A PERSUASION to the English Recusants, to Reconcile themselves to the Church of England.  
Written for the better satisfaction of those which be ignorant.  
By john Dove Doctor of Divinity.  PSAL. 72. Give thy judgement to the King, O God, and thy righteousness to the King's son. 1. PET. 2. Fear God, Honour the King.  emblem of man walking 
Printed at London by V S. for Cuthbert Burby dwelling in Paul's churchyard at the sign of the   

To the most High and Mighty Prince, JAMES by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of the Faith.  
Gracious and dread Sovereign,  
I say the truth, I lie not, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy-ghost, that I have with the Apostle great heaviness, and continual sorrow in my heart for many of my brethren and Countrymen. And my hearty desire and prayer for them to God, is, that they may be saved. For I bear them record, that they have the zeal of God, though not according to knowledge, which is the only cause that moved me to write this short Treatise. And, because God of his great goodness hath vouchsafed your tender years the education of TIMOTHY, and endued your Highness, since your happy government with princely gifts, knowledge to discern truth, and zeal to maintain truth, I humbly present unto your Majesty, these few lines, containing a subject of so great importance. The common voice, and hope of your best affected people is, that your Highness hath a religious intent, to make God yet better known in JUDA, and his name yet greater in JERUSALEM, to bring all these your Kingdoms to the acknowledgement and profession of one truth; so that hereafter JERUSALEM may be as a walled town and fenced city, which is at unity within itself: and as it was in the days of the JUDGES, all ISRAEL may be gathered together, as one man, from DAN to BEERSHEBA, unto the Lord in MISHPAH. The Lord guide and prosper you in all your ways, the Lord establish your house and kingdom, the Lord bless you out of ZION, that you may see the wealth of JERUSALEM all the days of your life, that you may see your children's Children, and peace in ZION.  
Your majesties humble Subject, JOHN DOVE.   

¶ A Persuasion to the English Recu sants, to reconcile themselves to the Church of England.  

CHAP. I.  
It is not enough for them to pray privately, but it is also required, that they join in prayer with the Congregation.  
ALthough the prayers of the faithful are heard, if they be faithfully made, in what places soever, because our Saviour saith: 
Matthew 7  Whosoever asketh, he shall receive, and therefore, not the Publican only was 
Luke 18 2. Reg. 20  heard in the Temple, but also King Ezekias in his Chamber, Elias under the juniper tree, jonas in the bottom of the Sea, Manasses in the prison: Yet the Church is a place more especially 
jona 2 oratio Manassis. Matth 21.  appointed for prayer, it is called the house of prayer, and God is more peculiarly present in that house, than in all other houses. Of the Temple we read, that God's eyes were open towards that house night and day, his name was especially 
1. Reg. 8  there, he hearkened to the prayers of his Servants which stretched forth their hands in that place, and of them which were in captivity, if they turned towards that house which was built for his name. A greater promise is made to the prayers of many united together, than of one, and a more favourable presence of Christ amongst them which make their joint petition; insomuch, that when a congregation is joined together in his 
Matth 18  name, he will be in the midst of them, and if they agree in earth upon any thing, whatsoever they shall desire, it shall be given of his Father which is in heaven.  
If we lay before our eyes the Stories of the Bible, the exercise 
2. Ezra 8  of the godly was such. In the days of Ezra the Scribe it was so: All the people assembled themselves together, he brought the book of the Law of Moses before the assembly of men and women, and all that could hear and understand; he read from morning until midday unto them, the ears of all the people hearkened to the book of the Law, he preached to them out of a wooden Pulpit, he praised the Lord the great God, and all the people answered, AMEN, AMEN, with lifting up their hands, and they bowed themselves, and worshipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground. In the new Testament their manner was to meet together on the Saboth day, to join in prayer, and to hear the word preached, and to receive the sacraments. In the Acts of the Apostles at Antiochia was maintained 
Act. 14  a Lecture of the Law and the Prophets. Saint Paul delivered words of exhortation there after the Lecture, and they besought him to preach to them the same sermon again the next Saboth. Saint Paul and his company being at Philippi on the Saboth 
Act. 17  day, went out of the City by a river where they were accustomed to pray, there he preached and converted Lydia. And no doubt, but if our Recusants would hear our Sermons, many of them also would be converted. Upon the Lord's day at Troas the 
Act. 20  disciples were gathered together, to break bread, a multitude was gathered together, and Paul preached to them. When Peter was in prison, the Church making a joint petition for him, obtained a 
Act. 12  speedy and miraculous delivery. And it was observed as an especial virtue in the primitive Church, that they continued together in prayer and breaking of bread, and that they had all one heart. And to this purpose Saint Paul exhorteth them saying: I beseech you brethren, in the name of the Lord jesus Christ, that 
1. Corin. 1.  ye all speak one thing, that ye be knit together in one mind and judgement. And again; the God of patience and consolation 
Rom. 15.  grant, that you may be  one to another according to Christ jesus, that you with one mind, and one mouth, praise God the Father of our Lord jesus Christ.  
The true marks of the visible Church of God, are the hearing of the word, the participation of the sacraments and public prayer, as out of the scriptures I have declared. Let us therefore examine the grounds whereupon so many of our nation, which would especially be accounted of the true church, withdraw themselves from our public assemblies, refuse to join with us in so Christian exercises; insomuch, that whereas it was wont to be reputed a punishment to be interdicted, suspended, and like Lepers, to be shut out of the Congregation, they now like Lepers exclude themselves. Saint Ambrose needeth not now to excommunicate Theodosius, for he will excommunicate himself, 
Sozos'. li. 7 c. 24  and we have as much need to whip them into the Temple, as our Saviour had to whip them out, as he did in the story of the Gospel. They allege for themselves, they do communicate 
joh. 2.  together in prayer, though not with us; they have their conventicles and Masses in their chambers, and the exercise of their own religion; but that it is against their conscience to come to our churches, that we are Heretics, Schismatics, not members of the Catholic Church of Rome, not at unity among ourselves, and consequently, that they may not safely communicate with us.   

CHAP. II.  
Of conscience.  
THe ignorant Recusant being persuaded by the Minister, or required by the Magistrate, to show his conformity and obedience to Laws, by resorting to the parish-Church, where he dwelleth: when he is not able to answer such arguments as are objected against him, nor in any sort to defend his own Religion, pretendeth his Conscience, and saith: It is against 
Vide Gre. Mar. in tract de schi.  my conscience, to come to your Church, and whatsoever I do against my conscience, is sin. I confess that whatsoever is done without testimony and warrant of conscience, is sin to them which do it, be the thing which is done, in itself never so lawful, because the Apostle saith: He that doubteth, is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; and whatsoever 
Rom. 14.  is not of faith, is sin. In which words, by faith is understood Conscience. But by the way, they must see that their conscience be rightly informed, else it will be their damnation. For, as 
Matth. 26. Act 9  it was sin in Saint Peter to deny Christ, when in his conscience he know that he did evil: so it was sin in Saint Paul to persecute Christ, when he thought in his conscience he did well. Therefore, it is not only damnable to do contrary to their conscience, but also to do according as their conscience shall direct them, if they be not persuaded by the truth. Therefore, let them not deceive themselves, taking that for conscience, which is but an error of conscience, and indeed a false persuasion of their minds, in following that which the ignorance of their own fantasies and blind conceits doth lead them unto, without seeking any further. For so in his zeal Vzza supported the Ark 
1. Chron. 13  when it was ready to fall, his conscience persuading him that he did well, although it was displeasing unto God. So saint Paul 
Act. 22  speaketh of himself, that he was zealous towards God when he persecuted, and so our Saviour forewarneth his disciples, that 
john 16  men shall excommunicate them, that the time shall come, that whosoever killeth them, shall think he doth God good service; and he showeth the reason of this their error. These things saith he, they will do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.  
Therefore, for their better instruction, I will define unto them what Conscience is. Conscience, I say, is an application of a general knowledge grounded upon God's word to particular actions and intents. Or thus: conscience is a kind of argumentation or practic syllogism, whereby, out of a general proposition, we do, by a particular conclusion, absolve or condemn ourselves, or others. In this syllogism, the mayor proposition is the inward sense and feeling of God's judgements, whereby we do reason and discourse of our actions, intents and purposes, having before our eyes the rule of the law of God. The minor is the examination of our actions, intents, and purposes, according to that rule, the conclusion is our final determination concerning ourselves or others, what we or they having thus done, intended, and purposed, are to deem or judge of ourselves or them. So then, in our conscience first we discourse, than we examine, and last of all we determine. For example. In David's taking Urias his wife, we may see what David's conscience was. 
2. Sam. 11.  First, he had this general notion imprinted in his mind, and grounded upon Exodus, that adultery was damnation: and if 
Exod. 2●  when he intended to take Urias his wife, he had examined his intent by the rule of Exodus, he had found it to be adultery: and thirdly, after due examination had, finding his intent to be adultery, he could not but condemn himself in his own conscience, that he was guilty of damnation. According to this sense 
Rom. 1.  saith Saint Paul: They have the effect of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing or excusing one an other.  
Albeit conscience is sometimes taken only for the intellectual power and faculty of our understanding & reasonable soul, by which we are able thus to argue and discourse with ourselves: so Saint Paul saith; We must obey Magistrates for conscience 
Rom. 13.  sake; that is, because of our own reason, knowledge, and understanding, which revealeth so much light unto us: GOD will eternally punish disobedience, and therefore it shall not be safe for us to charge and burden our souls with the wrath of God. Sometimes for the minor alone, which is the examination of our actions and intents, whether they be good or evil: so the Apostle saith of himself; Nihil mihi conscius sum, I know nothing of myself, yet I am not thereby justified; that is, I know no heinous crime wherewith I should be touched. Sometimes 
1. Cor. 4.  for the conclusion alone, so he saith: I have in all good conscience served God until this day; that is, I do absolve myself from any 
Act. 23.  grievous crime that I have committed.  
Now, the Recusants argue in this manner: No Heretics nor Schismatics are to be communicated withal, but Protestants are Heretics and Schismatics, and therefore not to be communicated withal. Their mayor proposition is undoubtedly true, because it is grounded upon scripture, Titus the third? Reject him that is an Heretic after two or three admonitions: and Saint john in his second Epistle; Bid him not God speed: and Rom. 16. Mark them diligently which make division, and avoid them. The error therefore, is in the minor or examination of this action of communicating with us according to that general rule, that no society is to be had with Heretics: for whereas they say we are Heretics, it is not true. Neither is it marvel though our Recusants have erred concerning us, seeing that Saint Peter and the Disciples have erred concerning the like. When the sheet was 
Act. 10.  let down, wherein were all manner of beasts, and Saint Peter was bidden to arise, kill, and eat: He answered: Not so Lord: for I never ate any meat that was unclean. And therefore he argued in this manner: No unclean meats are to be eaten: But these meats are unclean, therefore they are not to be eaten. The Mayor was true, because grounded upon Leviticus 11. Deut. 14. where the differences of meats are set down. But in his Minor he was deceived, which thought those meats to be unclean, for as much as under the Gospel, the difference of meats was taken away, and no meat was polluted, in respect of the conscience of man. So then, as it was not Saint Peter's conscience, but the error of his conscience, when he refused the meats as unclean, which God had sanctified and made lawful; so it is not their conscience, but the error of their conscience that they refuse us for schism & heresy, which indeed are true gospelers and members of the mystical body of jesus Christ, as by God's assistance I will prove. And as the Disciples, not knowing of Paul's 
Act. 9  conversation, were afraid to join with him, supposing him to be a persecuter when he was a Preacher: so they fear to join with us, supposing us to be in the wrong way, whereas indeed we be in the right.  
And because I have said, it is not upon conscience that they sequester themselves from us, I will show them how many ways a man's conscience may err and be deceived, and so carried away from the truth, and they are these eight following. The first is ignorance, so the common sort ignorantly allege we are heretics, that our religion is not warrantable, but cannot know what heresy is, neither yet rightly conceive the grounds either of our religion of their own. For they are inhibited to hear our Sermons, 
Vide Concil. Trid. & Pref. in indicem expurg. & Greg. Mart. de schis.  to read our books, to have conference with us, or to be catechised by us. How then should they know our religion? They are nourished in blindness by their own teachers, which hold it as a principle, that it is fit they should be ignorant. Neither are they permitted to have the Bible in their mother tongue. How then can they know their own religion? They are unfurnished and utterly destitute of all means and helps which may bring them to be able to discern truth from heresy.  
The second is negligence. So they which in some measure are learned, do call us heretics, which can, but do not read our books, although they have them, nor examine the grounds which we hold, although they are able, and it is permitted unto them. Concerning their own doctrine, they are contented to receive it for truth, upon the credit of others without further proof, and to see with other men's eyes, hear with other men's ears, speak with other men's tongues, because they will not spend so much time as to search further, and what slander soever they do hear of us, they are ready to believe it. For example, 
Edm. Camp. rat. 1.  Campion slandereth our Church, as if we did offer violence to the holy scriptures, affirming that Luther wrote contumeliously of Saint james his Epistle: his disciples blush not to report the same, because he hath written it, without further inquiry, whether he writ the truth or not, whereas if they would but vouchsafe to examine the place for their own satisfaction, they would find it a slander, which they because of their slothfulness do hold for a truth. They are contented to buy Campion alone, and Gregory Martin his Preface, with the notes of the Seminaries of Rheims, upon the New Testament, and now and then to read them. But as for Doctor Whitaker his answer, many of them suffer it not to be in their studies, or if it be in the Catalogue of their liberarie, they do not read it. And as for doctor Fulkes answer to Gregory Martin's Preface, and the notes of the Seminaries, they are so far from conferring the one with the other, that so they might be satisfied and resolved of the truth, as they are contented to give more money for the Rhemish Testament alone, then for the same book with Doctor Fulkes answer joined with it.  
The third is obstinacy. For, as the first cannot, because they be ignorant and unable to judge, and deprived of all means by which they may be enabled; and the second do not judge rightly because they are slothful, and loath to take so much pains as to try the spirits, to examine doctrine, and confer places: So the third sort of men will not understand the truth, because they be obstinate, they will resist the holy Ghost, and stop their ears against the truth, as the adder doth against the charmer, and as the jews did against Saint Stephen. We shall not persuade 
Act. 7.  them although we do persuade them, because instruction and 
Rom. 10.  faith cometh by hearing, they will not hear lest they should be instructed, and believe the truth. They say their fathers professed that religion, and therefore they will rather err with their fathers 
Gen. 31.  than embrace the truth with us: like Rachel, which would not leave behind her the gods of her Father, but carry them with her. They were brought up and instructed in this religion from their childhood, and now they say they will not alter. They 
1. Thes. 5.  forgot the rule of the Apostle, which willeth them to make trial of all, and then to hold that which is best. For they will hear none, they will hold what they have held, and they will not alter for the better. And in so doing, what do they but as Pharaoh 
Exod. 5.  did, who said: Who is the Lord, that I should hear his voice, and let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. Whereas the Prophet saith: To day if ye will hear his voice, 
Psal. 95.  harden not your hearts.  
The fourth is perplexity, unstaidness, and trouble of mind, like unto Saul, which after he had put away the Sorcerers and 
1. Sam. 28.  Soothsayers out of the Land: yet when he was terrified by the army of the Philistines, seeing it to be very great, and could have no answer from God, neither by dreams, nor urim, nor Prophets, asked counsel of a Witch at Endor: So divers which have renounced that religion, and embraced ours, yet lying at the point of death, in the midst of their conflicts and temptations, thinking upon the arguments which are brought on each side, and fearing to halt between two opinions, and so die unresolved; because they have not had at that instant conference with such as were able 
Gen. 19  to resolve them of all their doubts, have suddenly revolted, and not only followed the example of Lot's wife, which looked back unto Sodom, but also of the people which have said, come let us go back into Egypt again.  
The fift is pride, and their own insolency, whereby they are puffed up, and think that all men must be subject unto them, 
Num. 14.  but they need submit themselves unto none. As Bernardinus Ochinus writ a Book in defence of polygamy, affirming that numerosum coniugium, multitude of wives was lawful: supposing that after his Master Peter Martyr was dead, no man was able to match him in writing or in disputation: like Goliath of Gath, which 
1. Sam. 17  challenged all comers to the combat. And this is the special cause why Popes and general Counsels do err, because they hold it as a principle in their Divinity that they cannot err. For what doctrine will they be afraid to publish, which are thus persuaded of themselves? Nay, who falls so soon as they which think their footing to be so fast that they cannot fall? Therefore the Apostle giveth this advice: Qui videtur sibi stare, videat ne cadat, He that thinketh that he standeth, let him take heed 
1. Cor. 10.  lest he fall.  
The sixth is singularity: They will hold their opinions because they will descent from us, as if it were impossible that they and we should agree together in one truth. They think themselves to be Saint john, and us to be Cerinthus, as if that Bath 
Euseb. hist. li. 3. ca 23. john 4.  could not be wholesome where Cerinthus doth wash himself; themselves to be jews, and us to be Samaritans, as if it were unlawful for them to drink water out of our bucket which we do draw; as if they would not have any place in the Kingdom of heaven, but relinquish all their right and inheritance there, if they did think we should come thither. Even as some in our Church, although otherwise grave and learned, yet refuse some good and wholesome laws and orders, because they were, as they think, devised by the Church of Rome. It is not a sufficient Argument, that because we hold it, therefore the doctrine should be heretical, as it is no good consequent, that because they hold it, it should be sound, and orthodoxal. So than what is their proof, but a woman's reason, it is so, because it is so; I will have it so, because I think so: 
Non amo te Voluci, non possum dicere quare,  
Hoc tantum possum dicere, non amo te.   
The seventh is inordinate affection, and love of themselves, for some will make their conscience incline to their own will and affections, and not frame their desires according to conscience. For example, they think that religion soundest, which doth most of all serve their turn, as the King Achab judged those Prophets 
1. Reg. 22  to be best which preached pleasing thing; but concerning Micheas, which prophesied other things than the King would have him to prophecy, it was said: Put this man in prison, feed him with the bread of affliction, and water of affliction. So, because of their corrupt and fleshly nature they do incline to liberty, they think that religion most probable which doth favour their affections most; that is, which holdeth simple fornication to be no sin, that offences may be redeemed by money, that ordinary faults which they commit, are not peccata, but peccadilia, not sins, but trifles, which are easily pardoned and dispensed withal.  
The last is pusillanimity, or weakness of mind, when they fear that which in sincere judgement they ought not to fear, as namely the dislike of their friends, the rebuke of their enemies, the voice of the people, the good or bad report of other men, who will object apostasy against them. So Saint Peter, though he knew Christ, yet said he knew not the man, for fear of rebuke. 
Matt. 26.  And Nicodemus, although converted to be a Christian, yet kept his place and profession among the pharisees still, lest it should be said unto him as afterward it was in the Gospel: Art 
john. 7. john 11.  thou also of Galilee? Some rely upon the opinion of great Doctors, whose judgement they would, in modesty prefer before their own, and in respect of them, somewhat distrust themselves, though they see evident demonstrations to persuade them otherwise. As the jews would not believe in Christ, for fear of the pharisees, although they saw a manifest sign, Lazarus raised from dead. They fear lest it should be upbraided unto them as it was in the Gospel: Do any of the Rulers believe in him, but only this people which know not the Law and are accursed? As Cardinal Pole in his deathbed, said, the protestants are the sounder men, I would be a protestant were it not for the Church of Rome: whereas they should not so much respect the opinion of this Doctor or that Rabbi, when they see the plain and open way lie before them, but prefer a manifest truth above all. Therefore it behoveth our Countrymen to inform their consciences better, and not to lay it upon their conscience that they live disorderly, and disobedient to Christian laws.   

CHAP. III.  
Of Heresy.  
THey lay heresy to our charge, as if so be that we were like 
Vide Gregor. Mart in tract. de. Scism.  to Seruerus, Cerinthus, & Arrius. If we be heretics, they do well to refrain our company. But that we may the better proceed in this argument, for the purgation of ourselves, let us first define what heresy is. Secondly, let us inquire by what Court or Consistory we are condemned of heresy. Thirdly, let us set down the fundamental points of our Doctrine, that it may appear whether we were justly condemned or no? Which being done, we shall not only clear ourselves from just suspicion of heresy, but also demonstrate how the greatest Papists in the world, for learning and judgement, do embrace the same, and agree in them, with us, not as if we did comforme ourselves unto them, because we hold the same conclusions which we have always held, but they seeing their own errors laid open before them, and being in their own consciences conicted by a manifest truth, do daily; so far as they dare, and may without the general notice of the world, come nearer unto us, as if our doctrine in their knowledge were the soundest. And therefore, why should not the inferior sort of Catholics which are but their disciples do the like? The Church of Rome being taxed by Luther for their discipline as lose, and their doctrine as erroneous, called the Council of Trent, to devise a reformation, seeing that in the eyes of the world they were not slandered. In that counsel they set forth such wholesome Canons concerning Discipline as were fit for a reformed Church, but they were not so careful of their points of Doctrine, because they saw the world could sooner look into their disorders, then judge of their doctrine, and so did as it were yield Luther's complaint in part to be just. As for the doctrine, although they hold in terms the same which they did before, because Princes and estates should not think they had so long deceived the world, and continued in error, and not espied the same until by Luther they had been discovered, and as it were by him awaked like men which were in a dream so many years: yet they set down their conclusions so cunningly, as if they would bear men in hand that they were (in some sort) but mistaken, & inclined of themselves somewhat unto that which Luther persuaded. Whereupon, some protestants suspected that they had an intent, in time, to become Lutherans, only it should come of themselves, and not by force of Luther's arguments, until Andradius, a man more audacious than the rest, to remove that hope of theirs, when he thought the Lutherans to be more cold, and the brunt almost passed over, took upon him to expound the meaning of the Tridentine counsel, and to construe all points to as gross sense as they were ever before. But now they begin to incline to us again, insomuch that Cardinal Bellarmine late Divinity Reader of Rome, and the learnedest Divine of that Church which now liveth, in the course of his controversy lectures, though where he delivereth the state of the question he bringeth what may be brought on their side, for fashion sake, that he may avoid all suspicion of heresy with them: yet he handleth his matters so cunningly, and so doubtfully, that in his conclusions he agreeth with us in many things, although in divers terms, wherein his predecessors utterly dissented from us. And in many things he showeth himself to be; so far as he dareth, a Protestant, or at the least not a Papist: if we take papistry to be that which before it was. And whosoever doth observe him well, shall find how he discourseth of many things superfluous, like one which is more desirous to deceive the time, to fill up the page with variety of reading multitudes of Fathers, and citations of places, then to refute us. Yet his Volumes are allowed by the Inquisition, and he is rewarded for his learned works. Therefore I say, papistry is newly corrected and refined, they hold the same conclusions in general terms which they did, but they hold them not as they did: they seek out new defences, as if they could not stand to the old, & come nearer to us in judgement every day. For so it hath pleased God in this latter end of the world to lighten their darkness, and to quicken the dullness of their understanding.  
Touching the first, if they will understand what heresy is, they must distinguish between heresy and error, for every heresy is an error, but every error is not an heresy. As there is one error in manners, and so every heinous offence is called a crime, as the adultery of David; but such offences as are committed only upon infirmity, are called by the general name of errors; so there is another error in doctrine, and every man which holdeth a wrong opinion is said to err, as the Apostle did, which supposed the Kingdom of Christ to be of this world, and that the Gospel was 
Acts 1. Acts 11.  not to be published to the Gentiles: and these errors were no heresies, but that which is heresy, is more dangerous and of an higher nature. It is an old saying: Errare possum, hereticus esse nolo, I may easily err, as all men have done, but an heretic I will not be.  
I define an heresy in this manner: It is an error stiffly and obstinately defended and maintained, not by a consequent, but directly impugning some Article of faith. For example, the Disciples 
Act. 15  erred when they held it necessary to be circumcised, yet were not heretics, because they were not obstinate; for they submitted themselves to the judgement of the Church, and after due consultation was had, they consented to the truth. Again, that opinion, did not directly impugn faith, but only by a consequent, for so saith the Apostle: Behold, I Paul say unto you, if 
Gal. 5  you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing, for I testify again to every one which is circumcised, that he is bound to keep the whole Law. Then, if we allow of Circumcision, we hold the Ceremonial Law to be still in force, and by a consequent deny the death of Christ, by whose death only that Law was abolished. But Arrius was condemned for an heretic in the council of Nice for these two causes: First, he defended his error obstinately, until his belly burst, and bowels gushed out, not yielding to the learned Bishops of the world, which convicted him by manifest places of the scriptures. Secondly, he denied the Godhead of Christ contrary to the article of the Creed, which hath; and I believe in jesus Christ his only son: and the doctrine of saint Paul, which saith he was mightily declared 
Rom. 1  to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: and of saint john, which saith, God was the word. It is one thing therefore to deny the faith directly, as to say, Christ hath not yet suffered; and another thing to deny it by a consequent, as they which hold a necessity of circumcision. But as for us, we neither hold any opinions obstinately, because we will recant & subscribe to the Church of Rome, if they can disprove us by the scriptures: Neither do we impugn any article of faith, because we hold the Creed of the Apostles, of Athanasius, of Nice, of Ephesus, of Constantinople, which the Papists also do hold, and the same Bible which we received from them, and we expound all these as all godly and learned antiquity hath expounded them before us, and therefore we are unjustly charged with heresy.  
That I may come to the second thing which I proposed. No Church can be condemned and adjudged heretical by any private censure, but it must be public. Therefore they allege for our condemnation, the decrees of the council of Trent, against the authority of which council we take these just exceptions: First, they call it a general council, as if almost all the Divines of the world had been assembled there. Let us therefore number how many were present. They reckon for the credit of that council as present, six Cardinals, four Legates, three patriarchs, two and thirty Archbishops, two hundred twenty eight Bishops, and five abbots. We deny not, but at the end of the council so many were procured to be there, but at the beginning, when matters were propounded, at the time when points of religion were argued and debated, they exceeded not the number of forty Bishops, four Legates; very small assembly to deserve the name of a general council, to consider of so many weighty causes. Only therefore at the latter end, the Pope seeing almost all Bishops to forbear coming thither, did create new Bishops to make up a number, and grace the council with their presence, and to subscribe to all conclusions for form sake, which they did, neither here argued by others, nor yet well consider of their selves. Therefore let indifferency be the judge between them and us, whether so rash a censure was to stand in force Secondly, who were there? only our adversaries which 
joh. 7  were of a contrary religion, we were not present, so that they did not only by us, as the pharisees did by our Saviour, contrary to law contemn us in our absence and our cause being not heard, but also the same men were both our accusers and our judges. If ye ask a reason why we were not there? had we letters of safe conduct? either could we have trusted to such conduct if it had been granted? What if they should have falsified their promise made to us, as they did to john Huz in the council of Constance? especially they holding such a Principle, as they are not bound to keep faith and fidelity with an heretic. But suppose we had been present, we should have stood for ciphers and not for a number, because they were linked together in the same confederacy, to suffer nothing to pass which might be prejudicial to the See of Rome. Thirdly, Bellarmine defineth those counsels, 
Tom. 1. controvers. 4. cap. 4.  only to be universal, where all Bishops of the world either were or might be present, these be his words: Vbi adsunt aut adesse possunt omnes Episcopitotius orbis and in the next chapter he defineth that council only to be lawful which the Pope hath approved, and the catholics generally have received. But neither all could be present as I have declared, neither have the greater part of Catholics yet received that council with the decrees thereof, for they are refused by the Catholics of Germany, France, Hungary, Bohemy, Poland, as our own experience can tell us.  
In the third place, forasmuch as I have showed you, that Christians dwelling in one place are to meet together for the exercise of their religion, which consisteth in these three things prayer, the word, and the Sacraments: Let us examine the word which we teach, the liturgy or form of prayers which we use, the manner of our administration of the sacraments whereof we would that they should be partakers.  
Concerning the doctrine, as I said before, we hold with them the same Creed, and the same Bible, concerning which Bible these have been the chiefest differences between them and us, which follow.  
First, whether all the books of the Bible be canonical or no? They affirm that Toby, Baruch, judith, Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom, the Maccabees, and the fragment of Esther etc.: be canonical; we hold them for apocrypha. They prove them to be canonical out of Saint Augustine; we, that they be apocrypha out of Saint Hierome, both which doctors are of no small authority with the Church of Rome, and therefore in this we differ no more from them than Saint Hierome did from Saint Augustine, which did both agree, and were easily reconciled. S. Hierome interpreteth Saint Augustine's meaning, that they were canonical enough to prove rules of life, not grounds of doctrine and faith. Thus Saint Hierome answered Saint Augustine in the Primitive Church, thus we have answered the Papists of our age: and Bellarmine since this answer was given, handling this controversy at large, replieth not against our answer. Only he proveth in general terms, that they be canonical, which we do also confess, but he doth not so much as mention this destruction of Cannons of faith, and Cannons of good life and manners, much less doth he reply against it, therefore we take it proconcesso, as a thing granted by the Laws of disputations, 
De verbo Dei lib. 1. capitibus 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.  that he holdeth as we hold, flieth to our defence, and so resteth satisfied with our answer, and the case to be clear between us both.  
Secondly: A question hath been debated between us concerning the Bible, forasmuch as there be many editions, as Hebrew, Greek, Latin, which is the best? We say the Hebrew, they the Latin, and the council of Trent hath obtruded to us one only Latin edition, that is, the old vulgar translation, and decreed, that it only should be authentical and no other, that all others should be corrected by it, and it by none. We grant it fit, that for uniformity in quotations of places in schools and pulpits, one Latin text should be used, and we can be contented, for the antiquity thereof, to prefer that before all other Latin books, so much we do yield to the Council: But forasmuch as that translation hath many faults, as all other translations have, because they are the works of men, we prefer the original, that is, the old Testament in the Hebrew, and the new in Greek far before it, forasmuch as they were written by the finger of God the Holy Ghost, which cannot err. And Bellarmine condescendeth to our opinion, as more sound than the decree of the council of Trent, showing that wheresoever the Latin books do descent one from another, that it may be discerned, which is the truest, each of them to be examined by the original, which is of greater authority, and the Latin books to be corrected by them, that only to be sound, which agreeth with them, and that to be rejected, which discenteth from them. His words are these: Ad aliud de emendatione Latinorum codicum ad Hebraeos 
De verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 11  & Graecos respondeo, quatuor temporibus licere nobis recurrere al fontes Hebraeos & Graecos, ut illi patres monent. Primo quando in nostris codicibus videtur esse error librariorum &c: Secundo, quando Latini codices variant, ut non possit certò status quae sit vera vulgata Lectio, possumus ad fontes recurrere, & inde iwari ad veram Lectionem inveniendam. Sic joshua 5. quidam Latini codices habent: Quibus iuravit ut ostenderet illis terram lecte fluentem & molle, quidam habent, ut non ostenderet &c: vera lectio videtur esse posterior. Name in Hebraeo constantèr additur, Non. Sicut è contrariò joshua 11. Quidam codices habent: Non fuit civitas quae non se traderet: Quidam habent: Non fuit civitas quae se traderet, Et hoc est verius quià conform est Hebraeo, & verba sequentia id requirunt. Sic Lucae 1. quidem codices habent: Redemptionem plebisuae: Quidam plebi suae, & haec videtur verior, cùm in Graeco sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
A third question concerning the Bible is, whether all grounds of salvation, all things which are absolutely necessary for a Christian man to know, be contained in the corpses and body of the Bible? They have held, in times past, that the Bible was insufficient, 
Vide Concil. Trident.  and therefore they added unto it traditions, which they call unwritten verities, and would have them to be of as great authority as the scriptures; as necessary to be believed and obeyed. but now, Bellarmine, as if he were ashamed of that ascertion, doth relinquish it, and after he hath spoken in the defence of traditions what he can, concludeth that all things which are necessary, are contained in the Apostles. His words are these: Primum 
De verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 10  est, quaedam in doctrinâ Christianâ tam fides quam morum esse simpliciter omnibus necessaria, ad salutem, qualis est notitia; articulorum Symboli Apostolici, item congnitio decem praeceptorum, & nonnullorum sacramentorum. Cetera non ita necessaria sunt, ut sine eorum explicatâ notitiâ, & fide & professione salvari homo non possit, modo promptam habeat voluntatem ea suscipiendi & credendi, quando sibi fuerint legitimè per Ecclesiam proposita &c: His notatis, dico, illa omnia scripta esse ab Apostolis, quae sunt omnibus necessaria, & quae ipsi palàm omnibus vulgo praedicaverant: alia autem non omnia scripta esse. But whatsoever they can prove out of the Bible, we will receive; as for things which are not necessary, although we descent concerning them, they ought not therefore to refuse to communicate with us.  
A fourth question is, of the authority of the scriptures, and who ought of right to be judge of the same. They were wont to hold the Church, that is, the general Council, to be above the scriptures, and the undoubted judge of the same; we the contrary. Now Bellarmine condescendeth unto us, that the judgement of the church specified in the council of Trent may so far 
De verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 1●.  be subject to the scriptures, as to be examined by the scriptures, and that the authority of the Church is inferior to the authority of the scriptures. His words are these: Addo etiam, quod etsi haereticus peccat dubitando de auctoritate Ecclesiae, in quam per Baptismum regeneratus est, neque est eadem conditio haeretici qui semel fidem professus est, & judaei aut Ethnici, qui nunquam fuit Christianus: tamen, posito hoc dubio, & hoc peccato, non male facit scrutando & examinando, an loca scripturae & Patrum à concilio Tridentino prelata ita sehabeant, modo id faciat intentione inveniendi veritatem non calumnian di. Deberet quidem ille sine examine recipere doctrinam Ecclesiae, tamen melius est ut examinando praeparetur adveritatem, quam negligendo remaneat in suis tenebris. And again in the same Chapter. Decimum quartum argumentum: Si Pontifex indicat de scriptures, sequitur Pontificem seu concilium esse supra scripturam: & si scripturae sensus ●sine Pontifice seu concilio non est authenticus, sequitur verbum Dei accipere robur & firmitatem à verbo Hominum. Respondeo hoc argumentum quod ab haereticis plurimi fit, totum in aequivocatione versari: Nam duobus modis potest intelligi Ecclesiam judicare de scriptures: uno modo quod judicat, verúmne sit an falsum quod scripturae docent: altero modo, quod posito ut fundamento certissimo scripturae verba esse verissima, judicet quae sit vera eorum interpretatio. Et quidem, si primo modo Ecclesia iudicaret, verè esset supra scripturam, sed hoc non dicimus, quamuis haeretici calumnientur id nos dicere, qui passim vociferantur nos subijcere scripturam pedibus Papae. At secundo modo judicare Ecclesiam vel Pontificem de scriptures, quod nos asserimus, non est Ecclesiam esse supra scripturam, sed supra judicia privatorum hominum. Non enim judicat Ecclesia de veritate scripturae sed de intelligentiâ tuâ & meâ, & aliorum, Neque hinc sumit verbum Dei aliquod robur, sed intelligentia nostra. Non enim scriptura est verior aut certior, quia sic ab Ecclesia exponitur, sed mea sententia est verior quando ab Ecclesia confirmatur.  
Thus I could go almost through all the controversies between them and us. But I do content myself with the fundamental points. Therefore I exhort them which hold us for heretics, first, to read diligently, to peruse and examine their own writers, and what they hold, to confer their grounds with ours, and then to examine their own judgements, whether they find us heretics or no. And as for those matters, which be no fundamental points, although in them we descent, we must not despair of their conversion. For God neither hath nor will reveal unto them all truth at once, but, as the blind man in the Gospel, when he first began to see, thought he saw 
Mark. 8  men walking like trees, but when our Saviour touched his eyes again, he saw more clearly: So God will lighten the darkness of their hearts, and take away the vail or covering which is before them, by degrees, until they come to the full measure of knowledge, which the Holy Ghost shall judge expedient to be revealed unto them.  

Of Faith and Works.  
TO leave these general grounds, and to dispute more particularly. They hold, with Saint james, that works do justify; 
jam. 2. Rom. 5.  we with Saint Paul, justification by Faith, and sith these two Apostles differ in words, and not in meaning, why should we disagree, holding the same which they do hold? Faith goeth before, and works follow after justification, but both do justify: so Saint Paul argueth from that which is precedent, Saint james argueth from that which is subsequent, and both argue well. According to the Grammatical signification of the word, as to justify signifieth, justum facere, to make a man just: so neither faith nor yet works do justify, but God alone, according to the acception which is used in Law, as to justify signifieth, justum declarare, to absolve a man and pronounce him just out of the mouth of a jury or a judge, so faith which is invisible justifieth us before the invisible god, which seethe our invisible faith, & works which are visible, justify us before visible men, which see our works as they be visible and sensible things. As the Angels when they came unto Lot, had not been entertained, had they not clothed themselves with bodily shapes, so men cannot discern our faith unless it be as it were clothed and beautified with works. But to speak of that which is worst: They hold 
Gen. 19  that works are meritorious, and therefore they work that they may merit heaven, we ascribing less unto ourselves, and more unto God, think not so honourably of our works, and yet we think works as necessary as they do, and therefore we will work, and we will work, that we may be saved, and we will work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We hold works necessary for them which will inherit, but not for them which will merit, and therefore we work not that we may merit, 
Phil. 2.  yet that we may inherit, and our works have these four necessary uses, that by them we may glorify God, benefit our neighbour, exercise our faith, and make our election sure. For with us this is the very definition of a work: An action of the regenerate according to the Law of God, done to these ends, that God, by it may be glorified, our neighbour profited, our faith exercised, and our election confirmed. And although we work not for that end as they do, yet because without works we must not think to please God, we will work as much as they do, and the same works which they do, with the same zeal which they do, which think to merit. We will work as earnestly as if we thought to merit, and yet we willbe far off from thinking that we merit, because when we have done all that 
Luc. 17  we are commanded to do, we are but unprofitable servants, and therefore we will rely upon the merits of Christ alone, renouncing ourselves and our works. Let them judge then who are safest, they or we. Our difference is not concerning the work itself, but only concerning the opinion which we ought to conceive of the work, they think honourably, we basely, of our own works, but work the same. And certainly, the worthiness of works doth not consist in the excellent opinion which we conceive of them, but in the true and faithful working, not in the pleasing of ourselves with ourselves, or any thing which proceedeth from us.   

Of Free will.  
THis question hath bred some difference between us in the schools, and yet if we do understand each other, we may be easily reconciled. For the scriptures speak so plainly, that they take away doubts: We are, say they, not of ourselves sufficient to think a good thought, as of ourselves, but all our sufficiency is of God. The way of man is not in himself, neither is it in man 
1. Corint. 3. jerem. 10  to walk and direct his steps. No man cometh to Christ unless the Father draw him. Draw me, and we will run after 
john. 6 Cant. 1 Rom. 7  thee. What good I would do, that do I not, the evil which I would not do, that do I, saith the Apostle. To conclude therefore, there are three sorts of agents; the one working of his mere will and pleasure, which is God; the other of necessity, which is nature; a third between both these extremes, partly of willingness, and partly of necessity, which is man. And as no man is good against his will, so no man hath power to will any thing that is good, unless God giveth him that will. So saith the Apostle: It is God which worketh in you even the will and deed, 
Phil. 2  of his own good will and pleasure. And this will may be compared to the eye, which being in darkness, yet is not blind, neither doth it see without the especial grace of God.   

Of Prayer.  
WE invocate God alone, who we are sure doth hear us, and they confess, that in so doing we do well, why then will they not join with us in well doing? But, as for Saints departed, when they pray to them, to be prayed for by them, they are not certain that they do hear them, because it cannot be sufficiently proved; why then will they not pray with us whose prayers they confess to be void of exception? They deny not but that it is better to pray to God then to Saints, why then had they not rather be sure of the first place, then doubt of the second? Their prayer to Saints may breed a scruple in their conscience, whether they do well or no. For, if they hear them not, their prayers are idle words, but they must answer at the day of judgement 
Matth. 12.  for every idle word which they shall speak.  
As we pray not to Saints departed, so we pray not for Saints or any other deceased. If they be in heaven, they need not our prayers, if in hell, no prayers can help them, and we dare not say they are in purgatory, sith purgatory, by the confession of Bellarmine, is a tradition, & not contained in the scriptures. He writes that there be many things necessary to be known, which are not contained in the scriptures, he doth reckon them up in order, and he placeth them so; first, that women were purged from sin, though uncircumcised: secondly, that children that died before the eight day, were also purged from original sin: thirdly, many Gentiles in the old testament were saved: four, that of necessity there be some books which are the holy scriptures: fifthly, that it must be known which books are the holy scriptures: sixtly, that the books which we have in our hands are the holy scriptures: Seventhly, that the scriptures are to be understood: eightly, that Mary was a perpetual Virgin: ninthly, that Easter is to be celebrated on the lords day: tenthly, that Infants are to be baptised: eleventhly, purgatory: But mark his words, he saith, many things are necessary to be known, which are not contained in the scriptures, among those he maketh purgatory to be the eleventh, therefore he affirmeth, that purgatory is a thing necessary to be known, and not in the scriptures, and yet as a man that would halt between two religions, to please us, and not displease the Papists, doth lay it upon Luther, saying, Credit Lutherus purgatorium esse, & tamen asserit purgatorium non posse probari in sacris literis. Luther saith, he believeth that there is a purgatory, and yet saith, it cannot be proved out of the scriptures. The question is, whether Bellarmine doth not say so as well as Luther. If he do not: first, why doth he not express his own mind to the contrary in that place? secondly, why doth he in that long catalogue of such things as are not contained in the scriptures reckon purgatory to be the eleventh? He showeth that the tenth tradition or unwritten verity is the baptism of Infants, that Luther and Caluin hold it lawful, and yet his self doth not refuse that opinion which they do hold, and the like must be understood concerning purgatory, that as Luther denieth purgatory to be contained in the scriptures, so doth Bellarmine, or else he doth contradict himself, which said before that Pargatorium est undecimum eorum quae ignorari non possunt, & tamen in scriptures non continentur, Purgatory is the eleventh of these things, whereof we may not be ignorant, and yet are not contained in the scriptures. Sith therefore Bellarmine repeating many things which are not contained in the scripture, of which one to be purgatory, and yet before as I have showed, granteth all things to be contained in the scriptures which are necessary for our salvation, that we should know them, ye must bear with us 
De verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 11.  if we do not believe purgatory, being no matter of salvation to us to believe it.  
We pray in our mother tongue, what exception do they take against it? Their private prayers are in English, as it appeareth by their jesus psalter, their Manual of Meditations, and sundry other prayer books which they have printed, I would know why it might not be as lawful to pray publicly in the same tongue. Which is more, I have seen the Mass, by them set forth in Spanish, the Spanish being in one page of the book, and the Latin in the other. In times past, the English testament was printed with the English in one page, and the Latin in the other, and licenced to be printed, and publicly sold by King Philip and Qu. Mary. And now of late our English Seminaries of Rheims have published the New Testament in English, with promise also to set forth the old, why may not the English Bible be published by us as well as by the Seminaries, and as well be read publicly in our Church as in their houses? But to come to the point, 
See Greg. Mart. his proface at large concerning the Scriptures in English.  Bellarmine confesseth those prayers which are in a known tongue to be better than those which are not understood, why then should not that which is inferior give place unto that which is better? God is best pleased when he is best served, and he is best served where he is prayed unto after the best manner. Bellarmine's words are these: Neque his repugnant scripturae illae: populus hic labiis me honorat, &c: S●orem linguâ, spiritus meus erat, me●s autem sinè fructu est: In posteriore scripturâ, non reprehenditur oratio quae non intelligitur sed ei anteponitur oratio quae intelligitur. In the same chapter he confesseth that the Pope gave licence to the whole 
De verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 16  land of Moravia, to have their public service in their own tongue, why should he deny the same to us? I doubt not but he would dispense with us, if we would take such a dispensation from him. If it be of itself evil, his dispensation cannot make it good, and if it be of itself good, and according to God's word, it needeth not to be strengthened by his dispensation. As he cannot dispense against God's word, so God's word of itself is warranted without man's dispensation.  
They object, that until of late through the West part of the world public prayers were in Latin, in the Est part in Greek, even among those nations to whom these languages were no mother tongues. I answer, that when these nations were first converted, they were subject to the Roman Emperor, which spoke Latin as his mother tongue, and therefore all endeavoured to speak as the Emperor spoke, although it were but broken Latin, and therefore received their Liturgy in Latin. (And as for the East they spoke Greek, as commonly as the rest did speak Latin) so in Wales their mother tongue is Welsh, in Cornwall Cornish, In Ireland Irish, yet in all these places the public service is read in English, and the people have applied themselves to speak English, because they are subjects to the King of England. But now the West part of the world, which was commonly called the Latin Church, is not subject to any man that speaketh Latin as his proper language, and the Latin tongue hath ceased to be familiar among the people, wherefore then should not their service be now in the tongue which they understand, as in the beginning it was in the Latin which they then understood? Godly discretion would think it fit, now we have the benefit of printing, which in the old time we had not, and we have such means to advance religion, as our forefathers had not, that every people should have their Liturgy, not only in that tongue which they do understand, as than it was, but also in that tongue which they do naturally speak and best understand, as now all reformed Churches almost have. And this consideration moved the reverend Father, Doctor Morgan, now Bishops of Saint Asaph, and Doctor Goodman, the late Dean of Westminster, to take pains for the translating and publishing of the Bible in the Welsh tongue, by which their travails and godly endeavours they have advanced the Gospel in their own country. And his Highness shall truly perform the office of a King, if he take order that all men, women, and children, may be brought to speak English, or else, that they may have the liturgy translated, and printed in the Irish tongue.  
It hath been objected in the defence of Latin service, that it is profitable for them which understand it not, because, say they, public prayers are not made to the people, but to god which understandeth, in the behalf of the people which understand not. Even as if an Advocate should plead before a judge which understandeth, for his Client which is not able to understand the state of his own cause and business, and yet is as effectually handled by the Advocate, as if the Client did understand I answer, that it is enough if the Advocate understand which pleadeth, because the Advocate pleadeth alone, but if the Client should join in plea with the Advocate, it were necessary also that the Client should understand, because without understanding he could not plead, and speak for himself. But our parish Churches are ordained to this end, that not only learned men should resort thither, as in Schools and Colleges, which do understand Latin, but all ignorant people, for the sanctifying of the Sabbath, and exercise of their religion, that not only the ministers there should pray for them, as the Advocate alone speaketh for his Client, but they also should pray for their own selves; and this is the difference between the courts of earthly judges and the court of heaven. The people come not to the Church only to be prayed for by the Minister, for so they may stay at home in their own houses and be prayed for in the Church, but they come to pray themselves, both for others and for themselves, to join with the minister in prayer, as the Apostle doth teach them saying: Now the God of patience and consolation grant that 
Rom. 15  ye may be like minded one to another according to Christ jesus, that ye with one mind and one mouth may praise God the Father of our Lord jesus Christ. But this they cannot do unless they understand. He that prayeth and understandeth not his own words, may think he prayeth when he sweareth, and when he prayeth, he knoweth not that he prayeth, as the high priest prophesied, but knew not that he did prophecy, as the parrot which laugheth, knoweth not that he laugheth, and the Thrushes 
john 11.  and blackbirds sing, but know not that they do sing. But because Bellarmine hath compared praying unto pleading, what kind of plea shall that be, which neither Client nor Advocate doth understand? It cannot be denied but in Queen Mary's days, in many of our Churches the service was read, but not understood, neither of the people, nor yet the priest; and so it is now in some countries, where Sir john Lack latin hath the charge of souls, and understandeth not the Mass which he readeth.  
Bellarmine allegeth out of Ezra, that he read the law before 
2. Ezr. 8  the people, and prayed in a language which they understood not, and yet that the people did answer AMEN. He did read, saith he, in a strange language, that is, in the Hebrew, for he could not read in the Chalde, because that is a paraphrase and no text, not in the Syriac, because that translation was not then extant, and as for the Hebrew, they understood it not, as appeareth by these arguments; first, from the story, for after Esdras had read, the Levites came and interpreted, which had been needless if they had understood it themselves. The second from observation, For the jews, saith he, forgot their Hebrew tongue being captives seventy years in Babel, and learned the language of the land where they dwelled which was Called, and yet not able to speak it naturally, they spoke a third kind of dialect which was the Syriac, consisting partly of the Hebrew, and partly of the Chalde, which language to them became their mother tongue, as appeareth by the Syriac words in the gospel, which are therefore called Hebrew, because at that time the Hebrues spoke them. I answer first to the story out of the story. The text hath: And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men & women, and of all that could hear and understand it. Again, he read there in the street that was before the water gate, from the morning until midday, before men and women, and them that understood it. Therefore it is evident by the testimony of the holy ghost, that the people understood that language wherein the law was written and read unto them. Bellarmine asketh what need there was then of an expositor? I answer, the Levites expounded not the words, but the sense, for the text saith: The Levites caused the people to understand the law, and in the next verse is explained, how the people were caused to understand the law, not the words of the law, but the law itself, not the tongue wherein the law was written, but the meaning of it, for so it followeth in the 8. verse: And they read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused the people to understand the reading, that is, they preached upon it. And forasmuch as the story saith: they read distinctly, what need was there of distinct reading to them which understood not the language?  
I answer to his observation. Forasmuch as the Chalde and Syriac were but dialects of the Hebrew, as the Doric and jonic are but Dialects of the Greek, and the Scottish tongue is a dialect of the English: it was incredible that the jews in their captivity, having among them Prophets and zealous Priests, their selves being also zealous, and fully assured to return again, should so forget their tongue, as not to understand their own Bible, so well as the Dorics understand common Greek, and the Scottish men do understand English. But which is more, although the manner of the jews ever hath been when they were dwelling in strange places, to speak the language of the place where they dwelled, as I know by my own experience the jews at Frankefort speak Dutch, of prague Bohemish etc.: which tongues have no affinity with the Hebrew, yet in all places their service is in Hebrew, and their custom as it hath been, so still continueth, to teach their Children so much Hebrew, as may be sufficient to understand the Bible, and it is manifest by the story that the jews in Babylon did the like.  
Last of all. Concerning our prayers, if they do well look over their own missal or Mass-book which was used in England according to the custom of Sarum, and confer it with our Service book, they shall find that there are few things in it, but they are either taken out of the Bible, or which was good, in that missal, so that they cannot easily mislike our service book, unless they will condemn a best part of their own Mass-book and the Bible. So then, they may safely come to our Church, we cannot without violating our conscience come to theirs, our prayers are in English which all they understand, their prayers are in Latin which our people understand not; they pray for the dead without warrant, we for the living, for the which they confess we have warrant enough, they pray to the dead, which we for just causes disallow, we pray to the living only, I mean the living God, against which they take no exception.   

Of the Sacraments.  
COncerning the number of Sacraments, we will not dispute, for as they define a Sacrament, there are more than seven, as we define it, there are but two. This therefore shall not breed any such jar between us, that therefore we should refuse to communicate together.   

Of Baptism.  
We hold them which are baptised in the Church of Rome to be so sufficiently baptised, that they may not be baptised again; neither do they rebaptize them which have been baptised in our Church.   

Of the lords Supper.  
AS often as we be made partakers of the lords Table, we 
1. Corint. 11  receive the Lords body, because he hath said it his own self. We receive it with reverence and devotion, because it is his body. For we must not, as the Apostle speaketh, eat it unworthily, lest so we be guilty of the Lords body, neither will we eat our own damnation, for not discerning the lords body. But how it is his body we cannot see by the eyes of our bodies, or human reason, neither can they, only we discern it by the eyes of faith, and so ought they to do. Stephen Gardiner, and the learned of their Church were wont to say, it was his body ineffabili modo, after an unspeakable manner, after such a manner as men's tongues could not utter. And therefore, as the University of Tiguri putteth them in mind, they seem to have forgotten what they said before when they take upon them to farimodum, that is, 
Contrà testament. Brentij.  to express in plain terms of logic, & yet clean contrary and repugnant to the rules of logic, his body to be really, naturally, and substantially hidden and comprehended under the accidents of bread. It is very strange, both to express that which they say cannot be expressed, and that the accidents of bread, can have their being, when the bread itself hath no being, in whose only being their essence and being doth consist.  
But be it as it is, no man can know more or sooner than God will reveal, what expositions soever the subtitle and variety of men's wits do devise; this sacrament is in our Church administered by us as it was by our Saviour Christ, and is set down in the story of the Gospel. I would know therefore what exception they take against it, why they should not receive it with us? It is no scruple or bar to their consciences in what sense we do understand it, so as we deliver it unto them according to the true manner and form of our Saviour Christ his institution. And if they will submit themselves to the laws of our Church, and receive it at our hands, we will not be overhasty with them to examine them how they do expound the words, Hoc est corpus meum: This is my body. For we know they cannot eat it but by faith, and so we will leave them to God's mercy, that he would vouchsafe in good time further to satisfy them, lay open, and reveal his truth unto them.    

CHAP. FOUR  
Of Schism.  
THey allege we are Schismatics, because we have made a defection from the Catholic Church, and withdrawn our necks out of the yoke of obedience to the head of the Church which is the Bishop of Rome, and that being separated from the head, we cannot be living members of that mystical body. My answer is: The head of the Church is Christ, 
1. Cor, 11.  and we as members are conglutinate and joined unto that head, and to them which object that our Saviour Christ in his absence must have his Deputy, that the Deputy or Vicar general of Christ is the holy-ghost, which hath the government of the Church. Even as Elias ascending up let his mantle down upon Eliseus, to be with him in his stead: so our Saviour departing 
2. Reg. 2 Act. 2 Matth. 28. Act. 20.  from us sent down the holy-ghost to possess his room, and to abide with us until the end of the world: Take heed, saith the Apostle, to yourselves, and to all the flock whereof the holy-ghost hath made you overseers; so than the holy-ghost hath the government of the Church. But, say they, a visible body must have a visible head proportionably to the body, and therefore some one man must be over the Church. I deny not but weak men desire a visible object still before their eyes, as the Israelites when Moses was out of their sight but a few days, 
Exod. 32.  would make a calf to be their governor, rather than they would want one to be visibly resident among them. And therefore our Saviour, because we should not in his absence commit the like idolatry, did leave the visible Sacrament of the Eucharist among us saying: This is my body. But yet I do answer that a similitude must not, as the Schoolmen say, Currere quatuor pedibus: agree in all things. First therefore, it is not simply necessary that the visible body should still have a visible head in sight as if it could not stand without such an head. For God had his Church visible upon the earth before the Papacy, and before the Incarnation of Christ, but Christ the head of the Church before his incarnation could not be a visible head. So therefore, as Christ in his Godhead alone before he was borne, was the head of his Church, though invisible, likewise is he now in his Godhead and Manhood united together, head of the church visible, although upon the earth not to be seen. Secondly, the time hath been when there was a long vacancy of the Popedom, by reason of civil dissension, yet the Church then stood without such an head. Thirdly, no sinful man is able to discharge such an office as to be overseer of the universal church. Fourthly, there must be such an influence of necessity from the head to the body, as cannot possibly be from any man to the Church. Fiftly, the Pope never was reputed as head of the whole Church; for the East part of the world, that is, the Greek Church was ever so averse from the Sea of Rome, that it could never yet be brought, either to obedience to the Pope, or to join in rites and ceremonies with his Church, or to be incorporated into that body, or to use the same liturgy and form of prayer which that Church useth. All appellations amongst them have been to the Patriarch of Constantinople, as to the highest Bishop. Sixtly, what authority soever the Pope hath had over the Latin Church and West part of the world, it hath been given him by human constitutions only, and general consent of Princes and States, which they suffered him to enjoy, during their own good liking, and no longer. And last of all, our own experience can inform us, that the Catholic princes which are most of all devoted to the Sea of Rome, will be so far subject as they think fit, and no further. Charles the fift, late Emperor and King of Spain, took prisoner, Clement the Pope, when he resisted his proceed in Italy, and Queen Mary made her Cousin Cardinal Pole Archbishop of Canterbury though the Pope withstood it: neither do the Kings of France, though of the Romish religion, ever suffer the Popes to bear any stroke in the election of their Bishops. I wish therefore that they would be better advised before they lay schism unto our charge.   

Chap. V.  
Of Discord, and Inconstancy.  
THe usual objections against us were wont to be, that we have sects and divisions among us. But so had they oftentimes, Eckius against Pighius, Thomas against Scotus, so had the Apostles Peter against Paul, and Paul against Barnabas, some were of Paul, some of Apollo, and some of Cephas. We contend about white and black, round and square, but in matters of religion, we agree. That concerning the book of common prayer when the mass was first put down, king Henry had his English Liturgy, and that was judged absolute without exception, but when King Edward came to the Crown, that was condemned, and other in the place which Peter Martyr, and Bucer did approve as very consonant to God's word. When Queen Elizabeth began her reign, the former was judged to be full of imperfections, and a new was devised, and allowed by the consent of the Clergy. But about the middle of her reign we grew weary of that book, and great means have been wrought to abandon that, and establish an other, which although it was not obtained: yet we do, at the least, at every change of Prince, change our book of common prayers, we be so wanton that we know not what we would have. I answer, they have done the like, they cannot deny it, for proof whereof I refer them to the preface which is set before their own Breviary, wherein it is specified, how many times their own Breviary hath been altered.  
It is no discredit, either to them, or us, to alter for the better and to correct that which we find amiss. All faults are not espied at once, neither is all truth revealed at once. But it is damnable to persevere and continue in an error after it is found out, and not to embrace a truth after it is revealed. The Church had a time of growing three hundred years after Christ, being then watered, and made fruitful by the blood of Martyrs; then the religion of Rome was found, according to that which Saint Paul doth testify in his Epistle to the Romans, the Bishops thereof 
Rom. 1.  continued zealous, and were commonly martyred. The Church had a time of flourishing three hundred years, which began when Constantine the great granted peace unto the gospel, and persecution ceased, so long found doctrine was preached. But the Church afterward began to decay and so went backward until Gregory the great, in whose time corruption began to creep in, and so ran over the whole body of the Church, and every christian Kingdom which were members of that body, so that the whole visible Catholic Church through the world was mightily deformed. Then Luther in his time began a reformation again, though he reform not the whole, yet he reform some parts, like a Phygtion, which finding a man's body full of sores, healeth some members, although he be not able to restore the whole to his first integrity. Neither did Luther reform those parts unto the full, by reason of the shortness of his life, and the greatness of the cure which he undertook, but left somewhat to be reform after him by Caluin and Beza, which as they came after him, so they saw more truth than was revealed unto him (for it did not please God to reveal all truth to one man, or in one age.) So then, as a Physician which being not able to cure the whole body, cureth some parts and members, and yet being prevented by death, doth not so perfectly restore those parts which he cureth unto their former strength and agility, but leaveth his work to be finished by others: so did Luther by the Church. The Clergy of England therefore in King Henry's days established religion and ordered their service book according to that small portion and measure of knowledge which then they had. In the days of King Edward and Queen Elizabeth, more light was revealed then before, and those errors which were espied, were amended. And as it was no shame for us to reform our errors when we espied them; so it must needs be unexcusable to the Church of Rome to continue in their errors now they are laid open before them, or to wink at noonday that they will not see them. The Lord of his mercy through jesus Christ, give them and us his grace, that we may agree together in on truth, and as sheep of one fold, hearken only to the voice of him which is the great Shepherd of our souls, which is jesus Christ. Amen.  

The Conclusion.  
I Thought it requisite to forbear multitudes of quotations of places, and allegations of Doctors and Schoolmen, because this Treatise was written for the instruction of the ignorant. I have, upon purpose, affected brevity, because my desire was, that every one should read it. Some Latin sentences of Bellarmine I have produced, that the Adversary might not charge me as if I had falsified any thing, or dealt otherwise than ingeniously. I have alleged those places only which were so pertinent to this business which I have in hand as they could not be well omitted, And I have refrained to handle some other questions, which peradventure would be very pleasing to the Reader, because authority hath not judged it convenient they should be discussed. Let it not seem strange which I have written, that the learned Papists fly from their ancient defences, and cleave to ours, and that Bellarmine the great Goliath of Rome, in his works which bear a title as if they were written wholly against us, doth in many points hold with us, and in those very points justify us, wherein he is thought to condemn us, that in very many things he is a Protestant, or at the least, not a Papist, that the Roman religion is refined, for it will plainly appear to all judicious and indifferent readers. I have spoken of this argument more at large, in mine answer to Bellarmine's four books de verbo Dei, and his five books de Christo, which had been published before this time, had it not been for the great difficulty of printing Latin books here in London, but are now beyond the Seas to be printed, and I will observe the like in the rest of his works, which I do intend to answer if God shall give me life and health, and bless my labours. There be many jesuits and Seminaries, dispersed in this land, into whose hands I doubt not but this book will come, which if they will but remember what urim and Thummim aught to be, in pectore Aaronis, in the hearts of God's Ministers, if they will read without partiality, and that I may use their own phrase of speech, speak sincerely, and in verbo Sacerdotis, what they think, I submit myself to their censure whether I have delivered a truth or not; and I persuade myself that it they have that integrity whereof they make profession, they will not deny one truth to gain many worlds. But thus much have I written at this time, for the discharge of my conscience, the zeal I bear to the truth, and the instruction of them which hitherto have not understood themselves. I pray GOD my persuasion may persuade. His Majesty hath professed that he will establish the truth, if he do not, that I may with reverence and in all duty use his own words, his books will witness against him, at the latter day. He may do it, if he be assisting to his Ministers. But he cannot do it, unless he provide that there be a learned Ministry through the land, that the learned be preferred before the unlearned, they which labour in the word, before them which are idle, that they be preferred according to their worth, that they be sufficiently provided for, that they be countenanced by his Highness, his Nobles, the gentry, but especially by the judges the Land, that they have no rights denied unto them, which of duty they may challenge out of God's word. And this his Majesty shall never effect, unless he prefer religion before policy, remove Gehezi out of Elisaeus his service, abandon flattery, banish simony out of the Church, and bribery out of his house and all his Courts. The Lord continue and increase his zeal, that he may reign over us like Ezechias, to God's glory, the advancement of the Gospel, our happiness, the comfort of his own soul, which he shall one day feel to be more precious unto him than all his kingdoms.     

To the Protestant Reader.  
Be it very far from the servants of God that they should mistake me, or conceive any sinister opinion of my endeavours, as if I dealt too favourably with the Papists. For they ought to consider of mine intent & purpose, which is not to exasperate and provoke them to anger, but to persuade them, which I cannot do by bitter speeches, neither yet by burdening them with any untruths. The spirit of meekness doth best become Christ his ministers, and the word of God hath taught me to deal charitably with all men, but especially to restore them which have fallen, by gentleness, not to break the bruised reed, nor to quench the smoking flax. That I am not of their mind this book testifieth sufficiently enough. That I do not make more favourable constructions of their Doctrine than truth and verity doth require, their doctrine itself doth show. How much I descent from them, my Sermon doth witness which I preached at S. Paul's Cross about eight years since and published in print, wherein I showed that the state of the Papacy was Antichrist. In it I set down, as I hope, though a brief, yet a full and perfect state of the question; what was wanting in words, by reason of the shortness of time, was supplied in substance, I answered all objections out of Bellarmine and Sanders which were of moment, that it might be an help to others which should afterward deliver the same again in more words, and larger volume. The God of all wisdom and knowledge direct their hearts and minds to the true knowledge of his word through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  
FINIS.