A confutation of a popishe, and sclaunderous libelle in forme of an apologie: geuen out into the courte, and spread abrode in diuerse other places of the realme. VVritten by VVilliam Fulke, Bacheler in Diuinitie, and felowe of S. Ihons Colledge in Cambridge.

¶ To the right honourable and vertuous Ladie, the Ladie Mar∣garet Strange.

YOur honourable and Godly re∣quest (madame) to haue this in∣famous, and Popishe Apologie confuted, maie bee a sufficient testimone, bothe of your loyall affection towardes your prince & countrie, & also of vnfei∣gned loue towardes God, and his true re∣ligion. For as the libell being sclanderous against our soueraigne and her lawes, & blasphemous against God & his truthe, might be a reioysyng to the obstinate & rebellious, and an offence to the weake and ignorant, if the cloudes of calumnia∣tion, and deceiptful reasonyng vsed ther∣in, were not driuē a waie with the blaste of some confutation: so the falshod ther∣of beyng opened, and the crafte discoue∣red, by your L. procuremēt, shalbe a mat∣ter

of gladnes to the godly, of grief to the wicked, of strenthenyng to the weake, and of learnyng to the ignorant. VVher∣by trueth beyng mainteined, and errour cōfounded, many men shalbe profited, & God hymself shalbe glorified. And your L. for preferryng so many folde goodnes, may be assured to receiue worthie than∣kes of men, and plentifull reward of god. But this especially, wherin your L. ought chiefly to reioice, is not to be omitted, that as god hath iustified you in the merites of his sonne through faith cōceiued in your harte, so he hath geuen you an occasion hereby, of his holie name and religion, to make opē profession in the world. VVhē accordyng to the testimonie of the Apo∣stle, as a true and liuely beleif of the hart is necessarie for iustificatiō, so a cleare & open confession of the mouth is requisite

to saluatiō. So that this your L. requeste, might seme in all poinctes most fortunat, if it had not founde so meane an instru∣ment, as I am to accōplishe it. For beside that, I am inferiour to verie many of my brethren, that are meate to take suche a matter in hād, I haue been for these two yeres almost, as it were sequestered, both frō serious studie, and plentie of such bo∣kes, as for such a purpose, were most con∣uenient. Notwithstāding, esteming your L. motion, as a prouocatiō sente of god, to occupie my idle tyme, & to employe some parte of gods giftes, to the profite of his Churche, as my duetye bindeth me, I thought good to shew my self, rather vn∣able, thē willing to satisfie your godly de∣sire. Not that the obiectiōs of the aduer∣sarie were of suche weight, but that thei might easely bee auoyded by many thou∣sand

christians, whom God hath indued with meaner giftes of knowledge, & vn¦derstandyng, then it hath pleased hym to bestowe vpon me: but that I am priuie to myne owne imperfection, whereby I am lesse apt, to beautifie a matter, with such copy, & eloquence as many other are, & I would wish that this argument might haue been handled. Neuertheles, accor∣dyng to my bare, and simple facultie, I haue endeuoured to set forthe the truthe, rather with substaunce of matter, then with florishyng of woordes, not caryng howe finely, but howe plainly, I might cause it to appere, seyng it is no lesse cha∣ritable to teach the ignoraunt, then it is commendable to please the learned. And this labour I haue bestowed for the pro∣fite of others, and not for the praise of my self. For whiche cause also I thought it

not beste, to encomber the simple reader with many reasōs, or authorities to proue one matter, but to enstructe hym with a few, and those pitthie, & of force to per∣swade. Sauyng that in one questiō of iu∣stification, in multitude of testimonies, I maie seme to be ouer tedious, if the cause be not considered, whiche prouoked me thereto. For seyng the aduersaries with∣out shame crie out, that our doctrine of iustification, is suche a straunge paradox as neuer was hearde of in the worlde, be∣fore our tyme, the same doctrine, beeyng the chiefe foundation of true Religion, I thought it expedient, that the vnlearned were admonished, what plētifull witnes∣ses it hath of antiquitie, as it hath moste manifest aucthoritie in the holie worde of God. To conclude, there were twoo o∣ther considerations that encouraged me,

to take vpon me this cōfutation. One be∣cause this Popishe apologie discouereth no greate learnyng of the aucthor, there is no greate connyng to bee required, in hym that should make answere to it: & for that it hath presumed, to thrust it self into the princes court, it is not impertinēt that it should be confuted, by one that is attēdant in the same. Thus hauing doen my good will, I moste humbly desire your L. to take it in good parte: besechyng al∣mightie God so to continue and encrease his giftes of vertue, and godlines in your L. that you maie be blessed with true ho∣nour, and prosperitie in this life, and af∣terward, rewarded with eternall ioye, and felicitie.

Your L. to commaunde in the Lorde William Fulke.