A Christian LETTER of certaine English Protestantes, vnfayned fauourers of the present state of religion, authorised and professed in England: vnto that Reuerend and Learned man, Maister R. Hoo. requiring resolution in certayne matters of doctrine which seeme to ouerthrowe the foundation of Christian Religion, and of the church among vs expreslie contayned in his fiue bookes of Eccesiasticall Policie.

WHEN men dreame they are asleepe, and while
men sleepe the enemie soweth tares, and tares
take roote and hinder the good corne of the
Church, before it be espied. Therefore Wise
men through silence permitt nothing looselie to
passe away as in a dreame. Your offer then,
Maist Hoo. is godly and laudable, to enforme
men of the estate of the church of God established among vs. For
the Teachers of righteous things, are highlie to be comme~ded.
And he that leadeth me~ rightlie to iudge of the church of God,
is to be beloued of all men. Howbeit sometimes godlie promises
are meere formal, and great offers serue onely to hoodwinke
such as meane well. And as by a faire shew of wishing well, our
first parents were fowlie deceaued: so is there a cunning framed
method, by excellencie of wordes, & intising speeches of mans
wisedome, to beguile and bewitch the verie Church of GOD.
And such as are vsed for this purpose come in sheepes clothing.
For he translateth him self into an Angel of light, who blindeth
all men with vtter darknes. When wee therefore, your louing
cuntrymen vnfaynedlie fauoring the present state, and embracing
from our heartes the Gospel of Christ, as it is preached and
professed in England, being readie euery hower to giue vp our

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liues for Gods glorie: and the honour of our Queene hauing so
goodlie a champion to offer combat in our defence, were made
verie secure, and by the sweete sounde of your melodious stile,
almost cast into a dreaming sleepe. Wee happelie remembring
your Preface that there might bee some other cause, opened at
the length our heauie eyes, and casting some more earnest and
intentiue sight into your manner of sight, it seemed vnto vs that
couertlie and vnderhand you did bende all your skill and force
against the present state of our English church: and by colour of
defending the discipline and gouuernement thereof, to make
questionable and bring in contempt the doctrine and faith it
selfe. For we saw the theme and the cause you haue in hand, to
be notable simples, whereof a skilfull popishe Apoticarie can
readilie make some fine potion or sweete smelling ointment, to
bring heedlesse men into the pleasant dreame of well-weening:
while they closelie set on fire the house of God. And may wee
not trulie say, that vnder the shewe of inveighing against Puritanes,
the chiefest pointes of popish blasphemie, are many times
and in many places, by diuers men not obscurelie broached;
both in Sermons and in Writing: to the great griefe of manie
faithfull subiectes, who pray for the blessed and peacable continuance
of her most gracious Maiestie, and of the estate of the
Church of IESVS Christ; as it is nowe established among vs.
And verelie such a thing offered it selfe vnto our eyes, in reading
your bookes, and we had not skill howe to iudge otherwise; of
the handling of your penne and of the scope of your matter.
Notwithstanding because rash iudgeme~t may preiudice honest
trauailes, and faithfull labourers may haue their vnaduised
flippes, and we could not tell howe zeale, loue, or glorie might
carie a man of such towardlie and excellent giftes, in the firste
shewing of him selfe to the worlde; or that an earnest striuing &
bending your selfe in heate of disputation against the one side,
might dazell your eyes, and drawe your hande at vnawares to
farre and too fauourable to the other side; or else peradventure
we might mistake your meaning, and so wee should doe you
wrong against our willes. We thought it therefore our parte, in
regarde of our dutie to the Chruch; and most agreeing to charitie,
both for your credit and our ease; in all christian loue to
intreat you, that as you te~der the good estate of Christes church
among vs, and of thousands co~uerted to the gospel, you would
in like publike manner but plainly and directly shew vnto vs
and all English Protestantes, your owne true meaning, and how
your wordes in diuers thinges doe agree with the doctrine established
among vs. And that not onelie for avoyding of offence
giuen to many godlie and religious Christians: but also that the
Atheistes, Papistes, and other hereticques, be not incouraged by
your so harde and so harsh stile beating as it were, as we verilie
thinke, against the verie heart of all true christian doctrine, professed
by her Maiestie and the whole state of this Realme to despise
and set light, by her sacred Maiestie, the reverend Fathers
of our Church and the whole cause of our religion. Wee haue
made choyce therefore of a few principal things, which trouble
manie godlie minded christians, who aduisedlie read ouer your
bookes, that by the sincere answering and vpright clearing of
them, you might satisfie vs all, both in them and in all the rest,
and free your selfe from all suspition of falshoode or treacherie,
and make vs able to giue a reason of defence vnto all such as
stumble at your writinges. And for your better ease herein, and
our more readie satisfaction, we haue compared your positions
and assertions in your long discourses, vnto the articles of religion
sett forth An~. Dn~i 1562. and confirmed by Parliament the
13. of her Maiesties most blessed & ioyfull reigne, and vnto the
Apologies of such Reverend Fathers and chiefe pillars of our
church, as from time to time since the Gospell began to shine among
vs, haue written and preached, and euerie way laboured
to advaunce and defende the same, with the Liturgie & church
governement established among vs. If you therefore good Ma.
Hoo. will make it to appeare to the world, that in these pointes
you are all one in iudgement with the church of Englande, and
that your such speaches wherewith your godly brethre~ are grieued,
may beare such sence and meaning: or else as euery humble
christian will doe freelie and ingenuouslie acknowledge
your vnwilling oversight, or at the least which we vndoubtedly
beleeue you will neuer bee able shew planlie and by good demonstration,

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that all our Reuerend Fathers haue hitherto bene
deceaued; then shall we hold our selues very well contented and
satisfied. Hoping therfore of your charitable, direct, plaine, sincere,
and speedie answere, we tender here our doubtes vnto your
christian consideration, and craue your brotherlie resolution in
manner and forme following.

One foundation of christian faith professed by
the English church is this: There is one true and
liuing God. &c. And Although we acknowledge
the three persons to be God and Lord, yet the Godhead
of the Father and the Sonne is all one. &c.
Here we craue of you Maister Hoo. to explaine
your owne meaninge where you saye, The Father
alone is originallie that Deitie which Christ
originallie is not. Howe the Godhead of the Father and of the
Sonne be all one, and yet originallie not the same Deitie: And
then teach vs how farre this differeth from the heresie of Arius,
who sayeth of God the Sonne: There was when he was not, who
yet graunteth that he was before all creatures, of thinges which
were not. Whether such wordes weaken not the eternitie of the
Sonne in the opinio~ of the simple, or at least make the So~ne
inferior to the Father in respect of the Godhead: or els teach the
igonarant, there be many Gods.
Another foundation of our beleef: The Sonne
is the Worde of the Father, from euerlasting begotten
of the Father. &c. and the holy Ghost proceeding
from the Father and the Sonne. Where we
holde the coeternitie of the Sonne with the Father
by expresse litterall me~tion in the Scriptures
found in these wordes: The Lord hath possessed
me in the beginning of his way. &c. And agayne:
In the beginning was the Worde, and the Worde
was with God, and the Worde was God. &c. And
againe: Glorifie mee thou Father with thine own
selfe, with the glorie which I had with thee before
the world was. And we holde the proceeding
of the holy Ghost from the Father and the
Sonne, by like expresse wordes of holy scripture:
namelie, When the Comforter shall come, whom
I will send vnto you from the Father, euen the spirit
of trueth, which proceedeth of the Father. &c.
Shew we pray you your full meaning where you say: The coeternitie
of the Sonne of God with his Father and the proceeding of
the spirit from the Father and the Sonne, are in scripture no where
to be found by expresse litterall mention. Whether there bee not
expresse litterall mention of these two pointes in the former alleadged
places, and whether such maner of speeches may not
worke a scruple in the weak christian, to doubt of these articles;
or at the least so vnderproppe the popish traditions, that menne
may the rather fauour their allegations, when they see vs fayne
to borrow of them.
The Church of Englande professeth: Holye
Scripture contayneth all things which are necessarie
to saluation, so that whatsoeuer is neither read
in it, neither can be proued thereby, is not to be exacted
of any man, that it should bee beleeued as an
article of faith, or should be thought to be required vnto the necessitie
of saluation. You on the other side saye: In actions of this
kinde speaking of direct, immediate, and proper necessitie final
to saluation our chiefest direction is from scripture. and agayne:
The insufficiencie of the light of nature is by the light of scripture
fullie and perfectlie supplied. And in another place: It sufficeth
that nature and scripture doe serue in such full sorte, that they both
iointlie and not seuerallie eyther of them be so compleate, that vnto
euerlasting felicitie we need not the knowledge of anie thing more
then these two. &c. Where you seeme vnto vs, that although you
exclude traditions as a part of supernaturall trueth, yet you infer
that the light of nature teacheth some knowledge naturall whiche
is necessarie to saluation, and that the Scripture is a supplement
and making perfect of that knowledge, Which being co~pared
vnto pag. 127. where you affirme that the wante of moral
vertues exclude from saluation. And pag. 82. where you make
faith hope & charitie, to be taught only by supernatural trueth.
It seemeth to vs that naturall light, teaching morall virtues, teacheth
thinges necessarie to saluation, whiche yet is not perfect
without that which supernaturall knowledge in holy Scripture
reveileth. Heere wee pray you to explaine your owne meaning,
whether you thinke that there be anie naturall light, teaching
knowledge of things necessarie to saluation, which knowledge
is not contayned in holy scripture: if you thinke, no: How then
say you before: Not the scripture severallie, but nature and scripture
iointlie, be compleate vnto euerlasting felicitie. If you say
yea: how then agree you with the beleef of our Church: which
affirmeth, that holy scripture contayneth all thinges necessarie
to salvation? And here we pray you to shew vs, whether nature
teach anie thing touching Christ, whether without or beside
him any thing be necessarie: whether that in him
we be not co~pleate. Lastlie, whether you meane
that the knowledge of humane wisedome concerning
God, haue anie thinge not expressed in
Scripture, or that morall virtues are any where
rightlie taught but in holy scriptu. or that whersoeuer
they be taught, they be of such necessitie,
that the wante of them exclude from salvation,
and what scripture approueth such a saying, or
that cases and matters of salvation bee determinable
by any other lawe then of holy scripture.
And then tell vs howe you vnderstande these
places following, and howe they agree with this
your position of the light of nature and morall
virtues: A man is iustified by faith without the
workes of the law. Neither is there salvation in
anie other. For there is no other name which is giuen
vnder heauen amongst men by which we must
be saued. The naturall man perceaueth not the
thinges of the spirit of God, for they are foolishnes
vnto him. &c. Except a man be borne againe, hee
can not see the kingdome of God.
The Reverend Fathers of our church, to avouch
our forsaking of the Antichristian sinagogue of
Rome, & cleauing to the scriptures of God, doe
so farre make the iudgement of the scriptures aboue
the Church, that with the auncient Fathers
they say: In time of dissention it is most behoofefull
for the people to haue recourse vnto the scriptures;
and that wee may in no wise beleeue the
Churches them selues, vnlesse they say and doe
such thinges as bee agreeable to the Scriptures.
The triall of scriptures is necessarie to discerne
the true church from all false congregations, which
all boast of the spirit of trueth, as much as the true
church. And Only scriptures are a sufficient warrand
to euery Christian to trie what is the word of
God, and what is the worde of man. &c. But you
Maist. Hoo. doe saye: It is not the worde of God which doeth or
possiblie can assure vs, that we doe well to thinke it is his worde.
And againe, By experience we all know, that the first outwarde
motiue leading men so to esteeme of the scripture, is, the authoritie
of Gods Church. And a litle before: Scripture teacheth vs that
sauing trueth which God hath discouered to the world by reuelation;
and it presumeth vs taught otherwise, that it selfe is diuine &
sacred. Here we beseech you Mai. Hoo. that if as our Reverend
Fathers affirme, wee may noe otherwise beleeue the Churches
them selues, but as they agree to the scriptures, & that by them
the true church is to be discerned, &c. and that onely scriptures,
sufficientlie warrant the triall of Gods worde, what certaintie of
saluation wee can haue, in anie presuming or motiue by the
church, if the scripture can~ot assure vs that it is the word of God.
Are not these contradictorie? Tell vs therefore if your meaning
be not that the authoritie of the church must do that which the
scripture cannot doe, namelie to assure vs that they are the word
of God. And our reuerend Fathers say, The church can not so
assure vs, vnlesse we trie it first to be the true church by the scriptures:
Are not these contradictorie? They say: Onely Scriptures
warrand vs what is the worde of God, you say they cannot assure
vs of the worde of God, but presume vs to be taught that thinge
otherwise: Are not these contradictorie? Haue we not here good

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cause to suspect the vnderpropping of a popish principle co~cerning
the churches authoritie aboue the holy Scripture, to the
disgrace of the English church? If not, then reco~cile your assertions
vnto theirs, and shew mercie and trueth vnto our reverend
Fathers. And therewithal we pray you to expound either by experience
or otherwise; Whether the worde of God wa receaued
in the world, and beleeued by men, by the virtue and authoritie
of the witnesses, either Prophets or Apostles, of the holy church,
or that such witnesses were not esteemed for the wordes sake:
and the Church alway approued both by God & faithfull men,
as the same was described, commended, and ordered
by the rule of holy scripture. What thinke
you of the beautifull feete that bringe glad tydings,
and of the Kings, who for reuerence stopped
their mouthes at it. The people pricked in harte
at Peters preaching. And the men of Berea searching
the scriptues: whether that in all these, the
testimonie of man, as Prophet, Apostle or church
did authorise the word of God, that it was beleeued?
or the demonstration of the spirituall power
of the word it selfe? And was not this the meaning
of Saint Paule when reiecting letters of co~mendation,
hee affirmeth that the Corinthians
were his epistle written in their heartes, which
is vnderstood and read of all menne. &c. Doeth
he not preferre the power of the worde, testifying
of it selfe, by the conversion of the heart, before
all other motiues, and by it he him selfe was authorised
in their consciences, and not it by him.
Lastlie, shew vs where you finde that the scripture
presumeth vs taught otherwise, &c. What
thinke you? Is it of man, or by man? or of God,
that it so presumeth: or doe not you presume against
the worde of God, to set vp mans testimonie,
when we know that the testimonie of God
is greater. When the Iewes and the Gentiles did
both oppose them selues against the gospel, what
did it presume vpon? was it not of it selfe the
two edged sworde, pearching into the marrow of
the bones: the rodde of iron to crush in peeces
the Nations, and the armour spirituall to bring
in subiection euery thought vnto the obedience
of the knowledge of God?
The Church of England professeth this grou~d
of faith: Without the grace of God which is by
Christ preventing vs, that we will; and working
togither while we will; we are nothing at all able to
doe the workes of pietie which are pleasing and acceptable to God.
You to our vndersta~ding, write cleane co~trarie: namelie, there
is in the will of man naturallie that freedome, whereby it is apt
to take or refuse anie particular obiect, whatsoeuer being presented
vnto it. And a litle after: There is not that good which concerneth
vs, but it hath euidence enough for it selfe, If reason were
diligent to search it out. Heere we pray your helpe to teach vs:
how will is apt as you say freelie to take or refuse anie particular
obiect what soeuer, & that reason by diligence is able to find
out anie good concerning vs: If it bee true that the Church of
England professeth, that without the preventing and helping
grace of God, we can, will, and doe nothing pleasing to God. To
which beleefe of Englande the scripture accordeth,
shewing that without the said grace of God,
We are dead in sinnes and trespasses: we are not
sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing. It is
God which worketh in vs the will and the deede, euen
of his good pleasure. Shew vs therefore howe your positions
agree with our church and the scriptures. If you say you vnderstande
reason and will helpe by the grace of God, then tell vs
how we may perceaue it by your writing: whiche putteth difference
betwixt naturall and supernaturall trueth & lawes. If you
meane reason vncorrupted, not respecting how in trueth we are
by Adams fall perverted, may wee not suspect that your whole
discourse is subtill and cunning, because you pretend the naturall
way of finding out lawes by reason to guide the will vnto
that which is good, pag. 59. 62. 63. &c. or at the least friuoulous,

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seeing man hath no such reason without the grace of GOD, if
you meane without the grace of God, and in the state of corruption,
as in deed all men naturallie nowe are. Heere wee desire
to be taught how such sayings ouerthrow not our English creed
and the holy scripture in this matter, and therewithall shewe vs
the true meaning of Saint Paule, and how he fitteth your discourse
in this place, namelie when he saith. Rom.8.7. The wisedome
of the flesh is ennimitie against God, for it is not subiect vnto
the law of God, neither in deed can be.
The Church of England beleeueth, Onely for
the meritt of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ,
through faith and not for workes and our merites
we are accounted righteous before God. You saye,
The way of supernaturall duetie which to vs he hath prescribed,
our Sauiour in the Gospell of Saint Iohn doeth note, terming it by
an excelle~cie the worke of God. This is the worke of God, that you
beleeue in him whom he hath sente; not that God doeth require nothing
at the handes of men vnto happines, sauing only a naked beleefe
for hope and charitie we may not exclude but that without
beleefe all other thinges are as nothing, and it is the ground of those
other diuine virtues. And againe, The same things diuine lawe
also teacheth, as at large we haue shewed, it doeth all partes of morall
duetie; wherevnto we all of necessitie stande bounde in regard
of life to come. And in another place, Euery mans religion is in
him selfe the well spring of all other sound and sincere verities, from
whence both heere in some sorte, and heereafter more aboundantlie
their full ioy and felicitie ariseth: because while they liue, they are
blessed of God, and when they dye, their workes follow them. And
yet againe you say, I will not dispute whether truely it may not
be sayde, that poenitent both weeping and fasting, are meanes to
blott out sinne, meanes whereby through Gods vnspeakable and
vndeserued mercie, wee obtayne and procure our selues pardon
which attaynement vnto anie gracious benefite by him bestowed,
the phrase of antiquitiy vseth to expresse by the name of merite:
Heere wee desire to bee resolued how these your assertions can
stande with the doctrine and beleef of the church of England;
Fayth only iustifieth. To which the holy Scripture accordeth,
saying: If there had bene a lawe that could haue
giuen life, surelie righteousnes had bene by the law:
but the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne,
that the promise by the fayth of Iesus Christ might
be giuen to them that beleeue. And againe: David
declareth the blessednes of the man vnto whom God imputeth
righteousnes without workes. For if from sound and sincere virtues
as you say full ioy and felicitie ariseth, and that we all of
necessitie stande bounde vnto all partes of morall duetie in regarde
of life to come, and God requireth more at the handes of
men vnto happines, then such a naked beleefe; as Christ calleth
the worke of God: alas what shal we poore sinful wretches doe,
who can haue no confidence in the flesh being farre from those
sounde and sincere virtues, and from manie that we say not all
partes of morall duetie, in such measure, as the holy, iust & good
law of God doeth require them; yea our verie righteous workes
we finde to be stayned like a filthie cloth: when we co~pare them
vnto that absolute righteousnes which is indeed pure & vnspotted
before the eyes of God; therefore we clayme nothing by any
duetie we doe or can doe, or anie virtue which wee finde in our
selues, but onelie by that naked faith which is the work of God
in vs, and maketh vs beleeue in him whom he hath sente, and
by his stripes onelie we hope to be healed. Tell vs therefore by
sounde and plaine demonstration what wee may trust to, whether
the English beleefe be imperfect, without some necessarie
additament: whether you thinke that not faith alone, but faith,
hope and loue, be the formall cause of our righteousnes, whether
a man that hath faith can also doe all the works of the law,
and so make vp that which is wa~ting in his naked faith: or that
if he cannot, but falleth into sinne seuen times, yea sometimes
into great sinnes, whether his faith may not saue him. Lastlie,
whether there bee not other sufficient causes to
induce a christian to godlines & honestie of life,
such as is the glorie of God our Father: his great
mercies in Christ: his loue to vs: example to others,
but that we must do it to merit or to make
perfitt that which Christ hath done for vs. And lastlie, shew vs

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that phrase of antiquitie whether it were in the Apostles time among
the founder christians, or in what time immediatlie following;
or doe you not closelie make the popish doctrine of meritt
by workes at the least to be tollerable, to the disgrace of our
English creede?
The church of England professeth, that Good
workes, the frutes of faith and following the iustified
cannot abide the seueritie of Gods iudgement,
and that The workes which are done before the
grace of Christ, are not onely not acceptable to God, but also haue
the nature of sinne. You say: The most certayne token of evident
goodnes, is, If the generall perswasion of all men doe so account
it. And againe: Only mans obseruation of the lawe of his
nature is Righteousnes; only mans transgression sinne. Gods verie
commaundement in some kinde as namelie his precepts comprehended
in the law of nature, may otherwise be knowen then onelie
by scripture, and that to doe them, howsoeuer we know them must
needes be acceptable in his sight. Here we desire to be instructed,
howe the goodnes of these actions done by the light of nature,
are to be vnderstoode, eyther simplie in them selues, as nature
onelie declareth and teacheth; or as men following the light of
nature, iudge of them and so doe them: if you answere onelie as
nature teacheth without regarde of man doeing according to
nature, then can we not vnderstande your discourse, which seemeth
to vs to teach, that by doeing such operations of goodnes
as nature teacheth, though he haue no further teachinge, it is
righteousnes and pleaseth God. If you meane this second, then
I pray you, in what sence can you call that righteousnes in man,
which our Church calleth sinne: and doe you not establish the
Romish doctrine of pura naturalia and workes of congruitie?
And if that be true which you say, that men doing such workes,
be acceptable in Gods sight, doe you not make the Church of
England to holde an errour, when they say they are not acceptable
to God.
The church of England professeth, that Works
of supererogation cannot bee taught without arrogancie
and wickednes. And you say: God approued
much more then he commaundeth. Open vnto vs then that
seeing you seeme to teach that the order and course of all things
supernaturall, naturall, sensible and reasonable, is a diuine lawe,
and so by it he commaundeth accordinge to euerie kinde: and
that in the former articles you appeare to vs to scatter the prophane
graines of poperie, whether we may not iustlie iudge, that
in thus speaking you sow the seede of the doctrine which leadeth
men to those arrogant workes of supererogation. If not,
shew your own meaning, and howe you esteeme of this Article
of our beleefe.
The Church of England holdeth, that Christ
onely being the immaculate Lambe, was without
sinne, and that we which are baptized and regenerated
in him, doe all offende in manie things. You say: Although
we cannot bee free from all sinne collectiuelie in such sorte, that no
parte thereof shalbe found inherent in vs, yet distributiuelie at the
least all great and greeuous actuall offences, as they offer themselues
one by one, both may and ought to be by all meanes auoyded. So
that in this sense to be preserued from all sinne, is not impossible.
Heere we demaunde to be informed, that is all offende in manie
things, and to say otherwise be a lye, as our English creede affirmeth,
how your saying can be true, that it is possible to avoyde
all great and greeuous sinnes. And what manie things they bee
whereof the scripture speaketh: Whether it meaneth not actual
offences, great and greeuous; but that some may be expected in
regard of great sinnes: or whether you meane, that it is possible
for all christians to be preserued from all great sinnes: and if so,
why should it not bee as possible; from all small offences: and if
from small and great, why doe we not keepe our robe pure and
without spot vntill the comming of Christ, and so bee iustified
more and more by our works, as the popish Cannons teach, but
pray by Christes commaundement euery day, Forgiue vs our
trespasses.
The Church of England beleeueth, that Predestination
vnto life is the eternal purpose of God,
whereby before the foundations of the world were
layde, hee constantlie decreed by his counsell vnto
vs vnknowen to deliuer from the curse & destruction them whom
he chose in Christ out of mankinde, & as vessells made vnto honour
through Christ to bring them to eternall saluation. Wherevpon
they who are indowed with so excellent benefit of God, are called
according to his purpose, and that by his spirit working in a fitt
time. But you Mai. Hoo. seeme to vs, to affirme contrarie, when
you say: If anie man doubt how God should accept such prayers
in case they be opposite to his will, or not graunt them, if they be according
to that him selfe willeth: Our aunswer is, that such sutes
God accepteth, in that they are conformable to his generall inclination,
which is that all men might be saued: yet alwayes he graunteth
them not, for so much as there is in God a more priuate occasioned
will, which determineth the contrarie. Heere we begge your
ayde to make manifest vnto vs, howe God eternallie predestinateth
by a constant decree, them whom he calleth and saueth as
our Church professeth and yet hath, as you say, a generall inclination
that all men might be saued: Whether he foresaw not
something that occasioned his will otherwise; so that he elected
not all, but onely them whom he calleth and saueth, or that of
his generall inclination he elected all men, but some more privatelie
occasioned him in time to alter his will, and to refuse
them; or that some men gaue God occasio~ that he saueth them,
though he neuer decreed it before the foundations
of the world. What meant the blessed Apostle
where he sayeth: Whom he predestinated them
also he called: and whom he called them also he
iustified. &c. Is this to bee vnderstoode of a constant
decree, as we say, or of an inclination? Hee
sayeth: God worketh all thinges after the counsell
of his owne will. Is this to be vnderstood, that
vpon occasion sometimes hee either altereth his
counsell, or decreeth something which hee had
not thought vpon before. Saint Iames saith, that
In God there is no variablenes nor shadowe of
turning. Is not this more then a variablenes or
shadow of turning to incline one way, and vpon occasion to decree
another. Doe not these wordes of yours giue some place
vnto chaunce and fortune: Doe they not make GOD as a man
not of an all-sufficient knowledge, wisedome, and counsell, but
inclinable some one way, till by occasion he finde a more better
way. Where is that God you speake of in your first booke, of
whom and through whom and for whom are all things. And where
is that law by which he worketh, which you there call eternall,
and therefore can haue no shew or colour of mutabilitie. Haue
we not cause to feare that the wittie schoolemen haue seduced
you, and by their conceited distinctions made you forget, That
you are neither able nor worthie to open and looke into the booke of
Gods law, by which he guideth the worlde. And yet you will say,
There is in God an occasioned will. Good Mai. Hoo. helpe vs
heere, and shewe vs howe we may thinke, that you incline not
to the errour of poperie touching workes forseene, and that you
fauour our churches beleef.
The Church of England doeth confesse,
That the church of Christ is a companie of faithfull
people, among whom the pure worde of God is
preached, & the Sacramentes rightlie administred
according to Christes institution, &c. and that the
church of Rome hath erred, not onely in maners &
ceremonies, but also in matters of faith. Which by
the Reverend Fathers of our Church is expounded
thus: Without Christ the church is no
church, neither hath anie right or claime without
his promise; nor anie promise without his
worde. The church of Rome being as it is now
vtterlie voyd of Gods word, is as a lanterne without
light. We haue departed from that church
which they haue made a denne of theeues, and
in which they haue left nothing sound, or like to
a church; & which the~ selues did co~fesse to haue
erred in manie things, euen as Lot in olde time
out of Sodom, or Abraham out of Chaldea, &c.
The generall error and defection of the popish
Sinagogue fro~ Christ his true Church foreshewed
in the scriptures, is now manifest to the world

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by dissention from Christ and his holy Apostles
doctrine, and from the doctrine of the churches
by the Apostles fou~ded. And for this cause, they
call the heresie of that Romish church Apostasia
Romanensium ab Ecclesia, The Apostasie of the
Romish rabble fro~ the church. And they cal the
Pope Apostatam, Antichristum, an Apostata,
Antichrist. And binde vp in one bundle Idolaters,
superstitious persons, papistes and Atheistes;
constantlie affirming, that among English christians
no other thing is ment by the name of papistes,
then heretickes and traytours, Antichristians
and Apostataes, enemies to God, their Prince,
and their countrie. Now we finde in you these peremptorie affirmations:
With Rome we dare not co~municate concerning sundrie
her grosse & grieuous abhominations, yet touching those maine
partes of christian trueth, wherein they constantlie still persist, we
gladlie acknowledge them to be of the familie of Iesus Christ. And
a little before: We hope that to reforme our selues, if at anie time
we haue done amisse, is not to seuer our selues from the church wee
were of before. In the church we were, and we are so still. And in
another place you would haue men, To acknowledge that it is
due to the church of Rome to be held & reputed a part of the house
of God, and a limme of the visible church of Christ. And your
principall reason seemeth to be because you say: That whiche
separateth vtterlie: That which cutteth off cleane from the visible
church of Christ, is plaine Apostasie; direct deniall, vtter reiection
of the whole christian faith, as farre as the sonne is professedly different
from infidelitie. Heere you seeme vnto vs to come foorth,
as an other Elias, to bring againe the people, vnto the God of
their Fathers. They say that the church of Rome hath erred, not
onely in manners, but also in matters of fayth. You; you call the~
back and say: Sundrie grosse and grieuous abhominations. They
say that the church of Rome, as it is nowe, is vtterlie voyde of
Gods word, as a lanterne without light, and that it is a denne of
theeues, in which they haue left nothing sou~d, or like a church,
but is like Sodom. &c. You call them backe, and say: That they
haue manye partes of christian trueth wherein they constantlie
persist. They affirme, and that constantlie, that there is a general
errour and defection of the church of Rome foreshewed in the
scriptures, and therefore cald them Apostataes, and matched
them with Atheistes. seeing it is nowe made manifest to the
world, that they are departed from the doctrine of Christ & his
Apostles, &c. you call them backe and say, we galdlie acknowledge
them to be of the familie of Iesus Christ, and to be helde
and reputed a parte of the house of God, and a limme of the visible
church of Christ. And therefore you are bolde to affirme,
that we feuer not our selues from the church we were of before:
In the Church we were & we are so still. We are here in a streight
except you helpe vs out. For if we beleeue you, we must thinke
our reverend Fathers to haue misledd vs all this while; either of
malice, or ignorance; if wee beleeue them we must thinke that
Mai. Hoo. is verie arrogant and presumptuous to make him self
the onelie Rabbi. We pray you therefore to reconcile these two
iudgeme~ts, that men fall not away to looke back into Egypt, or
else explane your minde further, & shew vs some cleere demonstration
of that you intende; whether you be not sorrie that wee
are departed from the vnitie of that Sea, or that you thinke they
erre not in matters of faith; & that all these great disputes about
the church and bloodie dissentions and conflicts come by ouersight
and too great zeale, and for want of knowledge in our Reverend
Fathers, & in all those millions of learned men, that haue
franklie giuen their blood for the detection and departing from
that church, as from Antichrist and an Apostata. And heere wee
pray you to shew vs out of divine trueth, your rule to discerne a
Congregation to bee a member of the visible church: whether
whosoeuer holdeth anie one professeth trueth differing from infidelitie,
may be reputed a member of the visible church, and
whether you meane by infidelitie, nothing els but that which is
not taught by the gospell of Iesus Christ, and they which holde
anie part of that which you call supernaturall trueth that is, as
we take it, of that trueth which men know no otherwise but by
the worde of God they are not fallen into an Apostasie, &c. And
heere we craue your iudgement of the Turke, how your rule fitteth

C 2

them. For as wee thinke by reading his Alcoran, hee holdeth
some manye pointes of christian trueth, as namelie these:
There is one God; and that he created all things without labour or
wearines: and that he preserueth the things created: faith is giuen
and augmented of God. He forbiddeth the adoring of saintes and
images: affirmeth God to hate and abhorre the arte of Magicke:
and teacheth the resurrection of all men from the dead. Shewe vs
now whether the Turke be not of the familie of IESVS Christ.
Lastlie we pray you to open vnto vs, that seeing you saye the
church of Rome is the house of God, whether a man continuing
in that house, and neuer comming out to holde the true beleefe
of Christ, as we doe in England, but renouncing and persecuting
it to the death, whether such a one may be saued: if yea,
why need we seuer our selues to so great trouble from her grosse
and grieuous abhominations, if they bee not such as can extinguish
our faith to our destruction. If no, why doe you not ioyne
with our Reverend Fathers, to abandon that house where there
is no saluation. Of Gods house it is said: It is the
grounde & pillar of trueth. The habitation of God
by his spirit: and the glorious rest of Christ. In
which God loueth to dwell, and wherin he hath delight,
and the same hee will blesse in victualles,
Priestes and Saintes. So that such as be planted in
that house, shal florish in the courts of our God, they
shall still bring forth fruite in their age. &c. Shew
vs wee pray you, whether these thinges may bee applied to the
church of Rome rightlie and essentiallie, and what comfort wee
may haue by departing from her communion; if shee be a parte
of the house of God. &c. and these things we pray you to averre,
not by humane witnesse, but by that which commeth down fro~
heauen. So did Elias.
Againe out of this article ariseth another noe
smal scruple, where our church constantlie affirmeth,
that The visible church is that co~gregation
of faithfull people wherein the pure worde of God
is preached. Wherevpon the Reuerend Fathers of
our church publickely teach, that The true preaching
of the word is an essential note of the church.
For which cause they interpret the parable of the
seede, in this sorte: God is the husbandman, the
Preachers of the worde are the seede sowers, the
seede is the worde of God, the grounde is the hearts
of men, &c. And Therefore Christ did sende his
Apostles to preach the Gospell, that thereby they
might be brought to the beleefe of the Church. And
To this preaching he annexed such force of his
holie spirit, that it had greater strength and authorite,
then all the eloquence, then all the wisedome,
then all the learning, then al the pollicie and power
of the worlde: and that not only in the Apostles,
but also in the Preachers, who haue restored the
pure light of the Gospell in these latter dayes, euen
in those countries, whose Princes and people were
professed aduersaries therof: vnto which accordeth
the holy scriptures calling this preaching A gifte
of the grace of God, to admonishe euery man, and
to teach euery man in all wisedome, that wee may
present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus. Which
thinges maketh vs much to muse what you meane where you
say, Sith speach is the verie image whereby the minde and soule
of the speaker conveyeth it selfe into the bosome of him that heareth.
We can not chuse but see great reason, wherefore the worde
that proceedeth from God, who is in him selfe very trueth and life,
should be as the Apostle to the Hebrewes noteth liuelie and
mightie in operation, sharper then any two edged sworde. Now if
in this and the like places, we did conceaue that our owne sermons
are that strong and forcible worde, should we not euen heerby imparte
euen the most perculiar glorie of the worde of God, vnto that
which is not his worde? For touching our sermons, that whiche giueth
them their verie being, is the will of man, and therefore they
oftentimes accordinglie taste too much of that ouercorrupt fountaine,
from which they come. Heere Mai. Hoo. we are hampered
with your words, because they seeme to vs contrarie to the iudgement
of our church. We therefore desire you hartilie to resolue

C 3

vs, what you meane in this place by sermons: whether it
be not all one with that our Fathers call preaching of the word,
consisting in teaching and exhorting by the worde of God; secondlie,
what you meane by the being of a sermon, whether the
Logicall and Dialectiall frame by which men contriue their
matter in such and such a forme: or that by the
gift of the grace of God, waying and searching
and fitting togither many sentences, they seeke out
pleasant wordes & euery right writing and faithfull
wordes, and so vtter in their doctrine, integritie,
grauitie, and the wholesome worde which can
not be reproued. If you meane the former, then euerie declamation
and formal oration in the schooles, may be called sermons,
for these are framed of the meere witt of man: if you meane this
latter, then we thinke you teach contrarie to our church & the
holy scriptures. You say our sermons are not that stronge and
forcible worde: They saye, it is an essentiall note of the true
church, to haue true preaching of the worde: and namelie, the
preaching of the pure worde of GOD, and that this hath such a
force as no eloquence, wisedome, learning, pollicie, and power
of the world can match. You saye the witt of man giueth our
sermons the verie being. They say, God sent his Apostles: that
the Preachers are the seede sowers, and the seede is the worde of
God, and that this is done by the gift of the grace of God. Heere
we beseech you to shewe the iust harmonie of your wordes and
theirs, and therein to teach vs by sounde demonstration, that a
man can preach the pure worde of God by his owne naturall
witt, without a gift supernaturall of the spirit to giue him vtterance
and to speak the word as he ough to speake. If all that a
man preach be the pure worde of God, what derogation is it to
call such a mans sermons or preaching the strong and forcible
worde. In euerie being there is as you schollers teach the matter
and the forme; and that which ioyneth these togither, is the
efficient. Vnto which if these will you applie the witt of man, if
you say to the matter, then our church is against you, and sayeth
it is the pure worde of God: if to the forme, as, interpretation,
doctrine and exhortation, then the holy scriptures doe tye vnto
the gift of the spirit, saying: That wee haue diuers
giftes, as the gift of prophecie, teaching, exhortation,
and no scripture is of anie priuate interpretation.
If you make it the efficient, then the
scripture saith: There are diuersities of giftes, but
the same spirit, and there are diuersities of administrations
but the same Lord, and there are diuersities
of operations, but God is the same which worketh
all in all. No man can preach except he bee
sente. When he ascended, he gaue giftes vnto men.
Here we pray you to teach vs how your speaches
consent to these testimonies of our church and holy Scripture;
or may you not meane that the Sermons of manie nowe a dayes
who in stead of the pure word of God, doe most curiouslie bring
into the pulpitt, Poetts, Philosophers, Rhetoricians, Phisitians,
Schoolemen, and whatsoeuer, either by finenesse of witt, or helpe
of arte, they thinke may appeare fine & smooth to their hearers
and winne praise to them selues; may you not meane, I say, that
such our sermons haue their being of the meere witt of man; or
doe you thinke that the sermons of our Reuerend Fathers, and
more stayed diuines, which are verie warie, that in all their sermons,
whatsoeuer they speake, may be the true sense of holie
Scriptures, and according to the proportion of faith; seeing they
agree not with the familie of Iesus Christ that is at Rome, are
not therefore the strong and forcible worde of God. And heere
we pray you to teach vs, whether that all doctrine, interpretatio~
and exhortation which is truelie and meerelie the natural meaning
of holy scripture be not worde of God, or that the word
is onelie in the letter of the text, as of Hebrewe and Greeke, or,
if you will, trulie translated: and which of these hath the word
of God, he that alleadgeth the wordes as did the Tempter, or he
that alleadgeth the true meaninge, as did our Saviour Christ,
Mt 4.6.10. Lastlie, shew vs that if all our sermons bee of the
witt of man, and none the stronge and forcible worde of God,
whether Romish Babilon may not chalendge our church to
wante one essentiall marke, as preaching the pure word of God?
And whether it be possible for the witt of man to giue the beeing
vnto that which is an essential marke of the church of God, and
of that which hath greater strength and authoritie then all eloquence,
wisedome, learning, policie, and power of the worlde:
And lastlie, open vnto vs whether that reverend Father did well,
who graunteth that the worde of God is not only
in writing but in preaching, in Cou~sels or Doctors:
Because Christ saith, Hee that heareth you, heareth
mee.
The Church of England affirmeth, that It is
not lawful for anie one to take to him selfe the office
of preaching publikely or administring the Sacramentes
in the church, except hee be first lawfullie
called, and sente to doe these thinges. And heerevpon
our Reverend Fathers doe not only not defende
nor vse anie reasons at all to prooue that
women may baptize, and therefore would not
haue the booke of co~mon prayer, touching baptisme
in private to be vnderstood, to permitt women
to baptize: but also co~stantlie affirme, that
God and well ordered churches forbidd women
to dispence that holy misterie. But you Mai. Hoo.
haue another kinde of determinatio~, where you
say, Ministeriall power is a marke of separation, because it seuereth
them that haue it from other men, and maketh them a speciall
order, consecrated vnto the seruice of the most highest in thinges
wherewith others may not meddle. And in another place: There
is an errour which beguileth many, who much intangle both themselues
and others, by not distinguishing seruices, offices, and orders
ecclesiasticall: the first of which three, & in parte the seconde, may
be executed by the laytie, whereas none haue or can haue the third
but the cleargie. From the whiche Cleargie you separate Catechistes,
Exorcistes, Readers, and Singers, &c. And in another
place you seeme to mainteyne & defende the practise of those
churches, which necessitie requiring allowe baptisme in private,
to be administred by Women; affirming elsewhere That diuers
reformed churches doe both allow and defende that kinde
of Baptisme. Heere we desire to knowe what you meane by ministeriall
power, whether you take in actiuelie, as that euerie minister,
or all Ministers haue power to make an order consecrated
to the seruice of God; or passiuelie that by their calling they are
made to haue the authoritie and power of a Minister, or that you
vnderstand by it the formall cause of their ministerie, by which
they differ from al other orders, or that you meane the holy vnction
and character, which the church of Rome giueth in their
consecration of priesthoode. And this wee desire,
because we finde our church and Reverend Fathers,
speaking like to holy scripture, to vse
plaine, good and sensible termes, to note out the
difference of a ministers estate from other mens:
and yours seemeth to carie another kinde of stile
more befitting the glorie of the Romish character,
then the simplicitie of our ministerie. Our
church saieth, they must bee called that preach
publicklie: you say, a Catechist or whom wee
finde in au~cient time to haue bene such as Clemens
and Origine in Alexandria, as to whom the
people came to heare the preaching of the word
of God is none of the order of the Clergie; meaning, as wee
think, without this ministeriall power. We pray you the~ to shew
vs, whether you meane by ministeriall power, Cleargie, or order,
that which our church meaneth by calling: if you doe, then
we see not how you and they agree; that you allow a Catechist,
which is an office, to preache the worde, which is not of the Ecclesiasticall
order, and as we say, hath no calling therevnto, and
our church saieth, that it is not lawfull, &c. Againe, our Church
saieth, that it is not lawfull to administer the Sacramentes without
that calling: and that God and well ordered Churches forbidd
Women to baptize: you as wee thinke contrarie to our
church, maintaine such churches as allow the private baptisme
by Women in case of necessitie: and you say, diuers reformed
churches allow and defende such baptisme. Heere wee intreate
you to declare the agreement of these sayings: and whether because
you say that the speciall order you speake of is consecrated
vnto the seruice of the highest in thinges wherewith others

D

may not medle: your meaning be, that lay people in case of necessitie,
may medle with those thinges which our church saieth
is not lawfull without calling, or that because you would haue
the ministeriall power to be a marke and character, you giue libertie
to preaching & baptizing, as to certaine seruices: and that
the character and indeleble order, hath nothing to it selfe peculiar
but the making of the body of Christ in the Sacrament, and
offering him vp in sacrifice to his Father, that the laitie, women,
and catechist may not medle with that. And heere we desire to
vnderstand whence you sett that worthie distinction, the igonrance
whereof beguileth manie; and that you would declare the
same by holy scripture, & bring vs one pregnant proofe to shew
the errour of our church in affirming preaching and ministring
without calling, to bee vnlawfull: or else declare the exception
either by scripture, or by some order or interpretation published
by our church; or some of our Reuerend Fathers, which also
may haue their harmonie with the sayings of the Reuerend Fathers
by vs before rehearsed. And lastlie, whether that you in
these three places are co~trarie to your self, or that you make
not a deluding proposition, which contayneth a generall prohibition
without limitation, which yet is not generall but must
haue exception. And if you place Readers as distinct from cleargie,
what may we thinke you esteeme of our reading ministers;
are they not clergie men?
It is an Article of faith, that The Sacramentes
instituted of Christ, are not onely markes of
christian profession, but rather certayne testimonies
and effectuall signes of grace and of the good
will of God towards vs: by which hee doeth worke
invisiblie in us; and doth not onelie stirre vp, but
also confirme our faith towardes him selfe. Which
by the reverend Fathers of our Church is interpreted
thus: Sacraments are visible wordes, seales
of righteousnes, and tokens of grace. The soule of
man & not the creature of bread or water receaue
the grace of God. &c. The grace of God is not in the
visible signes but in the soule. The substance of all
Sacramentes is the worde of God; which St. Paule
calleth verbum reconciliationis, the worde of Atonement:
this worde is the instrument of remissio~
of sinne. The Sacraments are the seales affixed vnto
the same: the Priest is the meane. And speaking
of all the faithfull to bee one bodye, all endewed
with one spirit, they further say: This marvelous
coniunction and incorporation is first begonne and
wrought by faith, &c. Afterward the same corporation
is assured vnto vs and increased in our baptisme,
&c. And for that we are verie vnperfect of our selues, and
therefore must dailie proceede forwarde, that we may grow vnto
a perfect man in Christ: Therefore hath God appointed that the
same incorporation should bee often renewed and confirmed in vs
by the vse of the holy misteries; wherein must bee considered, that
the said holie misteries doe not beginne but rather continue & confirme
this incorporation. Heere we demaunde howe it may appeare
vnto vs that you broach not a new doctrine diuers and co~trarie
to our beleefe in Englande. When you say that The Sacramentes
chiefest force and virtue consisteth in this that they are
heauenlie ceremonies which God hath sanctified and ordayned to
be administred in his church. First as markers to know when God
doeth imparte the vitall or sauing grace of Christ vnto all that are
capable thereof. And secondlie, as meanes conditionall which God
requireth in them vnto whom he imparteth grace. And in another
place: It is a braunch of beleefe, that Sacramentes are in their
place no lesse required, then beleefe it selfe. For when our Lord &
Saviour promiseth eternall life, it is any otherwise then as hee promised
restitution of health vnto Naaman the Sirian, namely with
this condition, washe and be cleane. And in another place you say,
that both the Worde and Sacraments haue generatiue force and
virtue. By which your wordes we are greatlie amazed, that our
Church hath left out in her creede; and the Reverend Fathers
haue not taught vs, that which is as you say the chiefest force
and virtue of the Sacraments. Where finde you that God ordained
the Sacramentes to tell vs when God giueth grace, and that
they are meanes conditionall, and as necessarie as faith? Teach

D 2

vs we pray you by holy scripture these three chief virtues of the
Sacraments. The furthest that they say as we gather is to make
them seales of assurance, by which the spirit worketh invisiblie
to strengthen our faith; and they seeme to square
their faith by holy scripture: which propou~deth
Abraham to be an example of the true way of
iustifying, & a paterne to all the children of God,
namelie; that he was first iustified by faith, and
after receaued the Sacrament as a signe to bee a
seale of the righteousnesse of his faith. Shew therefore whether
we ought not to goe further then our church or holy scripture,
vnlesse we will leaue out the cheefest virtue of the Sacramentes.
Moreouer they say the grace of God is not in the visible signes;
you say, they are meanes co~dicionall. they say that grace which
they cal this marvelous coniunction and incorporation is first begon
and wrought by faith, and afterwarde is assured and increased
by the Sacramentes: you say, the sacraments haue the generatiue
force and virtue as well as the worde. They say, that the
substance of all Sacramentes is the worde, &c. and that the Sacraments
are the seales affixed to the same; which being borowed
fro~ the Apostle out of the former recited place, Rom.4. doeth
argue that the necessitie of the sacraments, is not comparable to
that of faith. For by this he proueth Abraham to be iustified by
faith without workes, because he first was iustified by faith before
he receaued the Sacrament, and that the Sacrament was
but a signe and seale of his faith; so that he excludeth the Sacrament
as it is a worke, and as you call it a morall instrument of
salvation, from all copertenership with faith in the matter of iustification.
You make it a meanes condicionall, and no lesse required
then faith it selfe, and of as absolute necessitie as that to
Naaman: wash and be cleane. These things, good Mai. Hoo. we
can not reconcile, and therefore we are sutors vnto you to ayde
vs in the same, and to make your minde to appeare not to ouerturne
the fayth of our church: and heerein to tell vs where you
finde, that the grace of God is tyed to anie time, as namelie the
time of the Sacramentes: or whether the Sacramentes teach vs
some other time: and whether the co~dition of Sacraments make
not for the additament of workes vnto fayth, in that which the
English church holdeth to bee onelie & properlie of faith. And
lastly whether such speaches be not meerelie popish & accursed
mixture of humane follie, giuing a further grace to the blessed
Sacraments then God hath ordayned; and heerein explane vnto
vs, whether a man dying without faith, & yet receaueth the Sacraments,
can not be saued; or that a man hauing faith, & neuer any
sacrament, may not be saued; or whether anie ca~ be saued, if the
condition of salvation be the vpright and perfect performance
of all moral dueties which God requireth expreslie in his word.
The Church of England affirmeth, that By
the malice of wicked me~ which are ouer the administratio~
of the Sacraments, the effect of the things
ordayned by Christ is not taken away, or the grace
of Gods giftes diminished, as touching them which
receaue by faith and orderlie the things offered vnto
them. which for the institution of Christ and his
promise, are effectuall, although they be administred
by euill men. Wherevpon the Reverend Fathers
define a Sacrament to bee A reverend and
holy misterie ordayned of God: wherein hee by his
holy worde and promise doth both stirre vp & practise
the faith of his people, and by the operation of
the holy ghost, increase his grace in them. &c. And
of the intention of the church, they say: This is
the verie dungeon of incertaintie. The heart of ma~
is vnsearchable, if we stay vppon the intention of
a mortall man, we may stande in doubt of our own
baptisme. You seeme to speake otherwise where you say: Wee
must note that in as much as Sacraments are actions religious and
mistical, which nature they haue not vnlesse they proceed fro~ a serious
meaning, and what euerie mans priuate minde is, as we can
not know, so neither are we bounde to examine; therefore alwayes
in these cases the knowen intent of the church generally doeth suffice;
and where the contrarie is not manifest, we must presume that
he which outwardlie doeth the worke, hath inwardlie the purpose
of the church of God. Heere we desire to be instructed how these

D 3

two opinions can stande togither. The one which sayeth the Sacraments
are effectuall through the institution of Christ and his
promise; the other which ryeth it to the good meaninge of the
Priest or of the Church. Againe, the one saieth the intention of
the Church is the verie dungeon of incertaintie; to make vs
doubt of our Baptisme: the other, that the Sacraments haue not
the nature to be religious and misticall, without a serious meaning,
that is, the intent of the church. These thinges we pray you
to reconcile, and therewithall to shew vs howe the intent of the
church can giue them their nature to be actions religious & misticall,
and yet our reverend Fathers say they bee holy misteries
ordayned of God. Resolue thereofore whether the virtue of the
sacrament depende vpon the institution and promise of God, or
vpon the good meaning of the Priest or of the Church; or vpon
both: and whether they cannot haue the nature of religious actions
and misticall without the intent of the Priest or of the
Church; and so whether the church may ordaine a misterie; or
that the misteries ordained of GOD haue not their nature and
forme with the presupposed intent of the Church. Whether God
in ordayning these misteries were holpe~ by the serious meaning
of the church, or did except that they should not bee misteries,
without the liking and allowing of the church, by their good
meaning. And lastlie, whether your assertion be not meere poperie,
a humane invention, and an inducement vnto that which
is called fides implicita that it should suffice a man to beleeue as
the church beleeueth, &c. And herewithall shew vs what comforte
we can haue in the vse of the Sacramentes, if they can not
be actions religious and misticall, vnlesse they proceede from
the intent and purpose of the church, beeing as our Reverend
Fathers esteeme the verie dungeon of vncertaintie.
The Church of Englande professeth, That
Baptisme is a signe of regeneration, by which as
by an instrument, they which rightlie receaue baptisme,
are ingrafted into the Church: the promises
of remission of sinnes and of our adoption to bee the
children of God by the holy spirit, are visibly sealed,
our faith is confirmed, and by the force of the
calling vpon the name of God, grace is increased.
Which the Reverend Fathers of our church doe
expound in this sense: The children of the faithful
are borne holy, and notwithstanding by nature
they be the children of anger, yet by Gods free election,
they be pure & holy. This is Saint Paules vndoubted
doctrine; which notwithsta~ding, he neuer
despised the Sacraments of Christ. And that
A man may stande in the state of saluation & out
af all danger of damnation before he be baptized.
And the contrarie to this they call fearfull doctrine,
iniurious to thousands of poore infants, &
blasphemous against the bottomlesse mercie of a
sweet and tender Father, who hath saide; I will be
thy God and thy childes, not adding anie condition of baptisme
if it can not be had as it ought: and heerevpon they affirme that
Sacraments make not the couenantes, but only seale them, and
that God hath not thus inthralled his grace that there is such
necessitie, that either women or all sortes of persons should dispense
the holy misteries, to the ende that no poore creature
might be cast away for wante of it nor taught his church in his
worde, but quite contrarie, as we see by telling Abraham his couenant
reached to his seede, and by differing the seale of the
same; to witt, circumcision to the eight day. You Maister Hoo.
speake to our vnderstanding a farre differing language: namely,
Predestination bringeth not to life, without the grace of externall
vocation wherein our baptisme is implyed. For as wee are not
naturallie men without birth; so neither are we christian men in the
eie of the church of God but by new birth. nor according to the ordinarie
course of diuine dispensation, new borne, but by that baptisme
which both declareth and maketh vs christians. in which respect
we holde it to bee the doore of our actuall entrance into Gods
house, the first apparant beginning of life, a seale perhaps to the
grace of election before receaued, but to our sanctification heere a
stepp that hath not any before it. And againe: The fruit of Baptisme
dependeth onely vpon the couenant which God hath made;
that God by couenant requireth of the elder sorte fayth and Baptisme,
in childre~ the sacrament of Baptisme alone. And in another
place: We haue for baptisme no day sett as the Iewes had for circumcision,
neither haue wee by the lawe of God, but onely by the
churches discretion, a place therevnto appointed. Baptisme therfore
euen in the meaning of the lawe of Christ, belongeth vnto infantes
capable thereof, from the verie instant of their birth, which
if they haue not howsoeuer, rather then loose it by being put of, because
the time, the place, or some such like circumstance, doth not
solemnly enough concurre, the church as much as in her lyeth, wilfullie
casteth away their soules. Heere are we at our wittes ende,
not knowing what to beleeue. For if our English confession bee
true that baptisme is a signe of regeneration, and visibly sealeth
our remission of sinnes and adoption, and increaseth grace, &c.
we know not what to make of that you say: Baptisme to be the
first apparant beginning of life, a seale perhaps of the grace of election,
and that there is no stepp of sanctification before Baptisme.
And againe, if it be true as you say Predestination bringeth
not life without the grace of externall vocation, wherein
baptisme is implyed; what shall we thinke of that our Reverend
Fathers say: A man by Gods free election is holy and pure; and
that before Baptisme a man may stande in the state of salvation.
And if our churches doctrine be true; that baptisme is a seale of
remission of sinnes, and that the Sacramentes make not the couenantes
but are seales of the covenantes, howe can yours bee
true that by couenant God requireth fayth and baptisme in the
elder, and baptisme alone in children. Is baptisme parte of the
couenant, and more then a seale? And seeing our Reverend Fathers
affirme that God and well ordered churches forbidd baptisme
by women, and that God hath not inthralled his church
to such vrgent necessitie, and that such doctrine is fearfull, iniurious,
and blasphemous, and our sweete and tender Father hath
saide: I will be thy God and thy childes, not adding anie condition
of baptisme, if it cannot be had as it ought. How can it bee
well in you to make it a bloodie and wilfull casting away of
soules, if the church provide not that children haue baptisme
howsoeuer. And heere we pray you to teach vs whether the couenant
and Sacramentes in the Gospell bee not the same in nature,
virtue and substance that they were vnder the lawe, or that
our Sacramentes haue more necessitie. And if so, why our Reverend
Fathers disavow the necessitie of Baptisme, to be done anie
other wise then as it ought, because God appointed circumcisio~
till the eight day. is there a further grace in our sacrame~ts,
or haue they not somewhat in the worke wrought, whiche the
Sacramentes of the law had not: We pray you therefore, plainelie
and distinctlie to shew vs your minde; whether righteousnes
co~meth by baptisme, or by faith. And seeing notwithstanding
all these harde and peremptorie speaches, you sometimes saye,
that grace is not absolutelie tyed to sacramentes: and the necessitie
of receaving not so absolute, as that of administring the Sacramentes.
Wee would faine knowe what you holde and affirme;
what manner of necessitie you meane. For if grace be not absolutelie
tyed vnto Sacraments, and necessitie of receaving Sacraments
not absolute; we know not what should make necessitie
of administring absolute, but that as our Reverend Fathers say,
we are not enthralled to appoint or suffer it to bee done by Women
or lay persons, if it cannot be had as it ought: and if GOD
haue not added any such condition of baptisme, where borrowed
you that distinction? Wee can not tell where to finde you, or
how to take your meaning, or at the least that your minde concurreth
with the doctrine of the church of Englande: we expect
therefore and pray you to declare faithfullie these thinges vnto
vs.
The Church of Englande pronounceth, that
The Transubstantiation of the bread and wine
in the Eucharist, can not bee proued by the sacred
Scripture, but is against playne wordes of Scripture,
overturneth the nature of the sacrament, &
hath giue~ occasion of many superstitions. And for
this cause our Reverend Fathers call it: A monstrous
& blasphemous doctrine: bringing in doubt
the trueth of Christes body. Contrarie to Christes
wordes, sayinge: It is expedient that I goe awaye,
Joh.16.7 and to that of Peter: Whom the heauens

E

must contayne vntill the time that all things bee restored, Act.3.21.
disagreeing from the articles of faith, Hee ascended into
heauen, sitteth at the right hande of God the Father, &c.
making voyde the institution of Christ, which is to continue till
he come, &c. casting holy things to prophane, as whoremongers,
murderers, &c. mise and dogges to receaue the true reall body of
Christ causing most cruell eating of mans fleshe, and manie monstrous
miracles: accidentes without subiectes: the body of Christ
without his qualities and true manner of a bodye: nourishinge the
Marcionist to beleeue the phantasticall body of Christ, and Eutichians
confounding the two natures of Christ, and therefore they
which affirme transubstantiation are indeed right Sacramentaries
and Capernaites. In regarde whereof we intreate you Mai. Hoo.
to make a fitt construction of your wordes, were you say: Sith
we all agree that by the sacrament, Christ doeth reallie and truelie
in vs performe his promise: why doe we vainely trouble our selues
with so fearce contentions. whether by consubstantiation or els by
transubsta~tiation the sacrament it selfe be first possessed with Christ
or no: a thing which no way can eyther further or hinder vs howsouer
it stande, because our participation of Christ in the Sacrament,
depe~deth on the cooperatio~ of his omnipotent power, which maketh
it his body and blood vnto vs, whether with change or without alteration
of the element, such as they imagine, we neede not greatlie
to care nor inquire after. In all which words you seeme to make
light of the doctrine of transubstantiation, as a matter not to be
stoode vpon or to bee contended for, cared for or enquired into:
Which maketh vs to marvell howe our Church and Reverende
Fathers haue all this time passed, bene deceaued. What should
cause them to affirme it to bee a thing contrarie to the playne
wordes of scripture, ouerturning the nature of the Sacrament,
to call it monstrous doctrine: why so manie reverend Fathers, as
Crammer, Ridley, Hooper, Latimer, Rogers, Bradford, &c. haue
giuen their liues in witnes against it, if it bee a thinge that neither
furthereth nor hindreth, a thing not to bee cared for, nor enquired
after? And heere we pray you ingeniously to shew whether
your meaning bee to bring that side into creditt by softening
the odiousnes of their heresie, and our side into suspition of peeuishnes,
for standing vpon trifles; which the rather we desire to
be resolued in, because else where you call the enemies to Transubstantiation
Sacramentaries, and labour to shew a certayne
vbiquitie of Christes manhoode and of his bodie, and of his
soule, which seemeth to vs that you would giue a gentle construction
of Popish opinions, and privilie robbe the trueth of
our English creede of her due estimation. If you call our Reverend
Fathers Sacramentaries for oppugning transubst. and they
againe call the maintayners of it right Sacramentaries and Capernaites
if you haue giuen as good testimonie of faithfulnes as
they whom shall wee beleeue? are you not contradictorie: and
may we thinke you can favour that side; your wordes doe beate
downe; shew vs then wee pray you how shuch great fauours doe
not preiudice the doctrine of the church of England, or not
condemne those millions of learned diuines and blessed Martirs
of extreme follie, who haue died for the same; and that God
should reveale to you onely that it was for that which neither
furthered nor hurteth? Lastly instruct vs whether the institution
of the Sacrament by Christ, saying: this is my bodie: doe this in
remembrance of mee, bee not the true and right making of it
Christes bodie and blood vnto vs: and vppon what ground of
Scripture it may bee proued, that the cooperation of his omnipotent
power doeth make it his bodie and blood vnto vs, and in
what sense: And whether such phrases doe not helpe the Popish
argument of Gods power which they commonly vse to approue
their transubstantiation.
There be also in your book diuers Theoremes not so familiar
to vs common Christians, neither doe we perceaue them in the
English Creede; neither in the reading of the holy writinges of
God. Wee pray you therefore declare vnto vs by what spirit or
worde you teach them vnto vs. what foundation they haue in
holie writt: and how they pertaine to the faith or discipline of
the English church? Such are these. Tenne, the number of
natures perfections. Angels perpetuitie: the band that draweth
out celestiall motion. Church attyre with vs liuely resembleth

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the glorie of Saints in heauen. Daylie bruses: spirituall promotions
vse to take by often falling. Multiplied petitions of worldly
things, a kinde of heauenly fraud to take the soules of men as with
certaine baytes. In Baptisme God doeth bestow presently remission
of sinnes, and the holy Ghost, binding also himselfe to adde in
processe of time, what grace soeuer shalbe further necessarie, for the
attaynement of euerlasting life. The signe of the Crosse as wee
vse it is in some sorte a meane to worke our preseruation from
reproch, and Christes marke. Assuredly whosoeuer doeth
well obserue how much all inferior things depende vpon the orderlie
courses and motions of those greater orbs, will hardely iudge it
meete or good, that the Angells assisting them, should bee driven
to betake them selues vnto other stations, although by nature they
were not tyed where now they are, but had charge also elsewhere;
as long as their absence from beneath might but tollerablie be supplied, &
by discending their roomes aboue should become vacant:
and such like, whereof your writinge is not a little
stored; but shewe vs onely concerning these, that if
all Angells be ministring spirits, sent forth to minister
for their sakes which shall bee heyres of salvation
as Gods spirit testifyeth where is it reveyled,
that they attende vppon the celestiall orbes, or that their perpetuitie
is the hande that draweth out celestiall motion; and if
they doe, whether it be not sinne in them, to leaue their naturall
charge, and to attende vpon that whiche they are
not tyed vnto? Doe you not meane the Angells
which kept not their first estate but left their own
habitation whom God hath reserved in everlasting
chaynes vnder darkenes vnto the iudgement of the great
day? or would you haue the elect Angells to bee like vnto the
Angell of the bottomlesse pitt, whose name is Abbaddon? When,
where, or how did Christ tell thee that the signe of the crosse as
we vse it is the marke of Christ, and preserueth from reproch:
and what warrant haue you of present grace in the verie worke
wrought of Baptisme; did you see in the mountaine of God the
patterne of that heauenlie fraude which you say is to catch men
by multiplied petitions of worldlie thinges? And what bee the
bruses and falls that spirituall promotions ordayned by Christ,
doe or can take? And howe doeth it appeare in nature, or from
the God of nature; that ten is the number of natures perfections?
The Reverend Fathers of our Church call Mr.
Calvin one of the best writers: A reverend Father,
& a worthie ornament of the church of God,
not onelie defending the same doctrine, but also
discharging him of slanderous reportes wrongfullie
layed against him, knowing that by defaming
the persons of christians, and especiallie of
Ministers, the Devill of olde time laboured to ouerthrowe
the Gospell of Christ. Howe greatlie
all christian churches are to prayse God for that
mans faithfull labours, and how instantlie therefore
all sortes of papistes haue and doe indevour
and striue to diminish his creditt, all the christian worlde most
aboundlie both by word and by writing, doe testifie. Wherefore
we wonder not a little. What moved you to make choyse of that
worthie pillar of the church aboue all other, to traduce him and
to make him a spectacle before all christians. Wherefore wee
craue your fauour that with trueth and patience you would answere
our doubtes & scruples which by the preface of your first
booke you haue made in vs concerning him. And firste, what
Maister Calvin hath done against our Church, that you should
single him out as an adversarie: Which of our Reverend Fathers
of this lande hath wished you therevnto; or else tell vs plainlie
whether our adversaries in whose mouthes you are a most invincible
champion haue not provoked you against him? And
open vnto vs without deceite ingenuously, whether all the learned
men of our countrie, who haue writte~ and disputed for discipline,
be not to base and meane persons, that in them onely
so mightie a man should spend his sharpe arrowes and coales of
Iuniper? but you will passe ouer the Seas, and search the sepulchers
of the straungers, and finding no man aliue worthie your
combat, you call Maister Calvin out of his sweete bedd of rest,

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and him that is entred into peace, you chalendge againe into
the fielde. Will no man fitt you but he that was as you brauely
affirme inco~parably the wisest ma~ that euer the French church
did enioy, since the hower it did enioy him, to whom thousands
were debters: and who for his exceeding paynes in composinge
the institutions of Christian Religion, & exposition of holy scripture,
gayned the advantage of preiudice against all gainsayers
following him, and of glorie aboue all that consented to him.
How vnlike are you vnto that great & mightie Goliah, who defied
the whole Host of God, and made challenge of a man out of
them all: he was so proude that he demanded but chose not: he
sought for one that was aliue and vaunted not him selfe ouer
one that was dead? And heere wee most instantlie beseech you,
whether your weapons be the wordes of righteousnesse and the
faithfull penne of trueth. Where learned you, and howe proove
you that Mai. Calvin was the founder of discipline? And herein
declare vnto vs, what moued that Reverend and
learned man Mai. D. Whitgeeft to spende so manie
leaues to shewe that the partes of Discipline
might be altered by the ciuill Magistrate, as seruing
more fitlie for the Apostles time, and the
time of persecution, then for vs, hauing the Magistrate
to friende, and liuing in peace and quietnes.
If Maister Caluin as the true storie reporteth
obtayned the consent of the townes men of
Geneva, not onelie by demonstration out of the holy scriptures,
but also by shewing the minde of verie learned men of his age,
out of their writings, as of Oecolampadius, Swinglius, Suychius,
Philip, Bucer, Capito and Miconius, who was the founder of the
discipline? Where had these notable men their iudgement? Did
he teach them? or write before them? Was is not one founder
euen the Lorde Christe, the author and builder of his Church,
who raised vp diuers men in diuers places, and taught them by
the same spirit out of the same holie scripture, the same doctrine
and commaundement of trueth and righteousnes? Shew vs also
we pray you before our God which searcheth the heart, whether
we haue not iust cause to iudge, that in penning this storie,
you make of Calvin, your purpose were not deceaue your
reader by an artificiall entwining of some part of the trueth with
the hollow & glittering threed of your owne wittie coniectures
and peremptorie censures; as namelie when you beginne to tell
of the repentance of the people of Genevah, irefullie champing
vpon the bitt: you suddenlie fall into a discourse of the rising vp
of those reformed churches; you besprinckle them with likelihood
of desire of glorie of their owne enterprises; you blame the~
that in that troublesome time they wanted common co~ference,
and that afterwardes least they should derogate from their credite,
they became euer after resolute to maintayne that whiche
they had done, and so leaving the churches all bespotted with
leuitie and selfepride, and eased of all conscience and honestie;
you closelie thrust in Calvin with this worde, therefore: that he
and his associates as parteners of the same selfe weening stiffelie
refusing to administer the holie Communion, were banished
the towne. After speaking of his restoring and reestablishing of
Discipline, you haue in one place, Many things might lead them
&c. And in other place, He rightelie considered, &c. This devise
I see not howe the wisest, &c. And again: This sorte it may be, &c.
Therefore we pray you to teach vs how such might lead & may
bees, such entring into his thought and crosse commending that
for his divise which he simply propounded as out of the Scriptures
of God; may not drop into your readers heart such vnheeded
impressions, as may make him highly admire R. H. great
grauitie and iudicious wisedome and J. Caluins carnall pollicie,
fine hipocrisie and peremptorie follie.
We beseech you also helpe vs in these things following. First
the true storie saith, Many being at the first gently admonished,
for many vnworthy acts, and for old enmitie among the chiefe
families, and the stubberne being more sharpely reproued; the
citie was diuided by the faction of certayne priuate men, Farellus
and Calvin with Coraldus, openly protested that they could
not orderly celebrate the Lordes Supper vnto men so much at
discorde. At which time also betwixt the Church at Barne and
Genevah was difference in certayne rites, which while they were
aboute to sett in order by a Synod summoned for that purpose;
the chief Magistrates for that yeare of Genevah, being the Captaynes
of the faction and discorde, assembling the people
brought the matter to this ende; that these three faithfull seruants
of God were commanded to depart the towne within two
dayes. And when these Officers, like vnto filthy froth, were cast
out the one accused of seditio~ going about to escape through a
window, falling downe headlong, by the pease of his bodie, was
so hurte that within few dayes hee dyed: another for murther
was put to death, and the two other being accused for ill gouernment
in a certaine embassage, forsooke the cuntrie, and were
condemned being absent; the Citie then began to seeke againe
for their Farellus and Calvin. You say when these things began
to bee put in vre; the people began to repent them of that they
had done; the rather for that they grew by meanes of this innovation
into dislike with some Churches neere about them, &c.
and so Calvin and his associates as is afore said were banished,
and that after the places of one or two of their Ministers beeing
fallen voyde, they are importunate to obtayne Calvin agayne,
and that they were content the other two should enioy their
exile. The contradiction of these two stories we pray you to reconcile,
eyther by the 24.epist. which you cite, or by anie true
narration whatsoeuer. First shew vs that the dislike of other
churches was for discipline, and that for that dislike the towne
was the rather mooued against Calvin. And whether rather
these churches did not make intercession by the decree of a Synode
for Calvin to the Genevians. Secondlie, whether those
Sindickes being wicked and taken away by the righteous iudgmentes
of almightie God, the people were not made free from
the former factions: and whether that therevpon the Lord moouing
their mindes, they remembred not the iniuries done to
those two good Pastors. And shewe vs by cleare demonstration
they sought not as well for Farellus as for Calvin. And heere
also without your helpe, wee knowe not what construction to
make of your descanting on the Ministers, assuring Calvin of
their allegeance, his returning as it had bene another Tullie, and
the assenting of the people with no lesse alacritie of minde then
cities vnable to holde out longer. Are these anie other but bitter
skornes and despitefull fictions? And to omitt many things
because this is a personall cause we doe most hartilie begge at
your handes to aunswer vs truelie and faithfullie, whether you
thinke Maister Calvin to haue bene an honest truehearted christian,
fearing God, and not an imposter and a deceaver of the
people, or at the least you would haue men so to esteeme of him.
For howe can wee otherwise coniecture in that you blame him
more for the countenancing of discipline beeing established,
then for establishing of it, affirming with no small incitements
of cunning insinuations, that because hee by wisedome and not
by the word of God, saw that discipline requisite for that people,
hee imployed all his witt by sifting the very vtmost sentence
and fillable of holy Scripture to confirme the same; and not
to omit the leaste occasion in all his writinges following of
extolling the vse and singular necessitie thereof. If wee may
thus iudge of his faithfulnesse in promoting of discipline, what
may wee suspect of his sincere dealing in the doctrine? About
rites as the ministring with common bread you acknowledge
that he would not stande with the Church, to make trouble for
a thinge indifferent, and why if he were a good man, should we
thinke that hee would professe it to bee trayterous
cowardlines, not to dye a hundred times rather then
to suffer that to bee wickedly borne downe which
hee very well knew to bee taken out of the word of God? Can
you so farre make manifest eyther by good and iust presumptions,
or by playne and true storie, his deepe hipocrisie and arrogant
pride; that euen against his owne conscience; hee woulde
so earnestly striue and trouble the whole Church to maintaine
a deuise of his owne? Wee pray you therefore to shewe vs sincerelie
whether such insinuations bee charitable? and whether
if you bee a friend to the Gospell, you make not a greater rent
in Gods Church, by such arguments then if you medled not at
all in the matter, but left it to men of more stayde and sounde

F

discretion and of a more charitable and peaceable spirite. For
if such bolde and bare affirmations may goe for payment, why
may wee not as well heare and beleeue Maister Harding, which
calles all the whole and pure doctrine beleeued and professed in
England. A wicked new deuise of Geneva. We desire you therfore
in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ, who shall iudge all
men at his co~ming and make manifest the intents & thoughts
of the heart, to shew vnto vs without all artificiall glozing whether
all this your treatise of Calvin, be not polished armour, and
a sharper rasor, prepared for the vse and helpe of the enemies of
the Gospell, and that it may not rather bee called a preiudiciall
commentarie; and a Popish paraphrase; then a storie true plaine
and without partialitie, and that men haue not iust cause to
thinke the better of Maister Calvin and the cause of discipline,
when they see so litle plaine and faithfull dealing in your writing.
Reade therefore his preface before his comment on the
Psalmes, and Beza his storie of life, and the French or any
other stories or monuments of faithfull honest Christians and
then aunswere faithfully the trueth and shewe your honest
meaning.
Our reverend Fathers converting their studies
fro~ schoole authors vnto the holy scriptures,
and causing others to do the like, brought many
to be well seene in divinitie, and themselues and
others well affected in Religion; and therefore
constantlie affirme that The heauenlie doctrine
of our Sauiour Christ was so buried in the darkenesse
of schoole-learning, that no man tasted the
sweetnes of it, which to be true that worthy man
Martin Luther, through Gods goodnes to his
Church finding by great experience in him selfe
and others, is bolde to say, Theologia illa scholastica
exulem nobis fecit veram & sinceram theologiam.
That schoole diuinitie hath banished
from vs the true & sincere divinitie. And againe,
Totus Aristoteles ad Theologiam est tenebra ad

40

lucem. All Aristotle vnto divinite is darkenes vnto light. Now
in all your bookes, although we finde manie good things, many
truethes and fine pointes bravelie handled, yet in all your discourse,
for the most parte, Aristotle the patriarch of Philosophers
with divers other humane writers and the ingenuous
schoolemen, almost in all pointes haue some finger: Reason is
highlie sett vp against holie scripture, and reading against preaching,
the church of Rome favourablie admitted to bee of the
house of God. Calvin with the reformed churches full of faults:
& most of all they which indeououred to be most removed from
conformitie with the church of Rome: Almost all the principall
pointes of our English creede, greatlie shaken and contradicted.
If you doe not sincerelie, plainelie and treulie aunswer all these
our necessarie doubtes and demandes; what shall we haue cause
to thinke of these your tedious and laborious writinges. Shall
wee doe you wrong to suspect you as a privie and subtill enemie
to the whole state of the English Church, and that would
haue men to deeme her Maiestie to haue done ill in abolishing
the Romish religion, and banishing the Popes authoritie: and
that you would bee glad to see the backesliding of all reformed
churches to bee made conformable to that wicked synagogue
of Rome: and shame and reproche to all faithfull Ministers,
whom GOD hath raysed vp to reveale and beate downe Antichrist:
and that you esteeme the preaching and writing of all the
Reverend Fathers of our Church, and the bookes of holy scripture
to bee at the least of no greater moment then Aristotle and
the Schoolemen? Or else doe you meane to bring in a counfusion
of all thinges, to reconcile heauen and earth, and to make all
religions equall? Will you bring vs to Atheisme, or to Poperie;
or to prepare a plott for an Interim, that our streetes may runne
with blood, when all religions shalbee tollerated, and one shall
bearde and provoke another? Are there not examples sufficient
of vnspeakable massacres abroade; vnlesse wee should sett the
same home to our countrie, reioycing vnder the blessed vnitie
of the Gospell or peace. Thinke you that the longe experience
of Gods protection, in these golden dayes of quiet concorde, the

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religious and peaceable heart of our deare soueraigne Ladie and
Queene ELIZABETH, for whose ioyful preservation all good
and christian minded English men, doe vnceasantlie pray and
the thousandes of faithfull subiectes, who haue learned Christ
vnder the shadowe of her most happie and honorable reigne;
would euer giue you thankes for such great service, or euer agree
vnto such abhominations, if they should once beginne to
espie such stratagemicall operations to appeare in their effectes,
and to shewe them selues directlie and openlie: We bessech you
therefore in the Name of IESVS Christ, and as you will aunswere
for the vse of those giftes which God hath bestowed
vpon you, that you woulde returne and pervse advisedlie all
your five bookes, compare them with the articles of our profession
set out by publick authoritie, and with the workes Apologeticall
& other authorised sermons & homilies of our church,
and of the Reverend Fathers of our Lande, and with the holie
booke of God, and all other the Queenes Maiesties proceedings:
and then read and examine with an indifferent & equall minde
a booke sett out in Latin called Querimonia Ecclesia, and an other
in Englishe, late come abroade, speaking of Scotizing and
Genevatising, & Allobrogicall Discipline: and having maturelie
with a iudicious co~science in the feare of God, pondered and
wayed them in ballance of trueth and iustice, then tell vs
roundlie and soothelie: That if the Reverende Fathers of our
church, assisted with some of the approved divines of both Vniversies,
did reade, peruse and examine your bookes, and those
two other bookes, whether they would not iudge in their conscience,
and giue sentence with their mouthes, that by those
three writinges, the Church of Englande and all other christian
Churches, are vndermined, and that they are verie notable bellowes
if Gods mercie stayed it not to blowe the coales of sedition,
and fierie civill warre betweene all christian Churches; and
to make all people, who reade them, to fall either flatly to Atheisme
or backewarde to poperie, when they shall see all godlie
Ministers and christian churches, by men of their owne side and
profession, to be so openlie traduced and notoriouslie detected,
and all the articles of our Religion & many partes of our church
government to be checked, blamed, or co~tradicted. And might
they not thinke that the Popes factors in Englande, haue some
intelligence with such writers? Or is that new found discipline
so neerlie seated with our English creed; that such expert archers
ayming at the one, must needes hit the other?
Our last scruple and demaund is this, seeing your bookes
bee so long and tedious, in a stile not vsuall, and as wee verelie
thinke the like harde to be found; farre differing from the simplicitie
of holie Scripture, and nothing after the frame of the
writinges of the Reverend and learned Fathers of our church, as
of Crammer, Ridley, Latimer, Iewell, Whitgeeft, Fox, Fulke, &c.
And that your Prefaces and discourses before you come to the
question are so longe, & mingled with all kinde of matters and
sutes of learning and doctrine: whether your meaning bee to
shewe your selfe to bee some rare Demosthenes, or extraordinarie
Rabbi, or some great Pythagoras, that enioyne your scholars
or your adversaries to fiue yeares silence, before they can be
perfect in your meaning or able to replye: or that these men you
write against, bee not sounde in matters of fayth; and therefore
you handle all thinges, or else you had no better way to make
doubtfull the chief groundes of our faith and religion, and that
you would haue men better seene in Philosophie and schoolemens
diuinitie, and namelie in Aristotle: or that you were afearde,
that if you had not handled it with so graue, heroicall
and loftie a maiestie, you should haue bene reputed like some
other man, and so your fame sould haue bene but small: or
that you would wearie your aduersarie with such thicke and
continuall falling strokes, that hee should not bee able to
stande before you to strike one blow against you, or that you
would beare downe the cause with swelling wordes of vanitie,
and cunningly framed sentences to blinde and intangle the
simple; or that you would shew your selfe another Aristotle by a
certaine metaphisicall and crupticall method to bring men into
a maze, that they should rather wonder at your learning, the~ be
able to vnderstand what you teach in your writinge. Wee which

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stande for the defence of our English church highly commend
R.H. bookes, wee alleadge your opinions as well as wee can to
stop the mouthes of foolish carpers: Wee commend your books
as very excellent and learnedly penned, and not to be answered;
then they promptly aske your reasons and require of vs to shew
by what arguments you maintaine those assertions: then returne
wee to your bookes; wee seeke and beate our braynes, but are
hardely able, by our meane capacitie, to gather any thine: but
as a man a farre of beholding a bryer tree; all blowen ouer with
his flowers, with great desire approacheth neere vnto it, and findeth
himselfe deceaved; so the delight of reading your booke
is meruelous great, but the fruit thereof howsoeuer it come to
passe vnto vs that search and examine it, is far vnlike the goodlie
shew and appearance. In the booke of that most learned and
reuerend Father D. Withgift: wee finde the question iudicially
sett downe, his aunswere to the matter in question sensible, his
reasons eyther from holy scripture, from Fathers or new writers,
without all circumferences and crookes windings, directly applied,
so as such poore men as wee be may beare away what hee
saith and what hee intendeth: but in your writing wee are
mightely incombred; wee walke as in a labyrinth, and are suddenlie
ouerwhelmed as in the deepe sea: sometime it seemeth
to vs that wee see great florishing or warlike and glittering weapons
and to heare the lowde outcryes and noyce of them which
pursue their enemies in battell, thundring, gunshott, tossing of
speares, and ratling of harnesse; yet cannot we perfectly perceaue
any thinge almost rightly to touch the aduersarie pretended;
but rather as in our demandes before wee verely thinke doeth
manifestly appeare most heauie stroakes, poysoned pellettes,
and dangerous pushes of the pikes, against the Ierusalem of
God, the holy Christian church of Englande, whom you would
seeme to defende. Wee desire you therefore with all instancie,
that you would not denie vs three things. First to shewe vnto vs
what arguments you haue alleadged which are materiall and
of waight, which are not to bee found in the aunswere of that
reuerend Father vnto Maister Cartwright; and herein plainly
to declare which be your arguments or direct aunswers, which
are neither fine and close Ironies, or blustring bitter scoffes, begging
of the question, or peremptorie affirmations, and how wee
may knowe what is the state of the question, and when you are
in or out, and what you holde in your conscience to bee the
trueth in Gods sight: howe great and large your fiue bookes
would bee, if you had vsed reasonable, intelligible and logicall
argumentes onely as other writers and disputers doe, and had
left out all needlesse wittie gloses and Rhetoricall shadowes in
preambles, discourses, digressions, amplifications, and had kept
your selfe out of the common iayle of sophisticall elenches, and
impertinent outleapes, and had followed S. Peters prescript, in
a meeke, reuerend and direct apollogie and defense proceeding
from a good conscience. Secondly, that if you sett foorth your
other bookes which are promised, you would bee more playne
and sensible; and followe the vsual language and stile of other
learned men and English writers; leauing out vnnecessarie long
discourses, and common places, sett out your reasons in playne
termes and wordes of sinceritie, without these hugie embossements
of stuffed bumbasing, that poore playne men, which
cannot skill of such hidden misteries, may perceaue and learne
something by our great travailes. Thirdly that you would bee
carefull not to corrupt the English creede and pure doctrine
wherevnto you haue subscribed either by philosophie or vaine
deceate of schoolemens newborne diuinitie, or by any other
beggerly rudiments of this worlde, nor sett these Churches by
the eares with these closely caried and daintie insinuations, and
that through desire of vayne glorie you prouoke not your brethren,
and helpe the common and sworne enemie, which sighteth
against God, against Christes church, against our peaceable
cuntrie, and against our religious, godly and christian Princesse.
And especially that you beware in the cause of supremacie to
giue your lawfull soueraigne her right and full due, and not so
to make the Church of Rome of the familie of Christ IESVS,
that you lifte vppe the sonne of pride the blasphemous tyrant
the Pope into that hie chayre of pestilence to bee Christes vicar
vpon earth, and ministeriall head of his vniuersall Church.
For as there is one that saith the Church of Rome is Mater
nostra, our mother: So if you should goe but one step further,
we know not what iniurie may be done to her Maiesties rightfull
Imperiall Crowne and dignitie. And lastly, that you remember
him which is hie and excellent, the king of all glorie,
and Lord of all power, that you please not man to displease God,
& seeking your self, you forsake not your own mercie.
You knowe that it is written. Only by pride
doth man make contention, but with the well advised
is wisedome. And when pride commeth,
then shame commeth, but with the lowlie is wisedome.
You know also who hath saide: Vengeaunce
is mine, &c. And againe. Touch not mine
anointed, and doe my Prophetes no harme. And
againe The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous,
and the way of the wicked shall perish.
Now in all these things good Maister Hoo. though wee thus
write, we doe not take vpon vs to censure your bookes; neither
rashly to iudge of you for them, but because wee bee all children
borne in this Church, and euery child louing his mother,
is ielous ouer that which seemeth disgracefull to his mother;
and all Christians are exhorted to contende
earnestly for the faith which was once giuen to
the saints: and he that toucheth our faith toucheth
the apple of our eye; Wee could not but vtter our inwarde
greefe, and yet in as charitable manner, as the cause in hande
would suffer, for is it not a great matter when you seeme to vs
to make a wide open breach in the church, and to stayne the
pure doctrine of faith wee seeke that the trueth bee not darkened
or defaced; and that you by wise, playne and honest resolution
vnto these our doubtes and demandes, may approue your
selfe as the faithfull and sincere seruant of Iesus Christ. If then
in all these our demaundes and requestes, you doe louingly and
faithfully satisfie vs your natiue countrymen, who haue sucked
out the sincere milke of the Gospell, by the doctrine in England
professed, published and preached, by sermons, apologies, articles
and reading of holy scripture euen now these 40. yeares;
for whiche wee are not able to render sufficient prayse and
thankes to our most mercifull Father in IESVS Christ, and
namely for that worthie instrument of our ioy, that blessed
Halcyon and Christian Deborah, his annoynted hande-mayde
our soueraigne Ladie and Queene Elizabeth, whom the sunne
of righteousnes hath raysed vpp to still the raging streames and
roaring waues of Gods enemies, euen the cursed Cananites of
Romish Babilon, whose peacable and florishing raigne wee
most humbly pray the mightie God of heauen, the Father of
our Lord Iesus Christ, still to continue in ioy and honour if indeede
you aunswer our desire in loue and faithfulnesse, we shall
haue good cause to commende well of your sincere meaning,
we shalbe beholding vnto you for your godly zeale in defending
our church, and giue vnto you your condigne praise in all
places, for your true and vpright dealing, and pray earnestlie
vnto God for you, that such excellent giftes and graces, which
he hath vouchsafed vnto you aboue many, may be alway wisely
imployed, to the aduancing of the glorie of the most high God,
and of his most glorious Sonne Iesus Christ our lorde, to the
furtherance of the prosperous wealth of his holy Church, the
fruitfull seruice of your soueraigne Prince and natiue countrie,
and to your owne inwarde comfort, and vndeceavable ioy
of conscience, in and through Iesus Christ our
blessed Lorde and Saviour, to whom bee
all praise and glorie in his Church
and in all places of the
world for euer,
Amen.