all lawfull Superiours whether they be spirituall or temporall to ech of them in that which appertayneth to their charge as to the Substitutes Lieftenants of him to whom all subiection is due And as this is voluntary proceeding of conscience and loue so it causeth concord and good will to all others of the same body without difference many times to such as for personall respects deserue little to be obeyed or loued This is the true root and reason of estate this is the true and only policie to effect vnion this is the only proper method of curing old inueterate soares of discord and the only way to heale effectually those that so long time haue layen festering And howsoeuer at this present they be couered and ouer-healed they be not hoale in the bottome and therefore must be prudently and perfectly healed least with new occasions they breake out againe with greater violence and extremity then euer before And to hasten this breach I cannot imagine how his Maiesty or any for him could deuise a more effectuall or more speedy meanes then he hath taken in hand powling and impouerishing the natiue Englishmen Catholikes to enrich and aduāce strangers and heretikes to whome he giueth their goods and dispossesseth them of their Patrimonyes and Lands which their Ancestors had lawfully enioyed many hundred yeares only because they will not sweare that which they thinke to be false nor goe against their Consciences to the Protestants Churches without any other offence to the King or Common-wealth Who can looke on this be he neuer so great an enemy of Catholike Religiō that will not loath it especially considering that those who suffer these wrongs are the best Subiects most innocent and of more vertuous and exemplary life then any other of the Common-wealth Suppose they were deceaued in their beliefe houlding for true the Religion which all their Ancestors euen from the Apostles time haue belieued for their aduersaries cannot giue instance where when or by whome any poynt of that which they belieue and professe was inuented or brought in since the Apostles tyme notwithstanding their cauill of Ceremonyes and other accidents out of the substance which may be added altered or taken away as tymes and oceasions require without preiudice to the fayth or Religion to which they appertaine But as I say supposing the Catholicks liued in errour and misbeliefe this same errour authorized by so long Prescription as I haue sayd deserueth not punishment but pardon and toleration especially it being as their greatest enemies must needes confesse without any hurt to the Common wealth for none can deny but that the Recusants lyfe and conuersation is of much more edification and good example in all manner of Christian vertue then any of the rest And this and no other thing is the cause that their Aduersaryes finding in them no faults of their owne are forced to accuse them of other mens offences and to calumniate and slaunder them with false imputations as the old Persecutors did the Christians of the primitiue Church and this also is the cause of so vnusuall and improper manner of speaking as may be obserued in these Proclamations and Lawes And they are drawne by necessity to this manner of proceeding forced to charge them with secret crimes for indeed all that passeth in publicke wherof the world may be wytnes is in their fauour And therfore they vrge them what they thinke and not onely that but what they would thinke in tyme to come vpon conditionall cases which are neuer like to be A strange manner of proceeding and not heard of in other places But to this miserable perplexity and suspition men come that will gouerne without God his Truth And if these thinges of themselues cannot but mooue to compassion any true English indifferent hart of whatsoeuer Religion the party be what an ey-sore must it needes be what hart-burning thinke you doth it cause to see withall the spoyle of these innocent subiects turned to mayntaine the pride and superfluities of Strangers some of them making their nestes in the toppes of the Noblest and fruitfullest trees that is planting themselues in the best Houses and Familyes and occupying the chiefest Offices and Roomes of the Common wealth others returning home to their Countrey loaden with the spoile of Catholickes goodes who doubtlesse least of all others feele their owne harms as men best armed with patience and most comforted with the considerations abouesayd and the like to suffer all that cōmeth for Christ But for the rest no doubt but their hartes are filled with indignation and bytternes whatsoeuer Religion they professe and much more those of other Sectes and most of all those that be furthest of from Catholicke Recusancie as men lesse mortified more styrring more ready to be moued to anger disdayne and reuenge howsoeuer they may couer it for a tyme. And this generally out of Nationall passions and affections which no doubt are more vehement and more inflamed where there concurreth also particuler respectes And at this day you shall hardly find any one famylie of worth in England that by one way or other in the roote or in the branches hath not allyance or interest in the cause persecuted The experience of fourty yeares and vpward wherin they haue persecuted the Catholickes in that Kingdome supposing by that way to roote out their Religion is a strong argument amongst many others to conuince their Aduersaries that they hould a wrong course for all the world seeth that by this persecution Catholicks haue increased both in number and zeale with them the meanes that God hath ordained for their preseruation both at home abroad For within the Kingdome there be at this day many more Priestes and Religious men to teach the Truth to such as desire it then were when Queene Elizabeth made the first Capitall Lawes against them And generally Catholickes are more constant and more ready to endure the penalty of the Lawes and the Colledges for the bringing vp of such as God selecteth for the mayntenance of this cause are more in number euery day And as their afflictions continue so their friends increase and the more their vertue is tryed and their cause more knowne the more readines they find and more desire in all good men to help them This experience in truth were there nothing else doth plainly demonstrate that his Maiesty in prudence of Estate though he had no greater Motyues should bethinke himselfe of some other course and vse more proportionable meanes to bring about his Honourable Designments And doubtlesse if his Iudgment and other Naturall Giftes be answerable to the report he will easily see the conuenience by that which hath beene sayd setting passion and bad Counsayle aside For what man is there of any vnderstanding that hauing bene troubled fourty yeares togeather with one and the selfe same infirmity and vsing all that while the same dyet the same Phisitians the same method in
good subiectes hartes from their due obedience both to God and vs. And lastly because the horror and detestation of the Powder Y The Catholikes haue more horrour and detestation against such Actes then those that make all this shew I haue touched before that which in this all other treasons may be obiected which they do impute vnto them that haue as little hand in them as themselues as they know full well here in part bewray imputing to English Catholikes the death of the late King of France wherein all the world knoweth they neyther had nor possibly could haue any hand treason in the mindes of our Parliament bred amongst other thinges that Oath of Z This is a matter mistaken and the Statistes are farwyde that thinke to draw Subiects by violence to their Allegiance and fidelity by force For to my vnderstanding and to any mans else that vvill iudge indiffereÌ„tly there can be no more direct cause of disloyalty to Kings then to constraine their Subiects to infidelity and inforce them to be disloyal to God the King of Kings and Lord of all Allegiance to be taken by our subiectes so highly impugned by the Pope his followers as we are inforced by our A His Maiesties pen had bene ill imployed and himselfe very ill aduised as by effect is seen if the Book had bene his For it hath bene reproued in all Kingdomes confuted almost in all Languages vvith losse of reputation and note of small learning and lesse discretion in the Author For although the Pamphlet was published in his Maiesties Name yet it is generally held that the Name onely was his verily they who hould this opinion doe him more seruice and honour his Maiesty more then the others that father so seely a worke vpon so wise and learned a Prince as his Maiesty of Great Britanny is knowne to be owne pen to take in hand the mayntenance of our cause for that Oath which howsoeuer odious it was to the Pope yet was it deuised as an Act of great fauour and Clemency towardes so many of our subiects who though blinded with the B Woe be to you saith the Prophet that call euill good and good euill that make darknes light and light darknes Isay 5. 20. superstition of Popery yet carryed a dutyfull hart towardes our obedience For hereby was there a separatioÌ„ and distinction made betweene that sort of Papistes and the other pernicious sort that C This is a manifest calumniation and slaunder wherwith malicious people haue possessed his Maiesty depraued his vnderstanding to make him more vntractable in his false religion and more implacable with Catholikes couple togeather that damnable doctrine and detestable practice before meÌ„tioned Therfore in consideration that the said Oath serueth to D A pretty deuise when all other faile to draw away money from them But I will foretell you the successe Non gaudebit tertius heres Quia pretium sanguinis est It is the price of bloud and cannot prosper make so true and mercifull distinction between these two sortes of Papistes as is allreadie sayd we cannot but hould it most conuenient for the weale of all our good subiectes and discouerie of bad people that greater care shal be vsed hereafter in the generall ministration of this Oath E And when all should take it what profit would redound to the King verily none at all but rather great harme as already hath bene said and shal be said more at large hereafter to all our subiects then hath beene heretofore vsed And therfore it is our express will and pleasure accordingly we doe heerby straitly charge commaund all and singular our Bishops Iustices of Assise Iustices of Peace and all other our Officers whome it may coÌ„cerne to minister the same to all such persons and in all F This Oath cannot in any case be lawfull for the end which they doÌ„ pâ—etend nor is it a Law that which approueth it But in this as in many other things they abuse euidently the word Law to credit their dealings in these lawlesse practises Neyther can it haue any true conueniency for a thing so violent and vniust cannot be conuenient eyther to assure the safety of his Maiesties person or of his Royall succession nor to appease the disquietnes feare which he may conceaue eyther vpon iust or vniust cause but all quite contrary as hath bene said The selfe samâ— comparison houldeth as the Philosopher saith betweene the King and his Subiects the Father and his children the Sheepheard and his flocke Similis est comparatio Arist 8. Ethic. A good and true Prince indeed ought to be able to gouerne his people not onely vprightly but also with loue and courtesy For it is vnfitting that a sheepheard should hate or persecute his flock Arch. de lege Iust But what faith the Poet in this case Qui Sceptra duro saeuus Imperio regit Timet timentes metus in auctorem redit Oed. ac 3. Ille tot Regum parens Caret sepulchro Priamus flamma indiget ardente Troia Sen. in Hecub such cases as by the law they are enabled knowing that the meaning of the law was not onely to authorize theÌ„ to do it when they would and to forbeare it at their pleasure but to require it at their handes as a necessary dutie committed to them and imposed vpon theÌ„ as persons of chiefe principall trust vnder vs for the good and safety of vs and our estate Giuen at our Pallace of VVhite-hall the second day of Iune in the eight yeare of our Raygne of Great Brytaine France and Ireland A LETTER OF A GENTLE VVOMAN OF QVALITY residing on this side the seas written to her Husband in England exhorting him to constancie in the persecution Translated out of the Latin Copie GOOD Sir I humbly thank you for the care you haue takeÌ„ in giuing me notice of that which passeth and am right glad to see you so resolute our Lord giue you grace to continue constant vnto the end And seing God hath giuen you light to discerne what doth most import you I beseech you for his loue remember that to go back at any tyme herafter or leaue this holy Resolution for humane respects should be for your greater condemnation And although the loue you beare vnto me and to your children with other respectes of flesh and bloud might cause in you some strife and contradiction yet good Husband do not in any case suffer your feruour to wax cold As for our children they are so well allyed that there is no feare they can want being of the yeares they are all well considered they haue inough left them But if notwithstanding all these hopes should fayle them yet they liue vnder the protection of their heauenly Father and vnder his prouidence which is more to be esteemed then all the treasures of the world As for my selfe or any thing that may concerne me do not afflict your selfe in
they must needes fayle in the meanes For the cause which they would maintaine being in it selfe vniust they can bynd no mans conscience by any violence to approue it how soeuer some may dissemble for flatterie or feare which auayleth litle to the Kinges purpose Wherfore till they can finde out some proportionable meanes to perswade men of iudgment that they haue Iustice on their side and that their opinions are true and the Catholicke Religion false which as they well know is impossible all the rest they can do to make their cause seeme good is wholy vnprofitable And togeather with this supposing that which is most true although such as be about his Maiesty endeauour to conceale it that the number of such as be in their hartes Catholickes and belieue all that the Recusants professe is greater without all comparison then these that be formally hereticks and that euen amongst those that were furthest out of the way many come euery day to vnderstand the Truth and many to professe it It were much better and far more proportionable for that which his Maiesty intendeth if he intend to quiet his Kingdome and assure his Royall Estate to himself and his Successors when he should be pleased to do no more at least to suffer mens consciences to be free seing for the reason alleaged he cannot tye them and by this meanes content all and oblige all to loue him and serue him and especially those that now he houldeth in greatest iealousy to be his most loyall Subiectes and most obedyent and more sure to him then any of the rest then contrary wise vsing violence without necessity where it can haue no place whilst he laboureth to content a few cause iust indignation in multitudes which can bring no good and in tyme may be occasion of many ineuitable harmes Moreouer for the intēt which his Maiesty hath to vnite his two Kingdomes of Scotland and England in one vnder the Title of Great Bryttaine what meane can be deuised more effectuall then that which onely hath vnity in it selfe and consequently vertue to vnite others and which only hath meanes to preserue it selfe and such as imbrace it in vnity The Catholicke fayth hath this propriety to vnite and with her secret vertue and force to reduce such as lyue dispersed like sauage and wilde people to the estate of men and perfect vse of reason in ciuill lyfe teaching them to brydle their passions and conquer their ill customes amend their manners and abandone their former vices and sinnes and in sine to yield their willes to rule and reason making them men and Christian men faythfull to God and dutyfull to their Commaunders which before were barbarous rebellious to God and to their Princes and litle better then beastes This the ancient Histories that treate of the peopling of many partes of Europe doe teach most euidently where men lyued like bruyte beastes vntill they were instructed and reformed with this holy Religion And at this day we see in Brasile and many partes of the Indies that Catholicke Religion hath effected with great facility that which souldyers Armes could not do drawing the people out of the caues mountaynes and woods which before they inhabited euery one by himselfe to build townes and Cytties in the playnes and lyue sociably in Community frequenting the Churches and holy Sacramentes and all other actes of Christian profession with great piety and deuotion And both the Histories of these Countryes and such as come from thence testifie that with this Catholike discipline they haue profited so much in ciuility morall conuersation and politike lyfe that in many places they are nothing inferiour to the ancient Christians yea in some parts they goe beyond them in the exercises of Christianity and in all that is cōmendable in a morall lyfe in so much as the Gouernours of these Countries laying downe their armes giuing ouer attempts of war many tymes vsed with much bloudshed and little effect haue thought it a better course more proportionable to their end to send them teachers to instruct them in the Catholicke fayth because they see by experience that with this meane they bring to passe easily in few monethes that which they could not do by force in many yeares The same may be sayd of some Nations here in Europe which haue professed enimity and deadly hatred tyme out of mynd one against another by reason of bloudy warres and hostility that had passed betweene them and by meanes of this soueraigne band of vnity haue beene reconciled and brought to lyue vnder one Gouerment with great peace and friendship which doubtlesse could neuer haue beene done nor so inueterate and violent humors tempered but by this sacred and sweete lenitiue of Catholicke Religion And for this reason it is called Catholicke because as it is common to all so it is fit for all and a common band with peculiar effect to reunyte and tie togeather such as the waywardnes of mans miserable nature hath drawne to auersion and deuided Extremes if they are to be made one must needs haue some meanes to vnite them and those which agree in one third and so principall a meane of vnion as is the Catholike faith with hope charity and in such a body of Religion as agreeth in those vertues may easily preserue themselues in amity and accord though in some lesser matters there arise differēces Will you haue a proofe of this neare home and proper to this purpose I my selfe in diuers partes haue knowne English-men and Scottes notwithstanding their old auersion and antipathy almost turned into nature yet being Catholikes to liue togeather in great amity and friendship Neither must it seeme strange for the communication in the same faith the common vse of the same Sacraments and common fountaine of grace piercing and deuiding betwixt the marrow and the bone doth clense the rust canker of corrupt natures instinct and remoue all Nationall quarrels emulations And without doubt neyther can his Maiesty find nor any other man deuise any other so proportionable a meane as this to make his two Kingdomes one or to preserue any long time the amity begun betweene them considering the deadly hatred fastered and inueterated causes of disunion which they haue carried in their bowels for so many ages past Non adhaeret testa ferro Nature cannot do it nor Art bring it to passe Onely this heauenly confection is able to worke this great wonder And the reason more in particuler may be because this Religiō once entring and taking root in mens harts it is as the Scripture saith Virtus Dei ad salutem subduing in man whatsoeuer is of man to the obedience of our Sauiour God and Man Christ Iesus whereby man ceaseth to be himselfe and that which before he was to himselfe and is transformed into a liuely member and part of the Mysticall body of Christ for reuerence and due respect to his Head yieldeth dutifull obedience to
curing the selfe same medicines and yet with all this tyme trouble and cost findeth himself no whit the better but euery day worse Who I say if he be in his wits will not take counsaile with other Phisitians and at the least make tryall of that which they prescribe for the recouery of his health If therfore his Gracious Maiesty desire to attayne to these Honourable ends to wit the establishment of his Kingdome and the security of his Royall Person and Posterity togeather with their Aduancement increase of Reputation Estate he will passe no further in these blind by wayes of his vnfortunate Kinswoman if I may so call her and Predecessour For though there were no other inconuenience in them yet this one may suffice to a generous Spirit not to be inforced to seeke frienship with Infidels nor depend vpon the Rebels of other Princes as she did and other things very ill beseeming so renowned a Nation and the Person of a Christian Queene Wheras contrarywise if he would fauour them which most of all men deserue it and desire all manner of happines to him his he might haue Honourable friendship and amity with the greatest Princes in the world and thereby find entrance to match his Children with their equals and not as otherwise he must of force with their inferiours in bloud and that which is worse with Heretikes and Infidels who howsoeuer they respect one another and vse amongst themselues flattery the truth is by all Lawes (A) HaereticuÌ„ homineÌ„ post vnam secuÌ„dam correptionem deuita scieÌ„s quia subuersus est qui huiusmodi est delinquit cùm sit proprio iudicio coÌ„demnatus Tit. 3. 10. C. infames 6. q. 1. C. alieni 2. q. 7. Ant. Gazaros C. de haereticis c. 2. §. haeretici li. 1. 6. Glo. Verb. Diuina c. de suÌ„ma Trinitate fide Catholica vocat haereticos infames siâ—ue eos repellit à testimonio p. 1. l. 3. ff de testibus diuine humane by the generall consent of all the Christian world they are incapable of honour and held for ignoble and infamous If his Maiesty looke after interest and desire honour and riches togeather he shall without comparison gayne more houlding correspondence with the Sea Apostolike as other Catholike Princes doe by the quietnes of his Kingdome by sparing many vnlawfull and impertinent expenses which then will not be necessary by the sincere affectioÌ„ and loue of his subiects then with all the ProclamatioÌ„s Oathes Statutes Praemunires pilling powling and other violent courses all which might haue some colour of necessity in Queen Elizabeths dayes but for many iust causes as hath beene seene are not onely ill-beseeming and dishonorable to his Noble Maiesty that now is but very preiudicious and hurtfull to his Estate Againe If he seeke to spend the rest of his dayes in quietnes and to haue a ioyfull and happy old age it is a playne case that the lyfe of a Catholicke that liueth according to his beliefe is much more comfortable and pleasant without all comparison then the life of an Hereticke or a wicked liuer for when bodily pastymes fayle the body or rather the body fayleth them then is most necessity of the inward comfort of the mynd and where these also be wanting the paynes of hell begin in this life And so Gods iust iudgmentes require And it is an (B) Iussisti Domine ita factum est vt sibi ipsi poena sit omnis animus inordinatus Aug. lib. 1. Confess inuiolable Law that a disordered mind is a continuall cause of his owne punishment torment The greatest cause why this counsaile may perhaps be lesse liked of by some is because the profit therof cannot be knowne but by experience And where mens passions are vncontrolled their imagination peruerted their vnderstanding preoccupated with false suppositions and their willes ouergrowne and as it were festered with contrary customes they cannot feele the sweetnes of vertue vnlesse they be strengthened with particuler grace from heauen and ouercome the repugnance of nature and sense to make this tryall This vale of misery this place of our habitation and aboad is a common (C) Educ de custodia animam meaÌ„ ad confitenduÌ„ nomini tuo me expectant iusti donec retribuas mihi Psal 141. 8. Dominê° soluit coÌ„peditos Ps 145. Vnde sumus coÌ„pediti corpus nostruÌ„ ornamento nobis fuit peccauimê° coÌ„pedes inde accepimê° Quae sunt compedes nostrae mortalitas ipsa Aug. in Psal 161. Prison or Gaile where all the Inhabitants aswell the Iudge as those that be iudged the King that commaundeth as the Subiects that obey are all sentenced to death Statutum est omnibus hominibus semel mori The difference of this Prison from other particuler Prisons is that in this the paynes and pleasures the burdens and benefits are deuided with equality and to euery one is assigned with great iustice onely that which is his owne Here the high Iustice of heauen hath appointed to euery person in particuler of what degree and condition soeuer his prison chaines Some beare them with ease others draw them with payne and many of ignorance and passion charge themselues with other chaynes which Gods hand hath not layd vpon them and put themselues in prisons and fetters that be not his These be the (D) Peccare non est libertas nec pars libertatis peccare est potius non posse quaÌ„ posse QuicuÌ„que enim facit quod sibi non expedit quanto magis hoc potest tantò magis aduersitas peruersitas possut in illum Ansel c. de fort prisons fetters and chaynes wherwith the world that is to say the vanity of worldly men the flesh and the Diuel ech of them hould in captiuity those which yield them homage and subiection and they be of infinite sortes and fashions which the prisoners themselues make for theÌ„selues with diuers occasions in the forge of their owne imaginations and willes the fiend of Hell setting their hartes on fire and blowing the bellowes to inflame the disordinate appetites that his other two companions the World and the Flesh and He also himselfe many times doth kindle with their suggestions And from this forge proceed all the sinnes and disorders the miseries and confusion that we see in (E) Propterea captiuê° ductus est populus meus quia non habuit scientiaÌ„ nobiles eius interierunt fame multitudo eius siti exaruit Propterea dilatauit infernê° animam suam aperuit os suuÌ„ absque vllo termino desceÌ„dent fortes eius populi eiê° sublimi gloriosique eius ad eum Isa 5. 13. the soÌ„nes of men And from the self same fornace issue the grosse cloudes of smoake which darken the vnderstanding of the Hereticke that he cannot see his errours and of the sensuall distracted Catholicke that he considereth not the deformity of his lyfe when
innumerabilis honestas per manus illius laetatus sum in omnibus Sap. 7. Ecce qui elongant se à te peribunt perdidisti omnes qui fornicantur abste Mihi autem adherere Deo bonum est ponere in Domino Deo spem meam Psal 72. 27. Quid est longe à Deo fieri quid est abs Deo fornicari est non amare amore casto Fortè diuitias aurum eius amas fundos pecuniam equos familiam cetera Absit Amor castus ipsum solum amat quia in ipso habet omnia per quem facta sunt omnia Deo adhaerere nihil est melius quando eum videbimus sicuti est Adhuc peregrinus es nondum adhaeres per praesentiam fluctuas adhuc praemitte ad terram hanc ancoraÌ„ inhaere per spem Aug. in Psal 7â— loue friendship of God Let vs therfore endeauour to lyue and die in his fauour Let it (O) Omnis huius saeculi quaestus animarum dispendium est Omnium detrimentum libenter passus est qui volebat Christum lucrari Quod si mâ—rabiliter dixerit minus tamen expressit quaÌ„ accepit Ipse suum detrimentuÌ„ homo sit quo fiat lucrum Christi Ambr. epist 44. Cum vita hominum praeuaricatione damnata coepisset esse miserabilis debuit dari finis malorum vt moâ—s restitueret quod vita amiserat Malitia hominum mors intrauit in mundum quae non fuit in natura in naturam conuersa est Sed facta est mors pretiosa postquam vnius morte mundus redemptus est mors eius vita est omnium Haec more cost what it will whether riches honoures troubles perilles life death or what else soeuer for he that hath God for his portion and entreth into sure possession Per mare pauperiem fugiens per sâ—xa per ignes Epist lib. 1. Epist 1. Horat. Vsque adeo solùm ferrum mortemue timere Auri nescit amor pereunt discrimine nulio Amissae leges pars vilissima rerum Certamen mouistis opes Lucanus de bello Parsalico lib. 3. the earth why should not the Loue of God the Zeale of his Truth and the hope and desire of eternall felicity be as powerfull in our Christian hartes as these other base appetites in the children of the world Why do not we that professe our selues Christians forsake (S) Si militibus saecularibus gloriosum vt hoste deuicto redeant in patriam trium phantes quantò potior maior est gloria victo diabolo ad paradisum triumphantem redire vnde Adam peccator eiectus est illuc prostrato eo qui antè deiecerat trophaea victricia reportare Offerre Deo acceptissimum munus incorruptam fidem virtutem mentis incolumeÌ„ Comitari eum cùm venerit vindictaÌ„ de inimicis recepturus Lateri eius assistere cùm sederit iudicaturus Coheredem Christi fieri Angelis adaequari cum Patriarchis cum Prophetis cum Apostolis caelestis Regni possessione laetari Durat fortis stabilis religiosis hisce meditationibus fundata mens aduersus omnes Diaboli terrores minas mundi animus immobilis perstat quem futurorum certa solida fides corroborat Cyor. lib. de exhort ad Mart. c. 11. sub finem Absque perseuerantia nec qui pugnat victoriam nec palmam victor consequitur Nutrix est ad meritum soror patientiae constantiae filia amica pacis propugnaculum sanctitatis Tolle perseuerantiam nec obsequium mercedem habet nec beneficium gratiam neclaudem fortitudo Sola est cui aeternitas redditur vel potiùs quae aeternitati hominem reddit dicente Domino Qui perseuerauerit vsque in finem hic saluus erit Bern. Epist 129. our houses and leaue our Cittyes vnpeopled in pursuit of these soueraigne Treasures Why do we not offer our selues to the infallible adueÌ„ture of (T) Beatus qui vbique te ducem habet Domine Iesu Nos populus tuus oues pascuae tuae sequamur te per te ad te Trabe nos post te in odorem vngueÌ„torum tuorum quia tu es via veritas vita Via in exemplo veritas in promisso vita in praemio Verba enim aeternae vitae habes nos cognoscimus credemus quia tu es Christus filius Dei viui Bern. serm 2. de Ascens Filii hominum sub tegmine alarum tuarum sperabunt Inebriabuntur ab vbertate domus tuae torrente voluptatis deliciarum tuarum potabis eos quia apud te est fons vitae Da amantem sentit quod dico da desiderantem da in ista solitudine peregrinantem atque sitientem fontem aeternae patriae suspirantem Da talem scit quid dicam Si autem frigido loquor nescit quod loquor Si ea quae inter delicias voluptates terrenas reuelantur amantibus trahunt quoniam verum est trahit sua queÌ„que voluptas quomodo non trahet post se reuelatus à Patre Chrstus Quid enim anima fortius desider at quà m veritatem Aug. Tract 26. in Ioan. attayning them as doe these blessed soules who by God Almighties Fatherly prouidence liue vnder those most happy Lawes Happy I call them for those whome they put in certaine possession of their euerlasting inheritance though miserable and vnhappy for those that make them XXX IF the glorious Angells of God that penetrate the Mysteries of diuine prouidence and see how great splendor and maiesty the woundes of the blessed Martyrs and the scarres of persecution giue in the gouernment of the world If I say these blessed Spirites should againe take flesh and lyue amongst men they would choose no other habitation or place of aboad but where they might labour (V) Est pulchâ—itudo vniuersa creaturae per hâ—â— tria inculpabilis Damnatione peccatorum exercitatione iustorum perfectione bono and suffer most and liue in most daunger and end this mortall lyfe for the loue of our Sauiour Christ Iesus and for his seruice to Mother chose rather to loose her Kingdome her Liberty yea Lyfe and all then to loose the fayth which her Sonne now persecuteth And hath there beene seene or heard a thing more prodigious in our dayes Let not his Noble Maiesty forget himselfe and his subiects so much as to prefer the whispering of some few faygned friends without any honorable tryall of the Cause and in a matter that importeth so much the saluation or damnation of his owne so many millions of soules Let him not I say without further examination reiect the pious and memorable example of his holy Mother and setled iudgment of so many of his Ancestours and of all other Christian Kinges and Kingdomes and of all other men renowned for their Wisdome Experience and holy life that haue bettered the Christian world with Ciuility Learning Piety and good manners I say ALL without exception
accordingly and in proportion their tormentes shall increase till all iniquity be ended all sinners receaue their finall sentence in body and soule to be endured whilst God is God for so his iustice requireth that no good worke be vnrewarded nor any sinne vnpunished in this present lyfe or in the lyfe to come Betweene these two extremes of glory and payne his Maiesty standeth and with him all the rest that be partakers in this Cause euery mans hour-glasse is turned and their tyme slippeth away irreuocably and with great speed and in all liklyhood they haue past allreadie the greatest and best part of their dayes O that he would pause a little vpon this consideration and before he be engaged so far that he cannot goe backe retyre himselfe into the Closet of his owne soule and there in secret with quietnes and repose consult with God and his owne Conscience whether it wil be better for him to imploy the remnant of his dayes in remedying former errours and so assure vnto himselfe an euerlasting Kingdome in companie of his blessed Mother or following Queene Elizabethes steppes and sporting himselfe as she did the rest of his dayes with losse of his owne so many millions of soules as depend vpon his beare her company for euer Let no man flatter and deceaue himselfe nor be deceaued with vaine opinions There is but one God and one Truth and one way to heauen by true fayth true hope and true Charitie for all must be gounded in truth which can be but one One heauen will not hould Queene Mary of Scotland and Queen Elizabeth of England as their Religions their Liues and their Deathes were contrary so infallibly be the places of their eternall aboad His Maiesty hath relation to both and yet it is in his hand and choyce by Gods grace which of them he will follow And if togeather with the saluation of his soule he will establish also his Royall Estate vpon earth to himselfe and his Posterity were it not a thousand tymes better for him to lay his foundation and build vpon the setled Religion and rightfull descent from King Henry the 7. from other his renowned Catholicke Auncestors then vpon the ruines of Schisme and Heresie brought in by the dissolution of King Henry the 8. and continued with so many violences and deceiptes as were vsed with some colour of Iustice in Queene Elizabethes daies to hold her vp and her broken Title on foot If he follow her and her Father he casteth himselfe and his into a world of ineuitable and endlesse inconueniences wheras if he prudently reiect the vnchristian deuises inuented to giue Authority to their errors and sinnes wholy impertinent to his right and repayre for his Title to the roote and take his Religion from whence his right must come if he will haue it without controuersy he may with a wet finger put remedie to all The End is Excellent and the Meanes are Easie he hath Examples in other Kingdomes and what would he haue more The Sect of the Protestantes in England is a motly of many colours a masse of many metalls and iust the Statua of Nabuchodonosor of gould siluer and brasse borrowed of others and with earthen feet which are onely their owne and continually decay He that will make a durable building must lay a sure foundation and rayse his worke by leuell otherwise though it may make a fayre shew for a while yet certaine it is the higher that it riseth the nearer it is to ruine And hence commeth the fall of Princes the decay of Common wealthes and the change of earthly Monarches from one lynage or people to another because they were not well founded or not well continued There cannot possibly be deuised any other Religion so fit for Kinges I meane such as wil be Kinges and not Tyrantes nor so profitable to Common wealths as is the Christian Catholicke Religion giuen by Christ Iesus for the benefit of men for by inward sweet motions and force it restrayneth all excesses in those that gouerne and in those that are gouerned it worketh obedience and subiection for Iustice and Conscience sake and keepeth them in loue and loyalty by the secret instincts of Reason and Grace when other inferiour respects should be wanting Notwithstāding that God Almighty hath ordained the holy Lawes and Decrees of his Religion for the eternall saluation of Mankynd yet for that one good principle alwayes helpeth another in consequence the same Religion is so commodious and fit for the preseruation of secular Estates as if it had beene ordayned for nothing else And it is iust as the sinews in a mans body wherwith the bones and other solid partes are tyed togeather in such sort that although in the politicke gouernment there may be errours and faultes yet where this Religion florisheth and is kept in due reuerence it supplyeth all other wants houldeth togeather the parts of the Cōmon-Wealth not only in ordinary sicknesses but in perilous diseases and keepeth it from death ruyne and decay when all other remedies haue lost their force And for this reason the prosperity of such Kinges Kingdomes as haue care to preserue the purity and sincerity of this Religion are secure and durable because it reduceth all Estates to the groundes of Truth and Iustice which only are permanent And for the same reason such as professe other Sectes must of force lyue in continuall disquietnes and stagger with daily feare and suspition because the pillars of their Security may faile them and fall by many accidents If with this new Oath and Obligation to goe to the Protestants Churches and other outward protestations wherto his Maiesty intendeth to bynd his Subiectes they became Protestants indeed and left to be Catholickes in their harts it were something to the purpose though on his part not well done for the thinges in themselues be vnlawfull but seeing it falleth out cleane contrary and neyther this nor any other good is gotten by them the longer they be vsed the further they goe forward the more his Maiesty looseth by them For they must needes cause in the parties iniured and in their friends and well-willers hart-burning against the Authors of such violent proceeding and lesse reputation and good will to his Maiesty euery day contrary as I suppose to the security he intendeth and to all that in prudence he should procure Such as stand at his elbow and set him (K) Sapientes Consiliarij Pharaonis consiliū dederunt insipiens Isa 9. 11. forward in these Actions though his Maiesty play the game yet it is euident they make good their owne and not his Quaerunt quae sua sunt non quae Regis aut Christi They are diligent vigilant and effectuall in all that may bring them profit but it is not the Kinges as presently shal be seene In other thinges they are prudent but in this they are short Heere passion blyndeth the matter is mistaken and thenfore