Against Ierome Osorius Byshopp of Siluane in Portingall and against his slaunderous inuectiues An aunswere apologeticall: for the necessary defence of the euangelicall doctrine and veritie. First taken in hand by M. Walter Haddon, then undertaken and continued by M. Iohn Foxe, and now Englished by Iames Bell.

The Cauillacions of the Aduersaries where∣with they do impugne the doctrine of predestina∣tion, as altogether vnprofitable and superfluous for edification and Iustitution of good lyfe.

FOr this they vse to obiect,* 1.1 that by the meanes of this doctrine of predestinatiō, all carefulnes is takē away frō mē that are fallē, to ryse agayn: that to such as do stand oc∣casion of sluggishnes is ministred, because mans trauaile is altogether Superfluous in both respectes: if neyther he that is woūded, cānot be able to become sound agayn through any hys owne industry: neyther he that is chosen, can fall away through any his negligence: by the one whereof des∣peration is nourished by the other slouthfulnes is mayn∣tayned.

If all things be first decreed vpon with God, by hys vn∣chaungeable counsell of predestination: what neede we thē any preaching, or godly exhortations? Whereby mens affe∣ctions may eyther be stirred vp to embrace vertue, or terri∣fied frōtheir accustomable licēciousnes of life? Whenas the desperate minde shall think with it selfe on this wise: Whe∣ther we lyue well now, or otherwise, we shalbe such not∣withstanding at the length, as God did foreknow that we should be: if good, then good: if euill, then euill.

Forasmuch therefore, as (through the teaching of thys doctrine) the very sinewes of all endeuour are brust asun∣der, and that there remayneth a certayne fatall Necessity onely: they do say, that it were more conuenient, not to haue any wordes or speach at all of this matter.

They do add moreouer, that it is superfluous to dispute of that matter, the depth whereof neuer was man able to re∣ache vnto: as a thing nothing fitte for the instructiō of the Auditorye: besides that if it were true, yet ought it not be taught (say they) because it deliuereth matter very perni∣ciouse, not to be receaued: and because such thinges being not able to be conceaued, may without any daunger be hol¦den in couert.

Moreouer there want not some now a dayes, Which do defend their obstinacye by Auncientye: forasmuch as the auncient fathers did eyther wryte nothing at all, or els very litle thereof or do teach of this grace preuenting the merites of the holy ones farre otherwise.

Wherfore they would haue the people to be taught on this wise rather. That God of hys goodnes and mercye, would haue all men to be saued: And that the cause, why all are not saued, is for that all will not receaue the grace indif∣ferently offered vnto them. And this maner of teaching they do suppose to be sound. On the contrary: that the other doctrine of predestinatiō doth take cleane away all force, & vse of wholesome preachinges, exhortations, and disci∣plines &c.* 1.2 If we onely eyther were alone, or were the first that were vrged with these slaunders and cauillationes, there were lesse cause to wōder at y^e wickednes of this our age. But I do seé now no new thinge here, neuer spoken of before, nor any other thinge but such as many notable learned men haue bene sun∣dry tymes combred withall long sithence. Emongest whom cō∣meth first to hand Augustine, whom (beyng occupyed in thys cause) sometyme the Pelagianes, but most of all the Massilianes did molest much, with the very same obiectiones, as appeareth playnely by the transcript of Prosper and Hillary their letters to Augustine, euen the which obiections our deuines are now a dayes pressed withall: which if were true, then might he seeme to haue vndertaken this quarrell not rashly, nor altogether in vayne, as our men haue done also. But let vs aunswere to their complayntes.

* 1.3Such as are appoynted teachers in the congregation of God, if they should beate into the grosse eares of the rude multi∣tude

this part of doctrine, which treateth of the secrett prede∣stination of God so nakedly, and barren of it selfe, as not doyng ought els, nor respecting any other thing, ne yet applying w^tall any wholesome exhortations, and allurementes to vertue, shold stirre and prouoke none to vertues endeuour, honest carefulnes and godly lyfe, these reasons might carry some showe of truth perhapps. But this matter ought to haue bene foreseene Osor. how these preachers behaue thēselues, what they preach, how, in what maner, and to what end they do lay this doctrine open before the people: before you should haue burst out into those cru¦ell accusacions and slaunderous reproches. If some yoūglings peraduenture may be found not so modestly and soberly to demeane themselues, as may beseeme them (allured either through delight of noueltie, or caryed thereunto through lightnes of witte, or to braue out their knowledge and learning) it is not conuenient, that the lowse and vncircumspect dealing of some particuler persons, should be preiudiciall to the truth of the doctrine.* 1.4 Godly and modest wittes surely, as they conceaue the true reason of this doctrine, so doe they Iudge it no lesse ne∣cessary to be applyed: to the end they may pluck downe that per∣nicious opinion of yours, treating of merites, of confidence in workes, and of doughtfulnes of Saluation. For the ouerthrow whereof what more necessary doctrine to edifie the congregaci∣on withall may be applyed in the Church of Christians?

And therfore, to conclude briefly. For asmuch as all the doc∣trine of Predestination doth tend to this ende chiefly: that men may be forewarned not to trust to much to their owne strength, but to repose all their hope and affiaunce in God, It is vntrue that you do obiect: That the doctrine of predestination doth perswade rather to desperation then to godly lyfe: For what is this els as Augustine sayth, then as that you should say, that men do then dispayre of their owne safety, when they beginne to learne to repose their hope and affiaunce in God, and not in themselues in any wise. &c, Whosoeuer therefore shall instruct the ignoraunt people, in the true doctrine of predestination of the holy ones, discretly, and modestly and in due season, when case so requi∣reth: and shall ioyne withall godly and wholesome exhortations, the same shall he do profitably enough without anye inconueni∣ence

seeing that the preaching of both may be well coupled, and agree together, according to the testimony of Augustine: who affirmeth: that neyther the preaching of fayth profiting in godly fruits ought to be hindered by the preaching of predestination, that they which are taught may learue how to obey:* 1.5 And agayne that the preachīg of Predestinatiō ought not to be hindered by the prea∣ching of fayth profiting in godly fruites, that they which obey, may know, in whom they ought to reioyce, not in thoir owne obedience, but in him of whom it is written: he that doth reioyce let him reioyce in the Lord.

Will you vnderstand, Osorius how the coupling of these too doctrines is not preiudiciall to the preaching of y^e one to the o∣ther? Paule the Apostle of the Gentills did many tymes sette forth the doctrine of predestination to the Rom. Ephe. Timot. The same did Luke in the Actes of the Apostles. Christ himself likewise doth make often mencion of the same in hys sermons: all which did not cease to preach the word of God neuerthelesse and do notwithstanding withal entermixt diuers good and god∣ly exhortations to liue well.

Paule when he sayd: it is God that doth worke in vs to will and to bring to passe according to hys good pleasure: did he therefore a∣bate any thing of hys godly lessons to make vs lesse carefull to will? and to worke the thinges, that are acceptable vnto God? In like maner where he sayth: he that hath begonne a good worke in you, will bring the same to effect euen vntill the day of Christ Ie∣su. Yet did he not cease to perswade them earnestly in the same Epistle written to the Phillippianes that they should not onelye beginne, but perseuere vntill the end.

* 1.6Beleue (sayth Christ) in God, and beleue in me: & yet is thys neuerthelesse true, that he speaketh in an other place. No man commeth vnto me, or beleeueth in me, vnlesse it be geuen him from the father. Christ sayth also, he that hath eares to heare: let hym heare.* 1.7 Yet doth God speake in the scriptures these wordes also: that he will geue them a hart frō aboue, that they may vnderstand, eyes that they may see, and eares that they may heare. &c. And al∣though it were not vnknowne vnto hym, who had eares to heare and who had not, that is to say, the gifte of obedience: Yet doth he exhort all men to heare.

Although Cipriane did both know and wryte that fayth and obedience were the gift of God,* 1.8 and that we ought not reioyce in any thing, because we haue nothing of our owne, yet this was no hindraunce at all vnto his earnest preaching, but that he taught Fayth and obedience neuerthelesse, and most constantly perswa∣ded to good life.

When we heare S. Iames teach vs,* 1.9 that euery good and perfect gift commeth downe from the father of lightes, yet this preaching of grace nothing withstoode, but that he continued to rebuke such as troubled y^e cōgregation, saying, If you be bit∣terly zelous, and your hartes be full of contencion: doe not reioyce, nor lye not against the truth, for this is not the Wisedome that came from aboue, but earthly, beastly, and diabollicall &c. And these giftes of God in deéde as Augustine reporteth, if there be no Predestination, are not foreknowne of God: if they be foreknowne, then is there a necessary predestination of God which we do defend.

To conclude Christ doth aduertize hys disciples.* 1.10 That God doth know well inough what they stand in neede of before they doe pray, and yet he willeth them to pray notwithstanding, shewing vnto them aforme of prayer also.

Sufficient aunswere is made nowe (Osori.) if I be not de∣ceaued, vnto the obiections of your fraternity, that is to say, to your trifles and slaūders if not to all, yet at the least to the very principall pillers, and chiefe stayes of your vagarant dis∣putation, if not with such force, and dexterity, as may be a∣ble to putte your ouerthwhart obstinacy to scilence, yet as much for the defence of Luthers cause, as will satisfie the reasonable Reader (I trust) sauing that there remaineth one quarrell or cō∣playnt of yours as yet, agaynst Luther: A hanger by of all the rest, as it were: whereunto I cannot tell what I shall say: whe∣ther I were best to laugh at it, or aunswere it: for who can possi∣bly resfrayne from laughter, to reade that ridiculous counter∣fayte Prosopopoeia of yours?* 1.11 wherein lyke a very foolish Rheto∣rician, you haue thrust in vppon the stage a lusty Ruffler who in the person of a Swartrutter, may accuse Luther for the vp∣roares raysed by the countrey Boores in Germany. As though of all that whole route of Clownes, any one were heard at anye tyme to accuse Luther as Author of this tumulte: or woulde

haue vttered somuch as halfe a word of reproche against him for y^e same, if he might speake for him selfe, & were not compelled to vse herein the counterfaite person of an other: or as though the Hystories do not declare sufficiētly, from whence the spryng head of all this mischief burst out at the first: surely not from Luther, but from an other Crowbyrde, from an other Chayre of pestilence (Osorius) what soeuer it was. But goe to: Let vs heare what dronken eloquence this gallaunt counterfaite swart Rutter doth gushe out vnto vs, out of Osorius drousie tankerd: And with what flashes of thundryng wordes, he meaneth to scorche vppe Luther withall.

* 1.12O Luther? why doest thou accuse the harmelesse and in∣nocent? why doest thou rage? why art thou madde?

Truly I should haue wondered, if Osorius would haue spo∣ken any thyng agaynst Luther, but with some haryshe eloquēce. Nay rather Osori. if your selfe be not starke madde, what kynde of maddnes? What rage? what accusatiōs do ye tell vs of here? Wherfore let it be as lawfull for Luther to aunswere for him selfe agayne, and with like speéche, not to the Germaine ruffler, but to the Porting all Byshop: whom if he might reproue agayn contrarywise after this maner: O Osorius? why do ye accuse y^e guiltelesse?* 1.13 why doe ye keépe such a sturre? why are you so fran∣ticke? who if were well in your wittes, would neuer reproche me with such madnesse. But what haue I haue done? what haue I deserued? is it bycause I would not encline to y^e furious disor∣ders of y^e rebellious? what? dyd I euer so much as moue a finger towardes that cause? did I not reproue them forthwith with penne and speache very instauntly? did euer man more earnestly bende the force of his arme agaynst them, thē I did my writing? If they would but haue harkened to my counsell, and continuall admonitions, the matter had neuer proceéded to so much bloud∣shead. What? And shall I receaue this recompence for my good meanyng towardes you, to be accoumpted a madd man? No (say you) not bycause ye wrote agaynst them, doe we repre∣hend you, but bycause you ministred the occasion of this vprore. But from whence do ye gather this to be true Osorius? Forsooth bycause they did learne this of you, that we were not able of our selues to doe either good or euil: for that

God doth (as you say) worke all in all in vs. &c. In deéde I haue denyed, that to thinke good or euill is in our owne hād. And what hereof I pray you? in what respect are these wordes ap∣plyable to the Countrey Boores? and to their rebellion? Doth that man open a gappe of licentiousnesse, and seditious treache∣ry to husbandmen, which doth abate that Freédome from mans will in doyng or atchieuyng any enterprise, which your Deui∣nes do falsely challenge as proper to mā? Is it therfore lawfull to be wicked, bycause many tymes men are hindered agaynst their wills from puttyng a mischief in executiō? or shall the will be therfore not wicked in doyng wickedly, bycause it is not freé, but enforced to yeld to a necessary Seruilitie, which of it selfe it is not able to shake away? Is the wicked Spirite therfore excu∣sed, bycause in doyng euill he doth it not so much of any Freé∣dome, as of Necessitie? for how shall he be sayd to be freé, which amiddes the race of his rudenes, is now and then restrayned a∣gaynst his will? and is not Lord of his owne will not so much as in doyng euill? yet doth this beyng not freé of him selfe nothyng withstād, but that he continue euill still: what and if I had sayd, that the will of the wicked of it selfe is not freé, but euery way captiue, and bonde? is it therfore to be imputed to God forth∣with, & not to men whatsoeuer they shall do wickedly? As though when men do thinke or committe euill, they be compelled there∣unto agaynst their willes? & are not willyngly and of their owne motion chiefly drawen thereunto? For to confesse this saying to be most true, That God is he that worketh all in all, yet doth he bryng to passe nothyng in mā surely, without their owne wills, so that if there be any euill in them, there is no cause why God should be accused for it, but euery man must laye the fault of his owne folly, and wilfulnes to his owne charge.

But (say you) for as much as God doth lead mens willes hereunto,* 1.14 by what reason, cā ye couple the stabilitie of your doctrine with the defence of Gods Iustice.

I do aunswere.* 1.15 First when we do ioyne the singuler proui∣dence of God, workyng all in all, in all the actions of mans lyfe: we do set the same forth, as all thynges may be referred to this, as to the primer cause efficient, which doth not worke properly, but in respect of y^e last end of all thinges. Here now for as much

as God is of his owne nature most best and most perfect, hereu∣pon it commeth to passe, that he which hath ordeined all thynges for him selfe, can in no respect be the cause of euill. 2. Then as touchyng the middle causes, whereas there is no man that doth not fall through his owne default, and the procurement of Sa∣than, it shalbe reason therfore, that no man seéke for the cause of sinne, without his own selfe, and that he complayne not of God for the same. 3. But yet to admit that the actions of mans lyfe, are not gouerned without the prouident and circumspect direc∣tion of Gods will: and that it is he alone, that inclineth mens willes whither him listeth: Yet neuerthelesse euen he, that ap∣plyeth the willes, hath enclosed also the same willes within cer∣teyne limittes and lawes, and as it were enuironed them, with certeine hedges & boūdes, which whether we accomplish or no, seyng he hath made the will of God manifestly discernable vnto vs, certeinly they do not onely sufficiētly acquite, and cleare his Iustice, but also aboundantly commende the same. 4. And lastly though we be neuer so vnable to the performaunce of his ordi∣naunces, yet for all this, can no iust accusation of quarell be fra∣med agaynst God, but the faulte must be wholy imputed vnto men, and that worthely. For why would this beastly flesh (beyng throughly fortified at the begynnyng vnder the safe keépyng of God and vnderstādyng) become Carter of his owne carriadge? and guide of his owne flitteryng lyfe afterwardes, refusing the conduct and leadyng of God? Which if can now gouerne it selfe rightly in deéde, as it ought to do, let it then a Gods name enioy his owne knowledge: but if otherwise: yet is Gods Iustice sufficiently enough defended, and euen for this same cause, by∣cause he first forewarned them of the perill ensuyng, it is with very good reason acquited of crime: for what standeth more a∣greable with Iustice, then to punish sinnes with sinnes? and to crushe downe, with sharpe and bitter correction, that proude re∣bellious arrogancie, agaynst the high God his Creator?

* 1.16But howsoeuer the matter goeth here. I do maruell at this in the meane whiles, with what fayth and with what face, this one place is vrged so much, which maketh nothyng at all to se∣dition: whenas many other thynges may be gathered out of my bookes euery where, which are manifestly profitable for the pre∣seruation

of peace, and tranquislitie. For what els doe all my bookes, and preachynges more earnestly emporte? (the necessa∣ry instructions of fayth beyng once established) then that y^e mul∣titude of the rascall rable, and ruder Boores, together with all other Christians, should conforme their lyues altogether to pa∣tience? and desire of concorde, though they were oppressed with neuer so many iniuries? where did I euer by worde or writyng teaze any man to armes? Where did I euer geue so much as a crooked looke agaynst the Magistrate? Nay rather who euer e∣steémed of the gouernours more honorably? or taught the duetie of subiectes to their Princes out of holy Scriptures more ear∣nestly & faythfully? who did euer more carefully aduaūce, & call backe to their former dignitie, the Ciuill gouernours and Ma∣gistrates, vtterly suppressed almost through the Romish Pon∣tificall Tyranny? whose mynde or penne dyd euer more hateful∣ly abhorre disorderous vprores and outragious rebelliōs? And if my writynges and behauiour doe not witnesse this to be true that I speake, I am contended that this reproche be Registred amongest the other Beadroll of Osorius lesinges.

After that the light of the Gospell was restored:* 1.17 Carolosta∣dius began to plucke downe Images, and to make an innoua∣tion in many thynges: the matter beyng duely wayed, was of it selfe commendable enough: yet bycause he attempted it with vi∣olence and vprore (the Magistrate not beyng made priuy vnto it) I withstoode him. The lyke attempt was made by Zuinglius, and Oecolampadius, about the matter of the Sacrament. I doe not here debate of the truth of the cause: And yet no one thyng restrayned me so much from subscribyng to their Asserti∣tions, as did the dought of broyles, which I feared would after∣wardes haue ensued. I will adde also somewhat of my selfe: when the Counsell was called at Wormes, beyng cited by pu∣blique authoritie to appeare before the Emperiall seate: I dyd not refuse. Certainly the daunger was assured and apparaunt. For beyng aduertized (as I was on my iourney) that I should haue regarde of my sauety in tyme: I thought better to put my lyfe in hassard, then susteine the reproche of disobediēce. Beyng ouercome at the last not by Scripture, but by power I cōmit∣ted my cause to the mercy of the Lord, & to the authoritie of the

Emperour. I onely defended my cause constauntly. If I had bene of so lewde a disposition, & so foreward to sedition, as you suspect (Osorius) there wanted not at that tyme, both Princes, frendshyp and fautoures of the cause: yea and perhappes there was tyme good enough to put it in practize. But was there euer any Prince, or Subiect encouraged (by my meanes) to moue discension? This beyng done not long after in deéde, the Boores of the Countrey began to raunge in that outrage (whom after∣wardes Muncer and Phyfer takyng partes withall) brake out into lyke maddnesse. The common weale beyng thus deuided, & disquieted, how greatly I was greéued withall, what meanes I vsed agaynst them accordyng to my duety, what aunswere I made to their Articles, with what reasons I refuted them, what counsell I gaue and what exhortations to commō quyet, and Christian obedience, myne owne writynges (extaunt as yet) doe testifie for me, and the Hystories therof doe sufficiently declare. And Osorius him selfe doth not deny the same. Yet ta∣kyng occasion of my writynges, he shameth not to make me the authour of all this rebellion.

* 1.18And why so? We (sayth he) haue learned of you that we are not able of our selues to doe good or euill. And what then? Hereof we conceaued our foolehardynesse, this was the cause that moued vs Boores to Armes. O notable Argument cōcluded by clownes, but very clownish surely. I suppose Cori∣don him selfe could not haue done more rustically. But if you will take occasion to argue agaynst me, of that which you might haue learned out of my writyngs (O ye Boores) ye were in them enstructed after this maner: That Magistrates ought to be re∣uerēced: why did you not obey this lesson? How often did I teach you that Rebellion must be eschued by all meanes possible? that no priuate man should auenge his owne iniuries? that it was not lawfull for any Christian to auenge any priuate wrong? That Christ had no neéde of any warlyke guarrison? That the Maiestie of the Gospell was able and strong enough of it selfe to mainteyne her owne quarell? That there could be no more forcible victory for the truth and pure doctrine, then which is atchieued with sufferaunce, and patience? that the nature of the same was such, as the more it were pursued, the more forcibly

it would preuayle? Why learned ye not to follow these lessons? Lastly: when ye were in Armes, and dereygned in field, and by sound of Trumpet had published your Articles, and Requestes to the hygher powers, how much dyd I moyle and turmoyle my selfe, to reduce you to order, and reclayme you from your at∣temptes? teachyng you out of holy Scriptures, conuincyng you, aduertizyng you, chidyng, beseéchyng, perswadyng, threat∣nyng, finally omittyng no part of duety vntouched, whereby I might reclayme you from your hurly burly, to peace and tran∣quillitie. If so be that my doctrine were of such authoritie with you, why did you shut vppe your eares from your Masters les∣sones? If you betooke your selues to Armes, through occasion of one sentence wrongfully vnderstoode, or misconstrued, why dyd ye not forsake the field, for so many my exhortatiōs, and no∣table exclamations to the contrary.

But go to Osorius: bycause vnder the person of the Boores complaynte, you do so vehemently wrest all this false suggestion of mischief agaynst me. What if I deny your Assumpsit? how will you be able to proue it? perhappes by heare say amongest the clownes? what? of any that be liuyng? or that be dead? But when the poore clownes lyued, and were drawen to execution, tormented, and stretched out vpon the rackes (in which extremi∣tie men are wont for the more part to vtter more thē they know) If there were one so much of that whole rable, muttered euer halfe a sillable of me, such as your Carterlyke and senselesse I∣magination hath deuised agaynst me, I will willyngly yeld to this accusation of suspitiō. But by your occasion (say you) this tumult might haue bene raysed easily. So might the Blacke Moore chaūge his skinne. And Osor. also might leaue his lyeng. But all thynges are not by and by done, that may be done. But onward: how proue you that it might haue bene so? Bycause (say you) that God worketh all in all in vs, accordyng to Luthers Assertion, and we be instrumentes onely applyed and wrest with his handes: hereupon followeth it therefore sithe God onely raysed vppe these tumultes, and was the onely procurour, deuisour and accomplisher of this sturre, that the Boores of necessitie must be guiltlesse, and innocēt hereof. Go to: And do ye suppose (Osorius) that these wordes

were the whole seédeplotte of all this Rebellion? what shall we say thē to that, which we read in Paul? That it is God that wor∣keth all in all:* 1.19 And agayne. That worketh all according to the pur∣pose of his will.* 1.20 And in the Prophet Amos. There is no euill in the Citie that the Lord hath not done. And agayne, whē we heare on euery side aswell amongest the Prophetes as the Apostle. That men are made blinde of God, are deliuered ouer into a Repro∣bate mynde. Why might not the Boores haue taken occasion of these wordes, aswell as of myne? Go to. And what and if I had writtē these wordes also, namely: That it is in the power of our Freewill to dispose our selues whereunto we lyst? either to make our selues earthen vessels, or golden vessels in the house of the Lord? would the Boores haue the sooner bene quieted for this cause? And yet this is the generall proclamation of that notori∣ous Seé of Rome, dispersed throughout all Catholicke Nati∣ons: the same doe all their Recordes and Canons noyse abroad (wheresoeuer they crawle) yea many yeares before Luther was borne: and the very same also doth Osorius write at this day in Portingall, and many other of the lyke fraternitie elles where: what? was there neuer any cōmotions therfore of the rude mul∣titude (before Luther was borne) in Portingall? none in Italy? Germany? Fraunce? England? Cycill? & other Nations? Could this, or any other portiō of Scripture, or doctrine, euē so bridle the affections of the vnruly, but that they would at one tyme or other burst out into outragious extremities?

I adde moreouer. Admit that my wordes (beyng either mis∣conceaued or misconstrued) might suggest some matter of euill occasiō: shall it be lesse lawfull therfore to beare testimony of the truth, bycause there be some that are so beastly brutish that will mishandle the wordes and deédes of others, be they neuer so well spoken? By this reason, away with the Bible, bycause out of the same, the most parte of heretiques haue sucked their poyson: what? dyd not Paule therfore not commende the Iustice of God aright by our vnrighteousnesse, bycause there wanted not that would abuse his saying to occasion of euill? Let vs doe euill (say they) that good may come thereby. The auncient godly Christi∣ans were wont to assemble together, and sing Psalmes before day light and to receaue the Sacrament of bread & wyne. Here∣upon

began rumours to be scattered abroad, that the Christiās dyd worshyp the rysing of the Sunne, & dyd sacrifice to Ceres & Bacohus. And what hath bene so well spoken, or established at any tyme, that the peéuishenesse of peruerse and froward per∣sons will not depraue•• if they lyst to pyke a quarell, or slaunder the good wordes and well doynges of men? The same came to passe with Augustine him selfe through the Pelagians: who af∣ter had once brought in the name and commendation of grace,* 1.21 hereupon forthwith they began to quarell with him, as though he should affirme, that men are made good by fatall. Necessitie. And agayne where he denyed that Grace was distributed accor∣dyng to mēs deseruyngs: this saying they gnawed at as though he should say: That no endeuour ought to be looked for from the will of man, contrary that saying in the Gospell, where the Lord spake. Aske and it shalbe geuen you, seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you, for euery one that doth aske shall re∣ceaue. &c.

And all this haue I debated with you, euen as it were truth that your counterfaite imagination hath deuised, to witte: that I should be the originall of all that rebellious insolencie. I come now to y^t pynche of my true defence. Namely, to deny that there is, or euer was any Boore in all Germany, that did euer Iustifie this slaunder agaynst me. This was neuer the speéche of any Boore: but the rude vnshamefastnesse of Osorius: voyde of all matter of probabilitie, to make me authour of all this mischief. The very authour wherof if as yet you do not know, and would fayne know him in deéde, I will tell him you, but briefly, yet tru∣ly Osorius.

When Sathan perceaued that the kyngdome of your pride was ready to haue a fall:* 1.22 and that the Romishe Prelate could now no longer mainteyne his erroneous sacriledges, agaynst the glorious excellency of the gladsome Gospell: he entred by a notable pollicie into this deuise vnder the pretence of the Gos∣pell to tickle vppe madd braynes, thereby to bryng the Gospell in obloquy and infamy, the ouerthrow whereof he perceaued now past his compasse, as the which he was now no longer a∣ble to withstand. Then also, vnlesse this lying Osorius had sett him selfe forth (as an especiall Instrument of this wyly Ser∣pent)

vpon whose shauen sconse not so much as a herebreadth may be founde growing of an honest or sober man, ye would ne∣uer haue so filthyly infamed the good reporte and credite of ho∣nest personages, standyng in the defence of the Gospell, with so many slaunderous lyes, and cursed reproches. If Luther should vse this, or the lyke counterbuffe, accordyng to the frankenes of his speéche, agaynst your rusty, clownish, and illfauored, false Diuinitie: I do not aske, what you could answere him agayne Osorius. But I feare this rather, least as he should not seéme to speake sufficiently in the honest defence of him selfe, so in respect of your deserte, he were not able to vtter enough a∣gaynst you.

After all this ye adde moreouer and demaunde, with what honest reason Luther doth ioyne the constancy of hys Dis∣cipline with the defence of Gods Iustice. To answere brief∣ly: Certes with much more honester reason, then your bloudy Bishop, or you his skraping catchpolles (who hauing embrued your rotchets in so much Christian bloud play the Butchers more like then Byshops) can ioyne your pryde vayneglorious Tytles, Pompe Arrogancy, Cruelty, Tyranny, Treason, Lust, Lechery, Opinions, Heresies, Determinations, and intollera∣ble Canones of mans Traditions, together with Peter with Paule, with Christ and with hys Gospell, not to speake of the rest of your secret abhominations.

* 1.23I am come now at the length to the triumphaunt end of this glorious booke: where leauing Luther in the field, & sounding y^e retrai••t from the great battell of Freewill: Osor. doth furbush hys furniture for the Triumph agaynst poore Gualter Haddō, and not without cause: for because this quarelling Ciuiliā (who a little before did yelde ouer the preéminence of Eloquence to Osorius, and confessed him to be the chiefe carpenter of speach, and named hym also the scholer of Cicero many tymes) he seé∣meth so variable & vnconstant now,* 1.24 That he dare affirme that Osorius writing is vnsauory, voyde of likelyhoode of truth, and without sense, argument and proofe: which Haddon is so childishe in hys style,* 1.25 making skarse anye semblaunce of witte in hys vtteraunce, that he deserueth no commenda∣tion of witte at all, but such as seemeth to stand in darcke∣nesse

of speach Finally whereas he doth so oftentimes obiect a∣gaynst Osorius the name of Cicero by way of reproche: He him selfe did very carefully foresee that no man shoulde be able to reproche hym with the name of Cicero:* 1.26 for he speaketh nothing very eloquently nothing playnely, nothing di∣stinctly, nothing pitthely nothing substancially, nothing loftely. What soeuer pleaseth hym, he hath thrust into hys wrytinge: and that also he doth confirme not by reason or argument, but with skolding and lauishnes of tongue. Lastly hys whole wryting is so bluntish, so base & so colde, that it moueth Osorius to pity it rather, then to hate it. And that is the cause. That Osorius cannot according to hys pro∣mise condiscend with hart and mynde to hys opinions, as he promised he would do, if he could winne the victory of the cause which he vndertooke, with apte and conuenient arguments. But now sithence he hath not done it, sithēce he hath brought no argument, nor vsed any proofe to the pur¦pose: sithence also hys reasons be such, as haue no force to mayntayne credite, but such as rather doe disclose a token of some miserable frensye: hereof therefore it commeth to passe, that he seemeth to be acquited of hys promise, if hee remayne as yet in hys opinion vnuanquished. And there∣fore that Haddon did very vaynely take in hand to wryte, & that they did not lesse vndiscretely that set hym a worke. Moreouer that neyther hys Schoolemaister was voyde of blame, whosoeuer he were, that did not instruct hym at the first in what place, and in what forme he ought to apply his interrogation making to the substaunce of the matter.

Nowe hast thou gentle reader the last acte of Osorius fable which whether I may tearme to be Comicall, or Tragicall, I can not well tell: but that it seemeth in myne opinion, to resemble rather the shape of a Comedye more neerely. For what glorious Thraso (I pray you) could euer haue handled hys part vppon a stage more rufflingly, & moue the beholders to lowd laughter more pleasauntly. To haue the whole fruition of his sweet pig∣snye Cicero as it were of Thais or Phillida, what a sturr doth he keepe? And because he perceaueth that Haddon hath a fansie to hys mynion, which maketh him to stand in some feare least he

wil beguile him: how hatefully & despightfully doth he exclame vpon him to driue him out of countenaunce? not onely treading hym vnder hys feete, but so furiouslye boyling agaynst hym, That if this Parasiticall Gallaunt were now in England, with hys cogging companion Sanga, and but an handfull of Catho∣licke Monkes with them, Uerely I beleue, he would as Thra∣so pretended agaynst Thais also burst open the gates vpon him, whom he doth now thrust downe in the belfry amongest boyes, as one that deserueth no title of good word for his witt in whom is neyther any force of sētence, nor any likelihood of truth, in whose writings no examples, finally which Haddō no re∣sēblance of Ciceroes delectable pronūciatiō doth appeare: but a certayn piteous stāmering of speach vttred, in hys wri¦tings vntowardnes, & childishnes: in disputīg obscure, & a certein vnskilfull applicatiō of Rhetoricall interrogatiōs, learned of an vnskilfull Maister, but as one that can skarse expresse hys meaning by his vtteraunce: hath no pertaking of Ciceroes finesse, nor cōmeth so much as any thing neere the maiesty of Cicero: expresseth nothing purely, nothing playnly, nothīg distinctly, nothing substācially, nothing lof∣tely, Finally vttereth nothyng but a vayne sound of foolishe wordes, that it woulde pittie a man to see it. Wherefore O wretched man that thou art poore stammering Haddon, O pi∣teous estate of this seély Phedria. And in the meane tyme thys vayneglorious proud pecocke is bedeckt with all these Distritch feathers, and glittering plumes, wrapt vp together in a great brush perdie: so that here is no want of any thing nowe, but of some gyering Gnato, which may lowt this Thraso out of hys paynted Coate. But go to. Let these thinges passe Osorius. Although this vnbrydeled and cottquenelike maner of scolding and lauishnes of toung doth of right require, that we shoulde likewise blaze out your braynsicknesse in the right colour, and make you as it were a mockery for boyes: yet dismissing now at the last those toyes, and merry conceites of your dame deynty (wherewith she hath (as you say) besmeared Haddons lips) we will deale in earnest with you: and therefore let vs see what it is wherewith you reproche Haddon so vnmanerly. He sayd that you were Ciceroes scholler, and a conning coyner of words

what euill was in this? Afterwardes himselfe doth confesse that your writinges are vnsauorye, and without reason: wherin sayd he amisse? meaning this in effect as I think: that you busye your selfe about a straunge matter as though you were raking after the Moone, wherein ye neyther sauour any thing at all, you are not able to teache, nor willing to learne. You doe slaunder cer∣tayne godly and learned personages, here in England, yea euen to their Queéne, whom despightfully ye call by a nickname new Gospellers: And thus do ye, eyther of no reason at all, or in such wise, as if onely exchaunge of names were made, would easily be more appliable vnto the forgers and counterfayte stagers of the Romish Gospell: yea would accord much more fittely with them, then with those that you do accuse. moreouer where you say, that he vttereth nothing purely nothing playnely, nothing, pit∣thily, nothing substancially or with good grace, if any man els be∣sides Osorius should speake this, perhappes he might be credi∣ted. But as now what shall any discrete or indifferēt man iudge of your opiniō herein? for what merucile is it, if a mā practise by all meanes possible to deface y^e credite of the Aduersary, agaynst whom he writeth? And yet here men may easily seé, y^t as you haue no great stoare of modesty & discretion, so you are not ouerladen w^t the rules, & principles of Rhetorick. For the skilfull in Rheto¦ricke are wont to extoll and aduaunce y^e power & excellency of y^e Aduer. agaynst whō they mayntaine quarrell, to th end to make thēselues more famous thereby, if happely they gett y^e victory.

I come now to that part of thaccusacion, which concerneth the forme and phrase of hys style: wherein I cannot but wonder enough at your exceeding childish (pardō me I pray you Osor.) and more then womanishe malepartnes: for in this sorte hoyes wont to brawle for nuttes: And women (as Ierome reporteth) when they are a goshipping, speake ill of them that are absent, and crake lustely ouer men, as if they were stronger then they. you take it to be a goodly matter to resemble Cicero in Elo∣quence and finesse of phrase, or at least to come very neere it: And think it not inough to treate of Christ, of the Gospell, of ho∣ly thinges, and sacred religion, aptely soundly and learnedly, vnlesse a man paynt it out with the glorious brauery of Cice∣roes Eloquence. And bicause Haddons style doth not rayse it

selfe to Ciceroes loftynes sufficiently, (as you Iudge) therfore he is not accompted worthy to sitte amongst the punyes, no nor yet fitt to be a scholler in Ciceroes schoole: as one that vttereth nothing purely nothing playnly nothīg pitthily nothīg lof¦tely. &c. whē wise men I say shall read these words of yours, & this your Iudgemēt cōcerning Haddō, how will they esteéme of you in their secret conceiptes think you? Will they smile in their sleaues at this your folly? or will they laugh openly at it? will not all men clapp their hands, and spitt at that singuler inhuma∣nity of thys Portugall wrangler? will they not abhorre his de∣testable shamelessenesse? for why do ye say that Haddon spea∣keth nothing purely? nothing playnly, &c. is there anye man that hath euer read any of Haddons writinges, so vnshamefast be∣sides Osorius onely, that would say so? Are yee nothing asha∣med of this your so manifest vanity? Are ye so altogether dis∣poyled of feéling of modesty, and humanity, as you are barraine in scriptures, and voyde of Iudgement? that whereas ietting at your own shadow, you can be contented so bountifully to be∣stow the best, and the fayrest vpon your selfe, that ye will finde in your hart to empart nothing but poore ragges to others? For to confesse in deede that Haddon did not reache to that grace, and dexteritie of phrase that was in Cicero: Will ye therefore yelde him no commendation of the latine style? nor so much as anye meane knowledge therin? nor yet will suffer him in your cōpany to beare the name of a poore scholler in Ciceroes schoole? And who hath made you vsher I pray you, or pepositour of Ciceroes schoole? that no man may be admitted into that fellowship vnles you allowe of hym? And yet in respect of this friuolous title, what matter maketh who beare the name? But what kynde of discourtesy is this? so to embase Haddon of all ornamentes of an artificiall Rhethorician, so to throw him down amongest the Apsy boyes, as to leaue him nothing but babishnes and stam∣mering of speache? and withall condemne hym for so doltish and rascall a wryter, that yee cannot choose but meruayle also, what collpixe had so bewitched hym to make him a writer?

But ye ought to haue marueled at this O meruelous man, in others rather, and posted ouer this taunting check to them ra∣ther, ouer many of whose pelting workes are flowne abroad out

of your cloysters into y^e worlde, so Mosy, vnsauory, harshe, & vn∣pleasaunt, that y^e learned are enforced many tymes to turne ouer their stomackes in reading thē, & the vnlearned suck nothing out of them, but smoake, and puddle. In which notwithstanding I would not be so squeimish at their rudenes, & barbarous grosse∣nesse of speach: if euen in their most excellent writinges, they might be found to cary any resemblaunce of any sound doctrine, or sauoring of wholesome knowledge at the least: and were not more disorderous in the substance of the matters, then they are grosse of speache. For otherwise as concerning that exquisite excellency of Eloquence, for asmuch as neyther Cicero, that graund captayne of Eloquence himselfe, doth at all times speak so exquisitely: neither forceth so much if it be not altogether ar∣tificiall in a Philosopher, so that his maners and doctrine be substanciall: what cause is there to the contrary,* 1.27 but if there be some defect thereof in a deuine, that he may as well beé borne withall, so that the simplicitie of hys speach agree with the truth, and be cleare from barbarous grossenesse: and so that the want of Eloquence, be supplyed with the soundnes of the truth. But as now, how vnreasonable is your communication Osorius that can so courteously allow of those your vnsauory, and vnpleasaunt Ianglers? and shew your self so whotte a Cen∣sor against Haddon onely: as that ye affirme him to write no∣thing eloquently, nor yet able to expresse his meaning any thing playnely.

But yet truely whereunto soeuer Haddon is fitte or vnfitte, or whatsoeuer Haddon can do or cannot do: This is most cer∣tayne and true. That the want of Eloquence is not the matter, that rubbes you on the gall so extremely: Haddon is not ther∣fore expelled from Ciceroes Colledge, because he cannot ex∣presse Ciceroes finesse liuely enough (which your selfe cannot do, more finely though ye would burst asunder Osorius) But there is an other thing, yea an other thing in deede, there is an other padde in the straw: for who cannot easily perceiue out of what puddle this bubling froathe doth issue, and whereunto this tendeth, that Haddō may not seeme worthy to be named a Ciceroniane: not because he is not a Ciceroniane: but bicause he is not a Romayne: not because he writeth scarse plainely nor

connīgly with y^e Orator of Rome, but bicause he taketh not part with the Bishop of Rome? because he will not blindfolde him∣selfe with Osorius: not because he doth not sufficiently expresse the elegancy of the Romanes eloquence, but because he would attempt his penne agaynst Osorius, and against the doctrine of Rome, and take vpon him to fauour the cleare veritie of the gos∣pell, and apply his minde to the defence of true religion, hereup∣on ariseth the reproche of the stammering tongue, of the chil∣dish speach, and of the vnskilfull style.

In the which I cannot well conceaue the meaning of Osor. For if according to this rule, all wryters that do not attayne the cleane and pure elegancy of Cicero, do seeme in his iudgement childishe stammerers: in vayne haue Augustine, Ierome, Ci∣prian, Ambrose, Gregory, Bernard, in vayne haue the Romish Prelates, and all other expositours both of the Greéke and the Latine Churches, in vayne haue Angrensis Dalmata, Al∣phonsus, Turianus. Andradius bestowed great and paynfull labours in writīg: whose style and forme of phrase if be through∣ly viewed, and considered: peraduenture the more part of them will be found to differre as farre from the finesse of Cicero, as Haddon doth: That I may be so bolde to make no menciō at all of Scotus Sotus Lōbardus Gratiane. Thomas de Aquino Ra∣phaell Gabriell, and such like trasshe, yea how many may a mā pyke out from amongst the most famous and true Christian de∣uines, who of sett purpose haue abased their stile: not because they could not write so loftely of the thinges y^t you esteéme of so ga••ly: but because they were of this minde, that this hawty lof∣tinesse of affected Eloquence,* 1.28 woulde not agreé with y^e naturall simplicitie of the Gospell. Whereupon Ierom writing to Pam∣machius seemeth in this respecte to haue him in the more esti∣maciō, because he despised Cicero in respect of Christ: and far∣ther also is of this Iudgement y^t in the expositiō of scriptures, the nycetye of speache ought not onely to be dissimuled, but also vtterly eschued:* 1.29 because it might be more profitable for all ingenerall.* 1.30 Christ our sauiour accompteth the high and great thinges of this worlde to he execrable and abhominable in the sight of God. And the Prophet Esay doth with wonderfull manacing threaten Manasses the day of the Lord agaynst all things that be

fayre, beautifull, florishing things of this world. Paule in enlarging the knowledge of the Euangelicall doctrine: durst not beginne the same with high and lofty Rhetoricall speache, nor furnishe his wordes with humayne Eloquence (not because it was hard for him to do so if he listed) but chose rather to refrayne,* 1.31 least the Crosse of Christ (sayth he) might be made voyde and of none effect. I speake not this, because I would haue men tyed to such a ne∣cessitie now a dayes, by his example, namely sithe y^e Gospell of Christ doth so florish euery where, as though it might not be lawfull in these dayes w^t what soeuer ornamentes, yea of great∣test estimatiō to beautifie y^e speache, & to applye the same to the vse of Christes congregatiō. But yet must modest discretiō be v∣sed here. Truely if Plato were of opinion, y^t the last end of Elo∣quence was, that we should deliuer & vtter things acceptable to God: how much more thē is y^e same to be required in a Deuine?

Aud therefore as concerning the Grace and dexteritie of Cicero: whatsoeuer it be that eyther. Nature did emplant in him, or Industry did attayne: as I despise it not, but rather very well like of it, and do wonder at so excellent a gift of God in him: so agayne do I not reprehend in any man to immitate him, so that his imitation be ioyned with Christian simplicitie, so that it be done not to hawke after the proud estimation of the worlde, nor to the vayne glorious ostentation of witte, nor for anye pri∣uate glory: finally so that it be so applyed, that discret imitation may be clearely voyde of vayne affectation. Nowe what shall we say to them? who reiecting all other teachers of maners and doctrine, do employ all their endeuour to file vpp their tongues & so addict themselues altogether to Cicero alone, and so ama∣zedly dote vpon him onely, that thinke it a lesse fault not to be a Christian almost, then not to be a Ciceronian: nor iudge hym scarse worthy the reading (though he be neuer so Christian a wryter) that doth not frame hys stile after Ciceroes, patterne, and sauor altogether of hys delicate speache? And that is the cause (as I suppose) why Osorius doth recken, that Haddon doth wryte nothing purely, and nothing playnly. Not because he hath corruptly or fasly written, but that it seémeth to Osori. y^t he hath not written like a Ciceronian, & because hee doth not throughly resemble his dexteritie & loftines, although in deéde

he be not very farre behinde hym. And therfore this sweete man doth wōder, what waywardnes of minde forced him to be so bold as to wryte agaynst Osorius,* 1.32 and cōmaundeth him to learne of him (if it please the Muses) how hawty and vehement interrogations must be applyed in place fitte for the same. Last of all in steade of a Rhetoricall acclamation, concluding with a Satyricall skoffe he doth aduertize hym, To procede in writing franckly as hym listeth, and because he will encou∣rage hym to wryte more franckly and freely, he telleth him that he may freely wryte without daunger, because no man of any iudgement or skill will blame him in this respect, that he is addicted to Cicero more then is needefull.

If there were any sense or feélyng of right or wrong in all your body, or if there were any reason in all these your vnma∣nerly tauntes, and rascallike scoffes (Osorius) I could acquite you with the lyke, and could be contented to space them vnto you in Haddons behalfe. But now for as much as this your speach is so aboundaūtly replenished with vanitie and folly: what were better for me to doe, then accordyng to the counsell of the wise man,* 1.33 To aunswere a foole accordyng to his foolishnesse? Briefly therfore and bycause I make hast to the end of your booke: to aū∣swere not to your Argumentes which in deéde are none, but to aunswere your scoffes and nyppyng conceiptes, not altogether vnpleasauntly, yet neuerthelesse somewhat truly: Surely I do geue you harty thankes Osorius, not for myne owne cause one∣ly, but in the publicke name of all the learned generally, for the thynges, wh you haue taught vs hetherto in these your notable books. For so haue you taught, as we all can not but be merry and receaue singuler delight at your doynges. For what is he that can absteine from laughing, that shall heare you disputyng vpon those matters? in wh you seéme to behaue your self no more aptly, then as though a blind man should discerne betwixt co∣lours, and a Camell Iudge of dauncing. You take vpon you to determine franckly betwixt true, and false Religiō, very haute∣ly and proudely, but yet much more impudently. And yet it shal be as easie a matter for a mā to finde as much Relligion in Tul∣lies Offices, yea and as true, as this your Relligion is, which you haue so gloriously painted out in these your bookes hetherto,

a fewe sparckles onely except. Likewise also throughout the whole course of the rest of your discourse, how often haue your friuolous, and confused Argumentes moued me to myrth, and laughter? As where you thrust your selfe to stoughtly into the matter of Iustification & Predestination: in all which kinde of doctrine notw^tstādyng you seéme as meére a straūger, as though you came new frō India, neither dare once so much all the while in all your bookes name out of your mouth, the tearme of Iu∣stification or of Predestination: Yea truly I maruell also why ye durst name the name of Christ also amōgest your writyngs, sith that Cicero neuer made mention therof in all his bookes.

But this ridiculous Silenus doth neuer play his part more pleasauntly, then whenas takyng the rodde in his hād, and sit∣tyng in the Schoolemaisters chayre, he calleth forth poore seély Haddon into the middes of the Schoole, and cōmaundeth him to harken to him, & to learne of his Maister. And no maruell: for he is full of such cōmaundementes: But good M. Osorius, you must beare with poore Haddō in this behalfe, for he is occupied about other matters, he can not come to your Schoole now. And if he could be presēt, he would not be so foolish yet, though o∣therwise in eloquēce neuer so childishly ignoraūt, as to be much afrayde of this vgly Buggebeare in a Lyons skynne, but he would sooner espye him to be an Asse by his lollyng eares, then a Lyon by his pawes. Wherfore keépe these Maisterly preceptes now to your selfe, which you may then at the length with shame enough lay vpon others neckes, when you haue your selfe lear∣ned to vse them well before. For if we lysted to set downe here to the viewe, how oft your Reasons and Argumentes fayle you: how vndiscretly & how fayntly you roaue and raunge to vnsea∣sonable exclamations, and vntymely scornefull braggynges, braying out as it were a madd man, where no cause is, trium∣phyng there where is no victory, yea and many tymes where no aduersary is, how stoughtly sometymes ye stād by incōgruitie: I could easily shew, that the faultes which you carpe at to be in Haddon, cā be applyable to no mā more fitly then to your selfe.

Now whereas you adde last of all, that there is no man of any Iudgement, which will blame Haddon for that he is addi∣cted to Cicero more then is neédefull: as I am not ignoraunt

whereunto that your vnsauory and more then foolishe scoffe ten∣deth, so can I not sufficiently coniecture, what this malicious bragge of the name of a Ciceronian and emulation of speache should emporte amōgest Christiās. It is not my part to Iudge rashly of your meanyng. And it may be, that ye write this a∣gaynst Haddon, not so much of any true knowledge, as to vn∣lade you of some cholericke humours. And yet if you will geue me leaue to tell you in your care what I thinke: if you thinke as you haue writtē, and be of the very same mynde in deéde: cer∣teinly there can not be hidden vnder this couerte meanyng of yours any other thyng, then very lurkyng Heathenish infideli∣tie. For if you be carried into such a wonderfull admiration of Cicero, that ye thinke him worthy to be noted for infamous, that is not more then enough addicted to Cicero (for so doe your wordes emporte) and ou the contrary part thinke also a speciall poynt of hyghe commēdation if a man with whole bent of affection endeuour to become a Ciceronian•• where is thē (I pray you) the Glory of Christ? where is that mynde that knoweth not to reioyce in any thyng, but in the Crosse of our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ? The Lord in the Gospell doth playnly deny that a man may serue two Maisters at once. And y^e Apostle doth exhorte not in one place alone, that we frame not our selues to the fashiō of this world. But you will say that by these wordes Mammon is vnderstāded. Be it so in deéde: Ergo, who so is addicted ouermuch vnto Mammon, him you deny to be y^e seruaunt of Iesu Christ. And shall he be y^e seruaūt of Christ y^t is addicted to Cicero more then enough? But it is praysewor∣thy to imitate y^e gorgeous neattnes of Ciceroes speach, & wor∣thy of great cōmēdatiō to matche him in excellēcy, nor is it any thyng preiudiciall to Christes glory. But what & if Christ will not be glorified on this wise? what & if y^e simplicity of y^e gospell, will not admit such pyrlyd pyked & delicate speéch? what & if the same y^t Synesius spake of the young man,* 1.34 may be as aptly veri∣fied of speach, y^t is to say: That fine poolished speach is alwayes impudēt. But eloquēce was alwayes had in great estimatiō a∣mongest all men (you will say). As though y^t whatsoeuer were vnlike vnto Ciceroes phrase, were by & by barbarous: and as though Cicero him selfe, if he were now aliue agayne, would

not vse an other phrase of speach in y^e doctrine of y^e Scriptures, thē he vsed at y^t tyme. And as I suppose this one mā Cicero did not accomplish all maner of learnyng: Neither is one phrase of speach meéte & applyable to all persons, causes, and Argumēts.

But now (Maister Osorius) other maner of matters are in hand: & we lyue now in an other world: In y^t which we may not occupy our wittes so much about y^e poolishyng of speach, but ra∣ther w^t earnest bent affectiōs seéke for life euerlasting, for remis∣siō of sinnes, for the kyngdome of God: & learne how to turne a∣way the seueritie of Gods wrath & Iudgemēt frō vs: for y^t day surely hāgeth ouer our heades, which shall bring vs either to e∣uerlastyng glory, or els to euerlasting destruction. We must be well aduized, how we shall aūswere in y^t Parliament before that Iudgemēt seate: For y^e Iudge may not be dealt withall w^t floori∣shyng wordes, but w^t substaunciall matter. This must be all our care & endeuour, hereunto must we enforce all y^e powers of our soules, not how measurably or aboundaūtly our toung may be framed to pretie cōceiptes: not how loftely our style mayad∣uaūced. But by what meanes y^e terrible coūtenaūce of God may be pacified. All other thynges whatsoeuer are but shadowes, though they delight prophane eyes of this world with neuer so glorious spectackles. Undoughtedly whosoeuer is strickē with an earnest feare of God, whose soule (beyng terrified w^t the mul∣titude of his haynous sinnes) doth with inward & harty sorrow sighe and scrytche out vnto Christ: whom the holy Ghost hath endued with a true and liuely contemplation of this transitory world,* 1.35 who hath in hart and mynde vtterly renoūced the world with the pompe therof: Finally whom the vnmeasurable mag∣nificence, and vnspeakeable Maiestie of the kyngdome of the Sonne of GOD doth wholy possesse, what shall he regarde the lofty grace of Cicero? or y^e proude stately wordes of his phrase? or his myniō deuises and toyes? so that he speake purely, plain∣ly, lightsomely, and directly to purpose: so that his speach be cleane, ioyned with a meane comlynesse: what neédes there any more aboundaunce be required in that man? But he speaketh not lyke a Ciceronian, veryly Christ him selfe spake not like a Ciceronian, yea although he had so spoken, he should haue pro∣fited lesse. For it commeth to passe (I can not tell by what secret

operation and influence of thinges) that the humilitie of the Crosse, which consisteth wholy in Deuine inspiration, will not agreé with this hauty, and lofty kynde of mans vtteraunce. For it is one thyng for a Deuine to debate vpon holy mysteries, and an other to play the Mynstrell: As Musonius spake sometyme of a certeine Philosopher.

And therfore I doe not differre much from his Iudgement herein, who although attributed enough vnto Cicero, yet did so much of set purpose absteine frō affectation of his speache, that although he could haue attayned thereunto, gaue him selfe ra∣ther yet to a more soūde, more proportionable, more pitthy, lesse effeminate, more naturall, lesse fleshly, & a more spirituall kynde of speache. And yet doth no man diminish any thing of the com∣mendation of those excellent giftes of Tullies eloquence. But perhappes it seémeth more vnseémely in Osorius Iudgemēt not to speake like a Ciceronian, then not to speake like a Christian. And therefore this Portingall Pasquill doth giere at Haddon by way of mockage, saying: That no mā of sounde Iudgemēt will euer blame him for this, that he is more then enough addicted to Cicero. &c. As though if that Haddon had ap∣plyed him selfe to Ciceroes phrase, more then was neédefull, that wise men would haue geuen him any commendation for the same, and not rather haue turned it to his reproche, a••d condemned him of follye. But how much Haddon gaue him selfe to the affectatiō of Cicero, or how much he did not, neither do I greatly regarde, nor am I well acquainted withall. Which neither knew the man nor the maner of his studies, but that con∣sidering the man by the viewe and conference of his bookes and writyngs, he seémeth to my Iudgement more addicted, and lesse cleare from this Ciceronian scabbe, then I could haue wished him. What Iudgementes of others you presse vs withall, I know not: but if they be Ciceronians, I doe not greatly re∣gard them: If they be blinde, and like vnto your selfe, such I can not tearme to be Iudgementes, but foreiudgementes ra∣ther, such as are wont to be of those, whose Iudgementes are not grounded vpon reason, but vpon affectiōs. Ierome in a cer∣teine place doth say, that the ••udgemētes of Louers be blind, but I dare affirme that enuy and malice be much more daunge∣rously

blinde. But if you tell me of curteous, and Christian Iudgementes I make no doubt of these at all, but that they will Iudge right well of all Haddones cause. For he pleadeth in the most necessary quarell of the Churche, and the most com∣mendable defence of his Countrey. Moreouer he so handleth his matters with Argumentes, and Reasons, as that he seémeth not onely to haue cōfuted Osorius. But also to haue crusht him all to peéces? Let other men Iudge of his stile and the dis∣position of his writyng, as shall like them best, I will not gayn∣say them. As for me truly (if I may be so bold by the leaue of the iudifferent Reader so subscribe to other mens Iudgementes, though it be of no great estimation that I shall speake) yet will I speake neuerthelesse franckly, as I thinke, not of Haddon onely, but so for Haddon, as I will withall aunswere vnto O∣sorius Haddones Pasquill. For this I Iudge of them both, vnlesse your grosse and Heathenishe Iudgement (Osorius) did much more differre from Christ, and from all Christian mode∣stie, then Haddones maner of writyng (in my Iudgement truely) doth differre from Ciceroes commendable ver∣tues: you would neuer haue set forth your selfe, your blinde ignoraunce, nor your rayling bookes to the open gaze of the world to be mocked, derided and hissed at, in this so great, and cleare lightsomnesse of the Go∣spell of Christ.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The reasons wherwith our Aduer∣saries doe practise to suppresse the verye name of predest.
• * 1.2

  Answere to the obiect. proposed.
• * 1.3

  The doctrin of predesti∣nation with what ma∣ner of mo∣deration ought to be preached to the people.
• * 1.4

  Three com∣modities do come by the preaching of predesti∣nation.
• * 1.5

  Aug. de bo∣no, perseue∣ra. Cap. 17.
• * 1.6

  Iohn. 14.
• * 1.7

  Mar. 7.
• * 1.8

  Cipriane.
• * 1.9

  Iames. 1.
• * 1.10

  Math. 6.
• * 1.11

  Osor. pro∣sopopoepia a¦gaynst M. Luther.
• * 1.12

  Pag. 162.
• * 1.13

  Luthers aū∣swere to O∣sorius Rhe∣toricall fy∣ctione.
• * 1.14

  Osori. pag. ••63.
• * 1.15

  Aunswere.
• * 1.16

  Luther falsely ac∣cused of se∣dition.
• * 1.17

  Luther pur∣ged frō the crime of se∣dition.
• * 1.18

  The com∣playnt of the Boores against Lu∣ther framed by Osorius by a Rheto∣ricall fictiō.
• * 1.19

  Ephes.
• * 1.20

  Amos. 3.
• * 1.21

  August. a∣gaynst Iuliā the Pelag. 4. booke Cap. 8.
• * 1.22

  What was the cause & who was the authour of the vp∣rore in Ger∣many.
• * 1.23

  Osor. glori∣ous trium∣phyng a∣gainst Had∣don.
• * 1.24

  Haddon in∣constant.
• * 1.25

  Haddon as infant in speache.
• * 1.26

  Haddon hath no ioate of Ci¦ceroes fy∣nesse.
• * 1.27

  Exquisite eloquence as is not carefully required in philosipher so may the want therof be borne withall in a Deuine.
• * 1.28

  Ieromes E∣pistle to Pāmachius
• * 1.29

  Luke. 16.
• * 1.30

  Esay. 2.
• * 1.31

  1. Cor. 1. ••
• * 1.32

  Osor. 163.
• * 1.33

  Prouer. 16.
• * 1.34

  Fine pooli∣shed speach is alwayes impudent.
• * 1.35

  An Exqui∣site affecta∣tion of Elo∣quence not so much to be regarded of Deuines.