Dialogue Between a Soldier and a Chaplain, Letter
¶ Miles Monopodios the Souldiour, to his Capitayne Cornelius Theophilus.
THERE be great controuerſies here abroade (God turne them to good) about the displacing of godly Preachers. VponUpon the which occaſion, I (falling in talke with Bernarde myne olde fellowe ſouldiour, who is nowe a Lordes Chaplaine) thought it at the firste lawfull, as Horace teacheth: Ridentem dicere verum: with myrth to hauehave paſſed ouer this lamentable matter, and ſo to hauehave made, but a light skirmiſhe. But when I was once entred, our communication waxed more earnest, and there followed ſome bitter wordes. Afterwarde we had ſuch argumentes, that Sir Bernarde was almoſt readie to forſake his benefice, as a great ſorte of that order would doo, if they knewe where to finde ſo eaſie liuinges: they are ſo despiſed of all the worlde, and ſome of them ſo troubled in conſcience. I ſende you the whole diſcourſe, ſomething (I graunt) enlarged: publiſhe it, if you pleaſe. For whoſoeuer other men thincke lightlie of it, this displacing of Chriſtes true Ministers, for Popiſhe traſhe, doeth ſo grieue me at the harte, that I can not but ſpeak againſt it. And ſo would I hauehave all men to doo, that are touched with anie godly zeale: ſo ſhal we not be guiltie of other mens faultes, thorow our ſilence.
So long as the Parliament indured, wee all had hope of amendement, and kept ſilence: but nowe that it is ended, and all hope of man is past, we must turne to God by prayer, and that which we can do by wordes and by writing, let vsus do it. Let vsus not ceaſſe to fight against the remmanauntes of the Romane Antichrist, and to labour to breake downe and aboliſhe (if it be poſſible) all his enſignes. For it is of neceſſitie, that his lawes ſhould ceaſe, ſeeing his blasphemous priesthoode is renounced. Let vsus do our diligence in driuing away all Popiſhe traſhe, and leaue the ſucceſſe vntounto God. Our fathers hauehave fought the bloodie battle, and ſome of our owne brethren do fight againſt vsus. Howebeit, we are yet but in a light combate: more is to be feared, Let vsus reſiſte the beginnings.
In this Dialogue that I ſende vntounto you, if I do ſeeme ſometimes pleaſaunt, knowe that it is not, without ſome bitternes of minde, as had the Prophetes, when they had to do with halters & neutrals: whoſe fooliſhnes being counted great wiſedome in the worlde, they did thus deride. If I ſeeme to angrie, and to whote and earneſt, conſider that it is not in myne owne cauſe or quarell, but in Gods cauſe, in the cauſe of his ſeruauntes, in the common cauſe of this whole Church of Englande: For which, howe can we be to much carefull, earneſt, and zealous? And I do thinke aſſuredlie, that God doth call vsus all by this controuerſie, to a reckoning, for our cold and careleſſe trifling in Religion: by the which Atheiſme, Papiſme, and Lutheraniſme, ſtriue against vsus fainte ſouldiours, hoping for the victorie. Therefore whom the Lorde findeth, neither colde nor whote, he will ſurelie vomit out. He that is not with me, is againſt me, doeth he ſay. But happie ſhall he be, that fighteth manfully vnderunder his Captaine Chriſt, againſt the patched Antichriſt: whoſe dregges who ſoeuer drincketh, he is incountinently druncken therewith, be it little, be it much that he taſteth: as we may ſee, by the Lordlie Biſhoppes, who nowe for the dregges and patches of Poperie, despiſe their fellow ministers: and perſecute thoſe ſame perſons, whom of late they loued as brethren, and bare Chriſtes croſſe with them, in the late perſecutions.
But if this Poperie continewe, they wilbe younge Popes doubtleſſe, and poperie it ſelf will growe vp againe: The wounde of the firſt beaſt wilbe healed in that, that the ſeconde ſhall doo the ſame things, which the firſte hath done. Therefore, let all good men labour all that they can, to plucke vp theſe wicked weedes of Poperie, the remmenauntes of ſuperſtition and Idolatrie. For Chriſtes garden can neuer bee purged cleane inough from ſuch poyſon. For if anie little twiſte, of Antichriſtes inuentions bee lefte, the bodie will growe afterwarde. It did ſo creepe vp at the beginning, like a little Iuie ſtalke, eating out the hartes of the great Oakes, Kings and Emperours, and deſtroyed the Chriſtian congregations.
We Chriſtians are commaunded to abſteyne from al ſhewe of euil: and we are ſtraitlie charged, to hauehave no parte with the whore of Babylon: neither to hauehave anie fellowſhippe with the fruitleſſe workes of darkneſſe, but to reprooue them. And if they will not do ſo, which will be counted the Paſtours, the Doctours, and leaders of the flocke, God can and will rayſe vp others, to pitie his cauſe, and to purge his Temple: as he hath done many times heretofore. For in the cleare light of the Gospell, God will hauehave Biſhoppes or Miniſters, that ſhalbe diſcerned from the people, by doctrine and conuerſation, and not by garmentes of ſtraunge faſhion. The people are nowe to be inſtructed, and no longer with ragges to be mocked. Neither muſt a Prieſt of clowtes any longer be ſet before their eyes: but the meſſengers of God muſt be ſought, to powre Gods worde into their harts: the courſe wherof, whoſoeuer ſtoppeth or hindereth, hee ſhall beare his iudgement what ſoeuer he be. Playe you therefore the parte of Cornelius, as you hauehave done heretofore. Call your ſeruauntes and ſouldiours to the knowledge of Christes Gospel. Cheariſhe the true Preachers, of whome this worlde is vnworthie: and though they ſhould be murdered, as they are nowe robbed and impriſoned, yet let vsus with honor burie their bodies, as Ioſeph did their Maiſters.
From LONDON, The x of May, 1566. Miles your olde Seruaunt.
A pleaſaunt Dialogue conteining a large diſcourſe betweene a Souldier of Barwick, and an Engliſh Chaplain, who of a late ſouldier, was made a Parſon, and had gotten a pluralitie of Benefices, and yet had but one eye, and no learning: but he was prieſtly apparailed in al points, and ſtoutely maintained his popiſh attire, by the authoritie of a booke, lately written againſt London Miniſters.
This Dialogue was written almoſt ſeuen yeares ago, but becauſe there was hope of reformation ſoone after, therefore was it of charitie by the writer ſuppreſſed. But now that no hope remayneth, it is thought good that the follie of the perſecutors bee made knowne vntounto all, that will ſee it, or read it.
The Speakers.
Miles Monopodios the Souldior, lame of one foote.
Sir Bernarde Blynkarde, a formall Prieſt, and a Lords Chaplaine.