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To let pass the slumbrings of former times, we could tell you of an age, wherein men not only slept, but also snorted: it was (if you know it not) the tenth from Christ, the next neighbour to that wherein ^lHell broke loose. That ^mUnhappy age (as Genebrard, and other of your own Writers term it,) exhausted both of men of account for wit and learning, and of worthy ⟨p. 7⟩Princes and Bishops: In which there were ⁿno famous Writers, nor Councils; then which (if we will credit Bellarmine) there was never age ^omore unlearned and unhappy. If I be not able to discover what feats the Devil wrought in that time of darkness, wherein men were not so vigilant in marking his conveyances; and such as might see somewhat, were not so forward in writing books of their Observations: must the infelicity of that age, wherein there was little learning, and less writing, yea, which for want of Writers (as Cardinal ^pBaronius acknowledgeth) hath been usually named the Obscure age; must this (I say) enforce me to yield, that the Devil brought in no tares all that while, but let slip the opportunity of so dark a night, and slept himself for company? There are other means left unto us, whereby we may discern the Tares brought in by the instruments of Satan; from the good seed which was sown by the Apostles of Christ; beside this observation of times and seasons, which will often faile us. Ipsa doctrina eorum (saith ^qTertullian) cum Apostolicâ comparata, ex diversitate & contrarietate suâ pronuntiabit, neque Apostoti alicujus auctoris esse, neque Apostolici. Their very doctrine it self, being compared with the Apostolic, by the diversity and contrariety thereof, will pronounce, that it had for author, neither any Apostle, nor any man Apostolical. For there cannot be a better prescription against Heretical novelties, then that which our Saviour Christ useth against the Pharisees;