language adiew or farewell 3. Or the meaning of them may be that which Tremâ—lius and Iunius by comparing this text 2 Kings 5.19 with the 1 Samuel 1.17 collect Quieto animâ— esto ne sis sollicitus de istis rebus quae nihil ad pacem conscientiae tuae faciunt sed potius illâ—m turbaturae sint Deum in te provocaturae Be at peace and take no thought of these things which will nothing conduct to the peace of thy conscience but rather trouble it and provoke the wrath of God against thee 〈◊〉 fourthly the words may carry this sense now thou haâ—t that thou â—â—â—nest for thou art cleansed of thy lâ—prosie Goe home in peace God send thee a prosperous journey for the thing thou wâ—ttest of shall never 〈◊〉 thee for thy Master shall never requiâ—e any such service of thee as to wait on him to his Chappell to worship Rimmon And fifthly what if there be an â—nallage temporis very usuall in the Hebrew Aâ—l mists of obscuritie be taken away if we translate the words thus The Lord be mercifull to thy servant for that when my Master went into the house of Rimmon and leaned on my hand I boweâ— my selfe in the house of Rimmon Howsoever the Prophets valediction Goe â—n peace no more prooveth any approbation of Naamans bowing in the house of Rimmon then of his other demand vers 17. namely Of two Mules load of the earth of the land of Israel and whatsoever Naamans conceit was in iâ— whether he imagined there were any holinesse or vertue in that earth as the inhabitants of Colubraria as Pomponius Mela writeth beleeved that the earth of the neighbour Island Ebusitana was a sovereigne remedie against those serpents wherewith they were infested or whether he meant to make an altar of that earth it is not likely the Prophet would incourage him by his approbation to load his Mules with that earth the former reason being superstitious the latter unwarrantable for they were to sacrifice only in the place which the Lord God should appoint and if the Prophets words carry no approbation but have some other meaning the edge of the Priests argument for assistance at Idol worship is quite dulled p So indeed Hurtado de Mendoza and others by him cited But as the Scriptures saith of Nabal a foole is his name and folly is in him so we may truely say here that Mendoza is Mendosus and Mendax too both faultie and false for Christ who is the truth himselfe teacheth us that our life is better lost to save it then saved to losse Matth. 16.25 he saveth it to losse who saveth it by denying his Saviour and he looseth it to his advantage who looseth it for the testimonie of the Gospell for he shall exchange the losse of a miserable temporall life with blessed immortalitie or immortall blisse If men when they are in danger of death may dissemble their Religion what shall become of the glory of Confessours and crowne of Martyrs At such a time to use the habit and ceremonies of a false law saie of Mahomets or the Persians or the Brachmans or the West Indians who do all their devotions professedly to the Devill himselfe whom they take to be God is it not to deny Christ in our habit and in our actions though not in our words and professions q Surely the Roman Catholiques in England must needs be thought to suffer grievous persecution when as the authour of the answer to the libell of justice cited by this Priest pag. 9. and 10. so much delighteth in it that he would not have a toleration of Catholikes in England if he might and to aske it of God saith he were to aske we know not what for that persecution is better O medicina gravis The truth is the little finger of Queene Mary was heavier against Protestants then Queene Elizabeth her whole loynes against Popish Recusants Neither in her reigne noâ— in the reigne of King Iames nor of our present Sovereigne was any Papist put to death meerely for his conscience but either for some treasonable pâ—actise or violation of some Statute Law the penaltie whereof is Death See pag. 4. G. r The distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes Tostatus learned in Peter Lumbards schoole not in Christs may teach but not truely For although some sinnes may be tearmed veniall comparatè in respect of others that are of a deeper die and so lesse in their owne nature pardonable and excuseable or not at all as the sinne against the holy Ghost and though all sinnes of the â—leâ—t are veniall through grace or quo ad eventum yet there are no sinnes which in their owne nature are not mortall For all sinnes are transgressions of the eternall law and in them the infinite Majestie of God is some waies sligâ—ted and therefore Saint Hieromes generall conclusion is true ep ad Celantiam omne quod agimus omne quod loquimur aut de angustâ viâ est quae tendit ad vitam aut de latâ quâ imus ad mortem What soever we do whatsoever we speake either appertaines to the narrow Way whâ—reby we enter into life or to the broad way which is the roade to death and in his second booke against the Pelagians si ira et sermonis iniuria atque interdum iocus iudicio concilioque et gehennae ignibus delegatur quid merebitur turpium rerum appetitio if unadvised anger and a contumelious word bring us in danger of a iudgement and a councel and hell fire what shall the desire of filthy things deserve and who can say his heart is cleane from all these To make light of sinne aggravateth our conscience even those Naevuli leves aspergines pulviseuli prolapsiunculae peccadiliâ—es as the Romanisâ—s stile veniall sinnes either are transgressions of the law of God or not if they are not transgressions of the law they are no sinnes at all for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all sinne is the transgression of the law 1 Iohn 3.4 or as the Schooles â—ut of Saint Augustine define peccatum est dictum factum vel concupitum contra legem aeternam every sinne is a desire word or deed against the eternall law and if veniall sinnes be transgressions of this law their punishment is death For the soule that sinneth shall die Ezech. 18.4 and the sting of death is sinne 1 Cor. 15.56 and the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 These cleare and evident Texts of holy Scâ—ipture so dazled the eyes of three of their sharpe sighted Schoolemen that they not onely left the common tract of other popish Divines as Bellarmine minceth the matter l. 1. de amiss grat et stat pec c. 4. non nihil a communi theologorum sententiâ deflexerunt but went in the direct way of the reformed Doctours these Schoole men are Gerson 3. part Theolog. tract de vit spirit sect 1ª Iacobus Almaine Opusc. tract 3. c. 20. Iohannes Episcopus Roffensis
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
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
such a command if he had knowne the truth And if any shew of evill result or scandall arise in that he is not obeyed the necessitie of doing the contrarie act being in danger of death must excuse and take away all scandall for in such a case no humane lawes binde as I shall hereafter say I answer to this Objection secondly that there is a disparitie betweene the said meates and going to Church in that the said meates were not to be eaten of necessitie that is there was neither hazard of life or goods in abstaining or more gaine then prejudice of soules in eating And therefore it was more requisite that the wise should abstaine in a matter of so little moment or necessitie where there was scandall then that the weake should have been instructed and admonished that it might have beene done without sinne which is not so in going to Church For in abstaining from thence there is both hazard of life and fortunes and as I shall hereafter say losse of soules and therefore of necessitie the weake are to be admonished and instructed that there is no sinne in the act neither is going to Church prejudiciall but advantageous to soules as experience teacheth Adde that if there were any humane law or Ecclesiasticall law forbidding going to Church it were not to be fulfilled with hazard of life or goods as all Casuists hold See Azorius Navarr consil de haeret above cited if otherwise it doth not appeare forbidden by the law of God For all humane lawes tend to the preservation and conservation of the whole man even in the greatest state of perfection and where by reason of keeping a law disjuncture either of soule or body may probably follow there that law is for the time to be suspended as appeares in the law forbidding to eate flesh in the Lent saying the divine office with danger of being apprehended and the like where the weake ones are rather to be instructed of the necessitie of suspending the law then the body to perish by keeping the same the same say in our case And I doe with reason perswade my selfe considering the Apostles whole discourse in the aforesaid 8. Chapter to the Corinthians that notwithstanding his words verse the 13. if there had beene no other food to have beene gotten for him to have preserved him from famine then the said flesh so offered to Idols that he would rather have perswaded the weake ones that there had beene no sinne in it if with due circumstances they had eaten and how and in what manner they might safely have eaten and so have prevented his sinning against the brethren verse 12. and striking their weake consciences then by abstaining from that and as is supposed wanting all other food have perished through hunger It may be objected thirdly that those famous Doctors of Rhemes William Allen afterwards Cardinall Richard Bristoe William Reynolds and the aforesaid Gregory Martin who translated the whole Bible into English with annotations upon the same in many places as well of the Old Testament as of the new held it unlawfull for any Catholike to goe to the Protestant Church Ergo It is unlawfull and scandalous to goe to the same To the antecedent I answer that the said Doctors were reverend and learned men and their worke renowned but because they would have the same goe forth with more lâ—stre as pleasing the Pope and to avoid all opposition of the aforesaid suggestors they forsooke the common opinion of Divines in two points then agitated the one that the Pope could not depose Kings of their temporall dominions And the other that Catholiques might frequent the Churches of Schismaticks Which they might well doe for their ends being Doctâ—rs and giving some seeming probable reasâ—ns for the same the contrary opinions not being condemned by the Church but left under dispute Yet hence the consequence doth not appeare true For if the aforesaid Doctors had spoken from their hearts grounding themselves upon the Church or reason their interpretation of Scriptures with notes would with me in these poynts have had great authoritie and the conclusion have stood good Whereas now one of the said foure to wit Gregory Martin having delivered his opinion that it was lawfull for a Catholike to goe to Church as appeares by the said booke of R. P. pag. 109. and 110. it seemeth they did not speake in that point their mindes freely peradventure because it was not expedient for all sorts of people which I confesse to be the best reason Yet for Gods sake let us speake the truth in these troublesome times to men at leastwise of reason and understanding Againe the very reasons they give in their annotations upon the fifth Chapter and 19. verse of the 4. booke of Kings doe shew that they did intend but seeming reason and not wholly convincing for whereas for our opinion is and alwaies hath beene usually brought the example of Naaman the Syrian permitted as I have said before by the Prophet Elizeus to goe to the Idolatrous temple Rimmon which is most proper to our case the aforesaid good Doctors reject the said example as nothing like to the same 1. The first reason is because of the time for since the preaching of Christs Gospel say they we are more strictly commanded to professe our faith then in Naamans time Which reason I conceive under favour to be impertinent as well to Naamans case as to ours for the doing of an act indifferent may neither be a profession or a deniall of faith but a meane betweene both viz. a not discovery of the same Neither was it more lawfull in Naamans time to deny God then now 2. The second Reason is because of the place For that the Noblemans religion was not practised in the Countrey where he went to the temple and so there could no scandall arise thereby This reason is in my judgement besides the purpose for no more is Catholike religion practised in this Countrey where we goe to Church Again it proves not Naamans case hereby more lawfull then the going to Church for there may be scandall where a thing of its owne nature may be lawfully done as there might have beene scandall in our Saviours povertie Matth. 17. if he had not prevented it And there may be no scandall and yet the act unlawfull Therefore if it were lawfull abstracting from scandall that being in our case easily avoyded or taken away the thing may still remaine lawfull For if he that goeth to Church be a knowne Catholike the weake are to be admonished of the indifferencie of the thing and the urgent necessitie he hath to doe it and so scandall is avoyded If he be not knowne how can he give more scandall then Naaman did or to whom 3. The third reason is because of the difference of persons in that Naaman had an Office to serve the King in the temple and therefore he might goe lest otherwise the King should have thought
himselfe disdained This reason seemes to me very strange that a man may goe to Church to serve his King and may not goe to Church to serve himselfe when as charitie alwayes beginneth at home and if a man be naught in or to himselfe to whom can he be good or that feare of displeasure through apprehended disdaine can excuse a man from doing that which were otherwise unlawfull as though a man were not bound rather to suffer the displeasure of his King with losse of his life then suffer wrack of his owne conscience and if feare of displeasure did excuse Naaman why should not the danger of death losse of fortunes ruine of posteritie and the like excuse Catholiques 4. The fourth reason and most especiall difference is say they that Naaman made a promise before the Prophet and his own train that he would from thence forth serve onely the true God and to that purpose carried earth with him to make an Altar for sacrifice Whereas those that goe to the Protestant Church doe not renounce all heresies nor professe to frequent Masse c. But pray give me leave to say they doe and that herein there is no difference at all For Catholikes that goe to Church are knowne to their Confessaries and their minde and intention is likewise to him knowne as Naamans was to the Prophet And if they be knowne Catholiques their beliefe is likewise knowne at leastwise to their traine if not to others by their communion with the See of Rome so that herein there is no disparitie at all And if they be not knowne it is prudence to keepe themselves so more then to their Confessaries which is a sufficient protestation in these troublesome times For I wonder by what law a mâ—n is bound to make any other Protestation of his beliefe for the doing of a thing indifferent So that as I have said for the said foure reasons and likewise because there is Idolatrie committed at Protestant Churches which I never yet could finde as often as I have frequented the same and doe hope to prove the contrarie the aforesaid Doctors make it unlawfull and scandalous to goe to Church and our case different from Naamans Hence they liken it to that of Eleazarus and the other Maccabees 2 Mac. 6.7 who were commanded by eating Swines flesh to depart from the law of God and their fathers Which say they by no meanes was lawfull to doe or to make shew of doing the same And a man may sweare it true For Swines flesh being forbidden by the law they were bound under sinne to abstaine from the same And if they should have made their brethren beleeve in words that they had eaten they would have told an untruth with dissimulation in a matter forbidden by the law both which were mortall sinnes which is as farre different from our case as light from darknesse For we contend that to goe to a Protestant Church is by no law forbidden but a thing indifferent and by a good intention may be made really good without any dissembling And they bring us an example of a thing which in doing many sinnes are committed so that for the reasons which I have given I conceive that the authoritie of the said rewoned Doctors concludeth nothing against our assertion unlesse the Protestants were an assembly of fallen heretiques where there were danger of sinne by subversion or the like which can never be proved It may be fourthly objected that it is the common opinion of men that to go to Church is scandalous because it is a signe of hereticall falshood and a man so doing is reputed as fallen both of Catholiques and Protestants I answer that it is false and experience teacheth us the contrary For who made it such a signe and Schismaticks that goe to Church with an ill conscience only to save their goods notwithstanding in this they are accounted to hurt onely themselves yet of all Catholiques they are trusted and esteemed as honest men and of Protestants they are esteemed no other And they sinne not as I have said in going to Church but in going with an ill conscience and being barred of simple Priests from other meanes of salvation and in doing so give scandall But you will say they deny their faith in this act I deny that They deny onely recusancie with an ill conscience and not religion Yet I grant that such Schismaticks professe no faith at all And if there be any other opinion of men concerning them it is malicious and pharisaical generated by the craft and deceit of others under the species of pretended piety making people beleeve that there is sinne and scandall in the act when there is none and if any Protestant thinketh otherwise of this they have it from the erroneous customary opinion of some Catholiques revealing the same It may be objected fifthly To communicate with heretiques is sinne and scandall but to goe to Church is to communicate with heretiques Ergo. It is sinne and scandall To which I answer first distinguishing the Major to communicate with hereticks publikely and particularly denounced to be such or in their heresie I grant the Major but deny the Minor in the same sence but to communicate with heretiques not denounced such not in point of heresie to be sinne that is most false for then we should neither eate drinke buy or sell with Protestants which is most absurd Which absurditie to take away and all scruple rising from thence by communicating with heretiques as well in service as otherwaies was the before mentioned constitution of Martin the fifth prudently made Adde that if we may not communicate with Protestants in going to Church we must communicate with Brownists in refraining the Church and so be thought the same with them or else every one must be bound to get himselfe convicted for a Popish Recusant that so Protestants may know him to be a Catholique and no Brownist and so to avoyd water he must runne into the fire If you answer that so he goeth not to Church it maketh no matter what Protestants thinke of him for Catholiques know what he is I reply then by the same reason that if he goe to Church it maketh no matter what Protestants thinke of him for Catholiques may likewise know what he is I answer secondly that the Major supposeth what is not granted viz. That Protestants with whom I goe to Church are formall heretiques which I desire to be first proved For an heretique is he that obstinately denieth any article of faith proposed by the Catholique Church to be beleeved How can a Protestant be said obstinately which includes a knowne infallibility rejected to deny an article proposed by the Catholique Church as I have said before when he beleeves none other Church but his owne For although Protestants hold divers tenets contrary to the Catholike Church which have been justly condemned in their Authours as heretiques Yet whether obstinately held in them the contrary not
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
times of obligation before expressed by Saint Thomas and other Divines for the profession of a mans faith As when the honour and glory of God and the spirituall benefit of his neighbour should exact the same Now when or what greater honour could a man have done to God then to have stood for the truth of the Gospel and defence of the Catholike faith being so opposed And in whom could there have beene more edification and greater example given for simple and unlearned men to follow then in Bishops and great men of authoritie Neither was it to purpose for them to alleadge that they were in danger of their lives and fortunes for they were bound to loose both rather then to denie any one Article of faith For although I have said that a man is not bound with danger of life or fortunes to abstaine from a thing lawfull or of its owne nature indifferent as the going to a Protestant Church in a Protestant Countrey taking the oath of Alleagiance or the now oath of Supremacy every of which is farre enough from an Article of faith or point of religion onely more cryed downe because out of fashion then out of any grounded reason or judgement to avoid the scandall of weâ—ke ones after instruction or admonition given of the nature of the thing and the danger in abstaining Yet I never said that a man was not bound to professe his religion in time convenient or that hee might deny his faith or any part or point of the same for feare of death but absolutely the contrary hence I say that the Supremacie in those daies being a point of religion and an article of faith although they might be excused from perjurie yet never from sinne and scandall And therefore I conceive that Suares onely intendeth that then lawes and oathes invented contrary to the law of God may be drawne to an improper sence when scandall may be avoyded with integritie of faith And so those that tooke the aforesaid Kings oath I leave to the judgement of God for as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 4. It is our Lord that judgeth who best knoweth the rectitude of all mens actions and the secret intentions of each mans heart The Minor of the said objection is denyed And to the words of K. Iames saying that as the Oath of Supremacie was devised for putting a difference between Papists and them of our profession So was c. I answer that the said King did not by those words undertake to give an absolute and totall reason why the said oath was devised himselfe not being the deviser or maker thereof but spake according to the effect which hee saw the oath of Supremacie tooke in his daies who conceiving that Catholiques held it not an oath lawfull for them to take and therefore some in King Henries daies refused the same out of conscience others since the abrogation of Masse and establishment of the Protestant Church out of scruples not considering either the change of times or alteration of the Church conceived likewise a difference to result thereby betweene them and Protestants so that the said renowned King did not intend by the aforesaid words to make known the intention of the law or lawmaker but onely spake what an effect the said devised oath had in Catholiques wrought That neither of the said oathes of Supremacie were framed to put a difference betweene Papists and Protestants is evident by what I have said for in King Henrie his dayes there were no Protestants knowne in England to differ withall and that oath was made onely and solely for his pleasure And in the said Queens daies the oath was onely made to give and acknowledge her power and authoritie in Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall things thereby as I have sufficiently said to propagate and establish the Protestant Church and to no other end or purpose The Major and Minor being thus answered the consequence appeares naught and the assertion for the lawfulnesse of the oath in force If any simple man pardon the bluntnesse of my speech for I know that no discreete or judicious man of either learning oâ— piety will justly censure me shall whisper in a corner that this doctrine is scandalous and unheard of and that divers have suffered and shed their blood rather then they would admit the same and which if it had beene lawfull others of his tribe would have found out before this time hee should have added to men of great qualitie and therefore it being no matter of faith none ought to beleeve it I forgive the poore man for he speakes out of hypocrisie or ignorance or both for he cannot tell you with learning and sinceritie why or how it is scandalous And if any did suffer for the same I pray let him likewise whisper when or in what yeere or Kings reign and then compare his speech to what I have said Yet whensoever they did it because they would not sinne against their consciences which rather then to offend they not understanding the â—ruth of the said doctrine and their phansie being the contrary way strong were bound to doe Yet good brother Simple doe not perswade me against my conscience unlesse you can confute me in reason for I conceive that I say nothing although not written of before but what is evident with Grace in reason although it be not certaine by divine fâ—ith And therein I shew my selfe a true friend to my distressed Countrey for certus amicus in re incerta cernitur A sure friend is tried in a doubtfull matter Yet I should be loath that any man should charge me with the least thing said as contrary to faith or the doctrine of the Catholique Church To which and whose censure I doe in all humility submit my selfe for all my doings sayings and writings as well for the satisfaction of mine owne conscience as that ignorant braines may take no offence And iâ— this doctrine were never heard of before what then Is it therefore false or scandalous And if your tribe did not finde it out before is it a wonder None at all with me for I should wonder indeed to heare you the inventers of any thing beneficiall to Gods Church howsoever you may and doe write over and translate other mens workes and so seeme to ignorant men to finde out something for the good of the Church that was never lost or before wanting therein because as yet I have never heard or knowne so much Those therfore that shall hearken to such whisperings I will wish them no other punishment then that the Vicar of fooles may be their ghostly father In the meane time maugre all censures I will thanke God that he hath enabled me to helpe my distressed friend at a dead lift by counselling and instructing to a lawfull I had almost said meritorious but that I feared more anger and discreet act Thus then seriously to conclude If any man shall yet remaine unsatisfied I knowing that an Angel of
light cannot infuse either wisdome into a foole or prudence into a simple man and nothing harder for the best Divine then to yeeld the continuance of a serene conscience to a scrupulous person doe only desire and intreat thâ—t what he himselfe either cannot or will not receive satisfaction in he would not judge amisse in others and so be scandalized which will prove to himselfe rather the scandall of Pharisees then weake ones according to the exhortation of the Apostle Qui non manducat manducantem non Spernat he that eateth not let him not despise him that eateth As for mine own part what I preach with Gods grace I will practise And if any man can give a better reason for the contrary to what I doe then I can give for what I say I doe hereby promise to subscribe otherwise let every one looke and dive into his owne actions and not into other mens for he shall render an account onely for his owne and not for theirs And because All in these times perchance are not bound under sinne to imbrace these opinions the question not being which is absolutely the safest or perfectest way and all dispositions of each soule not being alike but only whether the said opinions are forbidden or not forbidden by the Law of God or the Church so that absolutely in case of necessitie they may not bee done and what may best in prudence bee done yet safe enough with a good conscience and without sinne the condition of times and persons considered those that shall not imbrace the same but suffer for their conscience sake I shall beseech Almightie God to lay no more upon them then they are able to beare that they doe nothing against their conscience for that were to carry a continuall hell about them which of all earthly miseries were the greatest from which God of his infinite mercy preserve us all Amen FINIS Appendix HEre followeth the forme of recantation enjoyned the Lollards Anno Regis Richardi Secundi decimo nono Together with the resolution of the Fathers in the Councel of Trent 1564. and the Oathes of Supremacie enacted 35. Henry 8. and 1. Elizabeth as also a proviso for expounding the Oath the fift of Elizabeth and the Admonition annexed to the Injunctions Elizabeth 1. whereof there is often mention made in the Animadversions Ex Rotulo clausarum de Anno decimo nono Richardi Secundi m. 18. dorso MEmorand quod primo diâ— Septembris Anno Regni Regis Richardi secundi post conquestuÌ„ decimo nono Willielmus Dinet Nich-Taylour Nich-Poucher et Willielmus Steynour de Nottingham in Cancellar ipsius Regis personaliter constituti Sacramenta divisim praestiterunt sub eo qui sequitur tenore I William Dynet byfor yhow worschipefull fader and Lorde Archbishop of Yhoâ—ke and yhour Clergie with my free will and full avysede swere to God and to all his Seynts upon this holy Gospels yat fro this day forthwarde I shall worship ymages with preying and offering unto hem in the worschep of the Seintes that they be made after And also I shall nevermore despyse pygremage ne states of holy Chyrche in noe degree And also I shall be buxum to the lawes of holy Chyrche and to yhow as myne Archbishop and to mine other ordinaries and Curates and keepe tho lawes up my power and meyntein hem And alsoe I shall never more meyntein ne techen ne defenden Errours conclusions ne techinges of the Lollardes ne swych conclusions and techynges that men clepyth Lollards doctrine ne I shall her bokes ne swych bokes ne hem or any suspect or diffamede of Lollardery receive or company withall wittingly or defend in tho maâ—ters and if I know any swych I shall with all the haste that I may doe yhow or els your ner officers to wytten and of her bokes And also I shaâ—l excite and stirre all tho to good doctrine that I have hyndred with myne Doctrine up my power And also I shall stond to yhour declaration which es heresy or errour and do thereafter And also what penance yhe woll for that I have done for meyteyning of this fals doctryn injuyne me and I shall fulfill And I submit me thereto up my power And also I shall make no other glosse of this myne oath bot as the words stonde And if it be soe that I com agayn or do agayn this oth or any party thereof I yhelde me here cowpable as an heretyk and to be punyshed by the law of an heretyke and to forfet all my godes to the Kings will withouten any other processe of law and thereto I require the Notarie to make of all this the which is my will an Instrument agayns me Et ex habundanti idem Willielmus Dynâ—t eodem die voluit et recognovit quod omnia bona et catalla sua mobilia nobis sint forisfacta in casu quo ipse juramentum praedictum seu aliqua in eodem juramento contenta de cetero contravenerit ullo modo Declaratio Patrum concilli Tridentini circa frequentationem Ecclesiarum Eo tempore quo hereticiritus exercentur aut praedicatur haeresis Pax Christi quae exuperat omnem sensum custodiat corda vestra intelligentias vestras Amen Viri Dignitate conspicui religione multis nominibus illustres aequam honestam postulationem vestram ad nos detulerunt N. C. quam à vobis ad se praelatam asserebant cujus hoc est exemplum REligione in Anglia mutatâ poenâ propositâ si quis Diebus Dominicis festis à templis abstineat interim Dum Psalmi ex utroque testamento lectiones lingua vulgari recitantur laici multi catholici nobiles Deum timentes partim in carcere agentes partim mox eò conjiciendi amicorum consanguineorum precibus ac monitionibus imminentium periculorum metu invitantur ut saltem ea tenus de sententia denuo se permittant ut in templis protestantium tantisper interesse velint Diebus Dominicis aliis festis Dum Psalmi ex more linguâ vulgari decant arisoliti lectiones ex Bibliis linguâ item vulgari depromptae nec non conciones quae ad eorum dogmata approbanda apud pop frequentiùs habentur commemoratae sunt Iam qui huc usque nullo modo deduci potuerint ut publicis predictis precibus concionibus interessent magnopere 〈◊〉 postulant quid his faciendum censeant viri pii 〈◊〉 Nam si nullo animae periculo aut nulla Dei offensione â—ubliâ—o regni sui Decreto parere obedire liceat libenâ—â—r â—d fecerint Contra vero si quid in hac re periculum sit saâ—utis aeternae aut lâ—sae Divinae Majestatis quae vis perpeti deâ—reverunt potiùs qùam quicquam agere aut committere unde Deum offâ—nsum iri aut irritatum intelligant Haec questâ—â— cum multas pias religiosas conscientias exerceat coâ—tuâ—bet râ—gaâ—di estis omnes