hereafer let noe man saye that he goeth to Church against his wil thincking thereby to excuse him selfe from schisme Besides this to proue it schisme yea and that obstinate and rebellious schisme it were sufficient to knowe that the meaninge wil and commaundement of the general and vniuersal Catholicke Church at this day is that Catholicke men should not present them selues to Protestantes Churches or conuenticles séeing they are denounced open enemyes to the foresayde Church and their religion hath bene as orderlye condemned in the last general Councel of Trent As the doctrine of Arrius was in the first general Conucel of Nice And albeit the Councel of Trent made noe particuler decrée of this matter yet is their noe cause whye any man should take any hould thereat séeing the reason there of was because such a decrée was néedles for the Church hauing alredye condemned from the beginninge al prayinge with Heretykes or reparing to their conuenticles it was sufficient for the councel onely to condemne the Protestantes for such men without anye further particuler prohibitinge of others to come to their Churches and seruice séeing their conuenticles being once pronounced to be heretical the other was to be presupposed And this is the true meaning of the concel what soeuer others saye to shadowe their imperfections Howbeit some doubt beinge at that tyme moued by certaine of the Nobilitye of England whether they might not lawfully without offence to Church to doe some méere temporall acte as to beare the sword before her Maiestie or the lyke it was debated by xii learned men there at the Councels appoyntment and determination then genen that onlye for suche a cause they myght goe to Churche As for example if her Maiestie should appoynt certayne Catholyckes to meete at Poules to intreate of matters of the state and that at suche tyme as seruice were sayde there and this was Naaman Syrus his case flat who was permitted as most men take it for a tyme to goe with his Kinge and hould hym vp vppon his shoulder when he went to the temples of the Idoles Now that there hath bene a general custome rule and Canon of the Churche prohibiting to goe to the Churches and conuenticles of heretiques it is playne by the testimonie of al antiquitie The Apostles them selues in their thréescore and thirde Canon saye thus If anye man ether of the clergie or laitye doe goe into the Synagogue of the Iewes or into conuenticles of heretiques to praye let him be deposed and excomunicated This Canon of the Churche was exactly afterwardes kepte and is mentioned very often by the Fathers and councels by occasion of the lyke matter As for example when Origen was by a certayne necessitie compelled to dwel in house together with one Paule an heretique to whome there resorted often not onely heretiques but some simple Catholyques also for the fame of his excelente eloquence yet they writ of Orygen That he coulde neuer be induced by any meanes to be present at prayers where Paule was And the reason is put downe by them to be this For that Orygen euen from his youthe had kept and obserued moste dilygentlye the Canon of the Church Here we sée what accounte was made in those dayes of this Canon of the Churche Furthermore S. 〈◊〉 Alexandrinus a lerned Father talkinge of one Heraclas Byshope of Alexandria and scholer of the aforesayde Drigen and shewinge howe the sayde Drigen had excomunicated and 〈◊〉 out of the Churche certayne Christyans for that they were accused to haue vsed muche the companie of a certayne heretique he addeth this sayinge This Canon and this example haue I receyued of our holy father Heraclas The lyke obseruation of this Canon is noted in Athanasius whos comminge to Antioche fled the common and publique Churches which were vsurped then by one Leontius an Arian Bishope and his clergye and séeking out the Catholiques that were in the Cytie which then by contempte were called Eustathians because thei helde of the Communion of their Catholique deposed Bishope named Eustathius as Catholiques nowe in Inglande are contemptiously called Papistes for houlding of the Communion of y e Bishope of Rome and finding them out did secretly communicate with them as sayth the historie Conuentu in aedibus priuatis peracto That is making their assembly or Churche in their pryuate howses Howe lyke is this case to oure state now adayes in Ingland The lyke respecte to this Canon of the Churche had Alexander Byshop of Constantinople who wished rather to dye then to remayne in the Churche when Arius the heretyque shoulde come in to the same To this Canon had also respecte the people of Alexandria soe muche commēded by Athanasius him selfe who woulde rather praye together by them selues in the Churche yarde without couer then enter into the Churche to praye where George the Aryan Byshope was The lyke consideration had alsoe the people of Samosatum whoe after the depryuation of theyr vertuous and Catholique Byshope Eusebius and the thrusting into his place by the Arians of an heretical Byshop called Eunomius they would no more come at the Church of whome Theodorete writeth thus None of the inhabitantes there poore or riche seruant or artificer husbandman or grafter man or woman yong or oulde would come to the Church but the Byshop was ther alone for no man would ether come to his sight or talk with him albeit he was reported to haue vsed him selfe very modestlye and quietly amongest them Naye yet further then this the people of Rome hauing their true Catholique Byshope deposed by the Aryans and an other 〈◊〉 Felyx thruste vppon them 〈◊〉 an heretiqne but a schismatique for the historie saieth that he was sound in fayth and helde soundly the relygion set downe in the Councell of Nyce yet because he was a schismatique and was content to take holy orders of the Arian Byshopes and to cōmunicate with them the whole people as I sayde did 〈◊〉 him and as the historie sayeth None of the inhabytants of Rome would enter into the Church soe longe as he was within Thus we sée the scrupulositie of christyan Catholiques in those dayes and that as they thought vppon good cause for the auoydinge of schisme If anye man can shelve me a warrant since that tyme for the enlarginge of oure consciences nowe a dayes I woulde gladlye sée it Yow haue hearde in the begynninge of this reason the opinyons of our fore fathers in the primatiue Churche what a great and heynous sinne it is to breake the vnytie of the Churche or to dysobeye the same Agayne it is certayne that the Churche telleth vs if the voyces of all the Byshopes and learned men in Christendome and of the supreme Pastour too be the voyce of the Churche that goeinge to protestantes Churches is forbidden vs what excuse then shal those men haue from obstinate schisme
this for different opinions in religion a miserie not accustomed to fal in our fathers dayes vpon that noble 〈◊〉 But as these were causes of some sorow so was it no meane comforte vnto me to consider that in these wicked loosse times of ours wherein there is no feelinge or sence of vertue leaste but all men enwrapped in the loue of Godes professed enemie the world followinge with all force and full sayle the vanities and ambition of the same that their should be fownde in Ingland so many gentlemen both for their yeares liuinges and other habilities as fit to be as vayne as the reste yet so precyse in matters of religion so respectiue to their cōsciences as that they wil prefer their soul before ther body gods cause before theyr owne ease na that they will rather venture both body and goodes lyfe landes libertye and all then they wil doe any thinge contrary to theyr consciences whereby they must be iudged at the last daye This is suche a thing as it must nedes bring comforte to all men can iustly greue none excepte the cōmen enemy the deuil him selfe For as for strāgers they must néedes be 〈◊〉 therewith as for Inglish men they must néedes be incoraged therby And as for the Princes hir selfe shée cānet but be comforted therein assuringe hir selfe that yf these men doe 〈◊〉 so firmly vnto theyr consciences and fayth sworne vnto God in theyr 〈◊〉 of baptisme then wil they as 〈◊〉 for the same conscience stik vnto 〈◊〉 Maiestie if occasion should serue in kéepinge theyre secondary faythe and allegeance sworne vnto hir Highnes as to the substitute of God Their aduersaries also and persecutors it can not in any reason mislyke for that the contrarye religion were to haue them as constant and faithful in that if it were possible to win them to the same But notwithstanding séeing you wryte that ther is both great dislyke displesure also takē of it as though their constancie were obstinacie and their conscience méere will which most of all gréeueth as you wryte their obedient and well meaninge mindes albeit otherwise the pressure it self be so heauie as the burden therof is sore and gréeuous to beare for these causes and for the géeuinge of some more lyght to the whol matter I wil as you séeme to desire most briefly towch thrée things in this letter wherby I doubt not but that you shall accompte your selfe fullye and sufficientlye answered 1. The first poynt shalbe what cause or reasō the Catholicks haue to stand as they doe in the refusall of thinges offered them and especially of going to the Church Secondly what waye or means they may vse to remedy or ease themselues of this afliction now layd vpon them for theyr consciences Thirdly if that waye or meanes doe not preuayle then howe they ought to beare and indewre the same The firste parte THAT the Quens most excellēt Maiestye the honorable Lords of hir preuy Counsell other the learned and wyse of Inglande may see that the refusall of going to the churche of so mani thow sand Catholiques at this day in that Realme is not vppon disloyaltie or stubburne obstinacie as theyr aduersaries geue it out but vppon conscience and great reason and for the auoydinge of manifest peril of eternal dānation which they shold incurr in yealdinge to that which is demauuded at their hands I haue put downe some causes and reasōs heere folowinge referringe the Reader to more larger discourses made by diuers lerned men of our tyme in soundrye partes of their workes this beinge shufled vp in hast and namelye to a peculier Tretise not long agone published to wching this matter But first of all it is to be noted that my reasons to thend they may cōuince are to be supposed to procéed from a Catholick mind that is from a man which in his conscience is throughly perswaded that onelye the Catholycke Romaine Relygion is truth that al other new doctrines and religions are false religions as all new gods are false gods Now of these Catholiks there are two sorts in Ingland thone which in their consciences doe iudge that as all other religions besids their owne are false so all participation with them either in déede or in shewe by othe by Sacramentes by goynge vnto theire prayers and seruice or otherwise is naught forbidden vnlawful yet ether for fear or fauour or 〈◊〉 other worldly cause they are content to comunicate w t them in all or some of y e forsayd things of thos men albe it they be very many in Ingland I meane not to intreate their case be ing aparantly both to thē selues and to al other men wicked and out of al doubt dānable For as S. Austin saith He that knoweth the thinges to be il that he doth yet doth thē he goeth down quick vnto hell As though hée would say Albeit he be yet quick vpō the carthe yet is he in the prouidence of God dead and damned in hel And S. Paul talking of this sinne neuer layth lesse punishement vpon it then iudgment and damnation althoughe it be committed in thinges of them selues indifferent or lawful for albe it as hée sayth meates offred to Idoles be of them selues lawful to be eaten to him that knowth an Idole to nothing Yet Yf a mā should decerne or iudge it to be vnlawful and yet eate of it he is damned for it because he doth not accordinge to his conscience or knowledge And the reason is that which S. Paule hath immediatelye folowinge sayinge All that which is done by vs not according to our knoledge or conscience is sinne And S. 〈◊〉 confirmeth the same sayinge He that knoweth good and doth it not sinneth Wherfore S. Paule crieth out a little before thus Blessed is he that iudgeth not or condemnethe not him selfe in doinge contrarye to that he best alloweth And the cause why this sinne against a mans owne cōscience is so dānable is this Some doe sinne of humaine 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 this is called a sinne against the sōne who is called Wisdōe Some do sinn of meere will malice choosing to sinne although they know it to be sinne and this is the sinne 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost to whome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 particulerlye grace and goodnesse the whiche a man most wikedly cōtemneth and reiecteth when hée sinneth wilfully against his owne Conscience and therefore Christe sayeth that a man shalbe forgéeuen a sinn against the father and against the senne as wée doe sée it was in Peter and Paul But he that sinneth against the holy Ghost shal neuer be forgeuen nether in this world nether in the worlde to come As for exāple the Pharises were not which did many thinges againste Christ
same vp with vs to God the father for the whole world As al the holy Fathers of the primatiue Churche dyd bothe beleue and teach Of the which it shalbe enough at this tyme to aledge one or two Saynt Gregorie therfore the first saythe thus What faythfull man can doute but that in the verye houre of immolation or sacryfice the heauens doe open at the Priestes voyce and that the 〈◊〉 of Angels be present there in that misterie of Iesus Christ And saynt Chrisostome handeling the same saythe At that tyme the tyme of consecration in the Masse the Angels stande by the Priest and the vniuersall orders of the celestiall powers doe crye out and the place nygh to the aulter is full of quires of Angels in the honour of him whoe is there sacrifised And immediatlye after he telleth two visions of holye men whose eyes were by the power of God as he sayeth opened and they in those visions saw the Angels presente at the time of consecration And in an other place he yet more at large explycateth the same sayinge At that tyme deere brother at the time of consecration and eleuation not onlye men do geue out that dreadful cry saying we adore the O Lord ct but also the Angels doe bowe their knees to our Lord and the Archangels doe beseche him for they accounte that a fitt time hauing that sacred oblation in their fauour And therfor as men arc wont to moue Princes the more yf they beare oliue bowes in their handes because by bearinge that kinde of wood they bring into the Princes mindes mercye and gentlenes so the Angels at that time houlding out in their hands the verye self same bodye of our Lord they doe entreate for al mankinde as thoughe they saide We doe entreate O Lord for the men of the worlde whom thow hast so looued that for their saluation thou wast content to dye and in the Crosse to breathe out thyne owne soule For these men we make supplicatiō for the which thou hast geeuen thy owne bloud for these men we pray for the which thou hast sacrificed this bodye of thyne If this be soe then the hearinge of Masse is not onelye worth the venturynge of an hundred Marckes or sixe monnethes imprisonment but also of an hundrede thousande lyues if a man could loose euerye one for that cause sixe tymes And an hundred tymes miserable is that man which for anye worldlye respecte doth depryue hlm selfe of soe greate a benifite as the participation of this sacrifice is Secondlye they loose by goeynge to Church the fruite and grace of sixe Sacramentes as the grace of Confirmation by the Bishoppe whereby the Holye Ghoste was géeuen in the Prymatyue Church as Saynte Luke sayeth and now in our tyme as Saynte Cypryan proueth are bestowed vppon vs by the same the seuen gyftes of the holye Ghoste Set out by Esaye the Prophet in his eleuenthe chapter They loose also the grace of Preisthood soe greatlye commended by S. Paul to Tymothye when he chargeth him soe earnestlye not to neglect the sayd grace Also the grace of Matrimony which S. Paul soe much extolleth when he calleth this sacrament a great sacrament Also the grace of extreme Unction which is soe great as S. James sayeth besids the healing many times of the bodye it also remitteth the sicke mans sinnes And so in lyke manner the grace of the other two sacramēts of Penance and the Aulter whereof I wil say a word or two immediately Al thes graces they loose being cut of by their going to the Protestants churches frō these sacramēts which are nothing else but cōduits of grace The which losse of what valew it is a man may gesse by that which al deuines with on accord doe proue y t on droppe of grace is more worth then al y e world estéemed in it selfe besids Thirdly they loose by going to church al the benifit of y t keies of the church or of the auctority of binding and loosing of sinns graunted by Christ to y t gouernours of the same Church For the explication of the which we must vnderstand that Christ hauing newlye made the mariage betwéext his déere spouse and him selfe I meane the Church and hauinge now sealed the same with his owne bloud and being inforced to depart from the said new maried spouse of his towching his visible presēce for a time he deuised how to shew vnto her how greatly he loued her and to leaue some notable pledge testimony of his singuler great affection towardes her The which he finally resolued could be by noe other meanes better expressed then if he should leaue al his aucthoritie with her the which he had receaued of his Father with making publyque proclamation to all the world that What so euer she should forgeue in earthe towchyng sinne the same should be forgeuen in heauen and what soeuer sinne the Churche should retaine or not forgeue in earth the same should neuer be forgeuen in heauen And againe that with what authoritye God his Father sent him with the same he sent her gouernours the Apostles and theyr successors And againe he that should not here and obey the Church should be accounted as a heathen and publicane By the which speeches of Christ our fore fathers haue alwayes vnderstoode that Christe gaue vnto the Churche a visible tribunal seate in earth for the forgeuing or retayning of sinnes vnto the which al Christians must resorte by submission and humble confession of their sinnes if they thinke euer to receaue forgeuenes of the same at Christes hys handes in heauen For soe we read that in the primatiue Churche they confessed their sinnes vnto the Apostels of whom saynt Luke writeth thus Manye of the faythful came to the Apostles confessing and reueling their owne actes And thrée hundred yeres after that S. Austen testefieth of his time saying Doe you suche penance as is wont to be done in the Church that the Church may praye for you Let no man saye I doe it secretly I doe ìt with God alone God which hath to pardon me knoweth wel how that I doe repent in my hart What therfore with out cause was it sayde to the Priestes that which you loose in earth shal be loosed in heauen therfore in vayne were the keyes geuen to the Church And in an other place againe more néerlye touching the humour of our men now a dayes he sayth There are some which thinke it sufficiēt for their saluation if they doe confesse their sinnes only to God to whom nothing is hidden and to whom no mans conscience is vnknowen For they will not or els they are ashamed or els they disdayne to shew them selues vnto the Priestes whom not withstanding God by Moyses his lawegeuer did apoint to discerne or iudge betweene leprye and leprye But I would not
whole both in writing and in printe and they haue bene vrged by sondrye meanes by all kinde of frendship that we could make by humble request by earnest letterrs to diuers preachers to further the matter and if I be not deceaued to my Lord of London him selfe for the bringinge of the matter to your Maiesties vnderstanding and to the consideration of the Lordes of your Highnes preuie Counsayle And if by anye mischaunce these former supplycations came not to lighte or expressed not fully the Catholiques plaine and simple meaninges I beséeche your most gratious Maiestie y t this maye serue ether for a replication or explanation of the same wherin I in their names most humblie on my knées euen for Gods cause and the loue of his truthe aske at your Maiesties handes that some such indifferent triall maye be had by pulique disputation or otherwise And as for the particulers we shal easely agrée with them For we offer al thes thrée wayes both ioyntly and seuerally that is ether by trying out the truthe by bréefe scolasticall argumentes or by continuall spéeche for a certayn space to be alotted out and thother parte presently or vppon studye to aunswere the same or finally by preaching before your Maiesty or where els your Maiestie shall appoynt And for our saftyes we aske nothing else but onlye your Maiesties woorde set doune vnto vs in no ampler manner then the Counsayle of Trent made the safconduct to our aduersaries which they notwithstanding refused to accepte But I hope they shall sée that we will not refuse or mistrust your Maiesties woorde if we maye once sée it sett doune by proclamation or otherwise by letters patents for our safetie but that within 80. dayes after by the grace of God we shal appeare before your Highnes with what daunger soeuer to our lyues other wise for the tryall of Gods truthe which we make no dout but to be cléere on our side If our aduersaries refuse this offer they shall shew to much distrust in their owne cause for it is with great laboure perill and disaduauntage on our partes and on their sides nothing at all I would they durst make but halfe the like offer for their comming hither on this side the Seas it should be most thankfully taken and they with great safety and all gentile intreatie disputed withal and made to sée as I presume their owne weaknes But séeing this is not to be hoped we relye vppon the other beséeching your Maiestie most humblye and instantlye that our iuste demaunde maye be graunted for the tryall of Gods truthe most necessarie for vs all to our eternall saluation And nowe to leaue all these thinges to the holye prouidence of God and to the highe wisdome of your most excellent Maiestie to consider of we are humblye to craue at this time and most instantlye to request that your Highnes will not take in euill parte this our boulde recourse vnto your Royall Persone in these our afflictions and passing great calamyties You are borne our souerayne Princesse and mother and we your natural subiectes and children Whether then should children rōne in their afflictions but vnto the loue and tender care of their deare mother especiallye she being such a mother as her power is sufficient to reléeue them in all poyntes her good will testifyed by infinit benefites and her noble and mercifull disposition knowen and renouned thorough out the world If your Maiestie were abrode in manye partes of your Realme to vnderstand the miseries hear the cryes sée the lifting vp of hands to heauen for the present afflictions which this persecution hath brought I knowe your Maiestie would be much moued as all men are here by the onlye reporte of the same I could touch certayne particulers of importance to that effect But I will kéepe the lawe of Areopagus I will saye nothing to moue my Iudge whose wisdome I well know and whose goodnes I nothing at all mistrust If your highnes were of that disposition from which you are most furre of as to take pleasure in 〈◊〉 afflictions delite and comforte in our calamities we could be contente to beare this and ten tunes more in soe good a cause as we suffer for And if there be anye other of such cruell appetite whom your Maiesty should think good to be satisfyed with blood there wante not Catholiques bothe there and héere which would most willyngly offer them selues to purchase quietnes vnto the rest Diuers are in bondes there most readye I am sure to accepte such an offer and if that nomber will not suffice let the woorde be but spoken and manye more shall most ioyfullye present them selues from hence hauing reserued our selues to no other ende if God would make vs woorthye of that and that by our deathes we might geue testimonye to the Catholique cause and redéeme the pityfull veration of soe manye thousand aflicted people at this daye in England IESVS Christ in aboundance of mercye blesse your Maiestye to whome as he knoweth I wyshe as much good as to mine owne soule perswadinge my selfe that all good Catholikes in England do the same And they which goe about to insinuate the contrarye are in mine opinyon but appoynted instrumentes by the common enemie to dispoyle your Maiestie of your strongest piller and best right hand as soone after their purpose had it would appéere shalbe more manifest before the last tribunal seat where we all shall be presented shortely without difference of persons and where the cogitations of al hartes shal be reueled and examined and in iustice of iudgment rightfully rewarded Now matters are craftely clowded vp and false visards put on vppon euerye action Then all shall appeare in sinceritie and truthe and nothing auayle but onlye the testimonie of a good conscience The which Catholiques by suffering doe séeke to retayne and which God of his infinit goodnes inspire your Maiestie graciously without enforcement to permitt vnto them still Your Maiesties most humble and obedient subiect I. Howlet THE ANSWER OF A VERTVOVSAND Lerned Man to A Gentleman in England towching the late imprisonment of Catholiques ther. THE VEW of your late letters my dere and worship ful frind brought vnto me some sorowe and much cōfort The sorowe procéeded of the wo ful and aflicted case of my pore countrie so pityfullye set downe by yeure penn vnto myne eye wherin as you writ so many greate Gentlemen of worshipp are imprisoned for there cō science and relygion of late so many good howses broken vp so mani hows holders dispersed and fled away so many yonge Gentlemen and seruantes vnprouided so many pore people destitute so many wyues disioyned from there husbandes so many children berefte of ther parentes suche flying such runninge such shuttinge vp in prisons such pitifull abidinge hunger thirst and cold in prison as you describe dolefull for vs to heare héere but more rufull for you to behold ther and all
malitiosly and contrary to their own knowledg and consciences If this be trew as it is if God be not vntrew then in what a miserable case standeth many a man in Ingland at this day which take othes receaue sacramēts goe to church and cōmit many a like act directly against their owne consciences and against their owne knowledg nay what a case doe thei stād in which know such things to be directlye against other mens 〈◊〉 and yet doe compell them to doe it As to receaue against theire will to sweare against their wil the like Surely as I am now minded I wold not for ten thowsand worldes compell a Iewe to sweare that theire weare a blessed Trinity For albeit the thing be neuer so trew yet should he be damned sor swearinge against his conscience and I for compelling him to commit so heyneus and gréeuous a sinne But of this sort of Catholikes this is ynough and to much excepte they weare better For they are to be accompted according to S. Paule damned men in this lyfe and therefore noe Christians and much lesse Catholickes There are an other sorte of Catholikes that albeit they doe iudge al other religions besides theire owne false and erroneous and damnable yet doe they not thincke but that for some worldly respecte as for sauinge their offices dignities liberties credytes or the like they may in some of the former thinges at the least wise in goyng to Church for as for swearinge and receauinge I thincke noe Catholicke this day in Europe thincketh it lesse then damnable shewe them selues conformable men to the procéedinges of them of the contrarie religion and doe also thincke others too scrupulous which doe stand in the refusall of the same But to shewe that these men are in a wrong and perilous perswasion builded only on their owne phantasie and therefore to be reformed and that thother men are the onely trew Catholickes and bound to do so much as they do vpon paine of the high displeasure of God eternal domage of their own souls I haue put doune here thes reasons y e folowe which may serue for y e iustifiing of thone parties conscience for the dewe reforming of the other The first Reason The first reasō why I being a Catholicke in minde may not goe to the Churches or seruice of the contrarie relygion is because I perswading my selfe their doctrine to be false doctrine and consequently venemous vnto the hearer I may not venture my soul to be infected with the same For as it is damnable for a man to to kill him selfe and consequentlye deadly sine without iust cause to put his bodye in probable danger of deathe so is it muche more offensiue to God to put my sowle ten thowsād times of more valewe then my bodye in danger to the deadly stroke of false doctrine and heresie espetially séeing I haue no warrant of securitie or scaping but rather I heare God crying to the contrarie Hee that loueth daunger shall perish in the same Nether is it 〈◊〉 for mée to think that I am sure inough frō being infected for that I am groūded inough I am learned suffitiently For what yf God take his grace from the and lett thée fall because thou hast not folowed his counsaile whiche is If thou wilt not be bitté with the snake not to slepe neighe the hedg If thou wilt not be spotted thē not to touche the Pitche Wherfor S. Paul to as good a man as lerned as strong as I am gaue a general rule to auoid and file an heretical man The lyke precepte hée gaue to Tymothie being a Byshope to auoyd a certaine heritique by name Alexander more vehemetly yet he coniureth as it were the Thessalonians in the name of Iesus Christe that they shoulde withdrawe them selues from like felowes The same hée repeateath againe to y e Romans beseching them to note and to decline from suche mē The reasō of this S. Paul vttreth to Timothe Because ther speche crepeth lyke a cāker and they haue subuerted the faith of certayne Againe hée saythe to the Romans of the same men By sweete words and gaye blessings they seduce the harts of the Innocent And S. Peter saith of them that they doe allure vnto them vnconstant sowlles Héere nowe I sée the scripture carefully counsailing and commaunding me to auoyd the cōpany and speache of false teachers it putteth downe also the perill if I doe it not which is as 〈◊〉 as the 〈◊〉 of my soul. And on the cōtrarie side I haue noe warrant of 〈◊〉 nor example of good men to 〈◊〉 the same For I doe reade this wryten of farr my betters The Apostles and their schollers were so warye and circumspect in this case in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they would not so mnch as once reason the matter with any of them who endeuored by their lyinges or newe deuices to corrupte the truthe Furthermor I am sure I can neuer take good by hearing them but I am in 〈◊〉 possibilitie to take euill as manye more learned men then I in ould time haue done As Dionisius Alexandrinus confesseth of him selfe and of Origen 〈◊〉 it is knowen many men in England can be witnesies which bothe to them selues and also to other mē séemed the time was so firme and grounded in religion as nothing could moue thē yet nowe they haue proued otherwise Wherfore it cānot be but great sinin 〈◊〉 notwithstanding all this if I shall put my sowle in suche daunger by aduenturing to their companie to their seruice to their sermōs to reading their bookes or the like wherby in any wise I may be corupted The which aduenture what a sin it was counted in the primatiue Church it may apere by the seuer lawes made both by the clergie and temporaltie forthe prohibiting and punishing of the same in that time as is to be sene in the councels and fathers and in the decrées of the good christian Emperors Martian and Iustinian and espetialy of the noble and zelous first christian Emperor Constātine which made it deathe after the condemnation of Arius by the general councel of Nyce for any mā more to read his books therby to aduenture to be poisoned with his heresies And reason For if Dauid had not ventured to behould 〈◊〉 he had not bene entrapped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loue and so had not cōmitted 〈◊〉 horrible sins that ensewed 〈◊〉 if Dame 〈◊〉 had not presumed to heare the Serpent talk she had not beue beguiled and if when Luther first began to teache new doctrine the Catholicks at that time had not vouchsafed to geue him the hearing but had auoyded his prechings and preuy conuenticles there had not bene now in the world either Lutheran Swinglian Caluenist Puritā Anabaptist Trinetarie Famelie of loue Adamite or the like whereof now there are so many thowsands abrode all springing of that first
The whiche sayinge of S. Cyprian the learned father S. Chrisostome after Cypryans deathe doethe repete and confiirme Addinge these worddes There is nothinge doeth soe prouocke God as the diuision of the Churche And albeit we should doe innumerable good deedes yet notwithstandynge we shall be punished as greuouslye as they were whiche did rende Christe his owne fleshe and bodye if wee disseuer in peeces the full integrytie and vnytie of the Churche And finallye hee concludeth thus I doe heere saye and proteste that it is no lesse sinne to cutt and breake the vnytie of the Churche then it is to fall into heresie And thus muche I thought good to saye leuing infinyte other thinges that myghte be sayde touching the greeuousnes of this sinne of schisme wherby manye of oure bad Catholiques in Ingland may sée in some parte the miserable daungerous case wherin they stande by sléeping soe careles as they doe in this sinne But nowe that this acte of goinge to the protestantes Churches and prayers is a schismatycall acte and suche a one as deuydeth from the vnytie of the Churche it is easye to be proued for that schisme is accordinge to Saynnte Augustine to S. Austen A seperation of them that thinke the same thing That is a different kinde of seruice of God in those men that doe not differ in opinion in relygion The which thing he expresseth more plainly in an other place putting the difference betwixt hereticks and 〈◊〉 saying Schismatiques are made not by difference in faythe or belefe but by the breaking of the societie or vnytie of Communion Now the Communion or vnytie of the Churche consisteth in these three thinges to wit that al Christians haue one sacrifice one and the selfe same 〈◊〉 also one and the selfe same seruice of of God But they whch goe to the protestants Churches haue no sacrifice at al nether haue they any more then two of seuen sacramentes and those two also so mangled that of the two scarse one is a sacrament as they vse them And as for their seruice it hath no parte of the Catholique seruice as I wil shewe herafter He therfore that goeth to this seruice and willingly seperateth him selfe from the Catholique seruice and Communion breketh the vnitie of Communion of the Churche and consequentlye committeth schisme But some man perhapes will saye I doe it not willinglye but I goe to Churche by constraynte of the publyque lawes of my Realme I aunswere that here is some kinde of constraynte externall bnt not somuche as maye take awaye the lybertie of thy will whiche is internall as the Philosopher wislye disscourceth For this constraynte is but conditionall That is ether to doe that whiche is commaunded for example to goe to the Churche or else to abyde this or that punishment that the lawe appoynteth The whiche penaltye if thou wilt suffer thy will is frée to doe what thou wilte Nether can any mortall power constrayne it further Soe that suche an action as I haue talked of for example going to the Churche for the auoyding of temporall losse is called bothe by the Philosophers and Deuins Inuoluntaria secundum quid simpliciter autem voluntaria That is in parte or in some respecte vnuoluntarie But absolutely and simplye it is to be accounted voluntarye And therfore they are to be estemed good or badd punyshable or rewardeable euen as other frée actions are for otherwyse no sinne shoulde be punisheable Séeinge euery noughtie action commonlye hath some kynde of compulsion in it but yet it maye not be excused thereby As for example the murtherer maye saye that he dyd it not willyngely for that he was compelled therunto by rage of anger And the lecherer maye saye hys fleshe compelled hym to sinne and to take fitter example for oure pourpose all those that denyed Chryste in tyme of persecution for feare of tormentes myghte by youre obiection saye that they dyd it not willynglye but by compulsion of tormentes and therfore were not to be damned for it But yet Chryste sayde that he would take it as done voluntarylye and therfore damne them for it by denyinge them openlye before his Father and hys Angels at the daye of iudgemente And yet to geue an other example néerer to oure matter Saynte John sayeth of the noble men and gentilemen of Jurye in hys tyme. Manye of the princypall men dyd beleue in Chryste but they did not confesse hym outwardlye for feare of the Pharises leste they shoulde be caste out of the Synagoge for they dyd loue more the glorye of men then the glorye of God Here we sée the acte of these noble men and Gentyle men also the compulsion to the acte the cause of their compulsiō lastly S. Johns iudgmēt upon y e acte The acte whereof they are accused is onely houlding their peace and not confessing Christ opēly according as they did inwardlye beléeue of him The cause or excuse that they had to laye for them selues was the feare of the Pharises or Magistrats which compelled them against their wil soe to doe Now what punishment they feared at the Pharisies handes S. John expresseth saying that it was Lest they should be cast out of their Synagoge The which punishment was then and is now at this day amongest the Jewes the greatest punishmēt besides death that can be deuised For he looseth thereby al offices dignities and credit whatsoeuer noe man may buye or sel with him noe man may visite him or talke with him or salute him in the streates Finally it is a death vpon earth a great and sufficient excuse a man would thincke to answer for a mans silence onely For I sée manye a one in England not onelye to conceale their owne consciences but also to speake against the same for a lesse cause But what is Saynt Johns iudgement vpon the matter for sooth he accepteth not the excuse but condemneth them in a damnable mortal sinne against the first commaundement for doinge the same saying That by this silence of thers they did put the glorye of God behynd the glorye of men and thereby shewed that they loued men better then God Noe doubt but to their euerlastinge damnation except they hartelye repented them The which I would haue those vnwise fond noble men and gentle men in England to consider which perswade both them selues and other men that in these troublesome tymes a man maye without offence kéepe his conscience to him selfe but especiallye those that doe not onelye hould their peace but also doe against their conscience what soeuer is commaunded them sayinge that al which is done amisse shal not be layed vppon them at the daye of iudgement but vpon the Prince and the Magistrats which compel them to doe the same against their owne willes But what compulsion this is and how furre it shal excuse their doings I haue now declared Wherfore
that not withstandinge all this wil yet thinke it lawful especialy the thing being nowe in practise and so many meu suffering for the same Assuredly they can looke for no other account to be made of them but as Christ willeth vs. If he heare not the Churche let him be to the as an heathen and as a publicane The which woordes S. Austen sayth Are more greuous and terrible then if he had sayd let him be strookē with a sword let him be consumed with the flames of fyre lett him be deuowred of wylde beastes And a lyttle after talking of the bande where with the Churche maye bynde a mannes sinnes by authorytie geuen vnto her of Christ he saythe A man is bounde more bytterlye and more infortunately by the keyes of the Churche then by anye other moste greuous and harde bandes albeit they were of yron or of Adamante stone Let could Catholiques in Inglande marke this and not thinke they are frée when they are in these bandes nor thinke they are Christians whē in déed they are Heathens and Publicanes It is a natural infirmitie of ours to think willingly to wel of oure owne case and passiō permiteth vs not to iudge indifferently in these matters Let vs therfore consider of other mens cases and by them 〈◊〉 of oure owne If in S. Iohn Crisostome his tyme when there was an Arryan Churche and a Catholique Churche knowen in Constantinople and both of these Churches calling people vnto them and the Emperour fauourynge more the Arrians then the Caholiques if I saye in that case some Catholiques leuing S. Chrisostomes Church should haue gone to the Arrians Churches to seruice vpon obedience to the Emperour what would we think of thē now wold we estéem schismatiques or not Yf theye had dyed soe Consideringe their disobedience to the bishope and their perfidious betrainge of Goddes catholike cause in that time of trial I thinke yes Then let vs not deceue our selues for this is our case nowe And yf in al mens iudgmentes that acte would haue seemed Schisme for disobeing one particuler and priuate Bishope and breaking from his com munion what shal we saye for disobeyinge the general Pastour of al breakinge from his communion Of whom the noble martyr of Christ S. Ciprian aboue fiftene hundred yeres agone said thus Heresies and schisms haue sprong of none other cause then for that men doe not obey Gods Pre ist and for that they doe not thincke or consider that ther is one only Priest whoe is Iudge in Christs stead for the time Vnto whom if al the vniuersall brotherhood would obeye in deuine functions no man would mooue anie thinge against the college of Preistes nether after the iudgement of God the suffrage of the people the bishops consent once put downe in any matter would any man dare to make him selfe a iudge of the Bishoppe and consequently of God nor by breakinge Vnitye teare and rente the Churche of Christ. The Fifte Reason The fifte reason wherefore a Catholicke may not goe to the Church of those of the contrarye religion is for feare lest his presence may be interpreted by God to be consent vnto their doing and soe he be made partaker of their punishment Concerning which we must vnderstand that of al the enemies that God hath in this world there is none in soe hyghe displeasure with him as he who once knowinge the trueth and beinge receaued into his house the Catholicke Church runneth out agayne and by newe deuised doctrines vexeth and molesteth the same being not onelye the house as I haue sayd of Christ but also his spouse nay his owne body Which sorte of men the scripture calleth Heretyckes whose cursse and reprobation in this life is more greauous then anye other sinne whatsoeuer and the damnation for the tyme to come more intollerable For that as S. Peter sayeth It had bene better for them neuer to haue knowen the waye of righteousnes then after they knew it to turne backe agayne And these are those men of whome Christ sayde that one diuel goeinge forth in their first comminge to the fayth by Baptisme he afterwardes entred agayne with seuen other diuels worse then him selfe and soe made the ende of that man worse then his beginning And Saint Paul geueth a maruelous seuere iudgement vpon them when he sayeth That Heretyckes are subuerted and doe sinne and are damned by their owne iudgementes First he sayeth that they are subuerted or ouerthrowen because they are blotted out of the booke of lyfe Secondly that their whole lyfe is sinne vppon 〈◊〉 because they are vtterlye depriued of God his grace without the which we can doe nothing but sinne Thyrdlye he sayeth they are damned by their owne iudgementes ether for that they chose wittingly to leaue the Catholicke Church out of the which they knew their was noe saluation or els because the most of them doe know that they doe amisse and yet for pryde they will not come backe So that euerye waye their case is verye pitifull and lamentable This point the holy Fathers of the Churche doe often tymes handle verye seriouslye aod grauclye prouing that Heretyckes more offend God and are in furre woorse state then anye offender els in the world and namelye more then ether Iew or Gētile For y e which cause they note that the new Testament biddeth vs not to beware of Iewes and Gentiles but of Heretickes in many places The reason is for that they are those wolues which Christ foretould vs shoulde come in shéepe skinnes which as S. Augustine sayeth shal pretend to be very good shéepe and frendes to Christ and to his shéepefould and yet with Christ his owne wordes they shal teach you to denye Christ to teare the shéepefould in péeces and to disperse the shéepe Nay they shal sleye more soules with the word then euer Tyrantes did with the sword Agayne S. Austin proueth at large in an other place that Hereticks are those Antechristes of whom S. Iohn spake when he sayd That manye Antichristes are nowe gonne out meaning of Symon Magus Cerinthus and other Heretickes of his time Of which Antichrists he sayeth that S. Paul did pronounce that terrible saying that they weare The men of Sinne the Children of destruction As who would say that albeit all other noughtye men weare inwrapped with the guilt of sinne and of their owne destruction yet those men aboue al others for ther eminēt wickednes were properlye to be called the men of sinne and in respect of their heynous sinne of slayeinge of soules and the heauye sentence abyding them for the same they were peculierlye to be called the Children of perdition and damnation This therefore being soe that the déepe displeasure of God and his heauy hand hangeth more ouer the heads of Hereticks and Schismaticks then ouer any other people in the world
with the knowen and professed enemye of Christ and speaking soe contumelyouslye of him of whom al antiquitye in Christ his Church hath thought and spoken soe reuerently callinge him The hygh Preist of the Church The Bishoppe of the Vniuersal Church The Pastor of the Church The iudg of matters of faith The repurger of heresies The examiner of all bishopps causes And finallye the great Preist in obeying whom all Vnitye consisteth and by disobeyinge of whom all Heresies and Schismes aryse Secondlye it is blasphemous for that they praye to be delyuered from Papistrye meaninge thereby the Catholique and onelye trewe religion by the which all men are to be saued Thirdlye because they singe it and make other simple men to singe it in the beginning of sermons and otherwise as though it were scripture it selfe and one of Dauids psalmes Fourthly albeit the Protestantes seruice had not al this euil in it as it hath yet were it nought because it hath not in it those good things which Christian seruice should haue For seruice maye be euil as wel for hauing too litle as for hauing to much As the seruice of the Arrians was for singing Glorie to the Father and not singinge the same to the Sonne And as if a man shoulde recyte his Créede and leaue out one article as in effecte the Protestantes doe the article of discention into hel al the whole Créede were nought thereby Nowe how many thinges doe want in the Protestantes seruice which should be in Christian seruice it were to longe in euery poynte to rehearse yet wil I for examples sake name two or thrée thinges First therefore they haue lefte out the chéefest and heyghest thinges of al which is the blessed 〈◊〉 of Christ his Bodye and Bloud appoynted by Christ to be offered vp euerye day for thankes geuinge to God for obtayninge of grace and auoiding of al euil and for the remission of sinnes both of quicke and dead as with one consent the Fathers of the Primatiue Church doe affirme The which Sacrifice being away noe Christian seruice can be sayed to be there For so much as for this cause were ordayned preists nether can there any be called Preist but in respecte of this Sacrifice Also in respect of this sacrifice were Christian Churches called temples for this Sacrifice were made Aulters for an Aulter is the place of Sacrifice euen as an armorye is the place where armour is For this Sacrifice was Preistes apparell made Uestments Sensors Frankensence and the lyke in the Prymatyue Church Whereof all the Fathers Councells and historyes doe speake so muche The second thinge which the Protestants seruice leaueth out is noe lesse then six of the seuen Sacramentes which the Catholique seruice of God doth vse for as for their communion it can be no Sacramēt as they doe vse it The commoditie of which Sacraments in the Churche saint Augustine saythe That it is greater then can be expressed and therfore the contempte of them is nolesse then sacriledge because saythe he that can not be contemned without impietie without the helpe of which no man can haue pietie And for this cause in an other place he sayth That the contemnours of visible Sacraments can by no menes inuisiblye be sanctified The thirde thing that the Protestants seruice leaueth out is all the ceremonies of the Catholique Churche of the which the ould auncient Fathers and Councels doe saye these thrée things First that they are to be had in greate reuerence and to be contemned of no man Secondlye that they are to be learned by tradition and that manye of them are receaued by the tradition of the Apostles Lastlye that they whiche doe ether condemne despise or wilfullye omyt these cerimonies are excomunicated I myghte here adde manye other thinges as leauinge out prayers for the dead being as the Fathers holde one of the chéefest functions of a Priest Also for hauing their seruice in an other order language then y e vniuarsal church vseth But this is sufficient For if they leaue out of their seruice both Sacryfice Sacraments and all ecclesiasticall cerymonics I know not what good thing they haue lefte besides a fewe bare woordes of Scripture euil translated and woorse applyed which they reade there Seinge therfore their seruice is such it is a sufficient cause to make al Catholiques to auoyde it THE Eyght Reason THE Eyght Reason of refusal which maye now be yéelded why a Catholyque maye not come to the Protestantes Churches is because by going thither he shal lose al the benefit of his owne religion nether shal he take any more commoditye therby then if he were not of that religion at al. This is a very greate wayghtie and most sufficient reason to be yelded by Catholiques in Englande to their Princes for their refusal of comminge to Churche and such a one as beinge sufficiently conceyued by her Maiestie cannot but satysfie her Highnes and greatlye drawe her to compassion of the pyttifull case of soe manye thowsands of her louinge subiectes whoe beinge as I haue sayde Catholiques in hartes by goinge to Protestantes Churches must néedes bee brought ether to flat athisme that is to leaue of all conscience and to care for no relygion at all as manye thousand séeme to be resolued to doe or els to lyue in contynuall torment of mynde and almoste desperation considering that by theyr goinge to these Churches they lose vtterlye all vse and practise of theyr owne relygion being helde as schismatiques and excomunicate persons of the same and their case such that if they shoulde dye in the same state they were sure to receaue no parte of benefit of that relygion no more then if they had bene protestantes The which what a danger it is all true Christian men doe both knowe and feare But yet that the simpler sorte maye better vnderstande it and the wyser better consider of it I wil in particuler repeate some of the abouesayde dommages First therfore a Catholique by going to the Protestants Churches looseth all participation of that blessed Sacrifice of the bodye and blood of oure Sauiour appoynted by the sayde Sauiour as I haue shewed before to be offered vp daylye in the oblation of the Masse for the commoditie of the whole worlde quick and dead and for that cause as the godlye and learned saynt Iohn Chrisostome sayth Called the common Sacrifice of the whole world The which action of offering of this sacred Hosre the Sonne of God to his Father is of such dignitye excellencie and merit not only to the Priest but also to the standers by 〈◊〉 him as all the other good woorkes which a man can doe in his lyfe are not to be compared with it séeing that the verye Angels of heauen doe come downe at that tyme to adore after the 〈◊〉 that sacred Bodye and to offer the