91. All they that workâ— iniquity shal be confounded And againe Ecclesiast 40. Death bloud contention edge of sword oppression hunger contrition whippes are created for sinners And further Psal 9.10 God shaâ— raigne snares of fyre vpon sinners brimstome with tempestuous wynds shal be the portion of their cuppâ— (c) Matth. 25. our Sauiour speaking of Sinners saith Depart you accursed into euerlasting fire Beside infinite other places of like nature Now to the former Premises may I adâ—oyne the Confessions euen of Protestants â—hemselues who confesse that the liues of Catholikes are commonly farre more verâ—uous and of better edification then the liues â—f the Protestants who by their owne ackâ—owledgments lye groueling in all sensuaâ—itie For thus euen Luther sayth heereof When we were (d) Dominica 26. post Trinitatem seduced by the Pope euery man â—id willingly followe good works and now euery â—an neither sayth nor knoweth any thing but how 〈◊〉 get all to himselfe by exaction pillage theft lying â—sury c. to which ConfessioÌ„ to omit diuers others (e) In loc com cap. de Decalogo in explanat tertij praecepti Musculus a forward ProtestaÌ„t subcribeth sayng Vt verum fateor c. That 〈◊〉 may confesse the truthe heerein they are become 〈◊〉 vnlike to themselues that wheras in the Papacy â—hey were Religious in their Errours and Superstiâ—â—â—n now in the light of the knowne truth they are â—ore profane then the very Sonnes of the worlde Which disparity of liues and conuersation â—an be iustly ascribed to no other cause then â—n that the Protestants were ready to put in â—ractise what afore they had learned by speculation of their owne Doctrines which â—oint then being thus I meane that the Doctrine of the Protestants do depresse vertue â—nd blandish contenance and exalt vice â—nd thereupon the liues of the Protestants by confession of themselues and to the disedyfying of their followers are becomâ— actually farre worse and lesse vertuous theâ— the liues of the Catholikes I here demaund how it can be warranted by any shew oâ— reason that these Doctrines of the Protestants begetting so great a chaunge froâ— vertue to vice in their professours can bâ— reputed but as points of Indifferency Oâ— that men belieuing them practising theâ— in their conuersation and finally dying iâ— them can be saued So contrary it is to oâ— Sauiours prescript If thou (f) Mat. 19. wilt enter into lifâ— keep the Commaundements Sinne being indeâ— so great an enemy to mans Saluation as thâ— God himselfe vouchsafed to be incarnate 〈◊〉 to suffer an opprobrious death only for thâ— taking away of the sinnes of the world THE SAME PROVED FROâ— the fearefull deaths of the first broachers of Protestancy CHAP. XII IN this next place we will briâ—fly take a suruey of the particulâ—â— deaths of some few of the chiefâ— Protestants who haue byn thâ— first stampers or broachers of the Controueâ—sies betweene the Catholikes and the Prâ—testants then we will leaue to the iudâ—ment of others whether those kinds of death 〈◊〉 befal in Gods accustomed proceedings 〈◊〉 men who first did set on foote and mainâ—yne points and positions of Religion of â—at Indifferency as that either the belieuing 〈◊〉 not belieuing of them may well comâ—ort and stand togeather with mans salâ—ation To beginne with Luther omitting to â—eake either of his vicious life or of the liues â—f others heereafter set downe though conâ—â—ssed and displayed for such by many of â—â—eir owne Brethren It is certayne that â—uther (g) Cochlaeus in vita Lutheri Whose sudden death is also confessed by Dauid Chitracus an eminent Protestant in orat funebri Christophori Ducis Megapolitani these words Lutherus ipse vesperi mensae assidens paucis post diam noctem horis decessit dyed very sudainly for when at â—â—pper being in good health he had fed â—uteously vpon great variety of meates â—ntertayned his guests then with him with â—itty but dissolute discourses the very â—â—me night he dyed Zwinglius was slayne in the warrs of Gerâ—any vndertaken for Religion only in â—hich warres he dyed not as a Preacher but 〈◊〉 a warriour armed in the field and yet 〈◊〉 such sort that Gualterus an earnest Proâ—â—stant sayth thus of him (h) Gualterus in his booke intiâ—led Apologia pro Zwinglio p. 31. Nostri illi c. â—iuers of vs are not affrayd to pronounce Zwinglius haue dyed in sinne and therefore to haue dyed the â—â—me of Hell (i) Cochlaeus in Actis Lutheri 1537. Oecolampadius the reputed Bishop of Basill where he lyeth buried and a man most forward in spreading the points of ProtestaÌ„cy went healthfull to bed but was found by his wife dead in the morning in his bed Andreas Carolstadius an eminent Protestant and a great aduauncer of the supposed Ghospell was killed by the Diuell as certayne (k) In their Epistle de morte Carolstadij ministers euen of Basill do iustify Iacobus Andreas a famous Lutheran and in other points an earnest Protestant lyueâ— and dyed as (l) Hospinian in histor Sacra part 2. fol. 389. Hospinian the Protestant wryteth as if he had had no God but MammoÌ„ Bacchus he neuer praying neyther going to bed norysing from thence and that in the residue of hiâ— life he shewed no Godlines Who (*) So ZaÌ„chius the ProtestaÌ„t affirmeth in his Epistles printed 1609. l. 2. p. 340. also was once taken in Adultery Caluin the refiner of all Protestancy and chiefe supporter of all controuerted points agaynst the Catholikes dyed being consumed with lyce and wormes extremely blaspheming agaynst God of whose death (m) In Theolog. Caluinist l. 1. fol. 72. This particular manner of Caluins death is witnessed by Ioannes Herennius a Caluinist preacher who was present as Caluins death as he witnesseth in his libello de vita Caluini Conradus Schlusselburg a famous Protestant thus wryteth Deus manu sua potents c. God with his mighty hand did visit Caluin for he despayred of his saluation called vpon the Diuells and gaue vp his soule swearing and blaspheming Caluin dyed being eaten away with lyce for they sâ—bred about his priuy members that none about him could endure the stench and smell Thus far the foresayd Protestant Finally Melancthon a great pillar of Protestancy made so bad an end as that Morlinus his owne scholler and a forward Protestant despayred of his saluation thus writing in his publike Lectures Si possem redimere c. If I could redeeme the Saluation of our mayster Philip Melancthon with the perill of my life I would do it But he is caryed to the horrible tribunall of God to plead his cause there c. See hereof also Slusselburge in Theolog. Calu. l. 2. art 10. Now then seeing all these men belieued all the fundamental points of Christian Religion as the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. seeing also they were the most principall men that first introduced disseminated ProtestaÌ„cy
throghout the world spending their whole liues in spreading and defending the same by their wrytings Finally seeing God did cut them off by such calamitous miserable and prodigious deaths which is to be feared were but presages of the eternall deaths of their soules who can otherwise be perswaded but that all this was wrought by the iust hand of God not so much for their personall sinnes proceeding of humane frailty for there were and are many others as great sinners as they and yet escaped such dreadfull ends but for their first inuenting maintayning and preaching of the Protestant fayth and Religion and empoysoning almost all Countreyes with such their false sensuall doctrines which being graunted how then can it with any truth of reason be supposed that the positions of Protestancy impugned by the Catholikes should contayne nothing but matters of Indifferency or that a man whether he belieue them or not belieue them may alike and indifferently be saued THE SAME PROVED FROM the doctrine of Recusancy taught both by Catholikes and Protestants CHAP. XIII I Haue thought good to draw another argument from the common taught and approued doctrine of Recusancy in euery ReligioÌ„ though this head may seeme to haue a speciall reference to the reason afore touched in part be therein implicity included wherein is shewed that nature herselfe hath imprinted in the professours of all Religions a Religious care punctually to keep and preserue euery article of their Religion Now heere we are to premonish that if in the iudgement of all learned men both Catholike and Protestant it is thought an action most wicked vnlawfull and not to be performed but without finall repentance vnder payne of eternall damnation that a man should communicate only in going to the Church and in hearing but a sermen contrary to that Religion which himselfe belieueth for true though this may seeme to be coloured vnder pretense of obseruing the Princes commaundement for feare of loosing our temporall estates I say if this action be thought vnlawfull wherin neuerthelesse the performers thereof doe not punctually vndertake to maintayne or belieue any one Hereticall or erroneous position how then can it be reputed as consonant to reason or Religion that men belieuing different opinions of fayth and promiscuously communicating in prayer with a contrary Religion to their owne should neuerthelesse all be saued since the first fault coÌ„sisteth as some would interprete though falsely only in an externall and materiall as the SchoolemeÌ„ speake going to the Church of a different Religion whereas this other doth directly and openly rest in defending articles at least in its owne iudgment of a Religion contrary to the truth of Christian Religion for such is the case herein eyther of Catholikes or Protestants But before we particulerly enter into this discourse we will heere insist as most pertinent to our purpose in relating the two most religious Examples of Eleazar and the Widow with her seauen Sonnes recorded in the Bookes of the Machabees Touching the first we reade (1) 2. Machab c. 6. that Eleazar being a most auncient graue and learned Man was so far from eating of the meates sacrifized to Idolls according to the prohibition of the Iewish lawe that when certaine men as tendring his old age and moued thereto as the Text sayth iniqua miseratione through vnlawfull pitty proffered him other flesh to eate vnder colour whereof they would tell the Tyrant King thereby to saue his lyfe that he had eaten of the sacrifized meates that he did choose rather to vndergoe a most cruell death then to feigne that he had eaten of the sayd sacrifized flesh And so accordingly he suffered â— most glorious Martyrdome thus speakinâ— to God in the middest of his torments (2) Vbi supra For thy feare ô Lord I do suffer these things As concerning the (3) 2. Machab c. 7. Widdow with bâ— seauen Sonnes O what spirituall resolutioâ— appeared in them all Indeed able to vpbrayd vs ChristiaÌ„s with our luk-warmnest in professing our fayth They all suffered most exquisit torments and in the end most bloudy deaths only because they would not at the Kings command eate of Swynes flesh which was contrary to the Lawe of Moyses And this both the Mother still exhorting her sonnes to constancy heerein all her seauen Sonns performed with such an admirable resolution both in their answeres to the Tyrant during their torments and in their patience of suffering death as that considering her sex and the tendernes of their yeares it might be truly sayd that weaknes was heere able to instruct strength and youth old age Now from these two most remarkable Examples I thus argue The tyme of the old Testament was much inferior in worth dignity and many priuiledges to the new testament seing to them in the Old things as the (4) 1. Cor. 10. Apostle witnesseth did happen as in a figure whereas the new Testament (5) Hebr. 8. as the sayd Apostle affirmeth is established in better promisses But now if in the old Testament men did choose to endure most cruel deaths rather then they would contrary to the Law eate forbiden Meates which in themselues were lawfully to be eaten were it not for the prohibition annexed vnto them And seeing though they had consented to the eating of them yet this being but anâ— externall Act or Ceremony they might neuerthelesse inwardly haue retayned and kept their true beliefe touching the Law yet since the performaÌ„ce of so small a matteâ— as it appeared in outward show could noâ— be without greate sinne and damnation oâ— the party so offending Shall any Christian thinke that now in the tyme of Grace anâ— of the New Testament which tyme exacteth more perfection at our hauds for 〈◊〉 (6) Luc. 12. whome much is giuen of him much shal be râ—quyred that men professing to belieuâ— with contempt of the Churches authoritâ— interposed therein contrary articles touching Christian Religion and dying sucâ— their different fayths in which the one sydâ— must of necessity mantayne a false fayth that men I say of both these sides can bâ— saued it is against all force of ReasoÌ„ againâ—â— the iudgment of the Primitiue Church â— finally against Gods Iustice And thus far concerning the two fore sayd exaÌ„ples in the Machabees Which Booke admitting them for the tyme not to be diuine Scripture yet it is acknowledged oâ— all sydes that the Histories recorded in the are true and that Eleazar and the Widâ— with her seauen Sonns performed most worth examples of piety and Religion and that they had yielded to the Kings Command in eating of forbidden meates they had as violating the law giuen to them by God without repentance incurred damnation And this is the iudgment of the auncient Fathers Catholike Doctours and the learned Protestants But let vs descend more particulerly to the doctryne of Recusancy and examine whether it be lawfull to exhibite our selues present at that Church in tyme of diuine seruice
such is the fayth of our Newtrallists is no true supernaturall fayth seing it beleiueth nothing through the authority of God and his church both which reueale propound all articles alike and indifferently to all men to be belieued Now what more crosse to reason then that a bare opinion not relying vpō any supernaturall grounds as neither hauing God for its Reuealer nor the Church for its Propounder conceaued only through morall inducements and therfore euer standing obnoxious to errour and mistaking should be able to purchase eternall Saluation to mans soule Againe how aduerse is it to all true iudgment to auerre that it is no preiudice or hinderance to mans saluation to belieue those principles of Religion which teach aduaunce all libertie sensualitie in cōuersatiō manners do depresse disparage all Chastity Fasting voluntary Pouertie keeping of the Commaundements and finally all serious and painfull labours and works of vertue piety and mortification for it is most contradictory in the very tearmes and no lesse repugnant to Gods sacred word that that doctrine which (u) 2. Pet. 3. promiseth lybertie and (x) Iudae vers 4. transferreth the grace of God into wantonnesse should be accounted the (y) Mat. 7. Luc. 13. straite way which leadeth vnto lyfe Furthermore can it be conceaued as sorting to Gods most mercifull proceeding with man that he should cut off the liues of those men with most fearefull sodaine and prodigious deaths and particulerly of Caluin who was eaten away with lyce a death peculiar to diuers of Gods most capitall Enemyes as to Antiochus Herod Maximinus others who first broached the Doctrines of Protestancy if the sayd Doctrines had either bene true in themselues or at least of that coldnes and indifferency as that they might comport and stand with the soules saluation No. God is iust withall mercifull therfore neuer extraordinarily punisheth but for extraordinary sinns Poore men that they were who comparted as it should seeme both in the diuulging of their mendacious and lying Doctrines as also in their vnexpected and sudden deaths with the false Prophets (z) 3. Reg. of Achab But to hasten to an end in the enumeration of the Absurdities following the foresaid Paradox of saluation in euery Religion and to come to that which within its owne largenes inuolueth many improbabilities If Catholikes Protestants notwithstanding the disparity of their fayth can both attayne to Heauen in vayne then is the doctrine of Recusancy ioyntly taught on both sides in vayne haue so many scores of Reuerend and Learned Priests and others of the Laytie in our owne Countrey whose blessed soules I beseech to pray to God daylie for the remission of my many sinnes suffered cruell deaths in the late Queenes raigne only because they refused to present themselues at the seruice of the Protestants But they are gone and most happily gone for (a) Tertul. de Praeser Clauis Paradisi sanguis Martyrum In vayne likewyse these later yeares haue diuers lay Persons endured cōtrary to his Maiesties naturall inclination most prone to mercy and commiseration great losses disgraces and imprisonments only for the said cause But who can thinke that vertuous and learned men are so prodigall of their lyues and bloud and English Lay Catholikes so insensible of their temporall states children and posterity as that they would wilfully precipitate and cast themselues into those miseries only for not belieuing and exercising points of Indifferencie and such as may stand with their soules eternall Happines In vayne also then haue the Learned men on both sydes spent out their whole liues in defending ech man his owne Religion in their most painfull and voluminous bookes and wrytings if so they dissented one from another in matters of such supposed small importance In vayne and without iust cause and therfore most cruelly haue many States in Christendome in our age imposed proscription banishments and other insupportable disgraces to such of their owne subiects as will not imbrace their owne doctrine though both sydes did conspire and agree in the fundamentall points of fayth In vayne also both euer since Luthers reuolt as also at this present haue there byn and still are such Insurrections of Subiects against their Princes such bloudy and implacable warres betweene absolute Princes themselues such deuastation and depopulation of whole Countreys such maine battayles and fieldes fought with losse of diuers hundred thousand lyues and lastly such incessant and interrupted besieging and taking of great Citties townes with effusion for the most part of much innocent bloud of Women and Children and all this originally and principally for matter of Religion I say in vayne and most iniuriously haue all these attempts actions byn vndertaken if the disagreements in Religiō for which they were vndertaken betweene Catholikes and Protestants were of that reconcileable nature as that the professours on both sydes notwithstāding their diuersity of fayth might ioyntly be saued What can we now reply heereto in the behalfe of our Newtrallists Shall we say that the most learned men of all Religions that Kings Princes States and many hundred thousand subiects of Christendome were and still are actually mad and out of their senses in menaging these their deplorable attempts for Religion that the all-reconciling peaceable Newtrallist who throgh his pliable sterne of disposition in these spirituall matters is become of the halfe-bloud with the Atheist and who wanteth as is commonly noted both learning grace vertue is particulerly enlightened by God in setting downe what articles of fayth are only necessary to mans Saluation and what are to be reputed but as accessory and of smaller importance To such straites we see is the defence of the former doctrine driuen vnto Seeing therefore this doctrine of our Omnifidians or rather Nullifidians for indeed while they seeme to allow all Religions they take away all Religion is encompassed on all sides with so many notorious absurdityes as are displayed in this Chapter and seing it cannot be true except there be a retrogradation of all matters heere on earth and a turning of the world as they say vpside downe that is except the most learned become most madde and the most ignorant most wise Therfore since such comportment and carriage of thinges is not sorting to Gods Prouidence and Charity towards manking let euery man who thinketh he hath a soule to saue or loose vndoubtedly assure himselfe that there is but one true Fayth or Religiō wherin he may auaileably expect saluation and that the sauing fayth of Christ wherewith the soule is cloathed is like vnto the inconsutible garment of Christ both being incapable of diuision renting or partition Now for the greater illustration of this point by way of similitude and as tending towards the closure of this treatise Imagine that a man pretendeth right and title to certaine Lands taketh aduice of all the learned Lawyers Coūsellours of the whole Realme to
Touching Baptisme the Catholikes belieue that Children as being borne in Originall sinne cannot be saued except they be baptized with water according to those words of S. (1) Ioan. 3. Iohn Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God The (2) Willet in his meditation vpon the 122. Psalme and Caluin and Beza most frequently Protestants belieue that Infants dying vnbaptized may be saued Touching the Sacrament of Pennance or Confession The Catholikes belieue that after a Christian hath committed any one mortal sinne that sinne cannot be forgiuen him but by meanes of cōfessing the said sinne to a Priest of the new Testament and receauing absolution therof from him answereably to that of S. (3) Ca. 20. Iohn whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose sinnes you shall retayne they are retayned The Protestants belieue that neither the confession of sinnes to man nor the absolution of man is necessary for the remitting of sinne vnto them but that it is suficient to confesse them only to God And thus according to this their diuersitie of doctrine either the Protestants for want of this Sacrament graunting it to be necessary after he hath once mortally sinned cannot be saued or the Catholike for practising a false superstitious manner of seeking to haue his sinnes remitted supposing it to be repugnant to the Institution of Christ cannot haue them remitted and consequently cannot be saued Touching the most blessed Eucharist The Catholikes belieue that the verie body and bloud doth lye ineffably and latently vnder the formes of bread and wyne according to that (4) Mat. 26. This is my Body This is my bloud That (5) Ioan. 6. Vnlesse we eate his Body and drinke his bloud we shall not haue life euerlasting Lastly that we are to Adore Christ his Body being accompanied with his Diuinitie in the said Sacrament The Protestants do belieue that his true Body as neuer leauing heauen cannot possibly be truly and really vnder the formes of bread and wyne and consequently they belieue that the eating of his body and drinking of his bloud is not necessary to Saluation finally they hould our Adoratiō of the Sacrament to be open Idolatry and tearme Catholikes Idolaters for the adoring of it And thus the Protestants as not feeding vpon this Celestiall foode shall not haue life euerlasting if the Catholikes doctrine heerin be true or els Catholikes suppose they should erre for teaching and practising Idolatry heerin should incurre damnation Touching the meanes of our Iustification the Catholikes belieue that not only faith but works also do iustify The Protestants reiect all workes from Iustificatiō teaching that only fayth doth iustifie man yea they further proceede affirming that who once hath true faithe is most assured and (a) Caluin in Instit passim Kemnitius in exam Concilij Trident. certaine of his saluation whereas the Catholikes reputing this as meere presumption are willing according to the (b) Phil. 2. Apostle to worke their saluation with feare and trembling To be short the Protestants (*) so Luther in art 10. 11. 12. Caluin in Antidot Concil Trident. sess 6. Melancthon in locis tit de fide do teach that a man by thinking himself to be Iust is by this meanes become Iust wheras the Catholikes doe hould this doctrine not only to be phantasticall but also in (c) Vide Bellarm. l. 3. de Iustificat reason most absurd Touching grace without which man cannot be saued The Catholiks belieue that God out of the abysse and depth of his infinite mercie offereth to euery Christian sufficient grace wherby he may be saued and therfore they doe encourage euery one to endeauour to seeke their saluation The (d) This is taught by Caluin and Beza in whole Treatises and by D. Willet in his Synopsis of anno 1600. p. 589. Protestants teach that God giueth not this sufficiencie of grace to euery one but to certaine men only and that diuers there are who notwithstanding all their endeauour to belieue truly and liue vertuously yet cannot nor shall not be saued Touching the Decalogue or ten Commaundments The Catholikes belieue that except a Christian doe keep them he cannot be saued according to that saying of our Sauiour (d) Mat. 19. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commaundments The (e) D. Reynolds in his 2. Conclus annexed to his Cōference p. 697. D. Willet in his Synopsis p. 564. Protestants do absolutely teach an impossibility of keeping them And thereupon (f) Serm. de Moyse Luther thus affirmeth The ten Commaundements appertaine not to vs. Lastly Touching the Pope or Bishop of Rome The Catholikes doe belieue that he is vnder Christ the supreme Pastour vpon Earth that who doth not communicate with him in Sacraments and doctrine not yealding him all due obedience in subiecting their iudgments in matters of faith to his iudgment and sententionall definitions set downe in a generall Councell cannot be saued The Protestants doe teach the Bishop of Rome is that Antichrist which is decyphered by the (g) 2. Thes 2. Apocal. 13. 17. Apostle and which is the designed enemy of Christ and that whosoeuer imbraceth his doctrine or enthralleth as they write their assents to his Cathedrall decrees in points of Religion cannot obtayne Saluation Thus far of these points in which I haue made particuler choyce to insist omitting some others of like nature because we see that most or all of them doe immediatly principally as is aboue said touch the meanes of purchasing of grace of remission of our Sinnes and of obtayning our Saluation being maintayned for such by the Catholiks but vtterly denyed and reiected by the Protestants And heere I now vrge two things First if these former doctrines as they are belieued by the Catholikes doe immediatly concerne Saluation become necessary meanes thereof as instituted by Christ then cannot the Protestants as reiecting all such Doctrines and such meanes both in beliefe and practise be saued If by a supposall they be not of that nature but false in themselues and the contrary doctrines of Protestants true then cannot the Catholikes as belieuing false doctrines immediatly touching mans Saluation and accordingly practising them be saued from which forked argument it may demonstratiuely be inferred that it is impossible that both Catholikes and Protestants the one part belieuing the other not belieuing the foresaid doctrines should both be saued Secondly I vrge that a false beliefe not only in these articles but also in all other Controuersies betweene the Catholike and Protestant is playne Heresy And this because this false beliefe is comprehended within the definition of Heresie as being in it selfe an Election and choyce of a new or false doctrine wilfully maintayned against the Church of God and therfore it followeth that eyther the Catholikes or Protestants for their persisting in this false beliefe or Heresie maintayning it
Church S. Ierome distinguishing Schisme from Heresy thus discourseth Inter (m) In c. 3. ad Titum Haeresim Schisma hoc interesse arbitramur c. We take this to be the difference betweene Heresy and Schisme That Heresy maintayneth a peruerse and false Doctrine wheras Schisme ab Ecclesia pariter separat in like manner separateth a man from the Church in regard of dissention and disobedience iâ— our Bishops S. Augustine thus woundeth a Schismaâ—â—ke (n) Lib. de fide sym c. ro Haeretici Schismatici congregationes â—as Ecclesias vocant c. Heretikes and Schismaâ—â—kes do call their congregations the Churches But â—eretikes do violate their fayth in belieuing falsely â—â—uching God whereas Schismatikes though they â—â—lieue the same points which we belieue yet throgh â—â—eir dissentions they do not keep fraternall Charity â—herfore we conclude that neyther an Heretike beâ—ogeth to the Catholike Church because he loueth 〈◊〉 God nor a Schismatike because he loueth not â—s neighbour To conclude (o) Lib de fide ad Pet. c. â— S. 3â— Fulgentius agreeth â—ith the former reuerend Fathers thus sayâ—â—g Firmissimè tene c. Belieue for certayne and â—â—ubt not that not only Pagans but also Iewes Heâ—â—tikes Schismatikes who dye out of the Church â—e to goe into euerlasting fire And thus far concerning Schismatikes â—ho because they be not of the Church caÌ„â—ot obtayne saluation which point being â—ade euident by so many authorityes both â—â—uine humane then much more strongâ—â— may we conclude that Heretikes as exâ—â—eding the Schismatiks in prauity and maâ—e and being excluded with them in like â—â—rt out of Christs Church cannot be saâ—ed But before I end this Chapter giue me â—aue good Reader to expatiate a little beyoÌ„d my designed limits O then you Schismatikâ— heere in our owne Countrey whose souleâ— are wholly absorpt in earthy and muddâ— considerations cast your eyes vpon you owne states and vse some small introuersion vpon your selues You see heere whaâ— a daungerous censure the Auncient church of Christ by the mouths of its chiefe Pastorâ— and Doctours hath thundred agaynst you It sayth you are not of Christs Church you aâ— aliens straungers thereunto It further pronounceth that dying in such your state yoâ— are depriued of all hope of saluation Gooâ— God! what stupor and dulnes of yours â— this Are you Christians preferre then Chriâ—â— before the world Feare you God more theâ— man Giue then to God what is Gods and to Casaer what is Caesars Reflect vpon three principles of the Catholike and therefore you owne Religion The first that God ordinarily deriueâ— his grace into mans soule by the conduits oâ— the Sacraments and giueth absolution oâ— ones sinns particulerly by the Sacrament 〈◊〉 Pennance and confession not otherwise you wilfully depriue your selues of the participation of the Sacraments and thereby 〈◊〉 grace and of the remission of your sinnes are you not then as dryed branches void that heauenly iuyce which giueth lyfe the soule you want this grace and forgiuenes of your sinnes where then is your hope of eternall life remeÌ„ber the Apostles words â—nd be afrayd gratia Dei vitae aeterna and do not disioyne those asunder which S. Paul â—ath so inseparably vnited The second is The vncertainty of any parâ—icular mans saluation which point is able â—o stryke you dead through feare and the â—ather since it is no small signe of a mans fuâ—ure damnation deliberately and wilfully yeare after yeare to deuide himselfe from Christs church and from all the spirituall â—nfluences streaming from thence The third That there is a Purgatory the â—aynes whereof though terminable yet are â—nsupportable Suppose then the best that 〈◊〉 that you finally dye with true RepentaÌ„ce â—nd reconciled to Christs church which â—et is not in your owne power but out of â—he maine Ocean of Gods mercy neuertheâ—esse your owne fayth assureth you that you must suffer in that place euen insufferable â—orments for your former disunction that â—our continuance in dissembling thus with God serues but as bellowes the more to â—low that dreadfull fire O how great inteâ—est then are you to pay in the end for the â—nioying of this your mispent tyme If you â—â—e Catholikes though but in hart you belieue all heere sayd and therefore may the more assuredly presage of your owne future misery Yf you doe not belieue these three points of Catholike Religion then are youâ— damned no lesse for want of true Fayth in Christ then otherwise by your vnchaungeable Schismaticall liues for want of due coÌ„formity to the church of Christ Therefore I wish you to awake out of that spirituall letargy of the soule daily meditate on thaâ— of the Apostle Corde creditur ad iustitiam orâ— fit confessio ad salutem (q) Rom. 10. With the hart we belieuâ— vnto iustice but with the mouth Confession is maâ—â— vnto saluation And lest that dreadfull commination and threate of our Lord and Sauiour preuayle with you heerein (r) Luke 12. 〈◊〉 that denyeth me before men shal be denyed before the Angells of God But I will stay my selfe remembring my vndertaken Subiect and will proceed to the next Head THE FORMER TRVTH PROVED from the consideration of the punishments anciently inflicted vpon Heretikes by the Churcâ— of Christ CHAP. IX HAVING in the precedent Chapters shewed the Iudgement of tâ—â— church of Christ by way of doctrine speculation agaynst Heresy and Heretikes in generall we will in â—his place insist in relating the practice of the â—ayd church agaynst Heretikes consisting in â—he punishments aunciently inflicted vpon Heretikes by the authority of Gods church from the consideration wherof we may easily gather that the church of Christ in those â—ymes infallibly taught that Heretikes so liuing and dying could not be saued seeing â—t would neuer impose such multiplicity of â—euere punishments vpoÌ„ men for their houlling of those doctrines which might stand with the saluation of the belieuers of them And first we are heere to obserue that the punishments inflicted vpon offendours by the church were eyther Ecclesiasticall or Politicall Ciuill The first of Ecclesiasticall punishments â—or Heretikes was Excommunication by the which Heretikes were driuen away from â—he Sacraments were depriued of the common suffrages and prayers of the whole church and finally banished from the community comfort of the godly and faythfull This censure of Excommunication of Heretiks is most auncient seeing that it had 〈◊〉 beginning from the first times that counâ—ells began to be celebrated for the extirpaâ—ion and rooting out of Heresies is founded vpon all those places of Scripture in the foregoing chapters alleadged agaynst Heresy and Heretikes Another Ecclesiasticall censure agaynst Heretikes is the depriuing them of all the vse of spirituall power and authority whether it be of order or Iurisdiction This kind of power belongeth only to Ecclesiasticall Persons or the Cleargy according heereto if a Priest became an open Heretike he was
(b) Act. mon. p. 1335. these words The Commaundements were giuen not to doe them but 〈◊〉 know our damnation and to call for mercy to God Doctor Willet also saying The (c) In Sinop Papismi p. 564. law remayneth still impossible to be kept by vs through the weâ—kenes of our flesh neyther doth God giue vs abilityâ— keep it but Christ hath fulfilled it for vs. And â—â—nally Doctour Whitaker in that his seâ—tence (d) Contra Camp rat 8. Qui credunt ij non sunt sub lege sed sub gratia Quid plura Christiani execrâ—tione legis liberantur They who belieue are 〈◊〉 vnder the law but vnder grace What more in this point is to be sayed Christians are freed from the curse of the law Now then if Christians be freed from the curse of the law wherin the ten Commaundments are contayned how can the breach of them be any way hurtfull to the violators of them And if the Commandments were neither giuen vs to keep nor we haue power to keep them to what end should any man endeauour to keep theÌ„ Why should the Thiefe forbeare to steale or the Homicide to commit murther whoseeth not how this doctrine discourageth a man from liuing vertuously by bridling his vnruly and sensuall desires 2. Touching Chastity The Protestants do teach that Chastity is not in our power And hence it is that Luther thus wryteth It is (e) Tom. 5. Wittenb ser de matrimonio not in our power to be without a woman c. It is not in our power that it should be stayed or omitted but it is as necessary as to eate drinke purge make cleane the nose c. To whom omitting all others for greater breuity M. Perkins subscribeth saying The vow of (f) In his reformed Catholike pag. 161. CoÌ„tineÌ„cy is not in the power of him that voweth Now this doctrine being imbraced for true how forcibly doth it inuite or rather impell all people vnmaryed both men or women to satisfy their lust by their owne incontinent liues In like sort what great encouragemeÌ„t doth it giue to maryed persons to violate the bond of matrimony when either of the persons through absence or long sickenes or some other suddayne and accidentall impotency cannot render the act and due of matrimony And the partyes thus sinning eyther maryed or vnmaryed being expostulated and charged with their offence therein may they not iustly reply in excuse of themselues that they are not to be blamed or rebuked for their incontinency seing by their owne doctrine and Religion they are expresly taught that they haue not the guilt of chastity and that it is not in their power to liue chastly continently 3. The Protestants doctrine of Venial and Mortall sinne doth wonderfully extenuate and lessen the atrocity and malice of sinne in the belieuers of that doctrine For the Protestants do teach that there is noâ— such difference of sinnes in themselues buâ— that the most grieuous sinnes whatsoeuer being perpetrated and committed by any one that hath true fayth are but veniall their reason heereof is because in their doctrine no sinnes are imputed to those whâ— haue true fayth Thus accordingly D. Whitaker teacheth (g) De Eccles cont Bellarm. Controuer â— q. 5. p. 301. Si quis actum fidei habet 〈◊〉 peccata non nocent Sinne is not hurtfull to him whâ— actually belieueth who did learne this of his great mayster Luther thus writing of this point (h) Luther in his sermons Englished printed 1578. pag. 176. No worke is disallowed of God vnles the authour therof be disallowed before All which being graunted as true doctrine it must needs follow that who shall take himselfe to be one of the Faythfull as euery Protestant is bound by his owne Religion to belieue of himselfe shall make small accompt of committing any sinne considering he is taught by the former doctrine to belieue that to vse the words of one of their owne maysters (i) Wotton in his answere to the lute Popish Articles pag. 92. Sinne is pardoned him as soone as it is committed 4. The Protestants doctrine of Reprobation and denyall of Freewill mightily disanimateth and discourageth the belieuers thereof from imbracing of vertue and eschewing of sinne for if it be true as this their Doctrine suggesteth that some men are borne euen from their mothers wombe Reprobats and thrall to damnation and cannot be saued to what end should they seeke their owne saluation by a true Fayth auoyding of sinne and practizing of a penitentiall vertuous lyfe Or if we haue not Freewill with the concurrence of Gods grace to do well as the former doctrine instructeth why should we giue our best endeauours to imbrace vertue and fly all vice Since it is not in our power according to the Protestants fayth to exercise the one and fly the other 5. To this may be adioyned the ProtestaÌ„ts like doctrine of Predestination and their supposed certainty of Saluation For admit that men be Predestinated without any respect or reference to their works and lyues and that do what wickednes they can imagine yet certaine it is that they shal be saued is not this Doctrine most potent and forcible to diswade all the belieuers therof from exercising an austere pious and Religious lyfe and to engulfe them easily in all kind of enormities and sinnes and the rather considering how precipitious headlong mans nature is to sinne to decline all rigorous and exemplar courses of vertue especially if so the case stands that man can neither aduantage or hurt himselfe by any such different maner of lyfe Now that by the Protestants Doctrine no sinne can endaunger the Predestinate in regard of their certainty of SaluatioÌ„ appeareth seeing according heerin we find D. Fulke thus to say of Dauids adultery (k) In his tower disput with Edm. Campian the 2. dayes coÌ„ference Dauid when he committed adultery was and remained the child of God And Beza himselfe to the like purpose thus wryteth therof (l) In Respons ad Colloq Montisbel part altera p. 71. Dauid by his adultery and murther did not loose the holy Ghost So powerfully do these their positions incline men to satisfye their desires in all vice impiety and sensuality 6. Touching the Protestants Doctrine of Iustification by Fayth only which potentially includes diuers of the other points heere set downe and which position of it owne nature excludeth from Iustification all works how vertuous and pious soeuer we find the Protestants thus to say And first Luther speaking heereof bursteth forth with wonderfull rashnes saying (*) Tom. 1. prop. 3. Fides nisi sit sine c Vnlesse fayth be without the least Good workes it doth not iustify nay it is not fayth That Iustification by fayth only extinguisheth all exercise of vertue is iustifyed not only by experience of these dayes but also by the acknowledgmeÌ„t euen of some learned Protestants for thus Iacobus Andraeas a famous