the Church but the Byshoppe was there alone for no man woulde eyther come to his sight or talke with him albeit he was reported to haue vsed him self very modestlye amongst them Nay yet further then this the people of Rome hauing their true catholike byshop deposed by the Aryans and an other called Felix thruste vppon them not an heretique but a schismatique for the historie saith that he was sounde in fayth and held soundlye the relygion set downe in the counsel of Nyce yet because he was a schismatique and was content to take holy orders of the Arian Byshoppes and to communicate with them the whole people as I sayde did flye him and as the historie saieth None of the inhabytants of Rome would enter into the church so longe as hee was within Thus wee see the scrupulositie of chrystian Catholykes in those dayes and that as they thought vppon good cause for the auoyding of schysme If anye man can shewe mee a warrant since that tyme for the enlarging of our consciences now a dayes I woulde gladly see it Yow haue heard in the beginning of this reason the opinions of our forefathers in the primatiue church what a great and haynous sinne it is to breake the vnitie of the church or to disobey the same Againe it is certayne that the church telleth vs if the voyces of all the Byshops and learned men in christendome and of the supreame Pastour too bee the voyce of the church that goeing to Protestantes churches is forbidden vs what excuse then shall those men haue from obstinate schisme that notwithstanding all this will yet thinke it lawefull especially the thing being nowe in practise and so manye men suffering for the same Assuredlye â—…hey can looke for no other account to be made of them but as Christ willeth vs. If hee heare not the Churche let him bee to thee as an heathen and as a Publican The which wordes S. Austen saieth Are more grieous and terrible then if he had sayde let him be strooken with a sworde let him be consumed with the flames of fire let him bee deuoured of wylde beastes And a little while after talking of the bande wherewith the church mayâ—… binde a mans sinnes by authoritie giuen vnto her of Christe hee saieth A man is bounde more bitterlye and more infortunately by the keyes of the Churche then by any other most grâ—…uous and barde bandes albeit they were of yron or of adamant stone Leâ—… colde catholykes in Englandemarke this and not thinke they are free when they are in these bandes nor thinke they are christians when in deede they are Heathens and Publycans It is a naturall infirmitie of ours to thinke willingly to wel of our owne case and passion permitteth vs not to iudge indifferently in these matters Let vs therefore consider of other mens cases and by them conieâ—…ure of our owne If in Saint Iohn Chrisostome his time when there was an Arrian churche and a catholike Churche knowen in Constantinople and both of these churches calling people vnto them and the Emperour fauouring more the Arrians then the catholikes if I say in that case some catholikes leauing Saint Chrisostomes church should haue gone to the Arrians churches to seruice vpon obedience to the Emperour what woulde we thinke of them now would we esteeme them damned schismatikes or not If they had dyed so considering their disobedience to the Bishoppe and their perfideous betraying of Gods catholike cause in that time of tryall I thinke yes Then let vs not deceaue our selues for this is our ease nowe And if in all mens iudgementes that acte woulde haue seemed Schisme for disobeying one particular priuate Bishop and breaking from his commnnion what shall wee say for disobeying the Generall Pastour of all and breaking from his communion Of whom the noble Martyr of Christ Saint Cyprian aboue thirteen hundred yeeres agone saide thus Heresies and Schismes haue sprong of none other cause then for that men doe not obey Gods Priest and for that they do not thinke or consider that there is one onely Prieste who is iudge in Christes steede for the time Vnto whom if all the vniuersall brotherhood woulde obey in diuine functions no man woulde moue any thinge against the Colledge of Priestes neyther after the iudgement of God the suffrage of the people the Bishops consent once put downe in anye matter woulde any man dare to make himselfe a iudge of the Byshoppe and consequently of GOD nor by breaking Vnitie teare and rent the Churche of Christ. The fourth Reason THE fourth cause why a catholicke may not goe to the church saith he is because it is sinne and breaking of the vnitie of the catholick churche And then discourseth at large how perilous it is to break the Unitie of the Churche and how néedfull to kéepe it in whiche Argument hée hath all true Christians to take his parte sauing that hée séemeth to vrge this vnitie so farre that in the Churche of Christ there should bée not alone one only forme of beliefe but also One forme of seruice one forme of Sacramentes For which hée quoteth Ephes. 2. 4. If hée meane of one essentiall and substantial forme of Sacramentes and Seruice I doe willingly admitt that hée sayeth but if he speake of one external â—…orme in woordes and ceremonies as for example that which the Popishe Church doeth vse Sainte Paule neyther in the place by him noted nor anyâ—… where els teacheth that it is necessary to bée in the whole Church of Christ neyther was it in auncient times but euery Churchâ—… vsed suche forme of prayers and administration of the Sacramentes as they thought most conuenient whereof not onelie so many differing formes of Lyâ—…urgies yet extant but almost al the Auncient Writers are witnesses Neyther at this day is there in all Churches of Christ one forme of seruice and Sacramentes no not in the Popishe Churche wherein howe many diuersities of seruices there are in other places it is to be gathered by so many differing formes as were héere in Englande according to the vse of Sarum of Yorke of Rome or of Hereforde Neyther did Gregorie when hée sent Augustine into Englande to plant the fayth and religion that was at Rome thinke it expedient to bynde the Saxons to the forme of Ceremonies and seruice vsed in the Church Romayne but willed him to choose out of euery Churche what hée thought conuenient for the newe Church of the English Saxons But procéeding to shewe how grieuous the sinne of Schisme is out of Augustine our reasoner putteth vs in minde what Augustine meaneth by coÌ„municating with the vnitie of the Churche in these woords That their Communion bée with the whole body of Christes Church dispersed ouer the whole world and not with any one parte separate or els it is manifest that they are not saith he in the Catholike Churche Uerely these wordes of Saint Augustine with many other that
to the Church of so many thousande Catholykes at this day in that Realme is not vppon disloyaltie or stubberne obstinacy as their aduersaryes giue it out but vppon conscience and great reason and for the auoyding of manyfest perryll of eternall damnation which they shoulde incurre in yeeldyng to that which is demaunded at theyr handes I haue put downe some causes and reasons heere followyng referring the Reader to more larger dyscourses made by dyuerse learned men of our tyme in sundry partes of theyr works this beyng shuffled vp in haste and namely to apeculyar Treatyse not longe agone publyshed touchyng this matter But first of all it is to bee noted that my reasons to thend they may conuynce are to bee supposed to proceede from a catholyke mynde that is from a man which in his conscience is throughlye perswaded that onelye the Catholyke Romayne Relygyon is trueth and that all other newe doctrynes and relygions are false relygions as all newe Gods are false Gods Nowe of these Catholykes there are two sortes in Englande thone which in theyr consciences doe iudge that as all other relygions besides theyr owne are false so all partycipation with them eyther in deede or in shewe by oath by Sacramentes by goyng vnto theyr prayers and seruice or otherwyse is naught forbydden and vnlawefull and yet eyther for feare or fauour or some other worldly cause they are content to communicate wich them in all or some of the foresayde thinges and of those men albeit they bee very many in England I meane not to entreate theyr case beyng apparauntly both to themselues and to all other men wicked and out of all doubte damnable For as S. Austine sayth Hee that knoweth the things to bee ill that he doth and yet doth theÌ„ he goeth downe quick vnto hell As though he would say Albeit he be yet quicke vpon the earth yet is he in the prouideÌ„ce of God dead damned in hel And S. Paul talking of this sin neuer laieth lesse punishment vpon it then iudgement daÌ„nation although it be committed in thinges of themselues indifferent or lawfull for albeit as he saith meates offred to idoles be of themselues lawfull to be eaten to him that knoweth an Idole to be nothing Yet If a man shoulde discerne or iudge it to be vnlawfull and yet eate of it he is damned for it because hee doeth not according to his conscience or knowledge And the reason is that which S. Paule hath immediatly following saying All that which is done by vs not according to our knowledge or conscience is sinne And S. Iames confirmeth the same saying He that knoweth good and doth it not sinneth Wherefore S. Paule crieth out a a little before thus Blessed is hee that iudgeth not or condemneth not himselfe in doing contrary to that he best allowetb And the cause why this sinne against a mans owne conscience is so damnable is this Some doe sinne of humane frailtie as did Peter and this is called a sinne against the father who is called Power Some doe sinne of ignorance as did Paule and this is called a sinne against the sonne who is called Wisedome Some doe sinne of meere will and malice choosing to sinne although they know it to be sinne and this is the sinne against the holy Ghost to whom is appropriated particularly grace and goodnesse the which a man most wickedly contemneth and reiecteth when he sinneth wilfully against his own conscience and therefore Christ saith that a man shalbe forgeuen a sinne agaynst the father and against the sonne as we doe see it was in Peter and Paule But he that sinneth agaynst the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgeuen neither in this world neyther in the worlde to come As for example the Pharisies were not which did many thinges against Christ malitiously and contray to their owne knowledge consciences If this be true as it is if God be not vntrue theÌ„ in what a miserable case standeth many a man in England at this day which take othes receiue sacramentes goe to Church and commit many a like acte directly against theyr owne consciences and against their owne knowledge nay what a case doe they stand in which know such thinges to be directly agaynst other mens consciences and yet doe compell them to doe it As to receiue against their will to sweare against their will and the like Surely as I am nowe minded I would not for ten thousand worldes compel a Iewe to sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie For albeit the thing be neuer so true yet shouldâ—…â—…e be damned for swearing against his conscience and I for compelling him to commit so heynous and greeuous a sinue But of this sorte of Catholikes this is ynough and too much excepte they were better For they are to be accounted according to Saint Paule damned meâ—… in this lyfe and therefore no christians and much lesse Catholikes There are another sort of Catholikes that albeit they doe iudge all other religions besides their owne false and erroneous and damnable yet doe they not thinke but that for some worldly respecte as for sauing their offices dignities liberties credytes or the like they may in some of the former thinges at the leastwise in going to church for as for swearing and receiuing I thinke no Catholike this day in Europe thinketh it lesse then damnable shewe them selues conformable men to the proceedinges of them of the contrarye religion and doe also thinke others too scrupulous whiche doe stande in the refusall of the same But to shewe that these men are in a wrong and perillous perswasion builded onely on their owne fantasie and therefore to be reformed and that the other men are the onely true Catholickes and bounde to doe so much as they doe vppon payne of the high displeasure of God and eternall damage of their owne soules I haue put downe here these reasons that followe which may serue for the iustifying of the one parties conscience and for the due reforming of the other HE beginneth with a large Periode and stately style as though hée were endyting of a Proclamation or an Aâ—…te of Parliament with a long breath stretched Lunges and full mouth That the Queenes moste excellent Maiesty the Honourable Lordes of her Priuie Counsell and other the learned and wyse of Eâ—…glande maye see Quid tanto dignum feret hic Promissor hiatu Parturiunt montes nascetur ridiculus mus What will this large promiser bring foorthe woorthy of so wide a gaping The Mountaynes are in trauell a ridiculous Mouse shall bee borne anon For what in Gods name shall all the Learned and wise in Englande sée Beside her Maiestie and her honorable Câ—…unsell Forsooth That the refusall of going too the churche of so many thousand Catholikes at this day in that realme is not vppon dâ—…oyaltie or stubborne obstinacie as their aduersaries giue it out A mâ—…tter indeede woorthie of so greate a presence as
A briefe Confutation of a Popish Discourse Lately set forth and presumptuou sly dedicated to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie by Iohn Howlet or some other Birde of the night vnder that name Contayning certaine Reasons why Papistes refuse to come to Church which Reasons are here inserted and set downe at large with their seuerall answeres By D. Fulke Maister of Penbroke Hall in Cambridge Seene and allowed ¶ At London printed for George Byshop 1581. Abriefe conâ—…tation of a Popish discourse THe Papistes by long experience beeing learned howe litle is gained to their part by writing such Treatises in which they tooke vpon them either to iustifie their owne errours or to condemne the truth of Gods Church haue now of late taken an other course and begun an other way of writing which they haue thought more meete both to couer the infirmitie of their cause and to reteine such as they haue seduced in obstinacie of errour For not abiding to proue either that they are in the right or wee in the wrong they content them selues generally to inueigh against Schisme and Heresie to shew foorth the daunger of both in which argument while they conteine them selues they yeeld many good and substantiall reasons as is not hard for them to do which take a good cause in hande But when they come to couple this argument of Schisme or Heresie either by affirmation vnto vs or by denial vnto them selues without which there can no conclusion be made of the whole cause in controuersie they bring nothing but a stale vnlearned and miserable beggerie of the whole matter in question namely that they are the Catholikes we the Schismatikes they are the Church and wee the Heresie Such is the whole drift of Gregorie Martinus vaine Treatise of Schisme such is the scope of Hides seditious Epistle Consolatorie vnto Papistes and the same is the policie of this blasphemous and traiterous discourse coÌ„teining the coulorable reasons made for the Papistes that refuse to go to Church The full and large aunswere vnto which infamous Libell presumed to be dedicated euen to her most excellent Maiestie with the confutation of the same Epistle Dedicatorie because it requireth larger time and is to be expected from a man of singular learning and diligence assoone as it may bee done conueniently I haue thought good in the meane time briefly to set forth vnto the ignorant for no man of meane knowledge can be deceiued by such petition of priâ—…ciples the vanitie vnsufficiencie of al these â—…ne reasons that neither any one of them nor they al together can be any excuse much lesse a defense for these obstinate Recusantes to withdraw their obedience from God her Maiesties most godly lawes decreed for going to Church The answere of a vertuous and learned man to a Gentleman in Englande touching the late im prisonment of Catholikes there THE VEW of your late Letters my deare and woorshipfull friende brought vnto mee soâ—…e sorowe and muche comforte The sorowe proceeded of the wofull and afflicted case of my poore countrie so pitifully set downe by your penne vnto mine eye wherein as you write so many great Gentlemen of woorship are imprisoned for their conscience and religion of late so many good houses broken vp so many hoâ—…sholders dispersed and fled away so many young Gentlemen and seruantes vnprouided so many poore people destitute so many wiues disioyned from their husbands so many children berefâ—… of their parentes such flying such running suche shutting vp in prisons suche pitiful abiding hâ—…ger thirst and colde in prison as you describe doleful for vs to heare heere but more ruful for you to bâ—…old there and al this for different opinions in religion a miserie not accustomed to fall in our fathers dayes vpon that noble realme But as these were causes of some sorowe so was it no meane comfort vnto me to consider that in these wicked and loose times of ours wherein there is no feeling or sence of vertue left but al men enwrapped in the loue of Gods professed enemie the worlde folowing with al force and ful â—…yle the vanities and ambition of the same that there shoulde bee founde in Englande so many Gentlemen both for their yeares liuinges and other habilities as fit to be as vaine as the rest yet so precise in matters of religion and so respectiue to their consciences as that they wil preferre their soule before their bodie and Gods cause before their owne ease nay that they wil rather venture both bodie and goods life landes libertie and al then they wil doe any thing contrarie to their consciences whereby they must bee iudged at the last day This is suche a thing as it must needes bring comfort to al men and can iustly greeue none except the common enemy the Deuil him selfe For as for â—…raungers they must â—…eedes be edefied therewith as for Englishmen they must needes be incouraged thereby And as for the Princesse her selfe shee cannot but bee comforted therein assuring her selfe that if these men doe sticke so firmely vnto their consciences and fayth sworne vnto God in their oâ—… of Baptisme then wil they as firmely for the same conscience sticke vnto her Maiestie if occasion should serue in keeping their secondary faith and allegeance sworne vnto her Highnesse as to the substitute of GOD. Their aduersaries also and persecutors it can not in any reason mislike for that the contrarie religion were to haue them as constant and faithful in that if it were possible to win them to the same But notwithstanding seeing you wryte that there is both great dislike and displeasure also taken of it as though their constancie were obstinacy and their conscience meere wil which most of al greeueth as you write their obedient and wel meaning mindes albeeit otherwise the pressure it selfe bee so heaâ—… as the burthen thereof is sore and greeuous to beare for these causes and for the giuing of some more light to the whole matter I wil as you seeme to desire most briefly touch three things in this letter whereby I doubt not but that you shal account your selfe fully and sufficiently answered â—… The first point shalbe what cause or reason the Catholikes haue to stande as they doe in the refusall of thinges offered them and especially of going to the Church Secondly what way or meanes they may vse to remedie or ease them selues of this affliction now layde vpon them for their consciences Thirdly if that way or meanes doe not preuayle then howe they ought to beare and indure the same BEfore the nyne reasons is premised an answere to a Letter as is pretended of a gentleman in England touching the late imprisoÌ„meÌ„t of Catholiks there the coÌ„tents wherof are these First a great sorrow coÌ„ceiued in this answerer for that pitifull descriptioÌ„ of EnglaÌ„d coÌ„teined in the gentlemans letter wherin was writteÌ„ that so many great Gentlemen of worship were prisoned for their consciences religion of
faith sworne vnto God in their oath of baptisme Or els her highnesse must thinke great disâ—…oyaltie what speake I of disloyaltie yea open and manifest contumely in such an impudent marchant as dare be bold to assure her subiects y â— commaunding them to ioyne with her in true religion shée commaundeth them to breake their firste fayth sworn to God in baptisme and yet notwithstanding cannot but be coÌ„forted at their obstinate contempt to her most iust and godly commaundement But let the matter of the first fayth remaine in question What assurance can her maiestie haue of the kéeping of their second fayth and alleadgeance sworn to her heighnes as to y e substitut of god How many of those recusants presended for coÌ„science and kéeping of their first faith sworn to goâ—… ioined with the trayterous Earlâ—…s of Northumberland and Westmerland in open and actual rebellion against her maiesties person her crowne aâ—…d dignitie Behold the bond of assurance that her heighnes hath by their obstinate refusing to yéeld vnto her gracious and godly procéedings These be the linkes of loyalty wherby papists are so chained in obedience vnto their god y t they caÌ„not be traytors against their prince This is the recognisance of their dutie y â— they wil stick vnto her maiestie if occasioÌ„ should serue y â— so soone as any occasion is offred to shew theÌ„selues in their right collors stick not to make open war against her maiestie euen in her owne realme and their natiue countrey I hartâ—…ly beseech almightie God if it bée his will for Christes sake to illuminate their blind eyes that their heartes being truely conuerted vnto God they may bée méete instrumentes to serue the Prince Which grace if it be not his maiesties pleasure to graunt vnto them sor causes knowne to his diuine wisdome I beséech him for his mercie that her highnesse neuer haue néede or vse of their ayde who are her secréete sworn â—…imies howsoeuer they pretend an outward countenance of duetie and faythfulâ—…esse But to returne to this our discourser if Papistes could bée ashamed of any thing my thinke he should not for shâ—…me promise her maiestie assurance of their fidellitie who hauea receiued principle y â— to infidels and such as they accounte herhighnesse to be no fayth or promise of obedience it is to bée obserued And what talketh hée of a secundarie fayth sworne vnto her highnesse as though either shée or any almost in Englande were ignorant of the blasphemous bulles of Pius quintus and Gregorius 13. giuen forth against her maiestie procured by the traitours on that side the sea by which al her subiects are assured to bée discharged of all oth of obedieâ—…ce and loyaltie vnto their souereigne and the Prince her selfe with more vile tearmes then I in respecte of her honour and my duetie may expresse as méete for the basphâ—…mous mouth of Antichrist as vnworthy of her most 〈◊〉 and noble personage discharged of y â— most lawful souer eigntie which by the ordinance of Gâ—…d her most iust title by all law righ equitie doth appertaine vnto her Will they stick to her Maiestie in conscience of anyoth whose consciences the Pope hath loosed from al dutie of alleadgeance Haue not all the Papistes â—…ne sense of this matter or els where is the vnitie they brag of dâ—…th not Bristo in his 40. motiue affyrme that al the Papistes in England be duelie discharged from subiectioÌ„ and the Prince froÌ„ dominion by the souereigne autoritie of the common pastor of relygion Saith he not in the same motiue that although they be discharged of their fealtie yet they obey for common humanitie He might much more truly haue said that being in their traiterous perswasion discharged of their fealty wherinsoeuer they obey it is for feare of penaltie How can they that thinke themselues discharged of their fealty kéepe their secoÌ„d faith and aleadgeaunce â—…worne to her highnesse as to the substitute of God whome they wickedly imagine to bée discharged from dominion by the souereigne authoritie of Gods vicar in their tearme but the dauilles dearling in very déede But if the rebellion in the North the Bulles of their two last Popes Feltons execution Brisues motiues and a great many other motiues inducing her maiestie to conceiue of them as of most daungerous persons to the state were all cleane forgotten or els had neuer gone before are the attempts of Saunder in Ireland so obscure or y â— Popeâ—… standerd throwne downe so lowe or his garyson of soldiours so wholy discomfited or his forte so througly rased and made euen with the ground or Campions proude and foolish chaleng and the flocking of so many Iâ—…suits and Seminaristes as so many trompets and bellowes of sedition into England concurring with the hostile inuasion of Ireland so cléerely abolyshed that no monumentes of popish sidelitie and alleadgeance to their souereigne remaine to bée gathered or considered of them but that this new discourser dare assure her Maiestie that the disobedience of Papistes is an argument of their loyaltie their obstinacie a proofe of their fidelitie their contâ—…mpte of God and his trueth a conclusion of their alleageaunce and sworne seruice to their Prince Yet is hée so confident in defending their wilfulnesse that hée aâ—…ouceth that their aduersaries also and persecutors cannot in any reason mislike it for that the contrary relygion were to haue them as constant and faythfull in that if it were possible to winne them to the same In déede constancie if the cause bée good wherein it is deserueth great commendation but obstinacie in an euil cause as it hath nothing y â— in reasoÌ„ can moue wise men to like it so hath it not a necessarie consequence that the obstinate being once reclaymed to good religion will al waies continue constant in the same For beside experieÌ„ce in some of the recusantes who haue reuoulted from the truth once professed that constancie wherby true religioÌ„ is faithfully maintained is the gift of God and diffreth as much from obstinacie whereby an euill matter is borne out as trueth differeth from falshood and good relygion from heresie The last part of y â— answer to this preteÌ„ded letter is spent in promising to proue their obstinâ—…cie to be constancie and their wiâ—…lnes to be conscience and in 〈◊〉 his friendes desire briefly to touche three thinges The firste poynte shall bee what cause 〈◊〉 reason the Catholikes haue sayeth hee to stande as they doâ—… in the refusall of thinges offered them and especially of going to church The other two poyntes which are altogether omitted I will rehearse in the ende with a briefe coniecture of the cause why the same were giuen ouer And now to the first parte and in déede The onely matter and whole discourse of this treatise The first parte THat the Queenes most excellent maiestye the honourable Lordes of her pryuy Counsell and other the learned and wise of England may see that the refusall of going
aster longe teaching he bée further vrged too confesse it experience as Augustine testifieth of manye Donatistes doeth shewe that although hée did first professe it by compulsion hée maye by Gods grace woorking in him afterwarde imbrace it willingly Wherefore the compulsion pretended to bee vsed is neyther so daungerous to them that are compelled nor so hurtefull to them that muste vse it being the last refuge to bring vngodly persons to repentaunce by threatning and executingof punishment which contemne despyse all gentle and fatherly admonishment Which if it will not preuayle but that of some it is borne out with obstinacie of other pretended by hypocricis the Magistrate hath discharged his dutie the offendor hath not founde damnation which hée should haue â—…raped Albeit by contumacie or dissimulation hée haue â—…creased the same Now followeth the other parte of the diuision for the first and the persons contayned therin our discourser refuseth to deale with all as of whome there is no hoâ—…e because they are damned in this lyfe they are no christians and much â—…sse catholikes But there are another sorâ—…e of catholyes which 〈◊〉 they iudge as the former 〈◊〉 that alother religious beside their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 â—…able yet doe they not thinke but that for some worldâ—… 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 thâ—…ir offices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and other like they may in some of the former things aâ—… lest wise in going to church shewe themselues conformable to the 〈◊〉 of them of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For reformiâ—…g of thosâ—… mens wrong and perrilloâ—… 〈◊〉 aâ—…ons these nine reasons following vnder the necessary supposition before sayde are franied The first Reason THe first reason why I being a Catholyke in minde maye not goe to the churches or seruice of the coÌ„trary relygion is because I perswading myself theyr doctrine to be false doctrine consequeÌ„tly venomous vnto the â—…earer I may not venture my soule to be infected with the 〈◊〉 For us it is damnable for a man to kyll him selfe and consequently deadly siâ—…ne without 〈◊〉 cause to put his body in probable daunger of death so is it much more offensâ—… to God to put my soule ten thousand tymes of more valewe then my body in daunger to the deadly stroke of falsâ—… doctrine and heresie especially seeing I 〈◊〉 â—…o warrant of 〈◊〉 â—…ping but rather I heare God crying to the contrary Hee that â—…eth daunger shall perâ—… in the same Neyther is it sufficient for me to thinke that I am sure inoughe from beeing infected for that I am grounded inough I am learned sufficiently For what yf God take his grace from thee and let thee fall because thou hast not folowed his 〈◊〉 which is If thou wilt not be biâ—…ten with the 〈◊〉 not do sleepe â—…gh the hedgâ—… If thou wilâ—… not be spoâ—…ed then not to touch the Pitch Wherefore 8. Paule to as good a man as learned as strong as I am gaue a generall rule to auoyde and flye an heâ—…ticall man The lyke precepte hee gaue to Timothy beeyng a By shoâ—… to auoyde a certayne heretyque by name Alexaâ—…der 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet hee 〈◊〉 as it weâ—…e the Thessalon 〈◊〉 in the name of Iesus Christes that they should 〈◊〉 drawe them selues 〈◊〉 like fellowes The saâ—…e hee repeateth agayne to the 〈◊〉 beseechyng them to note and to deâ—…yne from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reason of this â—… 〈◊〉 vttereth 〈◊〉 Tyâ—…thye Because their speech creepeth like a canker and they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 of the same men By sweete wordes and gay blessinges they sâ—…uce the heartes of the Innocent And S. Peter saieth of them that they doe allure vnto them vnconstant soules Heere nowe I see the scripture carefully counsayling and commannding mee to auoyde the company and speech of falle teachers it putteth downe also the perrill if I doe it not which is as great as the death of my soule And on the contrary â—…de I haue no warrant of scripture or example of good men to aduenture the same For I doe reade this written of farre my betters The Apostles and their schollers were so warie and circumspect in this case in aâ—…yding heretikes that they would not so much as once reason the matter with any of them who endeuoured by their lyings or new deuices to corrupt the truth 〈◊〉 I am sure I can neuer take good by hearing them but I am in great possibilitie to take euill as many more learned men then I in olde tyme haue done As Dionisius Alexandrinus confesseth of himselfe and of Origen and Tertulian it is knowne and manye men in England can be witnesses which both to themsâ—…ues and also to other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the time was so firme and grounded in religion as nothing could moue them and yet nowe they haue proued otherwise Wherefore it cannot bee but great sinne in mee notwithstanding all this if I shall put my soule in such daunger by aduenturing to their companie to their seruiâ—…e to theyr sermons to reading their booâ—…es or the lyke wherby in any wise I may be corrupted The which aduenture what a 〈◊〉 it was counted in the primatiue church it may appeare by the seueâ—… lawes made both by the clergie and temporaltie for the prohibiting and punishing of the same in that time as is to be seene in the councels and fathers and in the decrees of the good christian Emperours Martian and 〈◊〉 and especially of the noble and zelous first christian Emperour Constantine which made it death after the condemnation of Arius by the generall councell of Nyce for anye man more to reade his bookes and thereby to aduenture to be poysoned with his heresies And reason For if Daâ—… had not ventured to behold Beâ—…abe he had not beene entrapped wiâ—…h her lone and so had not committed those horrible sins that ensewed And if Dame Eua had not presumed to heare the serpent talke she had not beene beguiled and if when Luther first began to teach new doctrine the catholiks at that time had not vouchsaâ—…ed to giue him the hering but had auoided his prechings preuy coÌ„uenticles theâ—… had not bin now in worlde either Lutheran Swinglian Caluenist Puritan Anabaptist Trinetarie Family of loue Adamite or the lyke whereof now there are so many thousands abroad al springing of that first secte and troubling at this day the whole worlde with the eternall damnation of infinite soules the which soules at the day of iudgement shall be scuselesse and receaue that heauie sentence of euerlasting fire for that they had not aâ—…oyded the daunger of infection The first reason THe first reasoÌ„ why a Papist may not go to church is y â— perril of infectioÌ„ which is as good a reasoÌ„ as y â— a fowle toad may not come into a cléere spring to wash her spewe out her venome for feare of infection not of the well of which there is greater daunger but of her owne body vnto whose
time abidden imprisonment and nowe in greater number do for this only thing in the sight knowledge not only of Englande but also of al Christendome and of the enemies of the same in the worlde besides doeth make this abstaining from churche to bee a proper and peculiar signe of a true catholike nowe if it were not before and the yeelding in the same especially if a man be called to publike trial about it to be a flat and â—…uident denying of God and of his fayth For what doeth make a thing to be a proper and peculiar signe but the iudgement and opinion of men The bush of the Tauerne is a signe of wine because mâ—…n commonly take it so In like maner the yeaâ—…ow bonet of a Iew the yealow torbant of a Turke and the like Euen so seeing the whole world at this day doeth take the absteming from Protestantes Churches to bee the only external signe of a true catholike and seeing the Protestantes them selues doâ—… make it so also seeing that the going to Church is the contrarie signe it followeth that if going to church were of it selfe before lawful it were now made by this a peculier signe distinctiue betwixt religion and religion and so vtterly vnlawful I wil put an example of the Primatiue church wherein the wearing of a garland was lawful for al souldiers vntil the Emperours and the common opinion of men had abridged it onely to infidel souldâ—…ers to distinguish them thereby in honour from christian souldiers And then after that as Tertullian prooâ—…eth it was no longer lawful for christian souldiers to weare them for that the wearing therof was a denial of the christian fayth Wherevppon wee reade that a certaine christian souldieâ—… offered him selfe rather to suffer death then to weare one of them as appeareth in the same booke of Tertullian But now much more is the thing vnlawfull in our case For that the going to the Protestantes churches which is a catholike must presume to be heretical was neuer a thing of it selfe lawful as I wil hereafter proue which the wearing of a garland was and therfore much lesse now to be tollerated seeing besides this it is also made a signe distinctiue as I haue alreadie prooued The third reason THe third reason is not vnlike his brethren that went before which all holde of a necessarie supposition or els they inforce no necessarie conclusion This third reason is for that going or not going to the Church is made a signe nowe in Englande and a distinctiue note betwixt religion and religion betwixt a Catholicke and a schismatike as the wearing of a yellow Cappe is the marke of a Iewe in Italy I yéeld it is so and therfore going to Church is the externall note of a Catholike not going to Church is the marke of a Schismatike Heretike But what go I about to breake the adamantine necessitie of the former supposition Then let it stand and sée howe it is fastened to the cause in controuersie That the going to Church is the playne and apparant signe of a Schismatike that is to say of a conformable man as they call him to the Protestantes proceedinges it is manifestly to bee prooued In déede it is necessarie to bée prooued if you will haue the argument of auoiding the distinct marke of Schismatikes to agrée with Protestantes Howe then doe you proue it First by the commandement and exaction of the same for going to Church In déed this proueth the meaning of the coÌ„manders to be y â— they woulde haue all true Christians whoÌ„ you call the Protestants to bée discerned from heretikes and schismatikes by this marke But that all Protestants are heereby proued to bée schismatikes it is as farre of as euer it was and as néere as euer it shalbe But the reason of exaction mightily doeth prooue it For when a Catholike doeth come before the Commissioners there is nothing asked of him but when hee was at Churche and if hee will promise to goe to Churche commonly they account him a sufficient conformable man that is to haue yeelded sufficiently vnto them It were I gesse hard to proue that euery Papist which commeth before the Commissioners is examined of that one Article of comming to Churche And if it were graunted that to bée one question which is asked of him when hee was at Churche yet that nothing els is asked of any that commeth before them I thinke there is no man will beléeue you though you woulde swere it And if some of whose conformitie there is hope by promising to goe to the Churche where they may bée instructed are for a season vrged no further yet that they are commonly accounted to bée conformable men and thought to haue yéelded sufficiently vntoo the Commissioners I dare say neither the Commissioners who best know their owne thoughts wil acknowledge so much and their contrary practise is often séene in many and you your selfe complaine of it that they exact of many to communicate to take the oth whiche is more then onely going to Churche But the long imprisonment of many doeth make this absteining from the Church to bée a proper and peculiar signe of a true Catholike No verily but of an obstinate herctike For not y â— imprisonment but the cause for which they suffer must argue them to bée true Catholikes whiche cause séeing it is lefte without defence or proofe sauâ—… only a poore naked and beggerly supposition to stande vpon it followeth not that going to Churche is the note of a Schismatike but not going to Churche rather argueth a Schistike or an Heretike The fourth Reason THE fourth cause why a Catholike may not goe to the Churche is because it is Schisme and breaking of the vnitie of the Catholicke Churche the which howe perrillous and dreadsul a thing it is all catholikes doe sufficiently knowe For as they firmely beleeue that to oppugne the visible knowne Churche of Christe as all Heretikes tontinually doe is a verie wicked and damnable sinne Euen so in like manner they beleeue that to breake the vnitie of the same Churche and to make any rent or disuion in the same whiche is the proper faulte of schismatikes is also damnable For the whiche cause Saint Paule doeth so diligently request the Corinthians too auoide Schismes saying beseeche you brethren by the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe that you al say one thing and that there bee no schismes amongest you And to the Ephesians Bee you careful to keâ—…pe vnitâ—…e of spirite in the bonde of peace The which vnitie Christe himselfe expresseth more particularly and more distinctly when hee requesteth of his Father That his Christians might bee one as he and his father were one that is to say that as hee and his father did agree in al their actions and whatsoeuer the one did the other also did So in his church there shoulde bee one only forme of beliefe one fourme of seruice
and is nowe at this day amongst the Iewes the greatest punyshment besides death that can be deuised For he looseth therby al offices dignities and credit whatsoeuer no man maye buye or sell with him noe man may visit him or talke with him or salute him in the streates Fynallye it is a death vppon earth a great and suffycient excuse a man would thinke to answere for a mans silence onely For I see many a one in England not onelye to conceale theyr owne consciences but also to speake againste the same for a lesse cause But what is Saynt Iohns iudgement vpon the matter for sooth hee excepteth not the excuse but condemneth them in a damnable mortal sinne agaynst the first commaundement for doing the same saying That by this silence of theirs they did put the glory of God behynde the glory of men and thereby shewed that they loued men better then God Noe doubt but to their euerlasting damnation except they hartely repented them The which I would haue those vnwise and fonde noble men and gentle men in Englande to consider which perswade both themselues and other men that in these troublesome tymes a man maye without offence keepe his conscience to him selfe but especially those that doe not onely holde their peace but also doe against theyr conscience what soeuer is commaunded them sayinge that all which is done amisse shall not belayde vpon them at the day of iudgement but vpon the Prince and the Magistrates which compell theâ—… to doe the same against their owne willes But what compulsion this is and how furre it shall excuse their doinges I haue now declared Wherefore hereafter let no man say that he goeth to church against his wil thinking therby to excuse him selfe from schisme Besides this to proue it schisme yea and that obstinate and rebellyous schisme it were sufficiente to knowe that the meaning wil and commaundement of the generall and vniuersall Catholyke Churche at this daye is that catholyke men shoulde not presente them selues to Protestantes churches or conuenticles seeing they are denounced open enemies to the aforsayd church and their relygion hath beene as orderly condeÌ„ned in the lastgeneral counsell of Trent As the doctrine of Arrius was in the first generall counsell of Nyce And albeit the councell of Trent made no perticuler decree of this matter yet is there no cause why any man shoulde take any holde thereat seeing the reason thereof was because suche a decree was needelesse for the church hauing alreadie condemned from the beginning all praying with Heretikes or repayring to their conuenticles it was sufficient for the counsell onely to condemne the Protestantes for such men without any further particular prohibiting of others to come to their churches and seruâ—…ce seeing their conuenticles being once pronounced to bee hereticall the other was to bee presupposed And this is the true meaning of the counsell whatsoeuer other saye to shadowe their imperfections Howbeit some doubt being at that time moued by certaine of the Nobilitie of England whether they might not lawfully without offence goe to church to doe some meere temporall acte as to beare the sworde before her Maiestie or the like it was debated by xij learned men there at the counselles appoyntement and determination then giuen that onlye for such a cause they might goe to church As for example if her Maiestie should appoynt certaine catholiks to meete at Poules to intreaâ—… of matters of the state and that at such time as seruice were sayd there and this was Naaman Syrus his case flatte who was permitted as most men take it for a time to goe with his Kinge and holde him vppon his shoulder when hee went to the temples of the Idolles Now that there hath beene a generall custome rule and canon of the church prohibiting to goe to the churches and conuenticles of heretikes it is plaine by the testimonie of all antiquitie The Apostles themselues in their threescore and thirde canon say thus If any man eyther of the clergie or laiâ—…e doe goe into the Synagoge of the Iewes or into conuenticles of heretiques to pray let him be deposed and excomunicated This canon of the church was exactly afterwardes kept and is mentioned very often by the Fathers and counselles by occasion of the like matter As for example when Origen was by a certaine necessitie compelled to dwell in house together with one Paule an heretique to whome there resorted often not onely heretiques but some simple Catholiques also for the fame of his excellent eloquence yet they write of Oâ—…igen That hâ—… coulde neuer be induced by any meanes to bee present at prayers where Paule was And the reason is put downe by them to be this For that Orygen euen from his youth had kept and obserued most diligently the Canon of the Church Heere wee see what account was made in those dayes of this Canon of the church Furthermore S. Dionysius Alexandrinus a learned Father talkinge of one Heraclas Byshoppe of Alexandria and scholer of the aforesayde Origen and shewing howe the saide Heraclas had excommunicated and cast out of the church certaine christians for that they were accused to haue vsed much company of a certaine heretique he addeth this sayinge This Canon and this example haue I reâ—…aued of our holy Father Heraclas The lyke obseruation of this Canon is noted in Athanasius who comming to Antioche fledde the common and publique Churches which were vsurped then by one Leontius an Arian Byshoppe and his clergye and seeking out the Catholyques that were in the citie which then by contempte were called Eustaâ—…hians because they helde of the communion of their catholike deposed Bishoppe named Eustathius as catholyques now in Englande are contemptiouslye called Papistes for holding of the communion of the Byshop of Rome and finding them out did secreetelye communicate with them as saieth the historie Conuenâ—…uin aedibus priuatis peracto That is Making their assembly or Chnrche in their priuate houses Howelyke is this case to our state now adayes in England The lyke respecte to this canon of the churche had Alexander by shoppe of Constantinople who wished rather to die then to remayne in the churche when Arius the heretique should come to the same To this canon had also respecte the people of Alexandria so much commended by Athanasius him selfe who would rather praye together by them selues in the churche yarde without coâ—…r thâ—… enter into the church to praye where George the Aryan byshoppe was The lyke consideration had also the people of Samosatum who after the depriuation of theyr vertuous and cathoâ—…ke byshop Eusebius and the thrusting into his place by the Aryans of an heretical byshop called Ennomius they would no more come at the church of whome 〈◊〉 writeth thus None of the inhabitants there poore or rich seruant or artificer husbandman or grafter man or woman younge or olde woulde come to
keepe it to your selues and trouble not the state and so that you wil for obedience sake sometime come to our sâ—…agogues shewing your selues conformable men to our proceedings Nay what if they shoulde haue saide Some of you also for outward shewe keeping alwaies your consciences to your selues must flee this odious name of Christians and seeme to communicate now and then with vs in our sacrifices and ceremonies wee are content also that some of you shalbe our officers and Iustices of peace counsellours and the like so that you will sometimes for orders sake punishe some of those vndiscreete felowes of your religion which cannot be content to keepe their consciences to themselues so you wil also giue some pretie sharpe charge in your circuites sessions and assemblies alwayes keeping your consciences to your selues and if some of you also wil some times step vp into the Pulpet and speake three or foure earnest woordes against this religion it shal be verie grateful vnto vs especially if you wil affirme iâ—… with an othe which wee haue deuised for the same purpose and this doing wee assure you that you shal liue quietly to your owne consciences and we shal account you for good subiectes If I say the Magistrates of Iurie at that time should haue giuen to the Apostles and other Christians this sweete charme doe you thinke that they could haue abidden to heare it al out whose hearts did rise and swel at two woordes only that they spoke for the intreating of them to holde their peace And yet many a thousand now in Englande beeing as throughly perswaded in heart of the truth of the catholike religion as the Apostles and other Christians at that time were of theirs are content notwithstanding to heare digest admit and execute al or most part of these thinges recited contrarie to the saide religion And yet besides al this which is more to be wondred at they are not ashamed to persuade them selues that they shal one day come to that glorie wherein the Apostles nowe are But this is desperate presumption And therefore we see what a iust cause this is for a catholike to refuse to come to the churches of the contrarie religion The sixth reason THe sixt cause hée saieth why a catholike may not come to church is because he cannot come without dissimulation Therefore let the Popishe Catholike leaue his dissimulation and become a good Christian rather then to leaue the Church and become an obstinate Schismatike In this reason as in the rest certeine leaues are spent in shewing that God abhorreth dissembling and will not hold them guiltlesse which holde their peace when he is â—…ishonoured and are ashamed clearely to confesse Christ and his trueth before men c. But that the going to Protestantes Churches is a deniall of Christ a dissimulation of his truth or any such matter there is nothing at all brought to proue it But sée I pray you his â—…ditious insinuation which hée maketh in his fonde supposition which hée woulde haue to be applied to our time what if the high Priestes and Magistrates shoulde haue saide to Peter and the Astles Well wee are content that you liue with your consciences so you keepe it to your selues and trouble not the state and so that you will for obedience sake sometime come to our Synagogues shewing your selues conformable men to our proceedinges Nay what if they shoulde haue saide Some of you also for outward shewe keeping alwayes your consciences to your selues must bee this odious name of Christians and seeme to communicate nowe and then with vs in our sacrifices and ceremonies Wee are content also that some of you shalbe our Officers and Iustices of peace Councellers and the like so that you wil sometimes for order sake punishe some of those indiscreete fellowes of your religion which cannot be content to keepe their consciences to them selues so you wil also giue some pretie sharpe charge in your Circuites Sessions and assemblies alwayes keeping your consciences to your selues and if some of you also wilsometimes steppe vp into the Pulpet and speake three or foure earnest woordes against this religion It shalbee verie gratefull vnto vs especially if you wil affirme it with an oth which we haue deuised for the same purpose and this doing wee assure you that you shal liue quietly to your owne consciences and wee shal account you for good subiectes This trayterous supposition which you will vs to apply to our time and note in the Margent to be the maner of dissembling Schismatikes liuely expressed to be done by many in Englande declareth howe reuerently you thinke speake and would haue ignorant persons to conceiue of her Maiestie and the principall Officers and Magistrates of the realme that shée with them not onely exhorteth men to dissimulation false meaning and periurie but also that her Maiestie is content to haue such hypocrites and false forsworne persons to be her Officers and Iustices yea her Councellers and Prelates of the Church No meruaile if you protest of your duetifulnesse and obedience which thus villainously conceiue and write of her excellent Maiestie and call her to the reading of it which were too intollerable to be iudged of any person of wisedome and honestie of howe lowe degrée and calling soeuer hée were It is hard therefore to susteine a counterfeit person long For euen while you declayme against dissimulation you haue discouered your selfe to bee an horrible dissembler The seuenth reason THE seuenth reason why a Catholike may not yeeld to come to the Protestants churches is because the seruice which they vse is nought and dishonourable to God and therfore no man can come to it or heare it or seeme to alow of it by his presence without great offence to God Neither is it sufficient to say as coÌ„monly they vse to say to beguile simple people withall that it is the Scripture taken out of the Gospels Epistles Psalmes and the like For by that argument the Iewes seruice were good at this day which is taken out of the olde Testament and al Heretikes seruice that euer was seemed to be nothing but Scriptures For as S. Austen in diuers places noteth it was alwayes the fashion of heretikes to haue Scripture in their mouth and to cleaue only to scriptures and to refuse traditions as inuentions of men And we reade of the Arrian Heretikes howe they were wont to sing Psalmes in the streetes of Constantinople thereby to allure the people to them And yet we may not say that their seruice was good like as wee cannot say that the deuils talke was good with Christ albeit it were decked with allegation of scripture and other sweete words Although therfore their seruice be ful of scripture it is no good argument that it is therefore infallible good For as S. Ierom saith of al heretikes Whatsoeuer they speake or think that they do speak in the praise of God it is the
The fourth the Iudge of matters of faith for which is quoted Innocentius Epist. 93. apud August and Leo Epist. 84 These are both bishops of Rome and partiall witnesses to depose of theyr owne Prerogatiue shewing what they claymed and not what al antiquitie gaue vnto them The Romane Prelacie as Socrates testiâ—…e in that time although it were a thousande partes more modest then it is at this daye yet was it then passed beyonde the bondes of Priesthood into forayne Lordship And oftentimes the bishops of Rome challenged more authoritie then of other bishops would be graunted as appeareth by many decrées of the Councels in Africa agaynst appealing to the bishop of Rome and against his ambitious titles of high Prtest c. Which this reasoner sayth was giuen him by all antiquitie The fifth title is the repurger of heresies for which is quoted Sy Alex. 4. apud Athanasium But Athanasius allowed no suche title to the Romane bishoppe whom he confesseth to haue subscribed to the Arrian heresie Liberius deinde c. After Liberius had passed twoo yeeres in exile he was turned and through threates of death induced to subscription The sixth title is The examiner of al bishops causes for which is quoted Theodor. lib. 2. hist. cap. 4. UUhere there is no such matter but that Athanasius desired to haue his cause examined and tried by Iulius Bishop of Rome which when it procéeded not because his aduersaries would not appeare his cause was referred by the Empérour Constantius his commaundement to the councell of Sardica when finding no helpe in Iulius the Byshoppe he had first appealed to the Emperour Constance The last title is The great Priest in obeying whom all vnitie consisteth and by disobeying of whome all heresies and Schismes arise Cyp. Epist. 55. This place is alreadie answered to pertaine no more to the bishoppe of Rome then to any other Bishop A second cause he rendreth why our seruice is blasphemous because wee pray to be deliuered from papistrie which hee sayth is onely true religion but that hath neede of many suppositions to prooue it A third cause he yeeldeth Because they sing it and make other simple men to sing it in the beginning of sermons and otherwise as though it were scripture it selfe and one of Dauids Psalmes If men were as ignorant in the scriptures and Psaimes of Dauid as the Papists would haue them to be this pretensed cause coulde haue but smale coller seeing the title of this hymme in euery booke plainly sheweth that it is none of Dauids Psalmes and the prayer conceiued therein for the Queene and her Councell with diuers other requestes pecâ—…ier to our time and state declare manifestly that it cannot of any man that hath his fiue wittes be taken for the expresse woordes of the auncient Canonical Scripture Much lesse can it with any apparance of reason be gathered that there is any purpose in them that cause it to be song to induce any man neuer so simple into such a grosse error that he shoulde thinke the same song to be scripture it selfe or one of Dauids Psalmes The fourth reason in particuler why the Protestantes must be déemed naught is Albeit it had not all this euill in it yet because it hath not in it those good thinges which christian seruice should haue for seruice sayth he may be euill as well for hauing too little as for hauing too much as the Arrians seruice for singing glory to the father and not singing the same to the sonne As if a man should recite his Creed and leaue out one article as in effect the Protestants doe the article of discention into hell all the whole Creede were naught thereby In deede whatsoeuer is defectiue in any necessarye parte cannot bee perfectly good in the whole but that for wante of some good partes all other good partes shoulde bee naught that is a great vntrueth as also it is a senselesse â—…launder that wee leaue out in effect the Article of Christes descention intoo heâ—… for whiche hee giueth noe reason but his bare woorde He might as well say we leaue out the whole Créede because wee vnderstand it otherwise then they doe But what our seruice wanteth whiche is necessary to bee hadd hée will shewe in twoo or thrée thinges First therefore saieth hée they haue lefte out the chiefest and highest thinges of all whiche is the Blessed Sacrifice of Christe his bodye and blood appoynted by Christe too bee offered vp euery daye for thankesgeuing to GOD for obteyning of grace and auoyding of all euill and for remission of sinnes bothe of quicke and dead as with one consente the Fâ—…hers of the Primitiue Churche doe affirme That any sacrifice of Christes body blood by Christe is appoynted not onely the Apostles and Euangelists which set foorth the institutioÌ„ of the Lords supper make no mentioÌ„ but also y e Apostle to the Hebrewes plentifully sheweth that the sacrifice of Christ was but once offered found eternal redeÌ„ption y â— he offered himself but once for if he had he must haue suffered more then once séeing y â— without shedding of blood there is no remissioÌ„ of sins Neither doe the fathers of the Primitiue church wâ—…oÌ„ he quoteth affirme the coÌ„trary He beginneth w t Dionisius the counterfeite Areopagiâ—…e Hier. 3. Where beside y â— the Author beareth a wroÌ„g name being not so old as the Apostles times by 600. yéeres more yet is not this imagined sacrifice by him in such order aduouched The next of the olde writers names with whom the Margent is paynted as Ignatius Epi. ad Smirnenses which if wee should receiue for Authenticall and not counterfeited yet hath it nothing to the purpose but the name of sacrifice Proptereanon licet c. Therefore yâ—… is not lawfull without the Byshop neither to offer nor to make sacrifice nor to celebrate Masses as the Latine translation is of celebration of the communion If this were bothe a true antiquity to be obserued the Popishe seruice were not lawfull but where it is ministred by a bishopp for that also is affirmed in the same Epistle Thirdly he commeth to Iustinus dial cum Triphone A Reuerend Father indéed whose woords if hée had set downe they would not onely haue cléered our seruice of the supposed crime but also haue béen sufficient to expounde whatsoeuer in any other auncient writer is vnproperly and figuratiuely vttered in the name of sacrifice priest and Aultar c. The woordes of Iustinus are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Euen so wee whiche by the name of Iesus as all shall bee one man in GOD the maker of all things hauing put of our filthie garmentes that is our sinnes by the name of his first begotten sonne and being set on fire by the woorde of his calling are a right kinde of high priestes of GOD as God himselfe doeth witnes that in all places among the Gentiles acceptable and pure sacrifices are
of lyfe so vnspotted will God haue our seruice to be In prefiguration whereof all Sacrifices of the old Testament were commanded to be of vnspotted creatures of one colour of one age without mayme or deformitie wherby is signified that God accepteth no partition no maime in our seruice but either all or none must be his For a little leuen so wreth a great deale of do we and a small spot disfygureth a fayre garment Which S Paule vrgeth farre by the example of Christe when he saieth That Christ died for vs to the ende we shoulde exhibite our selues holy unspotted and irreprechensible in his sight As though he should say Christ spared nothing no not his owne life for vs that by his example we might be prouoked to giue our selues wholy to him and his seruice without limitation or reseruation at all and thereby shewe our selues vnspotted seâ—…auntes and irreprehensible Which thing the Noble champion of Christ S. Basile well considered when being required by the Emperours leefetenaunte to conforme him selfe in some small thinges to the Emperours request and therby purchase quietnesse to the whole church rather then by obstinacie as he tearmed it to exasperate thinges worse hee answered that perswasion to be fit for children and not for him who was ready to suffer any kinde of death or torment rather then to betray any one sillable of Gods diuine trueth adding further that hee esteemed much and desired the Emperours friendshippe if it might be ioyned with godlinesse but if not he must needes contemne it as pernitious So resolute seruantes had God in those dayes and the like desireth to haue nowe Here of also followeth an other thing which I had almost passed ouer vntouched that a Catholike may not procure any other to affirme or sweare for him falsly that he hath been at Church receiued the Communion or the like nor accept the same if any woulde offer such seruice but if others did it without his procurement he may holde his peace and vse their sinne to his owne quietnesse except Scandale shoulde insue thereof and then were he bounde to disclose the trueth For as I haue noted before out of Saint Cyprian he which seeketh sleightes in excuse of his faith denieth the same and the seeming to obey lawes made published against true religioÌ„ is takeÌ„ by god for obeying indeed so punished for the fact it selfe The which most worthy and excellent saying of Christ his holy Martyr God graunt we may al wel beare in minde and execute as Gods cause and glory shal require especially those which are by peculiar prerogatiue called to the Publike trial of the same Whom God of his mercie so strengthen with his grace as his holy name may be glorified in them and their Persecutors molified by their constant milde sober behauiour And thus my deere good friende I make an ende of the first poynte which I promised too handle concerning the reasons which Catholikes haue to stand in the refusal of going to the church against their consciences hauing said much lesse then might be saide in this matter and yet more then I purposed at the beginning But I am to craue most earnestly at your handes and of al them that shal chaunce to see this Treatise to haue charitable consideration of my greate haste in writing of the same whiche was such as I had not time to suruew or read any parte of it ouer agayne Wherfore if any thing be in it wherby you may be edified or any wayinructed I am glad and to Gods glorie only be it If not yet surely my meaning was good to no mans offence only coueting hereby to geue some satisfaction to them in England especially to her maiestie the Right honourable her counsayle touching the principles which catholikes haue to refuse that conformity which is demanded at their handes the which as I haue proued they cannot admit remayning in conscience of the contrary Religion without euident daunger of their owne soules Wherof if her Maiestie their honours may in time bee made capable then howesoeuer thinges passe otherwise yet shal catholikes retayne sâ—…l their deserued opinion of honest and true subiects which they most desire the displeasure takeÌ„ against theÌ„ for this refusal be diminished wheÌ„ it shalbe manifest that the same proceedeth not of will but of conscieÌ„ce iudgement in ReligioÌ„ which is not in an honest mans handes to frame at his owne pleasure Moreouer my meaning was to giue some information touching the quality of this sinne of going to the church of a contrary ReligioÌ„ and his circumstances for them that eyther remayned doubtfull in the same or not rightly perswaded Of the which two effects if any one follow I shalbe most glad if not yet I serue as I trust such a maister as rewardeth the affect as wel as the effect the will no lesse then the work it selfe Wherfore to his holy hands I commit the whole assuring my selfe that as this cause of his catholike Church importeth him more then it doth vs so his peculiar care of the same â—…urre surmounteth any care of man and therfore whatsoeuer shal become of this or any other labour taken for the same yet he will neuer cease to rayse vp men for the defence of it against all enemies to the worldes ende The nienth Reason THe last reasoÌ„ is the example of Infidels heretikes al which procure to seperat theÌ„selues froÌ„ theÌ„ of the coÌ„trary religioÌ„ in y e act of prayer c. Which exaÌ„ple of it self mée think is a simple reasoÌ„ to teach true ChristiaÌ„s what they ought to doe And especially wheÌ„ it is brought to proue y â— meÌ„ ought not to ioyne theÌ„selues w t the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of the faithful which by none other reason is disproued to be y e true church but by a lewd vnlearned suppositioÌ„ But the ProcestaÌ„ts theÌ„selues saith he are recusants also in other countries Yea very good cause why they should seing they ought to absteyne froÌ„ idolatry superstitioÌ„ which is committed dayly in the popish churches But therby saith he It appeareth that they goe quite against their own doctrine example in EnglaÌ„d which obiect the same to catholikes as disobedience obstinacy and rebellious dealing within other countries they themselues both teach and practise Alas poore Sophister this is sorie stuffe The true Christians teach and practise that they maye not be defiled with idolatry therfore heretiks be not disobedient obstinate and rebellious when they refuse to communicate w t the true church submit theÌ„selnes to y e godly lawes of a christiaÌ„ magistrat Yet the madde man pleaseth himselfe so much in this absurd coÌ„science y â— after he hath alleadged a large cofession of one Iohn Gardiner to proue y â— Protestants refuse to communicate with papists he saith This Reason onely may suffice any reasonable man especially the Protestant except
second parte which is missing should be to shew as hée sayth How the only way which catholiks haue of remedie or easement in these their afflictions is prayer humble recoursevnto the good nature mercy wisedome of the Queenes Maiesty confuting the custome of al heretikes which in euery countrie where they are contraried seeke to molest and disturbe by rebellion their Lords and heades What neede the confutation in writing when wee haue séene it in practise of déedes Let the rebellion in the north serue for a good example to confute all heretikes that rebell against their Princes Let the procurement of inuasion of the Queenes dominions by the Italians and Spaniards vnder the Popes banner displaied in field and vpon fort declare what humble recourse they make by petition yea let a whole hundreth I thinke of practises within these 22. yeeres whereof her maiestie and her honourable councell are priuie and by Gods grace haue preuented them declare that the onely remedie which Papistes séeke is by prayer to God As for treasons poysons wilchcraftes coniurations and other deuilish dâ—…uises haue they not procéeded from them y â— seek none other meanes of remedie but by instaÌ„t prayer to God And humble supplications to her highnesse But the Heretikes saith hee teache the same to be Lawfull the one of them saying for which he quoteth Luther in assertione Artic. damn in Bull. Leon 10. and Wickeliffe Counsaile of Consâ—…antia Sess. 8. lib. 4. Trial. cap. 36. That Christians are bound to no Princes lawes and therefore it is lawfull for the subiects to rise against their Princes and punish them at their pleasures if they rule amisse This detestable slander indéed is most vniustly laid vpoÌ„ Wickliffe in y â— wicked councel of Constantia 40. yeres after he was dead which is manifestly disproued by his owne woorkes yet extant to be séenè in which he teacheth the contrary but it is a slander without all colour y â— Luther should so teach except it were wheÌ„ he was a Papist The other for which he quoteth Caluin lib. 4. institut 10. part 5. is charged to say That howsoeuer the prince ruleth wel or euill yet his lawes binde not the subiectes to obey in conscience but onely for feare of temporall punishment so that if the subiect were of abilitie to resist the prince he might without sinne doe the same Let any man that will turne the booke and if he finde in Caluine these words or in the doctrine of them let him boldely condemne Caluine not onely for an heretike but also for a common enemy of mankinde That whiche Caluine speaketh of the spirituall libertye of a Christian mans conscience whiche must bee kept wholly in subiection vnto God how maliciously this lewd writer draweth to such seditious heresies fiue hundreth places in Caluins woorks directly condemning all rebellion sedition and murmuring against Magistrates and exacting obedience vnto them not onely for feare but also for conscience sake doe most abundantly demonstrate But what the doctrine of the Papistes is concerning obedience to lawfull Magistrates let the Bull of Pius Quintus and the same repeated by Gregorius 13. against her Maiestie sufficiently beare witnesse Except you wil say these Popes for geuing such Bulles and al Popes for clayming and practising such authority are Heretikes If your popish doctrine and practise had béene agaynst rebellion why did not your Pope excoÌ„municate the procurers and stirrers vp of y â— rebellion in the North or if he lacked time because it was suppressed before knowledge coulde come vnto him Tel vs I pray you how many of the knowne rebelles that fledde ouer the Sea haue byn excoÌ„municated for raysing war against the Prince in her owne dominions Doeth not your open acceptation of them without any penance or satisfaâ—…ion declare that your church well liked of their traiterous fact Yea from whence proceeded the whole traiterous attempt but from the Popes approbation and promises You deceiue your selues to much when you thinke to take the charge and crime of rebellion and treason from your owne consciences and to lay it vppon Luther and Caluines backes and imagine you shoulde finde credite among wise men There were other secrete causes why this second part was omitted as there be other meanes of easement whiche you daily séeke and therefore doe allow whatsoeuer you pretende to the contrary As for the third parte of considerations and comforte were to small purpose except you did first prooue the cause of your suffering to be good and godly for not the paine but the cause maketh a Martyr Which séeing you are not able to defend you suffer not as Christians but as euill doers not as humble Martyrs but as obstinate and rebellious Heretikes God be praysed ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Dawson at the three Cranes in the Vinetree for George Byshop A pitifull discription of Englâ—…de at this day A rare 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of the vvhole Trâ—…tise Gen. 14. Mat. 11. 〈◊〉 A necessary Supposition Tvvo Sortes of Câ—…bolikes VVhat a Siâ—…e it is to doe agaynst a mans ovvn conscience August in Psal. 54. Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. vide expo D. Tho. 1. 2. Q. 19. aâ—… D D. ibi Rom. 14. Cap. 4. Rom. 14. Marke this reason â—… Three kindes of Sinne. Math. 26. 1. Tim. 1. Vide D. Tho. in 2. 2. Q. 14. and Creg lib. 25. Mor. ca. 1â—… Sinne agaiâ—…st itâ—… holy Ghost Mat. 12. Mar. 3. Luke 12. Iohn 15. Act. 9. The pitifull 〈◊〉 of dissenâ—…bling 〈◊〉 Math. 12. Mark 3. Lukâ—… 12. 〈◊〉 Pâ—…rill of iâ—…fection Note the Similiâ—… Eccle. 3. Eccle. 3. Eccle. 3. Tit. 3. 2. Tim. 4. 2. Thes. 3. Rom. 16. 1. Tim. 2. Rom. 16. 2. Pet. 2 Nicep li. 3. Ca. 30 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 6. Vide Gre. li. 5. ep 64. Sozo li. 2. ca. 31. li. 1. cap. 20. 2. Reg. 11 Gene. 3. Tit 3. Irene lib. 3. Cap. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 Leu. 4. Nu. 31 2. Reg. 12. 1. Esd. 8. Pro. 18. 2. Mach. 6. Math. 17. 18 Mar. 9. Luk. 17. Rom. 14. 15. 1. Cor. 8. 10. 2. Cor. 6. 1. Thess. 5. Math. 18. Ibid. Mark 9. 2. Cor. 8. Three pointes vvherein scandale is committed Leu. 4. Nu. 25. 31 Apoc. 2 The proper signification of scanâ—…lum 3. Reg. 12. Amos 7. 3. Reg. 25. 〈◊〉 example for 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 to note Ciprian de lapsis The second poiâ—… of Scandale Rom. 14. 15. 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 10. 1. Cor. 8. Aug. ep 154. 〈◊〉 Mach. 6. A notable example of a plaine and vndissembling conscience 2. Mach. 6. The third point of Scandale 1. Cor. 10. 2. Cor. 6. 2. Reg. 12. 〈◊〉 Esd. 〈◊〉 Rom. 2. 1. Tim. 6. 2. Pet. 2. A Catholike by going to Church fallen into all 〈◊〉 three poiâ—…tes of Scandâ—… Marke this poâ—… An imporâ—… admonition Gala. 6. Ambros. epist. 30. Aug. Li. de pasto ca. 7. Mat. 15. 5. 12. Galat. 6. â—… A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beâ—…vvixt religion and religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of prosessing a mans