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
to Church is all the benefite of the keyes of the church or of the authoritie of binding or losing But this is nothing so for by going to Church where they may heare the Gospell truely preached they may be made partakers of the keyes wherewith heauen is opened and of remission of sinnes at the handes of God by the ministrie of his woord As for consession of their sinnes such as the Scriptures requireth and the Primitiue Church practised they shal make dayly But Popishe â—…hrift no Scripture requireth neither did the auncient Church practise it They that confessed their dooinges Actes the 19. mâ—…de open and not auricular confession But for proofe of Popishe auricular confession as I thiâ—…ke Augustine is quoted in many Homelies not 〈◊〉 whereof saying Doe you suche penaunce as is wont to bee done in the Churche that the Churche may pray for you Let no man say I doe it secretly I doe it with God alone c. These woordes are manifest that hee speaketh of open confession of suche as had openly offended the Church and were to make open satisfaction for the same But more néerely touching the humour of our men hée saieth c. And so citeth a long saying out of the booke de visitatione infirmorum lib. 2. Cap. 4. Which was neuer written by Augustine nor by any other man of wit or learning Sâ—…che counterfeite stuffe is méete to defende suche false doctrine as that Wherefore although wée vrge not auricular confession neither make we a Sacrament of repentance because it hath no visible signe proper vnto it yet the benefite of the keyes of the Church is not lost but of such as be truely conuerted from Papistrie with an inestimable comfort to be found in our Church The fourth losse is layd to bee of receiuing the blessed Sacrament of the Aulter the precious bodie and blood of Christ beeing the foode of our soules There is no reason brought for this losse but the onely tedious supposition that the bodie and blood of Christ is receiued onely in the Popish Church And whereas hée commendeth the often receiuing of the Sacrament it is well that the Papistes who within time of mens remembraunce made small account of often receiuing as appeareth by their infinite priuate Masses now at length haue founde out that the Sacrament is â—…ot ordeined to be looked on but to be often receiued Fifthly they loose saieth hée all the merit of their good deede s whatsoeuer for which heâ—… citeth Gregorie euen as none receiueth their penny in the Gospel but they onely which had laboured within the compasse of the Vineyarde so no man shal receiue any rewarde for any good deede of his except hee haue done it within the vnitie of the Church To this saying I agrée which speaketh of the reward and not of the merite but that they which come to our Church may not bee members of the true Church of Christ there is not a 〈◊〉 or letter brought for proofe Sixthly they loose the benefite of the Communion of Saintes saieth hée and finally beeing cut off and â—…ut from the other members they take no part of influence which commeth from the head to the bodie c. Héere except wee graunt that vile supposition that the Popishe Sinagâ—…gue is the onely Catholike Church of Christ there can be no consequence but to proue that pointe which is the whole matter in debate we heare neuer a word The ninthe Reason The ninthe reason which catholikes may yeeld for their refusall of going to the church may bee the example of all men from the beginning which haue had any care or conscience towarde their own religion not only good men of whom I haue giuen diuers examples before but also al others howe false and erronious soeuer their religion were yet did they alwayes procure to separate them selues from them of the contrarie religion in the act of prayer and from the Temples Sinagogues churches Oratories and conuenticies of the same So wee reade of the Gentiles which thought it to bee a great sinne and pollution to enter into the Iewes Synagogues or Christians churches The like wee read also of the Turkes at this day So all heretiques from the beginning assoone as they had framed any newe religion eftsoones they eâ—…ected newe Oratories to them selues and refused to come to those of other religions as the Arians Donatistes and the rest had their churches and places of prayer distinct from the catholikes whose churches they 〈◊〉 and auoyded together with their doctrine And so the Anabaptists at this day refuse to goe to the Lutherans church and the Lutherans to the Trinitaries In like wise the Puritans of our â—…ime in Englande refuse to come to the Protestantes churches And the Protestantes in other countriâ—…s doe vtterly denye to present themselues to catholike Churches alledging their conscience for the same and affirming it to bee damnable hypocrisie in them that for feare or for any other temporal reâ—…pect do yeld to doe the same against their faith and conscience Wherby it appeareth that they goe quite against their owne doctrine and example in England which obiect the same to Catholikes as disobedience obstinacie and rebellious dealing which in other countries they them selues both teach and practise I will for more manifestation of this matter put downe here the verie words of one of them translated out of French and printed in England and dedicated to the Lord Treasurer by Iohn Brooke The Authors name is Iohn Gardiner a Protestant who in his Cathechisme or as he calleth it Confession of his faith maketh it a great heâ—…ous sinne for Protestantes to present them selues to our catholike churches wâ—…ich hee according to their blasphemous spirite calleth idolatrous His wordes are these I beleeue and confesse that it is not lawful for any Christian to be assistant neither in spirit nor body at the Sacrifices of idolators nor also to enter inâ—…o their Temples whilest they are doing their idolatries Sacrifices except it be to rebuke them in shewing them their abuses to teach them the truth as the holy Apostles Prophets haue done and not for to dissemble as hypocrites For if the body bre a creature of God as it is as the soule is the temple of the holy Ghost member of the mystical body of Christ and if it must one day râ—…se againe possesse the eternal life with the soule It must also necessarily be that it be altogether giuen vnto the seruice of God in this world with the soule and spirite â—… otherwise they can not be ioyned together after the general resurrection but being separated the one should bee in heauen with God whom he loued and the other in hel with the deuil whom he serued the which is an impossible thing Therfore I say al those dissimulations to be a very renouncing of Christ and of his Gospel And in like maner I beleeue and confesse that all those fayned and false
one fourme of Sacramentes and the like euen as there is according to Paule one Baptisme one bread one faith one churche one Christe one Lorde one body one heauen one hope of rewarde the breaking of which vnitie of the church of God hath beene alwayes accounted a most greeuous and damnable offence For as Irenaeus a most auncient godly father saith They which cut and disseuer the vnitie of the Church shal haue the same punishment that 〈◊〉 had This punishment wee knowe to haue beene the vtter destruction and exâ—…yrpation of him and all his name But other Fathers doe exaggerate this sinne farther For Sainte Augustine in his booke whiche hee made of the vnitie of the Churche sayth thus Whosoeuer doe agree to all the holy Scriptures touching the head of the Churche â—…hiche is Christe and yet doe not communicate with the vnitie of the Churche they are not in the Churche And a little after hee expoundeth what hee meaneth by communicating with the vnitie of the churche whiche is That theyr communion bee with the whole bodie of Christe his Churche dispearsed ouer the whole world and not with any one part separate or els it is manifest that they are not saiâ—…h he in the catholike churche Nowe S. Cyprian in his booke of the simplicitie of Prelates or vnitie of the churche goeth further for he proueth that if a man did liue neuer so vertuously otherwise nay if hee shoulde giue his life and shedde his blood for Christe yet if he were out of the vnitie of the church he coulde not bee saued for that as he saith This spot or sinne the breaking of the vnitie of the churche cannot be washed away with any blood The which saying of S. Cyprian the learned father Chrisostome after Cyprians death doth repeate and confirme Adding these words There is nothing doeth so prouoke GOD as the diuision of the Churche And albeit we shoulde doe innumerable good deedes yet notwithstanding we shall be punished as greeuously as they were which dyd rende Chriâ—…te his owne flesh and body if wee disseuer in peeces the full 〈◊〉 and vnitie of the Churche And finally he concludeth thus I doe heere say and protest that it is no lesse sinne to cut and breake the vnitie of the Churche then it is to fall into heresie And thus muche I thought good too say leauing infinite other thinges that might bee saide touching the greenousnesse of this sinne of schisme whereby many of our bad catholikes in Englande may see in some part the miserable dangerous case wherein they stand by sleeping so carelesse as they doe in this sinne But now that this act of going to the Protestants churches and prayers is a schismaticall act and suche a one as diuideth from the vnitie of the churche it is easie too bee prooued for that schisme is according too Sainte Augustine A separation of them that thinke the same thing That is a different kinde of seruice of God in those men that do not differ in opinion in religion The which thing he expresseth more plainely in an other place putting the difference betwixt heretikes sehismatikes saying Schismatikes are made not by difference in faith or beliefe but by the breaking of the societie or vnitie of Communion Nowe the Communion or vnitie of the churche consisteth in these three thinges to wit that al Christians haue one sacrifice one and the selfe same Sacraments also one and the selfe same seruice of God But they which goe to the Protestantes churches haue no sacrifice at al neither haue they any more then two of seuen sacraments and those two also so mangâ—…d that of the two scarse one is a sacrament as they vse them And as for their seruice it hath no part of the catholike seruice as I will shewe heereafter He therfore that goeth to this seruice and willingly separateth himselfe from the catholike seruice and Communion breaketh the vnitie of Communion of the churche and consequently committeth schisme But some man perhaps will say I doe it not willingly but I goe to Churche by constrainte of the publiquela wes of my Realme I answere that heere is some kinde of constraint external but not so muche as may take away the libertie of thy will whiche is internal as the Philosopher wisely discourseth For this constraint is but conditinall That is either to doe that which is commaunded for example to goe to the Churche or els to abide this or that punishmente that the Lawe appointeth The which penaltie if thou wilt suffer thy wil is free to doe what thou wilt Neither can any â—…ortall power constraine it further So that suche an action as I haue talked of for example going to the churche for the auoiding of temporall losse is called both the Philosophers and Diuines Inuoluntaria secundum quid simpliciter autem voluntaria That is in part or in some respect vnuoluntarie But absolutely and simplie it is to bee accounted voluntarie And therefore they are to bee esteemed good or bad punishable or rewardable euen as other free actions are for otherwise no sinne shoulde bee punishable Seeing euery naughtie action commonly hath some kind of compulsion in it but yet it may not bee excused thereby As for example the murtherer may say that hee did it not willingly for that hee was compelled thereunto by rage of anger And the Lecherer may say his fleshe compelled him to sinne and to take fitter example for our purpose all those that denied Christe in time of persecution for feare of tormentes mighte by your obiection say that they did it not willingly but by compulsion of torments and therefore were not to bee damned for it But yet Christe saide that hee woulde take it as doone voluntarily and therefore damne them for it by deniyng them openly before his Father and his Angelles at the day of iudgement And yet to giue an other example neerer to oure matter Sainte Iohn saieth of the noble men and Gentlemen of Iurie in his time Many of the principall men did beleeue in Christe but they did not confesse him outwardly for feare of the Pharisees least they shoulde bee caste out of the Sinagogue for they did loue more the glory of men then the glory of God Heere wee see the act of these noble men and Gentlemen also the compulsion to the act the cause of their compulsion lastly Saint Iohns iudgement vpon the act The act wherof they are accused is only holding their peace not confessing Christ openly according as they did inward ly beleeue of him The cause or excuse that they had to lay for themselues was the feare of the Pharises or Magistrates which coÌ„pelled them agaynst their will so to doe Now what punishement they feared at the Pharises handes S. Iohn expresseth saying that it was Least they should bee cast out of their Synagogue The which punishment was then
he hath to the same effect against the Donatistes doe cleere vs of Schisme who willingly communicate with all the whole bodie of Christes Church dispersed ouer the worlde and charge the Popishe faction bothe of Schisme and heresie Of Schisme because they mainteine the Church to be onely in a part of Europa As the Donatists did in Asia which heresie because they differ not onely in the bodie of Christ which is his Church as the Donatistes did but also in the head thereof which is none but Christ borne suffered risen agayne and ascended in heauen that he might be the onely head Sauiour Redéemer of his spouse and Aduocate of his Church with GOD his Father But now that this acte of goyng to the Protestantes Churches and prayers is a Schismatical act and such a one as deuideth from the vnitie of the churche it is easie saith hee to bee prooued If you haue suche facilitie in prouing I trust you will no more charge vs with your necessary suppositions Then let vs see what you say Schisme according to Sainte Augustine is a separation of them that thinke the same thing That is a different kynde of seruice of GOD in those menne that doe not differ in opinion of religion Once agayne a little more Logicke woulde doe you good too teache you too expounde thinges vttered generally by spéeche as generall and not as you dee heare by particular For Augustines generall terme of separation you restreine to a different kinde of seruice of GOD as though there mighte not bee scisme where there is one and the same kinde of seruice of GOD acknowledged But let vs see the difference also that Augustine maketh betwixt an hereâ—…ike and a scismatike Scismatikes are made not by differing in fayth or beliefe but by the breaking of the societie or vnitie of the communion Hitherto we dissent not in the matter for wee allowe both the discription and the difference being vnderstoode according to Augustines meaning which euery wise and good man will think to be such that the crime of scisme and name of Scismatiks must be appropried not to euery one that departeth from any sect but to them onely which departe from the Church of the liuing GOD. Howe then doeth our discourser prooue that we are not in the Communion of the Churche of God The communion or vnity of the churche sayth hée consisteth in these three things To wit that all Christians haue one Sacrifice one the selfe same SacrameÌ„ts also one the selfe same seruice of God Let vs search the ground of this foundation First if hée meane that all Christians haue one Sacrifice Propitiatory it is true For by one Sacrifice once offered hée hath made perfect for euer them that are sanctified With whiche onely Sacrifice and once oblation therof séeyng the Papistes are not content by this rule they are â—…ounde too bée without the compasse of true Christians and the Communion of Gods Church But if by one Sacrifice hée meaneth but one sacrifice in al the principle is false for Christians beside y e only propitiatory sacrifice of Christs death haue y â— sacrifice of prayse thanksgiuing of w t there are many kinds That al ChristiaÌ„s must haue 〈◊〉 selâ—…ame sacraments it is cléerer then that it néede any probation But concerning the third thing which is one and the selfe same seruice of God if it be vnderstood of the substance either of the internall and proper woorship of God which is in spirit and veritie or of the externall manner of seruing of God which must be directed according to the holy Scriptures it is very true and thereby our Church may be discerned to be the companie of true Christians which detest the intollerable multitude of bodily ceremonies and shadowes whâ—…with the popish seruice is ful fraught in a manner onlie consisteth of them and admitteth in the whole order of ministration and prayers nothing as necessary to the seruice of GOD but that whiche it findeth warrantâ—…d by the holie Scriptures Wheras y e popish seruice is paâ—…ched of prophane LegeÌ„ds Fabulus reports of prayers to creatures not méete for the seruice of the Creator and if it be deuided into ten partes bestoweth seuen at the least in the seruice of creatures rather then the Creator which is to be woorshipped for euer directly contrary to the Law of God and commandement of Christ Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue Otherwise if by one and the selfesame seruice of God he meane the externall forme of praiers and administration of the sacramentes necessarye for al christians I haue shewed the vanitie of his assertion before The principles thus vewed let vs behold the application But they which go to the protestants churches haue no sacrifice at all neither haue they any more then two of seuen sacraments those two also so mangled that of the two scarce one is a sacrameÌ„t as they vse theÌ„ And as for their seruice it hath no part of the catholik seruice as I wil shew herafter If this assuÌ„ptioÌ„ be true they y e go to y e Protestants seruice breake y e vnitie of y e coÌ„munion of the Church and commit schisme But if this be shewed to be vtterly false what harme is it to goe to the Protestantes seruice First concerning the Sacrifice which he affirmeth they haue none at all It is a manifest vntrueth for they haue the daylye sacrifice of prayse and thankesgeuing which Malachie prophecieth shoulde bée offered among the Gentiles from the rysing of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same whiche Sacrifice of prayse and thankesgeuing as Iustinus Martyr testifieth are the onely sacrifices which Christians haue receyued to offer Wherefore the Papists which pretend to offer another sacrifice and of an other kinde namely Propitiatorie by Iustinus his iudgement agréeyng with the holie Scriptures are no true Christians That wée haue but twoo Sacramentes it is sufficient seeyng twoo onelie are left into the Churche by Christe as is necessarily collected out of Saynt Paule 1. Cor. 10. Where intending to proue that the Israelites were equall vnto Christians in the externall tokens of Gods fauour hee nameth onely baptisme and the Lordes supper wherein he had reasoned very vnskilfully if of seauen he should haue left out but fiue The fewest number of Sacramentes is allowed also by S. Augustine and the church in his time which he nameth to be baptisme and the Lordes Supper which onely are found in the scriptures And where he chargeth vs with mangling of the sacramentes which we haue so that of twoo we haue scarce one it procéedeth of meruellous impudency séeing we say and doe whatsoeuer Christ and his Apostles sayde and did and commaunded to be sayde and done in the administration of them Whereas the Papistes with most horrible sacriledge by confession of Gelasius bishoppe of Rome cited in their Cannon lawe doe mangle one
may bée an error in the number for Hier. 61. contra Apostolicos hee speaketh of some thinges receiued by tradition as that it is sinne to mary after virginitie professed but of ceremonies hée saieth nothing at all As for the Tridentine councell which is next quoted I will not vouâ—…afe to answere it béeing of none antiquitie but holden within these fewe yéâ—…res by the Papistes Then followeth Cyprian epist 66. Which I know not wherfore it is alleadged for there is nothing in it for Ceremoâ—…es or the contempte of them but against the Nouasianes and anerroneous opinion of his that none can baptize but hée that hath the holy Ghost After Cyprian wée are bidden to looke in Augustine de doctrina christiana without quoting the Chapter but for what I knowe not for there are not in him rehearsed any Ceremonies which wée omit for any thing that I can finde The like I say for Cyprian sermone de oratione dominica As for Isidorus who lyued more then 600. yéeres after Christe in ceremoniall age is no méete Authour to controle our want of Ceremonies by such as were vsed in the Spanishe Church in his tyme which yet are not all the same that the Papistes vse Then solloweth the fourth Toletane councell cap. 2. Which appoynteth that there shoulde bée an vniforme order of ministration of the Sacramâ—…ntes and publike prayers in the Churches of Spayne and Gallicia because they were contayned in one fayth and kingdome What pertayneth this vnto the church of England which hath as great authority to appoynt her own Ceremonies as the church of Spayne then had for theirs The laste quotation is Bede lib. Hist. cap. 1. omytting the number of the Booke but hauing perused all the fyrste Chapters of euerye booke I finde nothing for any Ceremonies And whatsoeuer their shoulde bée founde in Beda so late a writer shoulde bee no preiudice vnto the authoritie of our Churche in this tyme. For as I shewed before that Augustine out of euery Church waâ—… willed to choose what ceremonies hee thought most conueniente so his posteritie was not bound to his choyce but as they thought good some they added some they abrogated But where hée noteth in the margent that in these Authors wée may sée 〈◊〉 what tongue seruice was in they dayes in all countryes I marâ—…ayle at his imâ—…udencie séeing neyther in anye place by him quoted except the last Tridâ—…tine counsell perhappes there is anye worde spoken touching the tongue wherein seruice was in their countries nor in all their works is there anye thing to proue the contrarye but that euerye nation had their seruice in such tongue as they vnderstoode As for the leauing out of the prayer for the dead which is in déede an errour of great antiquitie séeing hée quoteth none authoritie for the iustifying of it I will referre the Reader to other treatises that I haue written against it namelye to my confutation of Allens booke of Purgatorie and to my reioynder lately â—…ritten to Bristoes reply So that for any thing which is brought or quoted in this reason the seruice of the Protestantes is proued to bée good inough The eyght Reason THe eight reason of refusall which maye nowe bee yeleded why a Catholicke maye not come to the Protestantes churches is because by going thither hee shall loose all the benefit of his owne relygion neither shal he take any more commoditie therby then if he were not of that relygion at al. This is a verye great waightie and most sufficiente reason to bee yeelded by catholyckes in Englande to their Princes for their refusall of comming to churche and such a one as being sufficiently conceyued by her Maiestie cannot but satisfie her highnesse and greatlye drawe her to compassion of the pitifull case of so many thousandes of her louing subiects who being as I haue sayd catholickes in hearts by going to ProtestaÌ„ts churches must needs be brought either to flat athisme that is to leaue of al conscience and to care for no religion at al as manye thousanâ—… seeme to bâ—… resolued to doâ—… or els to liue in continual torment of minde and almoste desperation considering that by their going to these Churches they loose vtterlye all vse and practise of theyr owne relygion beeing helde as Schismatickes and excommunicate persons of the same and their case 〈◊〉 that if they should die in the same state they were sure to receiue no â—…rt of benefite of that religion no more then if they had been Protestants The which what a danger it is all true Christian men doe both know and feare But yet that the simpler sort may better vnderstande it and the wiser better consider of it I will in particuler repeate some of the abouesaide dommages First therefore a Catholike by going to the Protestantes Churches looseth all participation of that blessed sacrifice of the body and blood of our Sauiour appointed by the saide Sauiour as I haue shewed before to bee offered vp dayly in the oblation of the Masse for the commoditie of the whole worlde quicke and dead and for that cause as the godly and learned Saint Iohn Chrisostome saith Called the comon sacrifice of the whole worlde The which action of offering of this sacred Hoste the sonne of God to his father is of such dignitie excellencie and merite not only to the Priest but also to the standers by assisting him as al the other good works which a man can do in his life are not to be coÌ„pared with it seeing that the very angels of heaueÌ„ do come down at that time to adore after the consecration that sacred body and to offer the same vp with vs to God the Father of the whole worlde As all the holy Fathers of the Primatiue churche did both beleeue and teach Of the whiche it shall be enough at this time to alleadge one or two S. Gregorie therefore the first saieth thus What faithfull man can doubt but that in the verie houre of immolation or sacrifice the heauens doe open at the Priestes voice and that the quires of Angels bee present there in that mysterie of â—…esus Christ And Saint Chrisostome handeling the same saith At that time the time of consecration in the Masse the Angels stand by the Priest and the vniuersall orders of the celestiall powers doe crie out and the place â—…igh to the Aulter is full of quires of Angels in the honour of him who is there sacrificed And immediatelie after hee telleth two visions of holy men whose eyes were by the power of God as hee saith opened and they in those visions sawe the Angelles present at the time of consecration And in an other place hee yet more at large explicateth the same sayinge At that time deare brotâ—…er at the time of consecration and eleuation not onely men doe giue out that dreadfull crie saying wee adore thee O Lorde c. but also the Angels do bow their knees to our
Lord the Archangels do beseech him for they account that a fit time hauing that sacred oblatioÌ„ in their fauor And therfore as men are wont to moue princes the more if they beare oliue bowes in their hands because by â—…earing that kinde of wood they bring into the Princes mindes mercy gentlenes so the angels at that time holding out in their hands the very selfe same body of our Lord they do intreate for al mankind as though they saide We do intreate O Lord for the men of the world whom thou hast so loued that for their saluation thou wast content to die and in the Crosse to breath out thine owne soule For these men we make sup plication for the which thou hast giuen thy owne blood for these men we pray for the which thou hast sacrificed this body of thine If this bee so then the hearing of Masse is not only worth the venturing of an hundred marks or six monethes imprisonment but also of an hundred thousand liues if a man could loose euerie one for that cause sixe times And an hundred times miserable is that man whiche for any worldly respecte doeth depriue him selfe of so great a benefite as the participation of this sacrifice is Secondly they loose by going to church the fruite and grace of sixe sa craments as the grace of confirmation by the Bishop whereby the holy Ghost was giuen in the primatiue church as S. Luke saith and nowe 〈◊〉 our time as S. Cyprian proueth are bestowed vpon vs by the same the seuen gifts of the holy Ghost set out by Esay the Prophet in his xi chapter They loose also the grace of Priesthood so greatly commended by saint Paul to Timothie when he chargeth him so earnestly not to neglect the saide grace Also the grace of Matrimonie which S. Paul so much extolleth when hee calleth this sacrament a great sacrament Also the grace of extreeme vnction which is so great as S. Iames saith besides the healing ma ny times of the body it also remitteth the sicke mans sinnes And so in like manner the grace of the other two sacramentes of Penance and the Aulter whereof I will say a worde or two immediately All these graces they loose being cut of by their going to the Protestants churches from these sacraments which are nothing els but conduits of grace The which losse of what value it is a man may gesse by that which all diuines with on accorde doe proue that one drop of grace is more worth then all the worlde esteemed in it selfe besides Thirdly they loose by going to church al the benefiâ—…e of the keies of the church or of the authoritie of binding and loosing of sinnes graunted by Christe to the gouernours of the same churche For the explication of the which we must vnderstand that Christ hauing newly made the marriagâ—… betwixt his deare spouse himself I meane the church hauing now sealed the same with his own blood being inforced to depart froÌ„ the said new married spouse of his touching his visible presence for a time hee deuised how to shew vnto her how greatly he loued her to leaue some notable pledge and testimonie of his singuler great affectioÌ„ towards her The which he finally resolued could be by no other meanes better ex pressed then if he should leaue al his authoritie with her the whiche hee had receiued of his father which making publike proclamation to all the worlde that What soeuer she should forgiue in earth touching sinne the same should be forgiuen in heauen and what soeuer sinne the Church shoulde retaine or not forgiue in earthe the same shoulde neuer bee forgiuen in heauen And againe that with what authoritie GOD his father sent him with the same he sent her gouernours the Apostles and their successours And againe he that shoulde not heare and obey the Church should be accounted as a Heathen and Publicane By the which speeches of Christ our forefathers haue alwaies vnderstâ—…ode that Christe gaue vnto the church a visible tribunal seate in earth for the forgiuing or retaining of sinnes vnto the which al christians must resoâ—…t by submission and humble confession of their sinnes if they thinke euer to receiue forgiuenes of the same at Christ his handes in heauen For so wee reade that in the primatiue church they confessed their fins vnto the Apostles of whom S. Luke writeth thus Many of the faith full came to the Apostles confessing and reuealing their owne acts And foure hundred yeeres after that S. Austen testifieth of his time saying Doe you such penance as is wont to be doone in the Church that the Churche may pray for you Let no man say I doe it secretly I doe it with God alone God which hath to pardon me knoweth wel how that I doe repent in my heart What therfore without cause was it said to the Priests that which you loose in earth shalbe loosed in heauen therefore in vaine were the keies giuen to the Church And in an other place again more neerely touching the humour of our men now a daies he saith There are some which thinke it sufficient foe their saluation if they do confesse their sinnes only to God to whom nothing is hidden and to whoÌ„ no mans conscience is vnknowne For they will not or els they are ashamed or els they disdaine to shewe them selues vnto the Priestes whome notwithstanding GOD by Moses his Lawe giuer dyd appointe to discerne or iudge betweene Leprie and Leprie But I woulde not that thou shouldest be deceiued with that opinion in suche sort that thou shouldest either by naughtie shame or obâ—…inate 〈◊〉 refraine to confesse before the substitute or Vicegerent of our Lord. For whom our Lorde did not disdaine to make his 〈◊〉 his iudgement muste thou be content also to stand to This benefite therefore of the keyes of the churche and of receiuing remission of 〈◊〉 sinnes by the same which catholikes doe thinke to bee the greatest benefite of their religion doe they loose that goe to the Protestants churches besides all the good instructions wholesome counsels and vertuous admonitions which catholikes doe receiue in confession at their ghostâ—…y Fathers hands then the which things they finde nothiâ—…g more forcible to bring them to good life especially if they frequent it often as al zelous catholikes in the worlde now doe Fourthly they loose the infinit benefite of receiuing the blessed sacrament of the Aulter the precious body and blood of Christ beeing the foode of our soules and as Christ saith The bread that came downe from heauen to giue life vnto the worlde To the worthie eating of which heauenly bread Christe promiseth infinite reward saying He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath life euer lasting and I will raise him againe at the last day And againe He that eatetb me shall liue through me Vpon which promises of
time abidden imprisonment and nowe in greater number do for this only thing in the sight knowledge not only of Englande but also of al Christendome and of the enemies of the same in the worlde besides doeth make this abstaining from churche to bee a proper and peculiar signe of a true catholike nowe if it were not before and the yeelding in the same especially if a man be called to publike trial about it to be a flat and â—…uident denying of God and of his fayth For what doeth make a thing to be a proper and peculiar signe but the iudgement and opinion of men The bush of the Tauerne is a signe of wine because mâ—…n commonly take it so In like maner the yeaâ—…ow bonet of a Iew the yealow torbant of a Turke and the like Euen so seeing the whole world at this day doeth take the absteming from Protestantes Churches to bee the only external signe of a true catholike and seeing the Protestantes them selues doâ—… make it so also seeing that the going to Church is the contrarie signe it followeth that if going to church were of it selfe before lawful it were now made by this a peculier signe distinctiue betwixt religion and religion and so vtterly vnlawful I wil put an example of the Primatiue church wherein the wearing of a garland was lawful for al souldiers vntil the Emperours and the common opinion of men had abridged it onely to infidel souldâ—…ers to distinguish them thereby in honour from christian souldiers And then after that as Tertullian prooâ—…eth it was no longer lawful for christian souldiers to weare them for that the wearing therof was a denial of the christian fayth Wherevppon wee reade that a certaine christian souldieâ—… offered him selfe rather to suffer death then to weare one of them as appeareth in the same booke of Tertullian But now much more is the thing vnlawfull in our case For that the going to the Protestantes churches which is a catholike must presume to be heretical was neuer a thing of it selfe lawful as I wil hereafter proue which the wearing of a garland was and therfore much lesse now to be tollerated seeing besides this it is also made a signe distinctiue as I haue alreadie prooued The third reason THe third reason is not vnlike his brethren that went before which all holde of a necessarie supposition or els they inforce no necessarie conclusion This third reason is for that going or not going to the Church is made a signe nowe in Englande and a distinctiue note betwixt religion and religion betwixt a Catholicke and a schismatike as the wearing of a yellow Cappe is the marke of a Iewe in Italy I yéeld it is so and therfore going to Church is the externall note of a Catholike not going to Church is the marke of a Schismatike Heretike But what go I about to breake the adamantine necessitie of the former supposition Then let it stand and sée howe it is fastened to the cause in controuersie That the going to Church is the playne and apparant signe of a Schismatike that is to say of a conformable man as they call him to the Protestantes proceedinges it is manifestly to bee prooued In déede it is necessarie to bée prooued if you will haue the argument of auoiding the distinct marke of Schismatikes to agrée with Protestantes Howe then doe you proue it First by the commandement and exaction of the same for going to Church In déed this proueth the meaning of the coÌ„manders to be y â— they woulde haue all true Christians whoÌ„ you call the Protestants to bée discerned from heretikes and schismatikes by this marke But that all Protestants are heereby proued to bée schismatikes it is as farre of as euer it was and as néere as euer it shalbe But the reason of exaction mightily doeth prooue it For when a Catholike doeth come before the Commissioners there is nothing asked of him but when hee was at Churche and if hee will promise to goe to Churche commonly they account him a sufficient conformable man that is to haue yeelded sufficiently vnto them It were I gesse hard to proue that euery Papist which commeth before the Commissioners is examined of that one Article of comming to Churche And if it were graunted that to bée one question which is asked of him when hee was at Churche yet that nothing els is asked of any that commeth before them I thinke there is no man will beléeue you though you woulde swere it And if some of whose conformitie there is hope by promising to goe to the Churche where they may bée instructed are for a season vrged no further yet that they are commonly accounted to bée conformable men and thought to haue yéelded sufficiently vntoo the Commissioners I dare say neither the Commissioners who best know their owne thoughts wil acknowledge so much and their contrary practise is often séene in many and you your selfe complaine of it that they exact of many to communicate to take the oth whiche is more then onely going to Churche But the long imprisonment of many doeth make this absteining from the Church to bée a proper and peculiar signe of a true Catholike No verily but of an obstinate herctike For not y â— imprisonment but the cause for which they suffer must argue them to bée true Catholikes whiche cause séeing it is lefte without defence or proofe sauâ—… only a poore naked and beggerly supposition to stande vpon it followeth not that going to Churche is the note of a Schismatike but not going to Churche rather argueth a Schistike or an Heretike The fourth Reason THE fourth cause why a Catholike may not goe to the Churche is because it is Schisme and breaking of the vnitie of the Catholicke Churche the which howe perrillous and dreadsul a thing it is all catholikes doe sufficiently knowe For as they firmely beleeue that to oppugne the visible knowne Churche of Christe as all Heretikes tontinually doe is a verie wicked and damnable sinne Euen so in like manner they beleeue that to breake the vnitie of the same Churche and to make any rent or disuion in the same whiche is the proper faulte of schismatikes is also damnable For the whiche cause Saint Paule doeth so diligently request the Corinthians too auoide Schismes saying beseeche you brethren by the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe that you al say one thing and that there bee no schismes amongest you And to the Ephesians Bee you careful to keâ—…pe vnitâ—…e of spirite in the bonde of peace The which vnitie Christe himselfe expresseth more particularly and more distinctly when hee requesteth of his Father That his Christians might bee one as he and his father were one that is to say that as hee and his father did agree in al their actions and whatsoeuer the one did the other also did So in his church there shoulde bee one only forme of beliefe one fourme of seruice