A Defense of English Writers and Preachers, Title page – To the reader
An Apologie, or Defence, of thoſe Engliſhe Writers & Preachers which Cerberus the three headed Dog of Hell, chargeth wyth falſe doctrine, vnderunder the name of Predeſtination.
Written by Robert Crowley Clerke, and Uicare of Sainct Giles without Creplegate in London.
Imprinted at London, in Paternoster Rowe, at the ſigne of the blacke boy, by Henry Binneman.
Anno. 1566. Octobris. 14.
¶ To the Reader.
BEing openlye defamed, in writing ſet abroade by one that hath no name: I ſuffered y• ſame, long time to delite himſelf in his own blindneſſe, and to boaſt himſelfe among hys ſecreto maintayners, being in y• meane while better occupied, thā in wreſtling with ſuche a one as is aſhamed to ſet his name to the booke he writeth, and cauſeth to be imprinted.
I thought that the writings of ſuch one, coulde not hauehave bene hurtfull to the eſtimation that I and others of my calling, ſhould of right hauehave among the true profeſſors of Gods Goſpell: bicauſe ſuch hauehave inough alredie in print, and in the Engliſh tong, to aunſwere all ſuch blind barking dogs as this is. But perceiuing that ſome men which profeſſe the Goſpell, will rather credit ſuch a Rayler, than take the paynes to reade that, wherin they might hauehave wherewith to be able to anſwere for vsus that are rayled vponupon, bycauſe the ſame was written, before thys Hell Dogge began to barke: I hauehave now written a ſhort Apologie, or defence of my ſelfe and others of my calling, whom this Hell hound doth ſo egerly barke at: willing the Chriſtian reader, to reade it with indifferent iudgement, neyther inclining to the one nor the other, till he hauehave read both. And bicauſe none ſhall hauehave cauſe to complaine: I hauehave ſet downe in writing all that this Dogge hath written, and then defēded that which he findeth fault withall, ſo that euerie matter hath it manifeſt defence ioyned vntounto it, that the Chriſtian Reader, may hauehave wherewithall to bring himſelfe out of doubt. And leaſt any ſhoulde be offended, for that I terme mine aduerſarie by ye name of Cerberus or Hell dogge: I wold all men ſhould conſider the cauſe. He hath takē vponupon him to reprehend the teachers of the truth, and thoſe, which are or ſhould be, the light of the worlde: and yet, as one that would not be called to an accompt of his doings, he hideth his name. Wherefore, I hauehave giuen him ſuche a name, as is méete for him: tyll he put hys name to that he writeth in the reproche and diſcredite of ſuch as feare not openly to teach the truth, and when they write it, to ſubſcribe their names to the ſame. When this Hel hound therefore ſhall ſet his name to his booke: I will vſe none other name but that which by his owne writing ſhal appeare to be his. In the meane while, let him & his friends be contented that he beare ſuch a name, as hys doings do deſerue. Cerberus as ye Poets do faine, is a Dogge with thrée heades, which watcheth Hell gates, whoſe barking is horrible, for he barketh with chrée mouthes, and his haires are ſnakes. His name by interpretation doth ſignifie a deuourer of bodies. Wherefore, it is not a name vile inough for this Hel dogge, whoſe propertie is to deuour ſoules, and the good names of ſuch as he is not able to accuſe of any crime. And wyth his barking he goeth not about to trouble the Kingdome of Hel (as Cerberus did) but the Kingdome of Heauen, which is the Church of Chriſt, which by faith in Chriſt, is aſſured of hir eternall Predeſtination to euerlaſting glorie after this life, and in this life to deliueraunce from all euill. Of which comfort this Cerberus laboureth by his barking to ſpoile hir: as ſhall more plainely appeare in the Apologie of thoſe, whom he ſeketh by his barking to daſh out of coū tenance.
But leaſt I ſhould trouble thée Chriſtiā Reader, with ouer manie wordes before the matter: I ceaſſe to write any more. Farewel in Chriſt Ieſus. And pray to God for the preſence of his holie ſpirite, to leade thée in the reading of this Apologie. Amen. Finiſhed the firſt of March Anno. 1565.
Roman. 8.
Thoſe whom God knew before: them hath he predeſtinated to be made like vntounto the Image of his ſonne, that he might be the eldeſt among many brethren.