by the way that the difference of spirit betweene man and man is the greatest and most important difference that in moral matters can be obserued which holdeth also in beasts byrds and other creatures according to the proportion of their inferior spirit or natural instinct as for example two egges put in one nest the one of a doue the other of a hauke do bring forth two yong byrds whose bodyes at the beginning are not so easily discerned as the difference of their spirits is seene as soone as they grow vp And the like is in the whelpes and cubbes of dogges and foxes the one naturally running to mans conuersation the other flying which diuersity of spirit and inward instinct bewrayeth quickely the contrariety of their natures nor is this only seene in creatures of diuers kynds but euen in those that be of the same as two yong colts of one breed the one of a generous the other of a iadish inclination are so opposite the one to the other in the whole course of their future lyfe by this diuersytie of spirit as the one is of much value the other contemptible And if this hold in horses other vnreasonable creatures that haue only the participation of the inferior sensual part of soule or spirit how much more is the difference to be noted in man whose higher part guiding all the rest dependeth of the worthinesse of his spirit for life and action wherin two men that be brethren in birth and as like one to the other otherwise as nature can proporture them yet by this diuersity of spirit may they be as opposite one to the other not only as things of diuers kinds that be enemyes by nature as haukes doues wolues and lambes foxes and dogges but farre more euen as much as heauen and hel And this we se by example as wel of Cain and Abel Esau and Iacob Lucifer and Michael borne brethren as also by euident reason seing that the spirit of man is that wherby he is ruled and the sterne of all his actions gouerned so as if that be naught corrupted peruerted or coinquinate with malice enuy pride ambition or other such plagues and spiritual poysons he followeth that with all violeÌ„ce as a bark carried away vnder ful sayle with pernicioÌ„s wynds to her assured ship wrack vpon rockes of perdition And on the contrary side he that is blessed of God with a good spirit he floweth on sweetly though more softely and calmely to the assured port of euer lasting saluation and these two men though neuer so like in shape of body or neare in propinquity of flesh office charge degree vocation or other such coniunction vpon earth yet are they indeed more opposite and contrary the one to the other then any reasonable or vnreasonable creatures whatsoeuer except only the good and bad angels Michael and Lucifer by vs before mencioned so as a good and bad spiriâ—ed man do differ much more then a man and a beast or then a wolfe and a sheep which cannot be expressed sufficiently by any other example then by Sathan and Christ when he was vpon earth which very contrariety remayneth stil betweene men that participate the one or the others spirit So as to conclude yow need not for true discerning of men to seek any other note signe or argument but only to look vpon their spirit markes therof whether they be of Christ or his enemy Sathan according to the couÌ„sel S. Iohn Probate spiritus si ex Deo sunt proue spirits whether they be of God or no. The reason wherof S. Paul giueth Quicunque enim spiritu Dei aguntur hij fitij Dei sunt For whosoeuer are ruled by the spirit of God they are his children and contrary wise those that are not gouerned by that spirit are children of Sathan not of God for so the same Apostle affirmeth playnly in another place Si quis spiritum Christinon habet hic non est eius He that hath not the spirit of Christe pertayneth not vnto him For which cause he addeth so carefully in the end of his letters Dominus Iesus Christus cum spiritu suo vobiscum Our lord Iesus Christ be among yow with his spirit And when he would commend himself and his determination in matters of virginity marriage diuorce and other such of great importance he alleadgeth this for cheefest argument Puto autem quod ego spiritum Dei habeam I do persuade my selfe that I haue the spirit of God my Sauiour So then all the controuersy or doubt which heere may be is who haue the spirit of Christ or go neerest ther unto in this contention for that this being knowne it caÌ„not be denied but that whosoeuer followeth or fauoreth the worser spirit except vpon misinformation he sheweth himself to be ruled by the same spirit And as for the spirit of Christ our Sauiour which must be our paterne heerin it is euident both by testimony of all scriptures as also by the example of his lyfe while he was vpon earth what it was For Esay the prophet foretold a seauen fold spirit should be in him to wit the spirit of VVisdome and vnderstanding of Counsel and Fortitude of knowledge and piety and of the feare of God But himself appearing afterward vpon earth not only confirmed all this to be true and other things wrytten of him by the prophets but preached further and sheweth in his actions the spirit of humility mansuetude meekenes patience modesty sobriety truth obedience pouerty charity and the like which spirit whether our discontented brethren in their late actions words and wrytings haue shewed or no or rather the quite contrary spirit of pride enuy reneÌ„ge elamors slaunders calumniation disobedience and the like is easy to iudge by that which before we haue represented out of their bookes and doings And now yf we would but relate vnto yow the hundreth part of that which is vttered of this wicked spirit in their last book hitherto seene by vs called Decacordon or Quodlibes we should tyre yow and make your eares glow and yowr charitable harts to rue with the hearing therof For first yf we would begin with the very name nature of Quodlibets which the author setteth downe in his preface saying that in this kind of wryting it is lawful for him to dâ—spute whether God or the diuel he to be honoured whether our blessed lady were an adulteresse or coÌ„mon woman or not c. VVho wil not say but that this Quodlibetical companion calling himself a quilibet hath a prophane audacious and impudent spirit to propose and put in print such questions and then that he hath a spirit also of foolery lack of vnderstanding in conioyning with these questions other against himself to wit whether a Seminary priest or a Iesuite ought sooner to be credited esteemed of and followed c. VVhether a Iesuite be a good or bad man whether their doctrine
to ioyne with heretiks in defaming of Iesuits but needful and necessary also for that the contrary say they should quite cut of the order of iustice stop the course of fraternal correption hinder the effects of Christian Charity violate the lawes of God and manâ— c. The second part of the obiection and answere to it was forgotten or left out in the text and therfore hauing considered better of the matter they haue put it in afterward in a long marginal note or commentary in these words The obiection of many that are of the spanish faction is very friuâ—lons if 〈◊〉 malitious when they say why do the priests lay the faults vpon Iesuits 〈◊〉 cause of the cath persecution seing it is welknowne that the aduer saryes to both priests and Iesuits and all Catholiks are cause therof c. VVbich admitte it were true yet the Iesuits being equally guilty with them it belongeth to priests to cleare the innocent Catholiks and leaue the Iesuits iu the suddes and our aduersaryes to those that haue to do with them c. Lo heere the answere or resolution of this obiection that though it were true that as wel protestants as Iesuits were the cause of persecution in England which point notwithstanding it seemeth they would haue held for doubtful and only Iesuites to be the cause yet do they think it reason to leaue of the protestants and to attend only to accuse Iesuits and to leaue them in the suddes And is not this plaine malice and passion confessed by themselues what wit what spirit is there in this handling of their affayres who wil beleeue them what they say or do heerafter hauing allready so farr discouered their meanings actions and indeauours VVherfore heere also we must conclude as in the former and all the rest of the Chapters that ensue Inâ—ipientia eorum manifesta fit omnibus there folly is euident to all men and their passionate spirit is hidden to none THERE FOLLY AND presumptious spirit in making to them selues such aduersaries as they do CAP. III. AS wisdome doth consist in considering wel first before a man make breaches or enter into warre what manner of aduersaryes they are with whome he hath to fight so is there no point of folly greater then not to forethinke of this as it seemeth these our angry men haue not done but only for satisfying of their present passion haue lauished out and bid bataile to as many as euer stood in their way among which though there be many personages of great consideration and respect yet none in our opinion ought to haue byn of so great in this affayre as the man most contemned iniured and impugned by them as in the former Chapter hath byn seene we meaue their prelate and lawful imediate Superior M Blackwel not so much in respect of his owne person and gifts of God annexed therunto which are knowne to be both many and great but of his place and authority giuen him by Christ and his substitute ouer the whole body of English Catholiks both priests and laymen which make at this day our true Cath. Church of England For albeit some others here iniured also may for other considerations and ought to be more regarded by them yet he in that he is Gods substitute among them ordayned confirmed and reconfirmed by the Sea Apostolike and consequently in the place of Christ to guide and gouerne them of which kynd of men Christ himselfe expressely saith qui vâ—s spernit me spernit qui spernit me spernit eum qui misit me He that contemneth yow coÌ„temneth me and he that contemneth me contemneth him that sent me and S. Paul said qui potestati resistit damnationem sibi acquirit he that resisteth power appointed ouer him doth draw damnation vpon himselfe for these causes we say all holy Fathers and spiritual wryters do agree that our spiritual superiors are most of all other men to be respected by vs yea before angels themselues yf they should conuerse with vs vpon the earth for that these mens authority is knowne euidently to be from God which in angels is not except by reuelation and consequently that the greatest synne of all other yea the highest point of spiritual synne pride and presumption is to molest make warre against them but much more to despise and abuse them And albeit our discontented people may haue this conceyte for their refuge and seeke also to persuade others the same as they do that hauing appealed from him and his iurisdiction they are free and not bound to any obedience or respectiue behauiour toward him yet to all men of any capacity and learning this is knowne to be otherwise both in reason conscience and constitution of Ecclesiastical canons For albeit a man may appeale from one Superior to another in certaine cases yet that doth not take away the said Superiors authoritie but restrayneth him only when the Appeale is lawful and vpon good grounds not to proced in that particular case vntil the higher Superior haue giuen his decision And if he admit not the Appeale but do remit the Appellantes backe againe to obey the said immediate superior as his Hol. hath done in this our case by his breue of the 17. of August last past then is their case as it was before and they more obliged to obey then before But howsoeuer any Appeale succedeth most cleare it is that the parties appealing are bound to obey and shew themselues dutiful in all other things while the Appeale dependeth before the higher iudge no lesse then yf any such Appeale had neuer byn made and much more after the controuersy ended and decyded as ours now is and the Authority of our Archpriest both established and reestablished and therfore for our disordinate brethren to vse him contumeliously togeaher with all those of their owne coate or others lawfully ioyned with him in due subordination as they do in these their books cannot but be a most presumptious haynous synne in the sight of God and infinite discredit vnto them in the eyes and iudgements of all good and godly men to haue such a one and so many dependent of him for their open aduersaryes as they are not ashamed to confesse and professe in these their books This then in our opinion cannot be but a great poynt of folly as was also that to take so vniuersally and generally against the whole order of Iesuits vsing so opprobrious names against the whole body as in the former Chapters yow haue heard for by so doing they can gaine no credit but with the heretiks that hate the whole order for religions sake and euery Catholike wil easily see and consider that a whole body or society cannot haue offended our brethren in any particular matters and consequently seing that they concurre with Protestants in deprauing the whole order it must needs be eyther of great passion and folly in hating the whole for
be crroneous treacherous and seditious or not c. VVhich questions being ioyned by him with the former may seeme no lesse absurdly brought in and called in question then the rest And finally he concludeth his preface thus I wil hold the indifferent dispassionate and diligent Reader with no longer discourse of a peramble but leauing all to his best conceats I comit his sharp wits or her swyft thoughts to the speedy encounter of this buck of the first head in the quest at euery Quodlibetical relay set in the pursuite of their gaine c. And now we would aske the same dispassionate reader what wit or sense is there in this wryting VVhat grauity what maturity what consideration worthie of a priest or sober witted man Is Spiritus sapientiae intellectus the first spirit of Christ mencioned by I say to be found heere But let vs passe from the Preface to his book or as he calleth it his buck of the first head The first and most notorious point of his wicked spirit contrary to that of Christ and all good Christians and Catholike men synce that tyme is against religious men and their profession affirming first that all are corrupted I haue made saith he an historical discourse of the beginning progresse end and fal of euery religious order as wel of the Basilians Antonians and other among the greeks as also of the Benedictines Augustines Franciscanes c. among the latynes c. Secondly he taketh a position in hand refuted condemned not only by S. Thomas of Aquine and other wryters of that tyme but S. Chrisostome also other auncient Fathers wryting against such irreligious companioÌ„s in their dayes the position is that the lyfe State of secular priests is more perfit theÌ„ the state of religious men for thus he frameth his first article of his third general Quodlibetâ— VVhether the Iesuits or any other religious order be to be preferred before secular priests or not And then he holdeth the negatiue VVho euer hard saith he or made any question but that a secular priest was to be preferred before a monastical person And againe in another place All seminary and secular priests are Superiors to Iesuits or at least their betters And yet further in another place The secular priests as worthier and superior presons are euer to be credited and preferred before the Iesuits in matters of any account And that yow may know how humble he is he describeth these his high mynded secular priests thus A gallant troup of as graue sages and as fine a breed of wits as the world this day enioyes c. Rightly called seculars because they haue the cure and charge of soules layd on their backes to direct all that liue in a secular wordly and temporal State Thus he saith to the end yow should not mistake him as though he meant of the Iesuits only or of any other particular religious order he setteth downe this general proposition Therfore stil saith he is a secular lyfe of more perfection then a religious c. Now we would aske what spirit this is what sanoureth it of what doth it breath forth Is there heer any thing els but pride emulation ignoraÌ„ce temerity and folly But let vs heare further the effects of their good spirit He signifieth page 42. that he would haue all Iesuits except saith he they amend their manners and reforme their order damned for â—eretiks and thrust out of Gods Church as Apostatates and Atheists c. as those ietting iuglers the Pharasyes were out of the temple of Ieruss â—Iem c. Do yow see what spirit of fraternal charity here is Nay he goeth further to affirme that their order is no religion at all and the persons therof neyther secular nor religious wherby he incurreth a plaine excommunication ipso facto by the Bul of Gregory the xiij which beginneth Ascendente Domine in â—â—â—â—lam c. confirmed and ratified againe by Gregory the 14. But it seemeth this man litle esteemeth ceÌ„sures of Church or Pope being ingulfed in the mayne Sea of outragious malice which sheweth itselfe most egregiously in that he persuadeth Iesuits to become Apostatates and leaue their religion I pray God sayeth he they may reforme themselues in tyme by comming 〈◊〉 of their order and Society c. and then conformable to this good godly prayer he saith of F. Iohn Gerrard who both for his birth education learning spirit wisdome religion zeale modesty and all other Christian vertues is more fit as yow know to be this mans maister then he worthie to be the others man VVel wel poore man I pitty his simplicity that being otherwise of a good nature he is much blynded and corrupted in his life and manners by being a Iesuite which society would God he did and would forsake c. VVhat spirit is this could Martyn Luther himself or any other Apostata giue other counsel in such a cause And for that this fellow and his compagnions do delight themselues so much with secularity and Apostasy and diuers yea the most of the cheefest heads of this factioÌ„ are notoriously knowen to haue slydden back eyther from the habit or vocation of religious lyfe to secular and that it is probably suspected that a notorious Apostata or two haue had their hands also in the compiling of these wicked Quodlibets vve shal put them only in mynd of the sentence and iudgment of S. Bernard as good and wise a man no doubt as any of them and knowne to haue had the true spirit of Christ by the publike testimony of his Cath. Church who talking of this very matter of going out of religion wherunto these fellowes exhort Iesuits doth make it such an horrible act and the syn so great in him that goeth out and others that cooperate with him therin as is dreadful to read But his conclusion is this Quid plura dissimulatur lex abdicatur ius fas proscribitur derelinquitur timor domini dantur postremo impudentiae manus praesumitur ille remeraerius ille pudendus ille turpissimus plenus ille ignominia confusione saltus de excelso in abyssum de pauimento in sterquilinium de 〈◊〉 in eloacam de caelo in caenum de claeustro in saeculum de paradiso in infernum VVhat shal we say more of this horrible fact of Apostasy or going out of religion VVhen once a man is come to this resolution he dissembleth the law of God he casteth from his sight all equity he banisheth all iustice and the feare of God is cast away and so he giuing himself lastly ouer to impudenty he presumeth to make that rash that shamful thaâ— filthy leape ful of ignominy and confusion from a high state to a dongton from a fayre pauiment to a fowle donghil from a seat of dignity to a loathsome place of filth from heauen to earthly myre