University of Virginia Library

I. TO THE PROTESTANT READER.

I seeke not heere by curious Words and phrase
To catch the vaine aire, of vncertaine prayse,
Those ends are base: let seruile spirits choake
Their best endeauors with that puffe of smoake;
I only ayme in all that I haue done,
By winning of thy soule, to gaine my owne.

II. Another to the same.

Read , search, compare, quote, weygh, examine, all
I wish thee, is, to be impartiall.

III. On the censuring Minister.

Me thinkes I see some captious Minister
Take vp my booke, and with a thought as farre
From vpright iudgement, as my lines from lyes,
Viewes euery page, and each citation tryes;
But finding all exact, he carpes my stile,
Censures my verse, and with a scornfull smile
Fy on this Priest (sayth he) what rime is this?
What words are heere, this couplet is amisse;
That phrase is of his owne inuention, new;
This ouer-harsh, that England neuer knew.
Haue patience good Aminadab, heer's none
Gaynsayes your censure; for to France alone
Whose ayre hath fed me from a child, I owe
The litle of this litle which I knowe.
How then should I in forraine countryes gaine
That, to whose height few can at home attaine?
I grant my lines are harsh, and do not falle
To please your eares, but yet I hope, they galle.

IIII. On the same.

Although t'were true that these my lines containe
No good, no right, or wel applied straine,
T'were not my fault, for what good can be wrought;
Where the whole subiect of the whole is nought.

V. LVTHERS CHANGE To his much honored freind W. T.

While in the Romane Church your Luther staid,
To tame his flesh, hee fasted, watcht and prayd,
Affected true obedience, liued poore,
And carefully from carnal acts forbore.
All that he did was with a single hart,
An vnfain'd zeale, empois'ned on no part
With fond vaine glorie, but directed whole
T'encrease God's honour and secure his soule.
But thence gone forth, he sodainly became
So burned with his fleshe's raging flame,
As he grew al most madd through lust; eight dayes
He now will spend, and neither studies, prayes,
Nor writes, disturbed with inflamed veynes
Of burning leacherie, and other paines.
Say, is not this (speake freely worthie friend)
T'begin in th'Spirit and in the flesh to end?

VI. Luther no Reformer.

Lvther still vaunts himself to be the first,
That by Truth's beames the Romish clouds disperst.
Yet is it granted, Satan was the cause,
Which mou'd him first the sacred Masse t'oppose.
Why's Satan then not Reformer? true,
He is indeed: Let's giue the diuell his due.

VII. The fruits of Protestancie.

Protestants tell vs that before the light
Of their new Ghospell men were more vpright,
Of better life, more truly vertuous,
More reall, faithfull, and Religious.
And eu'ry way more giuen without compare
To all good workes, then in their Church they are.
For now, (say they) such as haue late embrac't
Our Reformation do repaire more fast
To theft, exactions, lying, vsury,
Excesse in drinking, swearing, gluttony
And such foule vices as from hence proceed,
Then did the former t'any vertuous deed.
So that (thus still themselues goe on) who would
A rable of cheating, factious knaues behold.
Let them but vnto any Citty go
Posses't by Protestants, and it will shew
Whole shoales of such, yea Pagans, Iewes, and Turkes,
With other Infidells do better workes,
Detest sinn more, shew greater honesty,
Are farre more patient and lesse proud then wee.
In lieu of fasts wee haunt excessiue feastes
Drink healths to make our selues and others beasts,
Wrong marriage-beds, haunt stewes, and for our prayer
In eu'ry place we curse, blaspheme and sweare.
Our children they grow worse, and dare such crimes
As were scarse knowne to men of former times.
Our Preachers labours, which should bee assign'd
Only to Truth, are guided with the winde
Of popular applause, attended still
With hate and enuy: their malicious will
N'er giues them rest, but makes them seek out wayes
How they debates and causelesse iarres may rayse.
In their disputes they wrest, peruert and lye,
Oppresse the Truth, and from the point still flye.
Many besides are flatte'rers, and beleeue
As please the Prince or country where they liue.
But more with their vile wicked life do shame
Their Gospels doctrine and themselues defame
So that we see, since we reiected Rome
The world doth dayly worse and worse become:
For n'ere in Flanders was more drunck'nes seen,
Th'Italians euer haue lesse wanton been,
In Iury n'ere was more Hypocrisy,
Turky is freer from impiety,
And Tartary lesse wicked is then those,
Who euen in England now Rom's Church oppose.
All this themselues affirme, this few deny;
T'weer not good manners (here) to say, they lye.

VIII. An other vpon the same.

The question's state we Ministers, to shrowd
Our falshood, do with darknes ouerclowd;
Things that are plaine we shamelesly deny;
Things false wee all maintaine, yet know wee lye.
Impious things, we as faith's grounds, propose;
And true things still as heresies, oppose;
The scriptures we to our owne dreames do wrest;
We boast the Fathers, but their faith detest:
To cheat, calumniate, glosse, deceaue, and raile
Is our cheif practise: soe we may preuaile
Gainst our Opponents, all things we auouch
But greatly care not what: I think, nor much.

IX. ON ZVINGLIVS.

When into Zuinglius Satan had infus'd
Himself, and by those engines, which he vs'd
Before 'gainst Luther, drawn him to forsake
Christ, and al true Religion; and betake
Himself to Schisme, his neuer setled braine
Suting his name, did in a trice containe
Such swarmes of Heresies, as one might see,
But such a Master could his Master bee.
Th'first thing he doth is to correct the lines
Of sacred writ: his second worke declines
To liberty of life, affirming, all
Christs promises were hyperbolicall.
The floodgate thus set wide he keeps no measure
But frames al grounds of faith to his owne pleasure,
As, that original sinne though others please
To tearm it sinne, is only a disease.
Baptisme is so indifferent as it may
Be done, omitted, yea or taken away.
The path to heauen is so broad and plaine,
As euen Infidels thereby attaine
T'eternall blisse: when sinne we do commit
God as the Author moues, and forceth it.
All Kings and Princes when they are dispos'd
To persecute the truth may be depos'd;
For which himself assumes the sword and stirres
Euen his owne Countrey-men to Ciuill warres:
And there an armed rebell feeles the proofe
Of treacherie, and dyes; end good enough.

X. ANOTHER.

Zvinglius, himself in open field did beare
Against his Countrey trayt'rous armes, and there
Like to a thiefe, hell's sonne, in sinne did die;
And Luther doubt's he's damn'd; so do not I.

XI. LVTHER'S CATECHISME.

XII. Vpon that fearfull Atheisme of Luther, Zuinglius and Caluin, that God is the author of sinne.

XIII. VPON MELANCTHON.

Melancthon holds there are three Gods, and striues
Mainly to proue plurality of wiues.
He teacheth that in case of iust diuorce
Th'offending party may, without remorse,
Againe contract: and vnder zel's pretence
Th'inferior powers he armes against their prince
The Sonne of God did, eu'en as God (he sayth)
Obey his Father, and resist his wrath,
Yea pray vnto him; whence he doth inferr
He is his suppliant, Priest and minister.
About the Sacraments he held——but what?
Tis yet vnknowne; for still as well in that
As other points soe wau'ring he appeares,
As noe side dare securely call him theirs:
For which respect eu'en they, whoe most would rayse
His name, referre him to the Diuell's prayse:
Yea doubt of his saluation. What could frame
For such a man a more befitting name,
Then this of Black-earth? ô, it sutes him well!
For nothing that is whyte, can enter hell.

XIIII. VPPON BVCER.

Bvcer, as some affirme, was first a Iewe;
But doubting that; his mind he did imbew
With Christian rites, and, vpon iust dislike
Of Iudaisme, became a Catholick;
Yet stayd not there, but soone did that reiect
For Luther's, then new rays'ed, licentious Sect.
Yet that, he held not long, but chang'd againe,
And vowd himself a perfect Zuinglian.
From hence he back to Luther made repaire;
And there, for his offence, by humble prayer
He pardon crau'd: but this he soone forgot,
And straight resum'd his former Zuinglian's coat
Nor want there some, whoe dare auerre for true,
That, after this, he dy'd, as first, a Iew.
Whoe'l not admire this man? sure he doth misse it,
Who his Religion cannot like, what is it?

XV. VPON PROTESTANTS Sacraments.

Yovr Sacraments, you say doe onely signe,
Witnesse, and seale, the promises deuine;
And, euen to' him, whoe faythfully repentes,
Conferre noe grace, ô gracelesse Sacraments!

XVI. THE PROTESTANTES Oath of Alleageance.

I A. B. truly from my hart protest
That if Priestes be not by the King represt,
My self will rayse the people to effect
What he will not: and if he doe erect
Himself 'gainst God, I'll not regard his place,
But, rather then obay him, spit in's face.
If he himself giue ouer to the vice
Of lust, of riote, pride or auarice,
Or willfully infringe our feudall lawes,
And play the Tyrant, I will straight dispose,
As best I can, th'inferiour Magistrate
By peace or warr his fury to abate.
Which if, through want of courage, he refuse
The people shall attemptit: they shall vse
All meanes they can to worke his ouerthrowe,
Take him, arraigne him, and depose him to.
But if these fayle, we, in our iust defence,
Will suppliants be vnto some forraine Prince
T'assist vs with his ayd, that pulling downe
Our King, he, if we please, may take the crowne.
But if yet all these meanes defectiue proue,
Then I my self, inspired from aboue,
Either by poyson, pistoll, sword or knife,
Or such like wayes, will take away his life.
A deed soe farr from treason, as I sweare,
That he whoe kills a raging Wolf or Beare
Deserues lesse pay, for from this acte proceeds
Th'whole Kingdom's good; ô't is the best of deeds!
For all such kings as doe God's lawes, transgresse,
And to the same their fearfull subiects presse,
Of their due honour sull depriued be,
And th'subiects from their vs'd alleageance free.
And then we scourge them may with their owne rod.
All these and more I sweare; soe help me God.

XVII. TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT Maiesty my dread Soueraigne.

Pardon, most gratious Soueraigne, if my verse
Distast thy eares: what I aboue rehearse
Is not my owne: I onely doe relate
The Tenets of such foes vnto the state,
As would (if they had power) assayle the crowne,
And in thy blood all our best fortunes drowne.
My prayers, are (as likwise of the rest
Of my deare brethren) that thou mayst liue blest
Aboue thy wishes; all disasters chase,
And still looke smiling fortune in the face.
May peace by thee with that same throne be grac't,
Wherin thy royall Father hath her plac't:
And all such wretches, as beare any part
In hate to thee, put off their traytrous hart,
That noe tumultuous or disloyall straine
May e're disturbe the quiet of thy raigne.
Be forraine and home-bred iniurious scopes
A gainst thy person strangled in their hopes:
And whoe knowes treason and reueales it not,
Be food to beastes, and branded with the note
Of Traytor; yea, let those so censur'd be,
Whose onely thoughts are false to thine or thee.
This, all true subiects wish, this, each implores,
Who'll not subscribe to this, is none of ours.

XVIII. CALVIN'S CREED.

XIX. VPON SAINT PAVL and Luther.

Paul in his writings oftymes IESVS names,
Luther the Diuel's name more oft proclames.
What is the reason? sure, on either part
The Mouth speakes from th'aboundance of the hart.

XX. Vpon the late peace betwixt the King of France and the Hugonots.

Warr's stormes are past, the gentle breath of peace
Hath forc't in France all noysome vapours cease.
The Rochellers and their adherents now
Their humble necks, vnto the King doe bow.
They now no more will for Religion's sake
Rebellious armes against their Sou'raigne take.
Noe more contemne his Edicts, and noe more
Against his powers forraine power implore:
Hence forth they'l neuer vnder fayre pretence
To shew their fayth, come armed to their Prince,
Nor armed treate with him, like such as stand
To begge an almes with threatning sword in hand.
They'l ne're contend by open force againe
From him his sacred Churches to detaine:
Nor will their Preachers, arm'd with pistols, proue
If them to greater treasons they may moue.
Religious persons, Abbeys, Monasteries,
Preists, Altars, Vestments, Reliques, Images,
And whatsoeuer els, may now be free
From the profane reach of impiety.
They'l cease. But stay; a further clause remaines;
I had forgot my self, they'r Puritans.

XXI. VPON CAROLOSTADIVS.

As Car'lostadius first begin's to preach,
The Diuel courteously takes paines to teach,
Guide and direct him, and to make him still
Better obserue the proiects of his will,
He kindly creepes intho him, and directs
His tongue to all Hell's most desir'd effects.
So that, when e're this Doctour silence breakes,
His lips and tongue moue, but the Diuell speakes.
And whyle helyes, expecting eu'ry hower
To try the force of death's all-forcing power,
The Diuel visits him. Monster of men!
The Diuel left thee not till death: nor then.

XXII. VPON BEZA, BETWIXT HIS Candida, and Andebert.

What? is not Beza yet resolu'd? nor yet?
Still doth he doubt on whether part to set
His spacious lustes, his lustes as hard to fill
As is the gulf of his insatiate will.
See, see, ô, how he, fearfull to distast
Either damnation, his loosse eyes doth cast
Alike on both, as if he faine would gleane
Equall acceptance both from Boy and Queane.
Now her he courts; then, fearing least that act
Displease his Ganimed, he seemes t'retract
His former errour, and assures the Boy
That he alone shall be his onely ioy.
His iealous punke at last perceaueth this,
And stormes therat; he calmes her with a kisse:
Then, to his Boy: thou sweete (sayth he) art myne,
Thou art my cheef delight. O rare Diuine!

XXIII. VPON PROTESTANT Predestination.

Ere Rome, the world's then empresse, did embrace
That sacred Truth, whose path she now doth trace,
Mettall and stone, her owne workes, she ador'd,
And help, of what requir'd her help, implored.
The ioyfull reapers of the fruits of Nile
Worship't a Cat, Dog, Bull & Crocodile,
Ibis and Hawkes; yea offered vp their groanes
To Beetles, Aspes, Garlick, and Onyons.
Snakes, Adders, Tigers, Skritch-owles, Bats and Trees,
Hearbs, Beasts and Birdes are Congo's Deities.
To the Diuel Calicute doth prayer assigne,
Yea to an Ape, Elephants, and Kine.
But bolder Pegu doth in this excell
In sacrifice she feeds the Diuel well,
And giues him musique: spacious Tartary
And fayre Cathaga much deuoted be
To a God of Felt, in whose conceit Earth, Fire,
Sunne, Water, Starres, the like respect require.
The Philippina's doe adore an Oxe
Peru a mount of Sand, a Cocke and Foxe
An Emerald and Thunder: Mexico
Before a liuing Slaue as God doth bow;
Yea to a masse of Paste which long hath stood
Tempred in Childrens and in virgins blood.
The lands betwixt Cambaia and Malabar
Th'first thing they meet, after the morning-starre
Hath told the Sunn's approach, be't Bull or Boare
Or any Creature els, they low adore.
Rude misshap't Stones industrious China makes
Her Gods, with heauen and Hell-hags wound with snakes.
To a Flint Narsinga; th'farthest Moschi fall
To an old wiue's shape; Lithuania to a Mall.
And in this sottish manner diuers more
For their Creatour, creatures doe adore:
All foolishly, I grant; yet all hope t'gaine
Some good by this their superstitious paine;
And think, that in reward each God proceedes
With euery one according to his deedes.
But Protestants serue such a Tyrant God
As doth (say they) inflict the dreadfull rod
Of his eternall wrath, no care once had
Of any of their actions good or bad:
Yea though they be the chiefe in Vertue's schoole,
They must be damn'd: Which is the greatest foole?

XXIIII. A LETTER TO A MINISTER from one of his Pupills concerning S. Austins Workes.

Sir,

Since I saw you last, though many a hill
Plaines, woods, & groues our bodies doe diuide,
Your best part hath beene present with me still,
Distance of place, that from me nere could hide.

XXV. The Minister's Answer to the former letter.

XXVI. A REPLIE TO THE PRECEDENT letter.

Yours I haue read, and since you cannot giue
Better solutions to my doubts, I grieue
To haue so long insisted on the path
Of your so much esteemed, so empty Fayth.
For, if (as Beza did himself reply
To such as did the same with you deny)
Austin and other Fathers did maintayne
Those poynts for true, which you reiect as vaine;
Why, as if you alone could neuer erre
Should you your iudgment before theirs preferre,
And neuer cease their writings to oppose
Against the Scriptures, since they euery clause,
No lesse then you, but with a more profound
And deeper sight, did on the Scripture ground?
The question therefore as I thought before,
Is not heere whether we should credit more
God's word or them, each child can that decide
But whether now Men's iudgments should betyde
To what you hold the worde's true sense to be,
Or that whereon they iointly all agree.
Heere lyes the doubt: when you doe them excell
In this, I'le then returne; till then fare well.

XXVII. Vpon Peter Martyr.

When pale death summond Martyr to appeare
Before th'Eternall's dread tribunall chaire,
In Brentius heauen, he vow'd he would not come,
He long before renounc't the heauen of Rome.
In Zuinglius heauen sure he then would stay,
With Theseus, Numa, Scipio &c.) where are they?

XXVIII. ON OECOLAMPADIVS.

Oecolampadius still in outward shew
Vow'd himself confident that al was true
He either preach't or writ: but in his hart
He doubted still of some and no small part.
Which priuate doubt (allthough he did pretend
Outward assurance) lasted till his end;
I meane till Sathan, for his goodly merits,
Vouchsaf't to quit him of his vitall spirits.
Shame not hereat; Luther thy ancient friend
Will tell thee, 'twas an honorable end.

XXIX. Vpon the familiarity of Luther, Carolostadius, Zuinglius, Caluin, Beza, and others with the Diuell.

Some Protestants, as they themselues rehearse,
Haue with the Diuel oft had great commerce.
Luther with Diuels oft did lye and walke;
With Diuels Car'lostadius oft did talke;
Zuinglius receaued from the Diuell his fayth;
Caluin on Diuels called at his death;
Beza's preferr'd to be the Diuels scribe;
And some are full of Diuels. A Diu'lish tribe

XXX. The Protestant Iubilie.

XXXI. On Andræas Musculus.

Mvsculus held, that Christs diuinity
Vpon the Crosse did with his body dye:
And in his profane bookes plaine grounds did lay
To make the Ghospel giue the Alcoran way;
All which he euer did, no lesse then sound
And orthodoxall points, on Scriptures ground.
How wel his Name his inclination shewes!
Who't feed such Monsters, chatters, teares, & gnawes
Which such fond glosses, as himself thinkes fit,
The sacred volumes of th'Eternall's Writ.
For Musculus to all imports the same
That little mouse in English: hence thy name
Thou takest Musculus. Take heed, and watch
Th'infernall Catt; She hath a diu'elish Scratch.

XXXII. Looke beyond Luther.

XXXIII. Looke vpon Luther.

Looke vpon Luther; what is he? a man
Confessedly attended with a traine
Of many vices; one that beares a sense
By much too deepe, of his self-excellence,
The pride of his ambitious minde is such,
Yea so vnmeasur'd, as't can brooke no touch.
Among his heads of fayth, some doe appeare
Deceiptfull, others vaine, some not sincere,
Some false, some reprobate, which with the light
Both of Gods word, & Christian fayth doe fight;
Where he presumes the Scriptures to expound,
His errours and corruptions oft are found
Like to the Arians, and Marcionites
To be both plaine & many: when he writes
Like to a scoffing cheater he doth bring
Now this, now that, forth of the selfsame thing,
Ne're with himself at one: and when he gets
Once an opinion, instantly he sets
Others at naught; that now to hold he'll trye,
Though from himself, or scripture he doe flye.
Yea, t'spight his foe, when he the truth hath mist',
Against his conscience he will still persist:
And yet this man doth still himself preferre,
And damnes all those, who with him will not erre.
Besides, he is, as sure as God is God,
A Diu'lish lyar; yea and allmost mad
Through rage of lust: he is as liberall
Of his dire execrations vnto all,
As frantick men of stones: and still affordes
Such stormes of railing, & inuectiue wordes
Gainst priuate men, and kings as one would sweare
Th'Infernall furies in his speaches were.
He Sathan knowes, and Sathan him againe,
They are of long acquaintance; through his braine
He sometime runnes while as he reades, or writes,
Sleepes with him nearer then his Kate: a nights.
He hath a Diuell or two, not of the throng
Of vulgar Diu'lls, but such as are among
Hell's great'st Diuines, on all occasions still
Prompt, and obseruant to performe his will.
He vseth Scurrill, and immodest wordes
Names oft the Diuell, talkes of dung & (------)
Beraying, priuyes, durty puddles, sinkes
Windy gutt-crackes. Fie take him hence he stinkes.

XXXIV. Looke on this side Luther.

Looke now on this side Luther, and relate
What you can find in his reformed State;
Th'inconstant weake Melancthon first I see;
Next him that channell of impiety
That barb'rous, doltish, ignorant, impure,
Possessed heretiq; and Epicure
Carolostadius: neare to him do passe
That Ape that Cyclops, and two-footede Asse,
The Sycophant, the dog Heshusius,
And the Eutychian lying Brentius,
Next th'heretique Osiander hand in hand
With that vnchristian'd wretch, that factious brand.
Zuinglius, who had his doctrine from a spright,
Which but since death, he knew if black or white;
Perfidious fickle Bucer next doth go,
Then Iames Andræas, who no God did know
But Gold and Bacchus; nor by night, or day,
Was euer this Adult'rer seene to pray.
Th'Angell of darknes Caluin now appeares,
Who on his back the shamefull token beares
Of a hot iron, for th'vnnaturall vice
Of Sodomy, who after died of lice,
And in dispaire exhal'd his hatefull breath,
Cursing and calling Diuels till his death.
Here comes another of this vertuous tribe
That profane bawdy Scurre, that Diuels Scribe
Lasciuious Beza, in vndecent sort
Betwixt his Candida, and Andebert.
Now Allemannus the blasphemous Iew
Beza's great freind: then th'Authours of the new
And later Arians, the vndoubted Spawne
Of Caluin, whence was all their doctrine drawne,
Syluanus, Dauid, Gentil Blandrata,
Gribald, Seruetus, with the Apostata
Bernardin Ochin, ioyned to whome heere lurkes
Alciate, with Neuser, circumcised Turkes.
With many more such zelous Protestantes
All Luthers of spring, yea and all prime Saintes
In his new Church. Who'ld not imbrace this faith
Which such rare Doctours, such strong pillars hath?

XXXV. On Bullinger.

Thou writest, Bullinger, (omitting much,
Which can noe more then these, abide the touch)
That the three Persons in the Trinity
Doe differ not in state but in degree.
That Christ to hell, his suffrings at an end,
Did not in person but in power descend.
That Iohn did an Apostata become
That infants lying in their mother's womb
Are truly iustified: that some now liue
In heauen who neuer did in God belieue;
And to conclude that any Christian
Holding faith's groundes, though he besides maintain
Blasphemous poyntes of stiff-necked Iudaisme,
Or Infidelity, much more of schisme,
May come to heauen. Perhaps thou hast deprau'd
This Poynt, to proue that thou thy self art sau'd.

XXXVI. THE LYE.

Papists doe hold (thus prate all Ministers
Whome to the pulpit their glib tongue preferr's)
That ther's noe God, that all which Scriptures shew
Concerning Christ are fables, and vntrue;
That after this, there is noe life; nor must
Our flesh, once rot, return againe from dust;
The Virgin Mary is their cheifest God;
She hath all power, she rules the dreadfull rod
Of Heau'ns dread wrath, for her they Christ reiect,
And more at her hands, then at his expect.
The Saints they doe, in lieu of Christ, implore,
Their shoes, cloathes, images, and bones adore.
Christ's death, they hold, for men did pardon gaine,
Women are saued by one Mother Iane.
A man with them, may God's commandments keepe
Without his grace: all faith is laid to sleepe
When they doe Penance; yea t'is Heresy
T'affirme that faith therein is necessary.
Noe one of them by Christ, but by bare straines
Of mans inuention, vnto heauen attaines.
And when they pray noe mention's made of Christ,
But of his creatures. Minister, thou ly'st.

XXXVII. The reformed Protestant.

XXXVIII. On Math. Flaccus Myricus.

Thy brethren tearme thee, Flaccus, a profane
Foe to all truth; as impudent as Cain,
A Dunghill-cock, a Snake, a Dogge, a Scurre,
A loathsome Cancer, Fury, Epicure,
Vngratefull cuckow, periur'd, wicked, base,
Impugner of the vertuous, doltish Asse,
Foule grunting sowe, who with her filthy nose,
Furrow's all grounds, where any goodnes grow's:
Vaine Thraso, faithlesse Sinon, impudent
Thersites, Harpax, hayre-brain'd Sycophant
Blaster of freindship, kindler of debate,
Sower of discords, enuy, iarres, and hate;
A full-blowne bagpipe, which when any tryes
To presse, or squeeze it, squeaketh nought but lyes;
The Diuel's liuely organ, and his sonne,
Deseruing, as Christ's enemy, a throne
In Hell's damn'd court. If in this manner those
Who are thy Brethren, speake, what say thy foes?

XXXIX. ON CALVIN.

Caluin , in pay of that despairing sinne
He laid on Christ, himself did dye therein.
And while from forth his vlcerous flesh did burst,
Wormes, stench, and lice, still swore, blasphem'd, & curst,
And on the Diuell without rest did call;
Which argueth his good nature, and that all
His wits were perfect: Since so neare his end
He had so cleare remembrance of his friend.

XL. An other on the same.

Caluin, your faith's chief Patriarch, did dye
Of wormes, and lice: nor neede you to deny,
The truth hereof: great men haue dyed thus,
For thus dyed Herod and Antiochus.

XLI. The Protestant iarre.

XLII. ON VAFER.

XLIII. ON FVRBO.

Fvrbo the Caluinist doth much complaine
On Luther, and his followers railing vaine
Against his Church; but yet saith he I thinke,
They do not dant vs much, nor make vs shrinke;
O no, we pay them home; Then he affords
A roll of all their mutuall scurrill words
And base inuectiues; and refers it straight
To all men's iudgments whether's in the right.
Belieue me, Furbo, if without offence
I might my iudgement giue, t'auoyd all sense
Of partiall censure, and my debt defray
To Christian charitie, I sure would say,
Not to offend here either them, or you,
But to content you both: That both say true.

XLIIII. On the Protestants rayling vpon the Apostles and Fathers.

If either Father, or Apostle crosse
Your Ghospel so, as you can finde no glosse
T'inuert their words, their euidence to vaile,
Against their writings you, or persons raile.
Peter, though he by th'Holie-Ghost had beene
Confirm'd, you say, committed mortall sinne,
Yea err'd in fayth, which errour did import
Th'losse of Christ's grace, and Christian freedome's hurt.
Th'Apostle Paul did not a litle slide,
He was possessed with immoderate pride;
And wallow'd in the durt of slauish sense,
Subiect to rashnes, and froward confidence.
Iames did produce a wicked argument,
Scripture 'gainst Scripture cite, and gaue assent
To superstitious vowes, yea moued Paul
Into the same erroneous zeale to fall.
Mathew not truly still, but from the right
Sense of their words, the Prophets oft did cite.
Iohn vs'd improper speaches, and became
A false Apostata; Mark was the same,
And most perfidiously himself bereft
Of his great charge, and his vocation left:
Yet for their bookes, more credit is t'be showne
To him and Mathew, then to Luke alone.
Thus you th'Apostles censure, what then are
The Fathers? them I doubt you will not spare,
Yes, as the former: Ambrose you affirme
T'haue writ but meager lines, you Leo tearme
A haughtie speaker. Austin did decline
To more faultes. Cyprian is a weake Diuine.
Basil of no worth, Chrysostome a vaine
And simple tatling Rhetorician.
Maximus doted. Isidore was rash.
Old Irenæus builded straw and trash
Vpon Truth's grounds. Bold Epiphanius was
A pratling Deacon, and so farre did passe
All limits, as he shew'd in what he writ
More face then learning, and more tongue then wit.
Gregorie, like Peter, knew not what he sayd,
And with Fulgentius ioyntly passage made
For blinde Idolatrie, yet he alone
Was the Architect of superstition.
Bernard, ador'd Moozim to his end,
And stifly did proud Antichrist defend.
Hierome ofright should not reputed be
Among the Fathers, since with heresie
He is infected, and no iudgement hath,
Nor care, nor writeth as he ought of faith.
And to conclude, the Fathers blinded were,
With wretch'd Montanus spirit, nor did feare
To preach false doctrine, all their life they err'd
So that, vnlesse before their death they clear'd
Their consciences from those erroneous taynts,
They were not of the Church, nor now are Saints.
Thus do the Churche's glorious Lampes become
Subiect to your eu'n Christ-controlling doome.
While by the same (more partiall) Protestants
Are th'mouthes of Christ, great Prophets, Angels, Saints,
Lights of whole Nations, men adorn'd with all
Vertue and learning, next to Christ and Paul;
Worthie Diuines, whose bookes deserue a place
I'th' Churche's Canon, whose learn'd Authors trace
Truth's foote-steps, righter, and in faith more sound
Then since th'Apostle's times haue yet been found.
The ancient Fathers of the Church, you say,
Were farre to you inferiour euerie way,
In clearing of the Scripture's hidden sense,
'Twixt whom, and you, there is that difference
As is 'twixt Sunne and Moone. I know it well,
Nay more; As much as is 'twixt Heauen and Hell.

XLV. Luther's respect to S. Hierome.

While Luther liu'd, he would not to haue gain'd
Ten thousand Crownes, haue had his soule so stain'd
With sinnes black guilt, as Hierom's was, and be
In as great perill to be damn'd as he.
Sure now to be but so, he would become
More tractable, and take a lesser Summe.

XLVI. The dutifull children.

Not anie Protestant, but still auowes
The Church to be his Mother, and Christ's Spouse;
And yet, against the square which cannot erre
Of Scriptures, yea and Fathers, they auerre,
Shee of her Faith hath so regardelesse been,
As since the Apostles shee scarce e're was seen
But taynted, and impure; did wholy loose
Not only th'Ghospel, but euen Christ her Spouse;
No sparck of true Faiths heauenlie fire was cherisht;
All was destroy'd extinguisht, buried, perisht,
Yea eu'n her soule was ouer-whelmed quite
Polluted, and deuoyd of all true light.
So that in lieu of being true, say they,
And faithfull to her Spouse, shee fell away
To fowle adulterie. Did er'e fooles before
Striue in this sorte to proue their Mother Whore.

XLVII. THE IVDGE.

Hvsse holds whole Christ doth in the Eucharist
Vnder the formes of bread and wine consist.
Luther's opinion is, that we are fed
With Christ's true real flesh, but ioyn'd with bread.
Zuinglius maintaineth, that the bread and wine
Are not Christ's bodie, but a naked signe.
Caluin dissenting from the former, saith
Tis truly Christ, but to the mouth of faith.
All these were learned Doctours, and suppos'd
To be by th'Spirit to all Truth dispos'd;
These all haue Colledges, and men of name,
Yea Townes, or Nations, which maintaine the same;
The Scripture's words they did acknowledge all,
All vs'd the same endeauours, which they call
The best approued way, and meanes most fit
To finde the true sense of th'Eternall's Writ;
They all had skill in tongues, they all perus'd
And weigh'd the Text, they all (they thought) still vs'd
Due diligence with prayer, and places hard
And doubtfull speaches carefully compar'd:
Yet did they all in this and manie more
Chief heads of Faith, which I haue toucht before,
Dissent so farre, as by a mutuall stile
In greatest heat each other to reuile
With th'name of Heretick; and still did grudge
To be oppos'd by anie: Where's the Iudge?