hereafer let noe man saye that he goeth to Church against his wil thincking thereby to excuse him selfe from schisme Besides this to proue it schisme yea and that obstinate and rebellious schisme it were sufficient to knowe that the meaninge wil and commaundement of the general and vniuersal Catholicke Church at this day is that Catholicke men should not present them selues to Protestantes Churches or conuenticles séeing they are denounced open enemyes to the foresayde Church and their religion hath bene as orderlye condemned in the last general Councel of Trent As the doctrine of Arrius was in the first general Conucel of Nice And albeit the Councel of Trent made noe particuler decrée of this matter yet is their noe cause whye any man should take any hould thereat séeing the reason there of was because such a decrée was néedles for the Church hauing alredye condemned from the beginninge al prayinge with Heretykes or reparing to their conuenticles it was sufficient for the councel onely to condemne the Protestantes for such men without anye further particuler prohibitinge of others to come to their Churches and seruice séeing their conuenticles being once pronounced to be heretical the other was to be presupposed And this is the true meaning of the concel what soeuer others saye to shadowe their imperfections Howbeit some doubt beinge at that tyme moued by certaine of the Nobilitye of England whether they might not lawfully without offence to Church to doe some méere temporall acte as to beare the sword before her Maiestie or the lyke it was debated by xii learned men there at the Councels appoyntment and determination then genen that onlye for suche a cause they myght goe to Churche As for example if her Maiestie should appoynt certayne Catholyckes to meete at Poules to intreate of matters of the state and that at suche tyme as seruice were sayde there and this was Naaman Syrus his case flat who was permitted as most men take it for a tyme to goe with his Kinge and hould hym vp vppon his shoulder when he went to the temples of the Idoles Now that there hath bene a general custome rule and Canon of the Churche prohibiting to goe to the Churches and conuenticles of heretiques it is playne by the testimonie of al antiquitie The Apostles them selues in their thréescore and thirde Canon saye thus If anye man ether of the clergie or laitye doe goe into the Synagogue of the Iewes or into conuenticles of heretiques to praye let him be deposed and excomunicated This Canon of the Churche was exactly afterwardes kepte and is mentioned very often by the Fathers and councels by occasion of the lyke matter As for example when Origen was by a certayne necessitie compelled to dwel in house together with one Paule an heretique to whome there resorted often not onely heretiques but some simple Catholyques also for the fame of his excelente eloquence yet they writ of Orygen That he coulde neuer be induced by any meanes to be present at prayers where Paule was And the reason is put downe by them to be this For that Orygen euen from his youthe had kept and obserued moste dilygentlye the Canon of the Church Here we sée what accounte was made in those dayes of this Canon of the Churche Furthermore S. 〈◊〉 Alexandrinus a lerned Father talkinge of one Heraclas Byshope of Alexandria and scholer of the aforesayde Drigen and shewinge howe the sayde Drigen had excomunicated and 〈◊〉 out of the Churche certayne Christyans for that they were accused to haue vsed muche the companie of a certayne heretique he addeth this sayinge This Canon and this example haue I receyued of our holy father Heraclas The lyke obseruation of this Canon is noted in Athanasius whos comminge to Antioche fled the common and publique Churches which were vsurped then by one Leontius an Arian Bishope and his clergye and séeking out the Catholiques that were in the Cytie which then by contempte were called Eustathians because thei helde of the Communion of their Catholique deposed Bishope named Eustathius as Catholiques nowe in Inglande are contemptiously called Papistes for houlding of the Communion of y e Bishope of Rome and finding them out did secretly communicate with them as sayth the historie Conuentu in aedibus priuatis peracto That is making their assembly or Churche in their pryuate howses Howe lyke is this case to oure state now adayes in Ingland The lyke respecte to this Canon of the Churche had Alexander Byshop of Constantinople who wished rather to dye then to remayne in the Churche when Arius the heretyque shoulde come in to the same To this Canon had also respecte the people of Alexandria soe muche commēded by Athanasius him selfe who woulde rather praye together by them selues in the Churche yarde without couer then enter into the Churche to praye where George the Aryan Byshope was The lyke consideration had alsoe the people of Samosatum whoe after the depryuation of theyr vertuous and Catholique Byshope Eusebius and the thrusting into his place by the Arians of an heretical Byshop called Eunomius they would no more come at the Church of whome Theodorete writeth thus None of the inhabitantes there poore or riche seruant or artificer husbandman or grafter man or woman yong or oulde would come to the Church but the Byshop was ther alone for no man would ether come to his sight or talk with him albeit he was reported to haue vsed him selfe very modestlye and quietly amongest them Naye yet further then this the people of Rome hauing their true Catholique Byshope deposed by the Aryans and an other 〈◊〉 Felyx thruste vppon them 〈◊〉 an heretiqne but a schismatique for the historie saieth that he was sound in fayth and helde soundly the relygion set downe in the Councell of Nyce yet because he was a schismatique and was content to take holy orders of the Arian Byshopes and to cōmunicate with them the whole people as I sayde did 〈◊〉 him and as the historie sayeth None of the inhabytants of Rome would enter into the Church soe longe as he was within Thus we sée the scrupulositie of christyan Catholiques in those dayes and that as they thought vppon good cause for the auoydinge of schisme If anye man can shelve me a warrant since that tyme for the enlarginge of oure consciences nowe a dayes I woulde gladlye sée it Yow haue hearde in the begynninge of this reason the opinyons of our fore fathers in the primatiue Churche what a great and heynous sinne it is to breake the vnytie of the Churche or to dysobeye the same Agayne it is certayne that the Churche telleth vs if the voyces of all the Byshopes and learned men in Christendome and of the supreme Pastour too be the voyce of the Churche that goeinge to protestantes Churches is forbidden vs what excuse then shal those men haue from obstinate schisme
with the knowen and professed enemye of Christ and speaking soe contumelyouslye of him of whom al antiquitye in Christ his Church hath thought and spoken soe reuerently callinge him The hygh Preist of the Church The Bishoppe of the Vniuersal Church The Pastor of the Church The iudg of matters of faith The repurger of heresies The examiner of all bishopps causes And finallye the great Preist in obeying whom all Vnitye consisteth and by disobeyinge of whom all Heresies and Schismes aryse Secondlye it is blasphemous for that they praye to be delyuered from Papistrye meaninge thereby the Catholique and onelye trewe religion by the which all men are to be saued Thirdlye because they singe it and make other simple men to singe 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 al 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 maye be euil as wel for hauing too litle as for hauing to much As the seruice of the Arrians was for singing Glorie to the Father and not singinge the same to the Sonne And as if a man shoulde recyte his Créede and leaue out one article as in effecte the Protestantes doe the article of discention into hel al the whole Créede were nought thereby Nowe how many thinges doe want in the Protestantes seruice which should be in Christian seruice it were to longe in euery poynte to rehearse yet wil I for examples sake name two or thrée thinges First therefore they haue lefte out the chéefest and heyghest thinges of al which is the blessed 〈◊〉 of Christ his Bodye and Bloud appoynted by Christ to be offered vp euerye day for thankes geuinge to God for obtayninge of grace and auoiding of al euil and for the remission of sinnes both of quicke and dead as with one consent the Fathers of the Primatiue Church doe affirme The which Sacrifice being away noe Christian seruice can be sayed to be there For so much as for this cause were ordayned preists nether can there any be called Preist but in respecte 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 armorye is the place where armour is For this Sacrifice was Preistes apparell made Uestments Sensors Frankensence and the lyke in the Prymatyue Church Whereof all the Fathers Councells and historyes doe speake so muche The second thinge which the Protestants seruice leaueth out is noe lesse then six of the seuen Sacramentes which the Catholique seruice of God doth vse for as for their communion it can be no Sacramēt as they doe vse it The commoditie of which Sacraments in the Churche saint Augustine saythe That it is greater then can be expressed and therfore the contempte of them is nolesse then sacriledge because saythe he that can not be contemned without impietie without the helpe of which no man can haue pietie And for this cause in an other place he sayth That the contemnours of visible Sacraments can by no menes inuisiblye be sanctified The thirde thing that the Protestants seruice leaueth out is all the ceremonies of the Catholique Churche of the which the ould auncient Fathers and Councels doe saye these thrée things First that they are to be had in greate reuerence and to be contemned of no man Secondlye that they are to be learned by tradition and that manye of them are receaued by the tradition of the Apostles Lastlye that they whiche doe ether condemne despise or wilfullye omyt these cerimonies are excomunicated I myghte here adde manye other thinges as leauinge out prayers for the dead being as the Fathers holde one of the chéefest functions of a Priest Also for hauing their seruice in an other order language then y e vniuarsal church vseth But this is sufficient For if they leaue out of their seruice both Sacryfice Sacraments and all ecclesiasticall cerymonics I know not what good thing they haue lefte besides a fewe bare woordes of Scripture euil translated and woorse applyed which they reade there Seinge therfore their seruice is such it is a sufficient cause to make al Catholiques to auoyde it THE Eyght Reason THE Eyght Reason of refusal which maye now be yéelded why a Catholyque maye not come to the Protestantes Churches is because by going thither he shal lose al the benefit of his owne religion nether shal he take any more commoditye therby then if he were not of that religion at al. This is a very greate wayghtie and most sufficient reason to be yelded by Catholiques in Englande to their Princes for their refusal of comminge to Churche and such a one as beinge sufficiently conceyued by her Maiestie cannot but satysfie her Highnes and greatlye drawe her to compassion of the pyttifull case of soe manye thowsands of her louinge subiectes whoe beinge as I haue sayde Catholiques in hartes by goinge to Protestantes Churches must néedes bee brought ether to flat athisme that is to leaue of all conscience and to care for no relygion at all as manye thousand séeme to be resolued to doe or els to lyue in contynuall torment of mynde and almoste desperation considering that by theyr goinge to these Churches they lose vtterlye all vse and practise of theyr owne relygion being helde as schismatiques and excomunicate persons of the same and their case such that if they shoulde dye in the same state they were sure to receaue no parte of benefit of that relygion no more then if they had bene protestantes The which what a danger it is all true Christian men doe both knowe and feare But yet that the simpler sorte maye better vnderstande it and the wyser better consider of it I wil in particuler repeate some of the abouesayde dommages First therfore a Catholique by going to the Protestants Churches looseth all participation of that blessed Sacrifice of the bodye and blood of oure Sauiour appoynted by the sayde Sauiour as I haue shewed before to be offered vp daylye in the oblation of the Masse for the commoditie of the whole worlde quick and dead and for that cause as the godlye and learned saynt Iohn Chrisostome sayth Called the common Sacrifice of the whole world The which action of offering of this sacred Hosre the Sonne of God to his Father is of such dignitye excellencie and merit not only to the Priest but also to the standers by 〈◊〉 him as all the other good woorkes which a man can doe in his lyfe are not to be compared with it séeing that the verye Angels of heauen doe come downe at that tyme to adore after the 〈◊〉 that sacred Bodye and to offer the
yeald to vse any of these thinges he should sinne greauouslye and in effect deny his fayth And as for the first if he should professe him selfe to be a Iew it is euident that he denyeth thereby his christianitye And as for the other two wayes it cannot be denyed for the circumcysinge of thy children and the wearinge of a yeallow cappe doth as playnely in that countrey tel men that thou art a Iew as if thou didest proclaime it at the market euen as the bush at the tauerne doore doth tel the goeers by that there is wyne to be sould within But now that the goeinge to Church is in the realme of England a playne and an apparaunt signe of a Schysmatyque that is to saye of a conformable man as they call him to the protesrants proccdings it is manyfestly to be 〈◊〉 First by the commandement to goe to Church euery holyday to here seruice and by the 〈◊〉 of the same commaundement For that it is the commaunders meaning by that acte as by a proper signe to haue men shew themselues cōformable to that relygion it cannot be denyed For otherwise to what ende are they commaunded vppon such dayes and at such a certayn tyme and for suche a purpose to goe thither Agayn it is proued by the exaction of this lawe For when a Catholick doth come before the Commissioners ther is nothing asked of him but when he was at Church and if he wil promise to goe to Church commonly they account him a sufficient conformable man y t is to haue yelded sufficiētly vnto them Furthermore the multitude of thē which haue of long tyme abydden imprisonment and nowe in greter nūber doe for this only thing in the sight and knowledge not only of Ingland but also of al Christendome and of the enemies of the same in the world besids doth make this abstayninge from Churche to be a proper and peculier signe 〈◊〉 a true Catholque nowe if it were not before and the yealding in the same especially if a man be called to publique tryal about it to be a flat and euident denyinge of God and of his faith For what doth make a thing to be a proper and peculier signe but the iudgment and opinion of men The bush of the tauerne is a signe of wyne because men commonly take it soe In lyke mannèr the yelow bonet of a Iew the yelow torbant of a Turke and the lyke Euen soe seing the whole world at this day doth take the absteyning from protestātes Churches to be the only external signe of a trew Catholike and seing the protestātes them selues doe make it soe also seing that the going to Church is the contrarye signe it foloweth 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 soe vtterly vnlawful I wil put an example of the Primatiue Church wherin the wearing of a garland was lawful for al souldiers vntil the Emperours and the common opinion of men had abrydged it onelye to infidel souldiers to distinguish them thereby in honour from Christian souldiers Aud then after that as Tertullian prouethe it was noe longer lawful for Christian souldiers to weare them for that the wearing thereof was a denyal of the Christian faith Wherevpon we reade that a certayne Christian souldier offered him selfe rather to suffer death then to weare one of them as appeareth in the same booke of Tertullian Bnt now much more is the thing vnlawfnl in our case For that the going to the Protestants Churches which a Catholicke must presume to be heretical was neuer a thing of it self lawful as I wil hereafter proue which the wearing of a garland was and therfore much lesse now to be tollerated séeing besides this it is also made a signe distinctiue as I haue alredye proued The Fourth Reason THE fourthe cause whye a Catholique maye not goe to the Church is because it is Schisme and breaking of the vnitie of the Catholick church The which howe perillous and dreadefull a thinge it is all Catholickes doe sufficientlye knowe For as they firmelye beléeue that to oppugne the visible knowen Church of Christe as all 〈◊〉 contynuallye doe is a very wicked and damnable sinne Euen soe in lyke maner they beléeue that to breake the Unitiye of the same Church and to make anye rent or disunion in the same which is the proper fault of Schismatykes is also damnable For the which cause S. Paul doth so diligently request the Corinthians to auoyd Schismes saying I beseeche you brethrē by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you al say one thing and that ther be no schismes amongst you And to the 〈◊〉 Be you careful to kepe vnitie of spirite in the bonde of peace The which Unitie Christ him selfe expresseth more particulerly and more distinctly when he 〈◊〉 of his Father That his Christians might be one as he and his father were one that is to say that as he and his father did agrée in al their actions and what soeuer the one did the other also did So in his Church there should be one only forme of beléefe one forme of seruice one forme of Sacramētes and the lyke euen as ther is according to Paul one Baptisme on bread on faith one Church one Christ one Lord one body one Heauen on hope of reward the breaking of which vnitie of the Church of God hath bene alwayes accompted a most greauous and damnable offence For as Ireneus a most Auncyent and godly father sayeth They which cut and disseuer the Vnitye of the Church shal haue the same punnishment that Ieroboam had This punishment we know to haue bene the vtter distruction and extirpation of him and al his name But other Fathers doe eraggerrate this sinne farther For S. Augustine in his booke which he made of the Unitye of the Church sayeth thus Who soe-euer doe agree to al the holy Scriptures towching the head of the church which is Christ and yet doe not communicate with the Vnitye of the Church they are not in the Church And a little after he expouudethe what he meaneth by communicating with the Unitye of the Church which is That theyr communion be with the whole bodye of Christ his Church dispersed ouer the whole world and not with any one part seperate or els it is manifest that they are not saithe he in the Catholique Churche Now S. Cyprian in his booke of the Simplicytie of prelates or vnytie of the Churche goeth further for he proueth that if a man dyd lyue neuer soe vertuously otherwyse naye if he shoulde geue his lyfe and shedd his bloode for Christe yet if he were out of the vnytie of the Churche he coulde not be saued for that as he saythe This spot or sinne the breakinge of the vnytie of the Churche can not be washed awaye with any bloode
that not withstandinge all this wil yet thinke it lawful especialy the thing being nowe in practise and so many meu suffering for the same Assuredly they can looke for no other account to be made of them but as Christ willeth vs. If he heare not the Churche let him be to the as an heathen and as a publicane The which woordes S. Austen sayth Are more greuous and terrible then if he had sayd let him be strookē with a sword let him be consumed with the flames of fyre lett him be deuowred of wylde beastes And a lyttle after talking of the bande where with the Churche maye bynde a mannes sinnes by authorytie geuen vnto her of Christ he saythe A man is bounde more bytterlye and more infortunately by the keyes of the Churche then by anye other moste greuous and harde bandes albeit they were of yron or of Adamante stone Let could Catholiques in Inglande marke this and not thinke they are frée when they are in these bandes nor thinke they are Christians whē in déed they are Heathens and Publicanes It is a natural infirmitie of ours to think willingly to wel of oure owne case and passiō permiteth vs not to iudge indifferently in these matters Let vs therfore consider of other mens cases and by them 〈◊〉 of oure owne If in S. Iohn Crisostome his tyme when there was an Arryan Churche and a Catholique Churche knowen in Constantinople and both of these Churches calling people vnto them and the Emperour fauourynge more the Arrians then the Caholiques if I saye in that case some Catholiques leuing S. Chrisostomes Church should haue gone to the Arrians Churches to seruice vpon obedience to the Emperour what would we think of thē now wold we estéem schismatiques or not Yf theye had dyed soe Consideringe their disobedience to the bishope and their perfidious betrainge of Goddes catholike cause in that time of trial I thinke yes Then let vs not deceue our selues for this is our case nowe And yf in al mens iudgmentes that acte would haue seemed Schisme for disobeing one particuler and priuate Bishope and breaking from his com munion what shal we saye for disobeyinge the general Pastour of al breakinge from his communion Of whom the noble martyr of Christ S. Ciprian aboue fiftene hundred yeres agone said thus Heresies and schisms haue sprong of none other cause then for that men doe not obey Gods Pre ist and for that they doe not thincke or consider that ther is one only Priest whoe is Iudge in Christs stead for the time Vnto whom if al the vniuersall brotherhood would obeye in deuine functions no man would mooue anie thinge against the college of Preistes nether after the iudgement of God the suffrage of the people the bishops consent once put downe in any matter would any man dare to make him selfe a iudge of the Bishoppe and consequently of God nor by breakinge Vnitye teare and rente the Churche of Christ. The Fifte Reason The fifte reason wherefore a Catholicke may not goe to the Church of those of the contrarye religion is for feare lest his presence may be interpreted by God to be consent vnto their doing and soe he be made partaker of their punishment Concerning which we must vnderstand that of al the enemies that God hath in this world there is none in soe hyghe displeasure with him as he who once knowinge the trueth and beinge receaued into his house the Catholicke Church runneth out agayne and by newe deuised doctrines vexeth and molesteth the same being not onelye the house as I haue sayd of Christ but also his spouse nay his owne body Which sorte of men the scripture calleth Heretyckes whose cursse and reprobation in this life is more greauous then anye other sinne whatsoeuer and the damnation for the tyme to come more intollerable For that as S. Peter sayeth It had bene better for them neuer to haue knowen the waye of righteousnes then after they knew it to turne backe agayne And these are those men of whome Christ sayde that one diuel goeinge forth in their first comminge to the fayth by Baptisme he afterwardes entred agayne with seuen other diuels worse then him selfe and soe made the ende of that man worse then his beginning And Saint Paul geueth a maruelous seuere iudgement vpon them when he sayeth That Heretyckes are subuerted and doe sinne and are damned by their owne iudgementes First he sayeth that they are subuerted or ouerthrowen because they are blotted out of the booke of lyfe Secondly that their whole lyfe is sinne vppon 〈◊〉 because they are vtterlye depriued of God his grace without the which we can doe nothing but sinne Thyrdlye he sayeth they are damned by their owne iudgementes ether for that they chose wittingly to leaue the Catholicke Church out of the which they knew their was noe saluation or els because the most of them doe know that they doe amisse and yet for pryde they will not come backe So that euerye waye their case is verye pitifull and lamentable This point the holy Fathers of the Churche doe often tymes handle verye seriouslye aod grauclye prouing that Heretyckes more offend God and are in furre woorse state then anye offender els in the world and namelye more then ether Iew or Gētile For y e which cause they note that the new Testament biddeth vs not to beware of Iewes and Gentiles but of Heretickes in many places The reason is for that they are those wolues which Christ foretould vs shoulde come in shéepe skinnes which as S. Augustine sayeth shal pretend to be very good shéepe and frendes to Christ and to his shéepefould and yet with Christ his owne wordes they shal teach you to denye Christ to teare the shéepefould in péeces and to disperse the shéepe Nay they shal sleye more soules with the word then euer Tyrantes did with the sword Agayne S. Austin proueth at large in an other place that Hereticks are those Antechristes of whom S. Iohn spake when he sayd That manye Antichristes are nowe gonne out meaning of Symon Magus Cerinthus and other Heretickes of his time Of which Antichrists he sayeth that S. Paul did pronounce that terrible saying that they weare The men of Sinne the Children of destruction As who would say that albeit all other noughtye men weare inwrapped with the guilt of sinne and of their owne destruction yet those men aboue al others for ther eminēt wickednes were properlye to be called the men of sinne and in respect of their heynous sinne of slayeinge of soules and the heauye sentence abyding them for the same they were peculierlye to be called the Children of perdition and damnation This therefore being soe that the déepe displeasure of God and his heauy hand hangeth more ouer the heads of Hereticks and Schismaticks then ouer any other people in the world
deede to honour the same This was also the scandale that the worthy ould Eleazarus in the booke of machabies so much detested resisted y t he chose rather to dye most cruelly then to cōmittit For whereas the Tyrant did com maund him to eate of the sacrifized meates and he refused the same the vnder officers of the Tyrant being moued with vniust compassion as the scripture tearmeth it offered him secretly other flesh not offered to Idoles and of the which he was not forbidden by his law to eate meaning thereby to deliuer him and to geue out that he had now satisfied the Prince his comāundement But the good old man considering what other men might thincke of it and what Scandale there might ensew of it answered thus as the Scripture sayeth That he would first be sente downe vnto hel before he would doe it for saieth he yt is not conuenient for our age to fayne whereby perchance many yong men thinking that Eliazarus now of nintie yeares ould hath past ouer to the lyfe of the Gentiles may through my dissimulation be deceaued This therefore is the second point of scandale which S. Paul forbiddeth when he sayeth Keepe your selfe from al shew of euil The third point of scandale is in respect of the enemy that is when although I doe not induce any man to siune or offend any mans conscience yet I doe disedefie the enemy and doe that thing whereby the enemye is scandalized and taketh an occasion to blaspheme God his trueth his cause his law or the lyke Whereof S. Paul speaketh to the Corinthians Be you without offence or scandale to the Iewes and also to the Gentiles And in an other place Geauing offence or scandale to no man to the end that our function or ministerie be not blamed thereby And this is that great scandale that Dauid being a King and a Prophet gaue to Gods enemies by his fal and for the which he was sore punished as it appereth by the words of the Scripture which are thes And Dauid sayd to Nathan the Prophet I haue sinned against my Lord and Nathan sayed to Dauid God hath taken away thy sinne but yet because thou hast made the enemies of God to blaspheme for this cause the sōne which is borne to the shal dye the death This also is the scandale that Esdras comming out of Persia towardes Ierusalem with his countrimen the Iewes was affeard to geue to the king of Persia by causing him to think basely of God as not able to helpe and defend his seruants if he should haue asked him ayde to conducte himselfe and his companie to Ierusalem for soe he sayth I was ashamed to aske of the King ayde and horsemen to defende vs from our enemies in the waye because we had said to the King before that the hand or defēce of our God is ouer al them that seke him in honestie and that his empire and strength and furye is vppon all them that forsake hym Finallye of this scandale ment S. Paule and S. Peter also when they sayd that the word of God was blasphemed or spoken euil of by the aduersarie part for the euil lyfe of certayne noughtie Christians Nowe that a Catholicke going to the Churches seruice or prayers of them of the contrary relygion cannot but cōmit this great sinne of scandale in the highest degre that is in al these thrée poyntes before rehersed it is euident to al the world For touching the first poynt if he be a man of any calling his example shal induce some other as wyfe children frendes seruantes or the lyke to doe the same And howsoeuer he scape him selfe they maye be infected and so damned and theyr bloode layd vppon his soule but muche more if he should exhorte or constrayne anye man to doe the same as commonlye manye Sysmatyques doe vse And touchiing the seconde poynte he cannot but offende manye mens Conscyences for they that doe knowe hym inwardelye to be a Catholyque will thynke hym to sinne against against his owne conscience and perhapps be induced to doe the lyke And they who know him not must néedes presume him to goe of conscience and as a fauorer of that religion and soe be brought to lyke the better of that religion and the worse of the Catholicke by his example And as concerning the third and last poynt their is no enemye of the Catholicke religion in the world whether he be Gentile Turke Iew or hereticke but that he must both thincke and speake the worse of the sayd religion séeing the professors of the same are content for worldly pollycie to dissemble it and leauing their own Churches to present them selues to the Churches of their open and professed enemies To conclude in this matter of scandale men must not flatter and deceaue them selues thincking that they walk in a net and are not séene when they geue scandale to all the world which fixeth his eyes vppon them if not for their owne cause yet for the religions sake God is not to be mocked The godly and learned Father S. Ambrose did accuse Ualentinian the Emperour for geuing a publyke scandale to the world because he did but permit certayne aulters to the Gentiles saying that men would thincke that he preuilye fauored them And his scholler S. Augustine thincketh it a scandale if a man should heare a Donatist but speake and he to hould his peace for that the hearer might thinke that if this were euil which the Donatist sayeth the other would reproue him But if S. Ambrose had sene the Emperour to haue gone to the Panims Temples or S. Augustine the other to frequent the Donatistes Churches what then would they haue sayed What excuse then would they haue receaued and this is our very case The Third Reason The Thyrd reason why a Catholicke may not come to Church is for that goynge or not goeyng to the Church is made a signe now in England distinctiue betwixt religion and religion that is betwyxt a Catholicke and a Schismatyke So that a Catholicke by going thether doth directlye denye his religion For the better vnderstanding whereof we must note that the professor of any religion may be knowen by thrée wayes firste by wordes professing him selfe to be of that religion secondly by workes or déedes proper to that religion thyrdly by some signe or marke appointed to signifie that religion As for example In Italy a Iew may be knowen First by his wordes if he would professe him selfe to be of that religion Secondlye by workes proper to Iudaysme as by keaping the Saterday holye daye by circumcysinge his children and the like Thirdly by a notorious signe appointed to distinguishe that religion from al others which is to weare on his head a yealow capp Nowe as these thrée are wayes to professe this religion soe if a 〈◊〉 of an other religion for example a Christian should
it is noe small daunger for a man to ioyne him selfe with them especiallye in the acte wherein principallye they offende God which is in their assemblyes Seruices false teachinges and prechinges at which tymes God his cursse is lyke most abundantlye to descende vpon them and vpon those also that doe assiste them For as S. Paul sayeth They are worthye of death not only that doe euil but they also which doe cōsent vnto them And that thow maist not excuse thy selfe and say I am there in body but I consent not to them in harte S. Iohn expresseth farther what it is to consent vnto them or to communicate with them in their workes saying He that sayeth as much as God speede them doth communicate or participate with them in their noughtye workes Which thinge the Prophet Dauid knew wel and therefore sayde that he would not soe much as sitt downe with such men and obiecteth the contrarye fault to a wicked man saying When thou sawest a theefe thou wast content to runne with him He doth not accuse him you sée for stealinge with him but for goeing or running with him and for kéeping him companye albeit he consented not to his robbery And Saint Paul commaunded Tymothye not to consent to Alexander the Heretycke but to auoyd him Lykewyse he commaunded the Romayns not to consent to other such 〈◊〉 fellowes but to declyne or turne awaye from them Finallye Saynt Paules wordes are general and playne of all such men when he sayeth Hereticum hominem deuita Auoyde an Hereticall man He sayeth not goe to Church with him but beléeue him not or consent not to him in thy harte This is our interpretation foysted in therby to boulster vpp our owne dissimulation wherein we presume farther then we shall be able one daye to iustifie As that foolishe Prophet did which being sent to preache in Schismaticall Samaria but not to eate with them ventured farther then his commission and by perswasion did eate with one whoe sayde him selfe to be as good a Prophet of God as the other as the Protestantes doe saye them selues to be good Catholickes but this venturous Prophet was slaine by God for his labor It is very perilous tobe amongest the enemies of God If Lot he had stayed but two houres longer in Sodome he had dyed with the rest The terrible death of al them which were in companie with those thrée rebellious schismatiques Chore Dathan Abyron ought to moue vs muche of which nomber it is to be thought many were simple and ignorant men and had little parte of the malyce and noughtie meaninge of their ringe leders but yet for companies sake al perished together The which example S. Cyprian applyeth to oure purpose asking of vs if these men so perished for beinge only in companye with those schismatiques Are not we affrayde to be muche more punyshed saythe he assistinge and furthering by our presence hereticall oblations prayers sermons and errours S. Iohn the deerly beloued of oure Sauiour had as muche cause to presume of his masters fauour as we haue and yet he durst not soe muche as staye in the bath to washe together with Cerinthus the heretyque For so he saythe Let vs flee from hence lest the bathe fal vpon vs in the which Cerinthus the enemie of truthe is Marke how he was not onely affrayde lest the bath would fall but also lest it should fall vpon him for kéeping the other companie What if anye Prince should haue willed S. Iohn to haue come to Cerinthus his seruice prayers and sermons If the histories reporte that the Apostles their Disciples would not so muche as talke or reasone the matter with anie of the heretiques of their tyme but fled their companie for feare lest some part of their punishment should light vpon them what wise man nowe will dare to goe to their prayers and assemblies To conclude I would wishe euery man to consyder the admonytion of the Angell of God to Christians talking of all wicked cōgregatiōs vnder the name of Babylon And I hard an other voyce from heauen saying goe out my people from her to the ende that you be not partakers of her sinnes and to the ende you doe not receaue of her scorges because her sinnes are come vp to heauen and God hath now remēbred her wickednes Marke how he saythe To the end that you doe not receyue of her scourges And yet it is certain that the people of God did not cōsente in harte to the wickednes of this place which they are bidden here to flée but only were present there and yet we sée how dangerous it was to them to be partakers of the punishmente if God of his goodnes had not remoued them out THE Syxth Reason THE Sixth cause why a Catholique may not come to Churche is because he cannot come without dissimulation The which in matters of Conscience and religion is trecherie to God almightie and a very dangerous matter For as the worthye Father S. Ambrose saythe It maye be lawful somtimes in a monye matter to hould thy peace but in Gods cause where there is danger in comunicating with his enemies to dissemble only is no smal sinne The reason wher of is that sore saying of Christs owne mouth He that is not with me is againste me As though he had sayd He that dissembleth knowing me and my cause to be opressed houldeth his peace defendeth me not I will houlde him in the number of my enemies that are against me According to the which rule of Christe S. Iohn which wel knewe the inward secrete meaning of Christe speaking of certayne Noble men and Gentle men of Iurye The which did beleue in Christe but durst not confesse him openly for feare of the Iewes Condē neth them of a great dānable mortall sinne against the firste cōmandemente forthe same sayinge that by this acte they shewed that they loued the glory of men more then the glory of God By the which exāple we sée wilfully dishonour God and consequently commit damnable treason against him when we do for any feare or other temporal respecte dissemble our faith and hould our peace against our consciences The which thing S. Paul consideringe he layeth downe vnto vs a general rule Ore fit confessio ad salutem To be saued we must néedes confesse our faith by mouth or open speach Upon the which wordes S. Austin sayeth We can not be saued out of this wicked and malignant world excepte we endeuoring to saue our neighbours besides beleeuing do also professe our fayth by mouthe which we bere in our harts the which fayth of ours we must prouyde by godlye and warye watchfulnes that it be not in any respect hurt or violated by the craftye subtletye of Hereticks Note his admonition let it not be in any respect violated with craftye subtiltye
same vp with vs to God the father for the whole world As al the holy Fathers of the primatiue Churche dyd bothe beleue and teach Of the which it shalbe enough at this tyme to aledge one or two Saynt Gregorie therfore the first saythe thus What faythfull man can doute but that in the verye houre of immolation or sacryfice the heauens doe open at the Priestes voyce and that the 〈◊〉 of Angels be present there in that misterie of Iesus Christ And saynt Chrisostome handeling the same saythe At that tyme the tyme of consecration in the Masse the Angels stande by the Priest and the vniuersall orders of the celestiall powers doe crye out and the place nygh to the aulter is full of quires of Angels in the honour of him whoe is there sacrifised And immediatlye after he telleth two visions of holye men whose eyes were by the power of God as he sayeth opened and they in those visions saw the Angels presente at the time of consecration And in an other place he yet more at large explycateth the same sayinge At that tyme deere brother at the time of consecration and eleuation not onlye men do geue out that dreadful cry saying we adore the O Lord ct but also the Angels doe bowe their knees to our Lord and the Archangels doe beseche him for they accounte that a fitt time hauing that sacred oblation in their fauour And therfor as men arc wont to moue Princes the more yf they beare oliue bowes in their handes because by bearinge that kinde of wood they bring into the Princes mindes mercye and gentlenes so the Angels at that time houlding out in their hands the verye self same bodye of our Lord they doe entreate for al mankinde as thoughe they saide We doe entreate O Lord for the men of the worlde whom thow hast so looued that for their saluation thou wast content to dye and in the Crosse to breathe out thyne owne soule For these men we make supplicatiō for the which thou hast geeuen thy owne bloud for these men we pray for the which thou hast sacrificed this bodye of thyne If this be soe then the hearinge of Masse is not onelye worth the venturynge of an hundred Marckes or sixe monnethes imprisonment but also of an hundrede thousande lyues if a man could loose euerye one for that cause sixe tymes And an hundred tymes miserable is that man which for anye worldlye respecte doth depryue hlm selfe of soe greate a benifite as the participation of this sacrifice is Secondlye they loose by goeynge to Church the fruite and grace of sixe Sacramentes as the grace of Confirmation by the Bishoppe whereby the Holye Ghoste was géeuen in the Prymatyue Church as Saynte Luke sayeth and now in our tyme as Saynte Cypryan proueth are bestowed vppon vs by the same the seuen gyftes of the holye Ghoste Set out by Esaye the Prophet in his eleuenthe chapter They loose also the grace of Preisthood soe greatlye commended by S. Paul to Tymothye when he chargeth him soe earnestlye not to neglect the sayd grace Also the grace of Matrimony which S. Paul soe much extolleth when he calleth this sacrament a great sacrament Also the grace of extreme Unction which is soe great as S. James sayeth besids the healing many times of the bodye it also remitteth the sicke mans sinnes And so in lyke manner the grace of the other two sacramēts of Penance and the Aulter whereof I wil say a word or two immediately Al thes graces they loose being cut of by their going to the Protestants churches frō these sacramēts which are nothing else but cōduits of grace The which losse of what valew it is a man may gesse by that which al deuines with on accord doe proue y t on droppe of grace is more worth then al y e world estéemed in it selfe besids Thirdly they loose by going to church al the benifit of y t keies of the church or of the auctority of binding and loosing of sinns graunted by Christ to y t gouernours of the same Church For the explication of the which we must vnderstand that Christ hauing newlye made the mariage betwéext his déere spouse and him selfe I meane the Church and hauinge now sealed the same with his owne bloud and being inforced to depart from the said new maried spouse of his towching his visible presēce for a time he deuised how to shew vnto her how greatly he loued her and to leaue some notable pledge testimony of his singuler great affection towardes her The which he finally resolued could be by noe other meanes better expressed then if he should leaue al his aucthoritie with her the which he had receaued of his Father with making publyque proclamation to all the world that What so euer she should forgeue in earthe towchyng sinne the same should be forgeuen in heauen and what soeuer sinne the Churche should retaine or not forgeue in earth the same should neuer be forgeuen in heauen And againe that with what authoritye God his Father sent him with the same he sent her gouernours the Apostles and theyr successors And againe he that should not here and obey the Church should be accounted as a heathen and publicane By the which speeches of Christ our fore fathers haue alwayes vnderstoode that Christe gaue vnto the Churche a visible tribunal seate in earth for the forgeuing or retayning of sinnes vnto the which al Christians must resorte by submission and humble confession of their sinnes if they thinke euer to receaue forgeuenes of the same at Christes hys handes in heauen For soe we read that in the primatiue Churche they confessed their sinnes vnto the Apostels of whom saynt Luke writeth thus Manye of the faythful came to the Apostles confessing and reueling their owne actes And thrée hundred yeres after that S. Austen testefieth of his time saying Doe you suche penance as is wont to be done in the Church that the Church may praye for you Let no man saye I doe it secretly I doe ìt with God alone God which hath to pardon me knoweth wel how that I doe repent in my hart What therfore with out cause was it sayde to the Priestes that which you loose in earth shal be loosed in heauen therfore in vayne were the keyes geuen to the Church And in an other place againe more néerlye touching the humour of our men now a dayes he sayth There are some which thinke it sufficiēt for their saluation if they doe confesse their sinnes only to God to whom nothing is hidden and to whom no mans conscience is vnknowen For they will not or els they are ashamed or els they disdayne to shew them selues vnto the Priestes whom not withstanding God by Moyses his lawegeuer did apoint to discerne or iudge betweene leprye and leprye But I would not
Protestants to present thē selues to our Catholique Churches which he according to their blasphemous spirit calleth idolatrous His wordes are these I beleue and confesse that it is not lawful for any Christian to be assistant nether in spirit nor body at the Sacrifices of idolatours nor also to enter into their Temples whilst they are doeing their idolatries and Sacrifices excepte it be to rebuke them in shewinge them their abuses and to teach them the truth as the holy Apostles and Prophets haue done and not for to dissemble as hipocrites For if the body be a creature of God as it is as the soule is the temple of the holy Ghost and member of the mistical bodye of Christ and if it must one day rise agayne and possesse the eternal lyfe with the soule It must also necessarily be that it be altogether geuen vnto the seruice of God in this world with the soule and spirite otherwise they can not be ioyned together after the general resurrection but being seperated the one should be in heauen with God whom he loued and the other in hel with the deuil whom he serued the which is an impossible thinge Therefore I say al those dissimulations to be a verye renouncinge of Christ and of his Ghospel And in lyke manner I beleeue and confesse that all those fayned and false shewes by which the veritye of the Ghospel is hidden and the word of God despysed or by which the ignorant and infidel is confirmed in his errour or by which the weake is offended are not of God but of Sathan altogether contrarye vnto the truth of the worde Therefore we must not halt of both sides but goe vpryghtlye before that greate God which seethe behouldeth and knoweth all thinges euen before they are begonne Loehéere We sée the sentence of their Doctours to the contrarye whoe presse vs so much to goe to their Churches agaynst our consciences If errour finde such zeale what zeale ought truthe to haue If these fellowes eche of them for the defence of their pryuate fond fancies be contente most willyngelye to aduenture anye daunger or extremitye what so euer rather then to come to the true Catholicke Church wherein they were borne and to the which in Baptisme they swore obedience why should such blame be layde vpon vs for standing in defence of our consciences and for refusinge to goe to their churches wherein we were nether borne nor bred vp nor euer persuaded that they had any truth or holines in them This reason only may suffice any resonable man especiallye the Protestant except he wil mislike with his owne doctrine which condemneth me of hipocrisie dissimulation and renouncinge of Christ and his Gospel If I present but my only bodye to the churches of them whos religion I am not persuaded to be trew The which sayinge of his in a sence hath good reason albeit the wordes and meaning be wicked For if there be no man ether so foolish or impious in the world but must néeds thincke that one onelye religion amongst Christians is trew and al other false And if euerye man which hath anye religion and is resolued therein must néedes presuppose this only truth to be in his own religion then it followeth necessarily that he must likewyse persuade him selfe that all other religions besides his owne are false and erroneous and consequently al assemblies conuenticles and publike actes of the same to be wicked damnable dishonorable to God contumelious to Christ and therfore to his cōscience which thinketh so detestable Now then suppose the case thus I know in England certayne places where at certayne tymes and dayes assemblies are made by certaine men in shewe to honour and commend but in my conceate to dishonour dispraise and impugne the maiesty of my most dread soueraigne Ladye the Quéene And I am inuited thither to heare the same by my parentes kinsmen and acquaintance nay I am enforced thither by the greatest autoritie that vnder her maiestye may cōmaunde me Tel me nowe If I should goe thyther vnder anye pretence whatsoeuer of gratefiinge my frendes or by commandement of any her inferior powers can her Maiestie take it well or accounte of me better then of a trayterous catyue for yelding my selfe to stay there to heare them to countenance their doinges with my presence to hould my peace when they speake euill of her to hould my handes whiles they slaunder her and finallye to saye nothing whiles they induce other men to forsake her and her cause And if her Maiestie or anye other Prince in the Worlde could not beare at their subiectes handes any suche dissimulation trecherye or treason how much lesse shall the omnipotent Maiestye of God who requireth and deserueth muche more exact seruice at our handes beare this dissimulation and trayterous dealing of ours if we be content for temporall respectes and for satisfaction of anye mortall power lesse then him selfe to present our selues to such places and assemblies where we shal heare his Maiestie dishonoured his Sonne slādered his holy Woorde falsified his Church impugned his Sayntes and Martirs discredited his Byshopes and Pastours reuyled and all the whole Ecclesiastical Ierarchye rent broken disseuered and turned vpsydowne and his people purchased with his Blood and dearer vnto him then his own lyfe excited and sturred vp against him his ministers and by swéet woordes and gaye benedictiōs slocked away to the slaughter house of heresie What Noble man is there in the world which could take it wel if he should sée his frende and much-more his Sonne in the companie of his professed enemye at such tyme principallye as he knoweth that his enemye abuseth him in spéeche and séeketh most his discredit and dyshonour but especiallye if hee should see hym come in open assemblye of the worlde to the barre against him in companye with his aduersarie when his sayd aduersarie cōmeth of set purpose to deface him as heretiques doe to their churches and pulpets to dishonour God I think I saye he could hardly beare it And shal such disdayne be taken by a mortal man for a litle iniurie and discurtesie shewed and shal not the iustice of God be reuenged vppon our trechery and dissimulation in his cause If I geue my seruant but fortie shillinges a yeare yet I thinke him bound to defend me in al poynts and causes to be frind to my frindes enemye to my aduersaries to vphoulde my credit maintayn my honour to resift my detractors and to reuenge him selfe vppon my euilwillers and if he can be content to hould his peace hearing me euil spoken of and to put vp my flander without opening his mouth I wil account him vnworthye to weare my clothe how much more inexcusable shal we be at the dreadful daye of Indgment if we receauing at our Lord and masters handes such extraordinarie pay for our seruice in this lyfe and expecting further and aboue this all that himselfe is
worth for the eternitie of the lyfe to come his kingdome his glorye and his euerlasting ioye with his riches and tresures vnspeakable which nether eare euer heard nor eye sawe nor hart of man cōceaued how great they are how scusles I saye shal we be at that terrible rekoning daye and how confounded by the examples of seruantes in this lyfe soe zelous for their maisters vpon soe smal wages if we notwith standing al our rewardes both present and to come shalbe yet key could in our maister his seruice present at his iniuries and silent at his slaunders Nether sufficeth it to saye that these suppositions are false and that there are not such thinges commited against God at the Protestantes Churches and seruices for howsoeuer that be wherof I dispute not nowe yet I being in my hart of an other religion must néedes think not onlye them but also al other religions whatsoeuer to commit the same as I knowe they doe also thinke of mine Wherfore how good and holy souer they were yea if they were Angels yet should I be condemned for going amongest them for that in my sight iudgment and Conscience by which onlye I must be iudged they must néedes séeme enemyes to God being of the contrarie religion By this it may appere how greuously they sinne dayly in England and cause other to sinne with them which compel men by terror to doe acts of religion against their Consciences as to take othes receaue Sacraments goe to Churches and the like which being done as I haue sayde with repugnant Consciences is horible mortal sinne as hath bene alredye prooued and conseqently damnable both to the doers and to the enforcers therof The which I beséeche God to geue his grace both to the one and the other part dutifully to consider that ether these maye leaue of to enforce or those learne to sustayne as they ought their enforsment And thus now we maye sée what great and waightye Reasons y t Catholiques haue to lay for their refusal of comming to the Churches of Protestants The which if they were wel cōceaued by the Prince and Magistrates it is not likly that they would presse them to the yelding to such incōueniences against the helth of their own souls but if they should yet ought the other to beare any pressure whatsoeuer rather then to fall into farre worse daungers And of this that I haue sayde here before there may be gathered these conclusions following not vnnecessarye to be noted for better perspicuities sake to the vnlearned First it foloweth of the premises that this goeing to the Protestantes Churches is forbidden not onely by the positiue lawes of the Church dispensable by the Church againe but also by Gods lawe and the lawe of Nature as the consideration of most of the reasons dothe declare For albeit it be prohibited by the Churche yet not onely by the Church seinge that a thing may be prohibited by the Canons of the Churche for more playn explycations sake which was forbiden before by the lawe both of nature and of God also as Aoulterye Uiolence Simonie and the like Euen so albeit going to heretical assēblies be prohibyted by the Church yet because it hath in it or necessarily 〈◊〉 to it dyuers thinges which are prohibited by the lawe of God and Nature as perill of infection Scandal denying of our fayth when it is made a signe distinctiue or commaundement dissemblinge in Gods cause honouring Gods enemies dishonouring the Catholique Churche and the lyke therfore the whole acte of going to Church is sayd to be prohibited also Iure diuino et naturali That is by the lawe of God and Nature And her of it foloweth that no power vpon earth can dispence with the same Wherfore that which hath bene geuen out as is sayde by some great men that the Pope by his letters to her Maiestie did offer to confirme the seruice of England vppon condition that the title of Supremacie might be restored him againe is impossible to be soe soe that if anye such letters came to hir Maiesties handes they must néedes be fayned and false Secondly it foloweth of the premisses y t this going to Church is not onlye vnlawfull Ratione Scandali by reason of Scandal as some wil haue it For albeit Scandal be one reason why it is vnlawful and that in such sort as is almost impossible to be auoyded yet you sée that I haue geuen diuers other causes besides Scandal which make it vnlawfull Wherof it foloweth that a man cannot goe to their Churches albeit he might goe in such secrete manner or otherwise haue their seruice in his howse soe priuelye as no Scandal should follow therof or any man knowe therof which is notwithstanding impossible to do but if it could be yet were the thing vnlawfull especiallye for the. 1. 4. 5. 6. 7. reasons before alledged Thirdely it followeth that a man maye not goe to Church vnder anye vayne pretence as pretending that he goeth only for obedience and not for anye lyking he hath to their seruice yea although he should proteste the same openly For that protestation should rather agrauate then diminishe the sinne Séeing by this protestation he should testifie vnto the whole worlde that he did a thing against his Conscience As if a man should proteste that he did thinke that to rayle against the Pope at Pouls Crosse were nought and yet for obedience sake being soe commaunded would doe it The which was Pilates case who protested first that he thought Christe innocent and therfore sought to deliuer him but in the ende fearing the displeasure of the Iewes and their complaynte to the Emperour washed his handes and soe condemned him thinking by that protestation to haue washed of the sinne and to haue layd it on the Iewes neckes which compelled him therto But I think by this time he hath felt that he was deceaued For when a thing in it selfe is nought noe protestation can make it lawful but rather maketh the doing of it a greter offēce by adding to the vnlawfulnes of the thing the repugnāce of the doers conscience But you wil perhapes saye to goe to the material Church is not a thing euil of it selfe I aunswer and that it is true But you must not single out the matter soe For in this one action of goeing to Church there be many thinges contayned whereof the whole action is compounded As for example there is the materiall Church the possession of the same by the enemye of the Catholicke religion the seruice and sermons in reproofe of the same religion the dayes and houres appoynted for the same the bel ringing and publikely calling al men thither the Princes cōmaundement for the Catholickes to goe to the same the end of the commaundement in general that they by goeing should pray with them allow of their seruice and by their presence honour it Then is there the peril of