a Christian man afraid to glorifie Christ before a Iew whoÌ„ both hée is sure to offend and that hée will take occasion either in heart or mouth to blaspheme our Sauiour The third point saith hée is in respect of the enemie that is when although I doe not induce any man to sinne or offende any mans conscience yet I doe disedisie the enemy and doe that thing whereby the enemy is scandalised and taketh an occasion to blaspheme God his trueth his lawe or the like For except the thing which I doe is wicked as the adultery of Dauid which hée bringeth for an example though the enemy is scandalized as the Pharisées were at Christ and taketh an occasion to â—…aspheme God his trueth or his worde 〈◊〉 It is no 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 by mée lewdly giuen but by him wickedly taken But cleare it is that offence by no meanes may bée giuen either to the Iewes or to the Gentiles or to the Church of God But howe is the second part of the argument proued which 〈◊〉 al y â— proofe A Catholike saith he by going to Church seruice or prayers of them of the contrarie religion can not but commit this great Scandale in the highest degree that is in all those three pointes before rehearsed This is boldly saide but what is the reason to shewe that it is truely saide Touching the first pointe saieth hee If he bee a man of any calling his example shal induce some other as wife c. This is as good Logike as the necessarie supposition to prâ—…us an vniuersall proposition by a particular Euerie Catholike giueth offence because some that is of any calling induceth by his example So that hée which is a méere priuate man whose example can not induce or authoritie constraine is exempt from this point of giuing offence But why shoulde any man of what estate so euer hée is bée charged with offence giuing when the thing which hée doeth is not disprooued but by a vayne supposition to be godly and honest And touching the seconde pointe when it is not a thing indifferent but either a necessarie duetie as wée iudge or a thing altogether vnlawfull as hée holdeth to come to the Churche howe can any man bée saide touching that pointe to commit offence which is contrary to his owne determination of that point But by a marginall note hée commaundeth vs to marke the third pointe and that is this There is no enemy of the Catholike religion in the worlde whether hee bee Gentile Iewe Turke or heretike but that hee must both thinke and speake the woorse of the saide religion seeing the professours of the same are content for worldly pollicy to dissemble it and leauing their owne Churches to present them selues to the Churches of their open and professed enemies This man reasoneth altogether of necessities and impossibilities the strongest Cheynes that are to holde any reasons if they were surely linked riueted into the causes that hée would binde with them But howe prooueth hée that it is necessarie for euerie enemie of the Catholike religion in the worlde to thinke woorse of it for the dissembling of some of the professours of the same The worlde is wyde and the true Catholike religion hath many enemies that are wise which when they knowe that euery religion and their owne what euer it bée hath many dissemblers when it is persecuted will not for the onely pointe of dissembling thinke woorse of the Catholike religion then they thinke of their owne for the same cause But not withstanding the Cheyne is no better locked to the cause of all the enemies yet the offâ—…nce of dissiâ—…ulation is carefully to bée aâ—…yded in respecte of some parte of them But vntill going to the Church where the woorde of God is reade and taught the Sacrament ministred and prayers conceaued according to the 〈◊〉 of the holy scriptures can bee condemned of wickednesse there is no offence to bée feared in frequenting the same But that the goâ—…rs to Churche offende not God by hypoâ—…sie and dissimulation let them take héede of all sortes at their vttermost perrill for as you cyte it albéeit you wrongly apply it they shall finde one day that God is not mocked The third Reason THe thirde reason why a Catholike may not come to churche is for that going or not going to the church is made a signe nowe in Englande distinctiue betwixt religion and religion that is betwixt a Catholike and a Schismatike So that a catholike by going thether doeth directly denye his religion For the better vnderstanding whereof wee must note that the Professour of any religion may bee knowne by three wayes first by woordes professing him selfe to be of that religion secondly by woorkes or deedes proper to that religion thirdly by some signe or marke appointed to signifie that religion As for example In Italy a Iewe may bee knowne First by his woordes if hee woulde professe him selfe to bee of that religion Secondly by woorkes proper to Iudaysme as by keeping the Saterday holy day by circumcysing his children and the like Thirdly by a notorious signe appointed to distinguishe that religion from all others which is to weare on his head a yeallow â—…ppe Nowe as these three are wayes to professe this religion so if a man of an other religion for example a Christian should yeeld to vse any of these thinges hee should sinne greeuously and in effect deny his fayth And as for the first if hee shoulde professe him selfe to bee a Iewe it is euident that he denieth thereby his Christianitie And as for the other two waies it cannot be denied for the circumâ—…ysing of thy children and the wearing of a yeallowe cappe doeth as plainely in that countrie tel men that thou art a Iewe as if thou diddest proclaime it at the market euen as the bush at the Tauerne doore doeth tel the goers by that there is wyne to be solde within But nowe that the going to Church is in the realme of Englande a plaine and an apparant signe of a Schismatike that is to say of a conformable man as they cal him to the Protestants proceedinges it is manifestly to be proued First by the commaundement to go to Church euery Holiday to heare seruice and by the exaction of the same commaundement For that it is the commaunders meaning by that act as by a proper signe to haue men shewe them selues conformable to that religion it cannot bee denied For otherwise to what ende are they commaunded vppon suche dayes and at such a certaine time and for suche a purpose to goe thither Againe it is proued by the exaction of this lawe For wheâ—… a catholike doeth come before the Commissioners there is nothing asked of him but when hee was at church and if hee wil promisâ—… to goe to church commonly they account him a sufficient conformable man that is to haue yelded sufficiently vnto them Furthermore the multitude of them which haue of long
keepe it to your selues and trouble not the state and so that you wil for obedience sake sometime come to our sâ—…agogues shewing your selues conformable men to our proceedings Nay what if they shoulde haue saide Some of you also for outward shewe keeping alwaies your consciences to your selues must flee this odious name of Christians and seeme to communicate now and then with vs in our sacrifices and ceremonies wee are content also that some of you shalbe our officers and Iustices of peace counsellours and the like so that you will sometimes for orders sake punishe some of those vndiscreete felowes of your religion which cannot be content to keepe their consciences to themselues so you wil also giue some pretie sharpe charge in your circuites sessions and assemblies alwayes keeping your consciences to your selues and if some of you also wil some times step vp into the Pulpet and speake three or foure earnest woordes against this religion it shal be verie grateful vnto vs especially if you wil affirme iâ—… with an othe which wee haue deuised for the same purpose and this doing wee assure you that you shal liue quietly to your owne consciences and we shal account you for good subiectes If I say the Magistrates of Iurie at that time should haue giuen to the Apostles and other Christians this sweete charme doe you thinke that they could haue abidden to heare it al out whose hearts did rise and swel at two woordes only that they spoke for the intreating of them to holde their peace And yet many a thousand now in Englande beeing as throughly perswaded in heart of the truth of the catholike religion as the Apostles and other Christians at that time were of theirs are content notwithstanding to heare digest admit and execute al or most part of these thinges recited contrarie to the saide religion And yet besides al this which is more to be wondred at they are not ashamed to persuade them selues that they shal one day come to that glorie wherein the Apostles nowe are But this is desperate presumption And therefore we see what a iust cause this is for a catholike to refuse to come to the churches of the contrarie religion The sixth reason THe sixt cause hée saieth why a catholike may not come to church is because he cannot come without dissimulation Therefore let the Popishe Catholike leaue his dissimulation and become a good Christian rather then to leaue the Church and become an obstinate Schismatike In this reason as in the rest certeine leaues are spent in shewing that God abhorreth dissembling and will not hold them guiltlesse which holde their peace when he is â—…ishonoured and are ashamed clearely to confesse Christ and his trueth before men c. But that the going to Protestantes Churches is a deniall of Christ a dissimulation of his truth or any such matter there is nothing at all brought to proue it But sée I pray you his â—…ditious insinuation which hée maketh in his fonde supposition which hée woulde haue to be applied to our time what if the high Priestes and Magistrates shoulde haue saide to Peter and the Astles Well wee are content that you liue with your consciences so you keepe it to your selues and trouble not the state and so that you will for obedience sake sometime come to our Synagogues shewing your selues conformable men to our proceedinges Nay what if they shoulde haue saide Some of you also for outward shewe keeping alwayes your consciences to your selues must bee this odious name of Christians and seeme to communicate nowe and then with vs in our sacrifices and ceremonies Wee are content also that some of you shalbe our Officers and Iustices of peace Councellers and the like so that you wil sometimes for order sake punishe some of those indiscreete fellowes of your religion which cannot be content to keepe their consciences to them selues so you wil also giue some pretie sharpe charge in your Circuites Sessions and assemblies alwayes keeping your consciences to your selues and if some of you also wilsometimes steppe vp into the Pulpet and speake three or foure earnest woordes against this religion It shalbee verie gratefull vnto vs especially if you wil affirme it with an oth which we haue deuised for the same purpose and this doing wee assure you that you shal liue quietly to your owne consciences and wee shal account you for good subiectes This trayterous supposition which you will vs to apply to our time and note in the Margent to be the maner of dissembling Schismatikes liuely expressed to be done by many in Englande declareth howe reuerently you thinke speake and would haue ignorant persons to conceiue of her Maiestie and the principall Officers and Magistrates of the realme that shée with them not onely exhorteth men to dissimulation false meaning and periurie but also that her Maiestie is content to haue such hypocrites and false forsworne persons to be her Officers and Iustices yea her Councellers and Prelates of the Church No meruaile if you protest of your duetifulnesse and obedience which thus villainously conceiue and write of her excellent Maiestie and call her to the reading of it which were too intollerable to be iudged of any person of wisedome and honestie of howe lowe degrée and calling soeuer hée were It is hard therefore to susteine a counterfeit person long For euen while you declayme against dissimulation you haue discouered your selfe to bee an horrible dissembler The seuenth reason THE seuenth reason why a Catholike may not yeeld to come to the Protestants churches is because the seruice which they vse is nought and dishonourable to God and therfore no man can come to it or heare it or seeme to alow of it by his presence without great offence to God Neither is it sufficient to say as coÌ„monly they vse to say to beguile simple people withall that it is the Scripture taken out of the Gospels Epistles Psalmes and the like For by that argument the Iewes seruice were good at this day which is taken out of the olde Testament and al Heretikes seruice that euer was seemed to be nothing but Scriptures For as S. Austen in diuers places noteth it was alwayes the fashion of heretikes to haue Scripture in their mouth and to cleaue only to scriptures and to refuse traditions as inuentions of men And we reade of the Arrian Heretikes howe they were wont to sing Psalmes in the streetes of Constantinople thereby to allure the people to them And yet we may not say that their seruice was good like as wee cannot say that the deuils talke was good with Christ albeit it were decked with allegation of scripture and other sweete words Although therfore their seruice be ful of scripture it is no good argument that it is therefore infallible good For as S. Ierom saith of al heretikes Whatsoeuer they speake or think that they do speak in the praise of God it is the
Lord the Archangels do beseech him for they account that a fit time hauing that sacred oblatioÌ„ in their fauor And therfore as men are wont to moue princes the more if they beare oliue bowes in their hands because by â—…earing that kinde of wood they bring into the Princes mindes mercy gentlenes so the angels at that time holding out in their hands the very selfe same body of our Lord they do intreate for al mankind as though they saide We do intreate O Lord for the men of the world whom thou hast so loued that for their saluation thou wast content to die and in the Crosse to breath out thine owne soule For these men we make sup plication for the which thou hast giuen thy owne blood for these men we pray for the which thou hast sacrificed this body of thine If this bee so then the hearing of Masse is not only worth the venturing of an hundred marks or six monethes imprisonment but also of an hundred thousand liues if a man could loose euerie one for that cause sixe times And an hundred times miserable is that man whiche for any worldly respecte doeth depriue him selfe of so great a benefite as the participation of this sacrifice is Secondly they loose by going to church the fruite and grace of sixe sa craments as the grace of confirmation by the Bishop whereby the holy Ghost was giuen in the primatiue church as S. Luke saith and nowe 〈◊〉 our time as S. Cyprian proueth are bestowed vpon vs by the same the seuen gifts of the holy Ghost set out by Esay the Prophet in his xi chapter They loose also the grace of Priesthood so greatly commended by saint Paul to Timothie when he chargeth him so earnestly not to neglect the saide grace Also the grace of Matrimonie which S. Paul so much extolleth when hee calleth this sacrament a great sacrament Also the grace of extreeme vnction which is so great as S. Iames saith besides the healing ma ny times of the body it also remitteth the sicke mans sinnes And so in like manner the grace of the other two sacramentes of Penance and the Aulter whereof I will say a worde or two immediately All these graces they loose being cut of by their going to the Protestants churches from these sacraments which are nothing els but conduits of grace The which losse of what value it is a man may gesse by that which all diuines with on accorde doe proue that one drop of grace is more worth then all the worlde esteemed in it selfe besides Thirdly they loose by going to church al the benefiâ—…e of the keies of the church or of the authoritie of binding and loosing of sinnes graunted by Christe to the gouernours of the same churche For the explication of the which we must vnderstand that Christ hauing newly made the marriagâ—… betwixt his deare spouse himself I meane the church hauing now sealed the same with his own blood being inforced to depart froÌ„ the said new married spouse of his touching his visible presence for a time hee deuised how to shew vnto her how greatly he loued her to leaue some notable pledge and testimonie of his singuler great affectioÌ„ towards her The which he finally resolued could be by no other meanes better ex pressed then if he should leaue al his authoritie with her the whiche hee had receiued of his father which making publike proclamation to all the worlde that What soeuer she should forgiue in earth touching sinne the same should be forgiuen in heauen and what soeuer sinne the Church shoulde retaine or not forgiue in earthe the same shoulde neuer bee forgiuen in heauen And againe that with what authoritie GOD his father sent him with the same he sent her gouernours the Apostles and their successours And againe he that shoulde not heare and obey the Church should be accounted as a Heathen and Publicane By the which speeches of Christ our forefathers haue alwaies vnderstâ—…ode that Christe gaue vnto the church a visible tribunal seate in earth for the forgiuing or retaining of sinnes vnto the which al christians must resoâ—…t by submission and humble confession of their sinnes if they thinke euer to receiue forgiuenes of the same at Christ his handes in heauen For so wee reade that in the primatiue church they confessed their fins vnto the Apostles of whom S. Luke writeth thus Many of the faith full came to the Apostles confessing and reuealing their owne acts And foure hundred yeeres after that S. Austen testifieth of his time saying Doe you such penance as is wont to be doone in the Church that the Churche may pray for you Let no man say I doe it secretly I doe it with God alone God which hath to pardon me knoweth wel how that I doe repent in my heart What therfore without cause was it said to the Priests that which you loose in earth shalbe loosed in heauen therefore in vaine were the keies giuen to the Church And in an other place again more neerely touching the humour of our men now a daies he saith There are some which thinke it sufficient foe their saluation if they do confesse their sinnes only to God to whom nothing is hidden and to whoÌ„ no mans conscience is vnknowne For they will not or els they are ashamed or els they disdaine to shewe them selues vnto the Priestes whome notwithstanding GOD by Moses his Lawe giuer dyd appointe to discerne or iudge betweene Leprie and Leprie But I woulde not that thou shouldest be deceiued with that opinion in suche sort that thou shouldest either by naughtie shame or obâ—…inate 〈◊〉 refraine to confesse before the substitute or Vicegerent of our Lord. For whom our Lorde did not disdaine to make his 〈◊〉 his iudgement muste thou be content also to stand to This benefite therefore of the keyes of the churche and of receiuing remission of 〈◊〉 sinnes by the same which catholikes doe thinke to bee the greatest benefite of their religion doe they loose that goe to the Protestants churches besides all the good instructions wholesome counsels and vertuous admonitions which catholikes doe receiue in confession at their ghostâ—…y Fathers hands then the which things they finde nothiâ—…g more forcible to bring them to good life especially if they frequent it often as al zelous catholikes in the worlde now doe Fourthly they loose the infinit benefite of receiuing the blessed sacrament of the Aulter the precious body and blood of Christ beeing the foode of our soules and as Christ saith The bread that came downe from heauen to giue life vnto the worlde To the worthie eating of which heauenly bread Christe promiseth infinite reward saying He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath life euer lasting and I will raise him againe at the last day And againe He that eatetb me shall liue through me Vpon which promises of
to sinne with them which compelmen by terror to doe acts of religion against their consciences as to take othes receiue sacraments goe to Churches and the like which being doone as I haue saide with repugnant consciences is horrible mortal sinne as hath beene already proued and consequently dam nable both to the doers and to the enforcers therof The which I beseech God to giue his grace both to the one and the other part duetifully to consider that either these may leaue of to inforce or those learne to sustain as they ought their inforcement And thus nowe wee may see what great and waightie reasons the Catholikes haue to lay for their refusall of comming to the Churches of Protestants The which if they were wel conceiued by the Prince magistrates it is not likely that they woulde presse them to the yeelding too suche inconueniences against the health of their owne soules but if they shoulde yet ought the other to beare any pressure whatsoeuer rather thē to sal into far◅e worse dangers And of this that I haue said heere before there may be gathered these conclusions folowing not vnnecessarie to be noted for better perspicuities sake to the vnlearned First it foloweth of the premises that this going to the Protestantes churches is forbidden not onely by the possitiue lawes of the church dispensable by the Churche againe but also by Gods lawe and the lawe of nature as the cōsideration of most of the reasons doth declare For albeit it be prohibited by the churche yet not onely by the church seeing that a thing may be prohibited by the canons of the churche for more plaine explicatiōs sake which was forbiddē before by the law both of nature of God also as Adulterie Violence Simonie and the like Euen so albeit going to hereticall assemblies be prohibited by the church yet because it hath in it or necessarily annexed to it diuers thinges which are prohibited by the lawe of God and nature as perill of infection Scandale deniyng of our faith when it is made a signe distinctiue or commaundement dissēbling in gods cause honoring gods enimies dishonoring the catholik church and the like therefore the whole acte of going to church is saide to be prohibited also ◅ure diuino naturali That is by the law of God nature And heereof it foloweth that no power vpō earth can dispence with the same Wherefore that which hath been giuen out as is saide by some great men that the Pope by his letters to her Maiestie did offer to confirme the seruice of England vppon condition that the title of Supremacie might be restored him again is impossible to be so so that if any suche letters came to her Maiesties handes they must needes be fained false Secondly it followeth of premisses that this going to churche is not only vnlawfull Ratione Scandali by reason of Scandal as som wil haue it For albeit Scandal bee one reason why it is vnlawful and that in such sort as is almost impossible to be auoyded yet you see that I haue giuen diuers other causes besides Scandal which make it vnlawful Whereof it followeth that a man cannot goe to their churches albeit hee might goe in such secrete maner or otherwise haue their seruice in his house so priuily as no Scandale shoulde followe thereof or any man knowe thereof whiche is notwithstanding impossible to doe but if it coulde bee yet were the thing vnlawefull especially for the 1 4. 5. 6. 7. reasons before alleadged Thirdly i◅ followeth that a man may not goe to churche vnder any vaine pretence as pretending that hee goeth only for obedieuce and not for any liking hee hath to their seruice yea although hee shoulde protest the same openly for that protestation shoulde rather agrauate then diminishe the sinne Seeing by this protestation hee shoulde testifie vnto the whole worlde that he did a thing against his conscience As if a man shoulde proteste that hee did thinke that to rayle against the Pope at Paules crosse were naught and yet for obedience sake being so commaunded woulde doe it The which was Pilates case who protested first that hee thought Christ innocent and therefore sought to deliuer him but in the ende fearing the displeasure of the Iewes and theyr complaint to the Emperour washed his handes and so condemned him thinking by that protestation to haue washed of the sinne and to haue layde it on the Iewes neckes which compelled him thereto But I thinke by this time hee hath felt that hee was deceaued For when a thing it selfe is naught no protestation can make it lawefull but rather maketh the doing of it a greater offence by adding the vnlawefulnesse of the thing the repugnaunce of the doers conscience But you will perhaps say to goe to the material church is not a thing euill of it selfe I answere and graunt that it is true But you must not single out the matter so For in this one action of going to church there be many things contained wherof the whole action is compounded As for example there is the material church the possession of the same by the enemie of the catholike religion the seruice and sermons in reproofe of the same religion the dayes and houres appoynted for the same the bel ringing and publikly calling al men thither the Princes commaundemente for the Catholikes to goe to the same the end of the commaundement in general that they by going should pray with them allowe of their seruice and by their presence honour it Then is there the peril of infection the scandal wherby I offend other mens consciences and perhaps bring diuers other to bee corrupted by my meanes the dishonouring of God his case the honouring of his enemies cause hearing God blasphemed and holding my peace Semblably there is the conscience of the catholike that thinketh he doth nought the explication of the church that is not lawfull the matter nowe in tryall and the vnlawfulnesse of it defended both by word and writings of learned men ann by imprisonment of many other the controuersie now knowne to all the world and many thousand mens eies fixed vpon them that are called in question for it the Protestant wheras he esteemed nothing of goeing to Church before yet now so desirous to obtayne it that hee thinketh the yeelding in that one poynt to bee a sufficient yeelding to all his desires the which thing on the other side is so detested of the true catholikes that whosoeuer yeeldeth to this they thinke him a flat Schismatike and so abhor him And by this meanes the matter is made a signe distinctiue betwixt religion and religion whereof againe it foloweth that if the thing were much lesse then it is as for example the holding vp of a finger yet because it is made Tessera a marke token or signe of yeeling to their proceedings in religion it were viterly vnlawful As if a man shoulde but
you summoned before you to defend so maâ—…y thousand Catholikes as in that realme make refusall to goe to Church â—…ut aduise your selfe well whether your Checke roule doe not deceiue you and by a Cyphar too muche make you insteede of a seâ—…e hundreds too sette downe so manye thousandes Or if your friende more woorshipfull then true of his woorde in certifiyng you of manye thousandes of Gentlemen imprisoned whose defense you take in hande â—…oo make hath deceyued you you séeme to bee a manne altogether vnmeâ—…te to speake in the eares of her moâ—…e excellent Maiestie and the Honourable Lords of her Priuie Connsell that I cléene omitte all the wyse and Learned of Englande whiche are so lighte of credite too imagine that so manye thousande Gentlemen of this Realme shoulde professe suche obstinacie after so manye yéeres teaching too refuse obedience too her Maiesties Lawes touching Religion when so fewe of anye calling repugned at the firste publishing of the same Or if you make a wilfull Lye because I cannot thinke so basely of youre witte too bée deceiued in so playne a matter not onelye her Maiestie and Honourable Counsell but all the wise and Learned of England maye easily gesse what trueth they shall looke for in the rest of your discourse when so manifest a falâ—…ood is contayned in your firste sentence and what purpose you followed in faygning the refusall of so manye thousaundes whiche if they were all registred will not muche excéede the leâ—…e number of hundereds Well too omitte the number the cause you say of their refusall is not as their Aduersaries geue out But vppon conscience and greate reason and for the auoyding of manifest perill of eternall damnation whiche they shoulde incurre in yeelding too that whiche is demaunded at theyr handes And that all the wise and learned of the Lande with the Prince and her Counsel maye sée this to be so I saith hee haue put downe some causes and reasons here following â—…erily yoâ—… haue taken a greate péece of woorke in hande and â—…hosen no meanâ—… Iudges therefore it standeth you in hande to bring substantiall prooues Let vs heare therefore how you begin Your Margent noteth A necessary suppositioÌ„ your text runneth in these woordes But first oâ—… all it is to be noted that my reasons to the end they may conuince are to be supposed to proceede from a Catholike minde that is from a man which in his conscience is throughly perswaded that onely the catholike Romaine religion is trueth and that all other newe doctrines and religions are false religions as al new Gods are false Gods Certaynely it is a necessary supposition without the which al your reasons are not woorth a â—…igge and it is such a supposition as if it might haue byn allowed vnto Arius Macedonius or Eutyches c. Their reasons might haue conuinced all their aduersaries Suppose an Heâ—…etike to bee a Catholike and heresie to bee truth and Arius was a good Priest Macedonius was an holy Bishop Eâ—…yches was a reuerend Abbot Truely I was deceiued wheÌ„ I Prognosticated in y â— beginning that the trauell of the mountanes would bring foorth a litle mouse For behold they haue brought â—…oorth a great Monster a necessary supposition y â— this writers reasons to the end they may coÌ„uince are to bee supposed to procéede from a Catholike minde No maruell though you blewe the Trumpet and made a lowd noise That the Queenes most excellent Maiestie the Honourable Lordes of her priuie Counsell and all other the learned and wise of England might sée that all your niene reasons to the ende they may conuince must be supposed to procéede from a man that is persuaded that only the Catholike Romayne religion is trueth and all other new doctrines and religions are false But why doe you oppose the Catholike Romayne Religion to all other new doctrines When by the Catholike Romayne religion you meane the present Popishe religion and not the auncient Romayne religion which was the Catholike religion of all true Christians I sée wel as we must first of all suppose you to be a true Catholik so wee must secondly suppose the present Popishe Heresie to be the auncient Romayne and vniuersall religion of al the Catholike Church of Christ. These suppositions will doe you greate pleasure to the ende as you saye that your reasons maye conuince But by such suppositions the théefe that standeth at the barre with as good reason may bee acquited and the Iâ—…dge that 〈◊〉 on the benche by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee condâ—…ned After this necessary supposition followeth a profitable diuision of Catholikes whereof there are twoo sortes in Englande One of them whiche although they iudge that all participation with all other Religions is noughte yet for feare or fauour or for some worldly cause they are content to communicate with them in all or some thinges by him named As in deede or in shewe by othe by Sacramentes by going to theyr prayers seruice or otherwise These hee pronounceth tâ—… bée out of all doubte in a damnable case for this hée allâ—…adgeth Augustine Saint Paule Thomas of Aquine c. And it is verie true that whosoeuer doeth contrary to his conscience â—…ee it iustly or falsely perswaded sinneth damnablye but when hee proceedeth further to charge such with sinne agaynst the holye Ghost whereof our Sauiour Christe sayeth that it shall neâ—…r be forgeuen in this worlde nor in the worlde to come hee pronounceth not onelye a falsâ—… but also an vnleâ—…ed Iudgemente and euen contrarie too himselfe and thoâ—…e principles whiche hee alloweth For although hée sinne verie grieuously whiche sinneth wilfully agaynst his owne Conscience yet hée sinneth not alwayes irremisibly For hée that knoweth Mâ—…ther Adulterie and suche like 〈◊〉 offences too â—…ee damnable and yet wilfully his conscience reclaiming béeyng ouercome of yre or lust or suchother wicked affection doth committe them doeth not by and by committe sinne agaynst the holie Ghoste but by the grace of GOD may bée renewed by repentance The same is too bee saide of them that dissemble their profession and outwardly communicate with Idolaters and Heretikes but not woorse then theâ—…s nor halfe so ill is the case of dissembling Papistes whiche beside their ignoraunce and false perswasion whiche resteth in supposition this manne himselfe confesseth for feare or fauour or other worldlye cause too doe that whiche is contrarie too theire corrupte Conscience and erroneous perswasion Which is the sinne of humane â—…railtie and not of malicious contumelie and blasâ—…mie against the grace and spirite of GOD. Neither doth Augustine whoâ—… hee cyteth vppon the fiftie foure Psalme maintayne his cruel and desperate Censure whoâ—… wâ—…Wrdes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse quâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nonne viâ—…us discendis 〈◊〉 inferos If thou diddest descende when thou werte deade thou shouldest not knowe what thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when thâ—… knowest that too bee euill whiche thoâ—…doest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not
to commit it For whereas the Tyrant did commaund him to â—…ate of the sacrifized meats and he refused the same the vnder officers of the Tyrant being mooued with vniust compassion as the scripture tearmeth it offered him secretly other fleshe not offered to Idoles and of the which hee was not forbidden by his lawe to eate meaning thereby to deliuer him and to giue out that hee had now satisfied the Prince his commaundement But the good old man considering what other men might thinke of it and what Scandale there might ensue of it answered thus as the Scripture saieth That hee would first bâ—… sent downe vnto hell before hee would doe it for saieth he it is not conuenient for our age to fayne whereby perchaunce many young men thinking that Elâ—…azarus now of ninetie yeares old hath past ouer to the life of the Gentiles may through my dissimulation be deceiued This therefore is the second point of scandale which S. Paule forbiddeth when hee saieth Keepe your selfe from all shewe of euill The third point of seandale is in respect of the enemy that is when although I doe not induce any man to sin or offend any mans conscience yet I do disedefie the enemy and do that thing wherby the enemy is scandalized and taketh an occasion to blaspheme God his trueth his cause his lawe or the like Whereof S. Paule speaketh to the Corinthians Be you without offence or scandale to the Iewes and also to the Gentiles And in an other place Giuing offence or scandale to no man to the end that our function or ministerie be not blamed thereby And this is that great scandale that Dauid being a King and a Prophet gaue to Gods enemies by his fall and for the which he was sore punished as it appeareth by the words of the scripture which are these And Dauid saide to Nathan the Prophet I haue sinned against my Lord and Nathan said to Dauid God hath taken away thy sinne but yet because thou hast made the enemies of God to blaspheme for this cause the sonne which is borne to thee shal dye the death This also is the scandale that Esdras comming out of Persia towards Ierusalem with his countrimen the Iewes was afraid to giue to the king of Persia by causing him to think basely of God as not able to helpe and defend his seruants if hee should haue asked him aide to conduct himselfe and his companie to Ierusalem for so hee saith I was ashamed to aske of the King aide and horsemen to defend vs from our enemies in the way because we had saide to the king before that the hande or defence of our God is ouer all them that seeke him in honestie that his Empire and strength and 〈◊〉 is vpon all them that forsake him Finally of this scandalement S. Paule and S. Peter also when they said that the worde of God was blasphemed or spoken euil of by the aduersarie parte for the euil life of certaine noughtie Christians Nowe that a Catholike going to the Churches seruice or prayers of them of the contrarie religion cannot but commit this great sinne of scandale in the highest degree that is in all these three pointes before rehearsed it is euident to all the worlde For touching the first point if hee bee a man of any calling his example shal induce some other as wife children friendes seruauntes or the like to doe the same And howsoeuer â—…ee scape himselfe they may bee infected and so damned and their blood layde vppon his soule but much more if hee exhort or constraine any man to doe the same as commonly many Schismatiques doe vse And touching the second point hee cannot bâ—…t offend many mens consciences for they that doe know him inwardly to bee a Catholike wil thinke him to sinne against his owne conscience and perhaps be induced to doe the like And they who knowe him not must needes presume him to goe of conscience and as a fauourer of that religion and so bee brought to like the better of that religion and the worse of the Catholike by his example And as concerning the third and last point their is no enemy of the Catholike religion in the world whether he be Gentile Turke Iewe or Heretike but that he must both thinke and speake the worst of the saide religion seeing the professors of the same are content for worldly pollicy to dissemble it and leauing their owne Churches to present them selues to the Churches of their open and professed enemies To conclude in this matter of scandale men must not flatter and deceiue them selues thinking that they walke in a net and are not seene when they giue scandale to all the worlde which fixeth his eyes vppon them if not for their owne cause yet for the religions sake God is not to be mocked The godly and learned Father Saint Ambrose did accuse Valentinian the Emperour for giuing a publike scandale to the worde because hee did but permit certaine aâ—…lters to the Gentiles saying that men would thinke that hee priuely fauoured them And his scholler Saint Augustine thinketh it a scandale if a man shoulde heare a Donatist but speake and he to holde his peace for that the hearer might thinke that if this were euill which the Donatist saieth the other woulde reproue him But if saint Ambrose had seene the Emperour to haue gone to the Panims Temples or S. Augustine the other to frequent the Donatistes Churches what then would they haue saide What excuse then would they haue receiued and this is our verie case The second reason THe second reason saith hée why a Catholike can not yeeld to go to church is because he caÌ„not go without scandale which is a sin more mentioned more forwarned more forbidden more detested more threatened in the scripture then any sinne els mentioned in the same except it be Idolatrie I will not stande to examine the comparison but certaine it is that the wilfull giuing of offence or as hée calleth it newly scandale is in scripture often and greatly detested and verie damnable and abhominable a thing well knowne to them that are wise and learned in the scriptures and therefore néeded not the one quarter of quotations and textes that are cited for it There are also diuers kindes therof and neuer a good of them all Whether it be by inducing other men to sinne by false doctrine or wicked example by offending the weake conscience of our brethreÌ„ in a thing of it selfe lawful which our reasoner setteth downe absolutely without regarde of such circumstances If I doe offende an other mans conscience in a thing of it selfe lawfull As though our sauiour Christ might be accused for neglecting the offence of the obstinate Pharisees Or whether it be by giuing occasion to the enemy to blaspheme when a man doeth wickedly which also our Aduocate of the Recusantes doeth set downe so nakedly that he woulde make
lyft vp a straw to the deuill in token of obedience it were as much as if he did word by word denie his Creede These poyntes and many moe that myght be thought of being put together and one entyre action made of them the question is whether this enty◅e action of going to churche with these annexes be of it self vnlawfull or no And euery wise man will thinke it is Neyther if you could by some deuice pluck from this action one or two of these things must we think that by and by the action were lawful As for example if by a protestation you could signifie that your minde were not in going thither to consent to their seruice as also that the princesse minde to you in particular were onely that you should goe for temporal obedience sake yet were not by this all the matter amended For if a peece of meate were venomous for ten causes concurring together ifyou should take away two of them and so eate it you might for al that be poysoned therwith One only thing there is which as the Diuines iudge might make going to church lawful which is if a man did goe thither for some meere perticuler known ◅emporal busines as to beare the sword before the Prince to the chappel to consult of matters of war at Poules by the Princes appointment albeit it were in time of seruice thelike But here is to be noted that I say first for meere temporal busines For if a man shold go partly for seruice and partly for temporall busines as to talke with the church wardēs in the church after seruice it wil not serue Secōdly I say for particular tēporal busines For it is not enough for the Prince to saye in general I wil haue you go only for obedience which is a tēporal respect without assigning any perticular busines to be don For that was the saying of alprinces to the martyrs in the primitiue church that they wold haue thē confoō them selues in exteriour actions to other men that for obedience sake howsoeuer they ment inwardly Thirdly I say for some knowen busines For if the busines were not knowen men might think that they went of conscience to seruice and therfore to take away this scandale they ought to protest for what busines they go To these three qualificatiōs adde this forth which is that a man that should thus go might not giue any signe of reuerence or honour to their seruice as by kneeling putting of his hat o◅ the like more then he would doe if the seruice were not there And that it is lawful to goe to any church of theirs obseruing these foure poyntes it is euident For this is as much to say as not to goe to church at all seeing he goeth in this case to their meere material church that is to that matterial house or building which is their church neither goeth he to it as to a church but as to a house to doe his busines in And this was the case of Naaman the Syriā who being vpō◅ sodain conuerted from Idolatrie promised that he would neuer sacrifice or offer more to Idols howbeit because his office was to stay vp the king of Syria with his hands when hee wente to adore the Idolles in the temple of Remnon and because he could not do that except he bowed himself down when the king bowed downe who vsed to leane vpon him for this cause he desired the Prophet Elizeus to pray to God for him that it might be pardoned him the Prophet answered him departe in peace Which words can importe no more but a graunting to his request which was to pray to God that hee woulde pardon him if he went so to chuch or at the vttermost as some will enforce it a tolleration with him being yet a Proselite or a new gotten man to do this temporal seruice vnto his king for he went not vpon commandement to shew his religion as our men doe especially it beeing such a country as no scandale could folow therof And that many thinges are tollerated with nouices which afterwards are takē away it appeareth by S. Paule who circumcised Timothy for satisfying the weak Iewes and yet afterward he condemned in al menal circumcision Neyther maketh it any matter although he say Si ador auero in templo Remnon adorāte rege in eodemloco vt ignoscat mihi Dominus pro hacre That is If I shall adore in the temple Remnon when the king doth adore in the same place that God will pardon me for this thing As though he should aske pardon for to adore the Idols with the king This kinde of speach I say importeth nothing For neither doth he aske pardon to commit Idolatry therby seeing immediately before he sayd that he would neuer omit it more nor if he had asked such leaue could the Prophet haue licenced him or would Cod haue pardoned him But his meaning was only to haue pardon for his seruing theking in that place bowing down with him for the better staying of him vp when he did adore For the same word which we translate here adore doeth in Hebrew Greeke and Latine signifie often tymes onely bowing downe without any diuine adoration As when Iaoob adored his brother Esaw seuen tymes that is bowed downe to him seuen times And Dauid adored Ionathas king Saule his sonne three times Abigaile also adored Dauid twise And the like in other places of scripture where adoring is taken for bowing downe only without any diuine adoration at al as here it is in this place Fourthlye and lastlye it followeth of that which is spoken before that seeing this going to church is so forbidden by Gods law as it is and hath so many great inconueniences in it as hath bene shewed that a man may not yeeld in any one little poynt in the same as for example to come to church once a yeere to haue seruice in his house to shewe him selfe present at a peece of seruice or the like For most certaine it is that if all bee not lawefull then no parte of it is lawefull And Christ saith that hee will not haue one iot of his lawe to bee past ouer vnkeept and who soeuer shall breake one of the least of his commaundementes shall haue least part in the kingdome of heauen The which wordes of Christ Saint Iames explicating saieth Hee that keepeth all the whole lawe and doeth offende but one thing onely yet is he guiltie in all the rest And Christ himselfe in the Apocalipes commendeth much the Angell of Ephesus for his good works labour patience and for many things besides ther recited but yet for being imperfect in some thinges contrary to the wil of Christ which would haue vs perfect he is commanded to repent quickly vnder the paine of leesing his candlesticke that is of leesing his vocation and his place in the booke
he wil mislike with his owne doctrine which condemneth me of hypocrisie dissimulation and renouncing of Christ and his gospel If I present but my only body to the churches of theÌ„ whose religion I am not perswaded to bee true As though the Prince Magistrats y â— execute the lawes for coÌ„ming to church would haue the papists to come like hypocrits disseÌ„blers counterfeiters not rather y â— they may heare the word of God preached be instructed beléeue and be saued But why may not this argument of exaÌ„ple be retorted vpoÌ„ his own neckâ—… The Protestants recusants in other countries are not allowed by the papists but against their wil to alleadge their conscience for their refusall but are eyther compelled to conforme themselues to Popery or else are cruelly put to death No more shoulde the pretence of conscience excuse the papistes but that they shouldâ—… receiue the same measure which they meate to others and of y e cup which they haue mingled to other be made to drink a double portion them selues After this he putteth a case and question whether he might resort to such assemblies as should be pretended to be kept in her maiesties honour but indéede wee greately to her dishonour vpon any inâ—…itation of friendes or commaundement of authoritie and how her maiestie might iustly conceiue of him in such resorting in the ende He concludeth that in the assemblies of the Protestantes in their church he shall heare the maiestie of God dishonored his sonne slaundered his holy woord falsefied O monstruous inuention Is Gods maiestie dishonoured where he alone is taught to be honored serued obeyed glorified in all things Is his soÌ„ne staÌ„dered which is taught to be our only spiritual king prophet high priest sauiour redéemer mediator aduocat head of his church Is his holy word falsified which is set forth to be the only sufficieÌ„t rule directioÌ„ doctrine to instruct vs in all trueth As for y â— impugning of Gods church dâ—…screditing of his saintes martyrs reuiling of his bishops pastours and seduction of his people into heresy are méere flaunders as voyde of trueth as they are of proofe And therfore the comparison example which followeth as they may serue where truth is defended against heresy so are they altogether preposterous where heresy is mainteined against true religioÌ„ But now he maketh an answere to an obiectioÌ„ and saith Neither sufficeth it to say that those suppositions are false and that there are not such things committed against God at the Protestants churches seruices for howsoeuer that be wherof I disput not nor yet I being in hart of another Religion must needs thinke not only them but also al other Religions whatsoeuer to commit the same as I know they doe also thinke of mine The conclusion is that they must not doe anything against their conscience vpon dissimulation c. Wherto I yéelde but it is the Magistrates duety to prouide by doctrine penaltie that their conscience may be better instructed especially séeing this their Patrone groundeth all his reasons vpon false suppositions whereof hée will not dispute because hee knoweth hee is not able to defende them And therfore the Prince and Magistrats can no more be mo ued with these niene Reasons not to procéede in exâ—…cution of the godly lawes then the Iudge on the benche can bee mooued by as many reasons that shew no more but how haynous a thing it is to condemne an innocent to forbeare pronouncing of sentence against one that is conuicted at the barre of felony The reasons thus vnreasonably discoursed hee gathereth out of the same certayne shorte conclusions which because they are all aunsweared before I will not now stand to repeate the answeres only where any new matter occurreth I wil briefely note it vpon the first conclusion hée aunsweareth another conclusion that no power vppon earth canne dispense with goyng too Churche whiche is prohibited by the law of GOD and nature Here hee biddeth open warre to the Canonists which defend that the Pope may dispense almost with al matters And sée wée not in his dispensations for marriage that a man may marry his brother or sisters daughter which is contrary both to the law of God and nature that the Pope doeth dispense with suche marriage what the Pope did offer by his letters to her Maiesty I neuer heard it reported whiche he saith is geuen out by some greate men But I haue heard of them whiche aâ—…firmed that they haue séene the Popish Dispensation y â— for time of Schisme a Priest might go to Church more theÌ„ that In the 3. conclusion is contayned a case with 4. qualifications in which a papist might lawfully goe to Church namely for some méere particular knowne teÌ„porall businesse without geuing any signe of reuerence and honor to their seruice Which is nothing to y â— purpose or matter in questioÌ„ whiche is whether Papists y â— are so obstinate y e they wil not bee taught are to bee compelled eyther to yéelde too instruction or too suffer punishment vntill they shalbée willing In the later end he shameth not to repeat that his meaning was to geue some satisfaction to her Maiestie and the Right Honorable of her councell touching the Principles he should rather haue said the petition of principles which catholikes haue to refuse that conformity which is demaunded at their handes Nay rather her Maiesty and Councell when they sée that Papistes haue no reasons to yéelde for their obstinacie but such as stand vppon so vnreasonable suppositions as no man liuing would graunt against his cause and religion they may bee better encouraged to proceede in punishing that contumacie which is not grounded vpoÌ„ any approoued reason or authority of Gods worde but vpon the méere wilfulnesse and suppositions of wicked and vngodly men whiche howsoeuer béeyng nowe disappointed of the intended massacres and treasonable purposes they woulde be taken for honest and true subiects yet can they not perswade any wise man that they depending vppon the oracle of Antichrist who hath taken vpon him like a proude Instrument of Satan to depose her Maiesty from her royal throne and to discharg aâ—… her subiects of theyr duetie and obedience to her highnes may be true or faithful subiect to their Prince except they doe vtterly renounce and defie the Pope The first part of this treatise beeing ended I knowe not what friende of his maketh his excuse for omission of the second thirde part promised in the beginning whereof the one was what way or meanes Papistes may vse too remedie or ease themselues of this afflictioÌ„ now layde vpon them for their conscience The other if that way or meanes doe not preuayle then howe they ought too beare and indure the same These parts the writer saith he part ly by euill disposition of body and partly by other sodayne busines falling vpon him hée was inforced to leaue out But the contents of the