the later end of King Henry his time Then you were expreslye commaunded to beleeue that vnder each kind of bread and wine are conteyned the body and bloud of Christ now it is petty treason to fay so I speake not here of Dermarke of Geneua of other cities in Germanve who are all Protestants and all differing among them selues and from you I haue onely declared how great diuersitie and disagreeing their is amonge your Protestantes at home within one little Ilande which is so euident and so farre from good christianitie that it may be vnto you a very certen and suer token that the true fayth can not be amonge them which hitherto can not agree in one fayth each condemning the others opinion Thus derely beloued and my very louinge Sisters I haue geuen you certen generall Markes to learne the true Church To wryte all were infinite because all bookes are full of our religion I trust hereafter to instructe you in euery pointe as you would desire and I pray God geue you grace that you may desire it All at once woulde be to tedious In the meane time remeÌ„ber these two things VVhen your religion began and by vvhom and how it came at length into England This is the yeare of Christ a thowsand fiue hundred eyghty and three Luther began to preache with-in these fiftye yeares If he preached the truth and all before him were deceaued where was the Church of Christ in all the worlde for a thowsande and fiue hundred yeares before and how is Christ â—â—ue of his promis that sayd I vvill remayne vvith you for euer and the holy Ghost shall teach you all truth and the gates of hell shall not prcuâ—â—ile against it But for out Church that is to say the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH we can shew how it is grown and continued from the Apostles vntill this day and neuer fayled We can reccon you from time to time Councels Bishopps Doctors infinite numbers of good christians of all ages that were all of our fayth and of our Church Can your Ministers denye but that S. Chrisostome alloweth praying to Saints or that S. Ierome calleth the Bishoppe of Rome Supreme head of the vvhole Church vnder Christ or that S. Austen prayed for his mother being dead or that he honored the Reliques of S. Steuen or that S. Gregory sayd Masse or that S. Ambrose sayeth hefore the vvords of consecration it is bread and vvine but after the vvords are spoken by the preist it is the very body and bloud of Christ or that all christians in S. Austens time did vvorship the blessed Sacrament or that the second Councell of Niceâ— did many hundred yeares agoe allovve the vse of Images for the memorie and representation of Christ and his sayntes condemning Image breakers or that S. Barnerd was an Abbot and had monkes vnder him as in catholike countryes now a dayes can they deny but that all this is true and dare they deny these vertuous Fathers and Doctors of the Church to be now Saints in heauen O my good Sisters that you could vnderstand their books and their writinges that you might your selues see what they say and what wonderfull men they were endued with the spirit of God exceedingly aboue other euen good men much more then your licentious leaders I doubt not but you would suspect your new doctors and folow these you should perceaue they had the scriptures at their fingers eds they knew right well the meaning and sense thereof night and day by fasting and prayer and chast lyfe beseeching God that they might vnderstand and truly expound his word O what a difference is there betweene them and these new Preachers Sisters I appeale to your consciences whither wil you or ought you to truste in the expounding of Scripture your yong vnlearned fleshly Ministers or these auncient most skilfull and most vertuous Fathers When Christ sayed Mat. 26. Take eate this is my body Al these Fathers say and agree that it was his bodye in verye deede Your ministers tell you it was but bread and wine Mat. 16. When Christ sayed to Peter thou art Peter that is a rocke and vpon this rocke vvill I build my Church These Fathers say that Peter was made Head of the Church and after him all his successors in the See of Rome where Peter was the first Bishopp Your Ministers tell you that Peter had no more preheminaunce then the other Apostles therfore the Bishop of Rome hath no more authoritie then an other bishop hath When Christ sayed to his Apostles Receaue ye the holy ghost Io. 20. vvhat soeuer ye doo loose in earth shal be loosed in heauen and vvhat soeuer ye doe binde in earth it shal be bounde in heauen These Fathers saye that Christ gaue to his Church authoritie to remit sinne by the ministrie of the preist to all such as doe truely repent and therefore will haue the people goe to Confession Your ministers haue taken that comfortable SacrameÌ„t of penance away altogether WheÌ„ Raphael the Angel sayth in the twelfth chapter of Tobias That he did offer vp Tobias prayer to almightie God And when in the second booke of Macchabees the fifteenth chapter Onias the priest saith of Ieremie being dead This is he that prayeth much for his people and for the holie citie these fathers say that the Angells and Sainctes doo praye for vs and that we may pray to them your ministers doe not stricke to say that these books of Tobie the Macchabces are scant good scripture Many other things lyke vnto these I could reccon but I should be to loÌ„g fearing least I should werie you these fewe are sufficient to geue you to taste of such marks as may shew you the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH These and many other great reasons doe keepe all good christians within the Church These thinges make so many catholiks partly to haue suffred death partly to haue died in prison partly to continew in prison so many yeares partly to forsake their pleasant countrie their dere frends and to liue to their conscience among strangers being thought of many worldly men to be very fooles for so doing but they know right wel that the wisdome of this worlde is foolishnes before God Mat. 10 And Christ sayth He that loueth father and mother sister and brother better then me is not vvorthie of me Sisters geue me leaue to tell you some-what of my selfe not for anye bragge but the more to moue you and to geue God all the praise for his great goodnes towardes me It pleased my parentes to bring me vp in learning as you know as I was not the best so I was at al times not compted the worst among my felowes and companions some small estimation I had in Oxforde aboue my desert more afterwards wheÌ„ it pleased the Duke to make me though vnworthy Tutor to the Erle his sonne as long as his grace did prosper I liued in his howse to my conscience without
after admonition you will not rise agayne that wil make vs to maruel to pitie your ease as altogether desperate which God forbid whoe conuerte you and saue you and blesse you both soule bodye euen as I wishe to mine owne selfe For a farewel remember the later ende of man the accompte to be made the consequent there of hel or heauen and before all other respectes doe well for his sake that made you redeemed you sanctified you and hath hitherto preserued and enriched you and will hereafter in heauen fully rewarde you if you wil come euen now at the ninth and eleuenth howre Our Lord keepe you Paris 15. Fe. 1580 Your louing frend vndoubtedly G. M. TO MY LOVINGE AND BESTBELOVED SISTERS DEERE Sisters my care my loue of al worldly things next to my good mother my greatest comforte and ioye Vnlesse you did thinke that I doe most hartely loue you you coulde nor alwaies heretofore haue declared your exceeding loue so plentifully towards me for the which almightie God rewarde you This my loue because it is not a naturall affection onely but sincere and true charitie forceth me to wish vnto you my louing Sisters not onelie manie worldlie commodities which God be thanked you lacke not but much more all spirituall treasure and heauenlie riches wherof you can not haue great store because you dwell not where it groweth I know good Sisters that you meane well and moste willing are you to doe that which might please God but in good sooth you are out of the way and therefore the further you hold on the further you are from your iornies end the further from heauen The wise man saith There is a vvay vvhich seemeth to a man right Prouerb 14. but the end therof leadeth to distruction Beare with me if I write bold lie and tell you the truth plainlie I am your brother I loue you as nature bindeth me not onely in worldly respect but much more towardes God Your soules are deare vnto me my harte alwaies mourneth to thinke vpon your dangerous state wherein you stand O good Sisters the paine of hell exceedeth all tormentes and that fier shall burne for euer Happye are they that keepe them selues by God his greate goodnesse within the CATHOLIQVE CHVRCH for out of it there is no hope of saluation And most happy are they that hauing bene out of this Church by the wicked perswasioÌ„s of false preachers wheÌ„ it pleaseth God to send them true teachers will not remaine obstinate but folow good exhortations and holsome doctrine and so returne agayne as obedient children to Christ their father and to the Church their mother who are alwaies redy to receiue them remembring that which a most auncient and learned Father writeth S. AusteÌ„ vpoÌ„ the 88. psal He can neuer accompt God to be his father vvho vvil not haue the Churh to be his mother If you aske me what this Church is that is called CATHOLIKE and how you may know it behold the true and certen markes thereof and your selfe iudge whether you be within it or no. This Church is a congregation of all true christians which began in Christ his disciples at Hierus lem from thence grewe and multiplied throughout the whole world according as it is sayd in the psalme Their sounde speaking of the Apostles is gone out into the vvhole vvorlde psal 18. v. 5. and their vvordes into the ends of the earth The firste mark of the Church is to be visible So that the first marke of the true church is that it must grow and multiply be seene and appeere alwayes as a light in the world and therfore Christ calleth it A Cittie builded vpon a hill Mat. 5. vvhich can not be hid And the blessed Martyr S. Ciprian sayth The Churche beinge lightened with the brightnes of our Lorde doth reache foorth her beames through-out the whole worlde And S. Austen besides manye other places to this purpose compareth Christ and his Church to that stone vvhich vvas cutt out of a hill vvithout mens handes Daniel ca. 2. and after grevv to be a mightye mountayne so that it filled the vvhole earthe For vndoubtedlye this stone whereof the Prophet speaketh is Christ who was borne of a virgin without the helpe of man and is now growne from a few Apostles and disciples to an infinite number of christian people in all countries confessing one fayth and one beleefe and this is the Catholicke Church whereof your Creede telleth and teacheth you to say I beleeue the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH Let vs see nowe whether this marke doth agree to your brethren in England who call them selues Protestants or to vs whom it pleaseth them to cal Papists First they cal theÌ„-selues in their bookes the Englishe church that is to say of that fayth which is professed in England but we are of the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH that is of such a fayth as is professed in Fraunce in Spaine in Flanders Brabant zelant c. In a great part of Germanie in all Italy and beyond wheresoeuer there be christians and is now preached to the Indians that neuer heard of Christ before and encreaseth wonderfullye And within these fortie yeares in Englande Scotland Ireland Denmarke and Germanie there was no other faith openly professed but ours And now also in all these countries how many are there thinke you of secret catholickes that wish for the olde religion againe with all their hart and folow the new onely for feare Nay how many are there especially in England that doe yet openly professe the CATHOLIKE FAITH Aske good Sisters aske and you shall learne that all the prisons not only of London but of England are full of them because they will not yeeld to these new proceedings nor contaminate their soules with this newe seruice and leaue the olde true and Catholicke fayth besides a number of sundrye degrees which are deade in prison namely twentie three Bishops all depryued of their liuing these tweÌ„tie three yeres now but two of them alyue I omit Doctors Deanes Archdeacons Krights Squires partlie in prison partly departed the Realme and forsaking all rather then they will forsake God and his moste true and vndoubted religion This is true good Sisters as knoweth God you seldome heare of these things and therfore you thinke either their is no other religion but that could seruice with-out all comfort and deuotion which you see in your parish church or you thinke that must needes be the best because you are not taught anie other whereas you see if you beleeue me that all christendome almost is of an other religion And therfore this is the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH and yours is worthily called by your owne ministers the church of England But this shall better appeere The second marke is successiou if I geue you an othâ—r marke of the true Catholicke Church which is that it must continew for euer and from the first beginninge which was in Christ and
A TREATYSE OF CHRIâ—â—â—AN PEREGRINATION Wâ—â—â—ten by M. Gregory Martin Licentiate â— and late reader of diuinitie in the Englishe Coleadge at Remes VVhereunto is adioined certen Epistles vvritten by him to sundrye his frendes the copies vvhereof vvere since his decease founde amonge his vvrytinges Novv especially puplished for the banifite of those that either erre in religion of simplicitie or folovv the vvorlde of fraylâ—iâ— ANNO DOMINI 1583. The contentes of this booke A briefe preface 2. A treatise of Pilgrimage and Relicks 3. A letter sente to M. N. a maried priest 4. A letter sent to his Sisters maried to protestants and them selues trained vpp in heresie where he sheweth and proueth the Catholicke Church to be the true Church 5. A letter sent to M. D. Whyte then warden of newe colleadge in Oxford touching his folowâ—ng the worlde and dissâ—mbling in religioÌ„ agaynst his conscience and knowledge The Printers Preface vnto the Christian Reader THE aunciente Authour of heresie by innumerable meanes enduceth his instruments the professed enimies of Catholicke truth â—eruersly to opugne by flat denyall impudentâ—â— to vvrest by absurde cauills or Ievvishly 〈◊〉 reiecte vvith blasphemous tauntes those â—inges vvhich either they liste not to beleeue 〈◊〉 desire not to learne In all vvhich though â—eir facilitie vvere euer nâ—torious yet their â—â—pudencie vvas neuer more manifest then in â—â—is age But seeing truth is eterall heresie â—ariable and incredulitie atbisme The memâ—rs of Christ his Catholicke Church on the oâ—er side being guided by the holy Ghost haue â—e seased sufficiently to circumuent and disâ—uer the finall driftes of those deluders in maâ—y most excellent and learned discourses lateâ—â— vvritten amonge the vvhich this briefe â—reatyse of Christian Peregrynation â—â—me vnto my handes the vvhich by lycense of my Superiours I haue here published and annexed there-unto certayne Epistles of the same Authors a man of rare vertue and excellent learning Leauing thee good Christian Reader vvith attention to consider thereof trusting the same vvill sufficiently geue testimonie vnto thee that there is no parte or poyâ—â— of the Catholicke Fayth vnable inuincibly to be defended Further assuring thee that vvhatsoeuer incredulous hereticke gayn-sayeth the same he not onely resisteth here in earth the Church millitant and the members therof but violently stryueth agaynst the Prophetes Apostles Fathers Doctours and blessed Sayntes in heauen vvhose very vvords and vvrytings here alleadged he vvickedly oppugneth the vvhich action of his and comparison of him vvith those may be a sufficiente motiue to confirme thy fayth Vale. R. V. A SHORTE DISCOVRSE OF Pilgrimage and Relycks PILGRYMAGE coÌ„minge of the latyne worde perigrinatio is nothinge ells in this presente case which now I mene to write of The name of pilgrimage pilgrime but going of deâ—â—tion to visite some holy monument â—f Christ or his Saints as to Hierusalem 〈◊〉 Rome to Compostella To the which â—aces because there hath bene alwaies â—eat resort of strangers in latin pereâ—ini out of all Christian countries â—erof is it that we say Pilgrimes of Hieâ—salem of Rome of Compostella that is â—raungers and religious trauelers to â—ose places For example wheras the â—ree wyse and honorable persons naâ—ed Magi came from the Easte to worâ—ip Christ in Bethlehem Mat. 2. we may very â—uely say of them that they came in Pilgrimage to Christ WheÌ„ the Chaâ—berlayne to the Queene of Aethioprâ— whom Philippe baptised went out of hiâ— countrye to worship God in the temple at Hierusalem he wente also in Pilgrimage S. Paule him selfe goinge to Hierusalem of purpose to see Peter and as Theophylactus noteth not to see him onely In. 1. Galat. but vvith all to honour him as his beâ—ter euen as vve goe to holy vertuous men made a certeyne Pilgrimage The difference is here was Pilgrimage to the persons them selues as to Christ and to Peter we hauing now their monumeÌ„ts onely and of other Saints make Pilgrimage vnto them Ho. 5. ad po Antioch And accordinge to this sense S. Chrisostome in one of his SermoÌ„s most properly speaketh thus If I vvere voyde of Ecclesiasticall cares and had a strong body I vvould not refuse to make soe longe a iourney as from Antioch to Rome to see the cheynes at the least and the prison vvhere Paule vvas bound In the latin we read it thus peregrinationem tantam facere non recusarem I woulde not â—cke to make so longe a Pilgrimage â—nd this much for the names of Pilâ—ime and Pilgrimage which heretiks â—ue made sore bugges-wordes as â—ough a man would saye Idolatour â—d Idolattie Which termes to the ende thou â—yest vnderstand Christian Reader â—w falsely and foolishly they are obâ—cted to vs The principal cause of pilgrimage Gods honor Marke in all that I shall 〈◊〉 hereafter the feruent deuotion of â—grymes and the princypall cause â—reof to wit the glory of God and 〈◊〉 honour of his Sonne Iesus Christ â—ich are the very grounds of Cathoâ—ke Pilgrimage Ho. 5. ad Po. Antioch Deuotion or affectiâ—â— as when the forsayed holy Doctor â—â—ulpet vehemently brake out into â—se words Vellem nunc in illis locis verâ—â— c. I vvould vvish novv to be for a â—e in the places vvhere these chayne 's reâ—yne and see the fetters vvhich diuels feare 〈◊〉 Angels reuerence The cause of this 〈◊〉 affection because they were Paules â—ynes his cheynes that was Vas electionis God chefely is honored when sayntes or their reliks are honoted Gods chosen vessell his cheynâ—â— that caried the name of Christ before Kinges and countryes that turned a great parte of the worlde to the fayth that wrote so many excellent Epistles for our edifying that for Christ suffered infinit miseries finally his cheynes that vnder Nero shed his bloud for the Ghospell These considerations and the lyke made this learned Father so in loue with the Apostle that he could not conteyne him selfe but woulde needes signifie how he honored the very fetters cordes and linckes wherwith this Champion was tyed for the name of Christ This religious zeale towardes Christ and his Saynts caused him in an other place to saye in this heauenly maner I remember thee Peter and am amased I thinke vpon thee Paule and being in maner past my selfe can not refrayne vveeping for vvhat I may say or vvhat I may speake beholding your afflictions I knovv not Hovv many prisons haue you sanctified Hovv many cheynes haue you 〈◊〉 eautified Hovv many tormentes haue you â—â—usteyned You haue folovved Christ in all â—hings VVell mayest thou reioyse Peter that â—adst the gift to suffer vpon the Crosse as Christ â—â—id Blessed are the nayles that persed those â—oly limmes of thyne Thou also O blessed â—aule haste greate cause to be glad vvhose â—ead vvas cut of vvith the svvord VVhat a â—recious svvord is that vvhich perced thy saâ—red throte the instrument of our Lord vvhich â—eauen doth admire and the earth doth reueâ—ence That svvord I vvish to be my garland â—nd thoso nayles of
his Apostles neuer to fayle but to appeere and be seene still as a citrye vpon a hill or a light in the world Mat. 28. For Christ said I vvill be vvith you vnto the ende of the vvorld And againe I vvill sende you an other Comforter the spirite of truth vvho shall remaine vvith you for euer And vnto Peter Vpon this rocke vvill I build my Church Mat. 16. and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it That is to say the deuill and all his ministers shall neuer so preuayle against this church but that it shall still appeere and professe one and the same fayth So that there shall be no time wherin this fayth and this church is not Now marke good Sisters I pray you hartely whether your Englishe church and your Englishe religion hath bene alwayes in the worlde since Christ his time I will speake vnto you as before God and as I shall answeare before him at the later day and therefore I requeste you to marke well my wordes and to consider of them A whole thowsande and fiue hundred yeres after Christ your English religion was not heard of in any parte of the world but I tolde you before that the true church must continewe for euer appeare alwaies vnlesse you thinke Christ is false of his promise When began your religion then Forsooth about fiftie veres agone by one Marten Luther in Germanie a frier who aswell for other vngodly respects as also because he would needes marie and breake his vow which he had made of chastitie began to preach against the POPE and against the CATHOLIQVE CHVRCH and because he taught great libertie as that Princes ought not to reuerence the POPE that all Preestes might mary that no man neede to fast and such like he found many disciples in Germanye and hath vnto this day carnall and fleshly men that loue their owne pleasure more then the will of God and his holy church But will you know what manner of man this was Forsooth being examined by learned men concerning his doctrine he was so prest and so angred with the force of truth that he sayd in a great rage This quarrell vvas neuer begon for Gods sake neither for his sake shall it be ended Will you know further that he wrote against the POPE for malice and not for conscience himselfe in his letter to Argentmenses fayeth I neither can deny neither vvill I that if Carolstadius or any other man could fiue yeares agone haue persvvaded me that in the Sacrament is nothing but bread and vvine he might haue deserued of me great thankes for I labored in that matter very carefully knovving righte vvell that by that meanes I might much haue hindred the Popes authoritie Marke that this man would gladly haue fouÌ„d some-what agaynst the BLESSED SACRAMENT but a long time he could not till at length the deuill had taught him to wryte agaynst the Masse De missa angulari as him selfe witnesseth in his bookes where he telleth what talke he and the deuill had together Much more could I tell you of this man but of this little you may iudge whether you may aduenture to build your faith vpoÌ„ this man who lyued within these fiftye yeares and to forsake the auncient fayth of all Christendome continewed from Christ vntill this day for it is moste certen that from this man came your new religion into England but not immediatly at the first when he began to preach for Kinge Henrye the eÌ„ight wrote a learned booke very earnestly against him The Quenes M. father wrote a learned booke a gaiust Luther for the pope Afterward he forsooke him not vpon religion or conscience but vpon displeasure which is common to be seene but long after partly when the King began to take displeasure against the POPE because he might not be maried and vnmaried as he list Partly and especially when King Edvvard being in the beginning of his raigne but a very child was oueruled by wicked couÌ„sellers to maintayne such a religion as might best agree to their carnall appetite This was the beginning of your religion the beginning I say for as for King Heury he wente nothing so farre as they are now come but whereas for his pleasure he had put awaye the Popes authority and for his profit had plucked downe Abbaies he let all other poyntes in manâ—r remayne as before and of this also repâ—nted before he died as it is knowen if not wo be vnto him that euer he was borne for there in the next world good Sisters Kings and Queenes come to their accompts as well as you and we poore folkes I could here tell you of many learned and vertuous men that were then put to death because they would not yeeld to the King in his vnlawfull doings knowing right well that it was all contrary to the lawe of God Amongst whom were these two The Bishop of Rochester the most vertuous and best learned of all the Clergie as appeareth by his books And Sir Thomas Moore Lorde Chauncel or of England a lay man who for his vertue wisdome and learning passed all temporal men that euer were in that Realme as appeareth by his learned workes written in the Englishe tongue but now not suffered to be redd because they teach the CATHOLIQVE FAYTH Some man will tel you that they were behedded for treason but beleeue him not vnlesse it be treason to obay God rather then Princes surely other treason they committed none One Marke more I will shew you to discerne the true Church The thirâ—e marke is â—nitie that in few wordes but so playne that your selfe will confesse it To know the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH this is a certayne and an vnfallible marke if it be in vnitie and concorde if it haue an agreement and consent of hartes and opinions that is to saye if it haue but one fayth and one religion Act. 4. For of the true Church it is sayd The vvhole multitude of beleeuers had one hart and one mynd Ephe. 4. And S. Paule sayth One God one fayth one baptisme And againe 1. Cor. 14. God is not a God of dissention but of peace and vnitye Looke now consider the state of your Protestants in England onely are they all of one religion Haue you not among them some Lytherans some Caluinists some Puritanes all agreeing against the POPE and ech disagreeing one from the other Do not your Lutherâ—Ì„s preach yea before the Queene not with-out great thankes for their labour that the body of Christ is really present in the Sacrament And doe not your Caeluinists preach cleane contrary that there is onely breade and wine And as for your Puritanes doe not they preach and wryte so farre contrary from the other two that they are now forbidden to preach and cast into prison and put from all liuings Yea the communion booke it selfe doth it not nowe saye cleane contrary to that which it sayed in
your owne sake and for our good frend this berer It is not reason that for his good will he should incurre any danger God forbid my truste is in your wisdome that you will keepe this very close til hereafter by reason of the great persecution The matter is waighty and concerneth both you and this berer verye much be wise and trusty and deceaue not your brother that loueth you as himselfe and therefore wisheth by all meanes to do you good S. Paule sayth He that hath not regard of his ovvne kindred 1. Timoth. 5. hath denied the fayth and is vvorse then an Infidell S. Chrisostome vpoÌ„ the same place wryteth thus If a man instruct strangers in the fayth and suffer his ovvne kinne to continevve in their error vvith vvhom he vvere lykelly to preuaile most because they make most accompt of him vvere he not a most cruell and barberous man For this cause I wryte vnto you and wish you al grace al goodnes al heauenly comfort laste of all and least of all to prosper in this world and yet I wish you that with all my hart at the pleasure of God Other good thing I haue none to sende you but this I will remayne in your debte for your gentle tokens Commend me to your selues your louing husbands and your litle ones and when you haue learned to beleeue ryght your selues bringe them vp accordingly teach them to feare God Make much of this berer I praye you and saue him harmelesse by your wyse and discreate dealings Almighty God preserue you and by his holy spirite leade you into all truth Amen THE COPY OF A LETTER WRITTEN TO M. DOCTOVR Whyte Warden of the new Colledge in Oxforde RYGHTE Worshipfull although your worldly dignitie and the iuste opinion of your greate wysdome compared with my contraries mighte feare me from writing vnto you in this bould maner yet many thinges moued me especially my charitie towardes you to whom I am beholding for causes which you may remember and my dewtie towards God whose good motion I hope it was that I should tell you rather frendly then finely playnely theÌ„ curiously that which your selfe doe knowe much better but haue not cause so well to remember Isa 28. Because that vexation doth geue vnderstanding Ps â—8 and man vvhen he vvas in honor did not vnderstand Which differeÌ„ce in estate maketh that the yonger man for yeres more simple for wit and knowledge may notwithstanding sometime truly say with the prophete Ps 118. Aboue auncients haue I vnderstood Quare doctoralis ille facessat splendor cuiuscunque dignitatis recedat ambitio cum fratre conseruo meo filig matris ecclefiae discipulo Iesu Christi loquor Therefore setting a side that doctor all honour and the respect of vvhat dignitie soeuer I may be bould to speake playnely vvith my brother and fellovv-seruant in Christ vvith a childe of our Mother the Church and a scholler of Iesus Christ Presupposing then that you are in conscience a catholike and seing that in outward shew you professe the contrary I am bould to reason familiarly with you and to demaunde whether you thinke it lawfull to beleeue one thing inwardly to protest the contrary openly and how you can auoyd these euident scriptures VVith the harte vve beleeue to Iustice But when there is necessary occasion Ro. 10.10 VVith the mouth confession is made to saluation He that shal deny me before men Mat. 10.33 I also vvill deny him before my Father vvhich is in heauen But if you thinke it vnlawfull so to doe because you wote well it is condemned of old in the hereticks called Helcesaitistes and Priscilianistes and yet doe agaynst your owne perswasion Buscb li. 6. ca. 31. Aug. coÌ„t Mendac Cap. 2. Ro. 14.22 how answere you these places Blessed is he that iudgeth not himselfe in that vvhich he approueth And vvhatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Ro. 6. That is as S. Augustine and others expounde it reluctante conscientia Our conscience striuing against it If neither the one nor the other but you are perswaded that a man may lawfully professe both religions as time and Prince altereth Besids that it was the heresie of Basilides Lib. 4. ca. 2. Tò ádiaphore in as Nicephorus wryteth What interpretatioÌ„ haue you for these scriptures Vsquequo claudicatis in vtramque partem c. 3. Re. 18.21 Hovve longe haulte you on both sides I four Lorde be God solovv him But if Baal folovv him Ecclesiast 3. And agayne Coringrediens duas vias c. A harte that goeth tvvo vvayes shall not haue successe and the peruerse of harte shall be scandalized in them And 1. Cor. 10.11 you can not drincke the chalice of our Lorde and the chalice of deuils Mat. 6.24 Mat. 12.30 you can not serue tvvo Maisters He that gathereth not vvith me scattereth And agayne Iac. 3.16 Doth the fountayne geue foorth at one hole svveete and sovver vvater And yet agayne Apoc. 3.16 But because thou art lukevvarme and neither could nor vvhot I vvill begin to vomit thee out of my mouth I neede not vrge the terrible threatenings your wisdome may carnestly consider of it But it is possible that you mislyke of certen things in the Catholicke religion which you would wish to be otherwise and conceaue a mixte religion compounded of that which is best in both But M. Doctor you are in myne opinion wyser then they whoe notwithstanding for this singularitie are esteemed to be wyse men and of graue iudgement but of the vnwyser sort You know concerning things to be mislyked ether they pertayne to fayth or to manners If these later offend you wot what S. Augustine hath long agone answered the Donatistes Tollerare ecclesiam non probare paleas in tanta copia esse vt frumentum tegant donec veniat is qui ventilabrum habet in manu sua vt purget aream suam That the Church doth tollerate and not approue them and that their is so great quantitie of chaffe that it couereth the corne till he come that hath the fanne in his hand to purge his floore If any poynte of doctrine agreed vpon by the whole Church which is alwayes directed by the holy Ghoste mislyketh you you may vpon deeper consideration iustlye feare leste your selfe or any other man in this case be not a true Catholicke nor of that Church out of which is no saluation For that which is the grounde of your fayth in one poynt must consequently be the grounde of it in all the rest So that if you beleeue as you doe the presence of Christ in the blessed SacrameÌ„t because the vniuersal Church out of the scriptures hath so concluded then if the same Church doe define any other Article for example Of Purgatorie of praying to Saincts of Pilgrimage of Pardons of Images you must in like maner beleeue the same If not What authoritie doe you folow What doe you
such as haue bene wyse Catholicks are so esteemed yet But in deede to be a slaue to heretical aduauncements doth not become a wise maÌ„ so great conteÌ„pt of Christ his Church caÌ„ not stande with the name of a Catholicke Besids that the danger thereof is terrible and with litle consideration may iustly make a stony harte to quake and tremble For what will you alleage at the later day or vnder what name will you pleade for your saluation VVhen he shall render euery man accordinge to his vvorkes Mat. 6.27 Amb. li. 3. â—e sp san c. 18. That you are a Christian But Christ will answere Non agnosco nomen meum vbi non agnosco doctrinam meam I doe not acknovvleage my name vvhere I doe not acknovvleage my doctrine Ps 49 That you are a Catholicke But if thou savvest a theese Ro. 2.24 thou rannest after him And my name through you is blasphemed amongst hereticks Ps 16. And Their belly is filled vvith my secrets 1. Tim. 6. Of close dissembling catholicks their congregation was increased and multiplyed When our sweete Sauiour who made that notable confession for euery one of vs before Pontius Pilate shall thus say vnto you that now dare not confesse him will you not then wishe that you had prayed with the Prophete Ps 118. Take not avvay out of my mouth the vvord of truth vtterly Ps 38. And that you had donne with the Prophete I haue not hid thy truth from the great Councell And Ps 39. Lo I vvill not stay my lippes Lord thou haste knovvne Looke well vpon your person your calling your place what a foule example it is to others and when such a man doth I will not say further but tollerate onely and dissemble false religion Wo be to the worlde for scandals S. Austen hath a place much worthy of your consideration Ca. 7. de pastor Si indifferentâ—r habuero errorem tuum attendit qui fortis est put at nihil esse ire in haeresim Quando aliquod commodum de seculo illuxerit vnde mutetur statim mihi dicit fortis ille periturus hâc hâc Deus est quid interest homines inter se litigantes hoc secerunt vbicunque colendus est Deus si forte illi dixerit aliquis Donatista non tibi do filiam meam nisi fueris de parte mea illi opus est vt attendat dicat si nihil mali esset de parte eorum non contra illos dicereÌ„t taÌ„ta Pastores nosÌ„tri noÌ„ pro illorum errore satagerent Si ergo cessemus taceamus contrar oÌ„ loquuturus est Vtique si malum esset in parte Donati loquerentur contra redarguerent eos satagerent lucrarieos si errant reuocarent illos si pereunt quaererent If I being a pastor or guide of others should make it in the weaker sorte a matter indefferent to be of your error then the strong in fayth vvould note it and thincke it vvere no matter of importaunce to fall into heresie Therefore vvhen any commoditie that the vvorld mighte proffer by changing of his religion the stronge prone to perishe vvould strayght say to me â—ush God is on this side and that sâ—le there is no difference men onely falling at varience aboute the matter haue made all this adoe God may be serued on each hande If some Donatist so was the secte of that tyme called as now Protestant or Caluinist should happely say vnto him I vvill not besto vve my doughter vpon thee excepte thou vvilte be of our secte such a one bad neede to take good beede and saye if it vvere no hurte but an indifferent matter to be of the Donatistes partye then our Pastours vvould not speake so many thinges agaynste them they vvoulde not busye them selues so muche aboute that errour Therefore if vve cease and hould our peace he vvill saye all contrarye Surely if it vvere so ill a thinge to be of the secte or parte of Donat our Pastors vvoullde speake agaynste it vvould reproue them vvould seeke to vvynne them If they erred they vvould reuoke them if they be lost they vvould seeke them If it be such a blocke for other men to stumble at when the learned Doctour and Pastour doeth not confute heresie What is it when he preacheth and prayseth it Alas you can not denye but that you doe so 1. cor 8. And so through thy knovvledge the vveeke brother shall perishe for vvhom Christ hath dyed Saynte Cyprian bringeth in children Ep. de laps whose Parentes example made them denâ—e Christe Aug. ep 23. pleadinge for them selues at the daye of Iudgemente in this manner Nos nihil feâ—imus nec derelicto cibo poculo Domini ad prophana conâ—agia sponte properauimus Perdidit nos aliena perfidia parentes sensimus parricidas illi nobis ecclesiam Matrem illi Parentem Deum negauerunt vt dum parui improuidi tanti facinoris ignari per alios ad consortium criminis iungimur aliena fraude caperemur VVe our selues did nothing vve forsooke not of our ovvne accorde the meate and cupp of our Lorde and hastened to prophane contagions other mens faythlesnes destroyed vs. VVe felte our parentes murtherers of vs their ovvne children they for vs denied the Church our mother they forsooke God our Father that being in our young and vnskilfull yeares and vvholy ignorant of the vvickednes vve mighte be intangled by others in the felovvship of the sinne and be intrapped by other mens fraude If the carnall children may iustly thus accuse their naturall parentes in the case of Idolatrie May not spirituall children much more impute their damnation to their spirituall fathers in the cause of heresie I will not dispute how the crymes differ to commit Idolatrye and to preach heresie both against a mans conscience but because dissimulation is the least of them and scandalizare fratres is an horrible sinne Therefore the authorities which serued sometymes agaynst the one may now be aptly vsed agaynst the other S. Austen Apparet illud esse prohibitum ne in honorem alienorum Deorum aliqua re vtamur aut vti existimemur Ep. 15â— sic eam accipiendo vt quamuis animo contaminamus eos tamen qui nostrum animum ignorant ad haec honoranda aedificemus It is euident that vve be forbidden to vse any thing vvhatsoeuer for the honour of straunge gods or in such sorte as vve may be thought to vse it to that end so taking it that though vve in our harte contemne it vve yet prouoke them that see not our mindes to honor the same And agayne speaking of Seneca Eo damnabilius colebat Idola quó illa quae mendaciter agebat De ciui Dei li. 6. ca. 10. sic ageret vt eum populus veraciter agere existimaret He did so much more damnablye vvorship Idols for that he so did those thinges vvhich he did in fayned shevv
onely that the people might thinke he did them truly and vnfaynedly For howe shall the people iudge but accordinge as they see and heare If a good meaninge or interpretation would serue Peter might haue sayed as some olde wryters excused him that dicendo Theeph in â— 22. Lu. Nescio bominem illud voluisset Nescio purum hominem sed Dcum bominem factum sayinge I knovve not the man be meant I knovve him not for a pure man but for God Ep. Cleri Roms 31. Apnd. Cyp. made man But Cum totum fidei Sacramentum in confessione Christi nominis intelligatur esse digestum qui fallaces in excusatione peaestigias quaerit negabit Et qui vult videri propositis aduersus Euangelium vel edictis vel legibus satisfecisse hoc if so iam paruit quod videri paruisse se voluit Seeing the vvhole Sacrament of fayth is knovvne to consist in the confession of Christ his name be shall be deemed to deny him that seeketh deceiptfull and vayne shifts for his excuse And he that vvould be compted to haue satified or fulfilled Lavves or statutes promulgated against the Ghospell in that he must be adiudged to haue obeyed them that he vvould haue him selfe seeme to haue done it And there fore constante Eleazarus woulde not eate no not lawfull meates 2. Mac. 6. leste it should be thought he did eate meates vnlawfull I appeale to your conscience onely for what neede I vrge euidente places whether these authorityes doe not concerne you S. Ambrose sayeth Li. 2. of c. 24. Licet â—â—bi silere in negotio duntaxat pecuniario quanquam siâ— constantiae adesse aequitati in causa autem Dei vbi communionis periculum est etiam dissimulare peccatum est non leue It is lavvfull for thee in a monye matter onely to hould thy peace though it vveâ—e the part of a constant man euen therein also to stand in a matter of equity but in the cause of God vvhere communion or felovvship in â—ayth is in perill euen to dissemble is no small sinne O but it is good wisdome to maynteyne credit in euery worlde and to loose neither welth noâ— estimation I wounder that any wyse man shoulde thinke so Much lyke as Cato Vticensis thought it great manhood to kill him selfe and the secular Poet calleth it Catonis nobile laetum Cato his noble death Whereas S. Austen proueth it to haue bene dastardly cowardnes and womanishe pucillanimitye Ryghte so that worldly wisdome is foolishnes vvith God vnlesse a christiaÌ„ man may say with the vnchristened and prophane Oratour Seruire temporibus sapientis semper est habitum 2. Cor. 3.19 It vvas alvvayes compted vvisdome to apply him selfe to the tyme. And Non idem semper dicere sed idem semper specÌ„tare debemus VVe ought not to speake the same thing advvayes but to approue the same thing still And Quem fugiam scio ad quem fugiam nescio I knovv vvhom I should fly but I knovv not to vvhom to flye O but we are commaunded to obey our Prince I neede not tell you how sarre and in what degrees S. Peter and S. Iohn tell you by their example the case muste be limited I will onely put you in mynd of other worthy men sometyme Prelates in the Church and as it were houlde you the booke to reade howe they haue delt with Princes and potentates Act. 6.19 vpon the like occasion what vehemeÌ„t perswasions how manifestly they resisted for his sake VVho is terrible and taketh avvay the spirit of Princes Psal 75. terrible to the Kings of the earth Theodoretus wryteth thus Ec. histo lb. 4. ca. 17 Cum Praefectus Modestus Caesaream venisset Basilium Magnum accercitum honorificè excipit leui blanda oratione compellat hortatur vt cedat tempori ue propter nimis curiosam dogmatâ—m obseruationem eamque paruo estimandam tot tantasque ecclesias prodat pollicetur se Imperatoris Valentis amicitiam ei conciliaturum beneficiaque multis aliis inde euentura praedicaâ— Cui diuinus ille vir pueris inquit haec quidem oratio conuenit siquidem illi ac sui similes eiusmodi verba auidé arripiunt at qui sunt in sacris literis educati ne vnam quidem sillabam diuinorum dogmatum prodi siaunt sed pro istorum defensione si opus sit nullum non mortis genus libenter amplectuntur quod autem ad Imperatoris amicitiam attinet eam cum pietate iunctam magni aestimo sed si ea careat perniciosum esse dico c. VVhen the Lieutenante vvas come to Cesarâ—a he called for Basill the great and receaued him honorably and by a svveete and gentle speach exhorted him to yelde to the tyme and not vpon to curious obseruation of some poynte of no great vvayght to betray so many and so great churches promising him vvithall to reconcile him to the Emperours fauour and affirming that much good might come thereof to many To vvhom this diuyne man ansvvered that his tale vvere fit to persvvade children and such like vvhich vvould easely lyke of such offers but that those vvhich are brought vppe in holy vvrit can not suffer one fillable of heauenly doctrine and lavves to be betrayed but for defence thereof vvould embrace if neede require any kinde of death As for the amitye of the Emperour if it might be had vvith pietye I much vvould esteeme it but vvithout that I saye it is 〈◊〉 May it please you to reade a litle after the constante confession of the Preists and Deacons of Alexandria Lib. 4. ca. 20. being exhorted by Magnus the Count 〈…〉 fidem â—b Apostolis per Patrum successionem traditam proderent affirmando Valenten Augustinum Imperatorem clementissimum hac re veheme â—ter delectatum iri Postremó cum maxima contentione vocis haec verba protulit O misâ—ri obsequimini Ariani opinioni assentite Nam diuinum numen licet illa quam colitis religio vera sit si non vestra sponte sed necessitate ducti ab ea discedatis veniam vobis daturum est Etenim in his quae necessitate peccantur relinquitur excusationi locus sed cum sua sponte quisquam deliquerit carere reprehensione non potest To betraye their Auncestors fayth receaued of the Apostlis by succession of the Fathers affirming that Valens the moste clemente Emperour vvoulde be much pleased thereby Lastely vvith greate vehemency of speach loude voice be vttered these vvorde O miserable men obey assent to the Arians opinion for though your religion vvere true the diuyne Maiestye vvould pardon seeing you fall 〈◊〉 from it vvillingly but of necessity compelled for their is euer iuste excâ—se to them that offend by necessity though vvhen a man falleth vvillingly he can not be vvithout blame Reade the place and marke how litle they esteemed these Worldly perswasions which I haue therefore recyted at large because the worlde is prone now a dayes not only to vse but also to follow