A Brief Answer, Title page – To the reader
A Briefe Answer, vntounto those idle and friuolous quarrels of R. P. against the late edition of the RESOLVTION: By Edmund Bunny.
Wherunto are praefixed the booke of Resolution, and the treatise of Pacification, perused and noted in the margent, on all such places as are misliked of R. P. shewing in what Section of this Answer following, those places are handled.
PSALM. 120. 7. I labour for peace: but when to that ende I speake vntounto them, they prepare themselues vntounto warre.
AT LONDON, Printed by Iohn Charlewood, Anno. Dom. 1589.
The Praeface to the Reader.
GENTLE Reader,The occasion of this myne Answer. I am nowe to craue this fauour of thee, that I may be so bolde, as to present thee with such an argument, as of the verie nature of it, is not so welcome to those that are of a quiet and peaceable disposition: such also as my selfe do so little like of, that neuer yet did I medle therewith of myne onwe accord: hauing otherwise business enough, in another kind, that is sufficient to occupie me. Howbeit, it is needefull also, that the aduersarie be answered, and that the weakenes of their allegations (which otherwise might seeme to be strong) be euer discouered, that others be not shaken thereby. And seeing that I am nowe by this occasion drawne forth to this kind of argument, and withall hauehave left me good store of matter to goe against, I could do no lesse then to answer my call in this kind also. The matter is this. A few yeeres since I somewhat purged, and afterwarde published (as it is sufficiently known vntounto manie) the Booke of Resolution: the rather to prouoke those discontented countrimen of ours, to gather themselues to more moderate waies, and to better agreement in the cause of Religion: as in my Praeface I had noted before. To which end also I was not so curious in purging of it, but willinglie left whatsoeuer I thought might tollerably stand: and somewhat further to induce them also, I adioyned thereunto an other little Treatise tending to Pacification. Since which time the same R. P. that had set it foorth so corruptly before, hath not only set it forth so again: but also hath much increased it, with those common fragments of their moth-eaten Poperie: & with some other both discourses & vagaries besides. Howbeit, he hath altered the title, and hath framed another so grosly vntounto it, that of whom soeuer he borrowed the best part of the former: yet may you be sure that the title of this latter Booke is his, without any question: For beeing weary of the former title, that made the whole matter no more but a Christian exercise (as in deede, beeing purged, it might rightly be termed so) vponupon a smal occasion he iustleth that aside, out of the way: & being very impotently caried with a Pharifaiacall zeale, to aduance the righteousnes of workes, against the suffering and merits of Christ, hee must needs hauehave this Christian Exercise in the way of godlines, to be a Directorie, guiding men vntounto saluation, and yet Christian too: as though Christ had come downes from heauen, to teache vsus to seeke our saluation (at least in part) in our own righteousnes: & not only in his death and merits, without any thing els to be mingled withall, in that account. The additions also that he hath put therunto, doe seldome answer the former platforme: some, of argument good enough in themselues, but not so fitly agreeing to the matter that hee had in hand: others, that draw neerer to the matter that was to be handled, but weake in themselues, and in many places to so little purpose, that he doth nought els oftimes but fetch certain idle careers about it. A booke that was much (vntil they had seene it) desired of many, vponupon the hope that by the former was conceaued of it: but once being had, so little answering their expectation, that accordingly it findeth (euen among the most of themselues) but smal estimation: & being so corrupt a thing as it is, & almost as incorrigible as the Ma. himself, I mean not to wast my labor about it.
In the Praeface of which booke,That the Aduersaries hauehave it their common maner to make much a doe about nothing. & in certaine of his Annotations theron, he much inueigheth against me, and it passing angry for medling so far as I did with the former. But it is vponupon so litle ground, & to so little purpose withal, that for a time I could in no wise perswade my selfe, that it were any better then lost labor, to make him answer: both because the matter it selfe was of no importance, that he laid to my charge, but in al places (to speake of) answereth it selfe: and because the booke likewise was of smal account, nor had, but of few of their own fauorites: & among them also could litle be suffered to come abroad. But yet one other respect there is, wherein at length I was perswaded to make him answer. For it is not vnknown (almost vntounto any, in these daies of ours) what greeuous complaints they make against vsus, howe boldly and resolutly they cleere themselues, and charge vsus, almost in all thinges that goe betwixt vsus: as plainly appeareth in their Rhemes Testament for altogether: & in their seueral writings besides, for eueryevery one a part by themselues. Wherein it is a world to see, with what faces & boldnes of speech they auowe, those foolish & wicked doctrines of theirs (that without question are only Romish and most schismatical, yet notwithstanding) to be very Catholike: & the truth of Iesus Christ, as it was by himself, & by his Apostles deliuered vntounto vsus, to be no better then plain heresie: and, for those wicked practises that of late they hauehave so busily imployed themselues about, how some of them deny those things that were as cleere as the light of the sunne, others iustifie those that are most wicked & trecherous in the highest degree: and, when some of them are punished for those their demerits, & yet but in very moderate maner, and but so farre as vrgent necessity required neyther, yet notwithstanding they cry out of such persecution as neuer was heard of. Which writings of theirs what man can read (that is not before acquainted with their maner of dealing) but that needs he must yeeld some credit vntounto them? although he can think that all is not true: yet so bold speeches as those, must needs breed a perswasion with some, that there is some great cause that so they complain: or at least somwhat there is wherein they are iniured. So that when as now they find by experience, they are not able by learning to shew it to those, that can examine their speeches by learning: the next that remaineth is, by out-facing & boldnes of speech to retain such credit as they are able in the harts of those, that they know will examine nothing they say, & yet neuertheles beleeue that it is as true as the Gospel. Now that they see, that there is no place for the Kingdom of the Beast in the harts of those that examin all things by the word of GOD before they beleeue them: what other way is left vntounto them, but to establish his throne only in such, as wil beleeue whatsoeuer they say, & neuer make any question of it?
This aduersarie of mine to folowe the same course likewise.Of which kind of out-facers & liberal speakers because this aduersary of mine is one (and so doth shew himself very plainly, in this which he hath doone against me) although the matters be not great, that in this priuate quarel of his do lie betwixt vsus, yet because it may serue well inough, to shew their maner of dealing in such quarrels as they vse against vsus, I saw no cause to refuse the occasion that himself hath offered, and so to put him in mind of his doings therin, that others also may so much the better see, what to think of the lauish speeches, high wordes, and great out-cries of him and his fellowes for these matters. And the more angry that he and his fellowes do now shew themselus to be, and the more impatiently that they do, whatsoeuer they doe, the plainlier do they bewray themselues vntounto those, that can rightly decypher whence it proceedeth: that is, from an euill & a desperate cause. Leesers, I grant, are by common prouerbe allowed to hauehave their words: yet when they are so very impatient, & that for the veriest trifles that are, it is a faire and likely coniecture, both that their wine in spent already, when as now they draw forth nothing but lees: and that they hauehave but smal store of breade, when as they eate Akorns so fast & hungerly as they doe.
Which that thou maist the better perceaue in this aduersary of mine,In what maner this my answer in framed vntounto him. & in this quarel which he hath taken vp against me, I hauehave made him this answer that now I do present vntounto thee: it may be, not in so large and ample maner as some would require, but (I trust) both sufficient to note the matter aforesaid, & strong inough for mine own defence in those my doings. The controuersies of purpose I hauehave euer auoided (I meane for any set Treatice of them, but only so far as did appertain vntounto mine own needful defence) both because I am wel eased already therof by many, that can dyscusse them much better then I: and for that the partie himselfe, that of purpose doth still enterlace them with other matters, yet himselfe will neuer seeme to hauehave it his purpose to medle with them. And yet in truth, it seemeth to be the only cause, why he woulde seeme so to deale in matters of godlines: that so, wher as otherwise by learning himselfe dooth know, that he could neuer be able: yet vnderunder pretence of treating but only of godlines of life, he might win some credite to those popish errors, that hetherto for their pompe and bellies they hauehave sought to defend. And therfore lesse maruell, that he was so maruelous angry, that I wiped out those his popish coruptions out of the former booke so much as I did: because it crossed his secrete purpose, & did not suffer him so quietly to enioy that silly help, that now he thought meetest, whereby to let in their naughty errors. Insomuch that heerby they teach vsus to beware of their Poperie, not only in such bookes of theirs, as wherein they professe to treat of those matters: but in the residue to, wherein they would in no wise seeme to medle with them, but for to treat of godlines only. And to the end that thou mightest the better perceaue, what are those places wherin he findeth himselfe so much greeued, for this cause I hauehave praefixed those bookes againe before this myne answer: and in the margent of those places against which he inueigheth, hauehave noted vntounto thee, in what part or Section of this myne Answer I hauehave treated therof. That so thou mayst the more readily find, both what grounds he hath taken of this his quarell: and how weake they are to beare the burthen that theron he hath layd. This is the effect of my Answer vntounto him: which also thou hadst had the last Sommer, but that the Printer (after that it was deliuered into his hands) desired, for one matter therunto appertaining, a further respite. But I trust that now also it commeth not out of season: and such as it is that do I now commend to thy fauorable censure & interpretation, and so bid thee hartily wel to fare in Iesus Christ. From Bolton-Percy in the auncienty of Yorke.
1589. Edm. Bunny.