politick Religion is an enemy most aduerse both to Religion religious Policy And this is a grounded and a most familiar iudgement to distinguish these different Natures by their denominations For religious Policy is most lawfull most conuenient but politick Religion is most vnlawfull and inconuenient 13 The necessary vse of Religion in the Catholique Church is not disputable being a truth of generall grant for as our naturall bodies cannot liue or moue without our soules so the sacred bodie of the Church cannot be the liuing Spouse of Christ if shee be not inspired and moued by Religion the soule of the Catholique Church wherby and wherein euery member of that mysticall bodie doeth moue to his perfection 14 The lawfull vse of Christian Policie in the Catholike Church is preuention for whatsoeuer is required of a christian to do is prescribed in the rules of holy Scripture but the rules of preuenting euill is rather left to the aduised iudgement of Christian Policy there being no other rules for that but honesty and lawfull warrant because of the much variety of mens practises which require variable and many diuers preuentions And therefore hath the wisedome of God left this care without rule to the wisdome of men with this restriction only that the purpose and meanes of euery worke be conformed to the iudgment of Religion against which there is no excuse or exception 15 Religion and Religious Policy then are not onely of conueniency but of necessity in the Catholique Church Religion doth direct how we our selues shold do wel Religious Policy doth likewise teach vs how to preuent the euill deeds of our owne and Gods enemies And these are the two needfull hands not onely of the Church but of euery particular holy man in the Church whereby good workes are wrought and euil works preuented and whatsoeuer conspires not with these conspires against God against the Catholique Church and against the lawfull vse of Christian Policy There is also a policy in the Church and not of the Church and this is enemy to the former the which two like children of diuers fathers liue in one house with implacable displeasure and this is made knowne by his effects for by his working meanes it is not easily discouered by reason of dissimulation and false pretence which in this politique regarde is most regarded 16 This hath precedent in those churches of Christian name whose integritie is either lost or defaced and whose discipline is made a mixture of holy and prophane posititions where the pretences and purpose vtterly disagree men shawdâ—ing their vngodly ends with most faire and holy intendments And this is the error of those politique Christian Churches that whereas there is but one obiect of all diuine Seruice which is God they haue many obiects and many ends for their directions making vile purposes to share with God in the exercise of his Seruice 17 And from this one ground is the cause of euery inconuenience in Christian Churches when the glory of God is not principally but respectiuely considered wherof proceedeth that canons ordinances and the decrees of Ecclesiasticall States looke with double eies vpon two seuerall obiects greatnes and goodnesse the first of choice the other for conueniencie or necessary circumstance whereby they would conioyne these in participation which are most different both in their natures and in the order of Nature For as the distance betweene Heauen and Earth so and much more is the difference betweene God and this world Truth and Error Religion and Policy 18 Therefore in the Catholique Church Religion is of soueraigne necessity Religious Policy is likewise necessary and of much conuenience But politique Religion is not onely vnusefull in the Church of God but of necessitie to bee excluded from all holy exercise In respect of the Clergie CHAP. IIII. THe word of God diuine Scripture is subiect both to false construction and misapplicatioÌ„ The church of God is not free from the enemies both of truth and peace the officers in the holy orders of the Church are not free from their staines and inputations whereby they debase the dignitie of their reuerend places and expose their estimation to common reproch therefore as in all so in them also and in their profession there are these two diuers and disagreeing natures of Religion and Policy 2 Euery man is bound by his Christian place to the duetie of Region but Clergie men are more strictlie bound being men of speciall choice select and dedicate to God and his seruice onely and therfore is their obligation double and their condition restrained from that libertie which either is lawfull or not so faultie in others as in them 3 For as the holy offering so these holy offerers ought to be vnspotted vnblamed and vnbleamisht euen the fairest and the best of all Gods creatures to whom he hath assigned offices of highest estimation making them mediators to his onely mediator and cotinuall waiters in his presence by whom he doth conferre his gifts of grace and the hope of heauen 4 Such ought all to be and such are many in this holy order whose liues conforme the condition of their calling who not regarding earthly considerations fixe their eyes onely on God attending all occasions to demonstrate their dutie and diligence in their high and chargable calling For howsoeuer in the base estemation of most base people that reuerend place is disgracefully reputed because prophane men iudge a holy cause enuiously and not deseruingly yet in true vnderstanding it is much otherwise they being inferioures to no degree or dignitie on earth saue the supreme authoritie of the Prince which representeth the maiestie of God and by much exceeding al in the worth of their laboures and in the purpose of their holy busines 5 Men of holy order thus affected are the very mappes of Religion and Religious Policy from whose liues may bee learned what Religion is whose examples may serue for the rules of holinesse and for demonstarions to point out the direct passage to euerlasting happines 6 For there is this difference betweene diuine and humane offices all humane seruice is tied to attend conueniencie and the opportunitie of times but diuine seruice hath imployment at all times and vpon all occasions and therefore is a strict holinesse of life required in Church-men because their liues must perswade and teach Religion that what they deliuer at once in their preaching they may alwaies example it in their liuing whereby their diuine office is held in continuall practise benefiting the Catholique Church at all times and vpon all occasiones 7 And this is that Religious dutie required in men of Religious place to which strictnes euery man in holy orders is bound of necessitie and more then others For as in the affaires of earthly state such as are neerest the person of their prince in fauour and place and attend those state offices of higest consideration doe take that charge and those honours with solemne oth
in the true sense of Religon did wander from the line of Truth in many particulars yet in respect of their maine execution they were very noble and worthy personages and such as haue well deserued an honorable remembrance 13 Besides these profest Religious warriours were there many others of honorable name whose valours haue wonne much honour in the Christian warres many of them and some of this Nation out-truding the barbarous and prophane people from the holie land made famous by the birth and temporall life of Christ Iesus To reckon vp the particulars either of their names or of their noble deeds in this kind would require much labour and large circumstance the which I carefully auoide because they are already made famous in writings of much more learned sufficiencie 14 These and such as these who haue for Religious respect only entred these quarels and exercised their valours for the aduancement of Catholique Religion only without all priuate direction to any by-respect whatsoeuer haue beene moued and ordered in their honorable attempts by Religion and not by Policy because they intended not their priuate but the generall care of Christendome 15 But if I should strictly examine the poceedings of these latter times and make curious search of euery cause and purpose of our Christian wars it may be doubted that not Religion but Policy doth both occasion direct many of them and that not the good of Religion but the greatnes of Empire is principally regarded Religion being onely a pretended cause whereupon to ground some colorable excuse to make such practise seeme honest and commendable which in truth is dishonest and not allowable 16 Therefore in euery honorable exercise of armes among Christians there must be a iust and no pretended cause to mooue offence for he that laboureth to colour his purpose doth thereby conclude his owne guilt and the vnlawfulnes of his practise which if it were honest would not neede any false colour to make it seeme so for Truth and lawfull proceeding are iustifiable of themselues neither doth Truth euer maske her face or shame at her open apperance Therefore all such colourable practise is not warranted by Religion neither doth it labour Religious cause but by Politique meanes it reacheth and principally intendeth a Politique end 17 In respect also of Courtly honour are these respects of Religion and Policy of much consequence because the most honourable in Princes Courts haue the highest cares in Common-wealths and because they are neere the person of the Prince who commonly is either better or worse according as his honourable company is affected For the best indowments of Nature are many times corrupted by society which hath a greater power of perswasion then instruction or argument therefore is it most needefull that the honourable in Courts fashion the whole passage of their liues by Religious rules and shunne all dishonourable and dishonest contriuements because of their neere familiarity with the Prince by whom he is aduised ordered and exampled 18 And such no doubt there are many in many Princes Courts who proportion all their proceedings by wisedome and Religious iudgement seruing God and their Nation in the conscionable discharge of their high offices and bettering the disposition of their Prince by their vertuous examples which prouoke a Princely minde to imitation that cannot bee better taught then by example And these honourable paterns are most worthy and most Religious who double the recompence of their reward being obedient in so high a calling 19 There are commonly in all Courts others of much diuers nature who when they haue obtained those names of honour disproportion their practise to their honorable names prouing not onely vile and base in the vngodly behauiour of their life but very pestilent to their Nation and a very poison to their Prince by whom he is with-held from godly purposes and flattered in vice and misdemeanors 20 And such are those Court-parasits who feede their Princes appetite with variety of euil applying the command of his regall authority either to his or their owne vngodly purposes whereof all times haue example and whereof this kingdome hath had a wofull experience And these howsoeuer they attaine the names of honour and liue in the number and fellowship of Christians yet the exercise of their life is base and most ignoble and their Religion is nothing but a wicked trade of damned Policy 21 Therefore as in all other affaires so in all honourable affaires there is a duety of holines which limits euery passage of their life which being obserued it giueth a gratious lustre to their nobility and maketh them honourable in the presence of God and to liue in the ranke of his seruants then which there cannot be a greater honour But whosoeuer shall disgrace or despise this duety of conscience God will repute him base and disgrace the glory of his nobilitie Of Religion and Policy in respect of prosperous Fortune CHAP. X. PRosperous Fortune is in euery mans care because all men trauell to attaine such Fortune wherein they place prosperity And from hence may be considered the wonderfull varietie of mens pleasure from the variety of their desired fortunes euery man coueting content but with much disagreement in their election insomuch as that which is painefully sought by one is carefully auoided of another and that which is hatefull to one is to another most delightfull 2 And this doth not onely happen in the diuers Natures of good and euill but both good and euill haue this variety in their delights Euery vertuous man preferring the exercise of some one vertue before all other wherto his Nature is most inclinable and euery vitious man preferring in his choice election some particular vice more then other whereto his sensuall appetite is most affected 3 This variety doth reduce it self to these two beginnings either to good or euill and therefore though the particulars very much disagree yet in their generall ayme they all direct themselues to one of these two ends Vertue or vice Religion or Policie 4 And here hence it is that euery man in the purpose of his life is either good or bad framing the whole disposition of his life according to his election of these two ends For in men well affected their consents neuer yeelde to any vngodly practise though the infirmity of their Nature force them to much vnlawfulnes and therefore though they doe euill it is not of choice but of infirmity But of the contrary men resolued in euill inlarge the corruption of their Nature giuing both wil and desire to forward assist them in their vnlawful delights In the former there is a sense of sorrow and a desire of amendment caused by the perswasion of conscience in the latter there is no remorse though the conscience both iudge and condemne and therefoe they refuse to apprehend the knowledge of their owne misery silence theâ— offended consciences which wold both correct reforme them 5 Thus
in their seuerall kindes are men affected the good 〈◊〉 good in their intention though they faile in many particulars of their life the bad euer bad both in act and purpose And to one of those two doeth euery man conforme his life either to vertue or vice either to Religion or Policie for this distinction is in all estates of men and in euery quality and profession of people from the Monarch to the meanest of all men euery man in his estate and degree pressing to one of these two ends the which he aspireth with strong purpose and with all forceable indeauour 6 And because that prosperous fortune doth seeme to be the vtmost end of euery badde mans practise therefore is in of moment to consider the diuers natures of Religion and Policy in men of prosperous Fortune for it is not of necessarie consequence that because euill mâ—n affect onely the prosperitie of this life therefore prosperous Fortune is altogether to be despised or neglected and to be altogether out of the cares of good men for good men may care for that which euill men care for but they may not like euill men care onely for that but that God may be the main purpose of all their cares and that all other things bee onely so farreforth cared for as may administer to a mans Christian necessity 7 If I should discend to particulars and examine the seuerall degrees of men their estates their offices or whatsoeuer aduancement of their fortunes If I should search the secrets of Arts of Trades and mechaâ—icall labours whereby base and small beginnings in things swell to 〈◊〉 monsâ—â—â—â—â— largenes 〈◊〉 I should inquire â—â—terallable meanes of aduancement and â—inde my selfe to declare the lawfulnes and vnlawfulnes of euery particular I should not only weary my self with â—uch busines but offend the well disposed with the knowledge of much misery Therefore I will sparingly deliuer my iudgement in this large theame being rather content to offend my selfe with silence then others with vnprofitable knowledge 8 Prosperous fortune if by honest and allowable meanes obtained and with regardful moderation spent and vsed is a blessing from the hands of God which hath some little resemblance to eternall happines though in comparison of their worth there is no proportion But if temporall blessings bee either vniustly gotte or vngodly spent they then nothing benefit their owners but are seruants of their shame and earnest causers of euerlasting torment 9 With this vnderstanding may men of all degrees iudge themselues and examine the particular of their owne Fortunes For the seuerity of conscience giueth no dispensation or libertie to any one but with one and the same eye beholdeth all men and euery action of euery man without all personall respect The Prince whom men dare not iudge is iudged by conscience and the meanest and most deiected whom men despise is regarded of conscience there being but one law of conscience for all sorts of men 10 And by this iudgement are men taught to know themselues and to haue true vnderstanding of their estates whereby they may know their present condition and thereafter either hope or feare the euent of future times This iudgement also can best determine the difference of Religion and Policie in prosperous fortunes their lawfulnes or not and whether Religion or Policie hath had preheminence in the getting or in the dispending of our fortunes 11 For it is needefully required in the fortunes of euery good man that he both purchase lawfully and spend honestly for men may not challenge interest in any part of Gods blessings without some maner of desert neither when he hath theÌ„ may he vse them at his pleasure but so dispose them as the great Master of all hath commanded because men of great fortune are but Gods officers to whose trust hee hath pleased to commit the imployment of some part of his benefits 12 Therefore both in the winning and wearing of temporall blessings there is a dutie of conscience which bindeth all degrees of men with impartiall and like seueritie The Prince may not ariue his soueraignetie either by power or Policy if he haue not iust cause and rightfull claime Great men ought not purchase honourable name with dishonest action but rather winne the garland of honor by their noble deseruing The rich ought not to pursue the possession of wealth with such vehemence and strong appetite imbracing the exercise of euery sinne that may aduantage but rather to possesse wealth with feare because that God will require at their hands a iust discharge of their stewardship and so in euery other degree of fortune there is a lawfull proceeding to be regarded whereby may bee knowne whether men aspire their prosperous fortunes by good or euill meanes by Religion or by Policie 13 The like care is required in the disposing of temporal blessings that such to whom God shall please to giue them may so imploy them as that Gods husbaÌ„dry be not idle but in profitable imploiment that seeing God hath made them Stewards ouerseeres in the world which is Gods house and hath giuen them place and authoritie ouer the rest of their fellow seruants it is most reasonable that they spend Gods gift to Gods glory and like men faithful prouident supply to all such Christian necessities as may any way distresse their fellow seruants lest otherwise the Master of the family God call them to a rekoning and so both depriue discharge them 14 And let all men remember how great how rich or how noble soeuer they be that it is better to be good then to be great and that holy men how poore soeuer haue a higher place in Gods fauour then the most mighty on earth if they be not holy for these are but stewards and seruants but the other are children and inheritors of the kingdome of God for whose sakes the world is made rich with temporall blessings 15 Let them remember also that if God giue them the blessings of his hands honour riches prosperity c. he hath also giuen them duties and lawfull imployment for their gifts of which they must bee carefull and onely carefull auoyding both improfitable and dishonest expence 16 But before all let them most carefully remember that God is a father of many children and that his sonnes and daughters here in his earthly house passe their time thorow many difficulties and many hard extremities and that God hath made the noble and the rich his officers and houshold seruants to distribute his temporall blessings in conuenient proportion to all but especially to the children of Faith and therefore how detestable to God would their negligence bee who seeing the children of God indure the extremities of hard Fortune somtimes the very cause of God Religion disgracefully reputed are notwithstanding content to be lookers on and rather to loade the burthen of their miseries then any way to supporte or ease them whereby the true owners are depriued the benefit of their owne and whereby the Treasurers of Gods wealth purchase to themselues a greeuous damnation debasing and impouerishing the sons and daughters of God to rase and inrich their owne bastards that is their wicked and base affections Therefore in all the degrees of prosperous fortune there is a dutie of conscience with bindeth all men to God in strict obligation the which bond whosoeuer shall forfet doth dangerously hazard the destruction of his soule and doth declare against himselfe that he is not Religious but meerely Politique The Conclusion THVS I haue according to my vnderstanding deliuered the true natures of Religion and Policy how they may how they neuer can conspire in any one particular which is onely then when they meete in the line of Truth and both of them intend one purpose in their passage For lawfull and vnlawfull practises are like Heauen and Earth betweene which there is an immense space and a most full opposition of Nature For neither can the Heauens and the Earth ioyne their substance before the generall destruction of the world neither can Religion and vnlawfull Policy conspire friendly in any one act but where there is a destruction of truth and a persecution of orderly proceeding But like the enmity of fire and water these enemies Religion and Policy quarrell wheresoeuer they meete and triumph in the spoyle of one another This knowledge I haue thought good to publish to euery mans vnderstanding because of the generall abuse of lawfull Policy growne common in the traffick of most base imployments men of all sort and of euery disposition of Nature saue the best making vnlawfull Policies the steppes of their reputation whereby they ascend the dignitie of high place and prosperous Fortune and whereby they vse those temporall blessings of God to most vngodly purpose euen to the dishonour of God who gaue them and to the disgrace of Religion Gods cause and the Religious Gods children to whom all the gifts both of Grace and Nature doe most properly belong I haue forborne to giue particular disgrace to any man or to any profession of men because I would not offend but rather admonish and remember all men what that duety is which is almost forgot to be a duty for to make particular application is not my office but the office of conscience which hath a greater authority and doth perswade and preuaile in euery mans affections that hath the least-indument of grace To whom I onely direct my selfe in this charitable office and for whose good my Christian name shall euer make me a seruant which hath made mee enemy to godlesse and wicked people and to their vnlawfull and damned Policies FINIS Errata Pag. 11. lin 18. r. they p. 22. l. 20. r. enemy p. 23. l. 15. r. many p. 27. l. 12. r. are p. 40. l. 23. r. danger p. 79. l. 23. r. hence p. 93. l. 18. r. Rhodes