were falne shoulde rise againe it had been a superfluous and trifling matter to pray for the dead Then considering that to them that are falne a sleepe with godlinesse there is laide vp a most goodly free rewarde holy and godly is the consideration when hee made expiation for the dead to be loosed from that sinne Now let vs sée what the Englishe Bible dedicated to king Henry differeth from this So hee gathered of euery one a certaine insomuch that hee brought together 2000. drachmes of siluer whiche hee sent vnto Ierusalem that there might a sacrifice bee offered for the misdeede In the which place hee did wel and right for he had consideration and pondering of the life that is after this time for if hee had not thought that they which were slaine did yet liue it had beene superfluous and vaine to make any vowe or sacrifice for them that were dead But forsomuche as hee sawe that they whiche die in the fauour and beleefe of God are in good rest and ioy he thought it to be good and honorable for a reconciling to doe the same for those which were slaine that the offence might bee forgiuen The difference as euery indifferent man may sée is in woordes and not in matter but it séemeth that our proude Censor hath not viewed any but the vulgar Latine translation whiche differeth muche more from the Gréeke then the later of the Englishe Bible The Englishe of whiche vulgar Latine as well as I can translat it is thus And a collection being made he sent twelue thousande drachmes of siluer to Ierusalem that a sacrifice might bee offered for the sinnes of the dead thinking wel and religiously of the resurrection For except hee had hoped that they which were fallen shoulde rise againe it might seeme superfluous and vaine to pray for the dead And because hee considered that they which with godlines had receiued sleeping haue the best grace layde vp Holye therefore and wholesome is the cogitation to entreate for the departed that they may be loosed from sinnes Although this translation séeme more pregnante and full for prayers and sacrifices to the dead yet is the same also contayned in the former translations wherfore here is no wilful corruption or false translation proued but the translation is more agréeablâ—… to the originall then that which our Censurer would haue to bée the onely Authenticall The seconde particular cause and the fourth reason is for that the seruice and sacramentes which shoulde bée sayde and administred onelye by Priestes are sayde and ministred onelye by laye men For nowe all or the most parte of the Ministers in Englande are meere lay men That the Sacramentes and publicke prayers should be said and ministred by Ministers lawefully ordayned it is a thing out of question with vs sauing that the Papists doe allowe baptisme in case of necessitie by a laye man But howe is it proued that our Ministers are all or the most parte méere laye men By two argumentes brought forsoothe though he speake of many causes First because they haue not receiued the vndeâ—… orders which they shoulde haue done before priesthoode That such vnder orders are not néedefull it is playne by the scriptures For Stephen and his felowes were not first made Lâ—…ctors dorekéepers Erorcistâ—…s Acolytâ—…S and Subdeacons but out of the whole number of the people chosen immediately to bée Deacons Paule and Barnabas in like manner ordayned by election Elders in euery Church of Lystra Iconium and Antiochia Neyther are those vnder orders prescribed in anye tâ—…xte of the scripture But the Councelles of Carthage the 4. Canon 6. and of Laodecea Canon 24. appoynte that these orders should bée receaued before priâ—…sthood as our reasoner affyrmeth in his quotation But howe truely you shall perceaue by reading the Canons That of Carthage is in these wordes Acolythusquum ordinatur c. When an Acolyte is ordayned let him be â—…avght of the Byshoppe how hee ought tâ—… doe in his office but of the Archedacon let him receaue a candlestick with a waxe candle that hee may know that he is bound to kindle the lightes of the church Also let him receaue a little cruse emptye to giue wine for the Euchariste of the blood of Christe Although this Canon with a many of the rest bee not of such antiquitie as the councell of Carthage the fourth where S. Augustine was present séeing in diuers olde copies they haue not the title of the Carthage councell but generally Statua Ecclesiae antiqua Auncient statutes of the Church yet you sée playnelye that héere is neuer a word to shewe that those vnder orders eyther were or ought to bée necesiarily receaued of euerye one that shalbe preferred to the order of Priesthoode Nowe let vs sée the other Canon of Laodicea Quid non oporteat sacro ministerio deditos c. That they which are dedicated to the holy ministerie from the Priestes vnto the Deacons and the rest of the Ecclesiasticall order that is vnto the Subdeacons Readers Singers Exorcistes and dorekeepers nor any of the number of Contayners and Monkes ought not to come in anye tauerns or common tipling houses Doeth not this Canon proue inuincâ—…blye trowe you that no man ought to bée made Priest excepte hée haue receaued these vnder orders It followeth I thinke by any logique that wheresoeuer these Officers are named there it is meant that they were all receaued by euerye one that was aduaunced to the order of Priesthoode Naye the contrary is easie to bée gathered out of the hystories that manye were ordayned Priestes which neuer had those vnder orders and that manye hauinge those vnder orders continued in them al their lyfe tyme whereas no man taketh them all at this daye in the Popishe Churche but with intente to bée promoted by them as by steppes vnto Priesthoode For in the most auncient Church where they were first vsed they were names of offices to read in the Church to kéepe Church dores from the entring of Gentiles or excommunicate persons to attende vppon the Byshop as witnesses of his conuersation and exorcists were such as had a 〈◊〉 to cast out diuels of them that were possessed the Subdeacons to serue vnder the Deacons in prouiding for the poore c. But in the Popish Church they haue none but 〈◊〉 offices about idie ceremonies and vain pageants of their Masses consecrations ordinations and such like theatricall pompes and showes The seconde cause why our Ministers are said to bée laye men is for that they are not ordayned by such a Byshop and Priest as the catholyke church hath put in that authoritie This cause dependeth altogether vppon our olde supposition that the Popishe Church is the catholyke Church which is not like to bée admitted by any but by the Papistes themselues Otherwise the true Catholike Church hath allowed the ordination of our Ministers as lawfull vntill by authoritie of the holy scriptures it can bée conuinced to bée vnlawfull The third
particular cause and fifth generall reason why our seruice is sayde to bée naught is Because they haue diuers false and blasphemous thinges therein God forbid that this saying shoulde 〈◊〉 proued true And that which is worse they so place those thinges as they may seeme to the simple to bee very scripture A wonderfull hard accusation but let vs heare the probation As for example in the ende of a certayne Geneua Psalme They praye to GOD to keepe them from Pope Turke and Papistrie which is blasphemous If it be blasphemous it is against y â— Popes triple crown or the Turkes torbaÌ„t for against God it is no blasphemie nor against his truth or any of his children But what an impudent slaunder is this that the dittie which playnely caryeth before it the name of the endighter Robert Wisdome is so placed as it may séeme to bée very scripture And is called a Geneua Psalme as though the Church of Geneua had any thing to doe with hymmes and spirituall songes vsed in the Church of England Or that the Church of England had receiued all such ditties from Geneua But the matter is taken greatly in snuffe that the Pope is ioyned with the Turke of whome al antiquitie in Christes church hath thought and spoken so reuerently calling him the high Priest of the church With many other titles which if they might all bée iustified of the auncient Prelats of Rome while they were Catholike Byshops yet they would little helpe to defend that Antichrist which now occupyeth the same place but holdeth not the same foundation of fayth and doctrine But let vs sée howe manye of these tytles were appropryed to the Byshoppe of Rome in anye time For the fyrst and chiefest is quoted Cyprian de simplicitate Praelatorum and also Chrisostome lib. 2. de sacerdotio Concerning the former treatise there is in it no worde of the Byshoppe of Rome more then of all other Byshoppes nor any such title of high Prieste giuen vnto him but contrariwise the vnitie of the Church is shewed to consist in the obedience of euery perticular Church to their own Byshop which are all made of equall authoritie and dignitie There Cyprian setteth forth the subtyltie of the diuell which vnder the name of Christe commendeth Antichriste aâ—…d shewing the cause of the deceite hee sayeth Hoc eo fit fratres dilectissimi c. This commeth hereof my most welbeloued brethren while men returne not to the beginning of trueth neyther is the head sought nor the doctrine of the heauenly maister obserued Which thinges if a man consider and examine there is no neede of large treatie or argumentes The tryall vnto trueth is easie by the compendiousnesse of trueth Our Lorde speaketh to Peter I say to thee quoth hee that thou art Peter and vppon this stone I will buylde my church and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it To thee I will giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and what thinges soeuer thou shalt loose vppon earth they shall bee loosed also in heauen And to the same man after his resurrection hee saieth feede my sheepe And although after his resurrection hee giueth equall power to all his Apostles and saieth As my Father sente mee so I also sende you receaue the holye Ghoste whose sinnes you shall forgiue they shall bee forgiuen whose sinnes you shall retayne they shall bee retayned yet that hee myght make the vnitie manifest hee disposed the original of that same vnitie by his authoritie beginning of one man Verilye the rest of the Apostles were the â—…ame thing that Peter was endued with equall felowship both of honour and of power but the beginning proceedeth from vnitie that the church might bee shewed to bee one And after a fewe lynes entreating of the vnitie of the Church hee saieth Quam vnit atem c. whiche vnitie most of all wee that rule as Byshoppes in the Churche ought to holde faste and mayntaine that wee myght proue the Byshoppes office it selfe to bee one and vndeuided Let no man deceaue the brotherhoodde with a lye Lette no man corrupte the trueth of fayth by such preuarication There is but one byshopricke or bishops office whereof a parte is helde of euery one in solidum throughly or perfectly or in the whole You sée that Cyprian saith nothing for his title but against the Antichristian authority pretended therby very much very effectuously But what saieth Chrisostome in his 2. booke de sacerdotio sounding to that purpose I finde nothing but that he admonisheth Basill that he had no iniury in being taken by sorce and made a priest séeing he was therby made equall with Peter euen as Peter excelled all the Apostles Etiam ne nunc nobiscum c. Wilte thou then still contende with vs that this fraud hath not happened wel luckely to thee Which by it art to be made ouerseer of all the goodes of God almightie especially when thou doest those thinges whiche when Peter did Christ woulde haue him to be indued with authoritie and also farre to excell the other apostles These woordes shewe that euery Priest when he doeth the same thinges which Peter did is indued with the same authoritie that Peter was and farr passeth all other men And that Peter was not simplie preferred in authority but only when he did execute his charge therfore so preferred that euerie minister in teaching and administring the sacraments hath the same authoritie and excellencie The next title pretended to be giuen to the Pope by all antiquitie is the Bishop of the vniuersal church For which is quoted Cyprian Epist. 46. that of Cyprian is no more but that certaine Confessors which had ioyned with the Nouatian Scismatikes that made an other Bishop at Rome beside Cornelius returning to the Church acknowledged that Cornelius was the right bishop of the Catholike Church and Nouatus or Nouatianus a false byshop of a scismaticall Church The wordes of their confession are these Nos inquiunt c. We say they doe know that Cornelius is set vp by God Almightie and by our Lorde Iesus Christ a bishop of the most holy Catholike church We confesse our errour We haue been circumuented being carried out of our right minde by factious loquacitie of falshood Wee seemed to haue as it were a certayne communicating with a schismaticall person but our mynde was alwaye sincere in the churche neyther are wee ignoraunte that there is one GOD and one Christe our Lorde whom we haue confessed one holye Ghoste that there ought to be but one bishop in a catholike church Meaning that in euery Catholike Churche there ought to bée but one Byshoppe at once not that there shoulde bee but one bishop of all the Catholike Church which were a monstrous absurdity The thirde title is The Pastour of the Churche for whiche is quoted Chrisostome lib. 2. de Sacer. Where I finde nothing that hath any shewe of suche a matter more then I haue alreadye declared
A briefe Confutation of a Popish Discourse Lately set forth and presumptuou sly dedicated to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie by Iohn Howlet or some other Birde of the night vnder that name Contayning certaine Reasons why Papistes refuse to come to Church which Reasons are here inserted and set downe at large with their seuerall answeres By D. Fulke Maister of Penbroke Hall in Cambridge Seene and allowed ¶ At London printed for George Byshop 1581. Abriefe conâ—…tation of a Popish discourse THe Papistes by long experience beeing learned howe litle is gained to their part by writing such Treatises in which they tooke vpon them either to iustifie their owne errours or to condemne the truth of Gods Church haue now of late taken an other course and begun an other way of writing which they haue thought more meete both to couer the infirmitie of their cause and to reteine such as they haue seduced in obstinacie of errour For not abiding to proue either that they are in the right or wee in the wrong they content them selues generally to inueigh against Schisme and Heresie to shew foorth the daunger of both in which argument while they conteine them selues they yeeld many good and substantiall reasons as is not hard for them to do which take a good cause in hande But when they come to couple this argument of Schisme or Heresie either by affirmation vnto vs or by denial vnto them selues without which there can no conclusion be made of the whole cause in controuersie they bring nothing but a stale vnlearned and miserable beggerie of the whole matter in question namely that they are the Catholikes we the Schismatikes they are the Church and wee the Heresie Such is the whole drift of Gregorie Martinus vaine Treatise of Schisme such is the scope of Hides seditious Epistle Consolatorie vnto Papistes and the same is the policie of this blasphemous and traiterous discourse coÌ„teining the coulorable reasons made for the Papistes that refuse to go to Church The full and large aunswere vnto which infamous Libell presumed to be dedicated euen to her most excellent Maiestie with the confutation of the same Epistle Dedicatorie because it requireth larger time and is to be expected from a man of singular learning and diligence assoone as it may bee done conueniently I haue thought good in the meane time briefly to set forth vnto the ignorant for no man of meane knowledge can be deceiued by such petition of priâ—…ciples the vanitie vnsufficiencie of al these â—…ne reasons that neither any one of them nor they al together can be any excuse much lesse a defense for these obstinate Recusantes to withdraw their obedience from God her Maiesties most godly lawes decreed for going to Church The answere of a vertuous and learned man to a Gentleman in Englande touching the late im prisonment of Catholikes there THE VEW of your late Letters my deare and woorshipfull friende brought vnto mee soâ—…e sorowe and muche comforte The sorowe proceeded of the wofull and afflicted case of my poore countrie so pitifully set downe by your penne vnto mine eye wherein as you write so many great Gentlemen of woorship are imprisoned for their conscience and religion of late so many good houses broken vp so many hoâ—…sholders dispersed and fled away so many young Gentlemen and seruantes vnprouided so many poore people destitute so many wiues disioyned from their husbands so many children berefâ—… of their parentes such flying such running suche shutting vp in prisons suche pitiful abiding hâ—…ger thirst and colde in prison as you describe doleful for vs to heare heere but more ruful for you to bâ—…old there and al this for different opinions in religion a miserie not accustomed to fall in our fathers dayes vpon that noble realme But as these were causes of some sorowe so was it no meane comfort vnto me to consider that in these wicked and loose times of ours wherein there is no feeling or sence of vertue left but al men enwrapped in the loue of Gods professed enemie the worlde folowing with al force and ful â—…yle the vanities and ambition of the same that there shoulde bee founde in Englande so many Gentlemen both for their yeares liuinges and other habilities as fit to be as vaine as the rest yet so precise in matters of religion and so respectiue to their consciences as that they wil preferre their soule before their bodie and Gods cause before their owne ease nay that they wil rather venture both bodie and goods life landes libertie and al then they wil doe any thing contrarie to their consciences whereby they must bee iudged at the last day This is suche a thing as it must needes bring comfort to al men and can iustly greeue none except the common enemy the Deuil him selfe For as for â—…raungers they must â—…eedes be edefied therewith as for Englishmen they must needes be incouraged thereby And as for the Princesse her selfe shee cannot but bee comforted therein assuring her selfe that if these men doe sticke so firmely vnto their consciences and fayth sworne vnto God in their oâ—… of Baptisme then wil they as firmely for the same conscience sticke vnto her Maiestie if occasion should serue in keeping their secondary faith and allegeance sworne vnto her Highnesse as to the substitute of GOD. Their aduersaries also and persecutors it can not in any reason mislike for that the contrarie religion were to haue them as constant and faithful in that if it were possible to win them to the same But notwithstanding seeing you wryte that there is both great dislike and displeasure also taken of it as though their constancie were obstinacy and their conscience meere wil which most of al greeueth as you write their obedient and wel meaning mindes albeeit otherwise the pressure it selfe bee so heaâ—… as the burthen thereof is sore and greeuous to beare for these causes and for the giuing of some more light to the whole matter I wil as you seeme to desire most briefly touch three things in this letter whereby I doubt not but that you shal account your selfe fully and sufficiently answered â—… The first point shalbe what cause or reason the Catholikes haue to stande as they doe in the refusall of thinges offered them and especially of going to the Church Secondly what way or meanes they may vse to remedie or ease them selues of this affliction now layde vpon them for their consciences Thirdly if that way or meanes doe not preuayle then howe they ought to beare and indure the same BEfore the nyne reasons is premised an answere to a Letter as is pretended of a gentleman in England touching the late imprisoÌ„meÌ„t of Catholiks there the coÌ„tents wherof are these First a great sorrow coÌ„ceiued in this answerer for that pitifull descriptioÌ„ of EnglaÌ„d coÌ„teined in the gentlemans letter wherin was writteÌ„ that so many great Gentlemen of worship were prisoned for their consciences religion of
faith sworne vnto God in their oath of baptisme Or els her highnesse must thinke great disâ—…oyaltie what speake I of disloyaltie yea open and manifest contumely in such an impudent marchant as dare be bold to assure her subiects y â— commaunding them to ioyne with her in true religion shée commaundeth them to breake their firste fayth sworn to God in baptisme and yet notwithstanding cannot but be coÌ„forted at their obstinate contempt to her most iust and godly commaundement But let the matter of the first fayth remaine in question What assurance can her maiestie haue of the kéeping of their second fayth and alleadgeance sworn to her heighnes as to y e substitut of god How many of those recusants presended for coÌ„science and kéeping of their first faith sworn to goâ—… ioined with the trayterous Earlâ—…s of Northumberland and Westmerland in open and actual rebellion against her maiesties person her crowne aâ—…d dignitie Behold the bond of assurance that her heighnes hath by their obstinate refusing to yéeld vnto her gracious and godly procéedings These be the linkes of loyalty wherby papists are so chained in obedience vnto their god y t they caÌ„not be traytors against their prince This is the recognisance of their dutie y â— they wil stick vnto her maiestie if occasioÌ„ should serue y â— so soone as any occasion is offred to shew theÌ„selues in their right collors stick not to make open war against her maiestie euen in her owne realme and their natiue countrey I hartâ—…ly beseech almightie God if it bée his will for Christes sake to illuminate their blind eyes that their heartes being truely conuerted vnto God they may bée méete instrumentes to serue the Prince Which grace if it be not his maiesties pleasure to graunt vnto them sor causes knowne to his diuine wisdome I beséech him for his mercie that her highnesse neuer haue néede or vse of their ayde who are her secréete sworn â—…imies howsoeuer they pretend an outward countenance of duetie and faythfulâ—…esse But to returne to this our discourser if Papistes could bée ashamed of any thing my thinke he should not for shâ—…me promise her maiestie assurance of their fidellitie who hauea receiued principle y â— to infidels and such as they accounte herhighnesse to be no fayth or promise of obedience it is to bée obserued And what talketh hée of a secundarie fayth sworne vnto her highnesse as though either shée or any almost in Englande were ignorant of the blasphemous bulles of Pius quintus and Gregorius 13. giuen forth against her maiestie procured by the traitours on that side the sea by which al her subiects are assured to bée discharged of all oth of obedieâ—…ce and loyaltie vnto their souereigne and the Prince her selfe with more vile tearmes then I in respecte of her honour and my duetie may expresse as méete for the basphâ—…mous mouth of Antichrist as vnworthy of her most 〈◊〉 and noble personage discharged of y â— most lawful souer eigntie which by the ordinance of Gâ—…d her most iust title by all law righ equitie doth appertaine vnto her Will they stick to her Maiestie in conscience of anyoth whose consciences the Pope hath loosed from al dutie of alleadgeance Haue not all the Papistes â—…ne sense of this matter or els where is the vnitie they brag of dâ—…th not Bristo in his 40. motiue affyrme that al the Papistes in England be duelie discharged from subiectioÌ„ and the Prince froÌ„ dominion by the souereigne autoritie of the common pastor of relygion Saith he not in the same motiue that although they be discharged of their fealtie yet they obey for common humanitie He might much more truly haue said that being in their traiterous perswasion discharged of their fealty wherinsoeuer they obey it is for feare of penaltie How can they that thinke themselues discharged of their fealty kéepe their secoÌ„d faith and aleadgeaunce â—…worne to her highnesse as to the substitute of God whome they wickedly imagine to bée discharged from dominion by the souereigne authoritie of Gods vicar in their tearme but the dauilles dearling in very déede But if the rebellion in the North the Bulles of their two last Popes Feltons execution Brisues motiues and a great many other motiues inducing her maiestie to conceiue of them as of most daungerous persons to the state were all cleane forgotten or els had neuer gone before are the attempts of Saunder in Ireland so obscure or y â— Popeâ—… standerd throwne downe so lowe or his garyson of soldiours so wholy discomfited or his forte so througly rased and made euen with the ground or Campions proude and foolish chaleng and the flocking of so many Iâ—…suits and Seminaristes as so many trompets and bellowes of sedition into England concurring with the hostile inuasion of Ireland so cléerely abolyshed that no monumentes of popish sidelitie and alleadgeance to their souereigne remaine to bée gathered or considered of them but that this new discourser dare assure her Maiestie that the disobedience of Papistes is an argument of their loyaltie their obstinacie a proofe of their fidelitie their contâ—…mpte of God and his trueth a conclusion of their alleageaunce and sworne seruice to their Prince Yet is hée so confident in defending their wilfulnesse that hée aâ—…ouceth that their aduersaries also and persecutors cannot in any reason mislike it for that the contrary relygion were to haue them as constant and faythfull in that if it were possible to winne them to the same In déede constancie if the cause bée good wherein it is deserueth great commendation but obstinacie in an euil cause as it hath nothing y â— in reasoÌ„ can moue wise men to like it so hath it not a necessarie consequence that the obstinate being once reclaymed to good religion will al waies continue constant in the same For beside experieÌ„ce in some of the recusantes who haue reuoulted from the truth once professed that constancie wherby true religioÌ„ is faithfully maintained is the gift of God and diffreth as much from obstinacie whereby an euill matter is borne out as trueth differeth from falshood and good relygion from heresie The last part of y â— answer to this preteÌ„ded letter is spent in promising to proue their obstinâ—…cie to be constancie and their wiâ—…lnes to be conscience and in 〈◊〉 his friendes desire briefly to touche three thinges The firste poynte shall bee what cause 〈◊〉 reason the Catholikes haue sayeth hee to stande as they doâ—… in the refusall of thinges offered them and especially of going to church The other two poyntes which are altogether omitted I will rehearse in the ende with a briefe coniecture of the cause why the same were giuen ouer And now to the first parte and in déede The onely matter and whole discourse of this treatise The first parte THat the Queenes most excellent maiestye the honourable Lordes of her pryuy Counsell and other the learned and wise of England may see that the refusall of going
time abidden imprisonment and nowe in greater number do for this only thing in the sight knowledge not only of Englande but also of al Christendome and of the enemies of the same in the worlde besides doeth make this abstaining from churche to bee a proper and peculiar signe of a true catholike nowe if it were not before and the yeelding in the same especially if a man be called to publike trial about it to be a flat and â—…uident denying of God and of his fayth For what doeth make a thing to be a proper and peculiar signe but the iudgement and opinion of men The bush of the Tauerne is a signe of wine because mâ—…n commonly take it so In like maner the yeaâ—…ow bonet of a Iew the yealow torbant of a Turke and the like Euen so seeing the whole world at this day doeth take the absteming from Protestantes Churches to bee the only external signe of a true catholike and seeing the Protestantes them selues doâ—… make it so also seeing that the going to Church is the contrarie signe it followeth that if going to church were of it selfe before lawful it were now made by this a peculier signe distinctiue betwixt religion and religion and so vtterly vnlawful I wil put an example of the Primatiue church wherein the wearing of a garland was lawful for al souldiers vntil the Emperours and the common opinion of men had abridged it onely to infidel souldâ—…ers to distinguish them thereby in honour from christian souldiers And then after that as Tertullian prooâ—…eth it was no longer lawful for christian souldiers to weare them for that the wearing therof was a denial of the christian fayth Wherevppon wee reade that a certaine christian souldieâ—… offered him selfe rather to suffer death then to weare one of them as appeareth in the same booke of Tertullian But now much more is the thing vnlawfull in our case For that the going to the Protestantes churches which is a catholike must presume to be heretical was neuer a thing of it selfe lawful as I wil hereafter proue which the wearing of a garland was and therfore much lesse now to be tollerated seeing besides this it is also made a signe distinctiue as I haue alreadie prooued The third reason THe third reason is not vnlike his brethren that went before which all holde of a necessarie supposition or els they inforce no necessarie conclusion This third reason is for that going or not going to the Church is made a signe nowe in Englande and a distinctiue note betwixt religion and religion betwixt a Catholicke and a schismatike as the wearing of a yellow Cappe is the marke of a Iewe in Italy I yéeld it is so and therfore going to Church is the externall note of a Catholike not going to Church is the marke of a Schismatike Heretike But what go I about to breake the adamantine necessitie of the former supposition Then let it stand and sée howe it is fastened to the cause in controuersie That the going to Church is the playne and apparant signe of a Schismatike that is to say of a conformable man as they call him to the Protestantes proceedinges it is manifestly to bee prooued In déede it is necessarie to bée prooued if you will haue the argument of auoiding the distinct marke of Schismatikes to agrée with Protestantes Howe then doe you proue it First by the commandement and exaction of the same for going to Church In déed this proueth the meaning of the coÌ„manders to be y â— they woulde haue all true Christians whoÌ„ you call the Protestants to bée discerned from heretikes and schismatikes by this marke But that all Protestants are heereby proued to bée schismatikes it is as farre of as euer it was and as néere as euer it shalbe But the reason of exaction mightily doeth prooue it For when a Catholike doeth come before the Commissioners there is nothing asked of him but when hee was at Churche and if hee will promise to goe to Churche commonly they account him a sufficient conformable man that is to haue yeelded sufficiently vnto them It were I gesse hard to proue that euery Papist which commeth before the Commissioners is examined of that one Article of comming to Churche And if it were graunted that to bée one question which is asked of him when hee was at Churche yet that nothing els is asked of any that commeth before them I thinke there is no man will beléeue you though you woulde swere it And if some of whose conformitie there is hope by promising to goe to the Churche where they may bée instructed are for a season vrged no further yet that they are commonly accounted to bée conformable men and thought to haue yéelded sufficiently vntoo the Commissioners I dare say neither the Commissioners who best know their owne thoughts wil acknowledge so much and their contrary practise is often séene in many and you your selfe complaine of it that they exact of many to communicate to take the oth whiche is more then onely going to Churche But the long imprisonment of many doeth make this absteining from the Church to bée a proper and peculiar signe of a true Catholike No verily but of an obstinate herctike For not y â— imprisonment but the cause for which they suffer must argue them to bée true Catholikes whiche cause séeing it is lefte without defence or proofe sauâ—… only a poore naked and beggerly supposition to stande vpon it followeth not that going to Churche is the note of a Schismatike but not going to Churche rather argueth a Schistike or an Heretike The fourth Reason THE fourth cause why a Catholike may not goe to the Churche is because it is Schisme and breaking of the vnitie of the Catholicke Churche the which howe perrillous and dreadsul a thing it is all catholikes doe sufficiently knowe For as they firmely beleeue that to oppugne the visible knowne Churche of Christe as all Heretikes tontinually doe is a verie wicked and damnable sinne Euen so in like manner they beleeue that to breake the vnitie of the same Churche and to make any rent or disuion in the same whiche is the proper faulte of schismatikes is also damnable For the whiche cause Saint Paule doeth so diligently request the Corinthians too auoide Schismes saying beseeche you brethren by the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe that you al say one thing and that there bee no schismes amongest you And to the Ephesians Bee you careful to keâ—…pe vnitâ—…e of spirite in the bonde of peace The which vnitie Christe himselfe expresseth more particularly and more distinctly when hee requesteth of his Father That his Christians might bee one as he and his father were one that is to say that as hee and his father did agree in al their actions and whatsoeuer the one did the other also did So in his church there shoulde bee one only forme of beliefe one fourme of seruice
and is nowe at this day amongst the Iewes the greatest punyshment besides death that can be deuised For he looseth therby al offices dignities and credit whatsoeuer no man maye buye or sell with him noe man may visit him or talke with him or salute him in the streates Fynallye it is a death vppon earth a great and suffycient excuse a man would thinke to answere for a mans silence onely For I see many a one in England not onelye to conceale theyr owne consciences but also to speake againste the same for a lesse cause But what is Saynt Iohns iudgement vpon the matter for sooth hee excepteth not the excuse but condemneth them in a damnable mortal sinne agaynst the first commaundement for doing the same saying That by this silence of theirs they did put the glory of God behynde the glory of men and thereby shewed that they loued men better then God Noe doubt but to their euerlasting damnation except they hartely repented them The which I would haue those vnwise and fonde noble men and gentle men in Englande to consider which perswade both themselues and other men that in these troublesome tymes a man maye without offence keepe his conscience to him selfe but especially those that doe not onely holde their peace but also doe against theyr conscience what soeuer is commaunded them sayinge that all which is done amisse shall not belayde vpon them at the day of iudgement but vpon the Prince and the Magistrates which compell theâ—… to doe the same against their owne willes But what compulsion this is and how furre it shall excuse their doinges I haue now declared Wherefore hereafter let no man say that he goeth to church against his wil thinking therby to excuse him selfe from schisme Besides this to proue it schisme yea and that obstinate and rebellyous schisme it were sufficiente to knowe that the meaning wil and commaundement of the generall and vniuersall Catholyke Churche at this daye is that catholyke men shoulde not presente them selues to Protestantes churches or conuenticles seeing they are denounced open enemies to the aforsayd church and their relygion hath beene as orderly condeÌ„ned in the lastgeneral counsell of Trent As the doctrine of Arrius was in the first generall counsell of Nyce And albeit the councell of Trent made no perticuler decree of this matter yet is there no cause why any man shoulde take any holde thereat seeing the reason thereof was because suche a decree was needelesse for the church hauing alreadie condemned from the beginning all praying with Heretikes or repayring to their conuenticles it was sufficient for the counsell onely to condemne the Protestantes for such men without any further particular prohibiting of others to come to their churches and seruâ—…ce seeing their conuenticles being once pronounced to bee hereticall the other was to bee presupposed And this is the true meaning of the counsell whatsoeuer other saye to shadowe their imperfections Howbeit some doubt being at that time moued by certaine of the Nobilitie of England whether they might not lawfully without offence goe to church to doe some meere temporall acte as to beare the sworde before her Maiestie or the like it was debated by xij learned men there at the counselles appoyntement and determination then giuen that onlye for such a cause they might goe to church As for example if her Maiestie should appoynt certaine catholiks to meete at Poules to intreaâ—… of matters of the state and that at such time as seruice were sayd there and this was Naaman Syrus his case flatte who was permitted as most men take it for a time to goe with his Kinge and holde him vppon his shoulder when hee went to the temples of the Idolles Now that there hath beene a generall custome rule and canon of the church prohibiting to goe to the churches and conuenticles of heretikes it is plaine by the testimonie of all antiquitie The Apostles themselues in their threescore and thirde canon say thus If any man eyther of the clergie or laiâ—…e doe goe into the Synagoge of the Iewes or into conuenticles of heretiques to pray let him be deposed and excomunicated This canon of the church was exactly afterwardes kept and is mentioned very often by the Fathers and counselles by occasion of the like matter As for example when Origen was by a certaine necessitie compelled to dwell in house together with one Paule an heretique to whome there resorted often not onely heretiques but some simple Catholiques also for the fame of his excellent eloquence yet they write of Oâ—…igen That hâ—… coulde neuer be induced by any meanes to bee present at prayers where Paule was And the reason is put downe by them to be this For that Orygen euen from his youth had kept and obserued most diligently the Canon of the Church Heere wee see what account was made in those dayes of this Canon of the church Furthermore S. Dionysius Alexandrinus a learned Father talkinge of one Heraclas Byshoppe of Alexandria and scholer of the aforesayde Origen and shewing howe the saide Heraclas had excommunicated and cast out of the church certaine christians for that they were accused to haue vsed much company of a certaine heretique he addeth this sayinge This Canon and this example haue I reâ—…aued of our holy Father Heraclas The lyke obseruation of this Canon is noted in Athanasius who comming to Antioche fledde the common and publique Churches which were vsurped then by one Leontius an Arian Byshoppe and his clergye and seeking out the Catholyques that were in the citie which then by contempte were called Eustaâ—…hians because they helde of the communion of their catholike deposed Bishoppe named Eustathius as catholyques now in Englande are contemptiouslye called Papistes for holding of the communion of the Byshop of Rome and finding them out did secreetelye communicate with them as saieth the historie Conuenâ—…uin aedibus priuatis peracto That is Making their assembly or Chnrche in their priuate houses Howelyke is this case to our state now adayes in England The lyke respecte to this canon of the churche had Alexander by shoppe of Constantinople who wished rather to die then to remayne in the churche when Arius the heretique should come to the same To this canon had also respecte the people of Alexandria so much commended by Athanasius him selfe who would rather praye together by them selues in the churche yarde without coâ—…r thâ—… enter into the church to praye where George the Aryan byshoppe was The lyke consideration had also the people of Samosatum who after the depriuation of theyr vertuous and cathoâ—…ke byshop Eusebius and the thrusting into his place by the Aryans of an heretical byshop called Ennomius they would no more come at the church of whome 〈◊〉 writeth thus None of the inhabitants there poore or rich seruant or artificer husbandman or grafter man or woman younge or olde woulde come to
the Church but the Byshoppe was there alone for no man woulde eyther come to his sight or talke with him albeit he was reported to haue vsed him self very modestlye amongst them Nay yet further then this the people of Rome hauing their true catholike byshop deposed by the Aryans and an other called Felix thruste vppon them not an heretique but a schismatique for the historie saith that he was sounde in fayth and held soundlye the relygion set downe in the counsel of Nyce yet because he was a schismatique and was content to take holy orders of the Arian Byshoppes and to communicate with them the whole people as I sayde did flye him and as the historie saieth None of the inhabytants of Rome would enter into the church so longe as hee was within Thus wee see the scrupulositie of chrystian Catholykes in those dayes and that as they thought vppon good cause for the auoyding of schysme If anye man can shewe mee a warrant since that tyme for the enlarging of our consciences now a dayes I woulde gladly see it Yow haue heard in the beginning of this reason the opinions of our forefathers in the primatiue church what a great and haynous sinne it is to breake the vnitie of the church or to disobey the same Againe it is certayne that the church telleth vs if the voyces of all the Byshops and learned men in christendome and of the supreame Pastour too bee the voyce of the church that goeing to Protestantes churches is forbidden vs what excuse then shall those men haue from obstinate schisme that notwithstanding all this will yet thinke it lawefull especially the thing being nowe in practise and so manye men suffering for the same Assuredlye â—…hey can looke for no other account to be made of them but as Christ willeth vs. If hee heare not the Churche let him bee to thee as an heathen and as a Publican The which wordes S. Austen saieth Are more grieous and terrible then if he had sayde let him be strooken with a sworde let him be consumed with the flames of fire let him bee deuoured of wylde beastes And a little while after talking of the bande wherewith the church mayâ—… binde a mans sinnes by authoritie giuen vnto her of Christe hee saieth A man is bounde more bitterlye and more infortunately by the keyes of the Churche then by any other most grâ—…uous and barde bandes albeit they were of yron or of adamant stone Leâ—… colde catholykes in Englandemarke this and not thinke they are free when they are in these bandes nor thinke they are christians when in deede they are Heathens and Publycans It is a naturall infirmitie of ours to thinke willingly to wel of our owne case and passion permitteth vs not to iudge indifferently in these matters Let vs therefore consider of other mens cases and by them conieâ—…ure of our owne If in Saint Iohn Chrisostome his time when there was an Arrian churche and a catholike Churche knowen in Constantinople and both of these churches calling people vnto them and the Emperour fauouring more the Arrians then the catholikes if I say in that case some catholikes leauing Saint Chrisostomes church should haue gone to the Arrians churches to seruice vpon obedience to the Emperour what woulde we thinke of them now would we esteeme them damned schismatikes or not If they had dyed so considering their disobedience to the Bishoppe and their perfideous betraying of Gods catholike cause in that time of tryall I thinke yes Then let vs not deceaue our selues for this is our ease nowe And if in all mens iudgementes that acte woulde haue seemed Schisme for disobeying one particular priuate Bishop and breaking from his commnnion what shall wee say for disobeying the Generall Pastour of all and breaking from his communion Of whom the noble Martyr of Christ Saint Cyprian aboue thirteen hundred yeeres agone saide thus Heresies and Schismes haue sprong of none other cause then for that men doe not obey Gods Priest and for that they do not thinke or consider that there is one onely Prieste who is iudge in Christes steede for the time Vnto whom if all the vniuersall brotherhood woulde obey in diuine functions no man woulde moue any thinge against the Colledge of Priestes neyther after the iudgement of God the suffrage of the people the Bishops consent once put downe in anye matter woulde any man dare to make himselfe a iudge of the Byshoppe and consequently of GOD nor by breaking Vnitie teare and rent the Churche of Christ. The fourth Reason THE fourth cause why a catholicke may not goe to the church saith he is because it is sinne and breaking of the vnitie of the catholick churche And then discourseth at large how perilous it is to break the Unitie of the Churche and how néedfull to kéepe it in whiche Argument hée hath all true Christians to take his parte sauing that hée séemeth to vrge this vnitie so farre that in the Churche of Christ there should bée not alone one only forme of beliefe but also One forme of seruice one forme of Sacramentes For which hée quoteth Ephes. 2. 4. If hée meane of one essentiall and substantial forme of Sacramentes and Seruice I doe willingly admitt that hée sayeth but if he speake of one external â—…orme in woordes and ceremonies as for example that which the Popishe Church doeth vse Sainte Paule neyther in the place by him noted nor anyâ—… where els teacheth that it is necessary to bée in the whole Church of Christ neyther was it in auncient times but euery Churchâ—… vsed suche forme of prayers and administration of the Sacramentes as they thought most conuenient whereof not onelie so many differing formes of Lyâ—…urgies yet extant but almost al the Auncient Writers are witnesses Neyther at this day is there in all Churches of Christ one forme of seruice and Sacramentes no not in the Popishe Churche wherein howe many diuersities of seruices there are in other places it is to be gathered by so many differing formes as were héere in Englande according to the vse of Sarum of Yorke of Rome or of Hereforde Neyther did Gregorie when hée sent Augustine into Englande to plant the fayth and religion that was at Rome thinke it expedient to bynde the Saxons to the forme of Ceremonies and seruice vsed in the Church Romayne but willed him to choose out of euery Churche what hée thought conuenient for the newe Church of the English Saxons But procéeding to shewe how grieuous the sinne of Schisme is out of Augustine our reasoner putteth vs in minde what Augustine meaneth by coÌ„municating with the vnitie of the Churche in these woords That their Communion bée with the whole body of Christes Church dispersed ouer the whole world and not with any one parte separate or els it is manifest that they are not saith he in the Catholike Churche Uerely these wordes of Saint Augustine with many other that
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
which all men are to be saued Thirdly becaâ—…se they sing it and make other simple men to sing it in the beginning of Sermons and otherwise as though it were scripture it selfe and one of Dauids Psalmes Fourthly albeit the Protestantes seruice had not all this euil in it as it hath yet were it nought because it hath not in it those good things which Christian seruice should haue For seruice may bee euil as well for hauing too litle as for hauing too much As the seruice of the Arrians was for singing Glorie to the Father and not singing the same to the Sonne And as if a man should recyte his Creede and leaue out one article as in effect the Protestants doe the article of discention into hell all the whole Creede were nought thereby Nowe howe many thinges doe want in the Protestantes seruice which should be in Christian seruice it were too long in euerie point to rehearse yet will I for examples sake name two or three thinges First therefore they haue left out the chiefest and highest thinges of all which is the blessed Sacrifice of Christ his Bodie and Blood appointed by Christ to bee offered vp euerie day for thankes giuing to God for obteyning of grace and auoyding of all euil and for the remission of sinnes both oâ—… quicke and dead as with one consent the Fathers of the Primatiue Church doe affirme The which sacrifice beeing away no Christian seruice can bee saide to be there For so much as for this cause were ordeined Priests neither can there any be called Priest but in respect of this sacrifice also in respect of this sacrifice were christian churches called Temples for this sacrifice were made Aulters for an Aulter is the place of sacrifice euen as an armorie is the place where armour is For this sacrifice was Priestes apparell made Vestments Sensors Frankensence and the lyke in the Primatiue Church Whereof all the Fathers Councelles and histories doe speake so much The seconde thing which the Protestantes seruice leaueth out is no lesse then sixe of the seuen sacramentes which the catholike seruice of God doeth vse for as for their communion it can bee no sacrament as they doe vse it The commoditie of which Sacraments in the church saint Augustine saieth That it is greater then can bee expressed and therefore the contempt of them is no lesse then sacriledge because saith hee that can not be contemned without impietie without the helpe of which no man câ—…n haue pietie And for this cause in an other place hee saieth That the contemners of visible Sacraments can by no meanes inuisibly be sanctified The third thing that the Protestants seruice leaueth out is all the ceremonies of the catholike church of the which the olde auncient Fathers and Councels doe say these three thinges First that that they are to bee had in great reuerence and to bee contemned of no man Secondly that they are to bee learned by tradition and that many of them are receiued by the tradition of the Apostles Lastly that they which doe either condemne despise or wilfully omyt these ceremonies are excommunicated I might heere adde many other thinges as leauing out prayers for the dead beeing as the Fathers holde one of the chiefest functions of a Priest Also for hauing their seruice in an other order and language then the vniuersall church vseth But this is sufficient For if they leaue out of their seruice both Sacrifice Sacraments and all Ecclesiasticall ceremonies I knowe not what good thing they haue left besides a fewe bare wordes of scripture euil translated and woorse applyed which they read there Seeing therefore their seruice is such it is a sufficient cause to make all catholikes to auoide it The seuenth reason HE telleth vs that the seuenth reason why a catholike may not yeelde to come to the Protestantes 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 allowe of it by his presence without great offence to God Wee heare that it is nought and dishonourable to God But let vs heare the cause why it is so tearmed First it is not sufficient he saith to defend it y â— it is takeÌ„ out of the scripture the Gospels Epistles Psalmes and such like â—…or by that argument the seruice of the Iewes and Heretikes which is taken out of the Scriptures might like wise bée made good I aunsweare if the 〈◊〉 and Heretykes haue nothing in their seruice but taken out of the Scripture their seruice is not euil in the matter thereof and no more can ours be but by that only argument I confesse that our seruice cannot be proued to bée simply good although it were taken â—…uerie worde out of the Scriptures except it be good also in forme and ende that it be referred to the woorship of the onely true God in the name of Christ and vnitie of this Church as in déede it is and therefore not like the seruice of Iews and Heretikes or Schismatikes but least the Protestantes seruice should not be déemed nought throughly Luthers opinion thereof is cited out of Copes Dialoges a sufficient witnesse of so weightie a matter saying That the Sacramentaries doe in vaine beleeue in God the Father in God the Sonne in the holie Ghost and in Christ our Sauiour al this doth auaile them nothing seeing they doe denie this one article as false of the real presence whereas Christ doeth say this is my bodie Suppose that Cope citeth this saying truely out of Luther and that those whom hée calleth Sacramentaries did deny this one article of the reall presence according to the meaning of Christes wordes This is my bodie as false as though Christe were a lyar It were true that all other articles of fayth could not profite them vnto saluation But what woorde is héere to shewe Luthers opinion of the Protestantes seruice whiche might bee good although they were nought which vsed it But wheras he hath gone hetherto vpon méere suppositions nowe wée shall haue his assumption confirmed by weight of argumentes and authorities First therefore to shew that the Protestants seruice is euil he saieth it were sufficient to say That it is deuised of themselues altogether different from al the seruice of Christendom CoÌ„cerning the matter it was confessed before that it is taken out of the scriptures the Gospels Epistles Psalmes therfore not deuised by vs. Touching y e forme and ceremony thereof it hath alwaies bin frée lawful for euery particular Church to deuise whatsoeuer is most méete for edification order cumlinesse as I haue shewed before euen out of the authoritie of Gregory Bishop of Rome therefore may be different from the forme and ceremonies of all other churches in Christendom so the substance of doctrine Sacraments be the same I wil set down his wordes The interogation of Augustine Cum vna
to the Church of so many thousande Catholykes at this day in that Realme is not vppon disloyaltie or stubberne obstinacy as their aduersaryes giue it out but vppon conscience and great reason and for the auoyding of manyfest perryll of eternall damnation which they shoulde incurre in yeeldyng to that which is demaunded at theyr handes I haue put downe some causes and reasons heere followyng referring the Reader to more larger dyscourses made by dyuerse learned men of our tyme in sundry partes of theyr works this beyng shuffled vp in haste and namely to apeculyar Treatyse not longe agone publyshed touchyng this matter But first of all it is to bee noted that my reasons to thend they may conuynce are to bee supposed to proceede from a catholyke mynde that is from a man which in his conscience is throughlye perswaded that onelye the Catholyke Romayne Relygyon is trueth and that all other newe doctrynes and relygions are false relygions as all newe Gods are false Gods Nowe of these Catholykes there are two sortes in Englande thone which in theyr consciences doe iudge that as all other relygions besides theyr owne are false so all partycipation with them eyther in deede or in shewe by oath by Sacramentes by goyng vnto theyr prayers and seruice or otherwyse is naught forbydden and vnlawefull and yet eyther for feare or fauour or some other worldly cause they are content to communicate wich them in all or some of the foresayde thinges and of those men albeit they bee very many in England I meane not to entreate theyr case beyng apparauntly both to themselues and to all other men wicked and out of all doubte damnable For as S. Austine sayth Hee that knoweth the things to bee ill that he doth and yet doth theÌ„ he goeth downe quick vnto hell As though he would say Albeit he be yet quicke vpon the earth yet is he in the prouideÌ„ce of God dead damned in hel And S. Paul talking of this sin neuer laieth lesse punishment vpon it then iudgement daÌ„nation although it be committed in thinges of themselues indifferent or lawfull for albeit as he saith meates offred to idoles be of themselues lawfull to be eaten to him that knoweth an Idole to be nothing Yet If a man shoulde discerne or iudge it to be vnlawfull and yet eate of it he is damned for it because hee doeth not according to his conscience or knowledge And the reason is that which S. Paule hath immediatly following saying All that which is done by vs not according to our knowledge or conscience is sinne And S. Iames confirmeth the same saying He that knoweth good and doth it not sinneth Wherefore S. Paule crieth out a a little before thus Blessed is hee that iudgeth not or condemneth not himselfe in doing contrary to that he best allowetb And the cause why this sinne against a mans owne conscience is so damnable is this Some doe sinne of humane frailtie as did Peter and this is called a sinne against the father who is called Power Some doe sinne of ignorance as did Paule and this is called a sinne against the sonne who is called Wisedome Some doe sinne of meere will and malice choosing to sinne although they know it to be sinne and this is the sinne against the holy Ghost to whom is appropriated particularly grace and goodnesse the which a man most wickedly contemneth and reiecteth when he sinneth wilfully against his own conscience and therefore Christ saith that a man shalbe forgeuen a sinne agaynst the father and against the sonne as we doe see it was in Peter and Paule But he that sinneth agaynst the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgeuen neither in this world neyther in the worlde to come As for example the Pharisies were not which did many thinges against Christ malitiously and contray to their owne knowledge consciences If this be true as it is if God be not vntrue theÌ„ in what a miserable case standeth many a man in England at this day which take othes receiue sacramentes goe to Church and commit many a like acte directly against theyr owne consciences and against their owne knowledge nay what a case doe they stand in which know such thinges to be directly agaynst other mens consciences and yet doe compell them to doe it As to receiue against their will to sweare against their will and the like Surely as I am nowe minded I would not for ten thousand worldes compel a Iewe to sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie For albeit the thing be neuer so true yet shouldâ—…â—…e be damned for swearing against his conscience and I for compelling him to commit so heynous and greeuous a sinue But of this sorte of Catholikes this is ynough and too much excepte they were better For they are to be accounted according to Saint Paule damned meâ—… in this lyfe and therefore no christians and much lesse Catholikes There are another sort of Catholikes that albeit they doe iudge all other religions besides their owne false and erroneous and damnable yet doe they not thinke but that for some worldly respecte as for sauing their offices dignities liberties credytes or the like they may in some of the former thinges at the leastwise in going to church for as for swearing and receiuing I thinke no Catholike this day in Europe thinketh it lesse then damnable shewe them selues conformable men to the proceedinges of them of the contrarye religion and doe also thinke others too scrupulous whiche doe stande in the refusall of the same But to shewe that these men are in a wrong and perillous perswasion builded onely on their owne fantasie and therefore to be reformed and that the other men are the onely true Catholickes and bounde to doe so much as they doe vppon payne of the high displeasure of God and eternall damage of their owne soules I haue put downe here these reasons that followe which may serue for the iustifying of the one parties conscience and for the due reforming of the other HE beginneth with a large Periode and stately style as though hée were endyting of a Proclamation or an Aâ—…te of Parliament with a long breath stretched Lunges and full mouth That the Queenes moste excellent Maiesty the Honourable Lordes of her Priuie Counsell and other the learned and wyse of Eâ—…glande maye see Quid tanto dignum feret hic Promissor hiatu Parturiunt montes nascetur ridiculus mus What will this large promiser bring foorthe woorthy of so wide a gaping The Mountaynes are in trauell a ridiculous Mouse shall bee borne anon For what in Gods name shall all the Learned and wise in Englande sée Beside her Maiestie and her honorable Câ—…unsell Forsooth That the refusall of going too the churche of so many thousand Catholikes at this day in that realme is not vppon dâ—…oyaltie or stubborne obstinacie as their aduersaries giue it out A mâ—…tter indeede woorthie of so greate a presence as
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
poysoned complexion nothing almost may be added Or that a man infected with the pestilence pockes or other contagious disease may not come néere the place where phisicke and surgerie is ministred least hee shoulde bée further infected So that if a foole or a madde man bée perswaded that the Phisition will kil him by this mayne reason hée must auoyde him For what other force is in this argument except trueth bée confessed to bée falshoode and true phisicke daungerous infection but marke the argument Al daunger of infection is to bée auoyded in going to Church and seruice there is daunger of infection therefore it is to bée auoyded The first parte of this reason our discourser prooueth by similitude by authoritie of scripture of Doctors by examples and by experience Which was altogether néedelesse excepte it were for young children that learne to speake for all men of meane capacitie and smal discretion will confesse that all peryll of infection is to bée auoyded of them that desire to lyue in health but the proofe of the seconde parte of the argumente which is that in going to Churche and seruice there is anye daunger of insection hee bryngeth not one worde beside his bare affyrmation A worthye reason to the hearing whereof the Prince with her counsell the learned with the wise of all England are called Hée that coulde obteine a priuiledge thus to reason that al which hée affirmeth must be taken for trueth and that his aduersarie shal not bée admitted to denie any thing that hee saith may easely proue to bée an â—…rrefragable Doctor If this kinde of resoning had béen vsed among Papists only which are professed to beléeue what soeuer you will teache them it might haue gained you some credite when it should haue had no controlling but when you publish your arguments that the Queene and her Counsell which al denie your principles and the wise and learned of this lande of which the most part refuse your doctrine as heretical may sée that your Clients refusall is vpon great reason you declare that as in pride you lacke measure so in iudgement you want discretion in reasoning you want learning in defending you want trueth in taking the cause in hande of obstinate contemners to iustifie it you haue shewed neither wisdome discretion trueth nor honesty But this seemeth strange that you cite out of Nicephorus lib. 3 cap. 30. That the Apostles and their schollers were so wary and circumspect in this case of auoidyng Heretikes that they would not so much as once reason the matter with any of them who indeuoured by their lying or newe deuises to corrupt the trueth Haue you set out your champion to challendge the combate and will you nowe giue ouer the battell must you follow the example of the Apostles and their schollers not so much as once to reason the matter with vs whom you account for hereâ—…kes very well The Diuell ought the Papistes a shame to make so proude an offer of disputation which they neuer ment shoulde holde as appeareth not onely by the present flight of the challenger notwithstanding hée prosesteth that hée was prepared to suffer any torment that shoulde bée laide on his body for his constant confession but also by the plaine attestation of this his associate wherby it is euidently bewrayed that suche bolde prouocation was nothing els but a traiterous and seditious deuice to erect the peoples mindes in eexpctation of some change in religion while other diuilishe practises were in working in Irelande and the like attempted in England But howesoeuer you bee affected towarde disputation you slaunder the Apostles and their schollers and Nicephorus the reporter of this sentence and Irenaeus the authour of it in saying they would not so muche as once reason the matter with any heretike For Saint Paul whose doctrine and example the other Apostles and their schollers vsed and followed alloweth vnto euery heretike two solemn admonitions at the least before he be auoided before which might be many reasonings after also though not with any certaine hope to winne them yet with certaine profite vnto the hearers when they see their heresies borne downe with the strength of trueth and falshood mainteined by obstinate will and not by might of reasons when they see the sutle â—…eightes of Heretikes laide open to their shame and the plaine trueth of the Gospell haue the victorie to the glory of God So did the Apostles dispute against the obstinate Iewes so did their schollers with Heretikes as is manifest by the concertation of Augustine with the Donatistes Manichees and Arrians and that often in hearing of the people the recordes whereof are extant as the disputation of Germanus and Lupus with the Pelagians testified by Beda in the first of his English historie Neither doth Ireneus say that the Apostles and their schollers woulde not once reason the matter with any Heretikes but shewing how Polycarpus the scholler of Saint Iohn beeing saluted by Marcion the Heretike who desired to bee acquainted with him answered that hee knewe him alreadie to bee the eldest childe of the Diuell hee declareth that y e Apostles and their schollers were so circumspect that they woulde not communicate in any worde or familiar spéech with any that had corrupted the sinceritie of the Gospell with lying and false deuises And this circumspection Polycarpus learned indeede of Saint Iohn who saith in his second Epistle That if any man come vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not into your house nor salute you him for hee that saluteth him is partaker of his wicked workes Finally where you say that out of the first sect of Luther dyd spring Lutherans and Zwinglians Caluinistes Puritanes Anabaptistes Trinitaries Familie of loue Adamites and suche like you bewray not onely your malice but also your ignorance For besides that out of the doctrine of Luther so farre as it was consonant too the worde of GOD no heresie coulde spring more then out of the worde of God it selfe the Anabaptistes and Familie of loue are olde sectes springing out of the Enthusiastes Pelagians Donatistes Valentinians and other auncient heresies The Trinitaries are a broode of the Arrians Nestorians Macedonians and suche like Monsters The Adamites were both sprong vp and suppressed by the refourmed Churches of the Bohemians and Morauians manye yeeres before Luther was borne The rest whom you name when you can conuince them of heresie by the authoritie of the holy Scriptures you may referre their beginning to what head you please In the meane time you must learne to reason better against your aduersaries then by challenging the whole cause without tryall or proofe otherwise your victorie shalbe as glorious as your argumentes bee forcible méete to bée answered with hoopes and hisses of Sophisters not worthie the hearing of suche as bee wise and learned in Englande muche lesse too bée regarded of her moste excellente Maiestie and the honourable Lordes of her priâ—…ie Counsell to all
Protestantes Church is forbidden by the Church And because you speake of the voyce of the Supreame Pastour of the Churche except you bring the voyce of Christe your argument is to weake to condemne the Protestantes Churche For Saint Peter teacheth vs that Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Supreame Pastour of his Churche which hath no fellowes in office but that the Pope shoulde bee the generall Pastour of all whose Communion it is not lawfull to breake Hée cyteth a place out of Cyprian epi. 55. ad Cornel. Heresies and Schismes haue sprong of none other cause theÌ„ for that men do not obey Gods Prieste And for that they doe not thinke or conâ—…der y â— there is one only priest who is iudge in Christes stéede for y e time Unto whom if all the vniuersal brotherhood would obey in diuine functions no man would moue any thing against the Colleâ—…ge of priests neyther after y e iudgemeÌ„t of God the suffrage of the people y â— bishops consent once put downe in any matter would any man dare to make himselfe a Iudge of the Bishop and consequently of God nor by breaking vnitâ—…e teare or reÌ„t the Church of Christ. To this authoritie I answere that except you wil adde a fourth supposition that Cyprian speaketh of one bishoppe in all the worlde whiche hée sayeth of one bishoppe in euery Dioces it maketh as much for the Byshop of Rochester as for the Byshop of Rome For the whole argument of the Epistle declareth that hée speaketh of herelickes and scismatikes that in scisme were made byshops in his owne Church in other meâ—…s Churches and when they were of them reiected or for their crymes deposed sought approbation of the Byshop of Rome and other Prelates beyond the sea As his wordes are manifest Post ista adhuc insuper After these thinges hauing made them a false Byshop by heretikes they dare bée bolde to sayle beyond the Sea and to cary prophane letters frâ—…m Schismatiks vnto the Chayre of Peter and that principall Churche from whence the vnitie of priestood arose and not to consider that they are Romaines whose fayth is praysed by the commendation of the Apostle to whome false dealyng can haue none accesse Agayne hée saith Neque rescindere c. Neyther canne it vndoe the ordination rightly made that Basilides after his crymes detected and his conscience made bare by his owne confession trauailing to Rome deceaued our fellowe Byshoppe Stephanus dwelling farre off and being ignoraunt of the matter as it was done and of the trueth that hée shoulde ambytiously séeke to bee restored into his Bishopprick from which hée was iustly deposed c. Fynally it is worth nothing for hee falsifieth the wordes of S. Cyprian in translation Post Coepiscoporum consensum which is after the consent of the fellow Byshops which he tearmeth The Byshops consenrors once put down as though Cyprian spake stil of that one Byshoppe which is to bée obeyed in euery Church as this man sâ—…rmiseth in the whole Church The fift Reason THe fyfte reason wherefore a Catholyke maye not goe to the churche of those of the contrary relygion is for feare leaste his presence maye bee interpreted by GOD to bee consente vnto their doing and so hee bee made partaker of theyr punishement Concerning whiche wee must vnderstande that of all the enemyes that GOD hath in this worlde there is none in so heyghe displeasurâ—… with him as hee who once knoweing the trueth and beeinge receauâ—… into his house the catholike churche runneth out againe and by newe deuised doctrines vexeth and molesteth the same beeing not onely the house as I haue sayde of Christ but also his spowse nay his owne bodye Which sorte of men the scripture calleth Heretickes whose curse and reprobation in this life is more grieuous then any other sinne whatsoeuer and the damnation for the time to come more intollerable For that as S. Peter saieth It had beene better for them neuer to haue knowne the waye of righteousnesse then after they knewe it to turne backe againe And these are those men of whome Christ said that one diuell going forth in their first comming to the fayth by Baptisme hee afterwardes entred againe with seuen other diuelles worse then hym selfe and so made the ende of that man woorse then his beginning And Saint Paule geueth a maroeilous seuere iudgment vpon them when he saith That Heretickes are subuerted and doe sinne and are damned by their owne iudgementes First he saieth that they are subuerted or ouerthrowne because they are blotted out of the booke of lyfe Secondlye that their whole lyfe is sin vppon sin because they are vtterly depriued of God his grace without the which wee can do nothing but sinne Thirdly he saith they are damned by their own iudgementes either for that they chose wittingly to leaue the catholicke church out of the which they knewe there was no saluation or els because the most of them doe knowe that they doe amisse and yet for pride they will not come backe So that euery waye their case is very pitifull and lamentable This poynte the holy Fathers of the Churche doe oftentymes handle very seriously and grauelye prouing that Heretickes more offende God and are infarre worse state then any offendour els in the world and namely more then either Iew or Gentyle For the which cause they note that the new Testamente byddeth vs not to beware of Iewes and Gentiles but of Heretickes in manye places The reason is for that they are those wolues which Christ foretolde vs should come in sheepe skins which as S. Augustine saieth shall pretende to be very good sheepe and friendes to Christ and to his sheepefolde and yet with Christ his owne wordes they shall teache you to denie Christ to teare the sheepefold in peeces and to disperse the sheepe Nay they shall sleye more soules with the word then euer Tyrants did with the sword Againe S. Austine proueth at large in aâ—… other place that Heretickes are those Antichristes of whome S. Iohn spake when he saide That many Antichristes are now gone out Meaning of Simon Magus Cerinthus and other Heretikes of his â—…yme Of which Antichristes hee saieth that S. Paule did pronounce that terrible saying that they were The men of sinne the Children of destruction As who would say that albeit all other noughtie men were in wrapped with the guilte of sinne and of their owne destruction yet those men aboue all others for their eminente wickedâ—…es were properly to be called the men of sin in respecte of their heynous sinne of slayeing of soules and the heauy sentence abyding them for the same they were peculiarlye to bee called the children of perdition and damnation This therefore being so that the deepe displeasure of God and his heauye hande hangeth moreouer the heades of Heretickes and Schismatickes then ouer any other people in the worlde it is no small daunger for
fellowes why hée discenteth from them Last of al concerning the charge which is giuen to Gods people To goe out of Babylon c. Least they bée partakers of her punishments which he citeth Apoc. 18. is diligently to be considered For if we may finde in the Scripture what is Babylon we know from whence to flée The holy ghost therfore before he gaue this charge did first plamely describe the whoore of Babylon the mother of all abhominations of the earth to be y t City which hauing seueÌ„ kings or states of gouernment in succession is situated vpon seueÌ„ hilles to be that great Citie which in that time of the Reuelation had the kingdome ouer the kings of the earth which by all reason and consent of the most auncient writers Irenaeus Tertullian Hierome Augustine c. Can be none other but the Citie of Rome wherfore the spirite of God commaunding his Saints to goe out of Babylon doeth not bid the Romanistes to goe from Protestants but contrariwise the Protestants to goe from the Romanistes The sixth Reason THE sixth cause why a Catholike may not come to churche is because he cannot come without dissimulation The which in matters of conscience and religion is treacherie to God Almightie and a very dangerous matter For as the worthie father S. Ambrose saith It may be lawfull sometimes in a monie matter to holde thy peace but in gods cause where there is danger in communicating with his enimies to dis semble only is no small sinne The reason whereof is that sore saying of Christes owne mouth He that is not with me is against me As though hee had saide Hee that dissembleth and knowing me and my cause to be oppressed holdeth his peace and defendeth mee not I will holde him in the number of my enimies that are against me According to the which rule of Christ S. Iohn which well knew the inward and secrete meaning of Christ speaking of certaine noble men and gentlemen of Iury. The which did beleeue in Christ but durst not confesse him openly for feare of the Iewes Condemneth them of a great and damnable mortall sinne against the first commandement for the same saying that by this act they shewed that they loued the glory of men more then the glory of God By the which example we see that we do wilfully dishonor God and con sequently commit damnable treason against him when wee doe for any feare or temporall respect dissemble our faith hold our peace against our consciences The which thing Saint Paul considering he layeth down vnto vs a generall rule Ore fit confessio ad salutem To be saued we must needes confesse our faith by mouth or open speeche vppon the which wordes S. Austen saith We cannot be saued out of this wicked and malignant worlde except we indeuouring to saue our neighbours besides beleeuing doe also professe our faith by mouth which we beare in our hearts the which faith of ours wee must prouide by godly and wary watchfulnesse that it be not in any respect hurt or violated by the craf tie subtiltie of Heretikes Note his admonition let it not be in any respect violated with craftie subtiltie As for example by causing a man to yeelde a little against his conscience to goe once to churche to stay but a little there to haue seruice in his owne house or the like In the which if a man might say as commonly they doe say in euil meates that a litle wil do but a litle hurt it were more tollerable But seeing the matter standeth as it doth in poysons wherof euery litle dram wil be thy bane No maruel though men shew theÌ„selues more scrupulous Heare the iudgement of a whole cleargie in the Primatiue church and alleadged by S. Cyprian the Martyr of Christ Whereas the whole misterie of faith is vnderstood to consist in the confessing of the name of Christ he that hath sought false sleights for excuse thereof hath nowe denied it and he that wil seeme to haue fulfilled such statutes and lawes as are set foorth against the Gospel in so doing he hath obeied them in very deed For asmuch as he woulde haue it seeme that he hath obeied them Heere you see nowe all dissembling of our faith taken for denying our faith and al seeming to be condemned for doing The which that old valiant champion of God Eliazarus ful wel knewe when he rather chose to die then to seeme to eate a peace of flesh albeit he did it not in deede coÌ„trary to the law of god And the reason hee giueth for it is this It is not fitte for our age to faine O good Eliazarus if it were not fit for thy age to faine or dissemble in matters of religion what shall wee say of our age wherein for manye respectes wee are more bounde too confesse our Lorde and Maister and his catholike Religion then thou wert For that wee haue receiued more benefites at his handes and haâ—…e seene howe hee confessed vs before his enimies and ours and could not be brought by any feare or torment to denie vs. Buâ—… well their wil bee wicked men and dissembling christians stil Yet notwithstanding Gods law must stande set downe by Christe his owne mouth Hee that shal blush or be ashamed of me and my sayings of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he shall come in his maiestie and in the maiestie of his Father and oâ—… his holy angels Hee doeth not onely say if we do denie him but if wee doe blushe or be ashamed to confesse him whiche consideration made the Apostles and other seruantes of Christe so peremptorilie to proceede in confessing openly their faith with what danger soeuer it were And S. Paul giueth a reason of it when he saith 〈◊〉 be vnto me except I do preach the gospel That is except I coÌ„fesse it except I set it forth what danger bodily soeuer come thereof And in the Actes of the Apostles the high Priestes and Magistrates commaunded not the Apostles to bee of their religion nor yet to come to their seruice in their sinagogues but onely to holde their peace And that they shoulde not speake or teache any more in the name of Iesus But the apostles vtterly denied to obey that coÌ„andement and in the chapter folowing being taken again for not obeying were asked in open iudgement by the Magistrates thus We commaunded you straightly to teach no more in this name and how chanseth it that you haue filled all Ierusalem with this doctrine And Peter answered with the rest of the Apostles Wee must rather obey God then men As who should sâ—…y that if they shoulde haue graunted to dissemble and not to speake openly they shoulde haue denied God in obeiyng men more then him What if the high Priestes and Magistrates shoulde haue saide vnto them wel wee are content that you liue with your conscience so you
howling of Woolues the bellowing noise of mad bullockes The reason whereof is that which the scholler of the Apostles S Ignatius saieth No man can cal him good or say he doth wel that doth mingle euil with good Wherefore S. Augustine saieth of the Donatistes Schismatikes and Heretikes of his time that albeit they did sounde out Alleluia with as lustie a voice as the Catholikes did in many thinges els did agree in seruice with them more then nowe the Protestantes doe with vs yet their seruice was impious and auailed them nothing And a litle af◅er vpon the woordes of God vttered by the Prophet saying In many things they were with me c. S. Austen saith thus God graunteth that Heretikes in many things are with him as in Sacraments ceremonies and the like But yet for all that they are not with me saieth God in all thinges For in that they are in schisme they are not with mee in that they are in heresie they are not with mee and therefore for these fewe thinges in the whiche they are not with mee those other many thinges in the which they are with me shal profit them nothing To come neerer to our purpose their owne Apostle and second Elias as they cal him Luther condemneth al their whole seruice for the denying only of the real presence saying The Sacramentaries do in vaine beleeue in God the Father in God the Sonne and in the holy Ghost and in Christ our Sauiour all this doth auayle them nothing seeing they do deny this one Article as false of the real presence Where as Christ doth say This is my bodie Loe here this Prophet with the same spirite wherewith he condemneth the Popes hee condemneth the Protestantes why should we bel◅ue him more in the one then in the other But now to shew wherein the Protestantes seruice is euil it were sufficient to say that it is deuised of them selues and altogether different frō al the seruice of christendome besides and therfore not to be receiued by catholikes with whom they deale too childishly when they say their seruice differeth in nothing from the old catholikes seruice but only because it is in English thereby thinking to make the simple people to haue the lesse scruple to come to it The which how false it is it shal appeare by that which I wil say hereafter I might also bring the opinion of al the hotter sort of Protestants called the Puritaines who in writing sermons and priuate speech doe vtterly condemne the seruice which now Protestants haue and therevpon doe refraine from it as much as catholikes But I wil giue more particular reasons as foloweth First the scripture is read there in false shamelesse translations conteining manifest and wilful corruptions to drawe it to their owne purposes as hath bin shewed in particular by many learned men in their works and is like to be shortly more plainly by the grace of God As for example throughout the scripture where Idoles are forbidden they translate it Images as in Saint Iohn they reade Children keepe your selues from Images Whereas the Scripture sayeth Idoles and this is to make simple men beleeue that Idoles Images are al one which is absurd For then where Moses sayeth That God made man according to his owne Image Wee should consequently say God made man according to his owne Idole Againe where in contrarie maner S. Paule sayeth That a couetous man maketh his money his Idole We should say that he maketh it his image The which howe foolish it is euery man seeth and it can not stande with any sence of the Scripture The like absurde translations they haue in infinite other thinges which I cannot stand to rehearse Let some man reade the latter ende of the xii Chapter of the second booke of the Machabies where he shal see what labour their English translator taketh to shift ouer the words of the scripture which talk of oblatiōs prayers for the dead and by that one place let euerie man iudge of his fidelitie in the rest For I am sure that if a Boye shoulde so corrupt Tullies Epistles in translating them in a Grammer Schoole he should be breeched for his labour The scripture therefore being read there in false translations it must needes seeme to be false which is blasphemie against the holy Ghost the inditer of them So that by this it appeareth that that part of their seruice which they pretend to be scripture is no scripture because it is by the malice of the interpretor false the which scripture can not be Secondly the seruice that Christians ought only to goe to shoulde be saide as also the Sacraments administred by Priestes and such as haue receiued the Sacrament of holy orders as al the general Councels fathers of the Church shew vnto vs. And S. Paul when he saith That no man may take vnto him this honour but he that is called as Aaron was Wherefore the same Paul aduiseth the Bishop Timothie not to giue this dignitie vnto any man but vpon great consideration saying Do not lay thy hands rashly vpon any man But now that either al or the most part of Ministers of England be meere laye men no Priestes and consequently haue no authoritie in these thinges it is euident for many causes as wel for that they haue not receiued the vnder Orders which they should haue done before Priesthood as appeareth by the auncient Councel of Carthage wherin S. Augusten was himself by al the Fathers both before since as also because they are not ordained by such a Bishop Priest as the catholike church hath put in that authoritie which admitteth no man for Bishop which is not ordeined by imposition of three or twoo catholike Bishops handes at the least Of al which thinges none are to be founde amongest the Protestantes Thirdly their seruice is nought because they haue diuers false and blasphemous thinges therein and that which is yet worse they so place those thinges as they may seeme to the simple to be verie scripture As for example In the end of a certeine Geneua Psalme They pray to GOD to keepe them from Pope Turke and Papistrie whiche is blasphemous First for ioyning the supreme Minister and substitute of Christ with the knowne and professed enemy of Christe and speaking so contumeliouslye of him of whome all antiquitie in Christ his church hath thought and spoken so reuerently calling him The high Priest of the Church The Bishop of the Vniuersal Church The Pastor of the Church The Iudge of matters of faith The repurger of heresies The examiner of all Bishops causes And finally the great Priest in obeying whom al unitie consisteth and b◅ disobeying of whom all Heresies and Schismes arise Secondly it is blasphemous for that they pray to bee deliuered from Papistrie meaning thereby the catholike and onely true religion by the
sit fides c. when there is but one faith why are there diuers customs of the Churches one custom of Masses so they called the celebration of the Lords Supper in the holy Roman Church an other in the Church of Fraunce Gregorie the Pope answereth euery Bishop was called Pope in his time Your brotherhood knoweth the custom of the Church of Rome in which you remember that you haue beene brought vp But it pleaseth me that whether in the Churche of Rome or of Fraunce or of any other churche you haue found any other thing which may more please Almightie GOD you choose it forth carefully and in the church of Englishmen which yet is new vnto the faith you plant by principal institution those thinges whiche you coulde gather out of many churches For thinges are not to bee loued for the places sake but the places for good thinges sake Wherefore choose you out of euery churche such thinges as are godly as are religious as are right and these things being gathered as it were into a bundell lay them downe for a custome in the mindes of the English men As for the childish saying of them which tel you that our seruice differeth but in language from yours we mislike asmuche as you The second reason is that you affirme the hotter sort of Protestants called the Puritanes in writing sermons and priuate speeche vtterly to condemne the seruice which now protestants haue and thereupon do refraine from it as much as Catholikes That any of the hottest protestants although they woulde wishe some things therein to bée other wise doe vtterly condemne the seruice and refraine from it as much as Papistes it is altogether vntrue in them that are wise and learned If a fewe froward schismaticall fooles doe refrain from it there is smal reason why it should be iudged naught except you would preferre their iudgement before al y â— bée wise learned of the protestantes in England Which as with no equitie you can doe so the cause which they pretende of their condemning being for comming ouer neere to your seruice there is no reason why you shoulde flée to their opinion that it is naught except you will acknowledge that your owne is farre worse But you promise to giue more particuler reasons in that whiche foloweth The first reason particuler the third generall is false interpretation of Scripture whiche you say is read there in false and shamelâ—…sse translations containing manifest and wilful corruptions to drawe it to their owne purposes That some errour may be in trandation although by you it cannot be shewed I wil not deny but that any shamelesse translations or willfull corruptions can bâ—…e found of purpose to drawe the Scriptures to any herelicall opinion all the Papistes in the world shal nâ—…uer bee able to make demonstration Neuerthelesse you note suche false translations and wilfull corruptions in two places First in the latter ende of Saint Johnâ—… Epistle Children keepe your selues from Images It had béene good for you before you had entred into suche hayâ—…ous accusations to haue examined your groundes that they had â—…ene true For this text of Scripture in those Bibles that are commaunded and appointed to bée read in the Churche seruice rendreth the worde in otherwise Namely thus Babes keepe your selues from Idols But admit that inâ—…ome translation it bée as you say Children keepe your selues from Idols what great crime of corruption is héere committed You saythat it is to make simple men beleeue that Idols and Images are all one which is absurde This is no more absurditie than in steede of a Gréeke worde to vse a Latin of the same signification But you replie that then where Moses saith That God made man according to his owne Image wée shoulde consequently say GOD made man according to his own Idol I answere howsoeuer the name of Idols in the Englishe tongue for the great dishonour that is doone to God in worshipping of Images is become so odious that no Christian man woulde say that God made man according to his Idoll No more then a good subiect woulde call his lawfull prince a Tirant yet according to the propâ—…rtie of the Gréeke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may bée as truely translated an Image as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a King witnesse héereof Suidas Phauorinus in their dictionaries beside all the new Dictionaries citing auncient Gretians that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken for the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As where Homer in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vseth the woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His auncient interpreter expoundâ—…th the same by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an image that serueth only to bee seene Hesychius ioyneth together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Idol a 〈◊〉 an Image a figure a signe a shadowed shape An other exaÌ„ple you haue where Paule in contrarie manner saieth That a couetous man maketh his money his Idol wee shoulde say that hee maketh it his Image If you lacke corruptions of translations of ours you will make corruptions of the text of your owne Where reade you in Saint Paule that a coâ—…etous man maketh his money his Idoll Wée reade Saint â—…aule saying For a couetous person which is an Idolater and so wee translate And if any man shoulde translate it a worshipper of Images hée shoulde not much erre either from the sigâ—…ification of the word or from the meaning of the Apostle For the couâ—…tous man trusteth in his riches which of themselues cannot helpe him euen as the Idolater doth in his Images which although he worship them neuer so deuoutly yet haue no power to doe him any good Finally your owne Latin translation readeth Filioli custodite vos a simulachris which is Litle sonnes kéepe your selues from Images The seconde corruption whiche you note is in the ende of the twelfth Chapter of the seconde Booke of Machabees whiche if it were as greate as you faine it to bee yet our seruice is nothing defiled with it because those hookes are neuer read publikâ—…ly in our Church seruice But howe greate I pray you is this corruption I am sure saith hée that if a boy shoulde so corrupt Tullies Epistles in translating them in a Gramer schoole hee shoulde bee bréeched for his labour A sore matter you bidd some man reade the latter ende of the Chapter concerning Oblations and prayers for the dead The Abridger of Iasons Cronicle in the Chapter by you quoted thus wryteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theâ—…e wordes although it is manifest that the place is so corrupted y â— according to perfect rules of Gramer no sense can be giuen yet as neere as may bée I would thus translate And after hee had made preparations by a collection of euery man vnto two thousand drachmes of siluer hee sent vnto Ierusalem to bring a sacrifice for sinne doing very well and ciuilly in thinking of the resurrection For if hee had not weighed that they which before
The fourth the Iudge of matters of faith for which is quoted Innocentius Epist. 93. apud August and Leo Epist. 84 These are both bishops of Rome and partiall witnesses to depose of theyr owne Prerogatiue shewing what they claymed and not what al antiquitie gaue vnto them The Romane Prelacie as Socrates testiâ—…e in that time although it were a thousande partes more modest then it is at this daye yet was it then passed beyonde the bondes of Priesthood into forayne Lordship And oftentimes the bishops of Rome challenged more authoritie then of other bishops would be graunted as appeareth by many decrées of the Councels in Africa agaynst appealing to the bishop of Rome and against his ambitious titles of high Prtest c. Which this reasoner sayth was giuen him by all antiquitie The fifth title is the repurger of heresies for which is quoted Sy Alex. 4. apud Athanasium But Athanasius allowed no suche title to the Romane bishoppe whom he confesseth to haue subscribed to the Arrian heresie Liberius deinde c. After Liberius had passed twoo yeeres in exile he was turned and through threates of death induced to subscription The sixth title is The examiner of al bishops causes for which is quoted Theodor. lib. 2. hist. cap. 4. UUhere there is no such matter but that Athanasius desired to haue his cause examined and tried by Iulius Bishop of Rome which when it procéeded not because his aduersaries would not appeare his cause was referred by the Empérour Constantius his commaundement to the councell of Sardica when finding no helpe in Iulius the Byshoppe he had first appealed to the Emperour Constance The last title is The great Priest in obeying whom all vnitie consisteth and by disobeying of whome all heresies and Schismes arise Cyp. Epist. 55. This place is alreadie answered to pertaine no more to the bishoppe of Rome then to any other Bishop A second cause he rendreth why our seruice is blasphemous because wee pray to be deliuered from papistrie which hee sayth is onely true religion but that hath neede of many suppositions to prooue it A third cause he yeeldeth Because they sing it and make other simple men to sing it in the beginning of sermons and otherwise as though it were scripture it selfe and one of Dauids Psalmes If men were as ignorant in the scriptures and Psaimes of Dauid as the Papists would haue them to be this pretensed cause coulde haue but smale coller seeing the title of this hymme in euery booke plainly sheweth that it is none of Dauids Psalmes and the prayer conceiued therein for the Queene and her Councell with diuers other requestes pecâ—…ier to our time and state declare manifestly that it cannot of any man that hath his fiue wittes be taken for the expresse woordes of the auncient Canonical Scripture Much lesse can it with any apparance of reason be gathered that there is any purpose in them that cause it to be song to induce any man neuer so simple into such a grosse error that he shoulde thinke the same song to be scripture it selfe or one of Dauids Psalmes The fourth reason in particuler why the Protestantes must be déemed naught is Albeit it had not all this euill in it yet because it hath not in it those good thinges which christian seruice should haue for seruice sayth he may be euill as well for hauing too little as for hauing too much as the Arrians seruice for singing glory to the father and not singing the same to the sonne As if a man should recite his Creed and leaue out one article as in effect the Protestants doe the article of discention into hell all the whole Creede were naught thereby In deede whatsoeuer is defectiue in any necessarye parte cannot bee perfectly good in the whole but that for wante of some good partes all other good partes shoulde bee naught that is a great vntrueth as also it is a senselesse â—…launder that wee leaue out in effect the Article of Christes descention intoo heâ—… for whiche hee giueth noe reason but his bare woorde He might as well say we leaue out the whole Créede because wee vnderstand it otherwise then they doe But what our seruice wanteth whiche is necessary to bee hadd hée will shewe in twoo or thrée thinges First therefore saieth hée they haue lefte out the chiefest and highest thinges of all whiche is the Blessed Sacrifice of Christe his bodye and blood appoynted by Christe too bee offered vp euery daye for thankesgeuing to GOD for obteyning of grace and auoyding of all euill and for remission of sinnes bothe of quicke and dead as with one consente the Fâ—…hers of the Primitiue Churche doe affirme That any sacrifice of Christes body blood by Christe is appoynted not onely the Apostles and Euangelists which set foorth the institutioÌ„ of the Lords supper make no mentioÌ„ but also y e Apostle to the Hebrewes plentifully sheweth that the sacrifice of Christ was but once offered found eternal redeÌ„ption y â— he offered himself but once for if he had he must haue suffered more then once séeing y â— without shedding of blood there is no remissioÌ„ of sins Neither doe the fathers of the Primitiue church wâ—…oÌ„ he quoteth affirme the coÌ„trary He beginneth w t Dionisius the counterfeite Areopagiâ—…e Hier. 3. Where beside y â— the Author beareth a wroÌ„g name being not so old as the Apostles times by 600. yéeres more yet is not this imagined sacrifice by him in such order aduouched The next of the olde writers names with whom the Margent is paynted as Ignatius Epi. ad Smirnenses which if wee should receiue for Authenticall and not counterfeited yet hath it nothing to the purpose but the name of sacrifice Proptereanon licet c. Therefore yâ—… is not lawfull without the Byshop neither to offer nor to make sacrifice nor to celebrate Masses as the Latine translation is of celebration of the communion If this were bothe a true antiquity to be obserued the Popishe seruice were not lawfull but where it is ministred by a bishopp for that also is affirmed in the same Epistle Thirdly he commeth to Iustinus dial cum Triphone A Reuerend Father indéed whose woords if hée had set downe they would not onely haue cléered our seruice of the supposed crime but also haue béen sufficient to expounde whatsoeuer in any other auncient writer is vnproperly and figuratiuely vttered in the name of sacrifice priest and Aultar c. The woordes of Iustinus are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Euen so wee whiche by the name of Iesus as all shall bee one man in GOD the maker of all things hauing put of our filthie garmentes that is our sinnes by the name of his first begotten sonne and being set on fire by the woorde of his calling are a right kinde of high priestes of GOD as God himselfe doeth witnes that in all places among the Gentiles acceptable and pure sacrifices are
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