necessary a precept of Christian life infinite multitudes of all maner of estates do daily perish I see that such is the forgetfulnes of those which should be the souldiers of Christ that as though this vertew of renunciation were a ceremony only of Monkes Ermittes Freers and other religiouse persons they esteeme the same as no parte of their Christian dewty I see that in steed of that vertuous and fruitfull hatred of ones selfe the necessary effect of this renunciation euery one almost is ouercome with a blinde flattering perniciouse selfeloue and in steed of building in him selfe a spirituall Hierusalem by loue of God buildeth a confused Babylon by loue of the world And that we may bring examples onely of our owne countrey and those in one kind onely of iniquity although what iniquity is there committed amongst Christians but for want of renunciation into the handes and will of God who is there in our poore and lamentable estate either withhoulden from God holy Church their tender mother or made shamefull by reuolte and fall froÌ„ the same but for want of renunciation where do we not see that either parents by children or children by parents husbandes by wiues or wiues by husbandes one frend by an other the subiects by the superiours and superiours by subiectes are hindered from the seruice of God and that as our Sauiour saide Math. 10. inimici hominis domestici eius the enimies of a man are those of his owne houshould Which generall pestilent disease we can surely impute to no other cause than to the want of renunciation So that we see nothing in the world so ordinarily so daily so generally renounced as God him selfe and Christian dewty Those which are by Gods law Parents and the very law of nature commanded to bring vp their children in the discipline and correction of our Lord Ephes 6. are now bent to no other thing so much as to dedicate them vnto the Deuell Psal 105. Maried persons as Dauid also complained of the like case those which should in the holy estate of wedlocke represent the vnspotted and vnseparable coniunction of Christ and his Church Sicut equus mulus in quibus non est intellectus Psal 31. not regarding any other thing but base affections seek to draw one another froÌ„ Christ the spouse of their soule and doe deuide Christ his spouse froÌ„ Christ whose perpetuall lincke they should reseÌ„ble Obedience And that which is most sacrilegious and blasphemous to speake or thinke all these so great and hainous disorders are oftentimes fathered either vpon that sacred power which God hath ordeined wherby either wiues vnto their husbandes or children to theire parents or other subiectes to their superiours doe owe a kinde of dewty and obedience or vpon the most honest lincke of humane frendshippe as though either wiues had sould both body soule to be by their husbande 's morgaged to perpetuall slauery of the Deuell or parents had autoritie to kill the soules of their children ouer whose bodies they haue no such power or those which are as it were Gods Lieuetenants in their seuerall offices might conuert theire forces to fight for hell and lawfully constraine their souldiers and subiectes to rebell against God or finally as if there were any perfect frendship where there wanteth honesty All these many other iniquities in the like sorte as by defaulte of renunciation they are committed so by the performance of the same according to the most sacred law and will of Christ they may easely be auoided The purpose of this Treatise I purpose therfore by Gods assistance to whose glory I direct my labours in this treatise briefly to shew how necessary and meritorious a thing Christian renunciation is and that for no respectes of kinred obedience or affection in the world it is to be neglected RenunciatioÌ„ is somtimes of Counsell sometimes of precept See chap. 2 out of S. Augustin â—p 89. q. 4 And that the same sometime is of counsaile to those which are free but many times of necessity from which none can be free It is of counsell whan voluntarily he which aspireth vnto perfection without any bond at all selleth that which he hath and geueth to the poore followeth Christ that he may haue a great treasure in heauen Yet I say that this is of counsaile for those which are free For those which are in the estate of mariage cannot without mutuall consent seuere them selues except in some cases as we will declare herafter Bishops also bondslaues and whosoeuer for some condition or circumstance haue not free power to alter the estate of their life cannot vndertake a religious or solitary life Parents can not hinder their children from religion Yet this we say that neither parents may hinder their children nor any other superiour his subiect which is free in this point from such a resolution We vrge also defend that in some case that which is of counsaile may be of necessity and that which is of counsaile for some onely because it is not lawfull for all may be a thing so absolutely required of all maner of persons that they may vnder paine of daÌ„nation be bound to forsake not only riches externall goods of fortune but parents husband wife children all whatsoeuer is not God him selfe The child is not bound to forsake his parents but yet he may doe it with meritt for the seruice of God A wife may be bound to forsake her husband See chap. â— The wife may not forsake her husband at her pleasure although it were for to be religious yet if either the sonne must forsake his faith or his father or the wife her husband or her maker most certaine it is that the thing which was lawfull before in the sonne is now necessary and that which the wife could not doe before but sinfully now she cannot neglect but daÌ„nably Hence shall it easely appeare what account as well childreÌ„ as wiues ought in this lamentable contagious time for to make either of the euell examples or of the peruerse commandements of their superiours the first wherof sheweth them the way wherfore this treatise was compiled of sentences of holy Fathers the second euen driueth them to hell And of this matter we will not bring our owne discourses but the most graue sentences of auncient holy Fathers at large for three causes First for that they doe not onely declare vs their vncorrupted iudgemeÌ„t in these matters which we desire to perswade but according to the aboundance of that spirit which dwelled wtin them they are very earnest and copious in exhorting vs to all Christian feruour and perfect abnegation of our selues Wherfore I doubt not but hence it will come to passe that although both the searching and translating of these places haue cost me no lesse labour than if I had vndertakeÌ„ a wholl worke of my owne yet this treatise shall be reade
A TREATISE OF CHRISTIAN RENVNciation Compiled of excellent sentences as it were diuerse homelies of Ancient Fathers wherin is shewed how farre it is lawfull or necessary for the loue of Christ to forsake Father Mother wife and children and all other worldly creatures Against the enemies of the Crosse of Christ who by temporall respects of obedience or other earthlye bonds withdraw themselues or others froÌ„ the Confession of their faith and Religion Wherunto is added 〈…〉 Luc. 14. Euery one of you which doth not renouÌ„ce all thinges which he hath cannot be my Disciple Mat. 16. If any man will come after me let him deny him-selfe and take vp his Crosse and follow me Luc. 14. Many man come vnto me and doth not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters â—ea and moreouer his owne life he cannot be my Disciple THE CONTENTS OF this booke The Preface wherin is shewed the occasion purpose and order of this Treatise That it is very meritorious and acceptable vnto God to renounce parents and all things for perfection Cap. 1. That a man is bound vnder paine of eternall damnation vnto a perfect renunciation of all frendes kinsfolkes Cap. 2. Parents Superiours their intreaties examples commandements yea and himselfe also and all that he hath whan otherwise he should be hindered from the dewty of a Christian Of the necessary renunciation sometimes to be made of husband and wife Cap. 3. although that which hath bene saide aboue belong also to them Cap. 4. Of renunciation of a mans patrimony and care of prouision for children more particulerly than was saide before Of renunciation of a mans selfe yet more in particuler and of the necessary obligation to suffer Martyrdome whan otherwise God might bee offended Cap. 5. with diuerse forceable exhortations to the same The Conclusion to Catholicke wiues and children Whether it be lawfull for Catholickes to go to the Protestants Church with a protestation that they come not for liking which they haue of the ReligioÌ„ there professed THE PREFACE IT hath alwaies bene an auncient custome euen from the very beginning of Christian religion The necesity of RenunciatioÌ„ that whosoeuer geueth his name to our Sauiour Christ professing him selfe a sworne souldier of his spirituall Campe therin to fight vnder his victorious standard should by no other oath be admitted to this holy warfare than by a solemne professioÌ„ either made by him selfe or by his godfathers in his name of renouncing the Deuell and all his workes with all his pompes and vanities This abrenunciatioÌ„ hath euer bene accounted in the wholl life of a Christian not only most forceable for the most strict obligation it being an homage promise vnto the greatest Soueraignty which possible may be that is to God himselfe but withall a most effectuall remedy and a most sure protection for the comfortable memory therof against all tentations and incounters of our ghostly enemies For who is he which being assaulted with proude and haughty cogitations or tickled with the flattering representations of vnlawfull delightes or allured with the transitory vanitie of worldly riches or terrified with the barbarous manacings of bloody persecutours or daunted with the manifold difficulties of the dayly and continuall combate with flesh and blood or finally enuironed on euery side with neuer so diuers troupes of the world the flesh and the Deuell all conspiring in one against the welfare of the soule by the remembrance of this irreuocable profession and indispensable promise vnto God will not presently be encouraged therby vtterly ouercoming all manner of difficulties confidently to say either with that heathen Capitaine lacta est alea my chaunce is cast or with the deuout and spirituall soule Inceptum est retro abire non licet I haue begone I may not returne backward or with our Sauiour himselfe no man putting his hand to the plough Luc. 9. and looking backward is fitte for the kingdome of God For this cause did holy S. Chrysostome exhorte vs that we should continually haue this word in our mouth Hom. 21. ad pop Antioch I renounce thee o Satan affirming that there is nothing more safe than this word if in all our works we remember it lib. 1. de Sacra c. 2. Yea this moreouer he addeth therunto doth S. Ambrose consent that all the account which we must in the day of iudgement yeeld vnto almighty God is but of the obseruation of this one worde and of the dilligent fulfilling of the strict obligation conteined in the same As there is none of you saith S. Chrysostome who without shoes and vestments would choose to go into the market-place so neuer go abroad without this word but whan thou arte stepping ouer the thresholde first speake this word I renounce thee O Satan I ioyne my selfe vnto thee O Christ Neither euer go forth without this voice thou shalt finde this voice a staffe thou shalt finde it thy armour thou shalt finde it an inuincible fortresse with this word also make the Crosse in thy forehead The Crosse in the forehead for so not only any man whom thou maiest chaunce to meete but the Deuell himselfe can nothing hurt thee whan he shall see thee euery where appearing with this armour thus S Chrysostom Neither doe we want moste euident places of scripture which doe plainly testifie vnto vs the necessity of this renunciation it being the very suÌ„me of Christian religion the only end of the comming of the sonne of God into the world neither did hee come to bring peace into the earth but a sword neither can that man follow him which daily taketh not vp his Crosse neither can any one be his Disciple which renounceth not togither with him selfe whatsoeuer other thing may be vnder God What greater renunciation can there be of any thing than the hatred of the same What thing can be more deare vnto vs than our owne life or soule yet is this a necessary rule for whosoeuer cometh vnto Christ that he cary a continuall rooted hatred euen to his owne life soule than is our life hated when it is dispised for Christ thaÌ„ is our soule hated whaÌ„ it is afflicted mortified and clensed from the filthy disorder of seculer delightes for the loue of the same Christ who for one brittle and transitory life either despised or lost for his name will repay an eternall and most happy immortality and for an imperfect vncleane rebellious soule humbled mortified and purged through the assistance of his grace according to the measure of this life will tender the same soule in the other life without spotte or wrinckle adorned with all the bewtifull giftes of his vnspeakable glory How little regarde there is now of renuation This is the wholle occasion of this present treatise For I see and that not with small griefe that for want of dew consideration of this so
with exceeding more fruite than if it had proceded from my owne inuention here being conteined for the most parte as it were so many godly deâ—â—ute homelies as there are diuerse allegations of Fathers so that this treatise may serue euery distressed Catholicke in steed of a comfortable sermon whansoeuer he waÌ„teth other meanes of fruitfull encouragements Wherin also euery one shall so much more effectually be moued because he is sure that he readeth the deuout speaches of those in whom he may not doubte but God inhabited and he may very well hope that eueÌ„ in these particuler discourses it is not they them selues which speake Mat. 10. but the spirit of their Father within them Secondly for that the misery of our tempestuous time continually more and more increasing and the huge billous of our troublesome sea daily with more violence seeking to beat against the fortresse of our faith vntill such time as it shall please him who hath shutte the sea within his fludgates and bolted it within the compasse of certaine bounds Iob. 38. to say hitherto thou shalt come and not proceed any farther and here thou shalt breake thy swelling waues it may surely happen that this worke may be more necessary hereafter than at this present For wheras now perhaps parents and husbands are ready to preuent vniust lawes and to do before they be vrged that which hereafter may chaunce to be vrged vnto all it will be no small aduantage at that time to haue in readines a Parliament of Gods Saintes and of his most holy and auncient Pastours for the declaration of our dewty in so waighty a matter The third cause which moueth me to make this a worke of auncient Fathers rather than mine owne is least happely the like befall in this question which we handle 〈…〉 here to 〈…〉 which doth ordinarily happen in other questions of the same importance Our present difficulty is I call it a difficulty although in deed the case be most euideÌ„t because to worldly riche men there is nothing but seemeth difficult an inheritance which Christ hath permitted them Mat. 19. vntill they leauing their Camells hugenes will submit themselues vnto the lowlines of Christ But this our present question is whether a child by the commandment of parents or a wife for obedience to her husband or a seruant or inferiour for dewty to his Superiour or a father for prouiding for his children may lawfully doe that which of it selfe is against the law of God and preiudiciall to the necessary confession of his faith contemptuous withall vnto Christ his Church a very separation from the same Whether I say by these respects of temporall dewty these hainous deformities may be taken away and a contrary bond caused of such teÌ„porall obedience or duety or rather any of those may with meritte in case of perfection yea be bound necessarily whan Gods honour so requireth to renounce all worldly persons and temporall respects onely cleauing vnto Christ and his holy will This is our case this is our question But what do we see in the like who knoweth not how often the question of going to hereticall Churches hath bene tossed in our countrey And who is ignorant of the generall resolution of all those learned reuerend and godly Priests which are and haue bene in the same * The enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is 〈◊〉 belly 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 in their cofufioÌ„ which mind 〈◊〉 dly 〈◊〉 Philipâ—â— But what hath happened Certaine priuate persons who haue wholly addicted them selues to make them Gods either of their belly and ease or of the 〈◊〉 ked mammon setting God behind all things 〈◊〉 may delight them will not onely 〈…〉 their pernicious custome of frequenting hereticall conuenticles which were a crime more tolerable but they refuse also to beleeue that they do amisse and that which is more hainous and a most high degree of pride they defend their wickednes neither content with this as though it were no comfort to perish alone they induce and by all possible meanes allure their frendes subiectes to the same iniquitie But with what foundation grouÌ„d because forsooth the coÌ„trary doctrine proceedeth only from the persuasions terrours or feares of some selfe minded and wilfull persons whom if you desire to know they will tell you they be the young clergy These men vndoubtedly after they haue once learned to conster latin and to turne our Ladies Primer and perhaps the Breuiary or at Oxford to talke a little of logicke Dion c. 2 de diuin nom where it may be they haue looked into the Diuinitie schoole as for Diuinitie who knoweth not that amongst heretickes none can be learned these men I say betaking them selues afterwardes to the study of Bucolicall and georgicall affaires and attending to that worldly substance which God hath cast vpon theÌ„ no otherwise than that young man which as the Poets faine being sent by his father to keepe sheepe by dreaming that he was made a Poet became in deed a Poet Hesiodus haue so soudainly become Deuines that they are more learned more humble discreet and vertuous than those which scornfully they call the young clergy but should in deed if they were such as they flatter them selues to be acknowledge as the rulers and shepheardes of their soules For otherwise what clergy must we send these men vnto for their spirituall reliefe or wherin differeth the young clergy from the ould or what Catholicke clergy can they find in the wholl world of contrary iudgement But let vs send them to the Conuocation house there shall they find the auncient reuerend clergy which they appertaine vnto for vnto the clergy of Christ his Church they nothing belong And let vs permitte these new Doctours with 〈◊〉 ould Prelates to gage theire soules so often soulâ— already to the Deuell not vnderstanding as S. Paule saieth neither what thing they speake nor of what they affirme 1 Tim. 1. daily prospering to the worse erring driuing into errour 2. Tim 3 It is no maruaile if refusing to be of the sheepe of Christ they disdaine to acknowledge the shepheardes of Christ Those who esteeme their soules and tremble at Gods iudgemeÌ„ts in so ruled a case will flye from such Counsailours as from the Deuells instruments This am I willing and desirous that they should know that although the Church of Christ hath learned by the mildnes of her spouse to tender the case of those which of humane frailty fall into sinne and can handle with lenitie such as go from her and yet in hart are with her yet doth she and all her trew children professe an eternall hatred vnto those which are peruerters and seducers of soules as vnto heretickes themselues as I hope they shall shortly be discouered what they are if after the definition of the cheife Pastour they will remaine selfe minded and wilfull in theire so pernicious
Christ his Church concerning Christian renunciation that so all hope may be taken away from the renouncers of Gods auncient Church to blame the wilfulnes of any young Clergy How important this case was in S. Ambrose his opiniō The matter trewly seemeth vnto me so important and the case so vrgent that if the holy Bishop of Milan S. Ambrose accounted it to be the necessary dewty of Gods Priestes euen vnto death to resist those Parents which withdrew their daughters from being Nunnes a thing of indifferent choice vnto euery one l. 3. de Virg. farre greater necessity will there be in confuting those euen with daunger of death which seeke to withdrawe them from all Christian dewty Et potest esse saieth that most godly Doctour patientia Sacerdotum vt non vel morte oblata si ita necesse est integritatis sacrificium vindicetur And can a Preist haue patience that euen with manifest perill of death if occasion be offered he reschue not the sacrifice of integritye maruaile not therfore good reader if I one farre vnworthy of the least credit of any Catholicke Clergy man seeme ouer earnest in this my preface for by reading ouer this treatise thou shalt see that I differ not herin from the zeale of most graue Sainctes of God if I shall profit thē any thing by my reprehension I shall be gladd because they are made sory vnto penance if I shall do no more but incense them yet I hope I shall profit many Let them in the meane time take it for parte of penance wheras in deed this is but a pibble stone in respect of the milstone which they must expect from the iudgement of Christ if they will not be reformed and except they hould their handes from paper and auoid publicke occasion of scandalous doctrine in this behaulfe they must needs thinke that if Priests for wāt of meanes and commodit◠haue patience and hould theire peace there wil be notwithstanding some one or other alwaies ready to reuenge Gods cause and to stand in the defence of the necessary confession of Christ our Redeemer and of his holy Crosse Thus much therfore being spoken of the cause and generall maner of this Treatise The order of this Treatise I will now set downe the order of proceeding therin for although I could not easely distinguish the seuerall matters handled by the Fathers and almost in euery particuler allegation there is occasion of speaking of euery thing belonging to our purpose yet haue I for the more perspicuity and for the more ease of the reader so deuided the wholle that we may reduce all to a few principall points The first chapter therfore shall be to shew that it is very meritorious and acceptable vnto God to renounce parents and all things for perfection For if this be once fully perswaded lesse difficulty will it be to proue that it is lawfull in cases of necessity The second That a man is bound vnder paine of eternall damnation vnto a perfect renunciation of all frendes kinsefolkes parents and superiours their intreaties examples and commaundements yea and him selfe also and all that he hath whan otherwise he should be hindered from the dewty of a Christian The third shall intreate in particuler of the necessary renunciatiō sometimes to be made of husband and wife where as well for to take away occasion of errour as for to represse the arrogant peruersnes of some husbands which challenge more autoritie ouer wiues than God or nature hath geuen them We must necessarily intreat of some lawfull separations of man and wife which we must be forced to doe of our owne although if leasure will permitte we purpose to proue it out of Gods word and auncient Fathers which if we shall not for haste be permitted to perfourme yet this will we promise that we will set nothing downe but according to the common opinion of Catholicke Doctours The fourth chapter we will make more particulerly of renunciation of a mans patrimony and care of prouision for children The fifth besides that which was saide in the second chapter shall intreate of renunciation of a mans selfe and necessary obligation to suffer martyrdome whā otherwise God might be offended with diuerse forceable exhortations to the same Finally shall follow the Conclusion So that in no parte of this Treatise except onely in this preface in the conclusion and in some parte of the third chapter thou must thinke that I speake gentle Reader but imagin that the Saintes of God do speake vnto thee I haue vndoubtedly lest infinite places and many Doctors which might haue bene brought but this is as much as my time and cōmodity could afford thee others perhaps may take occasion hereby to adde other like these I hope will no lesse moue them which with sincere mindes shall read them than they haue comforted my selfe whan I haue wrotten them This onely I desire of the deuout Readers that as I haue sought nothing else in this small labour but my Catholike Brethrens comfort so I may reape againe the comforte of their gratefull acceptation S. Bern. lib. de praecept dispens Siue Deus siue homo vicarius Dei mandatum quodcunque tradiderit pariprofecto obsequendum est cura pari reuerentia deferendum vbitamen Deo contraria non praecipit homo quod si contigerit Act. 5. pergendum indubitanter consulo in Petri sententiam quia obedire oportet Deo magis quam hominibus Whether God or man being the Vicar of God do geue any commandment with the like care it must be obeied with equall reuerence it is to be esteemed yet so long as man commandeth not contrary vnto God which if it happen than do I counsell euery one to follow Peters counsell that we must obey God rather then men A TREATISE OF CHRISTIAN Renunciation THE FIRST CHAPTER That it is very meritorious acceptable vnto God to renounce Parents and all things for perfection The 38 epistle of S Augustine vnto Laetus §. 1 I Haue read the Epistle which you sent vnto our Brethren An exhortation to an estate of perfection against the mothers will requesting that they would comforte you because your new beginnings were shaken with great tentations where also you signified that you desired our letters I was very sory and could not cease from writing least I should withdraw both from my owne and from your desire that which I sawe in deed I did owe by the duety of charity If therfore you professe your selfe a nouice of Christ forsake not the tents in the which you must euen build that tower of which in the Gospell our Lord speaketh for whosoeuer remaineth in the same tower vnder the banner of the word of God doth fight him no tentations may pearce on any side from thence both dartes being cast do flye with great force and being foreseene are with most firme repaire auoided Luc. 14. Consider also that our Lord Iesus Christ although he
see they want in the Church that which they desire they become the enemies of the good not onely addicte them selues to crooked behauiour but endeuour also to bend the righteous mēnes straight nes to their peruersnes They neglect to consider the things eternall and with the basenes of their mind they are subdued to the desire of that which is temporall and so much the deeper they fall frō things euerlasting because they repute that besides temporall goods there are no other To these men is much displeasant the iust mens simplicity and when they find occasion of trouble they perswade them to embrace their doublenes Wherfore is that very fitte which followeth His wife saide vnto him doest thou yet remaine in thy simplicity Blesse God dye For whose person did this deceiuing woman beare but of certaine carnall persons within the Churches bosome who in that they be within by their outward profession doe the more oppresse the good with vncorrected maners for lesse perhaps should they haue hurte if the holy Church admitting them had not receiued them in the very closett of faith and by such receiuing them vnto this profession were not in estate that she cannot auoide them Luc. 8 Hereof is it that the multitude oppressing our Redeemer but one only woman did touch him wherfore he saide who hath touched me To whom whan the Disciples answered the multitudes throung and presse thee and dost thou say who hath touched me he forthwith added some body hath touched me for I know that there is vertue proceeded from me Many therfore do presse our Lord and one onely toucheth because those which are carnall in the Church do presse him being farre from him those onely do touch him which being truely humble are ioyned vnto him The multitude therfore do presse him because the company of carnall folkes how much nearer it is admitted so much the harder is tollerated A new kind of persecutours it presseth toucheth not because it is importunate being present and yet in good life alwaies absent For sometimes they persecute vs by wicked speaches but sometimes onely by peruerse manners For sometimes they exhorte vs to that which they follow other times although they exhorte not yet ceasse they not to geue vs examples of iniquity Those therfore which by wordes or examples intise vs to euell in very deed are our persecutours by whō we are brought vnto the combate of tentations which at the least in our harte we may ouercome But we must vnderstand that those which are carnall in the Church sometimes through feare sometimes through presumptuousnes go about to perswade peruersnes and when them selues either for pusillanimity or haughtines do shrincke they seeke to instill the same thinges into the mindes of the iust and that vnder pretense of charity Charitable perswaders to schisme 2. Reg. 19. Mat. 16. Peter had a carnall mind before our Sauiours death and resurrection Saruias his sonne with a carnall mind followed his captaine Dauid yet the one sinned by feare the other by pride The first hearing of his masters death said Lord be it farre from thee this shall not be vnto thee The other not suffering the iniuries of his captaine saieth And for all these wordes shall not Semei be killed which hath cursed the anointed of our Lord But answere is geuen him what haue I to do with you ô sonnes of Saruias Euell counsailours are called Deuills why will you this day become Satan vnto me Euell counsailours than are called by the name of the Apostata Angells who with flattering speaches pretending loue do draw vnto wickednes Such are those who contumeliously oppose them selues to Priests yet farre worse are they which not of feare but of pride geue them selues to this vice whose figure especially was this wife of Iob endeuouring to bring her husband vnto pride saying yet dost thou remaine in thy simplicity Blesse God dye She reprehendeth simplicity in her husband because despising all that which is transitory he desired with a pure harte onely things eternall as if she had saide why dost thou simply desire things euerlasting and patiently groanest at thy present euells departing despise that which is eternally good and euen by death auoide that which is presently euell But those which are electe whilest inwardly they suffer of carnall men that which is euell how great an vprightnes they shew within them selues we may learne of the wordes of him which is woūded and yet sound How wiues shoud answere their Schismaticke husbands of him which sitteth and yet is erected Thou hast spoken saieth he like a very foolish woman if we haue receiued good of the hand of our Lord why should we not abide euell Holy men being ouertaken with the conflicte of tribulations whan at the very same time they abide some striking them and others perswading them to the first they oppose the buckler of patience against the second they hurle the dartes of Doctrine Two combares of Catholickes and with wonderfull conning of vertue they prepare them selues to both manners of fight that both within they may wisely confute that which is peruerse and without they may stoutely contemne whatsoeuer is contrary and by teaching the first correcte them by tolerating the second oppresse them For by suffering their enemies which rise against them they despise them and by compassion of their diseased frendes they reduce them to those they resist least they draw others but these they cure least vtterly they loose the life of all honesty S. Hier. in ep ad Tit. c. 3 §. 3 If it be good which the Emperour and Gouernour commaundeth obey the will of the commander God is to be obeyed before husbād or any other but if it be euell answere him out of the actes of the Apostles It behoueth to obey God more then men This same let vs vnderstand both of seruants to their masters and of wiues to their husbandes of children to their Parents that in those things onely they must be subiecte to their masters husbandes Parents which are not contrary vnto Gods commaundements An explication of diuerse lawfull manners of separation of man and wife according to the holy scriptures and the sentence and practise of holy Church VVE haue in diuerse places aboue sette downe the doctrine of Christ him selfe with the declaration of the Doctours of the Church §. 1 concerning the forsaking of wiues for the loue of Christ But wheras in this matter of forsaking or of liuing in the estate of wedlocke and perfourming matrimoniall dewty one to another the husband and wife is of like * Hieron Ep. ad Oceanum Aug. lib. 2. de adult con cap. 8. 19. Sylu. verbo Deuortium § 1. condition and that diuorce or separatiō or forsaking which is lawfull to the husband is lawfull also to the wife as well least wiues shold in this pointe be too rashe as that they may know if need should