considered meaning in the question of English Catholiks going to the Church al these points which haue beene disputed of on both sides but reiecting and wholely abandoning al the reasons alleadged for the affirmatiue part to wit to proue that it was lawfull for Catholikes to go to the Church of Heretikes I doe adhere to the more sound and later opinion which anciently was receaued of the Catholike Church and allowed by vse and custome That is that it is not lawfull for pious and godly men so to do and I intreate desire all our English Catholikes to embrace this my opinion and iudgment Caesar Cardinall Baronius Priest of the title of the Church of S. Nereus and Achilleus The iudgement of Cardinall Bellarmine Consideratis rationibus pro vtraque parte allatis existimo non licere viris Catholicis in Anglia Haereticorum adire Ecclesias multo minus concionibus ipsorum interesse minime autem omnium cum ipsis in praecibus vel psalmodia alijsque ipsorum Ecclesiasticis ritibus cōuenire Ideo propria manu subscripsi Robertus Bellarminus Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbiter Cardinal tit Sanctae Mariae in via Thus in English The reasons brought vpon both sides considered to wit touching the lawfullnes or vnlawfullnes of the English Catholikes going to the Protestants church I am persuaded that it is not lawfull for English Catholikes to go to the Church of Heretiks much lesse to be present at their sermons but least of al to communicate with them in prayers or singing of psalmes and other their Ecclesiasticall rites and customes And therefore this my iudgment heerin I haue subscribed with my owne hand Robert Bellarmine Priest Cardinall of the holy Romā Church of the title of Sanctae Mariae in via The sentence of Mutius Vitellescus then Prouinciall now generall and head of the order of the Iesuits Vidi rationes quae in hoc scripto pro vtraque parte afferunt existimo non licere viris Catholicis in Anglia Ecclesias Haereticorum adire c. puto hoc debere esse extra conuersiam Mutius Vitellescus Prouincialis Rom. Societatis Iesu In English I haue seene the reasons which are alledged in this booke or writing on both parts touching the going or not going to the Protestants church and I am of opinion that it is not lawfull for Catholikes in England to goe to the churches of Heretiks And I am perswaded that this point ought to be out of all controuersie Mutius Vitellescus Prouinciall of the Society of Iesus in Rome 4. And thus farre touching the sentences of these three learned men deliuered in warranting the doctrine of recusancy in Catholikes Now to turne our eye vpon the premises if the going to the Church of another Religion only for auoyding of temporall losses but to heare a sermon of the said Religion be to be accounted a sinne not to be done vnder paine of damnation as being presumed to be an externall conformity to a false Religion as by all the former testimonyes aboue alleadged is plentifully proued though the party so offending may perhaps beleeue al points truly of Christian Religion with what reason thē can it be warranted that both Catholikes Protestants conspiring only in the fundamētal points of the Trinity Incarnation Passion c. but differing mainly in all other points of Religion yet neuerthelesse promiscuously communicating one with another in prayers and the Sacraments can all ioyntly be saued And the rather seeing that both sides teaching contrary and irreconciliable doctrines touching Freewil Purgatory Praying to Saints c. It must needes follow that the one part defendeth not matters of indifferency as is commonly supposed but iniustifiable errours or rather to speake as the truth is manifest and grosse heresie The same proued from the writings of Catholikes and Protestants wherin they reciprocally charge one another with heresy As also from the Insurrections warres and Rebellions originally vndertaken only for Religion CHAP. XIII IF there were no other reason to be alleadged in disprouffe and confutation of this plurality of Religions so to tearme it then this following it might seeme fully preuayling in all cleare iudgments not wholely darkened with the mist of earthly and temporal respects First the wonderfull and ireconcileable booke-warrs betwene Catholikes and Protestants wholely vndertaken in defence of their seuerall Religions Secondly the pressures and calamities with which diuers stats Countreys do afflict other states as also the Insurrection of subiects against their naturall Princes only for difference of Religion not contayning themselues till they burst out into open hostility and armes for defending their owne Religion and subuerting of the others 2. Touching the first good God how many learned men on all sides since the first Apostasy of Luther haue spent their whole time and al their seruiceable yeares in wryting disputing preaching in defence of their owne Religion impugning of the aduersaries accounting the maintainers and beleiuers therof as heretikes and pronouncing eternal damnation against their Religion Witnesses hereof are the libraries of al the famous Vniuersities of Christendome the Stationers shoppes in all great Citties and lastly the yearely Mart of books returned these many years from Franckefort And is it possible that so much paines trauaile and labour of writing otherwayes accompanied with so great charges of printing should be vndertaken for questions only of indifferency and such as it importeth nothing at all touching the gayning of Heauen auoiding of Hell what a man beleiueth therin or of what side he relyeth 3. Concermig that second point which is the afflictiōs warrs with which one state Coūtrey or kingdome do persecute their neighbours and al originally and primatiuely for matters of Religion as also touching the open Rebellion of the subiects against their lawful Soueraignes only for the said occasion The last threescore years as also these very times do giue ouer lamentable examples heerof Witnesses of this matter purposely to forbeare the presidents of our owne Country is Scotland into which Countrey Knox Goodman and Bocanan with other their Agents and confederats first introduced Protestancy by force and armes a point so acknowledged that Doctor Bancroft the late pretended Archbishop of Canterbury as wholely inueighing against such violent courses made a booke entituling it Of the proceeding of the Scottishe Ministres according to the Geneuian rules of reformation 4. Touching France who knoweth not that for this last fifty yeares there haue beene alwayes almost open warres betweene the Kinges of France the Huguenots till the last King of France became Catholike vndertaken by the Huguenots only for Religion And do not the Cittyes of Rochell Mont-albons Montpelliers with diuers others at this very day stand out against their King vnder pretext of the defence of their Religion and Ghospell The occurences of this nature of the low Countreyes and the Hollanders are no lesse remarkable of whose first taking of armes against their lawfull King
only for Religion Osiander an earnest Protestant thus confesseth They (a) Osian n Epito cent 16. pag. 94. of the low Countreys by publick writings renounced all subiection and obedience to Philippe their Lord and King And againe VVhen (b) Osian vhi supra pag. 81. foure hundred of them of good respect haue sued for liberty of Religion and could not preuaile the impatient people stirred vp with fury at Antwerpe and other places of Holland Zeland and Flandres did throw breake downe Images But of the proceedings and rebellions of the low Countrey men against their King only for cause of Religion it is needles to speake further seeing it is to well knowne to all men of vnderstanding that most worthy souldier Spinola another Iudas Machabaeus of these tymes by his heroicall exploits endeauours euen at this very day seeking to reduce the lowe Countreyes to their former allegiance doth sufficiently proclayme to the world the truth heerof 5. I passe ouer Geneua which citty as the whole world knoweth did first withdraw it selfe from the allegeance of their Leideg Lord the Duke of Sauoy only by reason that against his will and pleasure they would professe the Protestant Religion and so accordingly to this daye they haue made themselues a state or common-wealth wholely independent of Sauoy of which citty Doctor Sutcliffe confessedly writeth (b) in his answere to a certaine libe supplicatory p. 194. They of Geneua did depose their catholike leidge Lord and Prince from his temporall right albeit he was by right of succession the temporall Lord and owner of that citty and Territory In like sort I pretermit the many like examples of the commons arysing against their lawfull Princes and Magistrats in (c) Chitraeus in chron 1593. 1594. Sueueland (d) See heerof Fulke his acknowledgment in his answere to Farnius declamatiō p. 35. Denmarke (e) Osian in epito centur 16. p. 115 Poland (f) Touching Heluetia or Switherland changing their Religion by warre see D. Bancroft in his suruay of the holy pretended discipline p. 13. and Chrispinus of the state of the Church p. 509. Germany and (g) See the acknowledgement of D. Bilson in his true difference part 3. p. 270. 273. Bohemia of this last Country the late and fresh reuolt of the subiects from the Emperours obedience All which risings Insurrections and Rebellions were originally vndertaken only for Religion and haue no doubt since the first breach of Luther cost the liues in all places of a million of men at least and haue actually deposed and disthroned diuers Kings Princes of their estates and territoryes 6. These thinges then for their euidency being acknowledged for true and vndeniable many of which remaine as yet fresh in our owne memory of the nature of which Actions I will not heere dispute Only I heere vrge that it is more then incredible that such rebellious deuastation of Countreyes beseiging of cittyes deposing of Princes slaughter of many hundred thousandes of men should be practised almost throughout al christendom within this last three score yeares only for admitting or not admitting the differences betweene the Protestant and Catholike religion if both the contrary partyes were not persuaded that vpon the true or false beleefe of these controuersies in Religion their soules saluation or damnation for all eternity did depend For it is certaine that these contrary partyes did agree and conspire in the generall beliefe of the Trinity Incarnation Passion death of our Sauiour and verbally reciting of the Apostles Creed The same proued from the Protestants mutually condemning one another of heresy for Heretikes CHAP. XIIII IF Protestants doe maintaine that their different opinions seuerally houlden among themselues be heresyes and that the beleeuers of them are for such their false beliefe if so they dy therein not capable of saluation then à fortiori may we be bould to pronounce that the Controuersies of fayth betweene the Catholiks the Protestants are not of that middle nature but that the opinions and sentences of the one side are to be reputed for manifest heresyes such as cannot stand with mans saluation This inference is most necessary since on all sides it is acknowledged that there is a farre greater disparity in Religion betweene the Catholiks and the Protestāts then there is betweene the Protestants among themselues 2. Now that the Protestants do hould one another for Heretikes it cannot be denyed For to insist first in the Controuersies touching the reall presence maintayned in their sense by the Lutherans but denyed by the Sacramentaries we find that Luther thus writeth of the Sacramentaries VVe (a) Luth. contr articulos Louanieses thes 27. tom 2. censure in earnest the Zuinglians and all the Sacramentaryes for Heretikes and alienated from the Church of God And againe the same Luther thus writteth I doe (b) Tom. 7. VVitē fol. 381. protest before God and the world that I do not agree with the Zuinglians nor euer will whilest tht world standeth but will haue my handes cleane from the blood of those sheep which these Heretikes marke his wordes do driue from Christ deceaue and kill And againe in the former place Cursed (c) Vbi supra be the charity and concord of the Sacramentaryes for euer and euer to all eternity But Heretikes and men alienated from the Church of God and which doe kill the sheepe of Christ during such their condition are not in state of saluation 3. Now of Luthers doctrine we find this bitter recriminatiō vsed by the Tigurine Diuines who were Zuinglians or Caluinists Nos (d) Tigurini tract 3. contra supremā Lutheri confessionem condemnatam execrabilem vocat sectam c. Luther calleth vs a damnable and execrable sect but let him looke that he doth not declare himselfe an Archeretike seeing he will not nor cannot haue society with those that confesse Christ. And Zuinglius thus writteth Behould (e) Tom. 2. ad respons Lutheri how Satan endeauoureth to possesse this mā meaning Luther But to proceed to other points Nicolaus Gallus an eminent Protestant and superintendent at Ratisbone thus writeth of the contentions betweene the Protestants themselues Non (f) In thesibus Hypothesibus sunt leues c. The dissentions that are among vs are not light nor of light matters but of the greatest articles of Christian doctrine of the law and the ghospell of Iustification and good workes of the Sacrament and vse of Ceremonyes Conradus Slussenburg another famous Protestant alleadgeth Pappus a Protestant thus complaining against the Caluinists Etsi initio (g) In theologia Caluinist l. 1. art 28. de vno tantum articulo c. Although in the beginning one only article was called into doubt notwithstanding the Caluinists are now so farre gone as they call in doubt neither few neither the least articles of Christian doctrine for now we dissent from them touching the omnipotency
reason then that a bare opinion not relying vpon any supernaturall grounds as hauing neither God for its Reuealer nor the Church for its propounder conceaued only through moral inducements therefore euer standing obnoxious to errour and mistaking should be able to purchase eternall saluation to mans soule 17. Againe how aduerse is it to all true iudgment to auerre that it is no preiudice or hinderance to mans saluation to beleeue those principle of Religion which teach aduance all liberty sensuality in conuersation and manners do depresse and disparadge all chastity fasting voluntary pouerty keeping of the commandements all rigorous and painefull workes and labours of vertue piety and mortification For it is most contradictory in the very tearmes and no lesse repugnāt to Gods sacred word that that doctrine which transferreth (x) Iud◠vers 4. the grace of God into wantonnes should be accounted the (y) Mat. 7. Luc. 13. strict way which leadeth vnto life 18. Furthermore can it be conceaued as sorting to Gods most mercifull proceeding with man that he should cut off the liues of those mē with most feareful sodaine prodigious deaths who first broached the doctrines of Protestancy if the sayd doctrines had eyther bene true in thēselues or at least of that coldnes or indifferency as that they might stand with the soules saluation No God is iust and withall mercifull therefore neuer extraordinarily punisheth but for extraordinary sinnes poore men that these were who compare as it should seeme both in the diuulging of their mendacious and lyinge doctrines as also in their vnexpected and sodaine death with the false Prophets of (z) 3. Regum Achab. 9. But to hasten to an end in the ennumeration of the Absurdities following the foresaid paradox of saluation in euery Religion and to come to that which within its owne lardgnes inuolueth many improbabilities For if Catholikes and Protestants notwithstanding the disparity of their fayth can both attaine to Heauen in vaine then is the doctrine of recusancy taught ioyntly on both sides and in vaine haue so many sortes of Reuerend and learned Preists others of the laity in our owne Country whose blessed soules I beseech to pray to God dayly for the remission of my many sinnes suffred cruell deaths in the late Queenes raigne only because they refused to present themselues to the sermons of the Protestants but they are gone most happely gone since Clauis (a) Tert. de prescr Paradisi sanguis Martyrum In vaine likewyse these later yeares haue diuers lay persons endured contrary to his Maiesties naturall inclination most prone to mercy and commiseration great losses disgraces and imprisonements only for the same cause But who can thinke that learned men should be so prodigall of their liues and blood and English Catholikes so insensible of their temporall states children and posterity as that they would willfully precipitate and cast themselues into those miseries only for not beleeuing and exercising points of indifferency such as may stand with their soules eternall happines In vaine also then haue the learned men on both sides spent out their whole liues in defending each man his owne Religion in their most paineful and voluminous bookes writtings if so they dissented one from another in matters of such supposed small importance Finally in vaine and without iust cause therefore most cruelly haue many forren states in Christendome imposed proscriptions bannishments and other insupportable disgraces to such of their owne subiects as will not imbrace their owne doctrine and Religion though both sides did conspire and agree in the fundamentall points of faith In vaine also both in former times and at this present haue there beene are such Insurrection of subiects against their Princes such bloody implacable warres betweene absolute Princes themselues such deuastation depopulation of whole Countries such mayne battells feilds fought with losse of diuers hundred thousands liues and lastly such incessant vninterrupted beseiging takinge of great Citties and townes with effusion for the most part of much innocent blood of weomen and children and all this originally and principally for matter of Religion I say in vaine most iniuriously haue all these attempts and actions beene vndertaken if the disagreement in Religiō for which they are vndertaken between Catholikes Protestants were of that reconcileable nature as that the professours on both sides notwithstanding their diuersity of faith might ioyntly be saued 20. What can we now reply hereto in behalfe of our Newtralists Shall we say that the most learned men of all Religions the Kings Princes States and all their subiects of all Christendome were and still are actually madd and out of their senses in managing these their deplorable attemptes for Religion and that our all reconciling and peaceable Newtralists who through his pliable sterne of disposition in these spirituall matters is become in kindred as aboue is touched of the halfe blood with the Atheist and who is commonly deprehended to want learning grace and vertue is peculiarly enlightened by God in setting downe what articles of fayth are only necessary to mans saluation and what are to be reputed but as accessary and of smaller importance To such straites we see is the defence of the former doctrine driuen vnto Seeing therefore this doctrine of our Omnifidians or Nullifidians for indeed while they seeme to allow all Religions they take away all Religion is encompassed on all sides with so many notorious absurdityes as are displayed in this Chapter seeing it cannot be true except there be a retrogradation of all matters heere on earth and a turning of the world as they say vpside downe that is except the most learned become most madd and the most ignorant most wise And except truth in doctrine be necessarily to be accompanyed with infinite grosse absurdityes and errour and falsehood fortifyed and countenaunced with store of proofes both diuine humane as if God did purposely lay trappes to ensnare mans iudgment Therefore since such comportement and carriage of things is not sutable and correspondent to Gods prouidence and charity towardes mankind let euery man who thinketh he hath a soule to saue or loose vndoubtedly assure himselfe that there is but one true fayth or religion wherein he may auayleably expect saluation and that this fayth of Christ wherewith the soule is clothed is like to the inconsutible garment of Christ both being incapable of diuision renting or partition 21. Now for the greater illustration of this point by way of similitude and as tending towards the closure of this treatise Imagine that a man pretendeth right and title to certaine lands and taketh aduise of all the learned Lawyers and Counsailours of the whole Realme to whome he showeth all his euidences of which some do cary a title only in grosse and in general others proue a more particuler and more restrayned right to the sayd lands Imagine further that
excōmunication is inflicted The Apostle in 2. Thess cap. 3. coniureth as it were in the name of Christ that all should auoid all false belieuers in these words We denounce vnto you Brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Chirst that you withdraw your selues from euery Brother walking inordinately and not according to the tradition which they haue receaued of vs. This place concerneth faith and doctrine as the whole chapter sheweth but if these men here to be eschewed were in state of saluation they ought not then to be eschewed Againe this text cannot haue reference to those who deny the Trinity the Incarnation and Passion seeing the deniers of these high articles are not Brethren in Christ and yet the Apostle styleth them Brethren whome he here reprehendeth 3. Againe the Apostle in another place thus forewarneth The (b) Epist. ad Gall. cap. 5. workes of the flesh be manifest which are fornication vncleanes impurity or dissentions sects c. They which doe these things shall not obtaine the kingdome of God Where wee see is expresse mention made of Sects and that maintainours of any sects in opinion of faith much more of any Heresie which is euer auerred with greater contumacy and frowardnes and with neglect of the Churches authority shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen from which Testimonies we may further conclude that as one only act of fornication barreth a man from the kingdome of God so also one Heresie excludeth him from the same 4. A fourth place is this I desire (c) Epist ad Rom. cap. 16. you Brethren to marke them that make dissentions and scandalls contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoid them for such do not serue Christ our Lord But if such men be to be auoided and doe not serue Christ then no doubt they continuing in that state cannot be saued Againe 1. Tim. 1. the Apostle speaketh of certaine men and saith of them that Quidam circa (d) 1. Timoth 2. fidem naufragauerunt Certaine men made shipwracke about the faith Where the Apostle vseth the metaphor of shipwracke therby to expresse more fully that Heretikes once falling out of the shippe of Christs churche are cast into the sea of eternall damnation To conclude the Euangelist Saint Iohn speaketh of all Heretikes in generall not embracing the doctrine of Christ within which all secondary questions of christian Religion are contained in this sort If any man come (e) 2. Ioan vnto you and bring not the doctrine of Christ receaue him not into your house nor say God saue you vnto him But a man is bound in charity to suffer any one who is in state of saluation to come into his house and to salute him or say God saue him 5. Now what can be replyed against these former Texts It cannot be sayd that they are meant only of such Heretikes as deny the mysteryes of the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ his Passion and such like supreme and cardinall points of Christian Religion this I say cannot be auerred for these reasons following First because those who in the Apostles tymes denyed these principall points of Christianity could not be truely tearmed Heretikes seeing he is truely an Heretike who was once a member of Christs church by fayth but after ceaseth to be thereof no more then all the Iewes or Gentils could not be accounted or styled Heretikes because they neuer beleeued the foresayd mysteryes of christianity Secondly by reason that according to the former definition of Heresy or Heretikes aboue set downe the former Texts haue a necessary reference to all Heresy and heretikes whatsoeuer whether the subiect of the sayd false opinion be small or great Thirdly because that in the former Texts of Scripture there is no restriction of the word Haereticus or Haeresis to the chiefe or highest points of Christian Religion but it is extended to all kind of Heretikes or Heresies whatsoeuer euen by the Apostle without exception who no doubt if he had vnderstood Heresyes or Heretiks only in the greatest points at least in some one Text or other among so many would accordingly haue restrayned his wordes only to those kind of Heretikes and the rather seeing the denyall of those great points only not of others do in our Libertines opinion make the denyers thereof Heretikes But not to leaue the least show of refuge or euasion heerin I will produce some passages of holy Scripture in which the maintenours of particuler errours euen in lesser points then the highest articles of Christianity are censured by Christs Apostles to be depriued of eternall saluation 6. And first we find S. Paul thus to prophesy In (f) 1 Tim. c. 4. the later times certaine shal depart from the fayth attending to spirits of errour and doctrine of Diuells forbidding to mary and to abstaine from meates Heere the Apostle prophesieth according to the iudgment of (g) Hom. 12. in Timot Saint Chrysostome (h) In hunc locū Ambrose (i) Lib. contra Iouin c. 7. Hierome and S. (k) Her 25. 40. Augustine of the Heretikes Eucratites Marcionists Ebionists such like who denyed Matrimony as a thing altogether vnlawfull and prohibited absolutly at al tymes and the eating of certaine meates as creatures impure Now these Heretikes belieued in the Trinity and might in the Incarnation c. and yet euen for these two former Heresies touching mariage and eating of meates and not for the Trinity or Incarnation they are sayd by the Apostle to departe from the fayth of Christ and to attend to the doctrine of Diuels But such as leaue the fayth of Christ and attend to the doctrine of Diuels are not in state of saluation In my iudgement this one authority alone is sufficient to ouerthrow this phantasy of our Newtralists since the wordes are diuine scripture the heresies reprehended no fundamentall points of Religion but of as little or lesser consequence then the Controuersies betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants and yet the maintainers of them are accounted to depart from the faith of Christ and to attend to the doctrine of Diuels 7. A second place shal be that of the former Apostle who writing of certaine Heretiks erring touching the Resurrectiō of the body sayth thus Their (l) 2. Timoth 2. speach spreadeth like a Canker of whome is Hymenaeus and Philetus who haue erred from the truth saying that the Resurrection is already past and haue subuerted the fayth of some These men beleeued all the mysteryes of the Trinity Incarnation c. seeing otherwise the Apostle would haue reprehended them for want or beliefe therein as for the article of the Resurrection yet for erring only touching the resurrection of the body they are sayd to erre from the truth to subuert the fayth of some and that as a Canker neuer leaueth the body till by little and little it wasteth it away so their speaches by degrees poyson and kill the soules of