1 THeir verye persons ought to be auoyded: Tit. 3. Haereticum hominem post vnam & alteram admonitionē deuita. A man that is an he­retike auoide after he is once or twise admonished. And, Nec Aue ei dixeritis: Ioh. 2.qui nam (que) dicit illi, Aue, communicat operibus eius malignis. Saye not so much to him as, God saue you, for he that saith so to him, doth communicate with his wicked workes. Euseb. li. 3. cap. 22. As S. Iohn did teach other, so him selfe gaue exam­ple: Fugiamus hinc, nè balneum cadat super nos, in quo est Cerinthus verita­tis hostis. Let vs flée from hence, least the bathe fal vpon vs, in the which Ce­rinthus is, the enemie of truth. It is a famous historie: S. Iohn the Apostle [Page]and Euangelist would not tary in the place, 2. Tim. 4. when he hearde Cerinthus the heretike was there. Alexander aerari­us restitit verbis nostris, quem & tudeuita. Alexander the Copper-smith withstoode our wordes, whom I wil that thou also doo auoide or shunne.

It is daungerous. Rom. 16. Per dulces ser­mones & benedictiones seducunt cor­da innocentium. By swéete wordes and gaye blessinges they seduce the heartes of the simple or good meaning persons. And therefore, Rogo vos fratres vt obseruetis eos, & declinate abillis. I beséeche you brethren take good héede of them, and turne aside from them. 2. Tim. 2. And, Sermo eorum vt cancer serpit, & subuerterunt quorundam fi­dem, multùm enim proficiunt ad im­pietatem. Sed firmum fundamentum Dei stat, habens signaculum hoc, cog­nouit Dominus qui sunt eius. Their talke créepeth like a canker, and they haue subuerted the faith of certaine, for they preuaile much in vngodlines. But the foundation of God standeth [Page]sure, our Lorde knoweth who are his. Onely they that flée from suche: and therefore it foloweth: Discedat abini­quitate omnis qui nominat nomen Domini. Let him depart from wicked­nes, euery one that nameth the name of our Lorde: euery good Catholike. Againe, 2. Pet. 2. Pellicientes animas instabi­les, eos qui paululum effugiunt. Allu­ring vnconstant soules, suche as scape them but a very litle. Who are they qui paululum effugiunt, but such as boldlye communicate with them, and therefore are in daunger to become theirs altogether? Effugiunt, they scape them, because in heart they con­sent not: but paululum, very litle, be­cause in fact they are like to them. If they presume vpon their constancie or knowledge, that there can ensue no daunger, Qui stat, videat ne cadat. He that standeth, let him beware he fal not. And, Qui tangit picem, Ecclesi. 13.inquina­bitur ab ea. He that toucheth pitche, shalbe defiled with it.

And, Ecclesi. 3. Qui dormit iuxtà sepern, morde­bit eum coluber. He that sléepeth néere the hedge, a serpent wil sting him. And, Qui amat periculum peribit in illo. He that loueth or séeketh daunger shal perish in it.

For the selfe-same cause it is not lawful, 3 to reade heretical bookes, and is it lawful to heare their sermons and praiers? Sozom. li. 1. ca. 20. & li. 2. c. 31. de libris Marcelli haere­tici. Constantine the great made it death to him that did not burne the bookes of Arrius. Martian also and Iustinian made careful decrées to this purpose. This place is verye large. Gregorie the great (Bishop of Rome) did not absolue one Anastasius a priest from suspitiō of heresie, Li. 5 ep. 64 til he had pro­mised, that he would neuer reade that heretical hooke againe, for the which he was suspected. Anastasium pręsbi­terum promittentem, quòd codicem quendam haereticum nunquàm denuò lecturus esset, ita demùm absoluit sus­pectum haereseos. Sée Hessels that fa­mous Doctor of Louaine in 1. Tim. 6. ad illud in graeco, aphistaso apo ton tointon. [Page]Dionisius Alexandrinus a moste aun­cient, learned, Euseb. ec. li. 7. ca. 6 and vertuous Bishopp confesseth to a frend of his who war­ned him of heretical bookes, that he felt him-selfe the woorse for them, and had abstained, but that a heauenly vision gaue him, as it were, a priuiledge, ad­ding this cause: Nam satis habes viri­um & firmitatis ad quae (que), tùm con­uincenda, tùm exploranda. For thou art stronge & sure enough, both to con­founde al that is in them, and to exa­mine them. He that hath not this war­rantize from Christ, or from his vicar, may not presume. It is noted in cer­taine learned Catholikes of our time, that by reading such bookes they some­what yéelded to error, Albertus Pig­hius and Alphonsus: Maye ignorant men be bolder then these?

It doth argue consent, 4 and that by presence you allow their doinges, and therfore, in foro ecclesiae, you are taken for such, although you be not such, Apoc. 18. and you shalbe punished with them. Exite de illa (Babilone, haeresi) populus me­us, [Page]vt nè participes sitis delictorum e­ius, de plagis eius non accipiatis. Goe out from her (meaning Babilon, which signifieth heresie) my people, that you be not partaker of her sinnes, and that you receaue not of her plages. Marke: Populus meus, My people, because they were in heart his, Rom. 1. but in conuersation ioyned with his enemye. Digni sunt morte non solùm qui ea faciunt, sed etiam qui cònsentiunt illa facientibus. They are woorthy of death, not onely the doers, but they that consent.

It doth dishonour God, 5 and honour his aduersarye: a disgrace to the Churche, a ioye and comfort to heresie. The Churche is a Citie vpon an hil, that maye onely appere and be séene: the more it appereth and is vniuersal, the more it is for the honour of Christ. Prouer. 14 Honor Regis multitudo populi; pau­citas plebis ignominia Principis. It is the Kinges honour to haue a multi­tude of people, to haue fewe is disho­nour to the Prince. The aduersarys [Page]knowing this, desireth onely to make vp a number, and is carelesse what they thinke in conscience, so they make a shewe to be his by any means. Psalm. 16. De absconditis tuis adimpletus est venter eorum. Of such as are secrete Catholikes, they fil vp their hereti­cal Sinagoge: Lutherans, Caluinists, Puritanes, Anabaptistes, al are the aduersaryes by profession. If he maye get also of them that would other­wise be compted Catholikes, to ioyne openly with them, is it not his ho­nour? He that in secret sootheth his prince, and openlye taketh part with his enemve, in heart is his, in fact the others: his in peace, and the others in time of daunger, whether of the two doth he most honoure? 1. Reg. 2. But God say­eth: Honorem meum alteri non dabo. I wil not geue mine honour to ano­ther. And, Qui me glorificauerit, glo­rificabo eum: qui autem contemnunt me, erunt ignobiles. He that shal glo­rifie me, him wil I glorifie: but [Page]wil I glorifie: but they that set litle by me, shalbe of no reputation. And that voyce of our Sauiour to the Iewes what true Christiā may abide, when it is woorthely saide to him-selfe also. Ioh. 8. Vos autem inhonorastis me, But you haue dishonored me. And, Sic luce­at lux vestra coram hominibus, vt vi­deant & glorificent Patrem vestrū qui in coelis est. Let your light so shine be­fore men, that they may sée it and glo­rifie your Father that is in heauen. Nemo accendit lucernam & ponit eam sub modio, sed super candelabrum. No man is by Gods grace lightned with Catholike faith and vnderstanding, to hide it in his bosome. O it is a glori­ous thing, not onely in minde, but bo­dely to ioyne with our Lorde. A nota­ble example in the Leuites, Exod. 32. when Moi­ses saide: Si quis est Domini, iungatur mihi. If any man be of our Lordes side, let him ioyne with me. They ran frō the Schismatical Idolatours, pro­testing that they were on their Lordes side, and therefore they were Pars & [Page]haereditas Domini, The priestly tribe, and afterwards accompted al one with Iuda, vnder the special protection of Almightie God. Ambros. li. 2. off. cap. 24. Licet tibi silere in negotio pecuni­ario. &c. In causa autem Dei, vbi com­munionis periculum est, etiam dissi­mulare peccatum est non leue. Thou maiest holde thy peace sometime in a mony matter, but in Gods cause, wher there is daunger of communicating with his enemies, to dissemble onely, is no smal sinne.

It is not onely glorious, 6. Luc. 12. but necessa­rye, to confesse our faith openly. Qui negat me coram hominibus, negabo & ego cum coram Patre meo & Ange­lis eius. He that denieth me before mē, I wil also denye him before my Fa­ther and his Angels. And, Rom. 10. Corde cre­ditur ad iustitiam, To be iustified we must beléeue in the heart in catholike quietnes. Ore confessio fit ad salutem. To be saued we must confesse with our mouth in time of heresie. And, Hebr. 10. Iustus meus ex fide viuit. Quod si subtraxe­rit [Page]se,Subtracti­o seu prae­uaricatio.non placebit animae meae. Nos autem non sumus subtractionis filii in, perditionem, sed fidei in acquisitionē animae. My iust one liueth by faith. But if he secretly reuolte, he shal not please my soule. We are not reuolting children to perdition, but the children of faithfulnes to saue our soule. Sub­trahere se, is to shrinke from protesting his faith: huposteilasthai praeuaricari. D. Amb. ep. 3. Ipsis Gentilibus displicere consueuit praeuaricantis affectus, liberè nam (que) debet defendere vnusquis (que) fi­dele mentis suae & seruare propositū. The Panims them selues were wont to mislike his behauiour that betray­eth his owne cause: for euerye man ought fréely to mainteyne and to kéepe the faithful purpose of his owne mind and conscience.

It argueth a neuter, 7 that is, suche a one as is not affected to eyther religi­on, and consequently of no religion: atheon, sine deo in hoc mundo: an A­theiste, [Page]one that acknowledgeth no God in this worlde. Apoc. 3. Vti­nam frigidus esses aut calidus, sed quia tepidus es, & nec frigidus nec ca­lidus, incipiam te euomere ex ore meo. I would thou were colde or hott, that is, no dissembler, but a plaine dea­ler one way or the other. But because thou art luke warme, and neither cold nor hott, a neuter, earnest in neyther, Mat. 11. I wil beginne to spewe thée out of my mouth. Qui non est mecum, con­tra me est, & qui mecum non colli­git, spargit. He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.

Or if thou haue a conscience to­warde the Catholike Religion, 8 and doest cleane contrarye, Rom. 14. that is dam­nable. Beatus qui se non iudicat in eoquod probat. Blessed is he that con­demneth not himselfe in doing con­trarye to that he best alloweth. Quod enim ex fide non est, peccatum est. that is, according to his conscience: [Page] hoc est secundùm conscientiam, 1.2, q 19. as S. Thomas expoundeth it: who maketh this conclusion so certain and vnfalli­ble, that if a man in conscience shoulde erre, as it is sinne to doo accordingly: so also to doo contrary, is to him a damna­ble sinne. For example. A Caluinist adoring the blessed Sacrament doth sinne, because he is perswaded in con­science, he ought not, and that it is Ido­latrie. Contrary-wise, a Catholike be­cause of his conscience, that Christe is there present, peccat non adorando, sin­neth in not adoring, In psal. 98. as S. Austin saith. Iacob. 4. Scienti bonum facere, & non facienti peccatum est illi. He that knoweth to doo good, In psa. 54. and doth it not, to him it is sinne. S. Austin. Qui nosti esse mala quae facis, & tamen facis ea, nonnè viuus descendis ad inferos? Thou that knowest the thinges that thou doest are yll, and yet doest them, doest thou not go down into hel quick? Thou art in conscience and knowledge a Catholike, in fact & demeanour thou wouldest séeme an heretike, estnè ex fide? [Page]is it according to thy conscience? estnè quod probas? Is it that thou do­est best alowe? ergò peccatum est, quia non ex fide, ergò iudicasti teipsum in co quod probas. Therefore it is sinne, because it is not according to thy con­science. Therfore thou hast condemned thy self, in doing contrary to that thou allowest. But wouldest thou not séeme to allowe their doinges? Nolite errare, Galat. 6deus non irridetur. Be not deceaued, God is not mocked. Why doo other in­curre displeasure, but by disalowing their procéedinges? how is that know­en, but by their absence onely? (for ma­ny haue not occasion to speake their faith) ergò thou art quiet, because thou doest séeme to allowe it, and that is ga­thered by thy presence: to thée therfore is saide illud in ep. Cleri. Rom. apud Cipr. 31. Cùm totum fidei Sacramen­tū in confessione nominis Christi in­telligatur digestum, qui fallaces in ex­cusatione praestigias quaesiuit, negauit. Et qui vult videri propositis aduersus Euangelium, vel edictis, vel legibus sa­tisfecisse, [Page]hoc ipso iam paruit, quòd videri paruisse se voluit. Whereas the whole misterie of fayth is vnder­stoode to consist in confessing the name of Christe, he that hath sought false sleightes for excuse thereof, hath deny­ed. And he that wil séeme to haue ful­filled such Statutes and lawes as are set forth against the Ghospel, in so do­ing he hath obeyed them in very déede, forasmuch as he would haue it séeme that he hath obeyed thē. Who know­eth not that colde Catholikes come to Churche in England vpon this false principle: De Ciuit. dei lib. 6. cap. 10. We must obeye a lawe? Saint Austen writeth of Seneca, one familier with Saint Paule, but a dis­sembler for feare of Nero. Eò damna­bilius fecit (colendo Idola) quòd ea quae fallaciter egit, sic tamen egit, vt veraci­ter egisse existimaretur. He did it (mea­ning his woorshipping of Idols) so much the more damnably, because that which he did onely for a shewe, yet so he did it, that he would be thought to haue done it truely, and from his very heart.

Here you may remember olde Elea­zarus, 2. Mach. 5. that would not séeme to breake anye litle point of Gods lawe, but dye rather a most cruel death. It is a fa­mous historie done before the time of grace, and therefore shal condemne our dissembling Catholikes nowe in great pointes, for feare of smal dammages. Non nam (que) aetati nostrae dignum est fingere; vt multi adolescentes arbi­trantes Eleazarum transisse ad vitam alienigenarum, decipiantur. &c. It is a thing vnwoorthy of our age to dis­semble, whereby manye yonge men thinking that Eleazarus is reuolted to the life and Religion of Gentiles, maye be deceaued through my exam­ple.

But it is possible that thy consci­ence is indifferent to both religions, 9 and so thou art excused from doing a­gainst thy conscience. Iacob. 3. Nunquid fons de eodem foramine emanat dulcem & amaram aquam? Doth a fountaine out of one and the self-same springe gushe [Page]foorth swéete and sower water? truth and heresie? vnitie and schisme? Nemo potest duobus dominis seruire. 2. Cor. 6. No mā can serue two masters. And, Non po­testis bibere calicem Domini & cali­cem dęmoniorum. Quae participatio iustitię cum iniquitate? aut quę con­uentio Christi ad Belial? aut quę pars fideli cum infideli? You cannot drinke of our Lordes cupp and the cupp of de­uils? What partaking hath righteous­nes with iniquitie? or what agrement is there betwéene Christe and Belial? Or what part hath a faithful mā with the faithlesse or infidel? And what fo­loweth? Propter quod exite de medio eorum, & seperamini, dicit Dominus, & immundum ne tetigeritis, & ego re­cipiam vos, & ero vobis in patrē. For the which cause goe out from amonge them, and seperate your selues from them, saith our Lorde, and touche not that that is vncleane, and I wil receue you, and wil be to you a Father. As much to say, if you wil folow my reli­gion onely, I am your Father, your [Page]God. &c. Otherwise, Esai. 28. Coangustum est stratum, ita vt alter excidat, & pallium breue non potest duos tegere. The bed is narowe, so that thou must néedes fal out, and a short blanket cannot couer two. Which Saint Hierome doth in­terprete of Christe, who is, as it were, Sponsus animae nostrae, The Spouse wedded to our soule: And therfore can not abide adulterum simul secum in codem strato, an aduoulterer together with him in the same bed. He wil a­lone haue vs, or not at al. 3. Reg. 18. Si Baal sit Deus, sequimini eum; sin Dominus sit Deus, scquimini illum. Quous (que) clau­dicatis in vtram (que) partem? If Baal be God, folowe him. If our Lorde be God, folowe him. Ephes 4. Howe long limpe you on both sides? Vna fides, vnus De­us, vnus Dominus. One faith (saith S. Paule) one God, one Lorde. 3. Reg. 3 The na­tural Mother (Catholica Ecclesia) saide not to Salomon: Diuidatur. Let the childe be deuided, but al or none. The Samaritanes woorshipped the true God schismatically, and withal their [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]owne bables: but it is saide (Ioh. 4.) of the Iewes that had the true woor­shipp of one God, Catholikes, as it were. Non coutuntur Iudaei Samarita­nis. The Iewes kéepe no companye with the Samaritanes. Deut. 22. Againe, those preceptes: Non arabis boue & asino: Non texes vestimenta ex lino & lana: non miscebis duo semina in agro tuo. Thou shalt not plough with an oxe and an Asse together. Thou shalt not weaue garmentes of both linnen and woollen. Thou shalt not mingle two diuers séedes in thy fielde: and the like. What is the signification, but, Vae du­plici corde. Woe be to the double hear­ted. And, Vir duplici animo inconstans est in omnibus viis suis. A double har­ted man is vnconstant in al his waies. And, Eccl. 3. Vir ingrediens duas vias non ha­bebit successus. And, Cor prauum scan­dalizabitur in eis. A man that goeth in two wayes, shal not go forwarde, and a wicked heart shal stumble in them. And that which is terrible. Sophon. 1. Disperdam de terra eos, qui iurant in deum & in [Page]Melchom. I wil destroy thē that swear by God, and their wicked king. For so Melchom doth signifie by God in hart, by their prince in behauiour, which serue both, depende vpon both. &c. In malitia sua lętificauerunt regem, Oscae. 7.& in mendaciis suis principes. They haue de lighted the king in their naughtines, & princes by their lying or dissembling. Of such men as learne to dissemble of their naughty pastors, S. Austen saith: Si indifferentem habuero errorem tuū,De pastor. cap. 7.attendit qui fortis est, putat nihil esse ire in haeresim, quando aliquod cōmo­dum de seculo reduxerit, vnde mute­tur. Statim mihi dicit fortis ille peritu­rus, & hâc, & hâc deus est. Quid inter­est? homines inter se litigantes hoc fe­cerunt: vbicun (que) colendus est deus. If I shal thinke thy error indifferent, and that it is al one to doo this or that, he that is otherwise stronge, marketh it, and thinketh it is nothing to runne into heresie, when some world­lye commoditie shal appere, where­by he maye be altered and chaunged, [Page]by and by this stoute man saith vnto me, God is both here and there, what difference is there? men by iangling among them selues haue made al this adoe. God is to be woorshipped in euery place or congregation.

It is scandalous, 10 and maketh thy brother to sinn, which is a very weigh­tie consideration, as appereth by our Sauiours Vae: Mat. 18.Vae mundo à scanda­lis: Vae illi per quem veniunt scanda­la. Woe be to the world by reason of stumbling blockes: Woe be to him that maketh other men to stumble. And, Marc. 9. Qui scandalizauerit vnum ex pusillis istis, credentibus in me, bonum est ei magis si circundaretur mola asi­naria collo eius, & in mare mitteretur. He that is an occasion why any one of these litle ones, that beléeue in me, doo stumble or sinne, it were good for him, if a mil-stone were hanged about his necke, and that he were cast into the Sea. Pusilli, Litle ones, are they that beléeue wel, and meane wel, and gladly would doo for the best, but are easilye [Page]moued to relent by authoritie or exam­ple. Here remember once more olde Eleazarus, who therfore chose to dye, 2. Mach. 6. because yonge men should not be bolde to breake Gods lawe, saying: Olde Eleazarus did so, why may not we? but, O woorthy Eleazarus, it was re­quired onely of thée to eate lawful meates, so that thou wouldest but séem to haue eatē vnlawful: yea (quoth he) therfore let me dye, rather then yonge persons by thinking that I did it, of­fende damnably by occasion of my dis­simulation. This man knewe before by inspiration that Vae which Christe afterward pronounced scandalizanti­bus. And therefore lesse meruaile (al­though meruailous) if S. Paule after­ward speake vehemently: 1. Cor. 8. Si ęsca scan­dalizat fratrem meum, non manduca­bo carnem in aeternum. If meate of­fende my brother, or be occasion of his finne, I wil not eate flesh for euer: al­though the meate of it selfe was good and lawful. Sic nam (que) peccantes in fratres, & percutientes conscientiam [Page]corum infirmam, in Christum pecca­tis. For you sinning after that sort a­gainst your brethren, and wounding their weake conscience, sinne against Christe: wherin was this daungerous scandal committed? marke the case like to ours. Si nam (que) quis viderit eum qui habet scientiam, in idolio recumbentē, nonnè conscientia eius cùm sit infir­ma, aedificabitur ad manducandum i­dolothita? for if a man shal chaunce to sée him that hath knowledge sitt in the temple of idoles, shal not his consciēce being weake, be edified and induced to eate idolatrous meates by thy exam­ple? if a weakling sée thée (a man of ac­compt and estimation) present in the Churche of heretikes, or at their ser­mons, their conscience being not ful­lye setled to detest heresie, is he not ea­sily induced to frequent their conuen­cles with daunger of dayly corruptiō, and either to like the better, or to mis­like the lesse of their sayinges and do­inges? Aug. epist. 154. Apparet illud esse prohibitum, (saith S. Austen) nè in honorem alie­norum [Page]deorum aliqua re vtamur, áut vti existimemur, sic etiam accipiendo, vt quamuis animo contemnamus, eos tamen qui nostrum animum ignorant, ad haec honoranda aedificemus. It is euident that this is forbidden, that we vse not anye thing in the honour of straunge Gods, or to be thought to vse, taking it in such sort, that although in heart we despise it, yet we edifie and induce them that knowe not our hart, to honour the same thinges. This case concerneth al states, vpon whose exam­ple any one Christian soule dependeth: princes, prelates, pastors, masters, pa­rentes. Of princes let one Ieroboā suf­fice, who is alwayes mētioned in scrip­ture with this title of his scandalous apostasie. Qui peceare fecit Israel, that made Israel to sinne: which is proper­lye scandalum, or scandalizare. S. Am­brose to the Emperour Valentinian, epist. 30. vrgeth the like inconuenience if he did but yéelde a litle to y^e Panims request. Totus hic Christianorum pe­riclitatur Senatus. &c. This whole bēch [Page]of Christian Senatours is in daunger to offende mortally by this meanes. And (which is much to be noted contra excusandas excusationes in peccatis: against al blinde excuses to iustifie yll doinges, common nowe a dayes to di­minish great faultes) wheras the Em­perour might haue saide, I did not sacrifice, nor induce any man to doo it: yet because he permitted that onely to be done, wherof Idolatrie folowed, pa­ganis vt erigerent aras, the Paynims to set vp Idolatrous aultars, he saith: Vox enim tua, manus tua. Thy word is thy hande. Et subscriptio tua opus est tuum. And to subscribe to the Pay­nims licence, is as much as if thou haddest done it thy selfe. And againe: Quisquis hoc suadet, sacrificat, & quis­quis hoc statuit. Whosoeuer geueth councel to it, doth sacrifice to false Gods, and whosoeuer doth decrée it. Sée howe farre this sinne (scandalum) extendeth, not onely to the doers, but to them that councel, subscribe, winke at it, permitt and dissemble it. Apoc. 2. [Page]Habes illic tenentes doctrinam Bala­am, qui docebat Balac mittere scandalū coram filiis Israel, pugnabo cum illis in gladio oris mei. Thou hast there that holde the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac how to geue occasiō that the children of Israel might sinne: I wil fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He threatneth the ma­sters and Councellers, qui docebant mittere scandalum, as Balaam, not onely the prince him selfe and chiefe doer Balac. Of Vide ex­emplum Miseni & Vitalis, qui à Ro. pont. mis­si Cōstan­tinopo­lim, cum Petro hae­retico cō ­munica­runt, quā ­tum scan­dalum populo de­derint, vt putauerit Pontificē Rom. cum haeretico cōmuni­casse. Euagr. li. 3. cap. 21. prelates I wil geue examples afterward in more conueni­ent plaee, least I dwel in this reason to longe. Of Pastours, S. Austen (de pastoribus ca. 7. to .9.) Si fortè dixerit aliquis Donatista, non tibi do filiam meam, nisi fueris de parte mea; illi opus est vt attendat et dicat: Si nihil maliesset de parte eorum, non contra illos dicerent tanta pastores nostri, non pro illorum errore satagerent. If perhaps some Donatist shal say (to a colde Ca­tholike) I geue thée not my daughter vnlesse thou be of my side, it standeth [Page]this man vpon to take good héede, and to say with him selfe: If there were no harme on their side, our Pastors or preachers would not speak so much a­gainst them, they would not be so ear­nest to confound their error. It folow­eth: Si ergò cessemus et taceamus, con­traria locuturus est: vti (que) si malū esset in parte Donati, loquerentur contrà, redarguerent eos, satagerent lucrari il­los, si errant reuocarent illos, si percūt, quaererent illos. &c. If therefore we ceasse and holde our peace, he wil saye contrary: Verily if there had béene any euil in Donatus faction, our Pastors and Curates would speake against it, would rebuke them, if they be lost would séeke them. &c. Of Parentes. Ciprianus de lapsis. Nonne illi (paruu­li) cùm iudicii dies venerit, dicent: Nos nihil fecimus, nec derelicto cibo et po­culo domini (the blessed Sacrament) ad profana contagia spontò properaui­mus; perdidit nos aliena perfidia, pa­rentes sensimus homicidas. Illi nobis ecclesiam matrem, illi parentem deum [Page]negauerunt, vt dum parui et improui­di, et tanti facinoris ignari, per alios ad consortium criminis iungimur, aliena fraude caperemur. Wil not they (the children) when the day of iudgement shal come, say? We haue done nothing of our selues, neither, forsaking y^e meat and the cupp of our Lorde (the blessed Sacrament) haue we of our owne ac­corde hastened to profane infections, o­ther mens infidelitie hath vndoon vs, we haue felt our owne parentes men­stears, they haue denied vs the Church our Mother, and God our Father, that whiles we being yonge, and foreseing no daunger, and ignorant that it was so heynous a fault, by the motion of o­thers are made partakers of y^e crime, by other mens pollicie might so be in­trapped. This place concerneth most kind of persons, & were to be handled at large, because Parentes maye many waies geue their childrē occasiō to fal into heresie & schisme (but I wold gladly end this first part concerning reasons:) briefly, if they geue example, [Page]by communicating, if they permitt their children, or rather commaunde them, thereby to excuse them selues, imagining that it is venial in them because of their age: if they doo not forbid them and teache them the con­trary, if they sende them to schooles or vniuersities, where they must néedes heare and sée, and doo that they shoulde not. &c.

Nuptię cum infidelibus prohiben­tur, 11 et cum hereticis. Mariage with Infidels, and with heretikes is forbid, because of the daunger in peruerting one the other. Et contractę discindi poterunt ac debent, illę quoad vincu­lum, istę quoad cohabitationem, si co­habitare non liceat sine iniuria Crea­toris. And being contracted maye not­withstanding, and ought to be sundred, thone to be no mariage, the other not to liue together at al, if they cannot liue together without iniurie of their Maker: that is, if thone wil néedes make thother offende God. 2. Cor. 6. Nolite iu­gum ducere cum infidelibus. Drawe [Page]not in one yoke with Infidels. Which is most properly spokē de coniugibus, et. 1. Cor. 7. and Tertullian ad vxorem, Euscb. li. 4 cap. 16. and thecclesiastical historie of a vertu­ous godly matrone that departed from her husband. And our Sauiour him selfe. Mat. 19. Qui reliquerit vxorem propter me, centuplum accipiet. He that forsa­keth his wife for my sake, shal receaue a hundred folde. Qui non oderit, Luc. 14.non est me dignus. He that hateth her not for my sake, is not woorthy of me. Deut. 13. And Moyses: Si vxor quae est in sinu ruo. If thy wife that fléepeth in thy bosome wil persuade thée error, cast thou the first stone at her. If the wife and her husbande may not kéepe company, be­cause the one is a wicked infidel or he­retike, of whom it is saide: Et adhę­rebit vxori sue. And he shal cleaue to his wife. And if the sonne must vppon paine of damnatiō forsake the Father, and the daughter her mother, because they are of a contrary beliefe (for Qui diligit eos plus me, and, Qui non odit patrem et matrem, non est me dig [Page]He that loueth them better then me: yea, he that doth not hate father and mother (in this case) is not woor­thy of me. Luc. 12. Putatis quia pacem veni mittere? non dico vobis, sed seperatio­nem. Thinke you that I came to sende peace vpon the earth? no, I tel you truth, but diuision and dissension: mea­ning, that for his sake the son should leaue his father, the daughter her mo­ther, the wife her husbande, one frende forsake another. If, I say, this be so, much more heretical conuenticles are to be abhorred.

Al opē professors of heresie or know­en heretikes are ipso facto excommu­nicati, 12 in so doing they are excommu­nicate forthwith, without further sen­tence, as appereth in Councels, decrées, et in bulla coenę domini. In their prai­ers and sermons their professiō is ma­nifest, ergò then especially we must ab­steine from them, quia participare cum excommunicato in diuinis etiam ca­tholicè, graue peccatum est: because to communicate or to be partaker with [Page]an excommunicate person in thinges pertaining to Gods seruice, albeit af­ter a catholike maner (as whē the Pe­lagiens had al their seruice and ceremo­nies catholike) is by the iudgement of learned diuines and the consent of the Churche a gréeuous sinne, howe much more gréeuous is it to communicate with them, when their seruice and ma­ner of praier is wholly heretical? Yea, the first case de reseruatis in bulla Coe. Domini, est hęresis, & comprehendit eos qui praesumunt legere libros hęre­ticorum, qui (que) imprimunt, et domi ha­bent, et demùm omnes fautores hęreti­corum: ergò à pari, to frequent their conuenticles where they pray & preach is comprehended.

It is excōmunication to enter into y^e Iewes Sinagoge at the time of their ceremonies, wherin euery day, 13 as S. Hierome writeth, they pronounce a so­lemne curse contra Iesum Nazarenū, a­gainst Iesus of Nazareth, so they cal him of contempt & despite. The like is said of y^eschismatical Grecians in Ve­nice: much more is it to be conceued of [Page]haunting heretical conuenticles, wher the blessed Sacrament, the vicar of Christe, are impudently blasphemed: much more, 1. Cor. 5. I say, as appereth by the Apostles distinction, de fornicariis hu­ius mundi, and, si is qui frater nomina­tur, est fornicarius. Of them whom he calleth fornicatours of this world, in­fidels or Paynims: and of christian brethren that are fornicatours: of thē he meant not, but of this latter. Nè commisceamini cum illis, Kéep no com­pany with them. &c. but more of this comparison hereafter. Here commeth to hand another reason.

Scripsi vobis non commisceri, 1. Cor. 5 14.si is qui frater nominatur, est fornicarius, aut auarus, aut maledicus. &c. cum e­iusmodi nec cibum sumere. I wrote to you not to kéepe company with anye such, as being a Christian man, is a fornicatour, or couetous, or foule spea­ker, with such a one I say not to take meate. And 2. Thessal. 3. generallye: Denunciamus autem vobis, fratres, in nomine Domini Iesu Christi, vt sub­trahatis [Page]vos ab omni fratre ambulante inordinatè. &c. We earnestly and pre­cisely declare vnto you (brethren) that you withdrawe your selues from eue­rye brother that liueth vnorderly And, Per epistolam hunc notate, & nè com­misceamini cum illo. Geue me a note of him by your letters, and kéepe no company with him. Why? vt confun­datur, to shame him. He talketh of lesse sinnes then heresie. And is it the waye to shame heretikes, and so to reclaime them, whē their sayinges and singings are honoured with our presence? To absent our selues is, no doubt, a confu­sion to them, and doth astonish them, although they be obstinate.

Euery Catholike must confesse that the Church of Christ vpon earth is vi­sible, 15 the members wherof must néedes be tyed together aliquo signaculorum vel Sacramentorum visibilium consor­tio, Li. 19. ca. 11 contra Faustum. with some societie of visible signes or Sacramentes, as S. Austen saith: èrgò they that secretly in heart are Ca­tholikes, and visibly in Sacramentes [Page]and ceremonies communicate with heretikes, flatly declare y^e they are not to be accompted of Christes visible and onely Church: which place being wel vrged, must néedes condemne them by their. Catholike opinion of the visible Churche. For if al should hide their faith, how should the Churche appere? If others doo (God be thanked) innu­merable, and they doo not, how are they the children of one mother, the mem­bers of one body? Or what priuiledge haue they, wheras it is necessary that many alwaies doo protest visibly their religion, to be exempted from that opē profession? They cannot possibly cauel against it: for, Reliqui mihi septem millia qui non curuauerunt genua an­te Baal. I haue left me seuen thousand that haue not bowed their knées before Baal. An heretical obiection for their inuisible Churche, is meant of them that in Hierusalem euen then serued God openly in the Temple, [...] when Eli­as complained that in Samaria a­monge the tenne Tribes, [...] Relictus sum [Page]ego solus. Or he spake it of the good men in the tenne Tribes. (S. Austen Collat. contra Donat. cap. 20.) of zeale, because he knewe but fewe.

If nothing els did moue, 16 yet verye zeale against the enemyes of Christe and his Churche should cause a good Christian to absteine. Zelus domus tuę comedit me. The zeale of the house of God hath eaten me. And, Odiui eccle­siam malignantium, & cum impiis nō sedebo. Lauabo inter innocentes ma­nus meas, & circundabo altare tuum Domine. I hate the congregation of wicked men, & with y^e vngodly I wil not sitt. I wil wash my hands among innocents, and compasse thy aultar, O Lord. That is: I wil embrace it with both hands, not geuing one to thée, and the other to thy aduersarye. Dilexi de­corem domus tuae, & locum habitatio­nis gloriae tuae. I haue loued the beau­tie of thine house, and the place where thy glory dwelleth. Hath a cold Catho­like this zeale to Gods house against [Page]Sinagoge? to whom it may iustly be saide: Si videbas furem, currebas cum eo: & cum adulteris portionem tuam ponebas. Existimasti iniquè quòd ero tui similis. If thou sawest a thiefe, thou diddest runne with him: and with the aduoulterous thou diddest take parte. Thou haddest a wicked surmise that I wil be like to thy selfe: a good gentle God to fauour thy sinne, as thou doest fauour heresie. Arguam te, & statuam contra faciem tuam. I wil lay it to thy charge, be thou sure, and cal thée to ac­compt for it in the dreadful day.

And because men doo flatter them selues many wayes in this case, 17 and thinke it great wisedome and smal of­fence to hide their conscience for ad­uauntage, by yéelding a litle. Let vs consider certaine other wayes of con­senting to Infidels, not so wel knowē to the ignorant, After the Admirals death Pu­ritans did wear cros­ses in Fraunce. and yet make a mortal sinn. Caietan, in summula, tit. Habitus mutatio. Si differentia certa distinctiua Christianorum & aliorum est, ita vt quilibet vtens tali habitu fateatur suā [Page]fidem, mortale esset peccatum, puta, Christianum deferre super vestes cha­racterem O ex aliquo timore, vbi hoc est proprium signum Iudęorum; quia hoc nihil aliud est, quàm ex timore fa­teri se Iudaeum. If there be a certaine distinct marke, whereby to know Chri­stians and others a sundre, so that any man by vsing that habite, thereby doth protest his faith, it were a mortal sinn, for example, if a Christian man for feare should weare vpon his outwarde garment this letter O in that place where it is a peculier marke of the Iewes: The mark of here­tikes, cha­racter be­stiae. Apo. 19. of Ca­tholikes signū ✚ Ezech. 9. If both beare one marke, howe shal Christ sai: Cognosco oues meas I knowe my sheep. for that is nothing els but of feare to confesse him selfe a Iewe. Or if a Puritan abhorring from a fryers wéede, would for feare weare it, being a most certaine badge of a papist, he sinneth mortally according to S. Tho­mas conclusion de ratione errante, in my eight reason. Can there be a more manifest distinction of Catholikes and heretikes, then their Churches, their Sacramentes, their prayers, their ser­mons? In S. Austens time when it [Page]was demaūded, Quâ itur ad catholicā? Which is the waye to the Catholike Churche? were not their Churches plainly so distinct, that to aske the way to either, was a token of his religion that asked: like as the schismatical Samaritanes iudged Christe to be of the Iewes religion, Luc. 9. Quia facies eius erat euntis in Hierusalem. Because his face looked as if he were going to Hie­rusalem. And therefore he could get no interteinment among them.

It is al one to communicate with the deuil and with his ministers. Sée then howe easily a man maye sinne in this case, whereas, tollere signum (as they terme it) by that meanes to helpe the person bewitched, is, in the opinion of great learned men, a certaine cōmu­nication with the deuil. S. Hierom in vita S. Hilarionis noteth this especially in the cure that he did vpon a maid be­witched per tormenta verborū, & por­tentosas figuras subter limē domus pu­ellae defossas, By tormenting wordes and monstrous figures digged into the [Page]ground vnder the thresshal of her doore. Noluit autem (saith he) sanctus ante­quàm purgaret virginem, signa iubere perquiri, nè solutis incantationibus, re­cessisse dęmon videretur. The holye man would not bid them looke out the signes or figures, least it might séeme that the deuil departed by vndoing the inchauntmentes Alas howe common is this nowe adaies and many other meanes, estéemed very honest wayes, by signes, wordes, ceremonies, yea, vn­lesse they coniure flatly, and of purpose consult with the deuil, they thinke the rest is no communication with him: right so in our case you may consider, where a man doth communicate with heresie, and deny his faith by many in­direct and couert wayes, neuer without mortal sin, by wilful presence, by Ox­forde protestations, quatenùs consen­tit verbo dei, as farre as it agreeth with the worde of God, by séeming to receaue although he doo not: by geuing his name to the vicar as hauing recea­ued: by conceuing a new sense whē his [Page]wordes import falshood, & must néedes sounde consent to the hearers, as being asked of an heretike. Is the bodye of Christe in the blessed Sacrament? no forsooth, meaning in his visible quanti­tie. &c. by whatsoeuer subtil and secret meanes of séeming to fauour their opi­nions. So he that in praying for the Quéene, vsed this stile, supreme gouer­nour of al persons ecclesiastical and temporal: Although it be true in his sense, yet his purpose was to haue it séeme, as though it were al one with the common stile. And so there be wri­ters that thinke S. Peter saying: Nes­cio hominem, spake it in this sense: Nescio purum hominem: Hieron. in 4. Math. & Theo­philactus in 22. Luc. but neither did he so meane, and if he did, yet the hearers vnderstoode him in the sense that they vrged, and therfore it was so also a flatt denyal. Vide Augustinum varia genera mendaciorum lib. contra mendacium cap. 3. & deinceps.

Another reason may be, because this dissimulation and indifferencie per­taineth to olde heresies. 19 First Basili­des, [Page] (Niceph. li. 4. cap. 2.) among other monsterous heretikes, res nullo in dis­crimine ponere docuit, adiaphorein, perinde at (que) tempore exigente, abs (que) exceptione omni praecisè fidem abiu­rare liceret. He taught men to be indif­ferent to anye religion, as if it were lawful (the time so requiring) precise­lye without al exception to abiure the faith. The second Helcesaitarum. (Eu­seb. li. 6. cap. 31. ex Origene) fidem ne­gare indifferens quiddam esse. Qui e­nim interiore cogitatione rectè de fide sentiat, tametsi ore cùm necessitas illū cò detruserit, fidem perneget, eum ta­men animo firmè illi adhaesurū. That to denye the faith is an indifferent thing, for he that in his heart inward­lye hath a true beliefe, although with mouth, when necessitie vrgeth him, he denye his faith, yet in his minde he is readie to sticke to it stedfastlye. These make their grounde, necessitie, as ma­nye colde Catholikes doo, thinking so to be excused, and therfore, as S. Cipri­an writeth de lapsis in his time: Non [Page]expectauerunt saltem vt interrogatinegarent, ante aciem multi victi. &c. They did not stay so longe as to be ex­amined first, and thē denye their faith, many yéelded before they beganne to fight. They preuent the law, least they should be vrged to their paine, calling it necessitie, when they must eyther doo it, or incurre a litle damage of displea­sure or libertie. But let them learne, that it was the persuasion of the pro­fane Count Magnus seruaunt to Va­lens the Arrian Emperour, to the Ca­tholike priestes and Deacons of Alex­andria. Theodo­ritus li. 4. cap. 20. O miseri, obsequimini, Arria­nae opinioni assentite. Nam diuinum numē, licet illa quam colitis religio ve­ra sit, si non vestra sponte sed necessita­te adducti, ab ea discedatis, veniam vo­bis daturum est. Etenim in his quae ne­cessitate peccantur, relinquitur excusa­tioni locus, Sed cùm sua sponte quis­quam deliquerit, carere reprehensione non potest. O wretched men, obeye a lawe, agrée to the Arrian religion: for the diuine godhead, although your re­ligion [Page]be true, if you reuolt from it, not of your owne accord, but by com­pulsion, wil pardon you: for in such of­fences as are committed of necessitie, some excuse wil be taken: but when a man shal offend wilfully, that cannot lacke blame and reproufe. But how li­tle those glorious Confessors wer mo­ued with this ethnish persuasion, appe­reth in the story. S. Austen to signifie, that no necessitie in this case excuseth, In lasp. 30 Qui timendo mori mentitur, moritur antequàm moriatur, qui ideò mentie­batur vt viueret. He that fering to dye, lyeth or dissembleth, is dead before he dye, who therefore lied or dissembled that he might liue. The thirde heresie is Priscilianistarum, of whom S. Au­sten writeth, Contra mond. ca. 6 that being demaunded their religiō, they answerd, Catholiks, that is of the contrary to their profes­sion, because they would y^e better search what was done among y^e Catholikes. Whervpon certaine Catholikes thin­king they might doo the same towardes those heretikes by dissembling in their conuenticles, [Page]to learne their misteries, Non in verbis tan tùm est mendaciū sed factis, vt prophetia. gaue occasion to S. Austen to write contra mendacium, against lying or dissem­bling, as him selfe telleth lib. 2. retract. 60. concluding that it was not lawful in any wise.

To ende, and, as it were, to bind fast the conclusion of al these reasons with the verdit of the Church, and ecclesias­tical Fathers of our time, when this question was moued in the Councel of Trent, to satisfie the doubtful conscien­ces, chiefly of our countrymē, Twelue of the best learned (one Petrus a Soto) chosen by the Councel to decide it, pro­nounced, omninò non licere, that it was in no case lawful. Being in England I saw their short discourse in writing. It is also the iudgement of the best learned Fathers and Profes­sours in Rome, Iesuites. And of so many as are sound Cotholike diuines, of vpright iudgement, that haue no foo­lish pietie, to sooth the feareful humour of their carnal frendes.

THe Apostasie of Iero­boam, and the tenne Tribes is famous by these wordes: Erexit altare contra altare. He set vp another al­tare against the true aultar in Ierusa­lem. He did sacrifice him selfe out of Ierusalem, made priestes other then Leuites. &c. 3. Reg. 13. God therefore sending his prophet to rebuke him, gaue strait cō ­maundement, that he should not eate nor drink with them, nor tary among them, which he dulye and truely obser­ued, although the king him selfe inui­ted him to his table. But being depar­ted from thence, and fallen into the company of one thereaboutes, that would néedes interteine him, and cause him to eate, and because he refused vp­pon Gods commaundement, tolde him that he also was the prophet of God, and did warrant him against al disple­sure [Page]and offence. This good meaning man belieued him, did eate and com­municate with the Samaritane: and what folowed? he was told by & by y^t he should dye for it before he came home. A lion méeteth him in the way, and not hurting the asse, killed the credulous and disobedient man, for communica­ting with schismatikes. A goodly exam­ple for Catholikes against the vngod­lye persuasions of their frendes that say vnto them in this sort: Why are you so scrupulous? is it so great a mat­ter to come to Churche? 2. Esdr. 6. is a notable example to resist the per­suasion of false fren­des. am not I Ca­tholike aswel as you? I warrant you. Let them take héede of these false Ca­tholikes more then of open heretikes, remembring that this man of God, whom Ieroboam the king could not persuade, was persuaded by one that named him selfe a prophet. S. Austen. ep. 23. Quàm multi volebant esse Ca­tholici manifesta veritate commoti, & offensionem suorum reuerendo, quoti­diè differebant. How many wold glad­lye haue bene Catholikes, because ma­nifest [Page]truth did moue them, and fea­ring the displeasure of their frendes, dayly differred it? Is it not verified here, Psal. 36. Amici mei aduersum me appro­pinquauerunt. My frendes approched against me?

Againe, Elias and Elizeus, Oseas and Amos liued among the ten schis­matical tribes to preache vnto them, but did not communicate with them in their vnlawful Sacrifice, Leuit. 17. which was lawful onely in the Temple of Ieru­salem. Oseae. 4. Amos. 5. & Oseae. 9Nolite ingredi in Gal­gala, & nè ascenderitis in Beth-anen. Enter not into Galgal, and go not vp to Beth-anen: that is, domum iniqui­tatis, the house of iniquitie: or, domū Idoli, the Idols house, because of Iero­hoams goldē calues, which before was called Bethel. Domus Dei, The house of God. Againe, Si fornicaris tu Israel, If thou playe the harlott, that is, if thou runne after false religion, O Is­rael, Aug. lib. 1. contra Crescon, cap. 32. you Samaritanes or tenne Tri­bes, manifest heretikes and Schisma­tikes. (Sunt enim Samaritani veluti haeretici Iudaeorum: for the Samari­the [Page]Samaritanes are as heretikes frō the Iewes) Non delinquat saltem Iu­da. Let not the Catholike Iuda offende by communicating with them. Parti­ceps idolorum Ephraim, dimitte eum. Ephraim (the ten tribes) taketh part with Idols, let him go, folow him not. S. Hierom in his Comment. In cap. 4. Oscae. Super hę­reticos prona intelligentia est, ad quos, vel de quibus dicitur. Si semel fornica­ris, haeretice, saltem tu ecclesiastice nè delinquas, nè ingrediaris in Galgala, haereticorum conciliabula, non est ibi domus dei, sed domus Idoli. Concer­ning heretikes the vnderstanding of this place is easie, to whom or of whō it is saide. If thou heretike playe the fornicatour from Christe, and his Churche, yet thou that art a Catholike man offend not with him, enter not in­to Galgal, that is, heretical Conuenti­cles. There is not the house of God, but the house of an Idol. Thus farre S. Hierome. Marke nowe this briefe comparison. The Temple of Ierusa­lem which onely had lawful Sacrifice, [Page]with she Catholike Church, extra quā non benè offertur, etsi sacrificium va­leat. Out of the which Sacrifice is ne­uer wel offred, although it selfe be al­waies of value. Beth-anen with the heretical Sinagoges which before were Bethel: the houses of God, Ca­tholike Churches: The tenne Tribes with flat heretikes: Iuda, or the two Tribes in Ierusalem with Catho­likes. Consider the Prophetes wor­des and the Doctors interpretation, and for our purpose it is very plaine. Tractat hunc locum Balduinus egregiè in historia sua de collatione Donatista­rum & Catholicorum, quam subiunxit Optato, which is much woorth the rea­ding.

The next example may be olde To­bie, Qui, cùm coeteri omnes irent in Bethel ad adorandos vitulos, hic solus fugit consortia omnium, & pergebat in Ierusalem ad templum Domini. &c. Hęc & his similia secundùm legem dei obseruabat puerulus. Who, when al o­thers went to Bethel to woorship the [Page]calues, he alone fled their company and went to Ierusalem, the Temple of our Lorde. &c. These and other like thinges he obserued according to the lawe of God being but a litle one. After when he was in Niniuée, Nunquam conta­minatus est in ęscis eorum. He was ne­uer polluted with their meates forbid by the lawe. Being vndoubtedly one of that number of whom God saide to E­lias: Reliqui mihi septem millia quinon curuauerunt genua ante Baal. I haue left to my selfe seuen thousande that haue not bowed their knées be­fore Baal. O what an honour was it in suche an vniuersal Apostasie when Elias saide: Relictus sum ego solus. I am lefte alone, to haue the glorious testimonie of Almightie God in the lesser number of constant men. Reli­qui mihi. I haue left to me. Such are these fewe good Catholikes, which eyther beyonde the Seas or at home séeke to the Catholike Churche. They shal haue Tobyes blessing, an Angel [Page]to direct them in al their doinges, and the king Sennacherib shal (spite of his téeth) not hurt them. Heb. 1. Nolite time­re pusille grex, Pater nam (que) meus pa­rauit vobis Regnum. Feare not litle swéete flocke, for my Father hath pre­pared you a kingdome.

Iudith foloweth, whose godlye and constant wisedome if our Catholike gentlewomen woulde folowe, they might destroye Holofernes, the master heretike, and amase al his retinew, and neuer defile their religion by com­municating with them in anye smal poynt. She came to please Holofer­nes, Iudith. 11. but yet in her religion she woulde not yéelde so muche as to eate of his meates, but brought of her owne with her, and tolde him plainelye, that be­ing in his house, yet she must serue her Lorde and God stil, desiring for that purpose libertie once a day to goe in & out y^e gate. Iudith. 12. Non potero manducare ex his quae praecipis mihi, ne veniat su­per [Page]me offensio. I maye not eate of that which thou commaundest me, least I incurre Gods displesure. Which her constancie (a wonderful thing to tel) was the very means afterward, wher­by she caried away his head safely, the porters presupposing that she went forth (as before) to pray to her God. He hoped wel to haue had the company of her body, and so to possesse her altoge­ther: but God did so direct her religi­ous mind, that she confounded him and al his, not once touching of his meats: Her good maid waited vpon her al this time. And surely one constant Iudith shal easily make many like seruaunts, a thing much to be wished, for the Ca­tholike bringing vp of yonge gentle­women, who otherwise are in daunger of Holofernes, and his vngratious mi­nisters.

For al yonge persons the storye of Daniel, and the other children is con­uenient, who refused also to eate of the kings meates, ne communicando pol­luerentur, least by cōmunicating with [Page]them they might be polluted: which pleased God so wel, that they were in better liking after rootes and herbes, then the rest after flesh and fish. Daniel. 1. & 6. And concerning prayers, he was so farre from ioyning with Infidels, that he would not intermitt his owne daylye prayers toward the temple in Ierusa­lem, when he knewe it was death by the kinges commaundement.

The zeale of Matthathias and his sonnes, 1. Mach. 1. &. 2. nè praeputium adducerent cum Gentilibus, rather then they would be­come vncircumcised like the Gentiles: the death of Eleazarus rather then he would séeme to communicate: 2. Mach. 6. the care­ful diligence of Esdras and the rest in ablegando mulieres alienigenas, 1. Esdr. 9. &. 2. Esd. 13 in put­ting away their forreine wiues, which signifie schismes and heresies, as in the Prouerbes is plaine: the death of the seuen Machahées and their woorthye mother rather then they would cōmu­nicate: 2. Mach. 7. Vide Ian­senium in ca. 2.5.6.7.9.11. the wise mans councel there so often to inculcate abstaining from the company mulieris alienae, blandae, pul­chrae, [Page]sed stultae: of the woman that is a straunger, and speaketh faire, and is beautiful, but a very foole (heresie vn­doubtedlye) the fal of Salomon so wise, so high in Gods fauour, Ex con­suetudine & coniugiis foeminarum a­lienigenarum, By familiaritie and mariage of forreine women, the ex­presse commaundement of God to the contrary. Non inibitis cum illis foedus. You shal neyther make nor meddle with them. Nō dabitis filios vestros fi­liabus eorum. You shal not geue your sonnes to their daughters, because they wil peruert them, the same perillous effect so certainly ensuing, as y^e psalme maketh mention, Psal. 105. Commisti sunt intergentes, & didicerunt opera eorum, & factum est illis in scandalū. They min­gled them selues among the Gentiles, and learned their workes, and it was an occasion to them of heynous sinne: So many preceptes de non tangendo immundo, not to touche anye vncleane thinge, and if they did, to be vn­cleane afterward: the zeale of the good [Page]Leuite, which would not stay in Iebus although it was towarde night. Iudicū. 19. vers. 12. Non ingrediar oppidum gentis alienae. I wil not enter into the towne of a for­reine Nation, that are not of the sons of Israel. Genes. 34. vers. 1. &. 2. Dina egressa in vrbem alie­nigenarum, mox violata. Dina the daughter of Iacob wandring abrode into Sichem a towne of straungers and Infidels, by and by defloured and corrupted: the answere of Ioseder and Zorobabel to the Gentiles that offred to helpe them in building the Temple. Non potestis aedificare nobiscum, 1. Esdr. 4. vers. 3.nos soli aedificabimus. You may not build with vs, we alone wil build: y^e straight charge to take nothing of the Anathe­ma, Iosue 7. v. 13. &. 25. the death of Acham for the contra­rye: the cōmaundement to kil olde and yonge, not to spare the very infant. Be­atus qui tenebit & allidet paruulos tu­os ad petram. Deut. 2. Blessed is he that shal holde, and shal squise thy yonge ones against the rocke, the least infant of that harlott Babilon. And, Cantic. 2. vers. 15. Capite nobis vulpeculas paruulas, quae de­moliuntur [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]vineam meam. Catche vs these litle foxes that spoile my vine­yard, Deut. 14. aswel the litle as the great, for they doo much harme also. Qui minima neglig it, paulatim defluit. He that is negligent in lesser pointes, by litle and litle falleth to greater enormities. Deut. 16. A­gaine, non rades caput in circulum, nō incides carnes. Thou shalt not shaue thy head in compasse, thou shalt not cut or hewe thy fleshe (because it was a fas­shion of the Paynims) the paring of the captiue womens nailes and cut­ting her heare, the great praise of ma­nye kinges in Iuda: veruntamen ex­celsa non abstulit, but he tooke not a­way sacrifices made vpon hilles, one point lacking to a perfect religious prince: that Salomon built a seueral house for Pharaos daughter and his wife, 3. Reg. 7. for reuerence to the temple, and arke of God, no Gentile to dwel nighe it: Exod. 4. that Moyses sent awaye vxorem Madianitidem, his wife that was a Madianite and straunger when he be­came Dux populi Dei in Egipt: Heb. 11. and [Page]that he would not be estéemed the sonn of Pharao his daughter, but renoun­cing al the glory of Egipt, dealt onely with the people of God, that the verye name of Incircumcisus was odious & abhominable. These and other like (quae omnia in figura contingebant il­lis) (Al which chaunced to them in fi­gures (doo they not signifie that we ought to auoyde al societie and felow­shipp of error, and not to communicate with them in any smal poynt of reli­gion, nor to reserue any part thereof as indifferent, yea, rather to forsake wife and al dearest frendes, then to commu­nicate with infidelitie?

Last of al, to conclude this part of Scriptural examples, Epi. 76. fig. 3. S. Ciprian doth much amplifie the crime of schisme by the gréeuous punishment of thē which consented onely, and tooke anye part with Chore, Dathan, and Abyrō. Om­nes omninò cum authoribus coniungi, qui fuerint eorum peccato contamina­ti. That al are in punishment to be ioyned with the principal doers that [Page]shalbe polluted with partaking their sinne. He concludeth thus: And when the sonnes of Aaron offerentes alienū ignem, Leuit. 10. did so offende, that the very thu­ribula eorum, their censars were tur­ned into laminas, and might not be v­sed, but kept for a memorial to the ter­ror of others: are not we afraide coo­perantes alienis oblationibus, precibus, concionibus, erroribus? Assisting and furthering by our presence heretical oblations, praiers, sermons, other their errors. Here might be added out of the newe testament the primitiue example of the Christians. Act. 1. &. 4 Hi omnes erant per­seuerantes vnanimiter in oratione. They continued with one accord euery one of them in prayer to God. And, Multitudinis credentium erat cor vnū & anima vna. Coeterorum autem ne­mo audebat se coniungere illis. Of the number that beléeued there was one heart and one minde. And of the rest that did not beléeue none durst ioyne him selfe with them: according to the Psalme. Qui inhabitare facis [Page]vnius moris in domo. That maketh his people to dwel in his house al of one maner and opinion. Is this ob­serued where heretikes and Catholiks méete in prayer together? In. 9. Oseae Haereticorū conciliabula (saith S. Hierome) non domus Dei appellantur, sed speluncae latronum. Heretical conuenticles are not called the house of God, but dennes of strong théeues. But it is very likely, some man here wil say, that these for­mer authorities are against Gentiles and Paynims, not against heretikes. In the third ob­iectiō and his answer Of this point I wil saye more after­warde, whether of these are most to be shunned. In the meane time this I saye. That which in the olde Testa­ment is spoken literally of Gentiles and Idolatours, mistically is referred of al auncient Fathers to heretikes in the newe lawe, as shal appere by the ecclesiastical examples next folowing, wherein it is manifest, that Christi­ans did as muche abhorre from here­tikes, as the Iewes before from Gen­tiles, [Page]and no meruaile, because Christe commaunded so in plain wor­des: Mat. 18. vers. 11.1 Si ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut Ethnicus. If he wil not heare the Churche, let him be to thée as an Eth­nike.

OF S. Iohn in my first reason. Euseb. li. 4. ca. 13. ex Irenaeo writeth, Ioannē Domini Dis­cipulum, cùm Ephesi ad balnea se confer­ret, intus (que) videret Cerinthum haereti­cum, se mox è balneo illotum proripu­isse, & dixisse: fugiamus ociùs, nè bal­neum in quo est Cerinthus veritatis aduersarius extemplò corruat. That S. Iohn our Lordes Disciple going to the Bathes at Ephesus, and seing the heretike Cerinthus within, immediat­lye leaped out of the bathe vnwashed, and saide: Let vs flée hence in al haste, [Page]least the bathe wherin Cerinthus the enemy of truth is, fal presently. In the same place, of S. Policarpe S. Iohns scholler, Marcioni in eius conspectum venienti ac roganti, Nosce nos amabo, Respondit, Noui quidem primogenitū Sathanae. When Marcion the heretike came into his sight, and said ambitious­lye to him: Knowe vs, Sir, I beséeche you. I know thée (quoth he) to be an olde babe, or the first begotten of Sa­tan. And be addeth generally of others: Talem nam (que) tùm Apostoli,Niceph. li. 3. ca. 30.tùm illo­rum discipuli adhibuerunt cautionem, vt nè sermonem quidem cum aliquo illorum qui veritatem suis commentis adulterare nitebantur, aliquando con­ferre vellent, sicut Paulus admonet, hę­reticum hominem deuita. &c. For the Apostles and their scollers were so wa­rye and circumspect in this case, that they would not so much as once reason the matter with any of them that in­deuoured by their leasinges to corrupt the truth, according to S. Paules ad­monition: Shunne the man that is an heretike and auoyde him.

And therfore Ignatius the Apostles scholler also, writeth, epist. 6. ad Phila­delphenses. Fratres, ne erretis: Si quis eum sectatur qui se absciderit à verita­te, regnum dei non haereditabit. My brethren, be not deceaued: If a man folow his faction that hath cut off him selfe from the truth, he shal not inhe­rite the kingdome of God. And least they might vnderstand him of consent in opinion, he addeth: Et qui non abs­cedit à mendaci concionatore, in ge­hennam condemnabitur. Nec enim à piis discedendum, nec cum impiis cō ­mercia habenda. And he that goeth not awaye from a false preacher, shalbe damned into hel, for neither must we depart from the godlye, nor haue anye dealing with vngodlye and wicked men.

Of Origen Eusebius telleth (li. Niceph. li. 5. Cap. 4.6. ca. 3.) quòd necessitate compulsus in eadem familia degere cum Paulo quo­dam heretico, tamen per idem tempus, euidentia catholicę suę opinionis iudi­cia ostendere non dubitauit. That [Page]although of necessitie he was forced to liue in one house with one Paule an heretike, yet at the selfe-same time he doubted not to shewe euident tokens of his Catholike opinion. Wherin? Nam cùm frequens multitudo, non hęretico­rum tantummodò, sed nostrorum eti­am, propter singularem dicendi vim quę in Paulo inesse videbatur, ad eum accederent, Origenes tamen nunquàm induci poterat, vt precibus vnà cū illo interesset. For when a great multi­tude, not onely of heretikes, but of our men also, for a singuler grace of vtte­rance that séemed to be in Paule, came vnto him (as our Catholikes gladlye run to fine heretical sermons) yet Ori­gen could neuer be induced to be pre­sent at prayer & diuine seruice w^t him. Why so? Quippe qui ab ineunte ętate & ecclesię canonem obnixè obseruas­set, & (vt ipse in quodā libro loquitur) errorū doctrinas fuisset semper detesta tus. As one who from his youth both had straitly obserued the Canon of the Church, and (as himselfe speaketh in a [Page]certaine booke) had alwaies detested erroneons doctrine. Two thinges are here to be noted, that he had that zeale of a childe, and especially that it was the Canon or rule of the Church so to doo: Vide Can 44.45. which rule is plaine in the Ca­nons of the Apostles. Can. 63. Si quis clericus aut laicus Sinagogam Iudaeo­rum aut haereticorum conuenticulum ingressus fuerit, vt preces cum illis con­iungat, deponitor, & à communione secluditor. If anye of the Clergie or laye man shal enter into the Iewes Sinagoge, or the conuenticle of here­tikes, Vide ep. Firmilia­ni apud Cipr. 75. a­pertissimū testimo­nium consuetudi­nis Ca­tholicorū. nu. 7. fru­stra iam dubitat. &c. to praier among them, let him be deposed and excommunicated. If a Ca­uiller say it toucheth not them that are present onely, and say their own prai­ers: the gréeke readeth to suneuxasthai to praye with them, or proseuxasthai, to pray simpliciter without any addition. And Origen folowing the Canon, in­duci non poterat, vt precibus vnà cum illo interesset. Could not be induced to be present onely at prayer with the he­retike.

Heraclas bishop of Alexandria was Origens chief scholler, & as it wer, Ca­techist vnder him. Euseb. li. 6. ca. 12. Of him Dionisius Alexandrinus hauing spoken of heretical bookes not to be read, but with great iudgement, saith: Euseb. li. 7 cap. 6. Istum Canonem istud (que) exemplum a beato Papa nostro Heracla cepi. Ille nam (que) eos qui ab ecclesia abscessissent, cùm essent accusati, quòd consuetudine cuiusdam eorum qui alienā à side doc­trinam tuebantur, multum vsi fuissent, Ecclesia eiecit. &c. This Canon or rule (saith he) and this example I receaued of our holy Father Heraclas: for he excommunicated them that were de­parted out of the Catholike Churche, when they were accused to haue kept company verye much with any of thē that did mainteyne contrary doctrine to the true faith.

Athanasius that mightie Champiō against the Arrians comming to Anti­oche where one Leontius was bishop, Eum, vt à Catholica fide auersum de­uitauit, at (que) cum illis qui Eustathiani [Page]vocabantur, communicauit, conuentu in ędibus priuatis peracto. Shunned him as one turned from the Catholike faith, and he communicated with them that were called Eustathians (because they helde with their Catholike Bis­shop Eustathius depriued) making as­semblies in prinate houses. And Sozo­men. lib. 3. ca. 9. of the same, he did ra­ther pray with Catholikes in priuate houses, then with Leontius in the Churche. Of which Leontius by the way it is not amisse to note what a dis­sembler and double dealer he was, that they nowe a dayes which are like vnto him, Athanas. apud The od. lib. 2. cap. 24. may be ashamed. Etenim cùm cle­rum & laicam multitudinem in duas partes diuisam cerneret, For when he sawe that the Clergie and laye multi­tude were deuided into two partes, (some Arrians, some Catholikes, or Homusians) and that the one company sange Gloria Patri, & Filio, & Spiritui Sancto, Glory be to the Father, and to the Sonne, and to the holy Ghost, to make them equal: the other per filium [Page]in spiritu sancto. Glory be to the Fa­ther by the sonne in the holy Ghost, to make them vnequal. Ipse totam glori­ficationem tacitus secum recitauit. He saide secretly to him selfe y^e whole Glo­ria Patri (because he would offend ney­ther part) & in the end only pronounced In secula seculorum, so loude, that they which were next him, might heare it.

Eulogius primarius pręs biter Edis­senorum, a priest of Edessa, Theodo­rit, li. 4. cap. 16. one of the chiefe, whose praise is in the ecclesiasti­cal history, being exhorted by Modestus that persecuted Catholikes vnder Va­lens the Arrian Emperour, in these wordes: Cōmunica cum Imperatore. Communicate with the Emperour, doo as he doth, shunne him not because he is an Arrian, answered: Nunquid cum imperio est sacerdotis dignitatem consecutus? I pray you, Sir, quoth he, hath he with the Empire obteined also priestly or bishoply dignitie? mening y^t they must folow their Catholike Bis­shop Barses who was depriued, & not y^e Emperor. The gentlemā being offē ­ded [Page]at this aunswere, I saide not so, you dolt, quoth he: Sed vos, vtì, quibuscum communicet Imperator, cum iisdem communicetis, adhortatus sum. But I exhorted you al to communicate with them, with whom the Emperour him self doth communicate, meaning with Lupus and other Arrian Bishops: and so banished foure score of them at once. Of whom the two chiefe, this Eulogi­us and Protegines being sent, as God would haue it, ad Antinoen in The­bais, a prouince in Egipt, after they perceaued that the Bishop of that Ci­tie was of their religion, they commu­nicated with the Clergie there in ec­clesiastical assemblyes at Churche and otherwise. Marke, They did forsake the ecclesiastical Conuenticles of Arri­an Bishops, and being banished for it, finding there a Catholike Bishopp, straight they communicated with him. Is not this our case?

The petition of Alexander Bishop of Constantinople is memorable, Theodor. li. 1. cap. 14. whē the Emperour Constantine was sedu­ced [Page]by the Arrians to permit that Ari­us might be receaued into the Church, and the Catholike Communion, Ista duo à deo postulauit, sic loquutus. Si Arius cras in Ecclesia conuentus aget, dimitte me seruū tuū, & nè simul per­das pium cum impio: sin clemens par­ces ecclesiae tuae, considera verba Euse­bianorum, & nè des in ruinam haeredi­tatem tuam: tolle Arium de medio, nè illo in ecclesiam ingresso, tùm haeresis vnà cum eo ingressa videatur, tùm de­inceps impietas pietatis locū occupet. He requested these two things of God, speaking thus: If Arius to morowe shal make conuenticles in the Church, let me thy seruaunt depart, and destroy not the godly man together with the vngodly: but if thou wilt mercifullye spare thy Churche, consider the wordes of the Eusebians (Arrians) and geue not ouer thine heritage to ruine and decaye. Take Arius out of the waye, least if he enter into the Churche, both heresie may séeme to haue entred toge­ther with him, & in time wicked blas­phemie [Page]against God may possesse the place of Gods true religion. He wished to dye rather then to be in the Church with Arius and his company. What folowed? Arius ingressus latrinas, pos­cente ventris necessitate, crepuit medi­us. Alexander conuentum cum omni­bus fratribus celebrare, preces fundere. &c. Before y^e time was come to make their assemblye, Arius going to a house of office, because he was taken short as he was in the stréete, there powred out his bowels. Alexander that Catholike Bishop assembled his brethren y^e Cler­gie together, prayed and gaue thankes.

Paulus praesbiter Eustachii Antio­cheni Episcopi hac de re laudatur, quòd se nunquàm haereticorum com­munione polluerat. Paulinus a Priest of Antioche vnder the Bishop Eusta­chius is very famous, and hath a sin­guler cōmendation for this point, that he neuer defiled him selfe by communi­cating with heretikes. Hieron.

To come from the Clergie to the laye multitude, which is néerer to our [Page]purpose. Septimana sacrosanctā Pen­tecosten subsequenti, populus (Alex­andrinus) vbi ieiunauerat, in coemite­rium proptereà ad orationem egredi­tur, quòd omnes Georgii detestaren­tur communionem. In Whitson­wéeke the people of Alexandria after they had fasted (as the fashion then was, and nowe is, in the Churche) go­eth out into the Churchyarde, to praye for this occasion, because al of them de­tested communicating or being in the Churche with George the heretical Bishopp: wherein they were so con­stant, protesting thereby the Catholike faith against the Arrian Bishop, that they suffered diuers and gréeuous per­secutions, as Athanasius telleth. lib. 2. cap. 14. apud Theodoritum.

De Samosatensibus sic idem Theo­dor. lib. 4. cap. 14. Posteaquàm Ariani gregem Pastore longè optimo (Euse­bio) priuârant, & alterum in eius fur­rogârant locum (Eunomium,) nemo ex vrbis incolis, vel pressus aegestate, vel diuitiis affluens, famulus vel arti­fex, [Page]agricola vel consitor, vir vel mulier, iuuenis vel senex, ad conuentū ecclesiasticum accedere voluit, sed epi­scopus solus agebat. Quippe nemo aut in eius venit conspectum, aut cum eo sermonem contulit, licet diceretur vi­tam apud eos valdè modestè instituis­se. After that y^e Arrians had depriued y^e flocke of their excellent and most ver­tuous Shepperd (Eusebius their Ca­tholike Bishop) and had stalled ano­ther in his roome (Eunomius,) none of the inhabitantes there, poore or rich, seruaunt or artificer, husbandman or grafter, man or woman, yonge or olde, would come to the Churche, but the Bishop was there al alone: for no mā would either come into his sight, or talke with him, albeit he was reported to haue vsed him selfe very modestly & quietly among them. This example serueth against them that cōmunicate with their heretical Bishop or vicar, because he is a gentle person forsoothe, and his wife a verye honest woman: such fonde reasons foolish Catholikes haue.

I might adde here the zeale of that people that would not wash in y^e bathe where the Bishop washed. Theodor. ibidem. Sed aquam hereticae nequitie contagione infectā esse rati, eam in cloacam emittunt, no­uam (que) sibi infundi imperant. But sup­posing the very water was infected with the filth of heretical wickednes, cast it out into the sinke, and commaū ­ded newe water to be powred in. And that the very boyes and children play­ing at the bal in the strete, which chaū ­ced to fal vnder the asses féete whervp­pon Lucius the Arriā Bishop did ride, would not play with it againe, til they had sensed it vp and downe in y^e flame of the fire, so to purge it. But I wil adde one example more of the multi­tude abhorring ecclesiastical conuenti­cles or cōming to Church among such persons.

Whē Liberius the Bishop of Rome was banished, Theodor. lib. 2. ca. 17. and one Felix placed for him, Tametsi fidem Niceni Concilij seruauit integram, tamen quia cum A­rianis liberè communicauit, nemo ex [Page]Romae habitatoribus in ecclesiam, dum ille intùs erat, ingredi voluit. Although he mainteyned euery point of the Ni­cene Councel concerning faith, yet be­cause he fréely communicated with Ar­rians, none of the Inhabitantes of Rome would enter into the Church so long as he was within. Which was signified to the Emperour Constanti­us per praestantes foeminas, by women of good calling, who first threatned their noble husbands, that vnlesse thei did obteine of his grace, that their Bis­shopp Liberius might returne, they would forsake them and go where he was. Afterward by the aduise of their fearful husbandes, them selues went to intreate the Emperour, richlye ap­parelled like vnto Iudith, the sooner to moue him, as in déede they did, and Li­berius was called home. A woorthy ex­ample for noble gentlewomen to fo­lowe: Note moreouer, that al true Ca­tholikes then refused to communicate with Felix, not because he was an he­retike, but because he was content to [Page]communicate with them, and to be made Bishopp by them. And there­fore it is written of him thus: Foelix pro Liberio ab Arianis factus Ponti­fex, non tàm sectae diuersitate, quàm communionis & ordinationis conni­uentia maculatur. Felix being made Bishop of Rome by the Arrians in Li­berius place, blotted his estimatiō, not so much for diuersitie of sect or opiniē, as for yéelding to communicate with them, and to be consecrated Bishop of them. By occasion whereof it séemeth very expedient in this place to adde ex­amples of such glorious Catholikes that refused to receaue the Sacramen­tes at heretikes handes, for that also pertaineth to this question, and to the state of our countrey.

BUt let vs sée moreo­uer, for the better sa­tisfying of thē whom this former discourse of reason, Scripture and practise doth not satisfie what they are wont to pleade for their dissimulation, Psal. 140. ad excusandas excusationes in peccatis.

THe scriptures are ful to the contra­rye in Gods cause. Qui amat patrē, matrem, vxorem. &c. plusquam me, nō est me dignus. He that loueth father, mother, wife. &c. more then me, is not woorthy of me. Marc. 9. Si oculus tuus scandali­zat te, eiice eum: si manus dextera, am­puta eam. If thine eye offende theée, cast him out: if thy right hande, cutt it off, better it is to go alone to heauē, vnum oculum habentem, hauing but one eye, then with thy wife or childrē into hel. The rewarde of the contrary is this. Qui reliquerit vxorem, vel liberos. etc. Math. 19.propter nomen meum, centuplum ac­cipiet, et vitam aeternam possidebit. He that shal forsake wife or children. &c. for my name, shal receaue a hundred folde, and possesse euerlasting life. Is this a hard case? Math. 10. Putatis (saith Christ) quòd pacem veni mittere? non, dico vobis, sed bellū: Veni enim seperare fi­liū à patre suo, et nurum à socra sua. etc. [Page]mici homines domestici eius. Thinke you that I came to sende peace? No, I tel you truth, but warre: for I came to seperate the sonne from his Father, and the daughter in lawe from her mo­ther in lawe. &c. The enemies of a mā are they of his owne housholde: not be­cause Christ is the cause of this dissen­tion, but because this ensued of his cō ­ming, whiles one foloweth him, & the other doth not: thone is a Catholike, thother an heretike: one zealous to for­sake al, thother wil kéepe al to forsake God. Deut. 13. And therefore in the olde lawe it is commaunded: Si surrexerit pseudo­propheta, & dixerit: Veni, seruiamus diis alienis. &c. If there rise a false pre­cher, and say: Come, let vs go serue or woorshipp straunge Gods, (that is, al false doctrine and error,) cast thou the first stone vpon that person, albeit he be thy father, thy brother, thy sister, thy wife, quae dormit in sinu tuo, that slée­peth in thy bosome. Deut. 33. And, Qui dixerit patri suo & matri suae, nescio vos, hic est qui facit voluntatē meam. He that [Page]shal say in this case to his father, and to his mother, I knowe you not: he it is that doth my wil. Luc. 4. Qui non odit pa­trem suum & matrem. &c. He that ha­teth not his father and mother, is not my Disciple. Epist. ad Heliodor. S. Hierome not in the case of auoyding sinne, but of séeking greater perfection, saith: Licet paruu­lus ex collo pendeat nepos,Sir Tho. More to his daughter Mar­garet.licet vbera quibus ne nutrierat mater ostendat, li­cet in limine pater iaceat, per calcatum perge patrem, siccis oculis ad vexillum crucis euola. Solum pietatis genus est, in hac re esse crudelem. Although thy litle nephewe hange about thy necke, although thy mother shewe the brestes wherwith she gaue thée sucke, althogh thy father lye crosse thy way in y^e doore, treade ouer him and go forward, melte not once at the matter, but flée couragi­ously to the banner of the Crosse. This is the onely case, wherein crudelitie is religious godlines. This is to be done, if our frendes would stay vs from en­tring religion, much more in the case of professing our faith. Where those [Page]sarings haue place, Sine mortuos sepe­lire mortuos suos. Luc. 9. Suffer y^e dead to bu­rye their dead, to him that would bury his father first, and afterward folowe Christe. Math. 23. Againe, Nolite vocare vobis patrem in terris: vnus est enim pater vester qui in coelis est. Cal ne man fa­ther vpon earth, for you haue but one father, him that is in heauen. If your earthly father be against your heauen­lye, then Vnus sit pater vester qui in coelis est. Let he onely be your Father that is in heauen: otherwise, sée the daunger, and the consequence of carnal persuasions procéeding from vnfrend­lye frendes in S. Austen. In psa. 48 Quid eis fe­cerunt tentationes soeuientium? What did the temptations of them that dealt seuerely preuaile with them? Nothing in comparison. Maiorem violentiam habuerunt oculi flentiū suorum, quàm persecutiones insectantiū. Quàm mul­tos etram tenebant filij nè paterentur? quàm multorū genibus prouolueban­tur vxores. etc? The eyes of their wée­ping frendes had more force and vio­lence, [Page]thē the persecutions of the hang­men. How many did the children holde backe from suffering? how many were there, at whose knées their wiues cast themselues to that purpose? And, quàm multi volebant esse Catholici manifes­ta veritate coniuncti,Epist. 48.et offensionem suorum reuerendo, quotidiè differe­bant? How many would gladly be Ca­tholikes being conuicted by manifest truth, and differred it dayly, fearing the displeasure of their frendes. To whom al true Catholikes must say, as Christe to Peter, who for vnskilful loue to his master, would haue hindred the redemptiō of the world. Vade post me Satana, scandalo mihi es, non sapis ea quae sunt dei. Come behinde me Sa­tan, thou art a blocke in my way, thou hast no sauour or féeling of those thin­ges that God would haue. This is to be saide, if he persuade vs to subscribe, to take the othe, to receaue, to come to their conuenticles, that we maye be sounde Catholikes, that we may ney­ther offende in hearing, nor in seing [Page]that which we ought not, as it is writ­ten in the prayse of Lot. 2. Pet. 2. Aspectu enim et auditu iustus erat. For he was a iust man both for sight and for hearing. Which I beséeche almightie God to graunt vnto vs, who wil vndoubtedly wel reward vs for it: for litle, short, and worldly discommodities, vnspeak­able ioyes, euerlasting blisse, hea­uen it selfe and the holy Tri­nitie, to which be al glo­rye for euer.