IVDGE OF HERESIES One GOD One FAITH One CHVRCH Out of which there is no Saluation Excluding all Infidells Mahumetans Iewes obstinate Papists and other Heretikes of all sorts and consequently all Newters who conforme themselues onely externally to any Religion from hope of participation of the Kingdome of Heauen If they finally persist therein and returne not to the knowledge and zealous profession of the true Faith By IOHN MERIDETH Sub-Deane of CHICHESTER Iohn Epist 2 Vers 9. Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God LONDON Printed by A. M. for Iohn Grismand and are sold at his Shop in Pauls Alley at the Signe of the Gunne 1624. TO THE WORshipfull and Religiously affected William Drury Esquire of Watergate in the County of Suffex SIR THe principiall Motiue which Impelled mee to Consecrate the subsequent Treatise vnto your Name is the selfe same which at the first Inuited mee to Penne it and publish it to the benefit of the well-disposed Reader And that was my Zeale toward the Truth of Christian Faith which is so depraued in this Irreligious age by sundry sorts of Haereticks so dissembled by Newters so derided by Atheists so disturbed by Schismaticks that we may say thereof as our Sauiour spake of himselfe The Foxes haue holes and the Birdes of the Ayre haue nests but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head By Foxes meane the Cunning Polititians of this Age who can howsoeuer the state of Religion standeth Seruire Scenae act their part according to the time And the Birdes I doe vnderstand The vaine vnconstent light Professors of the Christian Faith who were neither of them euer soundly seasoned with Religion the true knowledge of GOD and therefore they so basely esteeme thereof as if it were a matter of Indifference what or whether a man beleeue or not And these kinde of men abound in all places and liue in greatest applause and high estimation while the zealous Seruants of Christ who will not beare the defacing of the Faith by Haeresie or the abusing thereof through Hipocrisie are exploded as the outcasts and off-scowring of the world Now sorasmuch as I haue obserued in you at all such times wherin I haue conuersed with you an affection to the knowledge of the Mysteries of Saluation by your frequent Inquisitions alway accompanied with a reuerend sobriety which the Apostle requireth as the limits of a Christian mans knowledge and also a zealous desire that other should be quitted from Ignorance I could not forbeare vpon the ioy of mine acquaintance with a Gentleman of your ranke and Eminency in these partes so well affected in Religion and so certaine a welwisher and Fauorite vnto Learning where the first is derided and the other despised that the Church and Vniuersitie may both take vp the Lords complaint against the vngratefull Iewes and apply it vnto the greater part of the Inhabitants in these Coasts I haue nourished and brought vp Children and they haue rebelled against me I could not forbeare I say in consideration of the Praemises to â—estifie my Loue and obseruance toward you to Dedicate this Booke vnto your Name and the rather because as I doubtedly beleeue you are one of those whose name God hath written in his Booke of Life For as I said before that I penned it of a Zeale I doe beare vnto the Truth so I doe dedicate it vnto you of a hearty affection I doe beare vnto you because you doe feare the Lord meditate in his Law and haue respect vnto his Commandements Such a one saith Dauid shall not be Psal 119. confounded Secondly because I am inuited hereunto by your Courteous humanity toward these my poore and vnworthy Labours the which as I haue destinated vnto you so you desire to Dedicate them to CHRIST his Church And therefore as the Daughter of Pharoh reputed Moses whom she saued from the fury of the Floods as her owne Sonne So this Treatise shall iustly challenge you for its Father by whose Christian zeale it was deliuered from obscuritie and promoted to call Israel out of Egypt and let those Israelites who by this meanes shall finde the comfort of their deliuerance call vpon GOD for a blessing vpon you and your generation And now worthy Sir I beseech the Lord who hath begunne this good worke in you that hee will performe it vntill the day of IESVS CHRIST and this I pray that your Loue may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and in all Iudgement that you may allow those thinges which are best that you may be pure and without offence vntill the day of Christ to which end the Lord preserue you Constant and zealous in the profession of the true Faith that you may in the next life receiue the Crown of Life which Christ hath purchased and promised vnto all those who continue faithfull vnto the End Your Worships in hearty Christian affection IOHN MERIDITH The Contents CHAP. I. SHeweth that God requireth truth in Religion which must be squared to the Rule of his Word and therefore Iewes Turkes and Papists whose Religion is false because contrary to the Scriptures cannot bee saued if they persist in their obstinacy and that Papists are but Pseudo-Christians CHAP. II. Proueth that Infidels and Heretiques by an Innocent life and vertuous actions if they could performe any cannot be saued vnlesse they bee Orthodoxall Christians also and the Error of Lodouicus Viues is confuted CHAP. III. Declareth that a good intention or meaning toward God avayleth not Heretiques to preserue them from damnation without the right knowledge of the true Faith where is proued that Negligence and Ignorance in matters of Faith is damnable which ought to be expelled and preuented by diligent reading and examining of the Scriptures with a detection and conuiction of the Popish politicall tyranny in prohibiting the Laity from reading of the Scriptures contayning also an Apology for our Ancestors of the Laity who for the most part dyed true Christians vnder the domination of Antichrist as is plainly proued at large and that the estate of those Papists who liue vnder Protestant Princes is damnable vnlesse they renounce Popery CHAP. IV. Proueth that an Eroneous Conscience is no sufficient bond to oblige a man to persist in a false Religion as the Papists teach but such a conscience ought to be deposed reformed or abandoned and altered according to the rule of Gods Law and therefore the case of those Papists who are trained vp in blindnesse is miserable and lamentable CHAP. V. Answereth Obiections made from the diuine Phylanthropy or loue of God vnto mankinde who say they will not condemne vnto euerlasting death such infinite multitudes of people who dye in Infidelitie and Heresie and saue but onely a few true beleeuing Christians where is plainely proued also that very few in respect of those who are to be damned shal be saued CHAP. VI. Prooueth from the Nature and Attributes of God that Atheysts
Apology for our Ancestors of the Laity who for the most part dyed true Christians vnder the domination of Antichrist as is plainely proued at large and that the estate of the Papists who liue vnder Protestant Princes is damnable vnlesse they renounce Popery THe Second Motiue whereby men are perswaded to persist in their Natiue Religion though false and impious is the pretence of a good Intention They say Whatsoeuer the religion bee whereof they are vnable to iudge yet their meaning toward God in respect of his Seruice is good and God respecteth and accepteth the minde and the Intention which is sufficient to excuse them rather then to entertaine another wherein they may be deceaued also because they are not iudicious to discerne betweene truth and falsehood in matters of faith and subtilties of religion and it is better to obey ignorantly then to change religion doubtfully so they meane well towards God I doe make this answer vnto such sencelesse soules That it is one thing to haue a Good Intention or meaning another thing to haue a right Intention An Error may easily insert it selfe into a Good Intention and so corrupt it and howsoeuer in respect of the End the intention may bee good yet other Circumstances may marre the matter A right Intention is the working of our will whereby it proceedeth by dâ—e meanes vnto a good end From whence it followeth That if the End in it selfe Good â—e not rightly intended neither the End is good nor the Intention right As a worke in it selfe euill is not made good by the good End for which it is intended as if one should steale because hâ—e would relieue the necessitie of the poore contrary to St. Pauls Rom. 3. rule We may not doe euill that Good may come of it So here if the End be Good yet if the meanes be not good the deed must be euill for Error and Ignorance spoyleth the matter as the Lord speaketh Therefore my people are gone into captiuity because they Esay haue no vnderstanding So we may say of Hereticks They are chained by the Deuill with the strong band of Blasphemy because they are without knowledge and vnderstanding of the law This is it which subuerteth Religion when men are blinded in the choyce and discerning the difference betweene Truth and Falshood erring from the right scope to the infinite damage of their Conscience So the Iewes were perswaded that they had done God a singular peece of Seruice when they executed their woluish ferity against the Christians With the like â—ury was Paul enraged against the Christians persecuting them with menaces and threats with a zeale of piety but such as was erronious and not according to knowledge it was not done with iudgement and preconsideration of the cause not by the impulsion of Gods Spirit which God will haue tryed by his word whither it be his or not And hence ariseth so many Errors in choyce of Religion because men are destitute of Gods Spirit which should secure and certiâ—ie our spirits of the Truth There is a way saith Salomon that seemeth right to a man but the issues thereof are the waies of Prouerb 14. death Therefore ignorance of Gods law is the ruine of true Religion for Colere amare quem Ignoras non potes Thou August canst not worship and loue him whom thou dost not know zeale without knowledge is a vehement coursâ— in the wrong way wherein the faster thou dost runne the farther thou goest astray out of the way And as the Father saith Melior vel claudus in via quam cursor praeter viam It is better to halt in the way Serm. 15. de verb. Apâ—li then to runne swiftly out of the way Though thou fire Iron neuer so hot in the Fornace yet it will receiue no forme without the Hammer right iudgement must guide the zeale of thy will for the Will is blinde and must be Directed by the vnderstanding Wherefore the Intention is not made good by the Eâ—d which it propoundeth but as the Schooleman saith it must haue Pedem Bonauent Sup. 2. Sent. Dist 41. Affectus oculum Intellectus the foot of Affection and the Eye of vnderstanding the one in respect of the End the other in respect of the Meanes to be vsed to attaine to this End And either of these must haue his Director the vnderstanding must haue Faith the affection Charity Whereupon saith Bernard Two things concurre to the singlenesse of the eye Loue and Truth The one will be Lumen illustrans Lib. de praecept dispens A light to shine and shew him the way the other will be Virtus adiuvans a power to strengthen and further him for there are two things necessarie for him that will attaine to his iourniâ—s end First a light by which he may See Secondly right footing for want of the first the Blinde looseth his way for want of the Second the Lame doth not attaine to his journies end Briefly as Bernard saith How can the Eye of the Intention be single with Ignorance of the Truth Yea though a man loue God Ibid. and doe euill Ignorantly but he that wanteth neither good hath a true single eye Amorem boni cognitionem veri The loue of that which is good the knowledge of the truth if one faile the whole doth faile for Bonum ex causa Integra causatur malum ex particularibus consurgit defectibus Good is perfected by a compleat Scholaâ—â— ex Dioâ—is de diu nom caâ— 4. cause but Euill followeth vpon the defect of a particuler Hereupon Gerson saith that in the description of a Right Intention these two words Debitum Debito modo must be taken Coniunctim Indiuisibly together But in the description of a peruerse or corrupt Intention these two opposite words Indebitum Indebito modo may be taken Diuisum Apart Seeing either of them apart is sufficient to cause a corrupt Intention for more points are Necessary to the constitution of vertue then of vice yea the defect of one of those points which concurre to the constitâ—â—ion of vertue is the change to vice for to make a good Intention is requisite an intâ—grity in the End propounded and the meanes vsed But thou wilt say my good Meaning proceedeth from my faith and how can I be deâ—â—iued therein Say it proceeded of faith But that faith is false or râ—ther it is no faith at all because false faith is not faith for these words of the Apostle Whatsoeâ—er is not of Faith is sinne be spoken of true not of false faith â—om 13. Therefore it is not of true faith that wee beleeâ—e that to beâ— Good which is Euill for it is false and therefore a Sinne. Whither therefore thou dost thinke falshood to bee Truth or Truth to be falshood either is a sinne for neither commeth of faith therefore that thou may est not be deceaued in thy well meaning thou must haue Charitatem in Intentione Loue in thy Intention and Veritatem in Electione Truth in the choyce of thy Bâ—ru Religion For if thou doest loue God and yet doest not serue him according to the Truth of
he dwelleth and he hsth promised to raise them vp againe to glory in the last day if we doe glorifie him in them in these dayes of our flesh but such dishonour him with them who with patience can behold him blasphemed in the Masse and bow their knees to their Wafer Idoll And againe I doe say vnto you Pseudo Catholicks who entertaine such Pseudo Proselites and drawe them with temporall earthly rewards to lose eternall Celestiall blessings you are strangely deceaued in them for they are apparantly dissemblers and respect neither your persons nor your Religion but your money and maintenance and consequently deride you and as a Philosopher said of such Non deum sed Themisâ—i aâ—ud Socrat. lib. 3. Eccles hist cap. 21. purpuram colunt and that they were like vnto a streame raised by a great raine which sometime runne one way sometime another way Before they went out from vs they were as chaffe among Corne as euill humours in the body which pressed the breast they were not of vs their departure hath cased the Church of a loathsome burden and it is fit that the chaffe and the Tares should haue one society here seeing their end shall be the same hereafter they shall be burned in vnquenchable fire I doe wish that all Christian Princes would practise what Theuderichus the Affrican Prince did before them The Act was laâ—dable though himselfe an Arrian He had a certaine Deacon who professed the Orthodoxall Theodorus Lect. Collectan lib. 2. faith whom he loued and cherished entirely who to gratifie the Prince as he pretended forsooke the Hâ—mousian faith and embraced Arrianisme which being knowne to Theuderichus he forgate his loue and presently after beheaded him saying Si Deo sidem non seruastâ— quomodo homini sinceram Conscientiam seruabis If thou hast not beene faithfull to God how canst thou carry a good Conscience toward man If the like course were vsed against all Counterfeite Church-Papists Christian Princes might liue in more security the number of Athiests would decrease and the doubtfull would be more firmely established in the truth And I say vnto both sorts what Augustine did vnto the Manicheas In vobis qui Papistae ficti sunt mali sunt Lib. 6. Contra Faust cap. 11. qui ficti non sunt vani sunt c. Among you those who are counterfeit Papists are euill and they who are not counterfeite are vaine for where the faith it selfe is feigned both he that liueth in it though a Counterfeite doeth deceaue and they who embrace it as true are deceiued To conclude I doe exhort and aduise all those who are intangled with popish heresies and deceaued with erroâ—s of any other false Religion if they be carefull of their own Saluation if they doe not preferre blindenesse before the light if they will not destroy their owne soules by wandering ouerlong from the light of the truth in the palpable darknesse of vaine opinions if they desire to benefit themselues by being Christians let them lay aside all childish shamefastnesse and forsaking the dangerous imaginations of humane error in which they falsely supposed themselues to haue found the truth and in which vnder the pretext of the name of Christian they were farre distant from the confession of Christ that they hasten with all conuenient speed with all their might and with the strongest endeuours of their faith to finde out the true and straite way of the Holy Catholicke and Apostolike Faith which is now by the mercy of God professed in this Church of England and when they haue found the true way of Saluation let them proclaime with bold liberty of voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee haue found the truth let vs reioyce together otherwise beleeue most firmely and that without all doubting that not only all Pagans but also Iewes Hereticks and Schismaticks who depart this life out of the Catholike August lib. d◠〈◊〉 cd Pct. Church shall goe into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angels FINIS
myracles doe not proceed from a loue toward God and to the end hee may be glorified in them are vnprofitable how shall those workes which are acted by him who hath no faith bee conducible to procure eternall life You are therefore dangerâ—usly deceiued who presume that God regardeth not what or whether wee beleeue or not misapylying to that purpose which the Apostle Rom. 2. saith To euery man that doth good hee will giue glory and honour and peace to the Jew first and also to the Grecian and that because there is no respect of pâ—rsons with God For how can glory bee to the vnbeleeuers which is not giuen vnto any but vnto those who are iustified for those whom God Rom. 8. hath iustified he hath also glorified Or what honour shall be giuen to Infidels When Saint Peter teacheth that it is not giuen but onely to those that beleeue Or how shall there be peace vnto him who is not Epheâ— 1. redeemed with the blood of Iâ—sus Christ In whome God hath pacifiea the things which are in Heauen and in Earth for he is our peace who hath made of both one But this peace cannot bee possâ—ssed without the faith and loue of Christ for wee being iustified by faith haue peace Rom. 5. with God through our Lord Iesus Christ through whome wee haue entrance by faith into this grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God This hope doth not make vs ashamed because the loue of God is powred forth into our hearts by the Holy Ghost who is giuen vnto vs for we haue receiued the spirit of Adoption whereby we crie Abba Father That therefore men may bee made the Sonnes of God they receiue the onely begotten Sonne of God by faith and by his gift they receiue this power from the Lord that they may beleeue in him and appertaine to the number of the Sonnes of God For as many as receiued him to them he gaue power to be made the Sonnes of God euen to those Iohn 1. that beleeue in his name In their hearts hee writeth his Law that is the Law of Ierem. 31. Faith which beeing inspired doth Iustifie This Lawe God doeth write in the hearts of his people not by the Condition of Nature but by the bountie of Grace not by the free will of Man but by the Ministery of the preaching of the Gospell not in stone by the Letter of the Old Testament but in the heart by the Spirit of the liuing God Hee writeth therefore the Law of faith by which God iustifieth the Gentiles that by giuing grace he might renew Nature And for this cause hee diffuseth Loue which is the fulfilling of the Lawe by his Spirit that hee may make men labour to fulfill that which hee commanndeth and he bestoweth the grace of Illumination by the Spirit of faith that therefore faith might worke by loue that which is pleasing vnto God The which as long as it is not in Man whatsoeuer hath remained in man written by the Lawe of Nature without the Law of Faith doeth not possibly saue him that doeth thereafter because God doeth iustifie no man without Faith neither can it purchase saluation vnto the workerâ— because that without faith it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11. Wherefore the Law of Nature by which a man preserneth the bond of humane Societie without faith if it bee fulfilled cannot suffice to saue the Soule as Diues would prooue But that Law by which a man knoweth and loueth God by beleeuing in him not by which a man growen proud doeth challenge vnto himselfe good workes or faith it selfe but by which hee doeth with humble subiection ascribe both his Faith and his Workes vnto God who doeth worke them mercifully in him for this is the nature of true faith so to compose and direct a mans heart That when a man heareth the precepts of God Iddonari sibi quod praecipitur poscat Et cum in fide operatur Fulgent lib. dâ—â—â—carn Christi cap. 27. gratia Dei se â—â—giter adiuvari non ambigat He prayeth vnto God to make him able to doe that which he commandeth and when hee doth good workes as a beleeuer he acknowledgeth that hee is helped wholly to performe them by the grace of God But we say farther That hee that doth not beleeue cannot haue any true vertues as wee haue prooued before in part and wee adde besides that as faith without workes is no faith so workes without faith are no workes Saint Ierome saying Sine Christo omnis Virtus in vitio In cap 3. ad Galat. est Without the faith of Christ no vertue is faultlesse yea were they present they could bee of no continuance For if so bee the threatning of Hell the promise of Heauen the exemplary liues of inuumerable Saints and all other meanes which we can vse can hardly among vs who are Christians preseâ—ue mâ—n in vertuous actions what can wee thinke of those who liuing in Infidelitie and are destitute of these furtherances But that they are so farre from being preserued in the practise of vertues that it is not possible but that they should become starke naught and vitious Therefore I conclude That an innocent life and vertuous actions without the faith of Christ cannot suffice to saluation And I doe adde further that good deeds being found in any one who professeth Christ otherwise then the Scripture teacheth and the true Church beleeueth are wholly vnprofitable and no better then the forenamed false vertues of Infidels for Vbi sana fides non est non potest esse Institia 24. q. 1. cap. vbi Sana ex â—ugustinâ— there can bee no true righteousnesse where there is no sound faith Therefore let no man deceiue himselfe by confidence in an innocent and vertuous life if hâ—e die in a damnable and hereticall Religion such as is Popery heare Saint Augustine for a Summary Constituamus aliquem castum continentem Lib. 4. de Baptisâ—â—â— non auarum non Idolis seruientem c. Say there is a man who is chaste continent not couetous no Idolater giuen to Hospitalitie to Almes no mans enemy not contentious patient quiet hating no man envying no man sober thriftie but withall an Heretike Nulli vtique dubium est propter hoc solum quod Haereticus est regnum Dei non possessurum No man doubteth but for this cause onely for that he is an heretike hee shall not inherite the kingdome of God CHAP. 3. Declareth that a good Intention or meaning toward God auaileâ—h not Hereticks to preserue them from damnation without the right knowledge of the true faith where is proued that Negligence and Ignorance in matters of Faith is damnable which ought to bee expelled and preuented by diligent reading and examining of the Scriptures with a detection and conâ—iction of the Popish politicall tyranny in prohibiting the Laity from the reading of the Scrâ—ptures containing also an
his word thou hast the zeale of God but not according to knowledge therefore thou art not excused by doing that which thou doest beleeue ought to be done for thy beleefe being euill yea being no faith indeed but a light rash Credulity maketh thy purposes like that wicked ones prayer to be turned into sinne and the deuill doth deceaue thee by making thee conceipt it to be faith for as Pirats at Sea are wont in the darke time of the night to set vp lights in places full of sandy shelues and hidden Rockes thereby to allure Passengers vnder hope of attaining to an hauen of Safetie to shipwraâ—ke and destruction Such is this light of false faith kindled by the Spirits of the Ayre not whereby they may saue the poore Sailers on the Sea of this world and the flouds of this wretched life but by which they may sinke them into the bottomlesse pit of hell and damnation In this respect St. Paul saith that Satan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light Therefore we that waâ—t on the floods of this life must not beleeue euery light vnlesse we fall among Heresies which ruinate the soule while we purpose to reach the true Church which is the pillar and ground of Truth So in matters of Faith and case of Religion a man may intend the true worship of God and yet commit Idolatry as you Papists doâ— in your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or worshipping of the Sacramentall Bread which is meere Idolatry therefore Bonauentura saith â—â—p 3. Seâ—t dist 9. that a man may be deceaued in his worship Nisi fiat secundum directionem regulam fidei If it be not done according to the direction and rule of Faith for one may De facto adore the diuell transformed into an Angell of light intending it vnto God Neither may his ignorance excuse him for he hath a treble helpe assigned him to preuent error First the prediction of the Scripture saying Many shall come in my Name Math. 24. Secondly prayer vnto God for inward illumination Thirdly suspention of his Credulity For we must not beleeue 1 Ioh. 4. euery spirit but try the Spirits which are of God otherwise if he be an Idolater he may be iustly taxed for worshipping hee knoweth Ioh. 4. not what In vaine doe we beleeue to attaine to the end of our Hope if so be we are ignorant of the right way which leadeth thereunto how much greater is our danger if running a Contrarie or By-way we will not be reclaimed but goe forward therein presumptuously notwithstanding admonition and direction of cunning guides whom we despise Which is as much as if a man who is drunke should thinke himselfe to be sober and doe all as a drunken man doth and yet thinkes himselfe to be sober and would be so accounted by other Such are they who being ignorant of the Truth haue a seeming shew or shadow of the same and doe euill as if it were good and runne on to destruction as if it were to saluation yea and binde themselues by their supposed knowledge to persist in their ignorance and error reiecting the meanes of Reformation saying with the wicked We will none of the knowledge of thy wayes Iob. â—1 O bloody deuotion sprouting from that Hel-bred Ate which made the Heathen to sacrifice their sonnes and daughters to the deuill and causeth the like in you that are deuoted vassals to the Pope in respect of your soules and your children also who may truly cry out against you Parentes sensimus pâ—rricidas wee haue 〈◊〉 found our Parents the murtherers of our Soules for preuention whereof St. Iohn as I haue said would haue vs try the spirits whither they be of God if through negligence to examine and finde out the truth thou art deceiued the fault is in thy selfe for as Chrysostome saith They cannot excuse themselues from condemnation Hoâ—â—il Sâ—p Math. who had meanes to finde the truth if they had a desire to seek after it for if the truth be the saluation and life of them that know it Mâ—gis debet quaeri quam quaerere It ought rather to be sought for by other then that it should seeke after vs. And surely Negligence in learning the Grounds of Christian Faith is the chiefe cause that suffereth Man to fall into error when men are carelesse to seeke after Gods helpe therefore they are worthily depriued thereof is not he worthy to haue his house darke that shutteth vp the doores thereof and the windowes against the bright beames of the Sunâ—e which would enlighten it Such persons must know that faith is not Naturall but proceedeth â—phes from the Election of Gods goodnesse and is Donum Dei the Gift of God for were it Naturall all men would hold the selfe-same Faith nor should there be so great dissention about it as we see at this day therefore it is to be sought of God and therefore as the Sunne is not to be seene but by his owne light So the Sunne of Righteousnesse whereby the day spring from an high hath visited vs is not to be seene but by the light of Godâ— grace But because many are rebellious against this light therefore they are wilfully blinde Another cause is Auersion of the vnderstanding from those things which are to be beleeued and from those which might induce them to beleeue them and conuersion vnto Error for as hee that hath his eyes turned from those obiects which he should behold and turned vnto other in that Auersion cannot see what hee should Such are those who embrace false opinions and damnable Sects with such contumacy that they will not vouchsafe to thinke or heare of the contrary and stand out with so great an hatred against those who hold the truth that they will not so much as giue care to their Arguments but resist the holy Ghost who speaketh by their mouth of which sort of men Salomon spake truly A foole hath no delight in vnderstanding vnlesse thou doest sooth him in the conceipts of his owne heart as the vâ—lgar translation Prouerb 18. hath it For as Vigilius saith Mans minde being before poysoned with Lib. 1. contra Eutichen flaâ—â—â— sub Jâ—it the error of false opinion is growne obstinate against the entertainment of the truth nor will yeeld to any testimony bee it neuer so Authenticall for it had rather maintaine a false conceite wherewith it is once infected then renounce it though it bee reputed with neuer so good authority Therefore St. Paul holdeth such Incorigible and not to be deâ—lt withall who after the first and second admonition persist obstmate Tit. 3. and censureth them condemned euen by the verdict of their owne conscience He that seeth an imminent danger and runneth vpon
the Church doth beare Cusa lib. 6 Excâ—tâ—t yea though he command other things then he ought to doe vnreasonable obedience is the most sound and perfect obedience that is when you obey without asking a reason thereof as a beast obeyeth his master From whence you may gather that they repute you of the Laiâ—ie to be no better then brute beasts and therefore say they Pearles are not to be câ—st vnto them because they be swâ—ne nor holy things because they be dogges But you will obiect and say our Teachers are as learned and as iudicious as yours who are Protestants and therefore it is Obâ—ect likely that they should know the truth and consequently they would not teach vs falshood contrary to their owne knowledge and if so they should doe and we through simple credulity and obedience toward them as our Pastors should entertaine and beleeue it we are excused I answer that I confesse and know that many of the most learned of your Clergie who haue more curiously examined the Mysteries of Religion then your ordinary Scribleâ—s haue had the right knowledge and true vnderstanding in many points of faith and those fundamentall which is manifest in that they haue held many contradictions against the common Tenent of their Sinagogue their conscience vrging them to no lesse yet through feare they haue reuersed all with submission to their Sinagogues censure and partly for couetousnesse parâ—ly fearing they should lose the vaine glory of the world they haue hidden the truth and laboured by fraudulence to peruert the geâ—unie sense of the Scriptures Thus dealt the Scribes and Phariseas who did shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men vpon which words saith Chrysostome Math. 23. Chrysost aâ—ud Alâ—xand in desâ—r vitiorum lib. 6. cap. 79. Ex. homil 41. â—â—cris 〈◊〉 Christ would shew that the Priests of the Iewes did all for couetousnesse sake Who did certainely know the comming of Christ by the Scriptures But they considered that if Christ had bèene beleeued the custome of offering Sacrifices had beene extinct and the Sacrifice of righteousnesse had prâ—uailed and therefore by peruerâ—e interpretation they shut vp the Gate of the law and the Prophets against the people who spake manifestly of Christ his comming that they might seperate men from the faith of Christ fearing least happily if Christ were beleeued they should be defrauded of their Sacrâ—fices for they rather desired that the law continuing their Sacrifices should be in vse by which they were inriched And not God for when the law ceased the sacrifices of Righteousnesse should come in vse with which God is delighted and faithfull men are magnified The holy Scriptures are called the kingdome of heauen because the kingdome of heauen is laid vp in them The Gate is the faithfull vnderstanding of them the Preachers are the Porters vnto whose fidelity the word is committed to teach expound the Scriptures it followeth How did the Priests shut vp the Scriptures Aliud pro alio Interpretantes by expounding one Sense for another as where Esay saith Behold your God commeth with vengeance euen God with a recompence heâ— will come and saue you then shall the eyes of the blinde be lightened and the eares of the deafe be opened c. These should be the signes of the comming of Christ When as therefore afterward Christ did heale the dumbe and the deafe the Iewes out of a peruerse excogitation said This man casteth out deuils no otherwise but through Belzebub Math. 12 the Prince of Deuils That they might turne away the people from beleeuing in him or else they did shut vp the Gate of the truth when they made this Decree That if any called hâ—m the Sonne of God he should be cast out of their Synagâ—gue Vpon which words of St. Chrysostome a right learned and zealous Diuine who liued aboue 200. yeares since here in Alex. â—bisupraâ— England maketh this Inference of the like abuse practised by the Clergie of his time saying Sic modo Sacerdotes claudunt Ianuamveritatis sciunt enim quoniam si manifesta fuisset veritas corum Ecclesia non esset Thus doe the Priests in these dayes saith he shut vp the gate of the truth for they know that if the Truth were made manifest their Church should haue an end and they should fall from Priestly dignity to popular vility And this is the reason why they keepe the Laitie in grosse ignorance least they discerning the Truth should relinquish their damnable politicke heresies whereupon the ruine of Baal and his Epicurish Priests must ineuitably ensue For most of the substantiall and accidentall parts of their Religion is nought else but a fardell of blasphemous absurdities inuented by cousening mates to deceiue the simple people of their money as is manifest in those of Purgatory and Pardons of which saith one of your owne Writers Videnouâ— enim in dies quod ex spelunca indulgentiarum procedunt latrâ—res Ioh. Rawlins Sâ—â— quadragesâ—imalâ— 94. A. We see that theeues come out of the denne of pardons daily who preach false things vnto the people to drawe theiâ— money from them whâ— with their cunning wâ—t make a net to take â—lyes that is money The like complaint is made by theiâ— owne Writers concerning the Masse pecuniary satisfaction Reliques c. as vpon iustoccasion shall be deâ—lared But in this houre of theiâ—s and this power of darknesse what shall the people doe If the blinde shâ—ll follow these blinde guides they must fall with them into the ditâ—h Therefore our Lord hath forwarned what is to be done to preuent thiâ— danger where he speaketh of that Abominaticâ— of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet that should sit in Math â—2 the holy place by which he meaneth Antichrist and his Hâ—resies as the Current of the Fathers expound it hee annexeth an admonition in the words following Then let them that are in Indaea â—lye vnto the mountaines saith our Sauâ—our which words are thus expounded by the golden moâ—thed Chrysostome Idest qâ—â—i in Christianitate sunt sugiant ad Scripturas Hoâ—â—il 49. in Math c. That is let those who liue in Christs Church â—lye vnto the Scriptures The Mountaines signifie the writings of the Prophets and Apostles Our Lord knowing the confusion that was to enâ—ue in thâ— last dayes therefore commandeth that Christian men that beleeue in him and desire to be established in the true faith should be take themselues to nothing else but vnto the Scriptures otherwise if they haue regard vnto ought else they shall be offended and perish not vnderstanding what is the true Churâ—h Therefore if any one be deceiued in his Religion it commeth to passe through his owne negligence in the faith because he is carelesse to vnderstand the faith which is made manifest in the Scriptures and consequently is vnexcusable especially those who liue in such places where Gods word is presâ—nted vnto them but they shut vp their eyes against
Profecto qui veritatem pro pecunia negant Deum pro pecunia vendunt Surely they who denie the truth for money doe sell GOD for â—oâ—l cap. Abâ—â—t money If a man should through infirmity deny the truth as did Peter vpon such repentance hee might receiue pardon though God doth sildome graunt repentance vnto such wretches But if any one shall with Iudas and Balaam be seduced by couâ—tousnesse to betray the truth let him expect no other reward then befell those vnhappy Caitiues Vaevictis Woe vnto them that are ouercome by riches which perish who through feare shall deny the truth Timendo mortem carâ—iâ— tuae mortem dabis animae tuae by fearing thy flesh thou slayest August thy soule In which case our Sauiour commandeth his Disciples not to feare those who can kill the body vpon which words Chrysostâ—â—â— thus excellently reasoâ—eth Ne forte propter â—imorâ—m mortis non libere dicatis quod audistis least happily for Homil. 25. iâ— Math. feare of death you should not vtter that freely which you haue heard nor boldly preach vnto all men that which you heard in secret for as it is shewed by these words He onely is not a Traytor to the truth who transgressing against the truth doth speake a lye openly in stead of the truth But hee also who doth not vtter the truth freely which hee ought to vtter freely or doth not defend the truth freely which he ought to defend freely Such a one is a Traytor vnto the truth for as the Priest is bound to preach freely that truth which he heard of God So the Lay-man is bound faithfully to defend that truth which he hath heard of the Priests proued out of the Scriptures which if hee neglecteth to performe hee betrayeth the trueth for with the heart wee beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth wee confesse vnto Saluation And I doe adde this that euery dissembler in Religion is an offence vnto man and woe be vnto that man by whom the offence commeth in this kinde The Apostle saith wee must abstaine from all appearance of euill And it is the duty of euery good man so to order his actions that they breed no scandall to those who are without or to those who are apt to fall away But they who communicate with any Sect in the Sacraments of their Religion by that very action seeme to confirme their Religion and to draw other thereunto as much as in them lyeth whereas they should rather cry out against all heresie and seeke to bring them to the truth and thou by thy hypocrisie makest them to persist more obstinately in their errors and consequently thou art no Christian Heare what that holy Orthodoxall Bishop of Alexandria saith in his Epistle vnto the Clergy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. Concil Nic. part 1. apâ—d Cyzicen It is fit that we who are Christians should auoid all those who speak against Christ and hate him as the â—nemies of God corrupter of soules and not to say so much as God speed vnto such kinde of men as St. Iohn hath coÌ„manded vs vnlest we should in so doing coÌ„municate with them in their sins yea by so doing we should coÌ„firme them therein for they will say Why should wee forsake that Religion which the Protestants embrace with vs Whereas we are obliged to labour for their reformation and to winne them vnto the truth which happily may be effected when they shall behold vs to detest their sacred solemnities and to despise them as prophane trisles and then though they should not consent vnto our truth yet they may be ashamed of their owne falshood Some there are whose Religion consisteth herein that they doe not contradict the faith which is established be it neuer so false blasphemous and are slexible to all formes that are imposed on them because they haue not layde any foundation of the truth in themselues and this is the cause why they are so apt with Leonâ—das Mutari pro temporum ratione to change with the time Plutarch in Lacon The holy Ghost termeth such persons luke-warme whom hee speweth out of his mouth who with the Parasite in the Poet Apocalvps 3. Cry At s Aio Negas Nego play Protestant with one and Papist with another Saint Paul calleth them Men-pleasers Terent. which cannot please Christ. Galat 1. These make Religion a matter of indifference and hold the Academicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the best wisedome especially when in an Interregnum Religion hangeth Inter malleum et Incudeâ—â— as they say vpon the pleasure of the Prince and his Peeres as yet vnknowne to the party whether truth or falshood shall preuaile the losse of whose fauour they will not aduenture for conscience sake But let these wretches consider their iust censure by St. Augustine There are some saith he that are Christians for this cause only that they may thereby purchase the fauour of those Libâ— de Catechis â—ud cap. 17. persons of whom they expect temporall riches or because thâ—y will not offend those whom they doe feare Sed istireprobâ— suâ—t but such as are Râ—probates But whereunto may I liken this vaine generation They are like vnto the Reare-mouse in the Fabler which are most base and odious creatures It is doubtfull whether they be Gressible or volatle of whom it is recoâ—ded That disâ—â—rd being betweeâ—e the flying creatures and the â—ouâ—e footed beasts and the day of Battaile assigned The Rearemouse absented himselfe thereon of policie to obserue on what side the victory would betide that hee might ioyne with the Conquerour The Battaile being finished and many slaine and wounded on both parts the foure-footed beasts met with the Reare-mouse and cried out to apprehend him and to slay their Enemie The Rearemouse answered what say you my friends I am of your side and he shewed them his feete and so escaped And in like manner meeting with the Birds hee shewed them his wings and escaped accordingly Let these Ancipites temporum palpatores as Cyprian speaketh These doubtfull Lib. 2. Exempla 2. ad Donas Time-seruers and Dalliers in sundry Religions behold their basenesse in this creature and let them know that Facti sunt vespertiliones neque in muribus plane neque in volucribus sunt Varro in Agâ—thone They are become Monsters in Religion seeing they are of any and consequently of no Religion But let them know withall That God is not like vnto man that he will be mocked though mans eyes may be blinded his iudgement deceiued There is but one God one faith one truth and one Religion which is to be performed in Spirit and in truth Ephes 4. Ioh. 4. and such God requireth And all men are either members of Christ and such beleeue in heart and confesse with the mouth his Gospell or the members of Satan and such either openly impugne or secretly dissemble the Doctrine of the Gospel Betweene these two there is
Hypocrites Epicures Heretickes Pagans Idolatrers Libertines are in a damnable case and containeth an inuectiue against and admonition vnto all Newters who conforme themselues externally onely vnto diuers and contrary Religions as is Poperie and the Orthodoxall faith professed by the Protestants proouing them to bee Traytors to Christ and no better then Atheists who communicate outwardly with the Papists in their Religious Rites and seeme also to be Protestants in heart and affection with Saint Augustine his Censure of the forenamed for a Conclusion THE PREFACE VNTO the READER WEe are fallen vpon those times Christian Reader vnto which our Sauiour Christ had reference saying When the Sonne of man commeth shal he find faith on the earth Luk. â— By which Interrogation hee foretelleth the rarity of Faith paucity of Beleeuers which should be found in those dayes These are those times wherin as the Spirit spake manifestly some should depart from the Faith Tim. 4. For S. Hillaries Speech of the state of Religion in his time may fitly be applied to our age Tot nunc sides existum Lib. vâ—t ad Constant quot voluntates c. In these dayes there are as many Religions as wils of men as many Doctrines as there be maners insundry people as many causes of blasphemy sprout vp as there be Vices when Religions are so written to be or are so vnderstood and seeing there is one God one Lord one Baptisme so there should be one Faith only we are departed froÌ„ that faith which is the only Faith while more faiths are made we are come to this passe that there is no Faith For now too many imitate the Sampsaean Hereticks in their Religion of whom saith the Father they are Epiphan 〈◊〉 â— Tom. ◠〈◊〉 53. neither Christians nor Iewes nor Pagans sed medii simpliciter existentes nihil sunt but being a confused medley compounded of the former are of no Religion There are such among vs though not of vs who haue forged an opinion to deceiue their owâ—e Soules viz. That it auaileth not of what Sect or Religion soeuer a man be a Professor So that hee conceipt it to be good and pleasing vnto God so that euery such man shall be say these Nullisidians saued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 own Law or Sect if he obserue it and therfore they wil be neither Reformed Catholicks as are the Protestants neither Pseudo-Catholicks as are the Papists nor Anticatholicks as are all Hereticks but Diacatholicall Monsters as are all Newters consequently are priuatiuely Atheists hauing as much interest in God as they haue in Godlines whom though they professe with their mouth yet in their heart these fooles say there T it 1. Psal 14. is no God The occasion wherof I do ascribe principally vnto the Defect of Gods grace in such persons wherof they are worthily destitute wherewithall they should haue beene enlightened Secondly to their damnable grosse carelesse vnexcusable Ignorance into which they are plunged through Negligence wherby it commeth to passe that though they know God they worship him not as God but become vaine in their thoughts and haue their foolish hearts full of darknesse and not knowing the Truth cleane vnto their owne opinions thinking it sufficient to worship him according to their owne immaginations rather then to vse any requisite Inquisition to find out the truth imagining with the old Pagans That it is Gods desire by diuersity and disparity of opinions Socrat. Lib. 4. Eccles Hist cap. â—â— to illustrate his glory that therefore euery Sect might the more reuerence his Maiesty because that no man might readily know him accurately therefore they choose rather to wauer in doubtfull opinion which is alwayes vncertaine then to stand by faith and knowledge which confirmeth vnto Security Which pernicious pestilent and damnable error was first broached by that Sect among the Pagans who were termed Academicks or Septicks who held Gellius lib. 11. Nâ—ct 〈◊〉 Cap. 5. blâ—ssednesse to consist in the Inuestigation of the truth though they neuer attained to the Intention thereof but concluded all with doubtfull suspension of their Iudgement The Authors of which Sect are said to Galen lib de â—pâ— docâ—ndigeneâ—â— Staâ—â—â— in 〈◊〉 be Fauorinus and Pyrrho two ancient Philosophers from whom those Hereticks in the Primitiue Church drew their opinions that Tertullian might wâ—ll say Lib. â—duersâ—â— Hermogeneâ—â— that the Philosophers were Patriarchae Hereticorum the great Grandsires of Hereticks From their Pappes questionlesse Apâ—lles sucked that dangerous Position Non prorsus opus esse rationem Nicephâ—â—us lib. 4. Eccles Hist Cap 28. fidei inquirere sed in sua quemque persuasione perseuerare debere that it was a needlâ—sse matter to search into the reason of Faith and Religion but that euery one ought to persist in his own conceit perswasion From their Doctrine Rethorius and his Disciples in Aegypt and Alexandria deriued their most Hereticall Thiâ—asâ—er Cataogo Hares Heresie Qui omnes laudabat Hereses c. who praised all Heresies and said that euery mans seuerall opinion was good and that none among them all did erre but that they walked all well beleeued aright Hence drew Mahumedes Sergius that plausible tenent to flesh and blood that all Sects as Christians Alcâ—oran 〈◊〉 2 4 Turkes Iewes and Infidels may be saued in the obseruation of their owne Law though it be neuer so impure and sensuall which opinion is receiued and applauded by the Heard of Swinish Epicures who liue in any Religion or Sect whatsoeuer in these daies who accommodate themselues vnto that Religion which best relisheth their voluptuous pallate Wherefore because of the abundance of Luke-warme Newters who are infected with this execrable error in these dayes and sprout vp as Tares among the Wheate in most part of this and other Churches who by this meanes are destitute of all faith and Religion and in danger of vtter perdition if they be not firmely established in the true faith of Christ I haue thought it a Worke worthy my labour belonging vnto mine Office and Calling in the Church of Christ wherin I am a most vnworthy Minister and the least weakest among my Brethren while other who excell in many singular graces are through their Charitable conceit of men silent in this poynt and neglect it as needlesse altogether vnseasonable for these dayes wherein the bright light of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ hath dispelled the darksome and gloomy mists of Error Ignorance Heresie and Infidelity out of the hearts of all or most of the Inhabitants of this Land which I wish with longing desire were euen as their Charity presumeth which I do pray with feruent zeale that in short time it may be so effected through Gods grace and the strong operation of the Ministry of his Word which is able to mollifie the most obdurate heart to open the eyes of the blind to raise vp him that is plunged euen into the
the selfe saâ—e they beleeued hâ—e should come in the fulnesse of tiâ—e wee beleeue and are assured that he is come Therefore hee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first and the last the beginning Apocal. and the end So saith the Father Res ipsa quae nunc Christiana Religio August lib. 1. Retract nuÌ„cupatur erat apud antiquos c. That euery thing which is now called Christian Religion was in vse among the old Patriarchs Prophets neither did it cease to flourish from the Creation vntill Christ his comming in the flesh at which time immediately the Religion which at that time was began to bee called Christian And Christ said of Abraham that hee saw his day and reioyced And the Apostle said Ioh 8. 1 Corinth 10. that all the Fathers did eate the same spirituall meate and did drinke the same spirituall drinke because they were iustified by the same â—aith and Religion in Christ Wherein that man might walke more confidently and securely vnto the truth the truth himselfe being God euen the Sonne of God assuming our humanity not consuming his Diuinity did constitute and founded the same faith that there might be a way for Man vnto God by Man who was God for this is the Mediator betweene God and Man euen the Man Iâ—sus Christ Christ as hee is a Mediator is Man and the way to attaine vnto God Now if hee bee the middle way between him that walketh and the place vnto which he walketh there is hope of attaining vnto it But if you faile or bee ignorant of the way through which you must passe what auaileth it you if you know whither you must goe for Christ is the only strong most certain way against all errors He himâ—elfe being both God and Man Quo itur Deus qua itur homo God as the end at which we aime Man as the way by which wee passe This Christ God and Man spake first by the Prophets at length by himselfe afterward by his Apostles as much as hee thought to bee sufficient he made the Scripture also which is called Canonicall of most eminent authority the which wee doe verily firmely beleeue concerning those things whereof wee may not be ignorant neither are wee fit or able to know them of our selues In which is declared that inestimable benefit which Christ performed for vs. In dying as man for our Sinnes and rising vp as God for our Iustification and he that beleeueth so farre forth in Christ cannot bee damned This is the summe of the Gospell the joyfull message of mans Saluation All those who are ignorant heereof must faile in the true Religion by erring either about the Obiect and Substance when they worship not the true God or in the Manner in not beleeuing as they ought and in not giuing such worship as he requireth of mankinde And to this purpose the Apostles as some write collected out of the holy Scriptures an Epitome or briefe Summe of Christian Religion consisting of twelue Articles containing in them by way of Implication all such things as a Christian man is bound to know beleeue to his Soules health wherein is set forth the Essence Omnipotence and Goodnesse of God that man may know how and what worship to giue vnto God and what to belieue of him As that hee beleeue that God is three in Persons and One in Substance and Essence and that hee created all things of Nothing in time that the Sonne being the Second Person in the Trinity tooke our humanity wherein he gaue the Gospell suffered was buried and did rise againe from thâ— dead to saue man from eternall death And so Christian Religion presupposing such truth out of the Gospell doth adore God three Persons and the same One Creator and Redeâ—mer and giueth him thanks in the Eucharist in rememberance of his Passion and in Hymnes Psalmes and Prayers publike priuate giueth him thanks for all his Benefits receiued desiring future glory and that felicity which hee promised vnto man This is the Summâ— of Christian Faith which except a man beleeue faithfully firmâ—ly hee cannot be saued From hence I inferre that Iewes Mahumetans and Infidels doe not worship God aright because they haue not the true faith For first they doe not worship nor beleeue the true God for they deny the Trinity in Vnity they deny the Article of Mans Redemption the Incarnation of the Sonne of God his Passion and Resurrection and consequently they intend to worship one God who is not three in persons nor Incarnate But there is no such God therefore they worship no God To this purpose Augustine spake properly Quis quis Quâ—stio super 〈…〉 6. Cap. 26. talem cogitat Deum quaâ—ts non est Deus alienum Deuâ— vtique falsum in cogitatione portat whosoeuer thinketh God to be such a one as he is not carrieth in his thought a strange and a false God The like Censure may be iustly passed against Hereticks for no man dying in such Heresie which is detractory from the glory of our Head Christ Iesus such as are most of the learned Papists if their Faith be agreeable to their Writings can be saued This may seeme rough doctrine to Men pleasers They confesse the Iewes because of their obstinate Incredulity the Turkes because of their prophane Impiety the Pagans because of their absurd Idolatry are out of all hope of Saluation if so they persist But the Papists who confesse professe and worship Godâ— and his Christ are in a farre different state from the former because they retaine some worship of Christ though it bee not so exact and perfect in truth as Gods word requireth I answere All the Impiety that euer was among the Gentiles was but a Deprauation of the true worship of God Saint Paul saith of them that They withheld the truth in vnrighteousnes He said not as one noteth that they had not the Rom 〈◊〉 Sedulis Ibid. truth but that they withheld the truth which they knew in vnrighteousnesse for they detained the truth of the Name of God in the vnrighteousnesse of the vnworthy matter of Idols And another doth most plainly illustrate this poynt vpon Theopâ—ylact the same words saying that the truth it selfe or the knowledge of God were from the beginning infused into men The heathen withheld the truth knowledge in vnrighteousnesse that is they depraued it as much as they could when they translated the glory of God to their Idols neither did they otherwise then they who hauing receiued money to be spent on the honour of the Emperour consume it vpon theeues and Harlots whom all men will confesse to deale iniuriously with the Maiesty of the Emperour Thus dealt the Pagans with God as Origen doth exemplifie Lib. contra celsum in the Egyptians who saith hee erected magnificent Temples pleasant groues stately Porches and Galleries admirable Chappels curiously vaulted vbi
should be bound to doe against the law when as the law bindeth to the performance of it So that a man should be bound at the selfe same time Ad opposita incompossibilia two contraries which cannot stand together which is a grosse absurdity Therefore an Erroneous Conscience is bound to depose his error not by the bond of Conscience which doth imitate this because it is thought not to erre but by the bond of Gods Praecept which saith Ne demoreris in errore Abide not thou in Eccluss 17. thine error Neither doth God accept the Obligation made by an â—rroneous Conscience for as the Schooleman saith Nullus debet â—acere Durand 2. sent dist 39. q. 5. quod illicitum est fieri No man ought to doe that which is vnlawfull to be done therefore that which is vnlawfull cannot abide But an erroneous Conscience doth intimate that to be Bonav vbi supra done which is vnlawfull therfore it cannot binde But in such Conscientia ipsa peccatum est Such a Conscience it selfe is Sin For who doubteth that a man is not bound to follow his Conscience when it vrgeth to that which is against Gods law and howsoeuer it be true that Conscientia est lex Intellectus â—ostri the Conscience is the law of the vnderstanding yet it is not the Supreme law for there is an other law aboue it viz. The law of God and therefore when it is said The law bindeth vs vnto all whereof it doth informe vs it is true as long as this Inferiour law informeth vs nothing that is contrary to the Superiour law which the Conscience often doth but indeed such is no Conscience but a meere error of phantasie Rightly said Augustine Inferioris potestatis praeceptum non obligat si contrarium sit praecepto potestatis Superâ—ores c. De verb. Dom. Sâ—r. 6. The command of an inferiour power doth not binde if it bee contrary to the command of an higher power as if the Deputy should command something which the Emperour should controule When therefore the Conscience erring doth intimate any thing contrary to the Precepts of God whose power is principall and aboue all that information of the Conscience so erring cannot binde a man neither is it any Obligation which I proue thus The true knowledge only of a thing doth not take away the obligation but doth rather strengthen conâ—irm it but the true knowledge of that which an erronious conscience doth intimate doth take away the obligation therefore there was no obâ—â—gation by an â—rronious Conscience you may see it plainely in this subsequent example God commanded Abraham to offer vp his Sonne Isaac Gen. 2â— But when he obediently stretched out his hand to offer him vp God commanded the contrary and so the second Commandement repealed the former But the Conscience doth not binde more firmely then the Commandement of God therefore the commandement of God doth make voide the conscience that is against the same and consequently a man in such a case is not bound to follow an erronious conscience For Conscience doth not binde by its owne immediate power but In virtute praecepti divini by the strength of Gods Aquin. 2. Sent. dist 39. law for it propoundeth not any thing to be performed or noâ— performed because it approueth or improueth it but as it is commanded or prohibited by God and therefore one calleth it aptly Praeconem legis the proclaimer of the Lawe which â—â—el Sup. 2. Sent dist 39. sheweth vnto vs Dictamina legis the Prescripts of the Law and so it bindeth by the Authority of the Law which it doth insinuate vnto vs. As the Iudges officer doth binde him vnto whom he doth declare the Mandate of the Iudge not by his owne power but by vertue of the Iudges Mandate but no man is bound by any precept any farther then by the knowledge of that precept vnlesse he be bound to know the Precept vnto which euery man is bound without excuse And therefore saith one As a Lampe is placed in the middest Alv. Pelag. de planctu Ecclâ—s of the house that those things may be seene which are in the house and that the Inhabitants may discerne whither to goe and what to doe So God placed the Conscience in the middest of the reasonable Soule as a light by which he may discerne what he ought to doe or leaue vndone And so the bond of Gods Law and of the Conscience is the selfesame Seeing the Law bindeth but by the Mediation of Knowledge and Knowledge bindeth but by the strength of the Law So that seeing Conscience is but the application of knowledge vnto an Act it followeth that Conscience doth binde by the vertue of Gods Law and consequently whosoeuer doth make profession of such a Religion whereof he is wholly ignorâ—nt is destitute of conscience therein for the Subiect of Conscience is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing knowne He therefore that will not be deceaued by his Conscience must rectifie the same to the Square of Gods word which is the Truth whereof hee must not be ignorant for Vbi non est Scientia nec conscientia Hug. de Sanct. vict in â—nnot Elucid ad cap. â— ad Rom. And for this cause they delude themselues who stand so much on their Conscience in professing such a Religion whereof they are wholly ignorant for Conscience must bee conformable to the lawe of God and therefore to make Conscience of such a Religion which is contrary to the Lawe is to vse his Conscience as a Seale of his owne condemnation I approue the iudgement of Aquinas who saith that a conscience that doth erre doth not excuse in those things Quae secundum se mala sunt c. which in themselues are euill and Quod lib. 3. quaest 6. art 5. vndoubtedly against the law of God neither doth it excuse in those things which a man might know Faciendo debitam diligentiam if he did vse requisite diligence which if he would doe by prayer vnto God by examining his Conscience and by consulting with the Godly learned and iudicious we may beleeue that God would enlighten him Therefore the case of many of our English Papists is to be lamented and especially of those who from their infancie haue beene trained vp by their friends in Idolatry for by reason of their long continuance therein they will beleeue none that reueale their danger vnto them but are like vnto those who often feed on poyson and feele not the offence of it So they hauing beene the time of their whole life brought vp in heresie think all is safe vntil they be preuented with destruction they think that howsoeuer the Religion be false yet their conscience is a sufficient warrant vnto them against all danger thereby ensuing which if it were true then the Infidels should neuer be iudged for their vnbeliefe nor the Iewes for crucifying Christ our Sauiour but they wanted remorce of conscience and
yet were not without sinne no more are the Papists In the person of whom Paul speaketh saying I knowe nothing 1 Cor. â— by my selfe and yet am I not thereby iustified Neither is it to any purpose that they say My Conscience doth not iudge mee to bee culpable but contrarily doth iudge me to be in the right way for I say this iudgement is erroneous and therefore is condemned by the highest Iudge and if their conscience be their chiefe booke wherein they learne that which they will retaine without instability they must know that they are bound to correct the Booke of their Conscience if it be corrupted by comparing it and correcting it by the true Booke of the Generation of Iesus Christ which is the word of God The neglect whereof is the chiefe cause of the retardation from conuersion of our Pseudo-Catholiques who hauing studied their whole time in the false and vncorrected booke of their owne conscience wherein they finde nothing but falsehoods yet refuse to trie and examine their Religion by the word of God but make ignorance their deuotion like those Hereticks called Gnosimachi Damascen lib. dâ— 100. hâ—râ—s 88. Who prohibiting all knowledge in Christianity taught That they who sought after knowledge in the holy Scriptures Suparfluum quid faciunt tooke in hand a needlesse labour for they said that God required nothing but good deedes of Christians and that therefore it is best for Christians to walke plainely and not to search after the knowledge of any articles of Religion But if you doe obiect that it is dangerous for you being an ignorant Layman to looke into the Mysteries of Faith whereof you are not able to iudge but that it is more safe for you to beleeue in generall as the Church doth though you doe not know any of the particulars I say vnto you with the Father you are deceaued in your opinion for Tutior est Affectus vera quaerendi quam Incognita procognitis praesumendâ— The desire to seeke the Truth is more safe then that a man should presume oâ— things vnknowne insteed of things which hee is bound to know And farther I say with the golden Father If thou wouldest Hoâ—il 44. â—ap 23. Nath. go vnto any place vnto which thou diddest not know the right way to gaine some great necessary commodity thou wouldest not neglect thy iourney because of thy ignorance of thy way but thou wouldest enquire after cunning guides and learne the direct path of them So if thou wilt learne the way to heauen thou must pray vnto God thou must reade the Scriptures thou must enquire of those Priests who are the Porters vnto the Scriptures But if thou wilfully refuse this meanes thy case is desperate because thou louest darkenesse more then light for as he that plucketh out his owne eyes can neuer recouer his sight so he that hateth the knowne truth Ex malitia cannot possibly repent for the Spirit of truth is the light of our soule but if our eye be euill the whole body must needes be darke If thou sayest thou doest not hate the truth but art not able to discerne it I answer this argueth naturall blindenesse of thy soule for the light discouereth the differencâ—s of obiects vnto him that can see which is wholy vnprofitable vnto the blinde pray therefore vnto God that hee would bring thee out of that darkenesse of Aegypt and that he would open thine eyes that thou mayest behold the wonderfull things of his Lawes and that hee would giue thee a wise and vnderstanding heart Then shouldest thou behold the slauery of Aegypt and tyrannie of Pharaoh which in that time of palpable darkenesse thou couldest not Exod. 10. Prou. 2. see But when wisedome entereth into thine heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule then shall counsell preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee and deliuer thee from the euill way and from the man that speaketh froward things that is Antichrist and from them that leauâ— the wayes of righteousnesse to walke in the wayes of darkenesse CHAP. 5. Answereth Obiections made from the diuine Philanthropy or loue of God vnto mankinde who say they will not condemne vnto euerlasting death such infinite multitudes of people who die in infidelity and Heresie and saue but only a fewe true beleeuing Christians where is plainely proued also that very few in respect of those who are to beâ— damned shall be saued ANother Reason which is the last and of greatest moment is a certaine blinde kinde of pitty whereby such persons become impious against God and while they thinke otherwise of God then the truth is they offend against the Truth and this is drawne from the Diuine Philanthropy or loue of God vnto man they demand how Gods mercy should elect so few vnto Saluation and forsake so many vnto damnation especially seeing he is more prone to saue then to condemne or that his Mercy is not lesse to take pitty and to pardon then his Iustice to reuenge and punish They say it standeth not with the goodnesse of God to be cruell against his creatures and that hee should suffer any of those whom he hath made to perish And thus while they thinke They honour his goodnesse they offend his Truth From whence they conclude that the immensity of Gods mercy and goodnesse is such that he will saue euery man in his owne faith law sect or religion if so be he beleeue the same to be good and pleasing vnto God They argue farther That it is a great presumption to suppose that a fewe Christians should thinke themselues only to be saued the whole remaining multitude of euill Christians which farre exceede the good in number beside Iewes Saracens and Pagans being cast off to destruction Doth it stand with Gods Maiestie who is Lord of heauen and earth to haue moe slaues then freemen more adiudged to torments then faithfull Subiects Why should the mercifull God create so great a multitude of those to be damned and not rather saue them I would haue these men to know that Qui puis fuit vt non existentia crearet Iustus est vt errantia et Hugo de Sancto Vict. lib. 1. de Sacram. part 8. cap. 5. delinquentia Indiceâ— As God is mercifull in creating those who before had no being So hee is iust to punish them that eâ—re and offend against him It is certaine that hee created them out of the riches of his goodnesse and bestowed many great guifts on them freely But hee neuer punished any without their most iust desert Whence it appeareth that the Iustice of God is the efficient cause of their damnation but their owne euill deserts are as it were the materiall and meritorious cause of their perdition But that there are so many damned and so few which are and shall be saued is caused partly by the Iustice of God partly through want of disposition in Man to receiue and entertaine Gods mercy Therefore whereas some doe reason
man but that he would haue him saued but that there is none saued but hee whom he would haue saued And Fulgentius accordeth All those whom God would haue Lib. de Incâ—â—n Chri. cap. 31. saued are doubtlesse saued neither can any be saued but those whom God would haue saued Neither is there any whom God would haue saued who is not saued because our God hath done whatsoeuer hee would Ipsi omnes vtique salui sunt quos â—mnes vult saluos fieri c. Those All therefore are saued which All God would haue saued because this saluation commeth vnto them not by the will of Man but is giuen them by the good will of God and presently after he saith In these All men whom God would haue saued Non totum omnino genus significatur hominum sed oâ—nium vniuersitas saluandorum All mankinde in generall is not signified but the whole number onely of those that are to be saued who are therefore called All because among all mankinde Gods goodnes saueth those all that is some of â—uery Nation condition age language and Prouince In which last words he answereth the obiections made form the Generality of the Terme All men vnto which we will annex the common distinction of the Schoolemen for farther explanation of the obscurity Wee must therefore consider the manner of distribution according as the Vniuersall terme importeth which must not bee Dâ—rand Super. 2. Sent. dist 46. q. 1. vnderstood pro singulis generum for euery singular and indiuiduall person of euery Nation sex and condition but pro generibus singulorum with restraint of distribution for all sorts of people some of euery kinde Kings and priuate men noble and base high and lowe learned and vnlearned strong and weake witty and dull wise and foolish rich and poore men and women Infants and children youth manhood declining age olde age some of all languages manners wils consciences and if there be any other difference of men This phrase is familiar to the holy Scriptures often to name All and yet not to vnderstand All mankinde As in that speech of Peter vnto the Iewes For the promise is made vnto you and Act. 2. to your children and vnto all that are a farre off euen as many as the Lord our God shall call He nameth All But those All are but as many as the Lord shall call In another place we finde a plaine distinction of All where the Apostle naming all men without exception presently after doth intimate a certaine kinde of All men excepting others for Rom. 5. 18. he saith At by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation So by the iustifying of one the beâ—efit abounded toward all men to the iustification of life Because therefore the Apostle saith the fault came on all men to condemnation and the benefit toward all men to iustification Shall we beleeue that therefore all and euery one of those men were iustified by Christ who were certainely in the state of damnation by Adamâ— sinne whereas the death of innumerable Infidels doe disproue it who haue passed out of this life without the grace of Iustification and being destitute of the Sacrament of Baptisme are carried to the Seate of death and endlesse torments It followeth therefore that we should not thinke that all those whom the Apostle placeth in condemnation should passe vnto the Grace of Iustification but Some of those all So that all those All who by Adam came vnto condemnation are the children of wrath and of them Some by Christ are All made the children of Grace neither doth the Generality of the former exclude the place of the other because of those All who Generally dyed in Adam Christ quickned Some euen whom he pleased which All in the next verse are said to be Many Another Obiection is made out of these words God hath Rom. 11. Lib. 21. de Ciâ—it dei cap. 21. shut vp all in vnbeleefe that he might haue mercy on all St Augustine answereth it thus Quid est omnium What meaneth the Apostle by saying that he might haue mercy on all men That is that God will not condemne any one of those either of the Gentiles or of the Iewâ—s whom â—e had predestinated called iustified glorified not meaning all men in generall So that there is an Ambiguity in the Tearme All which being vnderstood as aboue is declared discouereth the error Others say that howsoeuer the Diuell and his Angels Infidels Turkes Iewes be damned yet whosoeuer haue participated of the Sacraments of Christianitie let them liue how they please in any heresie or impietie yet they shall be saued which is plainely contradicted by the Apostle who sendeth them together empty away saying The workes of the flesh Gal. 5. are manifest which are Adultery Fornication Vncleanenesse Wantonnesse Idolatrie Wâ—tchcraft hatred debate Emulations Wrath Contentions Seditions Heresies Enuie Murthers Drunkennesse Gluttony and such like whereof I tell you before as I also haue told you before that they which doe such things shall not inherite the kingdome of Heauen Either the Apostles saying is false or else such shall not inherit the kingdome of heauen but because it is not false surely they shall not possesse the kingdome of God if they shall not possesse the kingdome of God they shall goe into euerlasting torments The Church maketh a difference betweene the Hereticke and the Orthodoxall Christian who liueth wickedly The first depart out of the Church the other liue wickedly in the Church The first oppugne the Doctrine of the Church the other the discipline The first are compared to Tares the second to chaffe the first to rauening Wolues the other to diseased Sheepe The one disputeth against the faith the other liueth against the faith and both are deceaued with a vaine hope and are seperated from spiritual charity and strangers from the Body of Christ From whence I gather that their hope is confounded who liuing in a false Religion presume neuerthelesse that they shall be saued because such is the loue of God to his creatures that he will not destroy such infinite number of people who die in the same Let not therefore the Infidel deceiue himselfe with confidence in his Morall vertues Nor the Hereticke trust to his good Meaning and erroneous conscience nor the Newter or Time-seruer presume on the Philanthropy of God to runne for company to Hell with multitudes But let them know and beleeue that both themselues and those also who shall soothe them with that vaine hope Humaâ—a quadam Beneuolentia falluntur are deceiued by a kinde of humane fauour toward Mankinde CHAP. 6. Proueth from the Nature and Attributes of God that Atheists Hypoctites Epicures Hereticks Pagans Idolaters Libertines are in a damnable case and containeth an Inuectiue against an admonition vnto all Newters who conâ—orme themselues externally only vnto diuers and contrary Religions as is Popery and the Orthodoxall faith professed by the Protestants
prouing them to be traitors to Christ and no better then Atheists who communicate outwardly with the Papists in their Religious Rites and seeme also to bee Protestants in heart and affection with St. Augustine his Censure of the forenamed for a conclusion THere is a God and the same is the most Omnipotent Lord of heaâ—en and earth and all things therein contained and therefore he will be worshiped by man though Atheists deny him He is a Spirit and therefore he requireth true and vnfeigned deuotion though Hipocrites dissemble it Hee is holy and requirâ—th Sanctâ—ty in his seruants though Epicures neglect it He is Truth and therefore he will be Worshipped in truth though Heretiâ—ks depraue it Hee only is God and there is No other God beside him though Pagans doe multiply And therefore he claimeth all worship to be done vnto him alone though Idolaters translate it He is the Law-giuer and hath prescribed what worship he requireth of vs From which he will not haue vs to decline either to the right hand or to the left though Libertines Newters or to giue them their proper denomination Nullisidians doe diuersty vary who thinke God is satisfied with any kinde of worship and that man for this cause is safe in what Religion soeuer he liueth or dyeth and might shape himselfe vnto seuerall Religions though neuer so different if they did not directly deny God The which damnable opinion proceedeth from palpable and grosse ignorance in the true faith and is like vnto that error of the Pagans who by Symachus their Ambassadour required of Valeatinian the Emperour that their Idolatry might bee restored and maintained as well as Christâ—anity for that worshiping of many Gods saith he is the best meanes to finde out the true God Thus he speaketh in the Christian Poet Secretum sed grande nequit rationis opertae Prudent lib. 2. contra Symachiâ—n Quâ—ri aliter quam si sparsis via multiplicetur Tramitibus centenos terat orbita calles Quâ— situra deum variata indage latentem The great secret of the hidden Mistery of the truth cannot be otherwise sought out then by diuiding the way into diuers pathes and without wheeling about seuerall courses thus is God best sought who lyeth hidden in variety of Mazes For as those Pagans not knowing the only true God did therefore addict themselues to worship many Gods that therby they might attaine to the knowledge of the great secret Mystery of the true Religion as they supposed So Newters being ignorant of the true saith betake themselues to sundry Sects and Religions and thinke that to be the safest meanes to become secure of Saluation But as the prudent Poet saith Longe aliud verum est c. The contrary is true for diuersity of wayes hath diuers creckes and causeth to goe astray more dangerously the plaine way only is without error being without turnings and doubtfull vnknowne by-wayes for as there is but one Maker and Gouernour of this world which is God and but one Truth So there can be but one simple Religion because whatsoeuer is true and good cannot be perfect vnlesse it be singular And in vaine doe Newters hope by their various practise to be saued for Dubius in fide Infidelis est Vacillation argueth Extrade Haeret cap. Dubiâ—s Symbol Infidelity Whosoeuer doth not beleeue the Catholike faith Firâ—iter fideliterque saith Athanasius faithfully and constantly he cannot be saued The state of such persons who through doubt being perplexed in case of Religion and therefore embrace all and consequently are voyd of â—ny faith is most elegantly described by Vincâ—ntiuâ— Lyrineusis as followeth Et revâ—râ— cum quaequâ— Nouitaâ— ebullit statim cernitur frumentorum gravitas Leuitaâ— palearum c. Lib. cont hâ—râ— cap. 25. And in very deed when any Nouelty ariseth the solid weighty corne is presently discerned from the light Chaffe then that is cast from the floore without any great labour which had no weighty substance to keepe it within the floore for some flye away wholly out of hand some are shooke off only and feare to perish and are ashamed to returne being wounded halfe dead and halfe aliue like those who haue dranke such a quantity of poyson which doth neither kill nor will be digested nor cause death nor suffer to liue O miserable condition with how great and furious stormes of cares are they touzed Sometimes they are rapt by an headlong error whither the winde will driue them sometime returning vnto themselues they slide backe againe like contrary waues one while through rash presumption they approue things vncertaine another while through foolish feare they are afraid at those things which are certaine They doubting which way to goe whither to returne what to desire what to shun what to hold what to let goe Hitherto Vincentius Such as these are too many who carry the Title of Christians in most Churches they will not approue the Religion of the Reformed Church nor that of the Papists neither will they reiect them but as a learned and religious Diuine of our Church Mr. White Epla dedicaâ— ad lib. said They being ignorant and vnderstanding nothing but liuing voide of the knowledge and conscience of all Relgion are possible of his minde that Turonensis writeth of who said that it was best of all if both the one and the other were followed neither were it any hurt Si inter Gentilium aras Dei Ecclesiam quis transiens vtraque veneretur if going betweene the Alters of the Pagans and the Church of God a man should giue honour vnto both Whereas the saying of an Antient is most true concluding the contrary in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoder Prâ—sbiâ—er lib. de Incarâ—â—â— Do◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For it is not possible that a meane betweene Truth and falsehood should be found or conceipted for the truth is alwaies in the middest and neuer declineth from thence and therefore is firme and euen on all sides and straite and doth not suffer any thing that is diuerse which may make it crooked or thrust it out of its owne state or constancy Such wauexers are no Belâ—euers for Faith is Certitudo quaedam Hâ—go de Sarcto Vict lib. 1. de Saâ—râ—â—â— art 8. caâ— 1. anâ—m c. A kinde of certainty of the minde of things abâ—ent about Opinion and bâ—neath Knowledgâ— it is called a Certainty Quia vbi est adbuc dâ—bitatio sides non est Becausâ— where doubting remaineth there is no faith for Faith consisteth in two things Knowledge and Affection or Constancy or stability of beliefe The Substance oâ— Faith is in the Affection the matter is in Knowledge which knowledge may be wholly without Faith But â—aith cannot bee without some Knowledge because he that heareth any thing and doth not vnderstand doth not alwaies beleeue but he that doth vnderstand nothiâ—g doth beleeue nothing although he may sometime bâ—lâ—eue that which he doth not vnderstand
Beloued dishonoured but with strong zeale thou wouldest rise vp in the spirit of Elias against Baalâ— false Prophets thou wouldest bee delighted to heare him speake vnto thee and likewise to speake thy selfe vnto him for by this mutuall conâ—â—rence Louers doe vsually take experiment of their affections one toward another which loue cannot keepe silent Mos enim amantium est vt amorem suum silentio tegere non queant If thou doest delight Châ—ysoâ—t in reading or hearing Gods word and in holy prayer the conference is acted then is it vnpossible that thou shouldest be seduced or alienated if thou once art gone out to Gods Enemies thou diddest neuer truly loue him neither diddest thou euer conuerse with him otherwise then did Iudas that childe of perdition And if thou diddest loue God truly thou wouldest expresse thy loue in performing all manner of Offices to himselfe and Greg. hoâ—nil sâ—per haec verba Si quis diligit â—e his seruants which he requireth for loue is neuer idle if it be true it acteth great things if it refuse to workâ— it is no loue Probatiâ— dilectionis exhibitio est operis The triall of loue is performance of needfull Offices But no Newter hath any loue vnto GOD and consequently abideth in death they regard onely the present temporall things of this life and neuer contemplate those things which are to come in the next life and though they doe by custome receiue the Sacraments of Christianity with the rest of the faithfull yet they neuer consider why a man is a Christian or what hope a Christian hath in expectation of future blessednesse These men though they haue the name and tytle of faithfull Beleeuers yet indeede and truth they are voyde of â—aith and may bee called Christians rather Consuetâ—dine viuendi quam virtute credendi from their outward conformity then from any inward Hâ—gâ— lib. 1. de Sacâ—am â—aâ—t 8. cap. 3. faith that is in them as an Ancient saith If they did verily beleeue in Christ they would neuer ioyne themselues with Heretickes But they will say howsoeuer they doe make shew outwardly to the Papists that they are of their Religion and dâ—test the Protestants yet in heart affection they persist in the reformed Church and God desireth to be worshipped in spirit I aunswere that God doth condemne as much the dissimulation as the Adoration and thou doest as much abuse God in the one as in the other Heare what the ancient Canon saith He doth not deny Christ onely that saith hee is not Christ Sed â—â— q. 3. cap. Nonsolum â—lle etiam qui cum sit negat se esse Christianum but hee denieth Christ also who being a Christian denieth himselfe to be a Christian Such are iniurious to God and man as Vstazanes the Eâ—nuch confessed vnto Sapores King of Persia who hauing to Sozomâ—â— lâ—b â— â—cclâ—s â—ist cap. 3. please the King adored the Sunne being bitterly reproued by Symeones Bishop of Sileucia as he passed by him vnto prison for his instability lamented his hypocrisie and acknowledged to the King that he worshipped the Sunne but in shew only to gratifie him So that hee deserued death for either causâ— Tum quod Christi proditorem tum quod veteratorem erga te meipsum osteâ—derim both because I haue played the Traytor with Christ and the dissembler with thee It is a meere mocâ—ery of God contrary to the confession of his name and faith which he so earnestly enioyneth and exacteth of all his Disciples and followers that they confesse him that they be not ashamed of his words you shall be witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem and in all Iury and Samaria and vnto the ends of the world Art thou not ashamed of Christ his word when that thou mayest retaine their fauour without which happily thou sayest thou canst not liue for want of temporall maintenance thou wilt associate them by verball approbation and corporail conformation in acting those things which are idolatrous If thou art a Christian maintaine the Truth of Christ if thou art ashamed of him thou hast forsaken him Thou seemest to beleeue in heart vnto righteousnesse and yet notwithstanding thou may est hauâ— lâ—st Christ for with the mouth wee confesse Rom. 10. him vnto saluation If therefore thou wilt be a Christian confesse Christs truth in the sight of men be not ashamed of thy hope as Christ liueth in thy heart so let him dwell in thy mouth And for this cause saith Augustine would Christ haue his signe fixed in our forâ—heads as it were in the seate of shamefastnesse Ne Christi opprobrio Christianus â—rubescat That the Christian should neuer be ashamed of Christ crucified Sup. â—saâ— 31. And that God exacteth this outward confession it is plainly euident by the practise of Saints in all ages In the olde Testament the example of Sydrach Misach and Abâ—dnego maketh it manifest who refused to giue so much Dan. 3. as an externall assent to that superstition which Nabuchodonozer had erected declaring that by no meanes they would worship his Idols In the new Testament No man will deny but that the Apostle Peter had one thing in his heart and another thing in his mouth when he denied his Master In which deniall hee kept the trâ—th inwaâ—dly and vttered a lye outwardly Now if it had beene sufficient to his soluation to hauâ— beleeued in heart why did hee with teâ—â—es wash away that deniall with his mouth was it not because hee saw hee had brought himselfe into great danger of dâ—struction because that as hee beleeued with the heart vnto â—ighteousnesse hee did not likewise confesse with the moâ—th vnto Saluation And yet thou sayest it is sufficient to worship God in heart and minde But say we should grant so much yea we denie it not if so be the heart be not double for where there is true integrity of minde the body will neuer bee drawne to the contrary part I demaund therefore of such persons who externally communicate with their Lords in the Rites of Popery are they not caried thereunto by an inward motion of the minde which stirreth vp their body to present it selfe in those places where such execâ—able blasphemy is committed whereby it is plaine that they haue an inward desire to commit Idolatry and that chiefly for this cause that they may shape themselues to their will and opinion who are enemies vnto the truth To the end that herein they may gratifie them preferring their fauour and their owne priuate maintenance before the honour and loue of God whereas Melius est pro veritatâ— pati supplicium quam pro Adulatione beneficium It is better to suffer 11. q. 3. cap. Nâ—mo punishment for defence of the Truth then to receiue a reward for flattery Many detest Iudas his villany for selling his Lord and Master for money and yet feare not to practise the same action and therefore they are culpable of the same sinne