necessary a precept of Christian life infinite multitudes of all maner of estates do daily perish I see that such is the forgetfulnes of those which should be the souldiers of Christ that as though this vertew of renunciation were a ceremony only of Monkes Ermittes Freers and other religiouse persons they esteeme the same as no parte of their Christian dewty I see that in steed of that vertuous and fruitfull hatred of ones selfe the necessary effect of this renunciation euery one almost is ouercome with a blinde flattering perniciouse selfeloue and in steed of building in him selfe a spirituall Hierusalem by loue of God buildeth a confused Babylon by loue of the world And that we may bring examples onely of our owne countrey and those in one kind onely of iniquity although what iniquity is there committed amongst Christians but for want of renunciation into the handes and will of God who is there in our poore and lamentable estate either withhoulden from God holy Church their tender mother or made shamefull by reuolte and fall froÌ„ the same but for want of renunciation where do we not see that either parents by children or children by parents husbandes by wiues or wiues by husbandes one frend by an other the subiects by the superiours and superiours by subiectes are hindered from the seruice of God and that as our Sauiour saide Math. 10. inimici hominis domestici eius the enimies of a man are those of his owne houshould Which generall pestilent disease we can surely impute to no other cause than to the want of renunciation So that we see nothing in the world so ordinarily so daily so generally renounced as God him selfe and Christian dewty Those which are by Gods law Parents and the very law of nature commanded to bring vp their children in the discipline and correction of our Lord Ephes 6. are now bent to no other thing so much as to dedicate them vnto the Deuell Psal 105. Maried persons as Dauid also complained of the like case those which should in the holy estate of wedlocke represent the vnspotted and vnseparable coniunction of Christ and his Church Sicut equus mulus in quibus non est intellectus Psal 31. not regarding any other thing but base affections seek to draw one another froÌ„ Christ the spouse of their soule and doe deuide Christ his spouse froÌ„ Christ whose perpetuall lincke they should reseÌ„ble Obedience And that which is most sacrilegious and blasphemous to speake or thinke all these so great and hainous disorders are oftentimes fathered either vpon that sacred power which God hath ordeined wherby either wiues vnto their husbandes or children to theire parents or other subiectes to their superiours doe owe a kinde of dewty and obedience or vpon the most honest lincke of humane frendshippe as though either wiues had sould both body soule to be by their husbande 's morgaged to perpetuall slauery of the Deuell or parents had autoritie to kill the soules of their children ouer whose bodies they haue no such power or those which are as it were Gods Lieuetenants in their seuerall offices might conuert theire forces to fight for hell and lawfully constraine their souldiers and subiectes to rebell against God or finally as if there were any perfect frendship where there wanteth honesty All these many other iniquities in the like sorte as by defaulte of renunciation they are committed so by the performance of the same according to the most sacred law and will of Christ they may easely be auoided The purpose of this Treatise I purpose therfore by Gods assistance to whose glory I direct my labours in this treatise briefly to shew how necessary and meritorious a thing Christian renunciation is and that for no respectes of kinred obedience or affection in the world it is to be neglected RenunciatioÌ„ is somtimes of Counsell sometimes of precept See chap. 2 out of S. Augustin â—p 89. q. 4 And that the same sometime is of counsaile to those which are free but many times of necessity from which none can be free It is of counsell whan voluntarily he which aspireth vnto perfection without any bond at all selleth that which he hath and geueth to the poore followeth Christ that he may haue a great treasure in heauen Yet I say that this is of counsaile for those which are free For those which are in the estate of mariage cannot without mutuall consent seuere them selues except in some cases as we will declare herafter Bishops also bondslaues and whosoeuer for some condition or circumstance haue not free power to alter the estate of their life cannot vndertake a religious or solitary life Parents can not hinder their children from religion Yet this we say that neither parents may hinder their children nor any other superiour his subiect which is free in this point from such a resolution We vrge also defend that in some case that which is of counsaile may be of necessity and that which is of counsaile for some onely because it is not lawfull for all may be a thing so absolutely required of all maner of persons that they may vnder paine of daÌ„nation be bound to forsake not only riches externall goods of fortune but parents husband wife children all whatsoeuer is not God him selfe The child is not bound to forsake his parents but yet he may doe it with meritt for the seruice of God A wife may be bound to forsake her husband See chap. â— The wife may not forsake her husband at her pleasure although it were for to be religious yet if either the sonne must forsake his faith or his father or the wife her husband or her maker most certaine it is that the thing which was lawfull before in the sonne is now necessary and that which the wife could not doe before but sinfully now she cannot neglect but daÌ„nably Hence shall it easely appeare what account as well childreÌ„ as wiues ought in this lamentable contagious time for to make either of the euell examples or of the peruerse commandements of their superiours the first wherof sheweth them the way wherfore this treatise was compiled of sentences of holy Fathers the second euen driueth them to hell And of this matter we will not bring our owne discourses but the most graue sentences of auncient holy Fathers at large for three causes First for that they doe not onely declare vs their vncorrupted iudgemeÌ„t in these matters which we desire to perswade but according to the aboundance of that spirit which dwelled wtin them they are very earnest and copious in exhorting vs to all Christian feruour and perfect abnegation of our selues Wherfore I doubt not but hence it will come to passe that although both the searching and translating of these places haue cost me no lesse labour than if I had vndertakeÌ„ a wholl worke of my owne yet this treatise shall be reade
is once knowen For than is he deemed to remitt the same Excepte the wife for some notable feare of the husband shold render the debt for thaÌ„ she hath not lost her right to deny the same neither was that a reconciliatioÌ„ which was not voluntarily made In like maner after a voluntary reconciliatioÌ„ made although both parties were faulty yea and although the one parties adultery were altogither vnknowen to the other by such reconciliatioÌ„ they are both restored to their prime estate so that notwithstanding any faulte past that party which shall fall againe may be iustly denied the matrimoniall debte by the other party perseuering innocent Neither will it be amisse here to admonish that the husband vsing the acte of mariage after any copulation had by his wife with an other man whether sinfully or not sinfully whether him selfe still remaining bound to her company or no yet he is accounted Bigamus by the Church and not admitted without dispensation vnto holy orders after the decease of his wife euen as if he had bene twise maried or had maried a widow which I the more willingly here do vtter that whosoeuer is desirous so to liue in the estate of mariage that he may not preiudice the vndertaking of a higher estate if it please God to sett him free may beware herby to returne to the company of his wife after such accidents except in cases where he may not without sinne refuse the same For than better is it to putte him selfe in impossibillity of a higher estate to come than in his present estate to offend God Finally whansoeuer one may lawfully make separatioÌ„ of bedd the same party may make a perpetuall vowe of chastity without the others coÌ„sent for he is not bound to any reconciliation But if he chaunce to fall than is he bound to reconciliation and the other partye may irritate the vowe as being made without his consent But if one not disposed to vowe geueth the other leaue to vowe continency it can neuer be reuoked againe but onely vpon sufficient cause bee dispensed by the Church Now in the separation not onely in bedd § 4. but also in the very cohabitation it selfe first there offereth it selfe that excellent resolution by mutuall consent to vowe continency Of the separation of dwelling and both togither to enter into religion the one of men the other of women For many maried cooples there are which for that they haue worldly charges or because they cannot so easely frame them selues to the strictnes of a religiouse life or because of their age and vnfitnes for a religiouse estate do perfome that in the world which vndoubtedly myght be more perfect in religion And these are not defrauded of their reward for they also gheld themselues for the kingdome of heauen although they do not sell all and follow Christ Neuerthelesse that this is a very great stepp vnto that absolute estate of perfection we may not doubt wheras many such persons haue entered into religion This is a case very well knowen by experience in Gods Church And although as we haue saied the one onely may vowe continency by the others consent yet with the mutuall consent of both In three cases one may enter into religion not the other the one onely cannot enter into religion without the other but onely in three csses First if the one party be very ould as of threescore yeeres of age as Sotus requireth and out of all daunger of incontinency for than the same party vowing chastity the other may enter into religion C Ad apostolicam C. cum sis de conue coniug yet this must be with leaue of the Bishop for although the profession of the other would hould without such leaue yet were it not free from sinne and such coÌ„sent of the one party remaining seculer may be reuoked before the profession of the party religiouse but not without sinne whan there were not very iust cause Secondly if the one party fall into notorious infidellity or heresy than after a diuorce made by the Church the other may enter into religion Thirdly for adultery in like maner but of these two cases we will say herafter more I say therfore that the one party may separate him selfe not onely in bedd but also in habitation from the other for fornication according to the doctrine of our Sauiour Mat. 5. although there is no such bond of necessity but onely whan there were scandall as may very well happen if the party delinqueÌ„t be the wife the man knowing her fault should seeme to allowe it for than by reason of scandall he werer bound to diuorce her the like daunger is not in wiues towards their husbands whose nature is knowen more to abhorre from their husbands disorder herin and by diuorcing their husbands they could not amend them and especially because they are not their husbands superiours as the husband is the wiues In this case as we haue saied the party innocent may forsake the other and enter also into religion or take holy orders without consent so that the condicions be obserued which we spake of before in the like case of separation in bedd Yet is there here required the Churches autority because it is a publicke matter and subiect vnto scandall if it be not orderly donne But whan the case is notorious and knowen to the worlde Panorm Couar â—otus Sylu. especially if the dishonest wife dwell in house with the adulterer a bare separation without entering into orders or religion may in my iudgement be made by priuate autority much more where there is no lawfull Ecclesiasticall Courte no likelihood of scandall This separation in like manner may be made for spirituall fornication C. de illa c. quanto de diuortijâ— that is for infidelity or heresy whaÌ„ there is ioined obstinacy with all or daunger of infecting the innocent party For than may the innocent by the autority of the Church or in some cases without as we will presently say forsake the other and if he be by the sentence of the Church once condemned of heresy the innocent party is not bound to receiue him againe repenting but may either liue alone in a seculer life or else enter into religion For this must be well caried in mind that as we saied aboue no mariage of baptized persons once coÌ„summate can be so dissolued that either of the parties may marry another although the heretickes in this behalfe do play their partes whom we cannot at this present attend to confute All these separations are after a sorte perpetuall â—s we haue declared for it is in the innocent parties choise to receiue the other againe or no although the faulte be amended There are other causes of diuorce which are for a time vntill the causes be taken away as for vnreasonable cruelty of the husband or if the wife or the husband were a witch or killed the children Nauar. c.
require how farre they may either with meritte or without sinne proceed we must necessarily although in few wordes intreate herof There are therfore in generall two kinds of diuorces of man and wife Two kinds of diuorces in generall the first is nothing else but a declaration of the inualidity of a mariage vnlawfully contracted whan because of some impediment the contracte could not be sufficient and therfore is dissolued by the Church and of this we haue nothing at this present to say The other is whan that mariage which according to the law of God and nature was a true and perfect mariage is notwithstanding separated by lawfull meanes and of this must we make our wholle discourse This separation therfore is of three sortes Three kinds of separatiō of a lawfull mariage For either the mariage is quite dissolued the parties remaining free from the former bond or the bond of the mariage being still in force there is a separation made sometimes of bedd onely sometimes euen of all cohabitation §. 2. Separation of bond The very bond of a mariage once sufficient may be in diuerse waies dissolued otherwise than by death for we speake of that dissolution which leaueth both parties aliue First if two infidells be maried togither which were neuer baptized 1. Cor. 7.28 q. 2. Can. si infidelis c. Quāto cap Gau demus de diuortijs the one party comming to our holy faith may marry againe and so the first mariage may be dissolued in three cases first if the party which remaineth infidell will not dwell with the faithfull secondly if he will not sine contumelia aut iniuria Creatoris without contumely or iniury of Christ Thirdly if by reason of some scandall which may happen the faithfull be bound to forsake his first mariage as now in diuerse places it is practised and by law established that such a faithfull person shall be separated from the other remaining an infidell For S. Paule doth not absolutely commaund but geueth as it were counsell not to dismisse the infidell if he be content to dwell still with the other Of this dissolution of mariage we need not to intreate the case being cleare and not in our countrey occurrent yet this must be taught to all Catholickes that they beware herin of the doctrine of those heritickes who agreeably to the rest of their licentiouse opinions maintaine that an hereticke may forsake his Catholicke wife and marry another The holy Church teacheth that this rule of S Paule hath no place in the mariages of those which haue bene baptized although they were become heretickes yea and infidells or Turkes before the time of the mariage or although afterward either both or one should fall into heresy or infidelity For the mariage of two baptized not lawfully hindered by any canonicall impediment is alwaies a Sacrament and if it be once consummated by no meanes can be dissolued Secondly the bond it selfe of mariage is taken away whan after the solemnization of the same before it be consummated by carnall copulation the one party entereth into religion for so soone as that party after ordinary probation maketh his solemne profession the other remaineth free and may lawfully marry another Cap Ex publico de conuers coning yet for to take away all occasion of fraude the cannon lawe alloweth two monethes of liberty vnto one which determineth to enter into religion after which time he is either bound to matrimoniall dewty which being once yeelded the mariage cannot be dissolued or presently to enter without any longer delay This doctrine is confirmed by the continuall practise of the Church * Haer. 78. of S. Tecla induced herunto by Saint Paule as * l. 2. de virg S. Epiphanius * Beda Simeon Metaph. S Ambrose acknowledge of S. Alexius a most noble Roman and famous for this acte in all ages of two souldiers whom S. Augustine reporteth in his time to haue forsaken their spouses to haue become monkes at Treuers Lib. 8. conf c. 6 lib. 3. diall cap. 14. See 27. q. 2. can despōsatū can Decreta de conuers coniug c. ex publico can ex parte tua can vertum by whose example their spouses did also dedicate as S. Augustine saieth their virginity vnto God of S. Gregoria a Romane Nunne who because she ranne from her spouse in earth as writeth S. Gregory deserued to haue a spouse in heauen and of many others in seuerall times Besides we haue the same in diuerse auncient canons of diuerse Popes S. Gregory S. Eusebius Alexander the third and Innocentius the third Finally the Councell of Trent * Sess 24. c. 6. defineth it in these wordes If any one say that mariage onely contracted not consummated is not dissolued by the solemne profession of religion of the one party Lett him be anathema Thus much of this shall suffice A third dissolution of matrimoniall band may be whan the mariage perfectly contracted and not yet cōsummated either by request of both parties or sometime by suite of one onely as whan the other hath broken the promised saith and is already maried although vnlawfully to another is by the Popes dispensation dissolued For than either party may lawfully marry againe excepte that the dishonest party cānot without dispensatiō remaine with the second companion there being betweene them that impediment which is called impedimentū criminis which is for as much as belongeth to our present purpose whan a married party committeth adultery and withall either promiseth or presently contracteth although secretly mariage with the adulterer Antonin 3. part tit 1. cap 21. §. 3. Nauar. c. 22 num 21. Sylu. verbo Diuortium q 4. Caiet Tract 25. q. 1. D. Tho. 4 sent d. 27. q. 1. ar 3. Why mariage not consummate is dissolued by religion Cap. Debliū de Bigamis glossa ibi For the allowing of this doctrine we haue the practise of the Church and opinion of all ould Canonistes and most Diuines of our age and it may very plainly be deduced out of the former verety of our faith For although euery mariage contracted betweene baptized couples be a Sacramēt yet we see that it hath not that indissolubillity and firmenes which it hath after it is consummated wheras without any dispensation it is dissolued by profession of religion And that with great reason For there be three significations in mariage first of the inuisible cōiunction of Christ and the soule which is in grace the second of the coniunction of Christ with his wholle Church by the same grace and charity the third of the coniunction of Christ with his Church by the conformity of his humane nature which he tooke vpon him in his incarnation Now of this third doth proceed the perfect firmenes of mariage although the other two are sufficient to make it a Sacramēt Hence was it that our Sauiour saied not Mat. 19. Alex.
mindes that saying of young Tobye Tob. 8. wee are the children of Sainctes and may not be so ioyned togither as the Gentills which know not God And the daunger of mariage being so great as in very deed it is and the corruption of our nature so ready to extend it selfe in delightfull things once permitted beyond the dew limittes it were also very conuenient that euery one which vndertaketh such an estate sholde seeke some Angell to be instructed by of what maner of inconuenience he may fall into if diligent care and continuall heede be not taken Certaine it is that the more we seuere our selues from sensuall things the more we approach vnto God And those that for Christ refraine from lawfull delights are more disposed to receaue of him the heauenly pleasures At some times therfore as well to bridle the disorder of the appetite and teach it to obey reason as also to auoide * Aug. l. 14. ciu c. 16. the distraction which the actes of mariage do bring wherby that deuotion may be hindered which is required vpon solemne daies in a Christian there is a kind of separation to be made betweene man and wife which we call separation of bedd although it require not separation of place of which the Catechisme of the Counsell of Trent doth thus intreate De sacr matr Because all good things by holy praiers are to be obteined at Gods hands the faithfull are to be taught that for to pray and worship God they abstaine sometimes from the office of matrimony and especially that they know how they should obserue this three daies at the least before they receiue the holy Eucharist and oftentimes whan the holy fast of Lent is celebrated euen as our Fathers haue very well and holily commaunded vs. For so will it come to passe that they shall feele the very benefittes of mariage with greater measure of Gods grace daily to be increased and following the study of piety they shall not onely passe this life quietly peaceably but haue a trew and firme hope which neuer confoundeth of obtaining through Gods goodnes the life euerlasting Ro. 5. A second kind of separation of bedd there may be with exceleâ—t perfection whan both parties agree for the loue of God and affection vnto the Angelicall vertew of purity to liue togither perpetually like brother and sister This is also counselled by S. Paule in the same place 1. Cor. 7. where he onely by indulgence warneth them to returne againe togither least they be tempted although he desire that euery one were as him selfe And this kind of separation is the more meritorious whan by mutuall coÌ„sent it is vowed neither can the one party lawfully vow continency without consent of the other The excellency of vowes Aug. ep 45 for a vowe alwaies geueth a higher dignity vnto euery vertuous action both because of the stability which is there where it is not lawfull to go backe faelix necessitas saith S. Augustin quae ad meliora compellit happy is the necessity which enforceth to the better things and also because it maketh euery acte wherunto it is applied an acte of religion a principall vertew of Christian life and particulerly in the vowe of chastity or continency the soule ther by becommeth after an extraordinary maner the spouse of Christ This kind of separation although it be highly reuerenced of Catholickes as it is of fleshly heretickes contemned yet is perhaps hardly to be fouÌ„d in our countrey or age except it be if happely the persecutours make it by keeping the one party in prison as it is a familiar quality in them to despise mariage in others but in them selues whan it were no small meritte for either party to make of necessity a vertue to offer that vnto God by vow which they are otherwise enforced vnto at the least for that time vntill God shal bring theÌ„ togither againe For euen of such things as are coÌ„manded by the law of God may a vowe be made Sotus l. 7. de iust q. 1. ar 3 of things necessary to be donne a Vow may be made whan it is so vndertaken that although I were not otherwise bound yet I would in this particular case bind my selfe And so in this case the person which hath vowed vnto God to obserue that chastity which he is other wise bound vnto doth not onely exercise actes of temperance and chastity but of religion also whaÌ„soeuer he auoideth or ouercometh any contrary suggestion or occasion But this maner of heroicall separation of bedd and perpetuall abstinence from that which before was lawfull was in ancient ages very familiar vnto gods saints Epist 32.45.199 See S. Greg. l. 9. ep 39. Theodoret l. 4. hist c. 13. Hier. ep 14. ad CelaÌ„t highly comeÌ„ded by holy Doctours of the Church namely by S. Augustine who to the confusion of sensuall heretickse which vnderstand nothing but flesh and blood in three seuerall epistles discourseth of three maried couples which all had vowed perpetuall continency neither want we examples of most notable personages of our blessed * Mat. 1. Aug. l. 2. de conf Euan. Cap. 1. Lady S. Ioseph * Krantz 〈◊〉 c. 32. of Emperour Henry the first of that name Runegunde his wife both Saints Of our S. Edward confessour And of a lay man which Cassian * Coll. 14. c. 7. sayeth for this vertue to haue cast out a Deuell which a holy Eremite could not expell And of diuers others which all haue in mariage either obserued perpetuall virginity or after carnal knowledg vowed perpetual coÌ„tinency whoÌ„ if heretickes haue not the gift for to follow neither can this gift be found where the spirit of wisdome doth not dwell lett them ceasse yet to abridge gods mighty hand in bestowing his liberality where ther is capacity of his heauenly grace Sap. 1. A third cause of separation in bedd is the adultery or fornication or any kind * 32 q. 7. cap. non solum q. 4. cap. meretrices Aug. q. 71. super Exo. Mat. 5. of vnlawfull copulatioÌ„ of either party For than if it be manifestly knoweÌ„ vnto the innocent party it is lawfull to whold the debt of matrimony This is the doctrine of our Sauiour him selfe For if it be lawfull to dismisse the fornicator much more to deny him the matrimoniall debt yet be there some exceptions wherin it is not lawfull to make such separation First if the one party supposing that the other is dead marry another ThaÌ„ if the act were coÌ„mitted by violence Likewise if the wife admitted another man thinking that it was her owne husband Besides whan both parties haue committed fornication also whan one party consented or gaue an imediate occasion to the adultry of the other Finally whan a reconciliation is made either by an expesse remission of the fault or by the innoceÌ„t parties demaunding or yeelding the debt of mariage after the saulte
〈◊〉 n. 22. or sought the others death or were daungerously furiouse or finally if the one party should drawe the other in whatsoeuer maner vnto deadly sinne and could not be reformed And in these cases whan necessity vrgeth the wife may forsake her husband without iudgement of the Church for it standing her vpon to auoide so imminent daunger of body or soule she may whan she is in safety more conueniently procure the diuorce But of the last case it doth especially behoue vs to speake a little For of that it is which our Sauiour saieth If any one come vnto me and hateth not his father and mother and wife c. Luc. 14. he cannot be my Disciple also in another place Mat. 18. if thy eye scandilize thee plucke it out and cast it from thee Saint Paule also in the case of heresy commaundeth to auoide all persons without exception Tit. 3. S. Hierom. and S. Hierome vpon the place alleaged of S. Mathew thus notably discourseth Therfore saieth he all affection is cut of and all kinred is dispatched least through occasion of piety any faithfull person may be laied open vnto scandall if any man saieth he be so lincked vnto thee as thy hand thy foote thy eye and be profitable and carefull and prouident in foreseeing of things yet cause thee a scandall through disagreing of behauiour do draw thee to hell it is better for thee to want both his kinred and helpes least whilest thou wilt gaine thy kinsemen and frendes thou haue causes of ruine therfore do thou not preferre neither wife nor childreÌ„ nor frendes nor any affection which may exclude vs from the Kingdome of heauen before the loue of our Lord. Euery faithfull knoweth what hurteth him or wherin his mind is troubled often tempted it is better to leade a solitary life than for the necessities of this life to loose the euerlasting Thus S. Hierome Wherfore I do conclude that in case a woman by her husband bevrged to go to the Church or to do any vnlawfull acte of religion much more than in other carnall sinnes she may yea and is bound to forsake him least louing danger she perish therin Eccle. 3. yet if she perceiue her selfe by Gods grace to be so strong and constant that she feareth no peruersion at all she is bound for to remaine with him and so to seeke to gaine him But if there be notorious adultery ioined withall and iniurious want of all necessary spirituall helpes of Catholicke religion I would not doubte but in our countrey where there is no lawfull Ecclesiasticall Courte euen without any danger of peruersion she may forsake him Thus much haue I thought good to say of this matter now let vs returne to the Fathers againe THE FOVRTH CHAPTER Of renunciation of a mans Patrimony and care of prouision for children more particulerly than was saied before Cyprianus libro de lapsis §. 1. BVt vnto many persons their owne destruction was not sufficient Rich men should leaue all rather than fall they quaffed as it were death one to another out of a poisoned cupp And that there might want nothing to the heape of their crime Impiety of Schismatick parents to their childre young children being brought by their fathers hands lost whilst they were little ones that which in the very entrance of life they had gotten Shall not they say whan the day of iudgement shall come we our seâ—ues did nothing neither forsaking the meate and cuppe of our Lord did we of our owne accord runne vnto profane contagion others perfidiousnes destroied vs we felte our parents our patricidial slaughterers they denied for vâ— our mother the Church and God our father The Church our mother that whilst being as yet litle ones improuident ignorant of so hainous an offence we were ioined by others to the felowship of crimes by other mens fraud we might be entrapped Voluntary Banishment and losse of patrimony neither is there ô pittifull thing any iust or waighty cause to excuse such iniquity they should haue forsaken their countrey and sustained losse of their patrimony for who is he which is borne and must dye which must one day leaue his countrey and forsake his patrimony that thou maiest not loose Christ feare the losse of thy saluation of thy eternall habitation behould the holy ghost crieth by the Prophett â—â—sa 52. Departe you departe you go forth hence and touch not that which is vncleane Go forth out of the middest of her seuer your selues you which carry the vessells of our Lord. and those which are the very vessells of our Lord and temples of God do not they go forth of the middest of her and depart least they be constraâ—ned to touch that which is vnâ—â—eane and to be polluted and defiled with deadly dishes in another place also a voice is beard from heauen Apoc. 1 forewarning the seruantes of God what they should do saying Go out of her my people least thou be partaker of her crimes and be punished with her torments who goeth forth and departeth is not made partaker of the crime but whosoeuer is found partaker of the crime is also â—ormented with the plagues And therfore our Lord did bid vs to retire our selues to flye in time of persecution and that we might do the same him selfe both did it and taught it Martyrdom is wisely to be expected for wheras the crowne of marty dome commeth from the onely liberality of God and cannot be obtained but whaÌ„ the houre is come of receiuing it whosoeuer remaining in Christ doth go for a while aside denieth not his faith but expecteth time But who by not going aside is falne remained that he might deny We must not my brethren dissemble the truth neither must we conceale the matter cause of our wound Blind loue of patrimony the blind loue of their patrimony hath deceiued many neither could they be willing and ready to departe who were fettered with their riches as with chaines These were the irons of those which remained these were the shackells wherby their force was weakned their faith oppressed their mind inchained their soule imprisoned that such as were addicted vnto earthly desires might become a pray vnto that serpent which according to Gods owne senteÌ„ce is appointed to feed vpon earth And therfore our Lord all good mens master both forewarning and counsailing for the time to come saieth in this maner Gen. 3. If thou wilte be perfect go sell all that thou hast and geue vnto the poore thou shalt haue a treasure in heauen Mat. 19. and come and followe me if rich men would do this they should not perish because of their riches if they laied vp their treasure in heaueÌ„ they should not haue an enemy persecutour at home their harte and minde and thought should be in heaueÌ„ if their treasure were in heauen neither could he be ouerthrowen
before men The 77 epistle of S. Cyprian Cyprian vnto Nemesian Felix Lucius another Felix Litteus Polianus These Martyrs were condemned to digge in the mines Iadâ—r Datiuus his fellow Bisshop Also to his fellow Priestes and Deacons and others brethren in the Mines the Martyrs of God the father almighty of Iesus Christ our Lord God and Sauiour sendeth greâ—ting euerlasting § 7. Your worthines and glory most blessed An exhortation vnto Martyrdom and most beloued brethren is such that it would haue bene my dewty to come my selfe vnto your presence and to embrace you vnlesse I also being cofined for the confession of Christ his name were kept within the bonds of a prefixed place yet in what sort I may I present my selfe and wheras with body and feete I cannot with affection and spirit I come vnto you expressing by letters my harte wherin with ioy I exulte because of these your vertues praises esteeming my selfe as a partner with you if not with the suffering of body yet in the fellowship of charity And could I hould my peace and command silence vnto my voice knowing of my most dearest so many and so gloriouse matters wherwith Gods liberallity hath honoured you that some of your company by the accomplishing of their martirdome are gone before to receaue the crowne of their merittes of our Lord the rest as yet remaining within the Prison barres or kept at the mines in chaines doth shew by the very delay of punishments greater examples for the strengthning and fortifying of their brethren Delay of death in persecution increaseth glory by the slownes of their torments winning higher degrees of merittes and being for to receaue in the heauenly retribution so many rewardes as they sustaine daies of afflictions which thing I wonder nothing most stoute and blessed brethren that they haue happened vnto you according to the meritt of your religion and faith that our Lord hath thus exalted you vnto so great a height of glory Who are those with deserue to be Martyrs who alwaies haue flourished in his Church by keeping the rule of faith firmely obseruing our Lordes commaundments in simplicity innocency in charity concord modesty in humility diligence in administration watchfulnes in helping the afflicted mercy in cherishing the poore constancy in desending the truth equity in the seuerity of discipline And least any thing might want in the example of your good deedes euen now by confessing with mouth and suffering with body you stirre vp your brethrens mindes vnto diuine martirdomes yeelding your selues Captaines of valour that the flocke following the shep heardes and imitating that which is sulfilled by the rulers may with equall merittes of obedience be crowned by our Lord. A patterne of Bridewell And wheras you being greeuously knocked beaten with cudgells haue by such cruelties geuen deuoute beginning to your confession we are not to be ashamed herof neither trewly could a Christians body tremble at the cudgell whose wholle hope is in a tree the seruÌ„at of Christ acknowledged the mistery of our saluation and being redeemed by a tree vnto life euerlasting he was furthered by a tree vnto his reward And what maruaile if you which are vessells of gould and siluer are confined vnto the mines Martyrs are gould that is to a place of gould and siluer but that now the nature of mines is changed and the places which were wont to yeeld now haue begone to receaue gould and siluer They haue putte irons also vpon your feete Fetters most gloriouse with infamous chaines haue bound most happy meÌ„bers temples of God as though togither with your body your spirit could be bouÌ„d or your gould could be abased with the contagion of iron To men which are dedicated vnto God with religiouse constancy do professe their faith these are not bands but ornamentes neither do they fetter Christian feete for ignominy but they sett them forth for to be crowned O feete most happilly chained which are loased not by a smith but by Christ O feete most happily chained with by a fruitfull iorney are directed vnto heauen O feete bound for a while in this world that they may be all waies free with our Lord. O feete for a while hindered with shackells and boultes but yet swiftly running with a gloriouse pace vnto Christ Lett enuious and malignant cruelty keepe you here so long as she will in bonds and chaines you shall from these countreies and afflictions go speedely vnto the heauenly Kingdomes Whilest you are in the mine your body is not pampered with softe lodging and fetherbeads Hardnes of Prisons but it is cherished with the comfâ—urt and refreshing of Christ the ouer trauailed bowells do lye on the ground but it is no paine for to lye with Christ Your members are vnhansome for want of bathing and disfigured with corruption filthines but spiritually is that washed within which carnally is defiled without There is little store of bread but not with bread onely doth a man liue Deut. 8. Luc. 4 but with the word of God You want cloathing whan you are colde but he that hath put on Christ is sufficiently cloathed and apparelled rough and ragged is the heare of your halfe * So were those vsed with were sent to the mines See the like 2. reg 20. shaueÌ„ head but wheras Christ is the head of a man needes must that head be comely of what fashion soeuer which is honoured with the confession of Christ This deformity so detested abhorred by the gentills ô with what brightnes shall it be rewarded this teÌ„porall short misery ô with what recompense of a noble euerlasting honour shall it be exchanged whan as the Apostle saieth our Lord shall haue reformed the body of our humility Phillip 3. configured to the body of his glory neither can there be my beloued brethren any losse of deuotion or of faith Want of the sacrifice of the Masse is recompeÌ„sed in that there where you are the Priestes of God haue no commodity of offering celebrating the Diuine sacrifices what you do celebrate offer a sacrifice vnto God both pretiouse and gloriouse which shall exceedingly profite you for the obtaining of heaueÌ„ly rewards wheras the scripture saieth Psal 90. a troubled spirit is a sacrifice vnto God a contrite and humbled harte God doth not despise This sacrifice do you offer vnto God this sacrifice without intermission both day and night you celebrate being made hoastes vnto God and yeelding your selues holy and imaculate sacrifices as the Apostle exhorteth saying Ro. 11 I beseech you therfore brethren by the mercy of God that you exhibite your bodies a liuing host holy pleasing God neither be you conformed to this world but be reformed in that newnes of your mind that you proue what the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is For this is that with is most acceptable vnto God
by our neighbour although I say in such actions a Protestation may serue to satisfy the well meaning or weaker sorte so all scandall ceassing the actions remaine fully lawfull as being before of thē selues lawfull and onely for such a circumstance of scandall vnlawfull yet hath not any kind of Protestation so much force as to iustifie that which is of it selfe euell as Iudas his protesting of frendshippe in kissing our Sauiour or Pilates protesting of innocency in washing his handes could not make either the one a trew frend of our Lord or the other trewly innocent nor Ioab his faire speaches and courteous demeanour towardes Amasa could excuse his trecherous murder Euen so than in this case of going to the Church for wheras such fact is of it selfe vnlawfull and schismaticall as Mr. Martin purposely doth dispute how can it be that it may be allowed by Protestation And certainely in this case aboue all other a Protestatiō is most ridiculous For in this actiō of going to hereticall Churches A Protestation is most ridiculous in this case Going to the Church is a protestation of Protestancy the principall deformity and iniquity is that it signifieth a conformity in schisme and false religion so that it is nothing else of it selfe but a Protestation in facte of false religion now by a contrary Protestation in words to seeke to disanull the Protestation of the facte what is it else but as if a man very expert in the arte of lying should in telling two contrary tales with one breath desire to be fully beleeued in both But howsoeuer these absurde Protesters perswade them selues Two lyes made by Protesters yet haue they iustly receaued the ordinary reward of liers not to be beleeued at all For wher as by the facte they shew them selues Protestants no man yet beleeueth them and wheras by their wordes they seeke to alter the nature of the facte neither yet can they obtaine creditt the facte of it selfe remaining as it was before So that they come euery day from the Church loaden with two diuerse and contrary lyes a small faulte perhaps if they were not in so weighty a matter the one that they are Protestants the other that their fact doth signifie no such thing as is the profession of Protestancy I remember that I haue heard a pretty conceite of one who seeing vpon a suddaine that by our Parliaments religion was altered The Person of Croydon and that defined and decreed superstition which all our forefathers before accounted trew worshipping of God made earnest petition to some Parliament Lord that it might be enacted by the autority afore said that it should be but fiue miles from his house to London that so he might be deliuered from a longer trauaile whan he were to go thither But whatsoeuer we may worthely attribute to Parliaments where there is higher autority more generall consent more publicke proceedings meanes to diuulge abrode the knowledge of any matter than in any other temporall thing can be possibly deuised it is surely ouermuch prerogatiue to geue vnto the speeches of euery perticuler schismaticke A Protestation cannot be publicke enough to take away scandall that he may by one Protestatiō make that another Protestation shall be no Protestation although he would Protest euery time not onely in the Pulpitt but also in Printed Papers which surely were necessary if he would make his speecehes of Protestation as well knowen as his Protestation of facte and yet it were not sufficient perhaps wheras many would heare of his fact which would not heare of his papers The Protestatiō therfore being of it selfe thus absurde for such cause as is worthely to be thoght very farre frō that learned Licentiates approbation it seemeth yet more daungerous for the wāt of any warrant of auncient practise or example For it is a very strange case that in so many ages past in so diuerse long persecutions stirred vp against Gods Church by infidells heretickes schismatickes yet no memory should be extant of any satisfying the persecutours pleasure by doing that which he commaunded with a Protestation but that this Protestation should first of all be heard of in communication with Protestants belike to shew that Protesters and Protestants are as neare in inward qualities and conditions as they are in the outward and materiall sound of their names And surely if the Pope should condemne this opinion of a Protestation as an heresy as it may be he hath in cōdemning the defender maintainer therof than could we haue no fitter name for these new heretickes than to call them Protesting Protestants Of contrary Protestations we read oftentimes and almost euery where that is that the Saintes of God haue not onely not satisfied their persecutours desires but haue bouldly protested that they would not obey their vnlawfull commaundments Be it knowen vnto thee ô King Dan. 3. that we will not worship thy Gods the idoll which thou hast erected we will not adore This was the Protestatiō of the three children Act. 4. 5. Heare also the Apostles Protestation We cannot but speake those things which we haue seene and heard And we must obey God rather than men 2. Mach. 7. And the youngest Machabee whom do you stay for I obey not the precept of the King but the precept of the law These are Protestations fitt for Christians honourable in the making famous in the remembring and most gloriouse in their euerlasting rewardes not those which do as it were call God and heauen êarth to witnesse that the obedience of man is preferred before the obedience of God Of like examples of Christian Protestations all Ecclesiasticall histories are full neither could euer the fury of persecutours or extremity of torments driue the champions of Christ to yeeld or seeme to yeeld to as indifferent thinges as going to the Church may seeme to be and to seeke to iustifie such actions by Protestation This hath alwaies made me thinke that that good vertuous learned Deuine did neuer meane to allow a Protestation as these new Protesters would haue him considering the repugnance which it hath to his wholle argument of his treatise and the absurdity of the thing it selfe which although he speake somewhat obscurely I cannot thinke but that his wisdome could very well perceaue Yet do I not doubte but that he worthely admitteth a Protestation in some cases A Protestation is some times profitable For this action of going to the Church is than vnlawfull whan it is a Protestation of conformity in religion which it is alwaies whan there is such orderly going as is vsed by the heretickes them selues now it may be that in diuerse cases this orderlines and conformity may be wanting than the going to the Church with heretickes is called but a materiall going and not a formall because the formality is by the alteration of the essentiall conditions of such going taken away in this case
therfore whan going to the Church is no Protestation of false religion it is not vnlawfull of it selfe so that for to avoide scandall if there be any danger therof I make a Protestation wherin I shew my going to be onely materiall and not formall An example or two we may shew out of the scriptures The going of the people with Hieroboam to Bethell whan he there was to sacrifice â— Reg. 13. was a formall going to idolatry because they went orderly all alike but the coming thither of the Prophett to reprehend the King was onely a materiall going to idolatry and very well knowen to be of a diuerse nature from the other Naaman Syrus was materially present at idolatry but not formally because he went not to the temple as vnto a teÌ„ple but as vnto any other place where his perticuler temporall seruice might be exacted neither did he obey his King commanding an acte of religion but requiring onely the temporall assistance which to his greatnes was conuenient Now if Naaman had seene any probabillity of scandall than should he haue bene bound to haue made a Protestation generally therfore whaÌ„ there is no contrary Protestation in the facte that is whan going to the Church with heretickes is only materiall and not formall than may a Protestation be very well vsed in wordes which neuerthelesse is not necessary but in daunger of scandall So that a Protestation doth not make that lawfull which was vnlawfull but sheweth the lawfulnes of that which was iudged vnlawfull neither maketh it that a materiall going which was formall but onely declareth that to be materiall which was in deed materiall before Many examples might be brought in our owne case Mr. Martins case of Protestation is examined of materiall going but it hath bene sufficiently donne in other bookes I will onely touch that case which Mr. Martin him selfe bringeth A man may lawfully go saieth he to the Church with heretickes if he protest that he goeth to pray Catholickly Trew it is if he not only protesteth to pray Catholickly but praieth in deed Catholickly and is there Catholickly present Which he cannot than do if he be indistinctly amongst them whatsoeuer praiers he say for his facte is a Protestation that he is there to pray in hereticall vnion participation and that most of all if he protest that he cometh for obedience for the end of such obedience is participation with hereticks and conformity with theÌ„ Yet this will I say for Mr Martin that in case that he pray Catholickly that is that he shew a manifest disunion with heretickes he sinneth not But this cannot be as the case is with vs. yet can I put such a case As if Catholicks herericks in league against the Turke had but one Church and being agreed not to molest one the other should at one time in seuerall altars haue Masse and communion and yet the people of force were confused and mingled in the Church in such a case the Catholicke sinneth not and his Protestation may be vertuously vsed although it be not necessary for there being two seuerall seruices the presence onely is no more a profession of the one than of the other Thus I thinke Mr. Martins doctrine trew and I perswade my selfe that he in very deed meant no more Whatsoeuer Mr. Martin held he would now alter his opinion But letting this passe as a matter somewhat vncertaine what he held whan this shifte was first propounded and neuer examined before there is no doubt at all but if he had afterward knowen the contrary resolution euen only of his Superiour yea and of many other excellent particuler persons besides amongst so many hundreths which hould now the contrary such was his humility and vertew that he would presently haue yeelded to any one of them For in matters of conscience a most suttell vnsearchable profundity all particulers are not easely seene at the first and desire of not proceeding rashly with those who may be endamaged with a seuere resolution causeth many times the determiner to take the more fauourable way which time the very mother of truth doth after shew to be vnallowable wherof we may find in our countrey sufficient examples in more waighty and apparent dissimulations than is this of going to the Church as in the oath of the Supremacy and receiuing the Protestants communion which things how easely they were swallowed vp either in K Henryes time or sithence euery man knoweth and how some Clergy men first allowed them which afterward disproued them it is to to manifest And it is worthy of consideration how these Protesters do deale dubblely The dubble dealing of Protesters For whan Mr Martin alloweth as they interprete him a Protestation that is the Censure of the most learned man Mr. Gregory Martin and we trewly thinke him worthy of much more praise and that he needeth not the commendation of men whom God hath as we hope commended But whan he saieth that going to the Church is schisme or deniall of Catholicke religion than there is no speach of his coÌ„mendation nor allowing of his opinion at all We therfore here haue determined omitting many other thinges which hath bene saied herin by others and especially by the learned assembly of those of the Counsell of Trent who define this acte to be of it selfe vnlawfull tâ— lett downe against this pretended and doubtfull autoritie a trew and plaine autoritie of most graue Deuines euen of this pointe in particuler Whan therfore the stature of the monthly penalty for going to the Church came forth Most absolute autority against this Protestation he which was than President of the Colledge of Rhemes desiring to tender as much as with Gods fauour he might the distressed case of Catholickes and to allow them if it were tolerable euen this Protestation which we speake of in which some perhaps before had bene of contrary opinioÌ„ vnto him selfe had gone about to desend it very charitably according to his accustomed tendernes tooke his iorney to Paris there in the Sorbonists College had the case disputed and resolued that it was altogâ—ther vnlawfull Sorbon Colledge wherupon he made sute vnto the King which than was that he would be a meane vnto her Maiestie to suspend the executioÌ„ of the statute for one yeare but he breeding than that which afterwardes he brought fourth answered that he would not deale therin Not contented with this with fatherly care he wrote to Rome to the Reuerend Father Frauncise Toledo a man of knowen learning and practise fom whom he had this answere which I will presently sett downe Franciscus Toletus which was carried into our countrey by one Mr. Edward StraÌ„sam now a Saincte in heauen and deliuered vnto a Reuerend Priest vnto whom he related this wholle history as the same hath lately imparted it vnto me Cum tale edictum sit contra Ecclesiam CatholicaÌ„ in haeretici erroris fauorem