswaded of them that in such case they we… meet company for you: yet is it on their partes likely inough that, if they had suspected such an one as you to hauehave bene so ready to ioine with them, euen that only would hauehave made the meanest of thē to hauehave misliked their owne dooings so much the rather. And then had it been good, that you had bin one at the first, that so all the rest might hauehave bin staied thereby. Yet this one thing I can easily graunt you, that you thought your selfe no babe in this, that beeing disposed so to reproch, you chose out such an one, of whom you might be assured, that, after his cause so well debated, & sentence giuen with him in so high a Court as that, he would little esteme of the misreport of such fellows as you. But I pray you Sir,The great lewdnes of his own fellowes in that kind. could you so farre forget your selues, that you had so much leysure, as to quartell at this? With how great vncleannes you are charged on all hands, and long hauehave been, & how weakely it is answered by the best of you all, is p. 16a matter more cleere, than that I need so much as to point the finger vntounto it. And in so great, so vnnaturall, & so monstrous iniquitie of yours, could you so soone let passe the beame of your own eie, for to picke out the mote of an others? What say you then, as to many other charges of the like effect, so specially vntounto the Treatise of that holy Poligamie of yours? Whether is it but smal vncleannes that the same discouereth among you? But let old things passe, that you hauehave before beene charged withall: & it also, togither with them, because it treateth of the other parts of Christendome also. And because that of a discontented Romish English-man, you are become, as is said, a Frenchman now, to goe no further than your owne clergie there, what say you to that latter collection in Le Cabinet du Roy de France:Le Cabinet du Roy de France. set foorth but six or seuen yeeres since, and dedicated vntounto the king himselfe, where you hauehave gathered vntounto your hands, a note of a strange and wonderfull companie of wiues, yoong women, and others also, abused by the Popish clergie there; such for number, as some man would scantly thinke at the first, would be ouermatched at Doomes-day it selfe? If the vncleannes of that sin had annoied you, there had you a monstrous dunghil of it: if the neernes of it were that which troubled you, there you had it euen at your nose. The number of wiues, that at that time were found (or at least, noted) to bee corrupted by you, throughout al the twelue Archbishopriks of France, amoūt to the number of eight p. 17hundred and fiftie thousand, threescore & eleuen, and threescore and two thousand, and two hundred. Of these, where they had fewest, which was in the Archbishoprike of Vienne, and of yoong women, one thousand-thousand, fourescore and one thousand, eight hundred and foure; & where they had least of this kinde, which was in the Archbishoprike of Vienne also, yet not with standing no fewer, that threescore and eight thousand and nine hundred. And yet besides these, you are noted to hauehave abused fortie and two thousand, six hundred, fourescore and three others, in Sodomitrie also: and where you abused fewest of al in this kinde, which for this matter was the Archbishoprike of Burdeaux, yet there you are saide to hauehave abused no fewer than one thousand and two hundred. Besides all which, the purueiors of this their harlotrie, or such as they vsed to bring in this game to their hands, such as we call no better than bawdes, (and so consequently, fowlie also corrupted by them, though not in their bodies, yet in their soules) were no lesse than one hundred and threescore thousand, eight hundred, twentie and nine: and the bastardes, and bastards bastards, of this holie Clergie (witnesses inow of their vncleanes) seuen hundred, threescore and fifteene thousand, one hundred thirtie and eight persons. Againe, whereas the Clergie of the Archbishoprike of Vienne had the fewest faultes discouered (for the two former) and the Clergie of Burdeaux, for the other: yet, that neither you, nor any other p. 18of their fellowes besides, thinke much with them for comming so farre short of the rest, if it please you to consider the number of themselues, and of those whom they corrupted, and to lay them togither, you may easily finde, that they were no Saints neither but in this point like to the rest for the number of them. For wheras themselues (togither with their officers and seruants) were no mo but fiftie and fiue thousand, & on the otherside, the wiues that they polluted, threescore and two thousand, & two hundred; the yong women, threscore and eight thousand, and nine hundred; their male kind also, one thousand and six hundred: in doth so fal out, that they polluted mo than them selues, by seuen thousand & two hundred maried wiues, & thirtene thousand & nine hundred yong women, & al that thousand & six hundred males besides. So that, though you leaue to eueryevery one of their officers & seruants, one (making thē in number but as two partes of three, in respect of their maisters themselues:) yet you leaue two a piece to themselues, and an ouerplus of foure thousand three hundred and on, either to take as a further bootie to themselues; or, if you thinke good, to be bestowed on such of their officers as they would hauehave the likest to them. Wherunto if we ad their purueiors (or bawds) which were twelue thousād, & were not only by them corrupted, but also very able men likewise for to witnes this vncleannes of theirs, then also the bastards, & bastards bastardes of this holy Prouince, which were fiftie and seuen p. 19thousand & foure hundred: there may you finde witnesses inow (fourtene thousand & foure hundred mo than themselues, maister, officer, seruant, & al) to witnes this vncleanes against them. The like might be said of the clergie of Burdeux also: but that one onelyonly example may be sufficient to giuegive you some reasonable tast of the rest. And as for your bishops (which, a man would think shuld herein be freest of al) although themselues be as it is said (Archbishops, & al) vnderunder an hundred: yet those also (euen thēselues alone, without the help of others for them: see what reuerend fathers you hauehave that come masking here) hauehave polluted 468 married wiues, & 900 single women (& hauehave among them 540 bastards) & yet notwithstanding hauehave abused in Sodomitrie, 124 others besides.Aboue half a score a peece (one with another) had in bodily abuse by these holy fathers. When the heades of your clergie are such, I pray you, what may a reasonable man think of the rest? What further he saith of that matter, I refer vntounto your own perusing of it. Yet thus much by him doth plainly appeere, that this vncleanes is generally spred ouer you al: & that your whole popish clergie is not onelyonly infected, but fowly polluted with it. But these things belike were but triflles with you at home: & that other blunder with vsus, a great matter abroad. But by your patience, fie on that forced virginitie of yours: most abhominably it stinketh before God & the world. But of this inough: & more than needed, but that needes you must be in these matters so prying abroad, and so blind at home.A wilfull ouersight. That in this place you cōceiue that p. 20my Epistle Dedicatorie treateth of mortification, and contempt of the world (which notwithstanding it doth but briefly touch in the ende of it onelyonly; and that but by occasion also) and whereas shortly after you doe wrest my wordes to your owne purpose, otherwise than I did meane them, if in simplicitie you hauehave doone it, then because the matters are not great, I will not trouble your conceite therein. Neuertheles if you missed so far of the argument of the one, and sense of the other, for the hast that you made to come the sooner vntounto your vaine of reproching: though the matters themselus be not great, yet therin you deserue som iust reproofe. But it seemeth rather, that of purpose you would so take them, so to make you a readier way to that, which you were desirous thereon to set downe. And then, the more impudently that you were giuen to ioine with so bad a company in so naughtie a matter, the more dooth it argue the fault to raigne in you, and the deepelier you hauehave offended therein. But if I therein treated of mortification, and contempt of the world, then must you either seperate these things from that deuotion, pietie, and contemplation, that after you speake of, or else must you call backe (as well you may, for the number of them) some part of those lauishing speeches that there you vse, or otherwise bee contrarie to your selfe in this. But the lesse that I directed mine Epistle vntounto that ende: the meeter it is, that for my part I take not this aduauntage of you.

p. 217 My Praeface to the Reader is the next that commeth vnderunder your censure:Of the preface. and how welcome that is vntounto you, it appeareth by the harde entertainment that with you it findeth. For heere you shew your selfe to bee much offended, not onelie with me, but with others also. And the cause why you finde your selfe so greeued, is, for that I saide that the Booke of Resolution seemed to me,Of the foū tains whēce the booke was taken. to be gathered out of certaine of the Schoole-men (as they are tearmed) that liuing in the corrupter time of the Church did most of all by that occasion treat of reformation of life: when as others (of them) were rather occupied about the controuersies that were most in question among them. But what is there here, that so much offendeth? Forsooth that thereby I endeuored (as you do charge mee) to make the booke more contemptible in the iudgement of others: & that so I might the rather get it vnderunder my learned censure, to vse at my pleasure. But that I meant not to make it contemptible, may sufficiently appeer, both by the report that I gaue it (better than your selfe before deserued, but much lesse now) & by the paines that I tooke about it, to cleanse it from that corruption of yours, wherewith it could not hauehave come abroad, and which was a blemish to the booke it self, though you cannot see it. Neither should you (especially taking it so much to your selfe as now you do) hauehave thought that book so far abased, by imputing a good part of it to anie of those whom there I spake of; as also you could not doe it, without a great ouer-weening of your p. 22selfe, nor without ouer-much abasing of those. And wheras you tell vsus of certaine fathers, out of whose homilies, sermons, commentaries, and other works, the booke was taken (in which man or you might hauehave attributed some parte thereof to the Scriptures also, but that you glorie much lesse in thē, than in the others, that so your glorie may redoūd more iustly to your shame) it is nothing at al to the purpose that so you alledge. For thogh the matter therein contained, were first deriued from the Scriptures, and Fathers originally: yet not withstanding that hindereth not, but that it may well be taken out of the monuments and workes of those that wrote long after them, & gathered such matter somewhat neerer togither. Now, as for your selfe, although it may bee that I doo not know you, yet by the light that now you hauehave giuen vsus, of the profoundnes that is in you; and if you bee the partie that most commonly is named vntounto it, you are (I warrant you) as likely as others to make your choyse rather, where you may hauehave it neerer gathered togither, then at large in the Scriptures and Fathers themselues. That heerein you charge mee so deepely with ignorance, and that my studie is lesse than nothing at all in those your Schoolemen, the matter is not great, if therein I suffer you to take your pleasure of mee: and, when you hauehave made mee as vnlearned in them, as shall like your selfe best, or best may serue to aduance you, it may bee, that I my selfe could wel be contented to spare somewhat p. 23of that also that you would leaue mee; and yet notwithstanding, am not so little acquainted with them neither, that anie thing I feare your learning in them, or in any others. And (God be thanked) there is much good learning to be had, though a man doo neuer come neere those that you speake of as also there was long before them. But I pray you good Sir, are you able to alledge anie one of them all, from whome a good part of that booke may not bee deriued: either among those that dealt in the controuersies, if you respect your pointes or doctrine; or among the others, if you respect the rules of life and conuersation? Or to go no further than your selfe hath occasioned, may we thinke that you are perswaded indeed, that this booke (which nowe you cal yours) standeth so cleere in all your parables, vnderstanding of Scriptures, application of them, your diuisions also, and manner of speech, from that sort of Schoolemen that before I spake of, or you nowe speake of, that whosoeuer should conceiue that in som good part it descended of them, he must needs be so ignorant in them, as that he knoweth not so much as the verie subiect and argument that they handle, as it pleaseth you, in the depth of that learning of yours to charge mee? Could you warrant mee thus much, that it were as woorthy the labour, as it were possible inough to doo it, it were no hard matter soone to shewe, that a great part of it might well hauehave beene taken, not onelyonly out of those that before I noted, p. 24but, as you had dressed it in such colours as you thought good to bestow vppon it, euen out of those that you also hauehave named vntounto me. When as in the first lines of al (after your title and sentenced that you set vsus down, you cannot be content to be our resoluing to serue God, beginning aright, and perseuering therein to be our dutie, and an acceptable seruice to him,Pag. 2, 3. but needes you will teach vsus forth seeke saluation thereby, not by the righteousnes of Christ, but by our owne, when you tell vsus, that our forefathers receiued the ground of faith peaceably, and 3without quarrelling (not from the holy scriptures, or frō their father) but from their mother the Church when as so barely you set vsus down the example of Cornelius, as though you would make vsus beleeue that hee had works, or a vertuous life acceptable to 4God, before that euer hee had any faith: when as you call it Scripture indifferently, as well what you finde in those bookes that are Apochrypha, as in 5those that are Canonicall: when you tell vsus, that 6wilfulnes in Popery, is suffering for righteousnes: when as so odly you take occasion to let vsus vnderstand, whence or from whō we hauehave those things deliuered vntounto vsus, that wee are to beleeue, and then make no mētion at all of the word of God, neither of the prophets, nor of the Apostles, neither of the old Testament, nor of the new, nor so much as of 6.7Christ himselfe; but only of the Catholike Church: 7when faith and knowledge are with you, masters of so light importance, in respect of life and monkes: when to this end you tell vsus againe, that Christ … p. 25the Apostles spake much more of thinges to bee doone, than of things to bee knowne: of good liuing, then of right vnderstanding: that few are damned for lucke of knowledge, which commonly all men baptised hauehave sufficient (except in time of heresies) but many thousands for ill life daily, that the parts in man which appertaine to vnderstanding and knowledge, were not so hurt by the fal of Adam as the parts appertaining to action: to know much (of those thinges that appertaine to Religion, and the seruice of God: for otherwise you wander from the matter you spake of before) is a pleasure, but to do much is a paine: and 8that the Scriptures and the ancient holy fathers hauehave made great and long discourses, ample volumes, and many bookes, about this second part of Christian Diuinitie, which consisteth in action, but (if wee supply the other part of your meaning heere, out of the former place, wherunto your selfe do refer vsus as) hauehave written little to speake of in comparison of the other, of that which belongeth to faith and knowledge: when talking likewise of the reaping of 9glorie in the life to come, you come in so odly with this correction; if it bee our good hap to come to it: when comming to the ioy that Angels hauehave in14 the conuersion of a sinner, you put in a parenthesis of your owne that they will not cease to pray for 17vsus while we are reading: when as comming to the storm of Isaaks going foorth to meditate or pray, (what time as Rebecca was comming home vntounto him) you do not hold your selfe contented with so much as the Scripture, setteth downe, that at that p. 26time so he did, but must needs stretch it further, alledging that place to shew, that he was went also to do it: when you so specially tell vsus of mortall 19sin, as though that some other sinnes there were, which in the iudgements of God deserued not the curse of the law:25, 32, 34. 35, 37. when as you so often and so so plainely set downe, that to this end we are sent into this world, to serue God in this life; and, by that (our) seruice, to gaine euerlasting glorie in the life to come, and euer teach vsus to gaine heauen by our works, throughout your whole third chapter (and yet but cogd in by your selfe, as the place it selfe bewrayeth,25, 33. as before I noted) when you restraine the time of our redemption vntounto the time of Christs death and passion (or rather, as you mean, vntounto the time of his harrowing of hell) as though that none (by the vertue of his passion following) were redeemed before: when as you tell vsus of the 35foolish Virgins, that they were innocent from sin, and yet shut out, because they lacked but the oyle of 39good works: when in good sadnes you will seem to make wearing of haire cloth, lying on the ground, & beating of the bodie, to be so necessarie and so forcible helpes against sinne, cleane for getting in the meane season, that faithfully to do the woorke of our vocation (euerie one no more but as hee is called) is of such power to bring downe the bodie against sinne, as that we neede neither those, nor anie such other friuolous meanes, that are not commaunded in the woorde of GOD; but may well passe them ouer, eyther to bee talked p. 27of, of such as you are that are farthest from them, or to bee vsed of those that liue idlely, and are not occupyed in their calling: when as you do so boldly sort into the number of such almes-deedes, 41as are by the worde of God approoued, the setting vp of Chaunteries, and of such Abbyes, Nunries; Priories; Hermitages, and such like, as wee had of late amongst vsus; when besides you tell vsus, or at least insinuate, and would faine hauehave vsus beleeue, that those our late cloisterers and chaunterie priests, were so holie a people, that they left the world. and betooke themselues onelyonly to the contemplation of heauenly thinges; and in this case make no quaestion, Ib.but that when those forefathers of ours plucked those thinges from their children and posteritie; and bestowed them on because of their owne soules, yet were they deedes of charitie notwithstanding: when as thereuponIb. you complaine; that now adayes men doo not bestow their goodes to the ease of their soules in the life to come: when as you teach vsus to purchase the prayers of others, that by their intercession wee may 42enioy life euerlasting: when as in so fewe pages (for you see that I hauehave not chosen them out, but onelyonly taken them as they lie togither) you come in with so much such trumperie as this, and somewhat more than I hauehave alledged, and holde on that course throughout your whole booke (& euer lightly the farther the worse, so oft as you can find any opportunity, so to smite your …er rules of godlines with that infectiō in you) p. 28can you hauehave the face to beare vsus in hande, that these things can in no wise descend of thē, whose fauour and speech wee knowe well inough, and whome wee see so fully resembled in this pedlary ware that you hauehave brought vsus? But if you were indeed perswaded, at least if you did certainly knowe (as you would beare vsus in hande that you did) that there is no reason why it might bee probably thought, that a good report of it might very well descend from those Schoolemen, that before I spake of it, what then is the cause, that (hauing so cleere aduantage therein) here againe you flee so fast to those accustomed shiftes of yours?. How commeth it to passe, that in no wise you wil vnderstand of whome I speake, and whome mine owne wordes do plainely describe? Or what need had you both to alter my very words: & to change the pointing of them to your aduantage. As touching the former, you know well inough, that diuiding the ages that hauehave beene before from the Apostles time to this age of ours, into a couple of principall parts, the Diuines that wrote in the former ages, are generally called the Doctors, or Fathers: and the others that wrote in the times that were since (and yet before this age of ours) are generally called Schoolemen like wife; as those also that hauehave written since in this our age, the late or newe writers. But whereas, although that name be generally giuen to al the writers of those latter ages (as your selfe dooth know, and can giuegive them none other, liue that so you could hauehave had p. 29no cause to cauill) yet, because that it is more properly giuen to certaine of them, therefore did I in plaine words so distinguish: first, shewing which sort of them I meant (whom you also do know, & may not denie, to treat very often and much of such matters, and those not a few of them neither) and then sheading out the other sorte of them apart by themselues, those that were occupied about the controuersies that were most in question among them, which also you know, was not ouer straight a limitation for that sorte, considering the great controuersies, that were in those ages with most of them. How is it therefore, that this beeing so wonted a thing as it is (and the matter it selfe so plain) and my wordes directly leading from those, that you would hauehave mee to vnderstand, and plainely pointing vntounto others (whome you set by) both by the limitation of these words, certaine of them, and, as they are tearmed (which you strooke out) and by further description also: yet notwithstanding, euen thereupon onelyonly you doe so deepely charge me with ignorance, not or any thing that my self had said, but onelyonly for that which it pleaseth your fatherhood to father vponupon mee? As touching the latter, of altering my woordes,He altereth my words, & changeth the pointing, to make them square better to his purpose. and chaunging the pointing or distinguishing of them to make them square better to your purpose, lay but my wordes againe before you, and compare them with these of yours, and soone shall you finde so much as I speake of. For whereas I said, that it seemed to be most of all gathered out of those that I noted, and p. 30afterward againe me thought we had in the booke it selfe, that which might lead vsus to this coniecture: you hauehave put in, that I well perceiued &c. & wheras I did not affirme so much neither, so absolutely of the whole (although for the most of it; very wel I might) but limited the same by two seueral speeches (first, that it was most of all gathered &c; and then afterward againe, especially for the inuention of it:) you perceiuing that these limitation made the matter to come somwhat short, to giuegive so iust occasiō of quarrell as you would hauehave had, strike them both forth, & make me to pronounce it absolutely of the whole, making me to say, that I well perceiued that this booke was gathered; &c: So likewise for the pointing, whereas my saying was, that it seemed most of al to bee gathered out of certaine of the schoolmen (as they are tearmed) that liuing in the corrupter time of the church, did most of al by that occasion treat of reformation of life, &c; you part this sentence, which I made entire & one in it selfe, into two members, the one, that it was gathered out of schoolemen; the other, that they liued in the corrupter time of the church. Which, although you doo but with a semi-colon (which notwithstanding was too much by 2 degrees, because there should hauehave bene there no distinction at all:) yet by better consideration of your maner of pointing in diuers places (vnlesse the printer hath failed therein) it seemeth that you meant to put the whole power of a colon or midle distinction; & then was your fault so much the greater. p. 31For a rich man (they say) it is a shame to be a thief. If therefore you had such aduantage against mee, what need you then so cleane to leaue out, that which made against you: and to alter and force that which remained, so much as you doo? If you had not that aduauntage against mee, by anie thing that my selfe had set downe, till you should hauehave holpen it, and framed it better to your purpose, were you yet so desirous to reproch, that rather you would breake through vntounto it by so hard conditions, than let it alone vntill you were iustly occasioned thereto? If this be your maner, howsoeuer we need to care but litle for your pen: yet I see verie well, we must needes looke to your fingers.

8 In this place you doo not content your selfe thus to hauehave drawne your hand on mee alone:Of the want of learning that he in his vanitie doth charge vsus withall. but needes must you ride on others also. And first you labour (vppon your griefe conceyued against mee, and supposing mee to bee my Lord Archbishops chaplaine) to load manie of vsus togither with the reproch of ignorance: setting it downe in plaine speech, that much learning is not required to the dignitie of beeing an Archbishops chaplaine. Concerning which matter, there is no great need to make you answer. We are not now to vie our learning: God make vsus learned vntounto saluation. He hath learning inough, that knoweth Christ, and rightly doth vse the learning he hath. If you hauehave gotten so much more than your fellowes, that you can charge so manie with p. 32ignorance, first, wee would hauehave you to giuegive the glorie to God: and then, comming home to your selfe againe, to take good heed that you carefully keepe within the boundes of sobrietie and modestie, notwithstanding all that learning of yours. This being done, then doe we thinke that it were very meet that you brought it foorth, to the helpe of vsus and others that want: that as heretofore we hauehave heard of this your learning (of your owne mouth) more than once or twise, as we take it; so at the length we might see it also, and find wherin wee might iustly account our selues behind you. Would you once do that, you should not need, so oft by wordes to put downe vsus, and aduance your selfe? We would then giuegive you the place, without any more busines; you should enioy it without contradiction. Thus much also wee would wish you to remember withall, that Sathan the old enimie of mankind, who first vsed the serpent for his wilines to deceiue the woman, to this day also verie much delighteth to make his choise of such serpentine heads, that so he may the beter beguile the people of God. But I pray you Sir, are you (in good sadnes perswaded indeed, that our Bishops chaplaines are so farre inferiour in learning vntounto you, and your fellowes? Then I on the other side wold wish you not to rippe ouer far in that matter, least you find it to fall out in the end, that … but Bishops chaplaines with vsus, are more learned than Bishops themselues with you. But to goe no higher than to your selues, what books or writings p. 33what disputations, or other exercises of learning whatsoeuer, in diuinitie, in humanitie, in the tongs or in historie (or whatsoeuer els you can deuise) are you able to shew, wherin there was found anie want in vsus, or anie better store in you? Or which of the Artes, or what good learning is better aduaunced, or plainlier taught by those that are of your profession, than it is by those that are of ours? On the other side you cannot denie, but that both you lay wallowing in verie grosse ignorance, till you were quickened vp by vsus; and that in many things we hauehave made you giuegive ground alreadie: as also it is not vnlike, but that, if you would hauehave stood vntounto it, long ere this you had beene cleane chased out of the field of al good learning.How the aduersaries euer hauehave shunned, & yet doe, the triall of learning. Which of you al (now thinke of the best: you must withdrawe your eies from your selfe, and from such others as you are) was euer able in learning to stand vntounto the cause you had in hand. Supposing at the first, that the Scriptures would hauehave serued your name, were yee not faine to abandon them, and to flee for helpe to the Fathers? And when thence also you were beaten out, were you not fain to run to the Church, and there to entrench your selues in this, that the Church can neuer erre? As nowe likewise, when you see, that in that also you cannot be safe, nor able to stand against the forces that come against you, your onelyonly helpe and last refuge is, the perswasion of your owne conscience, that so you hauehave beene taught, such is your conscience, and so you beleeue. And yet I denie not, p. 34but that sometimes you come foorth with some floorish or shewe of learning: but yet to no purpose, because that all such furniture of yours, is but as a band of scattered men, oftē foiled & vanquished already, & such as now wil abide or stand no longer togither, but only till the enimie come. When the captaine, being hardly followed on by the enimie retireth his souldiers within their trē ches, or to any other strength or place of defen…e, is it not a token, that himself & his company is euer weake to keep the field: yea, though himselfe and his soldiors too, should vaune neuer so much that they could? To come vntounto your selues, it is your manner now-adayes to talke much of learning to aduance your selues aboue the moone, to make others as grashoppers in your sight and yet notwithstanding what one controuersie is there (of anie importance) wherein you will standeth the triall of learning: what other thing doo you with all your confederates, but onelyonly retire them to their trenches? What other learning is it that you teach them whereby to defend themselues in those causes, but onelyonly that so they are perswaded and that their conscience already is setled, & may not be mooued? Had you any helpe at all in learning would you not teach it those your adherents? Nay would it not …ene as fast among you, from one to another, as other things are woont to doo that make for your purpose? Or are you so readie to helpe one another in other matters of lesse importance, and could you bee so forgetfull p. 35or so careles in this? No, no: there is another matter in it. You hauehave therin a priuie maime: it is not in you, & that is the cause that you do it not. Goe talke of our learning among the ignorant; and of the goodnes of your cause, to those that beleeue all that you say: we knowe well inough, that your cause is naught & that you hauehave no learning at al that can defend it. What faire offers hauehave often bene made you, your selues do know, & cānot denie, if you would: how weakly you hauehave behaued your selues in answering of them, though you can not find in your harts to acknowledge, and make your frends beleue you do not see it; yet others do see it, and glorifie God, that now the nakednes of that strumpet of yours is so discouered, that al mē may see that she was nought els, for all her glittering wherwith she hath now so long deceiued vsus, but onelyonly an arrant harlot, most odious to God, a …etestation to the godly, & yet notwithstanding,Hee is so wearie of being so roundly handled in matters of controuersies, that now hee braggeth vsus with an other argument, to till vsus aside frō dealing any longer in this. (& that in the iust iudgements of God) a snare to you. For it was meet that her illusiō shuld be strōg vponupon you, that hardened your harts against the gratious calling of God, & could neuer yet to this day be induced to receiue the louelove of the truth.

Hauing so spoiled so many of vsus at once, of al our learning belike you are in som need your self, when you scamble so harde with those for it, that hauehave so litle by your own confessiō) then you put with full sailes & a trim gale of winde, into an other fancie of yours, as mad as this that is gone before; and supposing it to be an hauen, where you p. 36might well and safely harbour, needes would yor arriue, and come on shore, but it is but a sand-bed, you are deceiued: it holdeth you of; and will not suffer you there to land. For now with one breath (but it is but a vaine blast) you do both vtterly depriue all vsus, of abilitie and power to make anie books or treatises of deuotion, pietie, and contemplation; and challenge that to be a feat belonging to your selues, yea proper and peculiar to you alone. And (but that I am nowe to keepe mee onelyonly to that, which is in this parte of your praeface which you direct against me) it were a sport to see, what reasons and Scriptures you gather togither towardes the ende of this your wandring and wrangling praeface, and how you vrge them to make for your purpose in this matter. But are you so perswaded indeed? No, not so: it is an other matter you shoot at. You know, that you had (for your glorie, and for your bellies) very much of late corrupted the truth of Christ, & that in such sort you had setled your errors in the hartes of the ignorant, that they cannot be cleane rooted out yet. And now, because that wee are so busily occupyed, in laying foorth, your manifold errors and corruptions before the people of God, by the Scriptures, by the Fathers, by Councels, and al (which is the thing that in this age of ours, and as you had corrupted religion vntounto vsus, was, and yet is most of all others to bee done of vsus) this doth go so neere vntounto you, and you find your selues so netled withall, and so little able to stand against it, that nowe you crie for bookes of p. 37deuotion. And heere it is not vnwoorthy the marking, that so soone as you hauehave abased vsus in matters of learning (to aduance your selues) immediately you are so deuout, & cal so hard for books of deuotion: remembring belike, that how vnlearned soeuer then, in your sodain passion you had made vsus, yet you found, that wee had alreadie so hardly beset you in matters of learning, in all the controuersies that are betwixt vsus, that now you thought it best to call vsus to bookes of deuotion; that so the follie of Gahal of old might be the more liuely represented in you, vntounto this present age of ours.Iudges 9.Judg 9 For as he, in the absence of Abimelek, had made light of him, but the next day after, when he was come needed then to be egged on, turned his backe, and was ouerthrowne: so you likewise, that in a little forgetfulnes what foils you had taken in the matters of controuersie that are betwixt vsus, so boldlie bereaued vsus of all good learning, by and by after, vponupon better remembrance of those matters, brag vsus so hard with bookes of deuotion, that in the controuersies it seemeth you graunt, that you are not able to go any further, and list not to hold the field any longer. But as Zebul thereon saide vntounto Gahal, so might any one of your frends say to you likewise: Where is now thy mouth that saide, who is Abimileck that wee should serue him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out now I pray thee and fight with him. Againe, what deuotion is it you speake of? For if you do content your selues with such as the written woorde dooth teach vsus, it is so p. 38vaine a quaestiō for you to demand, & that in sinceritie, which of vsus hauehave written of any such matter, that it is not woorth any answer, but rather to stand by it selfe, for a note of your follie when as it cānot be vnknown to you, but that so many of vsus as hauehave written, concerning the institution of a Christia…e hauehave effectually handled that matter. See Caluin theron in his Institutiōs, & Musculus in his Common places (books that cānot be of all others, vnknown to you, & therfore I rather name them) & marke then, whether you find not matter in them, concerning deuotion, pietie & contemplation, that you will graunt, to hauehave ouer-reache your selfe therin. The same may be said of many others. Marke againe; whether in the said booke of M. Caluin, you do not finde him specially to treat de vita hominis Christiani: de abnegatione nostru ad crucis tolerantia: de meditatione futurae vitae: & quomodo vtendum praesenti vita. Are these no treatises of deuotion, pietie, &c? And how effectualy he hath done it; the matter it selfe will testifie. The Scriptures you know, do altogither treat of deuotion, pietie, &c. & these (you cannot denie) are now much more fully expoūded, & more seriouslly by vsus cō mended to others; than they are by you without comparisō. Other places doo more specially treat therof; as the Ten Commandements, & much of Deuteronomie, & namely that song of Moses; the whole books of Iob, the Psalms, Prouerbs, Ecclesiastes, & the song of Salomon; certain places of the Prophets also, but especially of the Euangelists & p. 39Apostles, as namely those 3 chapters of S. Matth. of the sermon of Christ on the mountain, & many others. And are not al these as faithfully expounded by vsus, as by you? Or do you find, that deuotiō therin is wanting in vsus, more thā in you? How say you to M. Caluin again vponupon the Psalmes: & in that which he hath done vponupon Iob? can you tel vsus where to find among your writers, so many good lessōs of deuotion, pietie, &c? Luther also, in this accoūt, I am sure, you wil grant to be ours. And how mightily he beateth downe the estimation of all things in the world, euē of the greatest excellencies in man: & how notably he raiseth vp the inner man to those heauenly & eternal things that are in Christ, as in many other places besids, so especially in those his Cōmentaries on the Epistle to the Galathians, it cannot, or ought not to be so far vnknown to you. The argument of the Epistle to the Hebrews is not of that nature, that it doth so readily yeeld that kind of matter, in the iudgement of most men. And yet how notably and fitly doth M. Deering in his Lectures theron, in manie places, so aduance that which is true godlines indeed, that you cannot finde any of those your late maisters that you named, any where to be preferred before him. Erasmus also I thinke, pleased you not so wel, that you wil take him for one of yours. How say you to his Enchiridion militis Christiani: & de praeparatione ad mortem? Are these no treatises of deuotion, pietie, & contemplation? How say you to those that wrote the Centuries? HaueHave they not a p. 40speciall title De moribus Christ i…rum … And … you find nothing therein, that treateth of deuotion, pietie, and contemplation? Chitnei Regula vi…e; and De morte & vita aeterna: Ri…ius de consolandis ag… tantibus: as also De stultititia mortalium in pr… stinanda correctione vitae: The Sicke mans salue by Thomas Becon: Psychopharmacon Reibn…di … richii Hadamaris: Bradfords most godly & heuenlie meditations, and many others of like matter, are (no doubt) very well knowne vntounto you, if you be but of halfe the reading, that you would beare vsus in hand that you are: but you can find nothing in them, that concerneth deuotion, pietie, and contemplation. But hereby you declare, what kinde of deuotion, pietie, and contemplation it is, that you speake of: such as is either grosse idolatrie, or superstition; or at least consisting but onelyonly in such outward exercise as the Apostle setteth aside, and alloweth not to stand for anie part of true deuotion.How arrogantly he challengeth to him selfe and his fellows, that which is the farthest of frō them of al others But hauing so denied this facultie to vsus, it is an other pastime to see, on whom you bestow it. For on whome do you bestow it, but on your selues? it is a thing peculiar and proper to you alone. A proper matter indeed, and a likely thing to bee true, that such as are so grosse idolaters (in whome by good warrant we may looke to find, almost all the iniquity that can be named) so vnshamefast maintainers of the stewes; so open defenders of so pestilent trecheries against their Princes; such as in some cases make no conscience at all of periurie; yea and the meanest and basest sort of these also, p. 41and that is more, such as of whome the choise and chiefe of al, euen at their deaths, hauehave (for the most part, no one sparke of any true deuotion or pietie, nor so much as humilitie neither: yet notwithstanding should now account their copper so verie good siluer, that they can so easily perswade themselues, that they alone, and none others, are the men that can onelyonly treat of deuotion, pietie, and contemplation. HaueHave you so long abandoned marriage, and stained your selues with all pollution? HaueHave you wallowed so long in so abhominable and restles whordoms, with that most shamelesse strumpet of Babylon, and with all manner of vncleannes and wantonnes with her, that nowe, when the skum of that your vncleannes is gone to the bottome, and setled there (because you would not take it off in time:) yet notwithstanding you can account your selues to be the holy ones of all the world; and that none others can treat of holines, but you alone? Nowe fie on the folly of such presumption: it is a world to see, in what a paradise you would settle your selues, if others would but let you alone.How properly they themselues are occupyed in writing bookes of deuotion pietie, and contemplation. But belike your selfe did surely dreame it, or els you could neuer hauehave had so strong a perswasion therof, as hereby it seemeth you had. But, if I may be so bolde as to awake you a little without offence, may it please you to wipe your eies, to looke vp, and to consider, how you & your fellowes imploy your selues in such kinde of labour: you I meane, that are at this day in wilful banishment for your conscience sake (as yee pretend, p. 42and boldly beare the world in hande) from this your natiue country of England; sauing onelyonly when it pleaseth you to steale in (to your own aduauntage, and to helpe forward some wicked practise. For as for those others that you alledge, of former times, and of the learned of other countries when you come to this praesent time, your portion is little or none in them. In all ages and places God is woont to stirre vp some, to rebuke the loosenes of those dayes wherein they liue: especially, when that great loosenes, that popish idolatrie brought in amongst vsus, did so mightily praeuaile as it did; and yet dooth at this time also, in all those countries where yet it raigneth. Whereas therefore those that you hauehave named, doo appertaine either vntounto former ages, when popery raigned, or to those countries that yet are in that miserable captiuitie, and so consequently to those times and places that abound in all manner of loosenes, and could not then, and cannot yet get the opportunitie, to debate the controuersies of Religion, nor to sift out the corruption thereof, what other thing were the former then, or the latter nowe able to doo to better purpose, than to inueigh so much as they could against that loosenes, that so much ouer-whelmed all godlines amongst them? But now when we come vntounto you, our discontented countrymen of England, such of you especially as are the greatest stirrers and sticklers in these our dayes, wee would gladly knowe of you, p. 43whither wee might goo, or where wee might seeke, to finde anie of you all so tollerably occupyed. To Rhemes? But wee see well inough, (and too much a great deale): what matters you hammer out on your forges there. To Rome? What is it else, but euen the verie nursery it selfe of all these treacheries, whereabout you hauehave beene so long imployed; against the lawe of nature, of man, of God; and what other thing is it that there you doo, but that first you learne those Italian feates; and then, that you vndergoe the charge, and addresse your selues to put them in practise? Or shall we seeke out where otherwise you are; heere and there lurking (with those that are most like vntounto your selues) within the lande? Wee may long seeke you, before wee can finde you: you lie so close, and so much disfigurely your selues besides. But whensoeuer we find you, we are sure of this, that wee cannot otherwise finde you occupied, than in defacing the present state, and the truth it selfe: and lying the platforme of some rebellion or wicked practisse; or putting the same in execution. As for bookes of deuotion, pietie, and contemplation, write them who will, you are not the men that will trouble the world with any such matters. Let others take the paines to doo them: it is ynough for you, when they are doone, to take vntounto your selues the glorie of them. Though you bee not of that disposition nor temper, that you can occupie your selues with so honest, and godly p. 44and peaceable affaires: yet, when they are done, your temper can beare it well inough, both to make them as pack-horses vntounto you, to carie forth your errors withall; and besides that, to shrewd your credits, and couer your practises, vnderunder the claime and title of them. But that you do so busily take vp (and that in your owne person too, loth to trust your harbinger with it) all the roomes in the Catholike Church, that none may hauehave place there but your selues alone (who of all others here among vsus, are farthest from it) that so it might the rather bee thought, that this min… (of coyning bookes of deuotion) goeth onelyonly with you, and that (to that end also) you make the truth of Christ so to participate the very power and force therof, to your most loathsome ridiculous popery, as though it could not stand without it: both these pointes are of such a nature, at that the bold…ier you doo auouch them, the lesse doo wee neede to make you answere…

Of the faults that he findeth in the Resolution. How iniustly he chargeth mee with corrupting, falsifiyng, &c.10 And now that you com to the bookes themselues, first you begin with the Resolution: and therein first you charge mee with very ill dealing throughout the whole; and then you come vntounto certaine particulars. The ill dealing that you lay to my charge throughout the whole, is no lesse than corrupting, falsifiyng, and mangling of this your booke, and of the Fathers and Scriptures alledged therein: as appeereth in this place of your praeface; and in the title, annotations, and table it selfe of this your new booke. But are you so liberall, to p. 45charge me so deep…ly, vponupon so small occasion as this? Had you any thing at all elected your selfe,Being takē in the maner himself he thinketh best with opē mouth to lay it on others. of the selfe-same kinde of dealing which hee that …et out your former Resolution, vsed towardes the originall copie, as before I noted by verie good proofe in my praeface to the Reader, and out of the third, and beginning of the fourth chapters of the first part thereof; or but your fellow to whom I pointed in mine Epistle; then, both I could hauehave …orne it better; and others might hauehave thought that you had proceeded more orderly vntounto it. But you were taken with the manner: and finding no way to helpe your selfe, you thought best to passe … ouer with silence; and with open mouth to lay that fault to the charge of others so much as you might. But to let you alone with your owne dooings, and to deale no further with you, but onelie so far as is needfull to answer your wrongful charging of me, did I offer anie other discurtesie vntounto you, but only that in quietnes I left out that which I saw could not wel stand? Did I it with any con…umelie, or bitternes towards you? And did I not plainly professe vntounto all, what it was that therein I had done? Did those few things that I added, or any parentheses (as you call them) put anie thing in that was contrarie to your profession, or disagreeing from the argument that you had in hand? If you found any of those things in mee, how is it that you hauehave not brought them to light? If not, what colour of reason had you therein, to exercise the bitternes of your stile against me? Are you so p. 46farre priuiledged, that you may set downe whatsoeuer you lift, without controlment? When you are disposed to set foorth error, thay no bodie … maintaine the truth? Must you hauehave that libertie and freedome, to sende vsus in whatsoeuer you … and must we bee tied to accept of all? When you hauehave taken the Fathers and Scriptures captiue… and abuse them at your pleasure, and very dishonorably hale them after you, may no bodie stir to cut asunder their bands of captiuitie, and to set them free from such slauerie of yours? When wi… find you to hauehave dealt so verie iniuriously with the godly Fathers, and with the Scriptures themselues, must it needes bee corrupting, falsifiying, and mangling, to redresse the same? But, that you … so desirous to make your case all one with … you are to know, that you are but a scholle… you are no Father. If it were ill doone, so to deale with the Fathers: is it therefore ill doone so to deale with you? If their writings were authentike, and such as could not bee amended, must yours need… hauehave that priuiledge also? You are too hastie you should first win it, before that you weare it. But that you thinke is substantially doone, And how?VponUpon how weake a groundworke he buildeth this greeuous charge Forsooth diuers of you hauehave charged vsus with such matters: and some others besides of our owne companie, (as you doo charge them) hauehave affirmed the like the one of the other. Howbeit for this matter, you shewe your selfe, and so much to desire for… to hauehave the thing it selfe to come vntounto triall; as to holde your selfe fullie p. 47contented and satisfied, if you may bee allowed so to haunch at our credite, and yet to bee suffered quietly to passe away therewith: you do so saintly grow to the matter; and keepe your selfe so farre off, from that which concerneth the triall of it. For although you would seeme to say somewhat that might bee of force so to charge vsus: yet do you finely giuegive it the slip, & take vntounto you another course. You alledge no place by vsus corrupted: you tell vsus not what Father, what Councell, what Scripture it is, that we hauehave so abused. Had you named any (such as are not answered alreadie) you knewe that the matter had come to tryall: but that, you louelove not. You know the weaknes of your side so well in these causes, that you thought not good anie further to prouoke the triall of it. And what is it then whereon you relie, and which you hauehave chosen to giuegive some credite to this your slaunder? What is it els, but onelie the bare report of certaine others? Some, your owne fellowes, whose mouths are found to be no slaunder, who long since nowe, and verie often hauehave shewed thēselues to be more readie so to charge vsus, than able to prooue the least parte that they speake, whensoeuer their sayings are brought vntounto the triall: some others againe that are neerer to vsus in their profession, and yet at variance among themselues, and so in heate of contention (it may bee) hauehave reproched each other much like as you doo charge them. But you knowe well inough, that neither the whole p. 48company, nor eueryevery particular person of any profession, is to be charged with whatsoeuer any one, or some few of that profession shall take in hand: and that among the best that euer were, all were not sound; or at least, either spake not, or wrote not so circumspectly as they ought to hauehave done. So falleth it out, that whereas you had to … the thing i…selfe (seeing that needes you would take vponupon you in such sort to say it) yet being you no more, but onelyonly that some others hauehave said …: and those also either at variance amongst themselues, and so not yeelding in any such speeches sufficient ground-worke wheron to build an (vndoubted assurance that so it is; or els (which is more) our mortall, and sworne, and knowne enemies, and therefore such as make no conscience at all to say the woorst that they can of vsus without any euidence or colour of truth, and the best that they can of themselues, as directly as can bee deuised against the truth. For this matter therefore, I need not to giuegive you any other answer, than onelyonly that same that your selfe bringeth with you Dead payes, you know well inough will do little sonn… in time of need. You bring but a vaine floorish, & shew: and when you would rather hauehave noted somewhat your selfe; you are faine notwithstanding to go to heare-say, and there to take vp your lodging for this. But if wee bee disposed to cha…ge you with the like, we neede not run to that poore helpe of heare-say for it: but we can turne you to the places themselues, and those very … p. 49both heretofore, and now also.

11 But two speciall pointes there are,The places that he specially toucheth, doe readily turn to his owne reproch. which if I should but generally lap vp with the other, it may be, that therein you would account your self to go away with some aduantage: whereas on the other side, the matters are such, as that therein also the aduantage that is, is against your selfe. For first, as touching those sentences of Scripture that you bring in, (the one of the seared, and yron-burned conscience: the other of those that sin wilfully and damnably in their owne knowledge and conscience, both which you would hauehave to serue your turne against vsus so far as you could) I must do you to vnderstand, that they are for the truth, and so make nothing at al for you, but altogither against you. For concerning the seared and yron-burned conscience, Of the seared conscience.whereas we read of two vses of the searing-yron (the one to seare vp and staunch the bloud, when some part is new cut away; the other to set on a marke, or a burne, especially vponupon notorious offendors, that others may know them) as the former of them, in all respects, and to all purposes, agreeth as fitly to you as to anie, for that nowe you hauehave giuen vp your selues to a reprobate minde, and solde your selues to all iniquitie, without anie sense or feeling at all, but altogither hardened in your wilfull resisting of the truth, and frosen vp in the dregs of your sins: so the latter of them commeth neerest to you of all others, and cannot so fitly be applyed to anie other, as it may vntounto you. For in you do we finde, and in your forheades, p. 50both those burnes or markes of reproch, which in that place the Apostle dooth speake of, and in the verie next wordes that follow: I meane the forbidding of mariage, and meats which God hath created to be vsed, with giuing of thankes of those that are faithfull, and knowe the truth. Seeing then the Apostle told vsus before, in what sort they should be marked, & now we find the same so euidently and plainly in you: there is no way for you to shift it off, but that needes you must be of that disfamed & stigmaticall company that the Apostle there describeth. I know that heeretofore there were others also: for that is euer the nature of the world, in all sortes of corrupt religion, to hauehave a great peece of their deuotion in those matters. But what is that to you, to helpe out your selues from that account? You may well get others vntounto you: but you can neuer get out your selues. And although there hauehave beene some others, that in some measure hauehave doone the like: yet are you able to name none, that hauehave doone it so much as you. So like wise in the other, of sinning wilfully and damnably in their owne conscience and iudgement, Of sinning wilfully in their owne conscience.as it also euen of it selfe, and at the first sight did neuer agree more fitly to anie, than it dooth to your selues: so might your selues verie plainely perceiue it (if you would examine the matter sincerely and truely) by the great contrarietie and contradiction that so plainely appeereth in your profession. For whereas you professe your selues p. 51to holde all the whole Scriptures, the olde Testament, and the new, although it may seeme that you doo it, not so much for anie good heart that you beare to the woorde of God, as to auoide the outcrie & shame that otherwise you must needes sustaine among men: yet seeing that you doo so professe the written word, & it againe so directly goeth against many points of your professiō, what do you els, but wilfully & damnably sin euen in your own conscience & iudgment. Insomuch that it is not onelyonly granted by diuers of you, that in your profession diuers things might wel be amended: but also it hath bin by certain of your selues affirmed, …s touching ours,Acts and monumēts, out of Hen. Pantal. lib. 19. an 1543. in the storie of Mollius, one of the Italian Martyrs. Athanasius abused and falsified. that it is the truth that we affirme, & yet neuertheles hauehave said withall, that the same was not meete for this present time, for that it could not bee taught or published without the detriment of the Apostolike sea. Then as touching Athanasius, whom you bring in to make a greeuous cōplaint against the Arrians, for corrupting the first Nicene councell, we know indeede that you made him to complaine, that the Arrians burnt vp the canons of that councell, and destroied the copies therof: and this would you gladly let in to the perswasion of others, by this your smooth allegation therof. But the truth is, that after that once you had forged the Councell of Nice to speake to your purpose, and were taken in the manner by the Bishops of Affrike: then to salue vp this matter againe, you put an other forgerie thereunto, that such canons as you alleadged, might p. 52well inough hauehave appeared, had not the … burnt vp the copies, of which you make Ath… sius himselfe to complaine vntounto you. But this forgerie is so palpable, that many waies it be … it selfe: and by diuers of vsus it hath beene … so fully prooued vntounto you, that I neede not … againe to stand vppon it. So heere may you see the iust iudgements of God against you, and … how palpable blindnes nowe you are falne, … whereas you might hauehave brought many other Scriptures and Fathers to that purpose that you intended, that is, to shew that some are obst…sate, and statly refuse the manifest truth, and that heretikes hauehave corrupted diuers of the Fathers: yet notwithstanding must you light on these (and none others) that were so fit to bee applyed against your selues, and to bewray your owne … dealing in matters of forgerie, which so gladly you would fasten on vsus.

That he is made to speake like a good Minister of the Church of England.12 The particulars that you lay to my charge, are some of them the same in effect, that alreadie you hauehave doone in the generall charge going before, charging me with corrupting, mang…ing, and leauing out such things as stand to your humour but some others of them do varie therefro, & take an other course vntounto them. Of those that are to the same effect with the other, some of them doe but concerne your selfe: others the cause that you hauehave in hand. Concerning your selfe, you are greeued at this, that I make you to speake (as you say) after the phrase of Protestants, like a good Minister of p. 53England, and as one that had beene trained vp in Iohn Caluins schools. But as for your speech I meddle not with it as it is yours: you may speake as you list for mee. But if wee shall heare you in that which is good, you may not looke to be allowed such a maner of speech, as may depraue the thing it selfe, and bee offensiue to those that heare you. We know your meaning well inough, and the intent of him that raigneth in you, the prince of darken…e. By your good will, you would giuegive no credite nor estimation to any thing at all that is good but because that such a course were too ope…, therefore you can easily content your selues, sometimes to commend that which is good, so that you may do it in your corrupt manner, thereby to abolish the power of it. And in the processe of your booke we may indeed very well perceiue, that you care not howe you speake, so that you speake not like a good Minister of England: & thervpon belike you come in with your Hobdomndes, Dopositum, Pressures, Confide, and such like choosing rather, therby to seem to walke in the clowds than to go on the ground as they doe. But needes must there be a verie great desire to varie from others, where so harde opportunities are rather taken, than none at all. But what are those places wherein you find your selfe most greeued on this behalfe? Are they anie other but such, as wherein you would hauehave holpen out the credite of some corruption or errour of yours, vnderunder the name or title of others? Which if in this I hauehave not allowed p. 54you to do; hauehave I therfore made you to … as a Protestant, or one that was … Iohn Caluins schoole? HaueHave I at anie time forced … impugnanie one point of your own professione to affirmely of ours: You hauehave made your … but what hauehave you found? In what one … you alledged hauehave I offened that … My self did acknowlege what I had done, & … far I had gone for that matter & though I would not suffer you to speake here among vsus, … … you would; yet on the other side, neither did I vrge you to determine with … in these controuersies that were betwee…. And therfore you hauehave not truly said that in al place … conueniently I might I hauehave made you speak like a good Minister of England neither had. … anie time anie cause to hope that so good a worke might be wroght vponupon you. I onlie mended certain of your grossest phrases, wherin of … (but of purpose withall) you carrie foorth some … also but I would you knew it; that we shuld hold him for a ye…i… had Minister, in the Church of England, that hauing such …cc…siō to treat of … godlines as here you hauehave taken, should so much relie on bodily exercise, & wander so far fro…ble substance of that which you take in hande, and so weakely a…ow the truth as heere is doone. Againe, diuers of the matters that you handle, are so impertinently confirmed by the Scriptures, that you alledge (as partlie I noted before vntounto you) that wee should not holde him for a good p. 55Minister in our Church, that should apply them no better than so. One of your profession it might verie well become, but it were a shame for one of ours, to make no better account of the woorde of God, than to build such matter thereon as it neuer meant. And whereas you make so light account of Maister Caluin, that reuerend, and godlie, and learned Father, it is no newe thing vntounto vsus: wee knowe well inough, that because he beareth you downe so cleane as he doth, … none of you al, nor altogither, are able to resist the power & spirit that is in him, therfore do you guash your teeth vponupon him, & ease your stomaks with such reprochful & disdainful speeches, seing that learning & truth do both faile you to incoū ter with him. The examples that heereof you alledge are. The first was, that wheras you talked (as you say) of Catholike priests that heare confessione, I made you to say, men that be skilful to giuegive counsell. And true indeed, that whereas you had so framed your speech, as best might serue you to restraine the wife & comfortable handling, & right managing of a christian soule, only to those whom you vntruly cal catholike priests, & withall to establish that lewd deuise of your auricular confession, & to make it a sacramēt too: I on the other side (leauing those your contentious brablings) quietly exprest the matter you had in hand in such other tearms, as might sufficiently expresse the thing it selfe, & not leane to any of those corruptions neither. But as I forbare to name you; so may you see, that I p. 56tooke not the place to our selues. Though I … out that vnruly and disorderly companie of yours whome you would so faine commend vntounto vsus vnderunder the name of Catholike Priests (then the which they are nothing lesse:) yet did I not so fra… it, as that it might seeme to import none but our selues, by putting in the Ministers of the Gospell into their roomes; but left the description … indifferent to you (if so you could imploy yourselues) as I did vntounto vsus. This is the partialitie that heere I vsed: and the like might bee saide of both the others.