COnsidering that this Ladder was first framed and entitu­led The Ladder of Hell, by a Papist, to the great disgrace (as hee conceined) of our Protestant Religion; I ima­gine that some of you (dearely beloued Bre­thren) will wish that it had been quite sup­pressed, and neuer seene light: yet, (in re­gard it containeth nothing but a collection of certaine sentences set downe in the pub­like bookes of twelue principall Pillars of our Church) I thought it not amisse to set it forth, just as I found it, vnder your protecti­on; knowing well, that euery zealous Pro­testant can with the dexteritie of his refor­med spirit turne all, though neuer so plainly seeming ill, to at least a seeming good sense: as for example, wheras the Papist called this [Page] collection of sentences, The Ladder of Hell because in his judgement the beleefe and, practise of it leadeth a soule directly to hell. Yet one of our new learning (considering that Ladders are made rather to helpe men vpward then downeward) wil say it may be called The Ladder of Hell, because the be­leefe and practise of it will lift soules out of hell. And with reason may this be said, sup­posing one ground of our new doctrine be true, Caluin. in c. 30. Isa. Hermonia ad cap. 3. Mat. v. 12. I. Instit. c. 25. n. 12. to wit, that Hell is (no such locall place in which are fire and other torments, as is said by the ancient Fathers, and the Scrip­tures themselues, to be prepared for the Di­uels and other damned creatures, but) only a certaine terror and horror of an afflicted conscience, the which may in some measure be felt euen in this world, and is ordinarily felt after sin commited euen by Protestants, vntill by beleeuing firmely, and practising freely the points of doctrine contained in this Ladder, they come by degrees to con­temne all things, to wit, all Lawes of God and man: and all scruple of minde and re­morse of conscience, and all feare of Death, Iudgement, and Hell, which estate of mind, it is like diuers zealous Protestants haue al­readie attained vnto, esteeming themselues hereby to be not onely freed from hell, but [Page] to haue attained a kind of heauen in earth: Marry the doubt is, whether this their hea­uē wil last alwayes, as true heauen ought to doe, or whether this hastie freeing thēselues frō the hell of care, feare, remorse & sorrow in this life, will not plung them into a most bitter feeling of remorse in the houre of death, and into intollerable torments of the eternall Hell in the next life. The which doubt being in the judgement of some, on­ly a Papisticall scruple, I will leaue to bee discussed at better leasure: It shall suffice my present purpose onely to declare the mani­fold vses, which for the present time may be made of this excellent Ladder, both by Papists and Protestants.

First, I finde that the Papists meane to make this short Ladder serue for an answer of many long discourses made by Protestant Ministers in bookes or Sermons, in which they obiect the ill liues of some Papists; the which obiections the Papists doe retort more strongly against vs Protestants, who cannot deny, but that since the light of the new Gospell was by Luther brought into the world, Luther in Postilla supra E­uangel. dom. 1. ad­uentus. men are (as Luther himselfe coufessed) more reuengeful, more conetous, more vnmercifull, more vnmodest and vn­ruly, and much worse then they were in Pa­pistry; [Page] the reason whereof (say the Papists) is for that the very doctrine it selfe of the new Gospellers, doth not onely not afford such effectuall restraints and remedies a­gainst sinne, as is in the ancient Catholike Religion, but also hath (as appeareth by the steps of this Ladder) diuers expresse princi­ples, which doe plainly open the gappe to all licentious libertie of lewde life, far more then can bee imagined to bee done by any principles of the Papists doctrine. Where­upon the Papists conclude that the Prote­stant Religion, whose doctrine is so vnholy, cannot be a holy Religion inspired by the holy Ghost, but suggested (as Luth. de abroganda missa pri­uata, edi­tione pri­ma. Luther the first Author confesseth some part of it (to wit, the deniall of the sacrifice of the Masse) to haue beene suggested to him) by Satan himselfe, the enemy of all true Religion and holinesse.

The zealous Protestant not much regar­ding this, or whatsoeuer other arguments made by Papists, find out other vses of this Ladder: as for example. First, it teacheth euery one of them to exercise heroicall acts of their I call it new foūd, because I finde not in Scrip­ture or in the anci­ent Fa­thers that a man is made iust by confi­dently beleeuing that hee is Iust, but rather by humbly ac­knowledging ones selfe to be a sinner, as appeareth in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. Luke 18. new-found Iustifying Faith, by [Page] which they beleeue that they are just, holy, and of the number of the predestinate, not onely by hauing a good hope, (as the poore Papists haue) when they see or feele some of those things in themselues, which by the holy Scriptures they learne to be signes of true Iustice (to wit, repentance of sins past, carefulnesse to auoid sinne in time to come, diligence in doing good workes; &c.) but also by infallible and absolute beleefe, as of a chiefe article of their Christian faith, euen at such times as they neither see, nor feele any such signes, yea euē whē they euidently see in themselues contrary signes, & name­ly, euen when they actually do those works of the flesh, Gal▪ 5. of which Saint. Paul pronoun­ceth, That they who doe such things, shall not obtaine the Kingdome of God. Zea­lous Protestants, I say, maugre this threat of S. Paul, are taught by this Ladder to be­leeue boldly that they are Saints, and can­not misse saluation, notwithstanding they commit neuer so many most horrible sins.

Secondly, this Ladder teacheth them to cast away all feare of God, not onely in re­spect of his Iustice, in inflicting present or future paines for sinne (which is called ser­uile feare) but also of separation from God, which feare cannot stand with our new Iu­stifying Faith, in regard we must hold it ab­solutely [Page] impossible that we can bee separa­ted from God, and consequently wee must cast away this fear, although neuer so much commended in Scripture.

Thirdly, By this admirable Ladder, zea­lous Protestants may be deliuered from all inward remorse of conscience, & may come to that highest perfection of our new Gos­pell, which consisteth in a neglect of al con­science, the which cannot be attained on a sudden, but must be gained (as Luther him­selfe gained it) by entering into a terrible conflict, and fighting against ones owne conscience; the difficulty of which combate ariseth out of three heads.

The first is the letter of the written word, which seemeth euery where to crosse thi [...] liberty of conscience, and to forbid the do­ing of any thing against conscience. But our new spirituall man, who judgeth all things, will oppose against this killing letter of Scripture, which restraineth our freedome, the quickening spirit of this Ladder, which alloweth liberty of neglecting conscience.

The second is an old Tradition of the Pa­pists in fauour of conscience, which hath by long custome taken a deepe roote in vs. But the zealous Protestant, who accounteth Papistry a great blindnesse, will easily defie this among other Papisticall traditions.

[Page] The third is an inueterate opinion and feeling of conscience engrauen in the very nature and flesh of mans heart. But we new spirited men do know old nature to be cor­rupted, and that the flesh profiteth nothing.

Thus my deare Brethrē, you may see what vses may be made of this admirable Ladder.

It remaineth that in a word I also declare, why I make choice to dedicate it vnto you, and to put it in print vnder your protection.

The reason is, because the authors out of whom these sentences were collected, were all zealous Protestants. Secondly, because none now adaies will (as I suppose) stedfast­l [...] beleeue & endeuor to practise according [...] these points, but only zealous Prote­ [...]a [...]s. Thirdly, beause none but such zealous Protestāts, who frame their liues according to this Ladder, can well vnderstand how it is possible that this Ladder can be good, or how it should deliuer one out of Hell, and cōsequently, why it should be stiled in that sense, in which I stile it, The Ladder of Hell.

It may be the Papist, which first framed this Ladder, wil play vpon vs with his text, Woe vnto you that call euil good, and good euill, Isa. 5. 20. But wee care not for his text, for we can cry as lowd, and say as fast, Wo vnto him, and although the world will, witnesse that he hath better reason to vse this text a­gainst [Page] vs, then we against him: yet it suffi­ceth that our Which whether it bee white or blacke, Zuinglius himselfe could not tell. new Spirit doth beare witnes to our nullity of cōscience that we say true.

If the Papist take aduātage at my intitling my self Minist. of the Word in Comberland, saying that we Ministers comber the Land with these libertine doctrines. I can reply & tell him, that it is he & his Seminaries, who comber our consciences with their contrary doctrines, & with putting scruples into our heads, by adding to this Ladder certain sen­tences, threatning hell and damnation to sinners: for although we professe by our ju­stifying Faith, that we are sure to be saued, and that we neede not feare to be damned: yet I confesse, when I seriously examine my guilty conscience, and by searching, find the holy Scriptures themselues to pronounce plainly eternall damnation to all ill liuers. I cannot choose but be bodily afraid lest the Papist say true, when he telleth vs that the Libertine doctrine taught by our new Gos­pellers, & set downe in this Ladder, wil most certainly lead the followers of it to their e­ternall ruine and destruction in hell; from which I beseech the Lord to deliuer vs all. Amen