Miles Christianus.

THere is no end of making many books, said the Preacher: and he said truely: and his ende in saying so was excéeding good, and neither to discourage men from wry­ [...]ing, nor to es [...]range any godly man or woman from reading holy bookes. He was no aduersarie vnto any good helpe vnto godlines, whether it be writing or preaching, much or little: and his owne practise, which vttered thrée thousand Prouerbes, and made a thousand and fiue songs, 1. King. 4. 32. and di­uers bookes besides The Pro­uerbes. Preacher. Canticles., and the practise of the Prophets after him, and of the Apostles, Euangelists, and other holy men af­ter them also do shew both the good vse, and great neede men haue of bookes in euerie age.

But what is your ende M. Mosse in alleaging this saying of the Preacher There is no end of making manie bookes? I feare me you ayme not at that marke which the Preacher did: you haue another ende then he had, and therefore y [...]ur [Page 2] meaning is corrupt.

Indéede the varietie of matter and inuention in all ages hath beene wonderfull: yet can you not saie, and say truely, it was without measure, vnlesse you condemne simply the varie­tie of wits, and inuention, which are the worthie giftes and graces of almightie God, bestowed vpon man, nor that this varietie of matter and inuention hath bene manifested in all ages by written bookes. For both the heathen people were a long time without the benefite of bookes, and the Iewes, and Church of God, till Moises daies (which was many ages from the creation of the world) vtterly voyde of all helpe of the written word. And saie you not your selfe within a few lines Contrariety. after, the writings of the ancients were few? If fewe, how were they without measure? And if beyond all measure, a­gaine how were they few?

Last of all, interpreting the saying of the Preacher so as if he spake onely of this present age, and latter time wherein we liue, you mistake him much. For albeit he foresawe the mul­titude of writings that were to come abroade in the latter daies, yet, no doubt, he ment properly the writings which he saw were attempted in his daies, or extant in the world afore his time, which neither can be said to ouerflow, or to haue o­uerflowed the bankes of modestie and discretion, because there be multitudes of them: that is no sufficient cause, yea no cause at all. Of good thinges the moe, yea the greater multitudes, the better, and there be multitudes of writings, which you dare not without impudencie auouch to haue ouerflowed the bankes of modestie and discretion. And of such bookes it is not the iniquitie, but the felicitie of the latter time to haue good store.

Miles Christianus

You write your pleasure of all writers both ancient, and of this time: but vntruely of each, vnsoundly of all. And that you maie palpably sée and perceiue both the truth of mine, and the falshood of your wordes, I will before your eies place some pro­positions pregnantly arising from your verie spéech.

Miles Christianus.

You do no sooner sée this, but me thinkes, the red colour commeth into your chéeks. Were the writings of the ancients but few? What ancients meane you that were but few? The Schoole-men and others, immediately afore our time, or the Fathers, and other writers afore them? Or the Apo­stles, Euangelists, prophets afore them? Or the Ancient Heathen, whether philosophers, orators, historiographers, or poets? If you meane the Schoole men, and our immediat predecessors, read our countrie man Bale, onely for English writers, I. Bale de Scrip. Anglicis and he will confute you: If the Fathers of the Church, read Gennadius, Gennadius de illust. viris S. Ierome, Hieroni­mus de eccl. scrip. Tritenhe­mius Tritenhe­mius de eccl. scrip. and they will confute you: If the prophets, Euan­gelists, and Apostles, consider their workes, their persons, their preachings, compare the nomber of them which wrote, with them that preached and wrot not, and all of them with the learned men, and writers of our time, and you will saie, all thing waied, that both their examples are prouocations, for all able men to write, and that neither the writers, nor writings were few: If the ancient philosophers, and such like, if you call into minde either the famous librarie of K. Ptolomie in Egypt replenished with seuentie thousand volumes of wri­tings Dion. Car­thu [...]. de vi [...] Ch [...]. l. 2. ar. 17. reg. [...] ▪, or that other Librarie at Alexandria, wherin were contained foure hundred thousand bookes, all at one time by a [Page 4] mischance of fire consumed Paulus O­rosius hist. l. 6. c. 15. Plutar. in Caesar. & in Dion. l. 4 [...]. Bodinus meth. Pre­fat., or the sixe thousand treatises which Diomedes wrote De re Grammatica (g) you will not say, I thinke, their bookes and writinges were but fewe: If these you meane, or any of these, or any other Ancients be­sides these, both the common voyce of all learned men, and the publike writinges of Gesner Gesnerus Biblioth., Simler Simlerus. Biblioth., and many moe will say that Miles Mosse is little séene in the writings of the Ancients, if he say the writinges of the Ancients were but fewe.

Miles Christianus.

This is vntrue, if you meane generally all the Ancients, if some of them, it is also vntrue in many respects, vnlesse you vnderstand by Ancients onely the ancient Prophets, Euan­gelists, & Apostles, the very penners of the Canonicall Scri­ptures. For the other Ancients for the most part eyther by all their dooings, or by some thinges which they wrote, pur­chased small honour, or none at all vnto themselues, and be­nefited no iot the posteritie by their writinges. Looke into the writinges of the ancient whether Schoolemen Erasmus in sua Theol. ver [...] meth., Heretikes D. August. de h [...]re­sious. Epiphan. de h [...]re­sious. [...] de h [...]re­sious. [...] de h [...]re­sious., or Fathers, whereof none were frée altogether from errors, and ill opinions Ecclesiast. [...]ist. singul [...]s centurij [...] praete [...] primam. c 4. and you shall finde it true.

Miles Christianus.

This is another vntruth being vttered, as it is, compara­tiuely, and in respect of former dayes and times.

[Page 5]I shewed you afore of one man which of Grammer wrote sixe thousand bookes: Origen wrote as manie Tritenhem. [...]. de ec. scrip. Acontius Stratagem. Satanae li. 6., yea a thou­sand moe Actes and Monu. vol. 1. [...]. 79. though of other matters, S. Augustine wrote so many bookes that Tritenhemius is of beléefe, that no man is able either to read them, or to come by them Lib. de Ec. scrip.. I tolde you also of one librarie that had in it at one instant foure hundreth thousand volumes of seuerall writings. Can you name, I say not that man which of Grammer, but that man which of any matter within this age hath written & published seuen thou­sand bookes, or so much of his owne doing as no one man in his whole life is able to peruse? And where in England, yea in all Christendome will you finde in one Librarie, I had al­most sayd in all the publike Libraries fowre hundred thousand bookes, as was in that one at Alexandria? And that at such a time as there were not so notable meanes by printing spéedely to spread abroad and disperse the labors of men, as now in these dayes? And yet is it true that the writinges of these dayes be manie, and of the Ancients, fewe?

Miles Christianus.

Had you not left-off quite to blush, you would haue béene ashamed euer thus to haue written. These wordes they de­serue not by writing to be confuted, they would publikely by authoritie be corrected. Do the writinges of this time disturbe the Church, & fome out their founders shame? True it is in déede of those writers wherof both Cornel. Agrippa in his Epist. ad I. Capel., and M. Caluine in his Prae [...]at. in Gal. transl. Bibliae a P. Rob. editam. in Ca [...]. Epist. f. 391., & of our Country both M. Ascham in his time In his Sc [...]ol master pag. 26, and M. Rainoldes of later time [...]raefat. ad▪ Acad. Oxon▪ [...]a fixa the▪ sibus suis. hath com­playned: true also of the writings of Martin Marprelate and such like, which all good men doe abhorre, they disturbe the Church, and fome out their founders shame. But will you argue thus, Some writings of this time disturbe the Church, [Page 6] &c. therefore the writings of this time do disturbe the Church, and fome out their founders shame? Do you so malice, or de­test some, that because of them which you like not, you will vtterly condemne all, as did Herod all the Infantes of two yeares old and vnder, because he hated Christ Matth. 2, 16? Or rather thinke you in good earnest, that the writings of this time di­sturbe the Church, and fome out their founders shame? If you thinke as you write, most wicked you of all men, that so doe thinke: worser, that so dare write: If you thinke not so badly of the writinges of this present time, as you doe write, then dissembler you that write otherwise then you thinke, and of all most foolish, that no better doe consider what you doe write?

I thanke God, Miles, I haue receiued that swéetenes and profite by the writings of this time, that I thinke it no small portion of happinesse both of this time to haue them, and of mine to heare and read them, and can not with patience en­dure to heare them so in publike writing defaced. And there­fore in the zeale and courage of a Christian Souldier I write it, and write vnto you, either reuoke these wordes, and giue a better testimonie of them by whom both you, and the whole Church is the better, or assure your selfe you will heare of this Hereticall blasphemie, where and when you would not.

Miles Christianus.

These wordes be yet more moderately spoken than the for­mer: howbeit not truely neither, vnlesse you vnderstand them of publike writers. Now if any thing come abroad that is so [Page 7] farre from being learnedly and christianly, that it is not sensi­bly done, the boldnesse of them is great that so dare write, but the negligence of them greater that should, and will not eyther restraine such workes before they come abroad, or punish the authors for publishing their follies. And an heauie account are they to make which either diuulgate, or suffer any thing to come abroad vnlesse it be both sensiblie, Christianlie, and in some measure scholerlie performed.

I am a plaine fellowe, Miles, and get not my liuing by dis­simulation, I tell you as I thinke, had some men done their partes this Pistle of yours had neuer come abroad.

Miles Christianus.

The Apostles rule is quite forgotten, you say: but you haue quite forgotten your selfe in saying so. His rule is both known and practised of some, or else you condemne euen all the Mili­tant Church in this worlde: but of some, indéede, it is better knowen then practised, and of some so forgotten, as if it had neuer bin knowen, the more is the pittie.

In these wordes you note thrée sortes of men, Speakers, Readers, and Writers: the first, that will speake before they haue learned: the nexte, that reade much, and learne little: the last, that knowe little, and yet presume to write much. Nowe had you as wisely, as you haue roundly deliuered your minde, your wordes had béene to be accompted of, but séeing you so write of all thrée, as no man can tell against which, or what, [Page 8] or vpon what ground you write, blame me not though I doe déeme you none of the wisest Writers. And be your selfe iudge whether you were with or besides your wits when thus you wrote. And mē are become like windy instruments, ready to speake as soon as they receue breath, though they giue an harsh & vncertain soūd. Wherof it comes to passe, that many reade much, & learne litle: bicause many that know little, haue presumed to write much. All out of iointe. The first sentence agréeing nothing with that going afore in your Epistle, in which you spake wholie of writing, and in that of speaking: the nexte answering nothing vnto the other, where you enter into the speach both of reading and writing, and vtter nothing of speaking, and yet all so with Coniuncti­ons either copulatiue or causall are linked together, as if they depended directly one thing vppon an other, when they do no­thing lesse. You are not to write against vnsensible Wri­ters, that write so without sense and reason your selfe. How­beit, whatsoeuer your deliuerie be, your meaning is to point at the corruptions of Speakers, Readers, and Writers in this age. And surely, I commend you for your integritie in this respect that you will not so write against one, but you will also by the way speake of other faultes. Yet two thinges I cannot but mislike in you, one is, that you delight so in Ge­neralities, that what is the true sense and meaning of your wordes cannot be vnderstoode: which is surely a great fault in a Writer (a speciall grace of writing being perspicuitie) the other is, that vainely, I will not say enuiously, you speake of some things as faultie, when they are not so. But you shall sée your selfe.

Miles Christianus.

I take it by Speakers [...] you meane Preachers, yet not all, but some who are become, you say, like windie in­struments, readie to speake as soone as they receiue breath, [Page 9] though they giue an harsh and vncertaine sound. Which, had you vttered plainely, as you doe it as other things, couertly, you had spoken well, and with commendation, for there bee such indéede, and they deserue to be touched, and sharpely to be taken vp. Against whome, as well as your selfe, I coulde say much, but I spare them at this time in some respects. Ma­ny good men crie out of them. There is little difference be­tweene some of our Sermons, and the bare reading of ig­norant Ministers, saith one T. W. Vpō certaine ver­ses Rom. 8 p. 11.. Such crie out for a learned Ministerie, themselues being vnlearned, saith another T. C. In his admon. to the peo­ple of Eng. 1. 47.. There be too too many, who to auoide the infamie of vn­preaching Ministers, are bold beyond their strength to fly without wings, to the great dishonor of the name of God, offense of his people, and incouragement of the ad­uersaries of his trueth, saith a third Sophro­nistes.. Nominatim aliquos referre possem, saith Melancthon Ad Matt. Sideman▪ epist.. So saie I, some such I coulde name: and I coulde name some, otherwise of name, who, not because they want learning, but for that they are too carelesse and negligent, handle the worde but too vnreuerent­ly. Such men, though they preach much, yet they profite lit­tle, nay, doe great hurte by their example. The yong Cocks learne of the olde to crowe.

Miles Christianus.

Them which reade much, and learne little, blame not: For Learning, whether it be great or small, is no reproch. It is the greater praise I grant, to reade much, and learne much: yet are they praise-worthie that learne anie thing, though it be but little, by their reading.

They which reade much, and learne little, are to be praised, and pittied: praised, for their painefull reading, pitied, because they reade and profite no more. Yet are they not to be dismai­ed from reading, but to be incouraged thereunto, and withall, aduised in their much reading, to vse more diligence.

[Page 10]If many that reade much, learne litle, I maruell how ma­ny which reade litle, can learne much: he can neuer be well learned, which is not wel read.

Blame them not which reade much, but blame them who haue no care to reade. It is no fault to reade much, but to reade litle or nothing, if we can and may reade, is an hainous fault.

I wot well, a man may be a good christian, though he can not, and therefore doe not reade. For, Rom. 10. 17 Faith commeth by hearing ordinarily, and not by reading: yet can I not sée with­out a miracle, howe any man can prooue a good diuine, with­out good reading. The same Spirite that saith [...]. Tim. 4. 2 Preach the word, be instant in season & out of season: the same dooth say, 1. Tim. 4. 13 Giue attendance to reading, that is, reade much.

They doe wel then that reade much, but they which can and may, and ought, and yet will not reade, and reade much, offend the Lord. God in his righteous iudgement giueth those men vp many times to folowe the fancies of their frantike braine, because they like better of their owne idle speculations, then to be conuersant in the writings of holie men.

Neuer looke that our Church shall be frée from these hostile dissentions, till either manie that preach much, do reade more, or they of the Ministerie which reade much, be the Preachers.

Miles Christianus.

It is of Writers as of Speakers many times, the more ignorant, the more impudent. The emptiest vessels make the lowdest sound: and the Parrat will prate when the Nigh­tingale wil not sing.

Those men that will either speake or write before their time, I mislike and condemne so much as your selfe.

Of idle we haue but too much, but of learned and godlie writings, we haue but too few, and can neuer haue too much.

It were a golden world, if men would do that good vnto the [Page 11] Church and Common weale which they are bounde. The worlde is not of golde nowe, but of earth. Séeing the best learned in these daies take not the most pains: and good men, though of inferior giftes, doe their best indeuours to doe good, be thankefull vnto these, by whome you do or may reape com­moditie, but blame those for not doing their partes.

He is a foole that will no siluer because he can get no golde: & they are no wise men that despice the meane graces of God, (if any grace of God be meane) séeing they can haue no vse of the best mens gifts, or more truely of the more notable giftes in worser men. For I count him the best man, not which hath the most and best giftes, but which imployeth his talents to the greatest aduantage of his Maister.

And take héede how you despice any wisedome and know­ledge offered you from the Lorde, by a man whose learning is but litle, & his writing much, or because a man knoweth litle, and yet writeth much, except you can showe that his know­ledge or writing is not syncere. Least by the iudgement of the Almighty (who euen so punisheth commonly as wée do offend) it come to passe, that you be despiced your selfe, séeing other mē of greater learning, and more giftes, are either silent, or more sparing of there spéech then your selfe. Which that you may auoyde, make more pretious accompt of them which write much, though they know litle, their litle knowledge for substance being the knowledge of Gods Church, and their manifold writings consonant vnto the holy Scriptures.

Miles Christianus.

And is it a fault in your opinion to giue apt Inscriptions vnto excellent matter? or to giue witty titles vnto ingenious writinges? you are sharpe sighted, and very selfe conceipted, if you can sée more then all wise men can, but very singular in condemning that which all wise men doe commend.

A good part of the piety of the auncient Patriarches ap­peared in the good titles which they appropriated vnto their children▪ Writings are the fruite of mens industry, as chil­dren bée of the body. Blame not the parent if hée giue his childe a good name in whom hée knoweth nothing but well.

If euer the wit of our first parent Adam, appeared excellent, it was when hée ascribed to euery creature a proper name ma­nifesting the disposition thereof [...]. Chryso­stome in Gen. h [...]il. 14.. They are not vaine which imitate his wisedome, but vnwise are they that follow not his steps.

But happely you dislike not them which giue apt titles vn­to good matter, but which adorne ill matter with good titles. If such you meane, then know you that you are not the first, nor alone in so doing. For many mislike them so well as your selfe. The Arrians, and their imitators the Papists, are not more infamous in the Church, for terming themselues Catho­liks, and yet be not so, nor they more odious before God, which say they are Iewes, and be not Reuel. [...]. 9,, then they are condemned both of God, and his Chnrch which attribute good titles, vnto bad matter.

It is not the fault of bookes onely, but of many men too, whose credite were nothing, were they not fronted with titles: Which being taken away, they are as bad as the worst men. And as many chaines are but of copper within, though they bée gilded without: so many beautified with glorious titles, are quyte destitute of the riches of true wisedome and holines, Pauls without, Sauls within, like this your Epistle carrying a showe of substance and sincerity, and yet is very Mosse.

Miles Christianus.

You prosecute poore writers verie hardly. Yet are they not charged with any thing erronious, or otherwise offensiue, [...]hy them published. That which hitherto you misliked is their ve­rie writing, and their writing much, and brandishing their writings with excellent and wittie inscriptions. Whereby you haue shewed your young head, but no learning at all. You haue yet more to saie for the disswading men from writing, which I will particularly discusse that you may sée the iniqui­t [...], or more truely the iniustnes of your complaint.

Of S. Augustine, which was the most mightie hammer to breake the braines of heretikes into peeccs, in S. Ber­nards Super C [...] tica ser. 80., for his sound iudgement in religion the Prince of all ancient Diuines, whether Greeke or Latin, in M. Be­zaes iudgement In [...]. c. epist. Pauli ad Rom. which expounded the scriptures, no man so profoundly, which taught Christian behauiour, no man so profitably which defended the Catholike faith, no man more zealously Tritenh [...]. l. de [...]c scrip., of this S. Augustine, I say you write too abiectly, when you saie, Augustine obserued, as [...]f he were but Mosse. But I maruell not you write no more reuerendly of him, which is but one, (though a notable starre in the Church) séeing you eclipse the glorie of all writings and writers in this your Epistle.

Your citing of S. Augustine sheweth plainely how well you read, [...]f euer you read S. Augustine. He writeth indéede in that place by you quoted how Christ he preached, but wrot nothing, yet marke the place well, and you shall finde, how it [Page 14] is no obseruation of his, but an obiection of Pagans, who to discredite the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles (as you do the writings of good men,) obiected, euen as you do nowe, Christ he preached, but wrot nothing, which S. Au­gustine doth answere.

Miles Christianus.

Christ he preached much, it is true. For he taught in the Temple Luk. 20. 1. Iohn 7. 14., in the daie he taught Luke 2 [...]. [...]7. and daily he taught in the Temple Luke 19. 47., and on the Sabboth daies Luke 4. 31. hée taught, and went about all Galile Math. 4. 23. and all cities and townes Math. 9▪ 35., teaching in their Sinagoges, and preaching the Gospell of the kingdome. But that he wrote nothing, it is vntrue. For he wrote moe bookes than Paule, as he baptised moe Disciples than Iohn did Iohn 4. 1. 2., though neither he baptised, nor did write, but his Disciples for him, and in his name. For as it was not the Disciples that spake, when they preached, but the Spirite of their Father in them (l): So was it not the Disci­ples, Math. 10. [...]0. and Apostles which wrote, when they did write, but the holy Ghost sent in Christ his name, brought all thinges to their remembrance Iohn. 14. [...], which they did write. So that the workes and writinges of the Apostles, are vndoubtedly the workes of Christ. And therefore the Apostles writing much, you can neuer in truth saie, Christ preached much, but wrot nothing. For he both preached, and wrot much, though he wrot not by himselfe as he [...]id preach.

You say Christ he preached much, but wrot nothing, you may as well blame the Apostles, & al the Fathers, as any able man in these dayes for writing. For if euery action of Christ is necessarily to bée imitated of his ministers, then did both the Apostles, and the Fathers ill, for writing, which Christ did not, and for writing much, when Christ preached much, but wrote nothing. And thou (holy Father S. Au­gustine, which hast out-gone all writers, (of thy coat since the Apostles time) both for number of books and for pro­fitable [Page 15] writinges Tritenhe [...]. l. de [...]c. S [...]ip. euen thou hast finned, and shalt aun­swere for thy payns, (though of neuer so good an intent) vnder­taken for the benefite of the Church, séeing thou hast not fol­lowed the example of Christ, who preached much but wrote nothing, and thou hast written much, whatsoeuer thy prea­ching was.

Christ preaehed much, but wrote nothing, say you. So saide the Paganes afore you D. August. de Consens [...] Euan. l. c. 7. accusing the good Disciples of sinne, as presuming to doe that which Christ the wisest man did vtterly auoyd. Christ preached much, but wrote no­thing, say you. So say the Papistes to draw all credite from the holy Scriptures, vnto their vnwritten blasphemies, and traditions. For, saith one of them Viguer [...] Instit. ad C [...]. Theol. 10. c. [...]. v. 10. f. 8 [...]. [...] Christ outwardly did not write, nor commaunded the Euangelical Gospel to be written, but onely to be preached, and published: and another sayth Costerus [...]nchirid. Co [...] trou [...]. c. 1. p. 4 [...]. It was not the will of Christ that his Church should rely vppon paper writings, nor that hys mysteries should bee committed to parchement: plainly showing that the Apostles sinned in writing as they did. For they did more then they were enioyned to doe, and contrary to the will of Christ when they occupied themselues in writing, whereas they would haue preached much, (after his ensam­ples) and written nothing.

It may be you dislike not, you haue in reuerend estimation the writings of the Disciples and Apostles of our Sauiour Christ, I hope so to: how be it he that shall mark your words aduisedly: can neuer thinke your meaning to be syncere. The Arrians thought well of the holy Scriptures too: yet they a­bolished vtterly both the decrées of the Nicene Councel Soxo [...]. l. 4. [...]. [...]6. and the most profitable writing of the holy Fathers Athanasiu [...] in Apolog. Theodo [...] it. l. 1. c. 11.. The Anabaptists think wel of the Scriptures too, but they burned al theyr books Sleidan. Cō ­men. de stat [...] Rel. & Rei [...]. l. 10. were they neuer so good. If you so commend the writings of the Apostles and Prophets, that you condemn the worthy labors of other learned men, though you are no Papist, because you preferre the Scripture, yet you come near them in this point, which hinder the growth of true religion, so well as Papists.

[Page 16]To conclude, if you are of minde that men are not to wr [...], because Christ wrote nothing, or any way raise a disliking of good mens workes in the mindes either of Students, Gen­tils, or common people, assure your selfe, he that wrote no­thing but preached much, will by the writings and preachings of his seruants discouer your folly, and otherwise pursue you with his iudgements, vnlesse you repent.

Miles Christianus.

Now you are come vnto the ministers of the word which be writers, of whom you deliuer thrée thinges. First that there be many of them: next, that they write much: lastly, how they preach litle. And none of these thinges are true, if you meane the ministers of the word, which are publique writers. For the priuate writers who knoweth? I trust they are many, and I pray God encrease the nūber of the studious so they write and study for the Churches quietnes. For sure I am their labors are most blessed of God, and liked of his Church, which study and write moste for the common good. But cursed is he, (whereabout soeuer he be employed) which doth the worke of the Lord negligently Ier. 48. [...].. Now consi­der your assertions.

Miles Christianus.

The Ministers of the worde that bee writers at this day, though they may be many, I grant, if you set them apart by themselues, yet are they fewe, very few, euen too few in com­parison of those Ministers, which eyther preach, but write not, or neither preach, nor write. I am sure you can not reckon of an hundred one Minister, that taketh paines in writing, and call you those many?

[Page 17]Not to speake of other places, the state of our Church for publique writers, is reasonably well knowen vnto vs both, and know we so many Ministers that be writers in the same? He is a friend of ours that was woont to say in his Sermons (which I haue not heard a great while) that your Townsmen of Burie are such diligent hearers of the word on the Monday exercises, that they may easely be singled-out from other men: surely the writers of our Church all of them may easely be sin­gled, and numbred, they are not so many (and yet too many by some, like your selfe, vnlesse they exercise their stile in more ne­cessarie matter than they doe).

I take it all Cambridge at this howre hath not foure, nor all Oxford fine, nor all London sixe, nor all Suffolke (a Coun­tie most replenished with Ministers of any Shire or County in England, Northfolke and Lyncolnshire excepted See M. Ca [...] dens Britan., nor some whole Diocesse so many (I put not euerie publisher of a Ca­techisme in this number of) approued writers, & some Cun­tries, shires, and Diocesses both in Ireland, Wales and Eng­land too, none at all: and of these, some not these two, some not these thrée yeares and vpward haue committed anie thing vnto the presse: and yet shall it publiquely in print, and as a reproch, a lasting reproch of our Ministerie, be deliuered, that the wri­ters, the Ecclesiasticall Ministers that write, be manie?

Miles Christianus.

Blame not Ministers for writing much, which in trueth is litle to that which both others afore them haue done, and they are bound vnto.

It is no reproch to our Church that any able men do write, but it is a great reproch that either there be no moe of them, or that they write no more.

And our Diuines haue a great account before God to make (so manie parishes remaining without preaching Pastors, and so many aduersaries on all sides arising to the great annoying of the whole Church in euery corner) that yet sit still beholding [Page 18] the house of God miserablie wasting into ashes, partly by the flames of inward contentions, partly by barbarous ignorance, and will not set their handes to their bookes, and by their la­boured writinges quench the same, and bring them out of dan­ger that be readie to perish. But more to blame are you, and such as you are which neither doe good that way your selues, nor like of them which be industrious & painefull for the com­mon good, but thinke that much (I am affraide too much) which is bestowed in writing.

Assure your self some Citizens, Physicians, Lawyers, Gen­tlemen, and Courtiers shall be renowmed in the Church of God, when a number of idle-bellied Ministers shall perish in obliuion. For they haue taken time frō their worldly affaires and pleasures to encounter with the Familists, Brownistes, Martinistes, Atheistes, the monsters of our daies, when these haue suffered them to rage and make their praie, either with none at all, or with colde resistance, they haue cut the throats of those spirituall Harpies, and brought them to their bane, when these haue either nourished or encouraged them by their silence.

Miles Christianus.

If Ministers by their writing neglect not their dutie of prea­ching, produce them not as offenders eyther for their prea­ching or writing, whether it be much or little. If they do their partes, let their paines then in writing and preaching, [...]e as quicke spurres to pricke them forward either which preach li­tle, to preach more, or which neither write nor preach vnto one of them, or which preach much, but write nothing, vnto more diligence.

It is a praise for a Minister eyther to write or preach, if he can doe eyther and not both of them, but to write and preach too, as it is a double labour, so it deserueth a double honor: as neither to write nor preach (if men be not otherwise by the Church profitablie employed) is a double sinne, and so bring­eth a double shame.

[Page 19]Note them not, as faultie, that write much, & preach li­tle, but blame them which preach little or nothing, and plaie much.

Were some (whome I could name) in their studies wri­ting, when they are either at the Pondes with their Spani­els ducking, or in the Allies with their mates, bowling: I am sure they would thinke them much iniured, that priuely, much more in publike monuments, are disgraced as faultie, which bestow that time profitably in writing for a generall benefite, which others bestow vainly (often times wickedly) for a short and priuate pleasure.

And yet is it an vntruth, that They which write much, preach litle. For howsoeuer it be true in some, which ei­ther will not, or cannot preach: (and I woulde to God, they which cannot do both, would yet do the one, and which can­not do the one, woulde do the other at the least) yet true is it not in all, nor in the most and best approoued Writers, who I am sure both ordinarily in their owne places euerie Sabbaoth day, and extraordinarily too, when either by authoritie or friends they are called forth, doe preach, and that as often, and as commendably as other men which doe not write, but onely preach. And they by good experience doe finde, that writing is no hinderance, but a furtherance vnto preaching.

Would you cast your eies from vanities, vpon the labours either of Maister Caluine, Beza, Mus [...]ulus, Bullinger, Sa­deele, and other famous Writers abroade, or of some of your painefull brethren at home, you would be enforced to confesse, not that they which write much preach litle, but that they which write much (so God blesseth their good indeuours) do preach much, and be as glorious lights vnto the Church by their preaching, euen most profitable preaching much, as by writing.

Miles Christianus.

Yet Paule saide, He was not sent to baptize, but to preach. And yet Saint Paule was sent both to preach and to baptize, and as well to write as either to baptize or preach. And as he had not done his parte, if he had neglected either preaching or baptizing, so had he not done his duetie, if he had not written. For the same God which elected him to preach, and minister the sacraments, appointed him also to write. [...].

S. Paules successours are to followe his steppes. Your selfe doth say, They neede not write, but as opportunitie is offered, and occasion doth require: Therefore when o­portunitie is offered, and occasion doth require, they not one­ly may, but must also write.

I wot wel, as al the Disciples and Apostles were not, but some were: so are not all ministers of the worde, but some to write. Now when is not opportunitie offered to write? The ende of all writing is, either to instruct the rude, or to reproo [...] the froward, or to confute the aduersaries, or to admonish the vnruly, or to exhorte the godly, or to some such good ende or o­ther: and when is there not iust opportunitie offered, and oc­casion giuen for some or others to be occupied in these mat­ters? The more that either ignorance and wickednesse is roo­ted, and aduersaries doe arise, the more earnestly ought men to exercise themselues herein. If at any time, men haue no we both matter and occasions manifolde to imploy their gifts and talents for the publike benefite.

Thus in fewe shordes you haue ouerthrowen whatsoeuer in your former words you haue vttered against the multitudes of writings in these our daies. He that will write vppon no iust occasion, is a fond man, but they that can, and may, and will not write vpon iust occasion offered, is both wicked a­gainst God, and iniurious to the Church.

Miles Christianus.

This is your conclusion, wherein you make a request, which is, that Your fellow Ministers would seriously con­sider, namely, how farre the liuely voice, that is, preaching, exceedeth the dead letter, which is, writing.

I also intreate your fellow Ministers, and your betters, and your inferiours, and your selfe, and all men to consider your wordes, and that seriously. For my parte I haue seriously considered of them, and I obserue some things in them worthy due and serious consideration.

First I note therefore that you so write, as if by euident demonstration you had prooued, that Preaching farre away surpasseth writing, whereupon you say, My fellowe Mini­sters therefore &c. which is nothing so, you haue insinuated such a thing, but not prooued it.

Nexte I note, that you, who so basely haue spoken of books Contrari [...] and writings in the premises, are nowe by the force of trueth driuen to saie and confesse, that the benefites of writing are ex­céeding great: howbeit the liuely voice, that is, preaching, farre excéedeth the dead letter, that is, writing.

Other things are besides to be considered, which in the dis­cussing of your assertions shall be reuealed.

Miles Christianus.

He is verie blind, that séeth not, much vnthankefull, that will not acknowledge, most impudent, that dare denie the be­nefites of writing and preaching to be excéeding great: but whether that preaching excéedeth, yea as you affirme, farre excéedeth writing, and the voice of man the bookes written by man would seriously be considered.

For my part, I can not but thinke your position diuerse [Page 22] wayes to be vnfound. For though some preaching excéedeth some writing: yet shall you neuer be able to proue that preach­ing simplie excéedeth writing. Nay, if you denie that some writinges, excéede for goodnesse some Sermons, you haue a face of brasse, and are againe contrarie to your selfe, who con­fessed Contrarietie. afore, That men are become like windy instru­ments, ready to speake as soone as they receiue breath, though they giue an harsh, and vncertaine sound, which you can not affirme simplie of writings. For albeit some wri­tinges, like this your Epistle, are windie, without substance, and some are vaine and erronious: yet all are not so. And those writinges that are studiously, and according to the pre­script rule of Gods word, and of the commendable sciences ex­actly penned, must néedes be, not only equall, but farre more excellent besides than those Sermons which either be like windie instrumentes, and giue an harsh and vncertaine [...]ound, or otherwise erronious.

And as some preaching is not better than all, but farre in­feriour to some writing: so some writings are both equall to some, some better than many, some more excellent in some respects than all Sermons, and whatsoeuer procéedeth from the mouth, which you call the liuely voyce of man: and of this last sort are the written Sermons, and other bookes of the Prophets and Apostles, called vsually the holy Scriptures, whereby we are bettered when we are not by the liuely vey [...]e of those men, the Apostles I meane and Prophets, and wher­by the controuersies of all times are to be determined, when they are not by the voices of any men, be they neuer so liuelie. Other writinges of holy and learned also in diuerse respects ex­céede preaching. For bookes will teach, and counsell, and com­fort, and strengthen, and confute, and doe those and the like duties both for the instruction of the ignorant, conuersion of sinners, ouerthrowing of Heresies, when, and where, and in such sort as happely no man can, and some men will not, or dare not. And so writing is not alwaies inferiour, but some­time excéedeth, yea farre excéedeth preaching, vnderstanding by preaching the vtterance of Gods word and will by the liue­lie [Page 23] voice of an Ecclesiasticall and lawfull Minister: for other­wise the holy writinges of good men are verie preachings. And therefore well saide one (whom not your selfe onely, but the whole Church of God this day hath in honorable remēbrance) Paule did preach the Gospell also by writing, and the people did heare the Gospell by reading D. Fulke [...] gainst the Rheam. Test▪ fol. 238. Besides, the Scripture saith Acts. 15. 21. How Moses is preached, seeing he is read in the Synagogues euery Sabboth day: & the Church of the Thessalonians were taught as well by the Epistles, as preachings of S. Paule 2. Thes. 2. 15

Miles Christianus.

You would haue it againe seriously to be considered, that Bookes and writinges are but dead letters. Which if you speake not in good sooth, it is fondlie, but if seriously you thinke as in plaine tearmes you write, it is erroniously, not to say blasphemouslie set downe.

You tearme bookes and writings Dead letters. The Pa­pists call the holy Scriptures (which are bookes) A blacke Gospell, Inky Diuinity Eckius. vide Kemicium in Exam. Concil. Trid. p. 32. &c, A leaden rule Maioranus clyp. milit. ec. l. [...] c. 1. p. 82., A nose of waxe, A dumbe Iudge Pighius con­trouers. d [...] Ec. consider seriously what compani­ons you haue in this assertion, and be ashamed.

The holy Scriptures which both the Papistes tearme, A dumbe Iudge &c. and you, (for he that thinketh all bookes and writings, dead, excepteth none) A dead letter, the holy Ghost tearmeth the same Scriptures, The word of God 1. Pet. 1. v. 23. 24. Reuel. 1. 2. which I am sure (whether read or preached) is a word of po­wer 2. Cor. 6., of life 1. Iohn. 1. Phil. 2., of comfort Heb. 13., immort [...]l seede 1. Pet. 1. 23., liue­ly and mighty in operation, and sharper then any two edged sword, entring through euen vnto the diuiding a­sunder of the soule, and the spirit, and of the ioynts, and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughtes, and in­tents of the heart Heb. 4. 12.. You that shall tearme the holy Scri­ptures either weake, that are so mighty, or blunt, that are so sharpe, or dead that are immortal, you show your selfe to [Page 24] haue smal sense, or féeling, or life of truth in you.

Againe, the cause of error and spiritual mortality, is not simply the want of preaching, but the ignorance of the Scri­ptures Math. 22. 29. which you call the dead Letter. And whereas often we are aduised to beware of Dog [...], of idle vvorkmen Phil. 3. 2. of false Prophets Mat. 7. 15. and foretold of an heap of vayn Teachers 2. Tim. 4. 3. we are neuer dehorted from reading the holy Scriptures, but charged aswell to regard the good instructions written by the pen 2. Thes. 2. 15. as preached by the mouth of the Apo­stles, and promised blessing not only for hearing, but for rea­ding also the workes of holy men, the Prophets of God Reuel. [...]. 3. whose labors doe engender faith Iohn, 20. 31, and hope Rom. 15. 4., and bring vnto perfection 2. Tim. 3. v. 16. 17., saluation 1. Tim. 4. 13., and life euerlasting Iohn. 5. 39.. And therefore without impiety cannot be blazoned for dead, and basely called A dead Letter, effecting so diuine thinges in vs, and for our welfare.

But be it you exempt the holy Scripture out of the number of dead letters: yet can you not truly cal the written labors of other holy men, Dead letters. For what doth preaching (be it spoken without derogating any whit from the maiesty of the preached word) what doth preaching which bookes by the cooperation of the holy Ghost do not bring to passe in the hart of man.

Doth it teach? They teach. and what teacheth any man by mouth, which another will not teach by pen? your selfe, and wée all may ascribe the learning that we haue aswell I am sure vnto the writings, as preachings of man.

Doth it reprehend? what doth more forceably? what wil so plainely reproue as bookes? (writings will speake when men either wil not, or dare not, or cannot.) The working of this my writing in your heart will tell you, when I cannot, howe you holde a Paradoxe, in thinking writinges to haue no life.

Doth it conuert? I thinke it no error to hold that wri­tings may conuert. Sure I am Hilarie Hilar. lib. 1. de Trinit. and others Actes and [...]. [...]. 965. Lewes Euan [...] in his Castle of Christia­nitie. haue deliuered that by reading they haue beene conuer­ted. I graunt ordinarily it cometh not to passe, but by prea­ching [Page 25] (which is therefore of al most highly to be accounted of) yet God will haue it now & then appeare that by the wor­king of his holy spirit in the readers and hearers, bookes can raise from the death of sinne vnto y ^• life of righteousnesse, to the [...]nd the writings of his children should be estéemed, and known to be of more force then dead letters. And whether they did conuert or no, God he knoweth from whom no secrets are hid, yet certain it is they wrought mightely in mens harts, when for an english booke some haue giuen fiue markes in money, some a load of haie for a few chapters of S. Iames or S. Paules Epistles Acts and monu. f. 945..

Doth it confute? Were they dead, and had no force and power to ouerthrow the kingdom of errors, and Antichrist, our aduersaries the Papists would neuer procéed so hardlie a­gainst our writings, as they do. He foresaw somwhat, who The Vicar [...] Croydon. at Paules crosse in London publikely did say, we (meaning the Papists) either must roote out printing, or printing will roote out vs Acts and Monu. f. 838. They also foresaw somewhat who at the late and last Councell holden at Trent, so carefully decreed, for the publishing of some, and prohibiting of other bookes Conc [...]l. Trid. Se [...]. 4. decr. de editi­one & vsu S. lib. & Ses. 18. decr. de li­brorum de­lectu. who by their open writings haue condenmed a great number of our labours, as hereticall and daungerous: and miserablie shauen, mangled, depraued (which they cal censuring and pur­ging Index Ex­purgatorius the worthy monuments both of the ancient Fathers, and best noted writers of this age, they foresaw that our wri­tings, though they may be reputed but dead letters, yet would giue a deadly blow vnto poperie, which thing M. Luther also foresaw, as his Epitaph doth witnesse Theol. Wi [...]temb. contra Bel­lar. p. 314..

He was a Bishop of Portingal, that durst not send vnto another Bishop, as ranke a Papist as himselfe, one of our bookes (being yet a confutation of an Epistle of his) without the speciall fauour of a Cardinal O [...]orius in Had. l. 1. p. 44 Impossible was it for one of the vulgar people to come by one of those bookes, when a Bishop might not reade it (no not when it concerned himselfe) but by the lic [...]nce of a Cardinal. What thought [Page 26] they it would worke in the simple peoples minde, when they doubted it might infect a Bishop? And if you marke it well, our home Papists, which will heare the Sermons of some Preachers, wil neuer or very hardly be drawne to peruse anie of our bookes, neither may they Concil. Tri­de [...]. Ses 4. decr. de editi­one & vsu S. librorum.. It seemeth therefore that in our writiggs there is life, when they hate our bookes as monsters.

O that Gods children were as carefull to keepe men from bad, euery word of some of them being warrants vn­to Par [...]ies trea­son. p. 17. diuelish mindes to commit sinne ( g), as the wicked are politike to keepe ill men from good bookes: and that we made as much conscience not to reade theirs as they doe not to read our writings: if we did, sure I am as there be few Protestāts among them, so would there be lesse Papistes, and Traitors, and other wicked men among vs, neither would so manie of vs reuolt vnto their idolatrie, being bewitched by their in­chaunted bookes, seeing so few of them turne vnto the true re­ligion, because they will not acquaint them selues with our bookes, containing sound and forcible perswasions vnto the truth. For they know ours vnto that which we hold, as we know theirs to be perswasiue vnto that which they maintain: and both they and we, and all men know that bookes well and pithily penned are not dead letters which can not moue, but of great force to perswade either vnto sinne or virtue.

Miles Christianus.

Now you speake of your owne experience. We will therefore consider it the more seriously. But what is it which by experience you haue found out? Namely, that no one thing is more necessarie for the benefit of the Church, then a sufficient forme of teaching the principles of re­ligion. This you speake of a publike wr [...]ting, and a sufficient prescribed forme of catechising to be published, as this whole section doth plainely demonstrate.

Now surely Maister Mosse, I would you knew your selfe. In the sentence nexte immediately going before, you intreated all your felowe Ministers, to consider seriously how farre the liuely voice, namely, preaching, doth exceed the dead let­ter, Contrarietie▪ that is, writing: here you sing a Contre-tenor, and saie, y ^e by your experiēce ye haue found, that No one thing is more necessary for the benefit of the Church than a sufficient (published) fo: me of teaching the principles of religion. If no one thing, and so not preaching, by your [...]lone experience, is not more necessarie for the benefite of the Church, then, a certaine prescribed Catechisme, which is a booke or writing, then re [...]oke your former saying, that Preaching doth farre exceed writing: for some writing is as necessarie for the bene­fit of y ^• Church as preaching. But if preaching doth farr excéed writing, then renounce this saying, No one thing is more necessary for the benefit of the Church, than a certain suf­ficient Catechisme. For if the one be true, the other must néedes be false. Againe, if true it be, that the liuelie voice exceedeth farre the dead letter: and a Catechisme, being a printed Booke, is but a dead letter, then true it is not, that a certaine prescribed Catechisme, which is a dead letter, is as necessary as the liuely voice, which is preaching: and if the liue­ly voice far excéedeth the dead letter, then is not a Catechisme, which is but a dead letter, as necessarie for the benefite of the Church as preaching, which is the liuely voice.

Hereof it followeth, that either in this you affirme more than euer you found true by your experience, or, in the other saide more than you could affirme by any certaine knowledge: [Page 28] either your knowledge is better then your experience, or your experience to be praised before your knowledge. Either your experience is ill, and your knowledge good, when you say prea­ching dooth farre excéede writing, and the liuely voice, the dead letter: or your knowledge is not sounde, and your experience good, saying, that for the benefite of the Church, a certaine pre­scribed forme of Catechisme is as necessarie as preaching, and the dead letter as the liuely voice.

A sufficient forme of Catechising is necessarie, you say, Maister Caluin approoues it Epist. ad D. Prot [...]ct. Re­gi [...] Edw. 6., I graunt it. But you are much insufficient, either to inuent, or appoint that same suffi­cient Catechisme for all Churches. That belongeth not vnto you, and a fewe like your selfe, but vnto publique authoritie. And yet (such is your Spirite) you insu [...]uate that you woulde so doe, were it not partly that it requireth the consent of many, partly, that, there be very many Catechismes already: the one manifesteth either your stomach, that you will not aske, or your owne weakenesse that cannot attaine the consent of ma­ny thereunto, the other some arrogancie in you, that being but one priuate man, would yet prescribe vnto all Churches a cer­taine forme of Catechising, were there not too many alreadie.

The consent of some, though they be many men, is no cause to vndertake such a worke, except that some be of auctoritie: the multitude of Catechismes is not let on the other side, but that one of many, or one Catechisme for all may be appointed to all and euery Church, by those that haue the gouernement of vs all.

Miles Christianus.

You that haue condemned al writings afore, do now com­mend [Page 29] a writing vnto our Church: and you which preferred preaching far aboue writing, and tearmed all books but dead letters, doe now extoll one booke, as a thing so necessary for the benefite of the Church, as preaching, and the liuely voice of any minister of the word.

Diuersly haue men béene and are affected towards bookes, that which one commendeth, another doth condemne, and contrari-wise: againe, some which like many well, yet, like one aboue all.. Tarquinius Priscus was rauished with the workes of Sibyl Amalthea Lactan de falsa. Rel. c. 6., S [...]ipio Africanus with Xe­nephon de Cyri [...]paedia Cice [...]o l. 1. epist. ad Q. Fratrem., Cardinall Poole with Ciceroes booke de Reipublica Ascham. e­pist. l. 1. p. 37., Cyprian with Tertulian Tritenhem de [...]c. scrip., Hierome vvith Origen vpon the smaler Prophets [...]. historiae Cen. [...]. c. 10., Carolus Magnus vvith S. Augustine de Ciuitate Dei Ibidem Ce [...]. 8. c. 6., Thomas Aquinas vvith Chrysostoms imperfect vvork vpon Mathew Di [...]n. Car­thes. de 4. Nouis. ar. [...], Miles Mosse with this Catechisme, thē which no one thing, no not preaching is more necessary for the benefite of the Church in your iudgement.

This Catechisme you commend, first for the long time it hath continued in the Church, euen about these tvventy yeares. Next for the good approbation which it hath receiued from diuers, and they great diuines in the Vniuersity of Cambridge. The one whereof shall excuse you, so you say, of nouelty, the other of singularity.

No Miles, the goodnes of the Booke, and approbation gi­uen thereunto by great diuines, as you tearme them, can, much lesse, shall, and I thinke will neuer excuse you either of nouelty, or singularity. For is it not nouelty (let those reue­rend, whom you call great, and all Diuines bée iudge) to com­mend that vnto the publique Church now, which at the first, and euer since for these twenty years, til this your publication, was but for priuate housholders A short Ca­techisme for priuat hous­holders was the wonted ti­tle.. And for one priuate man of a selfe-wil, vncommanded, or without the licence of his Su­periors vnder-hand, to deriue that into publique Churches and Schooles, which was made but for priuate families, especialie when Catechismes already by lawful authority bée appointed both for Schooles M. Now [...]ls Catech. and Churches Q. Iniunct. 44. The Rub. af­ter the Catec. in the booke of Com. pray­er., I thinke no wise man [Page 30] (iudge you thereof as you liste) but will iudge it singularity.

Miles Christianus.

The praises of this booke haue not yet an end, but you fur­ther commend it from the often imprinting of the same. For since the publication thereof, say you, it hath beene be­fore this, foure times imprinted. Be it so, which argueth, you say, the good approbation which it hath receiued as­vvell from those in authority, as from the particular Churches of this land.

But you are deceiued much. The often imprinting thereof doth no whit argue the good approbation which publique au­thoritie doth giue vnto a booke. I could name bookes vnto you (within lesse than twenty yéeres) foure times imprinted, which yet neuer by publique authoritie were approoued. It followeth not, A booke is often imprinted, therefore it is allovved by authority. You know, or at least may know, that Prin­ters commonly doe gaine most by those bookes which are most forbidden. Whereby you may note into what a peruerse and froward generation we are fallen, wherein men most earnest­ly desire, though they buie thē most déerelie, the things which by wholsome statutes and Proclamations be most straightlie prohibited to be either bought or solde. I say not that this Ca­techisme is so. Yet must I tell you (howsoeuer you say it is by authoritie approued, because it hath béen foure times im­printed) I haue séene diuerse impressions of the same, & could neuer yet sée, as in authorized bookes ( Seene and allowed, or a­ny thing to that effect) till this last impression, and publishing thereof by your meanes.

Neither doth it followe, It hath béene foure times within these twentie yeares imprinted: therfore the particular Chur­ches of this lande do approoue it. You are neuer able to prooue [Page 31] that the particular Chuches of this lande haue approoued the same. I thinke your meaning is, it hath béene approoued by all because it hath béene taught in some particular Churches. Which is as weake an argument as the former. For the tea­ching of it in some, argueth not that it is approoued of all. Now vnlesse all haue approoued the same, neuer say, The particular Churches of this land haue approued it. And when our prudent Gouernors haue so approued, that they do commende it vnto all Churches to be taught, then as some few Churches alreadie, (by the toleration of our milde Gouernours) haue, so all Churches of this lande will in déede approoue the same. In the meane season you cannot but by Supposition, which is deceiptfull, say, that it is, or euer hath beene approued by the particular Churches of th [...]s land.

Miles Christianus.

You haue shewed the good, now you declare the ill successe that this Booke hath found. And yet it hath fallen into the handes of euill companie, you say. If it haue done euil men good, it was wel for them, that it happened so: but il for it, if it haue béene abused in their companie.

But what hath fallen out? Some haue abridged it of the right: some haue bolstered it out with more thā the owne. In both, they haue bin verie preiudiciall to the authors. Had you showen either what they had left out, which should not be omitted, or what they had put in, y ^e might not be added, you had done well, and might iustly haue thought them preiu­diciall to the authors, and euill men: but when you so say, and yet showe no fault, much lesse prooue their actions faultie, ma­nie will thinke you preiudiciall vnto them, and an euil man, so to attaint them in a publique writing. The men are well [Page 32] knowen to be better men then your selfe, and by their labor [...] to haue done more good seruice to the Church, than your selfe hetherto hath done.

Miles Christianus.

But what hath your selfe done to the booke, if one may aske you? Haue you so published the same, as at the first by the Au­thors, the first founders, diuers great Diuines in the Vni­uersity of Cambridge, it was published? Haue you restored the same to the first integritie? No, you say. Haue you not? And yet call you them Euil men, which haue altered it, you hauing your selfe varied also from the first founders.

But what is it you haue done? You haue aimed, you saie, Te [...] [...] [...]. Newly cor­rected and a­bridged by Miles Mosse, &c. yoursel [...]e doth say euen in the face of [...]he Booke. at two things, the one is more shortnes in the ansvvers, for the capacity and memory of the simple, and the other is more direct and euident profs of scripture to the purpose. And is this all? No, you saie, For you haue added besides questions and ansvvers. Uerie well, then you haue both made some answers shorter, which were long, that is, Abrid­ged, and you haue Added questions and answers too, that is, bolstred it out vvith more then the ovvne. Haue you thus done, by your owne confession, and blame you other men naming them Euil, and saying, they haue béene preiudiciall, very preiudicial to the Authors, and yet haue done but that which you haue done, and no more?

But you haue reasons for your doing. For you saie, that you abridged it for the capacity and memory of the simple, [Page 33] and inlarged it but by such things as you suppose vvere either intended of the first founders, or so necessary as they might not be omitted. And may not they where they abridged it, say also, they did it for the capacity and memo­ry of the simple? and where they inlarged, that they either supposed their additions were intended by the first foun­ders, or so necessarie that they could not be omitted? Be these reasons good, alleadged for your selfe? and be they not as strong, alleadged by, and for them? And then what praise pur­chase you, but they deserue the same? And why are they repro­ched as ill, doing but that which you did, and vppon so good groundes as you haue done? Is this wel done of you, & that ill done of them? Are they il men, doing as you do, & you a good man doing euen as they? Are they preiudiciall to the au­cthors, and not your selfe? And let al men that haue iudgement iudge, whether that by your abridging and adding, you haue bettered, and not rather worsered this Catechisme, of so manie great Diuines of Cambridge, and whether it were not much better, both at the first, as the Authors did it, and since, as o­ther men did publish it, then now.

You say, you haue aimed at more direct and euident proofes of Scripture to the purpose. I doubt not of that: but how wel you haue hit the marke let others say, I will not nowe vnfold. One thing only I wil tel you, & but the truth (as he knoweth, who knoweth all things) opening your booke (as our Sauiour did the booke of the Prophet Esay Luke 4. 17., I founde this question, What callest thou the Catholique Church? This answere, The Catholique Church the number of faithfull people, vvhich are, haue bene, and shalbe to the worlds end in all places, all vvhich are knovven to God, and cared for of men, These proofs Iob 10. 16. 2. Tim. 2. 19. Matth. 18. 14.

The first proofe Iob. 10. 16. is to show that the Catho­like Church is the number of faithful people, vvhich are, haue beene, and shalbe to the vvorlds end in all places. I turned to that place in Iob, and I found the wordes to be these, But let it encrease: hunt thou me like a Lion, returne and shevv thy selfe marueilous vpon me. Here is no word [Page 34] to the purpose, for which it is quoted. You made me to muse: but thinking it might be a fault of the Printer, and that Iob might be set for Iohn, I turned vnto the tenth of Iohn the 16. verse, where in déed our Sauiour Christ speaketh of his Church, and of one Church, and of the encrease and perpetui­tie of the same. But by your leaue that place neither will proue that The Catholike Church is the number of faith­full people, vvhich are, haue beene, and shalbe to the vvorlds end in all places. For though it be true that the Ecclesia Ca­tholica quam credimus est caetus vniuer­sus electorum Dei. Thesis Rainoldian [...]. & verè Chri­stiana Thesis. faithfull people which are, haue beene, and shalbe to the worlds end, are of the Catholike Church, yet are not the faithfull people the Catholike Church. For then should manie which neither had, haue, or shal haue Faith, be excluded from the my­sticall bodie, the Catholike Church of Christ, and yet both our Sauiour dyed, and shed his pretious bloud for them, and they were elected vnto life euerlasting, before the foundations of the world, so well as they which by hearing the word of God preached, hane attained faith (b). They are in an errour [...]. [...]0. 17. which expounded this Artickle, The holy Catholike Church, of the visible Church, as the Papists do, and they are not in the right way, which expounded it onely of the Faithfull. For the holy Catholike Church, which vve belieue in our Creed, is not the companie of the Faithfull onely, but the whole company of Gods elect and chosen, whether euer or neuer they doe belieue.

The second proofe, (2. Tim. 2. 19.) is truely quoted. But the third and last (Matth. 18. 14.) alledged to proue that the Catholike Church, as you say, the companie of the faithfull is cared for of men, is nothing so nor so. The wordes of S. Mathevv in that place be these, So is it not the vvil of your Father vvhich is in heauen, that one of these litle ones, should perish, where our Sauiour plainely sheweth that his prouident care is excéeding great euen ouer litle ones of this world, he saith not that men haue a care of his people, the litle ones of this world, or that they be cared for of man. But the contrary we may sée in the holy Scriptures. For the vvorld hateth them Ioh. 1 [...]. 1 [...]., because they are not of the world [...]. 17. 1 [...]., but chosen out of the vvorld Ioh. 1 [...]. 19..

[Page 35]Neither haue you misapplyed onely this text of Matthew, but ouer and that peruerted the good meaning too of the Au­thours. For where in the former editions, it is thus, I be­lieue that God knoweth them al, and hath a most tender care ouer them, which is very true, you set downe in yours, Al vvhich are knovvn to God, and cared for of man, the former of which is true, the latter most false. And yet are you a good man, and they ill? you a benefactour, and they preiudi­ciall to this booke? Fel it into ill company, when it came into theirs, and was it happy by lighting into your handes? This one place maketh me to thinke you haue not dealt soundly in other.

Miles Christianus.

As you can not trust your selfe in your doing (if we may be­léeue you): so, take you not the better héede, this and such o­ther dealing of yours will make others warie how they trust you, and others in such actions. This is not the first time you haue ouer-reached your brethren, and made them to giue ap­probation to your deuises, of which both they and you may be iustly grieued.

It is now almost vsuall for cunning fellowes to circumuent their plaine meaning brethren, and make them doers of that, which themselues will not, or dare many times be séene in, or not alone.

You haue made your brethren accessarie vnto those faultes whereof I haue prooued you guiltie, by consenting vnto your action. For not the doers of euil onely, but they also which ap­prooue the same, be culpable.

If you did amisse your selfe afore, the consent of diuers (how learned and godly so euer reputed) doth not good your fact, but aggrauate your offense. And therefore if you offended a­ny [Page 36] way, as you haue diuersly, both they and you haue much more sinned, you in getting, they in giuing their approbation vnto your doings,

Miles Christianus.

These wordes open mée a gap into a wide fielde of large discourses, which I purpose not to enter into at this time.

How you are bound vnto your Lorde and Maister, it is better knowen vnto your selfe, then vnto mée: sure I am his Lordship is nothing bound vnto you for this Epistle, and dedi­cation: neither haue your brethren about you, nor your bre­thren farre of, cause to thanke you, for these open thanks in a publique writing,

And if you had writ nothing but vsed the eloquence of At­ticus altogether, it had béene better both for your selfe and the whole Church.

Miles Christianus.

Amen.