a man to ioyne him selfe with them especially in the acte wherin principally they offend God which is in their assemblyes seruices false teachinges and preachinges at which times GOD his curse is lyke most abundantly to discende vpon them vpon thosealso that doe assiste them For as S. Paule saieth They are worthy of death not onely that doe euill but they also which do consent vnto them And that thou maist not excuse they selfe and say I am there in body but I consent not to them in hart S. Iohn expresseth farther what it is to consent vnto them or to communicate with them in their workes saying Hee that saieth as much as God speede them doeth communicate or participate with them in their noughtie workes Which thing the Prophet Dauid knew well and therefore sayde that hee would not so much as sit downe with â—…uch men and obiecteth the contrary fault to a wicked man saying When thou sawest a theefe thou wast content to runne with him Hee doeth not accuse him you see for stealing with him but for going or runninge with him and for keeping him companye albe it he consented not to his robberie And S. Paule commaunded Timothy not to consent to Alexander the Hereticke but to auoyd him Likewise he commanded the Romaines not to consent to other such like fellowes but to decline or turne away from them Finally saint Paules wordes are generall and playne of al such men when he saith Hereticum hominem deuita Auoid an Hereticall man He saith not goe to church with him but beleeue him not oâ—… consent not to him in thy heart This is our interpretatioÌ„ foisted in therby to boulster vp our owne dissimulation wherein wee presume farther then wee shall bee able one day to iustifie As that foolishe Prophet did which being sent to preach in Schismatical Samaria but not to eate with them ventred farther then his commission and by perswasion did eate with one whoe sayde him selfe to bee as good a Prophete of GOD as the other as the Protestantes doe saye them selues to bee good Catholykes but this venturous Prophet was slaine by God for his labour It is verye perillous to bee amongest the enemyes of GOD. If Lot hee had stayed but two houres longer in Sodome hee had dyed with the rest The terrible death of al them which were in coÌ„pany with those three rebellyous Schismatiques Chore Dathan and Abyron ought to moue vs muche of which number it is to bee thought manye were simple and ignoraunt men and had little parte of mâ—…lyce and noughtie meaning of their ringeleaders but yet for companyes sake all peryshed together The which example S. Cyprian applyeth to our purpose asking of vs if these men so peryshed for beinge onelye in company with those Schismatiques Are not wee affrayde to bee much more punished saieth hee assisting and furthering by our presence hereticall oblations prayers sermons and errours S. Iohn the deerely beloued of our Sauiour had as much cause to presume of his masters fauour as wee haue and yet hee durst not soe muche as staye in the bath to washe together with Cerinthus the heretique For so hee sayeth Let vs flee from hence least the bath fall vppon vs in the which Cerinthus the enemie of trueth is Mâ—…rke how he was not only affrayd least the bath woulde fal but also least that it should fal vpon him for keeping the other companie What if anye Prince shoulde haue willed S. Iohn to haue come to Cerinthus his seruice prayers and sermons If the histories reporte that the Apostles and their Disciples woulde not so much as talke or reason the matter with anye of the heretiques of their time but fledde their companie for feare least some parte of their punishment shoulde lyght vppon them what wise man nowe will dare to goe to their prayers and assemblies To conclude I would wishe euerye man to consider the admonition of the Angell of God to christians talking of all wicked congregations vnder the name of Babylon And I heard an other voyce from heauen saying goe out my people from her to the ende that you bee not partakers of her sinnes and to the ende you doe not receaue of her scourges because her sins are come vp to heauen and God hath nowe remembred her wickednes Marke how he saith To the end that you do not receiue of her scourges And yet it is certaine that the people of God did not consent in heart to the wickednesse of this place which they are bidden hâ—…reto flee but on ly were present there and yet wee see how dangerous it was to them to bee partakers 〈◊〉 the punishment 〈◊〉 God of his goodnesse had not remoâ—…ed them out The fifth Reason THe fift reason hée calleth in the Margent participation but in the text hee setteth it downe in these wordes The fifâ—… reason wherefore a catholike may not goe to the churche of those of the contrary religion is for feare least his presence may bee interpreted of God to be consent vnto their doing and so he be made partaker of their punishmente If the doings of the Protestantes in their Church were naught the Papists comming to it might bée partakers of their deserued punishment not by interpretation of their presence to bée consent whiche it is not but by pretending and dissembling to giue consent in outwarde presence whiche they giue not in their inwarde conceit For it is a prophane and vngodly imagination 〈◊〉 ascribe vnto God the interpretation of a fact to bée other then the minde of the doer meaneth it seeing the Lord knoweth the thoughtes of all mens heartes and nâ—…de not like men to interprete their minds by their outward appearaÌ„ce The reste of this reason is spent altogether in shewing howe GOD detesteth Heretikes and punisheth them that haue any societie with them whiche is all true but that the Protestantes are those Heretikes Antichristes or Babylon out of whiche the faythfull are commaunded to flée it is not by one woorde attempted too bee prooued but standeth wholy vpon the first necessarie supposition that trueth is falshoode and falsehoode is trueth For they cannot bee those Hereticall Antichristes of whiche Saint Iohn speaketh because they acknowledge whole Christe both in person and office but the Papistes which denie his office of only Redéemer high Priest lawegiuer head of his Churche Mediatour and Aduocate for the same are they of whom Saint Iohn speaketh But I doe not a litle muse why our discourser 〈◊〉 the text of Saint Paule in the plurall number The men of sinne the children of destruction Whereas the Apostle saith The man of sinne the childe of destruction and the rest of the Papists vrge the singuler number so farre as that they will not admit the Apostle to speake of a whole succession or order of many but of one only singuler man But hereof let him make account to his
of lyfe so vnspotted will God haue our seruice to be In prefiguration whereof all Sacrifices of the old Testament were commanded to be of vnspotted creatures of one colour of one age without mayme or deformitie wherby is signified that God accepteth no partition no maime in our seruice but either all or none must be his For a little leuen so wreth a great deale of do we and a small spot disfygureth a fayre garment Which S Paule vrgeth farre by the example of Christe when he saieth That Christ died for vs to the ende we shoulde exhibite our selues holy unspotted and irreprechensible in his sight As though he should say Christ spared nothing no not his owne life for vs that by his example we might be prouoked to giue our selues wholy to him and his seruice without limitation or reseruation at all and thereby shewe our selues vnspotted seâ—…auntes and irreprehensible Which thing the Noble champion of Christ S. Basile well considered when being required by the Emperours leefetenaunte to conforme him selfe in some small thinges to the Emperours request and therby purchase quietnesse to the whole church rather then by obstinacie as he tearmed it to exasperate thinges worse hee answered that perswasion to be fit for children and not for him who was ready to suffer any kinde of death or torment rather then to betray any one sillable of Gods diuine trueth adding further that hee esteemed much and desired the Emperours friendshippe if it might be ioyned with godlinesse but if not he must needes contemne it as pernitious So resolute seruantes had God in those dayes and the like desireth to haue nowe Here of also followeth an other thing which I had almost passed ouer vntouched that a Catholike may not procure any other to affirme or sweare for him falsly that he hath been at Church receiued the Communion or the like nor accept the same if any woulde offer such seruice but if others did it without his procurement he may holde his peace and vse their sinne to his owne quietnesse except Scandale shoulde insue thereof and then were he bounde to disclose the trueth For as I haue noted before out of Saint Cyprian he which seeketh sleightes in excuse of his faith denieth the same and the seeming to obey lawes made published against true religioÌ„ is takeÌ„ by god for obeying indeed so punished for the fact it selfe The which most worthy and excellent saying of Christ his holy Martyr God graunt we may al wel beare in minde and execute as Gods cause and glory shal require especially those which are by peculiar prerogatiue called to the Publike trial of the same Whom God of his mercie so strengthen with his grace as his holy name may be glorified in them and their Persecutors molified by their constant milde sober behauiour And thus my deere good friende I make an ende of the first poynte which I promised too handle concerning the reasons which Catholikes haue to stand in the refusal of going to the church against their consciences hauing said much lesse then might be saide in this matter and yet more then I purposed at the beginning But I am to craue most earnestly at your handes and of al them that shal chaunce to see this Treatise to haue charitable consideration of my greate haste in writing of the same whiche was such as I had not time to suruew or read any parte of it ouer agayne Wherfore if any thing be in it wherby you may be edified or any wayinructed I am glad and to Gods glorie only be it If not yet surely my meaning was good to no mans offence only coueting hereby to geue some satisfaction to them in England especially to her maiestie the Right honourable her counsayle touching the principles which catholikes haue to refuse that conformity which is demanded at their handes the which as I haue proued they cannot admit remayning in conscience of the contrary Religion without euident daunger of their owne soules Wherof if her Maiestie their honours may in time bee made capable then howesoeuer thinges passe otherwise yet shal catholikes retayne sâ—…l their deserued opinion of honest and true subiects which they most desire the displeasure takeÌ„ against theÌ„ for this refusal be diminished wheÌ„ it shalbe manifest that the same proceedeth not of will but of conscieÌ„ce iudgement in ReligioÌ„ which is not in an honest mans handes to frame at his owne pleasure Moreouer my meaning was to giue some information touching the quality of this sinne of going to the church of a contrary ReligioÌ„ and his circumstances for them that eyther remayned doubtfull in the same or not rightly perswaded Of the which two effects if any one follow I shalbe most glad if not yet I serue as I trust such a maister as rewardeth the affect as wel as the effect the will no lesse then the work it selfe Wherfore to his holy hands I commit the whole assuring my selfe that as this cause of his catholike Church importeth him more then it doth vs so his peculiar care of the same â—…urre surmounteth any care of man and therfore whatsoeuer shal become of this or any other labour taken for the same yet he will neuer cease to rayse vp men for the defence of it against all enemies to the worldes ende The nienth Reason THe last reasoÌ„ is the example of Infidels heretikes al which procure to seperat theÌ„selues froÌ„ theÌ„ of the coÌ„trary religioÌ„ in y e act of prayer c. Which exaÌ„ple of it self mée think is a simple reasoÌ„ to teach true ChristiaÌ„s what they ought to doe And especially wheÌ„ it is brought to proue y â— meÌ„ ought not to ioyne theÌ„selues w t the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of the faithful which by none other reason is disproued to be y e true church but by a lewd vnlearned suppositioÌ„ But the ProcestaÌ„ts theÌ„selues saith he are recusants also in other countries Yea very good cause why they should seing they ought to absteyne froÌ„ idolatry superstitioÌ„ which is committed dayly in the popish churches But therby saith he It appeareth that they goe quite against their own doctrine example in EnglaÌ„d which obiect the same to catholikes as disobedience obstinacy and rebellious dealing within other countries they themselues both teach and practise Alas poore Sophister this is sorie stuffe The true Christians teach and practise that they maye not be defiled with idolatry therfore heretiks be not disobedient obstinate and rebellious when they refuse to communicate w t the true church submit theÌ„selnes to y e godly lawes of a christiaÌ„ magistrat Yet the madde man pleaseth himselfe so much in this absurd coÌ„science y â— after he hath alleadged a large cofession of one Iohn Gardiner to proue y â— Protestants refuse to communicate with papists he saith This Reason onely may suffice any reasonable man especially the Protestant except
he wil mislike with his owne doctrine which condemneth me of hypocrisie dissimulation and renouncing of Christ and his gospel If I present but my only body to the churches of theÌ„ whose religion I am not perswaded to bee true As though the Prince Magistrats y â— execute the lawes for coÌ„ming to church would haue the papists to come like hypocrits disseÌ„blers counterfeiters not rather y â— they may heare the word of God preached be instructed beléeue and be saued But why may not this argument of exaÌ„ple be retorted vpoÌ„ his own neckâ—… The Protestants recusants in other countries are not allowed by the papists but against their wil to alleadge their conscience for their refusall but are eyther compelled to conforme themselues to Popery or else are cruelly put to death No more shoulde the pretence of conscience excuse the papistes but that they shouldâ—… receiue the same measure which they meate to others and of y e cup which they haue mingled to other be made to drink a double portion them selues After this he putteth a case and question whether he might resort to such assemblies as should be pretended to be kept in her maiesties honour but indéede wee greately to her dishonour vpon any inâ—…itation of friendes or commaundement of authoritie and how her maiestie might iustly conceiue of him in such resorting in the ende He concludeth that in the assemblies of the Protestantes in their church he shall heare the maiestie of God dishonored his sonne slaundered his holy woord falsefied O monstruous inuention Is Gods maiestie dishonoured where he alone is taught to be honored serued obeyed glorified in all things Is his soÌ„ne staÌ„dered which is taught to be our only spiritual king prophet high priest sauiour redéemer mediator aduocat head of his church Is his holy word falsified which is set forth to be the only sufficieÌ„t rule directioÌ„ doctrine to instruct vs in all trueth As for y â— impugning of Gods church dâ—…screditing of his saintes martyrs reuiling of his bishops pastours and seduction of his people into heresy are méere flaunders as voyde of trueth as they are of proofe And therfore the comparison example which followeth as they may serue where truth is defended against heresy so are they altogether preposterous where heresy is mainteined against true religioÌ„ But now he maketh an answere to an obiectioÌ„ and saith Neither sufficeth it to say that those suppositions are false and that there are not such things committed against God at the Protestants churches seruices for howsoeuer that be wherof I disput not nor yet I being in hart of another Religion must needs thinke not only them but also al other Religions whatsoeuer to commit the same as I know they doe also thinke of mine The conclusion is that they must not doe anything against their conscience vpon dissimulation c. Wherto I yéelde but it is the Magistrates duety to prouide by doctrine penaltie that their conscience may be better instructed especially séeing this their Patrone groundeth all his reasons vpon false suppositions whereof hée will not dispute because hee knoweth hee is not able to defende them And therfore the Prince and Magistrats can no more be mo ued with these niene Reasons not to procéede in exâ—…cution of the godly lawes then the Iudge on the benche can bee mooued by as many reasons that shew no more but how haynous a thing it is to condemne an innocent to forbeare pronouncing of sentence against one that is conuicted at the barre of felony The reasons thus vnreasonably discoursed hee gathereth out of the same certayne shorte conclusions which because they are all aunsweared before I will not now stand to repeate the answeres only where any new matter occurreth I wil briefely note it vpon the first conclusion hée aunsweareth another conclusion that no power vppon earth canne dispense with goyng too Churche whiche is prohibited by the law of GOD and nature Here hee biddeth open warre to the Canonists which defend that the Pope may dispense almost with al matters And sée wée not in his dispensations for marriage that a man may marry his brother or sisters daughter which is contrary both to the law of God and nature that the Pope doeth dispense with suche marriage what the Pope did offer by his letters to her Maiesty I neuer heard it reported whiche he saith is geuen out by some greate men But I haue heard of them whiche aâ—…firmed that they haue séene the Popish Dispensation y â— for time of Schisme a Priest might go to Church more theÌ„ that In the 3. conclusion is contayned a case with 4. qualifications in which a papist might lawfully goe to Church namely for some méere particular knowne teÌ„porall businesse without geuing any signe of reuerence and honor to their seruice Which is nothing to y â— purpose or matter in questioÌ„ whiche is whether Papists y â— are so obstinate y e they wil not bee taught are to bee compelled eyther to yéelde too instruction or too suffer punishment vntill they shalbée willing In the later end he shameth not to repeat that his meaning was to geue some satisfaction to her Maiestie and the Right Honorable of her councell touching the Principles he should rather haue said the petition of principles which catholikes haue to refuse that conformity which is demaunded at their handes Nay rather her Maiesty and Councell when they sée that Papistes haue no reasons to yéelde for their obstinacie but such as stand vppon so vnreasonable suppositions as no man liuing would graunt against his cause and religion they may bee better encouraged to proceede in punishing that contumacie which is not grounded vpoÌ„ any approoued reason or authority of Gods worde but vpon the méere wilfulnesse and suppositions of wicked and vngodly men whiche howsoeuer béeyng nowe disappointed of the intended massacres and treasonable purposes they woulde be taken for honest and true subiects yet can they not perswade any wise man that they depending vppon the oracle of Antichrist who hath taken vpon him like a proude Instrument of Satan to depose her Maiesty from her royal throne and to discharg aâ—… her subiects of theyr duetie and obedience to her highnes may be true or faithful subiect to their Prince except they doe vtterly renounce and defie the Pope The first part of this treatise beeing ended I knowe not what friende of his maketh his excuse for omission of the second thirde part promised in the beginning whereof the one was what way or meanes Papistes may vse too remedie or ease themselues of this afflictioÌ„ now layde vpon them for their conscience The other if that way or meanes doe not preuayle then howe they ought too beare and indure the same These parts the writer saith he part ly by euill disposition of body and partly by other sodayne busines falling vpon him hée was inforced to leaue out But the contents of the
late What great imprisonment I pray you hath béene of late of so great Gentlemen as hath not béene and continued many yeares before except some intermission granted to assay to winne by clemency y â— which was not atteined by punishment But it is not hard to gesse what marke you shoote at that would haue conscience and religion to bee the only cloake to couer whatsoeuer by secrete conspiracie against the state hath beene of late attempted by some of the Popish faction whom you call Catholikes Your treasonable practises hauing not that successe you promised to your selues and to your friendes in England and Irelande you woulde nowe mooue connseration by persecution for conscience in them that deserue iustly to be suspected for conspiracie yea and them also that are maâ—…ifestly detected of trecherie And howe I pray you is the state of England made miserable that it deserueth your foolish of pitie by imprisonmeÌ„t of these Gentlemen You answere So many good houses broken vp so many young Gentlemen and seruantes vnprouided so many poore people destitute as though al housekéeping maintenance of young Gentlemen and seruants prouision of the poore people depended vpon a fewe obstinate Recusants who if they were all with God yet none of these commodities should be wanting in y â— realme And while they remaine in the worlde who forbiddeth them although they be imprisoned to kéepe good houses mainteine seruants relieue y e poore It is wel knowne how great a gaine they make of their imprisonment how glad some of them are wheÌ„ they may haue the colour of restraint but euen in their own houses that they may pretende imprisonment for not keeping of good houses mainteining of seruants relieuing of the poore But let vs heare more of this lameÌ„table description So many wiues disioyned from their husbands But how many is there or what one is there or euer hath there béen in her maiesties raign that being imprisoned for the only cause of religion might not be suffred to haue his wife resort vnto him yea to remain with him if it were both their pleasures so to liue and the wife to beare parte of her husbandes trouble If not one can bée named that can bée prooued for Howlettes slaunder of Maister Dimmockes wyfe hath béene openly confuted there is no colour in the nexte complainte Of so many children berefte of their parentes whose Parentes are liuing and at libertie to prouide for them in all honest and duetifull manner As for the flying running dispersing shutting vp c. It is so great as hardly can bée séene in any place worth the noting and least able to make a pitifull description of the floorishing estate of Englande which God of his mercy long continue that enuy of all her aduersaries may breake her bowels with griefe to beholde it But who can abide that slaunderous complaint of such pitifull abiding hunger thirst and colde in prison described by the supposed Gentleman repeated by this reason maker to bee a miserie not accustomed to fall in our fathers dayes vpon that noble Realme and all for different opinions in religion You haue beene a great and long straunger from this noble realme that haue not knowne in your own daies if you bee of any yeeres méete to make argumentes for all Catholikes or in your Fathers dayes of what yeeres soeuer you be that you haue not hearde of greater miserie then hunger thirste and colde in prison susteined accustomed to be laid vpon Englishmen professours of the trueth by Papists mainteiners of heresie and all for difference of opinions in religion But I woulde I might reason a little with y â— gentleman describer because you the reporter haue deuised to colour a most destable sâ—…under by haere say and another mans description I pray you Sir in what prison what gentlemen are they that abide such pitiful hunger thirste cold how many haue pined for hunger fainted for thirst starued for cold Are not al these great gentlemeÌ„ which you say are imprisoned for their consciences at libertie to féed cherish themselues with their owne goods Or if you wil impâ—…dently expounde your saying of any poore Papists that are imprisoned for religion of whom you speake not any worde are not their friends suffered to minister vnto them al things necessarie what one person can bée named that abideth such pitiful hunger thirst cold Are you not ashamed without al colour to â—…aunder so noble a state the godly Magistrates of the same with such barbarus crueltie But to say mine opinion I think verily that no gentleman in England hath so vngentlemanlike conception w tout al shew of truth to auouch so lowd a lie But rather y â— this reason maker faineth such a letter of description whereof he himself is the authour imagining by example of his owne faction that the like tyrannie is practised in the Church of God as is vsual to the crueltie of the Papists The causes of his sorowing being thus set foorth he coÌ„meth to comfort himselfe by consideration of so many Gentlemen so precise in matmatters of religion and so respectiue of their consciences in these wickeâ—… loose â—…es where there is no feeling or sense of â—…ertue left but al men in wrapped in the loue of gods professed enemie the world folowing with al force ful saâ—…le the vanities ambition of the same Indéed sir you haue followed your shameles slaunder with full saile haue had winde at wil. What say you is there no sense or féeling of vertue left but al mâ—…n inwrapped in the loue of gods enâ—…ie except those few gentlemeÌ„ â—…he matter of your rare comfort In your familiâ—…r letters we must suppose you write as you thinke and as to your â—…éere worshipfull friende wherfore whatsoeuer you do in coÌ„mon writings professe of your reuereÌ„t opinioÌ„ of her maiesties singuler vertues other of high estate that are vnder her executers of her ChristiaÌ„ lawes al is but dissimulatioÌ„ hypocrisie fained glosing 〈◊〉 flatterie For you acknowledge not only no vertue but not so much as any féeling or sense ofvertue to be left in any other then those gentlemeÌ„ recusants al other men not allured nor intaÌ„gled but inwrapped in the loue euen of gods professed enimie the worlde not seduced and drawen thereby but folowing and that not slowly but with al force and full saile the vanities and ambition of the same If this were true it would make a more miserable estate of England then you before imagined by imprisonment of a few good houss kéepers And I woulde hartily wish that you â—…alfly say of all might not be verified of some But that there is no sense or féeling of vertue but al men inwrapped in the loue of gods professed enimie that in so extréeme a degrée except a smal number of obstinate wilfully blinded Papists that is more then euer could â—…e â—…tly saide almost of any Heathen or
may bée an error in the number for Hier. 61. contra Apostolicos hee speaketh of some thinges receiued by tradition as that it is sinne to mary after virginitie professed but of ceremonies hée saieth nothing at all As for the Tridentine councell which is next quoted I will not vouâ—…afe to answere it béeing of none antiquitie but holden within these fewe yéâ—…res by the Papistes Then followeth Cyprian epist 66. Which I know not wherfore it is alleadged for there is nothing in it for Ceremoâ—…es or the contempte of them but against the Nouasianes and anerroneous opinion of his that none can baptize but hée that hath the holy Ghost After Cyprian wée are bidden to looke in Augustine de doctrina christiana without quoting the Chapter but for what I knowe not for there are not in him rehearsed any Ceremonies which wée omit for any thing that I can finde The like I say for Cyprian sermone de oratione dominica As for Isidorus who lyued more then 600. yéeres after Christe in ceremoniall age is no méete Authour to controle our want of Ceremonies by such as were vsed in the Spanishe Church in his tyme which yet are not all the same that the Papistes vse Then solloweth the fourth Toletane councell cap. 2. Which appoynteth that there shoulde bée an vniforme order of ministration of the Sacramâ—…ntes and publike prayers in the Churches of Spayne and Gallicia because they were contayned in one fayth and kingdome What pertayneth this vnto the church of England which hath as great authority to appoynt her own Ceremonies as the church of Spayne then had for theirs The laste quotation is Bede lib. Hist. cap. 1. omytting the number of the Booke but hauing perused all the fyrste Chapters of euerye booke I finde nothing for any Ceremonies And whatsoeuer their shoulde bée founde in Beda so late a writer shoulde bee no preiudice vnto the authoritie of our Churche in this tyme. For as I shewed before that Augustine out of euery Church waâ—… willed to choose what ceremonies hee thought most conueniente so his posteritie was not bound to his choyce but as they thought good some they added some they abrogated But where hée noteth in the margent that in these Authors wée may sée 〈◊〉 what tongue seruice was in they dayes in all countryes I marâ—…ayle at his imâ—…udencie séeing neyther in anye place by him quoted except the last Tridâ—…tine counsell perhappes there is anye worde spoken touching the tongue wherein seruice was in their countries nor in all their works is there anye thing to proue the contrarye but that euerye nation had their seruice in such tongue as they vnderstoode As for the leauing out of the prayer for the dead which is in déede an errour of great antiquitie séeing hée quoteth none authoritie for the iustifying of it I will referre the Reader to other treatises that I haue written against it namelye to my confutation of Allens booke of Purgatorie and to my reioynder lately â—…ritten to Bristoes reply So that for any thing which is brought or quoted in this reason the seruice of the Protestantes is proued to bée good inough The eyght Reason THe eight reason of refusall which maye nowe bee yeleded why a Catholicke maye not come to the Protestantes churches is because by going thither hee shall loose all the benefit of his owne relygion neither shal he take any more commoditie therby then if he were not of that relygion at al. This is a verye great waightie and most sufficiente reason to bee yeelded by catholyckes in Englande to their Princes for their refusall of comming to churche and such a one as being sufficiently conceyued by her Maiestie cannot but satisfie her highnesse and greatlye drawe her to compassion of the pitifull case of so many thousandes of her louing subiects who being as I haue sayd catholickes in hearts by going to ProtestaÌ„ts churches must needs be brought either to flat athisme that is to leaue of al conscience and to care for no religion at al as manye thousanâ—… seeme to bâ—… resolued to doâ—… or els to liue in continual torment of minde and almoste desperation considering that by their going to these Churches they loose vtterlye all vse and practise of theyr owne relygion beeing helde as Schismatickes and excommunicate persons of the same and their case 〈◊〉 that if they should die in the same state they were sure to receiue no â—…rt of benefite of that religion no more then if they had been Protestants The which what a danger it is all true Christian men doe both know and feare But yet that the simpler sort may better vnderstande it and the wiser better consider of it I will in particuler repeate some of the abouesaide dommages First therefore a Catholike by going to the Protestantes Churches looseth all participation of that blessed sacrifice of the body and blood of our Sauiour appointed by the saide Sauiour as I haue shewed before to bee offered vp dayly in the oblation of the Masse for the commoditie of the whole worlde quicke and dead and for that cause as the godly and learned Saint Iohn Chrisostome saith Called the comon sacrifice of the whole worlde The which action of offering of this sacred Hoste the sonne of God to his father is of such dignitie excellencie and merite not only to the Priest but also to the standers by assisting him as al the other good works which a man can do in his life are not to be coÌ„pared with it seeing that the very angels of heaueÌ„ do come down at that time to adore after the consecration that sacred body and to offer the same vp with vs to God the Father of the whole worlde As all the holy Fathers of the Primatiue churche did both beleeue and teach Of the whiche it shall be enough at this time to alleadge one or two S. Gregorie therefore the first saieth thus What faithfull man can doubt but that in the verie houre of immolation or sacrifice the heauens doe open at the Priestes voice and that the quires of Angels bee present there in that mysterie of â—…esus Christ And Saint Chrisostome handeling the same saith At that time the time of consecration in the Masse the Angels stand by the Priest and the vniuersall orders of the celestiall powers doe crie out and the place â—…igh to the Aulter is full of quires of Angels in the honour of him who is there sacrificed And immediatelie after hee telleth two visions of holy men whose eyes were by the power of God as hee saith opened and they in those visions sawe the Angelles present at the time of consecration And in an other place hee yet more at large explicateth the same sayinge At that time deare brotâ—…er at the time of consecration and eleuation not onely men doe giue out that dreadfull crie saying wee adore thee O Lorde c. but also the Angels do bow their knees to our
Lord the Archangels do beseech him for they account that a fit time hauing that sacred oblatioÌ„ in their fauor And therfore as men are wont to moue princes the more if they beare oliue bowes in their hands because by â—…earing that kinde of wood they bring into the Princes mindes mercy gentlenes so the angels at that time holding out in their hands the very selfe same body of our Lord they do intreate for al mankind as though they saide We do intreate O Lord for the men of the world whom thou hast so loued that for their saluation thou wast content to die and in the Crosse to breath out thine owne soule For these men we make sup plication for the which thou hast giuen thy owne blood for these men we pray for the which thou hast sacrificed this body of thine If this bee so then the hearing of Masse is not only worth the venturing of an hundred marks or six monethes imprisonment but also of an hundred thousand liues if a man could loose euerie one for that cause sixe times And an hundred times miserable is that man whiche for any worldly respecte doeth depriue him selfe of so great a benefite as the participation of this sacrifice is Secondly they loose by going to church the fruite and grace of sixe sa craments as the grace of confirmation by the Bishop whereby the holy Ghost was giuen in the primatiue church as S. Luke saith and nowe 〈◊〉 our time as S. Cyprian proueth are bestowed vpon vs by the same the seuen gifts of the holy Ghost set out by Esay the Prophet in his xi chapter They loose also the grace of Priesthood so greatly commended by saint Paul to Timothie when he chargeth him so earnestly not to neglect the saide grace Also the grace of Matrimonie which S. Paul so much extolleth when hee calleth this sacrament a great sacrament Also the grace of extreeme vnction which is so great as S. Iames saith besides the healing ma ny times of the body it also remitteth the sicke mans sinnes And so in like manner the grace of the other two sacramentes of Penance and the Aulter whereof I will say a worde or two immediately All these graces they loose being cut of by their going to the Protestants churches from these sacraments which are nothing els but conduits of grace The which losse of what value it is a man may gesse by that which all diuines with on accorde doe proue that one drop of grace is more worth then all the worlde esteemed in it selfe besides Thirdly they loose by going to church al the benefiâ—…e of the keies of the church or of the authoritie of binding and loosing of sinnes graunted by Christe to the gouernours of the same churche For the explication of the which we must vnderstand that Christ hauing newly made the marriagâ—… betwixt his deare spouse himself I meane the church hauing now sealed the same with his own blood being inforced to depart froÌ„ the said new married spouse of his touching his visible presence for a time hee deuised how to shew vnto her how greatly he loued her to leaue some notable pledge and testimonie of his singuler great affectioÌ„ towards her The which he finally resolued could be by no other meanes better ex pressed then if he should leaue al his authoritie with her the whiche hee had receiued of his father which making publike proclamation to all the worlde that What soeuer she should forgiue in earth touching sinne the same should be forgiuen in heauen and what soeuer sinne the Church shoulde retaine or not forgiue in earthe the same shoulde neuer bee forgiuen in heauen And againe that with what authoritie GOD his father sent him with the same he sent her gouernours the Apostles and their successours And againe he that shoulde not heare and obey the Church should be accounted as a Heathen and Publicane By the which speeches of Christ our forefathers haue alwaies vnderstâ—…ode that Christe gaue vnto the church a visible tribunal seate in earth for the forgiuing or retaining of sinnes vnto the which al christians must resoâ—…t by submission and humble confession of their sinnes if they thinke euer to receiue forgiuenes of the same at Christ his handes in heauen For so wee reade that in the primatiue church they confessed their fins vnto the Apostles of whom S. Luke writeth thus Many of the faith full came to the Apostles confessing and reuealing their owne acts And foure hundred yeeres after that S. Austen testifieth of his time saying Doe you such penance as is wont to be doone in the Church that the Churche may pray for you Let no man say I doe it secretly I doe it with God alone God which hath to pardon me knoweth wel how that I doe repent in my heart What therfore without cause was it said to the Priests that which you loose in earth shalbe loosed in heauen therefore in vaine were the keies giuen to the Church And in an other place again more neerely touching the humour of our men now a daies he saith There are some which thinke it sufficient foe their saluation if they do confesse their sinnes only to God to whom nothing is hidden and to whoÌ„ no mans conscience is vnknowne For they will not or els they are ashamed or els they disdaine to shewe them selues vnto the Priestes whome notwithstanding GOD by Moses his Lawe giuer dyd appointe to discerne or iudge betweene Leprie and Leprie But I woulde not that thou shouldest be deceiued with that opinion in suche sort that thou shouldest either by naughtie shame or obâ—…inate 〈◊〉 refraine to confesse before the substitute or Vicegerent of our Lord. For whom our Lorde did not disdaine to make his 〈◊〉 his iudgement muste thou be content also to stand to This benefite therefore of the keyes of the churche and of receiuing remission of 〈◊〉 sinnes by the same which catholikes doe thinke to bee the greatest benefite of their religion doe they loose that goe to the Protestants churches besides all the good instructions wholesome counsels and vertuous admonitions which catholikes doe receiue in confession at their ghostâ—…y Fathers hands then the which things they finde nothiâ—…g more forcible to bring them to good life especially if they frequent it often as al zelous catholikes in the worlde now doe Fourthly they loose the infinit benefite of receiuing the blessed sacrament of the Aulter the precious body and blood of Christ beeing the foode of our soules and as Christ saith The bread that came downe from heauen to giue life vnto the worlde To the worthie eating of which heauenly bread Christe promiseth infinite reward saying He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath life euer lasting and I will raise him againe at the last day And againe He that eatetb me shall liue through me Vpon which promises of
Christe our forefathers of the Primatiue church haue alwaies most earnestly exhorted al men to the often receiuing of this blessed sacrament alledging innumerable commodities of the same aud prouing by experience that the frequenting of this sacrament is the chiefest meanes to come to all grace zeale feeling and life in spirituall matters And on the contrary part that the abstayning from the same is the right way to al spiritual miserie and for the soule of man to wither away dry vp and starue euen as the plant doth that lacketh moysture The which we see now by experience in many a thousand who for lacke of the foode of this blessed Fountaine of grace are as dead in al spiritual cogitations and deedes as a starued stake in the hedge from beating of flowers and their mindes so ouergrowen with the â—…anke weedes of carnaâ—…lite that there is no differenc betwixt them and a bruite bullocke for as muche the one foloweth his passions as the other Wherby wee see what a losse it is to depâ—…iue themselues from the vse of this sacrament Fiftly they loose al the merite of their good deedes whatsoeuer For as S. Gregoâ—…ie saieth Euen as none receiued their peny in the Gospel but they onely which had laboured within the compasse of the Vinyarde so no man shal receiue any reward for any good deede of his except he haue done it within the vnitie of the Church So that if a man should doe neuer so many good deedes giue neuer so many almes nay as saint Cyprian prooueth if a man should suffer neuer so many things for Christ yea death it selfe yet if he were out of the vnitie of the catholike church hee shal haue no reward therefore And not onely this but if a man be in any mortal sinne whatsoeuer as long as he abideth in the same without repentance and confession al deuines holde that he looseth the reward of al his good deedes And the reason is because no worke can be meritorious of it selfe but onely by reason of the grace from whence it proceedeth but by euery mortal sinne which a man committeth hee looâ—…eth grace and much more by going out of the vnitie of the church And therefore in such men vntil they repent there can bee no hope of any reward for any good worke which they shal doe Sixthly they lose the benefit of Communion of Saintes which wee protest to beleeue in our â—…eede That is they haue no part of the sacrifices oblations prayers fastings almes and other good workes done within the 〈◊〉 church which al other catholikes haue Finally they beeing cut off and deuided from the vnitie of the other members they take part of no influence which commeth from the head to the bodie that is from Christ to the church no more then a mans hand once cut off doth take blood nourishment spirite or life from the arme from which it is now separated as most learnedly saint Austen doeth discourse Wherfore they must needes wither away and make drie wood for hell fire and as good for them it were in effect to bee of any other religion as of that whereof they take not one iote of commoditie And to al these miseries they are driuen onely by going to the Protestantes churches The eight Reason THe eight reason of refusal why a catholik may net come to y ◠〈◊〉 churches is because by going tâ—…ither he shal lose al the benefite of his own religion This is called a verie great waightie most sufficient reason yeâ—…lded by catholikes in EnglaÌ„d to their Princes for their refusal of comming to church and such a one as beeing conceiued of her Maiestie cannot but satisfie her Highnesse and greatly drawe her to compassion of the piâ—…iful case of so many thousandes of her louing subiectes Here be words of great importance but all the reason hangeth vppon our lothsome supposition which if it be denyed as it cannot be proued the Pâ—…pists â—…se nothing by comming to our churches but receiue inestimable benefite if as they be present in bodies so they be truely coÌ„uerted in mind But sée I pray you how honorably he thinketh of her Maiesties both wisdom coÌ„science y â— he presumeth to affirme she cannot but be satissied by this reason which is nothing but a beare sâ—…ppositioÌ„ wheras she knoweth most assuredly y â— religioÌ„ which she by law mainteineth to be y â— only true religioÌ„ that she would think any benefit to be lost â—…her louing subiects by departing froÌ„ the coÌ„trary errour And once againe he ratleth in his many thousaÌ„ds of her louing subiects by whoÌ„ hée meaneth y e obstinate Papists God forbid her Maiestie should haue many huÌ„dreds of such louinge subiects as in their heart haue receiued this traiterous Antichristian persuasioÌ„ that they are by y â— Popes bull duly discharged of all obedieÌ„ce oth of allegiance if any they haue made to her But that the simpler â—…ort may better vnderstand this reason the wiser better consider of it hee will in particular repeat some of the abouesaid damages The first losse is of the participation of the sacâ—…fice of the bodie blood of our Sauiour appointed by him to bee offered vp dayly in the oblation of the Masse c. Nay he that is truely conuerted from Papistry then first receiueth y e benefit of that only sacrifice which Christ offered for y â— redemption of al his elâ—…ct is discharged of the sacrilegious blasphemy wherby y e same is pretended to be often repeted in the Popish Masse But Chrysostome is affirmed for that cause to call it the common sacrifice of the whole worlde I haue shewed before howe Chrysostome calleth the celebration of the Communion a sacrifice which is rather a remembrance of the singular sacrifice once offered by Christ him selfe neuer to be reiâ—…erated But the action of offering of this sacred Host saith hée the Sonne of God to his Father is of such dignitie excellency and merite not only to the Priest but also to the standers by assisting him as all the other good works which a man can do in his life are not to be compared with it Nay of all other blasphemies it is the most horrible that a wretched caitife should presume to offer the Sanne of God to his Father which no creature in heauen or earth could doe but hée him selfe by his eternal spirite But of the sacrifices which the Church doeth offer Irenaeus saieth Non sanctificant hominem c. They doe not sanctifie a man for God hath no neede of sacrifice but the conscience of him that offereth doeth sanctifie the sacrifice if it bee pure and causeth God to accept it as of a friend This hée speaketh euen of the sacrifice offered in the Lordes Supper which if it were any other then of prayse and thankesgiuing it were extreame blasphemie that Irenaeus saith of it Yet let vs sée what reason hée bringeth
to the Church of so many thousande Catholykes at this day in that Realme is not vppon disloyaltie or stubberne obstinacy as their aduersaryes giue it out but vppon conscience and great reason and for the auoyding of manyfest perryll of eternall damnation which they shoulde incurre in yeeldyng to that which is demaunded at theyr handes I haue put downe some causes and reasons heere followyng referring the Reader to more larger dyscourses made by dyuerse learned men of our tyme in sundry partes of theyr works this beyng shuffled vp in haste and namely to apeculyar Treatyse not longe agone publyshed touchyng this matter But first of all it is to bee noted that my reasons to thend they may conuynce are to bee supposed to proceede from a catholyke mynde that is from a man which in his conscience is throughlye perswaded that onelye the Catholyke Romayne Relygyon is trueth and that all other newe doctrynes and relygions are false relygions as all newe Gods are false Gods Nowe of these Catholykes there are two sortes in Englande thone which in theyr consciences doe iudge that as all other relygions besides theyr owne are false so all partycipation with them eyther in deede or in shewe by oath by Sacramentes by goyng vnto theyr prayers and seruice or otherwyse is naught forbydden and vnlawefull and yet eyther for feare or fauour or some other worldly cause they are content to communicate wich them in all or some of the foresayde thinges and of those men albeit they bee very many in England I meane not to entreate theyr case beyng apparauntly both to themselues and to all other men wicked and out of all doubte damnable For as S. Austine sayth Hee that knoweth the things to bee ill that he doth and yet doth theÌ„ he goeth downe quick vnto hell As though he would say Albeit he be yet quicke vpon the earth yet is he in the prouideÌ„ce of God dead damned in hel And S. Paul talking of this sin neuer laieth lesse punishment vpon it then iudgement daÌ„nation although it be committed in thinges of themselues indifferent or lawfull for albeit as he saith meates offred to idoles be of themselues lawfull to be eaten to him that knoweth an Idole to be nothing Yet If a man shoulde discerne or iudge it to be vnlawfull and yet eate of it he is damned for it because hee doeth not according to his conscience or knowledge And the reason is that which S. Paule hath immediatly following saying All that which is done by vs not according to our knowledge or conscience is sinne And S. Iames confirmeth the same saying He that knoweth good and doth it not sinneth Wherefore S. Paule crieth out a a little before thus Blessed is hee that iudgeth not or condemneth not himselfe in doing contrary to that he best allowetb And the cause why this sinne against a mans owne conscience is so damnable is this Some doe sinne of humane frailtie as did Peter and this is called a sinne against the father who is called Power Some doe sinne of ignorance as did Paule and this is called a sinne against the sonne who is called Wisedome Some doe sinne of meere will and malice choosing to sinne although they know it to be sinne and this is the sinne against the holy Ghost to whom is appropriated particularly grace and goodnesse the which a man most wickedly contemneth and reiecteth when he sinneth wilfully against his own conscience and therefore Christ saith that a man shalbe forgeuen a sinne agaynst the father and against the sonne as we doe see it was in Peter and Paule But he that sinneth agaynst the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgeuen neither in this world neyther in the worlde to come As for example the Pharisies were not which did many thinges against Christ malitiously and contray to their owne knowledge consciences If this be true as it is if God be not vntrue theÌ„ in what a miserable case standeth many a man in England at this day which take othes receiue sacramentes goe to Church and commit many a like acte directly against theyr owne consciences and against their owne knowledge nay what a case doe they stand in which know such thinges to be directly agaynst other mens consciences and yet doe compell them to doe it As to receiue against their will to sweare against their will and the like Surely as I am nowe minded I would not for ten thousand worldes compel a Iewe to sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie For albeit the thing be neuer so true yet shouldâ—…â—…e be damned for swearing against his conscience and I for compelling him to commit so heynous and greeuous a sinue But of this sorte of Catholikes this is ynough and too much excepte they were better For they are to be accounted according to Saint Paule damned meâ—… in this lyfe and therefore no christians and much lesse Catholikes There are another sort of Catholikes that albeit they doe iudge all other religions besides their owne false and erroneous and damnable yet doe they not thinke but that for some worldly respecte as for sauing their offices dignities liberties credytes or the like they may in some of the former thinges at the leastwise in going to church for as for swearing and receiuing I thinke no Catholike this day in Europe thinketh it lesse then damnable shewe them selues conformable men to the proceedinges of them of the contrarye religion and doe also thinke others too scrupulous whiche doe stande in the refusall of the same But to shewe that these men are in a wrong and perillous perswasion builded onely on their owne fantasie and therefore to be reformed and that the other men are the onely true Catholickes and bounde to doe so much as they doe vppon payne of the high displeasure of God and eternall damage of their owne soules I haue put downe here these reasons that followe which may serue for the iustifying of the one parties conscience and for the due reforming of the other HE beginneth with a large Periode and stately style as though hée were endyting of a Proclamation or an Aâ—…te of Parliament with a long breath stretched Lunges and full mouth That the Queenes moste excellent Maiesty the Honourable Lordes of her Priuie Counsell and other the learned and wyse of Eâ—…glande maye see Quid tanto dignum feret hic Promissor hiatu Parturiunt montes nascetur ridiculus mus What will this large promiser bring foorthe woorthy of so wide a gaping The Mountaynes are in trauell a ridiculous Mouse shall bee borne anon For what in Gods name shall all the Learned and wise in Englande sée Beside her Maiestie and her honorable Câ—…unsell Forsooth That the refusall of going too the churche of so many thousand Catholikes at this day in that realme is not vppon dâ—…oyaltie or stubborne obstinacie as their aduersaries giue it out A mâ—…tter indeede woorthie of so greate a presence as
aster longe teaching he bée further vrged too confesse it experience as Augustine testifieth of manye Donatistes doeth shewe that although hée did first professe it by compulsion hée maye by Gods grace woorking in him afterwarde imbrace it willingly Wherefore the compulsion pretended to bee vsed is neyther so daungerous to them that are compelled nor so hurtefull to them that muste vse it being the last refuge to bring vngodly persons to repentaunce by threatning and executingof punishment which contemne despyse all gentle and fatherly admonishment Which if it will not preuayle but that of some it is borne out with obstinacie of other pretended by hypocricis the Magistrate hath discharged his dutie the offendor hath not founde damnation which hée should haue â—…raped Albeit by contumacie or dissimulation hée haue â—…creased the same Now followeth the other parte of the diuision for the first and the persons contayned therin our discourser refuseth to deale with all as of whome there is no hoâ—…e because they are damned in this lyfe they are no christians and much â—…sse catholikes But there are another sorâ—…e of catholyes which 〈◊〉 they iudge as the former 〈◊〉 that alother religious beside their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 â—…able yet doe they not thinke but that for some worldâ—… 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 thâ—…ir offices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and other like they may in some of the former things aâ—… lest wise in going to church shewe themselues conformable to the 〈◊〉 of them of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For reformiâ—…g of thosâ—… mens wrong and perrilloâ—… 〈◊〉 aâ—…ons these nine reasons following vnder the necessary supposition before sayde are franied The first Reason THe first reason why I being a Catholyke in minde maye not goe to the churches or seruice of the coÌ„trary relygion is because I perswading myself theyr doctrine to be false doctrine consequeÌ„tly venomous vnto the â—…earer I may not venture my soule to be infected with the 〈◊〉 For us it is damnable for a man to kyll him selfe and consequently deadly siâ—…ne without 〈◊〉 cause to put his body in probable daunger of death so is it much more offensâ—… to God to put my soule ten thousand tymes of more valewe then my body in daunger to the deadly stroke of falsâ—… doctrine and heresie especially seeing I 〈◊〉 â—…o warrant of 〈◊〉 â—…ping but rather I heare God crying to the contrary Hee that â—…eth daunger shall perâ—… in the same Neyther is it sufficient for me to thinke that I am sure inoughe from beeing infected for that I am grounded inough I am learned sufficiently For what yf God take his grace from thee and let thee fall because thou hast not folowed his 〈◊〉 which is If thou wilt not be biâ—…ten with the 〈◊〉 not do sleepe â—…gh the hedgâ—… If thou wilâ—… not be spoâ—…ed then not to touch the Pitch Wherefore 8. Paule to as good a man as learned as strong as I am gaue a generall rule to auoyde and flye an heâ—…ticall man The lyke precepte hee gaue to Timothy beeyng a By shoâ—… to auoyde a certayne heretyque by name Alexaâ—…der 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet hee 〈◊〉 as it weâ—…e the Thessalon 〈◊〉 in the name of Iesus Christes that they should 〈◊〉 drawe them selues 〈◊〉 like fellowes The saâ—…e hee repeateth agayne to the 〈◊〉 beseechyng them to note and to deâ—…yne from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reason of this â—… 〈◊〉 vttereth 〈◊〉 Tyâ—…thye Because their speech creepeth like a canker and they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 of the same men By sweete wordes and gay blessinges they sâ—…uce the heartes of the Innocent And S. Peter saieth of them that they doe allure vnto them vnconstant soules Heere nowe I see the scripture carefully counsayling and commannding mee to auoyde the company and speech of falle teachers it putteth downe also the perrill if I doe it not which is as great as the death of my soule And on the contrary â—…de I haue no warrant of scripture or example of good men to aduenture the same For I doe reade this written of farre my betters The Apostles and their schollers were so warie and circumspect in this case in aâ—…yding heretikes that they would not so much as once reason the matter with any of them who endeuoured by their lyings or new deuices to corrupt the truth 〈◊〉 I am sure I can neuer take good by hearing them but I am in great possibilitie to take euill as many more learned men then I in olde tyme haue done As Dionisius Alexandrinus confesseth of himselfe and of Origen and Tertulian it is knowne and manye men in England can be witnesses which both to themsâ—…ues and also to other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the time was so firme and grounded in religion as nothing could moue them and yet nowe they haue proued otherwise Wherefore it cannot bee but great sinne in mee notwithstanding all this if I shall put my soule in such daunger by aduenturing to their companie to their seruiâ—…e to theyr sermons to reading their booâ—…es or the lyke wherby in any wise I may be corrupted The which aduenture what a 〈◊〉 it was counted in the primatiue church it may appeare by the seueâ—… lawes made both by the clergie and temporaltie for the prohibiting and punishing of the same in that time as is to be seene in the councels and fathers and in the decrees of the good christian Emperours Martian and 〈◊〉 and especially of the noble and zelous first christian Emperour Constantine which made it death after the condemnation of Arius by the generall councell of Nyce for anye man more to reade his bookes and thereby to aduenture to be poysoned with his heresies And reason For if Daâ—… had not ventured to behold Beâ—…abe he had not beene entrapped wiâ—…h her lone and so had not committed those horrible sins that ensewed And if Dame Eua had not presumed to heare the serpent talke she had not beene beguiled and if when Luther first began to teach new doctrine the catholiks at that time had not vouchsaâ—…ed to giue him the hering but had auoided his prechings preuy coÌ„uenticles theâ—… had not bin now in worlde either Lutheran Swinglian Caluenist Puritan Anabaptist Trinetarie Family of loue Adamite or the lyke whereof now there are so many thousands abroad al springing of that first secte and troubling at this day the whole worlde with the eternall damnation of infinite soules the which soules at the day of iudgement shall be scuselesse and receaue that heauie sentence of euerlasting fire for that they had not aâ—…oyded the daunger of infection The first reason THe first reasoÌ„ why a Papist may not go to church is y â— perril of infectioÌ„ which is as good a reasoÌ„ as y â— a fowle toad may not come into a cléere spring to wash her spewe out her venome for feare of infection not of the well of which there is greater daunger but of her owne body vnto whose
to commit it For whereas the Tyrant did commaund him to â—…ate of the sacrifized meats and he refused the same the vnder officers of the Tyrant being mooued with vniust compassion as the scripture tearmeth it offered him secretly other fleshe not offered to Idoles and of the which hee was not forbidden by his lawe to eate meaning thereby to deliuer him and to giue out that hee had now satisfied the Prince his commaundement But the good old man considering what other men might thinke of it and what Scandale there might ensue of it answered thus as the Scripture saieth That hee would first bâ—… sent downe vnto hell before hee would doe it for saieth he it is not conuenient for our age to fayne whereby perchaunce many young men thinking that Elâ—…azarus now of ninetie yeares old hath past ouer to the life of the Gentiles may through my dissimulation be deceiued This therefore is the second point of scandale which S. Paule forbiddeth when hee saieth Keepe your selfe from all shewe of euill The third point of seandale is in respect of the enemy that is when although I doe not induce any man to sin or offend any mans conscience yet I do disedefie the enemy and do that thing wherby the enemy is scandalized and taketh an occasion to blaspheme God his trueth his cause his lawe or the like Whereof S. Paule speaketh to the Corinthians Be you without offence or scandale to the Iewes and also to the Gentiles And in an other place Giuing offence or scandale to no man to the end that our function or ministerie be not blamed thereby And this is that great scandale that Dauid being a King and a Prophet gaue to Gods enemies by his fall and for the which he was sore punished as it appeareth by the words of the scripture which are these And Dauid saide to Nathan the Prophet I haue sinned against my Lord and Nathan said to Dauid God hath taken away thy sinne but yet because thou hast made the enemies of God to blaspheme for this cause the sonne which is borne to thee shal dye the death This also is the scandale that Esdras comming out of Persia towards Ierusalem with his countrimen the Iewes was afraid to giue to the king of Persia by causing him to think basely of God as not able to helpe and defend his seruants if hee should haue asked him aide to conduct himselfe and his companie to Ierusalem for so hee saith I was ashamed to aske of the King aide and horsemen to defend vs from our enemies in the way because we had saide to the king before that the hande or defence of our God is ouer all them that seeke him in honestie that his Empire and strength and 〈◊〉 is vpon all them that forsake him Finally of this scandalement S. Paule and S. Peter also when they said that the worde of God was blasphemed or spoken euil of by the aduersarie parte for the euil life of certaine noughtie Christians Nowe that a Catholike going to the Churches seruice or prayers of them of the contrarie religion cannot but commit this great sinne of scandale in the highest degree that is in all these three pointes before rehearsed it is euident to all the worlde For touching the first point if hee bee a man of any calling his example shal induce some other as wife children friendes seruauntes or the like to doe the same And howsoeuer â—…ee scape himselfe they may bee infected and so damned and their blood layde vppon his soule but much more if hee exhort or constraine any man to doe the same as commonly many Schismatiques doe vse And touching the second point hee cannot bâ—…t offend many mens consciences for they that doe know him inwardly to bee a Catholike wil thinke him to sinne against his owne conscience and perhaps be induced to doe the like And they who knowe him not must needes presume him to goe of conscience and as a fauourer of that religion and so bee brought to like the better of that religion and the worse of the Catholike by his example And as concerning the third and last point their is no enemy of the Catholike religion in the world whether he be Gentile Turke Iewe or Heretike but that he must both thinke and speake the worst of the saide religion seeing the professors of the same are content for worldly pollicy to dissemble it and leauing their owne Churches to present them selues to the Churches of their open and professed enemies To conclude in this matter of scandale men must not flatter and deceiue them selues thinking that they walke in a net and are not seene when they giue scandale to all the worlde which fixeth his eyes vppon them if not for their owne cause yet for the religions sake God is not to be mocked The godly and learned Father Saint Ambrose did accuse Valentinian the Emperour for giuing a publike scandale to the worde because hee did but permit certaine aâ—…lters to the Gentiles saying that men would thinke that hee priuely fauoured them And his scholler Saint Augustine thinketh it a scandale if a man shoulde heare a Donatist but speake and he to holde his peace for that the hearer might thinke that if this were euill which the Donatist saieth the other woulde reproue him But if saint Ambrose had seene the Emperour to haue gone to the Panims Temples or S. Augustine the other to frequent the Donatistes Churches what then would they haue saide What excuse then would they haue receiued and this is our verie case The second reason THe second reason saith hée why a Catholike can not yeeld to go to church is because he caÌ„not go without scandale which is a sin more mentioned more forwarned more forbidden more detested more threatened in the scripture then any sinne els mentioned in the same except it be Idolatrie I will not stande to examine the comparison but certaine it is that the wilfull giuing of offence or as hée calleth it newly scandale is in scripture often and greatly detested and verie damnable and abhominable a thing well knowne to them that are wise and learned in the scriptures and therefore néeded not the one quarter of quotations and textes that are cited for it There are also diuers kindes therof and neuer a good of them all Whether it be by inducing other men to sinne by false doctrine or wicked example by offending the weake conscience of our brethreÌ„ in a thing of it selfe lawful which our reasoner setteth downe absolutely without regarde of such circumstances If I doe offende an other mans conscience in a thing of it selfe lawfull As though our sauiour Christ might be accused for neglecting the offence of the obstinate Pharisees Or whether it be by giuing occasion to the enemy to blaspheme when a man doeth wickedly which also our Aduocate of the Recusantes doeth set downe so nakedly that he woulde make
a Christian man afraid to glorifie Christ before a Iew whoÌ„ both hée is sure to offend and that hée will take occasion either in heart or mouth to blaspheme our Sauiour The third point saith hée is in respect of the enemie that is when although I doe not induce any man to sinne or offende any mans conscience yet I doe disedisie the enemy and doe that thing whereby the enemy is scandalised and taketh an occasion to blaspheme God his trueth his lawe or the like For except the thing which I doe is wicked as the adultery of Dauid which hée bringeth for an example though the enemy is scandalized as the Pharisées were at Christ and taketh an occasion to â—…aspheme God his trueth or his worde 〈◊〉 It is no 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 by mée lewdly giuen but by him wickedly taken But cleare it is that offence by no meanes may bée giuen either to the Iewes or to the Gentiles or to the Church of God But howe is the second part of the argument proued which 〈◊〉 al y â— proofe A Catholike saith he by going to Church seruice or prayers of them of the contrarie religion can not but commit this great Scandale in the highest degree that is in all those three pointes before rehearsed This is boldly saide but what is the reason to shewe that it is truely saide Touching the first pointe saieth hee If he bee a man of any calling his example shal induce some other as wife c. This is as good Logike as the necessarie supposition to prâ—…us an vniuersall proposition by a particular Euerie Catholike giueth offence because some that is of any calling induceth by his example So that hée which is a méere priuate man whose example can not induce or authoritie constraine is exempt from this point of giuing offence But why shoulde any man of what estate so euer hée is bée charged with offence giuing when the thing which hée doeth is not disprooued but by a vayne supposition to be godly and honest And touching the seconde pointe when it is not a thing indifferent but either a necessarie duetie as wée iudge or a thing altogether vnlawfull as hée holdeth to come to the Churche howe can any man bée saide touching that pointe to commit offence which is contrary to his owne determination of that point But by a marginall note hée commaundeth vs to marke the third pointe and that is this There is no enemy of the Catholike religion in the worlde whether hee bee Gentile Iewe Turke or heretike but that hee must both thinke and speake the woorse of the saide religion seeing the professours of the same are content for worldly pollicy to dissemble it and leauing their owne Churches to present them selues to the Churches of their open and professed enemies This man reasoneth altogether of necessities and impossibilities the strongest Cheynes that are to holde any reasons if they were surely linked riueted into the causes that hée would binde with them But howe prooueth hée that it is necessarie for euerie enemie of the Catholike religion in the worlde to thinke woorse of it for the dissembling of some of the professours of the same The worlde is wyde and the true Catholike religion hath many enemies that are wise which when they knowe that euery religion and their owne what euer it bée hath many dissemblers when it is persecuted will not for the onely pointe of dissembling thinke woorse of the Catholike religion then they thinke of their owne for the same cause But not withstanding the Cheyne is no better locked to the cause of all the enemies yet the offâ—…nce of dissiâ—…ulation is carefully to bée aâ—…yded in respecte of some parte of them But vntill going to the Church where the woorde of God is reade and taught the Sacrament ministred and prayers conceaued according to the 〈◊〉 of the holy scriptures can bee condemned of wickednesse there is no offence to bée feared in frequenting the same But that the goâ—…rs to Churche offende not God by hypoâ—…sie and dissimulation let them take héede of all sortes at their vttermost perrill for as you cyte it albéeit you wrongly apply it they shall finde one day that God is not mocked The third Reason THe thirde reason why a Catholike may not come to churche is for that going or not going to the church is made a signe nowe in Englande distinctiue betwixt religion and religion that is betwixt a Catholike and a Schismatike So that a catholike by going thether doeth directly denye his religion For the better vnderstanding whereof wee must note that the Professour of any religion may bee knowne by three wayes first by woordes professing him selfe to be of that religion secondly by woorkes or deedes proper to that religion thirdly by some signe or marke appointed to signifie that religion As for example In Italy a Iewe may bee knowne First by his woordes if hee woulde professe him selfe to bee of that religion Secondly by woorkes proper to Iudaysme as by keeping the Saterday holy day by circumcysing his children and the like Thirdly by a notorious signe appointed to distinguishe that religion from all others which is to weare on his head a yeallow â—…ppe Nowe as these three are wayes to professe this religion so if a man of an other religion for example a Christian should yeeld to vse any of these thinges hee should sinne greeuously and in effect deny his fayth And as for the first if hee shoulde professe him selfe to bee a Iewe it is euident that he denieth thereby his Christianitie And as for the other two waies it cannot be denied for the circumâ—…ysing of thy children and the wearing of a yeallowe cappe doeth as plainely in that countrie tel men that thou art a Iewe as if thou diddest proclaime it at the market euen as the bush at the Tauerne doore doeth tel the goers by that there is wyne to be solde within But nowe that the going to Church is in the realme of Englande a plaine and an apparant signe of a Schismatike that is to say of a conformable man as they cal him to the Protestants proceedinges it is manifestly to be proued First by the commaundement to go to Church euery Holiday to heare seruice and by the exaction of the same commaundement For that it is the commaunders meaning by that act as by a proper signe to haue men shewe them selues conformable to that religion it cannot bee denied For otherwise to what ende are they commaunded vppon suche dayes and at such a certaine time and for suche a purpose to goe thither Againe it is proued by the exaction of this lawe For wheâ—… a catholike doeth come before the Commissioners there is nothing asked of him but when hee was at church and if hee wil promisâ—… to goe to church commonly they account him a sufficient conformable man that is to haue yelded sufficiently vnto them Furthermore the multitude of them which haue of long
time abidden imprisonment and nowe in greater number do for this only thing in the sight knowledge not only of Englande but also of al Christendome and of the enemies of the same in the worlde besides doeth make this abstaining from churche to bee a proper and peculiar signe of a true catholike nowe if it were not before and the yeelding in the same especially if a man be called to publike trial about it to be a flat and â—…uident denying of God and of his fayth For what doeth make a thing to be a proper and peculiar signe but the iudgement and opinion of men The bush of the Tauerne is a signe of wine because mâ—…n commonly take it so In like maner the yeaâ—…ow bonet of a Iew the yealow torbant of a Turke and the like Euen so seeing the whole world at this day doeth take the absteming from Protestantes Churches to bee the only external signe of a true catholike and seeing the Protestantes them selues doâ—… make it so also seeing that the going to Church is the contrarie signe it followeth that if going to church were of it selfe before lawful it were now made by this a peculier signe distinctiue betwixt religion and religion and so vtterly vnlawful I wil put an example of the Primatiue church wherein the wearing of a garland was lawful for al souldiers vntil the Emperours and the common opinion of men had abridged it onely to infidel souldâ—…ers to distinguish them thereby in honour from christian souldiers And then after that as Tertullian prooâ—…eth it was no longer lawful for christian souldiers to weare them for that the wearing therof was a denial of the christian fayth Wherevppon wee reade that a certaine christian souldieâ—… offered him selfe rather to suffer death then to weare one of them as appeareth in the same booke of Tertullian But now much more is the thing vnlawfull in our case For that the going to the Protestantes churches which is a catholike must presume to be heretical was neuer a thing of it selfe lawful as I wil hereafter proue which the wearing of a garland was and therfore much lesse now to be tollerated seeing besides this it is also made a signe distinctiue as I haue alreadie prooued The third reason THe third reason is not vnlike his brethren that went before which all holde of a necessarie supposition or els they inforce no necessarie conclusion This third reason is for that going or not going to the Church is made a signe nowe in Englande and a distinctiue note betwixt religion and religion betwixt a Catholicke and a schismatike as the wearing of a yellow Cappe is the marke of a Iewe in Italy I yéeld it is so and therfore going to Church is the externall note of a Catholike not going to Church is the marke of a Schismatike Heretike But what go I about to breake the adamantine necessitie of the former supposition Then let it stand and sée howe it is fastened to the cause in controuersie That the going to Church is the playne and apparant signe of a Schismatike that is to say of a conformable man as they call him to the Protestantes proceedinges it is manifestly to bee prooued In déede it is necessarie to bée prooued if you will haue the argument of auoiding the distinct marke of Schismatikes to agrée with Protestantes Howe then doe you proue it First by the commandement and exaction of the same for going to Church In déed this proueth the meaning of the coÌ„manders to be y â— they woulde haue all true Christians whoÌ„ you call the Protestants to bée discerned from heretikes and schismatikes by this marke But that all Protestants are heereby proued to bée schismatikes it is as farre of as euer it was and as néere as euer it shalbe But the reason of exaction mightily doeth prooue it For when a Catholike doeth come before the Commissioners there is nothing asked of him but when hee was at Churche and if hee will promise to goe to Churche commonly they account him a sufficient conformable man that is to haue yeelded sufficiently vnto them It were I gesse hard to proue that euery Papist which commeth before the Commissioners is examined of that one Article of comming to Churche And if it were graunted that to bée one question which is asked of him when hee was at Churche yet that nothing els is asked of any that commeth before them I thinke there is no man will beléeue you though you woulde swere it And if some of whose conformitie there is hope by promising to goe to the Churche where they may bée instructed are for a season vrged no further yet that they are commonly accounted to bée conformable men and thought to haue yéelded sufficiently vntoo the Commissioners I dare say neither the Commissioners who best know their owne thoughts wil acknowledge so much and their contrary practise is often séene in many and you your selfe complaine of it that they exact of many to communicate to take the oth whiche is more then onely going to Churche But the long imprisonment of many doeth make this absteining from the Church to bée a proper and peculiar signe of a true Catholike No verily but of an obstinate herctike For not y â— imprisonment but the cause for which they suffer must argue them to bée true Catholikes whiche cause séeing it is lefte without defence or proofe sauâ—… only a poore naked and beggerly supposition to stande vpon it followeth not that going to Churche is the note of a Schismatike but not going to Churche rather argueth a Schistike or an Heretike The fourth Reason THE fourth cause why a Catholike may not goe to the Churche is because it is Schisme and breaking of the vnitie of the Catholicke Churche the which howe perrillous and dreadsul a thing it is all catholikes doe sufficiently knowe For as they firmely beleeue that to oppugne the visible knowne Churche of Christe as all Heretikes tontinually doe is a verie wicked and damnable sinne Euen so in like manner they beleeue that to breake the vnitie of the same Churche and to make any rent or disuion in the same whiche is the proper faulte of schismatikes is also damnable For the whiche cause Saint Paule doeth so diligently request the Corinthians too auoide Schismes saying beseeche you brethren by the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe that you al say one thing and that there bee no schismes amongest you And to the Ephesians Bee you careful to keâ—…pe vnitâ—…e of spirite in the bonde of peace The which vnitie Christe himselfe expresseth more particularly and more distinctly when hee requesteth of his Father That his Christians might bee one as he and his father were one that is to say that as hee and his father did agree in al their actions and whatsoeuer the one did the other also did So in his church there shoulde bee one only forme of beliefe one fourme of seruice
one fourme of Sacramentes and the like euen as there is according to Paule one Baptisme one bread one faith one churche one Christe one Lorde one body one heauen one hope of rewarde the breaking of which vnitie of the church of God hath beene alwayes accounted a most greeuous and damnable offence For as Irenaeus a most auncient godly father saith They which cut and disseuer the vnitie of the Church shal haue the same punishment that 〈◊〉 had This punishment wee knowe to haue beene the vtter destruction and exâ—…yrpation of him and all his name But other Fathers doe exaggerate this sinne farther For Sainte Augustine in his booke whiche hee made of the vnitie of the Churche sayth thus Whosoeuer doe agree to all the holy Scriptures touching the head of the Churche â—…hiche is Christe and yet doe not communicate with the vnitie of the Churche they are not in the Churche And a little after hee expoundeth what hee meaneth by communicating with the vnitie of the churche whiche is That theyr communion bee with the whole bodie of Christe his Churche dispearsed ouer the whole world and not with any one part separate or els it is manifest that they are not saiâ—…h he in the catholike churche Nowe S. Cyprian in his booke of the simplicitie of Prelates or vnitie of the churche goeth further for he proueth that if a man did liue neuer so vertuously otherwise nay if hee shoulde giue his life and shedde his blood for Christe yet if he were out of the vnitie of the church he coulde not bee saued for that as he saith This spot or sinne the breaking of the vnitie of the churche cannot be washed away with any blood The which saying of S. Cyprian the learned father Chrisostome after Cyprians death doth repeate and confirme Adding these words There is nothing doeth so prouoke GOD as the diuision of the Churche And albeit we shoulde doe innumerable good deedes yet notwithstanding we shall be punished as greeuously as they were which dyd rende Chriâ—…te his owne flesh and body if wee disseuer in peeces the full 〈◊〉 and vnitie of the Churche And finally he concludeth thus I doe heere say and protest that it is no lesse sinne to cut and breake the vnitie of the Churche then it is to fall into heresie And thus muche I thought good too say leauing infinite other thinges that might bee saide touching the greenousnesse of this sinne of schisme whereby many of our bad catholikes in Englande may see in some part the miserable dangerous case wherein they stand by sleeping so carelesse as they doe in this sinne But now that this act of going to the Protestants churches and prayers is a schismaticall act and suche a one as diuideth from the vnitie of the churche it is easie too bee prooued for that schisme is according too Sainte Augustine A separation of them that thinke the same thing That is a different kinde of seruice of God in those men that do not differ in opinion in religion The which thing he expresseth more plainely in an other place putting the difference betwixt heretikes sehismatikes saying Schismatikes are made not by difference in faith or beliefe but by the breaking of the societie or vnitie of Communion Nowe the Communion or vnitie of the churche consisteth in these three thinges to wit that al Christians haue one sacrifice one and the selfe same Sacraments also one and the selfe same seruice of God But they which goe to the Protestantes churches haue no sacrifice at al neither haue they any more then two of seuen sacraments and those two also so mangâ—…d that of the two scarse one is a sacrament as they vse them And as for their seruice it hath no part of the catholike seruice as I will shewe heereafter He therfore that goeth to this seruice and willingly separateth himselfe from the catholike seruice and Communion breaketh the vnitie of Communion of the churche and consequently committeth schisme But some man perhaps will say I doe it not willingly but I goe to Churche by constrainte of the publiquela wes of my Realme I answere that heere is some kinde of constraint external but not so muche as may take away the libertie of thy will whiche is internal as the Philosopher wisely discourseth For this constraint is but conditinall That is either to doe that which is commaunded for example to goe to the Churche or els to abide this or that punishmente that the Lawe appointeth The which penaltie if thou wilt suffer thy wil is free to doe what thou wilt Neither can any â—…ortall power constraine it further So that suche an action as I haue talked of for example going to the churche for the auoiding of temporall losse is called both the Philosophers and Diuines Inuoluntaria secundum quid simpliciter autem voluntaria That is in part or in some respect vnuoluntarie But absolutely and simplie it is to bee accounted voluntarie And therefore they are to bee esteemed good or bad punishable or rewardable euen as other free actions are for otherwise no sinne shoulde bee punishable Seeing euery naughtie action commonly hath some kind of compulsion in it but yet it may not bee excused thereby As for example the murtherer may say that hee did it not willingly for that hee was compelled thereunto by rage of anger And the Lecherer may say his fleshe compelled him to sinne and to take fitter example for our purpose all those that denied Christe in time of persecution for feare of tormentes mighte by your obiection say that they did it not willingly but by compulsion of torments and therefore were not to bee damned for it But yet Christe saide that hee woulde take it as doone voluntarily and therefore damne them for it by deniyng them openly before his Father and his Angelles at the day of iudgement And yet to giue an other example neerer to oure matter Sainte Iohn saieth of the noble men and Gentlemen of Iurie in his time Many of the principall men did beleeue in Christe but they did not confesse him outwardly for feare of the Pharisees least they shoulde bee caste out of the Sinagogue for they did loue more the glory of men then the glory of God Heere wee see the act of these noble men and Gentlemen also the compulsion to the act the cause of their compulsion lastly Saint Iohns iudgement vpon the act The act wherof they are accused is only holding their peace not confessing Christ openly according as they did inward ly beleeue of him The cause or excuse that they had to lay for themselues was the feare of the Pharises or Magistrates which coÌ„pelled them agaynst their will so to doe Now what punishement they feared at the Pharises handes S. Iohn expresseth saying that it was Least they should bee cast out of their Synagogue The which punishment was then
and is nowe at this day amongst the Iewes the greatest punyshment besides death that can be deuised For he looseth therby al offices dignities and credit whatsoeuer no man maye buye or sell with him noe man may visit him or talke with him or salute him in the streates Fynallye it is a death vppon earth a great and suffycient excuse a man would thinke to answere for a mans silence onely For I see many a one in England not onelye to conceale theyr owne consciences but also to speake againste the same for a lesse cause But what is Saynt Iohns iudgement vpon the matter for sooth hee excepteth not the excuse but condemneth them in a damnable mortal sinne agaynst the first commaundement for doing the same saying That by this silence of theirs they did put the glory of God behynde the glory of men and thereby shewed that they loued men better then God Noe doubt but to their euerlasting damnation except they hartely repented them The which I would haue those vnwise and fonde noble men and gentle men in Englande to consider which perswade both themselues and other men that in these troublesome tymes a man maye without offence keepe his conscience to him selfe but especially those that doe not onely holde their peace but also doe against theyr conscience what soeuer is commaunded them sayinge that all which is done amisse shall not belayde vpon them at the day of iudgement but vpon the Prince and the Magistrates which compell theâ—… to doe the same against their owne willes But what compulsion this is and how furre it shall excuse their doinges I haue now declared Wherefore hereafter let no man say that he goeth to church against his wil thinking therby to excuse him selfe from schisme Besides this to proue it schisme yea and that obstinate and rebellyous schisme it were sufficiente to knowe that the meaning wil and commaundement of the generall and vniuersall Catholyke Churche at this daye is that catholyke men shoulde not presente them selues to Protestantes churches or conuenticles seeing they are denounced open enemies to the aforsayd church and their relygion hath beene as orderly condeÌ„ned in the lastgeneral counsell of Trent As the doctrine of Arrius was in the first generall counsell of Nyce And albeit the councell of Trent made no perticuler decree of this matter yet is there no cause why any man shoulde take any holde thereat seeing the reason thereof was because suche a decree was needelesse for the church hauing alreadie condemned from the beginning all praying with Heretikes or repayring to their conuenticles it was sufficient for the counsell onely to condemne the Protestantes for such men without any further particular prohibiting of others to come to their churches and seruâ—…ce seeing their conuenticles being once pronounced to bee hereticall the other was to bee presupposed And this is the true meaning of the counsell whatsoeuer other saye to shadowe their imperfections Howbeit some doubt being at that time moued by certaine of the Nobilitie of England whether they might not lawfully without offence goe to church to doe some meere temporall acte as to beare the sworde before her Maiestie or the like it was debated by xij learned men there at the counselles appoyntement and determination then giuen that onlye for such a cause they might goe to church As for example if her Maiestie should appoynt certaine catholiks to meete at Poules to intreaâ—… of matters of the state and that at such time as seruice were sayd there and this was Naaman Syrus his case flatte who was permitted as most men take it for a time to goe with his Kinge and holde him vppon his shoulder when hee went to the temples of the Idolles Now that there hath beene a generall custome rule and canon of the church prohibiting to goe to the churches and conuenticles of heretikes it is plaine by the testimonie of all antiquitie The Apostles themselues in their threescore and thirde canon say thus If any man eyther of the clergie or laiâ—…e doe goe into the Synagoge of the Iewes or into conuenticles of heretiques to pray let him be deposed and excomunicated This canon of the church was exactly afterwardes kept and is mentioned very often by the Fathers and counselles by occasion of the like matter As for example when Origen was by a certaine necessitie compelled to dwell in house together with one Paule an heretique to whome there resorted often not onely heretiques but some simple Catholiques also for the fame of his excellent eloquence yet they write of Oâ—…igen That hâ—… coulde neuer be induced by any meanes to bee present at prayers where Paule was And the reason is put downe by them to be this For that Orygen euen from his youth had kept and obserued most diligently the Canon of the Church Heere wee see what account was made in those dayes of this Canon of the church Furthermore S. Dionysius Alexandrinus a learned Father talkinge of one Heraclas Byshoppe of Alexandria and scholer of the aforesayde Origen and shewing howe the saide Heraclas had excommunicated and cast out of the church certaine christians for that they were accused to haue vsed much company of a certaine heretique he addeth this sayinge This Canon and this example haue I reâ—…aued of our holy Father Heraclas The lyke obseruation of this Canon is noted in Athanasius who comming to Antioche fledde the common and publique Churches which were vsurped then by one Leontius an Arian Byshoppe and his clergye and seeking out the Catholyques that were in the citie which then by contempte were called Eustaâ—…hians because they helde of the communion of their catholike deposed Bishoppe named Eustathius as catholyques now in Englande are contemptiouslye called Papistes for holding of the communion of the Byshop of Rome and finding them out did secreetelye communicate with them as saieth the historie Conuenâ—…uin aedibus priuatis peracto That is Making their assembly or Chnrche in their priuate houses Howelyke is this case to our state now adayes in England The lyke respecte to this canon of the churche had Alexander by shoppe of Constantinople who wished rather to die then to remayne in the churche when Arius the heretique should come to the same To this canon had also respecte the people of Alexandria so much commended by Athanasius him selfe who would rather praye together by them selues in the churche yarde without coâ—…r thâ—… enter into the church to praye where George the Aryan byshoppe was The lyke consideration had also the people of Samosatum who after the depriuation of theyr vertuous and cathoâ—…ke byshop Eusebius and the thrusting into his place by the Aryans of an heretical byshop called Ennomius they would no more come at the church of whome 〈◊〉 writeth thus None of the inhabitants there poore or rich seruant or artificer husbandman or grafter man or woman younge or olde woulde come to
Protestantes Church is forbidden by the Church And because you speake of the voyce of the Supreame Pastour of the Churche except you bring the voyce of Christe your argument is to weake to condemne the Protestantes Churche For Saint Peter teacheth vs that Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Supreame Pastour of his Churche which hath no fellowes in office but that the Pope shoulde bee the generall Pastour of all whose Communion it is not lawfull to breake Hée cyteth a place out of Cyprian epi. 55. ad Cornel. Heresies and Schismes haue sprong of none other cause theÌ„ for that men do not obey Gods Prieste And for that they doe not thinke or conâ—…der y â— there is one only priest who is iudge in Christes stéede for y e time Unto whom if all the vniuersal brotherhood would obey in diuine functions no man would moue any thing against the Colleâ—…ge of priests neyther after y e iudgemeÌ„t of God the suffrage of the people y â— bishops consent once put downe in any matter would any man dare to make himselfe a Iudge of the Bishop and consequently of God nor by breaking vnitâ—…e teare or reÌ„t the Church of Christ. To this authoritie I answere that except you wil adde a fourth supposition that Cyprian speaketh of one bishoppe in all the worlde whiche hée sayeth of one bishoppe in euery Dioces it maketh as much for the Byshop of Rochester as for the Byshop of Rome For the whole argument of the Epistle declareth that hée speaketh of herelickes and scismatikes that in scisme were made byshops in his owne Church in other meâ—…s Churches and when they were of them reiected or for their crymes deposed sought approbation of the Byshop of Rome and other Prelates beyond the sea As his wordes are manifest Post ista adhuc insuper After these thinges hauing made them a false Byshop by heretikes they dare bée bolde to sayle beyond the Sea and to cary prophane letters frâ—…m Schismatiks vnto the Chayre of Peter and that principall Churche from whence the vnitie of priestood arose and not to consider that they are Romaines whose fayth is praysed by the commendation of the Apostle to whome false dealyng can haue none accesse Agayne hée saith Neque rescindere c. Neyther canne it vndoe the ordination rightly made that Basilides after his crymes detected and his conscience made bare by his owne confession trauailing to Rome deceaued our fellowe Byshoppe Stephanus dwelling farre off and being ignoraunt of the matter as it was done and of the trueth that hée shoulde ambytiously séeke to bee restored into his Bishopprick from which hée was iustly deposed c. Fynally it is worth nothing for hee falsifieth the wordes of S. Cyprian in translation Post Coepiscoporum consensum which is after the consent of the fellow Byshops which he tearmeth The Byshops consenrors once put down as though Cyprian spake stil of that one Byshoppe which is to bée obeyed in euery Church as this man sâ—…rmiseth in the whole Church The fift Reason THe fyfte reason wherefore a Catholyke maye not goe to the churche of those of the contrary relygion is for feare leaste his presence maye bee interpreted by GOD to bee consente vnto their doing and so hee bee made partaker of theyr punishement Concerning whiche wee must vnderstande that of all the enemyes that GOD hath in this worlde there is none in so heyghe displeasurâ—… with him as hee who once knoweing the trueth and beeinge receauâ—… into his house the catholike churche runneth out againe and by newe deuised doctrines vexeth and molesteth the same beeing not onely the house as I haue sayde of Christ but also his spowse nay his owne bodye Which sorte of men the scripture calleth Heretickes whose curse and reprobation in this life is more grieuous then any other sinne whatsoeuer and the damnation for the time to come more intollerable For that as S. Peter saieth It had beene better for them neuer to haue knowne the waye of righteousnesse then after they knewe it to turne backe againe And these are those men of whome Christ said that one diuell going forth in their first comming to the fayth by Baptisme hee afterwardes entred againe with seuen other diuelles worse then hym selfe and so made the ende of that man woorse then his beginning And Saint Paule geueth a maroeilous seuere iudgment vpon them when he saith That Heretickes are subuerted and doe sinne and are damned by their owne iudgementes First he saieth that they are subuerted or ouerthrowne because they are blotted out of the booke of lyfe Secondlye that their whole lyfe is sin vppon sin because they are vtterly depriued of God his grace without the which wee can do nothing but sinne Thirdly he saith they are damned by their own iudgementes either for that they chose wittingly to leaue the catholicke church out of the which they knewe there was no saluation or els because the most of them doe knowe that they doe amisse and yet for pride they will not come backe So that euery waye their case is very pitifull and lamentable This poynte the holy Fathers of the Churche doe oftentymes handle very seriously and grauelye prouing that Heretickes more offende God and are infarre worse state then any offendour els in the world and namely more then either Iew or Gentyle For the which cause they note that the new Testamente byddeth vs not to beware of Iewes and Gentiles but of Heretickes in manye places The reason is for that they are those wolues which Christ foretolde vs should come in sheepe skins which as S. Augustine saieth shall pretende to be very good sheepe and friendes to Christ and to his sheepefolde and yet with Christ his owne wordes they shall teache you to denie Christ to teare the sheepefold in peeces and to disperse the sheepe Nay they shall sleye more soules with the word then euer Tyrants did with the sword Againe S. Austine proueth at large in aâ—… other place that Heretickes are those Antichristes of whome S. Iohn spake when he saide That many Antichristes are now gone out Meaning of Simon Magus Cerinthus and other Heretikes of his â—…yme Of which Antichristes hee saieth that S. Paule did pronounce that terrible saying that they were The men of sinne the Children of destruction As who would say that albeit all other noughtie men were in wrapped with the guilte of sinne and of their owne destruction yet those men aboue all others for their eminente wickedâ—…es were properly to be called the men of sin in respecte of their heynous sinne of slayeing of soules and the heauy sentence abyding them for the same they were peculiarlye to bee called the children of perdition and damnation This therefore being so that the deepe displeasure of God and his heauye hande hangeth moreouer the heades of Heretickes and Schismatickes then ouer any other people in the worlde it is no small daunger for
fellowes why hée discenteth from them Last of al concerning the charge which is giuen to Gods people To goe out of Babylon c. Least they bée partakers of her punishments which he citeth Apoc. 18. is diligently to be considered For if we may finde in the Scripture what is Babylon we know from whence to flée The holy ghost therfore before he gaue this charge did first plamely describe the whoore of Babylon the mother of all abhominations of the earth to be y t City which hauing seueÌ„ kings or states of gouernment in succession is situated vpon seueÌ„ hilles to be that great Citie which in that time of the Reuelation had the kingdome ouer the kings of the earth which by all reason and consent of the most auncient writers Irenaeus Tertullian Hierome Augustine c. Can be none other but the Citie of Rome wherfore the spirite of God commaunding his Saints to goe out of Babylon doeth not bid the Romanistes to goe from Protestants but contrariwise the Protestants to goe from the Romanistes The sixth Reason THE sixth cause why a Catholike may not come to churche is because he cannot come without dissimulation The which in matters of conscience and religion is treacherie to God Almightie and a very dangerous matter For as the worthie father S. Ambrose saith It may be lawfull sometimes in a monie matter to holde thy peace but in gods cause where there is danger in communicating with his enimies to dis semble only is no small sinne The reason whereof is that sore saying of Christes owne mouth He that is not with me is against me As though hee had saide Hee that dissembleth and knowing me and my cause to be oppressed holdeth his peace and defendeth mee not I will holde him in the number of my enimies that are against me According to the which rule of Christ S. Iohn which well knew the inward and secrete meaning of Christ speaking of certaine noble men and gentlemen of Iury. The which did beleeue in Christ but durst not confesse him openly for feare of the Iewes Condemneth them of a great and damnable mortall sinne against the first commandement for the same saying that by this act they shewed that they loued the glory of men more then the glory of God By the which example we see that we do wilfully dishonor God and con sequently commit damnable treason against him when wee doe for any feare or temporall respect dissemble our faith hold our peace against our consciences The which thing Saint Paul considering he layeth down vnto vs a generall rule Ore fit confessio ad salutem To be saued we must needes confesse our faith by mouth or open speeche vppon the which wordes S. Austen saith We cannot be saued out of this wicked and malignant worlde except we indeuouring to saue our neighbours besides beleeuing doe also professe our faith by mouth which we beare in our hearts the which faith of ours wee must prouide by godly and wary watchfulnesse that it be not in any respect hurt or violated by the craf tie subtiltie of Heretikes Note his admonition let it not be in any respect violated with craftie subtiltie As for example by causing a man to yeelde a little against his conscience to goe once to churche to stay but a little there to haue seruice in his owne house or the like In the which if a man might say as commonly they doe say in euil meates that a litle wil do but a litle hurt it were more tollerable But seeing the matter standeth as it doth in poysons wherof euery litle dram wil be thy bane No maruel though men shew theÌ„selues more scrupulous Heare the iudgement of a whole cleargie in the Primatiue church and alleadged by S. Cyprian the Martyr of Christ Whereas the whole misterie of faith is vnderstood to consist in the confessing of the name of Christ he that hath sought false sleights for excuse thereof hath nowe denied it and he that wil seeme to haue fulfilled such statutes and lawes as are set foorth against the Gospel in so doing he hath obeied them in very deed For asmuch as he woulde haue it seeme that he hath obeied them Heere you see nowe all dissembling of our faith taken for denying our faith and al seeming to be condemned for doing The which that old valiant champion of God Eliazarus ful wel knewe when he rather chose to die then to seeme to eate a peace of flesh albeit he did it not in deede coÌ„trary to the law of god And the reason hee giueth for it is this It is not fitte for our age to faine O good Eliazarus if it were not fit for thy age to faine or dissemble in matters of religion what shall wee say of our age wherein for manye respectes wee are more bounde too confesse our Lorde and Maister and his catholike Religion then thou wert For that wee haue receiued more benefites at his handes and haâ—…e seene howe hee confessed vs before his enimies and ours and could not be brought by any feare or torment to denie vs. Buâ—… well their wil bee wicked men and dissembling christians stil Yet notwithstanding Gods law must stande set downe by Christe his owne mouth Hee that shal blush or be ashamed of me and my sayings of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he shall come in his maiestie and in the maiestie of his Father and oâ—… his holy angels Hee doeth not onely say if we do denie him but if wee doe blushe or be ashamed to confesse him whiche consideration made the Apostles and other seruantes of Christe so peremptorilie to proceede in confessing openly their faith with what danger soeuer it were And S. Paul giueth a reason of it when he saith 〈◊〉 be vnto me except I do preach the gospel That is except I coÌ„fesse it except I set it forth what danger bodily soeuer come thereof And in the Actes of the Apostles the high Priestes and Magistrates commaunded not the Apostles to bee of their religion nor yet to come to their seruice in their sinagogues but onely to holde their peace And that they shoulde not speake or teache any more in the name of Iesus But the apostles vtterly denied to obey that coÌ„andement and in the chapter folowing being taken again for not obeying were asked in open iudgement by the Magistrates thus We commaunded you straightly to teach no more in this name and how chanseth it that you haue filled all Ierusalem with this doctrine And Peter answered with the rest of the Apostles Wee must rather obey God then men As who should sâ—…y that if they shoulde haue graunted to dissemble and not to speake openly they shoulde haue denied God in obeiyng men more then him What if the high Priestes and Magistrates shoulde haue saide vnto them wel wee are content that you liue with your conscience so you
keepe it to your selues and trouble not the state and so that you wil for obedience sake sometime come to our sâ—…agogues shewing your selues conformable men to our proceedings Nay what if they shoulde haue saide Some of you also for outward shewe keeping alwaies your consciences to your selues must flee this odious name of Christians and seeme to communicate now and then with vs in our sacrifices and ceremonies wee are content also that some of you shalbe our officers and Iustices of peace counsellours and the like so that you will sometimes for orders sake punishe some of those vndiscreete felowes of your religion which cannot be content to keepe their consciences to themselues so you wil also giue some pretie sharpe charge in your circuites sessions and assemblies alwayes keeping your consciences to your selues and if some of you also wil some times step vp into the Pulpet and speake three or foure earnest woordes against this religion it shal be verie grateful vnto vs especially if you wil affirme iâ—… with an othe which wee haue deuised for the same purpose and this doing wee assure you that you shal liue quietly to your owne consciences and we shal account you for good subiectes If I say the Magistrates of Iurie at that time should haue giuen to the Apostles and other Christians this sweete charme doe you thinke that they could haue abidden to heare it al out whose hearts did rise and swel at two woordes only that they spoke for the intreating of them to holde their peace And yet many a thousand now in Englande beeing as throughly perswaded in heart of the truth of the catholike religion as the Apostles and other Christians at that time were of theirs are content notwithstanding to heare digest admit and execute al or most part of these thinges recited contrarie to the saide religion And yet besides al this which is more to be wondred at they are not ashamed to persuade them selues that they shal one day come to that glorie wherein the Apostles nowe are But this is desperate presumption And therefore we see what a iust cause this is for a catholike to refuse to come to the churches of the contrarie religion The sixth reason THe sixt cause hée saieth why a catholike may not come to church is because he cannot come without dissimulation Therefore let the Popishe Catholike leaue his dissimulation and become a good Christian rather then to leaue the Church and become an obstinate Schismatike In this reason as in the rest certeine leaues are spent in shewing that God abhorreth dissembling and will not hold them guiltlesse which holde their peace when he is â—…ishonoured and are ashamed clearely to confesse Christ and his trueth before men c. But that the going to Protestantes Churches is a deniall of Christ a dissimulation of his truth or any such matter there is nothing at all brought to proue it But sée I pray you his â—…ditious insinuation which hée maketh in his fonde supposition which hée woulde haue to be applied to our time what if the high Priestes and Magistrates shoulde haue saide to Peter and the Astles Well wee are content that you liue with your consciences so you keepe it to your selues and trouble not the state and so that you will for obedience sake sometime come to our Synagogues shewing your selues conformable men to our proceedinges Nay what if they shoulde haue saide Some of you also for outward shewe keeping alwayes your consciences to your selues must bee this odious name of Christians and seeme to communicate nowe and then with vs in our sacrifices and ceremonies Wee are content also that some of you shalbe our Officers and Iustices of peace Councellers and the like so that you wil sometimes for order sake punishe some of those indiscreete fellowes of your religion which cannot be content to keepe their consciences to them selues so you wil also giue some pretie sharpe charge in your Circuites Sessions and assemblies alwayes keeping your consciences to your selues and if some of you also wilsometimes steppe vp into the Pulpet and speake three or foure earnest woordes against this religion It shalbee verie gratefull vnto vs especially if you wil affirme it with an oth which we haue deuised for the same purpose and this doing wee assure you that you shal liue quietly to your owne consciences and wee shal account you for good subiectes This trayterous supposition which you will vs to apply to our time and note in the Margent to be the maner of dissembling Schismatikes liuely expressed to be done by many in Englande declareth howe reuerently you thinke speake and would haue ignorant persons to conceiue of her Maiestie and the principall Officers and Magistrates of the realme that shée with them not onely exhorteth men to dissimulation false meaning and periurie but also that her Maiestie is content to haue such hypocrites and false forsworne persons to be her Officers and Iustices yea her Councellers and Prelates of the Church No meruaile if you protest of your duetifulnesse and obedience which thus villainously conceiue and write of her excellent Maiestie and call her to the reading of it which were too intollerable to be iudged of any person of wisedome and honestie of howe lowe degrée and calling soeuer hée were It is hard therefore to susteine a counterfeit person long For euen while you declayme against dissimulation you haue discouered your selfe to bee an horrible dissembler The seuenth reason THE seuenth reason why a Catholike may not yeeld to come to the Protestants churches is because the seruice which they vse is nought and dishonourable to God and therfore no man can come to it or heare it or seeme to alow of it by his presence without great offence to God Neither is it sufficient to say as coÌ„monly they vse to say to beguile simple people withall that it is the Scripture taken out of the Gospels Epistles Psalmes and the like For by that argument the Iewes seruice were good at this day which is taken out of the olde Testament and al Heretikes seruice that euer was seemed to be nothing but Scriptures For as S. Austen in diuers places noteth it was alwayes the fashion of heretikes to haue Scripture in their mouth and to cleaue only to scriptures and to refuse traditions as inuentions of men And we reade of the Arrian Heretikes howe they were wont to sing Psalmes in the streetes of Constantinople thereby to allure the people to them And yet we may not say that their seruice was good like as wee cannot say that the deuils talke was good with Christ albeit it were decked with allegation of scripture and other sweete words Although therfore their seruice be ful of scripture it is no good argument that it is therefore infallible good For as S. Ierom saith of al heretikes Whatsoeuer they speake or think that they do speak in the praise of God it is the
to Church is all the benefite of the keyes of the church or of the authoritie of binding or losing But this is nothing so for by going to Church where they may heare the Gospell truely preached they may be made partakers of the keyes wherewith heauen is opened and of remission of sinnes at the handes of God by the ministrie of his woord As for consession of their sinnes such as the Scriptures requireth and the Primitiue Church practised they shal make dayly But Popishe â—…hrift no Scripture requireth neither did the auncient Church practise it They that confessed their dooinges Actes the 19. mâ—…de open and not auricular confession But for proofe of Popishe auricular confession as I thiâ—…ke Augustine is quoted in many Homelies not 〈◊〉 whereof saying Doe you suche penaunce as is wont to bee done in the Churche that the Churche may pray for you Let no man say I doe it secretly I doe it with God alone c. These woordes are manifest that hee speaketh of open confession of suche as had openly offended the Church and were to make open satisfaction for the same But more néerely touching the humour of our men hée saieth c. And so citeth a long saying out of the booke de visitatione infirmorum lib. 2. Cap. 4. Which was neuer written by Augustine nor by any other man of wit or learning Sâ—…che counterfeite stuffe is méete to defende suche false doctrine as that Wherefore although wée vrge not auricular confession neither make we a Sacrament of repentance because it hath no visible signe proper vnto it yet the benefite of the keyes of the Church is not lost but of such as be truely conuerted from Papistrie with an inestimable comfort to be found in our Church The fourth losse is layd to bee of receiuing the blessed Sacrament of the Aulter the precious bodie and blood of Christ beeing the foode of our soules There is no reason brought for this losse but the onely tedious supposition that the bodie and blood of Christ is receiued onely in the Popish Church And whereas hée commendeth the often receiuing of the Sacrament it is well that the Papistes who within time of mens remembraunce made small account of often receiuing as appeareth by their infinite priuate Masses now at length haue founde out that the Sacrament is â—…ot ordeined to be looked on but to be often receiued Fifthly they loose saieth hée all the merit of their good deede s whatsoeuer for which heâ—… citeth Gregorie euen as none receiueth their penny in the Gospel but they onely which had laboured within the compasse of the Vineyarde so no man shal receiue any rewarde for any good deede of his except hee haue done it within the vnitie of the Church To this saying I agrée which speaketh of the reward and not of the merite but that they which come to our Church may not bee members of the true Church of Christ there is not a 〈◊〉 or letter brought for proofe Sixthly they loose the benefite of the Communion of Saintes saieth hée and finally beeing cut off and â—…ut from the other members they take no part of influence which commeth from the head to the bodie c. Héere except wee graunt that vile supposition that the Popishe Sinagâ—…gue is the onely Catholike Church of Christ there can be no consequence but to proue that pointe which is the whole matter in debate we heare neuer a word The ninthe Reason The ninthe reason which catholikes may yeeld for their refusall of going to the church may bee the example of all men from the beginning which haue had any care or conscience towarde their own religion not only good men of whom I haue giuen diuers examples before but also al others howe false and erronious soeuer their religion were yet did they alwayes procure to separate them selues from them of the contrarie religion in the act of prayer and from the Temples Sinagogues churches Oratories and conuenticies of the same So wee reade of the Gentiles which thought it to bee a great sinne and pollution to enter into the Iewes Synagogues or Christians churches The like wee read also of the Turkes at this day So all heretiques from the beginning assoone as they had framed any newe religion eftsoones they eâ—…ected newe Oratories to them selues and refused to come to those of other religions as the Arians Donatistes and the rest had their churches and places of prayer distinct from the catholikes whose churches they 〈◊〉 and auoyded together with their doctrine And so the Anabaptists at this day refuse to goe to the Lutherans church and the Lutherans to the Trinitaries In like wise the Puritans of our â—…ime in Englande refuse to come to the Protestantes churches And the Protestantes in other countriâ—…s doe vtterly denye to present themselues to catholike Churches alledging their conscience for the same and affirming it to bee damnable hypocrisie in them that for feare or for any other temporal reâ—…pect do yeld to doe the same against their faith and conscience Wherby it appeareth that they goe quite against their owne doctrine and example in England which obiect the same to Catholikes as disobedience obstinacie and rebellious dealing which in other countries they them selues both teach and practise I will for more manifestation of this matter put downe here the verie words of one of them translated out of French and printed in England and dedicated to the Lord Treasurer by Iohn Brooke The Authors name is Iohn Gardiner a Protestant who in his Cathechisme or as he calleth it Confession of his faith maketh it a great heâ—…ous sinne for Protestantes to present them selues to our catholike churches wâ—…ich hee according to their blasphemous spirite calleth idolatrous His wordes are these I beleeue and confesse that it is not lawful for any Christian to be assistant neither in spirit nor body at the Sacrifices of idolators nor also to enter inâ—…o their Temples whilest they are doing their idolatries Sacrifices except it be to rebuke them in shewing them their abuses to teach them the truth as the holy Apostles Prophets haue done and not for to dissemble as hypocrites For if the body bre a creature of God as it is as the soule is the temple of the holy Ghost member of the mystical body of Christ and if it must one day râ—…se againe possesse the eternal life with the soule It must also necessarily be that it be altogether giuen vnto the seruice of God in this world with the soule and spirite â—… otherwise they can not be ioyned together after the general resurrection but being separated the one should bee in heauen with God whom he loued and the other in hel with the deuil whom he serued the which is an impossible thing Therfore I say al those dissimulations to be a very renouncing of Christ and of his Gospel And in like maner I beleeue and confesse that all those fayned and false
shewes by which the veritie of the Gospel is hidden the word of God despised or by which the ignorant and infidel is confirmed in his error or by which the weake is offended are not of Cod but of Sathan altogether contrary vnto the trueth of the word Therefore we must not halt of both sides but go vprightly before that great God which seeth beholdeth and knoweth all thinges euen before they are begunne Loe heere We see the sentence of their Doctours to the contrary who presse vs so muche to goe to their Churches against our consciences Iferrour finde such zeale what zeale ought trueth to haue If these fellowes each of them for the defence of their priuate fond fancies be content most williâ—…gly to aduenture any danger or extremitie whatsoeuer rather then to come to the true catholike churche wherein they were borne and to the which in Baptisme they swore obedience why should suche blame be laide vpon vs for standing in defence of our consciences and for refusing to go to their churches wherin we were neither borne nor bread vp nor euer perswaded that they had any trueth or holinesse in them This reason only may suffice any reasonableman especially the Protestant except hee will mislike with his owne doctrine whiche condemneth mee of hypocrisie dissimulation and renouncing of Christe and his Gospel If I present but my only body to the churches of them whose Religion I am not persuaded to be true The which saying of his in a sense hath good reason albeit the workes and meaning 〈◊〉 wicked For if there bee no man either so foolish or impious in the worlde but muste needes thinke that one only religion amongst christians is true and al other false And if euery man which hath any religion and is resolued therein must needes presuppose this only trueth to bee in his owne religion then â—…t followeth necessarily that hee must likewise persuade himselfe that all other religions besides his owne are false and erronious and consequently aâ—…l assemblies conuenticles and publike actes of the same to bee wicked damnable dishonourable to God contumelious to Christe and therfore to his conscience which thinketh so detestable Now then suppose the case thus I know in Eâ—…gland certaine places where at certaine times dayes assemblies are made by certaine men in shew to honour and commend but in my conceit to dishonor dispraise and impugne the maiestie of my moste dread Soueraigne Ladie the Queene And I am inuited thither to heare the fame by my parents kinsmen and acquaintance nay I am inforced thither by the greatest authoritie that vnder her Maiestie may coÌ„maunde mee Tell mee nowe If I should goe thither vnder any pretence whatsoeuer of gratifying my friends or by coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of any her inferiour powers can her Maiestie take it well or account of mee better then of a tratierous catiue for yeelding my selfe to stay there to heare them to countenance their doings with my presence to holde my peace when they speake euill of her to hold my hands whiles they slaunder her and finally to say nothing whiles they induce other men to forsake her and her cause And if her Maiestie or any other prince in the worlde could not beare at their subiectes handes any such dissimulation trecherie or treason howe much lesse shal the omnipotent Maiestie of God who requireth and deserueth muche more exact seruice at our handes beare this dissimulation and traiterous dealing of ours if we be content for temporall respectes and for satisfaction of any mortall power lesse then himself to present our selues to such places and assemblies where we shal heare his Maiestie dishonoured his sonne slaundered his worde falsified his churche impugned his Saints and Martyrs discredited his Bishoppes and Pastours reuiled and al the whole Ecclesiastical Ierarchie rent broken disseuered and turned vpside downe and his people purchased with his blood and dearer vnto him then his owne life excited and stirred vpp against him and his Ministers and by sweete wordes and gay benedictions flocked away to the slaughter house of heresie What noble man is there in the worlde whiche coulde take it well if hee shoulde see his friende and muche more his sonne in the companie of his professed enimie at such time principally as he knoweth that his enimie abuseth him in speeche and seeketh most his discredite and dishonour but especially if hee shoulde see him come in open assemblie of the worlde to the barre against him in companie with his aduersarie when his saide aduersarie commeth of set purpose to deface him as Heretikes doe to their Churches and Pulpettes to dishonour GOD I thinke I say hee coulde hardly beare it And shal suche disdaine be taken by a mortal man for a little iniurie and discurtesie shewed and shal not the iustice of God be reuenged vpon our treacherie and dissimulation in his cause If I giue my seruant but fortie shillinges a yeere yet I thinke him bounde to defende mee in al points causes to bee friend to my friends enimie to my aduersaries to vpholde my credite mainteine my honour to resist my detractours and to reuenge himselfe vpon my euil willers and if hee can bee content to holde his peace hearing mee spoken of and to put vp my slaunder without opening his mouth I wil account him vnworthie to weare my cloth howe muche more inexcusable shall we be at the dreadful day of iudgement if wee receiuing at our Lorde and maisters handes such extraordinarie pay for our seruice in this life and expecting further and aboue this al that himselfe is worth for the eternitie of the life to come his kingdome his glory and his euerlasting ioy with his riches and treasures vnspeakeable which neither eare euer heard nor eye saw nor heart of man coÌ„ceiued how great they are how 〈◊〉 I say shal wee bee at that terrible rekoning day and howe confounded by the examples of seruantes in this life so zealous for their maisters vppon so smal wages if wee notwithstanding al our rewardes both present and to come shalbe yet key cold in our maister his seruice present at his iniuries and silent at his slaunders Neither sufficeth it to say that these suppositions are false and that there are not such things committed against God at the Protestants chur ches and seruices for howesoeuer that bee whereof I dispute not now yet I being in my hearte of an other religion must needes thinke not onely them but also all other religions whatsoeuer to commit the same as I knowe they doe also thinke of mine Wherefore howe good and holy soeuer they were yea if they were Angels yet shoulde I bee condemned for going amongst them for that in my sight iudgement and conscience by which only I must bee iudged they must needes seeme enimies to God being of the contrarie religion By this it may appeare howe greuously they sinne dayly in Englande and cause other
to sinne with them which compelmen by terror to doe acts of religion against their consciences as to take othes receiue sacraments goe to Churches and the like which being doone as I haue saide with repugnant consciences is horrible mortal sinne as hath beene already proued and consequently dam nable both to the doers and to the enforcers therof The which I beseech God to giue his grace both to the one and the other part duetifully to consider that either these may leaue of to inforce or those learne to sustain as they ought their inforcement And thus nowe wee may see what great and waightie reasons the Catholikes haue to lay for their refusall of comming to the Churches of Protestants The which if they were wel conceiued by the Prince magistrates it is not likely that they woulde presse them to the yeelding too suche inconueniences against the health of their owne soules but if they shoulde yet ought the other to beare any pressure whatsoeuer rather thē to sal into far◅e worse dangers And of this that I haue said heere before there may be gathered these conclusions folowing not vnnecessarie to be noted for better perspicuities sake to the vnlearned First it foloweth of the premises that this going to the Protestantes churches is forbidden not onely by the possitiue lawes of the church dispensable by the Churche againe but also by Gods lawe and the lawe of nature as the cōsideration of most of the reasons doth declare For albeit it be prohibited by the churche yet not onely by the church seeing that a thing may be prohibited by the canons of the churche for more plaine explicatiōs sake which was forbiddē before by the law both of nature of God also as Adulterie Violence Simonie and the like Euen so albeit going to hereticall assemblies be prohibited by the church yet because it hath in it or necessarily annexed to it diuers thinges which are prohibited by the lawe of God and nature as perill of infection Scandale deniyng of our faith when it is made a signe distinctiue or commaundement dissēbling in gods cause honoring gods enimies dishonoring the catholik church and the like therefore the whole acte of going to church is saide to be prohibited also ◅ure diuino naturali That is by the law of God nature And heereof it foloweth that no power vpō earth can dispence with the same Wherefore that which hath been giuen out as is saide by some great men that the Pope by his letters to her Maiestie did offer to confirme the seruice of England vppon condition that the title of Supremacie might be restored him again is impossible to be so so that if any suche letters came to her Maiesties handes they must needes be fained false Secondly it followeth of premisses that this going to churche is not only vnlawfull Ratione Scandali by reason of Scandal as som wil haue it For albeit Scandal bee one reason why it is vnlawful and that in such sort as is almost impossible to be auoyded yet you see that I haue giuen diuers other causes besides Scandal which make it vnlawful Whereof it followeth that a man cannot goe to their churches albeit hee might goe in such secrete maner or otherwise haue their seruice in his house so priuily as no Scandale shoulde followe thereof or any man knowe thereof whiche is notwithstanding impossible to doe but if it coulde bee yet were the thing vnlawefull especially for the 1 4. 5. 6. 7. reasons before alleadged Thirdly i◅ followeth that a man may not goe to churche vnder any vaine pretence as pretending that hee goeth only for obedieuce and not for any liking hee hath to their seruice yea although hee shoulde protest the same openly for that protestation shoulde rather agrauate then diminishe the sinne Seeing by this protestation hee shoulde testifie vnto the whole worlde that he did a thing against his conscience As if a man shoulde proteste that hee did thinke that to rayle against the Pope at Paules crosse were naught and yet for obedience sake being so commaunded woulde doe it The which was Pilates case who protested first that hee thought Christ innocent and therefore sought to deliuer him but in the ende fearing the displeasure of the Iewes and theyr complaint to the Emperour washed his handes and so condemned him thinking by that protestation to haue washed of the sinne and to haue layde it on the Iewes neckes which compelled him thereto But I thinke by this time hee hath felt that hee was deceaued For when a thing it selfe is naught no protestation can make it lawefull but rather maketh the doing of it a greater offence by adding the vnlawefulnesse of the thing the repugnaunce of the doers conscience But you will perhaps say to goe to the material church is not a thing euill of it selfe I answere and graunt that it is true But you must not single out the matter so For in this one action of going to church there be many things contained wherof the whole action is compounded As for example there is the material church the possession of the same by the enemie of the catholike religion the seruice and sermons in reproofe of the same religion the dayes and houres appoynted for the same the bel ringing and publikly calling al men thither the Princes commaundemente for the Catholikes to goe to the same the end of the commaundement in general that they by going should pray with them allowe of their seruice and by their presence honour it Then is there the peril of infection the scandal wherby I offend other mens consciences and perhaps bring diuers other to bee corrupted by my meanes the dishonouring of God his case the honouring of his enemies cause hearing God blasphemed and holding my peace Semblably there is the conscience of the catholike that thinketh he doth nought the explication of the church that is not lawfull the matter nowe in tryall and the vnlawfulnesse of it defended both by word and writings of learned men ann by imprisonment of many other the controuersie now knowne to all the world and many thousand mens eies fixed vpon them that are called in question for it the Protestant wheras he esteemed nothing of goeing to Church before yet now so desirous to obtayne it that hee thinketh the yeelding in that one poynt to bee a sufficient yeelding to all his desires the which thing on the other side is so detested of the true catholikes that whosoeuer yeeldeth to this they thinke him a flat Schismatike and so abhor him And by this meanes the matter is made a signe distinctiue betwixt religion and religion whereof againe it foloweth that if the thing were much lesse then it is as for example the holding vp of a finger yet because it is made Tessera a marke token or signe of yeeling to their proceedings in religion it were viterly vnlawful As if a man shoulde but
lyft vp a straw to the deuill in token of obedience it were as much as if he did word by word denie his Creede These poyntes and many moe that myght be thought of being put together and one entyre action made of them the question is whether this enty◅e action of going to churche with these annexes be of it self vnlawfull or no And euery wise man will thinke it is Neyther if you could by some deuice pluck from this action one or two of these things must we think that by and by the action were lawful As for example if by a protestation you could signifie that your minde were not in going thither to consent to their seruice as also that the princesse minde to you in particular were onely that you should goe for temporal obedience sake yet were not by this all the matter amended For if a peece of meate were venomous for ten causes concurring together ifyou should take away two of them and so eate it you might for al that be poysoned therwith One only thing there is which as the Diuines iudge might make going to church lawful which is if a man did goe thither for some meere perticuler known ◅emporal busines as to beare the sword before the Prince to the chappel to consult of matters of war at Poules by the Princes appointment albeit it were in time of seruice thelike But here is to be noted that I say first for meere temporal busines For if a man shold go partly for seruice and partly for temporall busines as to talke with the church wardēs in the church after seruice it wil not serue Secōdly I say for particular tēporal busines For it is not enough for the Prince to saye in general I wil haue you go only for obedience which is a tēporal respect without assigning any perticular busines to be don For that was the saying of alprinces to the martyrs in the primitiue church that they wold haue thē confoō them selues in exteriour actions to other men that for obedience sake howsoeuer they ment inwardly Thirdly I say for some knowen busines For if the busines were not knowen men might think that they went of conscience to seruice and therfore to take away this scandale they ought to protest for what busines they go To these three qualificatiōs adde this forth which is that a man that should thus go might not giue any signe of reuerence or honour to their seruice as by kneeling putting of his hat o◅ the like more then he would doe if the seruice were not there And that it is lawful to goe to any church of theirs obseruing these foure poyntes it is euident For this is as much to say as not to goe to church at all seeing he goeth in this case to their meere material church that is to that matterial house or building which is their church neither goeth he to it as to a church but as to a house to doe his busines in And this was the case of Naaman the Syriā who being vpō◅ sodain conuerted from Idolatrie promised that he would neuer sacrifice or offer more to Idols howbeit because his office was to stay vp the king of Syria with his hands when hee wente to adore the Idolles in the temple of Remnon and because he could not do that except he bowed himself down when the king bowed downe who vsed to leane vpon him for this cause he desired the Prophet Elizeus to pray to God for him that it might be pardoned him the Prophet answered him departe in peace Which words can importe no more but a graunting to his request which was to pray to God that hee woulde pardon him if he went so to chuch or at the vttermost as some will enforce it a tolleration with him being yet a Proselite or a new gotten man to do this temporal seruice vnto his king for he went not vpon commandement to shew his religion as our men doe especially it beeing such a country as no scandale could folow therof And that many thinges are tollerated with nouices which afterwards are takē away it appeareth by S. Paule who circumcised Timothy for satisfying the weak Iewes and yet afterward he condemned in al menal circumcision Neyther maketh it any matter although he say Si ador auero in templo Remnon adorāte rege in eodemloco vt ignoscat mihi Dominus pro hacre That is If I shall adore in the temple Remnon when the king doth adore in the same place that God will pardon me for this thing As though he should aske pardon for to adore the Idols with the king This kinde of speach I say importeth nothing For neither doth he aske pardon to commit Idolatry therby seeing immediately before he sayd that he would neuer omit it more nor if he had asked such leaue could the Prophet haue licenced him or would Cod haue pardoned him But his meaning was only to haue pardon for his seruing theking in that place bowing down with him for the better staying of him vp when he did adore For the same word which we translate here adore doeth in Hebrew Greeke and Latine signifie often tymes onely bowing downe without any diuine adoration As when Iaoob adored his brother Esaw seuen tymes that is bowed downe to him seuen times And Dauid adored Ionathas king Saule his sonne three times Abigaile also adored Dauid twise And the like in other places of scripture where adoring is taken for bowing downe only without any diuine adoration at al as here it is in this place Fourthlye and lastlye it followeth of that which is spoken before that seeing this going to church is so forbidden by Gods law as it is and hath so many great inconueniences in it as hath bene shewed that a man may not yeeld in any one little poynt in the same as for example to come to church once a yeere to haue seruice in his house to shewe him selfe present at a peece of seruice or the like For most certaine it is that if all bee not lawefull then no parte of it is lawefull And Christ saith that hee will not haue one iot of his lawe to bee past ouer vnkeept and who soeuer shall breake one of the least of his commaundementes shall haue least part in the kingdome of heauen The which wordes of Christ Saint Iames explicating saieth Hee that keepeth all the whole lawe and doeth offende but one thing onely yet is he guiltie in all the rest And Christ himselfe in the Apocalipes commendeth much the Angell of Ephesus for his good works labour patience and for many things besides ther recited but yet for being imperfect in some thinges contrary to the wil of Christ which would haue vs perfect he is commanded to repent quickly vnder the paine of leesing his candlesticke that is of leesing his vocation and his place in the booke
â—…eligion 〈◊〉 this example VVhy going 〈◊〉 the Church is a denying of the Catholike religion 〈◊〉 this reason Tert. lib. de Cor. mili An example to â—…he Purpose 4. â—… 〈◊〉 Vide Aug. tom de Fi. simb ca. 10. 1. Cor. 1. Ephes. 4. Ioan. 17. Ephes. 2. 4. 1. Cor. 10. 12. 1. Timo. 2. Irene li. 4. ca. 43. 3. Reg 4. August de Vnit. Eccle. cap 4. Hovv grieuous the sin of 〈◊〉 is Cyp. de simpli Prel Chris. ho. II. in epist ad Ephes. See more of 〈◊〉 greatneâ—… of 〈◊〉 sinne Aug. ep 50. 152. Ser. 181. de Tem. in Psal. 88. Fulg. li. de Fâ—… ca. 3â—… 38. 39. Greg. lib. 14. Mor. That going to church is 〈◊〉 Lib. 2. cont Cresco ca. 3. The definition of Scisme Aug. q. 11. in Mat. The difference betvvixt an herâ—…tike and a sâ—…smatike Vnitie of the Church standerâ—… in thre things especially An obiection of cold Catholikes vvith the ansvvere Aristo lib. 3. Ethico Actions extor ted by feare are simplie free actions only violent in part Marke these absurdities Mat. 10. Luc. 12. lo. 12. VVhat a great matter it is amongst the 〈◊〉 to be cast out of the 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giuen by S. Iohn against dissemblesâ—… for the time A bad shift of dissemblers Can. Apost 63. 44 45. apud Eus li. 7. cap. 9. VVhat the councell of Trâ—…t determined against going to Church 4. Reg. 5. The case of Noaman Sirus Can. Apost 63. The old Canon for bidding to goe to heretical churches The example of Origen Euseb. li. 6. hist. cap. 3. Niceph. li. 5. cap. 4. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâ—… Euseb. 〈◊〉 6. cap. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 9. Sozo li. 3 cap. 9. Theol. li. 1. cap. 14. The example of 〈◊〉 The example of the â—…ople of Alexandria Theo. li. 2. cap. 14. The pâ—…ople of â—…mosatum Theo. li. 〈◊〉 cap. 14. The example of the people of Rome Theo. li. 2. capit 17. The conclusion of this reason Mat. 18. Aug. li. 1. con tra aduers. leg prophe ca. 17. Math. 16. The dreadfull 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 Note this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ep 55. ad Cornel. A notable discourse of S. Cipryan for obeying one generall Pastour Bede lib. 1. cap. 27. De vnit eccl cap. 4. Ephe. 5. c. Lib. 2. cont Creson ca. 3. Aug. quest 11. in Mat. Heb 10. 〈◊〉 Iohn 4. Deut. 〈◊〉 Math. 4. 10. Iâ—…stinus Deut cum Tryphon cont Indeos Aug. Epâ—… 118. Iâ—… Mat. 26. 1. Cor. 11. 〈◊〉 Tit. â—… In Catal. In lib. yontiâ—… cus 5. 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 3. 2. Cro. 11 Eph. 5. 1. Cor. 12. Colos. 1. How grieuous a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 2 Pet. 2. Luck 11. Tit. 3. S. Paules discripâ—…ion of an Hereâ—…ke expounded Uide Aug. inpsal 54. Cyp. ep 76. Amb. li. de incar ca. 2. Rom. 16. Mat. 7. 2. Tim. 2. Aug. in psal 39. Aug. li. 2. â—…ont aduer cap. 12. 〈◊〉 Iohn 2. 2. Thes. 2. Heretikâ—…s offâ—… God most in 〈◊〉 seruice Rom. 1. A vaine excuse of 〈◊〉 confuted Iohn 2. Psal. 25. Psal. 49. 2. Tim. 4. Rom. 6. Tit. 3. 3. Reg. 〈◊〉 Gen. 19. The company of Heretiques 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is Cyp. ep 76. A notable saying against our Scâ—…ismatiques S. 〈◊〉 afrayde of the company of 〈◊〉 heretyque Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 22. 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 Niceph. li. 3. cap. 30. Apâ—… 18. 1. Iohn 2. 2. Thes. 2. Irenâ—… lib. 5 Tertul. aduer Mar. lib. 3. Hier. in prefac Didym de spiritu sancto August de ciuit Dei li. 16. cap. 11. li. 18. ca. 2. c. â—… Dissimulation Ambro. lib. 2. â—…ffi cap. 24. Mat. 22. Iohn 12. Dissemblinge in Religion is 〈◊〉 against God Rom. 10. Aug. de Fi. sim. â—…ap 1. The subtiltie of Heretikes Cler. Rom. apud Cyp. epist. 31. VVho dissembleth his faith 〈◊〉 it 2. Mach 6. Luc. 11. Blâ—…sbing at Christes caâ—…se is damnable 1. Cor. 9. Act. 4. Act. 5. â—…arke this suppo sition and apply it 〈◊〉 our time The manner of dissembling schismatâ—…es liuely expressed O 〈◊〉 â—…ssembling this is done by many in England Lining to a mans ovvne conscience by leauing hiâ—…â—…eife no conscience Desperate presumption Naughtie 〈◊〉 Aug. to 6. cont Max. li. 1. initio iter vers fi All bâ—…tikes vaunt scripture Mat. 4. Hier. in ca. 4 8. Osee. Ignat. ep 2. Aug. in ps 54 A litle euil marreth a great deale of good In psal 54. Iâ—…thers opinion of our 〈◊〉 sâ—…ruice Cop. dâ—…l 6. ca. 15. VVherein the â—…rotestantes seruice is euil in particular 1. Deuised by them selues 〈◊〉 from the rest 2 Condemned by the Puritaines 3. Falâ—…e translations of scripture 1 Ioh. 5. Gen. 1. 3. Eâ—…he 5. 2. Macha 12. See the English Bible dedicated to King 〈◊〉 4. Saide by laâ—… men Ig. ad Hier. Chri. li. 3. 6. de Sacer. hom 60. Hier. ep ad Helio ep 85. ad Eua. Ambro. in Ephes. 4. Hebr. 5. 1. Tim. 5. Con. 4. Cai. can 6. Con cil Laod. can 24. Igna. ep ad Anti. Areo. ca. 3. Can. Ap. 1. 2. 68. 5. Falsâ—…d and 〈◊〉 in their seruice In the ende of their Geneua Psalter Cyp. de 〈◊〉 pre Chry. li. 2. de Sa. Cyp. ep 46. Chr. li. 2. de sa Inno. ep 93. ap Au. Leo. ep 84. Sy. Alex. 4. apud â—…ba Theod. li. 2. hist. cap. 4. Cy. ep ep 55. Lacke of necessary thinges vvhâ—…ch it should haue in it Dion Ariop hier ca. 3. Ign. ep ad Smyrn Iustin dial tripho Ter. li. de orat Au. li. 20. câ—…ntr Faust. ca. 23. Chr. hom 17 ad Heb. Gre. li. 4. di ca. 57. Hiero. ep 1. ad Helio Chry. li. 2. de Sacerd. Cyp. ep 54. li. 1. ep 2. Au. ser. 25. 2. de tempo Optat. li. 6. cont Dona. Au in Psa. 113. conci 2. Posid in vita Au. ca. 24 Concil flor constant sessio 15 Six Sacraments 〈◊〉 19. conâ—… faust cap. 11. 16. Auâ—… suâ—…euit que 84. Ceremonies Terâ—… de coroâ—…a Bas. li. do sp 5. cap. 27. â—…phipha hâ—…resi 71. Concil tâ—…id ca. 7. 13. Cip. ep 66. Chry. ho. 41. vide Aug. li. 2. doct christ Cyp. ser. de ora dom Isodo li. de diu off Concil Tol. 4. cap. 2. Bed li. hist. capit 1. In vvhich Auâ—…hors you shal sec in vvhat tonge seruice vvas in their dayes in 〈◊〉 countries Dia. 6. ca. 15. Bed lib. 1 cap 27. â—… Iohn â—… Ephes. 5 Act. 6. Act. 14. Chrisost. de sacerd lib. 1. Lib. 7. ca. 14. Con. Mile can 22. Aphrican c. 92. Conc. Carth. 3. ca. 26. Epist. ad solit vit agentes Heb. 9. 12. 22. 25. 2. Thes. De verb. do in Ioh. Ser. 46. Epest 50. â—… Loosing the â—…enefit of catholicke religion 〈◊〉 pitifull 〈◊〉 The losse of 〈◊〉 cipation of the sacrifice hovv great a losse Chryso hom 47. in ep 1. ad cor The Angels prâ—…sent at the â—…leuation Gre. li. 4. dial cap. 58. Chryso lib. 6. de sacerdo Tvvo visions at the presence of 〈◊〉 gels at the Masse Chrys. hom 3. cont Ano. A fit similitude of S Chrysostom VVhat plainer testimonie can therâ—… be then this The bearing of a Masse hovv vvel â—…orth a hundred markes The losse of the grace of 6. sacraments vvhat a losse Act. 8. 19. Cypr. lib. de vnct Chry. Esay 11. 2. Tim. 1. Ephes. 5. Iacob 5. The value of grace VVhat the benefite of the keies of the Church is Ioan. 20. A proclamatioâ—… of the tribunal foâ—…â—…inne in eartâ—… Ioan. 6. Mat. 18. Aug. ho. 49. 50. ho. 41. ibid. Cip. li. 1. ep 2. Amb. li. 1. ca. 2. de Pâ—… in Psal. 38. Atha serm cont her Chry. lib. 3. dâ—… sacer Hil. in ca. 18. Mat. Hâ—…e in cap. 18 Mat. Actor 19. Aug. hom 41 49. 50. cap. 10. 11. 16. ex 50. hom Ioan. 20. Aug. li. 2. de Uisita infir cap. 4. Leui. 13. 14 The necessitie of confession The losse of not receiuing the blessed Sacramet Ioan. 6. Ibidem Vide Cyril li. 3. in Ioan. ca. 37. Basil. ad Ce sar patric Amb. li. 5. de Sacra ca. 4. Chrys. ho. 61. ad pop Antio The â—…tate of a carâ—…all man The losse of al meritâ—… for good vvorkes Mat. 20. Greg. li. 35. Mor. ca. 5. Cip. de simprel Chri. ho. 11. ad Ephes. Vi. D. Tho. 1. 2. omnes D D. 15. qu. 119. The losse of the 〈◊〉 of Saintes Note this similitude Aug. Epist. 50. ad Bonifacium Hom. 17. ad Heb. Heb. 9. Lâ—… 4. ca. 34. â—…octom saith not in â—…heir hands Coâ—…s domini ipsum portendenâ—… Ephe. 〈◊〉 Mâ—…rke 〈◊〉 Lib. 35. Mor. Cap. â—… Exampâ—…e of Iâ—…fidels and â—…ikes Lact. li. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cur. Sec. de hist. Maho. Chro. Wolfan Drisâ—… Eus. lib. 3. 4. Aug. lib. de Vnit. Eccle. lib. 2. con Pâ—…til The 〈◊〉 are Râ—…cusants also in other countries An. Dom. 1578. Art 86. VVe not born nor bred vp in the pro testants church One onlâ—… religioâ—… true 〈◊〉 false Noâ—… this 〈◊〉 A very certaiâ—… 〈◊〉 The things that a man must heare at Câ—…urch Rom 16. Averie fit comparison 〈◊〉 example to confound vs. The great pay in God his seruice 1. Cor. 2. An 〈◊〉 to an obiection Heynous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inforce an other man to do against his conscience Concluâ—…ons dravvne out of 〈◊〉 premisses The first coâ—…sion A notable deuise The 2. conclusion The 3. conclusion A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not serue Mat. 17. Pilates 〈◊〉 Marke this obiection of going to the materiall Church Hovv many things 〈◊〉 in going to church Note this simiâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…hat sort a man may goe to Church vvith 4 qualifications The 1. qualificatioÌ„ The 2. qualificatioÌ„ 〈◊〉 3. qualificatioÌ„ 〈◊〉 4. qualificatioÌ„ 4. Reg. 5. The case of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 19. Gal. 5. Adoring iâ—… 〈◊〉 in the scripture foe 〈◊〉 Gen. 32. 1. Reg. 〈◊〉 1. Reg. 15. The 4. conclusion Mat. 5. Iacob 2. Apoc. 2. Mat. 5. God vvill 〈◊〉 â—…s perfect Leui. 3. Num. 28. Ezech. 43. 1. Cor. 5. Colos. 1. The noblecourage of Saint Basil Tho. 〈◊〉 4. cap. 17. VVe may not procure others 〈◊〉 say falsly for vs. In Epist. cler rom apud Cyp. Epist. 31 The conclusion oâ—… this first parte The first parte of the Authors meaning The second parte of the Authors 〈◊〉 Apoc. 18 Leuit. 18.
howling of Woolues the bellowing noise of mad bullockes The reason whereof is that which the scholler of the Apostles S Ignatius saieth No man can cal him good or say he doth wel that doth mingle euil with good Wherefore S. Augustine saieth of the Donatistes Schismatikes and Heretikes of his time that albeit they did sounde out Alleluia with as lustie a voice as the Catholikes did in many thinges els did agree in seruice with them more then nowe the Protestantes doe with vs yet their seruice was impious and auailed them nothing And a litle af◅er vpon the woordes of God vttered by the Prophet saying In many things they were with me c. S. Austen saith thus God graunteth that Heretikes in many things are with him as in Sacraments ceremonies and the like But yet for all that they are not with me saieth God in all thinges For in that they are in schisme they are not with mee in that they are in heresie they are not with mee and therefore for these fewe thinges in the whiche they are not with mee those other many thinges in the which they are with me shal profit them nothing To come neerer to our purpose their owne Apostle and second Elias as they cal him Luther condemneth al their whole seruice for the denying only of the real presence saying The Sacramentaries do in vaine beleeue in God the Father in God the Sonne and in the holy Ghost and in Christ our Sauiour all this doth auayle them nothing seeing they do deny this one Article as false of the real presence Where as Christ doth say This is my bodie Loe here this Prophet with the same spirite wherewith he condemneth the Popes hee condemneth the Protestantes why should we bel◅ue him more in the one then in the other But now to shew wherein the Protestantes seruice is euil it were sufficient to say that it is deuised of them selues and altogether different frō al the seruice of christendome besides and therfore not to be receiued by catholikes with whom they deale too childishly when they say their seruice differeth in nothing from the old catholikes seruice but only because it is in English thereby thinking to make the simple people to haue the lesse scruple to come to it The which how false it is it shal appeare by that which I wil say hereafter I might also bring the opinion of al the hotter sort of Protestants called the Puritaines who in writing sermons and priuate speech doe vtterly condemne the seruice which now Protestants haue and therevpon doe refraine from it as much as catholikes But I wil giue more particular reasons as foloweth First the scripture is read there in false shamelesse translations conteining manifest and wilful corruptions to drawe it to their owne purposes as hath bin shewed in particular by many learned men in their works and is like to be shortly more plainly by the grace of God As for example throughout the scripture where Idoles are forbidden they translate it Images as in Saint Iohn they reade Children keepe your selues from Images Whereas the Scripture sayeth Idoles and this is to make simple men beleeue that Idoles Images are al one which is absurd For then where Moses sayeth That God made man according to his owne Image Wee should consequently say God made man according to his owne Idole Againe where in contrarie maner S. Paule sayeth That a couetous man maketh his money his Idole We should say that he maketh it his image The which howe foolish it is euery man seeth and it can not stande with any sence of the Scripture The like absurde translations they haue in infinite other thinges which I cannot stand to rehearse Let some man reade the latter ende of the xii Chapter of the second booke of the Machabies where he shal see what labour their English translator taketh to shift ouer the words of the scripture which talk of oblatiōs prayers for the dead and by that one place let euerie man iudge of his fidelitie in the rest For I am sure that if a Boye shoulde so corrupt Tullies Epistles in translating them in a Grammer Schoole he should be breeched for his labour The scripture therefore being read there in false translations it must needes seeme to be false which is blasphemie against the holy Ghost the inditer of them So that by this it appeareth that that part of their seruice which they pretend to be scripture is no scripture because it is by the malice of the interpretor false the which scripture can not be Secondly the seruice that Christians ought only to goe to shoulde be saide as also the Sacraments administred by Priestes and such as haue receiued the Sacrament of holy orders as al the general Councels fathers of the Church shew vnto vs. And S. Paul when he saith That no man may take vnto him this honour but he that is called as Aaron was Wherefore the same Paul aduiseth the Bishop Timothie not to giue this dignitie vnto any man but vpon great consideration saying Do not lay thy hands rashly vpon any man But now that either al or the most part of Ministers of England be meere laye men no Priestes and consequently haue no authoritie in these thinges it is euident for many causes as wel for that they haue not receiued the vnder Orders which they should haue done before Priesthood as appeareth by the auncient Councel of Carthage wherin S. Augusten was himself by al the Fathers both before since as also because they are not ordained by such a Bishop Priest as the catholike church hath put in that authoritie which admitteth no man for Bishop which is not ordeined by imposition of three or twoo catholike Bishops handes at the least Of al which thinges none are to be founde amongest the Protestantes Thirdly their seruice is nought because they haue diuers false and blasphemous thinges therein and that which is yet worse they so place those thinges as they may seeme to the simple to be verie scripture As for example In the end of a certeine Geneua Psalme They pray to GOD to keepe them from Pope Turke and Papistrie whiche is blasphemous First for ioyning the supreme Minister and substitute of Christ with the knowne and professed enemy of Christe and speaking so contumeliouslye of him of whome all antiquitie in Christ his church hath thought and spoken so reuerently calling him The high Priest of the Church The Bishop of the Vniuersal Church The Pastor of the Church The Iudge of matters of faith The repurger of heresies The examiner of all Bishops causes And finally the great Priest in obeying whom al unitie consisteth and b◅ disobeying of whom all Heresies and Schismes arise Secondly it is blasphemous for that they pray to bee deliuered from Papistrie meaning thereby the catholike and onely true religion by the
which all men are to be saued Thirdly becaâ—…se they sing it and make other simple men to sing it in the beginning of Sermons and otherwise as though it were scripture it selfe and one of Dauids Psalmes Fourthly albeit the Protestantes seruice had not all this euil in it as it hath yet were it nought because it hath not in it those good things which Christian seruice should haue For seruice may bee euil as well for hauing too litle as for hauing too much As the seruice of the Arrians was for singing Glorie to the Father and not singing the same to the Sonne And as if a man should recyte his Creede and leaue out one article as in effect the Protestants doe the article of discention into hell all the whole Creede were nought thereby Nowe howe many thinges doe want in the Protestantes seruice which should be in Christian seruice it were too long in euerie point to rehearse yet will I for examples sake name two or three thinges First therefore they haue left out the chiefest and highest thinges of all which is the blessed Sacrifice of Christ his Bodie and Blood appointed by Christ to bee offered vp euerie day for thankes giuing to God for obteyning of grace and auoyding of all euil and for the remission of sinnes both oâ—… quicke and dead as with one consent the Fathers of the Primatiue Church doe affirme The which sacrifice beeing away no Christian seruice can bee saide to be there For so much as for this cause were ordeined Priests neither can there any be called Priest but in respect of this sacrifice also in respect of this sacrifice were christian churches called Temples for this sacrifice were made Aulters for an Aulter is the place of sacrifice euen as an armorie is the place where armour is For this sacrifice was Priestes apparell made Vestments Sensors Frankensence and the lyke in the Primatiue Church Whereof all the Fathers Councelles and histories doe speake so much The seconde thing which the Protestantes seruice leaueth out is no lesse then sixe of the seuen sacramentes which the catholike seruice of God doeth vse for as for their communion it can bee no sacrament as they doe vse it The commoditie of which Sacraments in the church saint Augustine saieth That it is greater then can bee expressed and therefore the contempt of them is no lesse then sacriledge because saith hee that can not be contemned without impietie without the helpe of which no man câ—…n haue pietie And for this cause in an other place hee saieth That the contemners of visible Sacraments can by no meanes inuisibly be sanctified The third thing that the Protestants seruice leaueth out is all the ceremonies of the catholike church of the which the olde auncient Fathers and Councels doe say these three thinges First that that they are to bee had in great reuerence and to bee contemned of no man Secondly that they are to bee learned by tradition and that many of them are receiued by the tradition of the Apostles Lastly that they which doe either condemne despise or wilfully omyt these ceremonies are excommunicated I might heere adde many other thinges as leauing out prayers for the dead beeing as the Fathers holde one of the chiefest functions of a Priest Also for hauing their seruice in an other order and language then the vniuersall church vseth But this is sufficient For if they leaue out of their seruice both Sacrifice Sacraments and all Ecclesiasticall ceremonies I knowe not what good thing they haue left besides a fewe bare wordes of scripture euil translated and woorse applyed which they read there Seeing therefore their seruice is such it is a sufficient cause to make all catholikes to auoide it The seuenth reason HE telleth vs that the seuenth reason why a catholike may not yeelde to come to the Protestantes churches is because the seruice which they vse is nought and dishonourable to God and therfore no man can come to it or heare it or seeme to allowe of it by his presence without great offence to God Wee heare that it is nought and dishonourable to God But let vs heare the cause why it is so tearmed First it is not sufficient he saith to defend it y â— it is takeÌ„ out of the scripture the Gospels Epistles Psalmes and such like â—…or by that argument the seruice of the Iewes and Heretikes which is taken out of the Scriptures might like wise bée made good I aunsweare if the 〈◊〉 and Heretykes haue nothing in their seruice but taken out of the Scripture their seruice is not euil in the matter thereof and no more can ours be but by that only argument I confesse that our seruice cannot be proued to bée simply good although it were taken â—…uerie worde out of the Scriptures except it be good also in forme and ende that it be referred to the woorship of the onely true God in the name of Christ and vnitie of this Church as in déede it is and therefore not like the seruice of Iews and Heretikes or Schismatikes but least the Protestantes seruice should not be déemed nought throughly Luthers opinion thereof is cited out of Copes Dialoges a sufficient witnesse of so weightie a matter saying That the Sacramentaries doe in vaine beleeue in God the Father in God the Sonne in the holie Ghost and in Christ our Sauiour al this doth auaile them nothing seeing they doe denie this one article as false of the real presence whereas Christ doeth say this is my bodie Suppose that Cope citeth this saying truely out of Luther and that those whom hée calleth Sacramentaries did deny this one article of the reall presence according to the meaning of Christes wordes This is my bodie as false as though Christe were a lyar It were true that all other articles of fayth could not profite them vnto saluation But what woorde is héere to shewe Luthers opinion of the Protestantes seruice whiche might bee good although they were nought which vsed it But wheras he hath gone hetherto vpon méere suppositions nowe wée shall haue his assumption confirmed by weight of argumentes and authorities First therefore to shew that the Protestants seruice is euil he saieth it were sufficient to say That it is deuised of themselues altogether different from al the seruice of Christendom CoÌ„cerning the matter it was confessed before that it is taken out of the scriptures the Gospels Epistles Psalmes therfore not deuised by vs. Touching y e forme and ceremony thereof it hath alwaies bin frée lawful for euery particular Church to deuise whatsoeuer is most méete for edification order cumlinesse as I haue shewed before euen out of the authoritie of Gregory Bishop of Rome therefore may be different from the forme and ceremonies of all other churches in Christendom so the substance of doctrine Sacraments be the same I wil set down his wordes The interogation of Augustine Cum vna