As for example by causing a man to yelde a litle against his cōscience to goe once to Church to staye but a litle there to haue Seruice in his owne house or the lyke In the which if a man might say as cōmonlye they doe say in euil meats that a litle wil doe but a litle hurte it were more tollerable But séeing the matter standeth as it doth in poysons wherof euerye litle drāme wil be thy bane No maruel though men shewe them selues more scrupulous Heare the iudgment of a whole cleargye in the Primatiue Church alleaged by S. Cypriā y e Martyr of Christ. Wheras the whol mistery of faith is vnderstood to cōsist in the cōfessing of the name of Christ he that hath sought false sleightes for excuse thereof hath now denyed it he that wil seeme to haue fulfilled such statutes lawes as are set fourth against the gospel in so doing he hath obeied thē in very deed For as much as he would haue it seeme that he hath obeyed them Héere you sée now al dissemblinge of our faith takē for denying our faith and al séeminge to be condemned for doinge The which that ould valiant champiō of God Eliazarus ful wel knew when he rather chose to dye then to séeme to eate a péece of flesh albeit he did it not in déede contrarye to the lawe of God And the reason he geaueth for it is this It is not fit for our age to fayne O good Eliazarus if it were not fit for thy age to fayne or dissemble in matters of religiō what shall we say of our age wherein for many respectes we are more bounde to confesse our Lord and master and his Catholicke religion then thow werte For that we haue receaued more benefits at his hands aud haue séene how he confessed vs before his enemies and ours and could not be brought by anye feare or torment to deny vs. But wel ther wil be wicked men and dissembling Christians stil Yet notwithstāding Gods law must stande set downe by Christ his owne mouth He that shal blush or be ashamed of me my sayings of him shal the sonne of man be ashamed whē he shal come in his maiestye and in the maiestye of his Father and of his holy Angels He doth not onely say if we doe deny him but if we do blush or be ashamed to confesse him which cōside ration made the Apostles and other seruāts of Christ so peremptorily to procéede in confessinge openlye their fayth with what daunger soeuer it were And S. Paul géeueth a reason of it when he sayeth Woe be vnto me except I doe preach the gospel That is except I confesse it except I let it forth what daunger bodelye soeuer come thereof And in the actes of the Apostles the high Preists and magistrats commaunded not the Apostles to be of their religion nor yet to come to their seruice in their sinagogues but onely to hould their peace And that they should not speake or teache any more in the name of Iesus But y t Apostles vtterly denied to obeye y t cōmaundemēt in y t chapter folowing being takē again for not obeing wer asked in opē iudgmēt by y t magistrats We cōmāded you straightly to teach no more in this name and how chanseth it that you haue filled al Ierusalem with this doctrine And Pecter answered with the reste of the Apostles We must rather obey God then men As whoe shoulde saye that if they should haue granted to dissemble and not to speake openly they should haue denyed God in obeying men more then him What if the high Priests and Magistrates should haue sayde vnto them well we are content that you liue with youre Conscience soe you kepe it to your selues trouble not the state and soe that you will for obedience sake some tyme come to onre Sinagogues shewing your selues conformable men to oure procedinges Nay what if they shoulde haue sayd Some of you also for outward shewe keping alwayes your Consciences to your selues must flée this odious name of Christians and seme to cōmunicate nowe and then with vs in our Sacrifices and cerymonies we are content also that sōe of you shalbe our officers and Justices of peace Coūcellers and the like so that you wil somtimes for orders sake punish some of those indiscréete felowes of your religion which cannot be content to kepe their Consciences to them selues soe you wil alsoe geue some pretye sharpe charge in your circuites sessions and assemblies alwayes keping your Consciences to your selues if some of you also wil som times step vpp into the pulpet and speake thrée or fower ernest woordes against this religion it shal be verye gratful vnto vs espetially if you wil affirme it with an oth which we haue deuised for the same purpose and this doinge we assure you that you shal liue quietly to your owne Consciences we shal account you for good subiectes If I saye the Magistrates of Iurye at that tyme should haue geuen to the Apostels other Christians this swete charme you thinke that they could haue abidden to hear it al out whose hartes did rise and swel at two woords only that they spooke for the intreating of them to hould their peace And yet many a thousand now in England being as throughly perswaded in hart of y t trueth of the Catholique relygion as the Apostles other Christiās at y t time were of theirs are content notwithstanding to heare digest admit execute al or most parte of these things recited contrarie to the sayd religion And yet besids al this which is more to be wondred at they are not ashamed to perswade thē selues that they shal one day come to that glory wher in the Apostles now are But this is desperate presūption And therfor we sée what a iust cause this is for a Catholique to resuse to come to the churches of the contrary religion THE Seuenth Reason THE Seuenth Reason why a Catholick may not yeld to come the pro testantes churches is because the seruice which they vse is nought and dishonerable to God and therfore no man can cōe to it or heare it or seme to alow of it by his presēce without great offence to God Nether is it sufficient to say as cōmonly they vse to say to beguile simple people withal that it is the Scripture taken out of the Gospels Epistles Psalmes and the like For by that argument the Iewes seruice were good at this daye which is takē out of the ould Testement and al heretiques seruice thateuer was semed to be nothing but Scriptures For as S. Austen in diuers places noteth it was alwayes y e fashion of heretiks to haue Scripture in their mouthe to cleue only to Scriptures and to refuse traditions as inuentions of men And we reade of the arian heretiques how they were wont to singe
that thou shouldest be deceaued with that opiniō in such fort that thou shouldest ether by noughty shame or obstinate disdayne refrayne to confesse before the substitute or Vicegerent of our Lord. For whom our Lord did not disdayne to make his substiute his iudgemente must thow be contente also to stande to This benifit therefore of the keyes of the Church and of receauing remission of their sinnes by the same which Catholickes doe thincke to be the greatest benifit of their religiō do they loose that goe to the Protestants Churches besids al the good instructions wholesome councels and vertuous admonitions which Catholickes doe receaue in confession at their ghostly fathers hands then the which things they finde nothinge more forcible to bring them to good lyfe especially if they frequente it often as all 〈◊〉 Catholickes in the worlde nowe doe Fourthlye they loose the infinite benefite of receuing the blessed sacramēt of the aulter the pretious Body and Bloud of Christ being the foode of our soules and as Christ sayeth The bread that came downe from heuen to geue lyfe vnto the world To the worthye eating of which heauēly bread Christ promiseth infinite reward saying He that eateth my flesh and drincketh my bloud hath lyfe euerlasting and I wil rayse him againe at the last day And agayne He that eateth me shal lyue through me Upon which promises of Christ our forfathers of the Primatiue church haue alwayes most earnestlye exhorted al men to the often receauinge of this blessed sacrament alleaging innumerable cōmodities of y e same and prouing by experiēce that the frequēting of this Sacrament is the chéefeste meanes to come to al grace zeale féelinge and lyfe in spiritual matters And on the contrarye parte that the abstayninge from the same is the right way to al spiritual miserye and for the soule of man to wyther away drye vp and starue euen as the plant dothe that lacketh moysture The which we sée nowe by experience in manye a thousand who for lacke of the foode of this blessed Fountayne of grace are as dead in al spiritual cogitations and déedes as a starued stake in the hadge from bearing of flowers and their myndes so ouergrowen with the rancke wéedes of Carnalitye that there is noe difference betwixte them and a brute bullocke for as much the one foloweth his passions as the other Whereby we sée what a losse it is to depryue them selues from the vse of this Sacrament Fiftlye they loose al the merit of their good déedes what soeuer For as S. Gregorie sayeth Euen as none receaued their peny in the Gospel but they onely which had labored within the compasse of the Vineyarde soe no man shal receaue any reward for any good deede of his except he haue donne it within the vnitye of the Church So that if a man should doe neuer so many good déedes geue neuer so manye almes nay as S. Cyprian proueth if a man should suffer neuer so many thinges for Christ yea death it selfe yet if he were out of the vnity of the Catholick Church he shal haue no rewarde therefore And not onely this but if a man be in anye mortal sinne what soeuer as long as he abydeth in the same without repentance and confession al deuines hould that he looseth the rewarde of al his good déedes And the reason is because noe worke can be meritorious of it selfe but onely by reson of the grace from whence it procéedeth but by euerye mortal sinne which a man committeth he losseth grace and much more by goeinge out of the vnitye of the Church And therefore in such men vntil they repente there can be noe hope of anye reward for any good woorke which they shall doe Sixthely they lose the benefit of Communion of Saintes which we protest to beléeue in our Créede That is they haue no parte of the Sacrifices oblations prayers fastinges almes other good woorks done within the Catholique Church which all other Catholiques haue Finallye they being cut of and deuided from the vnitie of the other members they take parte of no influence whiche cōmeth from the head to the bodye that is from Christ to the Churche nomore then a mans hande once cut of doth take blood norishment spirit or lyfe from the arme from which it is now separated as most learnedly S. Austen dothe discourse Wherfore they must néedes wither awaye and make drye wood for hell fyre and as good for them it were in effect to be of anye other relygion as of that whereof they take not one iote of commoditye And to all these myseries they are driuen onely by going to the protestants Churches THE Nynthe Reason THE Nynthe Reason whiche Catholiques may yelde for their refusal of going to the Church may be the example of all men from the beginning which haue had any care or Conscience toward their own religion not only good men of whom I haue geuen diuers examples before but also al others how false erronious soeuer their religion were yet did they alwayes procure to separate them selues from them of the contrarie religion in the acte of prayer and from the Templs Sinagogues Churches Dratories and conuenticles of 〈◊〉 same Soe we reade of the Gentils which thought it to be a great sinne and polution to enter into the Iewes Synagogues or Christians Chnrches The like we read alsoe of the Turkes at thys daye Soe al heretiques from the beginning as soone as they had framed any newe relygion eftsons they erected new oratories to them selues and refused to come to those of other relygions as the Arians Denatists and the rest had their Churches and places of prayer dstincte from the Catholiques whose Churches they detested and auoyded together with their doctrine And soe the Anabaptistes at this daye refuse to goe to the Lutherans Church and the Lutherans to the Trinitaries In like wise the Puritans of our time in Englād refuse to come to the Protestantes churches And the Protestants in oother countries doe vtterly denye to present them selues to Catholique Churches alleginge their consciencs for the same and affirming it to be danmable hipocrisie in them that for feare or for any other temporal repect doe yeld to doe the same against their fayth and conscience Wherby it apeareth that they goe quit against their own docttrine and example in England which obiect the same to Catholiques as disobedience obstinacie and rebellious dealing which in other countries they them selues both teach and practise I wil for mor manifestation of this matter put downe here the very wordes of one of them translated out of french and printed in England and dedicated to y t Lord Tresurour by John Brooke the authors name is John Gardiner a Protestant whoe in his Cathechisme or as he calleth it Confession of his faythe maketh it a great heynous sinne for
A BRIEF DISCOVRS contayning certayne REASONS WHY CAtholiques refuse to goe to Church WRITTEN BY A LEARNED AND vertuous man to a frend of his in England AND Dedicated by I. H. to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie IHS Imprinted at Doway by Iohn Lyon 1580. WITH PRIVELEGE TO THE MOST HIGHE Mightie Princesse ELIZABETH by the grace of God Quene of England France and Irland c. Iohn Howlet wisheth al aboundance of grace and spiritual giftes with true felicitye in Iesus Christ. MY MOST Excellent and soueraygne dread Ladye and Princesse two causes induced me to direct vnto your royal person and most gracious Maiestie this present Treatise after I had read and considered the same The one for that it séemed to me both conceued and penned with such modestie and humilitie of spirite together with al dutiful respect to your highnes to your honorable Lordes of the Counsaile and to the whole estate of your noble Realme contrarye to the spirite and procéedings of al 〈◊〉 as none might iustely be offended therewith but onely in respect of the wryters zeale and opinion in religion which notwithstanding hauinge bene from tyme to tyme the common receaued religion of vniuersal Christendome can not be soe soone abandoned by the disfauour of any one countrye nor lacke men to speake or wryte in defence of the same as longe as there is ether head or hand remaining loose in the world The other cause was for that it séemed to me to contayne matter of great and weightie consideration and much important not onelye to the cause of God but also to your Maiesties soule estate and Realme and vnto the state of many a thowsand of your graces most louing faithful and dutiful subiectes who being now afflicted for their consciences and brought to such extremitie as neuer was hard of in England before haue no other meanes to redresse and ease their miseries but onely as confident children to runne vnto the mercy and clemency of your Highnes their Mo ther and borne soueraigne Princesse before whom as before the substitute and Angel of God they laye downe their gréefes disclose their miseries and vnfould their pitiful afflicted case brought into suche distresse at this time as ether they must renounce God by doinge that which in iudgemente and conscience they doe condemne or els sustayne such intollerable molestations as they can not beare Which your Maiestie by that which followeth more at large may please to vnderstand There are at this day in this your Maiesties Realme fower knowen religions and the professors thereof distinct both in name spirite and doctrine that is to say the Catholickes the Protestants the Puritanes and the howsholders of Loue. Besids al other petye sects newly borne and yet grouelinge on the ground Of these fower sorts of men as the Catholiks are the first the auncientest the more 〈◊〉 number and the most beneficial to al the rest hauing begotten and bred vp the other and deliuered to them this Realme conserued by Catholicke religion these thowsand yeares and more soe did they alwayes hope to receaue more fauour then the rest or at leaste wyse equall tolleration with other religions disalowed by the state But God knoweth it hath fallen out quite contrarye For other religions haue bene permitted to put out their heades to growe to aduaunce them selues in cōmon speach to mount to pulpites with litle or noe controlement But the Catholique religion hath bene soe beaten in with the terror of lawes and the rigorous execution of the same as the verye suspition thereof hath not escaped vnpunished The Lawe made by Protestants prohibitinge the practize of other religions besides there owne allotteth out the same punishment to all them that doe any waye varye from the publique communion booke or otherwise say seruice then is appointed there as it doth to the Catholiques for hearinge or sayinge of a Masse And althoughe the worlde knoweth that the order set doune in that booke be commonlye broken by euerye minister at his pleasure and obserued almost noe where yet smal punishment hath euer ensewed therof But for hearinge of a Masse were it neuer soe secret or vttered by neuer so weake meanes what imprisoninge what arrayninge what condemning hath there bene The examples are lamentable and many freshe in memorye and in dyuers families will be to all posteritye miserable To this now if we adde the extreme penalties laied vpon the practize of certayne particulers in the Catholicke religion as imprisonmēt perpetual losse of goodes and lands and lyfe also for refusal of an othe against my religiō death for recōciling my selfe to God by my ghostly father death for geuing the supreme Pasfor supreme authoritie in causes of the Church death for bringing in a crucifix in remembrance of the crucified death for bringing in a séely payre of beades a medal or an agnus dei in deuotion of the Lambe that tooke away my sinns which penalties haue not bene layed vpon the practise of other religions your Maiestie shal easelye finde to be trew soe much as I haue sayd which is that the Catholike religion wherin we were borne baptized and brede vp and our forefathers lyued and dyed most holyly in the same hath found lesse fauour and tolleration then anye other newer sect or religion what so euer And albeit the world doth know how that the great mercye and clemencie of your Maiestie hath stayed often times and restrayned these penalties from their execution and from the ouerthrowinge of 〈◊〉 men whome otherwise they myght and would haue oppressed yet notwithstanding as I haue sayd there wante not verye pitiful examples abrode which would moue greately and make to bléed that Princely and compassionable harte of your Highnes if their miseries in particuler were knowen to the same especially it beinge in such subiectes as loued and doe loue most tenderly your Maiestie and for such a cause as lyethe not in them to remoue that is for their conscience and iudgement in religion But now these afflictions how gréeuous and heauye soe euer they were yet were they hythertoe more tollerable because they were not common nor fell not out vppon euerye man and if there were anye common crosse layed vppon them as there wanted not they bare it out with patience as their discredit in their countryes whoe were borne to credyte and countenance in the same distrustefull dealinge with all of that relygion notwithstandinge their resolute redines to spend their lyues in your Maiesties seruice and other the lyke afflictions which they shifted out with as they might But at this time present and for certaine monethes past the tempeste hath bene so terrible vppon these kinde of men and their persecutions so vniuersal as the lyke was neuer felte nor feared before For besides the general molestation and castinge into geales both of men women and children of that religion throughe out all partes of your Maiestyes Realmes there are certayne particulers reported here
which make the matter more afflictiue As the disioyning of man and wife in sondrye prisons The compelling of such to dye in prison which could not stande or goe in their owne houses The sendinge of virgins to Brydewell for their consciences The rackinge and tormentinge of dyuers which was neuer harde of before in anye country for religion And that which aboue all other thinges is most gréeuous iniurious and intollerable is the geuinge out publiquelye that all Catholiques are enemies and traytors to your Royall Maiestye and this not onely to vtter in speach but also to let it passe in print to the vewe of the worlde and to the rentinge of Catholiques hartes which are preuye of their owne truthe and dutifull affection towardes your Highenes estate and person This was wryten and putt in printe this Sommer paste to a Noble man of your Maiesties preuye Counsayle for the excitinge of him to the persecution of all Catholiques by a straunge braynesicke felowe whom Newegate possessed a longe tyme for his phantastical opinions wherin he is soe pregnant if men reporte truelye as he can deuyse anye newe religion vppon a wéekes warninge geuen him at anye tyme. This Felow affirmeth there that al Papistes as he termeth them are enemies to God and to your Roial Maiesty The which in his meaning toucheth soe néere soe manye thowsand good subiaes in this Lande as I meruayle that ether his audacitie serued him to write it or M. Elmers officers would allowe to printe it But it séemeth that Catholiques at this daye are made according to the Philosophers prouerbe Praeda Mysorum That is layde open to euery mans iniurie a pray for euery one to bayte vppon and a common place for euery rayler to ruffle on and to rubbe his cankered tongue in their slaunder In al which great wronges they haue no appeale but vnto God and to your Maiestye as Uicegerent in his place before whom they desire aboue all other thinges to cleare themselues from this gréeuous obiected crime of dissoyaltie by protesting and calling the omnipotent knowledge of our great God and Sauiour to witnes that they are déeply slaundered in this poynte and that they are as readye to spend their goods landes liuinges and lyfe with al other worldly commodities whatsoeuer in the seruice of your Maiestie and their Countrie as their auncitours haue bene to your Noble progenitours before this and as dutifull subiectes are bound to doe vnto their soueraine Princesse and Quene onlye crauing pardon for not yeelding to such conformitie in matters of religion as is demaunded at their handes which they cannot doe but by offence of their consciences induced by those reasons which more at large are declared in this Treatise following And that the Catholique religyon in general for I medle with no mans particuler facte is vniustlye towched by anye secte of our time for teaching disobedience or rebellion against their Princes it maye appeare playnly by the different doctrine which ech part delyuereth vnto his folowers First John Wikliffe one of their progenitours teacheth That a Prince if he rule euil or fal into mortal sinne is no longer Prince but that his subiectes may rise against him and punishe him at their pleasures Secondly Martin Luther folowing the same sreppes teacheth That Christians are free exempted from al Princes lawes Wherof followed immediatly that famous rebellion of the countriemen against their Lordes in Germanye in the yeare 1525. and in the same two hundred thousand slayne in one daye Thirdly John Caluin not dissenting from the rest teacheth That Princes lawes binde not subiectes to obedience in conscience but only for external and temporal respect Wherof enseweth that if by anye occasion this externall feare for the which onlye the subiect obeyeth be taken awaye as when he were able to make his partie soe stronge as he feared not his Prince then he should not sinne in rebelling against him And in an other place holding plainlye the doctrine of Luther he saythe That the consciences of the faythfull are exempted from the power of all men by reason of the libertye geuen them by Christ. Lastly the writing against the regiment of Women in Quene Maryes tyme for that the gouernment then lyked them not all men can remember Which errours all the Catholique Churche vtterlye condemneth teachinge her children together with the Apostle true obedience to their Princes for Conscience sake euen as vnto God him selfe whose roome they doe possesse and to whom they are bounde vnder the payne of mortall sinne and eternall damnation patiently to obey how hardly soeuer they deale with them in their gouernment otherwise By the which your Maiestie may perceaue how falslye the Catholique religion is charged by her enemyes of the 〈◊〉 crime Besides this if your 〈◊〉 wisdome shal but enter into a 〈◊〉 consideration of the 〈◊〉 of Catholiques and of other of newer relygions towardes their Princes this daye in Europe it shal easelye appeere which of them are of the quieter spirits and 〈◊〉 in obedience I wil not make mention of greater matters but only to quite this afore sayd puritance which soe falslye hath infamed vs. I 〈◊〉 set 〈◊〉 here certayne propositions gathered out of two sermons of two of his preachers by a minister present there in Stamforde at the generall fast this last sommer Which fast being prohibited with the preachings at the same by the expresse letters of the Lorde Superintendent of 〈◊〉 bearing date the 5. of September to the Alderman and Comburgeses of the sayde Lowne the preachers would not obey but stepping vp into the pulpit vttered as followeth 1. In such actions as may further the publique fast flesh and blood must not be called to counsayle to doe the Lordes commaundement but they must be vndertaken without suche warrant 2. The religion that Jonas preached did not as ours nowe dothe depend and hange vppon Actes of Parliament For we when we goe about such actions as God is to be glorified in doe first enquire whether ther be any Acte of Parliament to warrant our doinges or no. 3. It is the manner of her officers and Counsailers now a dayes to reforme matters by Actes of Parliament and by polycies and not by Jonas his preachinges 4. Her Counsailers neuer inquire what newes at Poules sermon but what reportes are a brode that if anye dislyking thing should come to the Kinges eare they might stopp it from thence 1. He is of no spirite that wil not promote that which God commaundethe thoughe al Edicts be contrarye for we must not obey flesh and blood 2. They that are ruled by the Edictes of men wil change their religion with the Prince and they are of noe conscience though they be neuer soe much grounded in diuinitie 3. What if nether the Quéene Counsayle nor Bishoppe haue bene present at the Fast nor alowed therof yet we
this for different opinions in religion a miserie not accustomed to fal in our fathers dayes vpon that noble 〈◊〉 But as these were causes of some sorow so was it no meane comforte vnto me to consider that in these wicked loosse times of ours wherein there is no feelinge or sence of vertue leaste but all men enwrapped in the loue of Godes professed enemie the world followinge with all force and full sayle the vanities and ambition of the same that their should be fownde in Ingland so many gentlemen both for their yeares liuinges and other habilities as fit to be as vayne as the reste yet so precyse in matters of religion so respectiue to their cōsciences as that they wil prefer their soul before ther body gods cause before theyr owne ease na that they will rather venture both body and goodes lyfe landes libertye and all then they wil doe any thinge contrary to theyr consciences whereby they must be iudged at the last daye This is suche a thing as it must nedes bring comforte to all men can iustly greue none excepte the cōmen enemy the deuil him selfe For as for strāgers they must néedes be 〈◊〉 therewith as for Inglish men they must néedes be incoraged therby And as for the Princes hir selfe shée cānet but be comforted therein assuringe hir selfe that yf these men doe 〈◊〉 so firmly vnto theyr consciences and fayth sworne vnto God in theyr 〈◊〉 of baptisme then wil they as 〈◊〉 for the same conscience stik vnto 〈◊〉 Maiestie if occasion should serue in kéepinge theyre secondary faythe and allegeance sworne vnto hir Highnes as to the substitute of God Their aduersaries also and persecutors it can not in any reason mislyke for that the contrarye religion were to haue them as constant and faithful in that if it were possible to win them to the same But notwithstanding séeing you wryte that ther is both great dislyke displesure also takē of it as though their constancie were obstinacie and their conscience méere will which most of all gréeueth as you wryte their obedient and well meaninge mindes albeit otherwise the pressure it self be so heauie as the burden therof is sore and gréeuous to beare for these causes and for the géeuinge of some more lyght to the whol matter I wil as you séeme to desire most briefly towch thrée things in this letter wherby I doubt not but that you shall accompte your selfe fullye and sufficientlye answered 1. The first poynt shalbe what cause or reasō the Catholicks haue to stand as they doe in the refusall of thinges offered them and especially of going to the Church Secondly what waye or means they may vse to remedy or ease themselues of this afliction now layd vpon them for theyr consciences Thirdly if that waye or meanes doe not preuayle then howe they ought to beare and indewre the same The firste parte THAT the Quens most excellēt Maiestye the honorable Lords of hir preuy Counsell other the learned and wyse of Inglande may see that the refusall of going to the churche of so mani thow sand Catholiques at this day in that Realme is not vppon disloyaltie or stubburne obstinacie as theyr aduersaries geue it out but vppon conscience and great reason and for the auoydinge of manifest peril of eternal dānation which they shold incurr in yealdinge to that which is demauuded at their hands I haue put downe some causes and reasōs heere folowinge referringe the Reader to more larger discourses made by diuers lerned men of our tyme in soundrye partes of their workes this beinge shufled vp in hast and namelye to a peculier Tretise not long agone published to wching this matter But first of all it is to be noted that my reasons to thend they may cōuince are to be supposed to procéed from a Catholick mind that is from a man which in his conscience is throughly perswaded that onelye the Catholycke Romaine Relygion is truth that al other new doctrines and religions are false religions as all new gods are false gods Now of these Catholiks there are two sorts in Ingland thone which in their consciences doe iudge that as all other religions besids their owne are false so all participation with them either in déede or in shewe by othe by Sacramentes by goynge vnto theire prayers and seruice or otherwise is naught forbidden vnlawful yet ether for fear or fauour or 〈◊〉 other worldly cause they are content to comunicate w t them in all or some of y e forsayd things of thos men albe it they be very many in Ingland I meane not to intreate their case be ing aparantly both to thē selues and to al other men wicked and out of al doubt dānable For as S. Austin saith He that knoweth the thinges to be il that he doth yet doth thē he goeth down quick vnto hell As though hée would say Albeit he be yet quick vpō the carthe yet is he in the prouidence of God dead and damned in hel And S. Paul talking of this sinne neuer layth lesse punishement vpon it then iudgment and damnation althoughe it be committed in thinges of them selues indifferent or lawful for albe it as hée sayth meates offred to Idoles be of them selues lawful to be eaten to him that knowth an Idole to nothing Yet Yf a mā should decerne or iudge it to be vnlawful and yet eate of it he is damned for it because he doth not accordinge to his conscience or knowledge And the reason is that which S. Paule hath immediatelye folowinge sayinge All that which is done by vs not according to our knoledge or conscience is sinne And S. 〈◊〉 confirmeth the same sayinge He that knoweth good and doth it not sinneth Wherfore S. Paule crieth out a little before thus Blessed is he that iudgeth not or condemnethe not him selfe in doinge contrarye to that he best alloweth And the cause why this sinne against a mans owne cōscience is so dānable is this Some doe sinne of humaine frailtie as did Peter and this is called a sinne against the father who is called Power Some doe sinne of ignorance as did Paule this is called a sinne against the sōne who is called Wisdōe Some do sinn of meere will malice choosing to sinne although they know it to be sinne and this is the sinne 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost to whome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 particulerlye grace and goodnesse the whiche a man most wikedly cōtemneth and reiecteth when hée sinneth wilfully against his owne Conscience and therefore Christe sayeth that a man shalbe forgéeuen a sinn against the father and against the senne as wée doe sée it was in Peter and Paul But he that sinneth against the holy Ghost shal neuer be forgeuen nether in this world nether in the worlde to come As for exāple the Pharises were not which did many thinges againste Christ
malitiosly and contrary to their own knowledg and consciences If this be trew as it is if God be not vntrew then in what a miserable case standeth many a man in Ingland at this day which take othes receaue sacramēts goe to church and cōmit many a like act directly against their owne consciences and against their owne knowledg nay what a case doe thei stād in which know such things to be directlye against other mens 〈◊〉 and yet doe compell them to doe it As to receaue against theire will to sweare against their wil the like Surely as I am now minded I wold not for ten thowsand worldes compell a Iewe to sweare that theire weare a blessed Trinity For albeit the thing be neuer so trew yet should he be damned sor swearinge against his conscience and I for compelling him to commit so heyneus and gréeuous a sinne But of this sort of Catholikes this is ynough and to much excepte they weare better For they are to be accompted according to S. Paule damned men in this lyfe and therefore noe Christians and much lesse Catholickes There are an other sorte of Catholikes that albeit they doe iudge al other religions besides theire owne false and erroneous and damnable yet doe they not thincke but that for some worldly respecte as for sauinge their offices dignities liberties credytes or the like they may in some of the former thinges at the least wise in goyng to Church for as for swearinge and receauinge I thincke noe Catholicke this day in Europe thincketh it lesse then damnable shewe them selues conformable men to the procéedinges of them of the contrarie religion and doe also thincke others too scrupulous which doe stand in the refusall of the same But to shewe that these men are in a wrong and perilous perswasion builded only on their owne phantasie and therefore to be reformed and that thother men are the onely trew Catholickes and bound to do so much as they do vpon paine of the high displeasure of God eternal domage of their own souls I haue put doune here thes reasons y e folowe which may serue for y e iustifiing of thone parties conscience for the dewe reforming of the other The first Reason The first reasō why I being a Catholicke in minde may not goe to the Churches or seruice of the contrarie relygion is because I perswading my selfe their doctrine to be false doctrine and consequently venemous vnto the hearer I may not venture my soul to be infected with the same For as it is damnable for a man to to kill him selfe and consequentlye deadly sine without iust cause to put his bodye in probable danger of deathe so is it muche more offensiue to God to put my sowle ten thowsād times of more valewe then my bodye in danger to the deadly stroke of false doctrine and heresie espetially séeing I haue no warrant of securitie or scaping but rather I heare God crying to the contrarie Hee that loueth daunger shall perish in the same Nether is it 〈◊〉 for mée to think that I am sure inough frō being infected for that I am groūded inough I am learned suffitiently For what yf God take his grace from the and lett thée fall because thou hast not folowed his counsaile whiche is If thou wilt not be bitté with the snake not to slepe neighe the hedg If thou wilt not be spotted thē not to touche the Pitche Wherfor S. Paul to as good a man as lerned as strong as I am gaue a general rule to auoid and file an heretical man The lyke precepte hée gaue to Tymothie being a Byshope to auoyd a certaine heritique by name Alexander more vehemetly yet he coniureth as it were the Thessalonians in the name of Iesus Christe that they shoulde withdrawe them selues from like felowes The same hée repeateath againe to y e Romans beseching them to note and to decline from suche mē The reasō of this S. Paul vttreth to Timothe Because ther speche crepeth lyke a cāker and they haue subuerted the faith of certayne Againe hée saythe to the Romans of the same men By sweete words and gaye blessings they seduce the harts of the Innocent And S. Peter saith of them that they doe allure vnto them vnconstant sowlles Héere nowe I sée the scripture carefully counsailing and commaunding me to auoyd the cōpany and speache of false teachers it putteth downe also the perill if I doe it not which is as 〈◊〉 as the 〈◊〉 of my soul. And on the cōtrarie side I haue noe warrant of 〈◊〉 nor example of good men to 〈◊〉 the same For I doe reade this wryten of farr my betters The Apostles and their schollers were so warye and circumspect in this case in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they would not so mnch as once reason the matter with any of them who endeuored by their lyinges or newe deuices to corrupte the truthe Furthermor I am sure I can neuer take good by hearing them but I am in 〈◊〉 possibilitie to take euill as manye more learned men then I in ould time haue done As Dionisius Alexandrinus confesseth of him selfe and of Origen 〈◊〉 it is knowen many men in England can be witnesies which bothe to them selues and also to other mē séemed the time was so firme and grounded in religion as nothing could moue thē yet nowe they haue proued otherwise Wherfore it cānot be but great sinin 〈◊〉 notwithstanding all this if I shall put my sowle in suche daunger by aduenturing to their companie to their seruice to their sermōs to reading their bookes or the like wherby in any wise I may be corupted The which aduenture what a sin it was counted in the primatiue Church it may apere by the seuer lawes made both by the clergie and temporaltie forthe prohibiting and punishing of the same in that time as is to be sene in the councels and fathers and in the decrées of the good christian Emperors Martian and Iustinian and espetialy of the noble and zelous first christian Emperor Constātine which made it deathe after the condemnation of Arius by the general councel of Nyce for any mā more to read his books therby to aduenture to be poisoned with his heresies And reason For if Dauid had not ventured to behould 〈◊〉 he had not bene entrapped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loue and so had not cōmitted 〈◊〉 horrible sins that ensewed 〈◊〉 if Dame 〈◊〉 had not presumed to heare the Serpent talk she had not beue beguiled and if when Luther first began to teache new doctrine the Catholicks at that time had not vouchsafed to geue him the hearing but had auoyded his prechings and preuy conuenticles there had not bene now in the world either Lutheran Swinglian Caluenist Puritā Anabaptist Trinetarie Famelie of loue Adamite or the like whereof now there are so many thowsands abrode all springing of that first
hereafer let noe man saye that he goeth to Church against his wil thincking thereby to excuse him selfe from schisme Besides this to proue it schisme yea and that obstinate and rebellious schisme it were sufficient to knowe that the meaninge wil and commaundement of the general and vniuersal Catholicke Church at this day is that Catholicke men should not present them selues to Protestantes Churches or conuenticles séeing they are denounced open enemyes to the foresayde Church and their religion hath bene as orderlye condemned in the last general Councel of Trent As the doctrine of Arrius was in the first general Conucel of Nice And albeit the Councel of Trent made noe particuler decrée of this matter yet is their noe cause whye any man should take any hould thereat séeing the reason there of was because such a decrée was néedles for the Church hauing alredye condemned from the beginninge al prayinge with Heretykes or reparing to their conuenticles it was sufficient for the councel onely to condemne the Protestantes for such men without anye further particuler prohibitinge of others to come to their Churches and seruice séeing their conuenticles being once pronounced to be heretical the other was to be presupposed And this is the true meaning of the concel what soeuer others saye to shadowe their imperfections Howbeit some doubt beinge at that tyme moued by certaine of the Nobilitye of England whether they might not lawfully without offence to Church to doe some méere temporall acte as to beare the sword before her Maiestie or the lyke it was debated by xii learned men there at the Councels appoyntment and determination then genen that onlye for suche a cause they myght goe to Churche As for example if her Maiestie should appoynt certayne Catholyckes to meete at Poules to intreate of matters of the state and that at suche tyme as seruice were sayde there and this was Naaman Syrus his case flat who was permitted as most men take it for a tyme to goe with his Kinge and hould hym vp vppon his shoulder when he went to the temples of the Idoles Now that there hath bene a general custome rule and Canon of the Churche prohibiting to goe to the Churches and conuenticles of heretiques it is playne by the testimonie of al antiquitie The Apostles them selues in their thréescore and thirde Canon saye thus If anye man ether of the clergie or laitye doe goe into the Synagogue of the Iewes or into conuenticles of heretiques to praye let him be deposed and excomunicated This Canon of the Churche was exactly afterwardes kepte and is mentioned very often by the Fathers and councels by occasion of the lyke matter As for example when Origen was by a certayne necessitie compelled to dwel in house together with one Paule an heretique to whome there resorted often not onely heretiques but some simple Catholyques also for the fame of his excelente eloquence yet they writ of Orygen That he coulde neuer be induced by any meanes to be present at prayers where Paule was And the reason is put downe by them to be this For that Orygen euen from his youthe had kept and obserued moste dilygentlye the Canon of the Church Here we sée what accounte was made in those dayes of this Canon of the Churche Furthermore S. 〈◊〉 Alexandrinus a lerned Father talkinge of one Heraclas Byshope of Alexandria and scholer of the aforesayde Drigen and shewinge howe the sayde Drigen had excomunicated and 〈◊〉 out of the Churche certayne Christyans for that they were accused to haue vsed muche the companie of a certayne heretique he addeth this sayinge This Canon and this example haue I receyued of our holy father Heraclas The lyke obseruation of this Canon is noted in Athanasius whos comminge to Antioche fled the common and publique Churches which were vsurped then by one Leontius an Arian Bishope and his clergye and séeking out the Catholiques that were in the Cytie which then by contempte were called Eustathians because thei helde of the Communion of their Catholique deposed Bishope named Eustathius as Catholiques nowe in Inglande are contemptiously called Papistes for houlding of the Communion of y e Bishope of Rome and finding them out did secretly communicate with them as sayth the historie Conuentu in aedibus priuatis peracto That is making their assembly or Churche in their pryuate howses Howe lyke is this case to oure state now adayes in Ingland The lyke respecte to this Canon of the Churche had Alexander Byshop of Constantinople who wished rather to dye then to remayne in the Churche when Arius the heretyque shoulde come in to the same To this Canon had also respecte the people of Alexandria soe muche commēded by Athanasius him selfe who woulde rather praye together by them selues in the Churche yarde without couer then enter into the Churche to praye where George the Aryan Byshope was The lyke consideration had alsoe the people of Samosatum whoe after the depryuation of theyr vertuous and Catholique Byshope Eusebius and the thrusting into his place by the Arians of an heretical Byshop called Eunomius they would no more come at the Church of whome Theodorete writeth thus None of the inhabitantes there poore or riche seruant or artificer husbandman or grafter man or woman yong or oulde would come to the Church but the Byshop was ther alone for no man would ether come to his sight or talk with him albeit he was reported to haue vsed him selfe very modestlye and quietly amongest them Naye yet further then this the people of Rome hauing their true Catholique Byshope deposed by the Aryans and an other 〈◊〉 Felyx thruste vppon them 〈◊〉 an heretiqne but a schismatique for the historie saieth that he was sound in fayth and helde soundly the relygion set downe in the Councell of Nyce yet because he was a schismatique and was content to take holy orders of the Arian Byshopes and to cōmunicate with them the whole people as I sayde did 〈◊〉 him and as the historie sayeth None of the inhabytants of Rome would enter into the Church soe longe as he was within Thus we sée the scrupulositie of christyan Catholiques in those dayes and that as they thought vppon good cause for the auoydinge of schisme If anye man can shelve me a warrant since that tyme for the enlarginge of oure consciences nowe a dayes I woulde gladlye sée it Yow haue hearde in the begynninge of this reason the opinyons of our fore fathers in the primatiue Churche what a great and heynous sinne it is to breake the vnytie of the Churche or to dysobeye the same Agayne it is certayne that the Churche telleth vs if the voyces of all the Byshopes and learned men in Christendome and of the supreme Pastour too be the voyce of the Churche that goeinge to protestantes Churches is forbidden vs what excuse then shal those men haue from obstinate schisme