A learned EPISTLE OF M. JOHN FRASER: BACHLER OF DIVINITY TO THE MINISTERS OF GREAT BRITTANY. Wherein he showeth that no man ought to subscribe to their confession of faith. And that their presumed authority to excommunicate any man, especially Catholics, is vain and foolish.  
Permissu Superiorum.  
1605.   

TO THE ●VRITAINE MINISTERS OF GREAT BRITTANY HIS COUNTRYMEN john Fraser wisheth upright mind toward both God and Prince.  
HEARING of your extraordinary dealing, according to the nature of your extraordinary calling, in outward show only 'gainst Catholic men, In very deed against o the God & Prince. I thought it my duty or the public good, to write some thing ouching that subject where by ye might nderstand how ye deceive yourselves, and buse others in that matter; which is this: ●e labour by all means to constrain men, ●ho at Catholic (for as to others men ye ● not very careful) to approve swear and ●bscribe your confession of faith; and in case they refuse, ye take upon you to excommunicate them. Wherefore with Gods grace we shall latt you see, that no honest man, true subject or good Christian with safe conscience, can approve swear or subscribe your foresaid confession: & that ye have no power at all to excommunicate any man: and although ye had, yet could ye not excommunicate Catholic men.  
2. As a plain dealer without further preface I will enter in the matter. Then to the first head, it is certain that whosoever will swear and subscribe your new confession, contrary to the duty of an honest man, putteth himself in hazard to be mensworne, and that in the very entry of his oath: for their be your words, if I rightly remember: we all and every one of us under written protest, that after long and due examination of our own consciences in matters of true and false religion, are now thoroughly resolved in the truth by the word and spirit of God. Many faults in few words, if men would long time, and duly examine them in their consciences before they approve, subscribe or swear them to be true: for first every man here answereth for his companion & fellow saying: we all & every one of us etc. where if any of the number hath spoken against the verity or his conscience, all the rest are liars. Nixt, what examination can be long in so weighty a matter? certainly not forty days, yea not forty years. When these things cometh in controversy we may well say without reprehension Deliberandum est diu, quod statuendum est semel. Thirdly, how can any man duly examine his conscience in matters of true and false religion, seeing that his conscience or judgement can not be a just square of religion, because it surmounteth all humane reason, & is comprehended only by faith, not of our own forging, but of God's free gift? or how can he duly judge upon true and false religion who never hath seen, heard, or read the reasons of all parties? For as a temporal judge, not without great reason, may be thought to judge very rashly, if he pronunce his sentence & decreet before he hear both the parties, not withstanding the matter be of small importance and value, and that he have judged according to the right, because he hath judged before he knew the ground of the matter, and so if he hath done well, it was more by hap then good reason. So the spiritual judge may be esteemed rash and foolish, if in matters of religion and faith he decreed any thing, except▪ all reasons be well discussed. wherefore he who would duly examine his conscience in matters of tr●w and fals● religion (seeing he takes upon him the charge & place of a judge) should with great discretion, quiet spirit & humble mind, without any passion try both the true & false, read all books touching that subject, weighing the reason diligently: because the profit is great to them that goeth right, and the danger likewise to them who goeth wrong. Now how the greater part of your swears and subscribers can do or execute this charge truly I see not, yea can not guess, seeing that a good number of yourselves, who are ministers, and should be best armed at destitute both of books and good learning. Certainly ye can not justly ask of gentlemen, or others of meaner degree making profession of arms or housbandry, that which, ye yourselves who do make profession of letters can not do: ye may easily judge that gentlemen and common people for lack both of learning and books can not duly, and for lack of time can not long and worthly examine their conscience in sic things their affairs ay hol●ing them occupied otherwise; meikilles to swear that they have done that, which neither have they done, nor could they do at any tyme. Albeit there were no other reason but this, yetafter my judgement, it were most just & sufficient for any man to refuse your subcription and swearing, and should move you not to urge men there to, except perhaps ye seek only their utter ruin and damnation, for doubtless they are mensworne who sweareth that to be true▪ which in their conscience they know to be false, or are not assured if it be true, of which nature are these things which are contained in your confession, seeing they proceed of men who are subject to error and false opinion, and so can give no good assurance, where upon men may establish their faith. Which cannot be certain and firm except it have an infallible ground and fondament free from all suspicion of error. I may with many weighty reasons prove that honesty could not stand with sic manners▪ and shall bring them if it be needful.  
3▪ For the second head it is ●ar against the duty of a true subject towards his Prince and liege lord, to whom he is obliged from the first moment of his birth to his last breath, wherefore can not give his band of manred, no● oath of fidelity to any other but with exception of his sovereign, which notwithstanding ye desire of your subscribers: for speaking of the word of God (for so ye call your interpretations) and doctrine of your reformed kirk, ye say thus, to the which we join ourselves willingly in doctrine, faith, religion, discipline and use of th' holy sacraments as lively members of the same in Christ our head, promising and swearing, by the Great name of the Lord, that we shall continue in the obedience of the doctrine and discipline of this kirk, and shall defend the same according to our vocation and power all the days of our lives, under the pains contained in the law, and danger both of body and soul, in the day of God's fearful judgement. There be here an absolute oath and without any exception, made to you and your reformed kirk, not only in matters of religion and doctrine, but also in government and discipline. It is not my intent at this present to examine the manifold absurdities of this new form of oath, in passing I say only, that it shallbe very hard to any of your swearers to behave him sel●e well with other protestant kicks, who are both in doctrine and discipline far different from you: shall he enter incontinent in defence of your reformation? shall he trouble all states where he doth come? Truly all men ha●e that opinion of your religion, that it bringeth every where seditions with it, as the most turbulent sect that ever yet was invented in our country. Ne long exempla petantur Betonio primi maduerunt sanguine muri. Or shall he following the maxim of your faith call all in doubt not withstanding of his oath, because ye are but men and may err, except ●e may give some good and sure reason, why ●e only say true, and all the rest of the world false, and that nothing can proceed out of your mouth, but verity: for your oath importeth no less with it. And certainly without that pretogative of assured verity bound to your heads and tongues, to astrict men to your doctrine and discipline form or reform by you, neglecting the authority of your reformed kirk in general, may seem somewhat against reason, and very preiudiciable to the Prince and common wealth. For by this oath all must depend upon you as upon the sovereign magistrate, the solemn oath & absolute promise being made in favour of your doctrine & discipline, which ye have in your hands and ministration. This may be easily seen by the oath made to the kings Majesty, or rather against him, which ye set down in this form. And because we perceive that the quietness and stability of our religion and kirk doth depend upon the safety, and good behaviour of the kings Majesty as upon a comfortable instrument of God's mercy granted to this country sor the maintaining of his kirk and ministration of justice among us. We protest and promise with our hearts under the same oath, handwrit, and pains, that we shall defend his person and Authority, with our geir, bodies, and lives, in the defence of Christ's evangel, liberty of our country ministration of justice, and punishment of iniquity, against all enemies within this realm or without, as we desire our God to be a strong and merciful defender to us in the day of our death, and coming of our lord jesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy spirit be all honour & glory eternally Ai●● Lat us consider the parts of this new oath. Because (say ye) we perceive that the quietness and stability of our religion and kirk doth depend upon the safety and good behaviour of the kings Maty? etc. Well begoune truly; that ye mistake not yourselves, ye lay down the cause why ye will do or at lest appear to do some service to his Majesty, as long as ye perceive things that please you, that is as long, as all things at done according to your fantasy, ye will be good and obedient subjects, or rather masters, seeing ye prescribe conditions to him who truly is your Master: and reasons why ye will bestow any thing upon him. What if any reformed imaginations take you, or some extraordinary zeal of your heavenly discipline trouble your brain, and make you perceive according to your passion (as drunken men doth see two candles where there is but one) any other thing in his Majesty? What if ye find not that good behaviour ye looketh for? Must he dress all his actions to your fantasies and good pleasure? will ye be censors and controllers of his doings if he use not your counsel and aduys●? If your perceiving of things to you agreeable be the ground & cause of your promise & protestation, how soon ye preceave in your fantasy the contrary, ye ought him nothing (I mean according to your opinion) sublata causa ●ollitur effectus if I serve you because ye nurish me, if ye cease to nourish me, I am no further obliged to serve you. what shall become here of your hearty promises and protestations when your sight shallbe changed? to what state shall the comen wealth be brought when your foolish affections show a rule to the kings Majesty and honourable con●ell to govern his realm? many things appears to us otherwise then they ar: and reasons being known, they are found good, that seemed ill before: we say commonly there should 
Artis ig●arus.  no hyndman half work see. ye do many things in your house perhaps well & honestly, which were neither expediet nor decent to be dewlgated to every man: as also ye have some secret counsel touching your affairs, which ye should lose, if your intention were publicly known. Think also that King●s & Prince's according to their great ranks have secrets, which should not nor can not be published without prejudice of both Prince & state, the which can not be conserved sometimes without the evident damage and hurt of some particular men (as by the loss of one member some time we preserve the rest of the body) by which we should not esteem & measure the prince's actions but by the public utility, which they procure better than we can see or understand: because their authority and experience gifeth them the wisdom & knowledge which we can not have Caesaribus virtus contigit ante diem. There be certain arcana imperij whereto we can not penetrate, & therefore like fools oft times we do judge rashly, & condemn things which we understand not. wherefore we should do well not to enter in judgement of so high matters. Quam quisque novit artem in ea se exerceat. but your extraordinary calling maketh you masters in all crafts, and your new discipline will not suffer you to have so long patience. Ye who enter in God's cabinet when ye list, must know all things at the first instant: nothing should be hid to you. ye have received the spirit of discretion, nothing should be done without your approbation. Ye are in the chair of verity, ye may speak what ye will; judge whom ye please, control whom ye list: approve or improve as ye think good or ill: ye have taken the power: ye have received the oath: all men are your subjects, so the Prince is subject to your perceiving, the principal rule of your new populaire tribunal. But ye will say that my conclusion followed not upon your antecedent. I would be glad it were so & that I were deceived in my opinion, so willing I am to hear that there were no traittour in our country. But if we will consider the solemn oath passed before in favour of your new reformation, to defend and observe the doctrine and discipline thereof under so horrible a promise, or rather imprecations & execrations as we have noted before, it followed very necessarily: for ye may extend (as ye do when it pleased you) the borders of your discipline, as far as it seemed good to you, and interpret your doctrine as ye think most expedient, and so perceive what ye please, where ye shall acknowledge or not, his Majesty as ye shall think it most fit for your present place, or proper for the advancement of your reformed kirk, to whom ye will have all men obliged with so terrible oaths without any exception or restriction. A very hard obligation and law, principally being at the execution and will of tippertin witted young fellows (who commonly at rash and foolhardy in all their doings) or in the hands of ambitious and seditious men, who willingly do trouble all to come to their desire, to which by good means they can not easily attain. your holy poets Buchanans' pamphlet, hath many notable maxims to thi● purpose, where upon men may build a world o● seditions and discords: But if your poets authority (whose advise not the less ye have so skilfully followed that ye may seem ●ather masters than disciples or prentices) can be no prejudice to your pretended innocency 
Kno●.  and good mind, at lest your prophet's words may serve for witness of your upright intentions. Ye shall have the argument of the second blast of the trumpet written and set out by himself 1558. at your holy city of Geneva foster mother of all seditious spitites and unquiet heads. Hear then your good Apostle: because many are offended at the first blast of the trumpet (behold how this holy saint is become penitent of his former offence) in which I affirm that to promote a Woman to bear rule or empire above any realm nation or city is repugnant to nature, contumely to God, and a thing most contrarious to his revealed and approved ordinance: and because also, that some hath promised (as I understand) a consutation of the same ● have delayed the second blast, till such time as their reasons appear, by the which I either may be reform in opinion, or else shall have further occasion more simply and plainly to utter my judgement. yet in the mean time for discharge of my conscience (behold the holiness of this extraordinary patriarch, who thinketh him selue greatly burdened in his conscience if he trouble not the whole state of the common wealth) and for avoiding suspicion, which might be engendered by reason of my silence, I could not cease (o the good nature of this man, who can not cease from ill doing, sed quis Deus in fraudem?) to notify these subsequent propositions which by God's grace I purpose to entreat in the second blast promised.  
1. It is noth birth only nor propinquity of blood that maketh a king lawfully to reign above a people professing Christ jesus and his eternal verity; but in his election must the ordinance, which God hath established in the election of inferior judges be observed. autos epha. all princes shallbe subject to the people's judgement, and the people to the ministers.  
2. No manifest Idolater, nor notorious transgressor of God's holy precepts ought to be promoted to any public regiment, honour, or dignity in any realm, province or city, that hath subjecteth itself to Christ jesus and to his blessed Euangil.  
3. Neither can oath nor promiss bind any s● people (call you these your hearty protestations oaths and promises) to obey and main●●●● tyrants (so ye call all Kings that will not follow your fantasy) against God and against 〈◊〉 truth known. that is your new forged faith.  
4. But if either rashly they have promoted 〈◊〉 manifest wicked person, or yet ignorantly have ch●sen such a one, as after declareth himself unworthy of regiment above the people of God (and such be a● Idolaters and cruel persecutors) most justly may th● same men depose and punish him that vnaduysedl● before they did nominat appoint and elect. Is no● this a most notable argument to be handle● by a true subject, and a man affectionate to the quietness of his native country? yet goo● sire john Knox being in his own opinion a prophet could not have wanted many texts of the scripture to prove the matter. According to this exemplere and pattern of ● choose or rather imaginary King, ye have form your oath: for neglecting birth and blood, ye will that the Prince be made by election, at lest subject to observe the ordinance that God hath established to be observed in inferior judges and magistrates, who may be deposed and punished if he pass the rules prescribed by you. For ye will the people be free from all obedience, promise and oath to have no place if the Prince go from your religion, or as ye call it, reform kirk, the declaration where of depended upon your discretion & wisdom seeing ye are made judges above all men. howbeit good reason would give liberty to the Prince as well to leave you, as ye have left the Catholic kirk if ye had not alreddie occupied the place to command over all without appeal. I will not further insist in the examination of this blast of wind, seeing it savoureth so ill that no true & modest subject can abid it. I say only that your oath is as lyk this proiecte as ever dauther was lyk the mother, and lacketh but things which may very easily be understood as we shall show after.  
4. But ye will say that I am ●alignus alien● voluntatis interpres a malicious interpreter of other men's minds. What was your meaning, I pray you, when ye took your Prince, emprisonated and at last chased her out of her owen realm and pursued to the death? What was your meaning when during his majesties minority ye caused strike money, marked with a sword and this inscription pr●●e, in me s● mereor? What was your intent now of late years when ye besieged the toulbrigh of Edinburgh? was it the blad● of rebellion or sword of Gedeor that was drawn out that day? Why did ye cry at that time God and the kirk, if it was not to withdraw the people▪ hearts and obedience from the kings majesty to fortify your plots? a course mo●●▪ dangerous where the Prince & whole common wealth were put in hazard upon your ●olie reformed word. If I be not deceived, ye would have signified by God and the kirk your doctrine and discipline, to which ye will have all men subject, with no further obedience to others than ye think expedient, and so no place for the kings Majesty and his officers till it please you to employ them to execute your plots, which only charge ye would leave to them, and that because ye are not able of yourselves to execute sundry things that ye have invented▪ But ye will say, reason would that all things should be subject to God: It is most true: But ye are no Gods, yea not have no charge nor command of God, as we shall show here after and although ye had, why should ye, under pretence of your new forged or reformed discipline, trouble the whole state to the utter ruin of the common wealth. Think ye that God and a King can not be in one realm together? or that God is accoustumed to destroy Kings, where he cometh? if your reformation proceeded of God, we might very justly so think▪ seeing it troubles all Princes where it hath any credit. It was well said by an ancient Scottish priest twelve hundred years since: Non ●ripit mortalia, qui regna dat caelestia. but he was a priest of the Roman kirk, and not a brother of your reformation mother of your detestable parity, grandmother of your present confusion, where upon is builded your synagogue: permit me to say so seeing ye force men to enter therein, because your calling hath no power nor strength to invite them. This can not stand with Princes lawful authority. Hear jesus Christ himself saying: date Caesari, quae sunt Caesaris, & quae Dei, Deo. Certainly all men of quiet spirit should esteem them enemies both to God and good reason, who thinketh the one contrary to the other. There were never yet any people that had a religion without civil gowerment: we have seen in all common wealths these two joined together, but most perfectly where Kings have ●ade the sovereign power, because the unity is greater. Ye would perhaps gladly say here (if ye had the Christian liberty, that ye so earnestly desire, that is licence to do as ye will) that ye at all priests and Kings, and as ye have cast out the priests of the kirk for their misbehaviour, so would ye cast Kings out of their thrones & realms for lyk cause. assay again the play. assure yourselves that knavery will not ay have good success▪ If I be not deceived ye shall now find Kings more vigilant, admonished by others men's examples, than ye found the priests whom ye violently cast out, not by your virtue & strength, but by their fault & negligence. God will cast the schourge in the fire, when he shall think it good.  
5. But to return again to your words, As upon a comfortable instrument of God's mercy, granted to this country for the maintaining of his kirk and ministration of justice among us. With what reverence obedience and modesty ye have received that instrument, I leave it to his majesties memory and your consciences: and if a few of you ministers gave him not more pain and trouble then all the rest of the realm. If I see you over forgetful I may well call some things to your memory, although your daily behaviour might very well release me of that labour. Truly I think there be no subjects in Europe more obliged to their Prince then ye are to his Majesty considering your de●●●tes: nor no Prince who have hade more rebellious subjects than he hath hade of some of you, so far as it did lie in your power. ye will do well in times coming to mend this, for fear ye be constrained to render count of all together, gifts abused may justly be called beak: Your daily railling against the present form of policy in England showeth well that your sickness do increase. We protest and promise with our hearts (good and friendly words truly) under the same oath, handwritt, and pains (quid dignum tanto foret hic promissor hiatu?) that we shall descend his person and Authority with our geir, bodies, and lives. Parturiunt montes nascetur ridiculus mus. good Sires will not your new evangel suffer you to do more for the kings Majesty? only to descend his person & authority? I praise your wisdom to advertise what ●e may look for at your hands: yet sure I am, that ye yourselves would not be content to have a servant in your house with so small service, as ye offer here to your sovereign whom ye would seem to have greatly obliged. But at the lest may his Majesty assure himself of your assistance in defence of his person & authority? No truly but in certain cases, which ye lny down to him by writ that he may crave no further, to Wit, in defence of Christ's evangel (I think as it is now reformedly preached and interpreted by you the discipline having it full course) liberty of our country (every minister being master) ministration of justice (in chase away sic as will not acknowledge you in all affairs) and punishment of iniquity: principally if any man gainsay you. Nothing at all for the Prince? Nothing surely, if there cometh none of thes things in question the Prince may stand alone for you, so far as I can see. Only when ye have a do, he shall be assisted to do you service, otherwise he may do for himself, if he thinketh it good. But if he touch your evangel, yea with the uttermost of his finger, ye will put both person and Authority in hazard, ye are so mightily governed by the reformed spirit. I will not guess further your minds. Which beareth witness, who so well does. But ye will suffer me to say that the subject not only is obliged of duty civil, but also in conscience before God to defend his Prince's person without any exception because he is unctus Domini and one of the chief magistrates established by God himself. Therefore we never did read that the Christians were blamed for defending of the emperors personnes, not withstanding that sundry of them were most cruel persecutors of the Christian and Catholic faith, and did seek by all means to destroy the verity. The Christians refuseth only to be executors of these detestable designs of the emperors: yea I think it shall never be found that the Ancient Godly fathers did lay to any Christians charge as a crime, that he hath guarded and kept the person of julian the Apostata▪ for that never was against God, nor reason; seeing they were obliged there to, as to a thing both honest and Godly, which they could not neglect without a great blame. These only were accused as cursed & misch●euouse men, who were instruments of his abominations. Certainly the Princes person should be holy and inviolable; and we more careful there of, then of our own lines. Likewise we may say of his Authority which cometh of God, and hath ay God for revenger, if any man be so bold as to touch it irreverently. Ye measure the Prince's person and Authority according to your fantasy, making them great or small, to be observed or despised, as ye think proper to your purpose and passion. But ye will say that it is well done to defend the Princes person & authority. that is very true. who so ever is owing a hundred crowns, doth well to pay one crown, but not enough except he pay the whole somme, so your duty is not complete in these few heads. These fashions of oaths a● invented only to exempt by little and little the people from the due obedience ought to the Prince▪ for the people thinking that the oath is the only sure rule of their due obligation toward, their sovereign: and that they are not further bound then the oath showeth: if in their opinion any thing pass that bounds, they may think them sell es free and discharged from further obedience as not contained in their oath. For when I have done that, where to I am obliged, it is in my hand if I will do any further: If I do more, I merit thanks; if not, I merit no reprehension, nor blame, much less punition. Ye will not be offended, if I say some what yet of your oath, which hath been form either with a great malice or extreme simplicity (which of these two be most proper for your sect I leave the judgement to others) which will be more clearly seen if we show the true form of oath which should be given to the sovereign Prince. The subjects of Emperor or King being as va●●●les (which we call commonly liege's) should make to their Prince the oath simply and without any condition, yea so far that swearing fidelity against all men they should not except themselves. And therefore the oath of fidelity which the lawyers call sacramentum fidelitatis should be made without any condition or restriction: for if any sic thing be put in the form of oath deceitfully, or craftily cowert with words, where by the subjects may with draw themselves from the fidelity towards their Prince or attempt what so ever thing against him, under what so ever pretext, they should be accounted as rebels, lacking reither occasion, than an evil mind. And for that same cause it is not law fall to put the reason in the oath, that he, who sweareth, may have no cloak nor excuse to break his oath: E●t enim form fidelitatis actus legitimus conditionem non recipiens. when the oath of fidelity is made to him who is only lands lord and not sovereign, the vassal putteth no condition although he put an exception of the Emperor or King, as may be seen in this form. Ego Titius iuro super haec sancta E●angelia, quod ab hac hora in antea usque ad ultimum diem vitae meae, ero fidelis tibi Ca●o Domino contra omnem hominem, excepto Imperatore vel Rege. But the form of fidelity and oath made to ●he Emperor or King, or any other sovereign Prince, should be set down in most ●imple plain and clear words, without any ●eceit fraud orgul. For as the kings Empire is free and absolute, subject to no other, ● the oath of the subjects should be ●ltoge●er simple and without any restriction. I ●ay all good and true subjects, not only for their duty, but also for their conscience cause, compare this with our new reformed or reither deformed form of oath, and consider if it tasted not of rebellion and conspiracy against the lawful Prince, and if this be not a beginning and fundament to bring in the Swisers common wealth where the sovereign magistrate at the years end is answerable to the people, by whom he is chosen. doubtless these craftsmen have had before their eyes Bruti vindicias, Buchanans' precepts, Knox's blasts of the trumpet of sedition, Goodman's discourse how superior powers ought to be obeyed of their subjects▪ Knox histories of treasons etc. or else the King of Poles oath, Si sacramentum violauer● nullam nobis regni incolae obedientiam praestar● debebunt. the Poloniens may desire of their future Prince, what oath they please seeing he is at their election and choice. But to prescribe to yourselves, how and what ye will swear to your Prince, to whom ye, your fathers and posterity are allreddie obliged whether ye will or not, I know not how ye can be excused except ye ministers esteem yourselves in the same rank with the ancient arrogant Aragoniens, who in reception o● their king were wont to say in this manner Nos, qui valemos tanto come vos, y podem● m●s que vos, vos elegimos Re, con estas & estas conditiones intra vos y nos, un que manda mas, que vos. We, who are as good as ye, and may more than ye, choose you our king, with sic and sic conditiones betwixt you and us that one may command more than ye▪ would ye not think yourselves brave men, if ye might truly use ●ic speech to his Majesty. But ye do meikill ●orse, seeing in effect ye give him no thing but assistance to do you service, without any further honour or profit. A great servant truly, if ye were wo●●hie masters. Certainly if the King were at your choice (as God forbid he were) ye could give him no less than ye do here by your oath: yea what less can ye give to your moderator of one day, then defend his person and authority, as long as he is in charge, for ye do nothing therein, but maintain yourselves. The Mutineers in the wars offer no less to their new choisen head, not for his cause, but for their own. I am assured that there is no people in the world so seditious or rebel, but would bestow more upon their Prince o● head whatso ever, than ye b●stow here upon his Majesty: In promptu ratio est, his majesties forces can not agree with your follies. But ye will say perhaps that the kings Majesty doth acknowledge himself 
In his speech to parliament.  to be made for the people and not the people for him. he speeketh lyk a noble wise and most worthy Prince acknowledging what he oweth to God, in whose place he is established, whose person he doth present, and in whose authority he doth command. On the other part, why will▪ ye not lyk true and good subjects acknowledge▪ your duty, towards him, to whom ye are obliged, as to God's lieutenant above you? or are all men obliged to you, and ye to no man? it is lawful to you to be more familiar with his Majesty, than he is with himself. More over ye are not the whole people being but only the tribunes at your owen making, and albeit ye were, yet should ye not presume so far of yourselves, as all should be done by you, and at your appetite. It is certain that the head is made for the body (as also the body for the head) yet should not the body be master and command above the head nor yet prescribe laws or conditions to it, but should obey it in all thing without contradiction as being subject and not superior. The physiciens do teach, and (as I think) not without good reason that the whole strength of the body, and all the functions thereof cometh of the head, where the senses at chiefly, & wits are only. If we would credit you & your reformation, we should shortly see a deformed government through all the world. I am assured that it would be better dwelling among the ancient Cyclops, if there were any, then among you: and if ye be curious to know why, I shall make you a description 
In the session's presbyteries synods & general counsels.  of yourselves, where ye may see a part of your beauties with out a mirror: Ye have been so impudent and shameless, as to ask for your ●eformed kirk an absolute oath of all the kings majesties subjects, yea of himself (whom in his tender age ye did circumvent) that he should defend your doctrine and discipline, that is, embrace your inventions and execute your plots, so that his Majesty and all his subjects of what so ever quality or condition. should only be vestrae voluntatis imo tyrannidis ministri, to trouble and persecute all these that will not obey you, albeit it were both against his majesties honour and state. Which I think his Majesty will suffer no longer to be done, because of the danger that may eusue there upon. For what can be more pernicious within a realm, where obedience and modesty are most necessary, then to suffer the subjects to be corrupted either by monopoles or perjuries or damnable opinions tending to a new form of government and state? or to permit a ●orme of common wealth within an other, as a cotadaill or fortress within a town, to hold the Prince and all his subjects bound slaves to you. A thing, I know not whether more dishonourable to the Prince, or more dangerous. I say only that the mo●e his Majesty beareth with you the more ye at presumptiouse and the readier to attempt some new enterprise. Ye contented yourselves before to rail against the state and government of Scotland; now, as if your jurisdiction were amplified with his majesties empire, ye are entered in England, all Britain is fallen to your lot: ye will control all men's actions there, ye will assist your brethren of that nation, defend them, their doctrine and discipline according to your reformed ministerial oath, for why should any man be so bold as to touch in any wise your inheritance? or meddle with your affairs? or command within your jurisdiction? A surplice, a square cap, or a Bishop may serve you for a most just reason to trouble all, so lively is your faith finding Idolatry in any thing that misliketh your humour. O tribus Anticris caput ins●nabile. It were best his Majesty sent you to the unfound lands, where there is no man yet, that ye might form a common wealth at your own fantasy without other men's grief or trouble. Certainly if ye were sent over sea five, or six years to seek your meat as others have done, ye would perchance be more modest, and understand how bontifull and patient his Majesty is suffering you so long to reign and rail without rhyme or reason: Coge●is aliquando per vestrum scelus iracunda lovem sumere sulmina. But ye the Saints of God, his elected people, assured inheritance, endued with only faith void of all good works, destitute of free will, and yet wilful in all your opinions, predestinated to the heavens how so ever empty of honesty, and covered with vice, ye zealous brethren, I say, are above all Kings and Princes, they at but your officers, executors of your good pleasiurs and will: otherwise to no purpose in this world. To conclude this matter I will tell you the Catholic opinion herein, which is this. As we are wholly and without any exception obliged to God in matters of faith and conscience, so at we absolutely and without any exception or restriction obliged & bound to our Prince with all fidelity and obedience in temporal affairs, that is in matters nether repugnant to God nor good reason, how soever they be to our damage and hurt in worldly things, or to out pains and against our repose. There is no reason, why the foot should refuse to travail▪ when the head have a do, how hot that ever it be: weariness can serve for no excuse: at the nod of the head, the rest of the membres should be ready: at sic times excuses are but disguised rebellions: the want of commodities maketh the way more difficile but not impossible. To the foot thes things may seem very hard and injust, because of the great pains and many incommodities it must suffer, oftentimes not knowing the reason why, except that it is a member subject to the head, and therefore obliged to obey according to the office and due function of a member, as it shall please the head to command. Would ye that men should go as juggling tumblers do, their feet up, and their head down? ye have some reason so ●o desire in matters of state (although there be no reason, why it should be granted to you) seeing by that means sundry of you might hope for the highest place, as being in all degrees the very dregs of the people, yet being promoted without order or extraordinairely (for all is one in your persons) ye at found worthy of the charge ye have, ye become so perfect raillers: but how proper ye be to govern Kings and realm (which ye will to ●●pend upon you in matters of greatest consequence) I leave the judgement to others; and principally when it is question of your zealous brethren, who ordinairely are carried away rather by passion and opinion, th●n guided by discretion and wisdom: where upon are founded an infnite number of rash judgements that they have made upon other men's actio●s. I think it not needful that I specify any▪ the ex●mples being so frequent and common. A n●w sort of tyranny me●kill to be lamented▪ if we ●ere not oppressed with a mor● grievous, ●her by it is fre● to no man to use his natural air and enjoy▪ the sight of his friends and kinsmen, except ●e swear him▪ self your slave, foreswearing both God and Prince for a reformed folly: Over high a price truly▪ and over great subjection, for the small reward that any man can look for at your-hand. What so ever banishment were more to be desired, than that dwelling at home: for accepting that condition, men incurreth the danger of double treason, divine and humane, which being done, they were unworthy not only to be esteemed his Majesties' subjects, but to ●e suffered to live upon the earth, if that come of their proper consent and desire. And what fidelity, I pray you, can his Majesty look for of you, who requires of other men sic oaths as cut away all assurance of fidelity towards the Prince? ye pre●erting your vain opinions (that I say nothing more displeasant) to the whole antiquity, yea to all ages passed and present, in matters of religion, and your judgement to all magistrates of what so ever authority or experience in matters of state, and your enterprises to peace and quietness, are good Christians and true subjects, well at your case in honour and Authority, although the greatest part of you be the first honest men of your race, or rather the worst that ever was of your race, showing the common say to be very true. Asperius nihib est humili cum surgit in altum, ●et a beggar on horseback and he will ride ● gallop. But peiceable men, who have not that turbulent presomptious spirit, because they prefer the authority of the universal ki●k, and judgement of the ancient pastors and Catholic consent to their private and particulate opinion, respecting the magistrates as God's officers and lawful instruments, they at Idolaters, papists, traitors to his Majesty enemies to the common wealth, excommunicate incontinent▪ put to the horn▪ their goods confiscated, themselves banished out of the country: what rank or quality that ever they be of, they are not worthy to be faluted by the worst rascal fellow of your sessions although they be composed ordinairely of the very sink of the people. But honest men must take patience, seeing ye give so little reverence to them, to w●ome ye are more obliged  
6. where I will no●e a thing very remarcable, that neither riches, good traict●ment, dignities, nor honours can make you quiet and peaceable men; neither injuries, indignities, banishment, loss of goods nor friends can move the catholics to leave their duty towards the Prince: which I doubt not but his Majesty some day will consider when it shall please God to have pity of our miseries. Abiding which time, I pray you all good and Godly catholics (s●sfer me good sites to turn my speech a little to them) to behave yourselves towards his Majesty with due obedience and modesty, se●king no pretext no● excuse to withdraw yourselves: suffering patiently persecutions if any be. Mix no worldly respects with heavenly bl●slinges, God is highly offended when we mak● to our particular passions a cloak of his name, his honour and our affairs are not of like rank, they should not be mingled together▪ If any harm cometh to you in his service, your reward willbe th● greater, seing ye have ●r●uailled for his glory, and have stand stoutly to his right, under whose banner to die, is to triomphe for ever: fear no damage▪ not loss, ye have a most sure promise of a honderdfold profit & the life eternal. we should bestow our goods willingly in his service who rccompenseth so liberally. The less of our private affections we middle here in, the better is outs, the more ample shall be our lords goodness towards us: because his glory the more clearly doth shine, when it is alone. But when his verity is blamed for our misbehaviour, what can we look for at his hands, but for a just punition for abusing his authority and name? It were very hard to suffer sundry things that occur in thes spiritual wat●es, if our captain were not invincible, and we assured how long we stand with him. We lack no good examples both of head and membres. We can not be first in this batai●l where so many thousands losing the earth have conquised the heavens▪ there are passed before us infinite number of champions off all dignities ages and qualities, Kings, Quyenes, nobles & mean men, learned and ignorant, men, women, old men and babes, poor and rich, who have borne armour under this standard, & after the loss of all worldly goods have shed their blood with joy to their eternal bliss, because they had only God's glory before their eyes, which principally in this time so dangerous we should do, that our vice be not objected to the Catholic religion, as if our faulkes came of that which we profess, and not of ou● selves; to which sort of calumnies and crafty accusations, our adversaries have oft recourse, taking arguments from ou● lives and behaviour, which they can not have from our religion. We should not mix the religion with matters of state, they appertain to diverse magistrates; God will have us here obedient to both, because they a● his lieutenants, established in his name and authority we should not serve our selves with the command of the one, to disobey the other in his charge. Who so ever hender any of the two, can not serve him self with excuse of the other: we must follow both their commands according to their place & rank: they at ordained by God to keep one another, and not to destroy each other. If standing to the true saith, to the defence of our sovereign, we be persecuted either in life body or goods, after the battle, we shallbe restored to ou● own, or to meikill better. he who receiveth a prophet in name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet 
Mat. 10  yea he who giveth a cup of cold water in the name of a Disciple shall not lose his reward, what shall he receive I pray you, who willingly, w●en occasion se●ueth, gifeth his life to God in God's name to declare his verity or maintain his justice in defence of religion or his Prince, so highly recommended to us by God himself? lat us not infect this gift & oblation with our private plots and passions, he who heard Saint Paul in his weakness, will grant us strength to sustain all adversities: he will say to us also sufficiat vobis gratia mea: the more we lose here, the more we shall win in heaven. Seeing this patience sure I am that the kings Majesty will not be so far offended, when he shall understand that thereiss only conscience that do stop you to condescend to many things, and no rebellion nor contempt of his laws, or ordainances: for in that case ye prefer only God to him, and that because your fi●st obligation moveth you thereto. Biding in this resolution, the victory shallbe yours, and ye shall obtain, if not man's, at lest God's favour, otherwise ye may look to lose both: further we may hope that his Majesty being better informed of the matter, willbe more gracious to his true and humble subjects then to punish them by death, banishment or privation of their goods in favour of the ministers who biding at the grounds of their doctrine can neither be good Christians nor true subjects as we have sha●● alreddie, and shall sh●w more evidently here after if this be not thought sufficient. Yet if our sinnes be so great that God will have us punished with all tigour and extremity in this present life, lat us receive the same not only with patience because we have deserved meikill more, but also with gladness and thanks giving as coming o● his hand, who will give us the strength to bear it, seeing that his quarrel is mixed with our pains, at us cry for his help▪ and succour who hath the hearts of Princes in his hand, that he may dispense their actions to his glory, to their and our salvation and public peace and quietness. how that shallbe done, we must leave it to his infinity wisdom and providence having always in our hearts and mouths, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.  
Now to return to you again (good sites) it is not only very dangerous, but also far against the duty of a good Christian man to swear according to your desire, os reither command and force, to wit that they abhor and detest all contrarious religion and doctrine (to your reformation) but chiefly all kind of papistry in general and particulere heads▪ Because the most chief heads of the Catholic Apostolic and Roman doctrine (w●ich ye of your great humanity and courtesy do call papistry at all occasions and propos) a● contained in the symbol of faith m●de by the Apostles, if ye have any thing to say there to ye may. But as to us, as we belief in the symbol that there is one God omnipotent Fat●er, Son, & holy Ghost, who hath created, redeemed, & sanctified us by his infinite goodness & mercy; so do we belief that there is one holy Catholic kirk, by whose mouth we are instructed in all these things, that we should belief, or do; because she is the spouse and mystical body of jesus Christ, of whom as of her head she hath grace and power, and we command to obey. These at the general heads of that which ye call papistry (seeing it pleased you so to term it) where upon are biulded all particular heads professed by the same kirk, and all hi● children remaining in due obedience within hi● bosom. To detest and abhor these things, ye may easily judge yourselves (if passion command not above your ●ittes) how hard a thing it wil● be to ●any Christian man, who hath Christ's spouse in good estimation and as it becometh him to have hi● who is guided with so noble a head: But ye will say that ye condemn not that which is good, but our errors: I answer to you in one word, so far as I can see ye have as little judgement to discern upon an error, as ye have power to condemn it. But this doth require a more ample discourse. Moreover to have the Catholic religion in greater horror and detestation then te jewdaisme, turcism, heresy, or at heisme I can not think that it cometh of a good and holy 
Frere john Crag fleeing out of Italy from the Catholik●: being (as he said) in need he received a purse from ● black dog, judge y● of that viaticum.  spirit; but rather of him, who under the figure & shape of a black dog gave a purse with silver to the forger of your confession. But I understand well how the matter standed: he who hath fled a way for knavery, had rather serve any man than return back to his own master. It is not my intent at this present to refu●e your negations of the faith: ye will give occasions, as ye have given matter to answer by the grounds of your own doctrine and maxims of your chief ministers, which I grant ye may deny, as ye have done many better things, by reason of your Christian liberty, where by ye may ●udge and condemn whom and what ye please if it agree not with the scriptures interpreted by you, that is, with your opinion▪ where to are subject all things, by virtue of the spirit which guideth you as supreme judges without appealle, for otherwise things can not stand with your credit: ye hold as the chief fundament of your detestations and refusals, that the Pape is the Antichrist: which point no man of judgement can pass with, meikilles to subscribe or swear it to be true. Sundry cunning and learned men hath most sufficiently confuted this blasphemous reveree, so I may be excused if I enter no further in the matter, yet for other men's contentment, who have not seen, or could not understand these books, I will bring here some reasons why that can not be. And first the Pape acknowledgeth not only God to be above him, to whom all honour and glory justly doth appertain because he is maker and author of all things; but also he acknowledgeth the Angels and Saints (although in different degree & manner, God for his owen causes and them for God's cause) who are in heaven; and for that cause prayeth to them as being Gods in time and most dear friends to interced for him; where as the Antichrist if ye will give credit to Saint Paul, shall prefer himself to all thing that is called God, where no exception is made. Secondly we read of no Pape who hath slain either Elias or Eno●h, or any other excellent men endued with supernatural gifts, principally at jerusalem seeing there hath been there no Pape thes many hundred years. Further the Papes successively have reigned th●s s●xteine hundred years not witstanding of the great variety and trouble of the ●yme. The An●ichrist should reign only three years and an half. Moreover there was never yet any Pape received by ●he Jews for their true M●ssias, because the Pape doth teach that the true Messias is alreddie come: the Antichrist should be received, Si alius venertt in nomine suo ●um recipietis. of contrary there is no man they hate so meikill as they hate the Pape, because he is the greatest obstacle thes 1600. years. ye being yet in lumbis in●isibilis Ecclesiae. The evangel should be received through all before the Antichrist come: The evangel is not yet received through all: and if the Pape be not yet come why preach ye against him? The Pape with all diligence and ●a●e hath keaped and yet do keep judge saecrific●um the perpetual sacrifice which only is acceptable and pleasant to God: & therefore the Antichrist will labour to take it away: where in ye travel as ye can. The pape maintaineth the religion of his forefathers, for he condemneth all thing as error that is contrary to the doctrine of the primitive kirk and venerable antiquity; because jesus Christ being the veri●ie itself, the religion founded upon him, and published by his dear spouse at his command, can neither be variable nor false. the Antichrist shall mispryce the religion of his fathers wherein ye imitat him perfectly well. The pape sitteth at Rome and hath so done thes many ages. The Antichrist should sit at jerusalem. The Pape adoreth with all humility and reverence the Trinity, teacheth and commandeth all true Christians to do the same. The Antichrist openeth his mouth with all sort of blasphemy against the holy Triniti●. The Pape falls himself Seruu● servorum Dei, acknowledging that the honour he receiveth of men, is because of his office that he hath of God, and that he is institute Pastor here in earth to serve the whole flock of jesus Christ out lord whose servant he is and chief minister: And therefore before all mortal men in dignity seeing he representeth Christ our sovereign Lord, yet subject to serve all men, help and assist them because of his office and charge, certainly the lest of the realm is to be preferred to the greatest, how long he represented the kings majesties person. The Antic●rist shall call himself God. There hath been two hundred and thirty Papes and more: there should be but one Antichrist contrary to Christ in all things: for we speak here of the great Antichrist. The religion professed by the Pape hath dured (with your owm prophets confessions) more than twalf hundred year's: the religion or rather impiety of the Antichrist should dure short space, as he himself. The Antichrist should be an Apostate & go out of the kirk of God, where by that his wickedness may be the greater being joined with rebellion▪ The Pape remaineth yet still in the house of God. There hath been great number of heresies & heretics during these 1600. years that we have hade so many Papes. But the Antichrist should be the last of the heretics, because all wickedness should be complete in him, all heretics serving to him as fore-riders, where of Simon Magus was the first a detestable magicien and a traitorous apostate, who not withstanding hath found over many companions to follow him. jesus Christ should slay the Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth, that is, as ye interpret it, with the preaching of the evangel, that hath he never done to any Pape, albeit ye have imaginated to yourselves, that ye have slain the Pape by your preachings, o● rather taillinges, the Pape never hath had one hours sickness for all your crying; assure yourselves that his infirmities cometh of other causes. Luther in spirit of prophecy as he thought made this most notable verse Pestis eram viws, moriens tu● mors ero Papa: he knew very well the first part to be true, and therefore might say it confidently, the last part was lyk the author, false and untrue, he being dead and his doctrine both, it being changed partly by himself during his life, partly by his disciples and followers after his death, where as the Papes Authority, because it is founded upon God, doth remain, & shall remain till the world's end. The Antichrist should oppose himself to our lord in all things and abolish his name and honour so far as he can: for so the name of Antichrist doth signify. The Pape doth the plain contrary. The Antichrist should come after Gog & Magog: howbeit that the Papes hath been so many ages, yet know we not, what Gog and Magog are, nor what place of the world they dwell in. The Pape honoureth the Saints as Gods undoubted friends and desireth them to pray for him. Where upon maliciously ye preach to the people that we give Christ's honour to the Saints & yet we acknowledge them as servants only, who hath credit to pray and not to command. The Antichrist should have in his name the number of 666. to find this number your brethren, further different from you in doctrine and discipline then in place or habits, have taken great pains turning the Papes names, but all in vain, it could not be found the holy spirit having so provided against your calumnies. Many thousands are saved in the Catholic kirk, which ye call the papist kirk, for otherwise all your forefathers are condemned, yea all the ancient fathers, martyrs, and doctors of the kirk, seeing that they have acknowledged the pape for their superior, and chief vicar to jesus Christ, and a great part of you were baptized by the membres of the Antichrist, in whose kirk no man can be saved. The Pape armeth himself & all men so far as he can for jesus Christ, with reasons, scriptures, general counceilles, authorities of fathers, examples of martyrs, consentment of the whole Catholic kirk of all ages. The Antichrist shall arm himself and his followers with force and violence against jesus Christ. The Pape conserveth, and have conserved at all times the scriptures: The Antichrist if he do according to his name and profession, should destroy the scriptures. The Pape hateth and condemneth all sort of rebellions and novelties in religion: The Antichrist should embrace them as most proper & convenient instruments for his advancement of perdition. The Pape came so quietly, and peaceably (yea according to your owen ●ellowes saying) that ye can not yet goodly-tell, when, or how he first entered in the kirk, ye are so troubled to tell well your new forged fable. The Antichrist should come with sic trouble and mischief as never was since the beginning of the world, where in he shallbe more like to you, then to the Pape, seeing we can well tell when ye came, and may yet show over evident marks of your unquiet intré. And to be short the Antichrist should be filius perditioni● the son of perdition, chief instrument of satan, that is, so possessed and assisted with the devil, that he shall do all things in the devils power and for his cause, and shallbe so perfect and accomplished (if I should so say) in all vice and iniquity, that no man can equal him, meikilles to surpass him, and principally in pride, as our master and lord jesus Christ did excel in all virtue, & chiefly in humility discite à me, quia mitis sum & hu●●lis cord. wherefore not without reason sundry learned men have repported the seven mountains to the seven deadly sins which shallbe in the Antichrist in most high degree that he may justly answer to his name, The Pape can no ways be thought so wicked: I call to witness all sort of Protestants of what so ever nation, saction, or opinion who have been at Rome before or since the jubilee, and have seen the Pape who now sitteth Clement the eight a man worthy of that name, if any of them may say in his conscience, that he is so wicked and desperate a man, as the Antichrist is described to be in the scriptures. Sure I am that there is none of them so far drounken in the ministerial humour, that will say so, if he speak according to that he hath seen. It is so far from that the Pape can be the Antichrist that his most excellent Majesty a Prince of rare judgement and learning, doth acknowledge the Pape to be a temporal Prince, to whom he is obliged and to whom in all good offices he willbe correspondent. ●hat words may be said to your opinion who maketh our King to have obligation from, and commerce with the Antichrist? I may say with your pardon and licence sessionall, that he is a better & more honest man, than any ministers that either is or ever was in Scotland without exception of your chief pontiffs first or last, john or Robert. I am assured that he who knoweth the Pape an● your ministers will say the same, principally if it were question of humility and humanity: and if I be put to my proves, I hope easily to discharge myself little to you● honours. If this be true as it is most certain why should any man swear the Pape to be the Antichrist, that is the most wicked and detestable man that ever was, is, or shall be, seeing that there is none of your company how godly brethren that ever ye be, but i● meikill worse, than he? or if they swear a thing so far out of all reason and verity as thinking it true, why should they follow or acknowledge you for true and lawful pastors sent by God to reform the world, if ye be worse than the Antichrist, who must be the most detestable and abominable instrument that ever Satan hath employed? If ye say that it is but simulation and hypocrisy in the P●pe to deceive men, I answer you, that if we grant your foolish affirmation, ye must also grant to us that the devil hath done more good with the Pape, & his hypocrisy, pretended, or feigned holiness, than ever the holy spirit, which is in you, I say, could do by ●ou and your piety and reformed Godliness: your actions may bear witness if I lie. O Sanctas gentes quibus ha● ●●s●untur in ●ortis minima. Whose best works a● so little worth. Certainly ye are very greatly obliged to these, who will not swear a thing so preiudiciable to your honour and reputation, which necessarily followed upon your doctrine, if it were once admitted. Truly I have not so hard opinion of you: for notwithstanding I esteem you in all degrees far inferior to the Pape: yet think I not that ye are so low & abject, or so wicked and abominable as the Antichrist, meikilles to think you worse. Acknowledge the obligation ye have to them, who doing according to their consciences toward the Pape, hath done so meikill for your honour. But ye will say that ye are not so wicked as the Pape. I doubt not but ye will win your cause, if it be referred to your saying or oath. If the bounds of this epistle would suffer, or if it were my principal butt to traict that matter, I should make a comparison betwixt the Pape and you, where I should make you ashamed (if ye have any shame in your forehead) of yourselves, the marvelous difference being seen. I marvel how a minister can look to his companions unlaughen when he seeth the people belief a thing so ridiculous. And in conscience belief ye that the Antichrist shall be a litil hypocrite or simple heretic? ●e shallbe more furious than any that ever came to trouble the kirk. Because ye cannot show that the Pape is come with force and violence, as our Lord hath advertised us he shall come, ye would make the world believe that the Antichrist should come to continue lyk a lamb. jesus Christ sayeth the contrary of him. It willbe an ill reformed faith to give our lord the lie: how can ye think, that he who shallbe instructed and fully inspired wi●h the spirit of Satan, will in any wise, either follow or conter●ect our master and lord jesus Christ? ye deceive yourselves and all others, who credits you if ye belief so. The heretics, who are only his foreruners hath entered in the kirk of God lyk wolves and Tigers, and ye yourselves came with so great modesty and quietness, that the earth did tremble and shake under your feet (I know nont if it was for gladness of your coming) so mightily that the whole policy & public buildings through out all Scotland did fall down as if it had been a general earth quake. verily according to his nature and dignity, he must be more violent and cruel than all the rest. Is it possible that ye think the Antichrist will use only persuasions, fair words, & li●ill hen wiles, seeing that ye use all s●rt of violences and compulsions? he willbe more cruel than ye in all respects, more crafty and more mighty: he will bring with him all mischiefs that can be invented, & for that cause God will shorten his tyme. Think ye that that devil (if I ●hould so say) will be lyk Clemē● the 8. Are ye so ignorant or so foolish? Truly Pape Clement is so wicked, that it were better have ten thousand lyk him, then one like ●ny of you, and his death more to be sorrowed than the death of a hundred thousand of you, howbeit ye have a better opinion of yourselves. Think not also that the modesty that is in the Pape, cometh of any fear he hath of you or yours. Ye slay him every year with your tongues, but so softly, that he perceiveth it no more, than ye did the first Papes entering. How can ye believe that the Pape or Papes, are, or can be the Antichrist, seeing they have condemned all the heresies that hitherto hath risin against either the divinity or humanity of jesus Christ (as may be proved by your owen fellows) yea they have condemned the errors risin now of late years among yourselves, as the new heresies of Gentilis, Stancharus, Blandrata, and other good disciples of Calvin, against the holy Trinity, whose error ye approve not although bred among you. How can it be that they shall be the Antichrist, who so stoutly, so constantly, with so great expenses and danger doth defend the dignity of jesus Christ? for they only whom ye in your reformed language call the Antichrist, hath holdin, approved, & yet doth defend & approve, all & whole the general councils where Christ's honour, authority, and divine Majesty have been lawfully defended and keeped: yet can ye not show any sic thing done by you, who calls yourselves true Christians and lawful pastors. What shall we think of these Antichrist's, & of you zealous Christians? They kept the bible from corruption of heresies, when ye could not be found, yea when none of your reformed brethren could be seen, at what time your invisibility excused you from sic charitable offices. It apperteneth to him only whom ye call the Antichrist to defend Christ's name, keep the bible, destroy heresies, confute errors, convert infideles, send to all parts to con●ort the faithful, to assure them, who are in brangle, to reduce them, who are gone astray, and that in Europe, Asie, and Africa. Which is done yet in the new found Ills, where there is more Christians now, than heretics in all Europe, yea a great deal more: O good & diligent Antichrist who only hath watched & laboured in the viniard of our Lord as it becometh a true & faithful servant. And o ye wicked negligent, sluggish & disloyal pastors who have sleeped like as many Endymious thes 1500. years passed in some obscure cave, till the moon of false & foolish imaginations have wakened you, to embrace again the clouds of error in place of that heavenly juno of verity Have we not just occasion to wish of God to have in your place so good and godly an Antichrist? which if we had in every town, we should not now have been in pain to refel your follies. We may boldly say that this Antichrist is meikill better reform, than your kirk, and less to be feared, than your reformation. I doubt not but ye would here willingly answer, that ye contribute with no less good will for the diliverance of Geneva, which ye make the people believe is besieged by the Duke of Savoy (where I will remark a great folly in you to believe a thing so manifestly false, & a malice in them, who have abused so far your simplicity and rash crudelity) for their reformed faith. I would also willingly know of you, why your reformed charity extendeth itself only to sic as have rebelled against their lawful Prince reither then to them, who round about you are in great need and distress? If ye did help your holy city because of their necessity, I would think it well done, if ye could do well with out prejudice to your only faith. But to maintain their rebellion against their just and lawful Prince, is but an open and evident argument of that which is secretly hid in your breasts as we have said here before. I was almost here deliberate to show that a great number of the qualities which should be in the Antichrist may be easily found in you, as in his sorriders: but I will keep that to your answer, if perchance ye persist in your Antichristian opinion. For than we shall see God willing, whither ye can better apply the marks to the Pape, or we to you.  
8. Now to your excommunication, a thing truly meikill to be wished of many, and to be embraced of all men: for who should not desire to be out of their fellowship, who are joined together by perjuries, treason, & errors? Honest true and faithful men should seek by all means to deliver themselves of sic company if either willingly, rashly, or by force they have entered there in. Yet at us see what power ye have to excommunicate any man. Only true and lawful pastors (which ye can not be, lacking as ye do, the lawful vocation) have power and authority to excommunicate: where upon it followeth that ye have no power nor authority at all. we have brought manv reasons in our offer printed, why your calling can not be good, w●ich for the present we will not repeat, because your owen reformation will furnish us good store of reasons to prove the same, which we will employ here because they are your owen and that most foundamentall. Ye will grant me if I be not deceived that the office and dignity of a pastor is so great and excellent, that it properly conviveth only to jesus Christ, and is communicated, to sic as it pleased him to call there to, either by ordinary means, or extraordinatiely that is immediately by himself. And for that cause no man should be so hardy or reither temerary as to meddle there with of himself, if he would not incur the crime of lesmaiestie divine, in taking the office of jesus Christ out of his hand. For this cause Luther, seeing he could not well serve himself with the ordinary vocation of the Catholic kirk, where he was nourished and brought up, took him to the extraordinary, alleging he was sent immediately by God to reform the world from this extraordinary power g●fin to Luther, ye have received your ordinary calling, which I must show to be false with most evident reasons, to prove that ye have no authority to excommunicate any man. Luther was sent (if we will credit him and you) by God himself to teach the truth, the which might serve us for a sufficient warrant of his assured true vocation, that the true doctrine he brought with him, might force us to acknowledge his power. I will for the present (albeit against the verity) suppose all as true and good, because out of these principels and grounds we shall easily prove, that ye have no lawful vocation, and consequently at no true Pastors, where upon followeth the millitie of your pretended excommunication. Luther's doctrine (say ye) was true, ergo his vocation was good, and he a lawful Pastor. I say on the other side (by the maxim of your owen doctrine) if his doctrine w●s false his vocation was not good, nor yours received from him, and consequently neither ●e, nor ye lawful pastors: or if your doctrine be false, your vocation (if ye had any of him) is lost and ye no pastors, because the true doctrine only (as ye allege) is the sure proof of true vocation. If Luther's doctrine was true and of the holy Spirit, doubtless yours is ●alse, seeing ye teach doctrine not only far different from his doctrine, but also in many heads plain contrary as may be easily shown by both your writings Hear, I pray you what one 
Theolog C. lu●nist. l●b 2. sol. 135.  o● your Lutherian brothers sayeth H●nc●gitur inter omnes piè eruditos constat Luth●rum non Vertumni aut Eceboli instar in veritate semel agnita & professa varillasse, said in ●a per Dei grat●am usque ad extremum vitae halitam permansisse: Caluinistas verò, in hoc & aliis articulis sibi nunquam constare ex Zuinglij, Martyris, Bu●eri, Philippi, Victorin●, Hemmingy, profugorum Witebergentium & aliorum libris & actionibus docers & d●m●nstrari potest. And in the inscription of the same book he speaketh very plainly howye agree together and with the verity. Theologiae Caluinistarum libri tres, in quibus ceu in tabella quadam, quasi ad oculum plusquam ex 223▪ sacramenta●iorum publicis scriptis, pagellis, verbis proprijs, & auth●orum ●onibus indicatis, demonstratur, eos de null● ferè doctrinae Christianae articulo rectè sentire: addita simul verae sententiae ass●rtione, & contrariae opinionis refutatione: collecti opera & study M. Conrad● Schluss●lburgij, dioeceseos Rareburgensis, superintendentis & coniunctarum Megapolensium Ecclesiarum generalis inspectoris. In his catalogue of heretics he counteth the Caluinists, against whom he writeth the third book that he concludeth thus. Epilog. de secta Caluinistarun. Cum igitur ex enumeratis nostrae doctrinae rationibus, & falsis sacramentariorum fundamentis conscientiam anxian semper in dubio relinquentibus, luce meridiana clarius apparea● imp●os & blasphemos esse Caluinistarum errores; Nos secundum Dei verbum (ye see how this man allegeth against you the word of God for his warrant) Augustanam confessionem veterem, scripta viri Dei Lutheri, librum concordi● atque apologiam eiusdem, à sacramentarijs (he speaketh of your sect) tanquam blasphemis hareticis nobis caveamus, & ipsorum opinionem impiam tanquam prasentissimum & noxium animae venenum toto pectore execremur. Further ye may see what Hunnius hath writtin not only against all the Caluinists in general, but also in particular against Calvin in a book entitled Calvinus judai Zans. In the other part it will not be difficile to you to know what Zuinglius, Calvin, Beza, Lavatherus and the rest of that band have written against Luther and Lutherians, and with what despite and injuries they treat one another, Scires ● sanguine natos, which may evidently prove the diversity of their doctrine. If the one have the truth, necessarily the other can not have it, seeing they agree not: so if the one have the true vocation the other can not have it, they being of repugnant doctrine.  
9 But ye will say that Luther did only begin the holy reformation which then was so necessary in the kirk, that God was moved to send him extraordinarily for that cause: yet had he not the strength to perform it, as it was needful; which work Calvin with his followers, but principally ye, have done by your reformation: changing all things, that no thing can be better, turning af●irmations in to negations, fair buildings in to kellyards or corn land, good order in to confusion, charity in to particular profit, obedience in to rebellion, superiority in to a foli she parity, assurance in to mistrust etc. because he & ye have been most fully instructed with the holy spirit. If we receive this for a good answer, we must say that this hath been done by a n●w commission that God ha●h gifin to Calvin and you, far different from the commission gifin to Luther and his ●ollowers: for the Lutherians according to this saying, had only charge to begin the matter, and ye to end it; but beginning and ending should agree together, and not like aegri somnia or worse. They should agree I say, if they be of one spirit, except they come of that spirit, who never yet could agree with himself. The holy spirit who is the sp●●ite of union and concord could not have condemned by your mouth, which he hath approved by Luther's or Lutherians mouths▪ I doubt not but ye trust all that ye have the holy spirit, yet the diversity of your opinions assure me the contrary, seeing that the spirit, who approveth and authorizeth the one and his doctrine, condemneth and dischargeth the others and their doctrine. If ye say that the errors hade taken so deep root that it was not possible to take them out of men's hearts in short space, and therefore we should not marvel if there be many ●hingis in Luther's doctrine not agreeable with the verity. But, I pray you, hade it not been more seemly and as easy to Luther (if he was sent by God, whose asistence he could not want in that case) to have told the verity at the beginning as to have preached new errors so detestable, as ye say, and so contrary to Gods word and our salvation? what spirit moved him so to do? If he ●ad winked at some or many of these points that ye call errors, which he found in the kirk before him because of the inveterate opinion confirmed by long use, there might be some apparent excuse in your answer, but to bring in error for error, or to put out one to take in two (the people being so docill to deceive what so ever impression at that time Luther would or cold have given them) or to confirm obstinately an ancient error is no work of the holy spirit, who should have guided your extraordinat●e prophet and new sent pastor. Or was the holy spirit so weak in Luther's mouth, that he could not teach him the verity? or Luther so hard hearted, ●hat he could not receive, nor conceive the verity mekilles teach it to others? or hade the holy spirit since that time found Calvin a more proper instrument to instruct the world truly and plainly in all things? Then why was he a lying spirit in Luther's mouth, seeing it was o● him, ye have your extraordinary calling, which now is so ordinairie and established that no man may preach without it?  

B● Za in epistol. th●olog. & de notis Ecc●●siae.  10. I see not what can be answered here. or shall we turn back again to the first fundament of Luther's extraordinary vocation? where of the mark was the true doctrine, which ye are constrained to deny and disavow, if ye would prove your owen good: for he condemneth you and your doctrine, and ye condemn him and his doctrine; which if ye deny obruam vos adversarum & ves●rarum partium voluminibus scriptisque contrarijs. what shall become here of your vocation? for lack of true doctrine it willbe null, either in him, or you, or (if ye say both true in your mutual accusation) in you both? what shall become of your ministery if this false thunder be shaken out of your hands? ye will have hard escapping out of this snare, wherein ye have feltered yourselves, fleeing from the Catholic kirk. For if ye say that it is enough that ye agree in the grounds and foundaments of faith and religion which are necessary altogether for man's salvation, and in these ye agree with Luther and Lutherians, & they with you. I would gladly understand what are these grounds and foundaments of faith and religion necessary for 
just. lib. 4. ●ap. 1. ●. 9  man's salvation. Is it to believe that there is but one God? jesus Christ to be God & God's Son? That our salvation consisted in Gods mercy & other sic things as sayeth Calvin? Or in the Creed, lords prayer, & ten commands 
De notis Eccl●siae.  as thinketh Beza? Or shall they be in the invocation of our lord jesus Christ as teacheth du Plessis? Or shall these foundaments be the negation and detestation of the Catholic doctrine, or (as ye call it) papistry according to your menswearing of the true faith? If ye will hold you at your owen ground, I say only that a negative faith, is no faith properly, and so your negations will never open the heavens to you, except that ye think that the Jews gentiles Turks and heretics o● all sects and at hei●ts may have place as well there as ye, seeing they can deny heads of religion professed by the catholics 
Ye are th● first that ever did propose negatiō● for a faith.  with noth less assurance than ye, & a great part of the same with you. If ye will say any of the●s things which the others hade said I ask you wherefore came Luther, seeing these things (as ye can not denie●) were believed in the Catholic kirk before that ever Luther blew the trumpet of sedition or as ye would call it, reformation, if that honour had not been reserved to you? if the purity of these points was requesit, why came Luther, seeing he teacheth not that purity? For that was reserved to you only as we have said often times. It were out of purpose to say that God had sent him to bring in new errors and confirm old under pretext of some few that he hath taken away, where by an other might be sent. Was it needful that your Calvin should as an other Saint john the Baptist Parare viam Domini? In the mean time I will conclude (if there was so many errors in Luther's doctrine▪ that it was needful to send another in his place to teach the truth) that his extraordinary vocation was not good, or else yours, who at come upon a false token to give him the lie. But Domini moderatores why shall we believe Luther in some heads of religion as having commission of God and not in others, because ye say it? According to your Evangell ye at all equal, not one greater than an other: why shall we give you more credit, then him? or if we refuse to credit Luther, why shall we not re●use to credit you also, that ye may remain ever Pares? or why shall we believe your, when ye improve some things and approve others? is it not needful here to have a new extraordinary calling to judge with discretion and to our salvation? and if in any thing ye be gone wrong, should there not be another extraordinary prophet to correct you as ye have corrected others? And seeing that the true kirk (according to your reformed opinion) may err, when sh●ll we have lawful pastors? ye put the true doctrine the certain mark of lawful calling, yet it can not be hade, because every man bringeth error with him, and the kirk is uncertain and subject to error and so we can not trust her. And certainly as to Luther, I credit you, when ye accuse him of false doctrine and his followers, because he himself doth acknowledge his nature to be so corrupted and defiled, that he can do no good at all. But that ye be not draw in from your parity, I give also credit to Luther and his followers when they accuse you of so many errors, and your patriarch Calvin of so great wickedness, because he acknowledges himself of as good nature and inclination as Luther, and therefore can not tell the verity sincerely, as not being proper instruments for so precious a work which would be spilled, if they touch it. Monsieur du Plessis hath no better opinion of man's nature in general, as may be seen in the third book of the eucharist cap. 17. not far from the end, where he seemeth to say that the grace of God can not make good, that cometh of us, because that we mix in with Gods work some of our owen particular honour, glory, profit, and so that there is no good which we can do well, nor no ill but we can do over well: for so he speaketh. Notwithstanding we read not that any, who hath been sent extraordinarily by God to preach the verity, have teached or proposed in Gods name to be believed any false doctrine And it is to be supposed that God having sent Luther, hath also sufficiently instructed him in all things he should say or do in that charge and office: for otherwise seeing the things that we should believe at above all natural reason and humane judgement, how shall we know, if he, who is sent by God, keep the direction which he hath received? if he be convict in one falsehood, he loseth credit in all the rest, and there by disappointeth his masters intent, who employeth him, Further it is certain that God of his in finite wisdom & power, either choshed or maked the instrument proper, that he will employ, and suffers not in these great matters to go otherwise then he will & our salvation requireth. For it is impossible that man can be deceived by God who is the verity itself. But ye will say that his doctrine who is sent, should be examined with the word of God contained in the scriptures: yea but he is come to interpret the scriptures to you and not to ●ece●ue any interpretation of you. His vocation gifeth him good assurance to speak. If ye would try his vocation by the scriptures, ye should have good reason, but to try his doctrine having admitted his calling I see no reason.  
11. Moreover if it be lawful to call in doubt any man's doctrine who is extraordinarily sent now in our days, why shall it not be lawful to call in doubt the doctrine of all the●s, that ever were sent extraordinarily by God, principally seeing ye acknowledge not the Authority of the kirk? For being doubt some and incertane in the one, ye can not be assured in the others seeing that it is that same God that sent them all, and for that same end▪ so shall we have the whole bible, I say not subject to trial, but subject to be rejected by every presumptuous brain, as hath been done by sund●y in our days & before. Further seeing we should receive nothing of any extraordinary Pastor but that which we have tried with the scriptures, I would be glade to know, what trial can be made by women and children or ignorantes? For if trial should pass before, why should any man or woman (how ignorant that ever they were) reither then learned men receive any doctrine without trial? or why force ye m●n to approve swear and subscribe your negations before they have well tried them to be true, or reither seeing they find them false. But we will keep the rest of this dispute to the trial of your session's presbyteries and assembles provincials and generals, where in general and particular we shall, God willing, discuss this matter the best we can. Now to your calling, which I say can not be good, whether Luther's be good or ill. For if it be good who so ever engyre himself to preach and teach in the kirk of God as being a lawful Pastor, not having power of Luther, should be esteemed a private man and not a public officer of God's house, a traitor and not a true man, a wolf and not a hited, ye and yours being without his mission and calling, as we have alreddie shewin, I see not what ye can pretend for you, to have done as ye have. Which I prove once again in this sort: He who is sent a Pastor and Doctor in the kirk of God, principally is sent to preach the Doctrine, as he received it of the Doctor who sent him: if he doth otherwise, his commission or procuration containing no sic thing as he had done, can not serve him: for who so ever cometh in the kirk with charge, cometh as procurer, and not as proprieter, wherefore he should do according to his procuration, (because he hath only the handling of other men's goods and good) and not according to his fantasy, as if all were his owen. Now if Luther the first of this new extraordinary calling sent you, it was to preach that same doctrine, which he preached & hath delivered to the world before he sent you. If ye keep not that doctrine, his mission serveth you to no purpose, because ye have not done the thing, wherefore ye were sent, it not your commission justly called back and ye declared evil officers? As when ye give power or commission to any new young scholar to govern a kirk, it is not without injunctions that he shall teach that same doctrine, that ye teach and that he hath heard of you, and not another forged at his owen fantasy or invented by an other. If he do contrary to your command, would ye not depose him as not doing according to the power received of you? and therefore justly to be disawowed, but so that he could not serve himself against you with your procuration having passed the bounds prescribed to him. Now if ye have received any power of Luther or nor, I refer the matter to you, I say only that ye have preached and yet do preach another doctrine than he & his followers do preach. ergo ye are private men and not public officers or lawful pastors in this new reformed kirk▪ except perhaps by virtue of your reformation it be lawful to rulle without reason, ye may call yourselves pastors and saints of God; ye will never persuade to men of judgement that ye are his saints as long as ye take upon you, the charge of Pastors without power or charge. Think not but thi● merits a ●u●t excommunication▪ and not a conterfaited folly like yours, meddling ourselves with things for above your state, being but private men, yea so meikill worse than private men, that your usurpation maketh you guilty of crime of lesmaiestie divine. I● ye will not credit me, go to Luther your first patriarch, and he will declare, w●at he thinke●h, seeing he hath long since excommunicated you out of his new kirk because in place of his heavenly doctrine (as he sayeth) ye have teached your doctrine which ye have brought out of hell (take you to him if the words be some what sharp) to prison the world; and for that cause in the very beginning he did excommunicate Calvin & Zuinglius whom he called sacramentaries and that most justly according to their owen opinion: for they acknowledging him for that new beginning of their vocation and new reformed kirk, it behoved him to have that power above them. So what doubt is but Luther having power to send them, hath power also to call them back if they passed the bounds of his commission? I he hath called them back and broken the commission he gave them before (as in deed he hath done what he could that is in imagination as he gave them that power) they at private men again in the mids of their reformation, and ye also, destitute of all power and authority to excommunicate any man. By this although Luther hath never called back his power gifin to Calvin, yet could it serve him for no Warrant, seeing that Luther denieth plainly that ever he himself receiveth any charge to speak or write sundry things, which Calvin and Zuinglius have spoken and written since that time: and therefore he calls them heretics and sacramentaries as I have said before. Or if he received charge to preach thes things, why condemneth he other men, who preached them? There were some excuse, if he did not all, but there is no excuse nor reason, why he should hinder other men having lawful power of himself, to do that which he could not do, or to condemn them, who teacheth the verity that being the chief and principal end of his extraordinary vocation. There is none of all ●he prophets, Evangelists, or other holy writers, who have written allthings, which ●t hath pleased God to sh●w to the world. ●or so he hath though it good to distribute ●is gifts at sundry times, to sundry person●es, for sundry reasons, as he thought it most expedient for his glory and our salvation. ●ut there is none of them all who either gain sayeth or condemneth the others▪ meikilles stoppeth them to say or write any thing that they have in charge to declare and publish to the world▪ here turn you to what side ye will either Luther shall be a false prophet or Calvin an Apostate, & his vocation null and yours also.  
12. I make no doubt but ye will reither forsak Luther, howbeit first, than Calvin your last patron. I may object here to you the honourable titels (quo iure non disp●to) that Calvin gifeth to Luther as to a true servant of God, and not as to a false prophet, which were sufficient to close your mouths if they could be closed. But I will pass this as if it were not, and speak of Calvin and you, because ye may say that Calvin himself was sent extraordinarily to perform that excellent work, in vain and falsely attempted by Luther, I will well by supposition, providing that ye reformed brethren will stand there to, and suffer me to examine the matter a little: for we shall see, if ye can fight better under this new captain. Calvin or any other ye will, was sent (I suppose this now, in case ye will not stand by Luther & take your ordinary calling of him) extraordinarily by God himself to teach the verity, and ministrate the sacraments according to the reformation ●e was to make: if he did not his duty in this most excellent and necessary charge, ye should esteem him▪ as he is, a false prophet, who being commanded by God and assisted by the holy Spirit (for sure I am in your opinion he lacketh not that joined to his charge) yet would not declare the verity truly & plainly without admixting some lies of his own by the devils suggestion, where by the world might be of new poisoned with false doctrine under colour of God's sovereign name. If this be true he merits more them to be slain 
3. book the kings cap. 13.  in the way by a Lion for transgressing of the lords command, not in simple eating and drinking, being forbidden to eat or drink, as did the ancient prophet, but for teaching of false doctrine far by his commission, which was to show the verity. If he did his duty ●n all things, where from cometh it, that ●undry of your brethren in France & other places, yea your excellent Apostle-Verelian ●reat pontif. of Geneva M. Theodore Beze ●is owen good disciple, dissentes from him ● many heads, and as I think, ye also disavow him not in few points. Certainly I ●aue not to this day found one who approveth him in all things. For when any of ●ours are urged with Calvin's authority, y● answer that ye acknowledge not Calvin, but so far as he agreeth with the scriptures, where ye find that he agreeth with the scriptures, ye will receive him: what less can ye give to Plato, Aristotle, Cicero and Seneca, or any other profane writer? will ye reject them although ye find them agree with the word of God? I think not. Truly Calvin is meikill obliged to you, if ye grant him that, which ye can not refuse to an old wife. Is this the reverence ye bear to him for his extraordinary calling? are thes the thanks ye give him for the vocation and pow●r that ye have received of him? shall not the spirit that spoke in him have more credit, than any of you? was he sent with that condition that he should have no credit, till ye found in the bible that it was true he said. Truly if I be not far deceived, it will be very easy to make you believe any thing ye please and otherwise impossible, if the judgement be referred to you poor Calvin (so far as I understand by your answers) received not the spirit in the best sort. He received only the spirit to tell you many things in form of proposition to your holy assemblies, and ye received of discretion and wisdom, to judge what was good an● what was ill. ye have gotten a more mighty inspiration than your chief prophet●. I am glad for your cause. we can not fail to go well having gottin you for supreme judge to try all things, but, as I think, every one in 
Semp●● discente● & nunquam ad scientiam veritatis perueniente● 2. add Timoth. ●. 7.  his own parish; for ever the further we go from unity, the number is the greater, and Papes are multiplied in your people. I love your wits to follow Cesar, reither first in a village, than second in Rome, yet good sires, seeing ye are set upon that high throne like to as many Salomon's, that every one of you & juris nodos & legum aenigmata soluit, be not offended, if I ask some things at you, seeing there rested me yet some litil doubts▪ I ask whether Calvin was sent extraordinarily to teach you the verity, or be to teached & examined by you? If he was sent to teach you, ye should admit him without any further trial & take the conference with the scriptures to confirm and strengthen his sayings, & not to confute them: for so did the first Christians read the places of the prophets cited by the Apostles. If he was sent to be teached & examined by you, why came he extraordinarily? to what purpose was so great honour, & afterward to be subject to you? But this for an other time; at us consider once again the first. If Calvin was sent extraordinarily uz. to teach you, he may say with Saint Paul: Ego enim accepi à Domino, quod & tradidi vobis: there is no other witness here but God and he. If ye of your reformed modesty will give them both, or any one of them the lie, I can not mend it, seeing, it is ye, who hath gotten the charge to reform the world, and so this may be accounted as a reformed lie, with the which no man should be formalized: yet with licence I may urge Caluins pretended right. If he spoke & writ according to the direction that he received of God how so ever thes things seems strange to you, yet should ye admit them & think, that they are according to the scriptures: because God is never contrary to himself, he being but one in diverse mouths, & not diverse in one mouth. how can it be possible that ye can better know, what charge Calvin received of God, than he himself, who was (as he and ye pretend) employed? We receive without any contradiction or gainsaying the writs of the Prophets and Evangelists with all the rest of the holy bible, because thes writers were sent & assisted by God. If there seemeth any diversity, we accuse our weacknes, & not the scriptures of contradiction or falsehood: for no sic thing can be in God's work. So if Calvin, or any other, was sent immediately by God, ye must receive all his doctrine, except ye show either that he hath been ill instructed & that it was Spiritus mendax in ore eius: or that he hath done besides his commission, of which neither can be true if God was the author. It will serve you for nothing to say, that he was but a man & might err. Because all the prophets and Apostles were but men and might err. yet the assistance of the holy Spirit suffered them not to err in there commission, & therefore we receive their sayings as God's owen sayings, because he was the author, & they only the instrument. Why receive ye not Calvin in this manner? or show us that God had sent any man to deceive us falsis vera im●isce●s. I think ye will find no sic Sinon's scent extraordinarily by God, or if there be any, let us hear their names. If Calvin was sent, as ye pretend, ye should think that God hath instructed him well, & hath given him good and sufficient directions (for else the fault shall be Gods & not his) and suffered him not to go therefrom: otherwise it hath been a great vanity to have sent him. Ye will perhaps reply that God in all ages had raised up Godly fathers & learned men to oppose themselves to errors and abuses beginning to enter in the kirk, as S. Athanase, S. Basile, S. Augustin, S. B●rnard & othe●s in great number, whose writings notwithstanding are not altogether so clean but something may be tried & corrected. I answer there be great difference betwixt them & Calvin or any other to whom the reformation ●ath been extraordinarily committed. For although these Godly and learned fathers were sent by God, yet were they not sent extraordinarily▪ but by the ordinary way: for they received their vocation and power of the Catholic kirk in whose bosom they were brought up and ●eached: The doctrine which they had received of the kirk, they delivered to the members of the kirk, where in they remained still as obedient children, submitting all their works and writings to her judgement, condemning as schismatics or heretics, all those who left her, employing their whole travel and writings to defend and maintain her against all Satan's insults, never making any sect a part, never alleging any particular commission to reform others, nor yet to bring any new thing. Calvin to the contrair left the kirk where he was conceived and teached an other doctrine, than he hath learned of his mother Christ's spouse, whom he shamefully foresook, refusing in any wise to acknowledge her or her judgement▪ 〈◊〉 himself to them, whom he condemneth in mind and writing, oppugning and ●u●sprysing her, who concealed him, making a band a part, because of the pretended commission he had received to reform all these things merited a good warrant to be believed, seeing they contain so many strange maxims above or contrary to all good reason, which can not be found in the foresade godly and learned fathers who were sent before. And therefore their example maketh nothing for Calvin and his doings or errors. Ye will say for your and his defence, that they at but little things where in ye descent from him. I know that neither he, nor ye can do a great fault, ye are all Goddess owen mignons▪ how soon that the lord heareth, tha● it is y●e, who hath committed any thing, it is incontinent excused, because of your strong faith, which changes knavery in good service. But I pray you how shall I know, if his faults be great or small▪ seeing that ye will receive no thing at all of his doctrine, till ye have had it upon th● touchstone of your judgement? and so for their litil things, as ye call them, ye call all in doubt, at lest with other men▪ who perchance may think meikill, that ye think little. And here upon (good sires pardon me, if I be so bold) I gi● you no more credit than ye give Calvin? for by your owen rule, I must ●rye both his saying and your judgement, before that I receive any thing, yea I will releave, nether because he sayeth it, nor because ye approve it (for that were to do wrong to the spirit and Christian liberty) but ●●ca●se I think that I have ●ound it so in ●h●●ible. For if I find it not there I will condemn and detest it as a plain heresy, 〈◊〉 that where i● ye agree no● with Calvin, but all the rest, and this (as I have said) according to your owen rule and pretended Christian liberty, where by ●uery man is i●●g● in all things within the reformed kirk. Further it may seem by the foresaid answer that ye think a man can not receive a deadly wound; except he be (as they say) 〈◊〉 to the teeth. Certainly the largeness of the wound oftentimes makes no● the danger, but the place and part that is wounded. A man may be strooken through the body, and y●t live; a pri●k with a pi●n● in the hea●t or harness might bring certain death, which should not be measured by the greatness of the wound, but by the lo●●e of the man: ye are not ignorant how little difference was betwixt the Cat●●ol●kes and the Adrian's if we will look to the lett●rs. But to return to your Apostle he was sent to show us the true way, yet hath he led us by the way and deceived us▪ how little as ever the matter be▪ his part is not good▪ Certainly I can not esteem your patriarch (be it Luther, Calvin, Z●ingli●s▪ Knox, Willox, Me●●en, He●io●e, Craig or what so ever other ye will for all is one in thes matter) a true prophet, seeing ye yourselves esteem him a liar. For a little leasing▪ principally in matters of religion, maketh no less a liar then a great leasing, only the greater it be, he is the mo●e detestable who maketh it▪ Ye will perchance here reply to me▪ and say that God suffered him to fall in some thing ●● where by both he and we might knew that he was but a man. I answer first that it was not ●eed●u●l because no 〈◊〉 could have taken him for a God, although he ●ade said all true▪ for we believe not that the Apostles & Prophets are Gods▪ albeit we be surely persuaded that all is true that they have said, 〈◊〉 lest that they have left us by writ. Next there was no sic supernatural thing in him as might bring ●s in that error, last of all it hath been more prope●●or us that he had said allthings 〈◊〉 wit●●●● any suspicion of falsehood▪ where by we might assuredly have known that God had sent him and spoken in him: and that for his cause, who sent him, we should receive him as an extraordinary pastor come to reform the world. It was not needful to hazard our salvation to prove him a man, but we needed many good arguments to prove, that God had sent him, and principally an argument taken from the verity▪ As to himself I find him extreme proud in all his writings, yet think I no● that he esteemed himself a God, and sure I am he died not with that opinion, I say no further. Ye will perchance ask of me here, if I would conclude that ye are also false prophets and liars, if ye teach any false doctrine, as doubtless ye do? No truly, although in some sense, I might most justly so conclude: for ●here is great difference now betwixt you, as ye profess yourselves to be but ordinatie pastors (if perchance ye content yourselves with so humble and simple a stile) and Calvin o● any other, whom ye acknowledge to b● sent ext●●ordinariely by God himself: fo● howbeit your power (if ye have any▪ I understand) be divine, as coming of God, ye● your judgement is but humane▪ so that it i● no marvel if ye go sometimes wrong i● high matters which should be called re●he an e●●ou●, than a lie, because ye w●r● dec●●ue● in your opinion as men. For this cause the ordinary Pastor is obliged▪ to follow the footstopes of his forefathers▪ & make no new way to himself, nor any thing that seemed to incline to novelty: because humano judgement should not be bold in divine matters: for i● ye open the door that every man may judge as he list, there can be no assurance in religion, but daily change, as spirits of men be diverse both from he and others. But Calvin (or any other ye will) being sent by God himself, came not here to tell us his opinion as a man, ●ut to declare God's mind and will as an instrument chosen extraordina●iely for that effect. So that if he have failed, it can not b● called human a mentis error, but a per●iciouse lie against the holy spirit, who hath given him express charge to speak otherwise then he spoke. For he lieth, who in his masters name sayeth things which his master never had said; Omnis enim debet sine ●a●o nucius ●sse. The poets have feigned the messengers of their fabulous Gods, more discreit, than ye acknowledge the messengers of th● true God; for ye shall not lightly find any one word changed in M●rcuri●s Commissions, he is so religious in doing his charge. The same may be said of Prince's Ambassadors in these days. I think it should meikill less be permitred to any man to go from the commission gifin to him by God, either in eiking or pairing, what shall I say to speak to contrary? Now notwithstanding all this seeing ye find errors in your Apostle, where by ye think not yourselves obliged to follow him, but with this caveat, if he agree with the written word, ye give the world● plainly to understand that ye approve not his extraordinary vocation▪ but receives him as another man of the common so●t, who may deceive many good and true instructions of your spit●te▪ which is the true square and rule of all other spirits, where upon ● conclude that ye have no calling of his lying spirit (pardon me if I say so seeing I say it after you) who could have no si● power▪ and for that same reason your vocation is fallen in non entry, because ye have been so many years in violent possession, and can not as yet show either yours or any of your forefathers re●oures: upon these ●ands ye have builded your house, yea erected your Kingdom of confusi on, and established your laws of pa●rtie to have all men subject to your ministerial imaginations tending to the ruin of all superior powers. The more high your interpri●es b●, th● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you● tre●son, the ●ust cause men ●at●▪ not only to disobey you▪ but meikill more to gainstand you as ●sur●ers of Christ's jesus charge and office without his commission or command, and troublers of the common wealth and seditious subjects, qui est is nat● in pernicie● Principum 〈◊〉 bonorum omnium▪ brag of your excommunication as ye please it is but an vain imagination, a bugle to fra● babes▪ or a scare crow▪ ● found and a show▪ without ●ither danger or profit, and in a word i● is but a false thunder where by no man can be made ●elp●lo nigrio●●●o.  
13. I look here for your last refuge ye will pay 〈◊〉 with your ordinary fashion of scoffing▪ for some of you being asked where ye found the ki●k do● answer, in the 〈◊〉 midding of Papistry▪ Truly a most meet and proper native so●le for so wor●●ie and noble a Lady as your ki●k is▪ I guess your vocation was ●ound in the same royal palace. This answer as it is more near to the purpose, so it contented 〈◊〉 meikill better▪ for the Apost●●● priests▪ monks▪ and friars with other dissolute ●●●d debouched men of our ki●k were the first groundston●● of your reform f●●ie congregation: so if we had never had aposta●●●, ye should never have ●ad Apostles▪ Luth●r was ● mo●k, C●l●i● a 〈◊〉 none, Beza a Prior, Knox a Priest. If ye desire to be any further informed of this matter, our country may furnish you many true histories of the great and charitable piety of your primitive kirk when it began 40. years since.  
14. Now to the last head of our dispute, where as the matter is more clear so shall we be more short. Gising and not granting that ye had good Calling and were lawful true Pastors having power to bind and loose. I ask what jurisdiction ye can have upon them, who never were subject to you; never acknowledged nor could acknowledge you for lawful pastors having at all tymes made profession of the Catholic religion which is so far different, yea contrary to that which ye profess, and desires them to embrace, how can ye urge these men to acknowledge you, or how can ye excommunicate and separate them from you as rotten and spilled members from the rest of your reformed body, they never being of your body. Fear ye not that men laughed at you and your folly, to dispose so rashly upon things never yours except perchance by a reformed imagination, or dream? Kings and Princes uses not to banish out of their dominions other prince's subjects who never were within their bounds. True it is, that they may forbid any stranger to enter within their empires, and that for good and just reasons, yea for their only pleasure if they will so, because the lands are theirs, and so may receive, or hold out any man as they list, or punish sic as would without their licence enter there in. But to banish men that never were within their realms, were a thing very ridiculous, that I say not, foolish. And to constrain free men, or other Prince's subjects to give them the oath of fidelity and du● service were altogether against reason, principally never being with in their jurisdiction. Likewise I say to you, that ye can not justly force thes men now to acknowledge you who never were yours; ye may in deed forbid them to enter in to your kirk, or to assis● to your service, if ye have any, or to your prayers, or to take any charge amongst you, seeing that they ●r not of you● sto●●: but how ye can pass any further against them truly I see not, except ye would say, that your power hath no other marches, than your will and fantasy. An ample empire truly if it be so. Ye will have the express word of God for all things that other ●en say. I pray you bring us here some good ●nd evidentness of the scripture which may serve you for bound & charter of your bordors● cite us some sure place, by whose authority ye may prove that it is lawful to banish men out of your kirk, who never were in it. Think ye not but this meriteth two or three passages of the holy writ, before ye pass to the execution there of. The Iew●s did esteem the Gentiles in rank of excommunicated men; but never did excommunicate them: that is did hold them as profane men destitute of the grace and assistance of God, and out of his kirk seeing that they professed not that same religion, which only at that t●me was the true religion. But never did they curt them of their body as rotten members thereof, because they were not of their body, but reither a body a part distinguished from them both in religion and ceremonies, which only the I●wes did declare, and could do no further, Captains uses not, to discharge or b●ack out of their ●ands, soldiers who never were under their banners. Christ jesus never gave ●o any sic example or command nor yet, the Apostles, y●● none of their successors after them▪ Where● find ye the Iewe● or gentiles excommunicated by the Apostles or primitive ●irk? I find ●ruell pors●●utiōs exercised against the Christians and their great patience with 〈◊〉 and withdraw prayer made for their persecutors, I find not their execrations and curse● against them. ●e s●e the jews yet among● the Christians and unconstrained to embrace the verity▪ o● ye● excommunicated, except by that general excommunication where by they are all declared strangers in God's house and profane persons▪ with whom notwithstanding we may h●● n●●peek; trafik, and communicate miville although that our kirk doors and prayer places be closed up to them. They may have action in law against any man who hath either offended them, or is owing them any thing▪ justice is not refused to them, because they, are me● remaining with in the same common wealth. Now seeing the●s branches were never your● How can ye 〈◊〉 them of your tree. K●mi su● alteri●● arbor●s. If ye could do that, ye might hardly va●●t yourselves to have done a miracle, which hath been so often craved at your hands for your extraordinaire vocation.  
15. But ye will say tha● they are in your Pari●hes▪ and therefore ye have power upon them as upon the rest who are within the same jurisdiction. I understand well▪ ye are ●ands lo●de●, all is yours that g●owe● upon ●he gro●●d. But good ●●●es▪ ye should first show that the ground is yours, and then dispose there upon at your pleasure▪ we shall never op●n our mouths to gainsay you. The jurisdiction that ye pretend is spiritual, hitherto they have never entered wi●h in your dominious▪ Why will ye now force them to land, because they are driven by storm of wind upon your costs? They are ●orie that your limits are so near to them. The only sight of your realm hath disgusted them exceedingly: suffer them to stay where they are and they will enter no further. They content them with your good will. The Turks constrain no man to embrace their opinion, except he enter with in their temple: any man may be within the country without any compulsion. ye require more than the most cruel tyrants▪ If ye will credit them it shall not be needful to banish them out of your territory. They desire not to enter. They have chosen another free city, where they like better to be burgessis, which they will lose, if they enter with you. Ulysses was never more desirous to be delivered out of Polyphemu● cavern, or danger of Si●enes, or Charybdis than they to be exempt of your communion. It is but in vain ye excommunicate them who never have, nor yet desire to communicate with you. Ye do as they tell the ●able of the fox and plums, which he could not come by, nigra sun●●olo they are black (sayeth he) I will have none of them. ye are very liberal, ye give to others, which neither is yours nor can ye have▪ what extraordinary reformed charity is this in you to deliver over to Satan God's creatures not being in your charge nor keeping, meikill less at your gift? But good sires why ta● ye not the pains to show that ye have the true kirk, out of which there is no salvation; and that ye are lawful pastors, to whom all true Christians are obliged to obey as to Christ's vic●i●es and lieutenants▪ This were the ordinary and easy way, if ye would follow it; for this being once sufficiently shown; I doubt not but they would show themselves very docil and very easy to receive all your instructions, because of your undoubted authority and charge. Ye might then very well exhort them to enter witbin your spiritual jurisdiction, seeing ye had the lawful power to receive them, and to enrol them among the Children of God, and heavenly citizens. If they would not yet hear you, ye might according to Christ's command, shake the dust of your feet▪ and leave their blood upon their owen heads except perchance ye would patiently abide their conversion to God, seeing that some are called and do 〈◊〉 in the ●ords viniard▪ in the morning, some at midday, some in the ●uening, and at last all are new ●tded for their l●bours, ●o the which none are constrained▪ Ye know that faith is a gift of God, it c●n not be found e●●ry where. Spiritu● vb● vul● spirit it depended 〈◊〉 upon our will, nor ●eurs to make men bel●●ue the veri●ie▪ that appe●●in●d to God only. vol●ntas ●ogino● p●●est●● 〈◊〉 is God only▪ who may change the hardness of men's hearses. Why will ye force men, seeing we deny free will: If ye say as ye think why v●ge ye men as if they had it▪ excuse me, if I propose sic things, seeing I do it following your h●mour and strange opinions. I 〈◊〉 some exemple either of▪ ou● master ●esus Christ o● of his Apos●los▪ where either 〈◊〉 or Gentle ever was constrained to acknowledge the gospel, o● excommunicated ●f ●he would none I will grant to 〈◊〉 very freely▪ that all men who will not acknowledge the true kirks and lawful pastors a● with out the communion and pa●k● of Iesu● Christ▪ but not ●u● out of th● communion of 〈◊〉 park of jesus Christ: because as I have said now often, they were ne●er within i●▪ And therefore the Apostles and ●h●ir 〈◊〉 did ever civilly converse with the ●othe preaching and teaching the verity (where by our for fathers were con●erted to God) but never admitted them to be present at God's service till they had left their error & were instructed in the truth, and so rece●ned in the bosom of the kirk a● true Christians should be. If the Apostles had debarred from● their company all men, who wo●d not incontinent embrace their doctrine, I think they ●hold not have 〈◊〉 so m●ny as they have done. In their pa●ien●e they overcame the world, won the fa●ou● of their enemies, assured the faithful, b●a●●gled the infidels seeing them die so co●●dgeously for the ve●i●ie that they preached, & at last left ou● for father's peaceable in the kirk of God? which certainly was a heavenly work done by natural inst●un●en●es endued with supernatural graces and virtues, infused by the holy Spirit in the hear●●s of ●●ue and lawful pastors to confound all worldly wisdom and bring us wi●h simplicity and obedience to eternal bliss. In pl●ce of which godly modesty and meekness ye employ your reformed force and violence showing that ye had ●e●●her make, them ●e made martyrs, where in by many degrees ye surpass the cruel barb●●●● of the Turks, impati●t au● importune in all your actions, yet according to your discipline (which is against all good discipline) impellens quidquid sibi summa petenti obsis●it, g●udensque v●am ●ecisse ruina.— Magnámque cade●● magnámque revertens dat●stragem latè, sparsosque recoll●gi● ignes.  
16. Thus fair for them who all wai●e have remamed Catholics, as to others who have at any time yielded to you being ●ither forced or deceived by you, good reason requireth that they be set at liberty as before. doubtless the law will declare all sic men as free from all obligation to you, as they who never were yours, because of the violence and deceit ye have used, principally seeing it is so fa●re against the honour of God, the kings majesties servi●e, and public honesty, and yoú to be punished as public transgressors of divine and humane laws. If ye will have men obliged to your doctrine and discipline, set up new play, proceed with honest lawful and godly means without both fraud & force error or treason take an ordinary sure calling or prove well your extraordinary, and then, who hat● once acknowledged you, punish him ● your discretion and according to your laws, if he revolt from you, But now as matters goeth, although I were a zealous brother yet as faithful Christian and true subject, I would be glad to be excommunicated out of your company, where treason and heresies are confirmed with subscriptions and solemn oaths.  
18. Now to end with you, I will yet make you an offer, as I think very reasonable, which is this. Seing ye will have no thing that cometh of the Catholic Apostolic and Roman Kirk, as being infected with superstition and Idolatry▪ nor acknowledge the Pape, because ye esteem him the Antichrist, and therefore will have no council gathered by him: do like good & vigilant pastors, assemble yourselves by whose authority ye please, hold an universal synod among your reformed brethren of all sorts through out the whole reformed world, without beginning and ending, that there appear no superiority▪ make a round table, speak all at once; dispute upon the controverted heads: agree among yourselves and we shall agree with you. what can ye ask more of us? if no accord can be hade among you, how can we agree with you? Consenting with any one company, we shall have all the rest for enemies, and shall not be assured if the party, that we have followed, will stand long at his owen opinion. Or if ye think this offer of greater expenses than esperance, we will make you another, to agree with you & subscribe your con●ession of faith, if ye can show that ever there was any empire, Kingdom, canton, city, town, village or cothouse, yea any single man catholic or heretic, young or old, learned or ignorant, professing your doctrine and gowerned by your discipline before this last hundred years. If ye refuse this offers, judge your selves, what the reformed flock may think of you. Abiding your answer I will make here an end and pray God to give us his eternal bliss, and to you (where by ye may attain to the same) a faith that may stand with your duty to God and Prince, and with Christian charity.  
Fare well.