he wil mislike with his owne doctrine which condemneth me of hypocrisie dissimulation and renouncing of Christ and his gospel If I present but my only body to the churches of theÌ„ whose religion I am not perswaded to bee true As though the Prince Magistrats y â— execute the lawes for coÌ„ming to church would haue the papists to come like hypocrits disseÌ„blers counterfeiters not rather y â— they may heare the word of God preached be instructed beléeue and be saued But why may not this argument of exaÌ„ple be retorted vpoÌ„ his own neckâ—… The Protestants recusants in other countries are not allowed by the papists but against their wil to alleadge their conscience for their refusall but are eyther compelled to conforme themselues to Popery or else are cruelly put to death No more shoulde the pretence of conscience excuse the papistes but that they shouldâ—… receiue the same measure which they meate to others and of y e cup which they haue mingled to other be made to drink a double portion them selues After this he putteth a case and question whether he might resort to such assemblies as should be pretended to be kept in her maiesties honour but indéede wee greately to her dishonour vpon any inâ—…itation of friendes or commaundement of authoritie and how her maiestie might iustly conceiue of him in such resorting in the ende He concludeth that in the assemblies of the Protestantes in their church he shall heare the maiestie of God dishonored his sonne slaundered his holy woord falsefied O monstruous inuention Is Gods maiestie dishonoured where he alone is taught to be honored serued obeyed glorified in all things Is his soÌ„ne staÌ„dered which is taught to be our only spiritual king prophet high priest sauiour redéemer mediator aduocat head of his church Is his holy word falsified which is set forth to be the only sufficieÌ„t rule directioÌ„ doctrine to instruct vs in all trueth As for y â— impugning of Gods church dâ—…screditing of his saintes martyrs reuiling of his bishops pastours and seduction of his people into heresy are méere flaunders as voyde of trueth as they are of proofe And therfore the comparison example which followeth as they may serue where truth is defended against heresy so are they altogether preposterous where heresy is mainteined against true religioÌ„ But now he maketh an answere to an obiectioÌ„ and saith Neither sufficeth it to say that those suppositions are false and that there are not such things committed against God at the Protestants churches seruices for howsoeuer that be wherof I disput not nor yet I being in hart of another Religion must needs thinke not only them but also al other Religions whatsoeuer to commit the same as I know they doe also thinke of mine The conclusion is that they must not doe anything against their conscience vpon dissimulation c. Wherto I yéelde but it is the Magistrates duety to prouide by doctrine penaltie that their conscience may be better instructed especially séeing this their Patrone groundeth all his reasons vpon false suppositions whereof hée will not dispute because hee knoweth hee is not able to defende them And therfore the Prince and Magistrats can no more be mo ued with these niene Reasons not to procéede in exâ—…cution of the godly lawes then the Iudge on the benche can bee mooued by as many reasons that shew no more but how haynous a thing it is to condemne an innocent to forbeare pronouncing of sentence against one that is conuicted at the barre of felony The reasons thus vnreasonably discoursed hee gathereth out of the same certayne shorte conclusions which because they are all aunsweared before I will not now stand to repeate the answeres only where any new matter occurreth I wil briefely note it vpon the first conclusion hée aunsweareth another conclusion that no power vppon earth canne dispense with goyng too Churche whiche is prohibited by the law of GOD and nature Here hee biddeth open warre to the Canonists which defend that the Pope may dispense almost with al matters And sée wée not in his dispensations for marriage that a man may marry his brother or sisters daughter which is contrary both to the law of God and nature that the Pope doeth dispense with suche marriage what the Pope did offer by his letters to her Maiesty I neuer heard it reported whiche he saith is geuen out by some greate men But I haue heard of them whiche aâ—…firmed that they haue séene the Popish Dispensation y â— for time of Schisme a Priest might go to Church more theÌ„ that In the 3. conclusion is contayned a case with 4. qualifications in which a papist might lawfully goe to Church namely for some méere particular knowne teÌ„porall businesse without geuing any signe of reuerence and honor to their seruice Which is nothing to y â— purpose or matter in questioÌ„ whiche is whether Papists y â— are so obstinate y e they wil not bee taught are to bee compelled eyther to yéelde too instruction or too suffer punishment vntill they shalbée willing In the later end he shameth not to repeat that his meaning was to geue some satisfaction to her Maiestie and the Right Honorable of her councell touching the Principles he should rather haue said the petition of principles which catholikes haue to refuse that conformity which is demaunded at their handes Nay rather her Maiesty and Councell when they sée that Papistes haue no reasons to yéelde for their obstinacie but such as stand vppon so vnreasonable suppositions as no man liuing would graunt against his cause and religion they may bee better encouraged to proceede in punishing that contumacie which is not grounded vpoÌ„ any approoued reason or authority of Gods worde but vpon the méere wilfulnesse and suppositions of wicked and vngodly men whiche howsoeuer béeyng nowe disappointed of the intended massacres and treasonable purposes they woulde be taken for honest and true subiects yet can they not perswade any wise man that they depending vppon the oracle of Antichrist who hath taken vpon him like a proude Instrument of Satan to depose her Maiesty from her royal throne and to discharg aâ—… her subiects of theyr duetie and obedience to her highnes may be true or faithful subiect to their Prince except they doe vtterly renounce and defie the Pope The first part of this treatise beeing ended I knowe not what friende of his maketh his excuse for omission of the second thirde part promised in the beginning whereof the one was what way or meanes Papistes may vse too remedie or ease themselues of this afflictioÌ„ now layde vpon them for their conscience The other if that way or meanes doe not preuayle then howe they ought too beare and indure the same These parts the writer saith he part ly by euill disposition of body and partly by other sodayne busines falling vpon him hée was inforced to leaue out But the contents of the
Turkish state in which the sense féeling of vertue was neuer so wholy extinguished but some remained euen in them that knewe not God nor serued him aright The king of Sodoma shewed some sense féeling of gratitude equitie when he was content to yéeld to Abraham his deliuerer the whole pray and spoyle of the aduersaries so that hée might recouer his captiuâ—…d people But let that passe and consider the grounde of this comfort So many genâ—…lemen en both for their yeeres lyuings and habilities as 〈◊〉 to be as vaine as the rest as though all other Gentlemen were vaine but they so precise in matters of religion and respectiue of their consciences c. To omit that which is â—…e in secrete the manifest couetousnes â—…ppression and wrong dealing in some of their liues appearing declareth small precisenes to be in their religion or respect of their conscience in their refusal But admit that none of them might he touched in conuersatioÌ„ as that were not sufficient to iustifie their religion so it shoulde be small matter of comfort vnto a christian man to sée so many Gentlemen refusing to yéelde to the trueth and so few poore men to whom the Gospel properly perteineth that dare withstand the Lawes that are now made of religion Whereas the true religion hath but fewe noble in comparison of the multitude of the poore that receiue and imbrace the Gospell It is therefore but a smal likelihood that Papistrie shoulde be the true religion which few or none but Gentlemen dare professe in EnglaÌ„d Which argueth y â— y â— greatest number of theÌ„ being able by welth to beare out the greatest punishment that is laide vpon them suffer of wilfulnesse rather then of conscience who if they were put to the same tryal y â— the poore martyres were in time of popish persecution it is hard to say how many of these gentlemen that abide imprisonment woulde indure to ende their liues as those did in firy â—…ormeÌ„ts Experience we haue in the daies of king Henry king Edward wheÌ„ sharper punishmeÌ„t then now is practised was executed vpon offendours in some cases how few there were those y â— were discouered by others rather theÌ„ by their own open professioÌ„ that indured the seueritie of those lawes Yet were those times more likely to haue yéelded thousands of martyrs confessours when men were newly drawne from their old inueterated opinions if certeiutie of truth had béen in papistrie which might haue bâ—…d a constant faith to haue suffered death willingly faithfully for the defence testimonie of gods religion against heresie which error builded vpon vncertaine or false grounds albeit it may worke wilful perâ—… in a fewe yet neuer is able to giue paâ—…ience constancie in the â—…ttermost a â—…tions vnto ma nie The same thing the experience of these times doth coÌ„firme in which only they suffer by their wils to whom the suffering is no great smart But y e mener sort although in hart they fauour popery yet because they haue no faith but an vncertaine opinion they dare make no confession to bring them selues in greater trouble then they are able without greate paine too suffer And 〈◊〉 those of wealâ—…h that care not to be imprisoned rather then to 〈◊〉 to Church how many of them dare make confession of that which is the profession of all Papâ—…sts that he acknowledgeth the supreme authoritie of the Pope is by Bul or other token of pardon reconciled to the Sea of Rome And wherefore are they so dangerous in this matter rather then the oÌ„ther but because y â— law 〈◊〉 sharâ—… in y â— point for acknowleging y â— popes authoritie theÌ„ for going to church Whereas if they suffered of conscience grounded vpoÌ„ a ChristiaÌ„ faith they would neuer be ashamed to confes him whoÌ„ they think in their erronious perswasioÌ„ to be the rock of the Church y â— head singuler shepheard of the same without acknow legeing of whose autority they hold y â— there is no church no truth no saluation I omit that there is apparant probable suspitions in some of the imprisoned of hope of greater preferment worldly aduauntement in another state then they looke to obteine in this whereto doth tend al their diuelish traiterous machinations against the Prince present state by Gods goodnes hitherto preuented and I hope if our sinnes which deserue the contrary doe not 〈◊〉 shalbe finally and perpetually disapointed But this their obstâ—… is such a thing saith this discourser as it must needes bryng comfort to all men So that in his iudgement they are no meÌ„ to whom the wilful contempt of Papists bringeth no coÌ„fort what more It can iustly greeue none except the coÌ„mon enimy the dyuel hymselfe Sée 〈◊〉 not what 〈◊〉 he maketh of her Maiestie at her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Nobilitie Comminaltie all whom it cannot but grâ—… excéedingly y â— any of her born subiects there naturall countriemen should so obstinately refuse the hearing of Gods word coÌ„munication with his Churche without y e which there is no hope of saluation that they had rather bee imprisoned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 displeasure of God them natural Prince then be at large with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 liâ—… of their soueraigne Yet further 〈◊〉 how not only in general but also in particuler he presu meth to â—…rine of her Maiestie And as for the Princes herselfe saith he she cannot but becomforted therein Behold how confidently hée â—…dereth her 〈◊〉 Maisâ—…ie in bearing men in hand not only that she is 〈◊〉 by â—…he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of her subiects but also that it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that â—…hée should be comforted by that which euen coÌ„mon sense abhorreth that the ruler shoulde be comforted by disobedience and a Christian ruler by disobedience vnto Christes faith wherof she is a â—…olous defendor What other thing therfore is ment by this supposed impossibilitie but to â—…nuat in most sâ—…anderous infamous suggestion y â— her Maiestie fauoureth the contempt of her lawes liketh well of disobedient subiectes yea is greatly conforted at the obstinacie of thâ—…m whom by publike lawes and open profession she hath declared these 22. yéeres to be enimies of Gods truth maintayners of superstition and defendâ—…rs of heresie But let vs yet more néerely beholde the cause which maketh it impossible but that shée must néedes be conforted therein She cannot but be conforted threin saieth hée assuring her selfe that if these men doe sticke so firmely vnto their consciences and faith sworne vnto God in their oth of baptisme Then will they as firmly for the same consciences stick vnto her maiestie if occasion shall serue in keeping their secundary fayth and alleageance sworn vnto her heighnes as to the substitute of god No doubt but her maiesty must take great comfort y â— she setteth forth and executeth lawes to defende such a faith religion as men cannot obay but by breaking their
poysoned complexion nothing almost may be added Or that a man infected with the pestilence pockes or other contagious disease may not come néere the place where phisicke and surgerie is ministred least hee shoulde bée further infected So that if a foole or a madde man bée perswaded that the Phisition will kil him by this mayne reason hée must auoyde him For what other force is in this argument except trueth bée confessed to bée falshoode and true phisicke daungerous infection but marke the argument Al daunger of infection is to bée auoyded in going to Church and seruice there is daunger of infection therefore it is to bée auoyded The first parte of this reason our discourser prooueth by similitude by authoritie of scripture of Doctors by examples and by experience Which was altogether néedelesse excepte it were for young children that learne to speake for all men of meane capacitie and smal discretion will confesse that all peryll of infection is to bée auoyded of them that desire to lyue in health but the proofe of the seconde parte of the argumente which is that in going to Churche and seruice there is anye daunger of insection hee bryngeth not one worde beside his bare affyrmation A worthye reason to the hearing whereof the Prince with her counsell the learned with the wise of all England are called Hée that coulde obteine a priuiledge thus to reason that al which hée affirmeth must be taken for trueth and that his aduersarie shal not bée admitted to denie any thing that hee saith may easely proue to bée an â—…rrefragable Doctor If this kinde of resoning had béen vsed among Papists only which are professed to beléeue what soeuer you will teache them it might haue gained you some credite when it should haue had no controlling but when you publish your arguments that the Queene and her Counsell which al denie your principles and the wise and learned of this lande of which the most part refuse your doctrine as heretical may sée that your Clients refusall is vpon great reason you declare that as in pride you lacke measure so in iudgement you want discretion in reasoning you want learning in defending you want trueth in taking the cause in hande of obstinate contemners to iustifie it you haue shewed neither wisdome discretion trueth nor honesty But this seemeth strange that you cite out of Nicephorus lib. 3 cap. 30. That the Apostles and their schollers were so wary and circumspect in this case of auoidyng Heretikes that they would not so much as once reason the matter with any of them who indeuoured by their lying or newe deuises to corrupt the trueth Haue you set out your champion to challendge the combate and will you nowe giue ouer the battell must you follow the example of the Apostles and their schollers not so much as once to reason the matter with vs whom you account for hereâ—…kes very well The Diuell ought the Papistes a shame to make so proude an offer of disputation which they neuer ment shoulde holde as appeareth not onely by the present flight of the challenger notwithstanding hée prosesteth that hée was prepared to suffer any torment that shoulde bée laide on his body for his constant confession but also by the plaine attestation of this his associate wherby it is euidently bewrayed that suche bolde prouocation was nothing els but a traiterous and seditious deuice to erect the peoples mindes in eexpctation of some change in religion while other diuilishe practises were in working in Irelande and the like attempted in England But howesoeuer you bee affected towarde disputation you slaunder the Apostles and their schollers and Nicephorus the reporter of this sentence and Irenaeus the authour of it in saying they would not so muche as once reason the matter with any heretike For Saint Paul whose doctrine and example the other Apostles and their schollers vsed and followed alloweth vnto euery heretike two solemn admonitions at the least before he be auoided before which might be many reasonings after also though not with any certaine hope to winne them yet with certaine profite vnto the hearers when they see their heresies borne downe with the strength of trueth and falshood mainteined by obstinate will and not by might of reasons when they see the sutle â—…eightes of Heretikes laide open to their shame and the plaine trueth of the Gospell haue the victorie to the glory of God So did the Apostles dispute against the obstinate Iewes so did their schollers with Heretikes as is manifest by the concertation of Augustine with the Donatistes Manichees and Arrians and that often in hearing of the people the recordes whereof are extant as the disputation of Germanus and Lupus with the Pelagians testified by Beda in the first of his English historie Neither doth Ireneus say that the Apostles and their schollers woulde not once reason the matter with any Heretikes but shewing how Polycarpus the scholler of Saint Iohn beeing saluted by Marcion the Heretike who desired to bee acquainted with him answered that hee knewe him alreadie to bee the eldest childe of the Diuell hee declareth that y e Apostles and their schollers were so circumspect that they woulde not communicate in any worde or familiar spéech with any that had corrupted the sinceritie of the Gospell with lying and false deuises And this circumspection Polycarpus learned indeede of Saint Iohn who saith in his second Epistle That if any man come vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not into your house nor salute you him for hee that saluteth him is partaker of his wicked workes Finally where you say that out of the first sect of Luther dyd spring Lutherans and Zwinglians Caluinistes Puritanes Anabaptistes Trinitaries Familie of loue Adamites and suche like you bewray not onely your malice but also your ignorance For besides that out of the doctrine of Luther so farre as it was consonant too the worde of GOD no heresie coulde spring more then out of the worde of God it selfe the Anabaptistes and Familie of loue are olde sectes springing out of the Enthusiastes Pelagians Donatistes Valentinians and other auncient heresies The Trinitaries are a broode of the Arrians Nestorians Macedonians and suche like Monsters The Adamites were both sprong vp and suppressed by the refourmed Churches of the Bohemians and Morauians manye yeeres before Luther was borne The rest whom you name when you can conuince them of heresie by the authoritie of the holy Scriptures you may referre their beginning to what head you please In the meane time you must learne to reason better against your aduersaries then by challenging the whole cause without tryall or proofe otherwise your victorie shalbe as glorious as your argumentes bee forcible méete to bée answered with hoopes and hisses of Sophisters not worthie the hearing of suche as bee wise and learned in Englande muche lesse too bée regarded of her moste excellente Maiestie and the honourable Lordes of her priâ—…ie Counsell to all
and the same mysterie as hee speaketh depriuing the lay people cleane of the cup of Christes blood whiche hee in expresse woordes commaundeth to hée drunke of all men And Saynt Paule by his authoritie chargeth euerye man after due examination as well to drinke of that cuppe as to eate of that breade of the Lorde woorthily As for our seruice when he bringeth any argumentes as hee promiseth to prooue that it hath no part of the Catholike seruice hee shall receiue his answere and our defence accordingly Hitherto therfore although with many whot woordes he hath concluded nothing against vs at length he commeth to answere an obiection of colde Catholikes as hee calleth them whiche are that they goe not too the Churche willingly but by constraynt of the Publike Lawes of the Realme And héere out of Aristotles Ethickes Lib. 3. The Acte of goyng to Churche is prooued voluntarye because the constraynt is conditionall eyther to doe that is commaunded or too beare that punishment that the Lawe appoynteth Where is then the sore charge agaynst them that compell men against theyr willes to sweare to goe to Churche c contayned in his Preamble before the first reason It is a greate force of cunning of one and the same matter to geue a contrary iudgement as it serueth best for your aduantage Nowe therefore you woulde haue these vnwise and fonde noble men and Gentlemen too consider I vse your owne termes that it is a badde shifte of dissemblers To say that hee goeth to churche agaynst his will thinking thereby to excuse himselfe of Schisme But beside this to proue it schisme yea and that obstinate and rebellious Schisme it were sufficient to knowe that the meaning will and commaundement of the generall and vniuersall catholike churche at this day is that catholike men shoulde not present themselues at Protestants churches UUhy Sir is not the Pope by your reede the best Interpreter of the Catholike Churches meaning And hath not hee graunted diuers dispensations for Papistes to presente themselues in Protestantes Churches But they haue beene denounced open enimies say you by the Councell of Trent as the doctrine of Arius was condemned in in the firste generall Councel of Nice Nay rather as the Homousians were in y e Councel of Ariminium in many other Councels of the East And as the doctrine of the Catholikes was in the seconde of Ephesus Nice the seconde and many other blasphemous and heretical couÌ„cels I passe ouer your slaunder of the Nobility of Englande by certaine of which you affirme that the heretical and schismaticall coÌ„uenticle of Trent was moued whether they might not lawfully without offence go to Church to do some meere temporal Acte as to beare y e swoord before her Maiesty c. Except you meane of such of the Nobility as haue openly declared their disloyalty by entring into rebellion or otherwise But as touching y e forbidding to goe to heretical churches which you labour so vehemently to proue y t you father it vpon a Cannon of the Apostles themselues which must needs be obserued Can. 63 You should haue done more wisely to haue confirmed it by theyr Canonicall writinges rather then by those Apocriphall Canons which if we should receiue theÌ„ as authentical wil prooue eueÌ„ your popish churches to be hereticall your selues to bee Heretikes because you goe against many thinges decreed in those Canons As y e you admit no married persons to the office of a priest or bishop agaynst the 6. CanoÌ„ That you forbidd any that is maymed or imperfect in body to be a bishop against the canon 77. y â— your bishops priests deacons and cleargie are often present at the celebratioÌ„ yet doe not coÌ„municate al which by the 8. Canon are excoÌ„municated But that it is not lawful to pray in the Conuenticles of heretikes it is more cleer by the Scriptures then y â— it needed to be proued by the example of Origen of Heraclas of Athanasius or anye other The example also of the people of Rome whiche refused to communicate with Felix might haue heene spared but that vnder colour of certaine wordes of Theodoret you would haue it seem as though not one of the Inhabitants of Rome was infected with Aurianisme UUheras y e matter is other wise seeing that Felix although himselfe of the Catholike religion was chosen bishop by the more part of the Clergie and people of Rome which were of the faction of the Arrians And therfore where Theodoret saith that none of the Inhabitants of Rome would enter into the church so long as Felix was within it must of necessitie be vnderstood of the Catholike Inhabitantes For that there was neuer an Arrian dwelling at Rome at such time as Constantius came thither I thinke no man but lightely acquaynted with the hystory of that time that can bee perswaded But after that Liberius himself had subscribed to the Arrians as Saint Hierom writeth and returned after hee hadde consented too Constantius the Heretike as Pope Damasus himselfe writeth by whome Pope Felix whiche was a Catholike was deposed and great persecution followed This I say declareth that neyther the head nor the body of the Churche of Rome was in that time frée from the hereâ—…e of the Arrians Insomuche that Constantius helde there a counsell with Heretiks together with Vrsutius and Valens as the same Damasus writeth and cast oâ—…t Felix oâ—…t of his Bishopricke which was a Catholike and called backe Liberius Nowe come we to the conclusion of this reason where hée gathereth by the opinions of the Forefathers how greate a sinne it is to breake the vnity of the Church or to disobey the same But not coÌ„tent with this conclusion which is true hée addeth a false position without proofe saying It is certayne that the Church telleth vs if the voyces of all the Byshops and Learned menne in Christendome and of the supreame paâ—…our to be the voyce of the church that the goyng to Protestantes churches is forbidden vs. The certeyntie of this Assertion dependeth vpon the necessitie of trueth in his first supposition But hée addeth an exception if the voyces of all the Biâ—…ops and learned men in Christendome c be the voyce of the Churche But I suppose that all the bishops in Christendome haue not giuen their voyces y â— way For none of the Bishoppes of the Protestantes would giue their voyces to condemne their owne Church And many hundreth Bishops of the Orientall Churches in Europe Africa and Asia neuer heard of the controuersie betweene the Papistes anâ—… Protestantes wherefore they coulde neuer giue their voyces to condemne them whose cause they neuer vnderstood of But let it be another supposition that there are noe bishops but such as are members of the Antichristian Church of Rome except you will adde the third necessary supposition that al learned men bee Papistes or that no Protestantes are learned men you haue not prooued that the going to the
keepe it to your selues and trouble not the state and so that you wil for obedience sake sometime come to our sâ—…agogues shewing your selues conformable men to our proceedings Nay what if they shoulde haue saide Some of you also for outward shewe keeping alwaies your consciences to your selues must flee this odious name of Christians and seeme to communicate now and then with vs in our sacrifices and ceremonies wee are content also that some of you shalbe our officers and Iustices of peace counsellours and the like so that you will sometimes for orders sake punishe some of those vndiscreete felowes of your religion which cannot be content to keepe their consciences to themselues so you wil also giue some pretie sharpe charge in your circuites sessions and assemblies alwayes keeping your consciences to your selues and if some of you also wil some times step vp into the Pulpet and speake three or foure earnest woordes against this religion it shal be verie grateful vnto vs especially if you wil affirme iâ—… with an othe which wee haue deuised for the same purpose and this doing wee assure you that you shal liue quietly to your owne consciences and we shal account you for good subiectes If I say the Magistrates of Iurie at that time should haue giuen to the Apostles and other Christians this sweete charme doe you thinke that they could haue abidden to heare it al out whose hearts did rise and swel at two woordes only that they spoke for the intreating of them to holde their peace And yet many a thousand now in Englande beeing as throughly perswaded in heart of the truth of the catholike religion as the Apostles and other Christians at that time were of theirs are content notwithstanding to heare digest admit and execute al or most part of these thinges recited contrarie to the saide religion And yet besides al this which is more to be wondred at they are not ashamed to persuade them selues that they shal one day come to that glorie wherein the Apostles nowe are But this is desperate presumption And therefore we see what a iust cause this is for a catholike to refuse to come to the churches of the contrarie religion The sixth reason THe sixt cause hée saieth why a catholike may not come to church is because he cannot come without dissimulation Therefore let the Popishe Catholike leaue his dissimulation and become a good Christian rather then to leaue the Church and become an obstinate Schismatike In this reason as in the rest certeine leaues are spent in shewing that God abhorreth dissembling and will not hold them guiltlesse which holde their peace when he is â—…ishonoured and are ashamed clearely to confesse Christ and his trueth before men c. But that the going to Protestantes Churches is a deniall of Christ a dissimulation of his truth or any such matter there is nothing at all brought to proue it But sée I pray you his â—…ditious insinuation which hée maketh in his fonde supposition which hée woulde haue to be applied to our time what if the high Priestes and Magistrates shoulde haue saide to Peter and the Astles Well wee are content that you liue with your consciences so you keepe it to your selues and trouble not the state and so that you will for obedience sake sometime come to our Synagogues shewing your selues conformable men to our proceedinges Nay what if they shoulde haue saide Some of you also for outward shewe keeping alwayes your consciences to your selues must bee this odious name of Christians and seeme to communicate nowe and then with vs in our sacrifices and ceremonies Wee are content also that some of you shalbe our Officers and Iustices of peace Councellers and the like so that you wil sometimes for order sake punishe some of those indiscreete fellowes of your religion which cannot be content to keepe their consciences to them selues so you wil also giue some pretie sharpe charge in your Circuites Sessions and assemblies alwayes keeping your consciences to your selues and if some of you also wilsometimes steppe vp into the Pulpet and speake three or foure earnest woordes against this religion It shalbee verie gratefull vnto vs especially if you wil affirme it with an oth which we haue deuised for the same purpose and this doing wee assure you that you shal liue quietly to your owne consciences and wee shal account you for good subiectes This trayterous supposition which you will vs to apply to our time and note in the Margent to be the maner of dissembling Schismatikes liuely expressed to be done by many in Englande declareth howe reuerently you thinke speake and would haue ignorant persons to conceiue of her Maiestie and the principall Officers and Magistrates of the realme that shée with them not onely exhorteth men to dissimulation false meaning and periurie but also that her Maiestie is content to haue such hypocrites and false forsworne persons to be her Officers and Iustices yea her Councellers and Prelates of the Church No meruaile if you protest of your duetifulnesse and obedience which thus villainously conceiue and write of her excellent Maiestie and call her to the reading of it which were too intollerable to be iudged of any person of wisedome and honestie of howe lowe degrée and calling soeuer hée were It is hard therefore to susteine a counterfeit person long For euen while you declayme against dissimulation you haue discouered your selfe to bee an horrible dissembler The seuenth reason THE seuenth reason why a Catholike may not yeeld to come to the Protestants churches is because the seruice which they vse is nought and dishonourable to God and therfore no man can come to it or heare it or seeme to alow of it by his presence without great offence to God Neither is it sufficient to say as coÌ„monly they vse to say to beguile simple people withall that it is the Scripture taken out of the Gospels Epistles Psalmes and the like For by that argument the Iewes seruice were good at this day which is taken out of the olde Testament and al Heretikes seruice that euer was seemed to be nothing but Scriptures For as S. Austen in diuers places noteth it was alwayes the fashion of heretikes to haue Scripture in their mouth and to cleaue only to scriptures and to refuse traditions as inuentions of men And we reade of the Arrian Heretikes howe they were wont to sing Psalmes in the streetes of Constantinople thereby to allure the people to them And yet we may not say that their seruice was good like as wee cannot say that the deuils talke was good with Christ albeit it were decked with allegation of scripture and other sweete words Although therfore their seruice be ful of scripture it is no good argument that it is therefore infallible good For as S. Ierom saith of al heretikes Whatsoeuer they speake or think that they do speak in the praise of God it is the
particular cause and fifth generall reason why our seruice is sayde to bée naught is Because they haue diuers false and blasphemous thinges therein God forbid that this saying shoulde 〈◊〉 proued true And that which is worse they so place those thinges as they may seeme to the simple to bee very scripture A wonderfull hard accusation but let vs heare the probation As for example in the ende of a certayne Geneua Psalme They praye to GOD to keepe them from Pope Turke and Papistrie which is blasphemous If it be blasphemous it is against y â— Popes triple crown or the Turkes torbaÌ„t for against God it is no blasphemie nor against his truth or any of his children But what an impudent slaunder is this that the dittie which playnely caryeth before it the name of the endighter Robert Wisdome is so placed as it may séeme to bée very scripture And is called a Geneua Psalme as though the Church of Geneua had any thing to doe with hymmes and spirituall songes vsed in the Church of England Or that the Church of England had receiued all such ditties from Geneua But the matter is taken greatly in snuffe that the Pope is ioyned with the Turke of whome al antiquitie in Christes church hath thought and spoken so reuerently calling him the high Priest of the church With many other titles which if they might all bée iustified of the auncient Prelats of Rome while they were Catholike Byshops yet they would little helpe to defend that Antichrist which now occupyeth the same place but holdeth not the same foundation of fayth and doctrine But let vs sée howe manye of these tytles were appropryed to the Byshoppe of Rome in anye time For the fyrst and chiefest is quoted Cyprian de simplicitate Praelatorum and also Chrisostome lib. 2. de sacerdotio Concerning the former treatise there is in it no worde of the Byshoppe of Rome more then of all other Byshoppes nor any such title of high Prieste giuen vnto him but contrariwise the vnitie of the Church is shewed to consist in the obedience of euery perticular Church to their own Byshop which are all made of equall authoritie and dignitie There Cyprian setteth forth the subtyltie of the diuell which vnder the name of Christe commendeth Antichriste aâ—…d shewing the cause of the deceite hee sayeth Hoc eo fit fratres dilectissimi c. This commeth hereof my most welbeloued brethren while men returne not to the beginning of trueth neyther is the head sought nor the doctrine of the heauenly maister obserued Which thinges if a man consider and examine there is no neede of large treatie or argumentes The tryall vnto trueth is easie by the compendiousnesse of trueth Our Lorde speaketh to Peter I say to thee quoth hee that thou art Peter and vppon this stone I will buylde my church and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it To thee I will giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and what thinges soeuer thou shalt loose vppon earth they shall bee loosed also in heauen And to the same man after his resurrection hee saieth feede my sheepe And although after his resurrection hee giueth equall power to all his Apostles and saieth As my Father sente mee so I also sende you receaue the holye Ghoste whose sinnes you shall forgiue they shall bee forgiuen whose sinnes you shall retayne they shall bee retayned yet that hee myght make the vnitie manifest hee disposed the original of that same vnitie by his authoritie beginning of one man Verilye the rest of the Apostles were the â—…ame thing that Peter was endued with equall felowship both of honour and of power but the beginning proceedeth from vnitie that the church might bee shewed to bee one And after a fewe lynes entreating of the vnitie of the Church hee saieth Quam vnit atem c. whiche vnitie most of all wee that rule as Byshoppes in the Churche ought to holde faste and mayntaine that wee myght proue the Byshoppes office it selfe to bee one and vndeuided Let no man deceaue the brotherhoodde with a lye Lette no man corrupte the trueth of fayth by such preuarication There is but one byshopricke or bishops office whereof a parte is helde of euery one in solidum throughly or perfectly or in the whole You sée that Cyprian saith nothing for his title but against the Antichristian authority pretended therby very much very effectuously But what saieth Chrisostome in his 2. booke de sacerdotio sounding to that purpose I finde nothing but that he admonisheth Basill that he had no iniury in being taken by sorce and made a priest séeing he was therby made equall with Peter euen as Peter excelled all the Apostles Etiam ne nunc nobiscum c. Wilte thou then still contende with vs that this fraud hath not happened wel luckely to thee Which by it art to be made ouerseer of all the goodes of God almightie especially when thou doest those thinges whiche when Peter did Christ woulde haue him to be indued with authoritie and also farre to excell the other apostles These woordes shewe that euery Priest when he doeth the same thinges which Peter did is indued with the same authoritie that Peter was and farr passeth all other men And that Peter was not simplie preferred in authority but only when he did execute his charge therfore so preferred that euerie minister in teaching and administring the sacraments hath the same authoritie and excellencie The next title pretended to be giuen to the Pope by all antiquitie is the Bishop of the vniuersal church For which is quoted Cyprian Epist. 46. that of Cyprian is no more but that certaine Confessors which had ioyned with the Nouatian Scismatikes that made an other Bishop at Rome beside Cornelius returning to the Church acknowledged that Cornelius was the right bishop of the Catholike Church and Nouatus or Nouatianus a false byshop of a scismaticall Church The wordes of their confession are these Nos inquiunt c. We say they doe know that Cornelius is set vp by God Almightie and by our Lorde Iesus Christ a bishop of the most holy Catholike church We confesse our errour We haue been circumuented being carried out of our right minde by factious loquacitie of falshood Wee seemed to haue as it were a certayne communicating with a schismaticall person but our mynde was alwaye sincere in the churche neyther are wee ignoraunte that there is one GOD and one Christe our Lorde whom we haue confessed one holye Ghoste that there ought to be but one bishop in a catholike church Meaning that in euery Catholike Churche there ought to bée but one Byshoppe at once not that there shoulde bee but one bishop of all the Catholike Church which were a monstrous absurdity The thirde title is The Pastour of the Churche for whiche is quoted Chrisostome lib. 2. de Sacer. Where I finde nothing that hath any shewe of suche a matter more then I haue alreadye declared
shewes by which the veritie of the Gospel is hidden the word of God despised or by which the ignorant and infidel is confirmed in his error or by which the weake is offended are not of Cod but of Sathan altogether contrary vnto the trueth of the word Therefore we must not halt of both sides but go vprightly before that great God which seeth beholdeth and knoweth all thinges euen before they are begunne Loe heere We see the sentence of their Doctours to the contrary who presse vs so muche to goe to their Churches against our consciences Iferrour finde such zeale what zeale ought trueth to haue If these fellowes each of them for the defence of their priuate fond fancies be content most williâ—…gly to aduenture any danger or extremitie whatsoeuer rather then to come to the true catholike churche wherein they were borne and to the which in Baptisme they swore obedience why should suche blame be laide vpon vs for standing in defence of our consciences and for refusing to go to their churches wherin we were neither borne nor bread vp nor euer perswaded that they had any trueth or holinesse in them This reason only may suffice any reasonableman especially the Protestant except hee will mislike with his owne doctrine whiche condemneth mee of hypocrisie dissimulation and renouncing of Christe and his Gospel If I present but my only body to the churches of them whose Religion I am not persuaded to be true The which saying of his in a sense hath good reason albeit the workes and meaning 〈◊〉 wicked For if there bee no man either so foolish or impious in the worlde but muste needes thinke that one only religion amongst christians is true and al other false And if euery man which hath any religion and is resolued therein must needes presuppose this only trueth to bee in his owne religion then â—…t followeth necessarily that hee must likewise persuade himselfe that all other religions besides his owne are false and erronious and consequently aâ—…l assemblies conuenticles and publike actes of the same to bee wicked damnable dishonourable to God contumelious to Christe and therfore to his conscience which thinketh so detestable Now then suppose the case thus I know in Eâ—…gland certaine places where at certaine times dayes assemblies are made by certaine men in shew to honour and commend but in my conceit to dishonor dispraise and impugne the maiestie of my moste dread Soueraigne Ladie the Queene And I am inuited thither to heare the fame by my parents kinsmen and acquaintance nay I am inforced thither by the greatest authoritie that vnder her Maiestie may coÌ„maunde mee Tell mee nowe If I should goe thither vnder any pretence whatsoeuer of gratifying my friends or by coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of any her inferiour powers can her Maiestie take it well or account of mee better then of a tratierous catiue for yeelding my selfe to stay there to heare them to countenance their doings with my presence to holde my peace when they speake euill of her to hold my hands whiles they slaunder her and finally to say nothing whiles they induce other men to forsake her and her cause And if her Maiestie or any other prince in the worlde could not beare at their subiectes handes any such dissimulation trecherie or treason howe much lesse shal the omnipotent Maiestie of God who requireth and deserueth muche more exact seruice at our handes beare this dissimulation and traiterous dealing of ours if we be content for temporall respectes and for satisfaction of any mortall power lesse then himself to present our selues to such places and assemblies where we shal heare his Maiestie dishonoured his sonne slaundered his worde falsified his churche impugned his Saints and Martyrs discredited his Bishoppes and Pastours reuiled and al the whole Ecclesiastical Ierarchie rent broken disseuered and turned vpside downe and his people purchased with his blood and dearer vnto him then his owne life excited and stirred vpp against him and his Ministers and by sweete wordes and gay benedictions flocked away to the slaughter house of heresie What noble man is there in the worlde whiche coulde take it well if hee shoulde see his friende and muche more his sonne in the companie of his professed enimie at such time principally as he knoweth that his enimie abuseth him in speeche and seeketh most his discredite and dishonour but especially if hee shoulde see him come in open assemblie of the worlde to the barre against him in companie with his aduersarie when his saide aduersarie commeth of set purpose to deface him as Heretikes doe to their Churches and Pulpettes to dishonour GOD I thinke I say hee coulde hardly beare it And shal suche disdaine be taken by a mortal man for a little iniurie and discurtesie shewed and shal not the iustice of God be reuenged vpon our treacherie and dissimulation in his cause If I giue my seruant but fortie shillinges a yeere yet I thinke him bounde to defende mee in al points causes to bee friend to my friends enimie to my aduersaries to vpholde my credite mainteine my honour to resist my detractours and to reuenge himselfe vpon my euil willers and if hee can bee content to holde his peace hearing mee spoken of and to put vp my slaunder without opening his mouth I wil account him vnworthie to weare my cloth howe muche more inexcusable shall we be at the dreadful day of iudgement if wee receiuing at our Lorde and maisters handes such extraordinarie pay for our seruice in this life and expecting further and aboue this al that himselfe is worth for the eternitie of the life to come his kingdome his glory and his euerlasting ioy with his riches and treasures vnspeakeable which neither eare euer heard nor eye saw nor heart of man coÌ„ceiued how great they are how 〈◊〉 I say shal wee bee at that terrible rekoning day and howe confounded by the examples of seruantes in this life so zealous for their maisters vppon so smal wages if wee notwithstanding al our rewardes both present and to come shalbe yet key cold in our maister his seruice present at his iniuries and silent at his slaunders Neither sufficeth it to say that these suppositions are false and that there are not such things committed against God at the Protestants chur ches and seruices for howesoeuer that bee whereof I dispute not now yet I being in my hearte of an other religion must needes thinke not onely them but also all other religions whatsoeuer to commit the same as I knowe they doe also thinke of mine Wherefore howe good and holy soeuer they were yea if they were Angels yet shoulde I bee condemned for going amongst them for that in my sight iudgement and conscience by which only I must bee iudged they must needes seeme enimies to God being of the contrarie religion By this it may appeare howe greuously they sinne dayly in Englande and cause other
of lyfe so vnspotted will God haue our seruice to be In prefiguration whereof all Sacrifices of the old Testament were commanded to be of vnspotted creatures of one colour of one age without mayme or deformitie wherby is signified that God accepteth no partition no maime in our seruice but either all or none must be his For a little leuen so wreth a great deale of do we and a small spot disfygureth a fayre garment Which S Paule vrgeth farre by the example of Christe when he saieth That Christ died for vs to the ende we shoulde exhibite our selues holy unspotted and irreprechensible in his sight As though he should say Christ spared nothing no not his owne life for vs that by his example we might be prouoked to giue our selues wholy to him and his seruice without limitation or reseruation at all and thereby shewe our selues vnspotted seâ—…auntes and irreprehensible Which thing the Noble champion of Christ S. Basile well considered when being required by the Emperours leefetenaunte to conforme him selfe in some small thinges to the Emperours request and therby purchase quietnesse to the whole church rather then by obstinacie as he tearmed it to exasperate thinges worse hee answered that perswasion to be fit for children and not for him who was ready to suffer any kinde of death or torment rather then to betray any one sillable of Gods diuine trueth adding further that hee esteemed much and desired the Emperours friendshippe if it might be ioyned with godlinesse but if not he must needes contemne it as pernitious So resolute seruantes had God in those dayes and the like desireth to haue nowe Here of also followeth an other thing which I had almost passed ouer vntouched that a Catholike may not procure any other to affirme or sweare for him falsly that he hath been at Church receiued the Communion or the like nor accept the same if any woulde offer such seruice but if others did it without his procurement he may holde his peace and vse their sinne to his owne quietnesse except Scandale shoulde insue thereof and then were he bounde to disclose the trueth For as I haue noted before out of Saint Cyprian he which seeketh sleightes in excuse of his faith denieth the same and the seeming to obey lawes made published against true religioÌ„ is takeÌ„ by god for obeying indeed so punished for the fact it selfe The which most worthy and excellent saying of Christ his holy Martyr God graunt we may al wel beare in minde and execute as Gods cause and glory shal require especially those which are by peculiar prerogatiue called to the Publike trial of the same Whom God of his mercie so strengthen with his grace as his holy name may be glorified in them and their Persecutors molified by their constant milde sober behauiour And thus my deere good friende I make an ende of the first poynte which I promised too handle concerning the reasons which Catholikes haue to stand in the refusal of going to the church against their consciences hauing said much lesse then might be saide in this matter and yet more then I purposed at the beginning But I am to craue most earnestly at your handes and of al them that shal chaunce to see this Treatise to haue charitable consideration of my greate haste in writing of the same whiche was such as I had not time to suruew or read any parte of it ouer agayne Wherfore if any thing be in it wherby you may be edified or any wayinructed I am glad and to Gods glorie only be it If not yet surely my meaning was good to no mans offence only coueting hereby to geue some satisfaction to them in England especially to her maiestie the Right honourable her counsayle touching the principles which catholikes haue to refuse that conformity which is demanded at their handes the which as I haue proued they cannot admit remayning in conscience of the contrary Religion without euident daunger of their owne soules Wherof if her Maiestie their honours may in time bee made capable then howesoeuer thinges passe otherwise yet shal catholikes retayne sâ—…l their deserued opinion of honest and true subiects which they most desire the displeasure takeÌ„ against theÌ„ for this refusal be diminished wheÌ„ it shalbe manifest that the same proceedeth not of will but of conscieÌ„ce iudgement in ReligioÌ„ which is not in an honest mans handes to frame at his owne pleasure Moreouer my meaning was to giue some information touching the quality of this sinne of going to the church of a contrary ReligioÌ„ and his circumstances for them that eyther remayned doubtfull in the same or not rightly perswaded Of the which two effects if any one follow I shalbe most glad if not yet I serue as I trust such a maister as rewardeth the affect as wel as the effect the will no lesse then the work it selfe Wherfore to his holy hands I commit the whole assuring my selfe that as this cause of his catholike Church importeth him more then it doth vs so his peculiar care of the same â—…urre surmounteth any care of man and therfore whatsoeuer shal become of this or any other labour taken for the same yet he will neuer cease to rayse vp men for the defence of it against all enemies to the worldes ende The nienth Reason THe last reasoÌ„ is the example of Infidels heretikes al which procure to seperat theÌ„selues froÌ„ theÌ„ of the coÌ„trary religioÌ„ in y e act of prayer c. Which exaÌ„ple of it self mée think is a simple reasoÌ„ to teach true ChristiaÌ„s what they ought to doe And especially wheÌ„ it is brought to proue y â— meÌ„ ought not to ioyne theÌ„selues w t the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of the faithful which by none other reason is disproued to be y e true church but by a lewd vnlearned suppositioÌ„ But the ProcestaÌ„ts theÌ„selues saith he are recusants also in other countries Yea very good cause why they should seing they ought to absteyne froÌ„ idolatry superstitioÌ„ which is committed dayly in the popish churches But therby saith he It appeareth that they goe quite against their own doctrine example in EnglaÌ„d which obiect the same to catholikes as disobedience obstinacy and rebellious dealing within other countries they themselues both teach and practise Alas poore Sophister this is sorie stuffe The true Christians teach and practise that they maye not be defiled with idolatry therfore heretiks be not disobedient obstinate and rebellious when they refuse to communicate w t the true church submit theÌ„selnes to y e godly lawes of a christiaÌ„ magistrat Yet the madde man pleaseth himselfe so much in this absurd coÌ„science y â— after he hath alleadged a large cofession of one Iohn Gardiner to proue y â— Protestants refuse to communicate with papists he saith This Reason onely may suffice any reasonable man especially the Protestant except