A CHRISTIAN LOVE-LETTER: Sent particularly to K.T. a Gentlewoman mis-styled A CATHOLIC, but generally intended to all of the Romish Religion, to labour their conversion to the true faith of CHRIST JESUS.  2. Esdras 3, 31. 
Are the deeds of Babylon better than they of Zion?  
By john Swynnerton, Gent:   printer's device of a hand emerging from the clouds, with a snake entwined about the wrist, holding a staff surmounted by a portcullis, and sprays of foliage (McKerrow, 355) 
PRUDENTIA  
Printed by W. jaggard dwelling in Barbican. 1606.   

TO THE RIGHT NOBLE, and Honourable: Robert Earl of Salisbury, viscount Cranborne, Baron of Essingdon, principal Secretary to his Majesty, Master of the court of Wards and Liveries, Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, knight of the Noble order of the Garter, and one of his highness most Honourable privy Council  
RIght Honourable and my most honoured Lord, albeit I have no special place allotted me in the building of the holy Temple of our Saviour, yet [I hope] I may be permitted to behold, with joy of my soul, the rising of those beautiful walls, and now and then [out of a zealous desire to have the work go forward] set my hand thereunto, though I rank myself but amongst the meanest of the labourers, those 3. score and ten thousand that bear burdens. I presume I may: and have therefore brought this little Stone, or piece of mortar, or whatsoever it prove, to further that holy building. The rather, because it is so maliciously withstood by the crooked generation of jannes' and jambres, who [albeit they shall not prevail, as the Apostle assureth them [for truth must have that privilege] bend [notwithstanding] all their power against it, & do their uttermost to lay the same [though it be Gods own house] level with the ground. who can be silent that hath tongue or pen in such a cause? It is our masters own quarrel. Canes latrant pro Dominis suis tu non me vis [saith a learned Father] latrare pro christo? Yet what I have written is but a letter, and that, a Love-letter; but it is [most Noble Lord] A christian Love-letter, persuading all (though particularly directed to one) of the romish religion, with mild and charitable phrase, to a true faith in the blood of Christ Jesus'. This letter I make bold [but in most humble manner] to present unto your Ho. Which in respect of the Author [after the Philosophers rule] I will neither praise nor dispraise Laudare se vani, vituperare stulti: yet thus much it concerneth me to make known, & (without imputation of arrogancy) I may report, that when I had writ this treatise (dreading the insufficiency or partiality of mine own judgement) I appealed unto two most reverend and learned Divines, for their censure; who when they had perused it, sent me away, my pains commended, the book not discommended, nor myself any way discouraged; Otherwise, it should never have felt the press, at least, never have presumed upon so Honourable patronage: Notwithstanding, I confess it is unworthy your regard. But I hope your Hon: will deal no worse with me than Christ did with the poor Widow in the Gospel: she brought her farthing, I bring as much: joffer all I have, she offered no more: and, that which maketh a Mite a Million, with a free heart I cast it into the treasury. As a pledge therefore of my love to the church of Christ, my loyalty to my King and country, and lastly of my most humble and my most dutiful affection unto your Ho: (though I am unknown unto you, as for any extraordinary means I have, I am ever likely to be] I most humbly beseech your Lo: that the same may find your How and gracious acceptance.  
Devoted in all duty and service unto your Hon: john Swynnerton.   

A CHRISTIAN Love-letter: Sent to a Gentlewoman, mis-stiled a CATHOLIC, to labour her conversion to the true Catholic faith of CHRIST JESUS.  
ALthough Mistress KATHERINE, from the hour I first understood how pitifully you were miscarried in matter of Religion, how erroneously misled in your manner of doing service to the Almighty; I ever held (and not ignorant of the divine prohibition of rash judgement) the state of your better part to be dangerous: yet having (more than cursorily) perused that worthy piece of work (as you take it) the little book you sent me, I conceived a stronger ground for my opinion, and might discern methoght, more clearly, even a lamentablenes in your condition; to have your soul (after such sort) to be fed, or rather feasted and not fed, or rather filled, and not feasted: but to speak most properly, neither fed, nor feasted, nor filled, but flatly poisoned with such Italian drugs, with such superstitious and Antichristian confections, as in the said book, and divers other your irreligious Pamphlets of like subject are compounded; while that bread of life, which only should feed, it is not hungered after, that uncorruptible Manna, wherewith only it ought to be feasted, is not gathered, that eternal food, which only hath power to fill it, is not set by: I mean while the true wholesome receipt [indeed] is rejected, the pure and heaven and earth-out lasting word of God, neither read nor regarded. I have felt my heart out of the general love of a christian, and my more particular affection towards you, almost melt into sorrow and compassion, to think how youly slabbering in these corrupted puddles of man's erroneous inventions, yet never the more cleansed, when you might with as much ease, and much better welcome, enter that livesome Bath of Gods own founding, his sacred scriptures, whose waters are of admirable operation, and [by the hand of his blessed spirit] would be sure to wash, not only your feet [as job speaketh] but your hands and your head also [as Peter prayed, 
job. 29, 6 ] yea even your soul likewise, 
john 13, 9 Psal. 19, 7  as David affirmeth, and make you all over as white as snow in Salmon. You may not allege, that the book of God is lost or cast into a corner [as it was in the days of josias] or that his sacred writings, 
2 chr. 34, 14 Iere. 36, 23  are cut in pieces, and thrown into the fire, as they were by the hands of jehoiachim.  
You cannot plead any famine of the word of God [which of all other inflictions, the Lord for his mercy sake evermore avert from our nation] that should enforce you to feed so eagerly upon such gross, and unwholesome garbage, for a greater plenty, and freer passage thereof, the King of heaven have the glory, as we have the gain, never any kingdom of the earth [I think] enjoyed. The truth is, neither you, nor the greatest clerk that ever breathed superstition upon you, can bring a substantial reason to excuse your unacquaintance with the scriptures, considering you may read them, and hear them truly read, and expounded [if you please] and that it is our saviours own precept, Search the scriptures, 
john 5, 39 Mar. 12, 29  and a conclusion of his own framing, Err not knowing the Scriptures.  
If an ordinary friend should counsel you to do a thing within your power, that would be neither chargeable nor trouble some unto you, and withal annex unto his advise a forcible reason, importing some singular benefit, that should redound in doing it, would you not with all readiness undertake it, and most willingly embrace his counsel? I know you would: and therefore cannot choose but wonder, when that extraordinary friend of yours Christ jesus, who held you [I charitably include you amongst the chosen] as precious as his own heart blood, and whom you should reesteeme more dear than your own soul, shall offer you his own book to read, command you to read it, and withal ascertain you, that you go astray, and wander out of the right way that leadeth to felicity, because you want that direction, which the same would afford you: To see you notwithstanding shut your eyes, and ears, and all your senses to be delighted and even ravished with such harsh sounding, and unmelodious harmony; such absurd, and heretical doctrine, as this book which I received from you, and other of the like stamp [to frequent amongst you] are stuffed with; Wherein I grant, some part of God's word [to countenance forth all the rest] is here and there inter-woven, but that either not itself through corrupt translation, or at least not like itself, it is so violently wrested, and by misapplication so pitifully disfigured. When I had read your book, entitled; A quartern of reasons of catholic Religion, with as many brief reasons of refusal, collected and composed by T. Hill, Doctor of Divinity, and had weighed the subject, the stile, and the method, I adjudged the answering of it to be a matter of no great difficulty, and [methought] no task of impossibility for myself: though [as you know] no professed Divine, no noted student, and indeed not worthy the name of a Scholar; Howsoever, yet I undertook it, till in my return from you out of Glostershire, at the Stationers in Worster I light upon a book bearing this title, A quartern of reasons composed by D. Hill unquartered and proved a quartern of follies, by Francis Dillingham Bachelor of Divinity.  
Hereupon seeing the Doctor so substantially dealt with by M. Dillingham, a degree behind him one way, though many degrees before him another way, and to have received from him a more sufficient answer than my poverty could have afforded, I willing lie surceased, and so let fall my former resolution: yet being under sail, seeing the wind fair, and feeling myself to brook prettily well the Ocean I was entered into, I thought to make a voyage of it [though a contrary way] before I returned; I mean, having taken pen in hand, to have answered [in my unlearned fashion, and therefore the more suitable] the foresaid Treatise, and perceiving myself so happily prevented, I determined notwithstanding to write something unto you, that should concern you, and whereby [if God were so pleased] that more than Egyptian darkness wherewith yoursoule is so benighted, might in a timely hour be expelled.  
For two chief reasons have I made religion the argument of this my letter; the first, for that [there is nothing under the glory of God] that so highly importeth you, as the good estate of your soul, which dependeth upon the religion you profess in the days of this your pilgrimage upon earth. The other reason is, because the difference of your religion & mine [our contrary opinion therein] hath been the principal impediment that interrupted our loves proceeding, & broke the marriage betwixt us, which the world so long expected, and we [but for that] mutually desired. For as I, upon sure ground was ever resolved one way, so you [though without ground] were as resolute another way; and still would intimate your desire of my reconcilement to your Catholic Religion (as you call it.] Indeed for a Gentlewoman that is a catholic, to ponder aforehand that irreligion, though it cannot lawfully break that indissoluble band, yet aught to be held of sufficient force to restrain [at first] the making thereof, is a prudent consideration.  
For her to weigh with herself that this word coniugium, or wedlock, importeth a uniting of two minds and that if she match with one contrarily affected in religion, the only true tempered stuff that soldreth hearts together, they, can never rightly accord, because they cannot agree in love, that disagree in faith. This is like wise an ingenious and religious caution.  
And then if she in true zeal and upon the foresaid considerations, convert that heretic [whom she loveth] to the profession of the catholic faith, before she deign him the title of her husband, Questionless she doth a work that pleaseth God, profiteth his church, and ministereth matter of rejoicing to the Angels of heaven. But standeth the cause thus betwixt us two, I dare swear [for I had rather think you any thing then a dissembler] you think it doth: you think your elf a catholic, and mean heretic; you think the custom of our young gentlewomen of your old religion, in turning their husband's hearts, to the embracing of their opinions, a laudable custom; and aught by you likewise as strictly to be observed: But alas that such blindness [were it otherwise, pleasing to our great God, whose wisdom best knoweth what is good for his Church] should get such possession of your understanding, and Ignorance, so overcloude your judgement, as to make you deem yourself to be otherwise then you are, and others to be even as the uncharitablest of your constructions can make them. Alas I say, under the foresaid reservation, that it should be so, howbeit I marvel not, that it is so, since it hath been proper to the heretics of old, preiudicatlie, to arrogate unto themselves that acceptable appellation of catholics, and to entitle the catholics indeed, by this odious attribute of heretics. But now (methinks) you begin to distaste my phrase, because it gins to deal roundly with you, in retorting (though covertly) the heretic thus upon you: be patiented a while, and because no man that judgeth himself sound is easily won to accept the physicians help, how full of virtue soever the Medicine be, which is tendered him: give me leave I pray you, first to make you know yourself to be imperfected, & then I doubt not, but the receipt, which the small measure of my skill shall compound, for the expelling of your infirmity, will not only be pleasing unto your taste, but powerful [through his working that giveth power to every good work] for your recovery. It hath been held a profitable method, in the description of any vice to anatomize that virtue which is properly the opposite; for the hard favoured gentlewoman is never so disadvantaged, as when she goes hand in hand with her beautiful neighbour; each thing [indeed] being best deciphered by his contrary. I will therefore [the question being which of us is the catholics] first discover mine own faith, which you hold to be no better than heresy, & the very contrary unto yours; that thereby the beauty of your profession, if mine be so deformed, may the more be admired, or rather [as I hope] and [if judicial eyes impartially discern berwixt us assure myself] that the impurity, and blemishes thereof, by such opposition of mine, so substantially warrantable may the sooner be revealed, and by yourself whom it so nearly concerns the better discerned: and the rather do I begin with disclosing the substance of mine own profession, because we are bound to sinned the true faith of christ in ourselves, before we examine the want thereof in others, and ought readily to give a reckoning of the same, if either authority [that is sufficient] enjoin, or causes [that are substantial] as in this case shall induce us thereunto.  
MY religion [understand me I pray you] Is the true worship of the everliving God, 
2. Sect.  I know it is the true worship of God because it is that manner and form of worship, which is agreeable to his blessed will; I know it is agreeable to his will, because it is framed according to the prescription of his holy word: And I know it to be framed according to his word, because I learn the same out of his own book, which containeth nothing but his word; delivered first by his own voice to our fore fathers, after indited by his own all-sufficient wisdom, penned down by his own chosen servants the prophets and Apostles, sealed and confirmed with the precious blood of his own dear son, and from age to age, through persecution, through captivity, through the most powerful occurrents that ever Satan devised, for impugning the same, by his own wonderful providence so mercifully preserved, to be food for the souls, and direction for the lives of his elect here on earth, while the world endureth, which book we therefore entitle the sacred scriptures, & commonly the Bible: so that my Religion is, a worshipping of god after his own will, revealed by his own word comprised in his own book: and therefore as I first said, a true worship of the everliving God. And, is it not [judge you] the wisest course we can take for the understanding the will of our God, without which we are no better than the beasts that perish, and which necessarily we must attain unto before we can do it, as we must do it; before we receive that which you call the wages of well-doing. To read diligently this book, to search reverently these scriptures, and to have continual recourse unto this word, which may be called the trusty Ambassador that faithfully delivereth the revealed counsels of God, the holy mouth that truly uttereth the oracles of his blessed sanctuary, which is the word of life, the word of truth, as true as himself, his own word, and therefore the best revealer of his will, and most absolute describer of that platform, after which he delighteth to be worshipped.  
I will not by way of inference as I go along, rove at any marks of your profession, till I have in some perfecter sort measured out mine own, else could I [me thinks] with an arrow drawn out of this quiver, pierce even the quickest vain of those unwarranted Decretals, and humane Traditions of yours. But let your thoughts a while be bestowed in consideration of what I say touching mine own religion, which erst I defined to be, The true worship of the everliving God. Wherein least you should mistake, in thinking I deal Pharasaically, or attribute perfection of impossibility unto myself, who being but flesh, am therefore full of sin, and thereby disabled for that righteous carriage, and the performance of those holy offices, which properly belong to the service of him, who is all righteousness, and true holiness itself: conceive I pray you, how I understand myself, and desire to be understood therein. I confess that all men are sinners, and myself as sinful as any man, I might say more sinful, for I must judge myself severely, and of others charitably: besides, I know mine own wickedness, and my sin is ever before me. The Angels of heaven, that excel in strength may keep (o happy, happy are they that while) the commandments of the Lord, but the inhabitants of the earth, that are composed of weakness, do nothing but break them; In a word, I am one of Adam's crooked brats, My works are impure, and all my righteousness as a polluted clout. So that to do true worship to that everliving God (as I professed) of myself, I am not able, for a sinful lump of flesh, I find it impossible. Who am I (said Moses in a timorous distrust of his own ability,) 
Exod. 3, xi  that I should go unto Pharo. Then what am I, may I better expostulate from the certain knowledge of my disability, to worship the Euarlasting God? What am I, that am a thousand times inserior to that Moses, to worship him truly, who is ten thousand, nay innumerable and unimaginarie millions of degrees superior to that Pharo. But the same God, who [in respect of his own desert, being the perfection of all things, and all perfection before things had being] requireth such exact service from me, knows whereof I am made, for I am, a work of his own hands, and remembreth that, I am but dust the substance of my forefathers, unskilful how [for I am no better than a beast in my own knowledge, and unapt if I were skilful, so to serve him, My heart by nature being continually so misdisposed. And out of the great storehouse therefore of his unvaluable compassion, hath he sent me a full supply to all my defects, and plainly directed me how to address myself for the manner of service, which must purchase his acceptation: for as he gave encouragement to Moses, and taught him with his own word what to say unto, and how to carry himself before Pharo. It hath pleased him in like sort to embolden me in my greatest sear, and by the perfect rule of the same powerful word, to instruct me after what sort to appear before him, and how to demean myself in the presence of his Majesty, his sacred word [I say still] the spirit of truth expounding the same unto me, is my instruction.  
Hence I learn [which is the lesson that all christians should be perfect in] the knowledge of jesus christ, and him crucified, to know him to be perfect God and perfect Man, my maker, my saviour, my mediator. My maker as he is God, my Saviour and mediator, as he is God and man: this is all I desire to know, and may be well enough, for that learned Apostle of his, notwithstanding his miraculous conversion, abundant inspiration, and heavenly vision, [by his own testimony, knew no more, as he needed not, the docctrine thereof being [indeed] the very sum, and scope of the whole scriptures. This knowledge whosoever hath, though he know nothing else, knoweth all things: as who so wanteth the same, though he know all things else, may be said to know nothing.  
This is that crystal sountain from whence the pure Waters of life do flow, and they that drink soundly thereof shall never thirst. This is that fixed Helice which if we truly observe, pointeth out our land of promise, and directeth us the right way thither; Nay, this is the way itself that leads us unto truth; and the truth itself that leads unto life; and the life itself that we so long after, even eternal felicity, I am the way, 
john 14, 6.  the truth and the life: Now, from this knowledge of my saviour, I learn to renounce myself and rely upon him, to cast off mine own beggarly rags patched together with abomination, and by the hand of faith to put on his princely rob, the glorious rob of his righteousness. In this attire I appear before my god, & become acceptable in his presence, for this garment he freely giveth me, and as freely teacheth me how to wear it: I mean this righteousness of Christ, which is the true consormitie with the law of GOD, and an absolute fulfilling thereof: God, out of his mere grace and mercy impureth unto me, and withal woo●keth in me faith, whereby I apply the same unto myself, so that in this sense, I may presume to say the righteousness of Christ is mine, and that therein I serve my God truly, as he that laboured so much even to anatomize the work of justification, hath for an eternal Maxim set down, that Christ is made unto us righteousness, wisdom, 
1 cor. 1, 30  sanctification, and redemption, and else where, That in him we are complete. 
Col. 2, 10  The frail wit of man hath devised a law, whereby an act dove by one is remitted from him that did it, to him that gave consent and commission for the doing of it. But the unsearchable wisdom of our God, from the deep reach of his mercy, and compassion, without so much as our knowledge (for he knew us from everlasting, and before the foundation of the world, contrived this means for our delivery] hath more than admirably conveyed unto us the memorable act of Christ's humiliation and satisfaction, and by his imputation, and our apprehension (which is likewise his gift) freely made it ours. The work itself which is justice, not altered by the exchange of the subject, but only inattribute. It being I equal in Christ, in us evangelical: If then the righteousness of Christ thus be made ours, if his obedience and satisfaction be thus freely bestowed upon us: What should hinder us (it may be marveled) from affording due entertainment to so unspeakable a benefit, and that we make not true use of so great advantage. Is not this the delectablest food that ever any hungry stomach longed after? Is it not the softest couch that the wearied soul can find to repose upon? Questionless it is, and therefore whosoever resolveth to far well, should frame himself to this diet, and he that loveth to lie soft, must become his own Harbinger, and make sure in time to take up this lodging: For this is the food of eternal life, this is the bed of everlasting rest. Peter not himself, but being then, (and not only then) out of his proper Element [for he knew not what he said] broke with christ about building of tabernacles on the mount Thabar. But he that upon this foundation which is christ himself shall advisedly erect the fortress of his hope, and Tabernacle of his felicity, may be truly said to be his own man, though scarcely as the apprehension of men goeth now a days, and that he is in the right, For he knows what he doth, and that his building, though all those worldly, fleshly, and devilish adversaries, combino in oppugnation, can never be subverted. In more proper sense therefore then Peter spoke it, I may boldly say, here is good being, good for the King, good for the Beggar, good for all, here is good being indeed, and here am I constantly resolved, let never so many millions of misbelievers rest upon what other rotten dependence they list, to set down my rest for ever.  
This stay I know to be sure and never shrincking: this supportation I am sure is strong and never shaketh. This, this is our souls most firm, and neverfailing anchorage: yea this righteousness of our sweet, and loving saviour, is not only a sure strong and never failing foundation, but it is the only sure strong and never failing foundation, whereupon we must resolve to build all our happiness for ever, if ever we resolve to for to rely upon aught besides, that the earth, or the heavens themselves can afford, in the great and weighty cause of our justification, is to trust unto that which shall never stedde us, and most undoubtedly to become most unhappy. Now, this righteousness of our merciful redeemer, so advantageable to all those that constantly depend thereupon, I consider in his perfect obeying to the law of God, which we had transgressed, and could never of ourselves have fulfilled, and his painful undergoing the punishment proper to such our transgressions, even the wrath of his father, which was incensed, & by no satisfaction of man, or Angel could ever have been appeased. O sweet, uneffable and incomprehensible mercy of our God, who out of his own bosom hath distilled a balm to cure all our wounds, though never so mortal, and albeit so deservedly received in the traitorous breach of his sacred ordinances, and not spared even his own heart blood, to wash away our uncleanness, and to purge us that were his enemies, from all our corruption. The means that conveyeth unto us this mercy of God the father in this merit of God the son, is [as I formertouched] a lively justifying faith, begotten in our hearts by God the Holi-ghost, who must needs be thefficient cause of the said Faith, as the true knowledge and trust in Christ is the formal, the gospel the instrumental, and the final gods glory. By which faith, it being The ground of things which are hoped for, 
Hebr. 11, 1  and the evidence of things which are not seen, or a steadfast supernatural knowledge and firm apprehension of God's kindness in Christ jesus towards us. Many celestial indowmentes and good works are kindled in the mind and heart, and flame forth of the life and conversation of every true believer; as repentance, hope, love, invocation, obedience, justification, adoption, patience, consolation, mortification, peace of conscience, joy in the holy-ghost, and regeneration with the fruits thereof: All of them together with divers other such like heavenly infused qualities, though not distinguishable in time but in nature, though essentially being God's gifts, and immediately proceeding from his grace, yet properly either begotten, wrought or apprehended by the said Faith, it being in us a cause, & they the necessary effects, the root, and they the inseparable branches: So that when I affirm my religion to be, The true service of God and that service to be performed truly by us, in the righteousness of Christ, I do not herein exclude our works as impertinent or unnecessary thereunto, or deny but that good works are Gods services, and that therein it pleaseth him to be glorified: But because our works when they are at the best are of themselves imperfect, and when they find the happiest passage, not for themselves, but in and for Christ's righteousness are accepted, I judge it a more proper speech to say, that in the righteousness of Christ which is absolutely perfect, which is freely bestowed upon us, and really made ours by faith, and from which as from the fountain of all God's graces, all our own good works are properly said to spring, that therein we serve God truly [it being of itself as it well deserveth merritorious, and making our poor endeavours, which of themselves deserve nothing, most graciously to be regarded.  
Indeed it is all in all unto us, reconciling us to the favour of our God, and inablinge us to do that which is acceptable both before God and man: for where this righteousness is faithfully received; This righteousness, through which only we enjoy all the blessings of the earth, by which only (as I said) our best deeds must purchase acceptation, and for which only we confidently hope, at the last day to be saved: where I say this righteousness is truly apprehended by faith, by virtue of the same the heart, and all the powers of the whole man, are instantly priest (so much as in him lies) for all godly designs, and eagerly bend (so far as by grace he is enabled) to the execution of any religious office, that may tend to the service of his Lord and saviour, and to the manifestation of his obedience, love, and thankfulness to his majesty, for such his unspeakable mercy towards him: for look how proper light is to the sun or heat to fire, so proper, and so inseparable are good works unto that faith which is so surely founded upon the mercy of God, in this righteousness of Christ jesus: No I am so far from renouncing or disclaiming from good works, that I will accompany any true, or styled catholic, protestant or papist in the world, in commendation, estimation, and approbation of them, till they come to be so intolerably prized, as to be set in the room of christes righteousness, to fulfil the eternal law of God, which was Christ's office, to be held meritorious of salvation, which is the due of christs obedience; and consequently to be made proportionable with God's justice, which is only proper to christs righteousness; In this degree of magnifying them I hold it security to leave them, acknoledging my poverty one way, [according to that rate] not able to reach them: and knowing my riches another way (after such a reckoning not to stand in need of them, for We are poor in ourselves but rich in Christ, I confess that to glorify God by doing good works, is a principal end both of our election, creation, redemption, and sanctification: I confess that works are necessary, for great and weighty respects, as besides the honnouring of God, which is the chief end of all, and to be preferred before any respect whatsoever, to manifest our faith, to credit our vocation, to express our thankfulness, to benefit our neighbour, and to ascertain us, that we are in the right way, that leadeth to everlasting happiness; yea so far fourth necessary, that without them, I mean without the works of the second, or at least of the first Table, we shall never attain unto salvation: Howbeit, I dare not thence conclude, that those works are the cause of our salvation, but the effects of the cause, which is faith in the righteousness of christ.  
I confess that all our good works shall be rewarded even to a cup of cold Water, yet will not thereby enferre, that such reward is extended for the merit either of the person that doth the work, or of the work how well done soever, but from the mere bounty of our god, who dealeth with us (in all things) better than (of ourselves) we deserve; and for manifestation of his truth, who hath gauged his word to that effect, and will ever be as good as his promise. In a word I approve good works, I honour the doers of them, and admire that grace which by faith enableth men to do them: but still understand them to be the fruits and consequents of faith, and in us to receive their life and being from the same; for I cannot think that repentance or charity themselves, though both of them steed us so much in this world, & the one of them stay with us in the world to come, are sent by the blessed spirit, into the hearts or minds of the faithful, till faith formerly planted there by the same spirit, be ready to receive them. For I know they are divine virtues, and no sins: Howbeit had they being before faith, I durst not think them so, 
Ro, 14, 23  because I am commanded to hold the necessity of this consequent whatsoever is not of faith is sin, to be invincible. A legal contrition [indeed] and humane effection may go before, but when that contrition becometh true repentance, and that affection is refined into perfect charity: Questionless, it is faith, it being the receiver of the spirit and purifier of the heart, by which under God is wrought that happy and heavenly metamorphosis.  
But to wade no deeper in this bottomless Ocean, where the  himself if he take not good heed, may quickly sink over head and ears, 
3. Sect.  so infinite are the mysteries of our redemption, and so many degrees more than infinite the mercies of God in our redeemer: And because I stand in fear, least for the difficulty, you conceit not, or for the strangeness thereof affect not this description, which I have already made of my Religion; I will after a plainer sort for your understanding, and in a fashion more suitable for our liking, draw forth in a word or two that pattern which in the profession of my faith and action of my life, till the days of my pilgrimage, in this vail of affliction be determined, I am resolved by the aid of the blessed spirit precisely to follow; and whence as touching the discharge of my duty both towards God, and man, I fetch my direction. I formerly implied, that this pattern was the written word, and so I do still for the word of God is a Lantern unto our feet, and a light unto our paths, 
Psa, 119  a Lantern to keep our feet from falling, in the race that we are to run for so great a Wager, and a light to make our paths though they be narrow, and otherwise impossible to be hit, yet plain & passable unto us: but an Epitome only of this word I will now propose unto you, which consisteth of the creed, the commandments, and the lords prayer; the creed indicted by the holy ghost, and (from probability) penned by the apostles, howsoever yet composed of their doctrine, & therefore not unworthily called their creed The commandments indicted [and penned to for aught we know by god himself] and delivered to his chosen servant Moses on the Mount Synay: and the Lords prayer indicted, by christ our saviour, and afterwards penned down, by those heavenly inspired actuaries of his, the holy Evangelists; the creed comprising the substance of the gospel, which is a joyful message of salvation, bestowed upon us under a condition of faithful believing: The commandments comprehending the sum of the law, which is an assurance of eternal life unto us, but under a condition of a harder nature, namely the exact performance of our duty towards God, and our neighbour, expressed in these commandments; And the lords prayer containing an absolute Method of invocation, or a perfect rule how to offer the sacrifice of praise and prayer unto our God, wherewith he confesseth himself to be honoured, and wherein our service unto his majesty [especially from our inward man] is most effectually performed the creed, which is our law of believing. The commandments which are our laws of living, and the Lords prayer which is our law of praising and praying, and long since for the dignity of it entitled even the Law likewise of living, and believing: Now, the creed, the commandments, and the Lords prayer, being thus in effect, a compendious breviary of the whole Bible, which containeth the sacred word of the everliving God, whereby his blessed will, for our manner of serving him is manifestly revealed unto us; and the definition of my religion being a true service of the everliving God, according to his will revealed in his word, I am warranted (not any way impugning the same) to affirm, that my religion is, to believe according to the creed, to live according to the commandments, and to invocate the name of God according to the lords prayer. Howbeit, I understand not here this word (according) in sense of absolute corospondence, with the creed, the commandments and the lords prayer; But under this humble and necessary reservation, namely that I believe according to the creed, as steadfastly, and assuredly, that I live according to the commandments, as uprightly and conformably, and that I invocate the name of God, according to the lords prayer as zealously and effectually, as the measure of faith, grace, and the spirit do enable me: For these are all God's gifts, and he freely bestoweth them upon his needy followers, in proportion that is best pleasing to his unchangeable will, and most agreeable to his unsearchable wisdom: For I dare not think better of myself in the ability of believing, living and praying, than my betters have formerly done of themselves: [O that I were so graciously qualified, whereby I might justly be occasioned to think so well] my betters, I mean the best of God's servants, some of them having cried unto the Lord for help to their unbelief, and to have their faith increased: Some having agnized that the godliest seven times a day, show what house they are come of, whose loins they proceed from, that Adam the ringleader of man-sinners, was their ancestor: and some averring that we of ourselves know not, what to pray as we ought, and therefore [to help us out] that the spirit itself maketh request for us with sighs that cannot be expressed. Wherefore [as in effect I said before] I believe as the measure of faith doth enlighten me according to the creed: I live as the measure of grace doth enable me, according to the commandments: and I pray as the measure of the spirit doth inform me, according to the lords prayer. Thus I believe, thus I live, thus I pray, this is my religion, and [as I take it] The true service of the everliving God, according to his will revealed in his word. Now, having [as I promised] after that little glimpse of understanding, by the mercy of my God, reserved in me, given you a view of my profession, which through the subtility of Satan, playing upon your simplicity, you are smoothly borne in hand, is so erroneous, absurd, and Heretical; I would gladly know wherein such heresy, absurdity or error can be found: but it was my promise, and is still my purpose [if God, that disposeth of all things howsoever man purposeth be pleased therewith] to make you see the unseemliness of your own misshapen opinions, and to feel the dangerousness of your own souls disease, by understanding the error, absurdity, and heresy of your own religion. Which I know not how better or in plainer sort to perform, then by laying before your view the doctrine of your Roman church, in opposition to the doctrine of our church of England, touching these principal heads of a christians profession, which I have already, [though briefly, and but in part] run over, that so comparing the one with the other, and trying them both by the touchstone, that discovereth truth from falsehood, you may more judicially discern the currant from the counterfeit, and more powerfully be induced (having once found so inestimable a jewel) to long after the full fruition thereof, which [although you sell all you have to gain it] will not prove dear unto you, for it will make you rich unto eternal salvation.  
AND first against my religion, 
4. Sect.  which I defined, and proved to be The true service of the everliving God, according to his will revealed in his word, I must be so bold with yours, as to call it, a forged service of God according to the will of man, revealed in traditians, decretals, and counsels: I may term it, a forged service of God, because it is according to the will of man only, and not of God; and I dare say, it is according to the will of man only, because it is only revealed in these Traditions, merely humane, unwarrantable Decretals, and Counsels not lawfully called: and are you not in a hard case already, even upon this entrance into consideratior. of your religion? Do you not think it a miserable condition, whereunto with their plausible persuasions, they whom you deem your ghostly fathers, [but by the holyghost himself, are described by creeping into houses and leading captive silly Women, such as yourself] have done their best to tie you? Is it not [and be your own judge] a dangerous case, and a condition most disaduantagable so to be traduced, to fasten your soul's dependence upon a course of serving God, which neither by God himself, nor Christ jesus his son, nor by his faithful servants the prophets, or Apostles, was ever commanded; no nor by the general consent of the fathers of the primitive church for 5. C. years at least after Christ's incarnation, ever prescribed, or practised. For your adoration & invocation of Sa. your prayers for the souls of your friends departed, your superstitious pilgrimages, your communion under one kind only, your calling up on God for you know not what, in a tongue you understand not, your sacrifice of the mass, your meriting by your works, and divers other such like gross & absurd opinions, whereupon your religion is composed, as they can find no substantial warrant, in the sacred canonical scriptures, which are Gods pure truth, and contain all things necessary for our salvation. So had they not their birth immediately upon the Apostles death, but some of them sprang up two hundred, some three hundred, some five hundred years after, some sooner, some later, and were not all till within this very age, even the memory of men now living, by your selves consented unto, nor absolutely by your own usurped authority concluded upon. Hence may you easily gather [your religion being neither sufficiently waranted by authority of God's word, nor generally approved by the ancient fathers of the church] how worthily or unworthily you style the same with such confidence, the old and catholic religion: I cannot go on with particular examination of every part of your profession, your patience, and my leisure, being I fear proportionable will not permit me, but do beg your attention to the consideration of one principal point of doctrine, generally taught by your greatest clarks, & as generally believed even to the simplest amongst you, whose stomachs indeed are the best digesters of such misdiet because at the hands of ignorance, error ever findeth her securest entertainment, I formerly, in discourse of our Religion affirmed, that our whole dependence for our salvation was upon the free mercy of God through christ jesus: And the righteousness of christ without any work or merit of our own applied truly by faith, was before God our only justification: contrary to this doctrine, you are taught and do believe that you shall be saved by your works, or at least that your works must concur, and stand up with faith in the act of your justification before God. Now to make you see and acknowledge the absurdity and prejudice of this opinion: first you shall hear what the Apostle himself inspired with the holy spirit, and the fathers of the church having the same divine schoolmaster, though instructed in far different measure, have thought and delivered touching the same; and then some principal inconveniences that necessarily follow that doctrine, pregnant and apparent enough [I hope] utterly to deter you from ever lending a listening ear again thereunto. 
Titus. 3, 5  Paul that writ more touching the manner of our justification then all the rest of the Apostles, to make his Scholar Titus, and others by him to abandon all hope of being saved by their works, telleth him plainly, We are saved not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us: here he excludeth works, though they be works of righteousness, though they be our best works, and ascribeth all the matter of our salvation merely to the mercy of God through jesus christ; I am sure, there is no work that you or the holiest of your church whatsoever can do, that is a better work more meritorious, a work of purer righteousness than the works of Paul were. No, they hold in no comparison with his, for his works (as yours do not) sprang from a lively faith, which made them so good as they were, notwithstanding, you see he utterly renounceth them all how good soever, and dare you in any sort rest upon yours in this important matter of justification? The said Apostle labouring to win the Romans' to the same faith, readeth them this lecture to the same effect. 
Ro. 6, 23  The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through jesus Christ our saviour: here you are plainly told what are the causes of going to hell, and coming to heaven. The desert of man the cause of damnation, but the mercy of God the cause of salvation; our sin doth incur the one, for the reward of sin is death: but our best deserts merit not the other, for, eternal life is merely the gift of God through jesus Christ: had Paul that learned Apostle, in this point approved the doctrine of your church thus [questionless] or to this effect, he would have concluded, the reward of sin is death, and the reward of good works is eternal life: but you see he quite overthroweth that opinion, leaving us of ourselves to deserve the one, but ascribing the other to God's free gift in Christ beyond our desert.  
But if neither of these places have power to remove you from your former opinion, give me leave to produce one saying more out of the same author, which I assure myself [so you ponder it rightly] will pierce even the quickest vain of your heart, if the same [as I hope in my saviour it is not] be not utterly benumbed, the sufferings [saith he] of this life are not worthy of the glory to come. I conceive that the works whereby you hope to merit at God's hands are the works of doing, and works of suffering, the former more easy, and less deserving, the latter less easy, and therefore (as you are taught] the more meritorious: but Paul that knew what it was both to do & suffer, better than those by whom you are persuaded to place such high affiance in your works, preacheth unto you here another kind of doctrine, namely that even the sufferings of this life, your afflictions, your deeds of best desert, are not worthy of the glory to come. And you may be assured that no man that ever fought under the banner of Christ jesus suffered more for his sake, or deserved heaven better for his sufferings then he that teacheth you this lesson. For he testifieth of himself that the sufferings of Christ did abound in him. That in labours, he was more abundant than other in ripes above measure, 
Co. 11, 23  in prison more plenteously, on death oft, that of the jews five times he received forty stripes save one, that he was thrice beaten with rods, once stoned, thrice suffered shripwracke, that he was night and day in the deep Sea; In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of his own nation, in perils among the gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the Sea, in perils amongst false brethren, In weariness and painfulness, in watching often, In hunger and thirst, in fasting often; In cold and in nakedness, and beside the things that were outward he was cumbered daily, and had the ear of all the Churches. 
Phi 1, 13  And that his bands in Christ were famous throughout all the judgement hall, and in all other places.  
These are Paul's own words of himself, and his sufferings. Now if ever there were such merit in our works, sure here it was: if ever the desert of sinful man could justly have challenged such a reward as everlasting life, doubtless, Paul for these his sufferings would have put in with the foremost: Howbeit you see when he speaks of the glory to come, and the proper cause of our attaining unto eternal salvation, he than disclaimeth from all his works, from these his sufferings and all; and cheerfully runs to another refuge even the righteousness of his saviour christ jesus, wherein there is true merit indeed, and wherewith he knoweth the justice of God is worthily satisfied, and our eternal peace only procured; thus you see what this holy Apostle of christ jesus thought touching this point of man's meriting; And I pray you mark how firmly the learned Fathers of the church cleave unto the same doctrine: My first place out of Paul was that we are saved not by etc. And Saint jerom, one whom your church highly reverenceth, writeth in this manner; 
Hier: lib: 1, ad, Pelag  Then are we just, when we confess ourselves to be sinners: And our justice consisteth not of our own merit but of God's mercy: here this holy father in the matter of justification, rejecteth with S. Paul all our own merit, and referreth the same wholly to God's mercy. My second place out of the Apostle was, that the Wages of sin is death, but the gift of GOD is eternal life through etc. Origene one of the most ancient Fathers of the church in exposition of these very words, of Paul saith thus, 
Origen in ep, ad, Ro: ca, 4, lib, 4  The apostle saith that the wages of sin is death, but he added not & said likewise the wages of justice is eternal life, but he sayeth eternal life is the gracious gift of God, to teach us that wages which is like to debt, and reward is a recompense of punishment and death, and to assign eternal life to grace only. Thus you hear this reverent father expoundeth Paul, that our wickedness justly meriteth condemnation, but that the balance wanteth weight the other way, and that our best deeds merit not salvation, which is assigned to grace only; and if only to grace, then are all our works absolutely excluded in that business.  
My last place out of paul was, The sufferings etc. Answerable to this, sayeth Saint Barnard on this manner. Now concerning eternal life, we know the sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory to come, 
Barn. in Anunt Mariae. Serm. 1  no not if one man should suffer all, here this devout and religious father removeth all doubt touching the former doctrine by a forcible supposition on this manner. Admit that the afflictions and persecutions of Paul, of Peter, of james, and all the Apostles, that the pain and torments of the Primitive Church, and of those five and twenty Bishops which successively were martyred for the name of jesus. And that all the tortures and sufferings of all the Saints of God in allages from the death of Abel, to the last drop of blood that ever shall be shed upon the earth for the testimony of the Lords truth were laid upon one man to bear, and that it were possible for him only to under go the pains, torments, and tortures, that they all endured, yet were the glory of eternal life to rich a guerdon for those his sufferings, he could not merit heaven thereby, for the infinite justice of God, must have a greater satisfaction. This was the holy father's censure hereupon, No not [saith he] if one man should suffer all.  
Now let me reason with you by an invincible and familiar argument, if the sufferings of Paul, or of any of these holy martyrs, whose continual persecutions and torments, were instead of many deaths unto them. Nay, if all their pains, tortures and deaths, joined together, would not make up a desert answerable to the meed of everlasting glory: It must needs follow that your deeds and sufferings, which carry no nearer a proportion with the other, than your span doth with the spatiousnes of the whole earth, can merit no such matter, and shall never for any desert they are of, come home so rewarded No, no you must not look for such an inrichment after such a reckoning, but rather say with the same Saint Barnard, 
Serm, 1 anunt. Mar  whom yourselves confess to be one of the sweetest quiristers in the Lord's quire, What are all our merits to so great glory?  
The gardens of all the Fathers of the Church, are thick set with these flowers, they all of them teach [if true understood] the self same doctrine. Thus you hear then what the Scriptures and Fathers have deliver touching our justification, how they refer the same wholly to the mercy and grace of God in the righteousness of Christ jesus, and shake off our own merits, as having no hand in that work nor worthiness in that degree to be trusted unto.  
But fearing lest you are made believe that the Scriptures as we read them are false, and the Fathers as we use to allege them but wrested, [as what will not falsehood affirm, to discountenance the truth, or error be ashamed to say for her own shelter] I will yet attempt another mean, which I assure myself will cool, and am in good hope utterly extinguish that your conceit of merritting, and it shall be by making known unto you the wonderful inconvenience you incur, and the dangerous praemunire that your soul runs into by holding your works in such estimation.  
There are two principal virtues, whereby our gracious God vouchsafeth to manifest himself to the know ledge of his servants upon the earth, and wherein it pleaseth his divine omnipotency to be delighted, and they are his mercy and his justice. There are likewise 2. principal offices, which our merciful Saviour deigned to undertake for our sakes, whereby the favour of God, which our old notorious prank had estranged, is regaind unto us, and through the blessed means whereof, we are not only become gracious with him in this world, but have assurance of his sight, and the happy fruition of eternal felicity in the world to come, and those are his redeemershippe, and mediatorshippe: and I pray you what will you think of your Religion, if the same, nay if one branch thereof among twenty, as rotten as itself, if this only point of attributing merit to your works, in the act of your justification, doth impair and manifestly obscure the dignity of these excellent proprieties of God his mercy, and his justice, and withal disparaged, and apparently detract from the Worthiness of Christ his merit in that his redeemershippe, and mediatourshippe; if your religion [I say] be guilty of such heinous treason against the divine Majesty, will you not then judge it your securest course to abandon her dangerous fellowship, and embrace [instead thereof] for your comfort true christianity, of whom you shall be sure to learn nothing but true faith, and true obedience to your heavenly Sovereign: In discovery hereof it is behoveful for you to conceive, that as the essence of God is infinite and perfect, so these proprieties of God his mercy and justice [because they are essential in him] must likewise of necessity, be perfect and infinite: which being granted, doth not every opinion that shall intimate defect or insufficiency therein, impair [as I said,] and manifestly obscure the dignity thereof? you cannot deny but it doth, neither shall you ever be able substantially to clear your doctrine of merits, from this high and perilous imputation. For look how much you attribute to your own merits in the purchase of salvation: So much you detract away from God's mercy in Christ, which is the proper, and only price, whereby the same is purchased: God which is rich in mercy [saith Paul] through his great love wherewith he loved us, 
Esphe. 2, 4.  even when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us together in Christ, for by grace are ye saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly things, through Christ jesus. And in another place formerly alleged, God hath not saved us for the deeds of righteousness which we have wrought, but of his mercy hath he saved us. here the mercy of God appeareth like itself, Paul giveth it his due, and maketh it the only doer of the matter of salvation: you on the contrary, believe that you shall be saved by your works only, or at least by your works & this grace coupled together: here the mercy of god is showed forth unlike itself, you rob it of his due, making it either nothing at all, as when you will be justified merely by your own deeds without it, or at least but a partner with you, when your deeds must draw in the same yoke with it, as coaiutors or fellow workers in that business.  
Assure you self therefore, that the perfect and infinite mercy of our good and gracious God, doth not agree with the imaginary merit of flesh and blood, but is [and that not a little] indignified, by this gross and presumptuous doctrine; for do but seriously ponder with yourself, whether that mercy can be infinite, that hath need of a supplement, and how it can be perfect, when it must be eeked out with deeds of imperfection: yet is it perfect, and infinite, and shall ever remain so, let never so many millions of your merit founder's deserve thereof as ill as they can, by such their confidency in their own deservings. The same indignity you proffer to the justice of God, which being likewise [as his mercy is] perfect and infinite: you hope nevertheless will be satisfied with corrupted intigrety, and appeased with your polluted righteousness: but you are as wide from the truth as the East is from the West, for there is no justice that can stand against the justice of God, but that which carrieth proportion answerable thereunto. It requireth an entire and full payment; And it is not the low-prized dross of Egypt, our stained & impure actions, but the refined gold of Saba, the unspotted, and pure righteousness of christ jesus, that in the great day of our account will pass for currant. No no you should be so far from arrogating unto yourself, any ability to the answering of that so infinite, and awful justice of God almighty, as rather firmly, and constantly to rest assured, that the uprightness of all the men on earth, though the same indeed [respectively] be pleasing, and acceptable unto God, nor the integrity of all the Angels of heaven, yet I know they excel in strength, and are now confirmed from ever falling: nor the holiness of all the Saints, both in heaven, and in earth, [albeit I confess they make up that church, which christ himself calleth fair, and without spot, and honoureth beside with the title of his sister, his love his spouse, his dove, and his undefiled. That the uprightness [I say] integrity, and holiness of all these Angels and saints, nay the power of all their desert joined together, cannot calm the tempest of God's justice from showering down indignation upon all the sons of Adam for their original and actual transgression, nor so much as qualify the said justice towards yourself in particular, nor make a condign satisfaction for your sins only, no not for the least sin though you extenuate and mince it to the least of your venial sins, that ever you committed; for any sin is a breach of the whole law, and who knoweth not the transgression of the law is that proper act of rebellion, whereby this infinite justice is so worthily incensed, as without an infinite satisfaction never to be appeased: yet are you bold of yourself to rush in upon that displeased majesty, and having no lawful warrant to present the same with an hollow bird of your own worthiness: but you have often heard that it is ill dallying with saints, and let me by the way advise you to beware how you jest any more with such edg-tooles as God's justice: Howbeit your doctrine of merits for all these wrongs, both to the mercy and justice of God, doth not yet find limits to bond his outrage in, but breaketh out further to overflow even the obedience, and sufferings of our merciful saviour christ jesus, and as much as lieth in the hands of heresy to annihilate his blessed righteousness the very truth only and all-sufficient act of our redemption.  
This righteousness of christ, (which none but the rabble of Antichrist will deny) you must understand is perfect: And it is necessary it should be so, for it encountereth the perfect justice of god, and is laid in the balance to weigh against the same for a wonderful value, a value of no less worth than the welfar, and whole estate of every christian soul, that ever was, or ever shall be imprisoned in the corrupt tabernacle of flesh and blood. Now, you not contented to set down your whole rest upon the sufficiency of this righteousness, either pull the same quite out of the balance, and put in steed thereof your own, or at least lay yours upon his to make up the weight, as though the other were sufficient: wherein what derogation you proffer to the merit of christs obedience, it is most manifest, the same being of itself so absolute, and what madness you show therein may be wondered at, when all your merits unto christs, are [for substance] not a drop to the main Ocean, and [for weight] not so much as a feather, to the whole earth. The spirit of truth that holy charmer himself will quickly resolve you herein, if [Adderlike] you stop not your ears against him, as [methinks] you should not, howsoever you be enjoined by man, because he always charmeth most wisely: 
Esay, 63, 3  In one place Christ alone hath trodden down the winepress neither was there any at all that helped him. God forbidden that I should rejoice in any thing but in the cross, 
Gala. 6, 14,  death and passion, of our Lord jesus christ. The blood of jesus christ the son of God cleanseth us from all sin. 
1 Ioh, 1, 7  Now if christ alone hath trodden down that press that would have pressed us to death: If we must rejoice in nothing, but only in the death of christ jesus: If the precious blood of that sweet saviour of ours, doth only cleanse us from all our sins, what should we think of ourselves, and of our works? What have we to do, that of ourselves are but worms of the earth in comparison? What have our works to do, that of themselves are but mere unworthiness in the sight of the almighty? What [I say] have we or our works to do in this high, and worthy office of our salvation? It is already mercifully undertaken, by him that could perform it for us: It is already happily performed by him that did undertake it for us, and being so undertaken, and performed to our hands, what remaineth now for us, but faithfully to believe in him that hath done these wonders for the children of men, and next of all holily to live in him, because he commandeth us to be holy as he is holy; and were it but to express our thankfulness for such his unspeakable mercies towards us. Yet so to believe & live in him, as that we never believe we can do any thing while we live that shall worthy us to partake with him in the memorable act of our salvation, or can have pour [though issuing from the greatest perfection of human ability to merit the reward of eternal glory. For if we cold, than this our blessed redeemer did put on the heavy garment of our humanity in vain, did keep the commandments in vain, did sweat water, and blood in vain, did want the privilege even of little sparrows for his repose in vain, and submitted himself to all his sufferings from the Manger, which was his cradle, to the cross, which was the conclusion of his misery, and all this he underwent for our love in vain, if we be able to merit of our selves, if we have holiness to make our own peace, for so he hath done nothing for us, but what we can do of ourselves, which were a horrible & blasphemous conclusion: and yet you see reasonably drawn from this your sacrilegious and so derogatory doctrine of merits.  
And yet derogatory further, for it leaveth not our Saviour here, but secondeth this injury of his redeemership with changing the nature of his mediatorship: For what is a mediator amongst men, or christ as he is mediator betwixt God and man, but a traveler, or one that interposeth himself between several parties to make peace, between the offended, and the offendor: The party here offended is God, by reason of sin committed, the party offender is man, that hath committed this sin against him. God is perfectly just, and will not be put off with shifts, but standeth upon satisfaction. Man is a stark bankrupt, clean blown out, and hath nothing wherewith to satisfy. O blessed God that art so righteous in all thy works, and thrice blessed be thy holy name, even for being so just that thou wilt be satisfied; but O cursed man that was so wicked in his ways, as to forsake his gracious God, that had made him so rich, and [when he might have chosen] to plunge himself in such extreme poverty: Methinks I see him soeing figge-leaves to cover his shame, and shuddering himself behind trees, from the presence of the Almighty: methinks I hear him answering the Lord frivilously, and prating out excuses to no purpose; for God that it is truth itself, and seethe all things cannot be deluded.  
And yet methinks, lifting up myself, I see another arm of mercy extended forth to save, as well as that arm of justice to destroy: I see the Lord is merciful, and gracious, long suffering, and of great goodness, that he will not alway be chiding, nor continue his anger for ever, that he dealeth not with his servants after their sins, nor rewardeth them according to their wickedness. In a word, which is my souls ravishing comfort, methinks I see his mercy without impeachment to his justice, to shine above all his works, for with this arm of compassion he taketh this sinner up, and even him himself through his wisdom, and power deviseth a means to satisfy himself, and restore again the poor offender to his favour.  
And now my sweet Saviour, I must return again unto thee, for the needle of my soul truly touched [I hope] with thy grace, will never stand still, till it come directly against thy merit, the fixed point of my salvation.  
When man by sin had thus separated himself from his maker, and the jaws of eternal damnation [but a deserved guerdon] gaped wide to have swallowed him up, at this dead lift Christ jesus, (by whom all things formerly were made,) cometh to help out, and draw together again, his father and this offender, that stood in such opposition; he undertaketh to pay the debt, setteth a certain day, and keepeth it, & requireth nothing of this man, for whom thus friendly he became paymaster but before till the day came, to believe in him that he would pay it: and after, when the day was past, to believe in him that he had paid it, and before and after to love him for his labour, and observe that course for his life [as near as he could] which he prescribed him. But what is all this [saith the caviller] to Christ's mediatorship: I might answer, that it is but a profitable digression at most, but I will answer it is no digression at all: For I assure you it is so pertinent, so necessarily belonging thereunto, that if you know not this you know nothing, if you perfectly conceive not this, you shall never thoroughly understand the other: and now I beseech you learn to knit them together.  
When christ the second person in the Trinity the very son of God, and yet perfect God himself, had for the sufficient and more proper discharge of this debt for man, which man by no means could have discharged for himself, assumed our humanity, and thoroughly satisfied the wrath of God as aforesaid: In due time he forsook the earth, and returned unto the blessed bosom of his father from whence he came, and because he knew that man for all this kindness showed him, would not be fully reclaimed, nor thoroughly purged during his abode upon earth of that pernicious humour of disobedience that possessed him, but still be prone to offend, and from time to time provoking his Lord and maker to indignation against him: He there in heaven seated upon that glorious throne of Majesty and power, the right hand of his Father, continually entreateth, presenteth satisfaction, and undertaketh for him, I mean his Servants that faithfully believe in him, and truly depend upon his righteousness for their salvation, and therein I pray you conceive that his mediatorshippe (as with God the party offended) doth principally now consist; I say in entreating, presenting satisfaction, and undertaking for us; For he entreateth his father to take pity of us, albeit we deserve it not, to love us although we have not loved him, and to embrace us for his children notwithstanding our disobedience towards him, and because being God as well as man, in this his office of mediatorshippe, it concerneth him to see the justice of God fully satisfied, before his mercy be thus thoroughly extended: In his petition he compriseth effectual considerations to stir up compassion towards us, namely in regard of his obedience and sufferings in our steed, for his righteousness sake, which he continually presenteth unto his father, as a satisfaction for our sins, and prayeth that the same may be accepted for us, and we for the merit thereof become acceptable and gracious in his sight for ever: And lastly he undertaketh that at length, we shall leave our sins, and cease to offend his divine Majesty any more, that we shall truly honour him, and become fit instruments to sound forth his praise and glory.  
Now I beseech you mark how this doctrine of Christ's mediatorship, and your doctrine of merits can stand together. Christ as a mediator intreteth his father in our behalf, but if we do merit what need this entreaty, for God is just, and of himself will reward the well deserving of every man to the full: Christ as he is a mediator, presenteth satisfaction unto his father for our sins, but if we do merit, that satisfaction might be spared, for God is just, & will not be paid double: christ as he is our mediator, undertaketh for our innocency hereafter, but if we do merit, than belike we are innocent already, for none can merit at gods hands that is absolute righteousness, but he that is absolutely righteous, and so that part of christs mediatorship would cease, for God is just, and will have no security, for that hereafter which he hath received already: but what doctrine call you this? and yet such is your doctrine of merits, and so derogating as you see from the holy mediatorship of christ jesus: If therefore you look for benefit by that mediatorship [as most miserable is their condition that do not] you must lay by your own merit, which is so thin a clothing, that the least drop of God's indignation will drench clean through it; and cloth yourself with Christ's merit, which will keep you warm indeed, and be sure to hold out in all weather: for as christ came from heaven into the world, not to call the righteous (they that think themselves so) but the sinners [they that acknowledge themselves so] to repentance. In like sort he returned not into heaven out of the world to medyate for such pharasaical justiciaries, as rest upon their own integrity, but for the humble dejected publicans, that with repentance acknowledge their own unworthiness.  
Furthermore I do not see, how it can be well maintained, but that it is in some sort repugnant even to the office of the holy ghost likewise: for if the same be to sanctify us to newness of life, and to give groweth to our faith from time to time, which taken at the best [as I am taught] standeth in need of increase: how can any works we do, which are the fruits of that faith, be truly said to merit, considering it is a ground, that the effect must be answerable to the cause, and the cause here which is our faith, being desective, the effect which is our works cannot be perfect as necessarily they must be, if they be meritorious: now tell me I pray you, whether any heresy can be compact of grosser absurdities than this, be more prejudicial than this, or the author of greater indignity even to the blessed Trinity, then proceedeth from this your heresy of merits: and yet which may be wondered at, it findeth professors and patrons more than a good many, and those sconfesse not unlearned, but profoundly read in all knowledge that human helps can puff up their understanding with: but there is a knowledge that only one schoolmaster revealeth; a divine knowledge, a divine schoolmaster, happy and truly learned is that scholar, which is trained up in such knowledge, and that is instructed (how unlearned soever he seem otherwise) by such a schoolmaster.  
I am not altogether ignorant of the cunning distinctions, which your greatest clerks devise for maintenance of this your merit, and how they will have their merit of work, and merit of the person, the merit of congruity, and the merit of condignity, and I know they will tell you, that there are divers places of scripture to uphold the same. But first let me tell you what a bold offer, a goodfellow of our church once made to the contrary, he that can show me [saith he] in any scripture that works do merit, or be any means to our justification, for the first scripture, without any further judgement I will lose both mine ears; for the second, my tongue, for the third my neck; but the issue was, they accepted of his ears, his tongue, and his neck, without performing the condition, for no such place in all the whole scripture could be found; and yet was he pitifully martyred amongst them, poor soul, nay rich soul rather, for who can be richer than he, by whom even the house of God is enriched, and it is the saying of a learned father, that the blood of the martyr is the seed of the Church: I confess there are many sayings in the book of god, that at the first sight, and being not thoroughly weighed, do seem to import such a matter, as where it is said that every man shall receive according to his labour: your reward is great in heaven; he will render to every man according to his works. From these and such places, your doctors would draw invincible arguments that good works, because God hath promised to reward them, do therefore merit that reward so promised, but there is no necessity of that consequent; our good works indeed shall receive reward, but not because they merit the same: for the finest hath his stain, & the best work that man can do is blemished: but in regard that God of his own free grace and mercy, without respect to any worthiness in the work at all, hath promised to reward them, who being ever faithful, will ever be as good as his promise, and show himself in all things to deal with his servants that truly depend upon his mercy, far better than after their best deservings. And that our works deserve not this reward, christ that is the paymaster himself, by his prophets, his Apostles, 
Doni, 9.38  by himself telleth us plainly, We do not [saith the prophet] present or supplications before thee, 
Rom. 3, 27  for our own righteousness but for thy great tender mercies: your rejoicing [saith the apostle] is excluded by the law of faith. 
Luk. 37 10.  When ye have done all (saith christ) say, we are unprofitable servants. The reverent fathers and and learned Doctors of the church are copious, and do flow in their obsernations, upon these and such like places of holy write, to drown the barren plot of man's merits, & bring in greater estimation, the Aeden soil of christs righteousness where all true merits grow, and whence the riches even of heaven itself are to be gathered: but because I have already partly cited them upon the same subject, and my letter gins with prolixity to try the patience even of a friendly reader: I will only present you with a little nosegay of four or five flowers out of their several Gardens, which [although for haste they be not curiously tied together] will nevertheless I doubt not yield your soul, a sweet and delectable sent, if you neglect them not, and with a conceit of their unworthiness cast them not behind you.  
This is the only perfection of men if they know themselves to be unperfect. 
Higher, adver, Pelag. Augustine in manualy ca, 22   
All my hope is in the death of my Lord: His death is my merit, my refuge, salvation life, and resurrection; my merit is the compassion of my Lord.  
Let us hope for forgiveness of our sins as of faith in christ, and not of debt as due for any merit. 
Ambrose lib. 2. ad Poeniten, c 8   
Every man shall be rewarded according to his works, but not for his works. 
Gregory in Ps●. 1, 4, 2 Barnardde liber. arbitr,   
To speak properly of those works which we call our merits, they are but the seede-plats of hope, the tokens of our predestination, the presages of our future happiness, the way to the kingdom, not the cause of reigning there: To conclude whom God hath justified, not those whom he found just, he hath glorified.  
I will make up this posy with one flower more out of the Garden of the said S. Bernard which I know you will hold dear for her sake whose name is written upon it, whom you esteem to be [and while you say no other wise of her I will say with you] the most blessed Virgin that ever bare life. 
Bar. Scr. 1 Anunt. ma  Let them [saith S. Bernard] seek for merit that list, It is best for us to study to find grace, than he showeth this reason, for Mary standeth not upon her merit but seeketh grace.  
Now, if the Virgin Mary whom you make no less than a Goddess, whom you call the Queen of heaven, the Queen of the world, and mother of grace and virtue; whom you account a general advocate for all God's servants upon the earth, whom you invocate every day, whose honour you celebrate at eight solemn feasts every year, and to whom you give power to command Christ her son, and to command him by the authority of a Mother. For all which [& did you heap as many more glittering titles together, as there are Stars in the firmament] I am persuaded she will never give you thanks, for she loveth her son, her Lord, her God, too well, to take unto herself any thing that is due unto him, or to smile upon those that shall rob him of his honour, and give it to any other, though it be to herself: If she [I say] as Saint Bernard affirmeth, pretendeth not her own merit, but resteth upon the grace and mercy of God her Saviour: What do you think it best for you to do? You acknowledge yourself I know inferior to her, in works, in grace, and every way; yet be not contrary to her in works, or grace, or any way: forsake not the grace of GOD, which is all in all, to fly into your own merit, which is nothing, for than you are contrary to her; but forsake the merit of your own works, that hath no solidity in it, and fly unto the grace of God in Christ, that is powerful to save your soul, and so you are not contrary to her, for than she becometh your happy precedent, she is therein under the blessed spirit, your gracious School mistress.  
You little thought [I dare answer for you] that any opinion she had held [at least in such a material point of salvation] had been contrary, or so much as repugnant to the doctrine, which is established in the church of Rome: For as you have bone taught, that she was without sin, because she bore the saviour of the world, so are you borne in hand, that the said doctrine is without error, because it is established by those that cannot err. But eronious are they that whisper these things in your ears, and simple are you that lend such listening thereunto, for God hath taught both them and you another lesson, 
Galat 3, 22  namely that the scripture hath concluded all [not excluding the virgin Mary] under sin: And that every man (not excepting the Pope) is a liar. 
Rom. 3, 4  But to touch these points otherwise then by the way, you might think were by the purpose. The matter in hand is merit of works, and I hope I have sufficiently endeared the contrary doctrine unto you. Howbeit, that potent objection of yours [as you take it] that because God hath promised such a reward unto us, if we do good works, therefore our good works deserve that reward: I will avoid another way by discovering the untruth thereof by a plain, and familiar example.  
Suppose I pray you, that an earthly king should say to one of his ordinary servants, do such a thing, and I will give thee such an Earldom for thy labour: and that this servant when he hath performed that which was commanded him (although the same belonged to his place] and that he stood bound to do it before, should [notwithstanding] expect this great reward from the King, as being due unto him for the little pain he had taken, and as though the very doing of that small matter had deserved it. What would you think of such a servant? would you think him well in his wits? or at least well worthy of such advancement, I know you would not, but rather judge him an unthankful body, and hold it pity that such preferment should be bestowed upon one, that would so abuse his masters bounty. Say you so? Why then [although I am no prophet as Nathan was] I may take you as Nathan took David in your own answer, and say unto you, Thou art the party. God hath commanded you to do good works, and yet no other than belong unto your calling, and such as by the band of your election, creation, redemption, and adoption, [I hope and judge the best of you] you are bound unto, and for the doing thereof, he promiseth you the reward of eternal glory. Now admit you do these good works, as God commandeth you, and when you have done them, think that for the merit thereof, you may expect your reward proposed, are you not with the aforesaid servant very unthankful? Do you not utterly mistake the matter, and attribute that unto your own merit, which is due unto God's mercy? Questionless you do, then how much more are you to be blamed, that having not done those works that the Lord commandeth you, but being [at the best] an unprofitable servant, shall [notwithstanding] in am [as I may say] of your own unworthiness, and for the merit of that which you left undone, look for the reward of eternal felicity.  
I will accompany this example, [for the conclusion of the point, and because I would come home, even to the shallowest capacity] with three natural reasons of impossibility, that you, or the godliest that liveth upon the earth, should merit salvation, as you & all that live after the doctrine of the church of Rome have been, and are continually misinstructed. The first reason is, the huge and wonderful debt that you already own unto God, at whose hands you think to merit, and of whom you must confess cometh all salvation. Indeed, were you a clear ground with him, did you own him nothing, but had condignly requited him for all the pleasures he hath done you, and satisfied him for all the trepasses you have done unto him: Then happily there might be some colour for such an ability in you, than were the grossness of the opinion not all so palbable. But being so deeply indebted unto him, I cannot particularise wherein, but would have you conceive it thus, for all that you are, for all that you have received, that you have not deserved, and for all that you have not received, that you have deserved: All this being upon your score already, amounting [were it truly told] to ten thousand Talents at least, every minute increasing, and no means in you to clear the same: how can you think to merit aught of him, to whom you stand thus engaged? Is not all and more by much than you are able to do by the considerations aforesaid, due unto him? How then is it possible, that the uttermost thing you can do, [when the uttermost is not so much as you are bound to do] should be merritorious with him, and so merritorious, as to purchase of him everlasting salvation: you may assure yourself, were there no other reason, but this only of the debt you own him, and cannot pay him, that it is impossible.  
The second reason is that your works, admit that they sprang from true faith, which must give them virtue, & worthy them the title of good works, are not properly your own, but Gods, and therefore it is impossible you should deserve your salvation by them: for can you think to merit such a matter at the hands of God, for giving him that which of right belongeth unto him, and for presenting him but with the fruit of his own vineyard; you have no foundation whereon to ground any such an opinion: but Methinks you take it very strangely, that the good works you do, should not be your own, and that without proof thereof, you will not so easily be persuaded thereunto. The holy apostle, and learned father, S Paul and S. Austin, shall justify the same unto you; 
Phi, 2, 13  The one telleth you that it is God, [not yourself] which worketh in you, not the will only, but both the will and the deed: and in another place saith unto you, as though he were angry with you for arrogating any goodness unto yourself, 
Ro: 4: 7 Augustine Tract. 3 in joh.  What hast thou that thou hast not received? The other [I mean] S. Austin assures you that god crowneth not you but his own gifts or graces which he hath given you, rewards not your good works, but his own good works in you. Seeing then your works whereby you hope to merit are not properly your own but belonging unto God, to whom you offer the same, you must needs confess that by this reason likewise, it is impossible you should deserve aught at the hand of God, much less merit according to the doctrine of your church your own salvation.  
My last reason of impossibility is, the disproportion betwixt the work you do, and the reward you hope to acquire for doing the same; for if you will receive one thing in am of another, if your deservings must gain you the blessings of eternal life, It is necessary that those merits of yours which you bring unto God, be in some sort of equal value, or near in worth to the benefits which you are to receive from him; But do you know what comparison there is betwixt gold, & dross, the difference betwixt light and darkness, or what proportion there can be, betwixt perfection and imperfection; such a comparison, such difference, such and no nearer a proportion there is betwixt the greatest desert of the holiest saint upon the earth, and the least reward, [if there be a difference of rewards] bestowed upon the saints in heaven; For the joys of heaven are [as I know you will confess] absolutely perfect, infinite, and incomprehensible: and you must understand that the works of the regenerate, such as we call, and do best deserve the title of good works, although as they issued from the pure fountain of god's grace they be perfectly clear, & untainted, yet passing along through the furred pipes of the corrupted wiland understanding of man, they lose some part of their native purity, and proceed from him defiled and polluted. I may therefore conclude it impossible, that the one being so imperfect, should merit the other of such infinite perfection.  
Further sayings I might allege to the same effect, and make those that I have alleged [if need were] by familiar instance more perspicuously to appear unto you. But that which I have already said to the point, is either sufficient, or all that I can devise to say, would be to no purpose: I have proved unto you that this doctrine of merits taught in your church is against the doctrine established in christes church; And by no less pregnant reasons then because the apostle flatly condemneth it, because the fathers utterly disclaim from it, because those excellent, and infinite proprieties of God, his mercy and justice, are therein obscured, the holy and blessed offices of christ his redeemership, and mediatorship thereby infringed, that catholic doctrine of the holy ghost increasing our faith, and renewing us to newness of life, through the same (in some sort) impugned, and finally because it is repugnant even to common sense, and reason, and standeth not with any possibility.  
I will stir no further into the errors, nor rip up any more absurdities of your religion: But for the present, with my earnest and most instant desire importune you, without prejudicate opinion, without foreconceipting (after probabilities) my insufficiency, to speak substantially to matters of this nature: that you would subdue yourself to a serious and indifferent consideration of that which I have said, against this one only opinion of your religion. Show yourself a skilful artist herein, and like the exquisite Geometrician, that by the foot of Hercules, was able to delineate the true shape of his whole body, so by this one point only of man's merit, I pray learn judiciously to observe what the whole substance is like to be of that which you call your catholic religion. For if this one member [as you see the Apostle, and fathers have given judgement] be rotten, what soundness can you assure yourself to find in the other parts that make up the body of your profession: if the doctrine of this point be so prejudicial to the mercy and justice of God your maker, so detractory from the redeemership, and mediatorship of Christ your saviour, so repugnant to the office of the holy ghost your sanctifier, and finally so impossible: What infecting errors, nay what soule-bane heresies, can the doctrine of all the other points of your religion be free from.  
There is an answerable proportion betwixt this and the rest: Or if it fail, it is in this degree, because many of the other points have not that colour of maintenance out of the scriptures, as this point of merits is upheld by: For I confess, there were sundry places which upon the first show, and not well examined, did seem a supportation for this opinion: but there are diverse other points of your religion, which have not so much as any literal show of countenance by the word of God: but are enforced to fly from the same, to crouch under the protection of Traditions, & Decretals, and beg their defence from the warrant of such humane authority: so that in this regard the doctrine of most of the other points of your religion seemeth to be less justifiable, howsoever, yet full as unsound, and as little deserving to be trusted unto, as this of the merit of your works in the act of your justification: but I promised [if I had not, I am compelled] to insist upon no other particular, and I hope it were needless, for I doubt not but that which I have said touching this one point only, hath made you in some sort to distaste the rest, and wrought in you at least, a sensible feeling of your soul's insirmity.  
NOw it remaineth that after that poor skill I have I prescribe you some whole some course, 
5. Sect.  whereby this your dangerous malady may be cured. For he may be a cunning, but cannot be a kind Physician, that having discoursed unto his patient, [though but in part] the nature of her disease, and laid open unto her [in some measure] the dangerous estate she is in, shall then presently leave her to herself, and regardless of her recovery, afford her no further comfort: To avoid therefore that imputation, which I would be loath by you, or any else, in this or any other experiment should deservedly be laid upon me: and to observe the method I prescribed unto myself in the beginning, I will first impart unto you what the medicine is, that necessarily you must take. Secondly, some part of those infinite and unspeakable benefits, which you shall receive in taking it. Thirdly, the means whereby you must take it. And lastly, what little charge it will stand you in, and how cheap the taking of it, will be unto you: But because my allowance of time is spent, and your patience I fear to sore pressed, I will huddle up this which is behind, & rather omit something that I could say, then be taxed for containing myself within no compass,  
In a word then, this medicine is a true and sincere faith in the righteousness of Christ jesus. This faith [if you remember) I have formerly defined, and plainly laid down unto you all the causes, and some of the effects thereof. It shall suffice in this place only to tell you that it is, A special and perfect assurance that we are partakers of the merit of Christ's righteousness, and that by the same righteousness only satisfaction is made unto God for all our offences, and our salvation purchased. This is that wholesome receipt, which I would minister unto you, and this you may be bold to take, for it will be sure to cure your soul, I gauge mine own upon it, not only of that pestilent Gangrena, the merit of works, but of all other imperfections, that now do, or shall hereafter threaten the ruin thereof. This only might be a sufficient motive, to stir up your desire, to the taking of it.  
But to make you more eager, understand more particularly the benefits that you shall reap by the same, It will make you that which you so long to be, A saved soul in heaven, So Saint Paul assureth you. 
Ephe, 1, 1 Luke 6.20  It will procure you that which you so feign would have, Forgiveness of all your sins, So Saint Luke assureth you. It will procure you that whereunto all the bravery and felicity of the earth, is trash and beggary. Praise, honour, and glory at the joyful appearing of Christ jesus. 
1 Peter. 1 Chap, 7  And so Saint Peter himself, whom I know you will believe, assureth you: Through this, you shall have free access to the grace of God, which will make you eternally happy. Through this you shall rejoice in all your tribulations, which otherwise would make you unhappy, & through this like those doughty soldiers of Christ that have led you the way, you shall show yourself a valiant champion, and overcome the world: This will be a Supersedeas unto you, not only against the eternal death, [as is already proved] but against the temporal death likewise, for the believer, (although he seem to be dead) is alive, as the unbeliever, [although he seem to be alive is dead: God giveth [saith one] such grace and privilege to faith, that death, which of his own nature is the privation of life, doth thereby become the entrance into life. This is that happy star which will lead you directly to that house where the king of glory hath his habitation: Nay what will you say if the virgin Mary, was not more happy for bearing the blessed body of our Saviour, than you shall be by possessing this faith, whereby, [as by the instrumental cause] you must be saved: you think this a hard saying, as the capernaits thought that of christs, yet Saint Augustine inferreth no less, for these are his words, Mary was more blessed in receiving the faith of Christ, than she was in conceiving the flesh of Christ.  
The last benefit of faith that I will propose unto you, [omitting many which I know, and acknowledging infinite which I know not] is, that thereby your works will become good works, at least accepted for good, & from the least to the greatest, receive their reward. Whereas, without the said faith, there is no virtue in them, they taste no more in god's mouth, than the white of an Egg doth in man's, they please him not, for without faith it is impossible to please him: and indeed they are no better than sins, for (as I have said) whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. I know you think your works are good already, & better by many degrees than mine, and me therefore an unfit schoolma. to read a lectur there of unto you. I refer that unto him, who hath the balance in his hand, and humbly throw down mine, such as they are at the footstool of his mercy, confessing that many of them are such as I have cause to be ashamed of, and the best of them not so good as I long they were, and hope they will be: but to make you look with a single and no such indulgent eye upon your own, Understand that every good work must necessarily have these two ends, Faith, and the glory of God: faith is the end from whence it must proceed, The glory of God is the end whereunto it must be directed Now if the work want either of these ends, it is not a good work, yours, want them both, for they cannot proceed from faith, which attributeth salvation wholly to the merit of christs righteousness, while you think that they in any degree, are meritorious of themselves, neither can they be directed to god's glory, when the principal matter, whereat you aim in doing them, is your own advantage. Now you must conceive further, that these two ends of good works faith and God's glory are inseparable. So that do your works from faith, and you cannot choose but do them to God's glory, & you shallbe sure (though you do them not in hope of reward) to receive reward for doing them.  
The means whereby you must attain unto this faith, is earnest prayer, according to christes prescription, and attentive hearing of the word of God. Touching the first, let me tell you that God many times seemeth to defer the giving of his blessings, even those blessings, which from all eternity he hath determined to give, until they be sought for, and begged at his hands by prayer. I will instance this only in our father Isaac, to whom when God, to expel his sorrow, for his dear deceased mother, had given the comfort of a fair and loving wife, yet he gave not issue, [Rebecka was a good while barren] until such time as he betook himself to prayer for the same, and then the Lord was entreated of him, and his wife conceived: I doubt not but God had ever purposed, that at that very moment, she should conceive, yet to teach us how acceptable our prayers are unto him, and how it pleaseth him by the means thereof to convey our necessaries unto us, the text saith, The Lord was entreated of him, and Rebecka his wife conceived, 
Gen, 25.23  as though if Isaac had not prayed she should not have conceived, if you please to make use hereof, you may thus think that God for aught you know hath determined that your soul shall not become fruitful, nor conceive and bring fourth this faith, until you beg the same of him by earnest prayer, and that then, because he is still the same God he will be entreated, and your soul shall be conceived both of this faith and all other needful graces that accompany the same to your eternal comfort.  
The other means to get faith is the hearing of God's word, for faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The Samaritans upon the report of a woman partly believed in christ, and thought that it might be he whom they expected; but when they had heard him themselves than they thoroughly believed, and knew that he was that saviour which was promised. You have been told much of christ who is the foundation of faith by those that have conferred most with you about spiritual affairs, and something in this my letter you have heard of him. But did you hear him yourself speak, I mean, did you read the scriptures which are his own words, and hard them read and expounded, by those which are his faithful ministers; O than you would [I hope] not almost, but altogether become a christian; than would you not partly but wholly believe in him that died for you; then would your faith be no longer wavering, but thoroughly confirmed.  
For how could you choose but be strengthened in your belief of him, when you should be acquainted withal the things he did, and endured for your sake? how could you choose but be ravished in affection, and with the true church be sick of love, when you should hear him call you (notwithstanding all your unkind dealing towards him) his Sister, his love, his spouse, his dove, 
Solo, song ch, 4, 9 ver 9.1.9, ch, 6, 8. ch, 6.8  and his undefiled. It maketh my heart bleed to think how you and many thousands, [such silly seduced innocents] are deprived of these, and infinite other such like heavenly and unexpressible consolations. And all for the want of this word of God, which you suffer to belocked up from you, and wherewith [though it must import you] you are least acquainted, christes caveat shall be the conclusion of this point, He that hath ears to hear let him hear.  
Lastly understand how cheap this faith will be unto you. In a word, it will neither cost you travel nor money, It will cost you no travel, for you need but hear the voice of christ, when he crieth unto you, and open the door of your heart unto him when he knocketh thereupon by his word, and you shall receive it, 
Revel. 3.20  behold [saith christ] I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in unto him and will sup with him, and he with me: It will cost you no money, for you need but do as the King of heavens proclamtion directeth you, and it shall be given you freely: 
Esai, 55.2  Ho every one [saith the prophet [that thirsteth come ye to the waters, (which are the sacred scriptures, containing Gods revealed counsel) and ye that have no Silver come buy and eat, come I say and buy wine and milk without silver, and without money; And these are nothing but faith, and the holy graces that accompany the same, which are as necessary, for the nourishment of the soul as Wine and Milk and such like meat is, for the refection of the body.  
THus, having [as I have been compelled] posted through these later parts; 
6. Sect.  namely what the medicine is that you must take, faith: the benefits you shall receive thereby felicity in this world, and in the world to come: After what sort you must get the same, By prayer and hearing God's word: And lastly, how little this inestimable jewel will cost you, Neither travail nor money: & being circulerly now returned to the word of god, these waters of comfort which at first be sprinkled the front of my letter, let me entreat you, & by no less important regards, then for the love you bear to your own soul, which must needs be dear unto you, and for the love and zeal you carry to the glory of God, which should be dearer unto you; that your ever ently unclasp his holy book, diligently peruse the same, and day and night even continually, make the contents thereof, [with holy David] your sweet and profitable Meditation: if you will not read it at my request, yet let me request you to observe that wonderful description whereby the Apostle, even to inflame you with the love thereof commendeth the same unto you, The word of God [saith he] is lively and mighty in operation, 
Hebr, 4, 12  and sharper than any two edged sword, and entereth through even unto the dividing asunder of the spirit and the iontes, and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. To this commendation of the apostle, I will adjoin the commandment that God himself giveth you touching the same, 
Deut. xi, 18 19 20  in these very words, Therefore ye shall lay up these my words in your heart, and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as a frontlet beeweene your eyes, and you shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house, and upon thy gates.  
This is the commandment of Gods own mouth unto you; But alas, how do you perform the same? How can you lay his words up in your heart? How can you make such a jewel of them, when you neither read them, nor hear them read unto you? Surely that is the cause of all, for as an ancient father said of the Heretics valentinianis, 
Ireneus cont, valentianos,  that their ignorance in the Scriptures, had brought them to that pass. So questionless may I conclude, that your neglect of the word which would be a Lantern unto your feet and a light unto your paths, is the reason that you are thus miss in blindness, and so seduced with error and superstition.  
And this your ghostly adversary is well acquainted with, for he knows that unless you read or hear the word of God, you can never as the blessed mother of christ did, treasure up the same in your heart to your eternal enrich meant: he knoweth you can hardly believe a right with those honest women of Boeriae unless as they did, you first receive the word with readiness, whereby true relief is begotten: yea he knows by his long experience, that where the word is not preached, the people for the most part perish, and therefore where it is neither preached, nor read, nor regarded, his kingdom must needs flourish, which maketh him so to bestir himself by his unhallowed ministers amongst you; so to discountnance the word unto you and so with their false suggestions to discourage you from the reading of it, in calling it with their blasphemous mouths, imperfect, doubtful, insufficient, but a dead letter, and even like a nose of wax, subject to any impression: and in telling you that by the reading thereof divers have become Heretics, howsoever, yet that it is impossible by such as yourself to be conceived: But believe them not, no more than you would believe their master the father of lies, even falsehood itself if you saw it unmasked: For you may be assured that the word of God is perfect, pure, & undefiled, and that albeit some places in the scriptures be obscure, yet [generally] they give understanding to the simple, and are [as Iraeneus saith] plain without doubtfulness, 
Iraeneus lib. 1. cap, 31 Gregorius ●●epist, id Leand●ū.  and may be heard indifferently of all men. Therein is milk and proper nutriment, even for the tenderest babe that ever lay in the lap of the church, It is a water [saith Gregory] wherein the little lamb [such as yourself] may wade, and the mighty Elephant [meaning the learned ones] may swim, which Saint Augustine likewise affirmed, saying that almighty God in the scriptures speaketh as a familiar friend without dissimulation, 
Augustine Epist 3. ad Volusianun  not to the learned only, but both to the learned and unlearned. And with these holy fathers of the church, the rest generally accord herein, inviting by their strongest persuasions, all sorts of people, the ignorant with the wise, the learned and unlearned, together to repair hither for their instruction, and from hence, as touching the discharge of their christian Office, both towards God and manto fetch their absolute direction. This may give you occasion to wonder what your Priests mean so perimptorily to interdict you the use of the holy scriptures, when the learned Fathers, [whom notwithstanding they will impudently challenge to be wholly theirs,] were never heard in that tune, but ever taught the contrary: the reason hereof is easily gathered, they know that the word of God being absolutely truth, must needs, were you acquainted with it, discover their falsehood unto you. They know that the nature of it being to give light, it would quickly expel that Caemerian darkness, wherewith your sense is so enveloped, and by means whereof they lead you blindfolded into their den of I idolatry, and abomination at their pleasure, they know that then you would soon perceive their juggling, and that thereby you would plainly discern them in their proper colours: Let them pretend therefore what they will, but this chiefly is the cause, 
Tertullian in libro, de Trinit. chrisostom in opere imperfectio, Ho, 14  for as Tertullian saith. The sacred scriptures do convince and discover the guiles of heretics, which Chrisostome likewise observed when he said, Heretic priests shut fast the gates of the truth, meaning they conceal the word of God from the people: Because they know that if the truth appear, they must of necessity forsake their church, I advise therefore to forsake their Counsel herein, and will propose unto you, for an excellent pattern of imitation, those godly Sisters in christ which accompanied that Religious Paul at Bethlem, 
Hierom in Epitaph, Paulae  who by the testimony of Hierome, accounted it unlawful to to be ignorant in the Psalms, and spent not one day without learning something out of the Scriptures. And that virtuous Gorgonia; whom her brother the good Nazianze in his Funeral oration over her, commendeth for being expert both in the old and new testament, let these holy virgins, and blessed handmaids of Christ be your precedent, go hand in hand with them, as will best become you, and most redound to your advantage, unto this sacred Fountain of God's word, this holy well indeed, instead of your extraordinary unsanctified Sai. Winifred's: For hereof you may drink your fill, and have your thirst quenched, herewith you may wash yourself, and have your leprosy cleansed, herein your soul [for that is the proper virtue of it] may find an heavenly solace, and be converted. Forsake I say their doctrine, herein, Nay forsake and abandon both them & their doctrine, them as no ministers of christ, their doctrine as mere Antichristian: Forth Ministers of christ deliver with Paul no other doctrine save that which they have received of christ: but they teach you the quite contrary, as in forbidding you to read the scriptures, when christ commandeth you to read them. Search the scriptures sayeth christ, 
Io. 5, 3, 9  search them not say they. They tell you that the reading of them would drive you into error: 
Mar. xii. 29  But christ telleth you, that your error groweth because you read them not. Is not here a plain opposition betwixt christ and them, his doctrine and theirs? What reckoning then should you make of them: The Apostle teleth you, that if a very Angel should come from heaven, and preach unto you such doctrine as this, so different from that which he and the other apostles have preached, you should be so far from believing him, as rather to hold him accursed.  
Surely these fellows are such, as our careful and loving shepherd giveth us that friendly caveat to take heed of. 
●●●, 7.15, 16  Beware [saith he] of false prophets, which come to you in sheeps clothing, [under the colour of holiness and innocency, but this is the outward man only, For inwardly they are ravening Wolves. And the means whereby you may distinguish them from the true Ministers of christ is this: Ye shall know them by their fruits. And here I might take occasion, to give you a further taste of the fruits of your religion, namely of the doctrine, and conversation which your Popes, cardinals, Priests, jesuits, and others generally of your church, from their instruction and toleration, have taught and practised, whereby after the rule of our saviour in knowing the tree by the fruit, you might the more plainly perceive your church, which you are so confidently persuaded, is the true church of christ, to be no other than the very Synagogue of Satan. But it is too spacious a field for me to pace through, it were the task rather of a man's life, a subject for a mighty volume. To omit therefore their doctrine and life in general, I will lay before you one only instance hereof, which by the argument of our Saviour, being fruit so rotten and ilsavery, must of necessity, [you may be assured] spring from a root as bitter and corrupted.  

Observations upon the late discovered Treasons.  
AND I will not look back to former times, 
7. Sect.  nor travel foreign countries for the accident, It is that hotrible and inhuman conspiracy, bred and fostered in the bosom of your religion, and of late by the providence & sweet mercy of our god, so blessedly discovered and defeated. A conspiracy against the fairest, against the Lord, and against his anointed. And may I not say against all the souls of Israel, that bare true faith, and true allegiance to God and their sovereign? For all them, should have felt the force of that terrible blow, that was threatened, and in some degree or other pertaked of the Tragedy, A Tregedy whereunto althe tragedies of the world, begin with that of Abel, and come along all ages, to the last that drank of that cup in our own memory would have given place, and for horror, monstrosisme, and true essential devilishness, could not have been compared. Which would have made all the bloody villains, that ever breathed, better, or at least less thought upon, because the cogitations of all the men in these parts of the earth would only have been cast thereupon, as they are partly already but with the same of the intention: No, the like Tragedy was never acted, nor [I think] by the most absolute incarnate Devil ever before plotted, A plot [as Lavid] speaketh, to have rooted us out so many thousads, yea millions within this kingdom, that we should have been no more a people, and that the very name of a Protestant [unless in byword] should have been no more in remembrance, as [indeed] had they [according as they projected] made that havoc of them altogether, his sacred Majesty, our gracious Queen, the hopeful Prince, and all those holy and worthy ones, their attendants, it had not been altogether improbable.  
But this while you will say I prove not [as I undertook] that this conspiracy, which most of you, (with your tongues at least) will confess, was wicked, and unjustifiable, to be the fruits of your religion, or any instance of your life and doctrine: for the cleared whereof can I deal more plainly, then out of your own mouth as it were to judge you, or produce better proofs than the positions and conclusions of your own clerks, and greatest divines approving and maintaining, that in some cases it is lawful for subjects, to rise up in arm, against their King, and that the deposing of an Heretic prince such as they take our King to be is a commendable work and meritorious.  
Understand therefore that Allen, Baines, Saunders, Parsons, creswell, Reynoles, Tollet, Tellarmine, with others on whose shoulders as upon so many arch-pillers your church of Rome hath for this many years been supported have taught and published the said doctrine, as appeareth in their several writings, whereof some few are collected in this book entitled, An exact, discovery of romish doctrine in case of conspirasie and rebellion by pregnant observations, which herewith I have sent you, or purpose to give you a better view of their horrible doctrine not herein only but touching other matters likewise which may justly occasion you to abandon them, and detest their courses for ever: and that this conspiracy may be taken as an instance of their life likewise, who can make doubt, when they themselves should have been the performers thereof, when the plotters, actors, abetrers, and all that should have washed their hands in that bloody bas●n, were Papists, devoted to your church, and such as you call Catholics. It is therefore [questionless] an instance of their life and doctrine the proper fruits of their Religion: yea, yea, it is a babe of their own begetting every inch of it: And though they search each corner of their wit to shift it off and father it upon others, yet shall it always be reputed theirs, They shall ever be enforced to keep it, and be are it upon their backs as a notorious badge of their fornication, and a durable monument of their shame, whiles the world endureth: yet is it worthy observation, to note what poor devices they have, and what iniserable shifts they are driven unto, I mean your Priests and Ihesuites and such as you most depend upon, and are chiefly directed by, to daub up the matter [if they could] at least to preserve their estimation awhile amongst you, and (though it lie a dying) to linger it out as long as is possible. But to omit the rest, I will only mention that which seemeth their final refuge, and serveth them for the best shelter to bear of the force off this imputation. They maintain, that although the conspirators were all of them professed to the Church of Rome, yet that it was not the doctrine of that church, but ambition, discontentment, and desperate estate, that drew them thereunto; for their doctrine gave warrant for no such courses, and that without question the Pope's holiness could never be touched therewith. To the former point I have already answered, and proved unto you by the Testimony of their most famous and profoundest divines, that it is the doctrine of their church, and therefore by all likelihood they received their protection thence, and it was that, which gave them their chief encouragement. Now whether the Pope [whom you call the head of your church] were privy to the damnable purpose of these all-bloody miscreants, this worse than Catilniary crew of conspirators, whom it cannot be denied were members thereof, I know not; howbeit, the regard of sympathy betwixt the head and the members, together with consideration that the greatest part of the prize in all likelihood would have fallen to his share, may seem a substantial ground for a suspicion: But this I dare say, that if he were not acquainted with the plot, nor would have applauded it, if he had been; but beareth a mind opposite to such designs, he is an honester man than some of his predecessors have been. Witness the letter which N. the Cardinal of Como sent unto Parry, for the murdering of our dear deceased Sovereign of famous memory, Queen Elizabeth to this effect.  
Sir the Pope's holiness hath perused your letter, and cannot but commend your good disposition, & resolution, which (as you say) tendeth to the public benefit; wherein his holiness exhorteth you to persist, and to effect that which you promise. And because you may be the better assisted by that good spirit which hath induced you to this, his blessedness granteth you full pardon and forgiveness of all your sins as you desired; assuring you, that besides the merit which you receive in heaven, his holiness will become a further debtor to acknowledge your deservings in the best sort he may. And the rather for that you use so great modesty in pretending nothing. Put therefore in execution your honourable and holy thoughts, and look to your safety. And so I present myself heartily unto you, and wish you all good and happy success: From Rome the thirty of january 1584.  
Yours to dispose N. Cardinal of Como.  
If this letter will not fatisie you, that your Popes have approved such bloody courses, take notice I pray you how Pope Gregory the ninth made a decree, 
Decretum Greg. 9 cause. 23  that any man might renounce, and imbrewe his hands in the blood of his kinsinan, his son, his father, or whomsoever without distinction, in case he were an Heretic, [as all were adjudged that professed not papistry.] And how Pope Sextus quintus, took upon him the Office of an orator, and in a public and premeditated speech before all his cardinals, extolled to the skies, that Wicked Monk, which so murdered Henry the third, King of France, commending the murder for a notable, rare, and marvelous piece of work, condemning the murdered, as an unfortunate king dying in his sin, and bestowing no worse a title then Religious man, upon the villain that was the murderer. And lastly, 
Bulla 〈…〉.  how Pope Pius quintus practised the death of our said Queen Elizabeth, and sent his Bull for that purpose, importing as followeth: It is our will and we command; that the subjects of England take themselves to arms against Elizabeth their Queen.  
In these few mirrors, the eye that is not utterly blind may plainly discern, whether your Popes be compact of nothing but fanctety, and integrity, as they are continually described unto you, and how their hearts cleaning fast to the former grounds, rest affected in such a case of murdering princes, and inciting their subjects to rebellion: This seemeth then a weak sh●l●er but shame must have a cover, though it be but of fig leaves.  
I could [methinks] out of the bowels of christian charity, from my heart deplore, that they who profess the true service of God, and in some sort call upon the name of jesus, should so far degenerate from the nature of a christian, as to plot, and prosecute to the period, such a monstrous and devilish deseign, as the heart of the most irreligious, and hardest-frozen Atheist would have trembled at, and the worst of those barbarous Seythian bloodsuckers, could not but have abhorred. Which the idolatrous Turk, and all wicked Ethnics will for ever [I think] as an argument against the precious blood of our saviour, cast into the teeth of Christendom, because it putteth down call the world for a point of immanity, irreligion, and complete villainy. Inquire [said Moses] of the antiant days, which are before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and from one end of heaven to the other, if ever there were the like thing done. And is not this speech, [though from a different ground] proper to this conspiracy, if the last word be left out? Indeed, it was not absolutely done, for the bow broke at the up hot, It was done to these your catholics, that wished and went about the doing of it. We give them like thanks, and GOD [without Repentance] will give them the like reward, as if it had been done. But it was not done to our King, to our Queen, to our Prince, and those thousands, which by the power of that infernal blast, should no doubt have accompanied them to the presence of the eternal Majesty: It was not done unto them, blessed be our merciful God, that undid it, and out of his all-loving kindness to his church, so graciously put his own right hand, which bringeth mighty [things to pass, betwixt the purpose and the execution. Surely, they thought themselves of gods privy counsel: 
In the letter to the lord Moun togle.  God and man have concurred to punish the wickedness of the time: But had they been so much as of his court, they would better have known his pleasure, for there they would have herd the Lord, giving them this precept, Thou shalt not kill. There David would have asked them this question: Who can lay hand on the Lord annotnted, and be guiltless: There Paul would have set them down this position, Whosoever resist, purchase to themselves damnation. The tyrants boasted that they could do mischief, 
In the said Letter to the Lord Mo.  I say they shall receive a terrible blow, but we felt that the goodness of God still endured. The Lord, (according to the prayer of David) would not deliver the souls of so many of his Turtle Doves unto the multitude of their enemies, and therefore he shot at them with a swift aroow, & hewed the snares of these ungodly ones in pecces: yet in something they said truth, the conclusion of that confident menace fell out right: And yet they shall not see who hurt them. 
In the said Letter  They do not [indeed] God that shielded them from that terrible blow, be ever praised.  
They do not see who hurt them, but they see that which those vipers little thought they should have seen; they see some of those that would have hurt them, and [I hope] will see the rest, howsoever I know they are seen, and will be remembered according to his blessed will, that best knoweth how to reward them. They do not see who hurt them, but they see who preserved them from hurt.  
His Majesty doth see, and acknowledge, that it was the same God that stood so near his holy father King David in all his dangers, That saved his life so oft from destruction, and crowned him with such mercy and loving kindness: that it was the same God that stuck as close to his dear Sister Queen Elizabeth in all her troubles, and from her cradle, till he had set the crown upon her head, & during all the time of her most famous and victorious reign, preserved her as the Apple of his eye, and never left her, until he had changed her corruptible crown of gold, to an incorruptible crown of glory, for her greater advancemenr: and finally, that it was the same God, which had covered him likewise from time to time, under his gracious wings, and made him taste [ere that day] the sweetness of his mercy, as sensibly as David, or Elizabeth, or any other of those dear anointed ones, had done before him: yea that prevented him with his liberal blessings, and protected him, not only from the hour of his birth, [since the world enjoyed him,] but which is more wonderful, whiles the happy womb of his Mother enclosed him: Many a time have they vexed me from my youth, up, may our king say with Israel, but they have not prevailed against me. And I will say with those of Israel, that pray for the peace of jerusalem, and wish well to Zion, I hope they never shall: for I doubt not, but God hath ever sworn by his holiness, as he did to king David, and queen Elizabeth, that he will never fail king James.  
With the like eye of thankfulness, doth the queen, the Prince, the peers, and all the rest look upon their delivery: acknowledging God only to be their deliverer: yea the grave Nesiors themselves, whose wise doom may be termed a brazen wail to our kingdom, do see that a deeper reach, and far greater providence than theirs, even the wisdom of the almighty was the principal worker herein: and therefore, [for all their pains, and prudence in the discovery] lay the matter wholly from themselves, and still make this their conclusion: Not unto us Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the praise. And all, from the greatest to the meanest, that should instantly, or by degrees, have tasted of the stratagem, do see [likewise] not who hurt them: but who preserved them: and accord in this joyful acclamation. It was thy hand O Lord that did it: I wonder what construction the favourers of your profession make of the accident. I know how they carry it outwardly, but what their inward man thinketh of it, in approbation or detestatation of the plot, and touching the discovery, there's the point. One of the principals seemed only sorry that the matter took not effect, and 'slud to it (like himself) that it was not God it was the devil that prevented it: But the desperate, and 〈◊〉 miscreant, that inchristian & uncircumcised Philistine, with all of that opinion, were utterly deceived, for the devil [without question] would have sung Gaudeamus with the merriest. that day would in all likelihood] have been the devils holiday: and therefore, in despite of him, but chiefly to render unto our gracious God from whom our salvation cometh, the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, the very same daic shall for ever be our holiday.  
But to leave them that draw such evil use from this, as generally they do from all other occurrents, in the prejudice of their misconstruction: It is the desire of my heart, and would be a joy unto my soul, that you [for your part) would make a profitable use thereof, that with the true servants of God, you would draw good out of this evil, meditate thereupon, and seriously ponder each circumstance belonging thereunto, which would [I make no question] prove a happy means to remove you out of the base and erroneous school, that readeth whole lectures of ignorance unto you, and wherein overlong you have been trained up, and learned, nothing but absurdities, unto that best learned, and most Godly university, which will in rich your heart with Divine wisdom; and wherein to your great comfort and unspeakable benefit you shall be tutored, and consorted with true christians.  
And to this end, I mean for your learning this one lesson, of making the right use of the conspiracy, which may so much avail you, disdain me not (how unworthy soever I seem) the place of your schoolmaster. Thus then (I pray you) learn to read after me. Surely, it was the mighty hand of God, that defeated the purpose of those bloodthirsty papists, those more than barbarous conspirators: It was his tender mercy that set his hand, to that happy and ever memorable piece of work; they were his beloved servants unto whom such mercy was extended, that is his true church, whereof those his servants are members, and therefore by necessary consequence, the church of Rome, that is plainly opposite to this church of God, that is in deadly enmity with these servants of God, that inwardly repineth at this mercy of God and that is so manifestly oppugned by this hand of God, is the false church, no church of christ but the very idolatious and abominable Synagogue of Antichrist. This is but a short essoin: howbeit if you con the same perfectly l y heart, and truly conceive it, you shall feel your soul [I doubt not] so fised upon the deep consideration of this saving hand, so wrapped up with the sweet admiration of this exceeding mercy, so inflamed with the burning desire to be ranked amongst these happy servants, so ravished with the zealus love of this church, that you will rest assured & most resolutely conclude, that we whom the Lord in such gracious sort preserveth under the shadow of his wings, who are so dear and tender unto him, and whom he thus hedgeth about, and hemmeth in on every side, are his peculiar people, his chosen generation, members of his true church, and that your church of Rome [which indeed as the prophet speaketh of Jerusalem] was [in the primitive time] A righteous city and full of equity, is become unfaithful as a whore, though righteousness did dewell in it, yet, that now it is inhabited with murderers, and that her silver is turned to dross, and her wine is mixed with water. Thus [I say] if you make true use of this conspiracy [questionless] you will conclude, and concluding so, for sake Bahilon and enter into Zion, and for the good estate of your soul, most willingly embrace this counsel of your Lord, and saviour. Come away from her my people that you be not partakers of her sins and that you receive not of her plagues.  
Now give me leave in a word to knit up this point of treason, for which the Ihesuites, the secular priests and their followers (mistiled catholics) are become so egregious, with the christian and untainted resolution of the professors of our religion touching such designs. I, that prize myself as the least of God's graces, and challenge no prerogative of faithfulness to my King and country, above the loyalty of an ordinary protestant, do [without any of those mental irreligious referuations] solemnly protest, that were I secured by an Angel from he men, to possess as much wealth, and attain unto as much wisdom as Solomon did, to sway as many kingdoms as Asuerus did, to live as fair an age as Methuselah did, and in fine, to take my leave of the world, with an easy, and quiet dissolution: yet would I not, in liea of all this earthly blessedness, once lift up my hand, or so much as incline my heart towards the deposing of my lawful sovereign the Lords anointed, no not although my king were a tyrant, as we all know, and his very enemies acknowledge he is gracious and mild, and [after the Apostles precept] hath put on even the bowels of compassion; but concerning this last treason, that treason of treasons, the unparallelled arch-treason of the world, my protestation shall extend itself further: Namely, that were I assared [besides the fruition of all the former cited felicity] that my God neither in this world by the worm of conscience, nor in the world to come by eternal confusion, would lay the same to my charge but absolutely remit it for ever, yet, that I should abhor from my soul such a bloody & inhuman action, & never be won to give my consent thereunto, for my love to god and his church, my king, and country, would [I know] religiously, and forcibly restrain ●ne; here you may think I go very far, but I assure you no further than I am directed by holy warrant; and this, I affirm to be the true resolution of a protestant and present unto you as the proper fruit of our religion.  
Whereupon if you please to fix the eye of your soul, which is your understanding, and weigh the same in the true and single balance of impartial judgement, you will presently [I doubt not] distaste the fruits of your religion, and happily discover the same, not to be as it seemeth, but rather like the apples of Sodom, which are said to be fair and beautiful in show, but when they are touched, turn to ashes, and reveal themselves to be of no substance: But I overlong detain you, and confess it is more than high time I had concluded: I leave therefore this, and all the other points formerly touched, to your mature and indifferent consideration, and theirs [whomsoever] that shall likewise deign the perusal thereof, and will now make bold, (though an unbidden guest, and but an intruder) to come to your wedding.  
It should seem [without impeachment of the gent. worth] that the dear expense of your time, that precious and unvaluable jewel, was an eloquent and powerful advocate in his behalf, that at last hath so happily made conquest of your affection: wherein I must approve your wisdom, for there is no earthly jewel to be compared therewith. jewels being lost, may by possibility be recovered again, but time being spent can never be recalled again. I condemn myself in justifying of you. Indeed therein (I confess) I have been a prodigal, for I have played so long at this dangerous game of delay, that I deserve methinks to be notorious for ill husbandry. The idle time-spender being [as it is truly said] the greatest unthrift: you have consideratively avoided this scandal, whereunto I only say this; that as you have been wise to enter into that happy and honourable calling of marriage, and for aught I know, advised in making your choice; so it is and shall be my prayer, how weak soever you account the power thereof, that you may be hlessed in your course, that your husband that lieth in your bosom, the issue which is likely to spring from those embracements, and all other blessings belonging to marriage, may derive unto you such contentment and happiness, as your uttermost desires can aim at, or any Gentlewoman of the world ever enjoyed. If you have deserved well of me, this [for the present] is my best requital, if otherwise, it is my uttermost revenge.  
But if the world (which is wedded to idle inquisition) and sick of her old disease, (sinister misconstruction) would understand the reason that broke the marriage betwixt us two, and gave you occasion otherwise to dispose of yourself, as you have done: let them know, that [on my part] nothing but our different religion was the impediment, I appeal unto yourself whether I speak truly: For you cannot but remember that in all opportunity, I was still harping upon that string, and ever did my best (though all in vain) to have set the same in perfect tune. I told you, that if you would alter your gross and foolish opinions, or but give me hope that in future time, I should have better hearing, and might happily win you thereunto, I would be most willing, and think myself most happy to knit that gordean knot, without longer deferring; although our friends should utterly withstand it, and even enforce us to get our maintenance: I, with my pen, and you with your needle, yea albeit we were sure to have gone a begging, which we then had not, neither I hope ever that have reason to stand in fear of: These words I spoke oftener than once unto you, I spoke them from my heart, I protested that I spoke them so, and I protest again that I protested truly: This [methinks] may discharge me from all imputations touching that matter, and upon this targe of proof will I safely take all the malevolent darts, that shall be thrown against my reputation; I say, if I was not so forward, and willing as the world expected, and your worth required, our different manner of doing God service gave the occasion: And you are not the only jewel of worth, for I will ever acknowledge your worth, your moral ver. tues, your gifts of nature, all your praiseworthy parts, as all are praiseworthy, that, that only, which (obscureth all the rest,) excepted: I say you are not the only jewel of worth, that this religious, and lawful impediment hath debarred me the wearing of: But my god whose blessed will I refer myself unto, and upon whose holy pronidence, I pray I may ever depend, will [I know] sufficiently provide for those that faithfuly trust in his goodness, and in his infinite and unspeakable distribution of blessings. [I am in good hope] not forget my poor and sinful self though his most unworthy servant.  
And so I beseech his divine Majesty Our almighty creator, for the merit of his dear son Our merciful redeemer by the illumination of his blessed spirit, Our holy sanclisier to renew you in the spirit of your mind: to give you grace to lay loon the old man which is corrupt, and to put on that new man, which [after God] is shapen in righteousness, and holiness of truth: To fill you with knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, to free you from these strong delusions, and to give you, a true, lively, & justifying faith in the righteousness of Christ jesus our Saviour, whereby you have cause to say and sing with holy David, My soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler, the snare is broken, and I am delivered. That when your house of clay, whose foundation is but dust, shall be consumed. You may be translated into the great city holy jerusalem, be fed by the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, be led into the fountains of living water, have all your tears wiped from your eyes: And in a word be crowned amongst the true servants of the everliving God with eternal joy and felicity in heaven: where I hope, notwithstanding our separation upon earth, we shall one day by the mercy of our god, live and reign together.  
FINIS.