their charity religious exaÌ„ples of sanctity to the ioy of heauen and wonder of earth These cogitations of truth and the like are both easy and obuious to be had of any that will not shut their eyes agaynst them SperaÌ„dorum substantia Heb. 11.1 Granum frumenti cadens in teâ—ram mortuum Io. 22.24 most efficacious to moue harts not altogeather deuoyd of humanity How can Christians be so barbarous as to hate that Church by which they were first changed from Barbarisme vnto Christianity Or persecute and seeke to ouerthrow that Religion that is the only ground and pillar of hope that any of their Christian ancestors were saued We may therfore thinke that God would haue these Catholiks as so many graynes of wheate to the end that they might beare fruite in abundance fal togeather in terram bonam optimam vpon the ground of the good Luc. 8.15 yea of the best natures that are no nation being if affection do not deceaue me more then English merciful by kind And so we cannot but hope the Catholike Religion so full of inestimable worth and of motiues to winne loue her doctrine being thus sowed in harts mollified by iust compassion will bring forth a stock if not of feruent profession therof yet at least of more clement disposition towardes them that professe it Reasons for Puritans and the Inhumanity of some of them VVIll Puritans haue a reason of Gods permittaÌ„ce on their behalfe God permitted it to the end that by occasion therof that might happen wherby they may see the rudenes of their Pretented Holy Discipline behold the inhumanity their Heresy putteth into peoples harts Hooker l. 4. Ecc. Polit. and so endeauour some remedy therof Least as a learned Protestant warnes them vnder pretence of rooting out Popery they bring extreme Barbarity into the Church For there did not want a multitude Tuleruut lapides Iudaei Io. 8.58 10.31 that not only with contumelious speech flowing from bitternes abunding in their hart not only with durt the image of their contaminate soule but euen with stones the instrumeÌ„ts of Iewish cruelty set vpon the poore creatures hurt by that fall presently as they were taken vp from vnder the ruines and rubbish that some Gentlewomen were forced to leaue their coach to saue themselues in a house of their Friendes This was not the fact of EnglishmeÌ„ they are of more noble nature Nor of English ProtestaÌ„ts Heresy hath not made them so wild but of Puritans not of the whole Lande See their Pamphet tearmed Somthing nor of all London let vs excuse as many as we may but of one particle of London which Puritans boast to be their speciall Nest How behofefull it is that this people so pure in name rude in manners were taught the first rudiments of Christianity Whitak de Ecc. cont 2. q. 5. pag. 301. Si quis actum fidei habeat ei peccata non nocere id omnes dicimus Lut. tom 1. ep latin fol. 334. Etiamsi millies in die c. 1. Ioan. 3. Trabem in oculo tuo habes Luc. 6.42 Est peccarum ad mortem 1. Io. 5.15 that the doctrine of good workes and Christian Charity were more frequently preached vnto them that the fancy of sole Fayth were silenced to wit that if they once belieue they neuer cease to be the children of God and gracious in his sight though they commit murder an hundred times a day I confesse that no circumstance of this accident doth so grieue me to the hart as this not for any hurt they did therin vnto vs for the hurt was only to themselues They shewed themselues more dead in conscience for want of charity then the other were dead in body for want of life the Beames that did oppresse and buize the bones of Catholikes were not so heauy nor so deadly as were the beames of passion and hatred in the eye of these miscreants bruyzing and wounding their soule with the sinne vnto death it being better as the holy * S. Wenceslaus King of Bohemia said to dye an Abel then to liue a Cayn The cause of my griefe is that any in our Country should be found so voyd of common humanity to the discredit of our NatioÌ„ this being done in the eye of the Stranger whence now it is spread abroad to the horrour of the Christian world For euery Nation vnder the Cope of heauen both Christian and Heathen both Ciuill and Barbarous doth by custome pitty yea reuerence them that are newly saued from vnder the death-blow of chaunce Wherof we may giue three reasons grounded on the pious instinct of nature The first is because men saued from this deadly stroake seeme then to beginne to liue and to be then as it were borne a new Wherfore nature bidds men to congratulate welcome theÌ„ againe into the world and the coÌ„trary to wit to seeke to stop the first breathings of this their new life is the greatest barbarity that may be Against which one bitterly but iustly inueigheth as we may read in the Prince of Poets whose inuectiue I could wish none of our NatioÌ„ had drawne particularly vpon themselues Quod genus hoc hominum quaeue hac tam barbara morem Permittit Patria What wild meÌ„ be these what barbarous couÌ„try is this We being sau'd froÌ„ sea euen from the iawes of death They rise agaynst vs straight they do not vs permit In quietnesse to set first footings on the ground Bella cient primaque vetant consistere terra The second reason is because the stroake of chance as it is in truth so is it taken by the instinct of nature as the stroake of Gods speciall prouidence and hand From this stroake they that are saued as they liue by his speciall will and loue towards them so they are regarded of others as things sacred vnto God Cicero Act. 7. in Verrem initio VehemeÌ„ter vererentur ne quem virum fortuna seruasset c. Viri Niniuitae surgent in iudicio c. Matth. 14. Propter iniquitateÌ„ corripuisti homineÌ„ Ps 38 1â— and by speciall bande of ReligioÌ„ tyed vnto him that it is a kind of sacriledge to violate them An Oratour of Rome as Tully writeth pleading for the life of a Captayne that had in the field receaued many dangerous woundes on head and breast shewed the scarres or markes therof vnto the Iudges wherwith he moued them not so much to pitty as to religious reuerence of the Man that they feared to condemne him to death from so many dangers wherof he had byn by fortune that is Gods speciall protection most strangly saued Thesâ— Iudges in the Day of Iudgment shall condemne the Puritans seing they being Heathens bare more reuerence vnto the dead darke signes of Diuine Protection in a guilty person then these did vnto the fresh tokens of Gods speciall saluation in innocent Christian Women The third reason is because the punishment of disastrous change is
only the Nouatian Church or meeting place for prayer escaped the houses roūd about being al in a flame Which they did attribute vnto the prayers of their Bishop who was then praying in their Church and in memory of that supposed miracle did early keep a solemne feast and yet after their triumps insultatiōs agaynst Catholike their sect vanished away within short time after there was scarse any memory therof which wil be also the end of these torrēts of errour that novv swell with waters and keep a noyse in the world How great was the ioy of the Pagans when at the time of the banishment of S. Chrysostome the Church of Constantinople being cōsumed with casuall or with procured or as other rather thinke miraculous fire togeather with the Emperours pallace house of the Senate all Christian monuments were wasted and consumed and in particular the Statua's of Constantine and Theodosius the great the two Christian Emperours whom Idolatry did most detest yet two images or Idols the one of Iupiter and the other of Minerua were found in the confused masse of ashes vntoucht Infidels did interprete this prodigy that the Gods had not forsaken the Empire but would agayne returne Which foolish conceyte of cōfort was but a lightening before death seing presently the Gothes preuayling togeather with their entrance Paganisme was wholly vtterly extinct not any practise therof being left in the Empire I will conclude with one more Example of the diuine prouidence in afflicting his seruants the Orthodoxe Christians in such sort that in the iudgment of men and Heresy he might seeme to mislike their Religiō The citty of Antioch being by situation of the place subiect to earth-quakes was free and quiet from such mischances in the gouernment of three Eutychian Emperours Zeno Basiliscus and Anastasius for the space of threescore and seauen yeares Heresy reioycing and florishing therein Euagrius l. 4. c. 5. Iustine the most Catholike Prince succeeding them in the Empire the Catholiks of Antioch were exceedingly cōforted to see their long persecution now at end For Seuerus the Eutichian and head of the Acephali being expeld a Catholike Patriarke was ordayned in his place chosen by the Pope and the Emperour Ammian l. 3. c. 6. with exact care to giue the afflicted Antiochians the best they could find The Catholiks being full of content in respect of this change and peace after so long molestations God in his secret iudgments would alay their wine with water their ioyes with sorow For their Bishop being come behold a suddan earth-quake surpriseth the citty at dinner tyme as they were at meate And a whirle-wind rysing vnfortunatly at that very instant blew the fire and flame of the kitchins then burning according to the tyme of the day vpon the buildings that were shaken by the earth-quake So the commiserable citty set vpon by a double mischiefe and enemy togeather at once was destroyed with the most of her inhabitants amongst them was her Catholike and holy Bishop Euphrasius who his head being first stroken off by the fall of a pillar was buried in a sepulcher of fire to the excessiue ioy of the Eutychians and Seuerus their ring-leader but to the great lamentation of Catholiks specially of the good Emperour Paulus Diaconus in Miscell l. 15. For vpon newes heerof he put off his Diademe and purple vested himselfe in sacke-cloth sate solitary many weekes togeather weeping in silence not admitting of any mirth though the dayes were solemne and festiuall vpō which his custome was to goe with great pompe and splendour vnto the Church Where also we may note that the ioy the Eutychians tooke in this mischance was but the dancing of death seeing presently heereupon they were so rooted out that in the hystories of the next succeeding Age there is no memory of them As Catholiks haue cause of comfort in these Examples to see things succeed with them as they did with the orthodoxe Christians and Saints of God in former ages so likewise our Censurers that making themselues of Gods Priuy Counsell giue out their Writs agaynst vs may tremble to see themselues hardened in malice as former Heretiks were and to feele the same lightenings of death as they did And for conclusion of this Chapter I will agayne repeate the wordes of the Holy Ghost wherwith I beganne in which Catholiks may receaue comfort our insulting Aduersaries may heare their doome from Gods owne mouth This is the worst of all vnder the sunne that the same things happen alike vnto all to the good and to the impious Hence the hartes of the sonnes of men are filled with malice and contempt in their lyfe-time and afterward they shal be carryed into Hell CHAP. III. Comfort by comparison with our Aduersaryes and Gods cleere Iudgments agaynst them BEfore I beginne to discourse of this Argument I must heere meete with an Obiection which I know will be made agaynst what hath byn sayd to wit If mischances happen alyke to the good and to the bad to the Christian and to the Infidell to the Catholike and to the Heretike Why doth Cardinall Bellarmine make Temporall felicity a Marke De Eccles l. 2. c. 20. wherby to discerne the true Christian Church I answere that without all doubt there is a kind of Temporall felicity proper vnto the true Church according to the prediction of the Prophets that haue spoken so much of the Tēporall glory and happines therof This felicity though the same be mingled with many priuate mischances is apparant and may be discerned from the felicity of prophane worldlings by three notes by the Authour by the End by the Effect therof The Authour of this felicity is God not working according to the ordinary course of things but by miracle sending the same downe from heauen And therfore it is tearmed by Bellarmine Diuinitùs data Lib. 5 de ciuit c. 46. especially giuen of God and by S. Augustine A Deo euidentissima largitate concessa comming apparently from the speciall bounty of God This felicity God vseth to grant when the same is necessary for the defence of true Religion agaynst Infidelity and Heresy and it appeared manifestly in the victories obtayned by Constantine the Great by Theodosius the great by Honorius his Sonne by Charles also the great Neyther hath the like speciall prouidence and supernaturall assistance been wanting or lesse apparant in sundry battayles fought in this age betwixt Catholiks and Heretikes For though God permit strange accidents sometymes which tend to particular triall of his seruants yet misfortunes and miraculous ouerthrowes dismall vnfortunate deaths fall more frequently vpō his enemies as might be proued by examples ten for one if need so required Lib. 5. de ciuit c. 18. God sayth S. Augustine that men might not thinke that the prosperity of this life were not to be gotten but by seruing the Diuell adorned the two most Christian Emperours Constantine and Theodosius with all
by the instinct of Nature accounted the punishment of God as it were taking the execution of Iustice immediatly into his owne hand Hence it is that they who from the hand of Diuine execution escape afflicted frighted wounded and hurt are to be held as set free by Gods speciall warrant as punished inough according to the equity of his iudgment Wherefore presently to set vpon them as deseruing more punishment is not only iniustice and cruelty but also a kind of impiety and condemnation of God as if he wanted eyther wisedome to know or iustice to hate or power to punish sufficiently the grieuousnes of mans sinnes We will not stand vpon the Deniall but this chance might be sent vpon these persons as a punishment of God in regard of their lesser or veniall sinnes seing euen Martyrdome it selfe the death most glorious of all other may be inflicted as a punishment in this kind ◠Mach. 6.14 as the Machabees Martirs sayd Nos propeccatis nostris ista patimur At least they that suffer may ought to make that accoūt as S. Cyprian counselleth Decet Martyres verecundos esse Cyprian in exort Martyr supplicia sua peccatis ascribere non se de passione iactare Wherfore these woūded Catholike men and women supposing in Christian humility this to haue byn the stroake of Gods hande for their sinnes how properly might one of them haue turned vnto the Puritan with the wordes of holy Iob Iob. 19 22. Haue pitty haue pitty on me for the hand of God hath strucken me for my sinnes as you suppose and I do not deny yet the nūber of them how great or small they are God knowes much better then you do Deserued I punishmēt Behold these bleeding woundes witnesse I haue already had my punishment at the handes of the liuing God Creatures may well spare me at least you my friendes allyed vnto me both in nature and country whome the like mortality may not I say the like iniquity makes liable vnto the same mischance Call to mind the saying of our Sauiour vnto the eager enemyes of the guilty Woman He that amongst you is without sinne let him cast the first stone at her Ioan. 8 7. Quare persequimini me sicut Deus carnibus meis saturamini Why do you pursue me as if your were God Iob. 19.22 innocent from sinne pure from misery your selues yea rather why do you pursue me as if you were more then God eyther more wife to apprehend or more zealous to detest or more stronge to reuenge the greatnes of my sinnes that wheras He after punishment hath set me free you to fill vp the supposed defect of his iudgment would come vpō me with a new supply of your strokes Haue pitty haue pitty on me for the hand of God hath stroken me But these wordes would not haue moued mercilesse harts and so those distressed soules might better as perchance they did lift vp their eyes vnto God in holy Dauid his complaynt Psa 78.27 Quem tu percussisti persecuti sunt super dolorem vulnerum meorum addiderunt ego sum pauper dolēs salus tua Deus suscepit me Whom thou hadst struken they pursued and added new griefe vnto my woundes I am poore and in payne thy saluation hath taken me vp O cruelty of men they had not pitty of me being poore destitute of ayde nor commiseratiō of me bleeding in payne not only outwardly through the woundes of body but also inwardly though griefes and frights of soule They bare no respect vnto me as a thing particularly beholding and belonging vnto thee as one whom thy saluation tooke vp into thy handes out of those ruines If a Tygar or Shee-wolfe hauing a man in her pawes should out of compassion let him free how cruell would he be thought that should seeke to make that man away presently vpon his escape O Lord thyne anger as the Prophet sayth is as fierce as the Shee-beare that hath lost her whelpes Osee 13.8 Whence we may gather how wild and sauage they are that would stone them to death that come bleeding from vnder the hand of thy terrible anger Whome thou hadst struken they pursued and added new griefe vnto my woundes But shall such cruelty passe without punishment No. They shall receaue the greatest punishment that God in his implacable anger can lay vpon men in this life which is set downe in the wordes that next follow Appone iniquitatem super iniquitatem eorum non intrent in iustitiam tuā deleantur de libro viuentium Psal 68.28.29 cum iustis non scribantur Lay vpon them iniquity vpon iniquity and let them neuer enter into thy righteousnes let them be blotted out of the booke of life and not be written amongst the iust And this may be another reason of this permission in regard of Puritans to wit for the greater obduration of the more hoat vnmercifull and obstinate sort of them For as their malice is such as they would if they could loade the Catholike Church with wound vpon wound so God permitting mischances to happen before the eyes of their body that carry some shew of scandall subtracting from before the eyes of their soule the light of his grace to make due inspection vnto them giues them occasions wherby they heape iniquity vpon iniquity filling their hearts more more with malice contēpt till being come to the measure of Gods appoyntmēt they be carried into Hell These iudgmēts of God are so much the more terrible because they least of all regard thē whom they most cōcern being so blinded deluded with the delightful imaginations of selfe-fancy in their interpretation of Scripture as they neuer so much as apprehend the heynousnes of their offence in contēning the perpetuall Christian Tradition of the Church I will not insist vpon this poynt but referre it vnto the inward search of their Conscience desiring them in Christ Iesus and as they tender their saluation that they will call to mind how many thousands of Heretikes haue byn in former Ages that thought thēselues no lesse secure of the truth then they now doe did alledge Scriptures for their errours as fast as they now do and more cleere and expresse then they can doe any yet now burne for euer in hell for their contempt of the Tradition and Authority of the Church Reasons in the behalfe of them that were slayne the happines of their death TO come to the principall intendment of God who in the midst of his iudgments is euer mindfull of his mercyes Psal 33.8 He permitted this mischance for the same cause for which he permitted the misfortune of the Christian army in the holy Land whither by his speciall ordinance they were called agaynst the Saracens Godefred in vita Bern. l. 3. c. 4. Otto Frising in Fred. l. 1. c. 38. Baron Tom. 12. An. 1145. S. Bernard was summoner of