An aduertisement to the English seminaries, amd [sic] Iesuites shewing their loose kind of writing, and negligent handling the cause of religion, in the whole course of their workes. By Iohn Doue Doctor in Diuinity.

THE INTRODVCTION DECLARING WHAT IS THE drift and intent of the Author.

I Acknowledge my selfe with Saint Paul to be a debter vnto all men, to * 1.1 the Greeke and the Barbarian, to the wise and the vnwise, so farre as lyeth in me to win some of all sorts to Iesus Christ. Hauing already by the will of God, published a short treatise of perswasion to the igno∣rant Recusants, to reconcile them∣selues to our Church: I hold it my duty to speake some∣what to them also which fit in the chaire of Moses; which would be accounted the great Masters in Israël, guides of the blinde, lights to them which sit in darknesse, instructers of them which lacke discretion, and teachers of them which are vnlearned. My purpose is not to speake of all points concerning which there is controuersie and difference be∣tweene them and vs, (for so should I make a tedious vo∣lume) but onely by instance in some few places for exam∣ple sake, in liew of all the rest, to aduertise them of such er∣rours as dayly they commit in the whole course of their writings, when they handle the cause of religion, to the preiudice of the cause it selfe which they take in hand, and to the slander of learning. That I may vse the words of the Apostle: This is not to cast away the cloakes of shame, * 1.2 but still to walke in craftinesse, to handle the word of God deceiptfully, and not in the declaration of the truth; nei∣ther so doing can they approue themselues to their owne

consciences in the sight of God. They would beare the world in hand, that they are more exact in their iudgement, more painfull in their studies, more acute in their argu∣ments, more aduised in their answers, more diligent in all things they vndertake, then any other of the contrary reli∣gion; whereas, due examination being had, it doth ap∣peare they slubber vp many things negligently, and per∣forme them loosely. They despise all our Schooles of lear∣ning, in respect of their owne Vniuersities; as if solid lear∣ning, and true Schoole-diuinity were no where taught but among themselues, they hold all others to be superficiall: and yet contrary to all Schoole-learning they suppresse the truth by fallacies throughout their bookes, they trans∣gresse the rules and lawes of disputation, and in no place will they stand to the orders receiued in Schooles. Their yong frye of Seminaries and seed-men, which are trained vp vnder them, see not with their owne eyes, but receiue their sophismes for true syllogismes, vpon the credit & trust which they repose in their teachers; as if it were impiety to call any thing into question which their Readers haue taught them; or heresie to examine their grounds by the rules of Art, which are the true touch-stone and onely try all of arguments. In their discourses which they publish, they vse such prolixity, that the matter which is plaine and ob∣uious to any man of reasonable capacity, seemeth perplexe, and very difficult: they deliuer the state of the question so vncertainly, that the reader looseth himselfe as in a laby∣rinth, not conceauing what is the scope and drift of the Author, whether he hold the affirmatiue part or the nega∣tiue. In the end, hauing seemed to stand long in oppositi∣on against vs, they concurre with vs. They alledge no o∣ther arguments in defence of the religion which they do maintaine, but such as haue bene oftentimes answered by Caluin, Beza, Kemnitius, and other Protestant Writers: which arguments being already answered, are of no vali∣dity, and therefore we expect they should reply against

the answers, and not produce the same things againe. Nei∣ther will their disciples take notice of any answer, but al∣ledge these triuiall things for nouelties, and rare inuentions, as neuer heard of before.

These things are but Satan transformed into an Angel of light, deceptio visus to deceiue the world, as the Babyloni∣an * 1.3 Priests did the King Astyages, making him beleeue that Bell did eate and drinke, and was a liuing God; when he was but a dead Idoll. The King at the first, because hee found the doore of the temple sealed vp with his owne sig∣net, the meate deuoured, and the wine drunke vp which hee set before the idoll, but saw not the priuy entrance which was vnder the table, cryed out with a lowd voyce: Great art thou ô Bell, and in thee is no deceipt. But when Da∣niel shewed him the footing of the Priests, and their wiues and children, in the ashes which he strewed on the paue∣ments, and the priuy doore which they came in at; he con∣fessed there was deceipt in the Priests of Bell, and he saw plainly, that Bell was no God but an idoll. So my pur∣pose is to finde their falshood by their footing, to shew how they enter in at the false doore, and go not the right way; to detect their sleights and iuggling casts, whereby they aduance errour and falshood, but stand in opposition against the truth. Forasmuch therefore as if the Gospell be yet hidden, it is hidden to them which are lost; the Lord of his mercy take away from their disciples and followers, that veile or couering, which vntill this time hath continued vntaken away, and remoue from them the spirit of slumber, that hereafter seeing they may see. The Lord of his goodnesse endue the teachers themselues with his grace, that henceforth as sincere Pastors, and faithfull Stewards of his word, they may walke in simplicity, and handle his word plainly in the declaration of the truth, that they may approue themselues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God: that when the chiefe Sheepheard and Archbishop of our soules shall appeare, they may re∣ceiue

an incorruptible crowne of glory, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 1. 14.
• * 1.2

  2. Cor. 4. 2.
• * 1.3

  The Histo∣ry of Bell and the Dragon.