language adiew or farewell 3. Or the meaning of them may be that which Tremâ—lius and Iunius by comparing this text 2 Kings 5.19 with the 1 Samuel 1.17 collect Quieto animâ— esto ne sis sollicitus de istis rebus quae nihil ad pacem conscientiae tuae faciunt sed potius illâ—m turbaturae sint Deum in te provocaturae Be at peace and take no thought of these things which will nothing conduct to the peace of thy conscience but rather trouble it and provoke the wrath of God against thee 〈◊〉 fourthly the words may carry this sense now thou haâ—t that thou â—â—â—nest for thou art cleansed of thy lâ—prosie Goe home in peace God send thee a prosperous journey for the thing thou wâ—ttest of shall never 〈◊〉 thee for thy Master shall never requiâ—e any such service of thee as to wait on him to his Chappell to worship Rimmon And fifthly what if there be an â—nallage temporis very usuall in the Hebrew Aâ—l mists of obscuritie be taken away if we translate the words thus The Lord be mercifull to thy servant for that when my Master went into the house of Rimmon and leaned on my hand I boweâ— my selfe in the house of Rimmon Howsoever the Prophets valediction Goe â—n peace no more prooveth any approbation of Naamans bowing in the house of Rimmon then of his other demand vers 17. namely Of two Mules load of the earth of the land of Israel and whatsoever Naamans conceit was in iâ— whether he imagined there were any holinesse or vertue in that earth as the inhabitants of Colubraria as Pomponius Mela writeth beleeved that the earth of the neighbour Island Ebusitana was a sovereigne remedie against those serpents wherewith they were infested or whether he meant to make an altar of that earth it is not likely the Prophet would incourage him by his approbation to load his Mules with that earth the former reason being superstitious the latter unwarrantable for they were to sacrifice only in the place which the Lord God should appoint and if the Prophets words carry no approbation but have some other meaning the edge of the Priests argument for assistance at Idol worship is quite dulled p So indeed Hurtado de Mendoza and others by him cited But as the Scriptures saith of Nabal a foole is his name and folly is in him so we may truely say here that Mendoza is Mendosus and Mendax too both faultie and false for Christ who is the truth himselfe teacheth us that our life is better lost to save it then saved to losse Matth. 16.25 he saveth it to losse who saveth it by denying his Saviour and he looseth it to his advantage who looseth it for the testimonie of the Gospell for he shall exchange the losse of a miserable temporall life with blessed immortalitie or immortall blisse If men when they are in danger of death may dissemble their Religion what shall become of the glory of Confessours and crowne of Martyrs At such a time to use the habit and ceremonies of a false law saie of Mahomets or the Persians or the Brachmans or the West Indians who do all their devotions professedly to the Devill himselfe whom they take to be God is it not to deny Christ in our habit and in our actions though not in our words and professions q Surely the Roman Catholiques in England must needs be thought to suffer grievous persecution when as the authour of the answer to the libell of justice cited by this Priest pag. 9. and 10. so much delighteth in it that he would not have a toleration of Catholikes in England if he might and to aske it of God saith he were to aske we know not what for that persecution is better O medicina gravis The truth is the little finger of Queene Mary was heavier against Protestants then Queene Elizabeth her whole loynes against Popish Recusants Neither in her reigne noâ— in the reigne of King Iames nor of our present Sovereigne was any Papist put to death meerely for his conscience but either for some treasonable pâ—actise or violation of some Statute Law the penaltie whereof is Death See pag. 4. G. r The distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes Tostatus learned in Peter Lumbards schoole not in Christs may teach but not truely For although some sinnes may be tearmed veniall comparatè in respect of others that are of a deeper die and so lesse in their owne nature pardonable and excuseable or not at all as the sinne against the holy Ghost and though all sinnes of the â—leâ—t are veniall through grace or quo ad eventum yet there are no sinnes which in their owne nature are not mortall For all sinnes are transgressions of the eternall law and in them the infinite Majestie of God is some waies sligâ—ted and therefore Saint Hieromes generall conclusion is true ep ad Celantiam omne quod agimus omne quod loquimur aut de angustâ viâ est quae tendit ad vitam aut de latâ quâ imus ad mortem What soever we do whatsoever we speake either appertaines to the narrow Way whâ—reby we enter into life or to the broad way which is the roade to death and in his second booke against the Pelagians si ira et sermonis iniuria atque interdum iocus iudicio concilioque et gehennae ignibus delegatur quid merebitur turpium rerum appetitio if unadvised anger and a contumelious word bring us in danger of a iudgement and a councel and hell fire what shall the desire of filthy things deserve and who can say his heart is cleane from all these To make light of sinne aggravateth our conscience even those Naevuli leves aspergines pulviseuli prolapsiunculae peccadiliâ—es as the Romanisâ—s stile veniall sinnes either are transgressions of the law of God or not if they are not transgressions of the law they are no sinnes at all for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all sinne is the transgression of the law 1 Iohn 3.4 or as the Schooles â—ut of Saint Augustine define peccatum est dictum factum vel concupitum contra legem aeternam every sinne is a desire word or deed against the eternall law and if veniall sinnes be transgressions of this law their punishment is death For the soule that sinneth shall die Ezech. 18.4 and the sting of death is sinne 1 Cor. 15.56 and the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 These cleare and evident Texts of holy Scâ—ipture so dazled the eyes of three of their sharpe sighted Schoolemen that they not onely left the common tract of other popish Divines as Bellarmine minceth the matter l. 1. de amiss grat et stat pec c. 4. non nihil a communi theologorum sententiâ deflexerunt but went in the direct way of the reformed Doctours these Schoole men are Gerson 3. part Theolog. tract de vit spirit sect 1ª Iacobus Almaine Opusc. tract 3. c. 20. Iohannes Episcopus Roffensis
the common charges and charitie of the rich By which the charitie and unitie of all sorts were much preserved for which cause the said feasts were called Charities of the ancient Fathers and of Saint Paul vers 20. they were called Coenae dominicae our Lords Suppers because they were made in the Churches which then were called Dominicae that is our Lords houses in which feasts because there hapned some foule abuses which the Apostle rebuking vers 22. Why have ye not houses to eate and drinke in or contemne ye the house of our Lord c. they were taken away See Con. Gang. 11. Con. 3. Laod. can 27.28 Apollorum can 39. Clemens Alex. Sâ— Iust. Sâ— August contra Faustum lib. 20. cap. 20. St. Chrysost. hom 27. in 1 St. Ambrose upon this same place by which it appeares no new thing for Catholiques to take some thing with a good intention besides what was instituted by Christ. Here some may aske whether it belongs to me out of my authoritie to institute or renew this pious ceremony in taking bread and wine in remembrance of the death of Christ generally for the prudent Catholiques of England I answer no. God forbid that I should presume to institute or renew any ceremonie in the Catholique Church but I doe onely in compassion of their miseries present to their necessitie if any be in danger of death losse of fortunes or ruine of posteritie and cannot expect leave from the supreame Pastor of our soules the doctrine of Claudius Carinnus de vi pot leg human c. 10 that even in lawes every particular man hath power to interpret the same to his advantage and to dispense with himselfe therein if there occurre a sudden case of necessitie and there be no open way and recourse to the Superiour much more then said I in a pious ceremonie against which there is no law forbidding the same And if you reply that this is taken in a strange Church I answer That in case of necessitie the plâ—ce is impertinent to the thing For Saint Bonaventure that great and pious Doctor using much jaculatory prayers and being upon the place of naturall necessitie and there uttering some of the said prayers the Devill asked him Whether that were a place to pray in to whom he answered in opusc Hic et ubique meum licet orare Deum That it was lawfull to praise God in all places and to receive bread and wine in a Protestant Church from a Minister or to receive the same in a Taverne from a Vintners boy the godly onely know the difference If you reply againe that so we may offer Incense to an Idol in a temple because we may burne perfume and the Idol we know to be nothing I deny that and the disparity is in this that in offering Incense the act and shew there tends to the honour and worship of the Devill For the place being dedicated to him whatsoever is therein done as an usuall ceremonie is taken whatsoever the intention be as done to his honour Which act as it is unlawfull in it selfe to be done because pretended Idolatrie wherein Gods worship is given to the Devill at least in outward shew so it is unlawfull to faine in words the act to be done becauâ—e it is dissembling the object it selfe being likewise forbidden by the law of God both which are great sinnes and apt to cause great scandall which I shall make appeare not to be in our case where I coâ—tend there is no sinne in the act nor yet dissembling nor the object forbidden If you reply thirdly that there is dissembling in going to Church as going two waies in Religion contrary to the Scripture for thereby I seeme to be otherwise then I am the reply is false for I professe but one religion which is Catholique and at Church I doe but observe the picture of true religion ill formed which is but a humane act not hurtfull but by a pious intention may be made good by which all hypocrisie and dissimulation may be avoyded And if I seeme to Protestants to be a Protestant what am I the worse for that I never yet could finde any law to ground an action against the censures of men If they censure me to be a Protestant I am not under their scourge for religion unlesse they will on purpose make an Act of Parliament to cut off my head which shall be no president for any other Iudges or Iustices and then I must set up my rest with a Noble man saying Contra potentiam non est resistentia There is no resistance against power But continuing alwaies loyall both to my King and Countrey and obedient to God and his Church and in so doing giving both God and Caesar their due and that without either sinne or dissembling I had rather they censure mee unjustly yet according to the lawes established for I alwaies stand pro Rege Lege and so misse their aime by an Ignoramus then I loose my life by a pure might But hence it doth not follow for all their censure that I am a Protestant for to be so I must beleeve the 39. Articles of the Church of England which is the definition of a Protestant Which Articles or any other tenents of theirs I meddle not with for if I must doe all things contrary to Protestants lest I should be thought so when they eate I must fast and when they sleep I must wake which is ridiculous As for their thinking me a Protestant it proceeds from want of knowledge for they or most of them neither knowing what a Protestant or Catholique indeed is if Catholiques went to Church they would not know how to distinguish or persecute them it being lawfull among them for every one to beleeve what he pleaseth may easily thinke amisse of me And for me to take benefit of their ignorance and to hide my selfe in persecution untill either the glory of God or good of my neighbour shall urge me to discover my selfe I cannot yet finde my selfe by any law forbidden It may be objected secondly that there were divers Statutes made upon the alteration of Religion in the 2.5 and 6. yeers of Edward the sixth and 1. and 23. of Qâ—eene Elizabeth in hatred of God and his Church as that the Masse should be abrogated and all the Kings subjects should come to Church to heare such Service as was then oâ—dained to distinguish betweene Catholiques and Protestants and that whosoever should say or heare Masse afterwards should incurre certaine penalties as by the said Statutes appeares But no man could obey these commands without sinne Ergo. I answer that I know not much to what purpose this objection can serve R. P. that made it For all Divines as well Catholiques as Protestants know that all humane lawes binde in conscience no â—urther then they are consonant and conformable to the divine law And as farre as they command lawfull unitie and uniformitie to the good
Die Sabbathi 22. Octob. 1642. IT is this day Ordered by the Commons House of Parliament That none other besides Mr. Nicholas Bourne Stationer or whom he shall appoint shall upon any pretence whatsoever presume to Print the Book called A Safeguard from Shipwrack to a Prudent Catholike with Animadversions upon the same by Dr. Featley called Virtumnus Romanus Ordered to be Printed and published by the said House H. Elsing Cler. Parl. D. Com. Vertumnus Romanus OR A DISCOVRSE PENNED BY A ROMISH Priest wherein he endevours to prove that it is lawfull for a Papist in England to goe to the Protestant Church to receive the Communion and to take the Oathes both of Allegiance and Supremacie To which are adjoyned Animadversions in the in the margin by way of Antidote against those places where the rankest poyson is couched By Daniel Featley Dr. in Divinitie 2 Cor. 11 13 14. Such are false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ. And no marvell for Satan himselfe is transformed into an Angel of light Horat. Ep. Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo Tertul. in apol Nefas est ulli de sua religione mentiri ex eo enim quod aliud à se coli fingit quam colit negat quod colit etiam non colit quod negavit LONDON Imprinted by I. L. for Nicholas Bourne and Iohn Bartlet and are to be sold at the South entrance at the Royall Exchange and at the gilt Cup neere Austins Gate in Pauls Church-yard 1642. AN ADVERTISEMENT TO the Reader touching the Author and the Argument of the insuing Discourse AND THE REASONS FOR WHICH it is thought fit to be published to the view of the world AS the ignorance of good is evill so the knowledge even of evill is good for knowledge is nothing but the light and irradiation of the understanding by the beames of truth which herein resemble the rayes of the Sun that neither defile any thing nor can themselves be defiled Set aside curiositie and all kinds of vicious affection and indirect ends and you shall finde that the knowledge even of sinfull impuritie is cleane of naturall corruption is sound of worldly vanities serious and of all kinde of maladies of the minde and body healthfull And as it is the depth of Satans malice è bono malum elicere to draw evill out of good as the Spider sucks poyson out of sweet flowers and wholesome herbs so it is a high point of Gods goodnesse è malo bonum elicere to draw good out of evill light out of darknesse and order out of confusion it self Where it not for this that God who is the Soveraigne and Omnipotent Good knoweth that it more redoundeth to the glory of his infinite wisdome and power to worke good out of evill then quite to take it away there never had been there never should be any evill in the world as St. Augustine piously argueth the case There could be no evill in the world if God suffered it not and he suffereth it not against his will but with his wiâ—l neither would he which is so good nay rather goodnesse it selfe willingly suffer any evill to be but that by his omnipotencie he can and doth extract much good out of all sorts of evill This worke of Divine providence Gregory Nyssen fitly tearmeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the abuse of evill for what is aâ—-uti to abuse a thing but to use it contrary to the nature and condition thereof which if it be good such an use is an abusive use if it be evill such use thereof is an usefull and commendable abuse as whâ—n a Gramarian makes a rule of Anomalas a Rhetoritian a figure of a Solaecisme a Musitian an harmonie of discord a Logitian a true use of fallacies and a Physician a wholesome treacle of poyson Such a use Christian Reader thou mayst make of the unchristian Treatise ensuing Wherein the Author thereof now in bold endeavoureth to shew all Romane Catholikes a way to escape not only all bonds and imprisonment but all other penalties of the law against Popish Recusants by making their religion and conscience a leadeâ— and lesbian rule to comply with the religion professed by the Staâ—â— wheresoever they live This Booke together with the Authour thereof was sent to the Honourable House of Commmos by the care of some members of that House employed in a Committee neere Portsmouth and it hath beene thought fit to be published for sundrie reasons First to discover the craft of the Iesuits in procuring upon uniust grounds and by indirect meanes a â—ull from the Pope prohibiting all Romane Catholiques to resort to the protestant Churches in â—ngland under pain of his Holinesse curse and dreadfull thunderbolt of excommunication whereby as this Priest affirmeth they gained to themselves more disciples more money and more Colledges For bee thou pleased Christian Reader to take notice that in the reigne of King Edward the sixth of blessed memory and during the space of the first tenne yeeres of Queene Elizabeth the Phoenix of her sexe and age the Papists in England did usually goe to Church and there was no such thing as Popish Recusancie heard of But after the â—ame souldier Ignatius Loyola with his new regiment began to out-run all other orders and rancks of Monks and the Iesuits name was up and many Colledges built for them beyond the Seas the English Iesuits began to lay about how their Colledges and Seminaries might be maintained and furnished by those of the Romish partie in England and they finde this the ready way to offer to the richer sort of them the education of their children they paying a good round rate for it but because the parents then repairing to the Protestant Church might breed up their children at a farre easier rate in our Schooles of England the secular Priests willingly undertaking the care and tuition of them the Iesuits were never quiet till they had obtained from the Pope upon such suggestions as they thought would most take with his Holinesse the Bull above mentioned which frighted all Romish Catholiques from our Churches See here the beginning and originall of Popish Recusancie in England and the depth of the Myne which hath since enriched their English Colledges beyond the Sea No wonder if the name of an Author called Diana often cited in the ensuing Discourse be in great request The benefit accruing to those of the Societie of Iesus by the Recusancie of Romish Catholiques in England necessitated by them is a Diana which hath brought no small gaine to these craftsmen Demetrius with his fellow artificers cry out for many houres great is Diana of the Ephesians not so much honour to that heathenish Deitie but because they knockt and hammered out their living out of the silver shrines they made for her Sirs know ye not saith Demetrius that by this craft we have our wealth And in like manner the Iesuits stickle mainly for Recusancie
she meant that she might dispose of Church matters as her Father had and have power to forme what Church she pleased and so that should suffice her Highnesse It is to be noted thirdly that the aforesaid oath when it was made was unlawfull to be taken by any Catholique as the oath before made in the dayes of King Henry the 8th Although when it was made it was not altogether so unlawfull as that of King Henry because in his dayes there was no other Church extant or like to be extant in England but the Catholique Church of which contrary to the Law of God and his own conscience he made himself head as appears by a booke set forth by the said King himself in the later end of his raigne and many yeers after he had framed his Oath of Supremacie intituled A necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christian man set forth by the Kings Majestie of England c. In which he sets forth the Christian faith then to be professed in England Which was as absolutely Catholique and the self-same in every point as now it is in Rome And if any man should have sworne him the supreame head as he intended of that Church he would have sworne false as making the Church a Monster in having two heads or depriving the Pope of his authoritie granted him by God which had been to have denyed an Article of faith but when the said Oath was repealed in Queene Maries dayes And another Oath of Supremacie made in the aforesaid first yeere of Queene Elizabeth It was as I have said to inable her not so much to be head of the Church then extant and to be utterly abolished as to be Governour of a new Church distinct from the Catholique Church then out of hand to be propagated and established of which to sweare Her Head before it was or to sweare Her Head of the Church then extant which she conceived superstitious of which indeed she was not head was in a true and proper sence unlawfull And so continued unlawfull untill after the abrogation of Masse and perfect establishment of the new Protestant Church within this Realme and other His Majesties Dominions Which being established as now it is the said Oath of Supremacie ceased from being unlawfull because then there was an apparant face of a Church distinct from the members of the Catholique Church which then began scarce to appeare in respect of the greater multitude of which only she was supreame governour and chief head and no other person whatsoever had or ought to have any jurisdiction or preheminence in the same and all that were or are not of the same faith and Church were and are in a true and proper sense forreiners to the same It is to be noted fourthly that a man may be said to be a Forreiner in a twofold sence First in respect of a temporall Dominion Secondly in respect of faith whence ariseth a spirituall jurisdiction In the first sence all that are not Natives of His Majesties Dominions although some Lawyers say all that doe no homage to His Majestie are forreiners In the second sence all that are of the Protestant faith with the King are Domesticks of the same faith and within His Dominions only subject to His spirituall jurisdiction by the Laws of the Realme And all that are not of the Protestant faith are forreiners to the same conformable to St. Paul who accounted all those of whatsoever Nation or under whatsoever temporall Dominion or Iurisdiction in the world who were of the same faith with himselfe which he taught were Domesticks of that faith And those of whatsoever Nation or temporall Dominion that were not of the same faith he accounted forreiners Whence he saith Gal. 6.10 Let us doe good to all but especially to the domesticks or those of the house of faith And 1 Thess. 4. vers 12. Rogamus ut honeste ambuletis ad eos qui foris sunt nullius aliquid desideretis We desire you brethren that you walke honestly towards them that are without that is forreiners to our faith and need nothing of any mans It is to be noted fifthly and chiefly what conditions are required in every lawful oath which according to the Prophet Ieremy are three viz Truth Iudgement and Iustice for he saith in his fourth Chapter Thou shalt sweare our Lord liveth in truth and in judgement and in justice upon which place the holy Doctor S. Hierome noteth that the foresaid conditions are requisite to every oath of whom all Divines have leâ—rned the same requiring in every lawfull oath every of the said three conditions The reason hereof is because an oath being an invocation of God as witnesse that what we speake is true it is requisite that we should use judgement or discretion to see that we doe nothing rashly or without due reverence devotion and faith towards so great a Majestie but we must especially regard that we make not him who is the chiefe and Soveraigne veritie and inflexible justice either ignorant oâ— what we say or Patron of a lye as witnesse of that which either is false in assertion or unjust in promise Hence an oath wanting Iudgement or discretion and wisdome is a rash and foolish oath that which wanteth Iustice is called an unjust oath And finally where there is not truth it is adjudged a false or lying oath and is more properly then all the rest called Perjurie These notes premised I shall now prove the said Oath of Supremacie to be lawfull for any Catholique to take Every Oath that is accompanyed with the three said conditions or companions viz. veritie justice and judgement in the opinion of all Divines Canon and Civil Lawyers is a lawfull Oath but such is the Oath of Supremacie above recited in every part and particle of the same Ergo. The Minor is proved discoursing of every branch in particular and first of the first branch wherein I sweare that the King is only Supreame Governour of this Realme as well in all Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall things or causes touching the Church of the said Realm as Temporall touching the State or of any other his Dominions Which I doe sweare discreetly as a thing true and just For there is no other Supreme Governour of temporall things to be assigned but the King as all will confesse nor of Ecclesiasticall things or the Church of England as by a sufficient Enumeration may be proved For the Parliamâ—nt is not supreame governour of the Churches within this Realme when as according to the naturall light of reason the King is governour of that and therefore not supreame The Primate cannot be assigned supreame governour when as he hath all his authoritie of government from the King and so he hath a Superior A Lay-eldership cannot be supreame governour for although it be unknowne what it is or from whence it receiveth its authoritie yet I thinke no Lay-eldership so barbarous as not to
light cannot infuse either wisdome into a foole or prudence into a simple man and nothing harder for the best Divine then to yeeld the continuance of a serene conscience to a scrupulous person doe only desire and intreat thâ—t what he himselfe either cannot or will not receive satisfaction in he would not judge amisse in others and so be scandalized which will prove to himselfe rather the scandall of Pharisees then weake ones according to the exhortation of the Apostle Qui non manducat manducantem non Spernat he that eateth not let him not despise him that eateth As for mine own part what I preach with Gods grace I will practise And if any man can give a better reason for the contrary to what I doe then I can give for what I say I doe hereby promise to subscribe otherwise let every one looke and dive into his owne actions and not into other mens for he shall render an account onely for his owne and not for theirs And because All in these times perchance are not bound under sinne to imbrace these opinions the question not being which is absolutely the safest or perfectest way and all dispositions of each soule not being alike but only whether the said opinions are forbidden or not forbidden by the Law of God or the Church so that absolutely in case of necessitie they may not bee done and what may best in prudence bee done yet safe enough with a good conscience and without sinne the condition of times and persons considered those that shall not imbrace the same but suffer for their conscience sake I shall beseech Almightie God to lay no more upon them then they are able to beare that they doe nothing against their conscience for that were to carry a continuall hell about them which of all earthly miseries were the greatest from which God of his infinite mercy preserve us all Amen FINIS Appendix HEre followeth the forme of recantation enjoyned the Lollards Anno Regis Richardi Secundi decimo nono Together with the resolution of the Fathers in the Councel of Trent 1564. and the Oathes of Supremacie enacted 35. Henry 8. and 1. Elizabeth as also a proviso for expounding the Oath the fift of Elizabeth and the Admonition annexed to the Injunctions Elizabeth 1. whereof there is often mention made in the Animadversions Ex Rotulo clausarum de Anno decimo nono Richardi Secundi m. 18. dorso MEmorand quod primo diâ— Septembris Anno Regni Regis Richardi secundi post conquestuÌ„ decimo nono Willielmus Dinet Nich-Taylour Nich-Poucher et Willielmus Steynour de Nottingham in Cancellar ipsius Regis personaliter constituti Sacramenta divisim praestiterunt sub eo qui sequitur tenore I William Dynet byfor yhow worschipefull fader and Lorde Archbishop of Yhoâ—ke and yhour Clergie with my free will and full avysede swere to God and to all his Seynts upon this holy Gospels yat fro this day forthwarde I shall worship ymages with preying and offering unto hem in the worschep of the Seintes that they be made after And also I shall nevermore despyse pygremage ne states of holy Chyrche in noe degree And also I shall be buxum to the lawes of holy Chyrche and to yhow as myne Archbishop and to mine other ordinaries and Curates and keepe tho lawes up my power and meyntein hem And alsoe I shall never more meyntein ne techen ne defenden Errours conclusions ne techinges of the Lollardes ne swych conclusions and techynges that men clepyth Lollards doctrine ne I shall her bokes ne swych bokes ne hem or any suspect or diffamede of Lollardery receive or company withall wittingly or defend in tho maâ—ters and if I know any swych I shall with all the haste that I may doe yhow or els your ner officers to wytten and of her bokes And also I shaâ—l excite and stirre all tho to good doctrine that I have hyndred with myne Doctrine up my power And also I shall stond to yhour declaration which es heresy or errour and do thereafter And also what penance yhe woll for that I have done for meyteyning of this fals doctryn injuyne me and I shall fulfill And I submit me thereto up my power And also I shall make no other glosse of this myne oath bot as the words stonde And if it be soe that I com agayn or do agayn this oth or any party thereof I yhelde me here cowpable as an heretyk and to be punyshed by the law of an heretyke and to forfet all my godes to the Kings will withouten any other processe of law and thereto I require the Notarie to make of all this the which is my will an Instrument agayns me Et ex habundanti idem Willielmus Dynâ—t eodem die voluit et recognovit quod omnia bona et catalla sua mobilia nobis sint forisfacta in casu quo ipse juramentum praedictum seu aliqua in eodem juramento contenta de cetero contravenerit ullo modo Declaratio Patrum concilli Tridentini circa frequentationem Ecclesiarum Eo tempore quo hereticiritus exercentur aut praedicatur haeresis Pax Christi quae exuperat omnem sensum custodiat corda vestra intelligentias vestras Amen Viri Dignitate conspicui religione multis nominibus illustres aequam honestam postulationem vestram ad nos detulerunt N. C. quam à vobis ad se praelatam asserebant cujus hoc est exemplum REligione in Anglia mutatâ poenâ propositâ si quis Diebus Dominicis festis à templis abstineat interim Dum Psalmi ex utroque testamento lectiones lingua vulgari recitantur laici multi catholici nobiles Deum timentes partim in carcere agentes partim mox eò conjiciendi amicorum consanguineorum precibus ac monitionibus imminentium periculorum metu invitantur ut saltem ea tenus de sententia denuo se permittant ut in templis protestantium tantisper interesse velint Diebus Dominicis aliis festis Dum Psalmi ex more linguâ vulgari decant arisoliti lectiones ex Bibliis linguâ item vulgari depromptae nec non conciones quae ad eorum dogmata approbanda apud pop frequentiùs habentur commemoratae sunt Iam qui huc usque nullo modo deduci potuerint ut publicis predictis precibus concionibus interessent magnopere 〈◊〉 postulant quid his faciendum censeant viri pii 〈◊〉 Nam si nullo animae periculo aut nulla Dei offensione â—ubliâ—o regni sui Decreto parere obedire liceat libenâ—â—r â—d fecerint Contra vero si quid in hac re periculum sit saâ—utis aeternae aut lâ—sae Divinae Majestatis quae vis perpeti deâ—reverunt potiùs qùam quicquam agere aut committere unde Deum offâ—nsum iri aut irritatum intelligant Haec questâ—â— cum multas pias religiosas conscientias exerceat coâ—tuâ—bet râ—gaâ—di estis omnes
of the common wealth which is the chiefe thing that States men aime at mens consciences being left to themselves they may be obeyed as I hâ—ve said out of Azorius tom 1o. lib. 8. instit moral cap. 27. puncto 5o. And for as much as concerned the abrogation of Masse which by the law of God was unlawfull they did consequenter to the State government then for having rejected the authoritie â—f the Pope they likewise rejected the Masse as knowing that there could be no Masse without Priests nor Priests without the Pope And therefore taking as much of the Masse as would serve for their Service and to be independent of the Pope they left the rest But that they did it in hatred of God and his Church or for any distinction sake it is altogether improbable For what would a man get by hating of God or the Church of which himselfe must be a member to be saved or how could they make a distinction of that they knew not for the Protestant Church was not then knowne or scarce established And therefore without wholly granting the Major or distinguishing the Minor I answer that every one ought under paine of damnation to obey his temporall Prince in matters lawfull Yet to suffer for his religion and abstracting from all obedience either to Statute or Rescâ—ipt not for Recusancie It may be objected thirdly that of S. Paul to the Romans 10.10 With the heart we beleeve unto justice but wâ—th the mouth confession is made to salvation Ergo No man can goe to Church I deny the sequele and to the Antecedent I answer that according to Divines a man is bound to confesse his religion Semper sed non ad semper alwaies but not at all waies that is not at all times and in all places but as I have said before out of Saint Thomas of Aquin in the said two cases viz. as often as the honour and glory of God requires the same or the spirituall profit of our neighbour shall exact it as likely to be impaired by silence which to be requisite I have before granted Yet hence it doth not follow that I am bound to goe into the Market place and cry out I am a Catholike who will punish me or before I am called to publish my religion to make my selfe be called or to live and converse to the same time as having a setled being and not going to Church I read that Saint Faelix going to martyrdome S. Adaucâ—us came to the Officers that led him thither and said to them that he lived in the same law with Saint Faelix and therefore that they should likewise put him to death Yet I conceive that he had a speciall revelation for the same and that it is no warrant for our indiscretion If it be replyed that so a man shall professe no religion I answer the inference to be naught for suppose a mans recusancie were never discovered this man professeth some religion for he doth not live a heathen Why then recusancie being rejected should he not professe the same If it be said that it is written that no man can serve two masters rightly Yet a man may serve one Master and have a servant to serve him or he may serve one master and keepe or use that Masters picture howsoever ill it be drawne It may be objected fourthly that the Rescript of Pope Paul the fifth in which he writes to the Catholiques of England declareth that they ought not to goe to the Churches of Heretiques or heare their Sermons without detriment of the divine worship and their owne salvation To which I answer that the said Pope wrote both piously fatherly and Apostolically according to the aforesaid suggestions by him received and if he had had the truth of the state of England I beleeve he would have written as piously the contrary For put the case that those zealous suggestors had presented to the consideration of the Councel of Trent or the Pope himselfe the truth and lawfulnesse of Catholiques going to Church with these seven reasons following supposing an absolute necessitie 1. First that there is no evill or harme done or said in the Protestant Churches to the prejudice of any Catholike soule that may not either be hindred or prevented very well by the instruction of Priests for they preach not against any notable point of doctrine held in the Catholique Church although some simple Minister for want of matter may glance at some of our tenets by halfes understood or in these daies to please his auditorie may raile against the Pope which he doth so irrationally that few Protestants of any judgement do beleeve him for if he should seriously preach controversies as insisting seriously upon the true doctrine of both sides his Auditors or at lest some of them would be apt to doubt and so to search and dive further into the truth for as Saint Augustine saith doubt begets science which might be an occasion of somes falling from him which fearing he is silent in doctrine and onely teacheth moralitie which why a man may not heare in urgent extremity from any man I cannot conceive 2. Secondly that their going to Church would be a conservation and a preservation of their lands and goods with a prevention of ruine to the family and posterity 3. That it would be a means to obtaine and purchase the love of their neighbours and a meanes of their conversion by an affable conversation by which likewise they might beare the greatest Offices in the common wealth and become Parliament men as well as others of whom and whose power and force in matters of Religion these dayes can somewhat declare 4. Fourthly that it would be a meanes that whereas Priests leave their Colledges and now live in private mens houses to the benefit of one or two and to the great danger of themselves and their Patrons they might by this meanes more freely converse with all sorts of people after an Apostolicall manner and convert many to the honour of God the increase of his Church and good of their owne soules Whereas now they doe little good out of that private house unlesse maintaine some decayed gentlewomen in good clothes to gossip up and downe and like bels to ring their praises that they may fish one in a yeere to the disparagement of their function and great prejudice of their Mission 5. Fifthly that divers Schismaticks that now goe to Church with an ill conscience and thinke themselves in state of damnation doe suffer spirituall detriment and oftentimes being prevented with sudden death everlastingly perish 6. Sixthly many thousands that are very morall and well affected Protestants were it not for the stop of Recusancie would become Catholiques Which rather then they will undoe themselves and Family now will not heare of it 7. Seventhly that no poore Catholique that is not able to give twenty pound per annum with their children to some Colledge beyond the Seas can bring