HE that reproueth a wise man (saith Salo­mon) winneth loue and fauour, but who so medleth with a scornfull person, gai­neth nothing but reproch and dishonour.Pro 9.10.9 13 This Prouerbe Martine, is verified in thée and thy fellow workers: who (lyke as the spitefull spider conuerteth his foode into poison, and the venimous serpent regardeth not whom he sting: so whatsoeuer as yet hath bene said vnto you, though neuer so learned, pithie, or sensible, haue conuerted the same into poisoned mallice: returned it with ri­diculous scoffes, and augmented it with slanderous reproches. Notwithstanding though in small hope of more curteous en­tertainment at your hands, then as well my selfe, as others my betters haue lately found, I haue thought good, not in waie of reuenge, to requite you with euil for euil, as tant for tant, squib for squib, or scoffe for scoffe: but rather in friendly and charita­ble manner, gently to admonish and intreate you, to cease your grieuous railing, disdainfull mocking, and bitter contention: which yéeldeth occasion for our enemies to laugh at our follie: our friends to lament our miserie: and al neighbor countries to wonder at our curiositie.

Alasse Martine, I pittie thy want of discretion, who in pub­lishing thy vnprofitable and immodest conceites, breaking the vnitie of the Church, hindering the course of the Gospell, & dis­quieting the peaceable state of the realme: hast set thy selfe vp­pon an open stage, in the view of the whole world, to bee scor­ned, hated, and detested for euer.

[Page 2]Oh mercifull Father, what Christian subiect hauing either ciuill honestie, feare of God, or spark of grace, could so presump­tuously take vppon him, to incourage the commens to cast off the yoke of obedience,Looke Mar­tins conclusiōs And their booke intitu­led. D. Some laid open in his colours. and resist her Maiesties lawes estably­shed, against her crowne and dignitie: so disdainfully to harden his heart and sharpen his tongue against his poore brethren, for shewing their dutiful allegeance to her Highnesse procéedings, or with such spitefull mallice, raging furie, and desperate bold­nesse (as though neither Prince, Magistrate, nor Lawe durst controll them: to deride, slander & discredit those ancient graue Fathers, godly learned pastors, and chiefe pillers of our church, reuerenced for their speciall giftes, placed in authoritie for theyr rare vertues, and honoured of all good men for their callings, by whom the doctrine of saluation hath ben so plentifully plan­ted and taught, during her Maiesties most happy raign, and ta­ken such déepe rooting in the heartes and consciences of many thousands in England (to Gods honor be it spoken) as neyther Papist, Martinist, nor Atheist, are able to seduce or remoue them.

Rom 2.23. Marke 7.6 Math. 2.12Is this the sinceritie of doctrine, purity of liuing, and precise­nesse of consciences, which thou and thy mates pretend & boast vpon? Is this your brotherly kindnesse, to loue your neighbor as your selfe,Esay. 3 and doe vnto all men as you would be done vnto? Is this the honest nature, charitable disposition, and curteous behauiour, beséeming a ciuill religious Gentleman? No, no Martine, If Martine bee a Gentleman, it is onely by profession, not by condition. thy odious railing scoffes, and vile carterly rethorike (more fit for Skogan, Will Summer, or a vice in a play) be­wraieth in thée rather a vile, base, and churlish condition.

Againe, if thou and thy fellowes were not euen blockes in sense, and monsters in mallice, you might with griefe perceiue, and with shame inough confesse, that forasmuch as wée haue the Gospell of Christ sincerely preached, and his Sacramentes (as seales annexed thereunto) duely ministred, the substance whereby the true Church is knowen, with such a godly refor­mation and vniforme order, by law therein established (not on­ly touching faith, doctrine, and remission of sins, in euery point to the sacred word consonant and agréeable: but also touching externall pollicie, discipline, decencie, ceremonies, rites and fa­shions, [Page 3] in no point to the same repugnant or contrary) as al y^e chur­ches in Europe do honor, reuerence, & commend it, & by the iudge­ment of M. Cartwright himself,M. Cartwright his Epistle to Harison. do giue the right hand of society in the house of God, vnto y^e church of England. There is no iust cause of our parts therfore, why you should in sects and factions separate your selues from vs. As for your assertions, by the iudgemēt of the profoundest diuines in this land (as D. Fulke for one (whose words I am able to iustifie) they are false & erronious, your reasōs obscure and senselesse, and your challenge most arrogant & presumptuous, whose argumentes are either framed vpon grounds of your owne diuices, to draw things indifferent to faith & religion, or else vnder a shadow of things which God hath commanded, to proue those he neuer commanded, which hath bin alwaies the speciall groundes of sectes and scismes in the Church, & your chiefe points (of y^e best lear­ned) haue bin sufficiently answered alredy, to satisfie any reasonable man deceiued through ignorance, & for him that is drowned in wil­full blindnesse, all that can be sayd will not suffice, for such as bée na­turally inclined to contention, will neuer want cauelling wordes.

The mightier that men be (saith Iesus Syrach) the greater is theyr wrath, & the longer that strife endureth, the more it burneth.Eccle. 28. Christ himselfe confuted the Pharesies, yet could hee not put them to silence. To pester therfore more paper in answering euery selfe-willed foole in his foolishnes, were not only vnprofitable,Prou. 26. Prou. 17.10.9.23.9. but méere ridiculous. One reproofe doth more good to a wise man saith (Salo­mon) then an hundred stripes to a foole. Whom Pasquin very apt­ly compareth to an Ape, which the more sagely he is looked vpon,Eccle. 22.6 the more he grinneth: so the more substantially a foole is reasoned withall, the lesse he vnderstandeth.

I, but Martine in his owne opinion, is a man of most déepe and profound iudgement,It were good he had lesse art & more grace. In old Martins protestation. able to sée further in matters of state and reli­gion, then all the learned Bishops in the land, whose conceits must néeds be pure and perfect without errors. For why? he is resolute to confirme and seale them with his bloud. Yet Martine, remem­ber thou art but a man, and man is subiect to error, yea and as it is proper to God onely not to erre: so is it seldome giuen vnto man to hit the truth. He is wise that can perceiue his owne folly. If thou and I had béene iudge betwéene the Publican and the Pharesie, which of thē were the honester man,Luke. 18 I doubt we should both haue erred. Againe Campion the Iesuite was as learned, and resolute to die as thou, and yet but an obstinate Papist. Copin and He­lias [Page 4] the Brownists as resolute to die as thou, & yet but rebellious traitors? Lewes, Cole and Ket at Norwich, as resolute to die as thou, and yet but ranke heretikes?

But Martine and his mates, are men specially endued with di­uine wisedome,The giftes of y^e spirit are rife, but the fruites are reare. godly zeale, and other spiritual gifts aboue the rest.

I, but we haue faire warning not to beléeue euery spirite, for many false Prophets are gone out into the world, in whome satan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light,1 Iohn. 4.1 2. Tim. 4.3.4 2 Cor. 2.13.14 Math. 7.16 Et ex fructibus eo­rum cognoscetis eos, Let vs therfore trie those spirites, whether they be such in déede as they would séeme, yea or no.

The spirit of wisedome (saith Salomon) is louing, mild, and mo­dest,Wisedome. 1 Ephe. 5.9 Iames. 3 Psalm. 25.8 Eccle. 3 whose fruits (saith the Apostle) do consist in all goodnes, righte­ousnesse, and truth. The wisedome that is from aboue (saith Saint Iames) is peaceable, curteous, and easie to be intreated. Those that be méeke shall the Lord guide in iudgement, sayth Dauid, and such as be gentle, them shall he learne his waie. The children of wise­dome (saith Iesus Syrach) are a congregation of the righteous,1. Corinth. 13 & their exercise is obedience and loue.

Ephe. 4.31Loue is humble, patient, & curteous, Loue is bountifull, liberal, and friendly, Loue couereth the multitude of sins, & iudgeth chari­tably of all men.Ezech. 13 Rom. 12.1 [...] Rom. 2.1 Math. 7 Math. 23 1. Tim. 4.2 Contrariwise, these Martinists are so fierce, fell, & furious, so obstinat, wilfull and malitious, so churlish, disdainful and presumptuous, so captious ouer other mens manners, so readie to spie a moate in other mens eies, so busie in laying open other mens infirmities, and so painfull in binding heauie burthens to lay vpon other mens shoulders, as it yéeldeth iust occasiō to suspect them, for men possessed rather with spirits of error. They are very diligent labourers, I confesse. But what doe they? euen as the venimous waspes,Iudas 9. 2. Pet. 2 assemble together to make honie combes lyke good bées: so doe these (vnder the title of a pure vnspotted Church) associate themselues, with such spitefull railing slanders, to vex and persecute the true members of Christ, as the Angell durst not giue to the de­uill himselfe.

They plow the forrowes of falsehood, sow the séeds of iniquity, & féed the multitude with lying fantasies. They lead them vp & down by the eares,That ranne ix. miles to sucke a bull. to heare their vaine conceits, as it were a foole to the stocks, till they proue as wise in the end as Waltams calfe.

Whose doctrine, by wringing, wresting, and abusing the mea­ning of the holy Ghost to a wrong sense, appeareth so dark, obscure and doubtfull, as the people do feele their mindes more profitablie [Page 5] edified, their consciences more soundly satisfied, and their faith more comfortably strengthened, by hearing the onely wordes of the text distinctly read without anie addition at al, then by many such long,Whereby (though a­gainst theyr wils the peo­ple are broght by experience to know and feele, that publike reading (in some mea­sure) is prea­ching. 2. Pet. 2 2. Tim. 3 Iudas. Whose mouths, (saith the Apostle) must be stopt. Psal. 140 Iere. 9 Psal 35.20 Ezech 13 Esay. 5 Psal. 59 2. Cron. 36. Iere. 37 4. King 2.4 Luke. 15 Math. 23 darke, and tedious discourses, as commonly proceede from the scull of their seditious braules, & falsly applied to serue their own purpose

Thus Martine, the conditions. manners & doctrine of thée & thy fellow workers (rightly considered) do plainly bewray you for no other, then those vaine ianglers. presumptuous talkers, and false dis­sembling hypocrites, of whom the spirite of truth hath so often & so earnestly forewarned vs, that should obstinatly stand in their own conceits, despise gouernment, & speak euill of those that be in autho­ritie, promising libertie to them that follow their damnable waies. Resembling much that péeuish brood, of whom the Prophet Dauid so grieuously complaineth, that go to & from the euening, grinning like dogs, bend theyr tongues like bowes, & shoot out bitter wordes like arrowes, imagine mischiefe in their hearts, against those that be quiet in the land, and stir vp strife al the day long. But wo be to such foolish prophets as are wise in their own conceits, follow theyr owne spirits, & speak where thy see nothing. For the sinnes of their mouth, and the words of their lips, they shall be taken in their own pride. For why? theyr preaching is of cursing and lies.

The Israelites for deriding Gods prophets, were brought to con­fusion. The tribe of Iuda for contemning his seruāt Ieremy, were cast into loathsome captiuitie. The obstinate Iewes for pesecuting Christ and his Apostles, were brought vnto miserable slauerie: and your selues for abusing the true messengers of God (without spéedy repentance) must néeds come [...]o some fearefull end.

In the feare of God therefore, I do friendly admonish you: nay more, our soueraigne Lady and mistres, by her princely authoritie, doth straitly command you, our louing mother the church of Eng­land, in sorrow & griefe for your offēce, doth curteously intreat you, and the Apostle himself in most christian & charitable manner, doth vehemently exhort you, that if you haue conceiued any feeling in the fatherly kindnes of God, our mercifull creator, any consolation in y^e precious death of Christ our louing redéemer:Phil. 2 Cleanse your hearts from mallice, and your tongues from slander. Ephe 4 Wisedome 1. or any fellowship in his holy spirit, our comfortable instructor: to cease your bitter contention, confesse your folly, detest your errors, repent your wic­kednes, & be reconciled to God & his church. Turne your scornfull mocking, into pensiue mourning: your spiteful railing into sorrow­ful wéeping: your presumptuous prating, into hūble praying, & your [Page 6] busie medling in matters of state, into spéedie reformation of your owne misbehauior: call to God for grace betimes, least with his fearefull iudgements he strike you sodainly:Rom. 2.4. despise no longer the ri­ches of his goodnes, patience, & long suffering, which leadeth to re­pentance. Abuse no longer the fauorable and charitable dealing of those godly reuerent fathers, who (notwithstanding your vile slan­derous reproches) haue curteously sought frō time to time, not your deserued confusion, but desired conuersion. Submit your selues to y^e mercy of our gratious soueraign, craue pardon for y^t is past, & learn to know frō hence forth, y^t the displeasure of y^e prince, is a messēger of death,Prou. 20 and therfore more dangerous then séemly for euery meane person, to call in question matters of gouernmēt, or meddle in prin­ces affaires. The foxe for prying in y^e lyons den, had his skin pluckt ouer his eares: & surely if your wound be so vncurable, as neyther friendly caueat can warne you, gentle admonition allure you, nor the feare of God withdraw you, but y^e still you meane to persist in your diuellish enterprise, then must you know & féele, y^t her Maiesty beareth not the sword for naught.Rom. 13 Where lenitie cannot reclaime, seuerity must correct, duro nodo, durus cuneus.

Finally (my brethren in generall) forasmuch as we are all fellowe seruants of one houshold, & none of vs without his imperfections, & shal all appeare before the iudgemen [...] seat of Christ, y^e only searcher of mans hart,1. Corinth. 4.5 Rom. 14.10 Psal. 7.10 Gal. 6.5 1 Cor. 3.8 Ephe. 4 Colos. 3.12.13. 1. Cor. 10.12. Rom. 14.4 Iames. 3.13 Augustine. 2. Timo. 2.24 Galath. 5.15 where euery one shal beare his owne burthen, & re­ceiue reward according to his own labor. Let vs learn of y^e Apostle to deck our selues with humilitie & lowlines of mind, & be more lo­uing, friendly & charitable one to another. Let him y^t stands take héed least he fall. As for his brother, whether he stand or fall, y^t per­taineth to his owne maister. Let him y^t is endued with knowledge & learning, shew it forth in méeknes & discretion. Let vs learn of S. Augustine to agrée together in feare, least we perish in error. It becōmeth not the seruants of God to bee stubborne, waywarde, or contentious, but quiet & peaceable vnto all men. If you bite & de­uour one another (saith the Apostle) take héed lest you be consumed one of another. The Lord of his fatherly kindnes, at his good will and pleasure, relent & mollifie our hard stonie hearts, lighten our ig­norant minds, & preuēt our obstinate wils, & indue vs with his hea­uenly grace,Rom. 14.19 Ephe. 5.15.16 Phil 2.2.3.16. 1. Pet. 2.17 Heb. 13.17 circumspectly to followe those things that make for peace, & studie to be quiet, especially cōsidering our daies are dange­rous, y^t with one hart one mind, one wil, & one iudgement, we may ioyne together in due obedience, to glorifie our God, honor his Prince, & reuerence his Prelates.