A TREATISE OF SCHISME Shewing that al Catholikes ought in any wise to abstaine altogether from heretical Conuenticles to witt their prayers sermons c. deuided into foure Chapters whereof 1. Conteineth sundry reasons to that purpose grounded for the most part vppon Scriptures and Fathers 2. Examples out of holy Scripture 3. Examples out of ecclesiastical histories 4. Answeres to the chiefe obiections By Gregorie Martin Licentiate in Diuinitie DVACI Apud Iohannem Foulcrum 1578. HIc Tractatus est planè Catholicus nostris imprimis hominibus hoc schismatis tempore pernecessarius Ita testor Gulielmus Alanus S. Theologiae Doctor Professor ¶ THE PREFACE to the Reader COnstantius Emperor father vnto Constantine the great offered vnto his nobilitie this Condition That as many as would offer Sacrifice vnto the Idols shoulde haue both accesse vnto his royal persō dwel in his Court and haue offices great honour in the common wealth They that would not thus doo shoulde haue no accesse vnto his person no familiaritie with him should beare no office in the common wealth but should be banished the Court and also be depriued of such offices and honours as presentlye they did enioy Forthwith the whole Court is deuided in two partes wherby the Emperour easily might perceue eche mans mind faith truth religiō for the true Christians were by and by readie humbly to depart rather thē by tarying to violate their faith for world lye honor Then Constantius opening his secrete purpose blameth the dissembling sort calleth them dastardes faint harted Cowardes traitors vnto their God and his truth and flatterers vnto their Emperour men vnwoorthy to liue in his seruice For howe wil ye kéepe faith vnto me your master saith he that haue violated your faith vnto the eternal God ye are cōuicted of periurie vnto God howe can yée be true vnto man The others he commended highly for their cōstancie pietie true faith he iudgeth thē woorthy to haue rule charge of earthly thinges that had shewed thē selues faithful to god They are saith he like to be true vnto their Emperor that haue shewed them selues true and faithful to God he committeth the custodie of his owne person to them the charge gouernment of the Empire he layeth in their handes the rest he did vtterlye banishe as pernitious flatterers turne-coates and hipocrites Verily the fact was heroical woorthie the father of Constantine it was the very way to trye true men from flatterers faithful seruaunts from false deceauers For he that wil not sticke to violate his faith his religion his conscience towardes God for lukers sake who can thinke that such wil be faithful and trusty vnto man Great therfore is the ouersight of our dayes wherein he that can best dissemble he that can violate his faith vnto God and his Churche for worldlye preferment is taken for most trustie and faithful he that wil come to the Church although it be neuer so muche against his conscience he that wil receaue their what shal I cal it although he wisheth it in his belye that deliuereth it is thought to be best to be trusted with the greatest affaires weightiest busines about the prince But this good Emperour iudged them vnwoorthie to haue charge about men that made no consciēce to violate their faith vnto god But one wil say Naaman the Assirian was permitted by Elizeus the Prophet to goe with the king into the temple where Idolatrie was and yet neuer impaire his conscience euen so may we go to the Churche for obedience sake without hurting our conscience or violating our fayth to God. If Elizeus gaue him leaue as you gesse which yet the text proueth not to goe to doo his master temporal seruice not in respect of religion but according to his office it was as you confesse but by leaue of the prophete whom God did wil then to be obeyed but he that is Elizeus nowe doth geue you no such leaue but doth commaund the contrarye whose voyce you are bounde to obeye els this example of Naaman wil condemne you For if he durst not doo so much as his temporal office vnto his master in the temple without the prophetes leaue how dare you doo an acte of religion to further heresie against the expresse cōmaundement of him who is greater in office then Elizeus Moyses gaue the Iewes libellū repud◠a letter of diuorce not that it was so frō the beginning but propter duritiā because of the hardnes of their heartes because of the imperfection of the Iewes for the olde lawe brought nothing to perfection gaue no grace but was a time of infancie but now infancie is passed into mans age and grace is geuen more aboundantly to men The time a time of perfection that wil admit no such diuorce no such licence as you séeme to say Naaman thassirian had who was but a Proselite or a Catechumene Also there were no such weaklinges to take scandale at his presence in the Temple of Remmon as are here in the Sinagoge of heretikes You may not therfore draw this example of Naaman to coulour your offence no more then may these that now doo put away their old wiues and take new vse this example of the old law to cloake their aduoutry For vnlesse your righteousnes doo excéede that righteousnes of the Scribes Pharises ye can not enter into the kingdome of heauen Also heresie schisme are two most gréeuous sinnes yet distinct according to that whereto they are directlye opposite of them selues as heresie of it self is repugnant vnto faith Schisme opposite vnto the vnitie of the ecclesiastical charitie And therfore like as fayth and charitie are two diuers vertues although whosoeuer lacketh faith is also voide of charitie So Schisme and and heresie are two diuers vices although who that is an heretike is also a schismatike yet not euery Schismatike is an heretike as teacheth S. Hierome Inter schisma haeresim hoc interest quòd haeresis peruersum dogma habet Schisma ab ecclesia seperat c. Betwéene Schisme and heresie these are the oddes That heresie hath alwayes a peruerse opinion against an article of fayth Schisme seperateth from the Churche yet like as the losing of charitie is the very high waye towardes the losing of a mans faith according to that of S. Paule A quibus quidam aberrantes conuersi sunt in vaniloquium From which some wandring charitie and such like are resolued into brablinges So is Schisme the high way into heresie although at first Shisme may be vnderstoode somewhat diuers from heresie it selfe yet in th ende there is no Schisme that doth not coyne forth-with some heresie to haue a colour to reuolt from the Church And therefore commonlye the sinne of Schisme hath bene more gréeuously punished in the Scriptures then infidelitie or Idolatrie For we reade that the sinne of Idolatrie was punished by the sword by mans
of their age if they doo not forbid them and teache them the contrary if they sende them to schooles or vniuersities where they must néedes heare and sée and doo that they shoulde not c. Nuptię cum infidelibus prohibentur et cum hereticis Mariage with Infidels and with heretikes is forbid because of the daunger in peruerting one the other Et contractę discindi poterunt ac debent illę quoad vinculum istę quoad cohabitationem si cohabitare non liceat sine iniuria Creatoris And being contracted maye notwithstanding and ought to be sundred th one to be no mariage the other not to liue together at al if they cannot liue together without iniurie of their Maker that is if th one wil néedes make thother offende God. Nolite iugum ducere cum infidelibus Drawe not in one yoke with Infidels Which is most properly spokē de coniugibus et 1. Cor. 7. and Tertullian ad vxorem and thecclesiastical historie of a vertuous godly matrone that departed from her husband And our Sauiour him selfe Qui reliquerit vxorem propter me centuplum accipiet He that forsaketh his wife for my sake shal receaue a hundred folde Qui non oderit non est me dignus He that hateth her not for my sake is not woorthy of me And Moyses Si vxor quae est in sinu ruo If thy wife that fléepeth in thy bosome wil persuade thée error cast thou the first stone at her If the wife and her husbande may not kéepe company because the one is a wicked infidel or heretike of whom it is saide Et adhęrebit vxori sue And he shal cleaue to his wife And if the sonne must vppon paine of damnatiō forsake the Father and the daughter her mother because they are of a contrary beliefe for Qui diligit eos plus me and Qui non odit patrem et matrem non est me dig He that loueth them better then me yea he that doth not hate father and mother in this case is not woorthy of me Putatis quia pacem veni mittere non dico vobis sed seperationem Thinke you that I came to sende peace vpon the earth no I tel you truth but diuision and dissension meaning that for his sake the son should leaue his father the daughter her mother the wife her husbande one frende forsake another If I say this be so much more heretical conuenticles are to be abhorred Al opē professors of heresie or knowen heretikes are ipso facto excommunicati in so doing they are excommunicate forthwith without further sentence as appereth in Councels decrées et in bulla coenę domini In their praiers and sermons their professiō is manifest ergò then especially we must absteine from them quia participare cum excommunicato in diuinis etiam catholicè graue peccatum est because to communicate or to be partaker with an excommunicate person in thinges pertaining to Gods seruice albeit after a catholike maner as whē the Pelagiens had al their seruice and ceremonies catholike is by the iudgement of learned diuines and the consent of the Churche a gréeuous sinne howe much more gréeuous is it to communicate with them when their seruice and maner of praier is wholly heretical Yea the first case de reseruatis in bulla Coe Domini est hęresis comprehendit eos qui praesumunt legere libros hęreticorum quique imprimunt et domi habent et demùm omnes fautores hęreticorum ergò à pari to frequent their conuenticles where they pray preach is comprehended It is excōmunication to enter into the Iewes Sinagoge at the time of their ceremonies wherin euery day as S. Hierome writeth they pronounce a solemne curse contra Iesum Nazarenū against Iesus of Nazareth so they cal him of contempt despite The like is said of y eschismatical Grecians in Venice much more is it to be conceued of haunting heretical conuenticles wher the blessed Sacrament the vicar of Christe are impudently blasphemed much more I say as appereth by the Apostles distinction de fornicariis huius mundi and si is qui frater nominatur est fornicarius Of them whom he calleth fornicatours of this world infidels or Paynims and of christian brethren that are fornicatours of thē he meant not but of this latter Nè commisceamini cum illis Kéep no company with them c. but more of this comparison hereafter Here commeth to hand another reason Scripsi vobis non commisceri si is qui frater nominatur est fornicarius aut auarus aut maledicus c. cum eiusmodi nec cibum sumere I wrote to you not to kéepe company with anye such as being a Christian man is a fornicatour or couetous or foule speaker with such a one I say not to take meate And 2. Thessal 3. generallye Denunciamus autem vobis fratres in nomine Domini Iesu Christi vt subtrahatis vos ab omni fratre ambulante inordinatè c. We earnestly and precisely declare vnto you brethren that you withdrawe your selues from euerye brother that liueth vnorderly And Per epistolam hunc notate nè commisceamini cum illo Geue me a note of him by your letters and kéepe no company with him Why vt confundatur to shame him He talketh of lesse sinnes then heresie And is it the waye to shame heretikes and so to reclaime them whē their sayinges and singings are honoured with our presence To absent our selues is no doubt a confusion to them and doth astonish them although they be obstinate Euery Catholike must confesse that the Church of Christ vpon earth is visible the members wherof must néedes be tyed together aliquo signaculorum vel Sacramentorum visibilium consortio with some societie of visible signes or Sacramentes as S. Austen saith èrgò they that secretly in heart are Catholikes and visibly in Sacramentes and ceremonies communicate with heretikes flatly declare the they are not to be accompted of Christes visible and onely Church which place being wel vrged must néedes condemne them by their Catholike opinion of the visible Churche For if al should hide their faith how should the Churche appere If others doo God be thanked innumerable and they doo not how are they the children of one mother the members of one body Or what priuiledge haue they wheras it is necessary that many alwaies doo protest visibly their religion to be exempted from that opē profession They cannot possibly cauel against it for Reliqui mihi septem millia qui non curuauerunt genua ante Baal I haue left me seuen thousand that haue not bowed their knées before Baal An heretical obiection for their inuisible Churche is meant of them that in Hierusalem euen then serued God openly in the Temple when Elias complained that in Samaria amonge the tenne Tribes Relictus sum ego solus Or he spake it of the good men in the tenne Tribes S. Austen Collat.
contra Donat. cap. 20. of zeale because he knewe but fewe If nothing els did moue yet verye zeale against the enemyes of Christe and his Churche should cause a good Christian to absteine Zelus domus tuę comedit me The zeale of the house of God hath eaten me And Odiui ecclesiam malignantium cum impiis nō sedebo Lauabo inter innocentes manus meas circundabo altare tuum Domine I hate the congregation of wicked men with the vngodly I wil not sitt I wil wash my hands among innocents and compasse thy aultar O lord That is I wil embrace it with both hands not geuing one to thée and the other to thy aduersarye Dilexi decorem domus tuae locum habitationis gloriae tuae I haue loued the beautie of thine house and the place where thy glory dwelleth Hath a cold Catholike this zeale to Gods house against Sinagoge to whom it may iustly be saide Si videbas furem currebas cum eo cum adulteris portionem tuam ponebas Existimasti iniquè quòd ero tui similis If thou sawest a thiefe thou diddest runne with him and with the aduoulterous thou diddest take parte Thou haddest a wicked surmise that I wil be like to thy selfe a good gentle God to fauour thy sinne as thou doest fauour heresie Arguam te statuam contra faciem tuam I wil lay it to thy charge be thou sure and cal thée to accompt for it in the dreadful day And because men doo flatter them selues many wayes in this case and thinke it great wisedome and smal offence to hide their conscience for aduauntage by yéelding a litle Let vs consider certaine other wayes of consenting to Infidels not so wel knowē to the ignorant and yet make a mortal sinn Caietan in summula tit Habitus mutatio Si differentia certa distinctiua Christianorum aliorum est ita vt quilibet vtens tali habitu fateatur suā fidem mortale esset peccatum puta Christianum deferre super vestes characterem O ex aliquo timore vbi hoc est proprium signum Iudęorum quia hoc nihil aliud est quà m ex timore fateri se Iudaeum If there be a certaine distinct marke whereby to know Christians and others a sundre so that any man by vsing that habite thereby doth protest his faith it were a mortal sinn for example if a Christian man for feare should weare vpon his outwarde garment this letter O in that place where it is a peculier marke of the Iewes for that is nothing els but of feare to confesse him selfe a iewe Or if a Puritan abhorring from a fryers wéede would for feare weare it being a most certaine badge of a papist he sinneth mortally according to S. Thomas conclusion de ratione errante in my eight reason Can there be a more manifest distinction of Catholikes and heretikes then their Churches their Sacramentes their prayers their sermons In S. Austens time when it was demaūded Quâ itur ad catholicā Which is the waye to the Catholike Churche were not their Churches plainly so distinct that to aske the way to either was a token of his religion that asked like as the schismatical Samaritanes iudged Christe to be of the Iewes religion Quia facies eius erat euntis in Hierusalem Because his face looked as if he were going to Hierusalem And therefore he could get no interteinment among them It is al one to communicate with the deuil and with his ministers Sée then howe easily a man maye sinne in this case whereas tollere signum as they terme it by that meanes to helpe the person bewitched is in the opinion of great learned men a certaine cōmunication with the deuil S. Hierom in vita S. Hilarionis noteth this especially in the cure that he did vpon a maid bewitched per tormenta verborū portentosas figuras subter limē domus puellae defossas By tormenting wordes and monstrous figures digged into the ground vnder the thresshal of her doore Noluit autem saith he sanctus antequà m purgaret virginem signa iubere perquiri nè solutis incantationibus recessisse dęmon videretur The holye man would not bid them looke out the signes or figures least it might séeme that the deuil departed by vndoing the inchauntmentes Alas howe common is this nowe adaies and many other meanes estéemed very honest wayes by signes wordes ceremonies yea vnlesse they coniure flatly and of purpose consult with the deuil they thinke the rest is no communication with him right so in our case you may consider where a man doth communicate with heresie and deny his faith by many indirect and couert wayes neuer without mortal sin by wilful presence by Oxforde protestations quatenùs consentit verbo dei as farre as it agreeth with the worde of God by séeming to receaue although he doo not by geuing his name to the vicar as hauing receaued by conceuing a new sense whē his wordes import falshood must néedes sounde consent to the hearers as being asked of an heretike Is the bodye of Christe in the blessed Sacrament no forsooth meaning in his visible quantitie c. by whatsoeuer subtil and secret meanes of séeming to fauour their opinions So he that in praying for the Quéene vsed this stile supreme gouernour of al persons ecclesiastical and temporal Although it be true in his sense yet his purpose was to haue it séeme as though it were al one with the common stile And so there be writers that thinke S. Peter saying Nescio hominem spake it in this sense Nescio purum hominem but neither did he so meane and if he did yet the hearers vnderstoode him in the sense that they vrged and therfore it was so also a flatt denyal Vide Augustinum varia genera mendaciorum lib. contra mendacium cap. 3. deinceps Another reason may be because this dissimulation and indifferencie pertaineth to olde heresies First Basilides Niceph. li. 4. cap. 2. among other monsterous heretikes res nullo in discrimine ponere docuit adiaphorein perinde atque tempore exigente absque exceptione omni praecisè fidem abiurare liceret He taught men to be indifferent to anye religion as if it were lawful the time so requiring preciselye without al exception to abiure the faith The second Helcesaitarum Euseb li. 6. cap. 31. ex Origene fidem negare indifferens quiddam esse Qui enim interiore cogitatione rectè de fide sentiat tametsi ore cùm necessitas illū cò detruserit fidem perneget eum tamen animo firmè illi adhaesurū That to denye the faith is an indifferent thing for he that in his heart inwardlye hath a true beliefe although with mouth when necessitie vrgeth him he denye his faith yet in his minde he is readie to sticke to it stedfastlye These make their grounde necessitie as manye colde Catholikes doo thinking so to be excused and therfore as S. Ciprian writeth de lapsis
seruice with him Why so Quippe qui ab ineunte ętate ecclesię canonem obnixè obseruasset vt ipse in quodā libro loquitur errorū doctrinas fuisset semper detesta tus As one who from his youth both had straitly obserued the Canon of the Church and as himselfe speaketh in a certaine booke had alwaies detested erroneons doctrine Two thinges are here to be noted that he had that zeale of a childe and especially that it was the Canon or rule of the Church so to doo which rule is plaine in the Canons of the Apostles Can. 63. Si quis clericus aut laicus Sinagogam Iudaeorum aut haereticorum conuenticulum ingressus fuerit vt preces cum illis coniungat deponitor à communione secluditor If anye of the Clergie or laye man shal enter into the Iewes Sinagoge or the conuenticle of heretikes to praier among them let him be deposed and excommunicated If a Cauiller say it toucheth not them that are present onely and say their own praiers the gréeke readeth to suneuxasthai to praye with them or proseuxasthai to pray simpliciter without any addition And Origen folowing the Canon induci non poterat vt precibus vnà cum illo interesset Could not be induced to be present onely at prayer with the heretike Heraclas bishop of Alexandria was Origens chief scholler as it wer Catechist vnder him Euseb li. 6. ca. 12. Of him Dionisius Alexandrinus hauing spoken of heretical bookes not to be read but with great iudgement saith Istum Canonem istudque exemplum a beato Papa nostro Heracla cepi Ille namque eos qui ab ecclesia abscessissent cùm essent accusati quòd consuetudine cuiusdam eorum qui alienā à side doctrinam tuebantur multum vsi fuissent Ecclesia eiecit c. This Canon or rule saith he and this example I receaued of our holy Father Heraclas for he excommunicated them that were departed out of the Catholike Churche when they were accused to haue kept company verye much with any of thē that did mainteyne contrary doctrine to the true faith Athanasius that mightie Champiō against the Arrians comming to Antioche where one Leontius was bishop Eum vt à Catholica fide auersum deuitauit atque cum illis qui Eustathiani vocabantur communicauit conuentu in ędibus priuatis peracto Shunned him as one turned from the Catholike faith and he communicated with them that were called Eustathians because they helde with their Catholike Bisshop Eustathius depriued making assemblies in prinate houses And Sozomen lib. 3. ca. 9. of the same he did rather pray with Catholikes in priuate houses then with Leontius in the Churche Of which Leontius by the way it is not amisse to note what a dissembler and double dealer he was that they nowe a dayes which are like vnto him may be ashamed Etenim cùm clerum laicam multitudinem in duas partes diuisam cerneret For when he sawe that the Clergie and laye multitude were deuided into two partes some Arrians some Catholikes or Homusians and that the one company sange Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui Sancto Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost to make them equal the other per filium in spiritu sancto Glory be to the Father by the sonne in the holy Ghost to make them vnequal Ipse totam glorificationem tacitus secum recitauit He saide secretly to him selfe the whole Gloria Patri because he would offend neyther part in the end only pronounced In secula seculorum so loude that they which were next him might heare it Eulogius primarius pręs biter Edissenorum a priest of Edessa one of the chiefe whose praise is in the ecclesiastical history being exhorted by Modestus that persecuted Catholikes vnder Valens the Arrian Emperour in these wordes Cōmunica cum Imperatore Communicate with the Emperour doo as he doth shunne him not because he is an Arrian answered Nunquid cum imperio est sacerdotis dignitatem consecutus I pray you Sir quoth he hath he with the Empire obteined also priestly or bishoply dignitie mening that they must folow their Catholike Bisshop Barses who was depriued not the Emperor The gentlemā being offēded at this aunswere I saide not so you dolt quoth he Sed vos vtì quibuscum communicet Imperator cum iisdem communicetis adhortatus sum But I exhorted you al to communicate with them with whom the Emperour him self doth communicate meaning with Lupus and other Arrian Bishops and so banished foure score of them at once Of whom the two chiefe this Eulogius and Protegines being sent as God would haue it ad Antinoen in Thebais a prouince in Egipt after they perceaued that the Bishop of that Citie was of their religion they communicated with the Clergie there in ecclesiastical assemblyes at Churche and otherwise Marke They did forsake the ecclesiastical Conuenticles of Arrian Bishops and being banished for it finding there a Catholike Bishopp straight they communicated with him Is not this our case The petition of Alexander Bishop of Constantinople is memorable whē the Emperour Constantine was seduced by the Arrians to permit that Arius might be receaued into the Church and the Catholike Communion Ista duo à deo postulauit sic loquutus Si Arius cras in Ecclesia conuentus aget dimitte me seruū tuū nè simul perdas pium cum impio sin clemens parces ecclesiae tuae considera verba Eusebianorum nè des in ruinam haereditatem tuam tolle Arium de medio nè illo in ecclesiam ingresso tùm haeresis vnà cum eo ingressa videatur tùm deinceps impietas pietatis locū occupet He requested these two things of God speaking thus If Arius to morowe shal make conuenticles in the Church let me thy seruaunt depart and destroy not the godly man together with the vngodly but if thou wilt mercifullye spare thy Churche consider the wordes of the Eusebians Arrians and geue not ouer thine heritage to ruine and decaye Take Arius out of the waye least if he enter into the Churche both heresie may séeme to haue entred together with him in time wicked blasphemie against God may possesse the place of Gods true religion He wished to dye rather then to be in the Church with Arius and his company What folowed Arius ingressus latrinas poscente ventris necessitate crepuit medius Alexander conuentum cum omnibus fratribus celebrare preces fundere c. Before the time was come to make their assemblye Arius going to a house of office because he was taken short as he was in the stréete there powred out his bowels Alexander that Catholike Bishop assembled his brethren the Clergie together prayed and gaue thankes Paulus praesbiter Eustachii Antiocheni Episcopi hac de re laudatur quòd se nunquà m haereticorum communione polluerat Paulinus a Priest of Antioche vnder the Bishop Eustachius
euen nowe as it did in al heresies downewarde but tum reuelabitur filius iniquitatis quandò instat dies Domini Then the sonne of iniquitie shal be reuealed when the day of our Lorde is at hande then toward the later dayes he shal come with his maine force S. Basil doubted in his time NuÌ„ ecclesias suas prorsus reliquit Dominus an nouissima hora est c. Hath God vtterlye forsaken his Churches Is the last houre come But reade him and you shal sée that the heretikes which he complaineth of were very tolerable in respect of ours So that if equal euils are equally to be eschewed and the greater the more it foloweth that Caluinistical conuenticles are as much at the least and by al good reason much more to be abhorred then Arians Pelagians c. But because our question is chiefly of frequeÌ„ting their praiers vnderstande this that not only auncient schismatikes of whom it is certaine as Donatistae Luciferani but the heretikes also Ariani Macedoniani Pelagiani kept al ecclesiastical seruice and ceremonies like the Catholikes And yet what zeal the good Christians then had not to come into the Churche where such were present you may remember by the ecclesiastical examples aforesaide How much more these where nothing is like but al of purpose and in despite made vnlike not without blasphemie as when they say From al Papistrie good Lord deliuer vs meaning al Catholike religion May a Catholike man be present at this more then a Christian at the Iewes curse pronounced euery day in Nazarenum Nazarenos against Iesus of Nazareth and the Nazarenes As they speake in despite of Christ and Christians so our heretikes in despite of the Church and Catholiks vt prudentibê° loquor vos ipsi iudicate quod dico I speake as to wise men Your selues be Iudges of that that I saye ¶ The fift Obiection THere be many good men of them godly prayers Psalmes Scriptures although somewhat be lacking yet that which they haue is good and agreing with the Catholikes ¶ The Aunswere MAny good men Are they better then Angels Si Angelus de coelo euangelizet vobis Si quis vobis euangelizauerit praeter id quod accepistis Anathema sit If an Angel from heauen from heauen preache vnto you if any whosoeuer he be shal preach otherwise then that you haue receaued be he accursed Any man or Angel whatsoeuer he be And because many folowe their good vicar which before said Masse and now preacheth the contrary for aduantage and saith the coÌ„munion S. Paule addeth of him selfe licet nos If we our selues and the rest Apostles come and preache contrary to that we first preached Anathema sit Be he accursed But are they gentle persons swéete men no meruaile Eiusmodi pseudoapostoli sunt operarij subdoli transsigurantes se in Apostolos Christi non mirum ipse namque Sathanas transfigurat se in Angelum lucis Non est ergo magnum si ministri eius transfigurentur velut ministri Iustitiae Suche false Apostles are craftie woorkers transforming them selues into the Apostles of Christ and no meruaile for Satan him-selfe transformeth him-self into an Angel of light and therefore it is no great matter if his ministers be misshapen as the ministers of Iustice or righteousnes Such common places are infinite But Apoc. 9 They are described excellently vnder the names of Locustes similitudines locustarum similes equis paratis in proelium The formes of these Locustes were like hor ses redie to the skirmish they are hoat and vehement Super capita eorum tanquam coronae Vpon their heads as it were crownes not crownes in déed similes auro like to golde not golde al their triumph and victorie in pulpets is counterfait Facies earum tanquam facies hominum Their faces are as it were the faces of men They séeme verye swéete men habebant capillos sicut capillos mulierum and they had heare like to womens hear They haue wife and children and liue honestlye forsooth in wedlocke and extol Matrimonie wonderfully which pleaseth maried men excéedingly Vox alarum sicut vox curruum equorum multoruÌ„ currentium in bellum The voyce of their winges like the voice of manye chariots and horses running to the campe their vehemencie in pulpettes But what foloweth Et habebant caudas similes scorpionum aculei erant in caudis earum And they had tayles like to Scorpions and their stinges were in their tayles The ende and effect is to seduce men to euer lasting daÌ„nation Per dulces benedictiones seducunt corda multorum By swéete blessinges they seduce the hearts of many S. Austen Ab ea ecclesia seperati quaÌ„ diu contra illam sentiunt boni esse non possunt quia etsi aliquos corum bonos videtur ostendere quasi laudabiliter conuersatio malos cos ipsa facit diuisio dicente Domino Qui mecum non est aduersum me est Being seperated and deuided from the Church as long as they haue a contrarye opinion to it they cannot be good for although their conuersation after a sort laudable make a shewe that they are good the very schisme and diuision maketh them naught according to our Lordes saying He that is not with me is against me S. Ciprian Quisquis ille est qualiscunque est Christinus non est qui in Christi ecclesia non est c. Whosoeuer he be and what maner of man soeuer he be a ChristiaÌ„ maÌ„ he is not that is not in the Church of Christ Sée S. AusteÌ„ ep 120. ca. 27. Nec tales sunt quos facilè contemnas They ar not such saith he as a maÌ„ mai make light of they appere wonderful Saint-like c. S. Ambrose Etsi multi nominent se Christianos nomen vsurpant non omnes mercedem habent Et Cain obtulit sacrificium Iudas osculum sed audiuit Iuda osculo filium hominis tradis hoc est amoris pignore scelus imples pacis instrumento odiaseris et charitatis officio mortem irrogas non agnosco nomen meum vbi non agnosco doctrinam meam Although many name them selues Christians and vsurpe the name al haue not the rewarde Caine offered Sacrifice and Iudas a kisse but he hearde these woordes Iudas doest thou betraye the Sonne of man with a kisse that is Doest thou worke mischiefe with a pledge or token of loue and doest thou sowe hatred with that which is an instrument of peace and by semblance of frendly charitie art thou authour of death I acknowledge not my name where I doo not acknowledge my doctrine Marke how they are compared cum osculo Iudae Ignatius Non Christiani sed Christempori qui ex nomine Christi quÄ™stum faciunt erroris venenum alliuentes dulcibus alloquiis c. They are not Christians but merchants of Christe that make gaine by the name of Christ annoynting the poyson of error with swéete wordes Briefly what greater shewe of vertue and