statu Demenso 11. The Doctor added that M. r Blacloes doctrine should here be club'd into an heresie which he demonstrated out of holie Scripture Mat. 25. Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum Luc. 16. diues epulo cries out crucior in haec fiamma And therefore M. r Blacloe is in an heresie ascribing the affliction of the damned to pure volitions that is to intentionall acts of the will which holie Scripture attributes to the efficiencie of fier The Doctor added againe that perhaps M. r Blacloe will answere that by fier expressed in holie Scripture are vnderstood his intentionall acts of a peruerse will and that ite in ignem aeternum and ite in puras volitiones peruersas are synonima and consequently seing that the perverse volitions of the damned be sinnes Christ by saying ite in ignem aeternum shall be made author of sinne which is a greater blasphemie then the heresie is a flagitium Moreover the Doctor said it is here obseruable that contrarie to M. r Blacloes learning all the Fathers in the Councell of Florence did maintaine against the Grecians the fier of Purgatorie and the same is to be vnderstood of the fier of hell to be true materiall fier To whose doctrine in this age doth subscribe the whole current of Doctors in the Catholick Church vnanimously teaching the contrarie to be temerarious or next to heresie if not hereticall interpreting the holie Scripture aboue mention'd according to the rule of S. Austine that is litterally cum fieri possit sine fidei morum praeiudicio and consequently vnderstanding the said place of Scripture of true materiall fier conceiuing no such preiudice to arise from that interpretation And therfore it is great impudence and madnes in M. r Blacloe to explicate the said Scripture as expressely he doth 3. Instit lect 11. contrarie to the vnanimous sence of the holie and learned Fathers in the Councell of Florence and the now current of Doctors in the Catholick Church Howeuer it seemes that M. r Blacloes ambition is to teach the holie Church of God and all learned schoolemen a doctrine they knew not before And in this respect the Doctor made an apostrophe to M. r Blacloe as S. Hierome did to Ruffinus in the like case of ambition Deus bone caelesti numini profectò gratulamur quod post tot annos Doctorum series vnus aduenerit Thomas Albiorum Trinobantum qui scholasticos excitet tantae veritati indormientes Doctor Leyburne ended with an epiphonema is this sapere ad sobrietatem After that Doctor Leyburne had thus finish'd his second encounter I was transported with à curiositie to knowe of him if M. r Blacloes Institutions did conteyne anie more daungerous and disedifying doctrines and he answer'd that they had within their bowells a whole Armie of profane nouelties and withall did instance in these following The first lect 16. pag. 357. M. r Blacloe teacheth ex vi serie naturae non potuisse damnatis melius contingere neque omnibus neque singulis sed natura Deus futuri fuissent deteriores si aliter cum ijs actum foret The sence in English is that considering the force and series of nature he meanes connexion of naturall causes the damned could not haue beene better prouided for either in generall or in particular nay both God and nature would haue beene worse that is would haue suffer'd preiudice if the damned had not beene damned Which is adeo aperta blasphemia vt eam prodere sit confutare But I should be glad to knowe of M. r Blacloe whither before the creation of natures force and series the Eminencie of Gods perfection was not in it selfe complete and independent of the existence the said series enioys He dares not answere negatiuè wherefore he is oblig'd to answere affirmatiuè and consequently to confesse that it is yet within the reach of the divine Omnipotencie to annihilate the said series of nature and all the damned in hell without preiudicing himselfe in the diuine eminencie of his perfection Howeuer this doctrine maintained by M. r Blacloe imports à great impietie to wit that God neuer had a will or desire to saue the damned for otherwise the fulfilling of the said will could neuer haue brought preiudice to Gods excellent goodnes and perfection And that God had an antecedent will to saue the verie damned is an vndoubted veritie reuealed in the holie Scriptures S. Paul 1. ad Tim. 2. Deus inquit vult omnes homines saluos fieri and the Prophet Ezechiel who expresseth Gods will or desire to saue all sinners in these words viuo ego dicit Dominus Deus nolo mortem impij sed vt conuertatur impius à via sua viuat And Tertullian in his commentarie vpon that place iurat Deus says he vt sibi credatur O beatos nos quorum causa Deus iurat sed ô miseros nos si Deo iuranti non credamus Wherefore it is euident that God had a will notwithstanding that series or connexion of nature to haue saued those who are damned and consequently God would not be now in a worse condition if his said will had beene fulfilled Doctor Leyburne ended with an Epiphonema is this sapere ad Christianismum The second profane Noueltie pag. 328. where he affirmeth Christum non esse mortuum pro re vel persona non concessa the sence in English is that Christ did not dye for all which is the doctrine of Calvin 4. Instit 24. and condemned by Pope Innocent the 10.th for temerarious scandalous impious derogating to the diuine pietie and hereticall And how contrarie this doctrine is to holy Scriptures I leaue to the iudgment of those who shall piously consider the sacred texts 1. Cor. 8. peribie infirmus in tua sciētia frater pro quo Christus mortuus est in English through thy knowledge or Learning shall perish thy weake brother for whom Christ died Rom. 14. noli cibo tuo illum perdere pro quo Christus mortuus est destroy not him with thy meate for whom Christ died Out of which Authorities may be argued thus One can perish and be destroy'd for whom Christ died but the concessi or electi or praedestinati doe neuer perish or are destroy'd ergo Christ did not onely dye pro re vel persona concessa Moreouer 1. Tim. 4. the Apostle calleth Christ Saluator omnium hominum maxime fidelium the sauiour of all men cheifly of the faithfull Where is obseruable that Christ is not named absolute simpliciter the sauiour of the faithfull but with this restriction maxime cheifly or principally And S. Iohn in his first Epistle cap. 2. ipse est Christus propitiatio pro peccatis nostris non pro nostris tantum sed pro peccatis totius mundi In which place are not meant onely the elect but also the reprobate according to the interpretation of the Councell of Trent sess 6. cap. 3. which from thence gathereth that
not all those for whom Christ died haue receiued the benefit of his death But omnes personae concessae to vse M. r Blacloes owne words haue or will receiue the benefit of Christs death And therefore Christ died pro persona non concessa Doctor Leyburne ended with an Epiphonema is this sapere ad veram germanam sacrae Scripturae intelligentiam The third profane Noueltie Lec 9. pag. 81. M. r Blacloe auerreth sententiam asserentem Sacramenta nouae legis causare gratiam ex opere operato vitam perfectionem Christianam quae in cultura animae in bonis actibus consistit transferre in ritus superstitionem Paganam qua credantur certa opera externa placere Deo efficere vi quasi magica bonitatem non nisi violentia intensi affectus capiendam ' quare euidens est hanc sententiam magis facibus abolendam esse quam argumentis confutandam Thus he the meaning is that outward works as are the Sacraments exercise no efficiencie in the production of sanctifying Grace which is the opinion of Luther lib. de Captiu Babilon And of all the sectaries in this age But seing that M. r Blacloe doth brand the common doctrine mantained by the current of learned men in Gods Church and audaciously affirmes nullum esse istius profanitatis so he stileth the said common doctrine verbulum vel similitudinem in Concilio Tridentino as is evident out of his owne words of the same lection pag. 78. it will be expedient to alleage the words of the said Councell thereby to come to a iudgemēt The Councell sess 7. can 6. defineth thus si quis dixerit Sacramenta nouae legis non continere gratiam quam significant aut gratiam ipsam non ponentibus obicem non conferre quasi signa tantum externa sint c. anathema sit Et can 8. si quis dixerit per ipsa nouae legis Sacrementa ex opere operato non conferri gratiam c. anathema sit But M. r Blacloe answers that albeit the Councell doth define that the Sacraments of the new law doe conteyne and conferre grace yet it means not that Sacraments which are outward works exercise anie causalltie or efficiencie as schoolemen vnanimously teach for that were saith he to transferre life and Christian perfection into a Pagan superstition and to begert a beleife that outward works as it were by a magick force doe effect goodnes or sanctitie And thence concludes that the opinion of Doctors teaching that Sacraments doe conferre Grace ex opere operato est facibus abolenda And vpon the same score he must condemne to the fier S Austine saying vnde tanta virtus aquae vt corpus rangat cor vero abluat to wit ascribing the purgation or sanctification of the soule to the outward or extrinsecall water of Baptisme The Doctor ended with an Epiphonema Quam imprudenter noster Thomas Albiorum Trinobantum Diruit aedificat mutat quadrata rotundis 5. o Whereas M. r Blacloe in his answere to the third obiection pretend's that his whole scope in writing rules of Government was to highten and commend the exemptions from anie written Law or custome of the Common wealth which the dignitie of a supreme Prince or Magistrate giues him and imediately after subiect 's the said supreme Magistrate to a rationall law or law of reason figmentum antea inauditum by vertue of which his whole scope is to vnhighten the dignitie of the said supreme Magistrate and to bring him to Iudgment and punishment as often as the law of reason shall require from which no supreme Magistrate is exempt more then from Club law onely according to M. r Blacloe the punnishing of an offending supreme Magistrate by the law of reason is a rationall action proceeding from a rationall nature and the punnishing of him by Club-law is an vnreasonable act proceeding from an irrationall and brutish nature The Doctor onely answer'd with an Epiphonema is this sapere ad discretionem 6. o M. r Blacloe hauing liberally bestowed on Doctor Leyburne the Characters of sycophant madman calumniator hissing serpent c. proceeded farther to proue him an ignorant man which he performes thus 1. says he his letter shews him ignorant 2. his life may proue the same he hauing spent his time generally in a practicall way true it is he studied some time before his suing for his Doctorship but with such successe as I am assured he vnderstood not his Theses after he had defended them and being brought vnder the glorious name of a Doctor to confer with some of a different Religion he came of with the shame of those who brought him to it Doctor Leyburne answered that albeit he hath hitherto endeuored to free himselfe from the Characters of sycophant Calumniator hissing serpent c. yet he takes to the title of ignorant man and professeth ingeniously that he neuer had the ambition to be esteemed learned howeuer he vowed that M. r Blacloe had done him wrong in the proofes of his ignorance For 1. said he onely two dayes after he had defended the said Theses in the Vniuersitie of Rhemes the Cheife Doctor and Chaire-man of the said Vniuersitie came vnto him in the name of their whole bodie desiring him to compose new Theses and to prepare himselfe to defend them in the name of the said Vniuersitie before a Prouinciall Councell which by Order of their Archbishop was to assemble in the said Cittie of Rhemes within fifteene daies which is a considerable argument that the said Vniuersitie was perswaded that the Doctor vnderstood his Theses 2. The Doctor composed his Theses himselfe which was a signe that he vnderstood them Moreover they conteyned neither false Latine or dangerous opinion as did the Theses made by M. r Blacloe for his friend the Doctor at Paris some eighteene yeeres agoe 3. Doctor Leyburne said that he had moderated and defended more Theses in Divinitie then euer M. r Blacloe had 4. Doctor Leyburnes Theses which he composed and defended three yeeres agoe in the Vniuersitie of Doway were honored with the title of pulchrae Theses and presented by some of the said Vniuersitie to the Popes Nuncio at Brussells with a request that they might be exhibited to the Pope to acquaint his Holines with the sound and sober doctrine professed in the said Vniuesitie But M. r Blacloe teaching Diuinitie at Lisbo no sooner had printed his first Theses then they were put into the Inquisition as conteyning daungerous opinions in so much that he terrifi'de at the proceeding sodeinly quitted Portugall returning into England By which is apparent that although as M. r Blacloe saith the Doctor hath spent little time in studies yet it seemes that the diuine prouidence hath beene more fauorable to the Doctor than to M. r Blacloe who hath employ'd the whole course of his life for the purchase of knowledge that hath brought preiudice to himselfe and to all his Brethren As Concerning the Doctors being brought to conferre
THE SVMME OF DOCTOR LEYBVRNES ANSWERE TO A LETTER PRINTED AGAINST HIM BY M. R BLACLOE By The Widdowe of MARKE WYON 1657. SVPERIORVM PERMISSV THE SVMME OF DOCTOR LEYBVRNES ANSWERE TO A LETTER PRINTED AGAINST HIM BY M. R BLACLOE MOST HONORED SIR Some few daies agoe hauing receiued a copie of a verie bitter and in my iudgment most scandalous Letter published in Print by M. r Blacloe against D. r Leyburne I was impatient vntill I had fish't from him what he could answere to the vncharitable and iniurious contents of the said Letter that accordingly I might acquaint you in regard of your eminent place amongst our Brethren Wherefore be pleas'd to knowe the summe of what I heard from his owne mouth 1. o Doctor Leyburne doth owne the Letter from which M. r Blacloes quarrell taketh its rise but ingeniously professeth that in communicating the scandalous reports spread of his profane Novelties to the great preiudice of your Clergie and his owne family his onely pure designe was therebie to awaken M. r Blacloe out of his long and deepe lethargie and to put before his opened eyes the considerable inconveniences that vnfortunately he had procured to himselfe and to all his Brethren piously hoping that so deplorable a spectacle might haue drawne frō him reason compunction and amendment and consequently some heroicall exteriour act in satisfaction of his former proceedings at least might haue invited him to exercise a laudable act of Charitie either after the example of the Apostle S. Paul si esca scandalizat fratrem meum non manducabo carnem in aeternum ne fratrem meum scandalizem or in imitation of the holie Prophet Ionas tollite me mittite in mare quoniam propter me tempestas haec grandis venit super vos casting himselfe into the sea of an humble submission to Authoritie 2. o To the vnbeseeming and reproachfull language vttered by M. r Blacloe in the said printed Letter to wit mad man sycophant c. D. r Leyburne onely replied with gratias ago Deo meo quod sim dignus quem oderint homines quoniam illi magis quam his studeo placere 3. o As concerning the Regulars report viz. that the doctrine of M. r Blacloe was destructiue of Religion and of Moralitie teaching that a man for example fornicating every day may be saued if he reserue in that or anie other sinne a love to God Also as concerning the proposition that M. r Blacloe doth pick out of the said doctrine and acknowledgeth for his owne assertion to wit that one who should committ an exteriour sinne still remaining in charitie should neuertheles goe to heauen which he stileth the substance of the spread doctrine or bodie without the vesture which he calleth a calumnie forged and fostered in the breast of Doctor Leyburne As concerning I say these particulars Doctor Leyburne replied saying that he could not but extreamely admire the distemper of M. r Blacloes conscience quae semper praesumit saeua Sap. 17. imitating therein the spider that whatsoeuer it suck's turnes into poison whereas it were more for his owne advantage to resemble the bee that cōverteth the bitter iuyce of the worst flowers into sweete and odoriferous honie caue saith S. Bernard esse curiosus alienae vitae explorator iudex temerarius and protested withall that he had not made the least addition to the Regulars report and consequently that M. r Blacloe did somnia fingere imagining that the Regular would haue beene so irregular as to haue spit in his face for venting a report that the Regular himselfe had spread And Doctor Leyburne added saying but to shew you now the distemper of M. r Blacloes vnderstanding as well as the disorder of his conscience it shall clearly appeare that the assertion aboue mention'd and acknowledged for his owne viz if one should committ an externall sinne still remaining in charitie neuertheles might goe to heauen which assertion he calleth the bodie of the report doth necessarily require the circumstances destructiue of Religion and moralitie which he calleth the vesture to the said bodie forg'd and fostered in the breast of Doctor Leyburne which is prou'd thus The said assertion imports so sweete an agreement betwixt charitie and exteriour sinne that exteriour sinne doth not exclude charitie from the soule nor the soule is excluded from the Kingdome of heauen by exteriour sinne and therefore the said vesture destructiue of Religion and moralitie is essentially included in the bodie as M. r Blacloe hath moulded it for that excellent harmonie betwixt charitie and exteriour sinne shall infallibly inuite fraile nature to sinne exteriorly presuming that notwithstanding the exteriour sinne for example drunkennesse fornication adulterie the loue retained towards God shall bring him to heauen which vnchristned doctrine contradicts Christs Apostle who says quod neque ebrij neque fornicatores neque adulteri regnum Dei possidebunt Doctor Leyburne added that M. r Blacloe would never vndoe this argument vnles first he should vndoe his bodie I meane his aboue mention'd assertion and mould it anew at which play he is so dexterous that he may rightly be stil'd coluber Britannicus or lubricus anguis propter sinuosos flexus quos in singulis suis scriptis exercet Here I put Doctor Leyburne in mind that M. r Blacloe had made vse of the Scripture to proue his said assertion instancing in Lot and his daughters for a confirmation of it to which Doctor Leyburne answered that the holie Scripture would afford him no protection in its Sanctuarie to wit in no one place affirming that if one should commit an exteriour sinne still remaining in charitie neuertheles might goe to heauen And that as for his instance it did not auaile him a button For Lot lost his charitie in his exteriour sinne of drunkennesse at least at the second boute according to the whole current of Doctors in the Catholick Church to say nothing of his daughters concerning whose incest Doctores alij alij aliter aliter sentiunt Howeuer the holie Scripture doth not say that Lot had charitie with his exteriour sinne and M. r Blacloe goes fondly about to proue it because God did blesse the progenie that proceeded from him and his daughters For God did blesse the issue of Iudas and Thamar and in a farre higher nature Christ as man descending from it notwithstanding that in their incestuous copula neither had the vertue of charitie Iudas committing voluntarily the sinne of simple fornication and Thamar the flagitium of incest Moreover S. Austine says that God did extend the territories of the Romane Empire for the morall vertues practic'd by the ancient Romanes who notwithstanding were not indued with divine charitie To conclude God built the Obstetrices Hebraearum houses who made vse of a lie to saue the male children of the Hebrews contrary to the command of the King of Egypt Of whom S. Austin speaketh thus Deus remunerauit benignitatem mentis non iniquitatem mentientis Doctor
with some of a different Religion c. it is one of M. r Blacloes dreames without anie ground of veritie But the Doctor doth well remember M. r Blacloes conference with Chillingworth who triumphed ouer him to the great disaduantage of his Cause The Doctor ended with an Epiphonema is this sapere ad veritatem 7. o After that M. r Blacloe had finish'd his charge of calumnies against Doctor Leyburne and their goodlie proofes it seemes his great Councellour and secretarie M. r Holland according to their contriued plot thought it now a fit time presuming that the precedent Calumnies would haue sufficiently lessen'd the Doctors esteeme in the opinion of the Clergie to inculcate and insinuate into the hearts of our Brethren and Lay-Catholicks the two cheife opiniōs amongst M. r Blacloes profane Nouelties to wit concerning the Popes infallibilitie and the imprisonment of soules in Purgatorie vntill the day of iudgment And as touching the first M. r Blacloe openeth his breast thus to his said Secretarie I told you said he I heard it his booke written against the Popes infallibilitie would not be meddled with at Rome nay there want not those who say it will be well accepted it bringing the Popes infallibilitie into a rationall Thesis whereas the contrarie was not defensible but by force of command and power and scandalized Catholicks who sought for reason and auerted those who otherwise were neere conuersion vntill they met with Catholicks of another opinion Doctor Leyburne answered with a zealous exclamation saying ô God how this poore man acts the serpent that hissed poison to Eue in Paradise how he is blowne vp with the dreames of his owne troubled fancie how ambitious he is to execute his law of reason that is his Club-law for the knocking downe of the Popes infallibilitie pretending that it is a mutherer of soules hindring their conuersion and to vse his owne words a greater sinne them to destoure a virgin vpon an altar Doctor Leyburne added can any man though onely halfe witted conceiue that Alexander 7.th now Pope of Rome is well satisfied with M. r Blacloe for impugning his infallibilitie which Catholick Doctors in all ages haue ascribed vnto him or can it be rationally conceiu'd that anie one that is compos mentis should be auerted from the Catholick Religion vpon that score of Infallibilitie which rather should be a motiue to embrace it For who would not sooner adhere to that Church whose Cheife Pastor is esteem'd infallible and cannot tell a lie for a truth defining as cheife Pastor then to a Church whose cheife Pastor is subiect to fallibilitie therefore he cannot beleiue but that M. r Blacloe did dreame this frivolous pretence that the Popes infallibilitie should disswade from the Catholick faith But this poore man hath the ambition to be esteemed amongst all Christians the Christian rationall imitating in that peece of pride the Donatists who made cleare reason to march before their beleife against whom S. Austine writeth thus credimus vt cognoscamus non cognoscimus vt credamus and againe saith he Christianus fidelis non rationalis nominatur Doctor Leyburne ended with an Epiphonema is this sapere ad fidē Christianam As touching the second his durance of Purgatorie M. r Blacloe thus hisseth poisoned words to his Brethren My friend Macedo saith he would not touch it auerring it to be the opinion of diuers Fathers particularly S. Austine others of my Aduersaries that it was hard to answere what I had said Further consider how contrarie it is to pietie charging God with an irrationall iustice taking away the priuilege of charitie by affirming that soules perfect in charitie are yet depriued of the sight of God and exposing heauen to auction that who can giue most shall soonest come thither Adde what slight grounds they goe vpon certaine visions c. The Doctor said that with horror and indignation he read the impious and blasphemous doctrine conteyned in the recited words Withall answered 1. o That M. r Blacloe was to be commended for stiling Macedo his freind for he procured at Rome the condemning of one of his books and it was the part of a true freind to seeke his conuersion to pure doctrine and to the obedience of the Church But how happen'd it that his said friend Macedo auerring S. Austine particulary to hold with M. r Blacloe in the detention of soules in Purgatorie vntill the day of Iudgment hath not mentioned the Booke and Page where the said S. Austine teacheth that opinion And how happens it now that our all-knowing Thomas Albiorum Trinobantum c. soe vainly he subscribes his name to his printed writings doth not supplie that defect of his friend Macedo Howeuer I my selfe shall helpe in this buisnesse and cite S. Austine for him lib. 15. de Trin. cap. 25. constituuntur autem purgati ab omni cogitatione corruptionis in placidis sedibus donec recipiant corpora sua See how fauorable S. Austine is to M. r Blacloes opinion who placeth soules in heauen to expect their bodies after their purgation in the next life as will clearly appeare to him that shall peruse the cited chapter Againe S. Austine hom 16. writeth thus quanta fuerit peccati materia tanta pertranseundi mura Where see againe how fauorable S. Austine is to M. r Blacloes opinion speaking of soules passing the riuer of fire Purgatorie says by how much more the matter of sinne is soe much longer the soules shall stay in their passage whence is clearly inferr'd that some soules doe passe sooner then others 2. o Doctor Leyburne answered that M. r Blacloe in condemning the doctrine that teacheth the deliuerance of soules out of Purgatorie before the day of Iudgment as contrarie to Pietie commit's an impietie aduersus Spiritum sanctum which S. Matthew calls impardonable in hoc seculo in futuro in condemning the said doctrine as charging God with an irrationall iustice commit's blasphemie quod est peccatum ad mortem non habet remissionem in aeternum and in condemning the said doctrine as exposing heauen to auction or open sale that who can giue most shall soonest come thither comit's flagitium profanitatis But at what a hight of impudencie and impietie is this poore man arriu'd affirming an orthodoxe veritie defined by Pope Engenius in the generall Coūcell of Florēce as also by Pope Benedict the 12.th auer'd by anciēt Fathers approu'd by the vniuersall practice of Gods Church and cōfirmed and taught by the whole current of Catholick Doctors to be contrarie to pietie to charge God with an irrationall iustice and to expose heauen to open sale that who shall giue most monie shall carrie it Blasphema dicit Blaclous profana dicit falsa dicit blasphema stupemus profana cauemus falsa conuincimus 3. o Doctor Leyburne answered that M. r Blacloe in auerring that the said Catholick Tenet relieth on certaine visions which he calleth old wiues tales commits an iniurious falsitie seing that the said doctrine is protected with the authoritie of an infallible Councell fortified with an vniuersall practice of the Church and arm'd with an vnanimous consent of all Catholick Doctors Yet albeit our Catholick doctrine of the durance of Purgatorie doth not relie on visions howeuer our vnus Doctor M. r Blacloe profanely calleth apparitions of holy soules old owiues tales seing that they haue alwayes beene number'd amongst diuine miracles and besides they are groūded on authoritie of holie Scripture Samuel 1. Reg. 2. Sauli vere apparuit according to the common opinion and it is an vndoubted truth that Moyses appeared in Christs Transfiguration and S. Matthew cap. 17. 27. mentioneth diuers apparitions in Christ his Resurrection and S. Austine lib. de cura pro more cap. 10. affirmes the soules of the departed to haue oftētimes appeared si falsa esse inquit responderimus to wit that soules haue often appeared contra quorundam scripta fidelium contra eorum sensus qui talia sibi accidisse confirmant impudenter venire videbimur Whence is infer'd that according to S. Austines iudgment M. r Blacloes opinion is branded with impudency Here Doctor Leyburne gaue ouer the conflict expressing onely a zealous desire to imprint in the hearts of his Brethren what S. Austine did inculcate to all Christian people who in his second booke written against Iulian who had broach't profane nouelties to the preiudice of soules vseth these words hos the holy Fathers who flourish'd in the precedent ages oportet vt Christiani populi vestris profanis nouitatibus anteponant cisque potius quam vobis eligant adhaerere And wish'd that our Brethren at the example of this great Doctor would preferre the holie Fathers in a generall Councell assembled before M. r Blacloes profane nouelties and to adhere rather to the vniuersall practice of the Catholick Church then to his singularitie AN ADVERTISMENT WHereas a certaine Decree hath beene made by the Holy Congregation de propaganda fide prohibiting all Apostolicall Missionaries to print an Opus without the expresse leaue of the said Congregation Doctor Leyburne did conferre with some Professors of Diuinitie whither the printing of an Epistle were comprehended in that Decree and it was iudged negatiue Howeuer seing that through the dispersing of M. r Blacloes printed Letter by Order from a Consult Doctor Leyburne had iust ground to apprehend preiudice to his owne reputation and ruine to many soules if not preuented by some present remedie it was thought lawfull for him in so vrgent a necessitie to vse interpretation per epikiam in case his Epistle had beene comprehended in the said Decree Thus much Doctor Leyburne iudg'd fitting to signifie least some weake brother might esteeme him disobedient to the said Decree Moreouer Doctor Leyburne will vse expedition to acquaint both the Cardinall Protector and the said Holy Congregation with his proceeding to whom he submit's his present writings In the interim he desires his Brethren to excuse what they find defectiue either in this Answere or his Declaratorie Epistle hauing in a manner beene constrain'd to finish both in the space of two Posts out of England FIN