Warning to Take Heed of Fowlers Psalter

A WARNING TO TAKE HEEDE OF FOWLERS PSALTER, GIVEN By Tho. Sampson.

I T hath ben always the manner of such as do depart from the truth and faith which is in Christ Jesus only, and do betake them selves to the error, and untruth of their own choice, and are settled therein, their manner hath ben, and is (I say) to inuente and devise such proper things as may serve to induce other men to like of that which they do, and by little and little to draw them to become like to them selves. And to this ende they do use to paint their own foul doings with fair colors: for they think if they should at the first openly show that grosenes which is in their error, they should drive all men from them rather then allure any to them. And therefore they do make a choice of goodly words, and do set the same as closely as they can upon their error, because they would by a show of that which is good, deceive men the more readily, and draw them to their evil. So many old Heretics did in their heresy retain the name of Jesus Christ, and under that most holy name they did hyde all their poison. They did speak some good things, and cited also some sentences of holy Scripture, under these good covers to conueye their errors into the minds of men. Likewise do the Papists now. They have and hold for the cover of their filthes and abominations the names of God, of Christ, of Jesus, of the Church, of the spirit, of truth, of Catholic, and what not? But all these they do use, but as a sconse to deceive, and under these fair titles to draw simple souls into their filth. They have heretofore foughte for them selves in this lande with fire and sword feircely: but when that tyranny was, as now it is, overturned, through God's great mercy towards us, blessed be his name for it, by the most merciful and mild government of our gracious sovereign Queen Elizabeth, whose life among us & reign over us, God almighty prosper and prolonge: They sought a while to hold & maintain their own with books and writings full of forgeries and of furiouse speeches, threats, & cursed speakinges. They have also had their practices to recover again into their hands that government which once they had, and now they have lost. In which desire they have ben, and are, as desperately set, as any cruel tyraunte ever was, or can be. And though our good God hitherto hath of his most gracious goodness disappointed them of all their purposes (blessed be his name for it) yet they do still biggly breath forth blood, and slaughters, and cease not. For even at this day, they do by libels and letters threatten our ruin, and blow forth their own triumph. And herein they are so forewarde, that they do name the persons which shall be (they say) their captains. They assign the time in which they shall reign over us: they shall florishe, we shall smoke, or else their calendar faileth them, yea they do note the men almost by name whom they have appointed to the slaughter, and thus they do blow up the trumpette of their triumph, but before the victory thanks be to God. Surely we do not fear them at all, but we do fear God, whose just wrath we do provoke, by our unholy handling of his most holy Gospel. This, this is it, that doth most fear us, for by this we know, that we do deserve that he should once again scourge us with the whips of these Popish Philistines. But we do pray him, that he will have mercy on us, even for his own goodness sake. For he is kind, merciful, and slow to wrath, yea he saith of him self. Isai 27. Anger is not in me. May it please him therefore to give us the grace to be at peace, & at one with him, we care not then, though all the Papists in the world, and all the Devils in hell, do set them selves against us. Whilest they fume & freatte at us, we learn to believe that goodness of y ^e Lord which for our comfort he doth lay forth, Isai 48. where he saith: For my names sake I will differ my wrath, & for my praise I will restrain it from thee, that I cut thee not of, for mine own sake, will I do it. And we humbly pray as they did Ier. 14. We acknowledge o Lord our wickedness and the iniquities of our fathers, for we have sinned against thee: Do not abhor us for thy names sake: cast not down the throne of thy glory: remember, and break not thy covenant with us. And to this also we trust, that he will have an eye now, as ever he hath had, to his enemies, and cut them short of their purpose, according to his own good pleasure, that they do not triumph over him: & so we know that God, as he is able, so he will deal against them for us. He doth bid us not to fear man whose breath is in his nostrells. For wherein is he to be esteemed? He biddeth us not to fear them, which can but kill the body, but to fear him, who when he hath killed the body, hath power to cast the soul into everlasting fire. Notwithstanding all the big & brave brags which Papists make, it seemeth that all things as yet do not come about, to serve the turn so roundly as they would, and therefore in the mean time they do content them selves, to take a lower course, and will by cullor of prayer, creep into our bosoms. But the Apostle saith that the devil can turn him self into the fashion of an Angel of light: And therefore it is no great thing though his ministers transform them selves as though they were the ministers of righteousness, but their ende shall be according to their works. By libels at Oxford, and bulls from Rome, they breath out the fury of their conceived malice, and suddenly they change their mode, into their kind of prayer. They do now herein, as their king the Pope hath done heretofore against us. The last Pope Pius thundered out a bull of his currish censure against our good Queen Elizabeth, to turn her out of her royal state, and life, and after that he sent into England closely a messenger whose name (as Doctor Saunders telleth us) is Nicolas Morton, by office a priest, a meet officer for such a Pope & purpose. This man was sent to follow that Popish bull, and he did it so freashly, that thereon did follow a rebellion in the North partes of this lande. But God almighty quenched this fire in his most riche mercy. The rebels ran their country, Pope Pius by death is picked over y ^e pearche: Our Queen Elizabeth doth still hold her place, thanks be to God, & reigneth in Godly quietness: O Lord grant that she may longe so do. Pope Gregory that now is, seeing this roughe attempt of his predecessor have so evil succes, changeth the course of his Popish proceading, and hath now sent by his suppostes certain bulls into England, in which he promiseth full remission of sins to them which after that dissembled devotion which he putteth down, shall pray for the conversion of England (he saith,) to the Catholic faith, but he doeth mean the peruertion of England from the true Christian faith, into that filthe and falsehood of the Romish error. Thus the Popes are content to fall from arms, fighting and cursing, to fair promises flattery, and praying. But I trust English men for whose pleasure the Pope will seem to have brought forth this bull, have learned more wisdom in the Gospel of God then now to be made calves by such a Popish bull. In like manner our Louanistes, having spente (as it seemeth) the greatest parte of their common shot at us, but in vain (thanks be to God) begin to allure us to like of them by teaching us to pray. But we have already learned to pray of the best schoolemaister that ever was, is, or shall be, even of our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore we have no ear to hearken to these Popish bunglers and corrupters of holy things. They have to this ende published in prince of late a thing, which they call Jesus Psalter, and the author thereof, or Master Fowler, the printer thereof doth tell us:

What mean these men so far to forgette them selves that they do now commend to the Reader but these three manner of Psalters? Their forefathers have ben more liberal to us as shall forthwith appear. The Psalter of David containing 150. Psalms we do acknowledge to be delivered to us by the spirit of God for our comfort and instruction. For Christ Jesus himself teacheth us, that David in his Psalms doth speak inspired by the holy Ghost. And therefore with all humbleness of heart and reverence, we do receive the same as a book of holy Scripture delivered to us as other books of the holy Scripture are, even by God him self. We do not receive it as a Psalter given to us by the Papists: For it is no Psalter of theirs, although it pleaseth them now in the account of Psalters, to match it with theirs, to make up their pack of Psalters. But what are these other two Psalters of which they tell us? Who hath blown them forth into the world? Let them tell us also why they do not add to this number of Psalters, those which their forefathers have heretofore published as Psalters to the world in printe? Be they now ashamed of them? so may they be of this. They printed at Parris a Primer anno 1554. in the 160. leaf of that book they do give us another Psalter which they do there call, The Psalter of Saint Jerome, and they do in their Rubric there tell us, for how many purposes good (if we will believe them) the same Psalter was printed. In the same book also Fol. 125 they tell us howe S. Bernard was on a time in his prayers, and the devil said to him, I know that there be certain verses in the Psalter, who that doth say them daily shall not pearishe, for he shall have knowledge of the day that he shall die, but the feinde (say they) would not show them to S. Bernard. Then said S. Bernard, I shall say daily the whole Psalter. The feinde considering that S. Bernard should do so much profit to labor so, he shown him the verses there following. This is their Rubric in that place, in which might be noted many things, which now I pass over. As first, that the devil is busy to dasill men in prayer. Again that this was a pack of verses bound together by the devil him self: An handsome piece of work be ye sure. And thus he doth now busy him self, by this new found Psalter to play his old pranckes. But why be not these verses thus packed together called S. Bernard his Psalter, as well as his verses? and why be they not joined together as one Psalter, with that other Psalter of S. Jerome, to increase the number of Psalters? For so might our Papists yield unto us more Psalters then three. They may know also if they will, how that same their seraphicall doctor S. Bonaventure did most shamefully corrupt the most holy Psalter of David, changing through the whole Psalter the name of Lord into Lady to turn his reader from the Lord God, whom the prophet David praised, and to whom he prayed, unto y ^t Virgin Mary as his souerain. The book is in printe, and therefore I leave it to the view of them who lust to see such corrupt Popish blasphemies. But how happeneth it now, that our Papists do make no accompt of that Psalter, to be a Psalter? Truly as full of filth and blasphemy as it is, yet is it adorned by some of their forefathers in popery with this glorious title:

Then the Virgin Mary with papists hath two Psalters, or else some of them do lie: why doth not M. Fowler tell us of them? Surely I think he is as much bound to tell us of the one, as of the other. But it may be that by advise he doth omit these psalters, because our papists now be ashamed of the filth, and corruption of their forefathers: I would there were so much grace in them. Truly if there were, they would never have sent forth this new corruption of theirs. They do therefore but deal doubly with the reader, to tell him but of three psalters, as if there were with them no more but three psalters, whereas they have so many. But they would fain make a way for this their new psalter, therefore they suppress the number and naminge of others. They tell us that this is the psalter of Jesus, good words. But why call they it a psalter? There are some of their good masters in popery, which do tell us that a psalter is an instrument of ten stringes, and these men do now tell us that this their psalter hath 150. stringes, I mean petitions: therefore it is some new kind of instrument devised by their own idle and corrupt brains. Their said masters teach us, that the psalter, that is the instrument, which hath ten stringes, doth signify the ten commandments. And will M. Fowler tell us on his credit, that this his new psalter doth signify the ten commandments? If he do so tell us, we shall be able I hope to prove that this his psalter, is but a counterfeit and false sign. More their masters do teache us, that an hymn doth thus differ from a psalm. For an hymn (say they) is that song which is song with the natural voice: but a Psalm is that which is played upon an instrument. Now sithence it is their pleasure to give us a psalter, they will I think assign some instrument whereupon the psalms of this psalter may be played. And so they do full devoutly forsooth. For they do assign to them which shall handle this their psalter, to play the same upon their Ten fingers. A proper instrument and soundeth as sweetly, as when an Ape layeth his fore hands cross one upon another, and is taught to swear by his own ten bones, full sweetly kissing his proper paws. This verily is but apes play. But how aptly or unaptly soever it is to be called a psalter, all is made up by adding unto the psalter the name of Jesus: for they call it the psalter of Jesus. The name of Jesus hath in it an heavenly and glorious sweetness, when it is rightly looked into. For he that doth know him self to be a sinner, and that he is to receive the reward of sin, that is death and damnation by the most just justice of God: When this man with a trembling and troubled spirit doth look about quaking for fear, and hungry of help, and findeth that Jesus is the true and only Jesus, that it is he that saveth his people from their sins, and therefore is even the same in deed which his name noteth, that is a Savior: This poor soul rejoiceth with joy unspeakable, because he hath found a Jesus, and fealeth in him self a taste of that kingdom of God which is righteousness, joy and peace in the holy Ghost. If M. Fowler did mind to teach his reader to understand what the name of Jesus doth mean, he would I think have told him y ^e same thing which the Angel did tell Joseph: Thou shalt cal his name Jesus: for he shall save his people frō their sins. Where we learn that the name of Jesus doth signify a Savior: and Jesus is he called because it is he that doth save his people from their sins. And this saving health hath such a sweet taste in it, that it maketh the Virgin Marie, Simeon, and all other well taught children of God, which do rightely taste of this salvation, to rejoice in God their savior. M. Fowler might also have told us out of Bernard that Jesus is honey in the mouth, and melody in the ear, and myrthe in the heart. And also that the name of Jesus, is light, it is meat, it is medicine. For Jesus is light to them which sit in darkness, he is meat to them which do hunger, and thrist after righteousness and salvation: he filleth the hungry with good things: he is a medicine and a plaster of life for the sick soul and broken heart. Yea if all these had misliked him, he might have told us yet, that one of his own elders saith, that y ^e name of Jesus is a sweet name, a name full of delight, a name comforting a sinner, a name of good hope, and that this man thus speaking of this name Jesus, brusteth forth into prayer, as it should seem feeling some excellent sweetness in that name, and saith, O Jesus be unto me a Jesus, that is, O Savior, be unto me a savior, or O savior save me. All these things M. Fowler doth pass over, and giveth us as he saith a psalter of Jesus, in which he doth teach us often̄ to name the name of Jesus. But it is a matter of understanding, sense and feeling truly to speak of Jesus, it is not a matter of fidling with ten fingers as M. Fowler teacheth. They which have experience of Jesus do know this best. This is not had nor feelt by looking on the letters, nor spelling of the name of Jesus by syllables, nor yet by bare pronouncing the name Jesus. The old heretics called Marcosij made them selves much ado about this name and the letters thereof, yea and curiously devised on some number which might be noted by the letters of this name as Epiphanius doth write. And notably doth this ancient writer say to them all as in one: Vocem enim solum habes, virtutem vero ipsius ignoras: that is, thou hast only the word or voice, but the virtue or power thereof thou doest not know. It is one thing to pronounce the word, and another to understand and feel the virtue and power noted by that word. This, this giveth life and therefore to speak of Jesus with understanding and sense of that life and saluatiō which Jesus doth give, is such a thing as the holy Ghost doth work in the elect alone, whereof the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 12. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost. If we say the Lord Jesus truly, we are taught so to do by the holy Ghost, for it only doth frame our tongues to make a true confession of the Lord Jesus, and of the salvation which by faith we do feel in our hearts that we have by him: It teacheth us to speak of Jesus not in bare speech alone, but waying what we say, as Jerome noteth in these words: Tamen hoc ipsum dicere non sermon sed affectu cordis est ponderandum, that is, this saying is to be weighed with, and in affection of heart, not in, or with bare speech. Otherwise many have used this name Jesus, and pronounced it, but evil, and to their own hurt. We do read of certain vagabounde conjurers which took in hand to name over them that had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying: We do adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. They abused the name of Jesus, they did not understand the virtue and power of Jesus. Though they did pronounce the word Jesus, yet had they not faith in Jesus nor feeling of his power and saving health. They spake not of Jesus by the holy Ghost, and in true understanding, and they did speed thereafter: For the evil spirit answered them: Jesus I acknowledge, and Paul I know, but who are ye? Thus were these conjurers driven away, beaten and wounded even by the evil spirit, whom they thought to have driven away by pronouncing the name Jesus. You may see that conjurers, and the devil him self can name and pronounce the name of Jesus, and yet are no whitte the better for so doing. It is not therefore the bare pronouncinge of the name, that doth profit at all, as by this example is to be seen. We do also read of a certain sorcerer that made him self so boulde of this name Jesus, that he called him self Bariesus as though he were the very man of salvation. And yet did this wretched man withstand so much as he could the doctrine of Jesus preached by Paul, and sought to turn others from the faith, and labored to peruerte the straight way of the Lord. We are by Jesus Christ him self forwarned to take heed of such as shall abuse and counterfeit his name to deceive and seduce us, believe them not saith Christ. Suche a company of counterfeits are in Popery. For in it they have their brotherhoodes of Jesus, their feasts of the name of Jesus, their pardons of Jesus, their Mass of the same, matins hours and even song of it. And of late days the Papists have hatched and brought forth a swarm of such vermin as call themselves Jesuits, whose travel is like to that of Bariesu, that is, to peruerte the right ways of the Lord Jesus, to turn men from the true understanding of the virtue and power of Jesus. To this purpose be they sent forth to carrye men from hearckening to the Gospel of Jesus, and from believing truly in Jesus, and yet they be called Jesuits, under this fair name to work their seat, that is to seduce men and lead them from Jesus. They are enemies to Jesus, to his doctrine, power, & saving health, as both by their name, doing and doctrine is proved at large, by that learned writer of our age Martin Kemnitius. And even so to their new found psalter, is the name of Jesus by them added, but as a snare whereby the psalter maker would draw his reader from the truth of Jesus into the puddle of popery. It may be marvelled greatly that Papists dare thus boldly and impudently abuse the name of Jesus, the name of our blessed God and Savior. Have they no conscience of breaking God's commandment? Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him giltles that taketh his name in vain. Though now they do not fear to committee the fault, yet shall they not escape but by a true verdicte be found guilty of it before God. For to take his name, to confirm a falsehood, is to take his name in vain, and to break his commandment. But thus do they now take the name of the Lord Jesus, therefore let Papists hold up their hands and answer guilty, or not guilty? if they plead, not guilty, they shall abide the trial before God by his law, and then they will be found guilty. I know it will grieve them to be thus charged, but if any of them do think them selves to be overcharged herein, let them tell us truly who made them so bold to apply the holy name of Jesus to their own devises, to their Masses, pardons, brotherhoodes and such trumpery, or to call their sectaries Jesuits, or to call this their new devise, the psalter of Jesus? did Jesus Christ ever give them commission thus to use his name? or did he ever make this psalter? Lette them show this by the holy Scriptures. If he did not, then let them tell us if any of his Apostles or disciples did make this psalter, or did deliver this psalter to us, and did tell us on their creadite that it was the psalter of Jesus? If neither Christ Jesus him self nor any of his Apostles, nor disciples did deliver this psalter to us, from whom then did it come? who did make it? who can assure us that it is as they say, the psalter of Jesus? Who was so bold with the name of the Lord Jesus, to put it to this psalter as though it were made by Jesus? We know that there have ben some old deceauers which have published their own forgeries in the name of Jesus, as there have been also many double dealers which have foisted out their falshoodes under the name of good men which have been of great creadite in the Church of God. Surely our Papists could not have picked out a more glorious name then is this name of Jesus, under which they might have set forth this their new found psalter. But this to do is to the authors thereof a thing most dangerous. For it maketh them guilty of taking the glorious name of Jesus in vain, and showeth that they have no deutifull regard of the glory due to the Lord Jesus, and to his most glorious name. S. Paul entreating Philip. 2. how the Lord of glory Jesus Christ did for our sake, humble him self and became obediente to the death even the death of the cross, saith also, that now God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord unto the glory of God the father. Thus doth the holy Apostle teach, that God hath given to Jesus a name, a dignity and power above all names, dignities, and powers. For all power in heaven and earth is given unto him. He is so above all, that they all must bow the knee at the name of Jesus which as Jerome saith: Non ad genua corporis, sed ad subiectionem mentis, & inclinationem animae cordis{que} obsequium pertinet: doth not pertain to the bowinge of the knee of the body, but it pertaineth to the subjection of the mind, the bowinge of the soul, and obedience of the heart, for all must obey him and be subject to Jesus, to the will, majesty & power of Jesus Christ. Sithence this glory is due and to be given to our Lord Jesus and to his glorious name, howe dare Papists be thus bold to use and abuse it, to filthy sects of their own setting forth, to brotherhoodes, to pardons, feasts, Masses, matins, psalters & such like things as they devise them selves? under that most holy name to get creadite to their falshoodes and sale to their marchaundise. Now we Christians do know by the doings and preachings of Jesus, which are set forth unto us by the most true witnesses of him, that is by his holy Apostles and disciples, we do by their witness perceive, that Jesus made no such brotherhoodes, feasts, Masses, matins, hours, Euensonges, pardons, no such psalters, for if he had, they would have made some mention of them. Yea and by the comparing of that which they did truly write of Jesus, with these forgeries of Papists, we see the contrariety between them so great, that their first most ancient and true writing doth sufficiently condemn these popish novelties, and this new psalter as a novelty of falsehood and error. I call it a novelty as it is. If Papists will disprove me, then let them show what Apostle, what ancient apostolique man, what approved ancient catholic doctor, what ancient general council hath commended unto us this psalter as the Psalter of Jesus? If any, show us: but if none, then is it a novelty devised either by that sect of Jesuits, or else it may be that Fowler now wanting work to occupy his press (for his old masters which were wont to set him on work have spente their stoare, and do not occupy him so freashely as they have done and him self desireth) hath devised with some of his brethren how to make this psalter, and so it may be called Fowlers psalter, but not the psalter of Jesus. He doth adorn his work with this brave title: Certain devout and Godly petitions, commonly called Jesus psalter. What devotion and godliness is in them shall hereafter appear. But let M. Fowler tell us when did this common calling begin? I say when did it begin? and among whom? It must have a large compass that is common. Is it enough to make it common because now the Papists do call it common? or because M. Fowler doth by his printe call it common? Truly this is but a straighte, narrow and short common: but even such a common is this as is their catholicisme. In this their psalter they do as truly name common, as they do in the rest of their religion name Catholic: for there is no truth in either of thē. Neither is this psalter so commonly called, nor their religion Catholic, but only so called by them selves. It seemeth also that the work of this psalter did fall out shorter, then M. Fowler thought it would, and therefore he hath filled up above three score leaves of his book as in one of his copies is to be seen, though it be left out in the lesser book, with a certain new devised Imagerie, so y ^e sithence words failed him, he might yet fill up his book with something to feed the eyes of his simple reader, that is with a new stamp of Imagerie. This his workemanshippe of Imagerie he doth adorn with this title: Godly contemplations for the unlearned. He doth also for confirmation of this his work add a sentence out of Basel which he turneth into English meeter, & yet cannot this his whole work of Imagerie be warranted by that sentence of Basel. For it speaketh of such Imagerie only as is reported unto us by history. But there are among the images made by M. Fowler some, whereof we have no reports by history. In what history doth he read, that the Lord God almighty which made both heaven and earth, did in the creatiō of them show him self in the likeness of an aged person with a crown upon his head? It was wont to be among popish painters a triple & Popelike crown, but with M. Fowler it is now but a single crown, not so much as a close crown, such as kings & monarches do wear, but even such a one as it pleaseth M. Fowler to put upon his head. Who taught M. Fowler to be thus bold with the Lord God, to make such a base and earthly image of his glorious and heavenly Majesty? Let us look for his answer. In the mean season we will be so bold with M. Fowler & his fellow helpers to ask of them the same question which is asked in the prophecy of Isaiah 40: To whom will ye liken God: or what similitude will ye set up unto him. And again, to whom will ye liken me? that I should be like unto him, saith the holy one? Aunswere M. Fowler, answer to these questions, and let us hear how you can defend this your bold doing, and this your likening of the immortal God to a mortal & corruptible man. Let him show us also in what history he findeth that there was before Christ on y ^e top of the mountain on which he prayed, a Chalice with a little round host or cake in it, holden (as he doth grave it) in the hand of an Angel. And where did he read that Christ Jesus did descend into hell corporally with a long staff in his hand, having a cross and a banner cloth in the top of it, & did there draw souls by the hands out of hell, by a pair of stairs at a great gate of hewn stone, as his imagery showeth: let not M. Fowler now cavil & say that I do deny an article of our Christian faith. For I do firmly believe, that Article, he descended into hell: but I do not believe that this image which M. Fowler hath graued, doth truly set forth the truth of the descending of Christ into hell. Let M. Fowler therefore show by what true history, he can prove this his image and all the partes thereof. Likewise let him show us what history it is that reporteth unto us the truth of that his image, in which he graueth howe the virgins Mary was personally or bodily assumpted into heaven, by the hands of Angels, a great company of people kneeling by & worshipping. And last of all let him tell us in what history he findeth the report of the next following image. That is, how the virgins Mary being in heaven was crowned by two men, the one sitting upon the one side, and the other man sitting on the other side, of her: Let us know what these two mē were? what be their names? & when the solemnity of this coronation was kept? And let him also tell us by what catholic sense this coronation is proved by that place of holy Scripture which he doth there cite Cantic. 4: to vnderproppe this his image? we know the place of holy Scripture, but we know not where this catholic sense which M. Fowler doth gather thereon, where (I say) the understanding of that place, to serve the coronation of the virgin Mary, was coined. There are none of all his images, but that they have M. Fowlers approbation by coatinge some chapters of some book of the holy bible. But a number of them stand there but to fill up a place to make a show of some thing and say nothing. Thus he is bold with naminge the books of the holy bible, to shore up his imagery, which cannot stand by them. With such images, which have neither history nor writer of credit to report them, it pleaseth M. Fowler for want of better matter to fill up his book, to please and feed the eyes of his simple reader which is not done according to that rule which him self citeth out of Basel. But let us leave M. Fowler with his new imagined imagery to him self, & let me ask this. Dare Fowler, or any of his fellows devise a psalter, and father the same upon the lord Jesus as though he were y ^e author thereof? Surely this his boldenes draweth nigh to blasphemy and very nigh to the sin against y ^e holy Ghost: for (as I said before) it is a plain breaking of God's commandment. He taketh the name of y ^e Lord Jesus in vain. And he also speaketh of y ^e Lord Jesus an untruth against his own conscience & knowledge, in calling it the psalter of Jesus as though Jesus had made it. But it may be y ^t M. Fowler will say for him self y ^t he will not avow, that Jesus made this Psalter, or that it is y ^e Psalter of Jesus. If he will not auowe, but deny his own words, I am content herein, to take his denial, & think that it is not as he termeth it, the Psalter of Jesus. And so I may well make myself the more bold to deal with this Psalter, and to touche the stringes thereof, to try whether they be in tune or not. Yea if it were so in deed, that Fowlers meaning is not to set out this Psalter, as though it were made by Jesus Christ, why doth he call it the Psalter of Jesus? I will take mine answer out of his own words. It is (saith he) the Psalter of Jesus, or y ^e Invocation of Jesus. M. Fowler seemeth to explicate this word Psalter by y ^e following word Invocation. Then with M. Fowler, the word Psalter is all one with that word which out of the Latin tongue we borrow into our English, and do term it Invocation, which in proper english is, a calling upon, so that this Psalter of Jesus, is as much to say in English as the calling upon Jesus. And this may be gathered to be his meaning, because that the name of Jesus is so often repeated in his Psalter. But if M. Fowler will suffer his great master Thomas to tell us what a Psalter is, and what it doth signify as I have cited out of him before, then cannot (I trow) this his interpretation of the word Psalter stand. But I am content to leave him to try this matter with his said master him self. The name of Jesus is glorious, precious & of great power as I have said, and therefore none can name that name rightly but by y ^e holy Ghost. Wherof it is also, that they which do rightly name the name of the Lord Jesus, are taught to depart from iniquity. If the meaning of M. Fowler be to teache his simple reader to Inuocate or to call upon the Lord Jesus, he must do that he meaneth truly by the word of God, which is y ^e only ground work of Inuocatiō. And M. Fowler must first teach his reader to believe truly in the Lord Jesus before he can well invocate or call upon him. For the Apostle teacheth Ro. 10. that men do call on him on whom they do believe. They believe that which they have heard by the word preached, if there be no word of God heard, there is no true belief, if there be no true belief, there is no calling upon, or to use his term, no Invocation & so no Psalter. Now Master Fowler preacheth not the word of God, nor the Gospel of Jesus, to warrant unto us this his Psalter, neither doth he in it teach us truly to believe in the Lord Jesus. But in this Psalter he doth teach his reader to pronounce some things which are contrary to the word of God, and against the truth of Jesus, as shall appear by that handeling of this Psalter which followeth. If then the Reader of this Psalter doth not by Master Fowler hear to believe, he cannot invocate nor pray: For how shall they call on him on whom they do not believe? Christ our Savior and master teacheth us thus of prayer, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, if ye believe, ye shall receive it. And again, whatsoever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye shall have it and it shall be done to you. Thus doth our heavenly master teach us to join faith to our prayer, and prayer to our faith. And his Apostle James instructing us how to pray, biddeth him that prayeth ask in faith and waver not, for he that wauereth is like to a wave of the sea tost with the wind and carried away, neither let that man think that he shall obtain any thing of the Lord. As for this kind of inuocacion which M. Fowler teacheth in his Psalter is to trayne his Reader only to name Jesus, but that is a thing which many have done without faith, and a thing unprofitable as ye have heard. A most certain and comfortable rule is given us whereby we are to be ruled in prayer, that is: If we ask anything of God according to his will, it shall be givē unto us as holy John saith 1. lo. 1. Now how God would have us to pray: Jesus him self hath taught us, not only in that prayer which he did teach us, and is therefore of him called the Lord's prayer, but also in those precepts in which he doth command us to ask of the father in his name, & without doubting as you have partly heard before. These and other like to them, verily be the right rules of prayer taught in y ^e word of God, by the rule of which we must frame all our prayer, if we will so pray that we may be heard and obtain. For it is deeply to be weighed of us, that Jesus Christ doth couple our praying together both w ^t faith as you have heard, and also with our abiding in him & the abiding of his word in us. If ye abide in me saith he, and my words abide in you, ask what ye will and it shall be don for you. If we will pray profitably, we must abide in Christ, and his word in us. But Master Fowler giveth us an invocation or Psalter of Jesus, for which he hath no word of Christ, and by which he draweth his reader & follower from Christ & from his word as shall appear hereafter. There can be no profit thē in this Psalter of Fowler. The only true & comfortable rules of prayer (once again I say) are those which are givē unto us by Jesus Christ, his Apostles & disciples in the word of God: he that shall give us any other rules of prayer contrary to those, is but a deceauer, what fair work soever he make in outward show of them. They are therefore but filthes and forgeries, with which Papists have farced their old Prymers, and called them prayers received by reuelatiō, though they be bombasted with popish pardons in plenty. Now let us try & examine this Psalter, which M. Fowler calleth Jesus Psalter, by those true rules of prayer which Jesus Christ hath givē us. The name of Jesus is holy, sweet, & comfortable: but M. Fowler hath joined unto it a Psalter very unsavory and hurtefull. True Christians which have right faith do not lightly receive wicked things, they do separate right things from those which are evil as the Christian emperor Justinian did write to certain Bishops. Let us therefore separate the addicions which M. Fowler in his Psalter hath joined to the good name of Jesus, that the Christian may cōtemplate that blessed name as it is by itself, & that things differing frō it may be espied out & refused. But before I do come to the petitions by which M. Fowler patcheth up his psalter, somewhat more must be spoken touching those other Psalters which M. Fowler doth so boldly publish and commend to the world. He telleth us that there be three manner of Psalters, he might have told us of more Psalters as I have said before. David's psalter we know we read with comfort and thank God for it: we do with humble hearts receive it, with all the whole number of 150. Psalms, which number M. Fowler divideth into thrice fifty, to make a way into some mistery belike of his other Psalters. The seconde is (saith he) called the Psalter of our Lady. Is it called so M. Fowler? by whom? or who hath given it that name? did your Lady make it? did she so call it? If not she, who then? We will not take things upon your bare report M. Fowler. Tell us therefore the author of this Psalter as you do of the first which is David's, else you will make this your stuff suspected. You pass from the name to the matter of this Psalter, and do tell us that this Psalter of your Lady containeth thrice fifty Aues. I told you before that M. Fowler did devide the number of the Psalms of y ^e Psalter of David into thrice fifty, to make thereby a way into some mystery of his other Psalters. And now ye see, that his seconde Psalter though it doth in nothing else resemble that of David, yet he maketh it to resemble the same in the number of thrice fifty, and in the term Psalter. A proper piece of work. But once again I ask who hath told M. Fowler that his Lady Psalter containeth the just number of thrice fifty Aues? Truly I think there are more then thrice fifty men and women in England & else where yet plunged in popery, which cannot tell us by just accompt that thrice fifty Aues do make their Lady Psalter. And no marvel: for it is a very hard thing for an unlearned person to know the perfection of that thing which hath so obscure a beginning as hath this Lady Psalter. But let it pass upon the credit of M. Fowler, if any like upon his credit to accept it: yet may I ask why these Aues thus packed together are called a Psalter? It is no instrument of ten stringes therefore no Psalter. But Fowler teacheth his reader to say it upon his ten fingers, what instrument call you that? surely these are but childish and a pishe toys. It is no invocation, it is no prayer, for it hath no petition in it, as it is granted by M. Fowler his great friend M. Vaws, even there where he maketh the most that he can of the Ave Maria: howe can it be then any invocation? or howe can it be a Psalter. M. Fowler must take the pain to make this matter more plain to us, in better show of truth, or else we will tell him plainly that this his Psalter must be turned over to him self, for his own pastime, to be played upon his ten fingers. For I do not else think that any man of good understanding will dance after his pipe. But let us come to this his third Psalter unheard of before this our age, that is, the Psalter of Jesus: which M. Fowler doth say, doth contain fifteen principal petitions, which ten times repeated make also thrice fifty. Thus is the mystery made up which M. Fowler brotched to us, when in the accompt of the Psalms of David, he did devide the number of thē into thrice fifty. And all this is but to show the reader that these Psalters as M. Fowler doth temper them do agree in name and number, though in nothing else. But we think not that this agreement in name & number only, either can, or doth make this new Psalter of M. Fowlers a perfect Psalter, considering how this Psalter of M. Fowlers trimming doth differ from that sound Psalter of David, & from the doctrine of God. M. Fowler doth tell us that in his Psalter and Invocation, the glorious name of Jesus, is called upon four hundred and fifty times. Tell us not how often, but how well you do call upon this name most holy, & glorious in deed. For it is not in invocation enough to pronounce the letters and syllables of the word Jesus, but we must look into that name by faith and so by faith feed on the virtue, saving health, and power of Jesus, that it may encorage us to call upon him in faith and sure confidence, knowing that he and he only, yea he, and none other under heaven but he, is given to men by whom they must be saved. which thing S. Peter preacheth in that sermon Act. 4. a part of which M. Fowler doth cite. If I should find fault with his translation, he would say that I did but pick quarrels. But to the matter. If nothing at all be givē to men whereby they must be saved, then are all men damned: but there is one and but only one thing for all given, whereby men must be saved, & that one thing, as Peter doth there tell us, is the Lord Jesus. Other name, power, or thing, there is none in which men must be saved, but that one only name, virtue and power, the Lord Jesus. And if as Augustine saith, we must be saved in this name, doubtless that is no salvation which is promised without this name. And therefore doth S. Peter say that there is no salvation in any other, for among men there is given none other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. This translation seemeth to express the mind and purpose of S. Peter somewhat more plainly then that of M. Fowlers, where he doth translate, In the which it behooveth us to be saved. What preaty thing it is that M. Fowler would cōuey under this term behooveth I know not, and therefore I leave it. But the mind of S. Peter is to teache us, that Jesus is that person by whom only and alone, the good pleasure of God is to save men, and by whom only they must be saved, that shall be saved. To perceive this, is not only to name Jesus, but to have true understanding of, & faith in Jesus. Without this true understanding & faith to sownd out, or to pronounce y ^e name of Jesus doth profit no more men now, then it did the old exorcists and conjurers, yea, or the devils which pronounced that name, or the old heretics which did also retain that name in their heresy, and pronounced it with their lips. And therefore M. Fowler your assuring of your reader to find such commodity by your Invocation, which with you consisteth only almost in the often and bare pronouncing of the name Jesus, is not so sure, as you would seem to make it. You tell us also that our savior hath taught us in the Gospel of S. John: that we should make our petitions in his name. In deed we do hear our Savior Jesus say in that holy Gospel written by S. John 14. chapter. Whatsoever ye ask in my name that will I do, that the father may be glorified in the son: If ye ask anything in my name, I will do it. For to this, as to one ende, are true Christians ordained, that whatsoever (saith Christ) John. 15. ye shall ask of the father in my name, he may give it you: and again, John. 16. Verily verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name, he will give it you. These and the like precepts of prayer, and promises of obtaining our requests, we know that y ^e same son of God our most gracious Lord Jesus hath made to us, and in them we do rest. But what meaneth that which followeth in this Psalter of M. Fowlers? in these words, which (Jesus he doth mean) is the Mediator of our salvation. It is true verily M. Fowler, that Jesus is the only alone Mediator mean and worker of our salvation, as the former saying of Peter doth teach. But M. Fowler this is not all that is in Jesus. In these your words you do leave out a piece of the office and dignity of our Savior Christ Jesus. And herein you do follow some of your old popish masters, who to find out some place for the intercession of their Saints, are bold to spoil Christ of one piece of his office, and to bestow it on Saints. For they say that Christ is our Mediator of salvation, but the office of intercession they do commit to saints, who they say do make intercession for us. But we do learn in the holy Scriptures, that as Jesus Christ alone is the Mediator of our salvation, by whom we are saved: so is he our Mediator of intercession, for it is he which maketh intercession for us. That same very place which M. Fowler citeth out of the Gospel of S. John, in which he saith that our Savior doth say that we should make our petitions in his name, teacheth that Jesus is y ^e Mediator also of intercessiō. For to make our petitions in his name, is to acknowledge him to be our intercessor. S. Paul likewise speaking of the most happy state, in which y ^e faithful do stand before God by the redemption which they have by Christ Jesus, saith among other things: It is God that justifieth, who shall condemn. It is Christ which is dead, yea or rather which is risen again, he meaneth which justifieth. And of Christ his office towards us he continueth saying: who is also at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us. Here y ^e holy Apostle teacheth us so to look to Jesus Christ, y ^t we may know that as it is he which died for us, did rise again, & ascend, & is at the right hand of God for our salvation, even so he it is also, that maketh intercessiō or request for us. And in y ^e epistle to the Hebrews the 7. chapter, the Apostle speaking of y ^e everlasting priesthood of Christ saith: wherefor he is able perfectly to save them that come unto God by him, seeing he liveth ever to make intercession for thē. He saith likewise afterward He. 9. That Christ is entered into heavē to appear now in y ^e sight of God for us. Again that blessed Apostle John in his epistle teacheth us 1. John. 2. If any man do sin we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteus & he is the reconciliation for our sins. The Apostle teacheth us y ^e Christ Jesus is our only & sufficient advocate & atonement with the father. For y ^e office & work of intercession & recōciliatiō are joined together in Christ Jesus alone. And here M. Fowler his friends could have told him that Augustine intreatinge upon this place of S. John, doth count it a thing antichristian, heretical, and schismatical, to assign any other advocate or intercessor between God and man but Jesus Christ. But perhaps they would make deintie so to do, least the Christian reader should thereby be encoraged to accompt Fowler and such papists as he is, which do rob Christ of this glory of being our advocate and intercessor with the father, and do bestow that office and honor upon their Saints, to accompt them (I say) to be antichristes, heretics, & schismatics, as they are in deed. The Christian which can content him self with the doctrine and word of God, is taught as you do hear, that Christ Jesus is now at the right hand of God, and maketh request for us, that we must go to God by him, who liveth to make intercession for us, that he is our advocate with the father, and so Christ him self saith John. 14. of him self: I am the way, the truth, & the life: No man cometh to the father, but by me. Sithence then we have Jesus the everliving, almighty, and most merciful advocate and intercessor with the father, let us give unto him the honor due to him with faithful confession thereof, and thanks giving therefore, and also do our selves as the Apostle doth exhort us, Hebr. 4. Let us therefore go boldly (saith he) unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Thus much touching this piece of legierdemain which M. Fowler useth even at the entrey into his Psalter to spoil Jesus Christ of his office, and glory of being our intercessor and advocate, to make place for his Psalter which is patched up, as shall hereafter appear, with praying to Saints to make intercession for us. By the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, such patches of popery are to be pared away, & the Christians are to be left to their Jesus Christ alone, both for salvation & intercession. If it shall please God to make this point of our Christian faith and religion well known, understanded, and the comfort thereof felt in the consciences of men, they will fall as fast and thick from popery to Christ his Gospel, as bees do fly out of the rain to their hyues. But it shall be good to proceed in this Psalter. The Reader may think that I do hange long in the beginning thereof, but M. Fowlers entry into it being so fowl, it is meet that the reader should be admonished thereof, to the ende he may be warned of it, & delivered (if it so be the good pleasure of God) from sticking or sincking into so fowl a puddle with Fowler, as is this Psalter. Let it be marcked then, that M. Fowler doth give us a Psalter of Jesus (he saith) in which he taketh from Jesus at the first dashe a principal piece of his honor and office. Such sacrilege Fowler and his fellows can commit, and dare cover their villainy with y ^e name of Jesus. But this is but to fill up the number of their sins. Then M. Fowler taketh pains to teach his reader, how he must say this psalter, and (saith he) he may say it upon his ten fingers, and why not upon his ten toes? He saith also that his scholar which will learn of him how to say this psalter, must begin with devout genuflection, or at the least wise, with Inclination to Jesus. M. Fowler forgetteth him self (I trow) for he will seem to set out this Psalter for the unlearned, but the unlearned know not what these terms genuflection and inclination do mean. Therefore let Master Fowler speak English to his unlearned scholars. After that he hath thus prepared his Reader to this Psalter, he beginneth the first petition and doth in it name the name of Jesus thirty times together, adding to every thryse naminge of Jesus, this word Mercy. If he meaneth to teache his Reader to pray the Lord Jesus to have mercy on him, we do agree with him in that good prayer, and so pray we. But if there be any mystery in this often repeatinge of the word or name Jesus, it is a thing hidden from us, so often to repeat that name without further instruction. Is it Master Fowlers mind to teache his Reader to think that this bare and often repeatinge of that name, and that in such a just number as is by him prefixed, is therefore an acceptable prayer, because it is so often repeated only? Surely that conceipte sauoreth strongely of that battology, and lip labor which Jesus Christ rejecteth. Matth. 6. I might also note the straungenes of the phrase of that petition which he putteth down in these words, where he speaketh of sinners. Turn (saith he) their vices into virtues: this is one in all his petitions. But it is but a strange transmutation that he asketh. It had been more plain to have said, Turn sinners from their vices to virtues, but to let this pass. That sauoreth strongly of the Popes pump which followeth in these words: Have mercy (saith he) on the souls in Purgatorye for thy bitter passion I beseech thee; and for thy glorious name Jesus. It shall not be amiss now to say somewhat to the reader of this purgatory which hath been and is the common pickepurse, for the Pope and his chaplaines the massinge priests. I know it will anger the papists to hear of this, for it toucheth their free hold (as the common saying is.) But I will lay before the reader, this popish purgatory in as few words as I can, that he may smell what a sweet flower it is. Whatsoever it be, it seemeth to savor very sweetly with M. Fowler, & therefore he doth very diligently place it, as one in every petition of his Psalter. Such is his charity to their souls which are in purgatory, forsooth. But let us see somewhat of this purgatory, and partly even as some of the masters of Rome have written thereof, I might devide this matter into two branches: first of prayer for y ^e souls of men departed out of this mortal life: then of this kind of prayer for the souls which are in purgatory. But I will speak of this purgatory prayer only, for because M. Fowler prayeth in his Psalter for souls in purgatory only, as though that they only of all other souls departed had need of this prayer. It is also confessed by some masters of that popish sect, that the prayers, or to use their own terms, the Suffrages of the church be available only for souls in purgatory. They have a reason for this their assertion, but I pass it over, because that M. Fowler him self doth seem to incline to the judgment of those his masters. For in the petitions of his Psalter he maketh mention only of such souls as are in purgatory. But if there be no purgatory at all, then are there no souls in purgatory to be prayed for. A vain petition then it is in this Psalter, and a needless diligence, when M. Fowler showeth him self so diligent in praying for the souls in purgatory. Yea and it is more then vain to abuse the glorious name of Jesus, and of his bitter passion to this his vanity of purgatory. Now let us consider whether there be such a purgatory in which souls do suffer (as they say) the pains of scorching, broiling, or burninge, till they be purged from their sins, and relieved by the charitable deeds of the living, yea, or no. Let us see who they were, that did first speak of purgatory, and how it passed from them to some of the old Christian writers, which do make mention thereof, but very doubtfully, and diuerslie in their writings. So shall it appear upon what faint grounds purgatory is founded. First it is granted that purgatory cannot be proved by any place of the holy Scripture: It is I say granted by one Archepapist of this our age, and also by an old writer of good antiquity. But the holy Scripture is the rule whereby our prayers are to be framed, and it is the word of truth which doth truly teach us of the true being of things. So that unless God in his word did teach us that there were a purgatory, we are not to believe that there is any. And again upon that which God doth promise us in the holy Scripture we must ground our faith in the prayers which we do make to God. For if we will dewly regard God's good will with trust that he will hear our prayers and grant our requests, we must have both a promise of hearing, and a rule warrantinge the rightnes of our requests in the most holy word of God, without which we cannot truly have any faith or assurance of the hearing of our prayers: without this knowledge we can make no true prayer. It is no true prayer therefore which those men seem to make which have no understanding of God's will, nor trust in his promises. Turks, Jews, and Papists do prate in their ignorance and unbelief, but that prating is not right praying. Now then let us admit it as a truth, which is as you have heard confessed, that there is no holy Scripture, no word of God to warrant us this purgatory, then have we by the word of God no assurance to assertaine us that there be any souls in purgatory, nor commandment of God given to us to pray for souls in purgatory, nor promise to believe that our prayers made for them can do them good. If we have no assurance nor certeinety hereof, we cannot pray for souls in purgatory. Will you know then from whence this opinion of purgatory doth come? The first and most ancient promoter thereof was (so far as I learn) not God, but Plato the Philosopher, a man which did not truly know God. His opinion of purgatory as Eusebius doth report it, is the most ancient record that I have red. Virgil the Pagan Poette hath spoken also of such a thing as purgatory is feigned to be, but from Plato it should seem to be conveyed to other, who according to their fantasie laid the first platform of a purgatory, even y ^t whereon the Papists have built this their purgatory. Which building by the papists, is not yet so handsomely cowched together, but that their own fathers assembled in the last council of Trent thought good by way of correction to give this admonition to them of their seete, that they do not hereafter in their sermons before the common people, handle the hard and dark questions touching purgatory, and that they should not meddle with such vncerteyne things touching purgatory as are thought to be false. They do also forbid them to handle those things touching purgatory which do savor of curiosity, or concern superstition, or savor of filthy lucre. And those fathers as popish as they were, do yet command them whom they may command, that they let these things alone as offenses. By this forbidding now, it appeareth that before this time, the purgatory Proctors used to publish such things of purgatory, and for it, as this council now forbiddeth, else why doth it now forbid them? And so by the words of Papists them selves we may perceive that they have had among them such Proctors for their purgatory, as have handled it so corruptly that they them selves are ashamed thereof, and do forbid the like, and yet do these popish fathers in that council vnderproppe this purgatory by their authority still. But if they did mean in good earnest, to take from their purgatory all such things as are uncertain and false, or curious or superstitious, and such as served for filthy gain or lucre, let them I say pare all these things from their purgatory in good earnest, and surely they shall leave to their Pope then, such a simple purgatory, as is not able to be a sufficient pinfold to impounde a poor pigge. But as is said, they and their fathers will needs maintain their purgatory, for they have taken in hand the defense thereof, and it serveth so well for their purse, and purpose, that it deserveth their defense. They say that their Church hath learned it of the holy Scriptures. But I say nay, and some of their own men and their elders also do say nay, as is touched before. Neither do they them selves show unto us any one place of the holy Scriptures in which we are taught the same purgatory, on which they do conclude. This now is the manner of the catholic church (as papists call their romishe Church) in their councils to conclude canons and articles of the faith without any Scripture. They tell us that they have it also of the ancient tradition of the fathers: hereof the reader shall be informed more hereafter. Again they say that this purgatory is delivered to them in holy councils. A man would think that these Tridentine Prelates did mean some of the first ancient holy coūcells, as that first council holden at Nice, or that at Ephesus, or some of the other old holy councils. But there is no mention made in any of them either of this purgatory, or of the souls in it, or howe they are to be releued by the doings of living men. Yea if search be made in the Tomes of the councils, it will be found true (I think) that the first general council which did set this purgatory on foot by concluding thereon, was that late council begun by Pope Eugenius at Ferrara, continued and ended at Florence about the year of our Lord 1439. So young a thing among ancient councils is this proper springalde their popish purgatory: before then it was not concluded in any ancient holy council: so that yet the head of it need not to be gray for age. It is no marvel then that the papists have now again in Trent concluded thereon. For it serveth so well for their kitchins that they had rather loose heaven it self, then this proper purgatory. And now our papists may say that it is a thing decreed in councils, sithence a seconde council, now again hath concluded it: but yet such councils as are neither ancient, nor holy. Thus pleaseth it the papists now to burnish and refresh the old forgeries of old infidelles, and to set the same forth as an article of their catholic faith. The opinions of Pagans touching purgatory, some ancient writers sithence the ascension of Jesus Christ and the time of the Apostles have repeated, as Eusebius doth: some have given their addition to them, as Origen and some other, and yet that purgatory was not like unto this of papists. For papists do allow that the souls fried in the fire of their purgatory, may be releued by the deeds and helps of living men. But this is not seen in the old purgatory of Origen, nor in that of the Pagans so plainly as papists now talk of it. When purgatory had once thus put in a foot into the church, it went forward yet for a good space of time, but weakly and waueringely. The opinion thereof was cited by some following writers after Origen. For Ambrose whose manner is (as some have noted) to take many things out of Origen, doth make mention of this purgatory. So doth Jerome and also Augustine, but very diversely. For sometime they do as it were, but dispute and reason of the matter, as if it were a question to be doubted of: Sometime it is affirmed: Sometime that which one affirmeth: another denieth. And here is a piece of the false dealing of the papists to be marked. For their manner is to city the old fathers and their sentences, in which they make this mention of purgatory as though they had with one consent written so of purgatory as them selves do at this day hold. They will not make known to the people in truth neither from whence this Purgatory did first come, nor how it crept into y ^e Church, nor how some of the old fathers doubled about it. Some doubted of it, some denied it, all this I say the Papists now do conceal, for the knowledge thereof would mar their market, and not serve well for their kitchen. Therefore they do still draw closely the sayings of the old writers to prope up this purgatory, as though there were no doubt in the matter, but that all the old fathers did faithfully believe that to be true, which now they do hold of purgatory. And yet because their own consciences do bear them witness, that they want sufficient warrant of the word of God & true antiquity to uphold their purgatory, they have been driven to make other shifts for y ^e same. And therefore where truth and antiquity do not serve their purpose, they have busied them selves to sustain purgatory by other follyes, as by their forgeries of satisfactions, and by that same their preattie profitable devise of praying for the dead. To this they have added strange visions, voices, and sightes of such as were by their conceits revealed in purgatory and delivered out of it (say they:) yea they have added some such strange sightes as living men have seen in traunses: and they do not stick also to father some of their own new false forgeries for purgatory, upon some writers of antiquity which never taught any such thing. And thus for their purgatory, for proof whereof they have no direct word of God, they draw in fathers, yea and Angels, and spirits (they say) but lying spirits (I say.) They bring in also dead men, yea and the sculls of dead men to speak to men living on earth for purgatory. And not content with all this they do still proceed, and y ^e better to settle this purgatory in their church as an article of their faith, they make them selves so bold even with God him self, y ^t they do draw his most holy word with new racking and wrasting y ^e same out of time, to serve this their purpose: wherein verily they show them selves to be corrupt handlers of the word of God. Upon these props did their purgatory stand stowtly till the light & heat of the glorious Gospel of God did bewray it, and consume it to ashes. Then did this Dagon fall before the Ark of the God of Israel, blessed be his name for it. And now that they see their purgatory doth begin to decay, they do roar and cry for grief, and do still seek to maintain it by new additions, or reparations, so loath they are to have it so decay, that it should serve their turn no more. Some time they tell us of the kind of those sins which are to be purged in purgatory: some time they tell us of the greatness of the pains which souls suffer there: some time of the relief which souls do feel there: some time they tell us of the place where purgatory is. But these their tales be not all one, nor they them selves in telling these tales do agree in one. For touching the place where this purgatory is: Some of them have found this purgatory (as they say) in Ireland, and this they call the Purgatory of Patrick, unto which also they say that once they had a key. I know not whether they have lost it. And in this purgatory one lusty Champion Noble Nicolas (as they say) traveled and did see the strange pains and sights which were in it. One other purgatory their holy Saint Odilo did find for them in the iland of Sicily in y ^e fiery hill Aetna. And of this invention by the good advise of their pope John did spring up y ^e solemn feast of all souls, & all y ^e busy pains y ^t they do take about y ^e same, which yet the church of Christ both could & did well spare above the space of one thousand years after Christ's ascension, although the popish synagogue cannot now spare it for pinchinge their bellies not one yere. These men not content with these purgatories, and fearinge the ruin of it without it be continually repaired, have gotten of late the favorable help toward this work, of a new Archbishop of theirs named Aolaus Magnus: This man hath found a third purgatory in the Island of Thyle which we call Iselande, for there (saith he) are hills which have snow on their tops and burning fire at their foot, and he telleth us that there is y ^e place to purge souls. Thus groweth the popish purgatory in error and ignorance, and getteth ground still more & more among ignorant men. This popish palace of purgatory should be very large truly, if it did reach so far as is Iseland from Sicily. What fire there is I know not, but surely there is good stoare of sea water between these forenamed Ilandes Ireland, Sicily, and Iselande, yet all the water which is in the sea will not quench that purgatory which the Pope and his kitchen clerks have blown and set on fire to roast their meat. Thus much of y ^e beginning and growing of this purgatory have I shortly written, that the reader may know out of what forge this purgatory is flown of which M. Fowler maketh so often mention in his Psalter, & doth so bitterly pray for the souls which are in it. But as I said before, if there be no purgatory at all, thē are there no souls in it nor any thing else: and will M. Fowler teache his scholars to pray to God for nothing? This purgatory hath no ground of the word of God: We have neither commandment to pray, nor promise to be heard, if we do pray for souls in purgatory, therefore we can neither do the one, nor believe the other. He then that will pray with M. Fowler for souls in purgatory, prayeth without faith, which is a faithless labor, at the least, though I say no more. But he that will consider rightly what a fault it is, for a man to present him self before y ^e Majesty of God, to make prayer to him for nothing, for a forgery & false thing, it will make him (I trow) afeard to make such strange prayers, though M. Fowler be very busy with them. But now will I leave this purgatory, I will in this treatise touche it no more, supposing that this which I have said, is sufficient to unfold the forgery of this popish poppet. M. Fowler teacheth him which will dance after his pype to pray: That he may execute the works of virtue, whereby he may come to everlasting joy and felicity. To exercise virtue to the pleasing of God, is a good thing, and our duty. But if Master Fowler doth mean to teach his Reader to do this, with this mind, to hope thereby to come to, y ^t is to gain, and to obtain everlasting joy and felicity, this is, but to labor vainly and prowdly, to get that by our doing, which is freely given to the elect by the mercy of God in Jesus Christ. For life everlasting is the gift of God by Jesus Christ, as thApostle teacheth. Jesus Christ is the only way, that true way by which that happy thief of whom we read Luke 23. went into Paradise. Jesus is he only and alone, by & thorough whom everlasting life is given to the believers. The Christian reader may well perceive therefore wherein this petition faileth. Then followeth a petition in which he teacheth his reader to pray thus: Grant me firm purpose merciful Jesus to amend my life & to recompense for those years which I have misspent to the displeasure of thee in evil thoughts, delectations, &c. Also in breaking thy commandments whereby I have deserved damnation & thine enmity. To pray for amendment of life is necessary. But in that which followeth, M. Fowler doth foully abuse the holy name of Jesus. For to pray to Jesus to have a firm purpose to make recompense for those sins whereby we have deserved damnation, is to pray for purpose to deny and forsake the salvation which we have in Jesus. For Jesus is he which doth save his people from their sins. And therefore he is called Jesus. M. Fowler hath given us (as he saith) A Psalter of Jesus, & he seemeth to make great accompt of y ^e often repeating of y ^e name Jesus. But now he doth show him self not only not to know what Jesus doth mean, but to be willing to draw his reader to deny that Jesus is Jesus in deed, which is to deny the Lord that bought him. We have learned that in that redemptiō which Jesus hath wrought for his elect, he only hath made the full recompense to God by him self alone for all their sins, and therefore he is their Jesus, and so is most truly called Jesus. Jesus did give him self for us, when we could give nothing in recompense for our selves, he did give his body to be broken & his blood to be shed for the forgiveness of our sins, for which we could make no recompense. He did bear the pains due to us for our sins, and as the Prophet saith Isai 53. he hath borne our infirmities & carried our sorrows, he was wounded for our transgressions, he was broken for our iniquities: y ^e chastisement of our peace was upon him, & with his stripes are we healed. Here is the true recompense made for sin set forth, and this recompense verily did Jesus make in his own blessed body. In if he paid the price of our redemption, and made that only satis •• cing, and fully sufficing recompense for us, wherein his own self did bear our sins to his body on y ^e tree 1. Pet. 2. & by this recōpense by him made we are set free, for by his wounds are we healed. Sithence Fowler is not content with this recompense thus made by Jesus for us, but asketh another, let him tell me wherein that recompense which Jesus Christ hath made for us is imperfect▪ if it be imperfect, show wherein? If it be not imperfect but most full and perfect, then what meaneth M. Fowler to pray for full purpose to make any other recompēse himself for his sins. Again I would know what it is, that he or any child of Adam can give to God to make a recompense for his and their sins? What Jesus hath givē we know. Now let us know what Fowler hath to give? Fowler can give nothing verily but that which is corrupt, but such things are not available, they are no recompense at all for sins. And therefore God of his great mercy prouidinge better for us, then we could do for our selves, hath given unto us Christ Jesus, to make, and to be the recompense for us. For we are not as S. Peter saith redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. For Jesus hath with this most precious price made full recompense for us, & thereby hath he so fully redeemed us, that therefore he is become the author & prince of our salvation, our redeemer, our Savior, to him only do we give the glory and praise of & for this work of our salvation wrought by him self for us. God our heavenly father hath set forth his son Jesus to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood Rom. 3. It is Jesus only which did give his life a ransom for many. Our 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is his life, which Jesus did give for the price, ransom, and recompense of our delivery. For Christ only is he, in whom as the Apostle saith we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins, Colo. 1. And Jesus alone is the reconciliation and atonement for our sins 1. John. 2. Thus as we are taught, we do learn of God him self, that it is Jesus alone, which doth deliver us from that damnation which through our sins we do deserve, evē by that recompense, which he hath already made for us in his own most bitter death, and bloody passion. It is y ^e blood of Christ which through the eternal spirit offered him self without spot to God, which purgeth our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God. It is Jesus Christ who hath appeared once to take away sin, by the sacrifice of him self. Heb. 9. Now as the same Apostle saith, Heb. 10. Where the remission of these things is, there is no more offering for sin: and I say where the recompense for sin is thus made by Jesus, there is no more recompense to be made for sin. How dare Fowler then teache us to require to have a firm purpose in us to make our selves a recompense for this which Jesus only both could do, and also did fully, & sufficiently for us? What is this else, but to ask of Jesus a firm purpose to renounce and forsake him? It is nothing else verily, but to forsake y ^e redemption which we have in Christ Jesus, & to repose our selves upon our own making of recompense, to pray as Fowler teacheth. But what Prophet, what Apostle, or Saint did ever so pray? or taught us to pray? That which none hath done ever, Fowler now dare do. David prayeth humbly to the Lord in his Psalter that he will forget and forgive the faults of his youth Psal. 25. And he rejoiceth that the Lord hath forgiven him his sins, that he hath forgotten thē, y ^t he hath removed them from him as far as is the East from the West: that he hath thrown them into the bottom of the sea Psal. 103. David prayeth not to have a firm purpose to make recompense for his sins, but resteth in the blessed remission of his sins given him by God of his free goodness & mercy through Christ Jesus. And again, David in the Psal. 31. confesseth of him self this: I acknowledge my sin unto thee, neither hide I mine iniquity, for I thought I will confess against myself my wickedness unto the Lord, and thou hast forgivē the iniquity of my sin. Thus doth David in his Psalter, singe another manner of Psalm then Fowler doth in this his Psalter. For the true Prophet David prayeth for forgiveness of his sins, and rejoiceth in this, y ^t God did forgive him, which is such a thing to be desired, that David saith immediately in that Psalm: Therefore shall everyone that is godly make his prayer unto thee &c. What accompt then shall we make of Fowler who prayeth not for this, but clean contrary to this? for he will have a firm purpose to make him self a recompense for his own sins. Surely neither is this prayer of Fowlers like to that of the godly, nor himself godly in this praying. For if everyone y ^t is godly prayeth for forgiveness of sins, Fowler is ungodly who prayeth not for forgiveness, but for a firm purpose to make a recompense for his sins. The holy children of God are all most holily taught by Jesus our very Jesus and Savior to pray, Forgive us our trespasses. This is another manner of thing then to pray for a firm purpose to make our selves recōpense for our sins. Simple is he that will forsake that form of prayer which Jesus Christ hath taught, and holy David used in his Psalter, David (I say) who was that sweet Psalm singer of Israel 2. Sam. 23. & will follow this faithless fiddle of Fowler. Simple is he that will forsake that recompense which Jesus Christ hath once made for him & trust to a recompense of his own making. This were foully to fall from Christ & to run headlong into the dungeon of despair. Al the Angels & heavenly spirits in heaven, all the men in earth cannot make such a recompense. Only Jesus Christ, Jesus (I say) alone was able to make, and did make the full recompense for sin, & did it fully for the faithful, & therefore he hath found everlasting salvation for them which shall be saved, as y ^e Apostle saith Heb. 9. which truly he could not have gained unless the recompense which he made for them had been fully sufficient. Now to take this work of making recompense into our own hands, is either to deny, or to dout of the fullness of that recompense which Jesus Christ hath made for us, and this to do, is to rob Jesus of his glory, and the robber doth rob him self of comfort and salvation in Christ, & so doth but deceive himself, and double his own sin & damnation. Yet thus would M. Fowler have his Reader to pray to Jesus, to have not only his purpose, but his firm purpose to make himself recompense for his sins, which is to rob Jesus of his glory, & to be himself a deceit to himself, & to make his way to most spedy & certain damnation. If M. Fowler mistrust the recompense which Jesus hath made, and doth desire to make his own recompense for his own sins: then doth he not believe that Jesus hath made either any recompense at all, or not a full recompēse for his sins, which is a point of plain infidelity. Such as floweth in the Romish Catholic Church. This piece of poison lieth in this Psalter of M. Fowlers, even this robbing of Jesus in M. Fowler his Psalter of Jesus. An other petition followteh containing these words. Grant me the seven gifts of the holy Ghost, the eyght beatitudes, the four Cardinal virtues, and in receiving of the Sacrament devoutly to dispose me. M. Fowler delighteth him self greatly in set numbers, and yet he is no good Arithmetrician. When he speaketh of the seven gifts of the holy ghost he should have told his Reader what they be, and where he learned that there be but seven. Surely we know that there are many more gifts then seven which the holy Ghost doth give to the elect children of God, I say many more. Likewise I say of the Beatitudes of which he speaketh as though there were no more but eight. It may be that I am so ignorant that I do not know to what places of the holy scriptures M. Fowler had his eye in these his set numbers. Therefore let him name the places him self, & prove to us if he can, either that they do contain these precise numbers of seven or eight, and no more, or that there be no more gifts of the holy Ghost but seven, nor more beatitudes but eight. In the mean time the Christian Reader, which loveth with godly reverence to search the Scriptures, in searchinge shall find that there be many more gifts of the holy Ghost then seven, & many more beatitudes then eight. Let not him therefore be thus abridged of his blessedness by Master Fowler, if he do love sanctification and blessedness. M. Fowler seemeth also to have some smattering of Philosophy in telling us of four cardinal virtues. But some of his Masters in teaching virtues have spoken of the three divine or Theological virtues, & this he might have learned in his pops Primer lately printed, and have named them faith, hope and charity. Wherein they do speak more like Divines then M. Fowler doth either like a Divine or good Philosopher. Amonge the Philosophers them selves he might have found more virtues then four. He might also have done somewhat for the help of his simple Reader for whose pleasure he hath made this Psalter, if he had told him what those virtues were, and why they be called Cardinal virtues. For a simple man may think that they are so called of the Romish Cardinals, a sect of men most void of virtues, as by their particular doings may be easily found out. And to speak of the virtues needful to a Christian, there are many more then four which a Christian is to learn in the blessed book of God, the holy Scripture I mean. So M. Fowler in this piece of his Psalter striketh but like a bungeling fiddler, not clean, not full, but striketh very short, and doth but fumble & dally with them, whom he would have daūce after his pipe. In his fourth petitiō he teacheth them which are minded to play on his Psalter, to say, Grant me the spirit of penance, contrition, confession & satisfaction, to obtain thy grace, & from filthy sin to purge me. Trewe penance we do know, and pray that it may be truly practiced: we do also know those terms which M. Fowler doth use: They are the same, by which the popish schoolmen do set forth their three partes of their Sacrament of penance. But this their devise is already so evidently undone, and the filthe and forgery thereof, so unfolded by the learned writers of our age, that I will no further meddle therewith, then to refer the reader to the reading of the fourth chapter of the third book of the Institutions of M. Calvin, which if he will diligently read over, he shall perceive that in this popish partition is no perfect penance, & that this piece of work as M. Fowler doth pen it, is unmeet to have place in the prayer of a true Christian, howe meet soever it be, to be placed in this Psalter of M. Fowler. And where he addeth that by this parted Penaunce, he might obtain God's grace, he knoweth not verily what grace meaneth. For as the Apostle teacheth: If grace be of works, it is no more grace: he falleth from grace that doth by his works thrust on him self, to gain, deserve merit and get grace. In the fifth petition he teacheth us to pray thus: The catholic observances of the church make me to keep truly. What he meaneth by these catholic obseruaunces, I dare not take on me to judge, I know them not. But if he do by them mean those five commandments of the church, which his friend & companiō M. Vaws hath set forth in his Catechism, in which he doth but bungel, and would fain imitate the Jesuits in their Catechism. If these be the catholic observances of the church of which M. Fowler speaketh, or if he do mean those precepts of the church which his Pope Pius hath packed together in his new Primer, I answer thus. First, we do deny that they be catholic: Then that they be any obseruaunces of the true church of Christ. As for that romish church which both hath and doth take upon her to deliver such commandments as God did never give to his church, we do abhor that proud harlot, and all her commandments, neither hath a Christian any warrant of God's word to assure his conscience either to make this petition, which is here set down by M. Fowler, nor promise to be heard, if he make it, and therefore it is to be left to the deuisers of it. And surely this his petition, doth not agree with the first piece of the next petition following, that is: Make my soul obedient to holy doctrine. He whose soul is made obedient to holy doctrine, doth detest all such unholy doctrines, and obseruaunces as men do deliver out of their own devises, such as are the commandments and obseruaunces of the catholic church of Rome, and he prayeth God to keep him from them, he cannot pray to keep or obey them. In the seventh petition, he hath put in this for a prayer: Thy blessed mother be mediatrice for me, and purchase me a contrite heart, for that I have offended thee. You have heard before howe Master Fowler hath called the Lord Jesus, the Mediator of salvation, as though this were all that is in the Lord Jesus▪ And you have heard how I have proved that our Lord Jesus is the Mediator of our salvation, and is also our Mediator of intercession. Now Master Fowler as though Jesus the only Mediator did not content him, findeth us out a new Mediator the Virgin Marie, whom he will have to be a mediatrice for him, and a purchaser for him. But we Christians do know, no other Mediator nor purchaser for us, but one, even that one only Lord Jesus the son of the virgin Mary, for he is the Mediator between God and man, even that man Christ Jesus. Jesus is as the Apostle calleth him, He. 12. the Mediator of the New Testament. The Gospel & word of the New Testament doth teach us to know Jesus to be the Mediator of all them, which do appertain to the New Testament, & are received into that covenant of life. It doth not assign us any other Mediator, not the virgin Mary, not any Saint, nor Angel. We dare not take this office from the son, and give it to the mother: we will not forsake the son who is our certain, sure, and only Mediator, and go to the mother, who hath no such office committed unto her. We learn also that a contrite heart is wrought in the elect by the spirit and word of God. We do not know howe the virgins Mary can purchase this for us. Again, in that petition he placeth these words: All thy Saints pray for me, that I be not separate from thee, and their blessed fellowship in the heavenly city. Thoughe it be granted to M. Fowler that the Saints in heaven do pray for us, yet hath he given us no warrant of the word of God, to assure our consciences, either to make our prayers to thē, or to pray the Lord Jesus to speak to them, or to appoint them to pray for us. The Lord Jesus prayed for Peter, that his faith might not fail, if it had failed he had bien separated from the Lord Christ. Lette them therefore which fear this separation, pray the Lord Jesus to be even so good to them in this point as he was to Peter. For Christ prayed not for the Apostles only, but for all them which shall believe in him truly. I pray not for these alone (saith he) but for all them also which shall believe in me through their word, John. 17. We know that the Lord Jesus him self maketh intercession for us, and with that we do content our selves, & therefore we leave Saints to M. Fowler. In the eight petition he putteth in this piece: When I offend thee, smite me not with sudden death I beseech thee: and in the fifteenth petition, he prayeth likewise: from sudden death and vnforeseene Lord preserve me. What meaneth M. Fowler to ask this one thing thus twice? Woulde he have the world understand that he is afraid of death, and afraid to die? He feareth death saith Cyprian, that is unwilling to go to Christ. M. Fowler maketh by his Psalter a show as though he were well acquainted with the name of Jesus, and is he (I say) afraid to die? Then he is not well acquainted with Jesus himself, how busy so ever he be with his name. For that fear is of want of faith in Jesus verily. This fear hath been seen in some cloisterers, if all be true that they do write, which do write the lives of cloysterers. For of cloysterers we may see some which have earnestly desired the puttinge of, of death, and the prolonging of life. But yet other of them have corrected this fear in them selves by faith, as they write of Hylarion who feeling him self to be afraid of death, said to him self: O soul thou hast served Christ these fourscore years, and art thou now afraid to go out. Exi quia misericors est: that is: Go out for he is merciful. This correction of fear by faith in Christ is much better then M. Fowlers fearful prayer. But this term, vnforeseene death may give us occasion to think that M. Fowler and such as he is, do lead a very secure, and careless life, which do never foresee death. That man that so leadeth his life, that he doth not in his life time foresee his death draw on him daily, is maruelously misled. Blind he is which cannot foresee death which is daily seen, and dull he is, whom so many warninges of death given cannot prepare to death. The life of a Christian hath in it a continual premeditation and foresight of death, & that death which is so foreseen rightly, shall not (I trow) be sudden when it cometh. Neither shall any death be sudden to him, or vnforeseene of him, that is both godly and daily prepared to die. Therefore let M. Fowler acquaint his heart with that desire which the Apostle had in his breast, when he desired to be loased and to be w ^t Christ. And let him teache his reader that lesson, after that he hath well digested it him self, which the holy Apostle teacheth 2. Cor. 5. That is, that the faithful do sigh, desiringe to be clothed with their house which is from heaven. They have their desire that mortality might be swallowed up of life, and to remove out of the body and to dwell with the Lord. If M. Fowler will learn to acquaint him self well with the godly desires of the faithful, truly then he shall not need to make this petition of his either single or double, as now he doth. The first parte of the ninth petition is: Jesus grant me grace for to remember perfectly the danger of death, and the great account which I must give to thee, and to dispose me that my soul may be acceptable to thee & to thy glorious mother the blessed virgin Mary. The right remembrance of death is very necessary and profitable to the living. But it is strange that M. Fowler prayeth Jesus so to dispose him that his soul may be acceptable to him and to his glorious mother the virgins Mary. It is sufficient truly that our souls be made acceptable to God our father by the Lord Jesus, for so be they sufficiently accepted to salvation, & they which are made so acceptable, cannot but be welcome to the company of that blessed virgins Mary, to y ^e Saints which are in heaven with her, & to all the Angels also: why Jesus should make our souls, which by his own grace are accepted to salvation, acceptable to his mother, I know not, unless M. Fowler thinketh that y ^e thing which Jesus Christ doth accept, his mother may, or will mislike. But I think not so evil of that blessed virgin Mary, whatsoever M. Fowler doth. For I think that she doth rather adore the grace of her son Jesus, by which he doth accept our souls to salvation, then either mislike it, or join with him in the office, and authority of acceptinge. It followeth, in the same petition: Then with the assistance of thy glorious Angel Saint Michael, deliver me from the danger of my ghostly enemy. This name of the holy Angel we know, & we know also that the deliverer of the faithful from their ghostly enemy the devil, is Jesus Christ alone, for he thorough death did destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil as the Apostle saith, Heb. 2. And S. John saith, 1. John. 3. That for this purpose the son of God appeared that he might loase the works of the devil, he it is by whom only it is, that the God of power treadeth Satan under the feet of the faithful. Why doth M. Fowler flee from this grace, and power of the Lord Jesus to S. Michael. We know not who hath assigned S. Michael the Archangel to this office to be a deliverer of souls in danger of death, from the danger of the Ghostlie enemy. If Master Fowler listeth to make him self bold to assign offices to Aungelles in heaven, it is but a popish pride. It followeth: And thee my good Angel I beseech than to help me. And what do you say Master Fowler, to your bad Angel? will you say nothing to him? you do dream in popery that every man hath his two Angels, that is his good Angel, & his bad Angel, as all y ^e world knoweth. But in the word of truth we do learn & by it we know that God hath appointed his Aungelles to be ministringe spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heirs of salvation, but that each man hath his several Angel appointed to help him I do not yet certainly know. But I will leave this question to the time and place of more full knowledge. And in the mean time till I do know it, I would fain learn of M. Fowler, where he hath learned to pray to his good Angel, or to any Angel. We know that the holy Angels do not suffer men to adore or worship them Apoca. 21. Howe will they then admit that men should pray to them? Will M. Fowler pray to them whether they will or no? Prayer is a service which we are taught to do to God, to whom Christ Jesus commandeth us to pray. But neither Jesus nor his Apostles, did ever teache us in any place to pray to our good Angel. Who then hath taught Master Fowler to pray to his good Angel for help thus solemnly? Let M. Fowler tell us this in truth, or else we will turn it over to him self, as one of his own dreams and forgeries. In the tenth petition he saith: Jesus send me here my purgatory and preserve me from those torments of fire which ever shall punish sin and iniquity. I will not, without further proof, presume to say that M. Fowler is fallen into that beastly filth of Pithagoras, who dreamed of a monstrous kind of purgatory and purginge of souls in this mortal life. But let M. Fowler awake out of his own dream and tell us, howe and where he hath found us out this new purgatory, that is such a one as he doth pray to have in this life here. Of which belike he is not greatly afraid, for be teacheth his scholar to pray for it ten times together. But this is not that purgatory (I trow) out of which he prayeth in everyone of the petitions in his Psalter so bitterly to have souls delivered, nor yet is it that purgatory of which his catholic fathers in the last council of Trent do conclude: Neither is this fire which doth ever punish sin, that fire of the popish purgatory. For if it do ever punish sin, then doth it never cease nor ende. But the fire of the popish purgatory hath an ende, as Papists them selves do say, if they say truly. And therefore a Master of that sect doth call that their purgatory fire ignem transitorium, a fire transitory or passing away. This purgatory then, is none of those purgatories of which we have heard before, neither is this fire that fire of purgatory. It is needful therefore that M. Fowler do tell us what fierles purgatory this is which he so busiely prayeth to have in this life. We must know what it is, before we do pray for it. If it shall please him to tell us, what that purgatory is which he calleth my purgatory, and desireth to have it in this life, we shall consider the matter more diligently with him, in the mean time I leave it to him self. It followeth in his Psalter: Mother of God, Patriarchs, &c. (he reckoneth up a number of Saints) I offer me to your merits and beseech you to pray for me, & at my passing help to protect me. I suppose M. Fowler will accompt Abraham to be one among the Patriarchs to whom he prayeth. But what if Abraham do not know him? In the prophecy of • saica. 63. We read of some who in their prayer to God seem to be sturred up the more vehemently to pray unto God himself for help, by this doubtless (say they) thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel knoweth us not, yet thou O Lord, art our father and redeemer, thy name is forever. Loe here is a people which do offer them selves to God their father, and say that the Patriarchs Abraham and Israel do not know them. If these Patriarchs do not know nor understand of the living men, what other Patriarchs do it? Let M. Fowler tell us this, and also let him tell us by what warrant of the word of God, he doth teach his Reader to offer him self thus to the merits of the mother of God, of the Patriarchs, Prophets, Saints &c. We are taught to offer our selves to God. The sacrifices and offerings which are to be made of our selves, are to be made to God alone whose we are Rom. 12. And S. Peter 1. Peter 2. doth teache that the believing Christians are made a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. We have not learned to offer our selves to the merits of the mother of God or of any Patriarch, Prophet or Saint living or departed. There were a kind of old heretics which did make offerings and sacrifices to the Virgin Mary as Epiphanius doth write. This offering of which M. Fowler speaketh, sauoreth strongly of that old heresy, and therefore I leave it as a stinking sacrifice to M. Fowler him self. We have likewise learned in the book of God to trust to be saved by the merits of Christ alone, and belike M. Fowler hath heard of such a thing. For he doth immediately in the same petition say. My Lord Jesus crucified for me, by the merits of thy glorious passion, I beseech thee grant me these petitions. And him self doth say in another place of his Psalter: Thy mercy and thy merits my Savior, ever be between them, (God's wrath and judgment he meaneth) and me. Why doth M. Fowler like an Infidel in the tenth petition show him self to mistrust the merits of Jesus, and doth therein offer him self to the merits of God's mother and other Saints, and now doth commit him self to the merits of Jesus. Is not this a fowl jar and discord in this Psalter of his? I say again that we Christians have learned to trust to the merits of Jesus Christ alone, and to pray him to make intercession for us. We have not learned to pray Saints to make intercession for us, for this is to depart from Christ. We have learned to pray the Lord Jesus both in our living & in our passing to protect us. We have not learned in any teacher of truth to ask this protection of the mother of God, or other Saints. The Prophet David having him self good hope in God's might & mercy, doth both commend him self, and teacheth us to commend our selves into the hands of God the Lord our Redeemer Psal. 31. Into thy hands (saith he) I do commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth. Thus David doth acknowledge God to be his protector and safe keeper, he doth not pray the mother of God, he doth not pray Saints to protect him. The same David Psal. 121. saith. The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shadow at thy right hand. And again, the Lord shall preserve thee from all evil, he shall keep thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and coming in from hence forth and forever. He saith likewise Psal. 97. The Lord preserveth the souls of his Saints, he will deliver them from the hand of the wicked. The same Prophet David Psal. 18. doth with thankful heart to God and full mouth confess this. Thou hast given me (saith he) the shielde of thy salvation, and thy right hand hath staide me. But what did M. Fowler never read, neither these, nor those sweet sayings of the Lord our God in which he promiseth to be the protector of his elect, & to grant them his saving help. Isai 41. God saith, fear thou not, for I am with thee, be not afraid, for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee and help thee, and will sustain thee with the right hand of my justice. The faithful man doth learn of David to say Psal. 28. The Lord is my strength and my shielde, my heart trusted in him & I was helped, therefore mine heart shall rejoice, & with my song will I praise him. The faithful do say as Psal. 32. Our foul waiteth for the Lord, for he is our help and our shielde. And of the Prophet he learneth, Psal. 37. That the salvation of the righteous men shall be of the Lord: he shall be their strength in the time of trouble. For the Lord shall help them, and deliver them, he shall deliver them from the wicked, & shall save them because they trust in him. And they have such a corage & faith in God his goodness, might, and mercy, that they say Psal. 23. Though I do walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. And they say also, Psal. 48. This God is our God forever and ever, he shall be our guide unto the death. Thus doth the Lord allure his people to look for salvation and protection at his hand, and for his saving help in all their perils. And we read that Christ our Savior at his death cried out with a loud voice, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Luc. 23. and by his example doth teache us to do y ^e same. For God is our protector & defender. Stephen also stoned to death cried, Lord Jesus receive my spirit: to the Lord Jesus as to his only protector, he doth commend him self, and by his example he hath taught us to commend our selves to this protector as he did, and therefore in Jesus alone let us rest & abide, so shall we be most safely kept and protected, as the Psalmist saith, Psal. 91. Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high, shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. For truly he that maketh God his defense & trust shall perceive his protection to be a most sure safeguard, as it is at large set forth in that Psalm, which I wish the godly reader diligently to read and mark, and he shall learn of David in his holy Psalter that God is his protector. But M. Fowler in this his Psalter, or rather in this his fiddle, assigneth us to another protection then David doth in his Psalter, whereby the reader may perceive that these Psalters do not agree. We have not learned to pray the Lord Jesus by y ^e merits of his glorious passion to grant such petitions as M. Fowler maketh here: as that we should offer our selves to the merits of God's mother, and other holy Saints, and ask their protection. The merits of Jesus Christ crucified for us, are of such a merit, that for our safety, protection, & salvation, we need no other merit either of the mother of God, or of any Saint, but the only merit of Jesus Christ alone. The merits of Jesus Christ alone have fully merited & deserved for us which do trust in him only, & seek at his hand only all our safety & full salvation. He doth not send us to seek y ^e merits of his mother or of any other saints. And this value and force of Christ's power & merits M. Fowler him self seemeth to have found out once again. For in his eleventh petition, he prayeth y ^e Lord Jesus thus: Thy power protect me, & again, thy passiō preserve me from everlasting damnation, and terror of mine enemy. In deed these words have some good savor and sound of truth, but he would never have mingled y ^e merits & protection of Saints with the merits and protection of Christ, if he had heartily reasted on the protection of Jesus, and upon y ^e merits of the Lord Jesus alone, for he should have found him self so safe in the merits of Christ, y ^t he would never have sought others as even now he did. And here you may once again mark a jar, that Fowler in his Psalter maketh not only w ^t David his Psalter, but even with him self also. We know that Jesus Christ alone, is the sufficient protector of his elect, they are all given unto him of his father, none can take them out of his hand, he hath not joined with him in this protectinge power any other person, neither his mother nor Saint. And therefore the sheep of y ^e Lord Jesus do greatly rejoice in this, that they may rest protected & conducted by Jesus Christ alone, whereof the Psalmist doth sweetly singe Psal. 23. In the same eleventh petition Fowler prayeth: That God would keep his mouth from slanderous speaking, lying, false witness bearing, &c. If this request had been granted, Master Fowler had made no such Psalter as he hath at this time, in which is much lying, false witness bearing, and sclaunderous speaking, as in part you have heard and yet more shall hear by God's grace. In the twelf petition he hath this: In my temptations Lord I beseech thee to help me, for the tender love that thou diddest show to thy mother & she to thee. It is well that he prayeth the Lord Jesus to help him in his temptations, but to require him to do it for the love that he did bear to his mother and she to him, is a thing far featched. Why M. Fowler hath not the Lord Jesus borne any love to you yourself, that is worth the remembering? We know that the Lord Jesus did tenderly love his mother and she him again, but that love which he doth bear to mankind is no less, and is also of his own free goodness. Of love he did give his life for his sheep, & greater love then this hath no man, when any man bestoweth his life for his friends. This is that great love which Jesus hath borne to us, the Christians which do believe in him & hearken to his voice. And the holy Ghost teacheth us to learn, to understand and to taste howe sweet this love is, wherewith the Lord God our heavenly father and our good Lord Jesus have loved us, for that love is our life. Of this love the Lord Jesus doth teach us saying John. 3. So God loved the world that he hath given his only son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have life everlasting. The same our loving Lord Jesus saith of this his love towards us John. 13. As the father hath loved me, so have I loved you. And in his prayer John. 17. he asketh thus. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in them. Thus are we taught in the holy Scriptures to understand the love of the father and the love of the son towards us. Nothing is there said to teache us to look to the love which his mother did bear to him. Yea he saith John. 10. I am the good shepherd, the good shephearde giveth his life for his sheep. And again, therefore doth my father love me, because I lay down my life. And S. John teacheth us. Behold what love the father hath shown on us, that we should be called the sons of God. 1. John. 5. And again he saith, In this appeared the love of God towards us, because he sent his only begotten son into the world, that we might live thorough him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be a reconciliation for our sins. 1. John. 4. Thus doth the spirit of God lay forth that love before us in which lieth our life. Of this love S. Paul having a right good taste writeth Gal. 2. I live (saith he) by the faith of the son of God, who loved me and hath given him self for me. In this love which Christ Jesus beareth to us, is the very life of y ^e faithful, and therefore to it they must & they do look. As we read Apoca. 1. unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood, & made us kings & priests unto God his father, unto him be glory & dominion for evermore. Thus are we taught to taste the love wherewith Jesus Christ hath loved us our selves, howsoever either he loved his mother or she loved him. In the thirteenth petition he hath put in this patche: Make me patiently to suffer injuries and rebukes in recompense of my disobedient heart to thee. To suffer injuries and rebukes for Christ's sake patiently, and for well doing is a blessedness. And cannot this suffice Master Fowler? but he must also make his patience a recompense to God for the disobedience of his heart? Of this his conceipte of recompensing God for sin, I have spoken before, and the less shall I need to speak of it now, because M. Fowler him self also, even in this same petition, belike misdouting his own recompencinge of God for his own sins, doth flee to the recompense which the Lord Jesus hath made for us, and saith: Let thine obedience recompense for my obstinacy, thine abstinence for my superfluity, thy meekness and thy patience for my pride, ireful heart & enmity, thy charity for my malice, thy devotion for my dullness, thy loving heart for my unkindness, thy holy death for my wretched life & for all my misery. These are the words of M. Fowler in this same thirteenth petition, in which he doth require the Lord Jesus to make the recompense for all his sins and misery. And what is it then wherefore he would him self make recompense by his patience? He saith for his disobedient heart. But for this he prayeth the Lord Jesus to make recompense. He seemeth in these words not to trust to the value of recompensing by his own patience, but prayeth that the patience of the Lord Jesus may be a recompense for his own pride, ireful heart, and enmity. You see now once again how contrary M. Fowler is to himself in this petition, & what a jar this contrariety doth make in this his Psalter. In deed the recompense which he would him self make by his patience for the disobedience of his own heart, is far out of tune, and soundeth vnsauerily in the understanding of any true Christian. But this recompense which he findeth that Jesus hath made for his elect, is a sweet savor of life to the souls of true Christians, & agreeth with the saying of the Prophet Isai. 53. He set or made his life for a sacrifice of sin. This recompense which Jesus Christ hath made, & that which M. Fowler would himself make, cannot be coupled together. For Jesus alone and only made the just and full recompense for the sins of all them which are to be saved. In the last, that is, in the fifteenth petition M. Fowler addeth: This invocation and Psalter of thee by the mediation of thy most entirely beloved mother purchase to me gracious life, & blessed ending, free from debt, and deadly sin I beseech thee, and after my bodily death everlasting life, with endless bliss and felicity. M. Fowler must first prove, y ^t this is the Psalter of Jesus before he can thus call and commend it, or attribute such force unto it, as he doth. And let the reader mark how M. Fowler him self, as it were doubting of the value, virtue, or force of this his Psalter, joineth to it, as a poor help to help it forward, the mediation of the blessed virgin Mary. For he would have his Psalter to be of valure to purchase for him, by the mediation of the blessed virgin Mary. Of her mediation we know nothing as I have said before: we do trust only to the mediatiō of her most gracious son our good Lord Jesus, who is the one, & so the only Mediator between God and man. For we are taught by S. Paul, that there is one God and one Mediator between God & man, even the man Christ Jesus. But M Fowler like a slouēlike apoticary mingleth this his Psalter & the mediation of the virgin Mary both together, to the ende belike, that if the one failed y ^e other might serve the turn. And he prayeth that this his medley may purchase first gracious life. This term gracious which he useth, teacheth us, whatsoever he meaneth by gracious life, that it is the work of God's free grace, and therefore cometh not by purchase either of this Psalter, or of the mediation of the virgin Mary. He addeth that by this mingle he would purchase blessed endinge free from debt, and deadely sin. Touchinge the payment of his debts, it may be that M. Fowler thinketh to provide some poor help, by printing of this Psalter, and that the good vent thereof may be a great help to him, if he be in debt. But it is hard dealing to get the money of true men for false ware. It is more hard to lay such snares of deceit to intrappe the simple souls of Christians, as M. Fowler doth, for getting of money to pay his debts. Whatsoever M. Fowler dreameth of payment of his debts, we know the payment and satisfaction for all our sins is the price which Jesus Christ paid in his most precious bitter and bloody death suffered on y ^e cross for us. That only maketh us free, other freedom purchased either by this Psalter, or by the mediation of the Virgin Mary, or any other way which M. Fowler and his fellows can devise, we know none, we will none. We do by God's grace know that freedom into which we are called by Jesus Christ, who as he only could, so he hath most graciously made us free. In that freedom by his grace we do and shall stand. By this mingle M. Fowler would purchase also life everlasting. He thinketh but simply and basely of life everlasting, which doth think that it may be purchased by such a filthy fiddle as is this Psalter, or by such a mingle mangle as Fowler maketh. But we have learned and do believe that life everlasting is (as I said before) the gift of God thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. It is his gift, it is not by this Psalter, nor by the mediation of the Virgin Mary to be purchased. We do give unto God the glory and praise due, of, and for the gift of life everlasting by Jesus Christ. We will not seek it by any other means, nor go about to purchase that our selves, which is thus graciously and freely given unto us. Thus endeth this Psalter (saith Master Fowler ) and yet he addeth an admonition, a point of holsom doctrine be ye sure, and a Narration of nothing verily in effect, yet be they solemnly added to furnishe up the trayne of this his Psalter. But Master Fowler wanteth one thing usual in such preatty popish devises. That is some Bull to be granted by his most holy father Pope Gregory that now is, of pardon for such as shall devoutly say this Psalter. Popes were wont to be liberal to beawtifie such conceiptes with large pardons for thowsandes of years. Master Fowler was much overseen that he did not sue to Rome for such a pardon to have annexed it to his Psalter. Such a Bull would have gotten easy sale of his Psalter among the Romish Calves, and so have made well for the payment of Master Fowlers debts. And we may think that Master Fowler might have come in a very seasonable time to his father Pope Gregory on this message. For it doth appear that this Pope was so full of his popish grace about the time of the publishing of this Psalter, that at an easy entreaty of Master Inglefeilde, and one Master Allen he did liberally grant pardon and pardon again to such as shall have but one of the beade stones which he hath blessed. What would not this Pope then have granted upon small entreaty, to him that should have had, and said this Psalter of Fowler? But if it were so that this Psalter was offered to the Pope to be blessed & dubbed with a pardon, & he refused so to do, & yet he hath so plentifully bestowed his blessing upon a poor beadstone, surely it is enough to mar M. Fowlers markett. For then every man will think that Pope Gregory did not esteem so much of Master Fowlers Psalter as he did of a simple beadestone. A thing of small price and value surely, not unlike to the value of the Popes blessing bestowed on it, that is of no valure at all. But if a blessed beadestone may bring by the popes Bull full remission of all sins, as his blasphemous Bull importeth: Then let Master Fowler go hange up his psalter upon some pynne on the wall, for it can profit no other man, nor yet him self any way that I know. If Pope Gregory that now is would have done so much for this Psalter of Master Fowler as Pope Pius did for his own primer, it might have served much better M. Fowlers turn then now it can, For Pope Pius doth solemnly revoke and put out of use all other primers, to make place for his own Primer now printed by Plantine at Andwarpe, and also giveth preattie pardons to them which shall use it. If Pope Gregory had been so good a fellow to provide for Fowlers psalter, that is, if he had adnihilated and put out of use all other psalters, and then dubbed this psalter of Fowlers w ^t a pardon, what had M. Fowler I pray you then wanted? Nothing verily but truth. It may be that Master Fowler thought that the romish popes had already dealt forth their blessed graces in their pardons so plentifully for many thowsandes of years yet to come, that now they had no more stoare of such graces left them to bestow by pardons. So might it also have been thought that the Romish seduced sect had already gotten such stoare of pardoned years for ages to come, and by pardons such full remissiō of all their sins, y ^t they needed not now to care for anymore newpardōs. But in error there is no stay. I will leave therefore M. Fowler, to sue at Rome, if he be so foolish, for a pardon to furnish this his fiddle which he calleth a Psalter. But I do wish rather to M. Fowler with all my heart that true Christian understanding, which may show him his error, & grace to forsake it, & to embrace the truth of Christ Jesus our Savior, as it is taught and set forth in the word of truth, the most holy word of God, I mean. Here I would ende as he endeth his Psalter, saving that I think good in concludinge to answer an objection which may be made to me. It may be said, that I have not touched all his whole Psalter, but have left much not spoken of, which is contained in it. It is true, I have only touched some such stringes as do make a fowl jar from the soundness of our Christian faith & of the holy Scriptures. And yet I have not touched all but left some untouched, supposinge that this which I have wryttē may give the godly reader sufficient warning of all the rest. This little leaven which I have touched, soureth his whole psalter, and maketh it unsavory to him that tasteth how sweet y ^e Lord is in his truth and mercy. But he will say that Fowler printeth also some good words in his Psalter. What thereof? The devil him self sometime speaketh truth, but he is to be put to silence. For his purpose is by uttering some truth to get credit to be believed in his falsehood. We are forewarned by an old writer, that falsehood doth imitate truth always, and that unless it have some likelihood of truth it cannot deceive. So it may be that M. Fowler speaketh of purpose in some pointes of his psalter a truth, but under that we must take heed that he creep not into such creditte with us, that therefore we should receive as truth all that he printeth, for then you see what stinking filth we shall receive. It is a manner of foysters to set forth their falshoodes with some show of truth, else should they lay them selves to open, and mar their own market. It is the duty of all them which will pray well, and acceptably unto God, to make those prayers which are sound and wholly agreeing with God's moste holy will witnessed in his holy word. Let men take heed of offering strange fire to God, I mean that they do not make strange prayers to God, for if they do, they shall feel the pains thereof and suffer bitter rejection. Let us learn to pray to God him self, sithence he doth vouchsafe to become our Scholemaister herein, and doth teach us how to pray in his sight acceptably, & to our selves most profitably. If we do despise such a schoolmaster, if we will refuse his teaching, and will be teachers to our selves, and thrust upon him our own devises, we do show our selves to be stubborn and proud rebels, he will not accept us, but reject us, the loss and pain shall be ours. It had been the part of M. Fowler to have learned of Jesus our Lord and most gracious Savior how to pray, and then would he not have presumed thus to pack up this peevish Psalter, and to set it on vent under the blessed name of Jesus. This is a boldness intolerable. I read that there were some psalms or himnes devised by men which were forbidden to be used of Christians in the congregation, and that by the consent of some Elders gathered together in council. Mention is made also in Eusebius how some heretics had their new psalms of their own. Such a psalter is this, and such psalms here hath M. Fowler made, if not worse then they were, as worthy to be forbidden as they, and to be avoided of all true Christians, who are as I said to learn of the Lord himself how to offer this sacrifice of prayer to him: and it is our duty both to thank him that it hath pleased him to become our teacher, and also to suffer our selves to be taught of him, yea and to hearken to that which is said, and by the spirit of God taught us.

Praise God. TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader.

F Owler addeth unto his fiddle which he calleth a Psalter, an admonition. It may (I trust) be as lawful for me, now in the ende of this book to add a few words in way of a necessary admonition. When the Pope showeth himself liberal in giuinge of Pardons to them which will pray so as he appointeth them, & when papists are busy to make us Psalters and such pretty instruments whereon to pray, a man would think that both he & they were become very devout. But even these very same men, when this word prayer is most busy in their mouths, have in their hearts & hands fowl & bloody practices, to cut the throats of thē whom they do allure to pray with them. In which they do not so closely work, but God of his goodness, doth discover thē, blessed be his name for it. He doth bewray unto us that blood thrist which lieth in their hearts. For, they do in deed secretly labor & practice the shedding of our blood & the murthering of us all, whilst they do allure us to pray, as they prescribe us. And therefore just cause we have now to complain on these enemies as David doth upon his: Psal. 55. The words of his mouth were softer then butter, yet war was in his heart: His words were more gentle then oil, yet they were swords. We may likewise complain as he doth, Psal. 120. My soul hath to longe dwelt with him that hateth peace. I seek peace, & when I speak thereof, they are bent to war. In these practices of the seed of Cain, that is of these romish catholics (for so they will be called) we do se that fulfilled which was foretold us by our Savior Christ. John. 16. That whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth God service. Thus are the childrē of God forewarned that they shall find enemies so devout & cruel, that they shall think them selves to do good and acceptable sacrifice to God in slaying & killing of them. This is an opinion which is put into their minds by the devil that old murderer & liar: & in this murthering, the murderers do this their service to the devil him self. The old persequutinge Pagans thus served their God's, that is, the devil him self in bloody slayinges and murtheringes of Christians. In deed it is the delight of the devil to smell the savor of such sacrifices. And therefore even among the Pagans and Idolaters, the devil that old murderer had sowed this delusion, that they were induced to think it to be a most acceptable service to their Idols, to offer unto them men, women, & children in slain sacrifice like beasts. Yea some of thē did dote herein so egregiously, that they spared not their own sons, and daughters, but made unnatural slaughters of their natural children to the devil him self in their Idols. And this was among them a thing so common and horrible, that even of this their cruel inhumanity did some old doctors and writers of Christ's church gather arguments to prove those Idols false devils and their worship Idolatry, and to draw those Idolaters from their barbarous infidelity to the faith of Christ. The same pagans also were taught by the devil their schoolemaister to think sometime that it was meet for them to pacify their gods, and to procure them selves felicity by making of havoc and cruel slaughters of the godly old Christians. The same murderer the devil which wrought these mischiefs then, doth use still his old pranckes, and doth stir up papists now to practice the like inhumaine & cruel slaughters upon the poor flock & sheep of Christ, as he did by Pagans then. They think it an acceptable service & sacrifice to their God. But it is only a pleasing service to the devil of hell, and the devil it is whom papists do serve herein. They think by these means to extinguish the faith, the religion, & true profession of Christ, that their popish Idols may keep the place of God, and be counted and worshipped as God only and alone upon earth, wherein they serve the devil himself to the uttermost of their power. Many are the unnatural slaughters which not only before us, but even in our age papists have made in France, at Merindoll, Paris, and through that whole realm, in Flaunders also and Spain, England and else where as the histories of our age do bear testimony. But if that God whom Papists worship be such a cruel belly god, that he is best pleased when men are slain for his pleasure, we may safely say then that, that which the Papists do worship with such service, is the very devil of hell. For the Lord God the maker of heaven and earth, God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only true living God, accepteth no such service, no such sacrifice, and he will in his appointed time call these butchers and men quellers to as fearful an account for these their cruel doings as once he called Cain for the slaughter of his brother Abel. Yea let them proceed, they shall but fill up the measure of their sins, that upon them (as Christ saith) may come all the righteous blood that was shed upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias, &c. But you will say these men be devout in their prayers. They do pray: so did Cain: so did Doeg, make a semblance of praying and sacrificing, but this was but the counterfetting of these cast-awayes. And the Papists do think that whilst they do thus nourish this insatiable malice and devise of these bloody massacres in their hearts, yet that they do pray so well thenselves, that they may allure others to pray with them. But in these their thoughts they do err, and are deceived. For the Lord him self saith by the Prophet. Isai. 1. When you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you, and though you make many prayers, I will not hear, for your hands are full of blood. The prayers therefore of these bloody papists are not heard, thanks be to God for it. But let us all which do profess the religion of Jesus Christ in truth, be admonished with care and diligence to practice right prayer acceptable to God by Jesus Christ our Savior, and not forget that whilst we do pray, papists have still their secrete practices to cut all our throats, and therefore let us be prepared for them.