to our sight and being that they hold all lying to be so sinfull that they may not tell a lye for the sauing of a soule it were too hard a censure to thinke that against the light of their owne consciences they would so wilfully thrust themselues on that danger and so boldly professe it in the eares of their friends But by this fine Arte they can quiet the murmuring of their consciences because by it they can say any thing neuer so false and yet by a reseruation make it as true as the Gospell This consideration maketh mee not to maruell when in men that professe such religious strictnesse as Father Persons saith they doe I finde such broad and vnreasonable expositions and glosses of Fathers and other Writers as that no man of vnderstanding who readeth the places but will see that the glosse doth corrupt the Text and the expositions doe clearely depraue the Authors meaning For I know that an Equiuocator hath an Arte by which hee can make all speeches to become true if once they doe but come forth of his mouth Fourthly It may serue them for deuising and counterfeiting of strange apparitions and heauenly visions and diuine miracles This how frequent it hath beene heretofore the wisest and most learned among their owne Writers doe confesse and bewaile And of late yeeres their owne Brethren doe say that the miracles and visions reported of Ignatius and Iustinian and Xauier and others of the Iesuiticall straine and order are not much better And what should let vs to thinke but they which presume so much in other things in ordine ad Deum and pro bono societatis in reference to God and for the good of their Order would not sticke to fitte◠and faine and tell of glorious facts and admirable wonders which were neuer done and make faire shewes without substance if these may helpe to aduance the papall dignitie or the Iesuiticall order especially seeing they know how to say and write and sweare any thing for so great a good without the least grudge of conscience Fiftly It may serue them for forging and diuulging of false especially slanderous reports against their aduersaries and enemies of their profession A thing so generally and so boldly practised by the men of this faction especially by the Fathers of Ignatius his Order that wise men haue much wondred when in such politique persons as Iesuites are they haue seene and obserued such a strange liberty in coyning of forged tales as that the vntruthes which they haue broached might well be called splendida mendacia transparent lyes such as by their owne light bewray themselues or such as within a few dayes might and haue appeared to the world to be loude and lewd lyes that might shame their Master And wee might well wonder if we knew not the Iesuites new Arte that men of any either conscience or honest minde could let passe out of their mouthes or from their pens such shamefull and yet shamelesse fictions For example to giue the Reader a taste of their forgeries and lying slanders Luther was a great mawle that battered their Babel and of him they reported and printed it too that hee was dead and buried which was no great wonder but that which was worth the straining of their wits when hee lay a dying hee tooke order that his bodie should be layed on the Altar and adored as a God And when hee was dead and buried that there was such a terrible noyse and tumult about his graue as if heauen and earth had gone together And the night after his buriall that there was a much greater and more hideous noyse and shricking then before And when vpon the occasion of this fearefull noyse which frighted all the Citizens out of their sleepe his graue was opened the next day there was neither bodie nor bones nor graue-clothes to be seene but so hellish a stinke came out of his graue as with the poyson of it it had almost killed the standers by And all this while Luther was aliue and did helpe to demolish their Babel still and not long after the same time published a book in print gaue it this title Contra Papatū à diabolo institutum Against the Papacie sounded by the Deuill This story if any man be desirous to see he may read Melch. Adamus in the booke which he wrote of the liues of German Diuines Where he may also reade the words of the lying Relation printed by them in Italian and afterward translated into Latine After this practice against Luther they fell vpon Caluin the wounds of whose pen were deepe in their sides and of him they scattered this newes in the Courts of the German Princes and in a generall Assembly in Germany that Caluin now was weary of his Religion had reuolted and was turned Papist And at this very time was hee printing his booke of Institutions and in a Preface prefixed before this booke doth make answere to this slander and telleth these lying Spirits The Deuill and all his rowt of lying spirits are deceiued if they thinke by lading me with base lyes to discourage or hinder mee in my course In like manner but with more shamelesse impudency they afterward traduced Beza Of whom there were not onely false reports scattered through Italie Germany other Countries but letters also were written diuulged to this purpose That Beza a little before his death had recanted his Religion in a ful Assembly of the Senators of Geneua beseeching them that if euer they would be saued they should renounce Caluins errours and betake themselues to the profession of the Romish faith that for more full testification of his vnfained Conuersion after his death hee desired them to send for and to be aduised and directed by the Iesuites that hereupon the Pope had appointed the Bishop of Geneua to absolue Beza and other learned men such as could be had neere at hand to goe to Geneua and consider of the businesse and deale with the Inhabitants if any were more backeward about points and Articles of Religion in question After which Relation the Reporter addeth that this newes is most certaine and true as may appeare by the numberlesse company of letters written to this purpose and will as hee saith appeare at the next Franckford Mart by the store of Bookes which would then flye abroad in the World for the witnessing of this thing Hee yet goeth on further and for more abundant proofe telleth vs that Puteanus the Generall of the Iesuites who liued within twelue miles of Geneua had by writing related this newes adding moreouer that himselfe was one of those Fathers whom the Pope had appointed to goe and instruct the Citizens of Geneua Yea and moreouer saith the Relator the Landgraue of Hessen being scared with this newes sent messengers to Geneua who after their returne confirmed all this to be true This they reported of Beza without
Conferences with men they haue found a like mysterie that any man of the Romane Church may speake and say and sweare whatsoeuer himselfe pleaseth though it bee neuer so false and yet be no Lyer The one they fetch from their doctrine of Exemption and the other from their doctrine of Equiuocation both dangerous practices to all humane society The one whereof should teach Kings to be aware of their Swords and the other should teach all men to beware of their words 2 That by their doctrine a man is at liberty to lye without anie grudge in his conscience and that the Abettors of this Arte by a secret iuggling deuice doe sâ—t open a schoole for deceit and periurie in which they teach an Arte of Lying by the helpe whereof he that can lye forsweare by the Rule shall be free either from lying or periâ—rie as a reuerend and learned Diuine hath noted But hereof there will be fitter occasion giuen to say more hereafter In the meane while thus much shall serue to be said of the first Point CHAP. II. Of the Originall of Equiuocation and who they bee that vphold it and giue life vnto it COncerning the Originall of this Arte some learned men referre 〈◊〉 to the Priscillianists or Arius the Arch-heretike who are read to haue vsed fraudulent and deceitful speech And such Heretikes had not beene vnmeete Fathers for such a deformed child But this Brat was not then borne nor for many Ages after those dayes For mine owne part vnlesse I shall hereafter meete vvith some thing more cleere then yet I haue seene I must say with a iudicious and learned Writer I cannot readily say who were the first founders of this Arte. Nor is it maruell that a thing of this nature though found out but yesterday should appeare to the world without the name or notice of his Author For as the head or spring of Nilus hath beene long enquired after and for ought I know is yet scarce heard of and the reason may bee because it is supposed that that Riuer doth rise somewhere in montibus Lâ—nae in some place of those great Mountaines whose greatnes doth hide the place of the Well-head or Spring So deuices of State which neuer prosper after they are discouered are commonly smoothered for a time and doe vsually appeare without name themselues being vnwilling to owne them and others being vnable to dâ—scrie them And such is this Arte of Equiuocation hatched by some rare wit who yet had rather lose the glory of the inuention then to lay open the mysterie of it and smoothered by the Romane State as long as was possible till misfortune brought it to light against their wils And yet now that the Riuer appearâ—th with a full stâ—eame notwithstanding the Spring will hardly bee found And if any Româ—nist shall hence inferre that this Doctrine is therfore an Apostolicall Iâ—radition and came from Christ himselfe because I cannot tell who was the first Author and at what time since it was first hatched as they vse to dispute in other cases against vs I will send him to find me the head of Nilus and when he hath found that I will goe about to enquire for the Originall of this Arte. And yet in the meane while though I cannot precisely say who was the first Father of this blacke Arte yet some things may bee said not impertinent to this purpose And those as I conceiue them for the present I will lay downe in certaine Propositions or Assertions And they be these 1 It is certaine that it is a late deuice and found out the other day Persons claimeth Vniuersality Antiquity and Consent for the proofe of this Arte His words are that euery man may heare him speak in his own dialect Let vs consider saith he how this absurd and impious opinion if such it be could come to bee receiued so generally both in approbation practice doctrine action throughout the Christian world that is to say The Doctrine in all Schooles Pulpits Chaires Vniuersities where teaching hath beene vsed extant also in the Bookes and Workes of all learned men of what sort soeuer before Iesuites were borne or heard of but especially those haue most treated thereof who haue written most tenderly of matters belonging vnto conscience whom we call Casuists Lawiers in like maner both Canon and Ciuill Diuines both Scholasticall and posiâ—â—ue haue approued the same And as for practice it hath in due cases beene receiued in all Courts in all Countries in all Tribunals and Sâ—ates of iudgement both ecclesiasticall and temporall and neuer refused condemned or controled by any so it were vsed with the due circumstances c. And alittle after Was there no man to stand for truth and reason in any Countrey in any Prouince or State in any place or time for this 400. yeeres c Where it must be noted that when he mentioneth 400 yeeres his meaning is not to limit the approbation of this Arte to the compasse of those yeeres but because he supposeth but falsely that his Aduersarie had granted so much and so here he disputeth ex Concessis vpon the Confession of his Aduersarie but he intendeth and meaneth the consent of former times also as himselfe signifieth in the same Chap. whereof he there promiseth to speak afterward so he doth For he bringeth the testimonies practice of the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and Iesus Christ himselfe and that frequently declared Where it may bee noted that this Father is as bold to alledge Vniuersality Antiquity and Consent for the proofe of this Arte as the rest are for the proofe of their Church And sure the proofe is as good and sound in the one as the other Onely Father Persons affirmeth more boldly and confirmeth what hee saith more weakely But the reason is alike good in both cases But heere I haue onely to deale with Persons about his Equiuocation And against these great cryes I oppose the confident and iust challenge of a Reuerend man Name me one man saith he out of all antiquity Heathenish Iewish Christian name but one man who euer approued these your Reseruations vnlesse perhaps some who were noted with infamy for their paines I may adde Nay name me one who defended this Equiuocation which Iesuites call a mixt or mentall Proposition or by a secret reseruation in all the time from Adam to the Trent Councell I will not say none such can bee named for who can say or presume that hee knoweth the sayings and opinions of all former Ages but this I will say that wheras the Abettors of Equiuocation haue bin challenged by two learned Doctors in our Church to shewe any who in former times haue allowed this diuelish Arte hitherto I haue seene no one man produced who doth giue any plaine or direct allowance heereof For as for the many autorities which Persons doth alledge they be Conclusions of his own spun out of
to be vsed it was but in some such sense as the circūstances of the persons time place and occasion did put vpon them and that according to the intention of publique Lawes and the reasonable construction that the Hearers might make of them and that afterward they allowed violent constructions and such as the words together with the circumstances could not beare in any reasonable mans vnderstanding but such as the speaker in his minde did fancie to be agreeable to that businesse and occasion And lastly that this ouer-bold liberty in them in framing such a sense as the words in reason cōgruitie could not beare made way to fine wits following after to adde something to the former inuention and to frame a sense of words spoken which they acknowledge not to be signified by them but made vp by a Reseruation in their owne breast such as themselues would please to fancie what euer it were either pertinent to the businesse or as farre different from it as the falling of the skie is different from the paying of money But this will appeare yet more plainely if it be considered that Nauarre who liued at the same time with Soto Sepulueda but wrote after them and when they were dead doth from the opinion of those Diuines and in speciall from the opinion of Soto also and from his sayings labour to inferre and proue the lawfulnesse of the Iesuiticall Equiuocation because as hee saith there is the like reason of them both How truely he inferreth his Conclusion from the sayings of Soto and the rest I dispute not I onely note in his course of disputation that hee taketh their assertions for a ground to proue his owne by And that sheweth that those former Writers gaue occasion c. And thus I haue declared my second Assertion concerning the originall of this new Art 3. The third is that whosesoeuer wit deuised it yet it seemeth to mee most probable that it receiued the first life and credit from the See of Rome and the Romane state My reason is from these grounds 1. Doctor Nauarre who as Persons saith Mitig. cap. 7. nu 41. pag. 301. is held to be one of the most liberall and largest in admitting Equiuocations both in words and oathes was thought a fit man to be the Popes Reader of Cases in Rome And if I mistake not hee was the first that broached this new arte For hee read at Rome not long after the time of Soto and Sepulueda who as before was noted had not yet heard any thing of this arte And there he read framed that Commentary in which he teacheth this mysterie for the instruction of the Iesuits Colledge and dedicated the same vnto Gregorie 13. the present Pope which may breede suspition that the Pope was well pleased with this new deuice of Nauarre of whom he made choise to be his publique Reader of Cases and who while he was imployed in this seruice did perfect that arte and from whose Readings the very Iesuits themselues may seeme to haue borrowed the grounds of that Doctrine which afterward they polished with great dexteritie and care Secondly In Queene Elizabeths time there was a Treatise found out which before was in the secret keeping of Iesuits or Priests in which beside the Resolutions of Nauarre were contayned sundry instructions and directions giuen by Sixtus Quintus for the practising of this mysterie of Equiuocation Which if the Reader be desirous to know more fully hee may reade a Relation thereof set downe by a most reuerend and learned Prelate Thirdly I finde that Emm. Sà in his Aphorismes V. Mendac had giuen his opinion concerning this Equiuocall reseruation in this manner that in a case Where a man is not bound to reueale the truth according to the intention of the Demander some say that a man may answere by vnderstanding or reseruing something in his minde as that is not so to wit so as that hee is bound to tell him or that hee hath not such a thing meaning that hee hath it not to giue it vnto him But others admit not of this kinde of answere and perhaps vpon better ground and reason Thus hee gaue his iudgement of this poynt and so the Booke passed in the Low Countries and with approbation and commendation of Silu. Pardo the Inquisitor and Censor there and was printed at Antwerpe 1599. But when it came to be perused and reuewed at Rome the Censor there Io. Maria Master of the sacred Palace he purged the Booke and put out the last words which were And perhaps vpon better reason In which words Sà had signified that hee inclined to their opinion who disliked this Equiuocating by reseruation And hence it appeareth how acceptable and welcome this Doctrine of Equiuocation is in the Popes Palace For whereas F. Persons saith that in the last Edition of Sà es Booke at Rome 1607. this whole last sentence was left out as though hee had changed his opinion And that it seemeth that Emm. Sà did afterwards change his opinion it is but a tricke of iugling such as this Father often vseth to delude his Reader with For Sà died as Ribadeneira reporteth in the yeare 1596. eleuen yeares before this edition of Rome and three yeares before the impression of Antwerpe being then aboue threescore and ten yeares olde And if Sà after so many yeares deliberation had changed his opinion how came it about that that change was not seene in the Antwerpe Copy which was printed 3. yeares after he was dea◠Besides the Edition of Rome re-printed also at 〈◊〉 An. 1612. doth professe that that Book was purged by Ioan. Maria the Master of the Palace and not that it was corrected or amended by Sà the first Author of it Further Persons giueth no one piece of a reason by which the Reader may imagine that Sà did euer change that point And therefore this is but one of Persons vsuall trickes of fittening with which his Brethren of the secular Clergy doe so often charge him Now these considerations layed together make mee thinke it very probable that this Arte receiued its life from the State and See of Rome But if any man can shew mee whence it might rather haue its first ground I will willingly yeeld to him and be thankefull to him that can and will discouer the Spring or Well-head whence first flushed forth this muddy Nylus so fertile of Crocodiles I meane of this sophistique Crocodilites whereby vnware men are ouer-reached and caught 4. My fourth Assertion is It is obserued by learned men that whosoeuer was the Author yet the Iesuites especially those of our English Nation haue beene the chiefe Abettors Defenders and Polishers of this Arte. For proofe of this I will set downe the words of some learned men The learned Gentleman who wrote the Relation of Religion speaking of false newes frequent at Rome for aduantage of their Sect addeth that he found
case and that therefore in his opinion he may not equiuoâ—ate and deceiue vs And if he promise to pay me a summe of money how can I tell that he keepeth not a reseruation behind that may disanull his promise aforehand as that he will pay it if himselfe shall thinke it necessary or if he shall haue so much to spare or if hee haue nothing else to doe with his money c. And so if he vndertake to be my Sollicitor for my Law-businesses or my Physitian for my body or my Counsellor in any doubtfull case c. how shall I be assured that I may beleeue his word and that he doth not for some secret reasoÌ„ kept to himselfe think it lawfull to cheate me by a mental reseruation Surely for mine own part if I may know him that professeth the Art of Equiuocation I wil trust him no further then I would doe a common and noted Lyer that is no further then I do see him ⸫ FINIS a Prâ—efaâ— praefixâ Sex Preâ—lection cap. 1. cap. 1. de Mendac num 12 13 14. a D. Morton B. of Lichfield and Couentry Confutat of Equiuccation b Persons who by occasion of the Bishopps booke wrote a large Treatise in defence of Equiuocaâ—on a Mitigat cap. 9. nu 81. p. 403. * Sheldon of the miraâ—les of Antichrist ca. 4. pag. 52. * Apologie of Eccles. Subordinat cap. 12. in the very end Matt. 24. 5 23 24. Ezâ—k 33. 4 9. Gal. 5. 10. Gal. 6. 18. Quaestio philosophica in Comitis Cantabr Vide passiâ— Horatij Satyram quintam Plauti Pseudolum cuiâ—ste suppâ—r a Sic Blackwellus Archipresbyter in sua ad Catholâ—cos Epistola dat 7. Nouemb. 1605. b Vâ—nculo cucae obedicnlpe obstringi omnes Iesuitas noâ—itios Seminariorum pullos abunde noluin est Quo tenentur quidquid Superior imperaverit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exequi c Iâ—upus Iupus nouit c. d Arij haeresiarchae sophiticuns Acquivoc atorium coram Imperatore Constantino iusiurandum recole apud Sâ—cratem Hist Eccles lib. 1. c. 25. e Plautus in Pseudolo Act. â— Scen. 4. Pseud. Onerabâ—meis praeceptis Simians Quid agat ne quid titubeâ— doctè vt hanc seraâ— sallaciam f Apocal. 9. 11. g Quod olim femplarijs quid â—i tandem Iesititis accidat Aristot. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. cap. 1. h Act. 2. Sc. 2. Pseud. Tu inventus verò meam qui 〈◊〉 fidem i Act. 2. Sc. 3. Pseud. Dy immortales 〈◊〉 contra non 〈…〉 k Act. â— Sc. 8. Nimis 〈◊〉 mortalis dâ—â—tus nâ—mis 〈◊〉 nimis mâ—bes Superavit doâ—â—m Troianum atâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Pseudolus l Act. 2. Sc. 2. Pseud. Hic mihi incusest procudam ego hodie hine multes delos to mule reseruatioâ—un mentaliâ— Iesâ—uiâ— vsitatae Non noâ—i i.e. 〈◊〉 Non vidi 〈◊〉 c. visione bâ—atiâ—icâ—i Velnon vt dicom tibi m Act. 2. Sc. 1. Pseud. Ego in mâ—o pectore ita param câ—pias dupliâ—ts triplicis dolos Posidies vt vbietâ—nque 〈◊〉 hostibus congrediar malorum mcorâ— Frâ—tus virtute dicam mea industâ—a maltitia Fraudulentâ—a Facilâ— vt vinâ—â—l facile vt â—pelicm mcos perducllis meâ— persidijs n Act. 1. Sc. 3. Quid ais quantiâ— terra tegit hominum 〈…〉 c. Bal. fatâ—or Cal. nempe conceptis verbis Bal. â—tiaÌ„ consultis quoque Cal. Periurauisti o Ibidem Pseud. Non potest pietate obsisti â—uic vt res sunt 〈◊〉 Deos quideÌ„ quos maximè aequum est metuere cos minimini facit p Act. 5. Sc. 4. Pseud. Quid 〈…〉 Ch. Anguilla est elâ—bitur q Act. 4. Sc. 6. Bal. Malum sâ—clestum periâ—â—rum arebant esse me S. Pâ—l haud mentituâ— st Bal. 〈◊〉 iratus fui 1 Act. 4. Sc. 1. Pseud. O heminem lepidum It quoque etiam dolis Atque etiaÌ„ mendaâ—â—s Iupiter te mihi seruet * Aequiuocatio circularis s Act. 4. Sc. 1. Vt ego ob tuam Simia perfidiam te amo et metuo magnifacio t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u Act. 4. Sc. 3. Pseud. Peiorem ego hominem magisque versutè malum NunquaÌ„ aedipol quenquam vidi quà m hic est Simia Nimisque ego illum hominem metuo formido male Ne malus item ergame sit vt ergaillum fuit Ne in resecunda mihi obuertat cornua Quaestio philosophico ptoposita in 〈…〉 Affirmâ— * Guido Faux * Garnet les * Parenthesis includit mentalem Iesuitae rescruationem a Thes. 2. 7. b 1. Tim. 4. 1 2. c Luke 4â—1 d Lequendo cum Arte dissimulationis vitatur peccata quae comuuiter committuntur c. Rodriqueâ— sumâ v. mendaâ— nu 4. e Acquiuocatio quam â—citam 〈◊〉 omnino ad mendacia 〈◊〉 vitanda consert Heissias Reâ—ut Aphoris cap. 4. Aphor. 4. nu 130. f Siue recreationis gratiâ siue quocunque alâ—o fine iuret se non fecisse aliquid quod reuera fecit intellâ—gendo intra se aliquid aliud c. reuera non mentitur Sanâ—hoâ— oper moral to 1. l. 3. c. 6. nu 15. pag. 25. g Per 〈◊〉 doctrinam singularem postumus euitare innumera peccata 〈◊〉 passim aliquot negâ—gentiores admittimus negando vel assumando passim sine aliqua subintellectione cum qua coniuncta essent vera Nauar. Commenâ—â—n C. Humanae aur q. 3. nu 13. h Proceeding against Traitors 〈◊〉 l. 1. a Mitigat cap. 8 nu 10. pa. 314. a Ibid. nu 15. b Ibid. nu 10. c Refut Aphoâ—r cap. 4. Apâ—ons 3. nu 129. â— Ioh. 3. 20. Psal. 1. 6. Math. 25. 12. Acts 19. 5. Acts 20. 27. Ioh. 11. 11. a 1. Sam. 16. 1 2. a 〈…〉 maximè in liberâ— sâ—rmone hoc quidem sensu vti licere nemo dubitat Abbot Antilog aduersus Eudaemono loan cap. 2 fol. 18. b Sit per illam ceâ—ndus consiligs tegend isque arcaâ—â— suuo locus Ibidem c Tuscias taciturnitates illas quas narraâ— Confessionum consiâ—â—orum vbi amphibologijs ambiguitatibus consistunt noble non improbari damnâ—ri prorsâ—s à nohis vt mendacio tegantur d Si appellatione Acquiuocationis simplicem quandam modestâ— reticentâ—am signisicet aut dissimulationem consiliorium in hac miscra vita saepe necessariam planè cum ipso sentio Casaubon epi. ad Fronton Duc. pag. 110. a Mitigat cap. 9. nu 53. pa. 382 b Mitigat ca. 12. nu 3 p. 484. c Posium absque mendico 〈◊〉 verba vsurpari etiamsâ— exsâ—â— significatione non suit ambigua nec eum seasum verum admittant exse nec ex circumstantijs occurrentibus sed tantum verum serisum reddant ex aliqo addito mente proferentis retento qâ—â—â—elique illud sit Sanch. oper moral l. 3 c. 6. nu 15. a Mitigat cap. 8. nu 10. pag. 313. b Mitig. cap. 11. nu 14. pag. 447. a Mitig. cap. 10. nu 22. pag. 424 Risum teneatis amici a Mitigat cap. 10. nu 14. pag. 418. a Mitigat cap. 10. num