were to the injury of the Gospell retained and Christ himselfe blasphemed which no Christian eare ought to endure a See page 22. letter Q b If Papists trusted not in their owne merits it would goe better with them then I feare it will with many who the more they arrogate to themselves the more they derogate from our Saviour and the further they go from salvation I confesse many of them upon their death-beds have renounced their own merits and wholly stucke to our Saviours yet certaine it is that the generall doctrine of the Church of Rome is for trust in their own merits For they teach that faith alone doth not justifie us before God that good works are not only satisfactory for sin but also meritorious of eternall life and supererogatory also for others Consil. Trid. in sess 16. Bellar. l. 5. de iustif c. 16. and they who beleeve that they can so farre stead them do commonly confide in them Let them returne to the more ancient and true tenent with Bernard saying Meritum meum est miseratio Domini Gods mercy is my merit and if their be any worke of our own meritorious it is the renouncing our owne merits and flying meerely to Christ sufficit ad meritum scire quod non sufficiant merita Let them confesse with holy Iob Iob. 9.3 that they cannot answer one of a thousand and professe with Esay Esa. 64.6 All our righteousnesse is as filthy clowts and pray with David Psal. 143.2 Lord enter not into iudgement with thy servants for in thy sight shall no man living be iustified and close up their last Will and breath also as Bellar. is said to have done For Papists often dye in another faith then they lived with that holy ejaculation Lord vouchsafe to receive me into the number of thy Saints non meriti estimator sed veniae largitor not weighing my merits but pardoning my offences and we will not only cleare them of Pharisaicall pride and trusting in themselves but also conceive a better hope of their salvation c See a spunge to wipe out this false aspersioÌ„ upon that worthy servant of Christ and great Instrument of Gods glory pag. 59. letter H. d See the Advertisement to the Reader f The head of controversies betweene the Romish and Reformed Churches is the controversie about the Head of the Church which the Papists will have the Pope to be but reformed Churches Christ alone I say head of the Vniversall or Catholique Church but of particular Churches sovereigne Princes within their severall Realmes may be termed Heads that is chiefe Governours which this Priest here acknowledgeth For the acknowledgement of this supreame authoritie and power of the King in his dominions of England and Ireland the Oath of Supremacie was appointed by Act of Parliament in the 35. of Henry the eighth to be taken by all his Majesties subjects this Act was continued in the reigne of Edward the sixth but repealed in the first and second of Philip and Mary and revived the first of Queene Elizabeth now the question here is whether the Oath of Supremacie thus confirmed by divers Acts of Parliament exclude not that Spirituall jurisdiction which all Papists beleeve to be in the Pope Iure divino or which comes all to one whether a Papist ut siâ— that is remaining a Papist and holding his Popish religion may salvâ— conscientiâ take this Oath of Supremacie this Priest affirmeth he may but we shall demonstrate the contrary hereafter by impregnable arguments drawne from the intention of the Law-makers the letter of the Acts of Parliament and the Queenes Injunctions the judgement of the Church of Rome and the confession of the adversarie himselfe g Not the same authoritie which the Pope had in all things but so farre as it is expounded and limited in the Queenes Injunctions in the first yeere of her reigne the Queene as her brother and father before onely resumed that power which the Pope had unjusty taken from the Crowne and usurped it himselfe a power which is and was of ancient time due to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme that is under God to have the Sovereigntie and rule over all manner of persons borne within these Realmes and Dominions and Countries of what estate either Ecclesiasticall or temporal soever they be See admonition to the Injunctions in the Appendix h Calvine conceived that King Henry the eighth by the Title of Head of the Church challenged a farre greater power then what the Act of Parliament acknowledged in him or he ever exercised but after the Title of Head of the Church was publikely declared and expounded by Q. Elizabeth boâ—h he and all the Reformed Churches rested satisfied in the lawfulnesse of that Title which imported not Supreame teacher or directer unto Trtuh but Supreame commander for the Truth in all causes and over all Persons i The intention of Henry the eighth and Queene Elizabeth was the selfe same as is expressed in the Act of Parliament 35. Henry the eighth and the Admonition annexed to the Injunctions of the 1 Elizabeth namely the extirpation and extinguishment of the usurped and pretended authoritie power and iurisdiction of the See and Bishop of Rome and the recovery of their owne right by adorning the Crowne with a flowre before wrongfully taken from it and here I cannot sufficiently admire the impudence of this Priest who so confidently affirmes that the intention of Queene Elizabeth was divers from her father in prescribing and requiring this Oath whereas she her selfe in the above named Admonition declareth to all her loving subjects That nothing was is or shall be meant or inâ—ended by the same Oath to have any other dutie allegiance or bond required by the same then was acknowledged to be due to the most noblâ— King of famous memory K. H. 8. her Maiesties father or K. Ed. 6. her Maiesties broâ—â—er k The liberty he speakes of was given by the approbation of the chief Vniversities beyond the Sea of the Romish Religion l Not to forme another Church but to reforme that Church which was before and restore Religion to her puritie by the example of Ezekiah Iosiah and other religious Kings m No power at all excepted but the former power explained onely how farre it extended viz Not to the authoritie and power of Ministrie of divine Office in the Church which none of the Kings or Queenes of this Realme possessours of the Crowne ever challenged Nor I in this place by what authoritie your Bishops anoynt your thumbes and ordaine your Priests to offer the unbloody sacrifice of the Masâ—e for the living the dead There is nec vola nec vestigium of any such calling in the Scripture or purer Antiquitie as for our Ministry it is â—o clearely justified together with the succession thereof out of your own best records and tenents by Francis Mason de succes Episc. Ministerio Angl. that ever since the printing therof all your Romish cavillers
admit the King chiefe governour of the same Neither can the Pope be any way supreame governour of the aforesaid Church because he professeth himself only supreame head and governour of the Catholique Church and of no other according to Saint Paul 1 Cor. 5.12 what is it to him to judge of them that are without of which Catholique Church His Majestie dâ—th not claime to be head Neither will he be governour of any spirituall or ecclesiasticall thing therein as conceiving the same both superstitious and idolatrous Ergo. the King must be supreame governour of the Protestant Church That the King is only Governour is proved because none other can be assigned his equall in preheminencie of government in the aforesaid Protestant Church For the second or third branch it is likewise proved For I sweare them likewise discreetly truly and justly viz. that no forrein Prince Person Prelate c. hath or ought to have any jurisdiction c. within this Realme in the said Protestant Church which I adde as before because according to the intention of the Law and Law-maker as I have before said it was so meant For neither doth His Majestie or did Queene Elizabeth claime to be chiefe Governour of the Catholique Religion or Romane Church or any jurisdiction therein It being by them both as I have often said abhorred as superstitious and abolished for the same reason by the said Queene and State of England therefore it is against reason and a kinde of pettie treason to sweare either of them governour of a Religion which they apprehend so evill but in respect of the Protestant Church established the Pope is a forrein Person and Prelate and his jurisdiction forrein Neither hath he or any other forrein Person any jurisdiction in the aforesaid Church or ought to have for as I have said in the fourth note out of Saint Paul as all those that are of the Catholique faith are domesticks of that faith and all that are not of the same faith are forreiners to it so all that are of the Protestant faith of which His Majestie is governour are domesticks of the same and all that are not of the same are forreiners to that Religion Hence appeares the truth of the said branches wherein is said in the second That no forrein Prince c. and in the third I doe utterly renounce and forsake all forrein jurisdictions c. which I doe justly and lawfully renounce as well in respect of the Protestant Church as of the Catholique for as I have said the Pope is truly a forreiner to the Protestant Church in respect of which I must by the law renounce his jurisdiction And he is no forreiner in respect of the Catholique Church in which I am bound to respect him and his jurisdiction for if all Catholiques be domesticks one to â—he other as I have proved out of Saint Paul how can the Pope who is chief of that faith be said to be a forreiner his jurisdiction being as internall and intrinsecall as innate and naturall to every Catholique in the world as it is to him that stands next him in his chamber at Rome And therefore there being no forrein jurisdiction in the Catholique Church in every sence I may lawfully renounce all forrein jurisdictions The fourth and last branch can have no difficultie at all with any Catholique So that the words of this Oath seeme to me so cleere and lawfull since the establishment of the Protestant Church that it may be taken of any Catholique without any the least danger of Perjurie or any other sinne scandall being avoyded or without mentall reservation or secret equivocation that I admire that any man hath so long scrupulized to the losse of himselfe and fortunes when as being necessitated to take the same and scandall being easily to be avoyded as I have said out of Diana and others he might have prevented his owne ruine with a safe conscience as I conceive Sir Iohn Winter and other men of estates did who are reported to have lately taken the same It may be objected first that this Oath thus explicated hath no coherencie the first branch with the second and third and therefore that it be coherent and taken conformably to the intention of the law-maker as we sweare the King to be onely Supreame Governour of the Church of England in the first branch so ought we in the second and third branch to renounce all Jurisdiction forreign to the same To which I answer first that coherencie is no condition requisite to an oath but impertinent to the truth or falshood of the same for there be many things of a different nature inserted in an oath Secondly that there is a most perfect coherencie in the aforesaid explication for as in the first branch I sweare the King Head of the Church of England so in the second and third I abjure all forreigne Jurisdictions whatsoever Which are the very direct words of the oath for there are no words in any branch signifying a renunciation of all Jurisdiction forreigne to the Protestant Church of England Whence there is a great difference between renouncing all Jurisdiction forreigne to the particular Church of England and renouncing all forren Jurisdiction For a forren Jurisdiction renounced is rightly described A power or right denied to be extent to the swearer by any law and is more generall then a Jurisdiction forreign to the Protestant Church which is onely a power not extent to a Protestant quâ talis which although it be forren to the said Church yet it may be properly extent and appertaining to the swearer So that it is intended by the said oath that as in the first branch we sweare the King onely Supreame Governor of the Protestant Church within this Realme and his Dominions so in the second and third we are to renounce all forren Jurisdictions whatsoever which either the Pope or any other forren Person hath or ought to have in the same which every Catholique may lawfully do notwithstanding that generall saying That the Pope hath Iurisdiction over all Christians for that is meant a generall Jurisdiction in the Catholique Church either actuall or potentiall extent to all which is forren to none and which by taking this oath is not denyed I answer thirdly that all penall lawes as is this law for taking the oath in doubtfull words are ever to be taken in the more favourable sense and which makes the law to containe no falshood or injustice And therefore in this law to sweare as the words lye may be done without any injâ—stice or falshood which is and ought to be presumed to be the minde of the lawmaker for no law or lawmaker intends perjurie And therefore it is a frivolous thing to invent scrupulous crotchets which the words doe not import It may be objected secondly that the oath must be interpreted according to the intention of the law and lawmaker for as Suares saith lib.
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
subversion and ruine of their soules pag. 19. In the Protestant Church there is neither idâ—latrie committed nor hurt done pag. 22. Why should we not communicate with Protestants where there can be no danger of sinne and in pag. 23. Protestants are not to be called properly formall heretiques pag. 41. In going to the Protestant Church there is no morall malignitie at all in so much that scarce the weakest man can invent how to sinne by any thing that is there done it being of its owne nature so indifferent and to a good intention good that à parte rei there is no appearance of evill therein pag. 48. I never yet could finde any idolatrie committed at Protestant Churches as often as I have frequented the same pag. 52. Protestants are not properly and in rigour formall heretiques If Protestants are not formall heretiques it followeth necessarily that they are no heretiques at all for forma dat nomen et esse If it be a false suggestion that Protestants are blasphemous heretiques hating God and his Church then the truth is they are neither blasphemous heretiques nor haters of God nor his Church but lovers of both If there be no idolatrie committed in Protestant Churches then God is there purely worshipped in spirit and truth If there bee no hurt done in Protestant Churches no danger of sinne nor so much as any appearance of evill then are all Papists iustly to be punished who refuse to come to our Church and they are guilty of grievous sinne in disobeying the commands of King and State and have no pretence at all for their recusancie Thus as Virgil when he read the obsolete writings of Ennius said he sought for aurum instercore so maist thou finde here gold in a dunghill I have washed away the filth by Animadversions inserted in convenient places make thou use of the gold to enrich thy knowledge and confirme thy assurance of the doctrine of the Gospel purely taught and sincerely professed in the Church of England Octob. 1. 1642. A TABLE OF THE SPECIALL CONTENTS LOcks that are scrued with letters are most troublesome to unlocke if we know not the particular letters by the setting whereof together the wards flye open such is the ensuing discourse consisting of very many heads doubling or trebling the Alphabet as appeare by the marginall notes yet without any summaary contents premised or directorie Titles serving in stead of signall letters to open the severall parts and Sections thereof It was thought therefore requisite to supply that defect in the Romish Authour by this table wherein the Reader may readily and easily finde those remarkable points which either are professedly handled or occasionally touched therein First in the Preface pag. 3. Secondly in the Treatise pag. 16. Sect. 1. pag. 26. Sect. 2. pag. 57. Sect. 3. pag. 82. Thirdly in the Appendix pag. 143. First in the Preface The originall of Recusancie in England pag. 6. The Rescripts of seven Popes in the case all erroneous pag 7. The determination of generall Councels of great authoritie yet not infallible pag. 12. Secondly in the Treatise The state of the question touching going to Church with men of a different religion explicated pag. 16. Naamans fact bowing in the temple of Rimmonâ—iscussed â—iscussed pag. 17. The words of the Prophet 2 Kings 5.19 goe in peace diversly expounded pag. 18. None may dissemble his Religion no not in feare of death pag. 21. The resâ—lution â—f the Sorbon Doctors in the case of Recusancie pag. 24. SECT 1. The definition of scandall pag. 26. Severall divisions of Scandall pag. 27. The distinction of veniall and mortall sinne refuted pag. 28. Evangelicall Councels as they call them are not distinct from precepts pag. 29. Povertie in it selfe is not scandalous pag. 31 Whether our Liturgie be any part of the Missall pag. 33. Prayers ought to be made in a knowne tongue pag. 34. What is meant by appearance of evill 1 Thess. 5.22 pag. 35. In what case the eating meates offered unto Idols is forbidden by the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. pag. 39. The definition of an heretique pag. 51. That the faith of Protestants is no way defective pag. 53. The Romish Clergie is grosly ignorant pag. 54 The Protestants manner of preaching in many respects to be preferred before the Romish pag. 55. SECT 2. Recusancie is no distinctive signe betweene a Papist and a Protestant pag. 57. The Protestants Sacrament is not a bare signe nor the holy Eucharist common bread pag. 60. The body and blood of Christ is truly given in the Sacrament pag. 61. The popish carnall manner of eating Christs flesh with the mouth is repugnant to faith reason and common sense pag. 62. The Apostle by the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.20 meaneth not the Agapae or Love-feasts pag. 64. A foule practise and high misdemeanour of Davenport alias à Sancta Clara in procuring a surreptitious Bull against Day the Franciscan pag. 75. SECT 3. That Papists attribute religious worship to images themselves pag. 85. That a man being questioned of his faith though before an incompetent Iudge is bound to answer the truth pag. 98. That we may not dissemble with dissemblers nor play the Fox with Foxes pag. 99. That Papists trust in their owne merits though some at their death have renounced them pag. 104. The Oath of Allegiance divided into eight branches and every branch justified by Papists themselves pag. 109. The Oath of Supremacie divided into foure branches pag. 114. In what sense Protestants teach the King to be Head of the Church pag. 115. Who are meant by forreiners in the Statute pag. 120. That no Papist can take the Oath of Supremacie but that he must renounce a fundamentall point of his Religion pag. 138. Thirdly in the Appendix 1. A forme of Recantation injoyned the Lollards in the 19. yeere of King Richard the second taken out of the Records in the Tower pag. 143. The Resolutions of the Fathers in the Councell of Trent pag. 145. The Oathes of Supremacie Enacted 35. Hen. 8. 1 Elizabeth pag. 148.150 A proviso for Expounding the Oath 5. Elizabeth pag. 151. The Admonition annexed to the Injunctions Elizabeth 1. pag. 152. The Conclusion of the Authour of the Animadversions to the Reader pag. 154. Errata sic corrige P. 7. in marg state r. flat p. 8. lin 11. p. 7. r. 12. p. 15. l. 9. Ignorattia r. ignorantia p. 22. l. 22. the r. they p. 28. l. 15. dele the p. 42. l. 17. rejoice r. rejoyne p. 54 l. 35. proposition r. praeposition p. 64. l. 14. Apollorum r. Apostolorum p. 76. l. 6. adde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 85. l. 12. sede r. sedè p. 97. marg l. 6. doth r. doe p. 99. l. 11. marg adeo r. adde l. 12. r. wizards p. 140. marg l. 6. d the appendix A SAFEGARD FROM SHIPWRACKE TO A PRVDENT CATHOLIKE Wherein is PROOVED THAT A Catholique may goe to the Protestant Church And Take both the Oathes of Allegiance
and Supremacie Matth. 10.16 Be ye wise as Serpents and Simple as Doves LONDON Printed by I. L. for Nicholas Bourne at the South entrance to the Royall Exchange 1642. A Preface to the Reader Gentle Reader I Am to write of a point of Controversie wherein I know that I shall undergoe the censure of divers sorts of people yea amaze some at the strangenesse of the thing Yet my intention being good as tending to the safeguard as well of souls as bodies of all and I my selfe being constrained by a kinde of naturall necessitie thereto as suffering much not only by the severitie of the Laws for my Religion which is the least but likewise both spiritually and temporally by the malice and treachery of some evill spirits instigating others to take advantage by Religion doe hope to finde approbation therein at least of the wiser sort Although I cannot see but why in reason not pretending the least prejudice to Religion but rather the good of Gods Church as I shall make appeare the weakest sort of Catholiques should not be likewise pleased therewith For although Religion as it is taken for Christian beliefe ought of every man to be professed according to St. Thomas Aquinas and other Doctors 2a. 2ae q. 3. at two particular times viz. when and as often as the glory of God shall conduce therunto or the spirituall good of our neighbour shall be either conserved or augmented thereby grounding themselves upon the words of our Saviour Matth. 10.32 Qui me confessus fuerit coram hominibus confitebor ego eum coram patre meo qui in caelis est Every one that shall confesse me before men I also will confesse him before my Father which is in heaven Yet it is not necessary to salvation that any man at all times and in all places doe confesse his Religion without necessitie Whence if a man should goe out into the Market place and cry himselfe to be of such and such a Religion or should write upon the frontispice of his house in a countrey contrary to his Religion here liveth a Christian a Protestant or Catholike his act would be thought so farre from vertue or religion as that it would be rather deemed presumption or the height of indiscretion Hence it is that although a Catholike be bound under paine of damnation to professe his religion in the twice before assigned yet he is not bound to professe a Recusancy of a thing of its own nature indifferent thereby at all times and in all places to discover his Religion for this were as much in effect as to cry himselfe over the whole kingdome or to write over his doore that he were A Catholike or at least some Sectary For as I shall hereafter say Recusancy is common both to Catholikes Brownists and other Sectaries different in opinion from Protestants which would be an occasion to call himselfe in question for the Religion he professeth whence I may rightly describe the Recusancy of Catholikes no otherwise then to be an indiscreet discovery of a mans Religion without necessitie or obligation whereby he makes himselfe lyable to the penall laws of England for not going to Church Which was brought first amongst them into England by a certaine company of men for temporall ends procured covertly and by indirect means from twelve Fathers of the Councell of Trent and certaine Popes upon false suggestions to the ruine of many men That I proove what I have said it is necessary that I relate the manner how it was brought in In the beginning of Queen Elizabeths reign and the alteration of Religion in England Catholikes went to Church to conforme themselves to the State as they did in K. Edward the sixths time yet privately kept to themselves the exercise of their owne Religion Which some Priests perceiving not convenient for the propagation of their owne family then newly hatched wrought in the Councel of Trent that twelve Fathers of the said Councel not all Bishops yet favourers of the said family might be selected to declare to English Catholikes upon these suggestions following viz. that the Protestants of England were idolatrous and blasphemous hereticks hating God and his Church that their commerce especially at Church would be an occasion of the subversion and ruine of their soules denying and betraying of the true faith giving of scandall to men of tender conscience as breaking that signe which was distinctive betweene the people of God and not his people that it was altogether unlawfull for them to goe any longer to the Protestant Church as appeareth by the words of the said declaration which if I had by me I would willingly have here inserted This declaration being thus obtained they possessed certain Popes to wit Paul the fourth Pius the the fifth the two last Gregories Sixtus Clement and Paul the fifth so strongly with the same and the aforesaid suggestions that the said Popes likewise declared as it is said by certaine rescripts which I never yet could see their going to Church to be likewise unlawfull Which said suggestions had they beene or were they true I should likewise say and grant it unlawfull but not being true as I shall hereafter shew the common opinion of Divines in this point is to be followed to wit that it is a thing indifferent and therefore may be lawfull to frequent the Churches of Schismaticks Now to prove what I have said that it was first brought in by a certaine company of men It is evident in it selfe by the carriage of the businesse for it is altogether improbable that one mans authoritie to wit Doctor Sanders who is named to be the onely Agent herein a man alwaies ill relished in our state and therefore in this point to be esteemed partiall could select so many Fathers out of the said Councel in a matter of such importance upon his owne bare suggestion or that the said Fathers would or ought to have declared the same unlesse they had been made beleeve that the aforesaid suggestions were true in the common opinion of most of the Priests then in our kingdome That it was wrought for temporall ends by the said company the event shewes the same for there is none that have got or do get thereby but onely the said company as appeares by their abundant treasure and rich Colledges for Recusancie begets persecution and persecution almes deeds that God may assist the afflicted in their distresses And by this Recusancie great mens children can get no learning or science within this kingdome but must be sent beyond the Seas each at twentie five or thirtie pound per annum by which their said family was and is propagated and their heape increased Further the politicall invention of recusancie was so sweet and pleasing by reason of the great gaine which it brought that one of the said company Authour of the answer to the libell of Justice all besmeared with wonted pietie so
much delighteth in tribulation which ariseth by this recusancie that he would not a toleration of Catholike religion in England if he might Although in his answer to the Authour of the said libell he saith as knowing him not able to procure of Queene Elizabeth and the State a toleration for Catholikes that upon certaine conditions of his he would accept of the same but when he speakes from his heart of the thing it selfe he saith in his said Book cap. 9. pag. 216. That it is such as to aske it of God were to aske we know not what for that persecution is better That the said declaration and Popes rescripts were got by the aforesaid suggestions appears by the writings themselves as they are cited and further by one R. P. of the same family who wrote a booke printed Anno 1607. Contra Anonymum against a man without name Doctor Wright that it was not lawfull to frequent Churches of heretikes where promiscuously he relates all the aforesaid suggestions as the ground of his opinion and bringeth Cardinall Bellarmine and Baronius with eight others most of them of the same Schoole for the approbation of his case Which case as he puts it I thinke any man living would likewise have approved That these men above others were so laborious and serious for this recusancie appeares in that whosoever would oppose them were presently blasted for heretikes or at least fallen men insomuch that Azorius who wrote that it was lawfull for a Catholike to goe to the Church of Schismaticks was so troubled by the importunitie of these suggestions that he was constrained through feare that that part of his family should have suffered some great temporall detriment by his judicious writing as they say to recant his opinion and hold it not lawfull in our case of England See the said booke pag. 106. by all which any man may easily perceive that the aforesaid company were the busie-bodies and that for their owne ends as I have said upon the aforesaid grounds otherwise why should they more then others have beene so importune as to perswade yea compel Azorius who not perceiving under the species of piety their rare politicall drift wrote a common opinion to the whole world to denie that common opinion to have place in England That the foresaid Suggestions were and are false it is certaine by experience to any that know the state of the Protestant Church of England and that to the ruine of soules as shall be proved in the question following That it was procured covertly and by indirect meanes appeares in that onely twelve Fathers were chosen and the whole Corps of the Councell left out and amongst the rest the Bishop of Worcester there then present who knowing better the State and affaires of our Countrey then all the rest it seemes to me that he might have beene one of the twelve whose authoritie would have given more satisfaction to this point to our countrey then all the other selected But it should seeme that it was declared without any debate as a matter of no great importance although it seemeth to my weakenesse a matter of as great weight as any that was then agitated in the said Councel and therefore to leave a whole Councel in so weighty a matter that concerned the affaires of a whole Kingdome in point of Religion and where we might have had an infallibilitie and to adhere to twelve men fallible by suggestion without any debate or dispute in my judgement cannot be without great suspition of sinister proceedings Partly therefore supposing and partly intending further to prove the foresaid suggestions to be false and consequently the said Councel and Popes to hâ—ve beene abused he will indevour to examine the truth of the matter it selfe according to the principles of Divinitie within the bounds of the Catholike Church who wisheth all happinesse and prosperitie aswell to the said Church as to all the distressed members of the same with as much brevitie as may be in the insuing question A SAFEGARD FROM Shipwracke to a Prudent Catholique Question Whether it be lawfull for a Catholique to go to the Protestant Church I Answer it to be lawfull for him who doth it without a doubtfull conscience or thought of sin which I say because if a man should do that which in it selfe is lawfull doubting or not being satisfied whether it be lawfull or no he would sin in doing the same because he would put himselfe in hazzard or danger of sin and as the Wise man saith Eccles. 3. Qui amat periculum peribit in eo He that loves danger shall perish in the same So he that thinks a thing which in it selfe is indifferent to be sinne and doth the same sinneth because such a man hath a will to doe the thing although it were sin and by reason of his sinfull will commits sin Otherwise as I have said before it is lawfull Which I prove first The thing in it selfe is not forbidden by any Law either by the Law of God or the Church Not by the Law of God for no place of holy Scripture can be shewed by which it is forbidden Nor by the Law of the Church for no Councell or Canon of the Church can be produced for the prohibition of the same Ergo it is lawfull It is secondly prooved by an example of holy Scripture Lib. 4. Reg. cap. 5. where Naaman the Syrian Prince is permitted to goe to the Idolatrous Temple Rimmon to waite upon the Syrian King there offering sacrifice Ergo a man may be permitted to go to the Protestant Churches where neither Idolatry is committed or any hurt done Againe by the examples of Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus Joh. 19.38 39. who although they went to the Synagogue of Jews and so not apparent disciples of our Saviour yet they were his disciples in secret For it is there said that after the death of our Saviour Ioseph of Arimathea because he was a disciple of Jesus but secret for feare of the Jews desired Pilate c. Nicodemus also came he that at the first came to Iesus by night c. by which appeares that the Jews knew not of their Religion It is manifest likewise that all the Apostles as freely conversed in the Synagogues of Jews as out of the same when thereby they could best exercise their function and mission For the Rhemists in their annotations upon the 20 Chapter of the Acts vers 16. Confesse that notwithstanding the festivitie of Pentecost was established among Christians yet Saint Paul might hasten to the festivitie of the Jews Therefore as these holy men might goe to the Synagoue and reserve their Religion to themselves so may a Catholique to the Protestant Churches And indeed it is an essentiall ingredient to the Mission of all Apostolicall men to treate and converse with all men concerning salvation in all places best for their purpose It is prooved thirdly by Azorius tom 1. lib. 8. institut
moral cap. 11. 27 punctâ— 2.4 5. who saith It is lawfull for Catholiques to prâ—y together with Protestants to heare their Service and goe to their Sermons And for this opinion he citeth Navarr lib. 5. Con. 10. 12. de haeret who as all men know was a pious Divine and a man of a tender conscience Againe the said Azorius saith in the said cap. 27. puncto 5. That if an hereticall Prince commands his Subjects that are Catholiques to goe to Church upon paine of death or losse of goods if he doe this only because he will have his lawes obeyed and not to make it Symbolum hereticae pravitatis nor have a purpose to discern thereby Catholiques from Hereticks they may obey it Gregory Martin one of the translators of the Bible into English cited by the said R. P. in his book aforesaid pag. 101. 109. Diana 5. part tract de scandal pag. 191. resol 33. where he saith a man may use the habit and ceremonies of a false law being in danger of death See Hurtado de Mendoza and others by him cited And Paulus Comitolius Resp. moral lib. 1. q. 47. when he comes to handle the question whether a Professour of the Romane faith being sent into those parts where the Greeke Church observes other rites may goe to their service he allows it and builds upon this reason That by the Law of God and nature it is lawfull and the precepts of the Church if any there were that forbid this doe not binde Christians in cases of great detriment to the life or soule or honour or fame or outward things See Azor. above cited for going to the Schismaticall Church of the Greeks where he saith that a Catholique hearing Masse in a Schismaticall Church there on a Sunday fulfilleth the precept of the Church commanding the same See further the Decree of the Councell of Constans and Martin the 5. which beginneth In super ad evitanda scandala c. for the communicating with hereticks as well in service as otherwaies Which Decree extends it selfe further then to our purpose For by the same we may communicate with Hereticks fallen in a Catholike countrey if it be not in point of heresie Yea receive the Sacraments of Priests excommunicated either by law or any sentence of man so they be tolerated and not by name excommunicated See Diana pag. 175. col 1. and the said Hurtado whom he citâ—th If then we may communicate with such men where there may be some danger of sin why should we not communicate with Protestants where there can be no danger of sinne as shall be hereafter prooved It is fourthly proved by the practice of all Catholikes in forreigne Countries for Germany See for Germany and France Navarr lib. 5. Consil. 12. de Heret and see the foresaid Author of the answer his words are these cap. 9. pag. 216. And indeed if the German Catholiques had beene so restrained persecuted and put to death as the English have beene these yeers and had not gone by halfes with the Protestants as in some places the have done they had had perhaps farre more Catholiques at this day and them more zealous and their whole Nation perchance reduced ere this Thus he Where is to be noted that his perhaps and perchance are nothing worth For by their going to Church as he termeth it by halfes with the Protestants their countrey became Catholike long since whereas his zeale of persecution hath not converted ours yet neither is yet like to doe For Scotland it is confessed by the said R. P. pag. 69. with his judgement of their miserie insâ—ing thereby but the truth of the miserie I shall shew hereafter who yet in plaine termes doth not deny my assertion but here and there granteth that some learned discreete man where there is no scandall and in whom there is no danger of subversion may goe to the Church of heretiques and heare their Sermons Much more say I then to the Church of Protestants most of whom are not to be called properly formall hereticks for to heresie as it is a sinne against faith and maketh a formall hereticke is required obstinacie or pertinacie against the doctrine declaration and sence of the Church See Saint Thomas of Aquin. 2â— â—ae q. 11. ar 2o. Cajetan Bannes idem Aragona art 1o. Suares disput 19. de fide sect 3. Now what obstinacie can Protestants be said to have in their opinions with relation to a Church they know not for they know none other but their owne so that although they beleeve amisse whereby they may suffer in the next world and speake hereticall propositions yet because they proceed not from an hereticall mind or consent they are not perfectly heretiques Adde that I my selfe in Germany with other Catholiques of the same countrey have gone to a Synagogue of Iewes without any scandall or having beene judged to have done amisse Ergo I and others may go to a Church of Protestants without any scandall or being judged in reason to have done amisse And I can assure my selfe whatsoever others may thinke of my assurance that the lawfulnesse of going to Church is the common opinion of all forreign Divines that ever I conversed with in any Vniversitie Which in part may be proved by the fact of a certaine Catholique Lady who going to Church in England sent her Priest to Paris to have this case resolved by the Sorbon Doctors who all Subscribed That a Catholique in England might lawfully goe to the Protestant Church That this is true it may be justified by some persons of great qualitie yet alive If any English Scholler shall answer that we went to the Synagogue of Iewes out of curiositie and when they did not exercise their rites and ceremonies I reply that to choose we would have gone if we might have had private conveniencie unknowne to them to have seene their rites and ceremonies neither doe we set downe our intention of going for if it may be done with any intention lawfully especially where the whole matter of all their rites and ceremonies is alwaies conserved to wit a burning lampe with oyle for the soules departed now as they conceive in Limbo patrum a place where the oblation of oyle to that purpose is alwaies kept the tenne Commandements placed in veneration a number of linnen rolles or bands wrote with Hebrew letters wherwith they binde the tenne Commandements according to their distinction of feasts the knife of Circumcision and the like Which may be stumbling blocks to some weake Christians although the men to performe these rites should not be present why should wee not goe to the Protestant Church with some intention lawfully where there are onely men within bare wals saying some Catholique service by them pieced up together without any Catholique forme not to the possible hurt of any but themselves and whether I went to the said Synagogue out of curiositie or out of the love of science to reason
it will be the Scandall of Pharisees as is aforesaid Now to proove the assertion which is the first branch of the Minor Scandall is a word or deed lesse right apt to give occasion to another of spirituall ruine â—ut to goe to Church is no deed lesse right but prudently and chiefely right all circumstances considered Ergo to goe to Church is no scandall and consequenter to goe to Church can yeeld no occasion to my neighbour of spirituall ruine but rather an occasion of both his temporall and spirituall conservation and edification This Minor I prove To goe to heare a piece of a Masse in English is no deed lesse right But to goe to Church is to goe to heare a piece of a Masse in English Ergo to goe to Church is no deed lesse right The Major I prove thus to goe to heare a whole Masse in English the nature of the thing considered and abstracting from the constitution of the Church is not evill For the diversitie of the language takes nothing from the goodnesse of the thing As is manifest in the Greeke Church where Masse is alwayes said in Greeke So that if it be not evill in it selfe to goe to heare a whole Masse in English it is not evill to goe to heare a piece of a Masse in English And consequently not to goe to Church Adde that in the whole Latine Church where it is not lawfull to say Masse in any other language then in Latine becâ—use of the long custome of the Church kept alwayes on foot for this reason that as the Catholique Religion is universall so should it be exercised in an universall language yet it is lawfull and in use to say a piece of the Masse as Collects Prayers Psalmes Epistles and Gospels in any Language of any Countrey whatsoever within the said Church It may be here objected first that although to go to Church be of its own nature a thing indifferent yet hic nunc it is evill For considering the circumstances of time and place it hath a shew appearance of evill apt to occasion sin in another From which we are commanded to abstain by St. Paul 1 Thess. 5.22 saying From all shew of evill refraine your selves To which I answer first That all the appearance of evill which going to Church hath is that in England above other countreys Priests have not been freely left to the Principles of Divinitie or Lay-men to their Christian libertie but it hath been procured to have bin declared unlawfull upon false suggestions and continued thus thought unlawfull by some erroneous judgements Which my neighbour likewise phantasing erroneously apprehends it a species cast from going to Church which indeed is not so nor otherwise then if a man with a blood-shotten eye should behold glasse say it were red when a parte rei it were white It were very hard if I eating fish in the lent and one purblind seeing me eate apprehending it flesh because he goes away scandalized as thinking me to have eaten flesh by reason of his false eyes that I should be said to have given him scandall So it would seeme likewise as hard if a broken phansie or an erring minde should conceive evill species from mine actions which a parte rei are no species at all of them but quite contrary to thâ—ir species that I should thereby be judged to give scandall to little ones No I hope as the erroneous eyes shall beare their owne imperfections so the erroneous judgement shall beare its owne mistake and neither shall accuse me before God of the scandall of little ones Hence I answer secondly to the place of the Apostle before objected thaâ— the appearance or shew of evill is to be understood first that it proceeds really from the act done and that it be not only a conjecturall appearance but morally certaine That no man play Tom-foole in striking him that stands next him without a cause Secondly that the appearance proceeds not from a deed to be done of necessitie either by the Law of God or nature Otherwise we might inferre the Apostle to command contradictories to refraine and not to refraine from such a deed whence proceeds the appearance For if the thing be commanded by the Law of God it must necessarily be done or otherwise sinne And if it were to be done by the Law of Nature the blessed Apostle was not so unreasonable as to bid us refraine from a thing in its owne nature lawfull and of necessitie to be done without admittance of some way to avoyd scandall Although by reason of some circumstance place or person it might have a shew of evill and so for some time be suspended as some things of naturall necessitie yea the Evangelicall counsels may have But in such cases we are to instruct and admonish the weake as I by these presents doe that although it should seeme to them to be evill or to have some shew of evill yet in very deed it is not evill but good And I am constrained under paine of death to do the same After which instruction and admonition if they still persist in their scandall it is not a scandall of little ones but of Pharisees and great ones Neither doth it proceed from infirmitie or ignorance but from malice and is not to be regarded So that it seemes a thing unreasonable and in the strength of judgement against nature that a man shall more regard the trouble of his neighbours conscience at a thing lawfull then the hazard of his own life and ruine of his own family and fortunes in the execution of the same See Diana for this Doctrine and all the Authors by him above cited If any shall here reply to my first answer of the objection that the shew of evill is really in the act of going to Church and not as falsely imagined and that this shew of evill appeares not only to weake and ignorant people but to men of understanding of all sorts and not only to Catholiques but likewise to Schismaticks of all sorts who in going to Church to save their goods confesse that they doe it against their conscience as conceiving it to be unlawfull by reason of the aforesaid Declaration of the twelve Fathers in the Councell of Trent and the foresaid Popes which whether it were gotten by false suggestions or no they discerne not neither doe they dispute but simply obey To make up the rime in reason the more simple they For reason may teach great ones and men seeming of understanding that are Schismaticks or Lay-Catholiques the contrary because nothing is done at Church which is either evill or hurtfull and both reason and learning Priests And therefore I rejoyce with Aristotle Propter illorum cogitare nihil mutatur in re and say that the shew of evill proceeds not from the act of going to Church For in all King Edwards time and the beginning of Queene Elizabeths time untill the thirteenth yeere of her
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
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
partialitie and then they should see whether having this meane of beliefe in a balanced judgement they would attribute their heresies to Gods revelation and deny his revelation to Orthodoxe Articles or no. To the authoritie of St. Thomas I answer that he meaneth such as attribute heresies quatenus tales to Gods revelation and deny his revelation to Orthodox Articles quâ tales as Arch-hereticks did in this reduplicative sense to be blasphemers But not such as take Scripture for the revealed word of God and misunderstand the same in a specificative sense through their own ignorance or infirmitie to be blasphemers Neither did St. Thomas or any other temperate and solid Divine ever inteâ—d to say It may be here first objected that Catholiques in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths Raigne went to Church and so did likewise the Catholiques in Scotland and they were all in a short time subverted Ergo there is danger of subversion in going to Church I deny the later part of the antecedent and say that while the plot of Recusancie was working there was a command got upon the former suggestions that no Catholiques should goe to the Protestant Church So by barring them of their Christian libertie by degrees to bring in Recusancie as a pretended signe betweene a good Christian and a bad Which some few Catholiques then beleeving themselves bound to obey as indeed they were not but might as well withall reverence and obedience have beseeched the Pope to have recalled his command refused the Church Others and those the most part of the kingdome as appeares by the afore Author of the Answer to the Libell of Justice cap. 8. pag. 172. 182. fearing the penalties of the said Statutes did not refuse but continued to goe to Church who being neglected by Priests being but a few then in England and those of most power being for the said recusancy as having no spirituall comfort or instructions in what sense they might truely and lawfully doe what they did to avoyd the said penalties of the Law and likewise thinking that those Priests thought them to doe ill in what themselves found no hurt they dyed as they lived But whether in Protestant tenents or Catholique or whether they would not have dyed Catholiques if they had had helpe especially such as lived before in Queene Maries time I present to any wise and pious mans judgement truly considering the state of those times And afterwards their children being still neglected upon this point of Recusancy and living in ignorance ingendred the Protestant Reâ—igion now on foot So that the cause of their falling was not their subversion as may be proved by witnesses yet alive but over indiscreet zeale in Priests the chiefest heads of whom ayming as is evident at a temporall end neglecting and rejecting such as would not obey their unreasonable command and in the same manner it hapneth with Catholiques that now goe to Church in these dangerous times Who going to Church only to save themselves from ruine and being rejected as judged to be fallen from the true faith by ignorant Priests and therefore not looked after with any Christian instructions or admonitions faine themselves Protestants rather then they will bee thought to live against their conscience Whence I may truely say and prove by the Authour last before cited who confesseth that in the thirteenth yeere of Queen Elizabeths reigne the third part of this Kingdome at least was Catholique that since the fall of Religion in England by this onely Cheate of recusancie tenne soules have beene lost for one gained which is both lamentable and damnable to those that were the first Authors of the same As for the Scots their fall was neither subversion or Recusancie which was never generally admitted because not covertly procured by the Clergie of that Kingdome but want of Priests to administer the Sacraments and give them other spirituall comfort who seeing the soyle not so fertile as ours and the lawes more severe those few that were rather chose to converse on the Northern borders of England then in their owne Countrey And Catholiques there seeing themselves destitute of all spirituall comfort went to Church to save their inferiour portion from ruine who if they had had but plenty or sufficiencie of priests to have instructed them I doubt not but they would have still remained Catholiques And it had been farre more easie so to have conserved them then fallen now to convert them And thus came the bane of Catholique religion into both Kingdomes which are like so to continue remedilesse unlesse they be assisted by Gods infinite and miraculous power It may be objected secondly that divers Popes as Paul the fourth Pius the fifth both the last Gregories Sixtus Clement and Paul the fifth granted to priests their faculties with an intention that they should administer the Sacraments to onely such as abstained from Protestant Churches I answer that it is so said by R. P. but whether it be so in truth or no I know not peradventure such faculties might be granted to such as received them from the aforesaid suggestors hands and to none others Neither did I ever see any faculties as yet so limited nor I hope ever shall For although the aforesaid Popes might be inclined to the said suggestors tribe so admit of their suggestions thinking them to proceed from zeale and not from hypocrisie who likewise thought their pretenses holy and what a Christian like thing it was to suffer persecution for Gods sake and what a number of Martyrs were made in England sanguinem martyrum esse semen Ecclesiae that the blood of the Martyrs was the seed of the Church Further what an abominable people Protestants were Idolaters blasphemous heretiques subversive of soules and many other the like exaggerating speeches upon which any Pope living unlesse he had foreknowne their drift would have done the like Whereas certainly had they but made known the true State of England in those dayes and sought the good of souls and not themselves in truth they ought to have done the said Popes would never have done as they did to us more then to the Scots Hollanders Germans and other nations by subjecting us and all posteritie by this device of Recusancie to all misery and slavery Neither hath his Holinesse that now is ever declared any such thing for I perceive that he better knowing by experience the said suggestors tribe and their plots with their moth-like dealings in most Kingdomes will be advised hence forward how he granteth any more Rescripts or limiteth any faculties upon their importune suggestions As for our Martyrs of England I hope them truely Martyrs because they died not so much for recusancie as for Religion and a good conscience although that might be a meanes to bring them to their death sooner then otherwise Yet I dare not call all of them Saints untill the holy Church doth bid me as having approved of their miracles but most of them I
Canons soever forbid Communication with hereticks they are to be understood of notorious hereticks in point of their heresie or particularly denounced excommunicated for heresie and fallen in Catholique countreyes or from amongst Catholiques And not of such as are not formall and subversive hereticks but borne incredulous in a countrey to be converted and not knowing the Catholique Church After all this some may yet say that it hath been a long custome with them to abstain from the Protestant Church above these threescore yeers and they have suffered and lost much by refusing the same and can I have so little judgement as to thinke upon mine own bare word or opinion to make them leave this their custome I answer how small soever my judgement be that it is not only my opinion but the common opinion of Divines in the Catholique Church and I never spake with any Priest in England about this point in my life that was able to give me satisfaction to the contrary Some indeed have answered me that it were lawfull if it were not for scandall Others if it were not a distinctive signe and when I have urged that scandall may be avoyded as I have before said and for a distinctive signe I knew none for who should institute that signe then they have answered that a long custome had brought it in I have blessed my self to thinke that men should so unjustly deale with poore Catholiques as to bring upon them a yoake or fetters which they can keepe upon them by no other law then that they themselves cunningly got them on or chained them about threescore yeeres since and now to kicke of these chaines or their devises would prove forsooth scandall because they would seeme refractary and disobedient to their suggestive humours but to give me a reason why going to Church was unlawfull before the refusall thereof became this supposed distinctive signe or before the same could be cause of scandall I could never yet heare any man give but only the aforesaid R. P. hath given in writing the aforesaid suggested untruths with a great deale of passion that this my opinion was thought rationall â—or almost fortie yeers agoe and since recusancy was brought in as appears by his said booke of many most prudent men in this kingdome which is to me no reason at all For let us propose to any Divine in Christendome these three following questions relating the true state of the Protestant Church in exterior actions for we meddle not as I have said with their opinions in matters of faith and withall adding that we are constrained to them under paine of death and losse of all temporall fortunes 1. Whether it be lawfull for a Catholique to heare the Prayers Epistles Gospels and Psalmes of the Catholique Church among Protestants in their Church 2. Whether it be lawfull to heare a Protestant preach in the same place some moralitie although it should by chance happen that some ignorant Minister should speake of some point of mistaken doctrine as that Catholiques trust in their own merits or the like falshood 3. Whether it be lawfull for a Catholique to receive bare bread and wine in remembrance that Christ dyed for him as a pious ceremony and whether not better so taken then without such remembrance I dare say that there is no impartiall Divine but will answer Yes And for these opinions I make no question but if I had been as well backed in Rome as the said R. P. was I would have got as great approbation to the same as he had to the same questions after his subdolâ—us manner proposed as followeth 1. Whether it be lawfull to frequent the Churches of hereticks where there is both imminent danger of subversion and scandall 2. Whether it be lawfull to heare the blasphemous and idâ—latrous Sermons of hereticks in which both God and his Church is notoriously and highly abused 3. Whether it be lawfull to receive Calvines Communion of bread and wine which they hold a Sacrament and is a signe of hereticall perfidiousnesse whereby a man betrayeth and denyeth his faith To which every Cathoâ—ique whatsoever would and must answer No but this in truth is not our case For the beliefe of Catholiques is not questioned nor subversion or blasphemie or denyall of faith either apprehended or feared Neither can they scarce possibly happen in the Protestant Church as I have before said but the question only is what Catholiques may exteriorly doe for the safeguard of life with a good intention and how and in what manner they may best converse and preserve themselves from ruine with most securitie Therefore I pray forgive the said R. P. who proposed the said questions in Rome out of his aboundant zeale of money and youth to propagate his family not once considering that it is an impossible thing for them to be hereticks who never were Catholiques As for their custome of Recusancie I say first that it is no custome for a custome is a continuance of a thing time out of minde without any interruption Now recusancy hath been interrupted oftentimes first by Doctor Wright who wrote against the same Ann. 1607. and since him Master Broughton and now my selfe Neither hath it been time out of minde for there are some yet alive borne in Queene Maries dayes who have knowne when our recusancie was not in England and thereupon in these troublesome times doe now goe to Church I say secondly that an inconvenient custome with imprudencie is better broken then kept and the prescripâ—ion of threescore yeeres not good Yet if they will needs claime a right in and to their actions by the same I doe hereby promise not to take it from them by any suit in law For I doe write more to avoyd the scandall of the weake then that I do thinke thereby to satisfie the weake or rob them of their said custome As for their sufferings and losses I am sorry for them and doe assure my selfe that they will receive a great reward for the same because they suffered not so much for the love of recusancie as for the love of God for whosoever doth the meanest worke no indiscretion therein being apprehended by the doer either for Gods sake or for vertue sake although of some considering the act it selfe and not knowing the doers intention it may be judged indiscreet yet the worke may have a reward from God and yet another that doth not the same no punishment Thus the three branches of the said Minor proposition being proved the Conclusion standeth good for the lawfulnesse of going to the Protestant Church Me thinks here I heare some storme that if this my opinion should be admitted as lawfull it would follow that they must likewise take all the oathes that are made against Catholiques which will tend to perjurie To which I answer that I would have them to do things consequenter and any thing for safeguard of life wherein their is no sinne And to
the intolerable abuse which some suggestors did put upon the Popes Holinesse concerning this Oath of Allegiance who procured him to send forth a declarative Briefe forbidding English Catholiques to take the same as conteining many things plainly repugnant to faith and salvation and by this meanes compelled him against his will to make the Doctrine adverse to the Oath his owne opinion When as the procurers themselves and their abettors did as I have said counsell in private some men of qualitie who were friends to them to take the same as lawfull as may be easily proved And which is more strange that they should procure it to be declared so repugnant when as the doctrine to be abjured in the said oath wrote by Santarellus was declared by all the Sorbon Doctors and sixteene of the chiefest Jesuits in France to be wicked so that what is held lawfull by most Divines in the Church it being the most common opinion except some few that would seeme to flatter the Pope should be held wicked only for us to take but I conceive as I have said before that the intent and end of the procuration of such Briefs is that nothing should be thought good or lawfull in England to be done without the speciall approbation of the suggestors tribe so that if any man should doe what they have not approved by vertue of the Popes Briefe he shall be presently blasted for an heretick and if he doe what they approve he shall be saved harmelesse by them both at home and abroad let him be never so bad Sed meliora Spero Let any judicious man consider all the Buls Breves and Censures that have beene procured touching the affaires of English Catholiques from the first Bull of excommunication against Queen Elizabeth by Pius Quintus to the last before spoken of in Anno 1639. against one who knowes nothing of the same and he shall finde by farre more hurt done to Catholiques then ever good It were a blessed turne if some order might be taken by our most gracious Queene for the prevention of such mischiefes which serve for nothing more then to make Schismes and Rents in the Church of God and the Pope and his authoritie to be lesse regarded It were more fitting in my poore judgement that Catholiques were succoured in tribulation then by barring them of their Christian liberty in what they may lawfully doe to adde affliction to affliction I must say no more for I perceive that some beginne to swell but the matter is not great for I will write nothing by Gods grace contrary to the Catholique Church Yet I feare they will breake before I have done with The Oath of Supremacy which is as followeth divided into foure branches 1. I A. B. Doe utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that the Kings highnesse is the only Supreme Governor of this Realme and of all other his Highnesse dominions and countries as well in all Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall things or causes as Temporall 2. And that no forreigne Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction power superioritie preheminence or authoritie Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall within this Realme 3. And therefore I doe utterly renounce and forsake all forren Jurisdictions powers superiorities and authorities 4. And doe promise that from henceforth I shall bear faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highnesse his heires and lawfull successors and to my power shall assist and defend all Jurisdictions priviledges preheminences and authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highnesse his heires and successours or united and annexed to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme So helpe me God and by the contents of this Booke Where is to be noted first that in the first yeere and Parliament of Queene Elizabeths reigne when they abolished the Popes authoritie and would have yeelded the same authoritie with the Title of Supreme head to the Queen as it was given before to her father and brother divers especially moved by Minister Calvines writing who hâ—d condemned in the same Princes that calling liked not the terme and therefore procured that some other equivalent terme but lesse offensive although in truth it is all one with the other might be used Vpon which formalitie it was enacted that she was the Chiefe Governour aswell in causes Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall as Civil Temporal because otherwise there could have beene no colour to make new lawes for the change of Religion So the abovesaid Author to the Answer c. cap. 1. pag. 7. and 8. And this was the onely and sole intention of making the aforesaid Oath which was divâ—rs from the â—ntention of King Henrie the eighth and consequently the Oath not the same For his intention in assuming to himselfe the Supremacie was not as I shall say beneath in the third note to alter any principle of Religion the Supremacie onely excepted or so much as any ceremonie of the Catholique Church but to give himselfe a more licentious libertie in point of marriage and divorce and to make the same libertie justifiable to his subjects and because he could not have the same granted to him by the Pope was angry and displeased with him and tooke it of his owne accord and for his sake disturbed the Church and Clergy of England and took away their lands and gave them to his Nobilitie It is to be noted secondly that we are to sweare that the King is chiefe Governour as well in all spirituall things c. Where by All is to be understood in all things ordered or to be ordered by him unlesse some exception bee made in reason touching the establishment or regiment of the Protestant Church of England that the spirituall things were meant touching the Church appears by the very words themselves Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall and that they were meant touching a Church to be established distinct from the then Catholique Church in England appeares by the intention of the oath which was as I have said to inable the Queene to change and alter Religion and to forme an other Church diverse from that which then was which is the Protestant Church and that there are some spirituall things justly excepted from the King appeares by the Declaration of Queene Elizabeth in her next visitation of the Clergie after the said Oath was made wherein she her selfe made an exception and declared in print the same being published by her commandement that in truth She had not power we will not examine then from whence her Ministers power came she having none her selfe by the words of the Oath and Act to minister the Sacraments Neither had she any such intent and that no such thing was implyed in her Title or claime of Spirituall regiment nor no other thing nor more then was before granted to her father by the terme of Supreame Head requiring all her loving subjects to receive the Oath at least in that sence which was
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
6â— de leg cap. 1. upon the will and intention of the lawmaker which is the soule of the law the substance and force of the law doth chiâ—fly depend therefore it by any meanes the will of the lawmaker may be knowne according to it especially we must understand the words of the law But the will of the lawmaker is sufficiently knowne concerning this oath to make it apparently unlawfull for any Catholique to take as appeareth by the words of King Iames of blessed memory saying in his Premonition pag. 9. and in his Apology for the oath pag. 2. and 9. that by the oath of Allegiance he intended to demand of his subjects nothing else but a profession of that temporall Allegiance and civill obedience which all subjects by the law of God and nature doe owe to their lawfull Prince c. For as the Oath of Supremacie saith he was devised for putting a difference betweene Papists and them of our profession So was the oath of Allegiance ordained for making a difference between the civilly obedient Papists and the perverse disciples of the Powder treason by which words it appeareth that King Iames held both the law and the law maker intended by the oath of Supremacie to put a difference betweene Papists and Protestants and that no Papist would take that oath wherein the Jurisdiction of the Pope was intended to be abjured Ergo the said oath of Supremacie is to be interpreted accordingly all doubtfulnesse of words set aside and consequenter unlawfull for any Catholique to take To the Major of which Objection I answer first granting the same Secondly with a distinction that the intentions of the law and law maker are to bee sought when they interpret the law in a truer sense then the plaine words doe as they lie otherwise not lest it want veritie To Suarez I answer that himselfe saith in the place before cited that if at any time the propertie of the words of an oath should induce any injustice or like absurditie concerning the minde or meaning of the lawmaker they must be drawne to a sense although improper wherein the law may be just and reasonable for this is presumed to be the minde of the law maker as it hath beene declared by many lawes in F. tit de lege thus Suarez So that although there were in the words of this oath divers significations impropper and unusuall yet in the opinion of Suarez it might be taken and the words interpreted in the truest sense abstracting from the reall intention of the law maker how much more then say I the words being not improper or unusuall but according to the intention of the law and law maker may they be taken in the more favourable sence which may make the law to be just and reasonable See for this doctrine Can. Cum tu de testibus cap. 16. Can. ad nostram de Iurejurando cap. 21. et de regulis â—â—ris in 6. reg 49. in paenis leg Benignius F. de leg Leg. In ambigua ibidem Hence it followeth first out of the doctrine of the said Suarez that although the words and sentences contained in this oath being considered barely by themselves and without due circumstances to wit the intention of the law and lawmaker and to what end and purpose the sâ—id oath was framed may seeme to some doubtfull and ambiguous although to me they seeme not so that is not cleare and morally certaine and so for one to sweare them in that doubtfull sence were to expose himselfe to danger of perjurie yet considering as I have said that such doubtfull words are to be taken in the more favourable sense and which maketh the law to be just and reasonable and to contain no falshood or injustice If any one sweare those words which of themselves are doubtfull in no doubtfull sense but in a true and determinate sense and wherein they are not doubtfull but cleere and morally certaine there is no danger of perjurie at all It may seeme to follow secondly out of the aforesaid doctrine that such as tooke the oath of Supremacie in King Henry the eighth dayes which rather then those famous and glorious men Sir Thomas Moore and Bishop Fisher would take they worthily chose to die were not to be condemned of perjurie because it might be supposed that they being learned Bishops and Noblemen knowing what belonged to an oath did draw the same to some improper sense which ought to have beene the intention of the aforesaid King to make the law just as if they should have sworne the then King Head or chiefe of the Church of his countrey for that he was Sovereigne Lord and ruler of both persons Spirituall and Temporall all sorts being bound to obey his lawfull civill lawes and commandements And so in this sense although it be a kinde of improper speech every King is Head of the Clergy and all others of his owne Countrey Or peradventure they might sweare him Supreame Head of the Church of England that is Chiefe of the congregation of beleevers within his dominions for so in our language we commonly say him to be the head of a Colledge Court or Citie that is the chiefe and him to be chiefe who is supreame therein The Church being then taken by all Divines for a congregation of men Why might not King Henrie be improperly sworne in the opinion of Suarez Head of the then congregation in England So that what Sir Thomas Moore lawfully and piously refused with relation to the intention of the aforesaid King others might without perjurie take with relation to the law of God abstracting from all unlawfull intentions to wit that every oath be just and reasonable as being to be taken in Veritie Iustice and Iudgement and so what was unlawfull in a proper sence might at lest be free from Perjurie in an improper Thus understanding the first branch and the second and third in the same sence before delivered they might peradventure be excused as I have said from perjurie But never from sinne For considering the state of England in those dayes and the absolute intention of the King which well knowne to the whole world was to be sworne Supreame Head of the Catholique Church Catholique religion still here remaining as I have said his oath was as much different from this now oath of Supremacie as darknesse from light For by this the Queene claimed not the Supremacie granted by Christ to Saint Peter as did her father but onely to be Supreame governour of a Church out of which she would not onely discard the Pope but likewise roote out all Catholique religion contrary to her fathers minde as I have shewed so that the question in the said Kings dayes was about an Article of faith viz. Whether the Supremacie were granted by God to the King or to the Pope Which Article they were bound with losse of their lives to have professed being called thereunto for then did occurre the
per vâ—scera misericordiae charitatem quam Christus à suis omnibus exigit ut eam paluâ— dilucide quam primùm expediatis qua multi in hoâ— regno implicatâ— torquentur Quod haec charta complectitur nullius nomine singulariter praefertur quia non ad unum aliquem pertinet quod hic petitur sed ad omnes fere nobiles quos Anglia habet Catholicos quibus jam multis modis pericula intentantur Iis universis in tua illustrissima Dominatione magna spes auxilii effulget si eadem vel Dei vel nobilitatis respectu agere dignabitur cum amicis quos in concilio habet Tridentino ut huic questioni quae totius nobilitatis nomine his adjuncta est responsum maturum Deliberatum accommodetur huc commoda tuae D. opera perferatur In quo haud dubie acquiessent perturbatae nunc conscientiae si ex tetam sancto nobili patre certiores fieri possint quid patres hac de re iudicent Quanquam fortasse tutum non fuerit hanc questionem publice in concilio proponi ne res divulgata nostrorum protestantium animos exacerbet aliquibus periculum acceleret nisi tuae prudentiae aliter videatur ideo tua prudentia consultius fecerit si ita cum selectis quibusdam hanc causam egerit ut quod ipsi in hac causa piissimi doctissimi theologi consulti significaverint id proinde valeat ac si universi patres sententias dixissent Caeterum hoc totum tuae Do judicio arbitrio relinquendi satius sit ut ipsa quod magis in rem esse prospiciat â—d libere agat Qui in Anglia â—unc sunt theologi partim metuunt partim varie respondent ideo plane omnibus satisfaciet quod te procurante ex Tridenâ—â—no huc respondebitur Pro quo vestro tam firme christiano vere religioso animo non possumuâ— non Deo opt max. agere gratias nobis magnopere gratulari Etsi enim calamitatum vestrarum sensus cunctos vehementer tangat cruciet ut Christiana charitas hortatur quae tam arcto necessitudinis vinculo omnes devinctos constrictos tenet ut mutuo afficiat membra atque fratrum commoda incommoda non aliena sed propria ducat in illo tamen non est minima consolatio quod calamitosis hisce temporibus in eo potissimum regno in quo fides religiosorum miserè jacet cernimus nullo iniuriarum concursu aut metus vi charitatis vestrae ardorem extinguâ— aut fidem convelli aut constantiam labefactari quinimò vos esse qui in tanta rerum omnium confusione ac molestiarum turbulentissimá tempestate nunquam curvaveritis genua ante Baal non sine magna Divini nominis Christianaeque disciplinae gloria Ne igitur vestris constans animus qui nullis coÌ„modis ad impietatem torqueri flective unquam potuit fallacibus rationibus ad vestram perniciem comparatis aut Divinae legis ignoratione pietatisve simulatione deciperetur minueretur quod sustinemus dignum Christiani hominis officio debitum existimavimus vestris piissimis optatis morem gerere causamque vestram examinandam accuratè diligenter maturèque commissimus gravissimis quibusdam patribus ac reverendissimis Dominis Archiepiscopo Bracharensi Archiepiscopo Lanciâ—nensi Episcopo Dombriscensi Episcopo Lerenensi reverendo patri Iacobo Laineâ— generali societatis Iesu simulque spectatissimis quibusdam Doctoribus Alphonso Salmeroni Fratri Petro de Soto quem arbitramur vobis facie nomine notissimum D. Georgio de Fr. Francisco Fercensi Doct. Melchiori Cornelio Iacobo Paiva de Andrada item Doctori quorum omnium religio pietas eruditio certissimis testimoniis explorata est Quorum sententias nostro etiam judicio comprobatas non dubitamus quin sententiae totius concilii instar sitis merito habituri Hâ—i igitur patres ac Theologi quibus haec provincia data est cum sâ—pe convenissent atque diligenter circumspectè divina oracula sanctorum patrum sententias instituta deliberando evolvissent communibus suffragiis concluserunt minime vobis sine magno scelere divinaque indignatione licere hujusmodi hereticorum precibus illorumve concionâ—bus inâ—eresse ac longe multum praestare quaevis atrocissima perpeti quam in profligatissimis sceleratissimisque ritâ—bus quovis signo illis consentire c. The Oath of Supremacie Enacted 35. Henrici octavi I A. B. Having now the vaile of darknesse of the usurped power authoritie and jurisdiction of the See and Bishops of Rome clearely taken away from mine eyes doe utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that neither the See nor the Bishop of Rome nor any forrein Potentate hath nor ought to have any jurisdiction power or authoritie within this Realme nether by Gods law nor by any other just law or means And though by sufferance and abuse in times passed they aforesaid have usurped and vendicated a fained and unlawfull power and jurisdiction within this Realme which hath been supported till few yeeres passed therefore because it might be deemed and thought thereby that I tooke or take it for just and good I therefore now doe clearely and franckly renounce refuse relinquish and forsake that pretended authoritie power and jurisdiction both of the See and Bishop of Rome and of all other forrein powers And that I shall never consent and agree that the foresaid See or Bishop of Rome or any of their successours shall practise exercise or have any manner of authoritie jurisdiction or power within this Realme or any other the Kings Realmes or Dominions nor any forrein Potentate of what estate degree or condition soever he be but that I shall resist the same at all times to the uttermost of my power And that I shall beare faith truth and true Allegiance to the Kings Majestie and to his heires and successours declared or hereafter to be declared by the authoritie of the Act made in the Session of the Parliament holden at Westminster the fourteenth day of Ianuary in the five and thirtieth yeere and in the said Act made in the eight and twentieth yeere of the Kings Majesties reigne And that I shall accept repute and take the Kings Majestie his heires and successours when they or any of them shall enjoy his place to be the only supreame Head in earth under God of the Church of England and Ireland and of all other His Highnesses Dominions And that with my body cunning wit and uttermost of my power without guile fraud or other undue means I shall observe keepe maintaine and defend all the Kings Majesties styles titles and rights with the whole effects and contents of the Acts provided for the same and all other Acts and Statutes made or to be made within this Realme in and for that purpose and the derogation extirpation and extinguishment of the usurped and pretended authoritie power and jurisdiction of the See and Bishop of Rome and all
other forrein Potentates as afore And also aswell the said Statute made in the said eight and twentieth yeer as the Statute made in the said Session of the Parliament holden the 35. yeere of the Kings Majesties Reigne for establishment and declaration of His highnesse succession and all Acts and Statutes made and to be made in confirmation and corroboration of the Kings Majesties power and Supremacie in earth of the Church of England and Ireland and of other the Kings Dominions I shall also defend and maintaine with by body and goods and with all my wit and power and this I shall doe against all manner of persons of what estate dignitie degree or condition they be and in no wise doe nor attempt nor to my power â—uffer or know to be done or attempted directly or indirectly any thing or things privily or apertly to the let hinderance damage or derogation of any of the said Statutes or of any part of them by any manner of means or for or by any manner of pretence And in case any Oath hath been made by me to any person or persons in maintenance defence or favour of the See and Bishop of Rome or his authoritie jurisdiction or power or against any Statutes aforesaid I repute the same as vaine and annihilate and shall wholly and truly observe and keepe this Oath so helpe me God all Saints and the holy Evangelists The Oath of Supremacie enacted 1 â— Elizabeth cap. 1o. I A. B. Doe utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that the Queenes highnesse is the onely Supreame governour of this Realme and of all other her Highnesse Dominions and Countries as well in all Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall things or causes as Temporall and that no forreigne Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any jurisdiction power superioritie preheminence or authoritie Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall within this Realme and therefore I doe utterly renounce and forsake all forraigne jurisdictioâ—s powers superiorities and authorities and doe â—â—omise that from henceforth I shall beare faith anâ—â—rue Allegiance to the Queenes Highnesse her 〈◊〉 and lawfull Successour and to my power shall assâ—st and defend all jurisdictions priviledges preheminences and authorities granted or belonging to the Queenes Highnesse her Heires and Successours or united and annexed to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme So helpe me God and by the Contents of this Booke A Proviso in an Act 5 o. Elizabeth c. 1o. for expounding this Oath PRovided also that the Oath expressed in the said Act made in the said first yeere shall be taken and expounded in such forme as is set forth in an Admonition annexed to the Queenes Majesties Injunctions published in the first yeere of her Majesties reigne that is to say to confesse and acknowledge in her Majestie her Heires and Successours none other authoritie then that was challenged and lately used by the noble King Henrie the eighth and King Edward the sixth as in the said Admonition more plainly may appeare The Admonition annexed to the Injunctions Elizabeth 1o. followes with this Title An Admonition to simple men deceived by malicious THe Queenes Majestie being enformed that in certaine places of this Realme sundry of her native subjects being called to Ecclesiasticall Ministrie in the Church be by sinister perswasion and perverse construction induced to finde some scruple in the forme of an Oath which by an Act of the last Parliament is prescribed to be required of divers persons for the recognition of their Allegiance to her Majestie which certainly neither was ever meant ne by any equitie of words or good sense can be thereof gathered would that all her loving subjects should understand that nothing was is or shall be meant or intended by the same Oath to have any other Dutie Allegiance or Bond required by the same Oath then was acknowledged to be due to the most noble Kings of famous memorie King Henry the eight her Majesties Father or King Edward the sixt her Majesties Brother And further her Majestie forbiddeth all manner her subjects to give eare or credit to such perverse and malicious persons which most sinisterly and maliciously labour to notifie to her loving subjects how by the words of the said Oath it may be collected that the Kings or Queenes of this Realme possessours of the Crowne may challenge authoritie and power of Ministrie of Divine Offices in the Church wherein her said subjects be much abused by such evill disposed persons For certainly her Majestie neither doth ne ever will challenge any other authoritie then that was challenged and lately used by the said noble Kings of famous memory King Henrie the eight and King Edward the sixth which is and was of ancient time due to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme that is under God to have the Sovereigntie and rule over all manner of persons borne within these her Realmes Dominions and Countries of what estate either Ecclesiasticall or Temporall soever they be so as no other forreigne power shall or ought to have any superioritie over them And if any person that hath conceived any other sense of the forme of the said Oath shall accept the same Oath with this interpretation sense or meaning her Majestie is well pleased to accept every such in that behâ—lfe as her good and obedient subjects and shall acquit them of all manner penalties contained in the said Act against such as shall peremptorily or obstinately refuse to take the same Oath The Conclusion of the Authour of the Animadversions to the Reader THis Treatise Christian Reader penned by a learned and intelligent Romanist resembles Ortwhinus his Booke intituled Fasciculus rerum expetendarum et fugiendarum or the two baskets of figgâ—s Ier. 24.1.2 set before the Temple one basket had very good figges and the other very naughtie Among the very good are these assertions That in the Protestant Church there is no Idolatrie committed That the Liturgie of the Church of England hath not any malignitie in it that may â—ustifie Popish Recusancie That the Oathes of Allâ—giance and Supremacie are iustifiable by the law of God But among the very naughtie are these that when we are questioned about our Religion before a Magistrate we may vulpizure cum vulpibus goe beyond the foxe if wee can in fox-craft that in taking an oath we may frame a meaning to our selves which is proved contrary to the meaning of him that made or ministreth the Oath that we may by our outward gestures and actions make shew of that Religion of which indeed we are not that a Prudent Catholique may both frequent the Protestant Church in publique as this Priest sâ—ith he hath done often and goe to Masse â—r say Masse in private This is no better then to weare a garment not on our bodies â—ut on our soules made of 〈◊〉 and to plough in Christs â—ield with an Oxe and an Asâ—e and to 〈◊〉 betweene two opinions reproved by the holy Prophet Eliah tâ—is is to be of the
words The body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body and soule unto eternall life and yet all this while never thinke of receiving the Sacrament but only of eating a piece of bread and drinking a draught of wine which shall be better done with the remembrance of Christ then without it He will say that our Sacrament is nothing but common bread and wine and that nought else is to be received aâ— our Communion Table The Lord rebuke thee thou false tongue What because we beleeve not that the bread and wine is transubstantiated into Christs body and blood must it therefore be nothing but common bread and bare wine By the same reason he might say that because the water in Baptisme is not transubstantiated into Christs blood that therefore it is nothing but faire water and he may in a jesting manner wash a childe in remembrance of Christs washing us with his blood It is true we teach with Theodoret Dial. 2. That the sacred symbols after consecration depart not out of their own nature but still remaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their former substance shape and figure but withall we teach that they remaine not the same in use signification and supernaturall efficacie by vertue of Christs promise to all that worthily partake of the same Neither could this prophane scoffer be ignorant hereof for he saith He hath often been at our Service where we professe that all who with a lively faith receive the holy Sacrament spiritually eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood He also maketh mention in this Pamphlet of the 39. Articles which he will have to be the definition of a Protestant and in those Articles he could not but reade Art 28. Christs body is given received and eaten in the Supper but only after a heavenly and spirituall manner And in the Apologie of the Church of England part 2. cap. 14. The Supper of the Lord is not only a signe of the love that Christians ought to beare amongst themselves one to the other but rather it is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christs death in so much that to such as rightly worthily and with faith receive the same the bread which we breake is the partaking of the body of Christ and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ. With which confession of ours fully accordeth the Helvetian the French the Belgicke the Augustane and the Swevick as he that hath an eare may heare in the Harmony of Confessions Printed 1581. cap. 21. De sacrâ coenâ Domini What should I need for further proofe hereof either to alleadge the testimonie of Calvin Epist. 31. Non modo figuratur in coenae communio quam habemus cum Christo sed etiam exhibetur neque verba illic nobis dantur à Domino sed veritas ac res constat cum verbis Haec porro communio non imaginaria est sed qua in unum corpus unamque substantiam cum capite nostro coalescimus There is not only figured in the Supper that communion which we have with Christ but it is also exhibited neither doth our Lord deceive us but the truth of the thing is correspondent to his words neither is the communion we speake of an imaginarie but such a reall one whereby we grow into one body and one substance with Chrâ—st our head or the testimonie of Bucer Epist. ad Italos addit hoc est corpus meum hic sanguis meus id credamus nec dubitemus haec dari nobis his ipsis symbolis dari in cibum potum vitae aeternae ut magis magisque vivamus in Christo habeamus illum manentem in nobis He addeth this is my body this is my blood let us beleeve it and no way doubt but that these things are given unto us by or with these very symbols and that they are given unto us for the food and drinke of eternall life that we may more and more live in Christ and have him living in us It never came into the thought of any professour of the Gospel to celebrate the Supper of the Lord without the Lord as Bucer speaketh in this Epistle or exclude him from his owne Table We teach he is there truly present and is truly received by all worthy communicants but spiritually by faith not carnally with the mouth according to the grosse Capernaitical conceipt of Romanists For first our Saviour in the sixth of Iohn where he commandeth all to eate his flesh and drinke his blood vers 53. affirming that his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drinke indeed perceiving that some were offended thereat saying vers 60. this is a hard saying who can beare it thus he declareth his own meaning vers 63. The words which I speake unto you they are spirit and they are life that is spiritually to be understood not carnally and grossely Secondly the Orthodox Fathers disclaime this carnall eating with the mouth St. Cyril in his Anathems denyeth the Sacrament to be hominis comestionem An Anthropophagie or man eating St. Chrysostome saith it is mensa aquilarum not graculorum and St. Austine that it is cibus mentis not ventris or dentis the food of the soule not of the tooth or belly Tract 20. in Iohan. Vt quid paras dentes ventrem crede manducasti Why dost thou prepare thy teeth and thy belly beleeve and thou hast eaten and St. Cyprian de coena Dom. haec quoties agimus non dentes ad manducondum acuimus sed fide sincera panem sanctum frangimus As oft as we doe these things we doe not whâ—t our teeth to eate but with sincere faith we breake that holy bread Thirdly Christ never instituted any Sacramentall action but it was profitable to the soule but the eating of Christs flesh with the mouth and swallowing it down in the stomack doth no way at all profit the soule Fourthly Christ never wrought any miracle outwardly upon the creature but the truth therof appeared even to sense when he turned the water into wine Ioh. 2. The change was discovered by the taste vers 9 10. When the Ruler of the feast had tasted it he said to the Bridegroome thou hast kept the good wine till now In like manner when Christ multiplyed the five Barley loaves and the two fishes both the taste and the stomacke and the eyes of all that were present gave testimonie to the truth of this miracle For they did all eate and were satisfied and saw twelve baskâ—ts remaining full of the fragments or broken meat which remained to them that had eaten Neither can it be shewed that ever Christ the Author of truth deluded the sense If therefore the bread had been truly and really turned into the substance of flesh either the sight or the taste or the touch would have discerned this change which yet as themselves confesse discover nothing but the whitenesse the roundnesse the
taste and other accidents of bread Fifthly If the flesh of Christ may be eaten with the mouth without faith not only infidels and reprobates but even rats and mice might sometimes through the negligence of Priests gnaw upon the consecrated Host and eate the flesh of the Son of God which were horrid to imagine and blasphemous to utter Sixthly if the Romish Priests undoubtedly beleeve this doctrine of transubstantiation as they doe other Articles of their faith why did Garnet and other Popish Priests when they were required to say these or the like words if after I have consecrated and pronounced the words this is my body there be not in stead of the bread the very flesh of Christ let me have no part in heaven they refused so to doe this profession being demanded of them but a day or two before their deaths when if ever men will clearely discharge their conscience and utter whatsoever is in their very heart it being the last time they are like ever to confesse with the mouth unto salvation Seventhly if the bread be transubstantiated into Christs body and his body truly really and properly taken from the hand of the Priest put into the mouth chawed with the teeth and swallowed down into the stomacke of all communicants either Christ of necessitie must have two bodies one visible another invisible one with the full dimensions of a man the other of a wafer one passible the other impassible one residing in one place the other filling a million of places or at least the selfe same body of Christ must at the same time be visible at the right hand of his Father and invisible in the Host with the dimensions of a man in heaven and of a wafer on earth with distinction of organs in heaven and inorganicall upon earth resting in heaven and moved on earth from the hand to the mouth and from the mouth to the stomack of millions of communicants Lastly I demand of this Priest and his pew-fellows what becomes of Christs body after it is conveighed into the stomack doth it remaine there after the forme and accidents of bread are changed or doth it some wayes remove out of the stomack or is it there converted into any other substance they dare not pitch upon any of these three nothing therefore remaineth but an annihilation or corruption in the stomack and so the holy one of God whom God would never suffer to see corruption no not in the grave shall now after his glorification suffer corruption in the stomack of all Romish Capernaits i The Apostle in that place speaketh not of Suppers in the plurall number but the Lords Supper in the singular and vers 23. delivereth the right manner of administring it according to Christs institution and so St. Cyprian in his Tract de caena Domini and the most approved interpreters both ancient and moderne understand the word and not of love feasts As for the reason this authour alleadgeth for this his exposition it is very frivolous For if the love feasts must therfore be tearmâ—d coena Dominicae our Lords Suppers because they were made in the Churches which were then called Dominicae by the same reason the Homilies and Catechisings and Songs should be called Dominicae because they were made said or sung in the Churches which were then called Dominicae k He meaneth a Romane Catholique or Papist which indeed can hardly be knowne to be a true Catholique See pag. 1. letterc. But doth he think that we know not what a Papist is Let them remember what Polycarp did answer when Marcion accoasting him said Nosti me Doest thou know me Yes saith Polycarp Novi primogenitum diaboli I know the first begotten of the devill We know you qua tales to be the naturall issue of the man of sinne and whore of Babylon and in this double and dissembling way it is hard to say of what religion you are or whether of any at all l A lewd slander it is not lawfull among us for every one to beleeve what hee pleaseth but this Priest thinketh it lawfull for him to speake what he pleaseth though against common sense and his owne conscience For within tenne lines of these words he maketh mention of the 39 Articles of the Church of England to which we all are bound to give our assent and consent and in case any Parson or Viâ—ar doe not reade these Articles and publikely testifie his approbation of them within a moneth after his induction into his Benefice he lapseth his Living Besides it is the knowne doctrine of all Protestants that the Scripture is the sole and perfect rule of faith and that as we may not beleeve any thing contrary unto it so neither any doctrine as necessarie to salvation which cannot be evidently proved out of it Of what brasse then was the brow of this slanderer made who affirmeth it to be lawfull among Protestants for every man to beleeve what he pleaseth m See page 53. Letter E. n See the Advertisement to the Reader o We are as much beholding to the stiâ—câ—er up of this Safeguard for the Relation herein closed as the Church of Rome hath little cause to con him thanke for it For hence we learne first what credit is to be given to the Popes briefes which may be so easily procured by false suggestions to the wrong and prejudice of those that deserve well of the Roman cause A cleare evidence hereof we have in Day the Franciscan who never so much as appearing before his Holinesse to answer for himselfe is censured by the Popes Bull and that for doing a pious and religious act Secondly what a silly Consistory the Papall is at this day the Pope himselfe as fallible a man as any other and the Cardinals slight and weake fellows never a skilfull Pilot sitting at the Sterne of Peters ship Thirdly what charitie there is betweene Romish Priests and Iesuits and how they heape coales of hell fire one upon anothers head Davenport otherwise Franciscus a Sancta Clara procures a Bull like to Phalaris his brazen Bull with fire in the belly of it to torment Day the Franciscan without his fault or knowledge and this Priest here condemns Sancta Clara to black darknesse for ever pallentes umbras erebi noctâ—mque profundam this man saith he is descending to Lucifer who will presume to be copartnâ—r with the holy Ghost and thus leaving him the said a Sancta Clara to him that will have him c. tantaene animis caelestibus irae are they Friers secular Priests or Devils that thus spit fire one at another Let Davenport have the day of Day at Rome what hath Sancta Clara done that in the charitaâ—le censure of this Priest Lucifer must have him He tooke upon him to draw some Rules out of Scriptures and the writings of the ancient Fathers For the direction of generall Councels in declaring matters of faith A capitall crime no doubt but what else hath this
Priest against him this Sancta Clara hath Paraphrased upon the Articles of Religion established in the Church of England and sheweth in what sense and how a good Romane Catholique may with a saâ—e conscience subscribe to them all though eighteene at least of them shoot point blancke at their Trent faith and pierce it through and through Aggravate thâ—s fact of his to the height doth this Priest himselfe doe lesse who Paraphraseth upon the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacie and sheweth in what sense a Romane Catholique may take both though the former directly renounce the Popes temporall and the latter his spirituall power and jurisdiction Now I see what the matter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is and alwayes will be emulation betweene Artificers that worke at the same Trade this Priest and Sancta Clara are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same Craft or Trade they both deale in like Commodities equivocations and mentall reservations and wittie devices to elude oathes subscriptions to articles of Religion and religious obligations Not to dissemble with either of them they both teach with the Helcesaites Euseb. hist. lib. 6. cap. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissimulation in point of Religion and cunning fetches to deceive Chriâ—tian Magistrates when they are convented before them and unlesse they both repent their doome is set down Apoc. 22.25 Without are Dogs and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye I know well they pretend by this doctrine to keepe men from perjury and lying but they doe just as Lycurgus the Law-giver of the Lacedemonians did who to prevent adulterie enacted communitie of wives For equivocation is no better then an artificiall and made lye as the Bishop of Duresme and Mr. Henry Mason prove in their Treatises of this Argument p Yet some of these Greyhounds have beene taken by the Hares he speakes of as Albertus Piggius by Calvinâ— Paulus Virgerius by Breâ—tius and divers others but of this see pag. 53. letter E. q It is true that the Romanists teach the simpler sort of the vulgar that they are not to adore Images but onely to use them for memorie sake and Cardinall Bellarmine himselfe in his second Booke De imaginibus sanctorum c. 22. hath these expresse words quantum ad modum loquendi praesertim in concione ad populum non est dicâ—dum imagines ullas adorari debere latriâ sede contrariò non debere sic adorari For the manner of speech especially in Sermons to the people we must not say that any Images ought to be adored cultu latriae but on the contrarie that they ought not to be so adored Yet the truth is that the Romane Church maintaineth the religious worship of Images For in the second Councell of Nice confirmed by Pope Adrian they are thunder smitten who adore them not clamat Synodus saith Bellarmine in the Chapter above cited imagines adorandas and venerabiles imagines amplexamur qui secus faxit anathemate percellimus and in the nineteenth yeere of King Richard the Second the Lollards have a forme of recantation prescribed them in these words From this day forward I shall worship Images with praying and offering unto them in the worship of the aints that they be made after Ex Rotulo Clausarum de Anno decimo nono R. sec. in 18. dorso See the Appendix to the Animadversions And to come neerer the Councell of Trent Sess. 25 decreeth in these words Imagines Christi et deiparae virginis et sanctorum in templis perpetuò habendae et retinendae sunt iisque debitus honor et veneratio impertienda The Images of Christ and of the Virgine the mother of God and of Saints are perpetually to be had and kept in Churches and due honour and veneration to be given unto them and lest any should thinke that this worship and veneration is not to be exhibited to the Images themselves but only to glance through them to the Saints Cardinall Bellarmine in his second booke De imaginibus sanctorum c. 21. most plainely and expresly resolves the point Imagines Christi et sanctorum venerandae sunt non solum per accidens vel improprie sed etiam per se et proprie ita ut ipsae terminent venerationem ut in se considerantur et non solum ut viâ—em gerunt exemplaris The Images of Christ and Saints are to be worshipped not onely by accident and improperly but also by themselves anâ— properly so that the worship is terminated in them as they are considered in themselves and not onely in regard of that they represent And cap. 20. He acknowledgeth it to be the opinion of Alexander of Hales Tho Aquinas Caietane Bonaventure Marsilius Almaine Carthusian Capreolus and others that the same honour is due to the Image and the patterne and therefâ—re the Image of Christ is to be worshipped with latria or divine worship And Vasquez de adorat l. 1. disp 6. c. 3. Rex Nebucadonosor admirans sapientiam et spiritum Danielis in signum honoris et reverentiae iussit ei offeri munera odorum et suffituum id quod nos etiam secundum fidem nostram immaginibus facere consuevimus Nebucadonosor admiring the wisedome and spirit of Daniel in signe of honour and reverence unto him commanded that sweete odours and incense should be offered unto him as we according to our faith use to doe to our images and now let the intelligent Reader judge whether Protestant Ministers are slanderers or Papists Idolaters and Image-worshippers by their owne profession See page 52. letter â— s The bane of Poperie not of Catholique religion See pag. 1. letter C and pag. 52. letter C. t Nay not so much for Religion noe nor at all for it but for Treason and disloyaltie See pag. 22. letter Q. u The Fathers heo speakes of were the flower of the Councel of Trent neither were they abused by any false suggestion for the case was put truely unto them and they resolved it according to their conscience after long disputation and mature deliberation See an extract of their Decree in the Appendix to the Animad versions w If Recusancie be so small a matter the more to blame all Papists who for such a toy as Recusancie doth disobey the Lawes The easier the performance of a coÌ„mandement is the greater contumacie in disobeying it x Here he hath found laâ—â—bram periurio this conceit of not being bound to answer the truth but before a competent Iudge and they will have none a competent â—udge but one of their owne religion is the â—yges ring by which the late Papists especially those that are Iesuited goe invisible in and from all our Courâ—s of Iustice. But I demand of them First why our Iudges in England are not as competent as those beyond the â—eas if the King be as it is treason for them or any other to denie our Leige Lord and lawfull Sovereigne those that are put in authoritie under him being men of learning
carpers at it have been as mute as fishes o See p. 117. letter â— p A shameles untruth in his sense for he taketh Catholike as usually in this Pamphlet for the Romish and Popish Church in that sense it is most false For there were many congregations in England before this 35 of Hen. 8. of Protestants and divers crowned with martyrdome as Th. Man in the yeere 1518. Io. Browne in the yeere 1517. and divers others set down in the Acts and Monuments of the Church some before and some after Luther began the Reformation in Germanie q A notorious untruth as appeares by the very Act Ann. 35. in which the Oath of Supremacy was first required to be taken King Henry never challenged to himselfe the Style of Head of the universall Church but only to bee supreame Hâ—ad under God of the Church of England and Ireland and all other His Majesties Dominions r No other Oath at all in sense but the former only abridged in words as will appeare evidently by comparing them both which are copied out in the Appendix s A ridiculous evasion and contrary to the intention and letter of the law as shall be proved hereafter The intention of the law was to abrogate the Popes usurped jurisdiction not over the Protestant Churches which he never had but over the Romish Catholiques or Papists which he before that time enjoyed and exercised Besides the letter of the law carryeth supreame governour of the Realme and all other Her Highnesse Dominions and Countreys not only of the Protestant Church within Her Realmes This is made more evident in the Admonition to the Injunctions 1. Eliz. where Her Supremacie is described to be over all manner of persons borne within Her Realmes Dominions and Countreys therefore over Papists as well as Protestants unlesse they be no manner of persons t I acknowledge the word forreiner is sometimes taken for an opposite to domesticus fidei a stranger from the covenant of grace but in the Act of Parliament and Oath of Supremacie as it is expounded in the Admonition which is also Enacted the word forreiner can signifie no other but those who are not natives u Neither can the Pope Here we thanke him for freeing us from all subjection to the Pope and See of Rome Though he challengeth not to be the Head of the Catholike that is the universall Church of Christ scattered farre and wide over the whole face of the earth yet he challengeth to be and is Supreame Governour of all His Subjects within His Dominions whether they are members of the Romish or Reformed Church w The superstition and Idolatry of Papists practised in England doth not any way abridge His Majesties Supreame power for he exerciseth His power not in regulating those idolatrous and superstitious rites but in suppressing them and punishing those who so defile Gods worship in His Kingdome x See this Evasion refuted pag. 120. letter S. y The words of the Oath are not that no forreiner Prince or Prelate hath or ought to have any iurisdiction or spirituall authoritie within the Protestant Church but within the Realmes therefore no jurisdiction within His Majesties Dominions over any members either of the Protestant or of the Romish Church z See the Answer to this sophisme pag. 120. letter T. a It is true if the words will beare it and it be agreeable to the intention of the law lawmaker but maledicta glossa quae corrumpit contextum cursed be the Glosse which corrupts the Text quite perverts the meaning of the law as this doth See the Injunctions b Of the intention of the law and lawmaker in prescribing this oath to that which I have spoken before I shall adde something in the close of this Chapter to which â—referre the Reader for further answer c The law is just and reasonable without your forced and forged Glosse for why should not all that enjoy the benefit of his Majesties lawes as well as Protestants submit themselves to his Majesties scepter and supreame power over themselves as well as Protestants especially seeing the power is the same which the most religious Kings of Iuda and most Christian Emperours of Rome and divers of his Majesties Predecessors within this Realme have exercised upon all their subjects d See pag. 119. letter Q. e See pag. 119. letter R. f And yet his words as you cite them out of his Praemonitorie Preface pag. 9. are these The oath of Supremacie was devised for putting a difference betweene Papists and them of our profession Devised by whom but by the lawmakers and if devised by the the lawmakers for this end to put a difference betweene Papists Protestants it cannot be denied but that it was their intention to make this oath as a didinctive signe whereby to know Papists in the kingdome from Protestants g See pag. 118. letter P. h The question whether a Papist may with a safe conscience take the â—ath of Supremacie may be understood either in sensu diviso or in sensu composito in sensu diviso it is true that a Papist may and ought to take the Oath of Supremacie for he that is now a Papist may become a Protestant and then he not onely may but ought to take this Oath being lawfully tendered unto him but in sensu composito it is false that a Papist continuing in his faith and profession of popery may with a safe conscience take this Oath for this Oath implyeth the renouncing a maine Article of his faith from whence he hath the denomination of a Papist See the Notes of the Rhemists upon Act. 11.26 which fasten and assume this word or name Papist to the children of their papall Church namely the Popes Supremacie and this as before was promised shall now be demonstrated 1. â—irst from the intention of the law and lawmakers who prescribed this Oath of Supremacie as appeares both by the Preface to the Oath Whereas therâ— was a Statute made and ordained against such as would extoll and stand to the iurisdiction power and authoritie of the See and Bishop of Rome in which Statute there is comprised another oath in such wise as in the same Statute among other thinâ—â— is mentioned for as much as in both the said Oathes there lacketh full anâ— sufficient words whereby some doubts might rise Be it enacted by the authoritie of this Parliament that this Oath hereafter mentioned in this Act shall sâ—and in force and place of the same two Oathes And by these words in the bodie of the Oath I shall keepe all the contents of the Act and all other Acts and Statutes made in and for that purpose viz. the derogation the extirpation and extinguishment of the usurped and pretended authoritie power and iurisdiction of the See and Bishop of Rome As likewise by the Preface to the Act of Parliament in 1. Elizabeth viz. To the intent that all usurped and forreigne power and authoritie Spirituall and Temporall may
for ever be cleerely extinguished and never to be used or obeyed within this Realme or any other your Maiesties Dominions and Countries may it please your Highnesse that it may be enacted as followeth c. Hence I thus argue No Papist with a good conscience can take an Oath prescribed by an Act of Parliament made purposely and with an expresse intention for the extirpation of the Popes jurisdiction and Supremacie over the whole Church which he claimeth by vertue of Christs promise made to Peter tibi dabo claves But such is the Oath of Supremacie as appeares by the Statutes above cited Ergo No Papist with a good conscience may take it 2. Secondly from the letter of the law and formalâ— and expresse words of the Oath which are these That neither the See nor Bishop of Rome nor any forreigne Potentate hath or ought to have any Iurisdiction power or authoritie within this Realme neither by Gods Law nor by any other iust law or meanes Henry 8.35 yeere hereunto adde the Admonition to the Queenes Injunctions Hence I thus argue No Papist may take an Oath which containeth in it the renouncing a prime Article of his faith necessary to salvation in his Religion and the iudgement of his Church But every Papist taking the Oath of Supremacie renounceth a prime Article of his faith necessarie to salvation For so we reade in the Extravagans cap. unam sanctam de maior et obed Subesse Romano pontifici omni humanae creaturae declaramus dicimus definimus et pronunciamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis We saith Boniface the eighth declare say define and pronounce that it is altogether or absolutely necessary to salvation for every humane creature to be subiect to the Bishop of Rome Ergo no Papist may take the Oath of Supremacie 3. Thirdly from the judgement of the Church of Rome which accounteth Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas Moore sometimes Lord Chanâ—ellour of England blessed and glorious Martyrs because both these lost 〈◊〉 heads â—ather then they would acknowledge the King Supreame Head 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 the Popes Headship To omit the testimonies 〈…〉 â—ovius Bishop in Italie Iohn Cochleus of Germanie William Paradine a learned Historian of France Cardinall Poole living in the Court at Rome and writing to the King in the defence of Ecclesiasticall unitie saith thus by the figure of Apostrophâ— Thy Father O England thy ornament thy deâ—â—nce was brought to his death being innocent in thy sight and a little after he lefâ— his life for thy sake left he should overthrow and bâ—tray thy salvation and Cardinall Bâ—llarmine in his Booke De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis ab Anno 1400. ad 1500. thus writeth of Fisher Bishop of Rochester Iohannes Fischerus natione Anglus Episcopus Roffensis posteà S. R. E. Cardinalis et quod longe gloriofius est Martyr Christi occisus est Henrici octavi Regis anglorum iussu Anno 1535. Iohn Fisher an English man Bishop of Rochester and afterwards Carâ—inall and which makes him farre more glorious a Martyr of Christ was slaine by the coommandement of King Henrie the eighth in the yeere of our Lord one thousand five hundred thirty five Whence I thus argue To his evasion that it was not the same Oath See the answer p. 119. letter R. and the Appendix p. 141. Either Fisher and Moore were no Martyrs who died for refusing to take this Oath or they are no good Papists who take it But Fisher and Moore were famous and glorious Martyrs in the opinion of the Romane Church as hath beene prooved Ergo they who take the Oath of Supremacie are no good Papists 4. Fourthly from the confession of this Priest pag. 118. The Oath of Supremacie when it was made in the dayes of King Henry 8. was unlawfull to be taken by any Catholique and pag. 119. If any had sworne the King to be Supreame Head of that Church he would have sworne false as making the Church a monster having two heads or depriving the Pope of his authoritie granted him by God Whence I thus argue The Oath of Supremacie prescribed by that Act of Parliament in the 35. of Henry 8. was unlawfull to be taken by any Roman Catholique as this Priest confesseth But the Oath of Supremacie prescribed by Act of Parliament in the first of Elizabeth in force at this day is the same with the Oath prescribed by Act of Parliament in the 35. of Henrie the eighth as appeareth by comparing both the Oathes together with a proviso in an Act the fifth of Elizabeth for expounding this Oath where it is said That we confesse and acknowledge in her Maiestie her Heires and Successours no other authoritie then that which was challenged and lately used by the noble King Henrie the eighth and King Edward the sixth as in the Admonition to the Qeenes Injunctions more plainly appeares The Queenes Maiestie would that all her loving subiects should understand that nothing was is or shall be meant or intended by the same Oath to have any other Dutie Allegiance or Bond required by the same Oath then was acknowledged to be due to the most noble King of famous memorie King Henrie the eighth her Maiesties father or King Edward the sixt her Maiesties brother Ergo the Oath of Supremacie prescribed by Act of Parliament the first of Elizabeth is unlawfull to be taken by any Romane Catholique I conclude therefore super tota materia that the taking of the Oath of Supremacie is an abrenunciation of the Romish faith and consequently that we wrong no Papist that takes the Oath if we beleeve him a forswearer who forsweares his beliefe De memorando irrotulatâ— * The Helâ—esaus wâ—re condâ—mned for heretikes for holâ—ing a man might deny his faith with his mouth so hee keepe it in his heart Euseb. hâ—st l. 6. c. 31. a Rom. 10.10 Cic. pro 〈◊〉 Amâ—r vultu saepe ladâ—tur 〈◊〉 Ep. â—â— contamiâ—ari se 〈…〉 aâ—am illam vidâ—â—i◠〈◊〉 ibid. Feâ—endâ—m ne est ut gentilis sacrifâ—câ—t christianus inter sit Sâ—zo hist. eccles l. 5. c. 16. prejecto ad pedes auâ—o c. * Suidas in Auxent * Marcus Bishop of Arrethusa Theod. hist. l. 3 c. 6.