of the end of Simon Magus quell their presumption Thankes be vnto God the Religious lawes of this land hath so prouided for them let them therefore beware least ayming at the one vnaduisedly they be caught vp by the other deseruedly yea ineuitably for Quod non capit Christus rapit fiscus I aduise them to be content with their entertainment at Rome in the Temple of Dea Cloacina whither being dispelled by our Church tanquam faeces et stercara they haue betaken themselues euen to their vltimum refugium A fit Cage for such vncleane Birdes You expect a Reward for your pride for your pride I say which begat in you Apostacie for had you beene wise vnto Sobriety and thought that of your selues which was meete as your Brethren did you had neuer forsaken vs you know what that Truth whom you haue forsaken saith That His Spirit shall rest Super humilem et quietum et tremeniem Esay 66. Sermones eius Euen vpon him that is poore in Spirit and of a contrite heart and that trembleth at his words So that the Spirit of verity dwelleth in the humble mind but hee forsaketh the Truth of necessity that despiseth humility What wilt thou then say that this seuerity is iniury remember also what thou hast done against Christ and thou shalt finde thy punishment farre more light then thy offence Let St. Cyprian expostulate the matter with thee Quod maius potest esse delictum aut quae macula deformior quam aduerseis Christum stetisse Lib. 2. Epist 1. What greater offence can there be or what fouler crime then to take armes against Christ then to ruinate his Church which hee hath purchased and built with his owne blood then to forget the peace and loue of the Gospel and to make warre with furious hostility against the quiet louing and peacefull people of God In which respect the Canonist said well Non debemus dimittere in vltum opprobrium illius qui probra nostra deleuit We must not leaue his disgrace vnpunished Host Sum. de Haeret. cap. qua poeâ—a feriatur who blotted out our shame Remember what thou hast done against his Church which he so tendereth that hee reputeth that iniurie which is done vnto it as committed against himselfe It is crimen publicum a publike offence against all for that which is committed against the Truth of the Gospell of Cod. Tit. Man chaeos Christ in omnium fertur iniuriam is an offence against all Christ his Members Remember I say what thou hast done against Christ his people who being scandalized by thy departure haue gone out after thee being seduced by thee and being preuented by death haue happily dyed out of the Church without the communication and peace of the same whose Soules shall be required in the day of Indgement at thy hands who hast beene Author and cause of their destruction In consideration of which praemisses I may inferre this conclusion with Augustine in the like case Qua propter Iniquum put are noli si perpetuo reijciaris Initio Statim lib. de vtilit credendi Wherefore do not think thy self vniustly oppressed if thou be reiected for euer from the execution of that sacred function But suppose the Church should open the bosome of her Piety to cherish thee wouldest thou not like the vngratefull Serpent power forth thy poyson into her bowels to her destruction Pardon my Iealoussy in this case for it is not causlesse I may well vsurpe the saying of the great Father in the same case of his time Quotidie cernimus rebus probamus Jeroni in princip cap. 3. in fiue cap. 12. Ierem quod ideo Haeretici fidei simulent veritatem vt simplices quosque decipiant non ipsi conuertantur ad fidem sed fideles trahant adinfidelitatem Wee see dayly and proue it true by experience that HÄ™retickes dissemble their returne to the true Faith but onely that they may deceiue the simple credulous people they come not as true Conuerts themselues but onely to drawe the faithfull to Infidelity And there is no man so silly but will confesse with Bernard That a counterfeit close HÄ™reticke is farre more pestilent then a professed HÄ™reticke Mine owne obseruation in sundry of this sort maketh me bolde to vrge that rule of the Law in this case Semel malus semper praesumitur esse malus hee that hath once played the traytor with Christ and his Church will neuer bee true I haue often grieued to see the clemency of the Church abused by them and now I can containe my felfe in silence no longer but that I must cry out with Cyprian Illud mirandum est imo indignandum potius dolendum Lib. 1. Epist 6. Christianos Antichristis assistere It is a stronge yea a hatefull rather and lamentable case that Christians should assist Antechrist and that those who decline from the Faith and are traytors to the Church should in the Church stand vp against the Church For the prÄ™uention of which mischiefe which might ensue vpon such Diabolicall treachery the rule of St. Basill was in auntient times practised in the Church vpon such persons In Latinis ea est Epist 72. as followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them declare their penitence vnder the handwriting and that they abhorre Hereticks and that they are truely seperated from them The like course also was vsed and continued in succeeding Ages as is apparant in the Decrees collected by Gratian. 1. quest 7. Let Cyprian determine this point Wee Decree saith hee by consent and common Authority that if any Priest or Deacon who before receiued Sacred Lib. 2. Epist 1. Orders in the Catholicke Church and after stand out as Traytors and Rebels against the Church or receiue prophane Ordination among Hereticks from false Bishops and Antechrists contrary to the Order set downe by Christ and there offer vp false and sacrilegious Sacrifices If they returne home againe let them bee receiued on this Condition Vt communicent Laici to liue in the Church as Laymen and let them thinke themselues louingly dealt withall that they are admitted to the peace of the Church who before were enemyes of Peace nor ought they at their returne retaine those ensignes of Priesthood and honour among vs with which they haue rebelled against vs. But if the Religion and Doctrine of the Romanists be Blasphemy the Sinne of those who embrace the same seemeth to bee little lesse then hauing before professed the Truth and beene secured thereof is Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost nor can they excuse it by saying they beleeue in the Creed and professe Christ their case you shall see resembled in an authenticall History Mauia Queene of the Sarazens inuaded and destroyed certaine Townes of Palestine and Arabia in the Territories Secrat lib. 4. Eccl. hist cap. 29. of the Roman Empire nor would condiscend to Peace vnlesse that Moses a Sarazen who led a
they reuile the Spirit of Grace Verse codem And at length as open Enemies to Christ and his Truth they manifest it in Action Treading the Sonne of God vnder Ibid their feete saith the Apostle And although the Sinne against the Holy Ghost bee the Speaking of a word against him yet it causeth no doubt in this point For a man may speake diuersly * Caictan in CoÌ„ ad 2â— 2 Aquin. quest 13. Art 1. saith one Optatiue in heart Enunciatiue vocally Imperatiue wilfully compelling other to the like This appeared in Iultan the Apostata Hee * Socrat. lâ—br 3. Eccl. hist cap. 1. secretly detested CHRIST and imitated the Religion of Libanius the Sophist and Maximus the Philosopher his Masters at Nicomedia Secondly hee vsually termed Christ in contempt Galilaean bellowing forth euen at his Death also this Blasphemy * Theodo lib. 3. Eccl. hist cap. 25 Vicifti Galilaee thou hast vanquished mee Galilaean And lastly being enraged by the Christians of Antiochiae at the * Russin libr. 1. Eccles hist cap. 35.36 fetching home from Daphne the Corpes of Babilas the Martyr whose propinquity silenced their Oracle for that they sang with Ioy and exultation Let all bee confounded that worship carued Images He resolued to imitate the cruelty of Diocletian against the Christians commaunding Salustius his President in the meane time to torture those who did sing at that time And among other they afflicted * Socrat. vbi suâ—ra cap. 16. 17. Theodorus a young man with paines most cruell and of long continuance This is the condition of the persidious Apostata for as when the life of the Body is taken away all the Members are depriued of their due disposition So when the life of the Soule which is Faith as the Apostle saith is extinguished there appeareth a disorder in all the powers and faculties of Rom. 1. the same and the Members of the Body In the Heart which conceiueth hate against God In the mouth which blasphemeth him In the Motiue Instruments which persecute him So that the wordes of Salomon are verified of him Prouerb 6. Virnequam or Apostata as the vulgar translation soundeth it ambulat peruerso ore c. The wicked Apostate walketh with a froward mouth He maketh a signe with his eyes hâ—e signifieth with his fingers leude thinges are in his heart hee imagineth Euill at all times and raiseth vp Contentions and his Iudgement is annexed Therefore shall his destruction come sodainly without recouery To deny him were with the Greekes to repute him foolishnes and argueth damnable pride To renounce him whose seruice would yeeld thee a Kingdome aeternall were monstrous Ingratitude But if farther thou doest calumniate and reuile him Opprobriously and falsely either by vniust Detraction or imputation or labour to ruinate his Kingdome by persecution thou art a Blasphemer and Sinnest against the Holy Ghost The Subiect of this Sinne The Will Wilfully MAN being created by GOD * Benanent Brâ—uiloâ— pt 3. Cap. 1. Vt ageret opera sua a Deo secundum Deum propter Deum to performe his actions by the power of Gods might according to the Direction of his wisedome and to the aduancement of his Glory had for the full and perfect execution hereof his Soule endowed with three principall faculties termed by the School-men Actuum humanorum principia Aquin. 12. â— quâ—sâ— 78. art 1. Compend Thâ—olâ—â— lâ—b 2. Cap. 49. The first is Voluntas the Will by Albertus termed Imperuâ—ix potentia the commaunding power The Second Intellectus the vnderstanding termed Consultrix potentia the aduising or directing power The Third Appeâ—itus sensitiuus the Appetite Sensitiue termed Affectiua potentia the desiring power The Will was giuen as a powerfull Potentate to conforme the whole Man to the will of his Maker But forasmuch as this could not bee effected vnlesse the will of God were first made knowne vnto her therefore the Vnderstanding was giuen to enlighten with the manifest knowledge of the first Truth and the Vertue appetitiue which could not bee satisfied but with the perfect loue of the chiefe Good But through Adams Sinne the powers of the Soule were so peruerted and crazed Euen as an Instrument of Musick which when it is crackt and out of Tune in steed of sweete Melody annoyeth the Eare with harsh sound Hence commeth it to passe that the Will before so potent in her command and absolute in Dominion ouer Spirituall and Carnall concupiscence findeth in her kingdome so many Contradictions Rebellions Conflictations Contrarieties and Oppositions Briefely herselfe to bee infected with Malice prone vnto euill ouer-ruled by Sensuality and therby drawne vnto Carnall desires The Vnderstanding which was so prudent an informing Counsailour vnto the will is so blinded with Ignorance that it cannot discerne the Truth but is quickly deceiued and prone vnto Error And the Appetite Sensitiue before a prouident and faithfull Subiect is now infected with Infirmity and concupiscence rebellious against reason and inclining vnto all manner of euill kindling in vs an vncessant desire to Sinne. All whatsoeuer Sinnes proceed from a corruption in one of these principall faculties Sometime by default of the Vertue Appetitiue when we fall into Sinnes through Infirmity and notwithstanding all our resistance wee cannot fully auoyde them but with Humiliation wee acknowledge them and accuse our selues for the Commission Sometime by default of vnderstanding when we incurre sinnes through error and commit euill because we thinke it to be good being deceiued by the vayle of a false opinion which causeth in vs deniall of those sinnes Sometime by default of the will when we commit sinnes of meere iniquity knowing them being able to resist them and yet of purpose committing them with contumacie in the commission contempt of God in the transgression and impudence in the factitation of them Such are said to be sinnes of malice In which sence the word wilfully is vsed in my Text and so much the Greeke Aduerbe soundeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluntarily wittingly and of set purpose without any compulsion And in this sence Aquine expoundeth the Latine word voluntary in my Text for the deliberate malice of the will distinguishing it from volens which signifieth a seduction through passion without obstinacie For a man may sinne in blasphemy against God by feare compulsion and constraint drawne vnto it by the infirmity of the flesh which declineth the horrour of torments as did St. * Tom. 1. concil conc Synuessae Peter and Marcellinus Bishop of Rome and many other in the Primitiue Church who notwithstanding did after repent and became glorious Martyrs of whom saith that glorious Martyr * Cyprian Ser. de Lapsis Bishop of Carthage Non animus sed corpus in dolore defecit the flesh fainted but their heart did not vtterly faile vnder those tortures Or thus may a man sinne of ignorance as many of the Iewes did when they passed by Christ and nodded
quasi Salem insipidum pedibus conculcate tread mee like vnfauourie Salt vnder your feete Into any of these may the Naturall man fall through Infirmity of the flesh or ignorance in the vnderstanding But that a Christian who hath once tasted of the sweet Mercies of the Lord embraced the Gospell certified his conscience thereof and reioyced therein should notwithstanding after despise it reiect it persecute it in heart in word in act not through infirmity nor by ignorance but of meere malice against God to censure such as I am not able Vincit officium linguae sceleris magnitudo It is a Sinne vnspeakeable For seeing it is true of Christ Pro omnibus quae tribuisti Chrysost apud Bonau lib. de grad virt nobis O Christe nihil aliud petis quam saluari hoc ipsum tribuens et acciâ—ientibus gratias agens for all the good things that thou hast giuen vs O Christ thou crauest at our hands no other reward then that we would vouchsafe to be saued by thee both giuing vs Saluation and thanking vs also that we will receiue it Is not he then deseruedly permitted to slaughter his owne soule who is cruell to himselfe yea Enemie to loue himselfe because he would haue vs saued The consideration whereof moued Policarpus that holy Bishop of Smyrna when he was exhorted and commaunded to blaspheme Christ to disdaine his owne life and to answere the Proconsull in these tormes Fourescore and sixe Euseb lib. 4. â—ccles hist cap. 15. yeares haue I serued him and hitherto hath he hurt me in nothing and how can I then Maledicere Regimeâ— qui me seruabit Blaspheme my King who saued me We liue in a colde age wherein the Soules of men are benummed hauing no sparke of Deuotion vnstable and Irreligious as ready to fall downe to Baall as to the true God of Israell yea to forsake CHRIST and to worship Antechrist How lightly doe men esteeme the Sinne of Apostacy from the Gospell it appeareth by the multitude of those who dayly passe away from vs to Popery and those not onely of the base and Ignorant sort who like the Iew in the Historian passe from one Sect to another Vt multas corradant pecunias Socrat. lib. 7. Eccl. hist 17. In hope of gaine to enrich themselues thereby But of the Learned and those who know the Law of God yea the Sonnes of Leui betray the Temple they who should present other vnto Christ flye themselues from Christ and rayle at the Holy one of Israell But if their malice against Man make them take Armes against GOD their state is damnable like Tertullian who at the first ouerthrew the Blaspemies of Heretickes by his writings Velut quibusdam fulminibus as it were with so many thunderbolts yet in the end to auenge himselfe of the Vâ—ncent Lyr. cont haer cap. 24 Roman Clergie hee fell away from the Truth to Montanisme Ambitious Spirits impatient of the aduancement of persons more worthy then themselues perfidiously flye to the Tents of Antechrist where they may open their mouthes vnto Blasphemy against God to Blaspheme his Name and Apocalips 13. his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heauen Thinke you it a small matter to make a mocke of the Gospell by Cauponizing the Scriptures to palliat your Cauterized Consciences like Arrius that wretch who broached his pestilent Blasphemy against Christ of meere malice because that good Alexander was worthily elected Theodor. lib. 1. hist Eccl. cap. 2. Bishop of Alexandria before him The Church is happily deliuered of such Monsters and though shee be Pia Misericors Mater glad to receiue her lost Children louingly yet such proue for the most part vnnaturall and dispise her and returne not with a minde to persist like Ecebolius whom the Church had twice receiued but as hee was light and vnconstant at the first Sic quoque postea permansit so hee continued to the end saith the Socrat. vbi supra de codem History I say not that such commit that Sinne against the Holy Ghost but this Christ saith Hee that is not with mee is against me And this I say Hee that flyeth to the Tents of Math. 12. Antechrist and speaketh and writeth matters against the suggestion of his owne Conscience tending to the dishonour of Christ and his Gospell persecuting that Truth in other which they professe secretly in themselues such cannot be free from this Sinnc yea this Sinne in them is Inchoatum begun they being Haeretici scientes witting Heretickes and Oâ—kam Dialog lib. 4. part 1. Cap. 3. are no better then their reprobate Father Balaam who louing the reward of Iniquity gaue councell how the people of Israell might bee drawne no offend God forgetting what hee Prophesied before and what hee had heard from Num. 22. God accounting all for nothing that hee might satisfie his owne couetous minde Wherefore should not the Apostates in this Age receiue the like Censure which the Church in her first and second Primatiue and all other estates inflicted vpon base reuolters and that with strict Seuerity That is that No Clergy Dist So. cap. Sâ—cerâ—los ex Augustino man of what estate soeuer hauing once fled away to the Aduersary and returned againe to the Church Ad Clericatum redeat vel in Clero permaneat Should execute that holy Function or not rather be degraded from the same This was St. Augustine his censure for meaner crimes prouoked by the zeale of Gods house to this rigorous Discipline But when presently after hee censureth weightier offences vnder an Indefinite terme wherein hee includeth A temporary Apostacy of an ambitious minde intending a seeming panitentiall returne to the end hee might bee congratulated by the Church with high preferment as it appeareth by his wordes He peremptorily saith Hoc sacri Canones irrecuperabiliter deijoiunt Such are degraded without any hope of restauration to their Priestly Function So that he seuerely determined Vt post actam paenitentiam de damnabili crimine nemo sit Clericus Notwithstanding their Pennance such was their crime that they might not regaine the vse of their Priesthood This Censure was stoutly executed against Arrius by Socrat. lib. 1. Eccl. hist Cap. 20. that inuincible Champion of Christ his Church renowned Athanasius that vndanted Bishop of Alexandria notwithstanding the menacing Letters of the Emperours directed vnto him in the behalfe of Arrius for his restauration into the Church vnto whom hee would in no wise condiscend Signifying vnto Constantine likewise by Letters that it could not bee Vt illi qui fidem irritam fecissent quibusque ab Ecclesia Anathema esset denunciatum tanquam post liminio redeuntes gradum suum recuperarent That they who had once renounced their Faith and receiued an Anathema from the Church should receiue their Degree againe in the Church returning home againe as perfidious Fugitiues Nor was this seuerity newly then practised in the Church for Cyprian himselfe that glorious
Martyr whose singuler lenity appeareth in his Impugning the austerity of the Nouatians who would admit none into the Church who was once fallen in persecution though through infirmity writeth thus of the Admission of reuolters after the penitentiall reuersion Satis est talibus reuertentibus veniam dari non tamen debet in domo fidei perfidia permanere Lib. 2. Epist 2. â—d Stâ—ph Let it suffice those Apostates that at their returne they receiue pardon of their offence nor let them expect to inioy their former office of Priesthood in the Church because of their perfidious Excursion For what shall wee reserue for the Good Innocent and those who haue constantly persisted in the Church if we honour those who haue gone out from vs and rebelled against the Church Of Trophinus the Priest who fled but onely to the Nouations who were rather Schismaticks then Heretickes this is his censure After Conference saith hee with other Bishops held Trophimus was receiued but the rather because many Brethren Lib. â— Epist 2. ad Anton. who were gone out from vs returned againe with him yet so was hee admitted Vt Laycus communicet to conuerse in the Church as a Layman Non quasi loâ—um Sacerdotis vsurpet and not to execute the Office of a Priest yet would hee not assent that they should bee so receiued Ante Exomologesim publicam ante peractam publice paenitentiam cum satisfactione ante manum ab Episcopo vniuerso Lib. 3. Epist 1â— clero in paenitentiam lapsis impositam Before publicke confession made before publicke pennance done with satisfaction before the Bishop and Clergy had laide their handes on them to receiue them as penitents Hee most eagerly rebuketh it and most exactly prohibiteth the Eucharist to be administred vnto such or offered vp for them Of such saith Constantinus Bishop of Cyprus in the 1 quest 7. cap. conuâ—nientibus Councell of Melda Si quis sponte ad Haeriticos vadit accipit ordinationem non recipiatur If any one who before was an Orthodoxall Christian goe out vnto Hereticks and receiueth Orders at their hands let him not vpon his penitentiall returne home againe bee receiued into the Church as a Priest Tharasius the Patriarch accordeth in the next place and the holy Synode concludeth Hoc est iustum iudicium this is iust Iudgement Certaine it is that Clergy and Laity were lyable in auncient times to a fourefold punishment viz. Archidiac ex Goff in Sum. de haeret punit To Excommunication to Deposition from Orders or other Dignity Confiscation of their goods and lastly to military Persecution and to bee deliuered ouer to the Secular power No lesse or greater Seuerity was extended against Apostates by the ancient Decrees of Christian Emperors They Cod. lib. 1. tit 10 Si quis lege 3. Hi qui Sanctam confiscated their Goods they were depriued of the ordinary ciuill Priuiledges of Christians they might not succeed in Inheritance or bee made heyres of the Goods or Lands of their Parents they were banished into most remote Territories they were neuer to returne backe nor to recouer their former Priuiledges Nec flagitium horum obliter abitur paenitentia nor shall their foule offence bee put away by their pÄ™nitence or bee smoothed ouer with any cunning shadow of defence for those who haue fallen through infirmity or Error they receiued vpon their repentance but as for those wicked ones Qui fidâ—m quam Deo dedicauerint polluerint qui prodentes Vide glossani ib. diuinum mysterium in prophana migrauerint qui sanctum Baptisma prophanarunt ijs nullo remedio penitentiae que solet alijs criminibus adess sâ—ccurritur For those I say who haue falsified their Faith before dedicated to God who betraying the Sacred mysteries of Christianity haue passed to prophane Heresie who haue prophaned their holy Baptisme they can haue no remedy by repentance as other kinde of offenders receiue They might not make a Will or Testament they might neither sell or bequeath ought but their Goods were bestowed Apostatarum on the next of their kindred that were Christians and that by the Law If any Master should seduce vnto Heresie any bond or Freeman by compulsion or perswasion Cum dispendio fortunarum Eum quicunque capite pumendem esse censâ—mus they censured him Eos qui Cathol to forfeit his Goods and his Life which Law I doe wish were in force among vs now also Clergymen and Moncks who forsooke the Orthodoxall Faith and imbraced the Heresie and abhominable opinions of Apollinaris or Eutiches were lyable to all the forenamed punishments and moreouer were banished out the Roman Territories In these prÄ™cedent Authorities wee hehold the practise of the Church in former Ages against Apostaticall Ministers the effect whereof is as followeth That what Priest soeuer went out from the Church and Ioyned himselfe with Heretickes but after renouncing his Heresie returned with a true penitent Heart which God seldome granteth vnto such kinde of persons yet notwithstanding hee could not bee admitted to the execution of his function in the Church againe The which were they in force in these dayes among vs Rom should haue little cause hereafter to boast of the increase of her trayterous Proselites and the people who are like so many silly Sheepe would be lesse scandalized and more safe from the danger of these bloody Romish rauening Wolues who spare no cost or trauaile to Inuite them to relinquish the charge committed to their fidelity that vpon their departure and in their absence they may enter vpon the slocke to scatter and deuoure it And because barking Dogs are most necessary for their prÄ™seruation Therefore the Wolfe laboureth with all his craft to enter league with the Dog that he may ioyne with him and cause him to reenter vpon them to their vtter destruction Such was the purpose of the Macedonian Prince when hee demaunded tenne of the chiefe Orators of the A henians of which number Demosthenes should bee one on which condition hee promised to raise his siedge It seemed but a small request in respect of the prÄ™seruation of the whole Citty but Demosthenes the Prince of his profession who well foresaw what the euent would proue discouered the damage in this subsequent parable The Wolues said vnto the Shepheards the onely cause of strife betweene you and vs are the Dogs therefore to end the Plutarch quarrell giue vs your Dogs and wee will be friends which being performed the Shepheards afterward being fallen a sleepe the Wolues rusht in securely and deuoured cruelly and in great aboundance And no maruaile seeing the Dog which should haue giuen warning of their approach by barking and haue repelled or destroyed them by byting was at that time absent and out of the way So if the Ministers whom the holy Scriptures in this respect resembleth vnto Dogs depart from the people committed to their charge The aduersary hath free Ingresse left