The Baiting of the Pope_s Bull, To the reader
To the Reader.
CHriſtian Readers, Lo here I invite you all to a ſolemn Bullbaiting. But me thinks ſome already begin to quarrell me (as is not vnuſuall at ſuch like exerciſes) for that they ſee no ſuch Bull, as the Baiting importeth; the Title ſeeming improper for the Booke; as if I meant to feed the ſpectators with the vaine expectation of ſome New Engliſh ioy. Indeede I muſt in ſome ſort acknowledge mine errour, which I hope will not be made the greater, if I ſhall ingenuouſly confeſſe it to be purpoſly committed. I imagined with my ſelfe (onelyonly I craue pardon, if I thought amiſſe) that we lived in a dull age, which is hardly moved with the conſideration of ſerious matters, ſuch as moſt concerne either our owne particular, or much leſſe the generall good; when not the Drummes orderly beaten, and Trumpetes, yealding a certaine ſound, yet will eaſily awaken, or prepare vsus for the warre; while not even the Siluer Trumpets ſounding from Heauen in the mouthes of divine Heralds, prevaile any more with the moſt, then as a pleaſant Song, affecting the eare for the preſent, but not the heart, for afterwards, each running after his covetouſnes, or ambition, or voluptuouſnes, or ſome darling Idol-ſinne; and for as much as matters of controverſie (not in Law-ſuits at Weſtminſter Hall, but) about the Title of our eternall Inheritance, are ſtrongly cryed downe of many, as perturbers of States, moſt men, out of a naturall laſineſſe, loathing to hauehave their witts exerciſed with a radicall & ſound knowledge, their ſtomacks being too queaſie to digeſt ſuch ſtrong and wholeſome meates, preferring the Aegyptian onYons before the hony of Canaan, and willing to fall a ſleepe, are taken napping in a deepe apoſtacy from the truth: I thought therefore, that if I ſhould hauehave publiſhed this little Booke (though great in Bulke, if weighed, rather then numbred) vnderunder ſome plaine and vulgar Title, as, An anſwere to the Popes Breeue; or the like: I might perhaps hauehave had as few Readers of it, as hearers of a Sermon, eſpecially, when the Authors name ſhould be found to be H. B. Herein therefore, I thought good to imitate a certaine Father (mentioned by Caſſianus, Caſſianus lib. 5. cap. 31. Dialog. lib. 2. cap. 1.and quoted by Sir Thomas More in his Dialogue of comfort against Tribulation) who ſpeaking of heaven and heavenly things ſo celeſtially, that much of his audience with the ſweete ſound thereof, began to forget all the world, and fell faſt a ſleepes the good Father diſſembling their ſleeping, and ſuddenly telling them a lowd, I ſhall tell you a merrie tale: at this, they lifted up their heads, and harkensd after that; and ſo their ſleep being broaken, he continued on his ſpeech of the Ioyes of heauen; and thus were they reproved. Nor is this Papall Bull, or Breeue, altogether vnlike our Engliſh Bulls. For firſt, it is the Character of the Beaſt Renel. 13. Beſides, it comes bellowing in, like a fierce and mad Bull, with a Board over the eyes and hornes, betokening his madneſſe, but pretending no great harme; ſo full it is of Romiſh equivocations, and Papall diſſimulations, meaning moſt miſchiefe, when it is moſt diſſembled.
Another ſnaps at me on the other ſide, that ſuch a poore Curre ſhould dare ſo much as to barke at ſuch a Bull, as being ſent from ſo great a Potentate, as the Pope; much leſſe ſo preſumptuouſly to giuegive an affront vntounto it: ſith ſuch high attempts are for the ſtouteſt and ſtrongeſt*Moloſſus, is a Maſtiue dogg. Moloſſs in this famous Iſſe. But I anſwere, that even the poore dogg of the flocke, eſpying the Woulfe approaching, may and ought to barke, yea and pinch him too, if he can, the while his Lord and Maſter is faſt a ſleepe in his Tent. And we know, that when but one ſmall contemptuous Curre, ſmelling a thiefe, falls a barking, though he can doe little elſe, yet thus may he provoke all the Doggs and Maſtiues in the towne with eagerneſſe even to breake their collart to run to the reſcue. I am indeede but a poore dogg of the flocke, in compariſon, but ſacred, one among many, appointed to keep watch over the Capit…l and Tower of Sion. Should I therefore be a dumbe dog, ſuch as the*Eſai. 58. 10, 11. Prophet reproveth, not to barke it danger? Or a daſtardly Curre, which ſnaped, dare not barke for feare of ſtrokes? Or a lawning ſpanolizing Spaniell, ſilenced with a fatt morſell, or a little ſpettle? Or an Iriſh mongrell, or Engliſh, if ye will, that will not adventure his hide, but ever on the ſtronger, not with the Iuſter ſide? Or a maddrageing Curre, that without difference barkes at all, as well the true man as the thief? Worthy, if not (as the old heathen Romaines ſerved ſuch fooliſh dogs) to hauehave his leggs broken, yet at leaſt to be well baſted for his paines, as whoſe dulneſſe hath beene no better diſciplined, to put more difference betweene England and Rome.
Another yet pincheth me. And why? Hee knoweth not well, except it be for making ſo many, ſo voluminous Epiſtles before ſuch a poore Pamphlett, as this. And is it altogether without reaſon? At ſo famous a Bull-baiting, had wee not need to make large, and well mounted Scaffolds, wherein all ſorts of perſons may both the more eaſily, and ſafely behold it, having eſpecially to deale with ſuch a madd Bull, as a thouſand to one, but he will breake looſſe, and make havocke, if hee be not the more ſtrongly tyed, or the more cautelouſly avoyded?
But why doe I thus ſeeke a knott in a Bulruſh? Is there any doubt, but that launching out my Bark into ſuch a turbulent ſea, I ſhould ſo much the more expoſe my ſelfe, and expect on all ſides to bee incountred with violent ſtormes? And ſo much the rather, while I carry a Ionas with me, being my ſelfe a man, whom God hath humbled into the very bottome of Temptations, the very belly of Hell? But bleſſed be his Name, though he hath chaftened mee ſore, yet he hath not giuen me over vntounto death. Though hee hath expoſed me to contempt without, to my humiliation: yet he hath left me abundant cauſe of comfort within, to my contentation, He hath ſent the meſſengers of Satan to buffet me: but he hath not denied me his ſufficient Grace, to perfect his ſtrength in my weaknes. He hath of very faithfulneſſe cauſed to be tronbled. Hee is the wiſe husbandman, … to ſpread doung vponupon the face of the naturally barren ſoyle, to make it the more fruitfull. He is the wiſe Phiſician, that ſpareth not by ſharpe Corroſiues to eat out the dead fleſh or carnall ſloth and ſecurity in his Patitrus. Hee is the wiſe Pilot, that can make vſe of baſer earth for … to pieze the veſſell wherein the leaſt pearle of grace is ſtowed, leaſt it might bee in danger to bee over throwne with the guſts of popular applawſe, filling the ſayles of vaine glory. Hee is the wiſe Howſe-keeper, that knowes to preſerue his Prouiſion from putrifaction, by ſowcing it in briniſh pickle. Hee is both a juſt and mercifull wiſe Iudge, who can deliver vp his ſervants ſo to bee condemned of the world, … they may not come to bee Condemned with the world. And as for me, wherein the world can for the leaſt cawſe moſt ſeuerely condemne me juſtly: my beſt apology ſhalbe, that I doe infinitely more condemne my ſelfe. And if through my expoſing myſelfe to malice, by taking vp ſuch a … quarrell as this, I ſhall exaſperate the tongue of detraction to ſucke the pure bloud of my innocency: I know it ſhall in the end but lick whole the ſacrified ſore, which malignant teeth hauehave envenomed. And if it ſhould ſtand betweene Gods glory, and mine ignominy, that the one muſt ſuffer: I chooſe much rather, by running on my Chriſtian courſe, to provoke all the Froggs of Egypt to diue into the bottome of my whole liues rivulet, there to rayſe what mud they find to the blundering of the ſtreame of my good name in Chriſt: then by my ſilence (becomming as a ſtagne or pond, not ſtirring, for feare of diſcovering mine owne filth, which would be contracted in more abundance, through baſe and imbellious ſloth) to betray Gods truth and glory to reproch. And God forbid, but if in any thing, (as in many things I am, and hauehave beene too prone) I hauehave offended my God or my brother, that therefore I ſhould feare to ſtand vp (though moſt vnworthy) in Gods cawſes yea rather am I not ſo much the more bound (his mercy and grace not fayling me) to ſtriue to honour God, by how much I hauehave through ſupine negligence any way diſhonoured him? But if the heretick hauehave ought to ſay, let him heare Tertullian: Eximat et de ocule ſuo trabem Haereticus, tunc in oculo Chriſtiani, ſi quam putat ſtipulam, revincat.
But why doe I all this while hold you, in ſuſpenſe? Convert your eyes to the danger before you, threatned by the Popes Bull or Breeue. Therein yee may behold the great Antichriſt, arming his Catholicke ſonnes (as hee calls them) againſt their Souerains Prince. My hope and prayer is, that none of them will bee ſo ſenſeleſſe, as forgetting themſelues to be not onelyonly Rationall Creatures, but Engliſh-men, they will be led with the voyce of that myſticall Beaſt (the*The Hiena, a moſt ſubtile Beaſt, like a Wolfe, with a Mane like a horſe, which by nightcommeth to the ſimple Shepherds Tents, where counterfeiting mans voyce, & by liſtening learning the Shepherds name calls him forth, & ſo deuoures him Pliny. A right Embleme of the Pope. See Reu. 9. 8. Hiena of Rome, which by a counterfet ſpeech, deceiueth and devoureth thoſe that belieue him) to betray theyr King and Countrey to the Romiſh and Spaniſh yoakes. Much more am I aſſured, that all true Proteſtant ſubiects, will now rowſe vp themſelues to double the Fil…s of their loyall affection and fidelity to theyr Prince and Countrey, teſtified, as in all due reſpects, ſo eſpecially both by Miniſters and People in the publicke aſſemblies in ſervent prayer, as alſo by every private family apart in faſting and humiliation, for the life and welfare of our gratious King, this Church and ſtate, and of the Churches of Chriſt in all Chriſtendome, vntil it ſhall pleaſe God and the King to appoint a generall Faſt over the whole land. For great is the confidence of Antichriſt, and his Adherents at this preſent, whatſoever the miſchiefe is, cloſſely intimated in this Breeue. But we know, that all the confidence of Antichriſt, is but an Egyptian Reed; onelyonly our ſafety and ſecurity is to cleaue faſt vntounto our God by faith, to renue our Covenant with him by holy vowes of reformation & better obedience, & to make good the ſame by bringing forth the fruits therof: that ſo making our peace with God▪ Zeph. 2. 1.before the Decree bring forth, we may not only prevent the evils which our enemies intend vsus, and which our crying ſins threaten to pull vponupon vsus, but alſo procure & retain Gods incomparable mercies & bleſſings vponupon vsus, & our Poſterity, vntil the comming of Ieſus Chriſt, Euen ſo, Come Lord Ieſus. Amen.
Thine in the ſame Lord Ieſus: H. B.