The state of the Church of Englande laide open in a conference betweene Diotrephes a bishop, Tertullus a papist, Demetrius an vsurer, Pandocheus an in-keeper, and Paule a preacher of the word of God.

THE PRAEFACE.

JEntle Reader, I haue sette down heere in a dialogue, the prac∣tize of Sathan which hee vseth (as I haue obserued by experi∣ence) to subuert and vtterly ouer∣turne the course of the gospel here in England: the names of the speakers containe in them for the moste parte, the matter that they defend, and the affection that they are of. For thou knowest that Diotrephes was hee of whom S. Iohn speaketh in his third Epi. v. 9. that louing to haue the prehemi∣nence, disturbed the course of good things in the Church, and therefore su∣staineth the person of a Bishop, or by∣shoplie prelate. Tertullus is he of whom Luke speaketh in the 24. Acts, that was the speaker in the ambassage from Hie∣rusalem to Foelix the gouernor, against Paule, in the defence of ceremonies, a∣brogated from the ouerthrowe of the Gospell, and so representeth the Papists, that maintaine their trash, to the roo∣ting out of true religion. Demetrius is he of whom mention is made in Actes

19. that was enemie to Paule, because he liued by an vnlawfull trade, and for that cause doth play the part of an vsu∣rer. Paule was the defender you knowe of the Gospell in sinccritie, & he whose pen the holy Ghost did vse to expresse the discipline of the church most clere∣ly, and therefore speaketh for the mi∣nisters of our time that stand for refor∣mation. Pandocheus is an In-keeper in Greeke, and it is as much as to say, a receiuer of all, and a soother of euerie man for his gaine; so that the persons in their nature thus considered, it re∣maineth that thou wouldest be intrea∣ted by me, whosoeuer thou art, to whō this little booke shall come, that thou wouldest in reading of it, set all affectiō aside, & neither beleeue it, because one of thy disposition did pen it neither yet rei••ct it. because it was not composed by one of thy complexion; but consid∣d••r well of the speeches vttered by e∣uerie partie, & compare them with the practize of the worlde, and then looke what it is that so hardeneth Pandoche∣us in Atheisine, Demetrin in vsurie, & Tertullus in Papistrie; and you shall (I

doubt not) plainely perceiue, that the cause of all vngodlines so to raigne in euery place, and of the Papists so to in∣crease in strength and number, ariseth from our Byshops and their vnlawfull gouernement; on the other side, looke into the answers that Diotrephes ma∣keth to Paul, and the councell that Ter∣tullus giueth to Diotrephes, and com∣pare them with the practize of the B. in all pointes, and you shall euidentlye perceiue that the cause why the gospel being so long preached, & hath taken so little effect, ariseth from them onely, forsomuch as they haue weakened the knees of the true Preachers, and euerie way crossed them in all good actions. I haue touched thinges verie briefly of purpose, partly for that they who see what reformation meaneth, will quick∣ly vnderstand my meaning, and partly, for that I would haue him that vnder∣standeth not mine intent and would be resolued, to confer at large of it wyth some godly learned for his further in∣struction. Now I pray thee, let mee in∣treat thee to think thus of mine intent; namely, that it is not of purpose to dis∣grace

any man, albeit we ought to dis∣grace them, by whom God his sonne is disgraced: but especially to this end, that euery man in his calling, might see howe hee is or hath beene made an in∣strument to do harme, or for want ey∣ther of knowledge, or prouident fore∣cast, being ouertaken vnder colour of right and law, & lastly that we al seeing the subtilties of the deuill againste the kingdom of Christ Iesus, may first of al returne to God by speedie repentance, from the wickednesse that we haue in our hands, which in deede is the cause of this cursse vpon vs; and then praie vnto his Maiestie, that he would detect the craftie subtilties of all his aduersa∣ries, reueale the trueth to those that are seduced and abused, and erect the kingdome of his Sonne Christ Iesus a∣mongst vs, by the forme of that di∣scipline that his owne worde expresseth vnto vs.