remedie hereof appointed by our prouident Sauiour founded in the merits of his sacred Passion called Secunda tabula post nausragium by holy Fathers that is the second table or planke whereon wee may lay hands and escape drowning after the shipwracke of our pardon grace and justification receiued in our Baptisme which was the first table by which second table of Penance all sorts may rise againe how often soeuer they fall which Sacrament consisteth of three parts sorrow for our sinnes and confessing the same for the remission of the guilt and some kinde of satisfaction on our behalfe for remouing the temporall punishment remaining the true vse whereof bringeth such exceeding helpe and comfort to a Christian soule as it is vnspeakable For that by the first two parts a man is oft brought sweetly to sorrow for his sins to thinke vpon them to detest them aske pardon of God for them to make new purposes of better life for the time to come to examine his conscience more particularly and other such heauenly effects as no man can tell the comfort thereof but he that receiueth them By the third part also which is Satisfaction though a man performe neuer so little thereof in this life yet doth it greatly auaile him not onely in respect of the grateful acceptation thereof at Gods hands for that it commeth freely of his owne good will but also for that it humbleth euen the proudest minde in the sight of almightie God it restraineth also greatly our wicked appetites from sin for the time to come when we know wee must giue a particular account and satisfie also for our sensualities somewhat euen in this world And finally it is the very chiefe sinew of Christian conuersation and behauiour one towards another for when the rich man knoweth for example sake that he must satisfie one way or another and be bound by his ghostly father to make restitution so farre as hee is able of whatsoeuer hee hath wrongfully taken from the poor when the poore also are taught that they must doe the like towards the rich the sonne towards his father the seruant towards his master if hee haue deceiued him when the murmurer in like manner knoweth that he must make actuall restitution of fame if he haue defamed any this Catholike doctrine I say and practise must needs be a strong hedge to all vertuous and pious conuersation among men that beleeue and follow the same And finally not to passe to more particularities whereas Catholike doctrine teacheth vs that all or most disorders of this life in a sensuall man to omit the infirmities of our higher powers in like manner doe proceede originally from the fountaine of Concupiscence and law of the flesh remaining in vs after our baptisme and ad certamen as holy Fathers do tearme it that is to say for our conflict and combate to the end our life may be a true warfare as the holy Scripture calleth it This Concupiscence I say or sensuall motion being the ground of our temptations though it be not sinne of it selfe except we consent vnto it yet is shee busie in stirring vs daily to wickednesse as a Christian mans principall exercise and diligence ought to be in resisting her which he may doe by the helpe and assistance of Christs grace merited by his sacred Passion wherein he extinguished the guilt of this originall corruption though hee left still the sting and prouocation for our greater merit and continuall victory by his holy grace in them that will striue and fight as they may and ought to doe But yet for that this fight is combersome and fastidious in it selfe and deadly also to many that suffer themselues to be ouercome the Catholike Religion doth teach a man how he shal fight in this conflict what armes and defence he may vse in particular to defend himselfe and to gaine victorie And to this head or branch are redâ—ced all our spirituall bookes and volumes about mortification as well of our wil judgement and affections of minde as all other parts also of our inferiour sensualitie to wit how you may resist this and that temptation what preuention you may make what bulwarke you may raise what defence you may rest vpoÌ„ wherin do enter all particular directioÌ„s of fasting prayer watching haire-cloath lying on the ground and other bodily afflictions so much vsed by olde Saints and may bee vsed also now by all if they will for gaining of this important victorie there entreth also among other defences that great and soueraigne remedie of flying the world wholly and retyring to the port of a religious life for such as otherwise see themselues either weake or in danger to bee wholly ouercome by this venimous beast of Concupiscence or else doe desire to merit more aboundantly at Gods hands by offering themselues wholly and entirely to his seruice and to the more neere imitation of their Lord and Sauiour By all which helpes assistances and directions deliuered in this behalfe by Catholike doctrine to euery mans state and degree of life a Catholike Christian passeth on more securely during his life and at his last going out of this world receiueth finally the grace and comfort of the last Sacrament of Extreame vnction instituted by Christ and recommended vnto vs by Saint Iames his Apostle and from thence passeth to receiue that eternall joy and kingdome at his Sauiours hands which hee hath prepared for them that beleeue in him and striue and fight for him in this life against sinne and iniquitie And thus haue we described briefly but seriously and truely the state and condition of a Roman Catholike man to oppose the same against a ridiculous vaine definition or rather fiction of IOHN FOX But now if wee would paragon the same with the Protestants Doctrine and practise in all these points before mentioned we shal quickly see the difference And as for the first point of all concerning Faith and beleefe in generall the difference is so palpably set downe in that which hath bin alreadie said as it is needlefse to say any more In the second point concerning the inward principles of our outward actions truth it is that they agree with vs in somewhat to wit that all good commeth originally from Gods holy grace and motion but presently they disagree againe for that they hold our grace of Iustification to be no inherent qualitie but onely an externall imputation and that Gods motion to our minde is such as it excludeth wholly all concourse and cooperation of our Free-will whereby they cut off at one blow all endeauours of our part to do any goodnesse at all and leaue vs as a stone or blocke to be moued by God onely whereof also ensueth that hee must needs be author of our sins and other blasphemies and infinite inconueniences not only in matter of Faith but in life and actions also for that this principle being once receiued that our
Catholike Church In proofe hereof he saith further Who professe IESVS CHRIST to bee the Sauiour of the world c. although they doe indirectly by wickednesse of life or heresie in doctrine deny their owne profession yet are they to be accounted Christians and true members of the Church by whose account you see all Heretikes whatsoeuer are to be accounted for true members of the Church seeing all doe confesse Iesus Christ to bee the Sauiour of the world and therefore hee holdeth the Arrians who deny the God-head of Christ to bee also of the Church of God The like doth Doctor Field concerning the Greeke Churches though they erre against the holy Ghost saying in his Treatise of the Church Wee cannot condemne the Grecians as Heretikes And againe before that pag. 70. It no way appeareth that the Churches of Greece are hereticall or in damnable Schisme Which opinion and judgement of these principall new Ministers in our Protestant Kingdome of Israel if it were sound and good and proceeded from the true Spirit wee might easily grant and beleeue that all sort of Heretikes whatsoeuer are or euer haue been may be saued notwithstanding their abominable and blasphemous heresies which they haue taught and beleeued concerning God the blessed Trinitie the Incarnation of our Sauiour or in a word against any or almost all the Articles of our Creede which strange paradox how contrary it is vnto the whole current of holy Scripture which saith expressely That an hereticall man is damned let any indifferent man consider and judge surely the whole streame of all Antiquitie the graue holy and wise judgement of holy men that haue liued in Gods Church throughout all ages were of another beleefe and opinion and of a quite contrary spirit to this of Protestant Doctors you shall heare one or two speake for the rest Saint Cyprian saith Whosoeuer is seperated from the Church and ioyneth himselfe to an adulteresse conuenticle which euery Heretike doth is seperated also from the promises of the Church nor euer shall hee come to enioy the rewards thereof if hee leaue her he is an alien a prophane person an enemie he cannot haue God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother yea though hee should bee slaine for the confessing of Christs name yet can he not be saued Macula ista nec sanguinae abluitur this crime of seperating himselfe from the Church cannot bee washed away with bloud Inexpiabilis culpa nec passione purgatur It is a fault vnexpiable supposing one continue in it nor can it be purged by death it selfe Saint Augustine also Neither is Baptisme saith he profitable to an Heretike being out of the Church nor yet if for the confession of Christ he should be put to death for that hee is conuinced to want charitie where of the Apostle saith Though I should deliuer my body so that I burn and haue not charity it aoth profit me nothing The same hath S. Austen in many places of his Workes and the same is the constant and common opinion of all holy Fathers and therefore whether these holy ancient Fathers or our late moderne Protestant Doctors are most likely to be guided by the true spirit of God as well in this as in many most important points of our Christian beleefe wherein they differ as much as light from darknesse truth from falsehood I leaue vnto euery Christian man who hath a true and earnest care of his eternall saluation seriously and diligently to weigh and consider ANOTHER DIFFERENCE worthy of obseruation betweene the Catholike and Protestant spirit consisting in the willingnes of the one and vnwillingnesse of the other to admit publike and indifferent triall of their Doctrine WHEREAS one principal mark by which a good Spirit may be discerned from a bad is that the good Spirit loueth light and willingly commeth to the light admitting any reasonable and indifferent meanes of triall But the bad Spirit hateth light and commeth not to the light but flyeth all publike and indifferent meanes by which it may be examined I wish the gentle Reader duely to consider how this propertie of the good spirit agreeth to the Catholike Church and the propertie of the bad spirit agreeth to the Protestants Congregation On the one side it may easily bee seene how much the Catholike Church loueth light in that the Doctors thereof in théir publike writings ordinarily vse to explicate and set downe clearely and sincerely the state of the question in controuersie Secondly They truly set downe the opinions and arguments of their Aduersaries and this sometimes more fully then is done by their Aduersaries themselues Thirdly They explicate the Catholike doctrine confirming it with cleare testimonies of holy Scriptures Councels Fathers and Reasons and answering fully all or the strongest Obiections Fourthly They are ready both in their publike Schools and in their Prouinciall and Generall Councels to admit yea inuite their greatest Aduersaries to speake freely whatsoeuer they thinke good for triall of the truth in all matters of Controuersie This to be true appeareth partly by the learned and methodicall books of our Catholike Authors namely Bellarmine Stapleton Valentia and others partly by the practise of our publike Schooles where any may freely make whatsoeuer arguments they will for disputation sake partly by some especiall examples of free disputation permitted to be made in Catholike Countries euen by knowne Heretikes as for ancient times wee reade how the Councell of Carthage inuited the Donatists to a publike and free Conference or disputation saying Eligatis exvobis ipsis c. Choose some among your selues who may vndergoe this businesse to proue your cause that we also may do the like and that some from among this Councell may be appointed who may at the same time and place agree vpon examine or trie together with those which shal be chosen among you whatsoeuer controuersie it is which hindereth vs from communicating with you c. For if you doe brotherly admit thereof to wit of this conference the truth will easily appeare But if you refuse to accept of this your infidelitie or false faith will presently be made knowne Thus this ancient Councell did inuite Heretikes to a triall also in latter times in our owne Countrey to wit in the raigne of Queene Mary there were permitted seuerall open disputations once in Pauls Church in London for sixe daies and after at Oxford and again secondly at Oxford with liberty to make election of Notaries vpon their part and with offer of books and libertie of further time to amend their answeres all which is affirmed and granted by Fox in his booke of Actes and Monuments and clearely conuinceth the Catholike Spirit to bee a good Spirit which admitteth so willingly and offereth so freely such publike triall of the truth But chiefely this which I said appeareth to be true by the most ample free offer and Inuitement and safe conduct made and granted by the holy generall
Councell of Trent to all Protestants both of Germany and other places the tenor of which is as followeth Salvus conductus concessus Germanica Nationi In the generall Congregation the fourth day of March MDLXII Sacro sancta oecumenica generalic Tridentina Synodus c. THe most Sacred oecumenicall and generall Councell of Trent most lawfully gathered together in the holy Ghost the Legates of the holy Sea Apostolike president in the same doth make knowne vnto all men that it doth graunt vnto all and euery one Priests Electors Princes Dukes Marquesses Counts Barons Nobles Knights Commons and to all other whatsoeuer of whatsoeuer state and condition or qualitie they bee of the Prouince and Nation of Germany to all Cities and other places thereof and to all other Ecclesiastical and Secular persons especially those of the Confession of Augusta who shall come or any who together with them shall come or be sent or whosoeuer haue hitherto come vnto this Generall Councell of Trâ—nt by what name soeuer they bee called or may be called by the tenour of these presents doth grant by publike promise a most full true security which is called A safe Conduct freely to come vnto the Citie of Trent and there to remaine stay abide propose speake treate examine together with the Councell and discourse of what businesse soeuer and freely to offer vp and publish whatsoeuer it shall please them and whatsoeuer Articles as well in writing as by word of mouth and to declare maintaine confirme and proue the same by the holy Scriptures and by the words and sentences of holy Fathers and by reasons and if need require euen to answere vnto the objections of the Generall Councel and to dispute with those who shall be appointed by the Councell or peaceably to conferre without any impediment all approbrious speeches reuilings and contumelies wholly laid aside and in particular that the matters in controuersie shall be handled in the foresaid Councell according to the holy Scriptures and traditions of the Apostles approued Councels the consent of the Catholike Church and the Authoritie of the holy Fathers adding this moreouer that it doth yeeld and absolutely grant that they shall not be punished vnder the pretext of Religion or of any offences committed or to be committed against the same so as by reason of their presence none shall in any case need to cease from performing the diuine seruice either in journey or in going abiding or returning from any place noe not in the Citie of Trent it selfe that these businesses being finished or not finished whensoeuer they shal please or by commaÌ„dment consent of their Superiors they shal desire or any one of theÌ„ shal desire to returne to their owne dwellings presently without any let hinderance or delay their goods their honour likewise and persons preserued they may freely and securely returne at their pleasure as often as they will with the knowledge notwithstanding of such as shall bee appointed by the Councell to the end that prouision may bee made in due time for their securitie without fraud or deceit Moreouer the holy Councell will that in this publike promise and Safe-Conduct bee included and contained and to be held for included all clauses whatsoeuer which shall bee necessarie and conuenient for their full effectuall and sufficient securitie in their going staying and returning expressing this moreouer for their greater securitie and for the good of peace and agreement that if any of them either in jorney comming vnto Trent or whilest they abide there or in returning theÌ„ce should doe or commit which God forbid any enormous crime whereby the benefit of this publike fidelity and assecuration might bee annullated or made voide that it is the Councels will and it doth grant that such as are found to haue committed such offence be presently punished by those of the Confession of Augusta themselues only and not by any other with such condigne penaltie and sufficient satisfaction as may bee well liked of and approued by some part of the Councel the forme conditions and manner of their assecuration or securitie remaining still vnuiolated In like manner also the Councels pleasure is that if one or more of the Councell shall either in their jorney or abiding or returning doe or commit which God forbid any enormous crime whereby the benefite of this publike fidelity and assecuration might be violated or in any sort broken they who are taken in such offence are to bee punished by the Councell it selfe alone and not by any other with such condigne penaltie sufficient amendment as may rightly be well liked of by the Lords of Germany of the Confession of Augusta being at the same time heere present the forme conditions and manner of their assecuration or securitie remaining still vnuiolated It is moreouer the will of the Councell that it may be lawfull for the Embassadors all and euery one to goe abroad out of the Citie of Trent so often as they shall thinke fit or needfull to take the ayre and to returne into the same as also freely to appoint or send their messenger or messengers as also to receiue messengers or any messenger sent as often as they shall think expedient so that some one or more of such as are deputed and appointed by the Councell doe accompany them who may prouide for their securitie Which Safe-Conduct and securitie ought to stand and continue from the time and during the time that it shall happen they be receiued into the care of the protection of the Councel and Officers thereof and be brought vnto Trent and all the time of their abode there and againe when they shall haue had sufficient audience then after the space of twentie dayes when they shall require it or the Councell after such audience had shall giue order vnto them to depart they shall bee conducted from Trent vntill they be God willing restored vnto that secure place where euery one shal choose vnto himselfe and this without all fraud and deceit All which the Councell doth promise and with assured fidelitie doth professe shall bee inuiolately obserued and kept for and in the name of euery faithfull Christian all Princes whatsoeuer as well Ecclesiasticall as Temporall and all other Ecclesiasticall and Secular persons of what degree or condition soeuer they be of or by what name soeuer they be called Moreouer without all fraud and deceit it doth truely and faithfully promise that the Councel will neither openly nor couertly seek any occasion or in any sort vse or permit any to vse any authoritie power right ordinance or priuiledge of the Lawes or Canons or of any Councel whatsoeuer especially of Constance and Seenes in what forme of words soeuer expressed vnto any prejudice of this publike fidelitie and ful assecuration publike and free audience graunted vnto them by the Councell all which authority power c. it doth abrogate in this behalfe and for this time And if the Holy