A generall treatise against poperie and in defence of the religion by publike authoritie professed in England and other churches reformed. VVherein they that either want leisure to read, or that haue not iudgement to conceiue, or that are not able to buie the learned treatises of other concerning particular points of religion, may yet euidently see poperie not to be of God, and our religion to be acceptable in his sight. Very necessarie for these times, for the confirmation and strengthening of men in our religion, that neither by Iesuits, nor by any other, they may be drawne to poperie, or any other heresie or sect: and likewise for the winning of Papists and atheists to an vnfained liking and true profession of our religion. By Thomas Stoughton minister of the word.

THE SECOND BRANCH OF the tenth argument, touching the reuiuing of Gods gifts at the breaking forth of our religion out of the darknes of Poperie.

MAy the like be saide of our Chur∣ches in England, Scotland, &c. sithence the religion now esta∣blished brake forth of that dark∣nes wherein before it laie? No ve∣••ily. All the worlde seeth what knowledge of arts, of tongues, of philosophie and all humanitie hath beene, yet is, and doth daily encrease. Now many children sixteene or seauenteene yeares old are better Grecians, and more learned Hebritians, then were the great doctours in the height of poperie. Now I may truly saie that Cambridge alone, or Oxenford alone (if not some one Colledge in either of both) hath more skilfull Grecians and learned Hebritians then all Christendome had, whilst poperie sate vpon the th••one. The like may be said of the true knowledge of the Latin. Philo∣sophie also and all arts since our religion haue beene reuiued, haue beene much polished, and farre more perfected then they were before.

2 Let it not here be said, that there are some Papists now euery waie in these things as lear∣ned as the Protestants. For first of all the que∣stion is not whether Papists or Protestants be nowe more learned in the tongues or liberall

sciences, but when this learning, hauing beene along time as it were banished out of the world, returned againe. This present learning there∣fore of the Papists, neither much helpeth them, neither a whitte weakneth this mine argument, except they could prooue, that when their reli∣gion was at the highest, then also they had bin as learned as now they are. Secondly, although that many of them haue indeede now attained vnto much knowledge of arts and tongues, yet this knowledge begā first to be reuiued amongst vs. Afterward they seeing vs by those gifts tha•• God had bestowed vpon vs, for commending of our religion to the world, to be so able to maintaine our doctrine, and so mightie to op∣pugne theirs, they (I saie) seeing this, were pro∣uoked and whetted to take the more paines in studie, that they might the better defend their errours against vs, which now they saw to be falling to the earth from whence they sprung. Many also of the learned amongst them attai∣ned vnto their learning euen against vs and by vs, beeing brought vp in our schooles, and after∣ward better nourished and more strengthened in our Vniuersities. But as vnnaturall children doe sometime forsake their naturall parents, and runne they cannot tell whether; so haue they forsaken our Vniuersities: and as many roagish boies beeing entertained by some master, and vnder him hauing learned some good trade, doe oftentimes when they haue been a while there, forsake such masters, and goe to any other that

will giue them but a little more wages yearely, vnthankfully forgetting all that their former masters did for them, when no man els would regard or pitie them: euen so many Papists ha∣uing gotten their learning amongst vs, and in our Vniuersities, yet seeing afterward they can not haue such outward preferrements as they looked for (which is a thing that they especially ••••yme at) haue vnnaturally forsaken vs, and asso∣ciated themselues with the Papists, who wan∣••ing such studdes to vphold their rotten and tot∣••ering religion, haue beene glad to entertaine them with great promises, but many times not performing them, but rather bringing them, or sending them at the least to the gallowes. Such oftentimes is the iudgement of God vpon them, ••hat too much respect outward preferrements, and so doth God in his iustice harden many of them that will not beleeue his truth, whilst they liue where and when they may haue it, that he giueth them ouer to beleeue lies so strongly that they care not what danger they incurre against themselues, both soule and bodie, for defence and furthering of those lyes which they haue embraced. 2. Thess. 2. 11, 12.

3 Well, to returne from where we haue di∣••ressed, we see by this that I haue now spoken, that in these respects thus mentioned, the Church of Rome may thanke vs for that lear∣ning which nowe they haue, and for many of those learned men which are now in great and ••igh estimation amongst them. Further it is no

new thing that those gifts of Gods spirit, which God at the first giueth to beare witnes vnto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 truth, should be afterward communicated bo•••• to such as doe not greatly fauour Christ and his gospel, and also to such as are wicked and re∣probate. In the time of Christ himselfe the pow∣er of casting out diuells first giuen to the twel•••• Apostles Math. 10. 1. for the commendation 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their ministerie, was afterward communicated to other that would not ioyne with the Apo∣stles nor follow Christ. Our Sauiour also saith that many that should plead for themselues the casting of diuells out of other, should notwith∣standing be reiected by him as refuse persons Math. 7. 22. And thus hath the Lord dealt in these latter times. As at the first preaching of the gospel by the Apostles after the ascension of Christ, he bestowed vpon them the gift of tongues for the better magnifying of the go∣spell, and furnished them likewise with other ex∣traordinarie gifts; which gifts notwithstanding afterward were also communicated vnto many other, yea to many of the wicked: so in these latter times also at the first breaking forth of his truth (which we professe) through the blacke, the thicke, and darke cloudes of poperie, that •• long time had ouershadowed and drouped the whole earth, the Lord according to his ancient promises gaue gifts vnto men, in respect of the former great want of them, very extraordinarie•• these gifts (I say) he gaue at the first breaking forth of our religion through poperie, to the first

preachers of our religion, for the commen∣ding thereof vnto the world, and so encreased them afterwarde more and more in those that embraced our religion: but after that by such gifts he had sufficiently renewed and recoue∣red the credite of his truth which we doe now hold, and likewise by beautifying our religion with the first fruits of these gifts, had sufficient∣ly disgraced poperie, then he communicated these gifts vnto other euen vnto the Papists themselues.

4 And truly in verie great wisdom hath God done so, that he might teach men to esteeme of his truth, not for those gifts onely but also for the truths sake it selfe. So also he would haue the Papists themselues, yea and all the world to see, that all the learning in the world is not a∣ble to vphold poperie, and that our religion is as well able to stand against, and to beat downe poperie into the pitte of hell, from whence it came, as well when poperie hath the same ar∣mour on that our religion hath, as when it was naked and had almost none at all. Therefore to conclude this part also of this my last argument, touching the performance of those promises of God to the Church, that were neuer in such manner performed to the Church of Rome. As the more the darke cloudes of poperie couered the whole earth, and the more violently also the boisterous winds therof did blow vpon the earth, making the very cedars of Lebanō both to bēd and to breake, the more dead were all the gifts

of the spirit, as we see all things to be in the depth of winter: so like wise sithence our religi∣on hath come about towards the sommer point, and by the strength and power thereof hath scat∣tered and dispersed these cloudes, and pacified those boisterous winds of popery in many king∣domes, the more haue those gifts of God his spi∣rit before promised, budded and flourished e∣uen as we see after an hard winter, the more the sunne commeth about toward Cancer, the more all trees and hearbs before seare and dead, doe reuiue and spring out. I conclude therefore, that as by the springing and flourishing of hearbs and other plants, we know sommer to be come; so also by these gifts of God his spirit which haue sprung and flourished, euen sithence that our religion hath beene reuiued & againe quick∣ned: we know the same gospell to be againe returned about, the which in former times God according to the righteousnesse of his promise, did beautifie and commēd with the like graces.

5 Will any Papist now obiect the times of Tertullian, Gregorie Nazianzen, Cyprian, Chrysostome, Ambrose, Ierome, Augustine, Bar∣nard, and such like? let him first remember, that most of them were before the time whereof we spake. They were (I say) before any stone al∣most laide of the foundation of the church of Rome in that state wherein now it is: all of them also liued before that Church was built to that perfection whereunto it was reared, vntill the re∣pairing of our religion. Againe these auncient:

Fathers so many of them as did see the building of this church begun, or any matter prepared ••owards the same, laboured by might & maine (as we speake) and to the vtmost of their power, ••he hindring and staying thereof: therefore haue they plainly written against images, iustificati∣on by works, inuocation of Saints, freewill, and many other the like principles of poperie, as is ••lentifully shewed by our late writers in parti∣••ular controuersies. Especially both they and al∣so many other, yea some of the Papists them∣••elues, and of the learnedst of them haue migh∣••ly declaimed, and sharply inuaied against all ••uch proud and arrogant titles, as now the Pope ••laimeth and vsurpeth. Further although these ••ere excellent persons for learning and godli∣••es, and worthie of honourable remembrance •••• all ages, yet liued they not altogether. Nay ••••ther one age had almost but one such, or at the ••ast but verie fewe such, as these were that I ••••ue named: but our ages and the ages before ••s, euer sithence the returne of our religion, haue 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all times and in euerie kingdome had many ••••ch. Yea I doubt not to sale, and that truly, that although it be not yet two hundred yeares since ••u•• religion came out into the open field, and ••ncountered with poperie in such publique ••anner as now it doth, yet there haue beene in ••is little time as many great learned men as ••••ptaines of the Lord on our side, as can be ••••ooued to haue beene with vs or against vs, in ••welue hundred yeares before.

6 Further I doubt not but that I may say, and that also truly, that we haue had and yet haue many in good respects comparable to those before named, as in the exact knowledge of all learned tongues, arts, and humanitie, so also in sound and deepe iudgement of diuinitie. vz. Luther, Zuinglius, Melancton, Oecolampadius, Erasmus, Paulus Phagius, Bucer, P. Martyr, Cal∣vin, Marlorat, Musculus, Cranmer, Ridly, Hoo∣per, Bradford, Bullinger, Bez••, Zanchius, Iu••l, Ramus, Vrsinus, Sadeel, Daneus, Pilkington, Fulke, Humfrey, VVhitaker, and infinite other, partly dead, and partly yet liuing, whose name•••• I doe not well remember, or in some respect•• thinke not conuenient to expresse. I may here also name Flaccius, Illyricus, Hemingius, and many other of that sort: because although they haue some errours, yet which almost of the auncient Fathers had not as many and •••• great?

7 To this argument I may further adde, that the Lord hath not onely commended our reli∣gion by the encrease of all learning according to the encrease of our religion, but also by the repairing almost of all other knowledge in cō∣mon things and matters of this life. For what trade and science is there so meane and base, which is not much amended and brought to further perfection sithence the late time of out religion, then it had before in the depth of po∣perit? yea who knoweth not that there is great varietie of knowledge sithence the flourishing

of our religion, which neuer almost was heard of before? Especially most admirable is the gift of printing, which neuer was in the world till within these hundred and three score yeares at the most, about which time it pleased God to broch new vessells of his gospell with our reli∣gion. This gift of printing is not vnfitly by some compared to the extraordinarie gift of tongues in the Apostles time; because the Lord did not onely prepare a waie for the gospel thereby, but also hath made it as a mightie voyce of a crier in the wildernesse of poperie, to proclaime the grace of God in Christ Iesus, and to further and inlarge our religion, by opening the hearts of many Princes and more people, many noble and more base, many rich and more poore, and many learned and more vnlearned persons, for the entertainment of Christ Iesus, and submit∣ting themselues to his kingdome and gouerne∣ment. Certenly by this new benefit of printing the Gospel hath beene more sounded out to the eares of all nations, then it could haue beene by the voice of many preachers. For by the means hereof wee that liue in England, haue easily heard the sermons and readings of Calvin and Beza in Geneva, and of other in other places: and they likewise that liue in Geneva and in o∣ther places, haue easily heard the readings of Doctour VVhitakers in Cambridge, and like∣wise of Doctour Reynolds in Oxenford. This printing also is not onely as a quicke post ri∣ding vpon a swift and speedie horse, but also as

an angel of the Lord with sixe wings, for the most speedie conueying of the doctrine of the gospel out of one countrie into an other. Who also knoweth not, that a man may haue more now for sixe pence, then before printing, he could haue had written for fourtie shillings? who seeth not also that bookes printed, are more ea∣sily both read and also preserued, then the like onely written? Now although the deuill abuse this gift of God also for the furthering of popery, (as what gifts be there that he quickly doth not abuse?) yet sith it was neuer heard of whilst po∣pe••ie was at the highest, but then onely appea∣red and came forth into the light of the sunne, when our religion was raised out of the graue where before it laie buried, and when poperie began to fall sicke, and to encline vnto a con∣sumption, who seeth not that it was a speciall and an extraordinarie gift of God for the ho∣nouring and furthering of our religion? Thus much for the first sort of God his actuall testi∣monies, namely for the gifts of his spirit which before he promised, and according to his pro∣mise hath bestowed vpon his Church, not onely in the time of the Apostles, but also in these lat∣ter times for the commendation of the gospe•••• then, and of our religion now, as being the same with the gospel, and therefore in like manner acceptable vnto him.