Offer maid to a gentilman of qualitie by Iohn Fraser, to subscribe and embrace the ministers of Scotlands religion, if they can sufficientlie proue, that they haue the true kirk and lawful calling. VVhereto ar[e] adioyned certaine reasons and considerations concerning theis tvva heades and foundaments, vvithout the light of vvhi [...] others can not be cleared, nor assured ground in religion in thir dayis established

Offer maid to a gentilman of qualitie by Iohn Fraser, to subscribe and embrace the ministers of Scotlands religion, if they can sufficientlie proue, that they haue the true kirk and lawful calling. VVhereto ar[e] adioyned certaine reasons and considerations concerning theis tvva heades and foundaments, vvithout the light of vvhi [...] others can not be cleared, nor assured ground in religion in thir dayis established

Table of contents

Title page

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TO THE MINISTERS OF SCOTLAND, HIS deare contry-men, IOHN FRASER visheth the knavvledge of the verity & eternal lyf in IESVS CHRIST our Lord.

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OFFER MAID TO AN GENTILMAN OF QVALItie by M. Iohn Fraser Priour of S. Nicolas, to subscribe and embrace the Ministers of Scotlands religion, if they can sufficientlie prooue, that they haue the true kirk, and lauful calling: VVHERETO AR ADIOYNED CERTAIN REASONS and considerations concerning thes tua heades and foundaments, vvithout the light of vvhilks, others can not be cleared, nor assured ground in religion in thir day is established.

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ERRATA

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[Page] [Page] OFFER MAID TO A GENTILMAN OF QVALItie by Iohn Fraser, to subscribe and embrace the Ministers of Scotlands religion, if they can sufficientlie proue, that they haue the true kirk and lauful calling. VVHERETO AR ADIOYNED certaine reasons and considerations concerning theis tvva heades and foundaments, vvithout the light of vvhilks others can not be cleared, nor assured ground in religion in thir dayis established.

Ad ipsam salutem ac vitam aeternam nemo peruenit, nisi qui habet caput Christum. Habere antem caput Christum nemo poterit, nisi qui in eius corpore fuerit, quod est Ecclesia. D. Augustinus.

AT PARIS, Printed by Stephane Preuosteau, in the ruë of S. Io. de Lateran, besyd the college of Cambray

M DCIIII.

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[Page] Munus beatae vitae non nisi intra Ecclesiam reperitur, quae super petram etiam fundata est, quae ligandi & soluendi claues accepit. Haec est vna quae tenet & possidet omnem sui sponsi & Domini potestatem, per quam coniugalem potestatem etiam de ancillulis filios parere potest: qui si non superbiant, in sortem haereditatis vocabuntur: si autē superbiant, extrà remanebunt.

D. Augustinus.

Quisquis ille est, & qualiscunque ille est, Christianus non est, qui in Christi Ecclesia non est.

Idem.

TO THE MINISTERS OF SCOTLAND, HIS deare contry-men, IOHN FRASER visheth the knavvledge of the verity & eternal lyf in IESVS CHRIST our Lord.

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AS my offer is reasonable, so hope I that ye vvill accept the same, and cleare your selfis vith reason, baith for your avvin cause, and for the contentement of sic as ar in doubt, if ye haue the true kirk and lauful calling, or else beleueth assuredlie that ye haue nather of them. J am in died but à particulaire and single man, quha maketh the offer, yet assure your selfs that there is no Catholik on lyf being of discretion and knavvledge, but vvil say & promise, yea man accōplish the same, as being oblished to acknavvledge the true [Page] kirk vnder no lesse paine then eternal condemnation. Quherefore J pray yov to ansvver vvith à cōmune accord, or, if anie particulair amonges yov ather taketh the burding of him self, or getteth that charge of yov, to approue his labours by your publique consent. Mairouer because sindry in place of good and solide reasons, giues iniurious vvords, reason vvald ye absteine therefra, examining my argumentes & ansvvering thereto solidelie, & to vvy vveal my proofes and mynd, rather then to pik at vvords. For so I think to do, if anie ansvver be is maid to me, vvilling nather to giue nor receaue fals or light money, for good paimēt, meikle lesse the drosse and scumme of iniurious talk for good gold of sufficient proofes. It is question of à maist precious iovvell, lat vvs touch it vvith an innocent & cleane hand, mouth, and hart. He shalbe victorious, quha hes or findeth the trueth, quhilk can not be haid except in the true kirk amonges the [Page] lauful pastors, to quhome vve ought duetiful obedience, quhilk moueth me at this tyme to submit all that I haue vvrittin here, or shal vvrit eftervvard in matters of religion, to the iudgement of the Catholik Apostolik and Romaine kirk and pastours of the same: (as in matters of estait, to his M. his honorable counsel, & other vvhatsoeuer his magistrats or officers, if I haue spoken in any thing vnreuerētly: for my intention is vpright to both) because at this present I am assuredlie persuaded that shee is only the true kirk guyded by lauful pastors. Quhen ye proue me that this honour appertineth onlie to your companie, and sic others as agreeth vvith yov in vnitie of doctrine, J shal behaue my self vith lyk submission and reuerence tovvards yov in al respectes. J haue tald yov my opinion and ioyned reasons therto, quhereby ye may see me reddie to receaue yours & to knavv therby quhat assurēce ye haue of your kirk & calling, vvithout [Page] the quhilk assurence nather can vve enter in vith yov, nor they quha ar alreddie vith yov, remaine vith saif cōscience: for quha can be in quyetnes of mynd, not being assured if he be in Gods house, out of the quhilk there is no saluation? J protest before him, to quhom no thing is hidde that my offer procedeth of à sincere mynd tovvardes his honour vvith earnest desyr of your vveal, and all Christians and principallie of my contray men; & nather of cōtempt of yov, nor presumption of my avvin strenth. As to anie of your personnes, the euil arriue to me, that I vvald vvish to yov. I am affectionat to the religion that J professe, true it is (quhilk as J beleeue, can not iustlie offend yov, seing that if ye mak me youris, ye may haue me alse forvvard for yovv) yet I haue vsed alse litil offensiue language as I culd. But if any thing hes eschapped out of my penne, that may be interpreted othervvayes then I vvald vvish, J pray yov pardon me; [Page] and think that oftentymes the bitternes commeth rather of the matter it self, then of my natural. If anie be so hard and difficil that he vvil not accept my excuse, nor pardon that quhilk in his opinion is offence; the best vvay to reuenge him self on me, is to be maire modest then he thinketh me to haue beine; for he vvil beare avvay by that moyen the honour of Christian modestie, quhilk J vvald glaidlie haue. The armes of flyting ar vnpropre in this field, quherein theis of solide reason may onlie obteine the victorie. If ye proue your kirk to be good and your calling lauful, J vvil esteime vvorse of all other companies diuided frome yov in doctrine, then ye can say, vvrit, or think. God of his infinit mercie by vertue of his trueth ioyne vvs all together here in his kirk militant, that vve may be partakers of eternal blisse in his kirk triumphant, to the quhilk bring vvs the father, sonne & holie spirit.

AMEN.

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1. To Timothee 3.

Theis things Jvvrit to thee, hoping that I shal come to thee shortlie. But if I tary long, that thovv mayest knavv hovv thovv aughtest to conuerse in the house of God, vvhilk is the Kirk of the liuing God, the piller and ground of trueth.

OFFER MAID TO AN GENTILMAN OF QVALItie by M. Iohn Fraser Priour of S. Nicolas, to subscribe and embrace the Ministers of Scotlands religion, if they can sufficientlie prooue, that they haue the true kirk, and lauful calling: VVHERETO AR ADIOYNED CERTAIN REASONS and considerations concerning thes tua heades and foundaments, vvithout the light of vvhilks, others can not be cleared, nor assured ground in religion in thir day is established.

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BEING now in the fieldes (wher solitude giueth me laiser) and weal myndful of the offer and promise I maid you at visiting, I thoght it not out of propos to affirme now by wreit, whilk I spak then by word vnto you.

[Page] If the Ministers may schavv by good and solide reasons, that they haue the true kirk, and ar lauful pastours therof, I shal vvithout any farther inquisition, examination, or tryel of their doctrine subscrybe their cofession of faith, obey to their commande and vvil, yea accept that charge.

Whilk promise and offer I mak for no vaine ostentation of my self nor to prouok any man by sic braging, but that an necessarie duetie Act. 4. 12. oblisheth me to follow this course, whereof my groúds ar thir. No man can be saif except by IESVS CHRIST: no man can be saif by him, except he be a membre of his mystical bodie, whilk is his kirk, wherevnto can be Ioa. 10. 1. no entrie but by the doore (if we wald not be estimed as theafs & robbers) [Page] that doore can not be opened but by them wha hes the keyes, that is, by the lauful pastours: Our Lord hes gotten al power in heaven and in Matth. 28. 18. earth; he hes sent his Apostles with lyk power and charge; and that they suld exercise this power truelie, and in al holynes, perpetual assistence of the haly spirit in al veritie was promist & giuen to them: and in them Matth. 28. 20. and by them to their successours in the kirk vnto the consummation of the warld. So I am forced to haue recourse to the Kirk our Sauiours spouse: whilk I wil find in vaine and to no effect, if I be not receaued by the true officers in that holy tabernacle and house of God. Now in this great nōbre of pretended kirks (for there be more then an hondreth of diuerse companies wha hes vsurped that honorable and soueraigne nam wher as there can be bot one true, [Page] excepte we wald gif many bodyes to one head, whilk sort of monster lies hidderto surpassed al poëtical fiction) we suld vse al caire & diligence to find out the true kirk gouuerned by lawful pastours: for whosoeuer goeth wrang in this mater entring in the synagog of Satan in place of Gods kirk, he strayeth frome eternal saluation, how soeuer he persuade him self to be in the true way.

I think the reward or danger might mak anie man careful in seiking; & circumspect in election & choising, not giuing rashlie credite to euery man, wha shal promis or vndertak to lead him to Gods house. we araduertist by our blessed Sauiour to be war, and not to beleif them, wha shal Matth. 24. 23. Mar. 13. 21. Luc. 21. 8. say lo heer is Christ, lo there. We at fallen in a dangerouse tyme, wher the diuersitie and multitude of opinions and sectes putteth many-men [Page] in doubt whome to flee, whome to follow. Only this is confessed & grā ted by al men, that there is a kirk & but ane only (I meane Catholique and vniuersal) espouse and mystical body of IESVS CHRIST, house of God, piller of veritie, mother of al faithful, out of the whilk there is na saluation, nor lyf. For na man can haue our Lord for head, wha is not à member of his body. And seing no man gainesayeth this, of necessitie it must be true, as a thing prented in al mens harts by God him self, wha wil no man to haue excuse wher he willeth no man to refuse.

And for that cause in the symbole of faith immediatly efter the articles pertining to the holy Trinitie and mysterie of our redeption, is adioyned. I beleef the holy Catholik kirk, or as it is in the symbole of Nice. I beleef one, holy, Catholik, and A postolique [Page] Kirk. we must acknawlege hir for our mother; for by hir moyen the lawful sonne man knaw his genealogie, birth, & kinred in this spirituall familie. By hir the child man knaw God his father: I ESVS CHRIST apperteined to hir only: no man can cleam right bot by hir only, in whais fauour the contract of mariage was maid: he man be auowed by hir wha wald iustly protēd any part in Christs eternal inheritāce. S. Cyprian sayeth De vnitate Eccle. cap. 5. very weal. Illius (Ecclesiae) foetu nascimur. Illius lacte nutrimur, spiritu eius animamur: adulterari non potest sponsa Christi, incorrupta est & pudica; vnam domum nouit, vnius oubiculi sanctitatem casto pudore custodit: haec nos Deo seruat: haec filios regno, quos generauit, assignat▪ Quisquis ab Ecclesia segregatus adulterae iungitur: à promissis Ecclesiae separatur. Nec perueniet ad Christi praemia, qui relinquit Ecclesiam Christi, alionus est, [Page] profanus est, hostis est: habere iam non potest Deum patrem, qui Ecclesiam non habet matrem. Si potuit euadere quisquam, qui extra Arcam Noe fuit, & qui extra Ecclesiam foris fuerit, euadit. &c. Vve ar borne of hir birth and generation; vve ar nourished vvith hir milk; vve ar quickned & taketh lyf by hir spirit. The spouse of Christ can not be defiled vvith adulterie; shee is vncorrupt and chast. shee knavveth bot one house: shee keippeth vith a chast shamfastnes the holynesse of one bedchamber: shee doeth keip vvs to God. Shee doeth appoint to the kingdome the sonnes vvhilks shee hes begottin. Vvhosoeuer being separated frome the kirk ioyneth him self to the adulteresse, he is separated frome the promeisses of the Kirk; nether shal he com to the revvards of Christ, vvho leaueth Christs kirk: he is a mere stranger, a profane man, ane enimie: he can not novv haue God to his father quha heth not the kirk to his mother: If any [Page] man could escape vvha vvas vvithout the Ark of Noë, he also shal escape vvha shalbe vvithout the Kirk Sic lyk S. Augustin sayeth: Si quis absq. Ecclesia inuentus fuerit, alienus erit à numero filiorū. lib. 4. C. 10 de symbolo To. 9 If any man shalbe fond vvithout the kirk▪ he shalbe as an stranger and not coumpted in the nomber of the lauful sonnes. Out of Adams syd sleipping in Paradise was formed Eua, of whois mariage come al mankynd; out of christs syd sleipping on the crosse was formed the kirk, the only lawful mother of al the faithful.

Knawing once this kirk I wil mak no difficultie to entre therein, to follow & obey hir voice; because I am sure shee can not erre, fail, nor be deceaued, nor deceaue anie man: And this I beleeve without any doubt: I say beleif, for many good & w [...]ghty reasons, yea and it must be so: for otherway is how shal shee preserue and [Page] keip me frome errour & heresie, not being hir self exempt and free there fra, vnles perchance ye wald haue me more skeilful nor my guyd, in whilk case it war more seamly that I suld guyd hir, nor shee me: for certainely a doubtful leader can not mak an assured companie. If the wisdome and authoritie of the Kirk be not sufficient to help our infirmitie & ignorance in maters of faith, wher shal we haue any sure guyd knaw in to the wardle, to whome men of euery estait and condition may haue recourse in their doubtes and controuersies? qui dubitatin fide, infidelis est. vvha doubtes in faith is an infidelle; at leist if he remainestil in doubt.

I doubt not bot some wil send me to the scriptures with certaine rules; the whilks may resolue all questions and open wp al sort of conttouersies arrysing in matters of religion. I wil [Page] accept their consel, & serue me with their inuention provyding I can see good reason. I wil say only at this time, that they wha vanteth them selfis to haue inuented and keiped (according to their iudgment) thes rules, can not agree amonges them selfis (as I shalbe habil to prouue, God willing, if anie man cal my saying in doubt) so that I can not hoppe to accord with anie of them, except, without anie farther rule, I say as he sayes, wherein I most disagree with many, seing he agrees with so few. But to the matter. I knaw there is no errour teached, nor can be teached in the scriptures: they war dytted by the holy spirit to holy men, wha, as good and true instruments of the veritie, did wreit as it was dytted to them by God. So I worshipe the scriptures for their authors cause, I embrace them for the veritie conteined in thom: yet [Page] by reason of high mysteries hid therin, I dar nor be so bold as to decyd al 2. Pet 1. 20 questions thereby, knawing assuredly that no prophecie of the scripture is of priuat interpretation, but man be interpreted by the holie spirit as it was wreittin, that is by holie men, remaning within the bosome of the kirk, and authorised by hir, as they war, wha receaued it frome God: that is the true interpretation man be takin of the kirk, to whome God hes committed al veritie for our instruction. for if we shal with some men mak doubt of the kirks authoritie & firmitie in al veritie, as not being euery wher certaine, thinking & planly affirming, or rather as a ground of religion, surelie beleifing, that shee may erre and fail, to whome shal we haue refuge? what remeid shal we haue for the woundes of à doubtful conscience? wha shal without iuste [Page] reproche apply thes rules to the scriptures and giue ws the true sense? Wha shal pronunce the sentence, and decreit, wher to al parties man stand? there man be one, ne circumferamur omni vento doctrinae: That vve be not Eph. 4. 14. carried about vvith euery; vvinde of doctrine. There wilbe an euill ordered house if euerie man be left to his awin fantasie. We ar not put here nather to pley nor play, but with the honour of God seik our awin saluation in humilitie, veritie, & charitie. I man haue an better and maire sure guyd nor my self, before I leaue the kirk: he man be better nor shee also, or else I shal change in vaine. If ther be anie siclik, I wald glaidly heare his nam, his qualitie, wher he dwelleth, how I might knaw him. I wald willinglie tak the paine, and bestow the expenses to seik him out. The love and desyre of veritie with hoppe of [Page] a maist ample reward wil mak the labour light.

But ye wil say, it is the scriptures. but it is not the scriptures I seik, for I haue found them. I seik that whilk I culd not find, wher I fand the scriptures, to wit the true sense of the scriptures; for otherwayis anie libraire might haue satisfied my iust curiositie: for what curiositie can be more iust, nor to seik eternal lyf? The heretiks and schismatiks, yea some Iewes and Turks hes the bible, and alleageth theirselfs to haue the true sense of the same: but how far they be therfra, their maiste perniciouse incredulitie doeth declaire. But it may be said, that they tak not the scriptures, as they suld be taikin. I doubt not but they fail, because they go wrang not hauing the assistance and help of the halie spirit. that is as meikel as wha wald say, alse lang as ye [Page] gang right ye gang not wrang. that is true: but how shal I go right? that is my question: I desire a guyd (for he who is vnlearned & ignorant of the tounges can not serue him self with thes rules, whilks learned men can scaircelie weal practeis) wha not onlie knaweth the true way and conteineth the same, but also wil schaw me it, and in case I vnderstand him not weal at the first or secund time, wil tel me it ouer againe in mair plaine langage, and if I yet mistak him, wil schaw me my fault and teach me the true meaning. And siclik if my nightbour & I, be in contrarie opinion, wil schaw ws in plain termes whois meanīg is good, & whois meaning is not good: or if there be any other sense better nor them baith, will produce it for our good instruction.

The scriptures telles me the trueth▪ I doubt not, but they suffer me to tak [...] [Page] a wrang sense and aduertises me not that I am deceaued: as we may see to our great regrait now by experience of so manie diuerse sectes bred of sinistrouse interpretation takin out of the scriptures. Think not that al thes men do willinglie deceaue them selfs decipimur specie recti. Vve ar deceaued by the outvvard schevv of the right. If they wald haue hard and obeyed the voice of the kirk (wha cried heigh and lowd that they vnderstude not the true meaning of the scriptures) they haid not gone wrang, as they haue donne now, following their awin iudgment. Ye wil say perchance they laiketh the holie spirit, for whosoeuer haith his assistance must go weal. I grant yow that (& concludis thereon, that the kirk most go weal) but seing that euerie man hes not the holie spirit; how shal I knaw who hath him, who not? Amonges this [Page] infinit nombre of them, wha pretendeth to haue that priuiledge (notwithstanding of their contrarietie, manifest mark of their vntreuth, and that Satan oftentymes doeth transfigurat and 2. Corynt. 11. 14.chenge him self in an angel of light) it shal be verie hard to anie man to knaw whidder his spirit be albus an ater, Blak or vvhyte, as sayeh Zuinglius of de subsidio Eucharist. To. 2. his spirit. Moreouer this can be but à spirit particulaire, and à spirit of discorde, except he agree with the general: for in matters of religion priuata veritas opinio est, non veritas. A priuat veritie is but an opinion and not a veritie. It can not be proper to ane only whilk was giuen for al. I seik a commound guyd of al Christians. I wil not credit my awin priuat spirit, an other suld not luk for anie farther at my hand. The veritie is but one, the guyd and iudge must be of that saime nature. If I find out the true [Page] guyd and rule, al men, wha wald be safe must follow that guyd and rule. So if myn, or anie other particulaire mans spirit be that sure & true guyd, whasouer goeth therefra, must go wrang: yea all other rule without him serueth for noght. wher as the holie spirit can do weal althought he haue no rule prescrybed to him: he wha maid the asse of Balaam to speik, may cause any man he pleaces, tel the veritie he neiddeth no help of rules; his onlie assistance was sufficient for the Apostles to speik, & vnderstand all tounges and knaw all veritie for mans saluation. If anie particulaire personne hes gotten the spirit in this sort, lat him speik baldlie, we must be all his disciples. There ar sindrie who wald willingly tak on them that name as their staitly styl in wreitting may euidentlie declaire, yet for feare of mockerie they dar not say it: But [Page] lat ws retourne to the scriptures examinated & interpreted by thir rules.

The scriptures (say they) be as the touchestone, wherwith the gold and siluer of Christian religion be tryed and knawne frome the fals and contrefaict gold and basse money of erroniouse and hereticall doctrine. At all sic tryal ther suld be three thingis, the touchstone, the gold or metall to be tried, and the goldsmith: we haue the touchstone, to wit the scriptures, the gold to be tried, at the heads of religion called in doubt, to knaw if they be of good and fyne metal of veritie or noth. The debat is for the goldsmith, who suld trye the gold. It apperteined not to euerie man, seing that euerie man hes not learned the craft. Vntil we find a better, I think it best we receaue the kirk, or rather suffer the kirk stand with that charge seing no other presenting him self, [Page] is worthee of that place, as in deid it apperteineth to no other but to the kirk. Yet seing that many doeth other wayes at this time we may iustlie say with Sanct Hierom sola scripturarum Epistola a Paulinum. ars est, quam sibi passim omnes Vendicant; hanc garrula an us, hanc delirus senex, hanc sophista verbosus, hanc vniuersi praesumunt, lacerant, docent antequam discunt. There is only the craft of the scriptures, that all men challenge and vendicats to them selfs euerievvher euerie old babbling vvyf, euerie raving old fellovve, euery sophist full of vvords. yea euerie an in general doe tak this scripture dismember and teach it, befoir that thay haue learned it. We ar not now in question of the scriptures, but of the interpretation of them, whilk suld not be thrawin to our iudgment, but our iudgment drawin to it, Bringing in 2. Cor▪ [...]1 5. captiuitie all vnderstanding vnto the obedience of Christ and hauing in reddines to [Page] reuenge all disobedience, vvhen our obedience shalbe fulfilled. IESVS CHRISTS house is the schoolle of faith, & not of science; he knaweth sufficientlie, wha beleefeth as he suld do. God hes at all time serued him self with the kirk to teach men, to declaire and schaw his will publishing his veritie to the warld. he wilbe credited on his onlie word quoniam ipse dixit & facta sunt, ipse mandauit & creata sunt. his saying is more sure, then anie mathematical demonstration, he may mak an instrument of anie thing, wha maid all thing is without anie instrument. So our maister and Lord maid clay with his spattle to hail the blind man: in the hand of anie other that Ion. 9. 6 haid bein sufficient to mak à seing man blind. May he not with the clay of mortall men heall our blindnes in the trueth. The riuer of Iordan haid only commune water without [Page] anie extraordinaire vertue, yet Naaman being sent ther, by the prophet, 4. Reg. it receaueth the power to heal him of his leprosie: the prophete of all prophetes or rather the mak air of al prophets heth sent ws to the kirk: why shall shee not haue the vertue to hail ws of our leprosie of ignorance by him, wha sent ws to hir? S. Peter said in his name to the crippel man surge & ambula, Ryse aud gang. the naturall act. 3. 6 seiknes frome the birth culd not resist his command. his schaddow healled infirmities: his worde act. 5. 15. slayed, his prayers raised wp the dead. ib. 8. 8. 9. 4. Shall Christs awin worde haue no strenth? there is vertue in all aboundance, wher euer he will: ourweacknes can not stoppe him. I man say with Orosius: Hocsi quisquam hominum Aduer. Pelagium de arbit. liber. ita dicendum putet, vt sub infirmitate hominis Deum non posse affirmet, & omnipotentiae Deialiquid impossibile suspicetur [Page] in omni creatura Coelestium, terrestrium, & infernorū: hunc non tantùm sententia mea dixerim blasphemum, anathema detestandum, sed etiam vel in exemplum Nadah & Abiu Diuino igne Leu. 10. 2. damnandum, vel iuxta perditionem Dathan & Abiron hiatu terrae receptum viuum Deut. 11. 6 ad inferna mergendum. If anie man thinketh that it may so be said, that by reason of mans infirmitie and vveaknes he vvill say God can not, and thinketh any thing impossible to the omnipotencie and almightie povver of God in all creature of heaven, of earth and of hell. J vvald esteim according to my iudgment this man not only blasphemouse, & detestable cvvrs, bot also ather to the exemple of Nadab & Abiu vvorthie to be condemned by the fire comming frome God, or according to the perdition & destruction of Dathan & Abiron being receaued be the opening of the earth vvorthie to be quicke thrust doun to hell. Shal our Maister and Lord [Page] haue no strenth except that whilk he receaues frome the instrumēts he imployeth? shal the weacknes of the instrument hald bak his will? Quàm potens in faciendo de nthilo, tam facilis in Idem. ibid. perficiendo de facto. He is als facile and easie in perfecting anie thing maid, as he is mightie in making any thing of noght. there can be no weack instrument in so mightie an hand. Potest ergo omnia (sayis the same Orosius) in homine qui vtique potest omnia. He may then do all thing in man, vvha may do all things. I wil therefor follow the kirk with ful confidēce: I shal haue an good guyd, seing God hes commanded me so to doo. It wil be hard to persuade me that the contrarie suld be donne, except they may schaw that ather they ar maire wise then God, in taking an other guyd; or that he heth giuen ws that commād to deceaue ws; wherof nather can be true. He is à God of [Page] wisdome and trueth. he hes promist to gowerne his kirk in all trueth, If shee erre the shame redoūdeth to hir head & spouse IESVS CHRIST, wha is hir guyd, redeemer, groundston, & Maisson, wha promist to buld hir vpon an rock, and that the gettes of hel suld not preuail againes hir. what reproche suld it be to his wisdome or power, if he culd not, or wald not keip hir frome errour, according to his promise? But he knew not perchance, when he maid this promise, what power he haid: thir new Lords haid not as yet limitat the merches of his might: their breif of perambulation was not put, as yet, in execution. or shal we say Immensa est sinémque potentia coeli non habet, quicquid superi voluêre peractū est? Promisit quiae voluit, seruauit quia potuit. He promest because he vvald, he keiped it, because he might. and in trueth if this plight ancre [Page] of the kirk war lost, how shal we be assured of the veritie? wher shall we seik it? at their hands perchance, wha assures ws that the heal Catholique kirk may erre, because they ar but men. If they be Gods, or may schaw ws any special priuiledge, wher by they ar exemtpted frome the general ruell of errour, to the whilk al men without exception (according to their iudgment, notwithstanding Gods promise) ar subiect, it is reason we suld hear them, obey, and follow them, because of their special prerogatiue aboue all others. But whasoeuer sayeth that al men ar subiect to errour and fals opinions, tyneth his credit in all other things hauing obteined credit in that. yea being a man as others, why may he not be deceaued in that, als weal as in the rest? And doubtles he is deceaued, if he think his maxime of errour to [Page] haue place in the kirk of God, wher he is rueller and gowernour him self. Wha can keip anie thing weal, if it be so vnsure whilk he hes takin in his awin keipping? Farther the certaine and infallible constancie of the kirk in matters of faith may best be sein in the grounds and moyens shee vseth in teaching and guyding ws. It is maist certaine that the wark dependeth on the workar, the effect on the cause, and the end on the cheife beginnig. Wher the Authour, workar, cause, fondament, and original beginning ar necessaire all togidder and vnchangable, the wark, effect, and end most be of the same nature & condition: Now seing the kirk hes for internal author, mouer, cause, and beginning, the father, the sonne, and holie ghaist spirit of veritie and trueth, wha hes assisted assists, and will assist hir to the end of the [Page] warld, why shal not hir doctrine, & shee hir self be without errour or falt because of hir good guyd? for faith whilk surpasseth al naturall and humain reason can haue no sure ground but by the reuelation of God in his kirk. This assurance may be easelie sein in the scriptures; because wher it is spokin of the mission and power whilk our Lord geueth to the officers & magistrats of his house; there also is maid mention of the promises of his perpetual assistance and presence to his kirk. All povver is giuen to me in heauen and in earth: going therefor, Matt. 28. 18 teach ye all nations, baptizing them in the nam of the father and of the sonne and of the holie ghaist, teaching them to obserue all thingis vvhatsoeuer I haue commanded yovv: and behold I am vvith yovv al dayis euen to the consummation of the vvarld: As my father hes sent me, 10. 20. 21. also I send yovv &c. And I vvill ask Ion. 14. 16. [Page] the father and he vvil gif yovv ane other paraclete, that he may abyd vvith yovv for euer. Item. but the paraclete the holie spirit, vvhom the father vvil send in my name, he vil teach yovv all things, vvhatsoeuer I say vnto yovv. And in an other place he prayeth for his kirk. For them do I pray &c. Sanctifie Ion. 16 13. 14. 26. them in trueth &c. as thovv did send me in the vvarld, I haue also sent them in the vvarld. The hail place is to be red for it maketh to the propose. Now if nather his promeises doeth oblish him, nor his prayer haue anie place for the stabilitie of the veritie in his kirk, how can it be true that S. Paul sayeth. And he gaue some Apostles & some prophetes, and other some Euangelists Eph. 4. 11. and other some pastours, and doctours to the consommation of the sanctes vnto the vvark of the ministerie, vnto the edification of the bodie of Christ vntill vve meit all into the vnitie of faith. Wher it is [Page] plainlie said that our Lord hes established Ecclesiastical personnes for the perfection of his elect in conseruing thē frome the maliciouse craft of Satan, that they be not deceaued by errour, nor caried away with euerie wind of doctrine; whilk can not be eschewed, vnlesse the doctrine of the kirk be without errour. We see the people of euerie contray doeth embrace the religion of their true or fals pastours: so except the pastours haue some certaine ruel & guyd mair then humaine, without doubt their incōstant doctrine shal mak à flock inconstant. Ye ar the salt of the earth, Matt. 5. 13. ye ar the light of the vvarld &c. Ye haue not choisen me, but I haue choisen yovv, Io. 15. 16. and appointed yovv that ye go and bring forth fruct and that your fruct, remaine: Whilk things war said to the Apostles as representing the kirk, because they war the first fondaments therof, [Page] laide by IESVS CHRIST him self being yet on earth.

The words of God hes yet their Gen. 1. 28. force: crescite & multiplicamini, bring forth fruict and multiplie: the words apperteineth to the posteritie, & yet doeth keip their strenth, whilk they receaued in the begining. If so be in the temporall and corporal propagation, what shal it be in the spiritual? or shal his liberalitie be lesse towards his kirk? shal shee be vnius aeui, of on aage, as sayeth Liuius of Rome new lib. 1. dec. 1 begoune? Shal we think that so great priuiledge & so deir coft appertineth onlie to the Apostles? there is na appeirence of reason: seing the promises conteineth à perpetual & cōtinual assistence: I haue appointed yovv, that ye go, and bring forth fruict, & thàt Ion. 15. 16. your fruict remaine. that vvhatsoeuer ye ask of my father in my name he maygifit yovv. Wha can doubt but they [Page] haue desyred that, according to his awin saying, the fruict broght out by them suld remaine in the kirk: that is that the veritie suld remaine for euer in the kirk? Suld not the spirit of consolation and veritie eternallie abyd in the kirk, wher as neine of the Apostles did leif an hondreth years? when they past wp to heauen by their gloriouse martyrdome as our eldest brethren to enter in their land of eternal lyf, whilk our Lord hed coft to them with his pretiouse blood: They drew not wp the ledder efter them. The assistence in al veritie was giuen to them as being necessaire for mans saluation: the necessitie remaineth, why shal not the gift remaine? it was not giuen to the kirk for the Apostles cause, as apperteining to them onlie, but to the Apostles for the kirks cause they being hir principal membres: so the principall motiue [Page] remaining, why shal not the priuiledge so necessaire remaine? they receaued it but as membres nearest to the head, to be continued and conuoyed by them to the rest of the body, Sicut vnguentum in capite, quod descendit Psal. 133. 2. in barbam, barbam Aaron, quod descendit in oram vestimenti eius. this sueit oyll of veritie whilk is in the head IESVS CHRIST why shal it not descend vnto the beard of Aaron and to the border of his garmēt, that is to the Apostles & their successours to the extreme border of Christs kirk signified by his garment? And reason wald or rather Gods infinit mercie, that the successours of the Apostles suld haue that same assistence of the holy spirit, because they haue the same place and charge for the perfittīg of Christs body, whilk is his kirk. And therefor they ar called his officers & seruants. and doutbles it war [Page] agans all good reason to think, that the holie spirit haid gotten onlie charge to guyde the Apostles, as thoght our Sauiour haid sufferred death for them onlie, & not for the kirk in all aages. About the yeare of our Lord 1525. (sindry sectes being risin wp vnder the colour, that the true kirk haid failled, all the pastoures hauing erred, & at last hauing decayed, and therefor alledging that they war sent by God to teach the verity so many yeares vnknaw in to the warld) Dauid Georgius an cheif of the Anabaptists taking occasion of that alledged & imaginaire fal of the Catholik kirk, geue him self out for the true Messias: Amonges the reasons whilks he vsed againes the Lutheriens and other sectes, the principal was takin frome their newnes, & from the defection of the kirk, whilk they preached for that same occasion [Page] of their nouueltie; for otherwayes they culd not haue teached, nor yet bein ministers, doctours or pastours. If the doctrine of Christ (sayis this pestilent Dauid Georgius) and of his Apostles vvas true and perfect, certainlie the kirk that they planted and formed by their doctrine suld haue remaned, and dured necessairly, and neuer haue decayed, seing that Iesus said, that the gettes of hell suld neuer preuaill aganes hir: but novv it is manifest & knavvin to the hail vvarld (according to your avvin cōmune saying) that the Antichrist hes altogither ouerthravvin the doctrine of Christ & his Apostles, & the kirk fonded and bulded by them, as may be seine in the papistrie: vvherfor the doctrine of Christ, & of his Apostles vvas fals and inperfect. An blasphemouse cōclusion, yet altogether necessaire, if the assumption war true, whilk sindrie now adayis not onlie admittes to be true, bot also taketh it for ane [Page] ground maist certaine, whervpon they haue bulded their new kirk. Abyssus abyssum inuocat.

But to refut this perniciouse opiniō lat ws see and considder what honorable titles the kirk hes in the holie scriptures, and how faire promises ar maid by God of hir stabilitie and infallibilitie: Sho is called the bodie, the fulnes, the spouse of Jesus Cstrist, the house of the Lord, the pillar and firmamēt or ground of trueth, boght vvith his blood, his vvealbeloued, his dovv, his vvinzard, his inheritance, his kingdome. &c. ouer faire and speciouse names to euanish so sone contraire to his bontiful promeises. I vvill marie the vnto Hose 2. 19 me for euer, yea I vvil marie the vnto me in richtiousnes and iudgement & mercie. &c. May I not say heir with S. Aug. Tom. 6. cōcione ad Cath. cap. 22. Haec est mater vera, pia mater & casta intrinsecus viri sui dignitate ornata, non forinsecus mendacio fallente turpiter colo. [Page] rata. This is the true mother, godlie and chast mother decked invvardlie vvith the dignitie and maiestie of hir husband, not shamefullie coloured outvvardly vvith à deceauing lie. and in deid as the same S. Aug. sayis, In ventre Ecclesiae veritas Tom. 8. in psal. 57. manet: quisquis ab hoc ventre Ecclesiae separatus fuerit, necesse est vt falsa loquatur, necesse est, inquā, vt falsa loquatur qui aut concipi noluit, aut quem conceptū mater excussit. VVithin the belly or bosome of the kirk the veritie remaineth. vvhosoeuer shalbe separatted frome this bosome of the kitk, of necessitie he man speik lies, of necessitie, J say, he man speik lies, vvha ather vvald not be conceaued and ingendred, or els being conceaued, the mother hath cast him out. But if shee heth become an harlotte and adultrèsse, shee hes maid diuorse, shee hes violat the law of mariage, whilk God haith promist suldbe keiped in faithfulnes. I doubt greatlie if they be [Page] lauful childring to God, wha calleth their mother à whore, matris adulterio patrem quaerunt: can any man say mair freelie that he is an heretik, nor to say that the kirk he followis may, & hes erred: shee wha abandoneth hir self so easelie to euerie sutter, can not be à true spouse, shee must be an harlotte. Excuse me if I say, that sic men may be bastards, but the kirk of God wil remaine à virgin for euer, by the assistence & diligence of hir head & spouse he was born of à virgin, he wil haue his mēbres & ofspring to haue that same honour, their true and spiritual mother being à virgin, because shee is his spouse. God man haue somthing out of the deuils power; he hes Eph. 5. 27. maid to him self a gloriouse kirk not hauing spot or vvrincle, or anie sic thing: but that shee shuld be holy & vvihout blame. to wit in doctrine. If God be ouerthravvin in his avvin house, he man be Matt. 12. 29 [Page] weackar then the deuill, whilk can not be granted, yea not thoght, without an execrable blasphemie. Wherfor I man say with S. Aug. (whom I cite the maire willinglie that sindry of the protestants alledgeth that he is theirs, notwithstanding he be their greatest enimie, at lest to their doctrine) Credimus Ecclesiam Catholicam Tom. 9. de symb. lib. 1 cap. 5. ipsaest Ecclesia Sancta, Ecclesia vna, Ecclesia vera, Ecclesia Catholica, contra haereses omnes pugnans: pugnare potest expugnari non potest: haereses omnes de illa exierunt tanquā sarmenta inutilia de vite praecisa: ipsa autem manet in radice sua, portae inferorū non vincent eam. VVe beleif the Catholik kirk, shee is the holy kirk, the onlie kirk, the true kirk, the Catholik kirk fighting aganist all heresies, shee may fight, but shee can not be ouercum, al heresies ar gone out of hir, lyk vuprofitable brā ches cut of the vynetree. Shee (the kirk) doeth remaine in hir avvin root: the gettes [Page] of hell shal not ouercome hir.

Lat ws see the other promises maid to hir, by hir head and maister, whilk ar so cleir & in so great nomber, that no man can doubt, except he that wil receaue no thing, but that onlie whilk heth passed by the tryal of his iudgmēt, to whois iudgmēt to stand war tobe without any iudgmēt. God promist, as I haue said now oftymes, Matth. 16. 18. that the gettes of hell, that is the power of Satan by errour and heresie suld not preuail againes hir. hes not Satan preuailled, if he hes caused hir erre in teaching & authorizing fals doctrine? S. Aug. sayeth passing weal. Non insultent haeretici per partes concisi, Tom. 8. in Psal. 47. nonse extollāt, qui dicunt Ecce hic est Christus, ecce illic: Qui dicit ecce hic est, ecce illic Matth. 24. 23. ad partes inducit, vnitatē promisit Deus. Reges in vnum collecti sunt, non per schismata dissipati sunt. Sed forte ista ciuitas, quae mundū tenuit, aliquando euertetur? psal. 47. [Page] absit: Deus fundauit eam in aeternum: Si ergo Deus fundauit eam in aeternum, quid times? ne cadat firmamentum? Lat not the heretikes insult & triumphe being diuided in sectes, lat not thes magnifie & praise them selfs, vvha sayeth lo heir is Christ, lo there. VVho sayeth lo heir is Christ, lo there, he induceth to factions. God did promise vnitie and concorde. The Kings vvar gathered to gether in one; not scattered by diuision. But perchance this citie, vvhilk haith comprehended & occupied the vvarld, at lenth shalbe ouerthravven? God forbed: God haith founded and established hir for euer. if then he heth founded hir for euer, quhat feare ye? least the firmament shuld fall? He promist also he suld be with hir all day is euen to the consummation of the Natt. 28 20 warld: if he left hir not one day, when shuld errour haue occupied hir? So Ioan. 14. 16 shuld the holie spirit tary with hir for euer, & teach hir al veritie: al veritie [Page] & errour cannot consist togither. The father promist to his eternal sonne, the same perpetual veritie for his seed. J vvil mak this my cōuenent Isa. 59. 21. vvith them sayeth the Lord: My spirit yat is vpon the, & my vvords, quhilk I haue put in thy mouth, shal not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed, sayeth the Lord from hence forth euen for euer. For his kingdome shal Luc. 1. 33. haue no end. So sayeth Daniel of his dominatiō, whilk shalbe throch al, & cap. 7. 14 & 27. for euer. And Micha sayeth als far. cap. 4. 7. Now behold the amplitude greatnes & authoritie. I shal gif thee the heathen for thyn inheritance, and the endis of the psal. 2. 8. earth for thy possession. In an other place al nations, vvhome thovv hes maid, shall come and vvorshipe befoir the ô Lord &psal. 85. 9.shal glorifie thy name. Isaias sayeth: In the last day is shalbe prepared the montaine 2. 2. of the house of the Lord in the toppe [Page] of the montaines, and shalbe exalted aboue the hilles, and all nations shal flovv to it. Not onlie Isaias, but also the other prophets say is the same. Mairouer the sinnes of the childrine shall not takaway his inheritance of veritie amonges the Christians: King Dauid assureth ws: his seed vvil I mak psal. 88. 29. indure for euer, and his throne as the dayis of the heauen. But if his cheldren leif my lavv, and vvalk not in my iudgments, if they brak my statutes & keipe not my cō mandement; then vvil I visit their iniquities vvith a rodde & their sinnes vvith strockes; yet my mercy vvill I not tak from him; nor offend in my trueth: my conuenant vvill I not brack. &c. Ye see that God wil keip his sonnes heritage notwithstanding of mans iniquitie.

But they wha approuueth not this stabilitie and constancie of the kirk, answers that shee failleth not, als lāg as shee heareth the voice & obeyeth [Page] the commandement of hir spouse IESVS CHRIST, & is guyded by the holie spirit, following the word of God, whilk is perpetuallie ioyned with the holie spirit; But if shee leif the word & obey not hir spouse, shee may fail and erre. What is this other to say, then that the kirk can not fail nor erre at all. For we haue schawin alreddie that there can be no sic separation, nor disobedience: wherwpon we haue concludid the certaine and perpetual veritie of the kirk, in respect of the perpetual and assured asistance of IESVS CHRIST and of his holy spirit in al veritie: for if shee war without hir head and gouernour shee culd no maire be à kirk. In whilk case they might rather say shee war decayed and dead nor erred and failled. but nather of thir can be true as we haue schawin by euident places of the scriptures. We man think that [Page] our Lord hes bulded hir vpon a rock, as it becommeth his wisdome, and Matt. 7. 24 not vpon the sandis, as fooles doo who is houses can not stand because the ground is not sure.

As to the promises, whilk som men pretendes to be conditionallie maid to the kirk, because some promises ar of that nature: they man vnderstand that sic promises toucheth onlie the particulaire, if they remaine in the kirk, if they follow the Lords cōmandement. God sayeth to Moses Ecce estlocus apud me, & stabis supra petram. Exod. 33. 21 Be hold there is a place by me, and thovv shall stand vpon the rock: On this rock the kirk is bulded, shee mā be stabill: Shee is the Lords inheritance gifin to him by God his father without anie condition: whilk may be schawin by great nomber of places of the scriptures. It depēdeth not vpon mens vertue or wice, strenth or [Page] weacknes, folie or wisdome: he hes tak in the keipping of his awin right in his a win hand: he wil not be spoiled Matt. 12. 29 by à mightier, because ther is Mar. 3. 27. neine mightier: if it haid depended vpō our worthines, I doubt if Christ Iesus suld haue haid anie kirk at all: we man cleime to his infinit mercie, goodnes, and extreime loue, by the whilk he hes promist not to abandōne his kirk: not to suffer hir to go wrang: his grace is à sufficient beild againes al stormes, and an sure ancre in al danger. he will cair for nothing in this warld, if he be cairles of his wealbeloued spouse, who is his dow Can. 2. 7. 6. 8. his perfite and vndefiled.

The ark of Noë was not surmonted by the flood; it was ay hier then the water of the flood, whilk notwithstanding was hier then all the rest of the things vpon earth. Men, townes, hilles, montaines war lawer [Page] then the water, whilk yet acknawledgeth the Ark to be aboue it: for it drouneth the rest, but lifteth wp the Ark. quia dominus supposuit manū: Because psa. 37. 23 the Lord did put his hand vnder it: and what culd surmont it, whilk was susteined by the mightie hand of the Lord? This was without anie condition: but who war to be sauued, it behoued them to be therin: to thē the promise was conditionall. The Ark, if it haid not haid the special assistence of God, haid beine ouerthrawin as the rest, wha wanted that safegarde and protection.

The veritie of that figure is giuen to Christ our sauiour without anie limitation or condition: but to the particulaires, if they be there the water whilk out of the ark was mortall and deadlie, within scrueth for lyf. So may we say of the kirk, sola est, quae Aug. to. 10 de temp. serui. 181. intra se positos validae caritatis compage [Page] custodit; vnde & aqua diluuij arcam quidem ad sublimiora sustulit, omnes autem quos extra arcam inuenit, extinxit. It is shee onlie vvho keipeth vvith a mightie band thos quha ar vithin hir: quhereby the vatter of the deluge carried vvp the ark on hight, but quhosoeuer it fand vvith out the ark, it destroyed. Why shal not arca Ecclesiae superior esse omnibus vndis & fluctibus erroris? No thing can be in danger that cōstantlie remaineth in the Lords keipping, how weack soeuer it be of it self, hauing strenth of it keipper.

But they wil say perchance that all thir promises and prerogatiues ar ather to the kirk inuisible, or for the reuelation of the holie spirit maid to euerie man in particulaire, whereby they ar gowerned and called his. Lat ws see, or rather lat ws cōsider (seing it can not be sein) this inuisible kirk. I pray yow reid the places cited before, [Page] & ye wil see that the promises ar maid to à visible companie. The salt of the earth, the light of the warld. Sic lyk à citie set vpon à montaine. à candle sette vpon a candlestick: wha heareth the kirk, heareth God. wha contemneth hir, contemneth God: wha wil not heir, nor obey the kirk suld be to ws as an excōmunicat personne. Shee is signifiet by the Ark of Noë, by the children of Israël in the desert, by the wynzard, by S. Peters bark, by à montaine, by the nettes cassin in the sea, by à piller. &c. what is here inuisible, or rather what can be visible to him wha seeth not thes things? he hes mister of à medicin, and not of reasons, wha can not see à bark & nettes, an Ark of three hondreth cubites lang, à vynzard, à citie, à candle vpon an candilstik, à montaine, à pillar, fyf or sex hondreth thousand personnes to gidder. what [Page] remeid for so desperata blindnes? in so wolful à seiknes? Iubeas miserum esse libenter. He man perish in his awin blindnes, wha wil not oppen his eyes. How can we acknawledge or obey this inuisible iudge? Wher shal we find hir? nusquāest si nusquam videtur, cùm non sit incorporea: how can we be ioyned with hir? & out of hir bosom ther is no saluation. The kirk haid charg to teach al natiōs & baptiz thē. I think it shalbe als difficil to hear as to see inuisible doctours, except we wil receaue the auld brounies for pastours. Shal we beleif that the kirk of God hes neuer beine seine, because the doctrine teached now in sindrie places was neuer hard before, the doctours therof not being as yet borne? If the kirk was euer visible, it was that shee might be knaw in & so followed. Whil thir men come shee was hid, now shee is knaw in. why hes she [Page] changed nature? is it to deceaue ws? God forbid: shall we giue the cause won to the Anabaptists with their foolish and new inuented synagoge? Whilk doubtles man be receaued according to this opinion, or if it be receaued in others, why shall it not be receaued in them? If they haid yet remained inuisible, they haid beine more worthie of credet. But what? anie thing is good enouch to theis fantasticall spirits. Notus in Judea Deus, knaw in but in his kirk, and by psal. 75 1. his kirk, seing shee is the pillar of veritie and trompet of his holie name. It is shee wha hes discouuered, assaulted and condemned, yea and at last destroyed all herisies in euerie aage, not by inuisibilitie, but by visible presence, in general concels, by dayly preaching and teaching of hir doctours and pastours, and souueraine decreits of hir ministeriall head. If [Page] there be neine of thir things true, the kirk man be onlie an vaine phantasticall imagination forged to abuse men, lyk to the philosophical stonne, where foolish men imployeth their lyf, mynd and moyens to find right noght at last. Quid amplius (sayeth S. To. 9. in Epi. Ion. tract. 2. Augustin) dicturus sum quàm caecos qui tam magnum montem non vident? qui contra lucernam in candelabro positam oculos Ibid. tract. 1. claudunt, VVhat shal I say farther but that they ar blind vvha seeth not so great à montaine? vvha closseth their eyes ouer againist the candle put on the candlestik. And in an other place. Ecce mons implens vniuersam faciem terrae. Ecce ciuitas de qua dictum est: non potest Daniel 2. 35 ciuitas abscondi super montem constituta. Matth. 5. 14. Illi autem offendunt in montem, & cùm eis dicitur, ascendite, non est mons, dicunt: facilius illuc faciem impingunt, quàm illic habitaculū quaerunt. Behold the montaine filling the face of the vvhol earth. behold [Page] the citie of vvhilk it is said: à citie sette one an hil can not be hid. They (to wit the heretik is) do strik them selfs againest the hil. & vvhē it is said to them, go vvp, they say, it is not the hill. They do more vvillinglie dash their face against that hill, nor seik an dvvelling there. I must say with To. 8. psal. 56. the same S. Augustin. O haeretica insania, quod non vides, credis mecū: quod vides negas credis mecum Christum exaltatum super coelos, quod non vidimus; & negas gloriam eius super omnem terram, quod videmus. O heretical frovvardnes, and obstinate maddenesse, thovv beleifis vith me that thov seeth not; thov denyes that quhilk thov seeth, Thov beleifis vith me that Christ is exalted aboue the heauens, quhilk vve haue not seine: & thov denyes his glorie to be vpon all the earth, vvhilk vve see. And if I be not abused the persecutions (whilk cōtinued almost frome Christs dayes to Constantin the greats aage, althoght not [Page] in al place & with lyk crueltie, wher many thowsand martyrs did bestow their lyfis) war agains the visible kirk of that aage: for if this new inuisible kirk haid beine in tho is dayes, shee haid conserued al hir membres from dāger by moyen of hir inuisibilitie: And in deed al sic men eschapped the tyrānie of the maist cruel Emprioures by that ring Gyges. or rather because Plato 10 de repub. neine of thes inuisible men as yet war forged. Shall the kirk of God haue no other refuge in persecutions (whidder they come of tyrānes, or of heretiks oppugning the veritie) but to flee to the darknes of inuisibilitie (maire fitte for the mēbres of Satan prince of darknes, then for the membres of IESVS CHRIST author of light) as sepia to hir blak blood or ink? God forbed. If they answer that they vnderstand by the inuisible kirk, the elect, wha because they ar knawin onlie [Page] to God ar called inuisible. I answer that the same argument maketh the cōfessiō of faith ar. 17. insered in the act of parliament halden the 1567. prented 1568. & 1597. the condemned personnes als weil to be inuisible, seing they ar knawin to God onlie in that qualitie, so all the warld salbe inuisible. Secundly seing that I am oblished to ioyne my self with the true kirk onlie: how shal I knaw hir not being God? I say onlie that we fand als lāg as they did regne, a visibel, at leest sensible, and maist cruel persecution agains sic as culd not com out of the contray: for they war constrained to subscribe & sweir that the present religion was good, albeit in their cōscience they knew & war persuaded to the cōtraire: whilk persecutiō was so cruel that the death it self haid bein mair tolerable: yea I persuad my self that if the Ministers wald haue proceded by way of death agains the Catholiks, that they suld not haue won so meikil agains thē as [Page] they did then, by an extreme necessitie to whilk they pat them. But to retourne to their inuisibilitie: we ar seiking à kirk to guyd ws, shee was inuisible before our dayes (and now we haue so manie kirks visible that we knaw not whilk to choise) why so lang inuisible, and why now sein? inuisible when shee might haue bein knawin, because ther was but few; & now visible when the great nomber maketh hir vncertaine to ws. Thir dark questiōs requiteth a new Oedipus to solue them. I say that absolutlie shee man be kuawin to ws, & not to God only: God of his infinit mercie, & goodnes, hes and wil cōmunicat to ws his knawledge so far as it is necessaire for our saluation: but it is altogither necessaire (if anie thing be altogither necessaire for ws) to knaw the true kirk, seing shee is the only house wher God is surelie to be [Page] found, truelie serued, deulie obeyed and eternal lyf mercifullie obteined, as is sufficientlie prouen before. If I suld promise à thousand pound to any man, and efter send him to an inuisible thesaurer to be payed, suld he not haue iust occasion to think me an abuser? God hes promist truelie to his sonne by the mouth of Dauid that his seed shal remaine for euer, & psal. 88. 36. his throne shalbe as the sunne before him, & lyk to the moune perfect for euer: if the sunne and the moune, when they ar in ther great clearnes, be inuisible I vnderstand no thing. The kirk neuer hes beine obscured so far by persecutions, but shee might be kanwin besydes the miserable blindnes of the Iewes and Gentils, & maliciouse obstinacie of heretiks, or factiouse separation of schismatiks. What? wil they mak the enimies of God to be easelie seine and found, wher his seruants [Page] & freinds dar not schaw them selfis? then God man hyd and keip close his freinds for feare that Satan spoille him. he shall haue onlie sic as he may steale without the deuils knawledge by moyen of the inuisibilitie, changed now in à visibilitie by vertue of an act of parliamēt halden at Edenbrugh without à vow, in the Queenes M. absence the year of God 1560. ratified by an parliament of lyk force in his Maiesties minoritie 1567. But I passe this nec veterum memini, laetórue malorum. The deuil suld feght agains the members of the kirk, but shuld not preuail, because the victorie suld be theirs, and they for their victorie suld be crouned, whilk can not be without battel. Nam qui certat in agone, non coronatur nisi legitimè certauerit. And if anie 2. Tim. 2. s man stryue for à maisterie, he is not crouned except he stryu [...] as he aught to doo. And [Page] Sanct Paul sayeth of him self, Bonum 2. Tim. 4. 7. certamen certaui, cursum consummaui, fidē seruaui: in reliquo reposita est mihi corona institiae, quam reddet mihi Dominus in die illa iustus index &c. I haue fought à good fight, I haue consumate my course, I haue keipt the faith. Concerning the rest, there is laid vp for me à crovvne of iustice, vvhilk the Lord vvill render to me in the last day à iust iudge.

If any think hir inuisible because shee can not be seine all at one tyme, but only in hir partes: by that same reason they may think hilles & mō taines inuisible, yea the haill warld inuisible, or rather no thing in the world tobe visible, nather man nor beist, nor other thing, great nor smal; because no thing can be seine al at one instant, one part cutting away the sight of an other, as may be sein by daylie experience.

As to them wha thinketh that all [Page] Gods promises appertieneth to the particulaires, whome he assists by a secret and particulaire inspiration & fortifieth by an interne and inward cōsolation; wherfor the holy spirit is called the spirit of consolation: we haue refuted them before, and if this opinion war true, as it is not, it wald confirme & strengthen our sentēce: For if the spirit of veritie be geuen to euerie man in particulaire, meikil maire to all togither. So the kirk hauing the spirit in so great abondance culd not erre. And doubtles naturall reason wil cōstraine ws to think that if the particulaire can not erre (whilk man be if euerie man be assisted with the holy spirit according to Gods solemne promises) the pastours of the kirk suld les be subiect to errour, because of their office, seing that the charge is geuen to them to teach and and guyd the faithfull that they be Eph. 4. 14. [Page] not haid away with euerie wind of doctrine, except they wil say that pastours be altogither vnneidful, seing that the halie spirit hes takin the office vpon him to guyd euerie an in particulaire, or that the particulaire men heth the holie spirit in all abondāce whilk is denyed to the pastours, who for that cause may erre, wheras the particulaire is assured; an opiniō ridiculouse and pernisiouse, althoght it be embraced by manie now adayis. But this opinion of priuat inspiratiō is fals, because our Lord (to whom all appertineth by the gift of his father) maid theis promises to the Apostles when he sent them as maisters gowernours and pastours of his kirk, to preach and teach throughout the hail warld. and therfor it was for the publik charge duetie and vtilitie of the kirk vniuersall. In omnem terram exiuit sonus eorum, & infines orbis terrae psal. 18. 5. Ro. 10. 18. [Page] verba eorum. Mairouer this opinion, is absurd, for if euery man hes the haly spirit, in sic abondance, no man culderre, but wald say the treuth in althing is (I mein in mattres of faith) yea no man culd haue need of à master or pastour, (as said is) euerie one being maist sufficientlie instrucked by the holie spirit, wha can not erre. vpon theis vaine imaginations the Anabaptists hes bulded their foolies. Neuertheles it man not be thoght that we deny that the holie spirit doeth assist the particulaires: For he assisteth them in deed with his grace, wherby they ar moved to obey consent and beleue the doctrine of the kirk, and to keep the vnitie required therin, but not to cōmand guyd and gowerne, whilk appertineth onlie to the pastours, as said is.

Resteth yet two obiections againes the stabilitie of the kirk in al veritie. [Page] The first is, that the particulaire kirk may erre, whilk may be schawen by manie exemples: & therfor the kirk catholik and vniuersal may erre. The second is, that the kirk Catholik is represented by a general concel: but the general concel may erre, and hes erred: Then the catholik and vniuersal kirk may erre. To confirme the first obiection they collect againes the Iewes kirk the faultis committed frome the beginning of the warld to our Lords tyme: to the whilk albeet it be easie to answer, yet because it is not our question, wha ar speeking of the Christian kirk, I wil passe it for the presēt, as making no thing agans ws. I say only that they sal not be habil to schaw anie errour in the Iewes kirk approuued by publik consent. For the sentēce of death pronunced by Caiphas aganes our Lord was nawayeserroniouse of it self, (if we wald [Page] lay asyd the wicked mynd wherfra it proceded) seing it was according to our Maisters will (qui passus est, quiae voluit) and Gods awen decreit of his infinit mercy and loue towards mankynd. And S. Iohne approueth it as coming of the holy spirit, wha prophecied by the mouth of an wicked man. The words of the Euangelest ar thir: But one of them named Caiphas, Io. 11. 49. being the high preest of that year, said to them, yovv knavv nothing, nather doo yovv consider that it is expedient for vvs that one man die for the poeple, and the vvholl nation perish not. And this he said not of him self, but being high priest of that year, he prophecied that Jesus shuld die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but gather into one the children of God, that vvar despersed. wherby we may vnderstand the qualitie of the decreit, notwithstanding the wickednes of the instrument. [Page] God blisseth his people by Balaams mouth: but this is maire solemne, Nom. 23. seing that IESVS CHRIST is put in possession of his inheritance by the sentence and decreit of the synagoge pronunced by Caiphas at that time high priest, Christ being declaired to be hee, wha was to redeame the warld with his death, by the whilk the sacrifice of Aaron was to tak end, the synagoge hauing resigned oueral right to the true heire, & that by a general consent, to the Iewes greatter and inexcusable condemnation.

As to the rest of the argument it followeth not. The particulaire may erre, ergo the general may erre: For the partes (whilk ar as it war particulaires) of the elements do perish euerie day, the elemēts notwithstanding doeth remaine, yea and recouuer at one syd, what they losse at the other: for it is impossible that the hail elements [Page] can perish all at one tyme, I meine naturallie.

So we see men die euerie day and that in great nomber at some times, yet because there commeth others in their place, man can not perish altogether, because God hes blissed him, and all leuing things by theis words Crescite & multiplicamini. Arist. wald haue answered homo non moritur, sed hic homo. And whilk is maire, as man in particulaire remaining man, that is, retening the nature & proprieties of man, can not die (for if he die he cesseth to be man) so the particulaire kirk remaining kirk, that is remaining in the doctrine, vnion, & cō munion of the Catholik kirk, can not erre: for if she fal in errour of doctrine generally receaued and approued, outdrawing hir self frome the holie Catholik kirk, shee is no maire kirk, but as à dead body possessed by [Page] schisme and heresie. But if shee remaine in obedience and vnion with the Catholique kirk, albeet shee be assaulted with anie seiknes, or troubled with any wound of errour, yet by the lyf, strenth, and health of the hail body of the Catholik kirk, shee may recouuer hir health. Euen as we see the finger being cut of the body, the interne and inward forme being lost, it losseth the nature of à finger, althoght the material part remaineth as before: But remaining ioyned and vnite with the body, notwithstāding any infirmitie or wound, it may be cured & hailled, by reason of the lyf & health of the rest of the body with the whilk it is conioyned. A greene tree by violēce of stormie wind, frost or season of year may tyne the leefis, or branches some tyme, whilk the spring or space of tym will bring againe: but if the stok be rotten or [Page] drawen out of the ground, ther is no hoppe of leefis, meakelles of branches. he most plant an other tree, wha wald see leesis or branches there againe: whilk experience can not be soght in the kirk: For IESVS CHRIST wil plant no other; and I knaw not wha culd tak the charge in his place. for it hehoued him to do better then our Lord hes dōne before him, wher by the promises maid to the perpetual kirk might ons be accōplished, seing that Christs kirk hes failled by interruption, as they say: whilk cannot be, notwithstanding the faill of some partes, prouyding the parties noble keip their integritie: but they being lost, there is no moyen to sett wp againe that kirk; they may perchance sett wp an other, if they haue receaued that power. And this far for the first obiection.

As to the second we receaue the [Page] proposition as good and true, if they vnderstand à general concel laufully called, halden, concluded, and confirmed: for doubtlessic à concel representeth the Catholik and vniuersal kirk, whilk we beleef can not erre: but that sic concels heserred or culd erre, we deny plainlie. Yet to proue their saying, they alledge that the cō cels ar cō traire one to an other, whilk cannot be but errour of one, or baith the parties. And farther, concels hes corrected concels, as sayeth S. Aug. but correctiō (say they) presupponeth errour: for the proofe of the first they bring exemples at her of particulaire and prouincial synods agains general concels; or conuenticuls of heretiks agains à general, or els concels suspect and disawoued agains à lauful and general: Wherfor that proueth nothing againes ws, no maire, then maketh againist the authoritie [Page] of à lauful parliament (si parua licet componere magnis) the cōuentions halden in diuers schyres being one aganist an other, or anie of them agains an iust and lauful parliament; or yet à seditiouse assemblie of rebelliouse personnes rysing agains their laufull prince; or agains à parliament of the haill estaites called, halden, concluded, and confirmed by the free authoritie of à iust and lauful prince in his maioritie. There can not be anie cōtradiction in à kings or cōmoune Weatlh edicts, or actes, for correcting, or agreing together the opiniōs of particulaire towns or schyrs, or for condemning of rebelles, and their famouse libelles: or by improuing of actes neuer approued by his forfathers; yea nor for changing of anything of policie in à better form being admonist by good experience, althoght it haid bein otherwayes ordonat [Page] by à parliament before; provyding the mattres of them self war indifferent. Where it is to be notted first, that we speck here of general cō cels, and not of particulaires, whilk as they may erre, so aught they to be corrected by the generals (as meineth S. Augustin aganist the Donatists) if there be anie thing wrang. Secondlie it is to be notted, that this disput suld be takin of thinges appertining and cōcerning the substance of the faith, wher there can be no changing or varietie, meakelles contrarietie: for it that is ons veritie remaineth ay veritie, because the veritie is but one, whilk may be maid maire clear and plaine, not changed in the contraire. But things appertining to maners, ciuil discipline, commoune policie, and ceremonies, because they touch oftētimes but singulaire mens actions, or certaine contrayes & personnes, [Page] or els ar maid by reason of the tym; not onlie may they be changed, the circumstances being takin away, but some tym of necessitie man be changed, except men wilfullie wuld tyn all: of whilk things S. Aug. may be understād: for it is certaine he culd not vnderstand of mattres of faith, seing in his dayes there was but tw a general concels halden (except ye wil compt the cōcel halden by the Apostles at Ierusalem for one) the first of Nice, and the first of Constātinople, whilk with one cōsent ar estimed to be without errour, & so culd not receaue correction the an, frome the other. Thridlie it is to be notted that we vnderstand the only conclusions, whilk ar takin in the general cōcels, & not al things whilk ar dōne or said during the tyme the concels haldeth, as in disputes and conference; whilk things procedeth of men, and may [Page] therfore be conioyned with errour: and so can serue for na argument agains our sentence. Althoght the matter requireth an maire ample discourse (if our intention haid bein to expone this subiect at lenth) yet this may serue for the present.

But or I passe farther I wald pray yow not to mistak me in my former discourse (for I see many mistaken in the same matter) as if I wald thrust doune, and tread vnder foot, or diminish the authoritie of the holie scriptures, by hauing recourse to the kirk in seiking the true sence of thē: we acknawlege them baith in equall dignitie, veritie & certaintie, because they ar baith of the holie spirit, hauing their vertue and force of him, as the Ambassadour and Ambassede or cōmission of the King or prince wha sendeth them. The an derogateth no thing to the other: for if there be [Page] anie thing obscure in the cōmission, why may we not ask the Ambassadours iudgment without anie preiudice of his commission? or rather as appertining to him, why shal we not ask his iudgment? for the lettres often times ar verie schorte cōtining sommerlie the matter, who is maire ample declaration is referred to the Ambassadour, wha for that cause is sent with lettres of credit, he otherwayes not being necessaire, because the lettres might do all, except they might not authoriz them selfs.

The kirk is Gods Ambassadour sent to declaire his will, hauing the scriptures for lettres of commission and credet, & that in maist ample for me; as we haue schawen before: why shal not hir voice be hard before al others in declairing the true meaning of hir commission? shal I ask at anie other why shee was sent? The kirk & the [Page] scriptures ar twa lauful sisters of one father, none of thē suld be cassin out, Alterius sic poscit opēres & cōiurat amicè. Therefor Sanct Augustin sayeth, To. 7. con. Cresc. lib. 1 cap. 33. that we keip the veritie of the scriptures, when we do that whilk is approued by the hail kirk, whome we see so weal recōmended to ws by the authoritie of the same scriptures, as that whilk can not deceaue ws, because it is the holie writ. So without anie preference we proue the scriptures by the kirk, and by hir also the true sence of them, as the cōmission and the intelligence therof, is authorized by the Ambassadour.

IESVS CHRIST proued him self to be the true Messias promissed to the Iewes, and that by the prophetes and law: because all things war compleet in him, that war forespokin by them to be in the true Messias. The same was donne by the Apostles and [Page] is donne now euerie day agains the Iewes: yet it is not to be concluded that the prophetes and law ar preferred to our Lord. It is inough that the witnes be of sufficient credet and authoritie with the parties. If any man refuse this dignitie to the kirk, I wil pray him pardon me, if I say he doeth that whilk Satan desyreth maist: for he laboreth to tak away the three thing is whilk onlie doeth assure ws of our Maister & Lord IESVS CHRIST, to wit, the kirk, scriptures and miracles: whilk may be easelie seine: for the kirk being estimed à liar, & worthie of na credet, what can be thoght of the scriptures & miracles, whilk we knaw by the kirk only: but if the kirk be (as shee suld) of sufficient authoritie with al true chistiās, thois thinges can not be called in doubt. And why suld not hir deposition be hard, or rather hir iudgement [Page] receaued, in whatsomeuer mater of religion, as à thing appertining iustlie to hir, and whilk shee may better knaw then any other, by reason of the strait alliance betwixt hir head and spouse IESVS CHIRST and hir? Shal euerie man knaw the will of the Lord, and sense of his cō mandements, & his deare spouse onlie shalbe ignorant? Then in vaine heth he kissed hir with the kisse of Can. 1. 1. his mouth: in vaine heth he putte his left hand vnder hir head, and with his right hād in vaine heth he embraced hir. in vain heth he broght hir in 2. 6. his chalmers, if any man hes greatter priuiledge then shee; whilk must be, if euerie man suld tak that, whilk he think is good and true, and not that whilk the kirk thinketh & declareth good & true. And in very deed, neane of thes new factiouse sectes can haue credet till they haue persnaded their [Page] auditours that the spouse of our Lord is an vnworthy lear. O blasphemouse toungis, and foolish hearars, wha so rashlie geueth credet, to an thing of it self so incredible, & so pernisiouse when it is receaued. Christ cōmandeth ws to hear the kirk, Knox and Caluin forbeddeth ws, & wil, we follow only the scriptures, that is, theirs or out awin iudgement. Suld it be doubted to whom we suld here obey? I man on force receaue the iudge ordonat by the prince, and not to constitute my self, or anie other in that place, for that war à cryme of laesmaiestie, and worthie of à maist seuere punition to serue for exemple to other presumptiouse personnes.

Now if we suld preferre the kirk to the sctiptures (whilk we do not, althoght we preferre hir to priuat mens interpretation forged now of new, whilk when we contemne and [Page] reiect, they deceptfully alledge ws to misprise the scriptures) wha culd iustlie be offended with ws, seing shee is the spouse of our Lord & Maister, and the scriptures the cōtract of mariage betwixt them? wha doubteth but the spouse is to be preferred to the contract of mariage? Mairouer the scriptures at maid for the kirk, and not the kirk for the scriptures: The sabboth vvas maid for man, and not man for Marc. 2. 27 the sabboth, sayeth the Lord. And also the kirk was before the scriptures, and shalbe efter them. for the kirk triomphāt shal haue no neid of theis memories and directions, hauing the plenitude of al knawledge & veritie in the contēplation of him, in whom can be no ignorance, in cuius lumine videbimus lumen: satiabimur enim cùm apparuerit eius gloria. And last of al, our Maister & Lord died for the kirk, & not for the scriptures: the pryce suld [Page] mak the matter maire preciouse. Wherfor shee man haue some prerogatiue, seing shee laiketh nothing that the scriptures hes, and heth manie things whilk nowayes can be attribute to the scriptures? here I may say with S. Augustin Me piget eam To. de vnitate Eccles. cap. 10. (Ecclesiam) commendare Verbis meis, & haereticos non pudet eam oppugnare verbis suis. I am in paine to praise hir (to wit the kirk) by my Vvords: and heretiks ar not ashamed to assault hir vvith their vvords. But it may be asked seing it is so, to what end serueth the scriptures? suffer me to vse à familiare exemple to declaire, & expone à difficill and obscure matter: we see by daylie experiēce the blind (notwithstanding he haue à guyd, on whom he dependeth and in whome he trusteth) seek for à staff by moyen of his guyd, wherby he may be maire habill to follow him ouer high montaines [Page] and rockes, riuers and myres, saue him self frome stokes & stonnes in the way, & precepices or heughes besydes the way, & defend him self from bytting of dogges wher he shal passe. The kirk (wha not ans in the scriptures is cōpared to the moune, and to à body) of hir self blind, hauing the light and sight of hir sunne and head IESVS CHRIST, hes for hir guyd the holy spirit, by whois moyen shee hes the staff of the scriptures, wherby shee in following hit guyd & leader surmonteth maire easelie the high montaines of spiritual & supernatural difficulties, & rockes of naturall subtilities, passeth ouer the deape riuers of tribulation and persecution, and myres of vyce, saueth hir self frome stomling stockes and stonnes of this present lyf, and precipices of schisme and heresie, not standing to go the straght way for [Page] the sclandrous townges of the one or the other. This is donne to hald ws in exercice of al vertuouse humilitie and good actions: God doeth nothing without good and iust reason: Sed qui scrutator est maiestatis opprimetur à gloria. This staffe whilk our mother hes receaued of hir guyd suld nather be violentlie nor craftelie taken frome hir, to abuse or beat hir▪ it is good in hir hand, to whois vse it was prepared; It is violence and spoliation, if it be found any other wher: It appertineth onlie to hir and hirs: as geuen for hir seruice. Other men hes no part by iust tytle.

And to conclud this disput of perpetual veritie in the kirk (for that is my principal motiue to seak to the kirk) it can not be thought with good reason that God hes suffered his kirk & wealbeloued spouse, to whom he hes maid so many great & notable promises, [Page] geuen so high titils, and honored with the mariage & death of his onlie sonne, hes suffered (I say) his kirk to perish in hir chyldhead and first age, for laik to haue cōtinued in hir the lyf of vetitie, whilk hes beine lossed ay since the Apostles days, if we wil beleue some men. Shal we not rather think that God is merciful without repentence, and constant in his liberal promises; and that sic pestilent opinions ar inuented onlie by presumptiouse braines, who is vaine imaginations culd haue no place if the kirk keippeth hir authoritie, whilk they wald glaidlie ouerthraw to establesh and authoriz their nowelties, by the whilk, they wald haue ws beleue that God is à lear: For what is it other to cal & think God à lear, then to say that nather is it, nor can it be true, whilk he hes said and promist. S. Augustin disputane aganist [Page] the Donatists of the greatnes & amplitude of the kirk, maketh almaist the lyk conclusion. Quasi aliud sit prophetiam crimine falsitatis arguere, quàm de vnitate Ecclesiae c 9. Tom. 7. dicere quae pręnunciauit non posse cōpleri: hoc est enim dicere, non esse prophetiam, sed pseudoprophetiam. As if it vvar an other thing to accuse the prophecie of falshed then to say that, that vvhilk it haid forespoken culd not becompleit: for that vvar als metkel as to say that it vvar not à prophecie, but à fals prophecie, or lee.

Because I haue maid mention now sindry tymes of S. Augustin, & some other ancient writars, and wald be ouer prolixt, if I suld citte al the places whilk may be propre here, I will pray the learned reader tak the paines to see and read diligentlie S. Augustin de vtilitate credendi ad Honoratum, & de vnitate Ecclesiae contra Petiliani Donatistae epistolam. & Tertulian de praescriptionibus aduersus haereticos. [Page] to thir may be adioyned S. Cyprian de vnitate Ecclesiae, and Vincentius Lirinensis aduersus prophanas nouitates.

I knaw sindry wald be glaid to read theis buikes wha can not haue them; to who is iust desyr I wald willinglie satisfie, if I haid the moyen. In the mein tyme, if I shal gather out some proprieties, whilk the ancients hes notted in the true kirk, & pastours, and also fals kirk & fals pastours, no man iustlie can be offended.

1 Antiquitas. | 1 Nouitas.
2 Vnitas | 2 Schismata.
3 Consensus & concordia. | 3 Dissensio ac discordia.
4 Multitudo idē sentientiū | 4 Paucitas idem sentientiū
5 Amplitudo per orbē ter tatum. | 5 Angustia in angulis.
6 Maiorum reuerentia | 6 Maiorum, etiam suorum contemptus.
7 Majestas etiā regibus ipsis venetanda & culta. | 7 obscuritas, vicinis vix cognita, suis neglecta.
8 Pastorum succes [...]io. | 8 Sibisuccedere & in se desinere
9 Perpetuitas. | 9 Nupera origo.
10 Visibilitas | 10 Inuisibilitas.
11 Veriras. | 11 Error.
12 Constantia in eadem patr [...]mque doctrina. | 12 Inconstantia in sua patr [...]mque doctrina.
13 Firmitas contra omnes omni [...] hostium incursus | 13 Infirmitas, aeui breuitate cognita.
[Page] 14 In lia quae ad nominis Christiani propagatione pertinent, diligentia. | 14 In ijsdem vel propagandis inertia, l vel euertendis peruers [...] quis deijcit, non erigit.
15 Doctrinae vniuersalitas. | 15 Priliata opmio.
16 victoriae cōtra hostes heteticos & schismaticos. | 16 Infoelices, etiam contra fubs pugnae.
17 Authoritas secure audienda quia, sine errore. | 17 Nullum ad firmandos animos pondus, quia ag [...]osci [...]se errori obnoxiō.
18 Humanitas & modestia | 18 Superbia & iactantia plusqam Thrasonica.
19 Otdo & disciplina. | 19 [...] & f [...]ilis conuer satio.
20 Certa fides & minime dubia. | 20 Perpetua inquisitio cut verius fluctuatio.
21 Fidei regula Christianis Ecclesia, quia Dei tabernaculum in sole positum & vitis frugifera Domini manu plantata. | 21 Apud haeretidos sibi quisque regula est, quia in sen su suo latebtas quae [...], vi sarmēta inutilia à vite resectafacile agnoscas.

I haue put theis twa ranks the one opposite to the other, to know what the Ministers will approue, or improue in anie of them: as to ws, we firmly beleue that the qualities mentionat in the first appertineth to the true kirk onlie; and ar found in the Catholik, Apostolik Romaine kirk onlie; whilk we constantlie beleue to be the true & onlie kirk, because we find neine but hir, to whome sie [Page] notable promises hes beine maid; or in whome they haue beine accomplished, but in hir onlie. Wherfor if the Ministers wil haue ws to quyt the place where we ar, as being vnfytte for our saluation, because the qualities whilk we alledge ar not to be fond in hir, they man schaw ws an other wher we shal find them, seing they ar altogather necessaire to be found in the spouse of IESVS CHRIST: for otherwayes ather will they trauell in vaine, or we chenge lyk fooles, changing for an worse, and leuing à kirk, whilk (as we ar surelie persuaded) is sure & can not erre, to follow à cōpanie that they them selfs, wha inuiteth ws, assureth ws to be vnsure, affirming that it is subiect to errour in so far, that God him self can not keip it therfra, at leest hes not keiped it, not withstāding of his many fold promises. Doubtles whasoeuer persuadeth [Page] ws that the house, where he wald haue ws enter, is not sure: consequentlie persuadeth ws (by presenting ws the danger whilk may arryue) not to enter therein, except he be à fooll or think ws fooles. It shal not be needful here that the Ministers accuse or speek euill of any other man: but rather speek good of them selfs, prouyding they proue it weall, schawing that they haue the kirk Dominam & matrem gentium indued with the notable and excellent qualities required in the true kirk, and can not be found but amonge them, and theirs. It will not content ws (if we be cairefull, as we suld be, of our saluation) to say that our kirk is euil, they man proue that their awin is good. I say this because in place to proue themselfs to haue the kirk▪ they raill aganis the vyce of the Catholiks, as if our sinnes maid them à good right, or [Page] they them selfs war without sinne. Many hes left the Catholik kirk, & yet hes not followed them, but hes taken an other partie. Many also hes fled frome viciouse Catholiks, & hes entered amōges maire viciouse Protestants: for I hear of nein, as yet, wha ar become better men, for the leuing of ws, or being out of our kirk. I call their cōscience & our whol contray to be witnes. I am sure that Luther & Caluin first inuenters or renewers of this religion, acknawledgeth that the warld is becom worse since the comming of their new Euangell. I doubt not but they knaw what is Caluins opinion here anent seing the estimation they haue of him. Luther speeketh plainlie. Mumdus indies ex hac doctrina fit peior: homines vno antea, nunc septem diabolis obsidentu [...], diabolus nunc plena cohorte homines inuadit, vt sub clara Euangelij luce multò sint quàm [Page] antea sub Papatu auariores, astutiores, fraudulentiores, crudeliores, libidinosiores, procaciores ac peiores. The vvordle becommeth daylie more vvicked by this doctrine: before men vvar besieged by one deuill, novv they ar beseiged by seuen. The deuill novv doeth assaile men vvith an hail band of deuils, so that vnder the clear light of the Euangell men ar become meakel maire couuetous, maire craftie, maire deceptfull, maire cruell, maire lecherous, maire shamlesse and maire vvicked, then before vnder the Papistrie. An other of theis good brethrine sayeth almaist the same, Vt totus mundus agnoscat eos Smidelinus non esse Papistas, ne [...] bonis operibus quicquam fidere, illorum operum nullum exercent penitus; itiunij lo [...] comessationibus & perpota [...]ionibus nocte dieque vacant▪ vbi pauperibus benigne facere oportebat, eos deglutiunt & excoriant▪ precationes vertunt in iuramenta, blasphemias & diuini nominis execrationes, ádque tam perditè, [Page] vt Christus ne ab ipsis quidē Turcis hodie tantopere blasphemetur. Demū pro humilitate regnat passim superbia, fastus, elatio; atque hoc vniuersum vitae genus, ab illis Euangelicum dicitur institutum. That all the vvarld may knavv them not to be Papists, nor trust in good vvorks, they exercise none at al of theis vvorks, in place of fasting they imploy their tym night & day in extraordinaire eating and drinking. vvhere they suld haue behaued thē selfes liberallie and bountefullie tovvards the poore, they deuoore them, & as it vvar pluckes of the skinne of them: they change their prayers in oothes, blasphemies, and execrations of Gods name, and that so desperatlie, that Christ is not this day so greatlie blasphemed amonges the Toorkes them selfs. finallie in place of humilitie doeth regne throgh all, pryd, disdaine, presumption. and they cal al this sort and maner of lyf à trade euangelik. If thes men sayeth true, the matter is euill mended, [Page] and we haue lytill occasion to chāge. I may truely say that they haue maid our men worse, & hes not mended their awin. That we may say with Tertulian that stantibus ruinam non ia de proscriptionibus ad uersus haer. centibus eleuationem operantur. If true pastours shuld be knawen by their warks, I leue yow to iudge what shal be thoght of theis new Ecclesiastical order & new kirk where so few good fructes ar to be found by their awin confession. It is an euil breuing that is not good in the newing: I think the Ministers of Scotlād wald say als meikel of their flock, if they wald lay to their cōscience the hand, that they haue laid to so meikell kirk geare so wrangouslie. At this tyme I will say no mair, but (abyding their answer) pray God grant to ws al, for his infinite mercies cause, his trueth & grace that we may knaw his veritie & follow his command. And this meikell [Page] touching the first head, and reasons whilk moueth me to seek & cleame to the kirk and offer to acknawledge the Ministers, if they haue hir. now to the nixt article.

SI IN VIRIDO QUID IN ARIDO

§

§

[Page] THE house of God, that is, the kirk being found, I must adresse my self to them, wha hes the power & charge to lette me in; wha hes the keyes; wha may not onlie schaw me the infinite treasures of Gods goodnes towardes ws with his manyfold mercies and grace, but also will, and may by vertue of their charge mak me partaker thereof being impted in the tree of lyf by participation of the holie sacraments and knawledge of the true faith, & receauing of the same, that is, I must go to the true & lauful pastours and prelats, whome I man knaw, not by the execution of that charge (albeet that be also required) but by the power they haue receaued to execute sic à charge. For it is not à certaine and solide proofe, that anie man is à lauful magistrat, if [Page] it may beschawē that he heth geuen out sindry sentences and decreates; or that he heth caused execute sindly men to death (for thos thinges ar donne oftentymes by wrangouse & tyranicall vsurpairs) but the power he hes to pronunce and execute decreats, is required: otherwayes the fact suld mak the magistrat, and not the authoritie, whilk is contraire to al good reason; so I ask not now, wha taketh vpon them the offices & functions of pastours, but whahes that power, that is, wha hes the lauful power & mission, whilk is so necessaire in the pastours of the kirk, that althoght anie man suld haue the doctrine als pure as the A postles them selfs, with lyk knawledge; yet suld he not be receaued as à pastour, except he haue the vocation of them, wha heth the power to gif it him, nemo potest in aliū conferre quodipse non habet. I [Page] am assured that the Ministers wil not suffer within their iurisdiction anie man to start wp at his awin hand of his particulaire and priuat authority making assembles apart, althoght he suld preach the same doctrine, and administrat the sacramentes in the sam fashion grounded on the cōfession of faith, now receaued by the hail Ministerie of Scotland; whilk confession they force, or wald force al men to subscribe. The puritie of the doctrine wald not stope them to cōdemne him as à seditious schismatik seing he haid no authoritie, or (albeet he haid the authoritie) if he laiketh the vnity required in the kirk: for doubtles althoght he haid the vocation als lauful, as they can gifhim, yet because of his schisme, he suld be esteemed to haue iustlie lossed it, albeet in other things he keepeth the sam doctrine in al respeckes; for the [Page] nature of the schisme is sic, that as the diuision of anie member frome the body, bringeth certaine death & priuation of lyf (whilk can not be haid but in, and with the haill) so doeth schisme in the kirk, to him wha is devyded frome the kirk. The Donatists may serue for exemple, wha in the begining war but schismatiks, yet at last by there diuision did fall in corruption of doctrine and become heretikes; ewen as the member whilk is cut of, being depriued of the lyf (whilk it haid in the whol body) of necessitie at last man rote. Siclyk Lucifer bishope, before catholik, by his schisme did losse him self, althoght he did approue the concel of Nice in all poinctes; how detestable is the cryme of schisme before God, may easelie be iudged by Core Dathan & Abiron, who is punition was maire fearful and terrible, nor theis, wha [Page] maid & adored the golden calf, notwithstanding of their idolatrie.

But to retourne to our propos, it is altogether requised, that the true doctrine & lawful power be ioyned together in thes, wha wald cōmand and rule in the house of God: the law maketh ws al subiect & equal: the power and authoritie (whilk suld be geuen by him, wha hes it) maketh the distinction & difference betwixt ws, and geueth charge to an aboue the otheris: for what domination or cō mandement haid S. Peter S. Paul & the rest of the Apostles aboue the kirk of God, till they receaued that charge & authoritie of IESVS CHRIST him self, to whome appertined the souuetaine domination. for al being his, no man culd command except he haid receaued power & commission of him: Nor yet anie man obey to an other, onles he war assured of [Page] the commission. We see that Princes punisheth seuerelie, but iustlie and necessairlie, sic as tak on them to cō mand without charge: for of theis vsurpations (if they be suffered) commeth oppen rebellion againist the prince, oppression of the subiects, & wrak of the hail cōmoune wealth. Al is not donne at the first instant, piece & piece men proceideth baith in vertue and vyce, nemo reprenté fit turpissimus. there be certaine degrees to that high wark of plaine rebellion & outcasting of the lauful and souueraine magistrat: he wha maketh the first slope, gaueth the first blaw to his prince. Wherefor if the beginnar suld fill wp with his awen dead body the braich that he haid maid, he suld find few followers: the prince sparing the first inuiteth others, and at last is constrained to punish many, wha wald not, at the beginning punish [Page] one: Crudelis est humanitas, quae dum vni parcit, multos perdit.

In this general, I doubt not but the Ministers and I wil agree verie easely: For I see Beza one of their brethring auoueth that none suld cōmand, or denotis acclesiae haue charge in the house of God except sic as ar sent by God, whilk sending he wil haue rueled according to the order whilk God him self hes estableshed in his kirk, and thinketh it nowayes lauful to anie man to violat this order: yet that our Lord and Maister is not bound thereto, but may dispone on the house of his father as he thinketh best, notwithstading of this order; if in case confusion be entred in the place of order, that is, if the ordinaire vocation established by him self in the personnes of the Apostles & their successours, shal faill & inlaik (whilk, as we haue prouen before, can not be) for laick [Page] of true pastours; he may send extraordinairly and immediatly pastours to guyd rule and gowerne his house and feed his flock. I wil weal it be so (for namasuld or can deny that souerane power to IESVS CHRIST, althoht it be brought in here vpon an absurd supposition, if true pastours inlaik) prouyding there be no interruption in the gowernement of the kirk, that is, prouyding the kirk neuer want lauful pastours necessaire for the edification of Christs mystical body, whilk is but one, & can not suffer so euident cōuulsion: for by diuision it man be twa bodyes. whilk must be if the extraordinaire succed not incōtinent to the ordinaire, when he shall inlaik. For we haue schawen before that Christs kingdome man be perpetual: it must also be granted of necessity that the true kirk can no mait wat the lauful pastours, then she may [Page] want the trueth it self. For the true doctrine mā be in the true doctours & pastours or els it can not be haid in this warld. S. Paul ioyneth thes twa successions together, as things whilk can not be separat the one frome the other, to wit, the word, of whilk commeth faith, & the pastour wha is sent with charg to preach the word hovv Rom. 1014 shal they beleue in him of vvhō they haue not hard? & hov shal they hear vvithout àpreacher? but hovv shal they preach onles they be sent? we may see the band and connection whilk S. Paull maketh here, the faith be hearing of the word proceding frome the preacher or pastour, wha hes gotten lauful power being sent for that effect by him wha might send him. The first, to wit faith, pertineth to the succession of doctrine whilkwear oblist to beleue. The rest appertineth to the successiō of personnes: the faith commeth by [Page] hearing, whilk can not be without speeking (I mean ordinairly) & specking requireth à preacher, wha can not be lauful without mission. wherfor as the kirk militant is perpetuall (for God neuer wanteth his kirk) so hes shee perpetuallie true and lauful pastours to gowerne hir; because without them, there can be no kirk, seing that faith is requised, whilk cō meth by hearing, as said is.

Lat ws then speek of this vocation, seing it is so necessaire that without it the charge can not be weal donne. I demand therefor wha sent the Ministers to preach in the kirk of God? wha hes geuen them that power vpō the Christian people, to nurish the good and obedient by preaching, to punish & cut of the wicked & disobedient by excōmunication? I haue said alreddy (& it is true) that the law maketh ws al equal: the cōmission or power [Page] meketh the difference, in gauing authority to some to cōmand, others remaining within the compas of obedience to beleue and do as they ar teached and commanded.

This power and vocation, according de notis reclesiae & cpist. Theologic. 5. to Bezais distinction, is ather ordinaire or extraordinaire. The ordinaire lauful (sayeth he) consisteth in certain rules ordinat by God, whilk ar three: to wit Examination & tryal of doctrine & maners: Electiō maid by the kirk: And Impositiō of hands or ordinatiō. Lat ws apply thes three rules to the vocatiō of Knox, Caluin or Luther: for if it be not found lauful & iust in the first authour, in the rest it can not be better; Quod ab initio non valuit, tractu temporis conualescere non potest. The langar that vsurpation lesteth, the worse. Now to say that anie of them haid their calling of the Catholik & Romainekirk (as [Page] some do is say, when they ar pressed to schaw their halding) it is no thing to the propos; for the Ministers, to lat the warld vnderstand that they will not serue them selfs therewith, will haue al men refuse & abiure al right they may haue by the Paip and kirk of Rome: as may be seine in their confession of faith. And Caluin with the rest of the Ministers of Geneua wald not suffer the Bishopes of Troy and Neuers (wha leesing the Catholik kirk flaid to them) in any wayes to preach til they haid abiured al power receaued before, & taken of new their commission and authoritie of the Ministers, because in their opinion the former was not lauful. And in veritie the vocation comming of the kirk of Rome can serue them to no propos. For ather it was good or not: If it was good, doubles they haue lost it by their schisme and rebellion, [Page] seing they haue left the kirk, of whome they haid their vocation. The lyf can not be communicatted not extended to members separated from the whol body. No man gaueth power to be abandonatted, nor to arme men & rebelle agains him self, nor to be casse out of his a win place: Princes gaueth power to inferiour magistrats, but retineth ay ful power to them selfs, to discharge or punish all rebellious personnes whatsoeuer degree or preheminance they haue within the realme. the higher place the greater fal, & greuouser paines to follow therevpon. Potentes potenter tormēta patientur. If it was not good it was null of it self, of no valour in the gauer, & so nul in the receauer on force they man think so, if they wil abyd at the first principe of their religion, to wit, that the Paip is the great Antichrist: whilk ground if it war [Page] true (as it is maist false) it behoved their vocation to be null: for what cometh of the Antichrist (wha shalbe as it war Satans eldest sonne) must come of Satan: as whatsoeuer commeth of IESVS CHRIST commeth of God, because he is Gods eldest & onlie naturall sonne. Wherfore hauing no ordinaire calling of the Catholik Romaine kirk, it followeth that they haue neane at al. for if they haid anie of the Catholik kirk (as in deed som of them haid being priests) they lost it by their schisme, and can haue neane from any other, but from them selfs. And so I may say of him whasoeuer shalbe first amongs them, that whilk Optatus Mileuitanus sayeth of Victor first bishope of the Donatistes: Erat ibi filius sine patre, tyro sine principe, discipulus sine magistro, sequens sine antecedente, inquilinus sine domo, hospes sine hospitio, pastor sine grege. [Page] Episcopus sine populo. Ther vvas there à sonne vvithout à father, à nevv souldier vvithout à cōmander or ruler, à disciple vithout à maister, à follovver vvithout any to go before, à tenant vvithout an house, an hoste vvithout à lodging, à pastour vvithout à flocke, à Bishope vvithout à people. For the three cōditions required by Beza in à lauful pastour & ordinair calling can not be found in any of them, if they be cōsidered out of the Catholik Romaine kirk. Lat wstak anie of them, whatsoeuer he be, and we shal see it to be so: For as to the examination & tryal of doctrine, wha culd exame him, seing he haid no man aboue him, nor of higher power. And farther that proue culd not be maid vpon the first, seing he was the finderout of the doctrine, he preached: wherfor it was vnknawē to others, so they culd not exame him there vpon. sure I am that they [Page] wil not ascribe this examination to the people seing the people suld be teached and examinated, not teach and examine: but of this schortlie at maire lenth. As to the maners, I find not that a nie of them war angels, nather any of thes wha hes followed efter them, I say no farther, I excuse not the faults & vyce of the cleargie; Iudas might tyn the Apostolat, he culd not defyl it, meekel lesse tak it away or mak it inutile in others.

The second is the libre & free election of the persone examinat, maid with cōsent & knawledge of the kirk where he fuld exercice that charge & function. This can not be found in the first and ring leaders of this new kirk: for what kirk culd choise them seing they war before their kirk: for they wha leued in thos dayes knew no sie doctrine, nor doctours; and swa nather culd exame the doctrine [Page] nor elect the personnes, whois opinions war so new at that tyme, that they war not yet hard of.

But ye will say that their doctrine was maist ancient of it self, althoght not knawē so publikly. I answer that it can not be ancient nor auld whilk cōtinueth not fromethe begining; for that whilk dieth als son as it is borne, mereth not the name of auld aage, quod nascens moritur, senectutis nomen non meretur. ye may weal say it is lang since it hes beine (if perchance it hes beine manie yeares before our aage) but it is not lang since it is. for being doeth include cōtinuation of à thing, whilk they acknawledge not to be in their doctrine, at leest publiklie and knawen to the warld. but that whilk is cōfirmed with one simple word, may sufficientlie be refurted with an other. it was, it was not.

The thrid qualitie to wit Imposition [Page] of hands (whilk Caluin acknawledgeth Inst. lib. 4. cap. 14. sect. 20. & cap. 19 sect. 28. & 31. for à sacrament) shalbe lesse found in them: for who culd consecrat or ordaine them pastours by imposition of hands, & geue them power to command and rule the kirk of God, seing they war the first them selfis? There culd be neene before them, the ordinair succession (as they Caluin in the preface of hs instit. and Beza epist. theologic. 5. alledge) being altogather perished & lost. Mairouer it is to be considerat that in our contray the imposition of hands hes beine admitted within thes sex yeares onlie, to wit, the year of God 1598. and that not without great difficultie and contention, and contraire to the opinion of sindry of the ministerie: where I wald glaidlie knaw of whom they receaued imposition of hands, wha that yeare begane to impone the hands to others. As to the foolish concept of thes that thinketh the commoune people to [Page] haue that power, they ar maire worthy of punition exemplaire as trompettes of sedition subiecting al sort of magistrats to à populair temerity and rage, then worthie of credet or answer as honest & reasonable men. out of thes factious boutiques agans the authoritie of lauful Princes and their heritable right ar come Franco-Gallia, Vindiciae contra tyrannos, the pestilent pāphelet de iure regni apud Scotos, the first blast of the trompette, & other sic lyk vnhappie libelles verie cutthrottes of al Princes, that haith good and lauful right to any realme: because sic iurisdictions ar, as it war, à strang and mightie brydle to conteene within the compas of reasonal seditious and ambitious spirits, of whilks our aage (to our great regrat) hes bein ouer plentiful & abondant, somtym vnder one colour sometym vnder an other. Lykwayes we haue[Page]haid agains the Ecclesiastical order within thes 100. yeares, good store of thes beasie writters, & amōgist other we haue found some lytil touch in assertionibus theologicis, aut veriùs, negationibusassertione 2cacologicis cuiusdam Britanno-Scoti, qui inconditae plebi ordinationem Ecclesiasticam (licet in eo parùm sibi constet) committit. The Ministers (if I be not deceaued) wil not authoriz thes toyes, yea no mair then Beza doeth approue Ramus dreames in religion. Wherefor I will not enter farther therein, but wil retourn to thes wha so vnreuerantlie doeth traict their princes, as he does prelats. Thes men thē must suffer me to say that the subiect wha wil haue no superiour sauīg sic as he finds good & to his gust, or sic as he may change when he list, suld feare to find the gibbet to his superiour or hell to his habitacle, non other place iustlie resting for him wha [Page] will not content him self with his awen place, that is, whilk he is borne to, or whilk his Prince of his proper motiue avanceth him to. shal the cō tentement or miscontentemēt of the vnconstant multitude, or of anie factious and seditious head be à rule in so great and weghtie à matter? shall sic foolish braines be the square of al good and lauful governement? Thir maximes set doune to allure the people, ar to destroy baith the people & Princes, and commeth of them, who beyond their merite looketh for avā cement to honours, to the whilks otherwayes they culd not atteine; so whill they aspire thereto, they conspyre agains their Prince and Maister. Certainelie as the inferiour magistrat is answerable to his Prince not to his inferiour, so the Prince is answerable to God, and not to his subiect. Otherwayes how often [Page] soeuer thir trōpettes of sedition suld blaw, we suld be als often in pain of Prince and commoune wealth, & in place of one pretended tyranne, we suld haue ten thowsand, wha iustlie might be called tyrannes. Thir fyrbrands doeth rail & cry out agans the lauful Princes, to put in that place many tribunes of the people, in hope to haue their part, as others, wha iniustlie ar entred there. for why may they not say with the naghrie woman, nec mihi nec tibi, sed diuidatur, seing they 3. Reg. 3. 26 haue no iust part therin? But the iust possessour can not approue so pernisious à diuision. If we laiketh exemples of our awin, ther might be foūd out ouermanie in other realmes. But by what right (I pray yow) shal the seditious subiect (for na other wil vsurpe that place) be aboue his laufull Prince, to sit as iudge on his estait, lyf, & honour? Who is amonges ws that [Page] wald willinglie suffer to be cōmanded (what sal I say iudged?) by his awē seruant, by whome he war ignominiously accused? It is not lauful to the partie to sit as iudge, nor to be witnes in à priuat mans cause: what shall it be then in Princes? We laugh and iest when we see anie priuat man that thinketh him self monarche of the haill warld, as being sicke of à pleasant imagination and phantasie, without any mans hourt or dommage. But it is na sport nor bourd to see the furious multitude mel it self with the estait, lyf, & honour of their Prince, where many thowsands ar oppressed vnder colour of the comoune wealth and libertie, whilks doubtles ar lost whē they fall in the hands of the multitude. If the Prince wald force ws to do anie thing agains God and good reason, we suld arme our selfis with patience, and not with rebellion, that [Page] is, we suld follow Gods command; & if the Prince wald be so rigourous as to punish ws therefore, we, to the exē ple of the A postles & primitiue kirk suffer it, and not to tak armes against him: In patientia vestra possidebitis animas Luc. 21 19. vestras. In your patience yovv shall possesse your saulles, sayeth our Lord. what good Christian wald not rather choise to be for the trueth à martyre before God, then as à traittour for rebellion execute by men? we may without danger of conscience suffer à wrang, but not do à wrang without danger of cōscience: It is but by M. Fox new martyrologe that men become martyres for heresie and rebellion. In the kirk that honour is gifin only to them, wha dieth for the trueth (as in the primitiue kirk) without any spot of rebelliō: causa martyrē facit, non poena. I wil pas thes opinions be cause they require à maire scharpe [Page] maner of refutatiō, seing they bring with thē so many heapes of miseries, if they be not spedelie smored in the beginning. For to lay asyd the commoune & publik calamities, wherein no man can be in suretie, often tyms choising à new, King we losse an auld kingdom. But to retourn to our propos: this ordinatiō of pastoures culd not com of the people, because at the beginning of this new religion al the people was Catholik, & knew no sic doctrine nor doctours, & so culd not mak thē pastors wha war first actors of this tragedie. Mairouer Beza in his Epst. theolog. 83. epistles seimeth nowayes to approue this populaire forme of gowernemēt in the kirk. Wherefore seing the first Ministers nather haid Examination, Election nor Ordination, or Imposition of hands, it may be easelie concluded, that they haid no lauful ordinaire calling, and so culd not gif any [Page] true vocation or calling to others, because they haid it not them selfis.

Lat ws go forward. the Catholik kirk (say they) hes tynt the ordinaire vocation, and they haue found the extraordinaire. We haue tynt one thing, and they haue found an other; it is iustly reancōtered with our tinsal. But seing they haue not found our gear, we can pretend no right therto: so as we pretend no right to their extraordinaire calling, they can pretēd no tytill to our ordinaire, as said is.

They ar called and sent extraordinairly (say they) to gowern the kirk of God: if their vocation be extraordinair it passeth the boūds of the order Apostolik: For how can it be Apostolik without continuation since the Apostles, not hauing beginning nor authoritie of their vocation. If the race and succession of the Apostles be lossed, why waunt they them [Page] selfis to follow the Apostles? at leest they follow them not in their vocation, and therefore: the tytils and euidents of the Apostles can serue them for no thing. They must schaw their new halding, seing the ancient tytles ar expyred and rune out; if there resteth no man hauing the right of the Apostles the, Ministers can not haue it. We must see their new charters passed vnder the great seel of IESVS CHRIST marcked with miracles wroght by the holy spirit: if they can schaw anie sic thing, it will put them out of trouble, and ws out of doubt, and tak away al schadow of excuse, whilk otherwayes we might iustlie pretend for our disobèdience.

But in good conscience may we credet them, wha with their simple word wald mak ws beleue that the ancient successiō of the Apostles is perished? Shal I not think (if that be true) that [Page] the tribe of Leui was mair deare to God, then the spiritual posteritie of the Apostles, yea then the posteritie of IESVS CHRIST him self, out of who is seedes mouth, the veritie suld Isa. 59. 21. neuer depart. shal it serue for nothing that that wynzard was planted with our Maisters awin hand, boght with his death, nurished by his Apostles, watred with their blood, & with the blood of so manie thowsand martyrs, keeped by the assistence of the holie spirit, in the learned and Godlie fathers, & in their posteritie? Shal the order of Aaron be so far preferred to the order of Melchisedech? the body to the spirit, the figure to the veritie, and man to God? Shal the ministers haue the honour to haue restored the kirk, whilk the holie spirit by his negligence haid tynt? their onlie hand hes haldē our Lord in his right: Weal, geuing and not granting that [Page] our Maister haid tynt his inheritance in this warld for à tyme throgh negligēce of his officers, or rather by their malice & knaverie: he hes cast them out: he hes placed in their place and charge others, more worthie. Yet or I see their letters of cōmission, I wald glaidlie knaw why they war geuen: for it culd not be à light cause whilk moued God to geue à new charge. They wil say, perchance, to reforme the kirk, & tak away the manifold abuses that war baith in the doctrine and maners. A iust reason truelie & à charge worthie of eternal memorie and thankes, and maist necessaire (if it be true) to be put in execution, for the publik good, saluation of many sauls and (whilk is the principal) for Gods glorie, and he to be praised & loued wha doeth his duety in the execution of the same: But with what sinceritie and Godlie dealling it hes [Page] bein fulfilled and accomplished, the miserable estait of our contray may beire witnes: where many hes learned the science of Adam and Eua in eating of the forbidden tree, knawing the good they haue lost & euill they haue found. and I fear that thes new pastours hes vsed als litill discretion in gowerning mens sauls as policie in doune casting the material kirks.

Jntempestiuas sed supprime Musa querelas.

Put the case that they war sent to reform the kirk in doctrine & maners. Thes heauinly medicins then fand, à seik persone before thē, but not dead, to procure whais health they war sent. why haue they rent this body in peaces, & maid wp so many others, so different & contrarious euery one to an other, lyk the Cadmeiā brethrin▪ This agrees not with their letter patent, if they haue any: they suld not [Page] haue passed the boundes of their legation. If they war sent to reforme the kirk, according to my iudgemēt (I dar not be bald to pronunce anie farther for feare of offence) they suld haue remained in the kirk (fugiendo non curantur aegri, sed medendo) and by vertue of their commission taken away the causes of hir seeknes and deformities. he wha gaue thē the charg wald haue giuen them the strenth, qui dat velle, dabit & perficere: he wald not haue left them in so notable & good interprise; they culd not haue laicked moyen nor wisdom hauing so mightie à maister. If they feared the pest, or rather the iust punition, I excuse their flight, yet can not praise them, that they choised rather to seall their doctrine with other mens blood nor with their awin. But to passe this extraordinaire stoutnes (whilk hes moned them to ryf the kirk in peeces by [Page] so many sindrie sectes, rather then to suffer martyrdome them selfis and so passe to heauin) why did they by their cōmission? they discharged not them selfis in making an other kirk. To mak à kirk, and reforme or heall à kirk ar diuers things. They must acknawledge à double fault, whilk they haue cōmitted, the an in not doing that whilk they war cōmanded, whilk was in reforming the kirk; the other in doing of that whilk they war not commanded, in bulding à kirk. If there was no kirk at all, when they come, their commission was in vaine & serued for nothing: they suld haue passed bak & taken an other, to mak wp & buld of new à kirk, and not to reform that whilk was not: for reformation presupponeth à subiect and matter laicking something necessair to the perfection: so their procuration (if there was no kirk) was nul of [Page] it self, and can nather serue them nor their successours for anie warrand of this wark, they haue taken in hand, how beutiful & glorious à name soeuer they giue it.

Aspiciunt oculis superi mortalia iustis. Think ye it reasonable, that any man suld tak on him to cast doune the house, whilk IESVS CHRIST him self heth builded, because it semeth to his vaine imagination to haue many deformities & vncomlinesses, & build wp an other at his fantasie, alledging that the Lord heth sent him? I can not beleue that any man can be à better painter or maisson then God, wha said tota pulchra es amica mea, & macula Can. 4. 7. Matt. 16. 18. non estinte, & wha builded his kirk vpō à rock. weal I knaw that it is Gods wil that his house stand to the end of the warld. But lat this be an errour of the secretaire, wha suld haue written formation of à kirk, or the fault of [Page] the messenger, wha spak ouerlowlie in our first cōmissioners eare, where by, one word was taken for an other. But whidder it suld be Formation, Reformation or Deformation, for the present I stand not, provyding the cōmission of this extraordinaire calling be good. They war sent (say they) by God extraordinairlie. I desyr they proue that: for simple and proueles saying, in mattres of sa great consequence (as where it is question of eternal lyf and death) can not be receaued, except by them, wha wald hazard their part of paradise on à simple word, we must see the cōmission alledged, if it be good and haue the best & assured mark, that it may serue ws for our warrand, when we shalbe called to rendre compt of our mailles & dueties in cōmanding or obeying. It is als dangerous to beleue euery ma, as to beleue no man. I see the Ministers [Page] hes dispossessed thois, wha war pastours by iust successiō (as hauing receaued that charge frome hand to hand since the Apostles) and hes placed them selfis in their roome desyring or rather cōmanding ws to acknawledge them as true pastours, follow Knox appel lation 2. and obey them, geuing our sauls & cōscience to be nurished by them in trueth & pietic, of the whilk they haue the distribution delyuered to them by God him self, as they alledge. Truelie seing that no man, no not of their maist zelous brethring will gif them à thowsand pound on their word without good & sufficient caution, suld we not be great fooles to giue them our saulles not asking of them any sufficiēt warrand but their word? The matter is so weaghtie that they can not iustlie be offended with ws, if we desyre to be assured that we shal haue no tinsal in beleuing them. [Page] Lat ws see the great seall and mark of this extraordinair calling, that is miracles and winderful warks aboue nature, whereby we may knaw that it is God wha sent them, and that it is his wil we receaue them with due reuerence and obedience. I knaw they wil answer me here, that they ar not oblist to bring miracles, seing they teach no new doctrin. I pray al good & Godlie Christians consider if this be à propre answer & to the propos: For first they tak that for à proofe, whilk is in controuersie betwixt the parties, as is ouer euidentlie knawen: for we say (as we shal be hable to proue by them selfis) that the doctrine they teach now is new, at leest in many heades of controuersies, Secondlie the propheres, wha broght miracles, broght no new doctrine, other wayes they culd not haue bein receaued, the law being so formell agains them. [Page] Thridlie it man be new to ws, seing that nather we, nor anie of our forefathers before Knox euer hard of it in our contray. Last of all, we seak miracles for their alledged extraordinair & marveilous calling, & not for their doctrine, whilk can not be true, seing it is so new, the veritic being so auld. Our Maister & Lord cōmandeth ws in matters of religion to obey his kirk: and obey & acknawledge none other. Why shal we now heare the Ministers without anie assurence of their charge and commission, ather ordinaire or extraordinaire? If anie man wald ask of the subiectes of à noble man (wha war out of the contray) the mailles & dueties, alledging he haid commission of their maister: Wald they not iustlie answer, that their maister before his parting out of the contray, haid put order to all his affaires giuing charge to certaine [Page] men whome he haid choisen for that effect and maid officers ouer his haill lands with ful power to sete and raise, tak wp dueties and mailles, giue quittances▪ fence and hald courtes, and al other things necessaire, with expresse cōmand to acknawledge none other till his retourning: wherefore if he haid any cōmission frome their maister, it behoved to be cōmunicat and sein, yea assuredlie knawen to be valable & sufficient? Certainlie it wald not serue nor moue them (if they war weil aduysed) to say that theis things, whilk he requireth war due & awing to their maister, & that he asketh no thing, to whilk they war not oblished: Nor yet to say that the officers haid neglecked their duetie baith in waisting their maisters gear and misgoverning his house, & also in oppressing his subiectes. wald they not answer, that they war sorie for sic mens [Page] misbehauiour, yet because their maister haid gauen them charge to obey onlie theis officers, whome he haid estableshed, they culd not passe the boūds of their maisters cōmand; and therfor wald on na way acknawledge him, wha schew no cōmission, nor power of their maister? Shall poore men be maire wyse and circū spect in à bol of meal or 40. shillings, then I in my saul? Shal they seak for good warrād in paying of their dueties, and I shal gife my saul to the first that craueth it? It shall not be neadfull to tel me here, what I aw to my maister, what I suld beleue, what reuerence I suld beare to the scriptures and pastoures of the kirk. I beleue that maire is true, then anie man can telle: I ask onlie wherefra commeth thes extraordinaire officers, and what power they haue? I wald pray them to cleare me of this subiect. For in [Page] matters of faith, the authoritie maketh all, whilk can receaue non other warrand, but God him self, or else sic as ar sufficiently authorized by him. They wil say that sindrie of the prophetes cōme without miracles, and therefor it can not be iustly asked of them, whilk hes not bein asked of others before them, cōming with lyk calling. I answer, that à great part of the Prophetes broght miracles with them to confirme, their sending, and principally, when their vocation was, or might be called in doubt. Wherefor Moses schew miracles not onlie in the beginning, when he was first receaued, but also againes Core Dathan and Abiron. Elias againes the prophetes of Bael in burning the sacrifice vpon the Alter before the people. And to passe vnder silence al other, IESVS CHRIST acknawledgeth the miracles to be necessaire. If [Page] I (sayeth he) haid not come and donne vvorks amonges them, that no other man 10. 15. 24. hathe donne, they haid not haid sinne. But novv they baith haue sinne, and haue hated baith me and my father. To Sanct Iohn the Baptist asking by two of his disciples, if it was he wha was to come, he answereth, the blind see, the Matt. 11. 5. crippel vvalk, the lepers ar maid cleane, the Luc. 7. 19. deafe heere, the dead ryse againe, to the poore the Euangelle is preached. Mairouer the prophetes, wha war sent extraordinairelie neuer intermedleth them selfis with the office of preasthaed and pastours (except they war of the Trib of Leui) nor euer pat them out of their place. We neuer hard that any, because he was sent extraordinairlie, tuik the place of the high preast: or tuik the Ephod, or censeur out of the preasts hands: For the sacrifice was ay continued by the preastes & by none other. So that the ancient [Page] prophetes howsoeuer they was called extraordinairlie (as said is) did neuer pretend thereby any charge in the sacrifice as appertening to the priestes only. For the prophetes com as à new succour & helpe sent by God to fortifie and confort the ordinaire officers, to waken them wp from negligence, to aduertish them of their duetie, to love honour & serue their God wprightlie. Lykwayes to admonish the Prince and people of their office, reproche them their faultes & sinnes, with threatnings of punition and vengence therevpon to follow, except they did preuent the wrath of God with speidy repentēce. In whilk charges miracles war not verie necessaire, seing they demanded but amedement of mens lyfes, and Godis seruice to be donne, by sic as haid the charge, not melling therewith, notwithstanding of their extraordinaire [Page] sending by God him self. Euen as if à Prince or noble man absent wald gif charge to anie man by mouth, to aduertish his seruantes and subiectes to be maire diligent in their office and duerie, schawing them wherein their maister war offended, and what punition he haid deliberat to tak of sic as he fand culpable & giltie; it suld not be necessaire therefor to bring his maisters great sealle. But if he wald enter to go werne and ruelle, he wald not be receaued vpō his simple word. Mairouer, althoght there be no mention in the scriptures of the miracles of sindrie Prophetes, yet it is not to be concluded that they did no miracles: yea their prophecies war sufficient warrands for their mission, they being, as it war, the ordinaire postes and messengers in thos dayes betwix God and his people, to whom Gods will was to be schawen according [Page] to the peoples behauiour and new occurrantes. It can not be schawen where that anie prophete is com to execute anie great interprise without miracles, ather presente, precedent, or subsequent. In S. Iohn the Baptist there be manie things verie miraculous, his mothers aage, his fathers domnes before his conception▪ and speach restored at his birth, his education commanded by the angel, his lyf; and last of all the testimonie of IESVS CHRIST maire then all miracles, seing he was the authour of all miracles, whilk at that tyme for iust reason he haid keiped to him self: whereby he might be knawen frome others. Now there come neuer anie prophete for so weaghtie à matter as this, for whilk, they say, that they ar come, to wit, to restore the spouse to IESVS CHRIST, the body to the head, to mak à new flock to that heauinlie [Page] Pastour, to restore him to his auld & ancient heritage, to buld wp the eternal house of God, to destroy the regne of Satā: to bring new light to the warld, to tak mankynd out of the throt, as it war, of the deuill: to publish the verity so lang vnknawē: to schaw the kirk so lang vnseen and inuisible And to be schort, to do that wherefore our Maister and Lord of his infinite goodnes come in earth, and tuik vpon him our mortall nature, and therein suffered death and passion, that is, to mak wsimmortals, and of sonnes of man, whilk we war, to mak wssonnes of God, to be partakers with him of the eternal inheritance, hauing nurished and broght ws wp in his a win house, the whilk to governe if Luther, Caluin or Knox pretēdes any right by new extraordinaire charge, is it not maist reasonable that they schaw an authentique [Page] commission? Suld not the great seall be here imployed? Elias for lesse cause maid the fyr come out of heauin. If à simple alledgence of reformation be à sufficient varrand, we shall haue in continent good store of reformers and extraordinaire pastours to correct, or rather to corrupt, the harl warld. The Anabaptistes and Libertines with manie other siclyk pernisious pestes suld schortlie occupie all places: For their word is als good as the others is, in matters of religion, if the word be inonch, & the saying à sufficient proofe. But if there be anie other thing requisit to haue and procure credet, whateuer is necessair in one is necessaire in all, seing there can be no authoritie and power but in the ordinaire: because it onlie was sufficientlie authorized by IESVS CHRIST, and executed by his Apostles (wha receaued it immediatlie of [Page] their Maister) and by their successors to our dayes. Otherwayes the extraordinaire must haue als good and solid proofe as the ordinaire. If it be sufficient to say that it was Gods will and pleasour, that sie men suld tak that wark of governement and reformation on hand, when they cotre the place, we shal ather answer or agree thereto. But IESVS CHRIST will disavow sick extraordinaire reformers. The Prophetes prophecie lees in my Ierem 14. 14. name. I have not sent them, nather did I command them: nather spak I vnto them: but they prophecie vnto youu à fals vision and diuination and vanitie and deceatfulnes of their avvne hart. Let them schaw (if they haue aniecharge) the expresse and particulaire command they haue of God to com: for the general and ancient commandement without doubt appertineth to the ordinaire officers of the house, [Page] who is cōmission is of lang tym both confirmed and acknawledged: Noueltie suld be suspect to al men seing, as said is, the veritie is so auld.

Some answereth that it is à great miracle and sufficient to proue Gods wil and pleasour, that in so schort à tyme they haue drawen so manie to them frome the kirk of Rome. If that war à sufficient reason and great miracle; then suld Mahomet & Arrius be holie men sent by God, & his weal beloued; for certaine it is that the impietie of Mahomet, or heresie of Arrius was maire myghtie then al thos, wha hes separat them selfis in thir lait dayes frome the Catholique Romaine kirk: yet I am assured that no man of iudgement wil think that Mahomet, or Arrius did miracles by their seduction, or that sic revoltes war sufficiēt to proue them to be sent by God with new cōmission. Therefore [Page] althoght Luther, Caluin, Knox and their successours haid brangled the hail warld (as they haue not done and the Antechrist wil do) with their authoritie and doctrine, it followeth not that it is à work approued by God and his extraordinaire sending: For albeet it be contraire to al ordinaire course it suld not be cōcluded, that it is good & procedeth frome à power extraordinaire geuen by God: For we fee manie extraordinair actions, and punished extraordinairelie, as things donne with violence and contraire to all good order. I can not beleue that the Ministers them selfis wald now receaue any man wha wald com with an extraordinaire calling to reforme them, notwithstand of their schort possession: wherein there be manie thinges thoght (even by some of them selfis) worthie of à good reformatiō. I doubt not but they wald [Page] alledge their order alreddie receaued, confirmed and estableshed. And in case he wald not desist, I am assured, they wald imploy the force of their excommunication and actes of parliament, as à souueraine remeed agans al rebellious personnes. If it was lauful to à few vnquyet spirites to ryse agains the hail Catholique kirk being in possession 1500. yeares estableshed, why shal it not be laufull to ryse againist à few new in come? might it not be iustlie said here Patere legem quam ipse tuleris? The iuriscō sult sayeth weal, quod quisque iuris in alterum statuit, ipse eodem iure vti debet. Shall it be permitted to them to do what they list againes whome they pleese in what matter & maner they will, and shalbe lauful to no man to gainsay them. O duram aliorum sortem ne dicam seruitutem. They wil alledge perchance the scripturs for their warrand [Page] and that they teach the veritie contined therein. I answer, that euerie heretik sayeth the lik, and that al our dispute, for the present, is of their power and calling: & that it is an other debate betwixt ws & them touching the scriptures and veritie. as we haue said before. we grant the scriptures and the veritie suld be receaued and imbrassed, and all good reason do teach ws that there suld be pastoures; but they giue ws no assurance yea no appeerance that Luther, Caluin or Knox, or anie of their successours, can be thes true pastours, but rather the contraire, as we haue prouen. Wald they then thus argument? I haue the bible, I say the trueth, I am then à true and lauful pastour & doctour of Godis kirk? I vnderstand not this cōsequent, except they wald say that all (be they men, we men or childring, learned or ignorant) wha [Page] heth the bible & sayeth the verity at true and lauful pastours, that is, haue lauful power and authoritie in the kirk of God to preache, teache, & admistrat the sacramētes, bind & loufe tak in and put out, excommunicate and absolue, whilk I am assured, they wil not say. What wald be thought of me, if I suld argument thus? I haue the actes of parliamēt, I say no thing but according to the kinges M. lawis and ordinances, therefor I am à schiref or lieutenent for his Maiestie: that is, I haue power to admistrat iustice, condemne and absolue, head & hang, banish and cal bak &c. perchance this vaine imagination wald be tolerat and laughen at in me, as oftentymes sic phrenetik spirites serueth for other mens recreation: but if therevpon I suld tak anie man wha haid committed à murther & (keepping the ordinaire forme of iustice [Page] in all other things, except in the power whilk I haid not) suld call in 15. or 20: honest men on his syes and by them, for the slaughter weal verifier, and confessed, condemne him in the mouth of the dempster, and execute him by the hangman, wald it be à sufficiēt warrand for me to schaw the actes of parliament or lawes of the contry and perpetuall practise in lyk thinges? It wald not be asked of me what the law ordaineth, but what power and authoritie I haid to tak that man, call in à syes on him, cōdemne and execute him: my cōmission wald be soght, and not the law. Yea for laick of à lawful commission I suld be found not onlie à manslayer with Syes, Dempster & Hangman (whom I haid drawen in that cry me with me) but also an vsurper of the King is authoritie, without his knawledge or wil, so I & all my adherentes suld be [Page] found in that action mair giltie and to haue offēded the Prince mair greavouslie then the murtherer, whome I haid execut: For besyd the slaughter, in my action suld be found vsurpation, oppression and cōiunction of so manie persones therin, whilk suld augment my cryme: For as in good thinges the maire the better, so in evil thinges the maire the worse. Lykwayes we ask not at the ministers, if ther suld be any lauful pastoures wha suld preach, teach, administrat the sacramentes, exhort to vertue, reproue vyce, cut off rotten and rebellious membres: we knaw theis things may and suld be donne by them wha heth the lauful power: But we demand wha geaue them that power to exercise theis charges & offices to enioye that priuiledge? Shal not the vsurper here be in greatter danger, as the matter is greatter? Or shal kinges and Princes, [Page] nobles and gentilmen, conmoune wealthes and brughes, priuat & simple men haue order and discipline, whereby some command and others obey without confusion, & God shal haue neene in his house? In the kirk shalbe no thing, but disorder troble and discorde? that it may be said of hir, whilk the poëte sayeth of the sea waves;

Nescit cui domino pareat vnda maris. If everie man wil command (whilk man be if the bible may mak à pastour) wha shal not command? only they surely wha wanteth ather moyen or wil to haue à bible. It is permitted to everie man to schaw the law and trueth to any man: yea it is à wark of charity, to teach the ignorāt, principally in matters of saluatiō: but to tak on him the power & iurisdiction to cōmand aboue others as being à pastour or magistrat; not hauing charg [Page] of them, wha hath that power, nunquā licuit, nunquám (que) licebit. it was not, is not, nor euer shalbe lauful, The kirk is as Castrorum acies ordinata: Not lyk to the Chaos of poëtes where Frigida pugnabant calidis, humētia siccis, Mollia cum duris, sine pondere habentia pondus.

Sic cōfusions aggrees not with Gods infinit wisdome, quae attingit à fine vsque ad finem fortiter, & disponit omnia suauiter. The qualities that S. Paul requireth in à Bishope, shaweth how cairful God is to haue his house weal governed. Men wil not suffer everie man to medle with the keeping of their beestes. I think not that God heth lesse regard to his kirk. It may be that they say that there was na pastours in the kirk, when theis new Euangelistes come, seing they wha war in possession had tynt their right, because they haid not donne their duetie: [Page] and therefor the ministers quasi in vacuum venerunt, did occupie à place vacant. Althoght it be à thing verie hard tobe beleeved, yea altogether not to be beleeved, that God cōtraire to his promise heth so abandonat his awen inheritance, that he heth no man, wha with lauful authority did his duetie, or might giue power to others to governe our Saluiors house, yet I wil passe it at this tyme. I tak onlie that pastoures hoth not tynt their place by reason of non entry, in whilk case it behoveth them to haue recourse to their maister, all retourning bak agane to him. If they haue failled because they haue neglegentlie and vnproperlie donne their office, as the cryme was personal, so suld the paine & punitiō be personal: seing in felonies the haires or successoures be not persewed for the cryme of their predecessoures, except they [Page] be found socij criminis, or else that their predecessours haue commetted laes-maiestie. Now seing the successour is nowayes debarred for commoune cryme cōmitted by his predecessours: resteth the cryme of laes-maiestie, by rebellion or treason agains the Princes personne or estait, consel taken with the enimie, aspyring to the croune, or other sic poinctes as theis. Now giuing & not granting (for the Ministers can neuer be hable to proue sic thinges, as we haue schawen before) that the pastoures of the Catholique kirk haith tynte their place by one of theis crymes: what syn? Followeth it that the ministers heth the iust title? Quo iure? By publique authoritie and forme of iustice the charge, power and office of pastours was geuene to the Apostles & their successores til the warlds end. Yet if they haue failled so greavouslie, [Page] that God hes called bak the gift maid to his onlie sonne, let them be accused, examinat, iudged & cō demned by publique authoritie and forme of iustice, and so discharged, dispossessed and cast out, as men orderlie convict and forfault: and lat others by lyk forme and authoritie be put in their place, by them wha heth the power thereto. The offence maketh men worthie of condemnation, but condemneth no man. The sentence & decreat of the iudge must first be pronunced. Manie men committeth great crymes, yet possesseth their lands til they be forfaulted: and sindry getteth their remission before they be accused: and others, notwithstanding they be iustlie accused of treason, yet because they ar not condemned and forfault, without anie remission they stand stil in possessiō and their heires efter them.

[Page] Seing the Kingis authoritie and publique forme of iustice ar required to put anie man in iust possession of his awne, shal it be permitted to every man at his phantasy to cast him out, wha is in possessiō? And when the act of forfaultrie is passed & giuen out in due forme, the landes or offices ar not abandonat to euery one, wha wil occupie them: but they returne to the Prince or ouerlord. So whasoeuer will iustlie brook and enioye theis lands or offices, must haue à new gift of the prince or ouerlord, new charters, evidentes, infeftments, commissions weal maid, subscriued, and sealled, with all other circumstances (better knawē to men of law nor to me) whilks ar necessair; whereby he may be knawen to be the iuste possessour or lauful magistrat: for the charters, evidentes, infeftments, cō missions or retours, or anie other tytles [Page] whilk war before, ar anulled, as appertining only to the persone forfault, & therefor invtile for al other men, except perchance to his heires, if the Prince wald haue pietie of thē: or if he wald suffer the forfaultrie to be reduced of special grace & fauour. Whasoeuer wald start to at his awen hand, and occupie the place vacant without consent of the superiour, might think assuredlie that his vsurpation wald be als heavy à cryme as the others was, wha hed tynt the place.

Lykwayes (as said is) if the pastors hes failled, let them be accused before their lauful iudge, where they ar fond giltie, let them be cōdemned: thereefter sic as shalbe found maire qualifiet, and worthie of sic offices may be choosen in their place and obtein à new commission of them, wha heth that power in the kirk vpon earth. If ther be nein at al, wha heth that iurisdiction, [Page] they must tak new halding of God in the sam forme and maner as the Apostles receaued it frome IESVS CHRIST, the posteritie and successours hauing failled, as they alledge, but not prouen. Now what forme of iustice heth bene keepped? Wha warned the pastoures? Before what iudge war they accused? Wha cōdemned thē? wha gaue the new title to the Ministers? I see the lauful pastores accused, or rather abused, with out law or reason or iudge: condemned without any form of iustice; cast out with violence, & their places occupied by others without, yea agains al right. I see their contrairie partie mak him self iudge, tak à cōmission of him self, and put it in execution on his priuat authoritie.

Dúne hunc ardorem mētibus addunt Euryole? an sua cuiq. Deus fit dir a cupido? If al things man be maid new before [Page] they haue good right, it war best they maid à new God to authoriz their new procedinges & practise of law: for if theis fashions war good & reasonable, wha culd be assured, I say not of his geare, office or landes, but even of his verie lyf, every man making himself partie, witnes, iudge and executour of anie accusation he suld forge aganist anie man it pleaseth him? I might insist here with manie other reasons, if I feareth not to be tedious in vrging à matter so cleare of it self.

I knaw some, for defence of the Ministers, sayeth that their vocation is nather altogether ordinaire, nor altogether extraordinaire, partem capiens ab vtroq. that is (when al is weal considered) nather the one nor the other. There is not halflang religions, as ther is halflang dogges. They wald serue them selfis with the authoritie of the Catholik hirk to enter in Gods [Page] house with order, & afterward without order, whilk they call extraordinairelie, guyd, or rather misguyd all at their phantasie.

But is it possible that they wil serue them with the kirk of Rome, seing they haue taken for à ground of their religion and lauful cause of their separation, that the Paipe is the great Antechrist? They man on force laying this ground, acknawledge that they haue their entry in the kirk frome the Antechrist. Truelie if they haue no better porter then Satans eldest sonne to let them in, I fear they shal not be vealcome to God, wha vseth in his merciful warkis to imploy better seruantes. If that opinion war true, then suld Satan be half maister, seing that the half of the charge cō meth of him: yea he must haue (according to that doctrine) the maist apperant part, seing that the ordinaire, [Page] whilk is weall authorized cō meth of him: where as the extraordinaire, whilk they wald ascribe to God, commeth without anie avow, except of their bare saying. I wald be mair ample in the refutation of this branded vocation, if I thoght not that few, or neene wald cleame thereto.

As to them, wha serueth them selfis with the wordes of our Lord, vvhere there be tvva or three assembled in my Matth. 18. 20. name, there J am in the meddest of them. I answer schortlie, first, that it is question there, of the assistance of our Lord to the prelates of the kirk or people, and not of the calling of pastoures in particulair And who doubteth but holie and Godlie men heth the assistance of God whidder theybe in smal or great nōber. Nixt, if that suld be taken generallie and for the vocation, whersoever there be twa or three gathered in Christes name▪ [Page] ther man be there power to mak à pastour. Sua where there be twa or three in anie house they must constitut à à pastour to them self, and so change al priuat houses in kirkes, contraire to that, whilk we see now in Scotlād where kirks ar turned in priuat houses. Mairouer if that war the sense of Christes wordes, it suld appertine to the people to cal the pastours, whilk the Ministers of Scotland verie wyslie, as yet hes never approued. And last of al, this culd mak no thing for the first Minister, wha being allone culd not be elected by twa or three.

Notwithstanding of al this, I will giue and suppon in this matter alse far as I can without preiudice of the veritie. I wil so enter for the present to receaue the extraordinaire vocation (whilk with reason can not be receaued, except it haue à verie good warrand) if it can serue ws to anie vse [Page] as I fear it can not do: For if so many hondreth yeares vnion of the Catholik doctrine can not serue to maintaine ws in our ordinaire right, how shal so many hondreth day lie confusions iustile maintaine them in their extraordinaire vsurpation? But to what vse can their extraordinair calling serue ws, althoght we wald receaue it? There be maire then à hondreth diverse religions (atleest opinions vsurping the name of religiō) everie one condemning an other, & ascriving to it self that glorious title of true extraordinaire calling vnder pretence of the pure & true word of God, and administration of the sacramētes. What shal I do in this great confused multitude, where neine can stand seure, except al his compagnōs be declared vsurpers & fals prophetes? Ye will say perchance that the Ministers of Scotland hes neene of [Page] thes sectes amongs them, where of they ar verie glaid. I wil not for the present contest therevpon. But sure I am, that they wha hes not the Ministers of Scotlandis religion amongs them, ar alse glaid, and sindrie, wha hes it, wald be glaid to be quyt therof. I may truelie say with an ancient authour speeking of the philosophers of his tyme, that all theis sectes may be false, but sure I am there can be but one true. If al can not be true, whome shall I credet? Whome shall I follow? I can not credet nor follow them all, seing they ar cōtraire, every one cōdemning an other. The choose muse be difficil, seing that everie one sayeth stoutlie that he hes the trueth. Everie man pretendeth the verity, citeth the scriptures, confereth place with place, confirmeth his awen opinion (if ye wil beleeue him) solidlie and refuteth all others sufficientlie. [Page] But if ye will credet all the rest, he sayeth nothing to the propos, except so far as he agreeth with every one of them in particulaire.

Swa whasoeuer will agree with any of them, must on force disagree with manie. And yet there can be but one trueth: & if we wil beleue the greatest parte of them, neane of them hes the trueth: because for one wha affirmeth he haith the trueth, there be an hondreth wha gainsayeth him. For every one of them alledgeth that al the rest goeth wrang, whilk is verie easie to be beleued, because the Catholique kirk sayeth the same of them all, shee being, whē they war not to say the lyk of hir. And how can any mā of iugement think otherwayes of them? We see the scripture taken by them al for an ordinaire proofe of their extraordinaire calling: it speeketh (as they say) in al their fauoures. Yet can we [Page] not be of so manie religions: nor acknawledge or obey so many pastours of sa extraordinair & cōtrary opiniōs. But ye wil say that he suld be receaued, followed & obeyed, wha agreeth best with the scripturs. That is maist reasonable, if it can be knawē. But who is iudgemēt shalbe taken in the matter? Neane wil heare the Catholique kirk, because they haue left hir: & so as rebellious subiectes can abyd no thing but iust cōdēnation of their schisme and errour. If we wil credit the parties, everie man interpretes the scriptures best. The craw thinketh hir awen bird fairest: and vaine men esteimeth maist of the birth of their awé braine. So shal I be in lyk paine and difficultie, as before, not knawing whome to follow, whome to flee. If they say that I must read the scripturs and follow thois, wha standeth best by the veritie cōtined therein. What? [Page] Man I be à profound theologue before I knaw my pastoures? Man I be so deiplie learned before I knaw my maisters school? shall I be iudge extraordinair to this extraordinair calling? Man I read al theis wha hes written, before I enter in Gods house or acknawledge anie of his officers, for Quistatuit aliquid parte inaudita altera, aequum licet statuerit, haud aequus fuit? Man I be soueraine magistrat in this matter to giue out the final decreet? Man I be the interpreter of our maister and Lords testament? Shall my foolish braine be à square of his veritie? Truelie if I suld stand to that whilk I think best, I must be iudge: & if my iudgemēt be à rule to me to obtine the veritie, and consequentlie eternal lyf, al men suld follow my iudgemēt: For there can be but one rule seing ther is but one veritie, except we wald think that the trueth suld be [Page] bowed to every mans fantasie; whilk we see now is dōne throghout al Europe wheresouer this extraordinaire calling hes onie credit, whilk hes broght in this multitude of sectes: For the iudgement being referred to the particulaire (wha for that cause is sent to the bible, whilk he must haue to consult with all, as if he war some profound doctour in Israël) according as he shal find by his iudgement, he pronunceth the sentēce of true & lauful extraordinaire calling in favour of his Minister. According to this forme, in Scotland the Ministers following the doctrine of Sir Iohn Knox, or frere Iohn Crag ar thoght to haue à good calling. In Englād the Brunistes, Puritains, & family of Luif, or any hid new invented fantasy, thinketh their pastors truely called. In France Caluin & Beza with their adherentes ar thought to haue à [Page] lauful vocation amonges the greatest part of our simple Protestātes, except perchāce Monsieur du Plessis hes drawen anie to à maire recent imagination. I say the simple protestantes; for they wha haith any good opinion of them selfis taketh to them self the free will whilk they refuse to others—nullius iurant in verba magistri, they receaue no thing, but that whilk agreeth with the scripturs, that is, with their iudgement & opinion, wher thir new holy fathers ar oftyms reiected by vertue of their awen rule, that is of every priuat mans opinion.

In Almanie there be good store of theis new extraordinair called me▪ the freedome of the townes maketh manie free vocations: For there they haue liberty to think, say, and follow what euerie man pleaseth. There is no act of parliament to keep their vniō, nor force them to an accorde, whilk [Page] can not be haid by anie otherway amonges them, wha wil haue the holy spirit speeking no farther then he whispereth in their eare. True it is that where there is Princes wha commandeth, the people must change their religion with their maister: Als lang as their maister is Lutheriā, they must say with him: if he changeth opinion or dieth, they must be reddie to receaue some other faith. This hes beine sindrie tymes experimented in that contray. But in free townes as euerie man hes receaued of his Ministers preaching, he iudgeth the scriptures to say the same, where our comone prouerbe may iustly be imployed, as the fool thinketh, the bel clinketh. If their war publick place in Scotlād for Ministers of other sectes, I doubt not but they wald avāce their cause also. For that licence giuen to everie man to be iudge on the scriptures, [Page] without anie acte of parliamēt to ty them to à certaine cōfession of faith (whilk in Almanie hes maid this multitude of extraordinair vocatiōs) wald do the lyk amonges ws. How miserable be the estait of Almanie in that diuersitie of religions, if not openlie at leest priuatlie, I think euery man knaweth, wha hes beine there. It is maist certaine that in sindry townes there be publicklie professed ten, twelf, yea tuentie or 22. sindry faithes everie one detesting an other. As to the priuat opinions, I haid an evident experience my self in our voyage of Italie, retourning to France throgh Almanie the yeare of God 1600. in the moneth of December. For being in Ausburgh (where publik exercice is granted onlie to Catholiques and Lutheriās) we war at the table à good nomber (I think aboue 12) of honest, lyk men of diuerse nations, but meakle [Page] maire diuerse of religions, where one of the cōpany maire zelous then the rest (as it appeared) taking occasion of our being at the Iubilee, did ask sindry curious questions there anent. A Frenche gentilman, wha was come frome Rome with ws, picked with the matter, mirrilie, & yet courteouslie, did pray the companie, if it might be without their offence to grant him à request, whilk being accorded, he suld answer to their questions according to his knawledg, if he fand it agreable to thē: this being proponed so discreatly and honestly (as that nation can do it verie weall) it was not onlie accepted & granted of all the companie, but also maid à great silence throghout all the table, everie man being desirous to knaw his request.

Then hauing thanked them all, I am desirous (sayeth he) to knaw what [Page] profession of religion now adayes, euery an of yowdoeth maist approue, or what man ye think maist worthie of credit when it is question of anie head of religion called in controuersie. And that no man may think I desyr of others whilk I wald not do myself, I wil speik for my cōpagnons & me (meaning of ws three) we approue aboue all others the Catholik Apostolik Romaine religion, & esteimes the resolutions gevin be the siege Apostolik in Rome, pronunced by the Paipe, to be preferred to all other, because we find so manie solemne promisses maid by God to S. Peters successoures. As I pray the cōpanie not to be offended at my demād & iudgement, so I promise not to tak in euil part when it shal please anie of yow ather to ask at me any question, or freely to pronunce what he meaneth.

Skairslie haid he ended his propos, [Page] when an other (wha was à citizen of the towne) answered, that doubtles the true religion was cōteined in the confession of Ausburghe, and that Luther haid beine one of the maist notable men of our aage in all his resolutions, provyding he be taken as he suld be, because as an other Elias he come to instruct the world in thes latter dayes. The towne (as it appeared) gaue him courage to speik so far to the praise of Luther, & maid him tell his opinion so freelie.

His nightbour (so farre as we culd coniecture of his contenance) approued not his iudgemēt altogether, whilk, being required he did schaw by his words, saying that he acknawledgeth Luther for à verie notable man, yet wha haid not seene al, whilk was necessair for the reformation of the kirk of God, & cheeflie touching the Lords supper. His reformed supper [Page] maid ws al beleeve he was ather à Zuinglian or Caluinist. The Lutherian wald haue entred in defence of his maister, but being requested by the companie, desisted, althoght with difficultie.

Nixt to him was sitting à certaine man verie modestlie cled, wha maid à great owtward schaw of simplicitie of mynd, he with à law voice sayeth thus: I think na man suld acknawledge anie religion but that, whilk cōmeth immediatlie of the holie spirit, wha only can be receaued as à true master in that matter, vnus est magister vester; & beatus homo quem tu erudieris psal. 93. 12. domine. His answer schew him to be of the Suentfeldien sect, wha wil here no thing but that, whilk their priuat spirit doeth teach them, hauing ay in their mouth, audiam quid loquatur in Psal. 84. [...]. me Dominus Deus.

He wha was ioyning with him, sayis [Page] with à laughing visage, that he haid never beene so curious, as to exame al other mens religions or deuotion, but was accustumed to tak thing is as he fand them, leeuing everie man at his freedome, thinking it very reasonable that everie man suld haue the priuiledge whilk God had gevin him. It was not difficill to coniecture that he was one of the Libertins, wha in matters of religion thinketh laufull to contrefait & dissemble al thinges and beleeve, what they list, or rather beleeve no thing at all.

Heer we haid some lytill silence, because he, wha nixt followeth maid difficultie to tell his opinion, whilk neuerthelesse he did vtter, saying he did no wayes approue discorde amō ges Christians, seing our Lord & his Apostles haid geven ws so notable exemples of vnion in making al thinges commoune, whilk war propre & [Page] priuat before, whilk might easelie be put in vse againe, if men wald tak away meum and tuum, myn and thyn. We vnderstood by his words that he was an Adamit, wha amonges other detestable errours, thinketh that wemen suld be commoune als we all as other things. The haill rest of the cōpanie, as it appeared, did abhorre frome that opinion. Yet one sayeth; at leest seing it was lauful to the people of God in auld tymes to haue manie wifes, why shal it now be forbidden? The Lutherian wha spak first, hauing answered that sic lawes war never in practise amonges the Christians, because they war improued by IESVS CHRIST. Yet your Luther (sayeth he) maid no difficultie to preach, Si non vult vxor, veniat ancilla. This answer maid the companie to laugh, and remembred ws that some of our contray men, haid good store [Page] of wyfis by à new forme of partising, the partie taking the cryme one him in esperāce to haue à new wyf schortlie efter.

He that was nixt wald glaidlie (as it seamed) haue halden his peace, yet for feare we suld tak worse opinion of him, hydding his pernicious errour the best he culd, said that it haid pleased God in our dayes to schaw thé light of his verity in Pole, Lithuania, and Transsyluania, althoght other nations haid not, as yet, receaued it. Theis words gaue ws to vnderstand that he was one of the new Arrians whais errours war broght in by Grogorius Pauli Minister of Cracouia, Valentinus Gentilis, Seruetus (wha was brunt at Geneua by Caluins persuite) and some others of lyk stoofe, wha is doctrine is ful of blasphemies.

The nixt following with à litill smylling, sayeth, that he mervelled [Page] not of sa manie diuerse opiniones whilk war entred in the warld, seing that men seeketh rather subtil interpretations, then the veritie. As to my part (sayeth he) I bear my warrand about with me (schawing ws his bible he haid in his bosome) whilk is maist easie to be vnderstand of it self, and therefore onlie to be redde, all other bookes ather being false, or invtill, whatsoeuer estimatiō other men maketh of their lang cōmentaires auld or new. If it haid beine in England I wald haue taken him for à Brunist. onlie culd I iudge for the tym that he approued no mans sentēce that haid spoken before him.

To be schort thair was neane at the table (except so manie Catholiques as we war) wha agreed with an other. So everie one hauing ather openly or couuertlic schawen his opinion, we perceaued an honest man (wha haid [Page] dyned with ws, and for some affaires haid beine occupied in the towne verie lait) sitting at the head of the table. his honest & homelie behauiour maid ws al cast our eyes one him, & as it war, with our silence & looking desyr the lyk of him. He being à mā of iudgemēt and doctrine, and wha was (as weal apeared by his discours) very weal travelled, efter he haid hard the hail matter and what we looked for, sayeth in this sort.

Althoght the tyme & place (good sires) might iustlie excuse my silence, yet that I seeme not to be by my fellowes, or refuse your desyre, I will some what say to the matter I heare hes bein amonges yow, rather to end the dispute vnfite for the table, then to continue it. Whilk I willabour to do by the reciting of à notable historie of à maist noble and wyse Prince.

Being in France during the regne [Page] of Charles the nynt, his brother Henry the thrid being then our King (whereby we knew him to be à Polonian) I passing throgh the contray chanced on à noble man of my auld acquentance at Rome, wha (efter he haid imbrassed me with great affection, & asked of my other voyages sinceparting) inuited me to his house whilk was hard by: whilk I did willinglie, not onlie because I looued him tenderly, but also because I haid hope by his moyen to knaw the singularities and customes of the cōtray (whilk was my principal earād there) by reason of his qualitie. Amonges many notable thinges I hard of him, I remarked this historie as he was reheirsing the singularities of the court of parliament of Paris.

King Louis the 12. being earnestly requested and prayed by one of his fauorits and greatest courtiers (wha [Page] haid an action of great importance before the court of parliament) to speek the presidentes and chief consellers in his fauoure, giuing his M. to vnderstand the great right he haid and what wrang he receaued of his aduerse partie. The King on this information partly for iustice cause (of whilk he was verie zelous, and therefor called the father of the people) partlie for the affection he bure to the gentilman, did promise him all assistance, not onlie in speeking to his iudges, but also with his awin presence, if that might bring anic thing to his right. And so he did in deed. For the day appointed for that procese, being cume, the king with princes, and all other wha vseth to assist his M. in sic actions, repared to the palace, where being arryved he schew to the court of parliamēt that he was come there to see them do good iustice [Page] according to their charge and aith, and chieflie to that gentilman, whais actiō was in hand, & wha haid donne him good seuice sindry tymes wherein he yet continued. They on the other part promist (with all submission and reverence) to do their duetie. Euerie man according to his rank hauing taken place, the aduocat, wha was for the gentilman, begane first, and with great eloquence defended his parties cause, wherewith the King was verie glaid, not only in him self (as he schew by his continance) but also vtered the same by wordes, saying to the first president (wha was sitting laigh vnder) il ha gaigné, Hehes vvin. The president answered modestly, it wil please your M. to heare the other partie, whilk the King granted the mair willinglie that he thought his fauorite haid alredie win his cause. The other aduocat [Page] hauing entred in the matter with alse great eloquence, but meakle better right, maid the king first to doubt, nixt to incline sumwhat, and last of al to approue so his title, that before he haid pleaded out the cause, the King bursted out with theis words, Monsieur le president, ils ont tous deux gaigné. They haue vvin baith. Ye knaw by lang experiēce what is to be done in sic thinges, I leaue it to yow and your companie. And so before the last aduocat haid ended, he past away. He haid beine versed in the greattest affaires of Europe during his tyme baith in peace and weares, and haid experimented baith good and evill fortune before, and in his regne, yet not being trained wp in matters of law and iudging of procese, he was easelie moved to baith the syddes by eloquence filled wp with appearand reasones. But as à maist worthie and [Page] noble Prince he did acknawledge his awin imperfection, leaving the iugement of sic affaires to the ordinaire officers of iustice, to iudge as they thoght maist reasonable, as wha by lang and daylie experience, great knawledge of the law and examination of manie difficill actions passed by their hands, was sufficientlie armed aganes fraudful craft of the parties, wha easelie may circumvine à new iudge. My advyse is (good sirs) that we imitat and follow this noble king (wha being so potēt à monarche durst not rashlie iudge on earthlie matters) in thir controversies of religion referring the iudgemēt to the kirk, wha hes bein theis manie hondreth yeares in possession of that office by Gods awin cōmission, & wha with sick equitie hes decided so manie intricat & difficil questions, wher doubtles, if we haid beine constitute [Page] iudges we wald haue pronunced the sentence for baith the parties, seing that many of ws hes done weal worse hauing cōdēned the kirk the spouse of IESVS CHRIST vnhard hir, following the first that hes accused hir and praised him self.

This historie was pronunced with sic grace and authority that it appeased our dispute, & pleased verie weal the hail companie; and (if I be not deceaued) is not vnpropre to end our present discours, whilk is of the same subiect. Wherefor without anie farther, I wil pray yow and al good readers (if perchāce any man wil bestow the tyme to read this rude discours of myn) to excuse my language cōsidering my lang absence out of my natiue contray: & that the verity doeth best appeare, when it is leest painted, as the scripturs them self do, vsing no eloquence, for simplex est veritatis oratio. [Page] sure I am if this subiect haid fallen in an eloquent mans hand, that it might haue beine traicted mair quicklie & maire plainly and with greatter contentemente of the reader. I haue done what I culd, and not what I wald, except that in partie I haue done what I wald, seing I haue writtin to the simple & vnlearned as I culd and according to my possibilitie, I knaw not if according to their capacitie. Howsoeuer it be I wil pray the good reader to tak my panes in good part. Perchance som other sory to see a good cause so vnskilfully hādled by me, wil tak occasiō to do it, as it suld be done. whilk wilbe very easy to many learned mē, of whilks therbe guid nō bre (thanks be to God) in our Iland, wha may tak from me the victory of eloquēce, but not the honour of guid wil, wherin every mā may triomphe without preiudice of his cōpagnon.

[Page] Wherefor I pray the learned & Godlie Catholik endeauour him self to traict this subiect as it mereteth in the name of God, wha blisse ws all.

AMEN.

ERRATA

pag. 36. kitk | kirk.
pag. 37. sutter | suiter.
pag. 68. cōuenticules | conuenticles
pag. 70. mattres | matters
pag. 91. breuing. | brevving
pag. 88. mumdus | mundus.
pag. 107. proue | proofe
pag. 108. libre | liber
pag. 109. mereth | mereteth
pag. 133. preisthaed | preisthead
pag. 155. hirk | kirk

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

Offer maid to a gentilman of qualitie by Iohn Fraser, to subscribe and embrace the ministers of Scotlands religion, if they can sufficientlie proue, that they haue the true kirk and lawful calling. VVhereto ar[e] adioyned certaine reasons and considerations concerning theis tvva heades and foundaments, vvithout the light of vvhi [...] others can not be cleared, nor assured ground in religion in thir dayis established

Fraser, John, d. 1605.

Edition statement

1604

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A01222

ID [STC]

STC 11336

ID [STC]

ESTC S118717

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99853924

ID [PROQUEST]

99853924

ID [VID]

19327

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A01222)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 19327)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1097:17)

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— Offer maid to a gentilman of qualitie by Iohn Fraser, to subscribe and embrace the ministers of Scotlands religion, if they can sufficientlie proue, that they haue the true kirk and lawful calling. VVhereto ar[e] adioyned certaine reasons and considerations concerning theis tvva heades and foundaments, vvithout the light of vvhi [...] others can not be cleared, nor assured ground in religion in thir dayis established, Fraser, John, d. 1605..

Extent

[8], 184 p.

Printed by Stephane Prevosteau, in the rue of S. Io. de Lateran, besyd the college of Cambray,. At Paris :: MDCIIII. [1604]. (The roman numeral date in the imprint is made with turned c's.) (Dedication place and printer's name from STC.) (In Scots.) (Running title reads: The offer of Io. Fraser.) (Imperfect; title page faded with loss of print.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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