A Dialogue Between a Papist and Protestant, Title page – Dedication
A Dialogue bewteene a Papiſt and Proteſtant, applied to the capacity of the vnlearned.
Made by G. Gifford, Preacher in the Towne of Maldon.
Seene and allowed according to the order appointed.
Imprinted at London, by Richard Field, and Felix Kingſtone. 1599.
To the right Honorable and his very good Lord, Thomas Earle of Suſſex, Vicount Fitzwater, and Lord Egremont, and Burnell, Knight of the moſt Honorable order of the Garter, Captaine of all the Queenes Ma. Gentlemen Pencioners, & Gentlemen at armes: Chiefe Iuſtice & Iuſtice in Oyer of all her Ma. Forreſts, Parkes, Chaſes, & warrens by South Trent: and L. Chamberlaine to her Highneſſe, grace & peace in our Sauiour Chriſt.
MAny in theſe dayes, with great learning, hauehave encountred the Papiſts, & ſtrongly confuted their errours: It may be maruelled therefore, what ſhould make me ſo bold as to attempt any ſuch matter, after ſo great clearkes, being farre vnable to come nigh that which they hauehave attayned. I anſwere in mine owne defence, that my trauell is not to this ende, as though I would make pretence of equall learning with thoſe: but rather to put the ſtone and ſling into the hands of litle Dauid, to conquer great Goliah withall, when as he is not able to weld the weighty armour of Saul. The battell is hot & fierce eueryevery where, betweene Iſraell & the vncircumciſed Philiſtines. Great armor & weapons are prepared for the ſouldiers wherewith to arme and defend themſelues: yet for the moſt part, not ſuch as do fit young Dauid. For whereas ſundry men of fame hauehave ſhewed deepe skill, in ſetting foorth their bookes to confute the Papiſts, full of learning out of the ancient Doctors, Councels, Hyſtoriographers and others: it doth not ſo well ſerue the turne of the ſimple vnlearned man, neither can he defend himſelfe therewith, becauſe it is beyond his reach. This is the thing which hath moued me to write ſomewhat of theſe matters: applying my ſelfe to the capacitie of the vnlearned, dealing onelyonly out of the word of God, which lyeth open vntounto them as their Armorie. This alſo hath cauſed me to deale in thoſe points which do moſt commonly trouble them, omitting the great points in controuerſie: perſwaded that I performe a duty therein. For like as when an houſe is on fire, the weake which is not able to throw a bucket of water to the top of the roofe, may yet by no meanes be excuſed, if he ſtand and looke on: becauſe he may do ſomewhat in the lower parts of the walles: Euen ſo I thinke my ſelfe not diſcharged, for this, that I am not of ability for to ſet foorth any thing, which may reach ſo high as to encounter with the principall aduerſaries, and to further the learned: ſeeing I may profit the ſimpler ſort, for whoſe ſakes, and in reſpect of whom, I hauehave taken this trauel. I preſent this ſimple and poore treatiſe vntounto your honor, not as though I did eſteeme it worthy to beare the name and title of ſo noble, ſo honorable, and ſo great a perſonage, and of ſo high eſtate. But onelyonly (hauing no other way or meane) to ſignifie and ſhew forth a thankfull mind, for that great ayde and honourable aſſiſtance which I hauehave receiued from your Lordſhip, in the furtherance and maintenance of the Goſpell. It hath pleaſed the God of heauen, the Lord of the whole earth, to appoint me being very weake to build in the deſolate places, and to ſpreade the light of his glorious Goſpell, euen there, where it appeareth by the abundance of iniquity that of long time Satan hath had his throne. How vnwilling he is to be diſplaced, and to giuegive ouer the roome vntounto Chriſt, may euidently appeare, euen by this, that he ſtirreth vp his warriers, which like wild Bores would roote vp all that may be planted, which with malicious intent, and ſubtill craft, conſpire what miſchiefe ſoeuer they can, thruſting forth their bold inſtrument, which with an iron face, is ſo hardy that he dare attempt any thing; which could no way be danted in his venturous attempts, nor their furie qualified, vntill ſuch time as he was fallen into the hands of your honour, to come to his account for his manifold miſdemeanours, and to receiue ſome wages for his trauell. I truſt therefore your honour will thinke the beſt of this my boldneſſe, conſidering it is what I am able. If I could in more ample manner teſtifie my good will, & in any ſort to be thankfull, agreeable vntounto that which of duty I owe for your great kindneſſe, then would I be glad. But I leaue the full recompence vntounto him who is able indeede to reward whatſoeuer is done for his name ſake, & for the defence of his Goſpell, and ſuccour of his litle flocke, which is alwayes compaſſed about with ſo many enemies, that they are able to deuour and eat it vp, and yet their bellies no whit the fuller. Some do wonder how it ſhould come to paſſe, that among vsus there ſhould be ſo many, which being borne ſince the Goſpell was reſtored in this land, are ſo zealouſly addicted vntounto Popery, which they neuer did know: and ſo vtter enemies vntounto the Goſpell, which they heare: but if they weigh the cauſes of this deadly miſchiefe, they will ceaſe wondring at that, and rather wonder, that there be no more. For how can it be, ſo long as there be ſo many abuſes in the miniſtery, but that many ſhal ſtumble and loth the Goſpell: for from thence, as it is manifeſt, the chiefe cauſe of this euill doth ſpring. True it is, that our miniſtery, doth fight againſt them, but yet in ſuch ſort, that it doth greatly increaſe them, ſeeming and pretending to tread vponupon thoſe cockatrice egges, for to breake them, and ſo to deſtroy vtterly the viperous generation, when as indeed, they ſit vponupon them, and ſo hatch the broodes of this euill kind, and bring them forth in great plentie. For behold a number cry out againſt Popery, and proclaime vtter defiance in ſpeech, but their doings are ſuch, that for eueryevery one which they conuert to the Goſpell, they cauſe an hundred to reuolt, to be hardned in their errours, or fall into flat Atheiſme: while many cōtrary to the profeſſion which they made when they entred, ſetting aſide the care of ſoules, not eſteeming, nor regarding what become of them, ſtudie moſt how to clime high, & to ſatisfie their ambitious deſire of honor: raking together liuings, couetouſly & greedily: not caring who feede the flocke, ſo they may come by the fleece. Moreouer, the doore hath bene opened alſo to let into the Church, a rowte and ſwarme of ſuch as are more like the prieſts of Ieroboam then miniſters of the Goſpell, not onelyonly vnlearned Idols, which hauehave mouthes and ſpeake not, which being weary of their occupations and couet to liue eaſily, & to that end are entred, but alſo riotous dicers, gamſters, quaffers, quarrellers, adulterers and ſuch like. If the matter were ſecret, I ſhould do amiſſe to make it manifeſt, but when as it is open in the ſight & view of all men, who can complaine iuſtly, when it is ſpoken of? The Lord put into the hart of our gouernours to redreſſe it. The ſame Lord heape his graces vponupon your Lordſhip, with increaſe of honor in his world, and euerlaſting life in the world to come Amen.
Your Honours moſt humble to command. GEORGE GIFFORD.