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A48357
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An epistle declaratorie, or manifest written by G. L. to his brethren residing in England
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Leyburn, George, 1593-1677.
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1657
(1657)
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Wing L1937; ESTC R217653
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14,543
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55
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AN EPISTLE DECLARATORIE OR MANIFEST WRITTEN BY G. L. TO HIS BRETHREN RESIDING IN ENGLAND Non plus sapere quam oportet sapere sed sapere ad sobrietatem Ad Rom. 12. Apud Christianos non qui patitur sed qui facit contumeliam miserest S. Hier. ad Marcum By the Widdowe of MARKE WYON 1657. SVPERIORVM PERMISSV AN EPISTLE DECLARATORIE OR MANIFEST WRITTEN BY G. L. TO HIS BRETHREN RESIDING IN ENGLAND MY MVCH HONORED BRETHREN Having beene certainly informed that M. r Tho. Blacloe hath lately published in print à certaine Letter conteyning divers vnhansome bitter and vncharitable expressioÌ„s against my owne person as alsoe that à slender consult of his London freinds hath ordered that the said Letter shall be onely communicated to those amongst you who are constituted in Cheife Power and Autority with designe vndoubtedly for in prudence I cannot harbour an interpretation more fauorable of à proceeding soe vnbeseeming persons of their charge and function to lessen me in their esteeme and by degrees to hurt my integrity and wound my reputation in the opinion of all my Brethren In this respect purely I have thought fitting notwithstanding that the said letter is kept from me which is an argument of foule play to direct vnto you all in Generall this Declaratory Epistle or Manifest which I doe assure me shall afford you sufficient euidence whereby to be confirmed in my Innocency and to be convinc't in M. r Blacloes vnreasonable animosity I said in this respect purely for the onely motive that inviteth me to imbarcke my selfe in a Manifest is the vnhansone result of the aboue mentioned Consult if that had not occur'd I should in this occasion haue beene as abstemious in the employing of my pen as in other former occasions when I was sufficiently provoked as will appeare in the series of my Manifest However à remisse heate of Charity is capable to digest intense iniuries and calumnies and it theire ingaged in Christs Militia I did not decline manum percutientis here as it weere miles emeritus I shall ioy to suffer linguam detrectantis Since I was not worthy to represent my divine Maister in the effusion of his blood I will strive to imitate him in his flagello lingue that is in his iniurious reproches Samaritanus es demoniuns babes potator vinies seductores blasphenouses non amicus Caesaâ—â—s es c. and as S. Hierome says Christâ—… miles per bonam malam famam a 〈◊〉 a sinistris graditur And I dare say to M. r Blacloe as S. Austin said to his Aduersary à Manichaean senti dit Ley but no quicquid libet sola me in oculis Dei conscientia non acceset Neque debet saith S. Ambrose plus ponderis esse in alieno convitio quam in suae conscientiae testimonio Besides if our heavenly Father be soe infinitely good that super omnes impios inimicos suos solem facit oriri nubes pluere I weere an vnworthy child of that Father if I should hate or hurt my enemies especially there bring hopes of their Conversion as long as they are viatores Wherefore I will say and pray with Blessed S Austine vtinam cui nos modo exercent con vertantur nobiscum exerceantur tamen quam diu ita sunt vt exerceant non eos oderimus quia in eo quod malus est quis eorum an vsque in finem perse veraturus sit ignoramus plerumque cum tibi videris odisse mimicum fratrem odisti nescis And this was one of that glorious Martyr Sir Thomas Moore his pious instruction and meditation when imprison'd in the Tower of London his persecutors saught his life Thus much incidently to shew vnto you that I doe stand soe fixt't on these Christian principles commanding love towards our enemies that onely my owne desire to prevent those that shall goe about to foment division betwix't me and my Brethren and not M. r Blacloes provocation hath occasioned my engagement in this declaratory Epistle and accordingly as I shall make appeare my owne integrity and his inordinate animosity let me stand or fall in your iudgements Wherefore to prosecute my designe S. Austine relateth that Iulian the Pelagian Bishop was in greate esteeme with all the Catholick Clergy of Africke before he became an enemy to Catholick doctrine ascribing sais the same S. Austine to bonae voluntati orantis what was due to gratiae Dei miserentiâ— which Error S. Prosper describeth in theis verses Tam bona quemque docet sectari posse suopte Ingenio qua posse subest cuique in mala ferri I can say the same of M. r Blacloe he was in high vogue with all our Clergy and in great respect wheresoever his Conversation made him knowne before vnhappily he espoused erroneous and dangerous doctrines The first beginning of his decrease in the good opinion that our Bishop and his Clergy had haâ—â—onted of his conceived extraordinary parts and merits happen'd when having approved with his owne subscription divers scaÌ„dalous opinioÌ„s he could not be induced to recall his incoÌ„siderate act for any entreaty or reasoÌ„ his Brethren could vse And since by occasion of his owne writings published in print and Cheifly his new divinity he is absolutely vanisht and lost in the opinion that was formerly conceived of his worth For our Blessed Bishop of happy memory out of his religious zeale tender Care and affection towards his flocke did enioyne me his Grand Vicar then residing in London to suppresse the said new Divinity signifying that it conteyned divers naughty erroneous and scandalous doctrines contradicting holy Scriptures Councells and contrary to the vniversall practice of the Catholick Church Wherefore in obedience to my Pastors command and in performance of my owne charge I acquainted our cheife Brethren particular superiours in particular districts as also advised them of the greate daunger that might proceede from profane Nouelties which like Cancers or Gangreenes do vsually spread if not opportunely prevented and remedied to the ruine of many soules But this performance of my Pastorall duty this execution of my obligation this discharge of my Conscience did soe extreamely irritate and incense M. r Blacloe and amongst his adherents particularly M. r Harrington that these two thought it fitting to decry me in divers companyes imagining perhaps that to cry downe my partes was to cry vp the new divinity which my Cry before had cross't in its intended cariere The ordinary Character they were pleasd to bestow on me was an illiterate man not capable to say bo to a Goose which I doe professe vnto you did noe more startle or trouble me then would haue done the eating of a Goose if statu'd with hunger However I writte a civill letter to M. r Blacloe taking notice of his incivilities towards me and concluded it with the same wordes with which Great S. Austine doeth end his booke de dono perseuerantiae Ego inquit cum per eos qui meos labores
legunt non solum doctior verum etiam emendatior fio propitium mihi Deum agnosco hoc per Ecclesiae Doctores maxime expecto si in ipsorum manus venit dignentur nosse quod scribo And in another place speaking of his owne writings he expresseth his humility in a perfecter manner quicumque inquit ista lecturi sunt non me imitentur erranteni sed in melius proficientem And I wish him to take into his serious consideration his owne and S. Austines spirit and to compare the one with the other and being it is certaine that S. Austines spirit was a gallant spirit and proceeded from God it would necessarily follow that spirit not to be inspired by God which should be opposite to S. Austines spirit However my counsell and advice made soe little impression and produced soe little fruite that it rather incouraged M. r Blacloes animosity against me For soone after I being forced in a manner out of England to engage in the government of our old Mothers affaires one halfe yeere was hardly expired when I was summon'd to encounter with a little Army of false accusations forged by him and his adherents and presented against me to the Popes Nuncio residing at Paris But in regard I was in another Territory they were remitted to the Nuncio residing at Brussells to whose Iurisdiction I was subiect And bis Lordshippe after a mature examination of my Answeres to all the said accusations was evidently convinc't of the indirect proceedings vsed by my Adversaries insomuch that he was pleasd to stile the accusations exhibited against me the bowes of the wicked and calld my adversaries malitious men as appeareth by his said Lordshipps letter written to my selfe which is as followeth EXIMIE AC ADMODVM R. de DOMINE Tam ex candida prudenti atque benigna Dominationis Vestrae Responsione quam optimis aliorum relationibus Innocentiam eius perspectam habeo cumque diuino Tribunali causam suam probasse videatur non officient hominum iudicia multò minùs maleuolorum criminationes Vnum hoc periculorum est quae se passum fuisse narrat S. Paulus Apostolus nimirum in falsis fratribus vnde nouum non est proborum famam perperam sugillari Sed patientiae clypeo ad sustinendum non minus quam brachio forti ad agendum Dominationem Vestram munitam gaudeo aduersus retribuentes mala pro bonis detrabentes ei quia secuta est bonitatem Porro non omittam Innocentiam Dominationis Vestrae vbi opus fuerit propalare iniquorum arcus confringere illam solum bortando vt quemadmodum tanta laude inceperit ita in posterum malum in bono vincere alacriter pergat dum rogo Dominum Deum vt condigna mentis praemia Dominationi Vestrae retribuat in hac vita in futura Bruxellis 10. Februarij 1654. Eximiae ac admodum R. dae D. oâ—is Vestrae Addictissimus seruus ANDREAS Aâ—BAS S. ANGELI In this Conflict or Combate my Innocency obtain'd a considerable victory which invited me to sing cheerefully with S. Chrysostome Gaude Innocentia exulta vbique illaesaes vbique seâ—ura si humiliaris erigeris si pugnas vincis si occideris coronaris The afore mentioned accusations as I doe probably coniecture had their rise from a particular indignation occasioned by a certaine Letter that D. r Daniel and my selfe ioyntly writte some Months before the said accusations weere exhibited to our Brethren assembled in London out of most parts of England and is as followeth MOST HONORED BRETHREN Wee cannot sufficiently expresse the ioy and comfort that wee haue receiued vnderstanding of an appoynted meeting for the better settlemeÌ„t of your affaires not doubting but that you will assemble as the Children of Israel did when they sought God in their prâ—â—sing necesâ—ities quasi vir vnus or as the Apostle sayes solliciti servare vnitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis that vnder Christ the head in your vnanimous resolutioÌ„s euery member of our Clergie may prosper Wee heartily wish it that might lye within our reach to afford you our personall assistance in the accomplishment of your pious and holy designes howsoeuer wee haue thought fitting at this distance to inculcate vnto you what wee conceiue to bee most conducing to the purchasing of the diuine blessing therein which are our ioynt and earnest desires 1. That à firme and happy correspondence may bee established betwixt you and your old Mother to whom you owe what you enioy of happines in that Kingdome That you are now vnum corpus in Christo is to be ascribed to her care and vigilance whose glorious Martyrs blood hath beene the seede of your church 2. That per omnia you obey your Ordinarie whom the holy Ghost hath constituted to gouerne you wee say per omnia making him sole Vmpire in your Controuersies or differences and such obedience vndoubtedly will make vs à glorious body and Maisters of our Aduersaries who are emulous of our dignitie vir obediens loquetur victoriam 3. That whereas our Clergies purity and integrity in points of doctrine for which formerly it was much renown'd hath beene greatly stain'd both there and in forreigne Countreys through the late writings of M. r Thomas Blacloe Balchelour of Diuinity and of M. r Henry Holden Doctor of Paris against whom are great clamours of Regulars and others to our vnspeakable preiudice and dishonour being both members of our said Clergie you will protest against the said writings and disauowe them as in noe wise allowed or countenanc'd by you And thus wishing you as much happines in all your affaires as you owne hearts can desire wee rest 4. Iulii 1653. Your most affectionate and most Humble seruants G. L. EDWARD DANYEL The onely motiue of inserting the last clause concerning M. r Blacloe and D. r Holden was our ioynt zeale for the Clergies honour and reputation which in forreigne parts and principally in the Court of Rome was extreamely ecclips'd by the temetarious writings of those two Cheife members from thence being infer'd that the whole English Clergy roote and branch was addicted to scandalous Nouelties and infected with dangerous doctrines according to the Common report spread both in Fraunce and Flanders as alsoe intimated in diuers letters written from Rome to our Bishop my selfe and others Howeuer this eminent danger of ruine to the Clergy's honour was so litle resented by M. r Harrington and the rest of M. r Blacloes party present in the said Assembly that the Letter had beene absolutely reiected if the Maior part had not resisted as can witnes the Members of that Assembly Iuly 1653. But when the said Letter and the effects it had wrought in the said Assembly came to M. r Blacloes notice how passionately he was moued is euidently gathered from his dedicatory Epistle to his condemned Booke entituled Soâ—us Buccinae which is thus ODOARDO DANIELL c. Oportet ergo vt ad te proficiscatur iste libellus etiam talem