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
yeald to vse any of these thinges he should sinne greauouslye and in effect deny his fayth And as for the first if he should professe him selfe to be a Iew it is euident that he denyeth thereby his christianitye And as for the other two wayes it cannot be denyed for the circumcysinge of thy children and the wearinge of a yeallow cappe doth as playnely in that countrey tel men that thou art a Iew as if thou didest proclaime it at the market euen as the bush at the tauerne doore doth tel the goeers by that there is wyne to be sould within But now that the goeinge to Church is in the realme of England a playne and an apparaunt signe of a Schysmatyque that is to saye of a conformable man as they call him to the protesrants proccdings it is manyfestly to be 〈◊〉 First by the commandement to goe to Church euery holyday to here seruice and by the 〈◊〉 of the same commaundement For that it is the commaunders meaning by that acte as by a proper signe to haue men shew themselues cōformable to that relygion it cannot be denyed For otherwise to what ende are they commaunded vppon such dayes and at such a certayn tyme and for suche a purpose to goe thither Agayn it is proued by the exaction of this lawe For when a Catholick doth come before the Commissioners ther is nothing asked of him but when he was at Church and if he wil promise to goe to Church commonly they account him a sufficient conformable man y t is to haue yelded sufficiētly vnto them Furthermore the multitude of thē which haue of long tyme abydden imprisonment and nowe in greter nūber doe for this only thing in the sight and knowledge not only of Ingland but also of al Christendome and of the enemies of the same in the world besids doth make this abstayninge from Churche to be a proper and peculier signe 〈◊〉 a true Catholque nowe if it were not before and the yealding in the same especially if a man be called to publique tryal about it to be a flat and euident denyinge of God and of his faith For what doth make a thing to be a proper and peculier signe but the iudgment and opinion of men The bush of the tauerne is a signe of wyne because men commonly take it soe In lyke mannèr the yelow bonet of a Iew the yelow torbant of a Turke and the lyke Euen soe seing the whole world at this day doth take the absteyning from protestātes Churches to be the only external signe of a trew Catholike and seing the protestātes them selues doe make it soe also seing that the going to Church is the contrarye signe it foloweth that if going to Church were of it selfe before lawful it were now made by this a peculier signe distinctiue betwixt religion and religion and soe vtterly vnlawful I wil put an example of the Primatiue Church wherin the wearing of a garland was lawful for al souldiers vntil the Emperours and the common opinion of men had abrydged it onelye to infidel souldiers to distinguish them thereby in honour from Christian souldiers Aud then after that as Tertullian prouethe it was noe longer lawful for Christian souldiers to weare them for that the wearing thereof was a denyal of the Christian faith Wherevpon we reade that a certayne Christian souldier offered him selfe rather to suffer death then to weare one of them as appeareth in the same booke of Tertullian Bnt now much more is the thing vnlawfnl in our case For that the going to the Protestants Churches which a Catholicke must presume to be heretical was neuer a thing of it self lawful as I wil hereafter proue which the wearing of a garland was and therfore much lesse now to be tollerated séeing besides this it is also made a signe distinctiue as I haue alredye proued The Fourth Reason THE fourthe cause whye a Catholique maye not goe to the Church is because it is Schisme and breaking of the vnitie of the Catholick church The which howe perillous and dreadefull a thinge it is all Catholickes doe sufficientlye knowe For as they firmelye beléeue that to oppugne the visible knowen Church of Christe as all 〈◊〉 contynuallye doe is a very wicked and damnable sinne Euen soe in lyke maner they beléeue that to breake the Unitiye of the same Church and to make anye rent or disunion in the same which is the proper fault of Schismatykes is also damnable For the which cause S. Paul doth so diligently request the Corinthians to auoyd Schismes saying I beseeche you brethrē by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you al say one thing and that ther be no schismes amongst you And to the 〈◊〉 Be you careful to kepe vnitie of spirite in the bonde of peace The which Unitie Christ him selfe expresseth more particulerly and more distinctly when he 〈◊〉 of his Father That his Christians might be one as he and his father were one that is to say that as he and his father did agrée in al their actions and what soeuer the one did the other also did So in his Church there should be one only forme of beléefe one forme of seruice one forme of Sacramētes and the lyke euen as ther is according to Paul one Baptisme on bread on faith one Church one Christ one Lord one body one Heauen on hope of reward the breaking of which vnitie of the Church of God hath bene alwayes accompted a most greauous and damnable offence For as Ireneus a most Auncyent and godly father sayeth They which cut and disseuer the Vnitye of the Church shal haue the same punnishment that Ieroboam had This punishment we know to haue bene the vtter distruction and extirpation of him and al his name But other Fathers doe eraggerrate this sinne farther For S. Augustine in his booke which he made of the Unitye of the Church sayeth thus Who soe-euer doe agree to al the holy Scriptures towching the head of the church which is Christ and yet doe not communicate with the Vnitye of the Church they are not in the Church And a little after he expouudethe what he meaneth by communicating with the Unitye of the Church which is That theyr communion be with the whole bodye of Christ his Church dispersed ouer the whole world and not with any one part seperate or els it is manifest that they are not saithe he in the Catholique Churche Now S. Cyprian in his booke of the Simplicytie of prelates or vnytie of the Churche goeth further for he proueth that if a man dyd lyue neuer soe vertuously otherwyse naye if he shoulde geue his lyfe and shedd his bloode for Christe yet if he were out of the vnytie of the Churche he coulde not be saued for that as he saythe This spot or sinne the breakinge of the vnytie of the Churche can not be washed awaye with any bloode
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
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
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
As for example by causing a man to yelde a litle against his cōscience to goe once to Church to staye but a litle there to haue Seruice in his owne house or the lyke In the which if a man might say as cōmonlye they doe say in euil meats that a litle wil doe but a litle hurte it were more tollerable But séeing the matter standeth as it doth in poysons wherof euerye litle drāme wil be thy bane No maruel though men shewe them selues more scrupulous Heare the iudgment of a whole cleargye in the Primatiue Church alleaged by S. Cypriā y e Martyr of Christ. Wheras the whol mistery of faith is vnderstood to cōsist in the cōfessing of the name of Christ he that hath sought false sleightes for excuse thereof hath now denyed it he that wil seeme to haue fulfilled such statutes lawes as are set fourth against the gospel in so doing he hath obeied thē in very deed For as much as he would haue it seeme that he hath obeyed them Héere you sée now al dissemblinge of our faith takē for denying our faith and al séeminge to be condemned for doinge The which that ould valiant champiō of God Eliazarus ful wel knew when he rather chose to dye then to séeme to eate a péece of flesh albeit he did it not in déede contrarye to the lawe of God And the reason he geaueth for it is this It is not fit for our age to fayne O good Eliazarus if it were not fit for thy age to fayne or dissemble in matters of religiō what shall we say of our age wherein for many respectes we are more bounde to confesse our Lord and master and his Catholicke religion then thow werte For that we haue receaued more benefits at his hands aud haue séene how he confessed vs before his enemies and ours and could not be brought by anye feare or torment to deny vs. But wel ther wil be wicked men and dissembling Christians stil Yet notwithstāding Gods law must stande set downe by Christ his owne mouth He that shal blush or be ashamed of me my sayings of him shal the sonne of man be ashamed whē he shal come in his maiestye and in the maiestye of his Father and of his holy Angels He doth not onely say if we doe deny him but if we do blush or be ashamed to confesse him which cōside ration made the Apostles and other seruāts of Christ so peremptorily to procéede in confessinge openlye their fayth with what daunger soeuer it were And S. Paul géeueth a reason of it when he sayeth Woe be vnto me except I doe preach the gospel That is except I confesse it except I let it forth what daunger bodelye soeuer come thereof And in the actes of the Apostles the high Preists and magistrats commaunded not the Apostles to be of their religion nor yet to come to their seruice in their sinagogues but onely to hould their peace And that they should not speake or teache any more in the name of Iesus But y t Apostles vtterly denied to obeye y t cōmaundemēt in y t chapter folowing being takē again for not obeing wer asked in opē iudgmēt by y t magistrats We cōmāded you straightly to teach no more in this name and how chanseth it that you haue filled al Ierusalem with this doctrine And Pecter answered with the reste of the Apostles We must rather obey God then men As whoe shoulde saye that if they should haue granted to dissemble and not to speake openly they should haue denyed God in obeying men more then him What if the high Priests and Magistrates should haue sayde vnto them well we are content that you liue with youre Conscience soe you kepe it to your selues trouble not the state and soe that you will for obedience sake some tyme come to onre Sinagogues shewing your selues conformable men to oure procedinges Nay what if they shoulde haue sayd Some of you also for outward shewe keping alwayes your Consciences to your selues must flée this odious name of Christians and seme to cōmunicate nowe and then with vs in our Sacrifices and cerymonies we are content also that sōe of you shalbe our officers and Justices of peace Coūcellers and the like so that you wil somtimes for orders sake punish some of those indiscréete felowes of your religion which cannot be content to kepe their Consciences to them selues soe you wil alsoe geue some pretye sharpe charge in your circuites sessions and assemblies alwayes keping your Consciences to your selues if some of you also wil som times step vpp into the pulpet and speake thrée or fower ernest woordes against this religion it shal be verye gratful vnto vs espetially if you wil affirme it with an oth which we haue deuised for the same purpose and this doinge we assure you that you shal liue quietly to your owne Consciences we shal account you for good subiectes If I saye the Magistrates of Iurye at that tyme should haue geuen to the Apostels other Christians this swete charme you thinke that they could haue abidden to hear it al out whose hartes did rise and swel at two woords only that they spooke for the intreating of them to hould their peace And yet many a thousand now in England being as throughly perswaded in hart of y t trueth of the Catholique relygion as the Apostles other Christiās at y t time were of theirs are content notwithstanding to heare digest admit execute al or most parte of these things recited contrarie to the sayd religion And yet besids al this which is more to be wondred at they are not ashamed to perswade thē selues that they shal one day come to that glory wher in the Apostles now are But this is desperate presūption And therfor we sée what a iust cause this is for a Catholique to resuse to come to the churches of the contrary religion THE Seuenth Reason THE Seuenth Reason why a Catholick may not yeld to come the pro testantes churches is because the seruice which they vse is nought and dishonerable to God and therfore no man can cōe to it or heare it or seme to alow of it by his presēce without great offence to God Nether is it sufficient to say as cōmonly they vse to say to beguile simple people withal that it is the Scripture taken out of the Gospels Epistles Psalmes and the like For by that argument the Iewes seruice were good at this daye which is takē out of the ould Testement and al heretiques seruice thateuer was semed to be nothing but Scriptures For as S. Austen in diuers places noteth it was alwayes y e fashion of heretiks to haue Scripture in their mouthe to cleue only to Scriptures and to refuse traditions as inuentions of men And we reade of the arian heretiques how they were wont to singe
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
that thou shouldest be deceaued with that opiniō in such fort that thou shouldest ether by noughty shame or obstinate disdayne refrayne to confesse before the substitute or Vicegerent of our Lord. For whom our Lord did not disdayne to make his substiute his iudgemente must thow be contente also to stande to This benifit therefore of the keyes of the Church and of receauing remission of their sinnes by the same which Catholickes doe thincke to be the greatest benifit of their religiō do they loose that goe to the Protestants Churches besids al the good instructions wholesome councels and vertuous admonitions which Catholickes doe receaue in confession at their ghostly fathers hands then the which things they finde nothinge more forcible to bring them to good lyfe especially if they frequente it often as all 〈◊〉 Catholickes in the worlde nowe doe Fourthlye they loose the infinite benefite of receuing the blessed sacramēt of the aulter the pretious Body and Bloud of Christ being the foode of our soules and as Christ sayeth The bread that came downe from heuen to geue lyfe vnto the world To the worthye eating of which heauēly bread Christ promiseth infinite reward saying He that eateth my flesh and drincketh my bloud hath lyfe euerlasting and I wil rayse him againe at the last day And agayne He that eateth me shal lyue through me Upon which promises of Christ our forfathers of the Primatiue church haue alwayes most earnestlye exhorted al men to the often receauinge of this blessed sacrament alleaging innumerable cōmodities of y e same and prouing by experiēce that the frequēting of this Sacrament is the chéefeste meanes to come to al grace zeale féelinge and lyfe in spiritual matters And on the contrarye parte that the abstayninge from the same is the right way to al spiritual miserye and for the soule of man to wyther away drye vp and starue euen as the plant dothe that lacketh moysture The which we sée nowe by experience in manye a thousand who for lacke of the foode of this blessed Fountayne of grace are as dead in al spiritual cogitations and déedes as a starued stake in the hadge from bearing of flowers and their myndes so ouergrowen with the rancke wéedes of Carnalitye that there is noe difference betwixte them and a brute bullocke for as much the one foloweth his passions as the other Whereby we sée what a losse it is to depryue them selues from the vse of this Sacrament Fiftlye they loose al the merit of their good déedes what soeuer For as S. Gregorie sayeth Euen as none receaued their peny in the Gospel but they onely which had labored within the compasse of the Vineyarde soe no man shal receaue any reward for any good deede of his except he haue donne it within the vnitye of the Church So that if a man should doe neuer so many good déedes geue neuer so manye almes nay as S. Cyprian proueth if a man should suffer neuer so many thinges for Christ yea death it selfe yet if he were out of the vnity of the Catholick Church he shal haue no rewarde therefore And not onely this but if a man be in anye mortal sinne what soeuer as long as he abydeth in the same without repentance and confession al deuines hould that he looseth the rewarde of al his good déedes And the reason is because noe worke can be meritorious of it selfe but onely by reson of the grace from whence it procéedeth but by euerye mortal sinne which a man committeth he losseth grace and much more by goeinge out of the vnitye of the Church And therefore in such men vntil they repente there can be noe hope of anye reward for any good woorke which they shall doe Sixthely they lose the benefit of Communion of Saintes which we protest to beléeue in our Créede That is they haue no parte of the Sacrifices oblations prayers fastinges almes other good woorks done within the Catholique Church which all other Catholiques haue Finallye they being cut of and deuided from the vnitie of the other members they take parte of no influence whiche cōmeth from the head to the bodye that is from Christ to the Churche nomore then a mans hande once cut of doth take blood norishment spirit or lyfe from the arme from which it is now separated as most learnedly S. Austen dothe discourse Wherfore they must néedes wither awaye and make drye wood for hell fyre and as good for them it were in effect to be of anye other relygion as of that whereof they take not one iote of commoditye And to all these myseries they are driuen onely by going to the protestants Churches THE Nynthe Reason THE Nynthe Reason whiche Catholiques may yelde for their refusal of going to the Church may be the example of all men from the beginning which haue had any care or Conscience toward their own religion not only good men of whom I haue geuen diuers examples before but also al others how false erronious soeuer their religion were yet did they alwayes procure to separate them selues from them of the contrarie religion in the acte of prayer and from the Templs Sinagogues Churches Dratories and conuenticles of 〈◊〉 same Soe we reade of the Gentils which thought it to be a great sinne and polution to enter into the Iewes Synagogues or Christians Chnrches The like we read alsoe of the Turkes at thys daye Soe al heretiques from the beginning as soone as they had framed any newe relygion eftsons they erected new oratories to them selues and refused to come to those of other relygions as the Arians Denatists and the rest had their Churches and places of prayer dstincte from the Catholiques whose Churches they detested and auoyded together with their doctrine And soe the Anabaptistes at this daye refuse to goe to the Lutherans Church and the Lutherans to the Trinitaries In like wise the Puritans of our time in Englād refuse to come to the Protestantes churches And the Protestants in oother countries doe vtterly denye to present them selues to Catholique Churches alleginge their consciencs for the same and affirming it to be danmable hipocrisie in them that for feare or for any other temporal repect doe yeld to doe the same against their fayth and conscience Wherby it apeareth that they goe quit against their own docttrine and example in England which obiect the same to Catholiques as disobedience obstinacie and rebellious dealing which in other countries they them selues both teach and practise I wil for mor manifestation of this matter put downe here the very wordes of one of them translated out of french and printed in England and dedicated to y t Lord Tresurour by John Brooke the authors name is John Gardiner a Protestant whoe in his Cathechisme or as he calleth it Confession of his faythe maketh it a great heynous sinne for
worth for the eternitie of the lyfe to come his kingdome his glorye and his euerlasting ioye with his riches and tresures vnspeakable which nether eare euer heard nor eye sawe nor hart of man cōceaued how great they are how scusles I saye shal we be at that terrible rekoning daye and how confounded by the examples of seruantes in this lyfe soe zelous for their maisters vpon soe smal wages if we notwith standing al our rewardes both present and to come shalbe yet key could in our maister his seruice present at his iniuries and silent at his slaunders Nether sufficeth it to saye that these suppositions are false and that there are not such thinges commited against God at the Protestantes Churches and seruices for howsoeuer that be wherof I dispute not nowe yet I being in my hart of an other religion must néedes think not onlye them but also al other religions whatsoeuer to commit the same as I knowe they doe also thinke of mine Wherfore how good and holy souer they were yea if they were Angels yet should I be condemned for going amongest them for that in my sight iudgment and Conscience by which onlye I must be iudged they must néedes séeme enemyes to God being of the contrarie religion By this it may appere how greuously they sinne dayly in England and cause other to sinne with them which compel men by terror to doe acts of religion against their Consciences as to take othes receaue Sacraments goe to Churches and the like which being done as I haue sayde with repugnant Consciences is horible mortal sinne as hath bene alredye prooued and conseqently damnable both to the doers and to the enforcers therof The which I beséeche God to geue his grace both to the one and the other part dutifully to consider that ether these maye leaue of to enforce or those learne to sustayne as they ought their enforsment And thus now we maye sée what great and waightye Reasons y t Catholiques haue to lay for their refusal of comming to the Churches of Protestants The which if they were wel cōceaued by the Prince and Magistrates it is not likly that they would presse them to the yelding to such incōueniences against the helth of their own souls but if they should yet ought the other to beare any pressure whatsoeuer rather then to fall into farre worse daungers And of this that I haue sayde here before there may be gathered these conclusions following not vnnecessarye to be noted for better perspicuities sake to the vnlearned First it foloweth of the premises that this goeing to the Protestantes Churches is forbidden not onely by the positiue lawes of the Church dispensable by the Church againe but also by Gods lawe and the lawe of Nature as the consideration of most of the reasons dothe declare For albeit it be prohibited by the Churche yet not onely by the Church seinge that a thing may be prohibited by the Canons of the Churche for more playn explycations sake which was forbiden before by the lawe both of nature and of God also as Aoulterye Uiolence Simonie and the like Euen so albeit going to heretical assēblies be prohibyted by the Church yet because it hath in it or necessarily 〈◊〉 to it dyuers thinges which are prohibited by the lawe of God and Nature as perill of infection Scandal denying of our fayth when it is made a signe distinctiue or commaundement dissemblinge in Gods cause honouring Gods enemies dishonouring the Catholique Churche and the lyke therfore the whole acte of going to Church is sayd to be prohibited also Iure diuino et naturali That is by the lawe of God and Nature And her of it foloweth that no power vpon earth can dispence with the same Wherfore that which hath bene geuen out as is sayde by some great men that the Pope by his letters to her Maiestie did offer to confirme the seruice of England vppon condition that the title of Supremacie might be restored him againe is impossible to be soe soe that if anye such letters came to hir Maiesties handes they must néedes be fayned and false Secondly it foloweth of the premisses y t this going to Church is not onlye vnlawfull Ratione Scandali by reason of Scandal as some wil haue it For albeit Scandal be one reason why it is vnlawful and that in such sort as is almost impossible to be auoyded yet you sée that I haue geuen diuers other causes besides Scandal which make it vnlawfull Wherof it foloweth that a man cannot goe to their Churches albeit he might goe in such secrete manner or otherwise haue their seruice in his howse soe priuelye as no Scandal should follow therof or any man knowe therof which is notwithstanding impossible to do but if it could be yet were the thing vnlawfull especiallye for the. 1. 4. 5. 6. 7. reasons before alledged Thirdely it followeth that a man maye not goe to Church vnder anye vayne pretence as pretending that he goeth only for obedience and not for anye lyking he hath to their seruice yea although he should proteste the same openly For that protestation should rather agrauate then diminishe the sinne Séeing by this protestation he should testifie vnto the whole worlde that he did a thing against his Conscience As if a man should proteste that he did thinke that to rayle against the Pope at Pouls Crosse were nought and yet for obedience sake being soe commaunded would doe it The which was Pilates case who protested first that he thought Christe innocent and therfore sought to deliuer him but in the ende fearing the displeasure of the Iewes and their complaynte to the Emperour washed his handes and soe condemned him thinking by that protestation to haue washed of the sinne and to haue layd it on the Iewes neckes which compelled him therto But I think by this time he hath felt that he was deceaued For when a thing in it selfe is nought noe protestation can make it lawful but rather maketh the doing of it a greter offēce by adding to the vnlawfulnes of the thing the repugnāce of the doers conscience But you wil perhapes saye to goe to the material Church is not a thing euil of it selfe I aunswer and that it is true But you must not single out the matter soe For in this one action of goeing to Church there be many thinges contayned whereof the whole action is compounded As for example there is the materiall Church the possession of the same by the enemye of the Catholicke religion the seruice and sermons in reproofe of the same religion the dayes and houres appoynted for the same the bel ringing and publikely calling al men thither the Princes cōmaundement for the Catholickes to goe to the same the end of the commaundement in general that they by goeing should pray with them allow of their seruice and by their presence honour it Then is there the peril of
of Scripture where adoringe is taken for bowynge downe onelye without anye diuine adoration at al as héere it is in this place Fourthely and lastly it followeth of that which is spoken before that séeing this going to Church is so forbidden by Gods lawe as it is and hath soe manie great inconueniences in it as hath bene shewed that a man may not yeld in any one litle poynte in the same as for example to come to Church once a yeare to haue seruice in his house to shewe him selfe present at a péece of seruice or the like For most certayn it is that if all be not lawful then noe parte of it is lawfull And Christ saythe that he wil not haue one iote of his lawe to be paste ouer vnkepte and whoe soeuer shall breake one of the least of his commandementes shal haue least parte in the kingdome of heauen The which wordes of Christ Saint Iames explicating saythe He that kepeth all the whole lawe and dothe offend but in one thing only yet is he guiltie in al the reste And Christ him selfe in the Apocalipes commendeth much the Angel of Ephesus for his good woorkes laboure patience and for many things besides there recited but yet for being imperfect in some things contrarie to the wil of Christ which would haue vs perfect he is commaunded to repent quickly vnder the payne of léesing his candelsticke that is of léesing his vocation and his place in the booke of lyfe soe vnspotted wil God haue our seruice to be In prefiguration wherof al Sacrifices of the ould Testament were commanded to be of vnspotted creatures of one colour of one age without maime or deformitie wherby is signified that God accepteth no partition no maime in our seruice but ether al or none must be his For a litle leuen sowreth a great deale of dowe and a smal spott dissigureth a fayre garment Which S. Paul vrgeth farre by the example of Christ when he sayth That Christ dyed for vs to thend we should exhibit our sel ues holy and vnspotted and irreprehensible in his sight As though he should saye Christ spared nothing no not his owne lyfe for vs that by his example we might be prouoked to geue our selues wholye to him and his seruice without limitation or reseruation at all and therby shewe our selues vnspotted seruauntes and irreprehensible Which thing the Noble champion of Christ S. Basile well considered when being required by the Emperours léefetenaunt to conforme him selfe in some small thinges to the Emperours request and therby purchase quietnes to the whole Church rather then by obstinacie as he termed it to exasperats thinges worse he answered that perswasion to be fitt for children and not for him who was redye to suffer anye kinde of death or torment rather then to betraye any one sillable of Gods deuine truthe adding further that he estéemed much and desired the Emperours frendshipe if it might be ioyned with godlynes but if not he must néedes contemne it as pernitious Soe resolute seruantes had God in those dayes and the like desireth to haue nowe Herof also followeth an other thing which I had almost passed ouer vntouched that a Catholique maye not procure anye other to affirme or sweare for him falsly that he hath bene at Church receaued the Communion or the like nor accept the same if anye would offer suche seruice but if others dyd it without his procurement he maye hould his peace and vse their sinne to his owne quietnes excepte Scandale shoulde ensewe therof and then were hée bound to disclose the truthe For as I haue noted before out of S. Ciprian he which séeketh 〈◊〉 in excuse of his faythe denyeth the same and the séeming to obey lawes made and published against true religion is taken by God for obeying in déed and soe punished for the facte it selfe The which moste worthy and excellent saying of Christ his holy martyr God graunt we may all wel beare in minde and execute as Gods cause and glorye shall require especially those which are by peculier prerogatiue called to the publique triall of the same Whom God of his mercye soe strengthen with his grace as his holye name maye be gloryfied in them and their persecutours molyfied by their constant milde and sober behauiour And thus my deare good frend I make an ende of the first poynte which I promised to handle concerning the reasons which Catholiques haue to stand in the refusal of going to the Church against their Consciences hauing sayd much lesse then might be sayd in this matter and yet more then I purposed at the beginning But I am to craue most earnestlye at your handes and of all them that shall chaunce to sée this Treatise to haue charitable consideration of my great haste in writing of the same which was such as I had not time to suruew or read anye parte of it ouer againe Wherfore if anye thing be in it wherby you maye be edefied or any way instructed I am glad and to Gods glorye onlye be it If not yet surely my meaning was good and to no mans offence only coueting herby to geue some satisfaction to them in Englande especially to her Maiestie and the right honorable her Counsayle touching the principles whiche Catholiques haue to refuse that confor mitie which is demaunded at their handes the which as I haue proued they can not admitt remayning in Conscience of the contrarye relygion without euident daunger of their owne Soules Wherof if her Maiesty ther Honours may in time be made capable thē howsoeuer things passe otherwise yet shall Catholiques retayne still their deserued opinion of honest and trew subiectes which they moste desire and the displeasure taken against them for this refusal be deminished when it shalbe manifest that the same procéedeth not of wil but of conscience and iudgement in religion which is not in an honest mans hands to frame at his owne pleasure Moreouer my meaninge was to geue some information towchinge the qualitie of this sinne of goinge to the Church of a contrarye religion and his circumstances for them that ether remayned doubtful in the same or not rightelye perswaded Of the which two effects if any one follow I shalbe most glad if not yet I serue as I trust such a maister as rewardeth the affecte as wel as the effecte and the wil noe lesse then the worke it selfe Wherefore to his holy hands I commit the whole assuringe my selfe that as this cause of his Catholique Churche importethe him more then it doth vs so his peculier care of the same furre surmounteth any care of man and therefore what soeuer shall become of this or anye other labour taken for the same yet he will neuer cease to rayse vpp men for the defence of it agaynst all enemies to the worldes ende To the Reader towchinge the omission of the Seconde and Third Parte