is of necessity to saluation Thus Saint THOMAS The ground of this doctrine hitherto sett downe is the infallible rule of S. PAVL Ro. 10. with hart it is belecued vnto iustice but with mouth confession is made vnto saluation But of this kind of affirmatiue precept we needed not here to intreate saue that partly for the necessity therof in our countrey I thought it charitable not to omitt to saye thus much Partly also I thinke it profitable for the better vnderstanding of that which shall follow But most of all for that I desire to engraffe in euery ones mind a great conconceit of the excellency of faith what account we should make of the confession therof §. 20. Now there is concerning this very same pointe of confession of faith A man is alwaies boūd not to deny his faith a kind of negatiue precept forbidding vs euer to deny either in word or deed our faith For so is there in all affirmatiue precepts included also a negatiue As in the precepts of louing God and honouring our Parents which are affirmatiue there is implied a negatiue precept of not hating God or dishonouring our Parents And as the affirmatiue precepts doe not bind vs at all instants to fulfill them So doe the negatiue at euery moment bind vs not to breake them For at no season may a man steale wherby he shoulde transgresse a negatiue precept And yet at all seasons is not a man bound to pray to fast to geue almes to honour his father which are affirmtiue commaundements but in time and place conuenient This precept therfore of neuer denying our faith Mat. 10. Luc. 9 2. Tim. 2. Mat. 26. Aug. l. cont mend c 6. Theophil in Luc. 12. Leo. ser 9 de Pass Do. alwaies bindeth vnto mortal sinne For who denieth Christ shall be denied by him who is ashamed of Christ of him also will Christ be ashamed and this was the sinne of S. PETER for which he wept so bitterly For he neuer lost his inward faith as S. Augustine and others doe affirme but only sinned against the exteriour confession ther of as we may manifestly gather by the promise of Christ that his faith should not faile Against this precept may a man sinne not onely in worde by saying that he knoweth not whether any one point of faith be trew or false A man may deny his faith by deeds aswel as by words Admitting of conserēce by offering to conferre with heretickes as to be instructed by them so going from the schoole of his master Christ and of his mistres the trew Church by saying he is a Turke or Protestant or no Christian or Catholicke or by vsing such wordes as may make others to conceiue that he is no Christian or Catholike at such time as he is asked although the wordes of them selues be indifferent But also in facte or in any signe which sheweth that which in wordes might be falsly or vnlawfully vttered This doth S. Hierome teach neither must we thinke saith he in ep ad Tit c. 1 that in the day of iudgement those onely shall be denied by the sonne of God which in Martyrdome haue denied Christ but all those also by whose worke or speach or thought Christ being denied Ser. de Abra ham denieth or being confessed confesseth ⧠And Saint Ambrose not onely in false wordes but also in dissembled workes a lye is found ⧠And euen as the inwarde dissenting from trew faith is either inward infidelity Apostasy or heresie so the outward shew of a false faith Exteriout heresy or denying the trew faith is called exteriour infidelity or exterior heresy and apostasy And so were alwaies those which had outwardly donne any acte of infidelity in the primatiue Church thought by all Fathers to haue denied their faith Cypr l. 2. ep 7. §. 21. Than out of this wholle most certaine discourse will we thus frame our argument Going to heretickes seruice is exteriour heresy The being present with heretickes at theire seruice in such outward shew as is nothing diuerse from the heretickes them selues is an exteriour act of heresy and consequently a profession of heresye and deniall of Catholicke religion Most manifest therfore is it that such presence is of it selfe vnlawfull and a mortall sinne But lett vs proue our Antecedent Such presence is a ceremonious and religious acte applyed vnto a false congregation and religion But euery ceremony is an exteriour acte or profession of that faith and religion to which it is applied therfore is such presence a profession of Protestants religion That such presence is a ceremonious and religious acte Going to the Church is a ceremony L. 10. ciu c. 6. S. Augustine shall witnesse who expresslye teacheth that whatsoeuer worke is donne that with holy society wee may cleaue vnto God is a kind of sacrifice which truely cannot be without a religious ceremony It signifieth a society of Godlines And what I pray you is the end of coming togither in Churches in all mens opinion but for to cleaue vnto God with holy society than must the coming thither of hecessity be a ceremony And of what religion or society but of DATHAN and ABYRON of such as DAVID did detest Psal 25. whan hee saied I hate the Church of the malignant and with the wicked will I not sitt therfore in this ceremony is implied a profession of heresy Neither is it sufficient to say that your meaning is not to make any such profession but onely to go after a prophane sorte or to vse a lawfull ceremony of your owne religion for that is the meaning of wordes and signes and actions which either their own nature or the common vse of men hath imposed not that w e your selfe would intend neither can you by this word Mountaine make others to vnderstand water nor by Fier an house nor by a horse a man although you would frame vnto your selfe neuer so many CHIMERAS and false imaginations of the same in your braine Besides the being present at Catholicke seruice is a ceremony of Catholicke religion Presence at Catholicke seruice is ceremonious Therfore the being present at heretickes seruice is a ceremony of heresy Moreouer S. Augustine teacheth that no religion can be begonne or maintained without ceremonies A principall signe of religion l. 19. cont Faust c. 11 therfore cannot we shew our religion to God without the same But wherin doth our religion shew it selfe so much as in going to the Church on the holy daies wherin consisteth the very fulfilling of the 3. cōmandement therfore is this a ceremony of our religion Holy daies are obserued especially by going to the Church Further also the Church in the cōmaundement of the keeping of holy daies which no doubt is a ceremony of Christian religion doth prescribe vnto vs the maner therof and bindeth vs to no other obseruance than to be peesent at Masse at the which Diuine
truth were a damnable sinne There is yet the highest degree of all A signe distinctiue which is a in which your going to Church shal be lodged and harboured that is when a man vseth such signes or actions as of their owne nature common consent very ceremony of religion or practise of all nations are onely appointed to be ceremonious actions of religion Such for to vse and to apply vnto a false secte or to a Schismaticall congregation is a manifest signe of the same sect and of vnion with the same conciliable or false cōgregation See §. 7. This made deuoute Naaman for to feare least his kneeling when the King kneeled should haue bene thought as donne to the Idoll which in deed if it had bene so iudged and not only materially donne before the Idoll without any ceremonious signification coulde not any way haue bene iustified but his kneeling to aide and assist his Prince to whom he owed that dewtifull tēporall seruice conuenient vnto his Princely greatnes was not thought by any man to be vnto the Idoll whom all the people knew he detested See §. 6. And for this cause is Iehu condemned by the generall consent of Doctours for his dissembled vse of an action of the owne nature signifying a ceremony of Baalls religion and honour Vnto this place and lodgeing must I of necessity vssher your selfe and all your companions whose action of going to the seruice of hereticks as I haue proued before hath as intrinsecall a signification of heresy and schisme as the deuoute going of a Catholickc to Masse in a catholicke congregation hath a profession of Catholicke faith and of Catholicke vnity and religion yet is it here to be noted that as in wordes which haue the principall place amongst signes of the minde and affection of man there may sometimes be themateriall vse or supposition thereof without the formall as the Logicioners teach So there may also be in any action which signifieth religion An example we brought aboue of one which did onely relate the disloiall wordes spoken of Augustus who onely vsed those words materially without any formall signification therof on his parte So also did we bring an example before of a materiall ve of signes and ceremonies of religion whan we according to the common doctrine of Deuines affirmed that the materiall shew of Idolatry in a play or Comedy was not of it selfe vnlawfull Yet notwithstanding as we saye that Sacrifice vnto Idolls and contumelious speaches vnto his Prince are of them selues vnlawfull So doe we say of signes of religion namely of going to the Church For we alwaies take such actions with the formall therof which is the signification which whan it is to be thought present or absent the common estimation of men must decide by the consideration of time person place and such like And so wee say that going to the Church in an orderly maner as it is vsed in our coū trey cannot be voide by all mens estimation of signification of heresy and of contempt of verety as hath bene proued Than doe I conclude that the graue censure of Deuines condemning Caietanes opinion as too seuere Why Caietaines opinion is thought too rigorouse connot be vnderstood of these expresse and positiue signes of a contrary religion but of the omission onely of a signe of a trew religion wherin the reason is manifest For a man is not bound alwaies to professe his religion but in time and place yet is he bound in no time or place to deny his religion So may a man omitte a signe of his religion when he is not expresly interrogated but he cannot neither beeing asked nor without asking vse a ceremoniouse signe of a contrary religion without a most greeuous mortall sinne See than how you are deceiued whilest you argue in this maner If the Prince doe commaund me to weare a yellow cappe for protestation of my trew religion I shall not deny my faith by leauing it because the Prince cannot make a yellow cappe a signe of religion Therfore if the Prince command me to go to the Church of heretickes for signe of conformity and adherency vnto his religion I shall not deny my faith by doing it because he cannot make going to his Church a sign eof his religion Surely Sir he needeth not to make it a signe of his religion for nature it selfe and the consent of all nations the iudgements of all men not affrighted from their reasonable vnderstanding by terrour of hereticall persecution hath made it so already And if you should remaine in Bocardo vntill you had proued this consequence and reduced it to any lawfull moode or figure you should neuer come forth aliue A great difference betweene a signe of trew of false religion That I may saye nothing of the difference betweene a signe of trewe of false religion For the trew religion may be protested onely by ceremonies ordained by God and his Church And therfore a temporall Prince cannot make a protestatiue signe therof But as a false religion may be by a temporall Prince instituted and followed so may the ceremonies and protestations and distinctiue signes therof be framed also according to his peculier imagination A man may contemne God and his Church by houlding vpp his finger whan by a blasphemous cōuenticle it were so agreed but I thinke he could not please God so much by houlding vpp his finger for his honour as he may displease him with the contrary intention in the selfe same action Neither doe I thinke any so wise as to make that a generall signe of Catholicke religion and vnity Lett this than be our finall conclusion in this pointe The cōclusion of this wholle last discourse that although an Infidell Prince cannot make vs determinate signes of protestation of our onely trew religion yett may hee make protestatiue signes of his owne Religion which cannot be practised without mortall sinne as we see in euery false religion to be in vse In Mahomets religion to kisse his toumbe IN Iewish to be circumsed In Caluins to receiue his communion or to be at his seruice Sozom. l. 5. c. 16. Which thing in Iulian the Apostata his time made diuerse Christians to repent their folly who hauing put incense into the fire before the Emperour supposing it to haue bene donne accordin gto some auncient law custome of the Romans onely to his honour vnderstood afterward that the Emperour tooke it as a signe of Idolatry wherfore they with open protestation returned to let the Emperour know their Christian intent and were banished the courte for the same Moreouer I say that this signe of going to the Church with heretickēs is whether the Prince will or no of the owne nature a signe of heresie and so not made by any lawe a signe distinctiue neither in any case to be iustified by the Princes commaundement As fot your Protestation wee haue long since ouerthrowen it
conformity in their superstition The pretense of obedience maketh this actiō worse than before contempt of Catholicke vnity I pray you imparte your conceite vnto me I my selfe can see nothing else wheof I doe inferre that by such pretended obedience this act is made worse then it was before For a precept law or commaundment prescribeth a matter to that vertue which it intendeth of which it was not a necessary matter before as the commandement of not eating flesh vpon a fasting day was not a matter of fasting necessary before the law for why one might haue before fasted better with one bitte of flesh than with a dainty dinner of diuerse dishes of fishe but after the law it is a necessary obseruance and matter prescribed vnto fasting So in like maner although to goe to the Church before with hereticks had not bene as alwaies it was an act of religion now being commaunded by the law as an act of religion for that is the intent of the law manifestly pretended in the one or other statute of going to the Church it is only a simple act of obedience but an act of obedience in such a matter principally intended as is the profession of a false religion For euery religiouse act applied vnto a false god or a false kind of worship or a false Society of worshippers is an expresse protestation of the same false worship or vnlawfull fellowshippe So should you first haue proued this action to be lawfull in it selfe Obedience is no excuse but whan the matter thereof is first proued lawfull and then you might haue inferred that your obedience had bene lawfull and you should also haue shewed some end in this law ouer and besides bare obedience other then the end of religion which surely must needes be yeelded to be the very end and obiect of the law And this long experience hath shewed in the Church of God that when temporall Princes must be obeyed in Churches Amb l. 5. ep 33. ad Marcellinam there is farther daunger in it then I list now to speake But you shall see an example of Christian obedience When the Emperour was at greate strife with S. Ambrose the holy B. of Millan about the deliuering certaine Churches in the citty of Millan vnto the Arrians as alwaies before this fearefull abiect age Ibid. S Ambrose his obedience to the Emperour Catholikes wold neuer be found amongst heretickes in Churches S. Ambrose aunswered the Emperour in this maner Trouble not thy selfe O Emperour that thou maiest thinke that thou hast any emperiall authority ouer diuine thinges To the Emperour Pallaces appertaine to the Bishop the Churches To thee is committed the righte ouer the publicke not ouer the sacred walles ⧠And when the same Saint was threatned with death for the same cause by Calligonus the Emperours Eunuch euen in the Church God permitte saith he that thou doe that which thou threatnest for I will suffer that which becommeth a Bishop thou shalt doe that which beseemeth an Eunuch ⧠In which controuersie the souldiers sent word as saith S. Ambrose vnto the Emperour that if he would come abrode he mighte with good leaue But that they woulde waite vpon him if they saw him agree with Catholickes Trew Catholicke Christians were than Recusants otherwise they would passe vnto that companye which Ambrose should gather Such accounte ought Christians to make of auoiding hereticall synagogues I will conclude therfore this matter of obedience with one shorte but inuincible reason You will haue it lawfull for obedience to goe to the Church An inuincible reason that it is not lawfull to go to the Church for obedience Than say I in this maner Whatsoeuer is lawfull to be donne that being by a Superiour commaunded is a mortall sinne to transgresse or to omitte But as you defend it is lawfull to goe to the Church for obedience therfore it is a mortall sinne not to goe to the Church when it is so commanded See I pray you how many Preistes Martyrs men woemen and children you condemne to hell whilest you seeke to maintaine your owne dangerouse wilfull estate §. 10. Now let vs proceed vnto your feare The 9 obiection of Feare which you make as one reason amongst the rest but in deede is the wholl cause of your forsaking God Because you haue not perfectly learned his lesson which saidI will teach you whom you shall feare Feare him which when he hath killed the body hath power to sende both bodye and soule into Hell fier yea verely I say vnto you feare him You saye therfore that you doe as you doe for feare and not voluntarily But nothing is a sinne which is not donne voluntarily Therfore in your action is no sinne at all Where if you had said thus that you doe what you do not voluntarily but nothing not voluntarily donne is a sinne therfore what you doe is no sinne then had your argument bene good but your Maior false for I would then say you did voluntarily what you did But now in your first proposition where you say that you doe a thing for feare and yet not voluntarily you include two thinges most repugnant in them selues For it is impossible that a thing be donne onely for feare and not voluntarily Whatsoeuer is done for feare is voluntary And in thispoint we must begge helpe of heathen Philosophers For so hath feare darckened our countreis vnderstanding that the very principles of all morall actions and of goodnes or badnes in our doinges are called into question For what I pray you if for feare of loasing your owne life you vniustly take away an others because of that feare haue you not sinned If you haue sinned then haue you voluntarilye donne it For * Aug l. 3 de lib. arb c. 17 18. et lib. de vera rel c. 14. lib. 1. retract c. 13 asinne is not a sinne except it be voluntary If IOSEPH for feare of his Ladies slaunder had satisfied her will had he donne against his owne Had the three childrē done against their owne will if they had for feare sacrificed or donne worship to the Idoll And your selfe shall be iudge When you goe to the Church doe you goe against your will doth any man cary you or doe you cary your selfe in such maner because of your feare that you might not stay your selfe at home Surely if feare be so mighty a Passion that it taketh away the free gouernment of a mans wil and not onely threatneth but inferreth violenc to the outward members in vaine did our Sauiour exhorte vs not to feare the world in vaine did he with his heauenly instructions animate his Disciples against incounters whatsoeuer of the aduersaries of his holy truth But let vs decide this question out of Philosophy Onely violence taketh away voluntary In a reasonable creature therfore nothing taketh away the nature of voluntary but constraint Now coaction or constraint
vtter defiance with Schisme and Heresie Lett all the worlde vnderstand that in the least dangerouse pointe you will take the secure part and no way shrinke from your duety towards God than shall you certainly auoide the diuerse snares of conscience with which you may otherwise be entangled and perhaps be left in more setled quiet in the world which ordinarily molesteth them moste which most seeke to flatter it This assure your selfe of that as you cannot too soone flye from places suspected of pestilence So cannot you be too curiouse of shūning whatsoeuer hath the least sauour of schisme and heresie And least you may for want of a right persuasion of your duety doe amisse compare alwaie the case of going to the Church A rule to know how farre we may go in this pointe vnto the receuing the cōmunion and doing facrifice or being present at sacrifice vnto Idolls And what you may doe or say you haue donne or will doe or what you may dissemble in one you may in the other For I will shew hereafter that although there be degrees amongst them yet there is sinne committed in them all alike §. 18. Hauing than hitherto declared our full meaning in this question and whome we exclude or include therin Let vs beginne to handle the matter scholastically as I said before as for fruitfull examples of auncient ages and pithy sentences of the doctours of the Church and deuout conceites and exhortations vnto that which is necessary in so weighty a pointe of Christian religion I leaue thē vnto the three bookes The booke of Schisme which learnedly deuoutly and largly intreate therof in our owne tongue My purpose is onely to presse you with sound argumentes and so to inclose you within the bandes of most firme reason The reasons of refufall that you shall neither escape my handes nor being once in them be wrested from me We must therfore out of the sure and stedfast groundes of sound Diuinity The cololatory letter proue that the vsuall going vnto the Church with heretickes in England is altogithtr of it selfe vnlawfull hauing annexed vnto it as signification of false religion a denaill contempt dishonour and preiudice of the truth which doe geue the forme and nature vnto such going and so make it that by to accident or circumstance in the world it may be iustified This will we deduce out of the nature and quality of fiue principall vertues necessarily appertaining vnto Christian duety §. 19. Euery Christian is bound to professe his faith at some times The first of these vertues is an exteriour confession of faith to which euery Chrstian is bound in two fortes For first there is an affirmatiue precept which commandeth vs to confesse our faith and shew outwardly that which we beleeue and to this are we bound sometimes in respecte of other vertues sometimes in respect of faith it selfe In respect of other vertues as of religion which is a vertue to which it belongeth to yeeld honour vnto God not onely with the mind esteeming him our cheife Lorde and finall end Damasc l. 4. c. 13. and submitting our selues vnto him as the soueraigne ruler of our soules but also with our body* and exteriour actions wheras wee consist as well of bodye as of soule exhibiting vnto him outward reuerence in praier thanksgeuing sacraments and ceremonies of religion Which exteriour actions alwaies being a profession of faith it is a cleare case that sometimes in respect of religion we are bound to this exteriour acte of faith which we call confession of faith And this bond in respect of religion taketh place so ofte as the holy Church bindeth vs vnto any acte of religion as of hearing Masse confession receiuing baptisme extreeme vnction or other such like or when there may happen any necessity either of our neighbour or of our selues or of the honor of God or singuler cōmon profit To this confession we are also bound sometimes in respect of charity to wardes our neighbour A man is bound to professe his faith for the charity towardes his neighbour As whan this is a necessary remedy to hinder the peruersion of others in faith and religion or any great scandall in this behalfe As we reade of diuerse Saintes who seing Christians in torments ready to relent comforting them with holsome and necessary counsell haue them selues confessed their owne faith and togither with charity towardes their neighbour shewed their faith towardes God for wihch they haue bene rewarded euen with Martyrdome Christening of children a great bond And here can I not conceale a thing as necessary for the good of my countrey as any other thing without which we cannot be saued It happeneth not seldome that in childbirth the litle Infant is in manifest danger of death The midwife and others assisting either for ignorance malice or for feare of the instrumentes * Commōly against the 9. Iniunctions such are now troubled by the spiritualty of the Diuell which seeketh to take away that onely remedy of saluation which our poore most miserable countrey hath retained doth not care to Christen the same Now whatsoeuer other man or woeman there present yea the * 30. q. 1. c. Ad limina father or mother in such necessity is bound although manifest death woulde ensew vnder paine of mortall sinne that is of eternall damnation if they repent not to Christen or cause to be christened the aforesaide Infant wher by it happeneth that in such fact they consesse this most certaine point of Catholicke verety that no Infant can be saued without Baptisme And in this bond are included schismatikes heretickes themselues who hauing this beliefe are also bound to shew the same in like necessities Some other may be bound hereunto by reason of Iusticke as those which are by office appointed to teach others For such are bound euen with perill of their owne death to instruct theire flocke so therwithall vttering their owne beliefe But in respect of the very vertue of Faith it selfe this outward confession is necessary first Whan is a man ordinarily bound to shew his faith whan any man by concealing and not confessing his faith should be thought to deny the same Secondly in Baptisme where an open profession therof is made Thirdly when generally the faith were in greate hazard or perill of subuersion Saint THOMAS intreating of this matter geueth this rule of the obligation of this precept saying 2.2 q. 3. ar a That a man is bound vnto the exteriour confession of his faith when by the omission therof there shold be withdrawen dew honour from God or profitt to our neighbour as saith he if any man being demaunded of his saith shoulde holde his peace and therby it should be thought either that he had not faith or that the Catholicke faith were not trew or others by his silence should be auerted from the faith for in such cases the consession of our faith
Sacrifice whosoeuer is present although without any attention or deuotion which is dew yet hath he donne an exteriour act of religion commaunded yet sinned for want of the inward deuotion which he should haue ioined thereunto But the same is found in the presence at hereticall seruice Therfore is such presence ceremonious and religious Neither can you excuse your selfe with saying that you are not attentiuely and deuoutely present because there wanteth your goodwill and affection For there is an inward acte of religion as I touched before and an outward Inward and outward actes of religion and sometimes the one and the other ioined togither Now this is an exteriour action of religion although it want the inward forme and that is the thing which we purposed to proue that it is an outward acte of religion Againe in all sortes of religion there be diuerse kindes of ceremonies Comparison with other kind of ceremonies Some doe consist in hallowed thinges as Water Oyle Ashes Palmes Vestimentes Other in time as in Holy daies Vigils Fastings Lent or such like And in like maner doth there some ceremonies consist in places as in Churches Churchyardes Chappell 's Others are found in diuerse obseruances as we see were kepte in the ould lawe of MOYSES Now to vse the other ceremonies is alwaies a signe of that religion vnto which they belong as the keeping of Saturday of IVDAISME the eating of swines flesh of GENTILISME the absteining from certain meates of MANICHISME the keeping of the Catholicke Fastes and daies of some kind of affection to Catholicke religion And why I pray you shall not the place being ceremonious with the ceremonious action vsed therin and the ceremonious time withall of the Sonday or holy day be a signe of religion of that religion I say which vseth the same Ceremonies of places lesse indifferent than others 2.2 q. 85. ar 3. and commandeth the same and which there as a distinct common welth from all others is gathered togither And this reason in ceremoniouse places hath more force than in any other sortes of ceremonies For as the Diuines doe excellently teach Religion being a vertew which exhibiteth honour and reuerence vnto god sometimes it happeneth that this vertew commaundeth vnto other vertues ordaineth their actes to Gods honour As is to fast not onely for the punishment of the body but also for the honor of God to geue almes to pay debtes to visitt Pupills and widdowes for Gods honour and such like Iac. 1. which properly belong to other vertues but are by religion as it were commaunded and directed vnto the end of religion But there are other proper actes which onely belong to religion and not to other vertues Such as haue no other praise as S. THOMAS speaketh but that they are donne for the reuerence of God And these are most properly actes of religion Of this sort are sacrifices kneeling knocking of the breast and such like Such also is this ceremony of going to such a place more than to an other Hereof it proceedeth that one may eate fleshe vpon a friday or otheer fasting day in diuerse cases Why one may eate flesh on a friday and not lawfully go to the Church and yet in no case go to the Church with hereticks For to absteine vpon certaine daies is not a proper or immediate acte of religion but commaunded by religion being in deed an acte of temperance and so intended by the Church though it may be referred not onely to chastice the body but for to doe an honour vnto God And because this law is particulerly found amongst Catholicks hence it is that it doth oftentimes betoken a Catholicke and distinguish him from an hereticke Yet because the immediate end of the law is temperance and the acte of eating flesh or other forbidden meates is such as hath other naturall endes besides the profession of religion as of feeding the body or eating with dispensation therfore is there not necessarily implied therin any ceremony or signification of religion And in case of necessity it may be vsed although others vnderstand a profession of heresy therin For why this act of eating or absteining neither of the owne nature nor by common estimation of men doth signifie religion but hath an other principall vse Yet the going to the Church howsoeuer doth alwaies betoken both of the owne nature and by common ac ception of all the worlde deuotion and religion in Catholicke Churches to the true faith in hereticall to their detestable sinagogues This doth S. THOMAS whom I oftener alleage because my conflict is with those which will be counted Catholickes 2.2 q. 84. ar 3. ad 2. although in this apostaticall action they doe deny their Catholicke religion This I say doth S. THOMAS very plainely sett downe whan he yeeldeth three causes why exteriour worship of God should haue a determinate place where principally it ought to be exhibited not that God may be included in any place but for respect of those which doe worshipp him The first is Three causes of Churchches 3. Reg. 8. for the consecration of the place wherby those which praye conceiue spirituall deuotion that they may the rather be heard as it is manifest in the worshipping of SALOMON Secondly for the Sacred misteries and other signes of holines which are there conteined Thirdly for the concourse of many worshippers wherby the praier is made more acceptable Mat. 18. according to that where there are two or three gathered togither in my name there am I in the middest of them Consider I pray you then whether this place haue not a signification of agreement in religion and of a ceremony of that religion which is there gathered togither I may not say in the name of Christ but leaue vnto your selfe to iudge in whose name As for the consecration you know from whence it came and how neuerthelesse they which were the autours therof account it now prophaned But of the sacred misteries and other signes of holines I hope you wil not be very ready to bragge or boast especially when I shall tell you hereafter what maner of misteries there be in Protestants seruice Yet moreouer doe I proue this presence to be ceremonious The ministers presence is ceremonious The minister himselfe is ceremoniously present yea although whilest he readeth his seruice he would neuer so faine intend to be away or wish that as it hapneth sometime to some of his brethrē he were reading Chaucer But the presence of the minister and of the auditours haue a necessary relation togither The minister is there as one that offereth for the rest the others as those which are offered for Heb. 3. Euery Bishopp saith S. PAVL being assumpted out of men is appointed for men in those thinges which appertaine vnto God The minister is to enter into the Tabernacle the people to expect without Luc. 1. The minister is to make perfect the people to receiue
Church if you desire to be you may easely dreame it but then are you not of the trew Church but of a dreamed Church But as the trew Church of God is visible it selfe so is the vnion ther which visible And the diuision of other Churches which are in deed not trew Churches but conuenticles or as S. Hierome calleth theē sinagogues of the Diuell being in all the world manifest visible as it were the diuels visible congregations Ep. 11. ad Gerōt de monog As the Church is visible so is the vnion therwith visible who doubteth but the vnion ther which is also visible You know that in Philosophy ENS VNVM be certaine Transcendents which agree to all thinges equally and looke what euery thing hath of Entity that it hath also of vnity Now if Caluins Church be a visible Church and I would to God it were altogither inuisible and sent downe so that the persons therof were safe vnto the Prince of darkenes from whom it first proceeded if Caluins Church I say bee visible than as the being of it is so is the vnity also that is it hath a visible vnity and what vnity is this but that which the wholle world iudgeth a visible frequēting of Caluins congregation The Church you go vnto is Caluins congregation Eph. 6. Col. 1. what is a congregation but a multitude gathered togither and who maketh this multitude but Ihon Thomas and Peter and all that are there If you will from this word All challendge a certaine extra ordinary priuiledge to say that they are all except your selfe you surely doe more than euer was heard of and arrogate vnto your selfe Ro. 5. the deserued Priuiledge of CHRIST our B. LADY who onely are said to haue bene exempted yet with sufficient groundes of scriptures and Fathers from generall sentences such as is that of S. PAVL ⧠in which all haue sinned ⧠But Sir you can no more exempt your selfe from this sentence All these are Caluinists by saying except I than you shall be able at the dreadfull daye of Gods seuere iudgement if you alter not your course to exempt your selfe from go you cursed by saying except I. Mat. 23. What place our Schismatickes haue in Caluins congregation Aug. in Brouin collat 3 The soule of Caluins church Than are you one of Caluins congregation Yet that I may doe you no wrong I will heere put you in minde of a certaine distinction which Catholick Doctours vse that is that some be of the soule of the Church and some of the body For the Church of Christ is not a deade bodye but a body quickned with a liuely spirite The soule of the Church are the inward vertues therof the body is the outward shew Euen so doe I say that in Caluins Church there is a body and a soule the soule is Caluins beliefe and whatsoeuer other dowry of hell it hath for this soule hath no other place than hell fier The body of Caluins church The body therof most fitt for such a soule is the outward profession or shew or vnion or practise and society of Caluins broode Now I confesse that one of these may be without the other And as there may be in the Catholicke Church variety of her members So may there also be in Caluins Sinagogues In the Catholicke Church some are both of the body and soule of the same such as haue both Faith and the outward profession of Catholike religion Others onely of the soule such as haue not the outward vnion and peace with the Church but before God are of such perfection that they be immediately vnited therunto by his heauenly grace Such are those cathecumens which abound with loue of God and trew faith or also excommunicate persons not yet restored in humane Iudgement but restored before God from whom they haue receiued trew contrition and purpose of amendment For God is not tied vnto his Sacraments but can and doth oftentimes immediately iustify those which are throughly conuerted vnto him Finally others there are which hauing no inward disposition at all yet either for feare or some other affection of worldly interest in outward shew doe nothing differ from the rest And these are worthely compared vnto the heares of a mans body or nailes or euill humours which although they be within the body yet are they not animated by the soule as other partes of the body are being depriued of all sense and lost without paine and by nature not fitte to be quickned bvt rather certaine excrementes of the body onely made to adorne and gard the body and to be vsed by the same for the operations of the wholle So than haue we found out your office in Caluins congregation You are not of the soule therof in deed For I hope of the former faith which I know to haue bene perfect in you But as S. Hierome saith although at the beginning no schisme hath false doctrine in Tit. 3. Schisme is the way to heresy yet at the length it forgeth to it selfe some erroneous proposition that it may seeme to haue gonne from the Church with pretense of some cause much like vnto your selfe who first going to the Church for feare now that you may purge your selfe of cowardise basenes maintaine your errour contrary to the generall sense not onely of the Church but euen of morall reason Therfore looke well vnto your selfe least at the length as the losse of charity * 1 Tim. 1. is the way to the losse of faith so your entrance into schisme make you an entrance vnto heresy and so to a generall shipwracke in faith according to the saying of the Psalmist Destroy it * Psal 136. See S. Greg. l. 25. mor. c. 5. destroy it euen vnto the very foundation But yet as I saied you are not of the soule of Caluins religion Neither are you of the body of Caluin as a principall member But you shall heare what you are and I pray you heare it patiently Prou. 27. For better are the strokes of a frend then the kisses of an enemy You are the excrements of Caluins congregation The excrements of Caluins religion receiuing life neither from Catholicke religion nor from Caluins heresy although how could Caluins heresy or any heresie at all geue life vnto the soule and in that body you serue for no necessary vse in which you are the happier and so I hope you will keepe your selfe from any butcherly and tyrannicall exercise but you serue them yet Caluins religion in England hath bene compacted of excrements for an ornament and creditt as though they had a shew of a common wealth And how fitlye is Caluins religion adorned with excrements For if you take way these excrements or at the least if such excrements had bene taken away from the begining in Caluins wholle body there woulde be now neuer a sound mēber But remember I pray you that whilest your
molested and generally hindered from her necessary peace Wherfore S. Augustine (a) l. 20. cōt Faust in Tit. 3. vide Cypr. ep ad Magnū 24. q. 1 c. Schisma defineth schisme by a separation of congregation S. Hierome by episcopall dissention Wherunto Pelagius an auncient Pope doth also agree who speaking of schismatickes saieth that they haue made to thē selues partes and seuering them selues from that which is one according to the holy Apostle S. IVDE haue no spiritt Thus therfore you see how an exteriour hereticke doth alwaies an acte of schisme seuering him selfe from the vnity of the Church yet is he not excōmunicate so long as he followeth not or endeuoureth not to make a parte contrary vnto the Churches vnity Schismaticks in England are excommunicate Than may a man be an exteriour hereticke and yet not excōmunicate although a Schismaticke yet not such a schismaticke as your selfe who are a schismaticke in the highest degree saue that you pretend to doe it for feare which is not a sufficient excuse to alleadge vnto Christ to purge the diuiding of his most indiuisible holy garment And so you see if you will see any thing which pleaseth you not how cōtrary this action of going to the Church is vnto two Theologicall vertues Faith Charity §. 28 I haue staied longer thā I thought to haue done in this matter of Schisme Let vs now go forward vnto other vertues whose sacred lawes I say this practise of yours doth infringe The next therfore is Religion the most noble of all morall vertues Of the vertew of religion whose duety it is for to yeeld vnto God honour reuerence which it doth both inwardly by deuotion praier and outwardly also by external shew of worship by sacrifices offerings tithes vowes lawfull othes and Sacraments To these so many excelent vertues are there many vices opposite Idolatry diuination of future humane euents whether it be by diuels starres dreames fier water birdes beastes or any such like thing Also palmestry Caluins seruice is superstitious See §. 6. L. 2. de nar Deo L. 4. c. 28. wichcraft necromancy superstitious obseruances tentatiō of God sacriledge simony All these kinds of irreligious behauiour you detesting I would you had such conceit of Caluinists seruice as you ought it being a most certaine verety that it is most wicked and superstitious There is betweene Tully Lactantius some controuersy concerning superstition The one calleth it the vnlawfull worship of the trew God the other will haue it to be a worship of false Gods But according to the doctrine of S. Augustine and S. Thomas L. 2. doct c. 18. 20. 2.2 q. 92. superstition comprehendeth them both Therfore as you cannot without mortall sinne be present at the Gentills Idolatry which is a superstition of the first kind nor at the Iewes sacrifices although directed vnto the trew God and hauing bene ordained by his owne commaundement So much lesse than at these second may you not be relgiously present at the superstition or voluntary * Col. 2. See Testament of Rhemes worshippe of heretickes inuented by their owne head without the warrant of Christ in the Scriptures or of the holy ghost in the Church or of any lawfull autority of such whom Christ commandeth vs to obey although such seruice haue neuer so great a shew of wisdome or piety as S. PAVL expresly teacheth vs. But of this I will say no more because I haue touched it also aboue only I wold not haue you to thinke so grossely as many do the superstition consisteth in the length of seruice and therfore because Caluins seruice is not so long as ours to free it from such name it is not the length of the praier which maketh superstition for than should Christs most holy praiers haue bene superstitious who praied longer than any of vs all but the forme maner of praier onely maketh it superstitious whan it is either superfluous or pernicious as we said aboue §. 29 You transgresse also the vertew of obedience This acte is contrary to Christian obedience whilest you doe an acte commaunded for contēpt of the Churches autority of which also I haue sufficiently intreated aboue shewed how such contēpt cannot be without a mortall sinne Neither can here your protestatiō take place See §. 9 as I shewed before as it cannot also to exempt you from an exteriour acte of heresy For in the Primitiue Church Marcellinus the Pope others of like condition also were accounted as Idolaters although theire inward meaning were wel knowne to al the world to be quite contrary to their outward action §. 30 There is an other vertew necessary in mans life which is called verity It is a most detestable dissimulation 4. Eth. c. 7. by which a man sheweth him selfe in his life and speach such as in deed he is Which may be transgressed either in speach by a lye or in facte by dissimulation which is a kind of lye as we shewed aboue out of S. Ambrose * Ser. de Abra. See You make therfore a greate lye by such dissimulation and are by S. Augustine * See §. 6 condemned in Iehu and by the example of holy Eleazarus in the scripture vtterly confounded 2. Mach. 6 This kind of lying or dissimulation in matters of Religion is most perniciouse and by all Deuines condemned of a mortall sinne being not onely a lye but a lye in the most necessary profession of faith where all lyes are perniciouse as I said aboue and therfore heere I will not more largely intreate therof But that you may more perfectly know the greeuousnes thereof and learne not to dissemble in such weighty matters for neuer so great danger I will onely sett you downe a diuision which S. Augustine maketh of lyes Lib. de mend c. 14 3. kind of lyes and his censure therof The first and principall kind of lye saieth he and farre to be banished from all men is that which is made in doctrine of religion vnto which lye by no condicion any man may be induced The second is made that it may hurte some man iniustly which is of such maner that it neither profiteth any and yet hindereth some body The third which so profiteth one that it may hinder an other although not in any corporall vncleanenes The fourth which is made for a meere delight of lying and deceiuing which is a wonderfull kind of lye The fifth which is made for the desire of pleasing others with sweete speaches The sixth To saue an other mans goods To saue another mans life To saue anothers purity which neither hindereth any and profiteth some as if a man knowing that an other mans money shall be taken vniustly from him being demaunded by any saith he knoweth not where it is The seuenth hindereth none but profiteth some whan one lyeth vnwilling to betraye an other who is sought for to death
lawes or Princes cannot appoint distinctiue signes of religion § 35 The 17. The 17. obiection that we haue no expresse Canon or auncient practise of the Church against going to heretickes seruice § 36.37.38.39.40 The Printer to the Reader HAuing made readye for thy necessary preseruation against all contagion of Schisme so present an Electuary Gentle Reader I thought it very profitable for thy better vnderstanding and the easier reading of this Treatise to aduertise the of the generall order and methode therof The wholle booke therfore is fittely deuided into fiue partes The first answereth in order the obiections which are vsually made in defence of Schisme and were the principall cause of writing this Treatise according to the occasion ministred by the letter here confuted although afterward also through the wholle booke many obiections be aunswered either propounded by the author him selfe or touched in the aforsaide letter The second parte out of Theologicall grounds and reasons §. 13. declareth the vnlawfullnes of this kind of Schisme The third parte intreateth of some thinges annexed vnto this Schismaticall action §. 32. as daunger of infection the greeuousnes of the sinne comparison with other sinnes and the neglecting of our dewty towardes our neighbours in the reformation therof The fourth parte deduceth out of that which went before §. 35. that this action was vnlawfull and a signe distinctiue before any statute of the realme or late Canon of holy Church and largely entreateth of the nature and variety of signes distinctiue of religion The fifth §. 36. examineth the auncient practise of Gods Church and out of the same doth euidently conclude the determined purpose This gentle Reader did I thinke good to warne thee of desiring in recompence of all my labour that thou wilt courteously pardon the faultes escaped which although they be more than I would yet considering many difficulties of a straunge language a straunge countrey absence of the authour and an vnready copy are notwithstanding fewer than I expected Other faultes thou maiest lett alone vntill in reading thou be at a stay yet in two places there wanting wholle lines take the paines at the beginning to amend them that so both thy owne course in reading may be easied and those which shall come afrer thee may be furthered The faultes escaped P. 4. in the margen Iob. 41. P. 23. there wanteth the quotatiō of S. Augustin in the margen Tract 48. in Ioan. P. 29. l. 2. in marg 8.9 P. 35. l. 15. there wanteth a full pointe before very well P. 36. in the margē at the beginning note Tract in Psal 124. P. 40. l. 2. it is not onely P. 46. l. 17. vnuoluntary P. 60. l. 7. for vndoubtedly reade vndewtifully P. 61 l. 25. of this deede P. 66. in the margen l. 14. Q. Iniuncti P. 75. l. 3. in religion P. 76. l. 12. in the margen sence l. 26. and outward P. 81. l. 18. put a comma after truely P. 82. l. 30. reade thus all heretickes if such be indeed inwardly heretickes P. 83. l. 20 which as a visible P. 85. l. 4. in the marg reade thus Psal 118. ver 165. P. 93. l. 8 in marg in Breuic P. 95. l. 3. marg c. 15. l. 18. away P. 101. l. 23. mortall P. 112. l. 12. reade thus S. Agnes My Angell will keepe me that I be not polluted with other mens filthines or with S. Lucy ibid. in marg Amb. ser 90. ad Virgin P. 113. marg See § 16. P. 116. l. 12. Concurrent P. 123. l. penult obiectes P. 127. there wanteth the note of § 34. P. 128. l. 26. they be neuer P. 129. l. 18. marg for 23. read 32. P. 130. l. 11. marg Honoratur P. 150. l. 12. for P. 164. l. 15. to your politicke P. 166. l. penult Ariminum P. 173. l. 5. marg 162. P. 177. l. 5. with Martyrdome P. 187. l. 20. Donatian P. 188. l. 2. marg l. 2. vitae The places of S. Cyprian are sometimes cited according to an ould imperfect edition which the authour vsed at the beginning but afterward he gotte the last edition of Pamelius AN APOLOGY AGAINST THE DEFENCE OF Schisme THe first degree of felicity as worthely noteth S. CYPRIAN is not to offend Lib. 1. ep 3 the second to know the offence It is a greate misery and most heauy punishment of Gods iustice after that the innocency and purity of an vnspoted conscience is once lost not to know what is amisse and not feeling the smart of the disease to neglect the helpe of phisicke One of the highest degrees of pride the roote and complement of all iniquity is the defence of sinne Psal 140. and with very great reason did DAVID aske of God that his hart might not decline into wordes of malice for to frame excuses in iniquities The not knowing of sinne is so great a plague of Gods indignation that he hath reserued the same especially for the times of Antichrist when wickednes abounding 2. Thes 2. Gods seuere punishment shall also match the same At which time as saieth S. PAVL to such as haue not receiued the charity of truth that they may be saued God will send the operation of error that they may beleue a lye So did he punish those which * Esa 3. preached their sinne like vnto Sodome and were so farre from the knowing of sinne that by preaching it they did defend it Woe vnto you saith the Prophet ESAY which call euill good and good euill making darknes Esa 5. light and light darknes making bitter sweet and sweet bitter Woe vnto you which are sage in your owne eies and wise before your selues Be not * Ro. 13 ouer wise but feare saith the vessell of Election for * Ro. 11. the wisdome of the flesh is death The * Ro. 8. Prophet Ieremy in the person of God propoundeth a question of the obstinacy of the Iewes what should the cause bee that hee which was falne * c. 8. did not rise againe and he which was gone backe did not returne But he answereth it in these wordes why therfore was this people in Hierusalem auerted with a contentious auersion they haue taken hold of a lye and would not returne I haue attended and harkened no man speaketh that which is good there is none which doth Penance of his sinne saying what haue I done All are turned vnto their owne course as a horse going impetuously vnto warre The Kite in the aire hath knowne his time the Turtle and Swallow and Storke haue kepte the time of their coming but my people hath not knowne the iudgement of their Lord. How doe you say we are wise and the law of God is with vs verely the lying stile of the Scribes hath wrote a lye Thus Ieremy I may seeme vnto you my deare frend to forget the familiarity of an epistle and being caried away with the vehemency of an extraordinary greife rather to
hath approued the fact hath he approued it and how I pray you by dispensation or definition hath he defined it Excathedra to be lawfull in it selfe neither contrary vnto the law of God nor vnto the positiue law of the Church or hath he supposing it to be only against the second as one which is the steward of Gods family dispensed herein Now for the dispensation That the Pope hath not dispensed I see not how if ther were any it could auaile you considering the danger of dispensations from Rome in our countrey and that although you would neuer so carefully conceale it yet you might hereafter be put to your othe whether you went to the Church vpon any dispensation or tolleration from Rome or no. But let vs scanne the truth of this dispensation When was it graunted by whom in what forme or maner how passed it the Alpes without our priuitie in these countries why are not the Preistes there with you made priuy thereunto considering that the * Mal. 2. lippes of the Preistes doe keepe knowledge men must require the law out of their mouth what subordination is there kept whē such things are sent vnto lay-men and not vnto the Pastours teachers of your soules why doe we not in these countries informe those which come out of the Seminaries of this enlargement must a few vnlearned timerous inconstant lay-men and such as your selfe are for I meane not all be the Popes Agentes in so waighty matters to haue the diuulging of them in the Realme But how began the Pope so lately to tender thus prouidently your distresses and how hard harted haue his predecessors bene all this time who haue not considered them was Gregory the 13. whom both for corporal spiritual prouision for our countrey we may worthely call an other Apostle of England heire vnto the first of his name not only in his seate but also in his affections way that great Patrone so kind vnto our nation that he would oftentimes weepe at the hearing of our miseries only in this point vnkind or did he with all his learning in which he excelled forget his authority in this one point Bring forth the letter the messenger the reporter of his owne knowledge of this new graunt which if you cannot as I am most sure you cannot then as I saide vnto you before out of the Prophet Hieremy that you haue taken hold of a lye in your erroneous proposition which you maintaine So doe I now say that you haue taken holde of an other lye to proue the former and such a lye as vpon my conscience is as long as betweene you and Rome as broade as the way thither whether you goe by Sea or by Germany ioining therunto all the space in the middest And finally as loud as if lies may be hard farther then true tales it may be heard from Westminster hall to the Popes Consistory So that plainly to deale with you I will not say you haue deuised for I know your nature too well but in ouer much credulity you haue taken hold of a long large loud lye although it pleased one in cheife autority of late to reporte that such a dispensation was graunted for men and not for woemen who surely hath bene also too credulous for it did not beseeme his place or person for to lye Now for any definition of the lawfulnes of the acte The Pope hath not defined it as lawfull I say the very same which for the dispensation And besides for them both I adde that it was neuer heard of in any age that the Pope did define or dispense in a thing which hee had no Diuines to maintaine It may be that he define a thing which hath bene doubtfull among Diuines The Pope neuer defineth or dispenseth contrary to common doctrine of Diuines or that he dispense in a thing which some affirme others deny to be dispensable as we know he practiseth in dispensing in some kind of matrimony But this is such a point so necessarily deduced out of Gods word so confirmed by the practise of all ages so resolued in all learned mens iudgements of the world that I assure you whosoeuer taking vpon him the name of a Diuine should propound it as a doubtfull or disputable question I meane practically and not onely as to exercise mens wittes in disputing of very resolued cases in any vniuersity of the world he would be hissed at much lesse it is to be thought that the Pope would dispense in it Yea this I say vnto you and am most assured of The Pope cannot dispense in this case that although this point of going to the Church with heretickes were only by positiue lawes forbidden as vndoubtedly it is of the owne nature and by Gods law vnlawfull as shall be shewed hereafter yet the case so standeth in England that he can not dispense in it For the action of going to the Church going to the Church is exacted for contempt of Catholicke religion therfore beside many other reasons indispensable is alwaies exacted in contempt of Catholicke religion as appeareth both by the vsages of those poore soules which in some partes before the late Commissioners relenting were with singuler despite and barbarous vsages by the officers driuen to the Church and also by the ordinary submission which at the Assises diuers haue pronounced when they haue become conformable wherin the principall pointes of Catholicke religion are renoūced So that I know who purposely comming to the Assises to submitte him selfe by hearing his fellow before him to make so shamefull a protestation which also very contemptuonsly some are like grammer schollers commaunded to repeate againe as not hauing pronounced it well or not spoken loud enough this man I say perceiuing more to be exacted then he had stomacke to beare withdrew himselfe and abode the aduenture of the law And although all which yeeld to goe to the Church doe not make this submission yet hereby may we see that the intent of going to the heretickes seruice is so to obey the Prince that Gods Church and autority may be contemned Now therfore the Pope cannot dispense in the breach of his owne law The Pope cannot dispense in the contēpt of his owne lawe when it is exacted in contempt For than is not his owne law onely broken but also Gods who saieth * Luc. 10 he that despiseth you despiseth me So that if the Pope hauing excommunicated one of those Emperours with whome he had in times past so great contention should fall into the said Emperours handes and the Emperour should say vnto him thou hast excommunicated me therfore to Preist will say Masse in my presence But in despite of thee I will make thy selfe say Masse before me In this contempte although the Emperour be excommunicate only by the Popes own decree yet if the Pope celebrate he sinneth mortally Euen so although this were a positiue law of
by a knowne Catholicke and not exacted in contempt or more in the Church then otherwise as to beare the sword vphold the Princes person or other such like any person who necessarily is to attend on the Prince and cannot by any ordinarye meanes keepe him selfe from the Court may accompany the same Prince of a connary religion vnto the Church because his going is not as to the Church neither is he thought to goe to the Church as to a Church that is as it hath seruice and communion but as to a place where he must serue his Prince with lawfull temporall dueties such as he were to yeeld him in any other place And that by this euident knowne temporall seruice altogether void of any religiouse ceremony for why he neither kneeleth nor sheweth any reuerence at all more than when he attendeth in other places all signification of religion vnion with heretickes and contempt of Catholieke obedience is taken away neither is he to be for all that accounted other than a Recusant But how farre in this matter one may proceed I need not bere to sette downe for you are no Courtier and I thinke there be few Courtiers which in this point will trouble you for counsaile To whom if they should aske your aduise you may say the matter is very doubtfull wheras many say that ELIZEVS allowed not his petition but with a doubtfull answere dismissed him saying goe in peace Seeing perhapps that after the fashion of courtiers he hearing the truth would not obey it And surely vpon this word the scripture maketh no mention whether he went to the temple of Remmon or no so that his practise cannot shew vs Elizeus his meaning But of this place I referre you to the two bookes written in our tongue the one of schisme the otherof the reasons of refusall Sufficient it is that out of this lace you cannto inserre any formall presence or going to the Church with heretickes to be lawfull The like answere vnto this doe I giue vnto the example of Valentinian the Emperour Of Valentinian the Emperour who going to a temple with Iulian the Apostata as Theodoret and Sozomenus reporteth being one of his cheife captaines and alwaies assistant to his person by reason that it was an auncient custome as Sozomenus expreslye noteth Theod. l. 3. c. 15 Sozo l. 6. c. 6. that the captaines of those souldiers which were called Iouiani and Herculiani should alwaies follow the Emperour next behind him as his defenders gaue the Porter a blowe on the eare for sprinckling him at his entrance with the Idolatrous water and cutte out of his garment so much as the water had touched euen in the Emperours sight saying that he was therby not purged but polluted with a shamefull filth For which cause as he was by that Tyrannicall Apostata sent into banishment so as Theodoret writeth he was by God within a yeere and few moneths for a reward of his confession exalted to the Imperiall seate Whose example if you would follow so often as by such base officers your eares are sprinkled with hereticall soundes I dout not but some Cōmissoner or other to your great benefitte would quickely prouide that you should come to the Church no more §. 8. The fourth reason you make out of the Cannon lawe which according to the extrauagant of Martinus 5. and the Councell of Constance giueth leaue to participate euen in Diuine seruice with all maner as excommunicate persons The 7. obiection of the extrauagāt of Martin the fifth except those which either are by name excommunicate or notoriouse strikers of a clergy man This reason verely is so childish that I am euen ashamed to answere it For it is euen as if you should argue thus The Pope geueth me leaue to be present at Masse in a Catholicke Church and company with an hereticke therfore he alloweth my going to hereticall seruice or communion with the same When did you euer heare that by a Catholicke mouth the heretickes prophane communion was called Diuine seruice It were not lawfull to goe to heretickes Churches although they had true Masse Pirestes Yea this I saye that although in the hereticall Churches there were very true Preistes and the same Masse which is saide at Rome with the same rites and ceremonies yet a separation being once made from the Catholike vnion and the hereticks vsing a church aparte from the Catholicke for all this decree it were a mortall sinne and an exterior act of heresye to goe to the heretickes Masse of which you shall heare Nauarre say his mind c. 27. n. 36. agreeing herein with all other Diuines He which for feare of death doth participate with an excommunicate person in Diuine seruices doth not sinne so that he participate not with a virtuall deniall of Catholicke faith which would arise through communication with contempt See Sotus 4. d. 22. q. 1. ar 4. Silu. verb. excō 5. dub 14. verbo Metus q. 7 Maior d. 18 q. 4. Couar parag 3. num 9. Angles ar 3 diff 7. Schismatickes may not be present at Masse See more of this point §. 38. The 8. obiection of Obedience Ser. 6. de ver Do. dispising of excommunication for it behoueth rather to dye then so to communicate Wheras he is more bound to defend this article of faith of the autority and power of the Church to excommunicate and the valew therof then his owne corporall life ⧠Now you may iudge whether your case were not so in England euen although you had true Preistes and true Diuine seruice But in this riffe rasse which you goe vnto there is no question Neither for all this may such as are excommunicate be present at Masse although they be not of those two kindes of excommunicate persons For the Canon intendeth not to fauour them at all but onely geueth leaue to the Catholicke not to auoid for all the sinful presence of him which is excommunicate and for all the prohibition of the Church which had bene vntill that time in force of auoiding the participation of the excommunicate not onely in spirituall but also in ciuill and temporall thinges §. 9. Now to your fifth reason of obedience to the Prince wherin you trrumph S. Augustine shall answere ⧠Who resisteth vnto power resisteth vnto the ordination of God But what if he commaund that which thou oughtest not to doe here truely contemne power by fearing power See also .l. 3. confess c. 8. Doe you consider the very degrees of humane lawes If the gouernour commaund any thing is it not to be donne yet if the Proconsull commaund the contrary then truely dost thou not despise power but choosest to obey the greater Neither herein ought the lesser to be angry if the greater be preferred Againe if the Proconsull commaund one thing and the Emperour another is it doubted but that he is to be obeied the other being despised S. Augustine would not allow
disproue falshood Yet least this letter of mine should fall into some handes of those who haue not seene such learned discourses as of this point heretofore haue bene sette forth I will briefly set downe some few reasons amongst so many wherby I may shew this action of going to hereticall seruice to be no indifferent action or such as may be exercised without sinne but wholly forbidden and vnlawfull of it selfe The reason of the difficulry which diuerse make in this question which thing when I vndertake I know in how vncertaine and slippery a place I find my selfe For although in my iudgement this matter may euidently be deduced out of Scriptures yet are the scriptures wrested from our case to other senses Although we may conclude it out of the examples of holy Fathers yet are they interpreted of Idolatry and not of heresie or of being present at Idolatrous sacrifices not at hereticall seruice Although we may alleage the grane example and seuere discipline of the wholle Church euen since Christ his time in all ages forbidding communication with heretiks yet are we answered that those were perfect times in which as all maner of vertues so all maner of seuerity did also florish I know not what prerogatiue being attributed to our age Wherfore although this were a matter fitte to be discussed out of Scriptures Fathers practise of Gods Church yet will we referre the large allegations therof vnto other bookes the learning and knowledge wherof we are not able to reach vnto Onely touching therof so much as we shall thinke necessary to fortifie and confirme those reasons which out of the lawe of nature of God we will bring to inferre our purpose But first we must agree what wee meane by going vnto the Church §. 14. What is ment by going to the Church First therfore by going to Church with heretickes we meane not that materiall action of going to that materiall place where heretickes haue theire seruice For in this respect such action is indifferent Yea in any action in the worlde that which is materiall may be found at some time or other The materiall of euery action may be indiffe rent and with some respect vnto reason which is the guide of all our actions morally lawfull and good though at other times and with other respectes it be vnlawfull For if we take that which is materiall or naturall in murder which is to beteaue a man of his life as it is vnlawfull when order of iustice wanteth So is it lawfull when the same order is obserued That also which is materiall in adultery or in thefte may be found in true matrimony or in a mans owne good altogether lawful commendable And yet is there none which will deny but that murder adultery thefte are of temselues vnlawfull The reason hereof is for that actions are not morally good or badde but by that conformity or deformitye which they haue with reason Wherfore diuerse accidents and many varieties of respectes vnto reason belonging vnto one materiall acte The necessary conditions of morall obiectes are not circumstances but essentiall vn to the action these are not now in respect of goodnes or badnes accidents but belong vnto the very nature and forme of that acte making different quallities either of goodnes or badnes or in the one or the other diuerse degrees kinds For example it is not a thing belonging vnto the naturall substance of the acte whether the man which is killed deserue death or no whether it be ones owne wife or no whether the horse be mine or an others But in the morall forme and nature therof that is in respect of that conueniency which our actions ought to haue with reason these conditions import very much and belong vnto the very substance and forme of goodnes or badnes yea in the very same kinde of theste as it is not a circumstance but intrinsecall vnto the thing which is taken that it is an other mans when the will choo seth and intendeth the same So the difference of place is not a circumstance but the very substance of the obiect in as much as it is morall and maleeth the action sacriledge when the will determineth to take from an holy place And so may we discourse of other condicions of euery obiecte or action In like maner must we resolue of this action of going to the Church For when we say that going to the Church with heretickes is vnlawfull in it selfe we meane not that materiall action comon to Catholicke and hereticke countreis nor going to the Church with heretickes as it may be with other morall conditions which may guie it an other maner of conueniency or disagreeing vnto reason What conditions are those which make the going to he retickes seruice a morall action and of it selfe vnlawfull but as it hath annexed such conditions as wee knowe are in our countrey with the which the goeing being quallified is of it selfe altogether vnlawfull These conditions are when one goeth for to be prefent at seruice and so that he may worthely seeme to go as others doe with conformity in religion or preiudice or contempt of Catholicke faith and vnity which in one worde we may well terme an orderly going to hereticall seruice §. 15. Some manner of going not reprehended Wherby we exclude those which goe to the Church for a temporall end of some particuler duety required by the Prince not in respect of hereticall seruice but of that which is due at other time and places For such so long as their seruice is knowne and such action although indifferent in it selfe is not of them exacted in contempt of religion Going with the Prince see §. 7. and §. 16. or vsed by them to giue the world to vnderstand that they goe to the Church or alleaged by them to proue that they be not recusantes Such I say are iudged by diuerse learned men not to goe to seruice as vnto seruice neither to obey the Prince in respect of seruice which neither the Prince in commaunding doth respect nor they in going all contrary vnto them which only for obedience goe to the Church where the end of the precept and of the going is seruice it selfe Going for obedience see §. 9. But they are esteemed to vse that action as a duety common to all places and no more intended in the Church than other where And so all signification of conformity to be taken away and this to be onely marerially to go to the Church without that forme and morallity which otherwise it hath These I say I exclude not meaning to sette downe my opinion therein whether it be euill of it selfe so to go with the Prince or if it be not whether scandall may be separated from it or no whether they may stay there after their particuler seruice is finished whether ordinary attendance vpon the Princes person be such a sufficient cause or no and
such other like which I will leaue vnto more learned persons to discusse and to such courtiers if there be any to assertaine their consciences in before they aduenture This one thing am I assured of that such persons are in conscience bound to leaue the court if they may without manifest daunger of incurring the Princes disgrace not in respect of their recusancy for that they must willingly susteine but in respect of their want of that temporall duety which by reason of their calling or the Princes fauour is expected from them We exclude also those which by chance or of purpose not for dissimulation Going through the Church but some other necessary end go through the Church without any shewe of reuerence at all for there wanteth the aforesaide conditions Also such as with heretickes go to Catholicke seruice to a Catholicke company For such goe not to heretickes seruice Going to Masse with an hereticke in a catholicke Church Yet I say to a Catholicke company for if the company were of heretickes gathered together as such than although there were Masse yet were this to go to heretickes seruice as we saide aboue The like I say if one went to heare an hereticke preach whome he priuately knew to be an hereticke if such an hereticke preached in a Catholicke company because he is Pastour of the place or thought by the Magistrates people to be Catholike Hearing a secrett heretickes sermon For although this hearing the sermon may in other respectes be euill as for daunger of infection yet is not this formally to go to the Church with heretickes the wholle companye beeing Catholicke Disturbers and the name of seruice or Church being alwaies taken of the company to which such seruice is iudged to belong Such also are excluded as are manisest disturbers or mockers of such seruice Curiouse beholders in an indifferent citty and knowne only for such respecte to come thither not that they may shew any liking or conformity at all Also those which in a Catholicke or indifferent citty doe curiously enter to behold the maner and behauiour of hereticall conuenticles See §. 36. n. 5. so that they shew no reuerence or religious and ceremoniouse presence Finally such as sitting at the table with heretickes are present at their grace so that they aunswere not or pray not with them Presence at the heretikes grace or it be not a formall seruice before sitting downe For these are not at heretickes seruice and the end of their comming is knowne to be to refresh their body neither are they bound to withdraw theire presence being altogether temporall and the putting off their hatte is vnderstood either an acte of ciuility others being bare or an exterior signe of reuerence of his owne thankes geuing vnto God wich becometh euery Christian after meate §. 16. Vnlawfull going We doe not yet exclude from the vnlawfulnes of this action such as although they go not to the Church yet haue seruice at home either by a minister or without Seruice at home For it is not the Church but the seruice and profession of conformity which is reproued which alwaies is vnderstood whan the forme of heretickes praier is obserued Yet would I not condemne neither trewlye allowe those which without any minister gather all their house together to their priuate deuotions or haue one of the famely to rehearse in the name of all some Catholicke praiers not in an hereticall forme although all the persons be not Catholicke so that this be not donne for contempt or with a shew of vnity in schisme or heresy For this is not hereticall seruice and without such preiudice of Catholicke vnity one may pray with heretickes as with any other person in mortall sinne or excōmunication Going with the Prince denying themselues to be Recusants Nor we exclude those which going to the Church with the Prince if such going be lawfull alleage that going for a shew of conformity and of absolute going to the Church when they are called into question For as their going cannot be iuslified if it doe signifie conformity in religion So if they say that it was vsed for the same conformity it must needes be anvnlawfull dissimulation For in those actions which signifie religion it is all one to do thē and to say they were done Making others to thinke that they go And ther fore those which any way giue others to vnderstand that they go to the Church geuing probable cause of such estimation themselues are no way to be excused although they may geuing no sufficient cause permitte that others say or thinke what they list The like of those which say that they haue bene at the heretickes seruice Saying that they haue gone or wil go or that they will go For such speaches imply conformity in religion and are so commonly vnderstood Hitherto appartaine those which going to the Church say they go for obedience For such obedience is but an extrinsecall motiue or end Going for obedience see §. 9. the very forme of such action being to go to Church principally intended in the commandement as we haue said aboue And therfore by the commandement the significatiō of religion or contempt of the Church is not taken away but rather increased And the like is not in going to the Church for some particuler seruice of temporall duety vnto the Prince For here the going to the Church is not formally respected See §. 7. and 15. but only in as much as it happeneth that a mere temporall seruice is to be vsed in the Church as well as in other places Euen as if it should happen thathe Prince in some extremity of corporall disease would for particuler deuotion go to the Church and necessity shoulde require that the Phisition Nurse or Apothecary should their attend for their ordinary seruices Neither are they excused which say they go to the Church Going with out intending to professe religiō yet not intending any signification in religion for this action of it selfe signifying religion on when for some particuler circumstance the signification it selfe is not taken away as in the cases aforsaid It is much alike as if a man hanging vpp an Iuye garland at his dore as though he had wine to sell should answere such as offer to buy wine that although there be a garland hanged vp yet he had no such meaning as to shew that he had wine or if a man should with very angry and fierce countenance call some person of high dignity euen before his face by all maner of opprobrious names and being conuented for the same should say he ment not as he said For although God himselfe in this action of going to the Church knoweth very well our meaning yet doth it signisy vnto men as it ordinarily doth at other times and by others And rather men may doubt of the true meaning of his protestation if he make any
Of a Protestation see §. 31. § 35 then of his outward action And whether his protestation be sincere or no certaine it is that there is in the action all signification sette apart at such time place a very great contempt of religion and of that person to whose dishonour the signification would tend that is of God himselfe For who doubt eth but that if one should cōtumeliously name his Prince before his face although both the Prince that wholle court knew his meaning to be otherwise yet if such opprobrious wordes were enforced by a forreine enemy for contempte of the Prince A very fite example against Prote testation such action would be deemed treason Wherefore that this wholle matter may be perfectly conceiued Let vs imagine that vnto AVGVSTVS the Emperour came 4. seuerall persons the first contumeliously and also from his very harte saieth AVGVSTVS is an vniust Prince the second contumeliously also although against his conscience vseth the like speaches yet doth he not seeke to make his cōscience known vnto the Emperour or vnto his courtiers being present The third maketh in deed his mind open vnto his maiesty and court that he thinketh not so vndoubtedly of him yet contemptuously either to please an aduersary of his or else moued with greater feare of that aduersary than of the Emperour he vttereth the very same The fourth not after any of these maners but sent by a very loiall subiect of the Emperours bringeth him this relation that a forreine Prince or Lord forgetting his alleageance or duety hath publikely said of his Emperiall maiesty AVGVSTVS is an vniust Prince Most euident it is that the three first hath formally vsed and most traiterously the aforesaid wordes but the last only materially without any crime at all Now to apply this example vnto our purpose there are three kind of men which wickedly and traiterously vnto God and his Church go to hereticall seruice The first is the hereticke himselfe who in this action both signifieth inwardly meaneth a false religion The second is the dissembling scismatike who signifieth it and yet in his hart thincketh it not The third is the same fearfull schismaticke who protesteth that he meaneth not to shew liking of a false religion yet neither can his protestation be knowne to all which see his facte and perhapps also he is not beleeued in the same wheras he may aswell lye in his wordes as in his action and yet although he obtained so much that he might be beleeued cannot be excuse himselfe from contempt and derogation vnto Catholicke truth The fourth onely vseth the action materially with out any signification of falshood or contempt of truth at all as are those whom we haue excused before For as in wordes which are principally instituted for to represent the meaning of the hart there may be the materiall sound of them without the signification which is the forme therof as when one repeateth the wordes of an other although they were blasphemous So and much more may there be in actions or outward signes which are not ordinarily so determined to signify as wordes So may a man cary an Iuy bush vpon his backe home for the fire neuer be thought to pretend selling of wine Bannes 2.2 And a comedy plaier counterfeite Idolatry before an Idoll without any formall or sinfull meaning therof Neither for all this is going to the seruice of heretickes not euill in it selfe All kind of dissimulation in this point For we speake of going to their seruice formally that is when there is annexed vnto the materiall therof a signification contempt or preiudice of religion Finally hereby it appeareth that wee exclude not any from the sinfulnes of the deed who any way guie shew or vse any kind of dissimulation in these weighty matters Such are those which go but pray not there or pray by them selues those which by their owne procuring or consent are put in the booke of cōmunicants or of married folkes or of such like Such as gette licence from the Arches to be married where they will Such as send their children to be christened by ministers or say that the minister christened them woemen which cause the minister to come to their house with his booke and surples as though he should Church them those which receiue comfort of ministers at their death or in sicknes for those * c. Filij De Haereticis in sexto are adiudged by the Canons of the Church euen heretickes and so their goods confiscate after their death those which go with coarses to Burialls if they withdraw not them selues when seruice of the Buriall beginneth nor such as to saue them selues from the danger of the law cause a Catholicke Preist to go into the Church to preach therby to make their neighbours to say or thinke that they go to the Church yea and without such intent if they go so that they seeme to go to hereticall seruice nor those which are married by a Catholicke Priest with the communion booke or otherwise that it may seeme they be married conformably those which hauing secrett Pewes or closettes looking into the Church cause some other to go thither that them selues may be deemed present or those which cause thēselues to be caried to the church for al such haue not lied to mē but * Act. 5. vnto god And although we are not bound alwaies to confesse our religion yet are we bound neuer to deny it or to giue probable occasion to others so to esteme of vs. although without such occasion geuen wee may permitte them to thinke what they list §. 17. Whether this doctrine be scrupulous Neither let any man marueile at these manifold downe falls intosinne or esteeme vs to scrupulous or the way of saluation to straite For this is that straines of the gate * Mat. 7. which leadeth vnto life this is the combate betweene the world and Christ * 10.16 neuer agreeing in one this is that * Psal 18. vnsported law of God which not with standing conuerteth soules and maketh them despising the delightes of the flesh yea the extreme vsages of the world only cleaue vnto Christ and that which is a most happy thing to remaine * Luc. 22. with him in his tribulations in the least iote not swaruing from his holy will Maruaile not though hereticks dissemble amongst Catholikes though they shew no difficulty of making al demonstratiō of feined piety contrary vnto their owne consciences whilest they receiue our Sacramentes professe our doctrine and seeme to detest all heresies They want togither with true religion all constant prosessiō of that which they esteeme for truth Treacheries dissimulations false worshippings dublenesse deceite and all manner of fallacy is farre from those hartes which em brace Christian verety One remedy there is which may deliuer you from this precisenes An easie way to auoid all seruples herein Be at
perfection And therfore a sufficient signe of religion is it in the laity to be present Than may we manifestly inferr that the lay people is also ceremoniously present Whence I inferre that as the minister if in the saying of his cōmunion he were touched of god so that he were resolued to renounce his heresy were bound vnder mortai sinne presently to lay downe his booke It is impossible to receaue Gods grace in the Church of heretickes and not to continew his vnlawfull action no not for one instant So also the lay man going thither for feare and in offering vp such praiers as he can afford almighty God in that place being touched with remorce of conscience of his vnlawfull presence is bound vnder paine of the same sinne to followe immediately the counsell of the Prophett and of the Apostle Esa 52. 2. Cor. 6. Gett ye hence gett ye hence go forth from hence touch not that which is polluted go forth of the middest of your congregation Neither were it sufficient for such to determine that he would go no more for so long as he staied there so long should he continew in the acte of a mortall sinne The heretickes pretence is cere monious Againe the hereticke him selfe euery time that he goeth doth an acte of religion and of his false religion professing his vnity in the church of Caluin therfore so doth the Catholicke also both alike in euery particuler time committ a new offence For although the one with this exteriour act of religion hath ioined the interiour yet sufficient it is that both doe the same exteriour act And the heretickes sinne is dubble for he is an inward an outward hereticke But the other is onely an exteriour hereticke but not an interiour Than that it is not lawfull to receiue the heretickes communion all agree But the very same case is of the presence at seruice Receauing the cōmunion is cere monious although one be more greeuouse than the other therfore it is not lawfull to be present For let vs scanne a litle the nature of receiuing the communion For I pray you why may you not receiue Because this is not an indisterent thing as my presence is what thing more indifferent than to eate a peace of bread because it is geuen me in steed of a farre more excelent thing which Christ instituted So is the seruice roung in your eares in steed of a farre more sacred thing And as you sett litle by the seruice so you may also sett as litle by the bread especially wheras some of your ministers will scant take it vp from the ground if it fall Because I should receiue it vnworthely to my damnatiō What do you now know that Christ is not there that true consecration is not made Doe you receiue euery but of meate which you receiue vnworthely to your damnation because it goeth against my conscience O scrupulous conscience and why goeth it against your conscience or why this more than that Bring forth any cause why you may not receaue and I will bring the same for to disallow your presence The trew cause therfor is for that to receaue is an acte of their religion and so is also to be present at seruice Obedience may excuse as well the one as the other An intention of I knowe not what may cleare them both alike And if to go to the Church be not euill in it selfe neither is receauing Yea greater indifferency is in eating and drincking which hath other materiall reasons of commendable and discommendable than can be in the going to the Church and to such a company which hath no other naturall end at that time and with those conditions but religion The ministers sayng is not ceremoniouse but in respect of the company Againe the ministers saying is an exteriour acte of religion and a ceremoniouse behauiour But his saying is not ceremoniouse but in respect of the company which is there religiously present for to heare him For if one which hath licence to read hereticall bookes did out of the Church at a table for curiosity before great companies read the verve same it were no religiouse or ceremoniouse acte Therfore as well the hearer as the reader are religiously present Presence at Idolatry is ceremoniouse 1. Cor. 10 see Testament of Rhemes Besides To be present at Idolatry after the like maner or to eate idolothites otherwise thē at a prophane seast not in the temple is a profession of the Idolls seruice therfore is the like in this your presence in respect of heresy the one signifying as well as the other heither haue wee in Christian times any other Idolls but heresies nor idolothites but their false seruices shifted into our Churches in steed of Gods trew and onely worshippe Furthermore to vse the vestiments of a Turke in which for the honour of Mahomet there is his picture The vestiments of a Turke see §. 35. or the picture of the mone specially dedicated vnto him is by all Diuines esteemed of it selfe a mortall sinne For no other reason than because such a vestiment is ordained for no other end but to signify religion Caiet verbo Habitus omissio Bannes 2.2 q. 3. ar 2 dub 2. Euch as the offring of incense vnto an Idoll donne in such time and place is determined vnto a naughty end of Idolatry although the intention be sarre contrary But the vnion in praier with a false secte being a ceremony of religion is more neere vnto such a signification than a coate which is prophanely vsed and only a marke of religion Much more than must it be vnlawfull although the intention be neuer so contrary Also in the great and famous controuersie which was betweene the two great lightes of the Church S. AVGVSTINE S. HIEROME Dissembling of any lewes ceremony is ceremonious ep 11. 19 Aug. they both agree in this that the Iudaicall obsernances are perniciouse and deadly As thou saieth Saint AVGVSTINE with a free voice yea although all the worlde were against thee doest pronounce that the ceremonies of the Iewes are both perniciouse and deadly vnto Christians and whosoeuer shall obserue them whether he be of the Iewes or Gentiles that he is tombled downe into the pitt of the Diuell So doe I also confirme this thy saying S. AUgustin and S. Hieromes censure and adde that whosoeuer shall obserue them whether of the Iewes or of the Gentills not onely nuely but also dissemblingly he is hurled downe into the pitt of the Diuell ⧠This doctrine is according to those wordes of S. PAVL Gal. 5 If you be circumcised Chust will profit you nothing what is the reason of this but because these ceremonies are signes of Iudaicall religion Ther Iewes ceremonies more lawfull And is it not lawfull to vse the signes of a religion which was once the onely trew religion in the world and by Gods owne prescript ordained and
The eighte hindereth no man and withall profiteth heereunto that it may saue an other from corporall vncleannes S. Augustine goeth farther and sheweth his iudgement of these kinde of lyes c. vlt. and calleth the first kinde which most maketh for our purpose a great wickednes and the first kind of a detestable lye A lye can neuer be lawfull And speaking of the last that one may not lye for the custody of an others chastity he yeeldeth this reason that in the nature of good thinges the chastity of the mind is preferred before the cleannes of the body and in the nature of euill thinges that which we doe our selues is more damnable vnto vs than that which we permitt to be donne And he hath there also a notable sentence that a man must not by the helpe of a lye bee leade euen so much as to euerlasting saluation Yea he hath in the 7. chapter that a virgin may not without sinne tell a lye to preserue her selfe from dishonest violence This saying of S. Augustine I would not haue so vnderstood as though it were a greater sinne to tell a lye not hurtfull vnto any than to be dishonest but that supposing that any one goeth about to dishonest a vertuous matrone and she haue no other way to deliuer her selfe from such filthy violence but by telling a lye as that some body is present which is not shee should rather permitt the dishonour than tell a lye saying with the glorious Virgin S. Agnes Amb. l. de virgin if violently thou defile me my virginity shall haue a dubble reward Hence I pray you make the comparison your selfe If a most pure Virgin or most graue matrone for to conserue the most pretiouse treasure of womankind may not tell a veniall lye may you by losing the greatest treasure which you haue or may be had in this world that is your fidelity towardes God and his Church vtter a most detestable lye which you doe by this wicked dissimulation onely to auoide some small penalty of body or goodes Vttering of Catholickes secretts to their danger a mortall sinne and bindeth to restitution Neither yet for this diuision of S. Augustine must euery simple bodye whan he is examined before Commissioners traiterously vtter the secrettes of Catholickes for to tell truth than were a mortall sinne and to tell a lye vnsworne were but a veniall sinne Yet both may be auoided either by silence or by lawfull equiuocation and lesse harme it is if either must be committed to committe the veniall And if an othe be taken in such case it doth not bind euen as no the of any vnlawfull thing can bind in conscience §. 31 I will not omitt here to touch the crime of scandall That this action is alwaies scandalous which is a vice opposite to charity by which we geue our neighbour occasion of spirituall ruine which although in this matter it be one of the least reasons to condemne your faulte yet is it in some maner alwaies found in your action in other maner although not alwaies present yet very hardly auoided It can hardly be auoided in that it causeth others by your example to fall and to thinke the sinne either none at all or not so greeuouse and withall it geueth occasion vnto our aduersaries to insult ouer vs and to blaspheme our religion And this is both the greater and the harder to be auoided in men of knowne resolution and notable giftes or talents of wisdome and learning which they might better haue wanted being cause of their vtter damnation whan by the creditte of them they cause their Brothers fall This deformity of scandall I say in these respects can hardly be auoided For you must not thinke that you can auoid scandall by informing your neighbours that you come not for any liking of their religion A protestation increaseth scādall See §. 19. for whan you desire them not to take any example from your action this doth more increase your scandall whilest you shew that you doe such action meerely against your conscience teach them by your example if not to go to the Church whan perhapps they go already is but one fault yet by geuing them a generall example in effect to all vice not to sticke at any offence of God either fornication or theste or any other enormity whan they see you so perfectly acquainted with Gods Sacraments and the practise of the Church to committ with hope of repentance a faulte no lesse enormious than theirs Wherby you which should be the light of the world geue occasion to fill the world full of darkenes out of the which you were once deliuered teaching seruantes to deceiue their maisters children to bee lasciuious wiues to bee dishonest finally all maner of wickednes so that there be no scandall and that they intend afterwardes to arise againe Which although I know you thinke to be faultes worthy of greate detestation and they also for you are not perswaded other wiser yet by seeing you so couragiouse in aduenturing your best iointe by leaping ouer the walles into the enemies campe How can you blame them if they also within the walles or without being amongst theire frendes betake them selues to farre lesse daungers in which estimation of a lesser daunger if I seeme to erre geue me leaue a while and I hope heerafter I shall satisfie you Yet doe I confesse that this faulte of Scandall may in parte be auoided Going to the Church in a strāge place is vnlawfull and scandalous but neuer altogither If one should go to the Church with heretickes in a place where none knoweth him not so much as the minister or seruaunt or neighbour than I say scandall were auoided in parte But such going can seldome happen vnto a Catholicke vnlesse a man had such pleasure in going to the Church against his conscience as some men may haue as we saide out of S. §. 30. Augustine in telling of a lye for either hee goeth to auoide suspition in some place and than they which are curiouse of him doe conceiue of him as of an hereticke or schismaticke Or he goeth that he may when he is called into questiō or before that also if he be so forward as many are be thought or saied to goe to the Church And this wanteth no more of Scandall than the going where he is knowne But howsoeuer it is I say that scandall although it may in parte yet can it neuer be fully auoided For whosoeuer is at an heretikes church Scandall can neuer be fully auoded although neuer so vnknowne so that he go not inuisible but be seene there by those which are there present besides the signification of the religion which is there vsed schisme dissimulation and such like as we haue saied before he incurreth the greeuous crime of scandall because he seemeth to consent vnto the wickednes of the minister and his adherents in that seruice Wherin you must
remember an ordinary distinction of Deuines For there are 2. maner of consents the first is consent Caiet verbo Restit which is cause of the action as when I know that without my consent such action would not be donne An other is a simple consent which onely consenteth Two manner of consents to an other mans sinne and yet is not the cause of the action As if in Parliament there be a Bill put vpp against Catholickes and I know that so many voices being passed already before mine my contrary voice can not hinder but it will be made a law Now if I consent after so many voices as are sufficient for if I should before sufficient voices were graunted the case were altered although I knew what voices were to follow than is not my consent a cause of that law yet is my consent a consent Ro. 1. and so according to S PAVI worthy of death as well as that of the others In like maner of you go to the Church and the minister saieth seruice onely for you than is your consent the cause of his sinne and of the sinne of as many as are there present and than who doubteth but you committ a scandall But if you go at ordinary times when the minister notwithstanding your presence would say seruice and others be there without your inducement or any euill example if this be possible yet is your consent present and so vnderstood by all men and therfore is not your action voide of sandall but by consenting vnto an other mans sinne you are also guilty therof as a coucurrunt though not as the cause or mouer therunto as one which alloweth not as one which commandeth as one which geueth the voice whan the number already is sufficient to make the law Neither is there any doubt but you may as well geue consent vnto an action vnto which you concurre for feare See §. 10. as if you concurred for loue as we haue saied before Than vnto your selfe must you apply the verses of the Psalme Ps 49. Whan thou sawest a theefe thou didest runne with him with adulterers thou didest putt thy portion Thou didest wickedly thinke that I were like vnto thee I will reproue thee and sette thy selfe before thy owne face that is that your own conscience shall iudge and condemne you But least you should thinke I speake this of my owne iudgement not leaning vnto the generall doctrine of Gods Church you shall heare the Martyr Irenaeus his graue doctrine against the Valentinian heretickes and other like L. 4. c. 46. A plaine testimony of S. Ireneus Be not you saith he partakers with them And as there in the schisme of Dathan and Abyron the damnation of the principall sinners was common to the rest because they liked them and conuersed with them So here also a litle leauen corrupteth the wholle heape §. 32. Hitherto you see I haue proceeded from the very necessary groundes of the law of God and of nature THE THIRD PARTE Neither can you by your protestation or intention or pretense of feare or any other motiue whatsoeuer excuse your selfe from the violating of any one of these vertues before rehearsed There are some other reasons of no small force vsed to be alleadged of which because I know you wil make no great account I will be content to say no thing One onely thing will I putt you in mind of that is of the daunger of infection Danger of infection which by going vn to heretickes churches you expose your selfe vnto of which if you make small reckoning esteeming your selfe a great doctour able to answere all maner of heretical obiections yet do I earnestly desire you to remember that once you could say as much in this point of going to the Church as in any other matter of Catholicke religion And O senselesse Galathian who hath bewitched you Gal. 3. Sap. 4. how are you so suddenly altered verely malice hath altered your vnderstāding fiction hath deceaued your soule and therfore most happy had you bene if as the wisdome of God doth speake Dissimulation is the way to infection you had bene thē taken vp vnto god whā liuing amongst sinners you were pleasing beloued vnto God O how trew it is that fiction and dissimulation deceiueth the soules of many in our poore countrey What olde man is now a Protestant who hath not gotten such pestilence by fiction who is now a Cōmissioner of ripe witte who being sonne of Catholike parents hath not bene altered by fiction Yea who is now so earnest persecut our of Catholickes as those which at the beginning of this last reuolte hauing bene Catholickes them selues are now most opposite because they saw they could not haue creditte at the first but by fiction L. 4. mor. c. 27. S. Gregory describeth fower degrees of sinnes both in the minde and in the deede expounding a sentence of IOB and to euery member of that sentence applying one degree The wordes of IOB are these Iob. 3. Wherfore died I not in the wombe or being come forth from thence did I not forthwith perish why was I taken vpon the knees why was I nourished with the papes Fower waies saieth he is sinne committed in the hart Fower degrees of sinne and so many also is it executed in the deedes In hart it is committed by suggestion delection consent and by the presumptuousnes of defence Suggestion is made by the aduersary delectation by the flesh consent by the Spiritt the presumption of defence by pride For the sinne which shoulde terrifie the mind doth extoll it and hauing throwen it downe doth lifte it vp but being lifted vp doth more greeuously bruse it In the same maner is a sinne executed in the deed First the sinne is * Going to the Church secretly secretly donne afterward before the eies of men without any shame therof it is manifested than is it brought in to custome at the last either with the seducements of false hope or the obstinacy of miserable dispaire it is nourished Thus S. Gregory This is the miserable progression of lamentable Schismatickes who trusting too much to their owne cleannes aduenture to touch pitch and much like vnto the lewd persons of the world seeking to enioy their vnlawfull contentments before they be aware conceiue sorrow * Psal 7. and bring forth iniquity which so long they harbour in their vnhappy lappe that at the length they nourish it with their pappes and drinke it in vnto their very harte Thus much for a wise man as you are will be sufficient for the daunger of infection Eccle. 3. least perhapps louing daunger you perishe therein I my selfe haue bene acquainted with a learned religious Professour of Diuinity who according to the necessity of his lectures hauing sometimes Caluins workes in his chamber with great humility a farr contrary spirit vnto that which beareth great sway in our
brother Let none as much as lieth in him beare patiently that order doe perish discipline be transgressed For to be silent when thou maiest reproue is to consent and we know that like punishment is prouided for those which doe and those which consent Feed saieth S. Ambrose him which dieth for hungar Dist 86. c. Pasce vide l. 3. off c. 6. for whosoeuer thou arte which by feeding him mightest haue saued his life if thou hast not fedd him thou hast killed him ⧠Inferre hence the greater necessity of sauing a soule than feeding the body and the grrater bond of fatherly piety than of brotherly charity God graunt that in our afflicted countrey many thousand soules without any other crime but with this onely want of charity and piety towardes their neighbours and children doe not euery day eternally perish §. 35 By this which hitherto hath bene said THE FOVRTH PART Of the nature of a signe distinctiue it remaineth proued that this action of going to hereticks seruice is of it selfe repugnant vnto the very law of God and of nature a case indispensable by any power vpon earth and besides many other deformities therin conteined a distinctiue signe and manifest note wherby heretickes or schismatickes are discerned from trew Catholickes Wherupon I do infer two very certaine truthes The 16-obiection that temporall lawes or Princes can not appoint distinctiue signes of religion first that most friuolous is that reason of yours that the going to the seruice of heretickes was lawfull before the statute of going to the Church and no distinctiue signe at all and thence you conclude that neither it can now be a distinctiue signe wher as temporal Princes cannot giue the nature of a necessary signe of Religion vnto any exteriour actiō which is not such of it selfe For howsoeuer your assertion of the power of Princes in this pointe be trew or false This action is of it selfe a signe distinctiue this action is as I haue saied not by any worldly Prince or law instituted but by nature it selfe and by the very forme of all maner of Religions ordained as a ceremony and from a ceremony if you take away the signification of religion of that religion I meane vnto which it doth belong you destroy the nature of a ceremony and make a ceremony no ceremony But I perceiue the cause of your errour in this argument to be the dissention betweene Caietane and the rest of the Deuines Caietane saieth that if a Prince or a law amongst Infidells in 2.2 q. 3. ar 2. Whether a Prince may make a signe distinctiue the omission wherof may be a mortall sinac doe commaund that euery Christian weare a certaine kind of garment different from the rest of that countrey as a redd or yellow cappe such lawe or commaundment may be in two respectes either for the protestation of religion that the Prince intendeth onely to know theire religion therby or else for a politicke distinction that a Christian may be knowen from an Infidell for the peaceable order of the common welth and by such marke be reputed as it were infamous Of these two cases he geueth a different censure For in the first that is when the Prince intendeth to know euery mans faith and religion although the same Prince intendeth therby to take occasion of persecuting the Christians he saieth that it is a mortall sinne to omitt such garment for than as he saieth euery one is virtually and in effect interrogated of his religion which than he is bound to confesse In the second he saieth that a man may lawfully omitt such a signe especially for to saue his life wheras such law doth not bind in daunger of life being onely a politicke and ciuill law for the peaceable gouernment of the state not in respect of religion What Caie tane thinketh of the omission of a signe of trew religiō appointed by the Prince of a false religiō Therfore he concludeth that if a Christiā amongst Infidells should be commaunded to weare a redd cappe onely for ciuill pollicy least any tumulte should arise or disorder in the common wealth by diuersities of religions than in daunger of death and with lesse daunger also he may without mortall sinne omitt that signe As a Iew at Rome or at Venice for to auoide the officer which cometh to arrest him may without deadly sinne cast off his Iewes cappe that he may not be knowen yea although his religion were the onely trew religion of the world For such signe is not ordained for the protestation of his religion but onely for ciuill pollicy But if the end of such law were onely to protest religion and that the Prince intended therby to knowe Christians for to punish them for their religion and not to make onely a ciuill distinction for the peaceable gouernment of Christians and Infidells than to omitt such signe is a mortall sinne against the confession of faith which alwaies is necessary when a man is interrogated euen as he is now as it were in effect interrogated by the law or commaundment of the Prince Thus doth Caietane discourse of the omission of the signe of a Christian vsed amongst Infidells Caietanes opinion of the vse of a signe of a false religion But now let vs also see for it maketh much for the vnderstanding of the wholle matter and there is great difference what he saieth of the vsurping of the signe of an Infidell either when Infidells liue in a Christian common wealth as Iewes at Rome or whan Christians liue in an Infidell common wealth as among the Turkes Than saieth Caietane although there be a signe appointed for an Infidell onely for ciuill respectes of temporall peace yet is it a mortall sinne for a Christian euery time which he vseth the same So that a Christian at Rome wearing a Iewes cappe or amongst the Turkes a white Turbant doth euery time committe a mortall sinne although it were for to saue his life for he than sheweth him selfe a Iewe or Turke by vsing the signe of either of them Thus you see Caietanes opinion is Marke the difference of vsing a signe of false religion and omitting a signe of true religion that a man may neuer vse a signe of a false religion although appointed by the Prince but that he may omitte the signe of his owne religion when it is not instituted for a protestation of religion but when it is ordained as a signe of religion than cannot hee omitte it without mortall sinne This doctrine by all other Deuines for the most parte is thought to rigorous And they teach very well Bannes 2.2 q. 3. ar 2. that a signe of an Infidell ordained for ciuill respectes onely may lawfully be vsed by a Christian in time of necessity and whan there is no scandall neither is there is such vse any signification of religion iustly geuen Other Diuines are against Caietane but onely permitted Euen as a
as they are not by name declared Wheras before euen since the Apostles we were bound to auoide them in diuerse thinges which the Canonistes Deuines from auncient time doe expresse by this verse OS ORARE VALE CŌMVNIO MENSA NEGATVR Wherby all maner not only of ciuill conuersatiō but also of cōmunication in spirituall ceremonies yea euen of the onely lawfull holy Diuine seruice of the Church is vnderstood to haue bene forbiddē Presence at Masse in a Catholicke Church lawfull amongst neuer so many heretickes Hereupon I know very well that as I saide aboue in a Catholicke Church so long as the name and title therof and maner of seruice is Catholicke a man may be present at Masse although the wholle company therof yea the Priest him selfe were hereticall So that they were in such maner heretickes either secret or publickly knowen that they made not that their seuerall congregation but for feare or some worldly respectes or that they allowing the Masse dissenting in other pointes from Catholicke vnion came to that place as to a Catholicke place not of any seuerall right or vnity which they pretended therin For so long as we doe not participate with thē in their seuerall Altar by them erected nor in those thinges which doe deuide thē from Gods Church we shall not deuide our selues from Ecclesiasticall vnity How some Deuines do say that it is lawfull whan there is no danger of infection or scandall Farther then this I also am not ignorant as hath bene saied before how that without any breach of Canonicall precept now in vse a knowen Catholicke in a citty either vniuersally Catholike or for the most parte hereticall may vpon curiosity or some other desire of mocking or disturbing the hereticall seruice in some Church of theirs be present at their seruice and sermon so that he be manifestly knowen not to come as one of them and altogither he keepe him selfe from any ceremoniouse shew of cappe or knee or colour of conformity or of vnlawfull obedience exacted for the creditte of such religion or seruice Such a one I know by diuerse to be allowed or at the least not to be condemned of mortall sinne so that there be neither perill of infection nor scandall For this mans going I know to be materiall as when Christians enter for such intent into Iewes Sinagogues at Rome or else where And it is not formall because he neither sheweth any reuerence or conformity nor is exacted of contempt or for shewe of such conformity or vnion in theire seruice or sacraments to be present Although I know such practise to be farre diuerse from the custome of the most pure time of the Primitiue Church C. 59. whan as we reade in the Eliberin Councell it was strictly forbidden that none should go vnto the publicke places of Sacrifices euen onely fo to see such Idolatry And if we consider the case aright we shall plainly perceaue that the seeing or hearing yea the thinking of hereticall Sinagogues and seruices is rather a thing fitt with sorow to burst the harte than to feed any curious mindes with the pleasure of other mens miseries Of the practise of Scotland Moreouer I vnderstand also that in Scotland which many peruersely will haue a patterne for England wheras it were greater equity that contrariwise that countrey shoulde learne of ours which hath bene with so many holy laboures and bloody conflictes of moste holy Martyrs instructed and embrewed I vnderstand I say that in Scotland a certaine tolleration hath bene but of what of going to hereticall Churches No Sir of no such thing But wheras there wanteth that perfect resolutiō which ought to be in Catholickes who must beare euery where Christes Crosse and ignominy that such as being otherwise Catholickly affected will not refraine from the heretickes Sinagogues and theire Schismaticall practises may yet as other hainous sinners are be admitted vnto Diuine seruice and notwithstanding theire excommunication wher with they are tied be exempted from this particuler effect of the Churches censure which that the Pope may graunt no man doubteth who knoweth that such impediment proceedeth onely from his owne lawe And that he hath graunted it I haue vnderstood by those who haue in this pointe conferred with such as very well haue knowen the matter But that he worthely graunted it vnto that countrey I doe nothing doubte wheras it was so expedient to allure the ignorant people to the seruices of the Church almost growen altogither out of theire remembrance and liking But neither was it the Popes intention to absolue them in this maner from theire excommunication neither are they continewing in this estate capeable of any sacramentall absolution or sufficiently disposed to the sacred communion of Christes holy Body and Blood And therfore neuer admitted whilest they so persist to the participation of any Sacrament at all Neither can the Pope nor the wholl Church of God as I am also most assured they will not dispense any otherwise in communication either with Heretickes or Schismatickes but so farre onely as we shall not communicate in their crime which alwaies is whan wee associate our selues vuto them in the highest degree of theire crime which is in their spirituall congregations All this though I willingly plainly yeeld vnto you yet it auaileth you nothing For it standeth you vppon to proue that it is lawfull for to go to heretickes Churches so that neither in respect of the maner of your going which is religiouse and deuoute neither in respect of the motiue of your going which is obedience to a law commaunding a religiouse going neither in respect of the vnion betweene you and the rest which are there which is esteemed by your orderly presence you may iustly be thought to conforme your selfe to the wholle Sinagogue This if you can proue or bring any one expresse Canon or manifest sentence of approoued Father to maintaine such opinion you shall haue the victory And I will not onely cease to disproue your action but I will also commend the same Neither am I so wedded vnto my owne opinion nor so doting vpon my owne conceites but I would willingly yeeld to the auncient truth And whan I could not vnderstand the reason it selfe I would thinke it a chiefe reason to submitte my reasō to my betters Yea this I do sincerely protest vnto you that for the desire of both spirituall and temporall good of my deare countrey which I know might ensew if this action were found by Gods lawe and the sacred Canons tollerable I should so reioise at such a profitable inuentiō that I should not esteeme of a strawe if withall for this doctrine here set downe and the like taught heretofore I should remaine infamous and marked with perpetuall ignominy in this world But too cleare is the case and so well confirmed and established by generall consent practise of all ages that to call it into doubt seemeth vnto me no otherwise than
iniquity which is in their seruice cōtrary Aultar vnto Gods holy Church § 39. For that alwaies euen since the beginning what the Canons haue decreed of auoiding heretickes Seruice l. 6. hist c. 3. Origen there hath bene amongst trew Christians an especiall account of communication with heretickes in theire praiers the great learned clearke Origen and most auncient Doctour shall geue plaine testimonie Of whom thus writeth Eusebius Origen saieth he although being driuen by necessity he conuersed in the same house with Paule an hereticke yet euen at that time was he not affraide to shew euident and open tokens of his trew and Catholicke opinion in matters of faith Going to hereticall conuenticles a tokē of faith For when a great multitude not only of heretickes but also of our men for the greate eloquence which was in Paule did flocke vnto him Origen could notwithstanding neuer be induced to be present at praiers with him As who from his tender age had both seriously obserued the Canon of the Church and had alwaies detested the doctrines of errours Thus Eusebius Where I desire you to marke those wordes Euident and open tokens of his religion To be present at praiers The Canon of the Church And the condemnation of such as being in minde Catholickes were present with Paule at his praiers Diuers maners of praying with he retickes But we must necessarily make some distinction of diuerse manners of praying with hereticks The first manner is whan they pray with vs but Catholickly that is either in a Catholicke congregation or else priuately but yet after a Catholicke forme and manner which maketh such ceremony not to be accounted as an hereticall ceremony but rather as Catholicke So that here I doe not so much shew my selfe to communicate with the hereticke as he to communicate with me This was accounted in the auncient Church alwaies vnlawfull vntill the Councèll of Constance and decree of Martinus the fifth For this degree of communication being not of it selfe vnlawfull neither implying any deniall or contempte of religion nor vnion with the hereticke in his diuision as it was iustly forbidden at the first so for the auoiding of many scandalls and daungers it was permitted after as we lately saied The second maner of cōmunicating with heretickes in praier is when we cōmunicate with them in their proper Churches or if in priuate houses yet after their owne particuler forme and maner And this was that which Origen refused And although hee woulde no doubt haue refused also the first communication as than being vnlawfull according vnto auncient Canons than in force yet was hee by Eusebius iudgement thought in refusing this second communication to haue shewed his Catholicke faith which he should haue denied if he had donne otherwise This second kind of praying with hereticks is in it selfe vnlawfull For it importeth a particuler vnion and association in that in which they haue cutte thē selues from the house of DAVID and erected a new Aultar fashioned new calues and new Gods besides him which cannot be truely worshiped but in the trew spirituall Hierusalem The third kind of communication with heretickes in praiers is to receaue their baptisme or sacrifice of whatsoeuer maner it be or any kind of trew or counterfaite Sacrament And this is in the highest degree of spirituall cōmunion with them alwaies vnlawfull and most detestable as also the second although somewhat in a greater measure of iniquity These three degrees you shall now see plainly set downe in three Canons of the Apostles where by the diuerse punishments contained you may iudge of the greuousnes of euery one The 44 Canon hath thus A Bishopp Priest The Canons of the Apostles or Deacon which shall ioine prarers with hereticks lett him be onely suspended from Communion But if also hee permitte them to doe any thing as Clerks lett him be deposed In the 63 Canon so we read If any Clearke or lay man enter into the Sinagogue of the Iewes or conuenticle of hereticks that he may ioine praiers with them lett him be deposed and excluded from the Communion Finally this is the 45 Canon The Bishoppe or Priest which hath taken the baptisme or sacrifice of heretickes we commaund to be deposed For what agreement is there betweene Christ and Beliall or what portion is there vnto a faithfull with an Infidell ⧠Where although it pleased the holy Apostles to impose sometimes punishments vpon the Clergy onely as which of dewty should be the forme of the flocke yet doth both their reason and the practise of the Church shew the thing to be vnlawfull to euery faithfull Christian But here you very subtelly reply that it is the comming into heretickes Churches for that intent of praier which is condemned in the 63 Canoni not the onely comming without any praier at all Nay Sir that is no good glosse For the 44 Canon imposeth a smaller penance for praying with them and that only to some degrees of the Clergy Therfore here is something more than praying with them forbidden and what is that but going to their conuenticles which going because they will distinguish from that going which may be sometimes lawfull they call it going for to pray And it is alwaies vnderstood that one goeth for to pray whan he is orderly present at the time of praier Neither can mans iudgement which searcheth not the harte esteeme otherwise Neither did euer the custome of the Church according to the politicke and new deuised intentions interpret the presence of a man at seruice or Masse but as a communication in praier For which cause good Catholickes were alwaies bounde to auoide the Chappell or Church whan any excōmunicate person in none of the tollerable degrees shewed before entered in Which if he did not he reputed him selfe to haue cōmunicated with him in praier Nauar. c. 27 n. 20. The 4. Coū cell of Carthage c. 71. 72. howsoeuer lewdly or idlely disposed the excōmunicate person was Thus much of the Canons of the Apostles The 4 Councell of Carthage where S. Augustine was present thus honourably speaketh of your Churches The Conuenticles of heretickes are not Churches but Conciliables with them we must neither praye nor sing ⧠Where if you make the same reply as before I geue you also the same answere And a new reason also for both For wheras praier with them is vnlawfull onely for this respect that we doe make our selues therby of their cōmunion or fellowship what doubt is there but in signification of this vnity it is all one to pray with them and to seeme to pray with thē Or who doubteth but that a shrewd wanton boy kneeling in his mothers presence at his praiers may satisfy her who knoweth not his minde although she be his mother as well in mouing his lippes onely and knocking his beades as if he had praied with greatest deuotion The Councell of Antioch The Councell of Antioch c. 2. With excommunicate
persons it is not lawfull to communicate neither with those which come togither in houses auoiding the praiers of the Church must we pray The like we read in the 5 Canon The Councell of Laodicea c. 9.32.33.37 The Councell of Laodicea forbiddeth the same euen whan none is there present And in the 33 Canon it expresly forbiddeth to pray with heretickes or Skhismatickes and in the Canon before it calleth the blessings of heretickes curses In the 37 it forbiddeth to keepe holy daies with heteticks or Iewes how than may we go to their Churches with them on holy daies The great Laterane Councell c. 70. C. Quidane de Apostatis Eccli 2. Ex. 22. Innocentius the third in the great Lateran Coūcell saieth thus Some as we vnderstand which voluntarily haue come vnto baptisme doe not at all leaue the ould man that they may putt on a new wheras retaining the relickes of their former ceremonies or rites they by such mixture consoūd the comelines of Christian religion But wheras cursed is the man which goeth vpon the earth by two waies and we must not weare a coate wouen of linnen and wollen we ordaine that by the Prelates of the Churches such obseruance of theire ould ceremonies be in any case repressed that whō their owne free will did offer vnto Christian religion those the necessity of holesome coaction may retaine in the obseruance therof wheras lesse harme it is 1 pet 2º not to know the way of God than after it is knowne to go backe ⧠Here haue you nothing to say but that by going to the Church you vse no ceremony of Protestants religiō which I haue confuted aboue shewing that your very going presence is a ceremony of Caluinisme But lett vs come vnto the example of so many constant Catholickes as in the time of the Arrian heresy were in greater misery than we but bore it with farre greater fortitude Wherein first there cometh vnto my minde a lawe which was made euen of going to the Church not vnlike vnto ours of our new kind of obedience of which because it serueth for the perfecter description of those times I will sette downe what Sozomenus writeth L. 7. c. 13. What Iustina the Emperesse mother vnto Valentinian the younger A law against Recusants in S. Ambrose his time maruailously molested holy Ambrose Bishop of Millan and yet could not preuaile to make him yeeld the Churches vnto the Arrian secte she growing vnto more fury sought to strenghthen her endeuours with a law Therfore sending saieth Sozomene for BENIVOLVS the cheife amongst the enroulers of the lawes A good lesion for trew gentle men she commaunded him that with all speed he should make a law for confirmatiō of the faith established in the Councell of Arininum which was for the Artians This busines whan he modestly sought to auoide because he fauored the catholike Church she was very importunate to entreate him and to allure him with great promises of higher dignity and yet preuailed not For BENIVOLVS taking off his girdle cast it at the Empresses feete saying The girdle was a signe of dignity as with vs the garter that neither his present nor any greater dignity he so esteemed that he would desire it for a reward of impiety Whan therfore he persisted therin that he would neuer doe it others were found which should vndertake the seruice of the making of such lawe This lawe commaunded that freely should come togither those w e were of the Arrian saith A law for going to the Church and that such which should resist vnto these or attempt things contrary vnto the Emperial law should be putt to death Thus Sozomenus of this lawe which notwithstanding was not executed because of extraordinary calamities and troubles which as Sozomenus writeth made Iustina forget her fury About that time notably S. Ambrose who whan the Emperour demaunded a Church for the Arrians Againe saieth he he sent this message Amb. l. 5. ep 33. I must also my selfe haue one Chrrch. But I saith S. Ambrose answered * He alludeth to the speach of S. Ihon Baptist vnto Herode Mat. 14. It is not lawfull for thee to haue her what hast thou to do with an aduoutresse For she is an aduoutresse which is not ioined in the lawfull mariage of Christ ⧠Euen so doe I say vnto you you may not go to the heretickes Church for what haue you to doe with their aduoutresse Sinagogue which is not ioined in the vndefiled matrimony with Christ This argumēt is of the greater force for that it is manifest that this Valentinian was alwaies a catecumen and not baptited at all by reason of his suddaine death So that we are hereby assured that his onele presence was by S. Ambrose forbidden wheras it is most certaine that beeing but a Catecumen he could not receiue any Sacrament nor so much as be present at the Churches sacrifice But onely at the singing of Psalmes and readings sermons Those souldiers also which sought by force to gett a Church for the Emperour Ibid. being by him commaunded to be excommunicate suddenly God altering their mindes came vnto the Catholicke Church where S. Ambrose was refusing to be ioined with the heretickes or for them to obtaine a Church The same most gloriouse Prelate in the same quarrell of the deliuery of the Churches to the Emperour Orat. de tra dend ba sil for the Arrians taketh occasion of that parte of scripture which by meere chance beeing reade that very day in which the tumulte was attempted for the Churches very fittely he applieth vnto his purpose Luc. 19. Mat. 21. The place was of the riding of our Sauiour vppon an Asse vnto Hierusalem and casting forth amongst others those which soulde pigeons in the Temple Where after that this Saint had shewed his seruent desire to make his owne body an hoste and sacrifice vnto Christ in so noble a quarrell if it would please our Sauiour so to vse the same his body as he once vsed the Asse whan he satisfied with a few of his forceable wordes all those which would haue hindered it saying that he had need of his seruice he addeth this most notable sentence of the Doues What are the Doues but simple mindes or soules following the sincere and pure faith should I than bring into the Church one whom Christ excludeth for he is commaunded to go forth Auxētius because of his wicked behauior in other places had changed his name which will sell the simple mindes of the faithfull Therfore Auxentius is cast forth Mercurius is excluded One monster it is but two names ⧠What thinke you thā would S. Ambrose persuade if he now sawe Auxentius in Churches or what wold that his deuour people thinke thēselues boūd vnto if Valentinian commaunded them there to be present neither was Auxentius so excluded but that if he could not haue ben excluded euery Catholicke should haue auoided him
in the Church more than in ciuill conuersation which also was forbidden them Yea such was the feruent zeale of this Bishoppe in this quarrell and such was the readines of the people to cleaue vnto their Pastour Ep. 33. l. 5. in so iust a cause that the Emperour him selfe feared least by the mutany of the souldiers which notwithstanding S. Ambrose neuer allowed he shold haue bene putt in prison But this Emperour for all this being once depriued of his euill Counsellours was alwaies after vnited vnto his Bishopp reputing him not only as his Father but as his Protectour and deliuerer in all distresses But in this matter of hereticall Churches Amb. orat de obitu Valētiniani orat de trad Bas How we ought to esteeme of lawes in this point Gal. 2. heare I pray you a necessary lesson of this great and most holy Doctour For speaking of Auxentius the Arrian Bishop he saieth whome hee could not by speach deceiue those he thinketh to strike with the sword with his mouth enditing with his hand writing bloody lawes thinking that the law may prescribe vnto men a beliefe he hath not heard that which euen this day was read That a man is not iustified by the workes of the law Or this by the law I am dead vnto the law ibid. that I may liue vnto God And we therfore by the law of our Lord IESVS CHRIST let vs dye vnto this lawe which enacteth decrees of perfidiousnesse ⧠Thus the most constant Pastour of those lawes of which we spake before for the deliuery of Churches vnto Arians Iudge you what he thought of going to the same if the Arians had obtained their purpose although in this pointe also I haue shewed you euen here his iudgement A litle before that time * Sozom. l. 6. c. 18. whan Valens in the East did persecute the Catholickes he came to Edessa for to see a noble Church of S. THOMAS A notable example of Catholicks constancy From this citty had he either by death or banishment or imprisonment taken away most of the Catholicke Pastours yet whan he saw the Cotholicke people to gather thēselues togither in a fielde before the citty he is said very sharpely to haue rebuked the Gouernour generall and to haue geuen him a blowe on the eare because against his commaundement he suffered such meetings to be made A ciuill hereticke Modestus therfore for so was the Gouernours name although he were an Arian yet secretly gaue them warning that they should take heed least the next day they came to the same place to pray For the Emperour had commaunded him greeuously to punish those which he should finde there But the people contemning his threates with farre greater desire than before did fill the place Which thing Modestus vnderstanding knew not what to do yet went be into the field In the way a woman drawing her childe after her and contrary vnto womāly decency her gowne euill fauoredly putte about her as it were hasting vnto a desired thing rusheth through the band of soldiers which went before the Gouernour who seeing that cōmandeth her to be apprehended and asketh her the cause of such hast That I may quickly come saith she vnto the field in which the Catholickes are gathered togither Art thou alone ignorant saith Modestus that the Gouernour will presently come thither and kill all that he findeth Yea saith the woman I haue heard therof and therfore I had need runne most speedely least I come whan all is donne and so be depriued of Martyrdome which now God hath offered me But why I pray thee doest thou leade thy little boy with thee That he also may be partaker of the publicke afflicton and receaue a like reward Therfore Modestus wondering at the manly courage of the woman returneth vnto the court And whan he had informed the Emperour of her he perswaded him that hee should cease from seeking to accomplish what he had begonne wheras especially it was a thing neither of small dishonour and of greate discommodity So farre Sozomenus O constant people O most kind godly mother O happy child which liuest in such a time If our times and people were like vnto these than should wee not onely haue more refusers of Valens his Church but more cōstant practisers of their owne religiō not able to be hindered with losse of goods or of liberty or of life it selfe But we will go somewhat farther in the worthy actes of this renoumed citty l. 4. c. 16. And take that which folowed after out of Theodoret. For notwtstanding the Emperour feared the multitude yet were those which were of the Clergy that is some Priestes and Deacons for their Bishop Baxses was sent into banishment and one Lupus worthy of such a name putt in his place with whom that godly deuoute people refused to cōmunicate these Cleregy men I say were brought before the Gouernour and commaunded either to cōmunicate with Lupus or to be banished Where after a faire long tale saied by the Gouernour to perswade thē from their recusancy A preaching Gouernour alledgeing that it was an extreeme madnes for a few simple men to resist one which was so mighty a Prince and ouer so many at the length saith the Gouernor to Eulogius a holy Priest and the chiefe of those which was than lefte * Go to that Church which your Prince goeth vnto Cōmunicate with the Emperour Vnto whom Eulogius very stilly but quippingly answered What was he whan he was made Emperour made also a Bishoppe The Gouernour vnderstanding the quipp beganne to be angry to reuile the Priest and to adde these wordes I saide not so focile that thou arte but I exhorted you all to communicate with those which whom the Emperour communicateth But the good ould man answered that they had a Pastour meaning his Bishop whose commaundement they should in such thinges obey Wherupon fowerscore of them were sent into barbarous Countreis into banishment ⧠But marke I pray you both here in what shal be said herafter vvhat is cōmunication with heretickes or schismaticks that to cōmunicate with hereticks was alwaies vnderstood by a religious and ceremonious presence at those actions wherin theire Pastours Bishops exercised their woolfish profession towardes their scattered flocke And this must of necessity agree with manifest reason that such communication as is had with heretickes in their praiers is the highest and most vnlawfull degree of communication with them For if in auncient times the holy Bishopps of the Primitiue Church by geuing or sending of certain letters vnto Schismatickes or heretickes Litrae Formarae vel cōmmicatoriae Aug. ep 16 2. 163 Opt. l. 2. copt parm Conc. Mileu c. 20 which were called LITTERAE FORMATAE or COMMVNICATORIAE should therby haue signified their vnion with the same therfore haue licensed others to keepe company and to communicate with them also which they reputed alwaies vnlawfull
euer refusing to grant any such letters but to such as were in deed Catholickes in so much that S. Augustine writing to certaine Donatistes protesteth that he doth not send them communicatory but only priuate letters for their conuersion What shall wee than iudge of this association in spirituall thinges neither must you now runne vnto your ould excuse so often by you alleaged and by vs refuted that you doe not communicate with them in praiers whan you doe not pray your selfe For your very presence at their praiers is a communication with their praiers euen as the presence at the same table although you eate nothing is a communication with them in the table and dwelling in the same house or lying in the same bedd is alwaies adiudged * Nauar. c. 27. n. 20. a communication expresly forbidden by holy Canons whan there is not that Tolleration of which we spake before in ciuill cases yet neuer was nor could be graunted in the crime of their rebellion It is very well knowen how in auncient ages neither Catholickes with heretickes nor heretickes with Catholickes would ioine Churches Wherfore of S. Ambrose Amb. in or detrad Basil the Arians sought a Church as we haue saide Of Athanasius the Emperour Constantius demanded a Church for the Arians and S Athanasius in like manner for the Catholickes in Antioch Sozom. l. 3. c. 19 wheras before the Catholickes in priuate houses did vse to meete refusing to come to the Churches of heretickes as great Athanasius also him selfe that worthy immoueable Piller of Christian religion did refuse Theod. l. 5. c. 32 The like petition was made by the Arians in Arcadius time at Constantinople which whan S. Chrysostome resisted signified before Gainas who made such motion vnto the Emperour that the sacred Temple was open and that he did forbidd none but he might pray there if he would But I saith Gainas am of an other religion and with the men of my owne religion desire to haue a Church ⧠These Arians at the day of Iudgement shall cōdemne our politicke Schismatickes The Donatistes Whan the Donatistes had made certaine hymnes in Affrike to allure the people to theire seruice S. Augustine that Catholickes might in all thinges be opposite vnto them made a godly Psalme for them to sing Socr. l. 6. c. 8 Sozom. l. 8. c. 8. which he intituled a Psalme against the parte of Donatus The Arians also in Constātinople whan they by Theodosius had bene forbidden to vse their seruice in the citty and therfore in the night vsed to meete in publicke galleries by sides and quires singing certaine hereticall responses after that the day drew neere were wont to go from thence also singing blasphemous songes against the B. Trinity S. Chrysostome therfore with greater solemnity than euer before performed the like manner of nightly singing and procession in his Church and in shorte space Solemne procession was long be fore in vse See S. Basil ep 63. both in number and in solemnity exceeded the Arians For in this procession there went first a siluer Crosse with Torches kindled and charge was committed to the Empresses Chamberlaine to prouide both the expenses and also the musicke So that in all antiquity we see that heretickes churches and seruices vnto Catholicke Churches and seruices haue alwaies bene as opposite as Babilon vnto Hierusalem as heauen and hell as the citty of God and the citty of the Deuill The people of Alexandria chose rather to dye Theod. l. 2. ◠14. than to go to the Church where an Arian Bishop had possession For which cause S. Athanasius him selfe comforted by writing certaine Virgins to the constant confession of their faith For the Arians hauing found thē once at Catholicke praiers with all manner of brutish cruelty sought to make them professe Arianisme Theod. l. 4. c. 14. The people of Samosata hauing lost their godly Catholicke Bishop Eusebius were such enemies of hereticall wickednes that the Arian Bishop at seruice time was euer alone Yea whan he had bene in the bath some Catholickes comming thither and meeting him going forth neither would they enter whilest he was wtin would not aduenture to washe them selues before the water in which hee had washed was cast forth least by the very water they should haue receiued some filth of hereticall contagion He therfore soone gaue ouer his office and Lucius an other Arian being intruded could not yet alter the mind or constancy of Gods Catholcike flocke forsaken of their Pastour yet as the same author writeth executing them selues the cae of a Pastour which they plainly declared by a childish example but a trew patterne of feruent zeale to auncient religiō For whan this false Bishop Lucius by chance rode through the market place a company of children there playing at ball it happened that the ball slipping from one of thē went betwene the Mules legges on which Lucius rode But the children cried out thinking the ball to be polluted with some great filth Wherfore hauing made a fier passed the ball ofte through the flame reputing that so it might be purged This example of childish piety wheras Theodoret a most graue Bishop and Doctour hath not thought vnworthy of his ecclesiasticall history I also thincke it may very well beseeme my simple writings You may if it please you exhort whosoeuer will take the paines to supply M. FOXES Martyrologe to put this ball in the number of those which haue suffered for the Gospell Very notable is also the Recusancy of the Romane citizens Theod. l. 2. c. 10. who whan Constantius had sent into banishment their Pope Liberius and placed Faelix the second in his roome who notwtstanding afterward was a Martyr would neuer enter into the Church whilest Faelix was there both because he was not their trew Pastour and for that he had communicated with the Arians By which fortitude they obtained of the Emperour the restoring of Liberins to his See But most famous is the Martyrdome of S. Ermigildus Greg. l. 3. mor. c. 31 that most noble young Prince who for refusing to communicate with Arians was by the barbarous King his Father in steed of his Princely inheritance crowned with a Martyrdome and honoured by God after his death with most strange miracles and rewarded with the conuersion of his wholle countrey I could here very much dilate this discourse in the rehearfall of diuerse examples of most constant Catholickes Victor vticensis whom in the persecution of the Vandalles in Africke hereticall sury made most gloriouse mirrours for whosoeuer in our age hath to contend with the like barbarousnes Athenageras in Apol Theoph. Antioch l. 3 ad Autol. Text. l. de spectac Cypr. de spect A great argument might also be brought forth of the auncient custome of the purest age of the Church whan it was generally holden vnlawfull for Christians to be present at the plaies or spectacles of the Gentills