A treatise of c[hri]stian renunciation Compiled of excellent sentences [and] as it were diuerse homelies of ancient fathers: wherin is shewed how farre it is lawfull or necessary for the loue of Christ t[o] forsake father, mother, wife and children, and all other worldly creatures. Against the enemies of the crosse of Christ, ... Wherunto is added [a shorte discourse against going to hereticall churches.]

A TREATISE OF CHRISTIAN Renunciation .

THE FIRST CHAPTER . That it is very meritorious & acceptable vnto God to renounce Parents and all things for perfection .

The 38 epistle of S Augustine vnto Laetus . §. 1

I Haue read the Epistle which you sent vnto our Brethren , An exhortation to an estate of perfection against the mothers will . requesting that they would comforte you , because your new beginnings were shaken with great tentations . where also you signified that you desired our letters . I was very sory and could not cease from writing : least I should withdraw both from my owne and from your desire , that which I sawe in deed I did owe by the duety of charity . If therfore you professe your selfe a nouice of Christ , forsake not the tents in the which you must euen build that tower of which in the Gospell our Lord speaketh : for whosoeuer remaineth in the same tower & vnder the banner of the word of God doth fight : him no tentations may pearce on any side . from thence both dartes being cast do flye with great force , and being foreseene are with most firme repaire auoided . Luc. 14. Consider also that our Lord Iesus Christ although he be our King , yet by reason of that society through which he vouchsafed to be our brother , he calleth his souldiers kinges and forewarned vs that euery one by setting forth ten thousand should be fitte for to sight with a King which hath twenty thousand . but a little before he brought those forceable similitudes of the tower and the king , marke what he saied . If any one come vnto me and do not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and also his owne soule , * * S. Augustin and other Fathers indifferently vnderstand this place of life & of soule . he cannot be my Disciple . Than he addeth . which of you desiring to build a tower doth not first sitte downe and reckon if he haue the cost for the finishing therof , least whan he hath laide the foundation , he be not able to builde it , and all that go bie and see , beginne to say , this man beganne to build & could not finish . Or what King going to ioyne warre with another King , doth not first sitte and consider if he be able with ten thousand to go against him which with twenty thousand cometh vnto him ? otherwise whilest he is yet farre of , he sendeth an embassage praying peace . But whitherto these similitudes should tend , by the very conclusion he sufficiently opened . for he saied . So therfore euery one of you which renounceth not all thinges which he hath , cannot be my Disciple . Therfore as well the cost for the building of the tower , as the ability of ten thousand against a King with twenty , is nothing else , but that euery one renounce all that he hath . And the begining of his speach doth accord with the last conclusion . For in this that euery one renounce all things which he hath , is that also conteined that he hate his father and mother & wife and children and brethren and sisters , yea and his owne soule . For all these things are his owne , which for the most parte doe entangle and hinder the obtaining not of these priuate temporall and transitory things , but of that common good which shall remaine for euer . For in what maner at this present a certaine woman is your mother : in that maner surely she is not my mother . this therfore is temporall and transitory : Euen as you see already that to be passed away that she conceiued you , that shee caried you in her wombe , that she brought you fourth , that she nourished you . But in that she is a sister in Christ , this she is vnto you and to me & to all those vnto whom one heauenvly inheritance ; God , as a Father ; Christ , as a brother , in one society of charity is promised . These are eternall things : these are not wasted with any consumption of time : these things are hoped for , so much more firmely to be possessed , in how much the lesse by priuate but rather by common right they are to be obteined . This may you very easely acknowledge in your owne mother . For whence proceedeth it that she doth now incomber and intrappe you , and wrest and pull you backe from your course begonne ; but of that , that she is your priuate and proper mother ? for in that she is the sister of all those whose father is God , and whose mother is the Church , she hindereth no more you than me , and than all our brethren which loue her , not so as you in your owne house with priuate loue , but with publicke charity in the house of God This veyr thing therfor that you are lincked vnto her with carnall alliance , ought for to worke this benefitte , that you may with more familiarity talke vnto her , Affection to a mother and with greater commodity counsaile her , that this her priuate loue vnto you may be destroied in her , least she make greater account that she hath brought you fourth , of her wombe , than that her selfe togither with you , was brought forth out of the wombeof the Church . And this which I haue saide of your mother , must you also vnderstand of all your other kinred Yea let euery man so esteeeme of his owne soule , To any kinred . To our owne soule that euen in it he hate all priuate affection , which out of all doubt is but temporall : but that he loue in it that communion and society of which it is saied ; they had towards God one soule & one harte for thus your soule is not your owne priuate soule , Act. 4. but of all your brethren , whose soules also are yours : or rather whose soules togither with yours are not diuers soules , but one onely soule of Christ , of which it is soung in the Psalmes : Psal. 21. that it may be deliuered out of the hand of the dogge From hence may you very easely attaine to the contempt of death . Contempt of death . And lett not parents be offended that our Lord commandeth vs to hate them : wheras the very same is also commanded vs of our owne soule . Hatred of Parents . For euen as in this place of scripture concerning our soule we are commanded to hate it with our parents : euen so that which in another place the same Lord speaketh of the soule , may most fitly be applied euen vnto our parents also . Io. 12. Who loueth his soule ( saieth he ) shall destroy it . I will say also confidently . Who loueth hisparents , shall destroy them . For of the soule , that which he called it in the other place , hating here he calleth destroying it . For euen as this precept by the which we are commanded to destroy our soule , what it is to destroy our soule is not so to be vnderstood that euery one may kill him selfe , which is a most hainous sinne , and yet it tendeth hereunto that euery one kill in him selfe the carnall affection of his soule , wherby this present life is delight full , with the ●inderance of the life to come : ( For this is that which was saied , let him hate his soule , lett him destroy hissoule : which notwithstanding is donne by louing it : wheras ●ost plainly he laieth before vs the benefitte of getting the same soule saying : Who hath destroyed it in this world , shall finde itto life euerlasting . ) Euen so in like maner of our parents it is most iustly sayed , that who loueth them must destroy them , not by killing them in parricidiall maner , but that deuoutly and couragiously with the spirituall sword of the loue of God he striking & killing that carnal affection of theirs , wherwith they endeuour toentangle both themselues and those also whom they haue begotten with the inticements of this world ; may cause that to liue in them wherby they are our brethren , and wherby togither with their temporall children , they acknowledge their euerlasting parents God and the Church . Beh●ldethe desire of knowing the truth , God and the Church our Parents and vnderstanding the will of God in his holy scriptures doth draw thee . the office of the Euangelical preaching doth draw thee . Our Lord geueth a signe that we watch in his tentes , that we builde the tower , out of the which we may both espye and keepe backe the enemie of euerlasting life .

The heauenly trompett doth inuite the souldier of Christ vnto the combate● and thy mother doth withdraw thee . not such a mother truely as was that of the Machabees : nor yet like vnto the Lacedemonian mothers , 2. Mach. 7. of wh●m it is recorded that more effectually and earnestly then the very displaiing of banners and sound of trompetts they incited their children to shedd their blood for their earthly countrey . For that mother which for the learning of life , doth not suffer you to be estraunged from seculer cares , doth sufficiently shew how well she would permitt you if such necessity happened ) vtterly to abandon the world , for to suffer death . But what saieth she ? What doth she alleage ? perhapps those tenne monethes in which you loaded her bowells , & the trauailes of her bringing forth , and the labours of your bringing vp . O this , this , o kill this with the word of saluation , destroy this of your mother , that you may find her for life euerlasting . This do you remember to hate in her , if you loue her , if you be the Nouice of Christ , if you haue laied the foundation of the tower , least the passengers say : Luc. 14. Carnall affection . this man beganne to builde and could not finish . For this is a carnall affection , and yet smelleth of the olde man . This carnall affection as well in our selues as in our frendes doth the warfare of a Christian exhorte vs to destroye . Yet lett no man be vnthankfull to his parents , neither sette light by these very benefittes of his bringing forth , and nourishing in this life : but lett him rather obserue euery where piety . Lett these things take place , The Church our mother . where greater thinges do not inuite vs . The Church our mother , is mother also of thy mother . she hath conceiued vs of Christ , she hath brought vs forth by the blood of Martyrs , she hath borne vs vnto euerlasting light , she hath nursed vs and yet doth nourish vs with the milke of faith , and preparing still more perfect meates , quaketh to see you yet little ones and like toothles infants to do nothing but crye .

This mother enlarged ouer the wholle world is tossed with so many and so diuerse incursions of errours , that her vntimely children are not now affraid with deadly armour to warre against her . Also through the sluggishnes and benummed dulnes of certaine which as yet she hath in her lappe : Necessity of the Church she bewaileth that her members are in very many places waxen colde , and now vnfitte for to cherish her little ones . Whence , but of her other children , whence , but of her other members , amongst which your selfe are one , doth she require her iust and dew succour ? And you forsaking her necessities will you turne backe vnto carnall speaches ? doth not she with more greeuous complaints fill your eares ? doth not she shew vnto you more louing bowells and heauenly pappes ? Herunto adde her spowses taking flesh vpon him that you should not cleaue vnto fleshly things , & the eternall word vndertaking those things which your mother doth contumeliously reproue , least you should deale therwith : adde also reproches , whippings , death , yea and the death of the Crosse . O you which were conceiued of such see , o you borne vnto a new life in such a wedlocke , do you languish and consume away againe into the olde man ? Example of Christ . Yea had not your Emperour an earthly mother ? who notwithstanding whilest he was busie in heauenly thinges , hearing tidings of her answered : Which is my mother , or which are my brethren ? and stretching out his handes towardes his Disciples saide , Mat. 12. that none belonged to his kinne , but such as did his Fathers will . In which number vndoubtedly he comprehended the holy Virgin her selfe , for she also fulfilled the will of his Father . And so that excellent and Diuine master both despised in comparison of heauenly alliance the name of a mother which was spoken vnto him as priuate and peculier , because it was earthly : and declaring the same heauenly alliance in his Disciples , shewed with what lincke of kinred that same Virgin with other of his Saintes was ioined vnto him . But least by this most holesome instruction wherin he taught that carnall affection in parents should be contenned , he might geue any colour vnto errour , wheras some men deny that he had a mother : in another place he warneth his Disciples , that they should not say they haue a father on earth : to the intent that as it was manifest that they had fathers , so it might be euident that he had a mother ; whose earthly alliance yet he despising , might geue vnto his Disciples example of despising the like affinities . And are these things interrupted by the voices of thy mother , and amongst these thinges is there any roome for the memory of a bigge belly and of a nurse , that of Adame and Eue thou mightest be borne another Adam ? Beholde rather , beholde the second Adam from heauen , and cary now the likenesse of the heauenly Adam , as thou hast carried of the earthly . Yea here lett take place those motherly benefittes , which are reckoned vp vnto thee for the effeminating of thy minde . Let them in any wise take place , be not vngratfull : returne spirituall things for carnall , for temporall euerlasting , if she will not follow thee , lett her not hinder thee . Will she not be conuerted vnto better ? lett her not peruert thee vnto worse , and so ouerthrow thee . What Skilleth it whether in a wife or in a mother so that in euery woman Eue be auoided ? For this pretence of piety and dewty , All excuses in the seruice of God are Adames leaues . Gen. 3. commeth from the leaues of that tree , wherwith our first parents did first couer them selues in that damnable nakednes . And whatsoeuer in those wordes and suggestions she alleageth vnto you as an office of charity , that she may wrest you from the most pure and sincere charity of the gospell : appertaineth vnto the crafte of the serpent , and to the dubble dealing of that King which hath twenty thousand , which we are taught by the simplicity of ten thousand , that is by the simplicity of a harte wherin we seeke God , to ouerthrow . Carying the Crosse . Harken rather vnto these thinges my dearest , and take vp your Crosse and follow our Lord . for whan we being togither I perceaued , that you were hindered by domesticall cares from the study of godlines , I esteemed you rather to be caried & lead by your Crosse than to beare and carry it . For our Crosse which our Lord will haue vs carry that we may readely follow him , what doth it signifie but the mortality of this flesh . For this is that which crosseth and afflicteth vs , vntill death be swallowed into victory . This very Crosse therfore it selfe must be crucified , and pearsed with the nailes of the feare of God , least with loose and not restrained members you be not able to carry her rebelling . For follow our Lord , but carrying her you can not For how do you follow him , if you be not his ? Gal. 5. but those which are of Iesus Christ ( saieth the Apostle ) haue crucified their flesh with her passions and desires . If there be any mony in your worldly good , with the trouble of which it is neither expedient nor decent you be incumbred : that is truely to be geuen to your mother and domesticalls . Parents if they be in necessitie must first be prouided for in distribution of almes For their necessity ( if you haue purposed to distribute such things vnto the poore that you may be perfect ) is for to be first regarded . for if any man ( saieth the Apostle ) hath not care of his owne especially of his domesticalls , he hath denied the faith , and is become worse then an infidell . For the ordering of which things , and to free your owne shoulders , that you might receiue vpon them the chaines of wisdome , 1. Tim. 5. if you tooke your iorney from vs : what hurt can you take , or how can you be moued with your mothers teares flowiug forth nothing but flesh , or with the running away of your seruant , or death of your maides , or sicknes of your brethren ? If charity be ordered within you Skilfully to preferre the greater thing before the lesser , and to be moued with pittye that the poore may be preached vnto : Cant. 2. Order of charity least the plentifull haruest of our Lorde , through want of workemen may lye a pray vnto the birdes . Skilfull also to haue a ready hart to followe the will of our Lord in that which he shall determine to do with his seruantes , either by scourging them or by sparing them : meditate these things : study on these things , that your profiting may be manifest in all things . Beware I beseech you least you cause more sorow in your good brethren by your slacknes , than before you wrought their comforte by your forwardnes .

Sanit Ambrose in the end of his first booke of Virgins . § 2.

Some man will say vnto me● thou euery day settest forth vnto vs the commendation of Virgins . Of maidens entering in to religion without Parents consent . Consecrating of Nunnes . what shall I do , whereas euery day I inculcate the same things and profit nothing ? But it is not my faulte . Beholde out of the territory of Placentia there come Virgins for to be consecrated , there come out of the state of Bonony , there come out of Mauritania that here they may take the Veale . A straunge case it is which you see : here I preach , and there I perswade . if the matter go so , lett vs preach other where , that we may perswade here . What a thing is it , that euen they that heare me not , do follow my aduise , and those which heare me do not follow it ? For I vnderstand , that many Virgins desire , but that they are forbidden so much as to go abrode by their mothers , & that which is worse , by their mothers being widowes , with whom I will now talke a while . Children may choose their mariage but which their Parents direction and likinge Truely if your daughters loued a man , according to the lawe they might choose whom they would . than to whom it is lawfull to choose a man , is it not lawfull to choose God ? Beholde how sweete is the fruite of purity : which sauoureth euen in the actions of barbarous people . From the vttermost partes of the nearer and farther Mauritania , Virgins are brought , desiring to be consecrated here : and all their samilies being in captiuity , yet cannot purity be kept captiue . she professeth the kingdome of eternity , which lamenteth the iniury of her seruitude . For what need I speake of the Bononian Virgins , a fertill flocke of purity , A Nunnery which depriuing them selues of worldly delightes , do dwell in a sanctuary of virginity , without any company of the other sexe , not without the company of purity , and now arriuing to the number of twenty , and the hundred fould fruite , their parents houses being forsaken , walke in the tentes of Christ , vnwearied souldiers of chastitie . sometimesthey are heard all ouer singing spirituall songes , otherwhiles with their owne labours they gette their liuing , and with their hands they seeke a succour for almes and liberality . and if they do but smell the sauour , whereby to trace out Virginity ( for aboue all other games , It is meritorious to induce to religion . they seeke after the hunting of purity ) which all manner of carefull diligence they tracke the hidden pray euen vnto the denne . or if they perceaue any one now ready to the flight : you shall see them all to rise vp with wholle winges , to flutter with their feathers , to daunce and leape , and with a chaste quire of purity to compasse her flying , vntill she being delighted with the bewtifull assembly forgetting her house and countrey , fall into the nettes of purity , and the haies of chastitie . A good thing than it is if the endeuours of parents fauour the Virgin , as certaine flabells of purity . But that is more gloriouse , if the fire of tender age , Children may be religious without consent of Parents without anyolde tinder , of it selfe do thrust it selfe into the sewell of chastity . Will thy parents deny thee a dowry ? But thou hast a rich spouse , with whose treasure thou being contented , needest not to seeke the benefitte of thy fathers inheritance . how much better is a chaste pouerty , than the commodity of a dowry ? and yet whom haue you euer heard by the loue of Virginity to haue bene depriued of their lawfull portion ? Thy parents speake against thee , but they desire to be wonne : they resist at the beginning , because they are loath to beleeue thee . Oftentimes they are angry , that thou maiest learne to ouercome ; they threaten disinhereting , to trye if thou canst sett nought by all worldly losses . They flatter thee with exquisite allurements , to see if the inticementes of diuerse pleasures cannot mollifie thee . they exercise thee ( o virgin ) whilest they enforce thee And thisis the first Skirmish , which thy parents pensiue desires doe offer thee . First o maiden ) ouercome * * Piety is the duety with Children owe vnto Parents and Parents to children . Luc. 19. piety . if thououercomest thy house , thou ouercomest the world . But go to , suppose you lose your patrimony do not the future Kingdomes in heauen requite the losse of fading & brittle possessions ? Although if we beleeue heauenly wordes , there is no man which shall leaue house , or parents , or brethren , or wife , or childrne , or sonnes for the Kingdome of God , and doth not recaue seauen times as much in this time , and in the world to come life euerlasting . Repose thy trust in God : thou which committest thy money to a man , lend it vnto God . The good gardian of thy pledged hope , will repay the talent of thy faith with multiplied vsuries . Truth doth not deceaue , iustice doth not circumuent , vertue doth not beguile . And if you beleeue not the oracle of Gods word , at the least beleeue examples . An Example . Au●tars stood in S. Ambroses time . Masse a Sacrifice and Christ really present in it . Of the hating of carnall kinred for perfection . In our time a certaine maiden , once noble in the world , now more noble vnto God , when she was vrged to mar●age by her parents and kinsefolkes , tooke her refu●●e to the holy altar for whither better could a Virgin flye , than where the sanctuary of Virginity is offered vp ? But here was not the end of her boldnes . There stood before the altar of God , the boast of purity , the sacrifice of chastitie : sometimes laying the Bishops hand vpon her head , demaunding consecration , other whiles impatient of that iust delay , & laying her head vnder the aultar . Canst thou ( saieth she ) o mother , As well in marriage as in consecation are giuen veiles the one beinge a marriage to the world the other to God veale me better than the aultar can veale me , which sanctifieth the veiles them selues ? more comely is that ve●le , in which Christ the head of all men is daily consecrated . What meane you my Cosins ? why do you yet still turmoile my mind , by soliciting my mariage ? I haue it long since prouided . Do you offer me a spouse ? I haue found a better . Reckon vp neuer so great riches , boast of nobility , vaunt of autoritie : I haue him to whom none may be compared : riche with the wholle world , authorized with absolute empyre , noble with heauen it selfe . If such a one you haue ; I refuse not your choise : if you cannot finde the like ; you prouide not for me , but you enuye me .

Than the rest being silent , one onely saied very abruptly : what if thy father liued , would he suffer thee to remaine vnwedded ? But she with greate religion , and modest piety : and therfore happely he died that there might be none to hinder me . Which answere concerning the father , A daungetous thinge to hinder vertew that person by his speedy death shewed to be a prophesie of him selfe . By that meanes the rest , euery one fearing his owne case , beganne to fauour her whom they sought to hinder . Neither did the Virgin suffer any losse of her riches , but rather receiued the increase of her integrity . You haue heard ( o maidens ) the reward of deuotion , beware ( o parents ) the example of offending .

Greg. lib. 7. mor. c. 17. & 18. §. 3.

THose which with earnest study and not with disordered steppes do follow the reward of euerlasting promise , euen as they despise them selues for the loue of God , euen so do they sette at nought all thinges by which they feele them selues hindered . and wheras for Goditis necessary they serue to whosoeuer they are able , for God they deny euen vnto their kinsmen their priuate seruices .

Hence is it that whan one saied , sufferme first to go and bury my father : Mat. 8. he presently heard from the mouth of truth , suffer that the dead bury the dead , but thou go and preach the Kingdome of God . wherin is to be noted that whilest that chosen Disciple is restrained from the buriall of his father , no deuoute man may of carnall affection perfourme that to his father , which for the loue of our lord he is bound to do euen for others . Hence againe saith the truth : if any man come vnto me , Luc. 14. and hate not his father and mother and wife and sonnes and brethren and sisters yea and also his owne soule , he cannot be my Disciple . in which place whereas the hate of our owne soule is ioyned with the hate of our kinsefolke : it is manifestly shewed vs , that so we are commanded to hate out kinsefolkes as we are commanded to hate our selues . that drawing them vnto euerlasting things & neglecting their carnall frendship whan it hindereth vs , we may learne with the temperate Skill of discretion both to loue them conueniently , & to hate them holesomely , that our hatred may so arise through loue , that we may be able by hating them more sincerely to loue them . Hence also is it saied by Moises : Deut. 33 Who saieth to his father and his mother , I know you not , and to his brethren I do not know them , neither haue knowen their children : these haue obserued thy word , & thy bargaine , & haue kept thy iudgements . For that man doth desire to know our Lord more familiarly , who for desire of piety desireth not to know whom he knew carnally . For with great losse is the knowledge of God diminished , if therwith there be any parte for fleshly knowledge . Euery one therfore must be seuered from his kinsemen and frendes , if he will the more truely be ioyned vnto the father of all , that so much the more soundly he may loue those whom valiantly he neglecteth for God , by how much the more he forgetteth the fading affection of carnall society . We must truely euen temporally do more good to those vnto whom we are nearer : because euen the fire burneth that which is applied vnto it , but first it consumeth that wherof it was kinled . We must acknowledge the nearenes of earthly alliance , and yet whan it letteth the course of the mind , not so much as know it . that so the faithfull mind inflamed with godly deuotion , may neither despise those things which are so neare it here below , and yet setting the same in conuenient order within him selfe , he may surmount them for the loue of those things aboue . With diligent care therfore must we prouide least the loue of the flesh creepe vpon vs and diuerte the gate of our harte from the true way , and hinder the force of the supernall loue , and with the laying on of a heauy burden , presse downewarde our arising mind . For so must euery one haue compassion of his kinreds necessitye , that through compassion he suffer not the force of his intention to be hindered ; that the affection of his mind may fill his bowells , and yet not auerte him from his spirituall purpose . Neither truely do not holy men loue their kinred to helpe their necessities , but this very loue do they ouercome with the loue of spirituall things : that so they may temper it with the measure of discretion , that they may not therby swarue from the direct way neuer so little . Whom therfore those Kye do very well signifie vnto vs , Affection to children which going vnder the arke of our Lord vnto the mountaines do shew at once both their affection and rigour . as it is written . They tooke two Kye which did suckle their calues , 1. Reg. 6. and yoaked them to the carte , and shutte vp their calues at home , and laide the arke of God vpon the carte . And presently there followeth . the Kye went directly by the way with leadeth vnto Bethsames and they went with eqnall pace , still going forward and bellowing , and declining neither on the right hand nor on the lefte . For beholde the calues being shutte vp at home , those Kye which are tied to the carte vnder the arke of our Lord , do groane and go forward : from within they send forth bellowings , and yet from the way they change not their freppes . through compassion they feele affection , and yet do they not bow their neckes backward . So ; So is it necessary that these do proceed which hauing vndertaken the yoake of the sacred law , doe now by inward knowledge carry Gods arke , that pittying theire kinnes necessity , they decline not from their former vertuous iorney . For Bethsames is the house of the sonne . than , to go vnder the arke of our Lord to Bethsames , is with heauenlye science to drawe neare vnto the habitation of eternall lightsomnes . But than do we truely go vnto Bethsames , whan going straight forward , we decline not no not for the affection of our children , vnto bywaies of errour . The loue of whom must truely possesse but not bow our mind , least the very same mind either be to hard , if affection do not moue it , or be to softe , if such mouing do bow it . We will consider a little blessed Iob , Iobs affection to his childern in whom the yoake of Gods feare had mortified the necke of his harte , with what great wisdome of discretion he carrieth the arke of diuine knowledge . hauing lost his calues he belloweth . for hauing heard the death of his sonnes he shaued his head , & fell to the ground : but yet he goeth bellowing on the right way , because his mouth in lamenting is opened vnto Gods praise , he presently saying . Our Lord hath geuen , our Lord hath taken away , euen as it pleased our Lord so is it come to passe ; blessed be the name of our Lord .

S. Hierom. ep. ad Furiam . §. 4

You desire in your letter , He commendeth vnto her the crowne of widowhead against the assaults of Parents and frends and humbly intreate me , that I will answere you , or rather write vnto you in what maner you may liue , and conserue the crowne of widowhead , without any blemish of the honour of your good name . my mind reioiceth , my bowells do daunce , my assection doth leape , because you desire to be such after your husbands death , as your mother Titiana of holy memory was long time her husband liuing . Her praiers and deuotions are heard . she hath obtained in her onely daughter , that which she possessed whilest she liued . You haue moreouer a very greate Priuiledge of your auncestours , that euen from Camillus , either none at all or very few women of your stocke was maried the second time : so that you are not so much to be praised if you remaine a widow ; as to be detested , if being a Christian you perfourme not that , which heathen women for so many ages haue obserued . I say nothing of Paula and Eustochium , flowers of your family , least I may seeme to take occasion by the exhorting of you to praise them . I lett passe Blesilla which following her husband your brother , She died halfea yeere after her husband in a short space of life fulfilled many yeeres of vertue . And I wold to God that men would imitate the praises of women . and wrinckled ould age would perfourme that with voluntary youth doth offer . Wittingly & willingly I thrust my hand into the fire , many countenances will frowne , many armes will be throwen , & angry Chremes wil rage with his foaming mouth . So do now adaies worldly Politicks against Preists and others many great personages will be incensed against my epistles , the wholle company of nobles will thunder , that I am a witch , that I am a seducer , worthy to be banished from all ciuill common wealthes . Lett them adde if they will , a Samaritane also , that I may acknowledge my Lords title . Surely , I doe not deuide the daughter from her father . neither doe I say that of the gospell , suffer the dead to bury the dead . For whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ liueth and whosoeuer beleueth in him , ought surely for to walke euen as he walked . Honour your father : but so , if he seuere you not from your true father . So long acknowledge the lincke of your blood how long he acknowledgeth his creatour . Psal. 44. For otherwise Dauid will presently sing vnto you : Heare o daughter , and see . and incline thine eare , and forgett thy people and the house of thy father : and the King will desire thy bewty because he is thy Lord. Forgetting of Parents O great reward of forgetting ones father . the King will desire thy bewty . because thou hast heard , because thou hast seene , because thou hast inclined thy eare , and forgotte thy people and the house of thy father ; therfore will the King desire thy bewty , and will say vnto thee : Thou a●te all faire , o my frend , and there is no spotte in thee . What thing more faire than the soule which is called the daughter of God , and seeketh no forraine ornaments ? she beleeueth in Christ , and with this ambition she goeth to her spouse , hauing the same to her Lord and her spouse . What miseries mariage haue ; you haue learned in mariage it selfe : and you haue bene filled with * * He all udeth to the quavles which the Isralites first desired and after Ioathed . Num. 11. quailes euen vnto lothsomenes . your iawes haue tried most bitter choler you haue cast on t those sower and vnholesome meates , you haue eased your boiling stomacke . Why will you yet throwe in againe that which once was hurtfull vnto you ? 2. Pet. 2. The dogge returned to his vomett , and the sow washed . into her wallowing in the mire . The very brute beastes , and restles birdes , Hope of posterity & of conseruing the family . do not fall the second time into the same shares and nettes . Do you feare least the family of the Furij be extinguished , & least your father haue not a babe by you . which may creepe in his bosome , and beslauer his necke ? What I pray you , haue all which are maried children , and those children which they haue do they alwaies answere to their kinred ? Yea surely C●ceroes sonne did resemble his fathers eloquence : and Cornelia your auncestresse , an example of honesty and secundity , had much ioy of the Gracchi her sonnes . it is ridiculous to hope of a certainty for that , which both many haue not had , & haue lost whan once they had it . To whom will you leaue so great riches ? to Christ who cannot dye . Who shall be your heire ? he which is also my Lord . your father will mourne , but Christ will reioise ; your family will be sorowfull , but the Angells will be ioifull . Children are not their Parents . Let your father do what he will with his substance : you are not his by whom you were borne , but his by whom you were borne againe , and who redeemed you with an exceeding great price , euen with his blood .

Out of the epistle of the same Sainte vnto Marcella of the sicknes of Blesilla . §. 5

Abraham is tempted in his sonne , & found more faithfull . Ioseph is sould into Aegipt , He defendeth Blesill● embracinge an estate of perfection against her frends desire whom he calleth Antichrists . that so he may feed his father and brethren . Ezechias is terrified with his death at hand , and resolued into teares , hath his life prolonged for fifteene yeares . Peter the Apostle is afflicted with our Lords Passion , and weeping bitterly , he ●eareth ; Feed my sheepe . Paule a rauening woolfe and another young Beniamin is strooken blind in a traunce , that he may receiue his sight : and being compassed with a soudaine horrour of darknes , calleth him Lord , whom before he persecuted as man . Euen so now , o Marcella , we haue seene our louing Blesilla thirty daies continually to haue bene tormented with the burning of an ague : that she might learne to reiect the delightes of that body which shortly after is to be consumed with wormes . To her also came our Lord Iesus , and touched her hand , and behould she arising now serueth him . she sauoured somewhat of negligence : and being tied with the bandes of riches , she lay in the sepulcher of the world . But Iesus groned , and being troubled in spirit , cried out : Blesilla , come forth . Who arose whan she was called , and being come forth now sitteth at the table with our Lord . Lett the Iewes threaten & swell , These men are like to Iewes spiritually seeking to murder Lazarus lett them seeke to murder her which hath bene raised vp againe ; and lett the onely apostles reioise . she knoweth that she oweth her life vnto him , who did restore it . she knoweth that she embraceth his fecte , whose iudgement lately she feared . her body lay almost dead : and death approching did shake her gasping members . Where were than the helpes of her kinred ? where were than the wordes full of vanity ? she oweth nothing vnto thee o vngratefull kinred , which dying to the world is reuiued vnto Christ . Who is a Christian , lett him reioise : he that is angry , sheweth that he is no Christian . A widow loased from the bond of mariage , needeth nothing but perseuerance : The discription of an holy widow But doth the browne garment offend any person ? lett Iohn offend him , than whom amongst the sonnes of women there was none greater : who being called an Angell , baptized our Lord him selfe , for he also was cladd with a camells Skinne , and girded with a girdle of heare . do grosse meates displease them ? nothing is more grosse than locusts . Let those women rather offend Christian eies who with vernish and colourings paint their cies and cheekes , whose plaistered countenances deformed with ouermuch shining , do resemble idolls . who if they happen for want of heed to let fall a teare , it trickleth down in a furrow : whom not so much as the very number of their yeares can perswade that they are olde : who with other folkes haire sett forth their head : and paint out in aged wrinckles their youth fore spent : who finally in presence of many nephewes are trimmed like trembling girles . Let the Christian woman blush , if shee force the comelinesse of nature , if she make prouision for the flesh vnto concupiscence , in which according to the Apostle , whosoeuer are delighted , cannot please Christ . Our widow before was very carefully dressed : and all the day at the glasse she studied what might be amisse . now she confidently saith . But we behoulding the glory of our Lord with face reuealed , 2 Cor. 3. are transformed into the same image , from glory vnto glory , as of our Lords spirite . Than the maides did platte her heare , and the harmeles head was wringed with friseled toppes : but now the vntrimmed head knoweth this to suffise it , that it is couered . Than did the very softnes of feathers seeme hard and she could scarce lye in the raised beddes now she riseth betime for to pray , & with her shrill voice preuenting the others in singing Alleluia , she is the first which beginneth to praise her Lord . shee kneeleth vpon the ●are ground , and with often teares that face is purged , which before was defiled with painting after praier , there are soung psalmes : and the feeble necke , and wearied knees , and sleepy eyes , for the earnest feruour of the mind , can scant obtaine any rest . the mourning gowne is leaste fouled , whan she lieth on the ground . The course pantoffle affordeth the price of gilte shoes vnto the poore : the girdle is not besette with golde & pretiouse stones : but wollen , and most pure because of the simplicity : and such as may rather straiten the vestiments than adorne them . If the scorpion enuieth so good a purpose ; and with flattering speach perswade againe to eate of the forbiddeu tree : in steed of a shoe , lett him be crusshed with ANATHEMA , A deseription of Antichrist . and whilest he dieth in his poison lett him haue this answere● Go after me Satan : which is as much to say , as aduersary . for he is the aduersary of Christ , and an Antichrist , whosoeuer is displeased with the precepts of Christ . I pray you what haue we donne like vnto the Apostles , that they are so offended ? The Apostles forsooke their Parents . They forsake their aged father with their shippe and nettes : the publicane riseth from the custome house , and followeth our Sauiour : The Disciple which desired to returne home , and bidd his frendes farewell , is forbidden by our masters voice . The buriall of a father is not allowed , and it is a kind of piety , for our Lord to be voide of piety . We , because we go not in silkes ; are esteemed Monkes : because we are not droncke neither open our mouthes vnto dissolute laughter ; we are called graue and melancholy : if our coate be not gorgeouse , we straite heare that common prouerbe : he is an hypocrite & deceiuing Grecian . See how Let them vse euen yet more rude scoffes ; and carry about with them men stuffed with fatte paunches . earnest Gods Saints haue bene against the Persecutors of vertue . our Blesilla will laugh and not disdaine to heare the reproches of croking frogges , wheras her Lord and master was called Beelzebub .

A notable epistle of Saint Bernard in the person of one Helias a monke vnto his parents . ep. 111. §. 6

THe onely cause for which it is not lawfull to obey our parents , He defendeth his entry into religi●n against them . Mat. 10 True loue of parents toward the is children . Mat. 10. Mich. 7 is God . For he saieth : Who loueth his father and mother more than me , is not worthy of me If you loue me in deed as good & godly parents : if you carry a true and faithfull piety towardes your sonne : why do you disquiet me being about to serue God the father of all , and endeuour to drawe me backe from the feruice of him to whom for to serue is to raigne . Verely I now perceiue that a mans enemies are those of his owne houshould . In this I must not obey you , in this thing I ta●e you not for my parents , but for my foes . If you loued me , you would certainely reioise , because I go to my father & yours , yea and the father of all . otherwise what haue I to do with you ? What haue I of you , but sinne and misery ? onely this corruptible carcase which I carry ; I confesse and acknowledge that I haue of yours . is it not sufficient for you that wretches that you are , you haue brought me a wretch into the wretchednes of this world : and that also sinners that you are , you haue in your sinne begotten me a sinner : that you haue in sinne nourished him which was borne in sinne : but by enuying me that mercy which I haue obteined of him which will not the death of a sinner , you seeke to make me also the sonne of hell fire ? O hard harted father , ô cruell mother , ô parents most tyrannicall and impious , yea rather not parents but parricides , whose greife is the saluation of their pledge , whose comfort is the death of their sonne . The daungers of the world . which had rather haue me perishe with them , than raigne without them . which go about to recall me vnto the shipwracke againe , from which I escaped at the length though naked : to the fire againe , from whence I scant could gett forth halfe consumed : to the theefes againe , by whom I was lefte halfe murdered : although by the mercy of the Samaritane , I finde my selfe some what recouered : which endeuour to bring backe the souldier of Christ now almost triumphing at the winning of heauen ( which I boast not of in my selfe , but in him which conquered the world ) from the very entrance of glory , as a dogge to his vomitte & a sow to her myre , euen into the world againe . A straunge abuse The house is on fire . the flame is euen at our backe : & he which auoideth it is forbidden to departe , he with hath escaped it is perswaded to returne . And this , by those which are in the middest of the flame , and with most obstinate foolishnes , The madnes of those which hinder others from Gods seruice . and most foolish obstinacy refuse to auoide the daunger . O madnes , if you despise your owne death , why desire you also mine ? if you neglect your owne saluation , what delight haue you in persecuting mine ? Why do not your selues followe me and runne away least you also burne ? doth this lighten your torment if you can also cause me to perish , and is this the onely thing you feare , least you perish alone ? What ease can one which is burning yeeld to another in the flames ? What solace can the damned haue by hauing companions of their damnation ? What comforte is it for the dying , to see others a dying ? I learne not this by that rich man who in torments despairing his owne deliuery desired that his brethren might be warned least they also should come into the same place of torments , The rich glottone Luke 16. fearing vndoubtedly least by their misery his owne should be increased . what than ? shall I go and comforte my sorowfull mother by my temporall visitation , that perpetually I may lament both her and my selfe without any consolation ? Shall I go and pa●ifie my angry father for my temporall absence , receiuing also my selfe a temporall comforte by his presence : that afterward either of vs for him selfe , and both of vs one for another may be discomforted with irrimediable sadnes ? Behould rather after the example of the Apostle , without harkening to fleshe and blood , I will heare the voice of my Lord commanding me : Mat. 8. Psal 76. Hier 17. suffer the dead to bury the dead and I will sing with Dauid : my soule hath re●used to be comforted . And with Hieren y●● I haue not desired the day of man , ô Lord thou knowest . For why ? the Ch●rdes have fallen v●te ●e in notable things , and I haue gotten the noble inheritance of heauen : and doth earthly p●●●ise ●atter me , and carnall comforte t●●kle me ? The spirite being once tasted , the flesh must needes be●niau●ry ●● desire of heauenly thinges loatheth the earthly w●o hunteth that which is eternall , abhorreth that which is transitory . A denoute farewell to Parents . Ceasse therfore my parents , ceasse I pray you , both by weeping without profitte to afflict your selues , and by reuoking in vaine , to disquiett me . least by continuing any longer to send messengers for me , you constraine me to gett me farther from you . But if you lett me alone , I will neuer forsake Clarauallis . Apply this to the Catholicke Church . Those with continue in Gods Church pacifie Gods wrath towards their worldly frendes . Haec requies mea in seculum seculi , hic habitabo quoniam elegi eam . This is my rest for euer and euer : here will I dwell because I haue so chosen . Here will I continually pray for my owne and for your sinnes : here with daily praiers ( euen according to your owne desire ) will I obtaine , if I can , that we which for Gods loue are seuered one from another , in this shorte time , may in the other world liue togither with a happy and vnseparable knotte in his loue for euer and euer Amen .

S Hierome in his Epistle to Heliodorus : of the praise of a solitary life . §. 7.

Because at your departure from me you requested , He exhorteth to forsake parents and kinred . that after I were come vnto the wildernesse , I would send you letters of perswasion , and I promised that I would satisfie your desire : Beholde now , I inuite you , It was not yet made treason to perswade to the olde religion . now come away speedely . I will not that you remember your olde familiars : the wildernesse loueth naked persons : I will not haue you terrified with the length of the ●orney : you which beleeue● in Christ , geue credite to his wordes . Seeke fir●● the kingdome of God , and all these things shall be●● putte vpon you . Take neither wallet , nor staffe●● Abundantly is he riche , which with Christ is poore . But what do I ? yet againe vnwisely do I pray you ? Away with intreaties , lett flattering be laid aside . my iniuried Joue must be angry . thou which despisedst me intreating , perhaps wilt heare me ch●ding . What dost thou in thy fathers house , ô delicate souldier ? Where is the bulwarke , where is the trench , where is the wintering vnder the tentes ? Beholde from heauen the trompett soundeth : beholde the armed Emperour marcheth with the clowdes , for to ouerthrow the world . Behoulde the two edged sworde proceeding from the Kings mouthe cutteth downe whatsoeuer he meeteth , and must wee haue thee come forthe from the chamber to the field , from the shadow into the sunne ? The body accustomed to cloathes , cannot beare the burden of the breastplate : the head vsed to a kerchiefe , refuseth the helmett : the hand sostned with idlenes , is gawled with the hardnes of the hilte . Heare the proclamation of thy King . he that is not with me is against me , and he that ●a hereth not with me doth scatter Remember the day whan thou first wast made a souldier , The Christian souldiers oath in Baptisme . whan being buried togither with Christ in Baptisme , thou tookest the souldiers oath , that in his name thou wouldest not spare father nor mother . Beholde the Aduersary goeth about to kill Christ in thy breast . Beholde the aduerse army longeth for the donatiue which thou than receiuedst . Although thy little Nephew hang about thy necke : A n ●table lesson . Although with scattered heare , and with rent garments , thy mother shew the breasts wherwith ●he su●kled thee : although thy father lye ouerthwart the thresshould : goe on though thou tread on thy father , and with drye eyes , flye away to the banner of the Crosse . It is the onely kind of piety in this thing for to be cruell There will come , there will come hereafter the day , whan thou shalt returne a conquerour into thy countrey , and like a valiant champion goe crowned into heauenly Hierusalem . Than shalt thou with Paule become a citizen : than shalt thou demaund the like freedome for thy parents : than shalt thou also pray for me , A great aduantage to haue one in heauen by our meanes who haue incouraged thee , that thou maiest ouercome .

Neither am I ignorant with what impediment thou saiest thou art settered . we are not of an iron brest , nor of a stony harte . we were not borne of a flinte , nor nourished by the Tygres of Hircania . We also haue passed through such thinges our selues . Sometimes with flattering armes thy widdow sister hangeth vpon thee : sometimes those bondslaues which haue bene brought vp with thee , do say : vnto whom will you leaue vs to serue ? Otherwhiles thy dry Nurse once , but now an olde graundame , and thy fosterer , or second father in affection , do cry out : stay a while , vntill we dye , and bury vs Happely also thy mother with the shaking Skinnes of her breastes , and her furrowed and wrinckled browe , according to her olde custome ceas●eth not to lulle thee to the pappe . Obedience Vnto paterits . Lett the grammarians also say if they please , In teomnis domus inclinata recumbit ; the wholle deca●ing house leaneth vpon thee Easely are these bands ouercome by the loue of God , and feare of hell . But the scripture commandeth vs to obey out parents . Yee : but who loueth the more than Christ , loseth his soule . The enemy holdeth his sword for to kill me , & shall I regard my mothers teares ? Shall I forsake Christs warfare for my father , to whom for Christs sake I owe not the labour of buriing , which yet for Christs sake I owe to euery one ! Peter ge●ing fearfull counsell to our Lord before his Passion , was a scandall vnto him Paule whan the brethren held him , least he should go to Hierusalem saied : what meane you to weepe & trouble my harte ? I am not onely ready to be bound , but also to dye in Hierusalem for the name of our Lord Iesus Christ . This engine of piety which shaketh our faith : must be brused with the wall of the Gospell . Those are my mother and brethren , which do the will of my father which is in heauen . If they beleeu● in Christ , let them than fa●our me which am about to fight for his name . if they do not beleeue ; lett the dead bury the dead .

But thou wilt say : this is true in Martyrdome . Thou art deceaued mybrother ) thou art deceiued if thou thinkest that a Christian is euer free from persecution . than arte thou most of all assaulted , whan thou knowest not that thou arte impugned . Our aduersarye like a roaring Lion , Psal. 10. seeking to deuour goeth about , and dost thou thinke there is peace ? he sitteth in ambushes with the riche , that secretly he may kill the innocent . his eyes are bent toward the poore man : he laieth waite in secrett , as a Lion in his denne : he awaiteth to deuour the poore man : and doest thou , that thou maiest be his pray , vnder the shadow of a thicke leaued tree geue thy selfe to sleepe .

And towards the end he exhorteth him to leaue the world , with such deuoute sentences as we may very well apply vnto our owne estate , and matter of perfect renunciation .

O deserte which blossoumest the flowers of Christ : Apply this vnto the prison which is our wildernesse . O wildernes , in which do grow those stoues , of which the house of the great King in the Apocalips is builte . O solitude , which enioyest the familiarity of God . What dost thou ô brother in the world , which arte greater than the world ? how long wilte thou be oppressed with the shadow of houses ? how long wilt thou be kepte fast in the prison of smoaking citties ? Beleeue me ; I see , I know not what greater light . I long that hauing cast of the carriage of my flesh , I may flye away vnto the pure brightnes of aire . arte thou afraide of pouerty ? but Christ calleth those blessed which are poore . arte thou terrified with labour ? But no wrastler without sweat can be crowned . Dost thou take care for meate ? but faith feareth not hunger . Fearest thou to rubbe against the bare ground , thy body consumed with fastings ? but our Lord lieth with thee . Dost thou loath the vntrimmed haire of an ill fauoured head ? but Christ is thy head . Doth the huge vastenes of the wildernes amaze thee ? but thou must walke with thy mind in heauen . So ofte as thy harte ascendeth thither , so ofte shalt thou not be in the wildernes . Doth thy vnsmothe Skinne waxe rugged for want of bathing ? But who is once washed in Christ , needeth not againe to be washed . And that I may briefly answere all : heare the Apostle saying . The Passions of this world are not condigne to the glory to come that shall be reuealed in vs . Rom. 8. Thou arte very dainty my brother , if thou wilt both here reioise with the world , and hearafter raine with Christ . There will come , there will come the day , whan this corruptible and mortall body shall putte on incorruption and immortality . Than , blessed that seruant whom our Lord shall find watching than at the sound of the troumpett shall quake the whole earth with the people therof . and thou shalt reioice . Whan our Lord shall come to iudge , the world shall geue a mournefull groane : one tribe shall strike anothers brest . those which were once most mighty Kinges , with naked sides shall tremble . There shall be presented Venus with her sonne . than fiery Iupiter shall be brought , and Plato with all his foolish schollers . Aristotles Arguments shall not auaile . than thou a clownish and poore creature shalt reioise and laugh , and shalt say : Beholde my crucifixe : Beholde my iudge , which wrapped in cloutes cried in the cribbe . this is that sonne of the Carpenter and the workewoman : This is he which carried in his mothers bosome , fledd being God from a man into Aegipt : this is he which was cloathed with purple : this is he which was crowned with thornes . this is that enchaunter , possessed with a deuell , and a samaritane . Behold the hands ô Iew which thou nailedst : Behold the side ô Romane which thou pearcedst . See the body whether it be the same , which you saled was secretly taken away by the Disciples in the night . The loue which I beare thee ô brother hath compelled me to write thus vnto thee : that we may once be present at those things , for which we now sustaine so hard labour .

The spirituall mans kinred out of S. Iohn Climachus Grad . 3. §. 8.

Lett him be thy father , who both can and will labour with thee to disburden thee of thy sinnes . This man liued in the time of Constantine the greate . Lett thy mother be , holy compunction , which may wash thee from all maner of filth . Lett him be thy brother , who is thy fellow labourer & souldier in thy heauenly race . Gett thee a wife and companion , which neuer may be separated from thee , the memory of death . Lett thy most deare children be the sighings of thy harte . Possesse thy body as thy slaue . make thy frends , the Angelicall vertues , which in the houre of death may helpe thee , if thou make them now familiar vnto thee . This is surely the generation of those which seeke our Lord . The assection of God excludeth the affection of parents . and who faieth he hath them both deceiueth him selfe , wheras our Lord saieth : You cannot serue God and Mammon . And : I came not to send peace into the earth , Mat. 6. Mat. 10. and loue of parents to children and to brethren , which haue chosen to serue me : but the sword & the battaile . For I came to separate the louers of God , from the louers of the world . the earthly and caruall , from those which haue ouercome all earthly and materiall things : the desirous of glory , from the humble . Our Lord reioiseth at this debate and separation , whan it is made for his charity . Beware , I pray thee , least thou find all ouerflowen with water , if thou be entangled with the affection and loue of thy kinred , and so thou perish with them in the deluge of the loue of the world . Take no compassion of the teares of Parents and frends : least thy selfe do weepe for euer . So often as thy kinsfolkes shall compasse thee like bees , yea rather as waspes , and shall beginne to bewa●●e thee ; constantly and speedely get● thy se●e to the consideration of death and of thy owne workes , that by sorow thou maiest exclude sorrow . Our frendes and not our frendes do craftily promise vs , that they will prouide vs all thinges to our pleasure and contentment , but with that intention , that they may hinder our notable good course , and that being obteined , may drawe vs to their owne will .

It is more pr●sitable to contristate our parents than God . for he hath both made vs & redeemed vs . they haue oftentimes made to perishe those whom they haue loued . He is a true Pilgrime in this world , who like vnto one of a straunge language , amongst men of an vnknowen tounge , onely dwelleth at home in the knowlege of himself We do not therfore departe from our Parents and kin●efolkes , because we hate them : God forbid : but that we may auoide that hinderance , which they are wo●t to procure vs .

THE SECOND CHAPTER . That a man is bound vnder paine of eternall damnation vnto a perfect renunciation of all frendes kinsefolkes Parents & Superiours their intreaties examples & commandments , yea & him selfe also & all that he hath , whan otherwise he should be hindered from the dewty of a Christian .

S. Augustine epist. 89. quest. 4 Disputing against the Pelagian Heretickes , who taught amongst other heresies that euery one was bound to sell all , and geue to the poore : which S. Augustine denieth : although euery one is bound to leaue all whan necessity is offered . §. 1.

DOth that perhaps moue them that our Lord saieth : He sheweth the necessity of renunciation . Mat. 19. whosoeuer shall forsake all his goods for me , shall receiue in this world a hundred fould , and in the world to come he shall possesse euerlasting life ? It is one thing to forsake and another to sell . for euen in those thinges which he commanded to be forsaken , is the wife also numbred : whom by no humane lawes it is lawfull to sell , and by the lawes of Christ it is not lawfull not so much as to forsake , except in the case of fornication . What is the meaning than of these precepts ? ( For they cannot be contrary one to another ) but that there may happen a case of necessity whan either the wife must be forsaken or Christ : The wife and husband in this matter of forsaking one another are in the same case . as , that I may omitte other examples if the wife cannot abide her Christian husband , & propound vnto him , either diuorce from her or from Christ . Here what should be choose , but Christ , and laudably forsake his wife for Christ . For whan both are Christians , our Lord hath commanded that none forsake his wife but for sornication . But whan either party is an infidell , lett the counsell of the Apostle be obserued : that if the infidell consenteth to dwell with the faithfull husband : the husband forsake not his wife . in like maner neither the faithfull wife forsake her husband if he consent to dwell with her . But if the infidel departe , lett him departe . for the brother or sister is not subiect to seruitude in these things : that is if the infidell will not be with the faithfull , lett the faithfull a knowledge this liberty , that he yeeld him selfe not so subiect vnto slauery that he forsake his faith , Sonnnes Parents , brethren and sisters . least he lose his vnfaithfull sp use . This is vnderstood also of sonnes and parents , of brethren and sisters , that they are all to be forsaken , whan this condition is propounded that he must forsake Christ if he desire to retaine them . This therfore is to be vnderstood euen of the house and lande and of all those things which are possessed as money worth . House , land & possessions . Of the necessity of this band . For in like maner doth he not say of these : whosoeuer shall fell for my sake whatsoeuer is lawfull to be sould , but whosoeuer shall forsake them . For it may come to passe that it may be saide to a Christian by some Magistrate , either thou shalt not be a Christian , or if so thou wilt remaine , thou shalt lose thy house & possessions . Than truely let euen those riche men who had determined so to remaine riche that by their good deedes they might winne Gods fauour , lett them rather forsake these things for Christ , than Christ for these things . that they may receiue euen in this world ( Centuplum ) a hundreth fould , by the perfection of which number are signified all things . For vnto a faithfull man all the world is riches , and they become in this maner as hauing nothing and possessing all thinges , that they may in the world to come haue life euerlasting , least forsaking Christ for these temporalities , they may be cast headlong into death euerlasting . It is an act of perfection to fell all & giue to the poore . According to this law and condition not they onely which with an excellency of mind haue imbraced the counsell of perfection , for to sell all and to geue vnto the poore , and with lightened shoulders from the burden of this world to carry the light burden of Christ : but also euery weake person , and not so fitte for that most glorious perfection , yet such as remembreth him selfe sincerely to be a Christian : whan he shall vnderstand that occasion is geuen that vnlesse he forsake all these thinges he must forsake Christ : he will take hould rather of the tower of fortitude against the force of the enemy , The abrenunciation in baptisme because whan be builded the same tower in his owne faith , he reckoned the cost with which it might be made that is , with that resolution be came vnto faith , that he might renounce the world not in wordes onely : because if he bought any thing he was as one which possessed it not : and if he vsed this world , he was as i● he vsed it not : not hoping in that vncertainty of riches , but in the liuing God . For wheras euery one which renounceth this world , vndoubtedly renounceth all that which he hath , that he may be the Disciple of Christ , ( for Christ whan he had expounded the parrables of the charges necessary to the building of the tower and of the preparation of warre against another King adioined this : Luc. 14. Who doth not renounce all things which he hath , cannot be my Disciple : Two manner of renouncing of riches actually and in preparation of mind . he truely renounceth also his riches if he haue any : either so that not louing them at all he distribute them wholly to the poore and disburden him selfe of superfluous carriages : or so that louing Christ more than them , he transporte his hope from them vnto him : and so vse them , that geuing and bestowing easely , he may lay vp treasure for him selfe in heauen . and be ready & prepared to leaue , euen as his parents , sonnes , brethren and wife ; euen so these also if such condition be laid before him , that vnlesse he forsake Christ he cannot haue them for if in any other sor●e he renounce the world , Abrenunciation in baptisme . whan he commeth to the sacrament of faith , he doth that which blessed Cyprian lamenteth of the lapsed , saying : that they renounced the world in words onely and not in deeds : For of this man it is saied : Luc. 14. Some fall from God before they be vrged . Whan tentation comming he feareth rather the losse of these things , than to deny Christ : Behould the man , which beganne to build & could not finish . He it is also which whan his aduersary was as yet a faire of , that is , tentation not as yet afflicting him , but hanging ouer him and threatning him , to the intent that he may not want these things which he loueth more than Christ , consenteth to forsake & deny Christ . Yea there are also many who perswade them selues that euen Christian religion ought to further them to increase their wealth , and multiply their earthly pleasures . A description of a Christian Gentleman But Christian riche men are not such , who although they posesse these things , yet are they not so possessed by their goods that they preferre them before Christ : for with a sincere hart they haue renounced the world , so that they repose in such things no hope at all . These men instruct with sound doctrine theire wiues , sonnes and wholle families to maintaine Christian religion . Receiuing of Priestes & recusants These mens houses excelling in hospitallity , do receiue the iust in name of a iust , that they may receaue the reward of a iust . They breake vnto the hungry their bread , they cloath the naked they redeeme the captiue , they hourd vp to them selues a good foundation for the time to come , that they may attainc to the true life . and if happely for the faith of Christ they must suffer pecuniary mulctes , Pecuniary mulctes according to the proclamation . they hate their riches ; if the world threaten them for Christ , to be bereued and seuered from their frendes : they hate parents , brethren , children , wiues . Finally if they must bargaine with the aduersary for the very life of this body , they hate euen their owne life . For of all these thinges haue they receiued a commaundment , that otherwise they cannot be the Disciples of Christ . Neither yet because it was commanded them to hate for Christ euen their liues , haue they power to sell their liues , A difference . betweene selling and loosing . or to depriue them selues therof with their owne handes , but they are ready to lose them by dying for Christ , least they may liue dying by denying Christ . So also their riches which they were not ready to sell by the counsell of Christ , yet must they be ready to lose for Christ . least with them they perish , by losing Christ . Martyrs haue spr●● of renunciation . Hence haue we of both sexes most riche and noble personages honoured with the glory of martyrdome . So also many which were before loath to become perfect by selling their goods . by imitating Christ his passion were on a suddaine made perfect : and these which with their riche●cōmined some infirmity of fleshe and blood , vpon a suddaine against sinne did fight for their faith euen vnto blood . I which write this : S. Augustine was a religious man . haue earnestly loued , & not by my owne strength , but by the assistance of Gods grace haue fulfilled that counsell of perfection which our Lord spake of , whan he saied to the rich young man : Go sell all that thou hast , and geue vnto the poore , and thou shalt haue a treasure in heauen , and come and followe me . Neither surely because I was not riche , therfore shall it be accounted the lesse : Mat. 19. For the very Apostles which first did the same were riche . But he forsaketh the wholle world , which forsaketh both that which he hath , and that which he desireth to haue . But how much I haue profited in this way of perfection , I my selfe in deed do know more than any other man , but God knoweth better than I. And vnto this purpose with as much vehemency as I can , I exhorte others ; S. Augustine liued in a reguler life . and in the name of our Lord I haue companions , which haue bene by my meanes perswaded to the same : yet so that aboue all things found doctrine be holden , and that we iudge not with vaine stubbornes those which do not the like , as though it could pro fitte them nothing , that they gouerne their houses and families Christian like , that by workes of mercy they hourd them selues vp treasure for the time to come . least by such disputation we be found to be not expounders , but accusers of the holy scriptures .

S. Aug. ser. 6. de Ver. Do. c. 5. § 2

Speaking of those which went to the idolles feastes in the temple , although not to sacrifice , but onely to bankett , & yet came to the Christians Church , whom he saieth therfore not to receaue health in the Church as the woman which had the fluxe of blood , Luc. 8. and so not to touch Christ , as shee , but rather to presse him as those multitudes .

Thou wilt say I feare least I should offend my Superiour . Of obedience to superiours . And dost thou feare least thou offend thy Superiours , and arte thou not afraide to offend God ? Why arte thou afraide least thou offend thy Superiours ? See I pray thee least perhaps there be a greater Superiour whom thou searest not to offend . there is surely a greater . do not offend him . This rule is geuen thee . is it not a cleare case , that he must not be offended which is greater than the rest ? The order of superiority . Reckon vp now thy Superiours ? The first are thy father and mother . if they bring thee vp well , if they nourish thee for Christ , they are to be heard in all things , thou must obey them in euery commandement and serue them , so that they commaund nothing against a greater . Who ( faiest thou ) is greater than he which begotte me ? he which made thee . for man begetteth , but God createth . man knoweth not how he begetteth , he knoweth not what he begetteth . he which sawe thee for to make thee before thou wast whom he made , Obedience to the Countrey . he surely is greater than thy father . Lett thy countrey be greater yet than thy parents them selues that whatsoeuer thy parents comaund against thy countrey thou heare them not , and what thy countrey commaundeth against God thou obey it not . How a man must shew him selfe thankfull to God for his reconciliation .

For if thou wilt be healed , if after the fluxe of blood , if after 12. yeeres continuance in that disease , if after the wasting of all thy goods in phisicke and yet not hauing recouered thy health , thou desirest to be made wholle , ô thou woman which I speake vnto in figure of the Church : thy father commaundeth this thing , and thy people commaund this other thing . but thy Lord God faieth vnto thee forgett thy people , and the house of thy father . With what good , with what fruite , Psal. 44. with what reward ? Because faieth he the King hath desired thy bewty . he hath desired that which he hath made . for that he might make her bewtifull , he loued her which was filthy . For an infidell and filthy one , he shedd his blood , he made her faithfull and faire : he loued his owne giftes in thee . For what didst thou bring vnto thy spouse ? what dowry didst thou receaue of thy first father and of thy first people ? Didst thou not receaue luxuriousnes and cloutes of sinnes ? he cast away thy cloutes , Your dowry whan you were out of the Church he cutte in peeces thy hearecloth : he pittied thee that he might decke thee , he decked thee that he might loue thee .

Idem lib. cont. Adimant c. 6 §. 3

OF that which is written in Exodus Honour thy father & mother . Parents are to be honored and also contemned Vnto this place where our Lord gaue commandment of honouring Parents , the Maniches say that , that place of the Gospell is contrary , where our Lord vnto one which saied , I will first go that I may bury my father , gaue this answere : suffer that the dead bury the dead , Mat. 3. but thou , come and preach the kingdome of God . Which is answered in like maner as we answered the former place , concerning the leauing of the wise for the kingdome of heauen . For both we must honour our Parents , and yet we contemne them without any impiery for the preaching of the kingdome of God .

And after longer disputation he concludeth thus . Wherupon it is manifest , that both the houour of Parents in their degree is to be obserued , and yet in comparison of the diuine loue , especially if they be a hinderance therunto without all scruple we ought to contemne them . Deut 33. For we reade also in the olde testament : who faieth to his father or mother , I know you not , and who acknowledgeth not his tonnes , he hath knowen my testament .

S August . Conc. 1. in Psal. 70. §. 4

In that thing onely the sonne must not obey the father , Obedience to Parents if his father commaund him any thing against his Lord God . neither ought the father to be agreeued , whan God is in this maner preferred before him .

S. Aug. in Psal. 136. in fine . §. 5

What hath this Babylon donne vnto vs ? Psal. 64. we haue already soung in that other psalme : The speeches of wicked men haue preuailed against vs . For whan we were borne ; the 〈◊〉 of this world found vs little ones , 〈…〉 yet infants strangled vs with vaine opinions of manifould errours . A sitt reuenge to Paents for euell bringinge vp . The infant i● borne a future citizen of Hierusa●em , and in Gods predestination already a citizen : but in the meane time inthralied for a while , whan he learneth to loue that 〈◊〉 his parents whisper vnto him . they instruct and reach him couerousnes , extorsions , daily lyes , diuerse worships of idolls , & Deuells , vnlawfull meditines of inchamments and knottings . What may the tender soule yet an infant do , attending what his Elders do , but follow that which he seeth them to do ? Babylon therfore did persecute vs whan we were little ones . but God gaue vs the knowledge of him selfe being greate ones ; that we should not follow the errours of our Parents : which than I fared was foretould by the Prophet : Hier. 16. Vnto thee shall die nations come from the end of the earth : and shall say : Verely our fathers haue obserued a lye ; and a vanity which hath not profited them .

Euen now do young men say thus , which were killed little ones by following such vanities : but by casting away vanities & re●●uing vnto God let them go forward , The perswasions of Parents to go to the Church are these litle ones & reader vnto Babylon what recompence shall they render it that which it hath rendered vnto vs . Lett her little ones also be crushed and dye . Which are the little ones of Babylon ? Euell desires nowly arising . For some d●●guarrell with their desires being ould . Whan the desire first ariseth , before e●ell custome get● any force against thee , whan she is a little one , lett her not gett the strength of a custome , whan she is a little one crushe her . But thou arte afraide least being crushed shee will not dye . Crush her against the Rocke . 1. Cor. 10. And the Rocke was Christ .

Whatsoeuer ( Brethren ) in the world doth flatter you : be not ouer bould : do not conferre with your desires . is it a great enemy ? kill it at the stone : is it a small enemy ? crushe it against the Rocke . Lett the Rocke ouercome : build your selues in the Rocke if you will not be carried away either by the flood , or by the windes , or by the raine .

Idem in Psal. 50. §. 6

But yet ( my dearest ) in such diuersity of manners and so detestable corruption gouerne your houses , gouerne your sonnes , Parents ought to teach vertue & not wickednesse . gouerne your families . Euen as it is our partes in the Churche to speake vnto you , so vnto you doth it appertaine to deale in such sorte in your houses , that you may geue good account of those which are your subiectes . God loueth discipline . but it is a peruerse and false innocency , to lett loose the bridle to sinnes . Very vnprofitably , God reuengeth the Parents sinnes vnto the fourth generation . very perniciously shall the sonne feele the fathers lenity , that iustly afterward he may feele Gods seuerity . And this not alone , but togither with his dissolute father . For what ? if him selfe sinneth not and doth not as his sonne , must he not therfore forbidd his sonne from that wickednes ? what ? would he perhaps seeme to his sonne , that him selfe would do the like also if he were not ould ? The sinne which displeaseth thee not in thy sonne delighteth thee : What if the father inuiteth the sonne to that with displeaseth him . but age hath forsaken thee , not desire . But perhaps the euell sonne neglecteth either the admonition or childing or se●●●ty of his father . Thou fulfill that which belō goth to thee , God will exact of him that which ●elonged to him .

S. Augustin . ser. ●●de verbis Dom. of him which saied vnto our Sauiout . Permitte me first to go & bury my father . Mat. 8. §. 7

The faithfulnes of his harte did offer him to our Lord : but piety did detaine him . God is to be preferred be fore Parents . But Christ our Lord whan he prepareth men for his Gospell , will haue no excuse to be pretended of this carnall and temporall piety . The law of God surely hath it , and our Lord him selfe doth reproue the Iewes , because they destroyed the commandment of God . Ephes. 6. And Paule the Apostle in his epistle saied : this is the first commandement in the promise , which ? Honour thy father and thy mother . God him selfe spoke it . This young man therfore would doe Gods commandment , and bury his father . but there is place , time , and matter , which is conuenient for this matter , this time , and this place . We must honour our father , but we must obey God . We must loue him which begotte vs , but we must preferre him which made vs . I 〈◊〉 thee ( faieth 〈◊〉 ) to the Gospell , there is 〈◊〉 of thee for another worke . this worke is greater than that which th●● intendest to do . suffer th●● 〈…〉 their dead . Is thy father dead ? there 〈…〉 persons for to bury their dead . 〈…〉 dead which bury the dead ? can a dead man be buried by them which are dead ? how do they wind him if they be dead ? how do they carrry him , if they be dead ? how do they lament him , if they be dead ? They wind him they carry him , they lament him , and yet they be dead , * * So is any dead which is in mortall sinne . because they are infidells . He taught vs that which is written in the canticles : where the Church saieth : 1 Io. 3 , 14. Ro 6 , 21. Iac. 1 , 15. Apoc. 3 , 1. Do you sett in order charity in me . What meaneth this , do you sett in order charity in me ? Do you make degrees , and yeeld vnto euery one that which is dew do not sett the greater vnder the inferiour Loue your parents , but preserre God before your parents . Harken to the mother of the Machabees . 2. Mach 7. My sonnes saieth she I know not how you appeared in my wombe . I could conceiue you , I could bring you forth : but I could not fashion you , heare therfore him , esteeme him aboue me : neither haue any regard for to leaue me depriued of you . She commanded them , and they obeied her . That which this mother taught her sonnes : the same did our Lorde Iesus Christ teach this man to whom he saied ; follow me . For presently there stepped forth another Disciple , to whom nothing had bene saied : Luc. 9. and promised that he would follow our Lord : but I go first ( saieth he ) to take my leaue of them which are at home . Which , I suppose , hath this meaning . I will geue them warning , least perhaps , as it is an ordinary thing , they seeke me . But our Lord answered : no man putting his hand to the plough and looking backe , is ap●e for the Kingdome of heauen . The East calleth thee and dost thou looke vpon the west ?

S. Augustin . set . 6. de verb. Do. cap. 7. §. 8.

If he be good which hath autority ouer thee ; All superiority is to be contemned in that that it is against Christ . he is thy nourisher , if he be euell , he is thy tempter . thou therfore both willingly accepte his nourishment , and be tried by his tentation . Looke thou be gould , consider this world as the gouldsmithes fornace : in one narrow place there are three things gould , chas●e , fire To those two fire is purte , the chaffe is burnt , the gould is purged . Some person hath yeelded vnto threatnings , and was brought to go to the idolls temple . Alas , alas , To go to the Church I bewaile the chaffe , I see the ashes Another hath not yeelded vnto threat●ings , hath not yeelded vnto terrours : being brought before the iudge : he was constant in his Confession : he bowed not to the idoll . What doth the fire ? doth it not purge the gould ? Behould the constant in our Lorde , my brethren : mighty is he which hath called you . feare not the threatnings of the wicked . You suffer your enemies , you haue for whom to pray . Lett them not in any case terrifie you this is perfect health , draw your selues drinke out of this bankett , heere drinke that you may be satisfied : not there where you may become madd . Be constant in our Lord . you are siluer , you shall be gould . Sap. 3. This is not our owne comparison , it is out of the scripture you haue read it , you haue heard it . As ●ould in the f●rnace hath he proued them , and as a sacrifice of holoce u●t , he hath accepted them Behould what you shall be in the treasure of God . Be you riche with God , not as to make him riche , but as to be riche of him . Lett him fill you , admitte nothing else vnto your harte . But do we perhaps make you proude , or teach you to contemne ordained power ? We say not so . You which are diseased in this pointe , Ro. 13. touch also the hemme of Christs garment for to be instructed and cured . The Apostie faith : Lett euery soule be subiect to higher powers , for there is no power but from God . And those that are , of God are ordained . therfore he that resisteth the power , See also l. 3. confess . c. 8 resisteth the ordinance of God . But what if he commaund that which thou oughtest not to doe ? here truely contemne power , by fearing power . Do you consider the very degrees of humane lawes . If the gouernour commaund any thing , is it not to be donne ? yet if the Proconsull commaund the contrary , than truely dost thou not despise power , but choosest to obey the greater . Neither herin ought the lesser to be angry , if the greater be preferred . Againe if the Proconfull commaund one thing , & the Emperour another : is it doubted but that be is to be obeied , the other being despised ? S. Augustine would not allow going to the Church if he were a mongst vs . Eph. 6. Therfore if the Emperour biddeth one thing , and God another : what do you iudge ? Pay tribute . Attend vnto my seruice very well : but not in the idolls temple . In the idolls temple forbiddeth it . Who forbiddeth it ? a greater power . Pardon me , thou threatnest prison , he threatneth hell . Here now must thou take vppon thee thy faith as a buckler in the which thou maiest quench all the fiery dartes of the enemy .

S. Cypri . libro de oratione Dominica . §. 9.

Our Father which arte in heauen . The new man , How God is our Father . borne againe & restored vnto his God by his grace : in the very first beginning saieth , Father : because now he hath begonne to be the sonne of God . He came saith the Apostle into his owne , & his owne receiued him not , but as many as receiued him , Io. 1. he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God , to those that beleeue in his name . He therfore that hath beleeued in his name , and is become the sonne or God , must hence beginne , that he may both be thankfull and professe him selfe the sonne of God , whilest he confesseth that he hath a father in heauen , which is God , & that he may also witnesse , that euen in the first wordes of his natiuity , he renounced his earthly & carnall father , and beganne to acknowledge and account him onely his father which is in heauen ; euen as it is written . Who faieth to his rather and mother , I know you not , & haue not acknowledged their sonnes , Deut. 33 these haue kepte thy commaundernents , and obserued thy 〈◊〉 . Mat. 23. Also our Lord in his Gospell commanded that we call not a father vnto our selues on earth , because we haue one onely father which is in heauen and vnto that Disciple which made mention of his departed father , he answered lett the dead bury the dead , for he had faied that his father was dead , Mat. 5. wheras the father of the faithfull is aliue .

S. Gregory in the 4. booke of his dialogues chap. 18. §. 10.

Peter . A straunge punishment of a father in his sonne euell nurteted . Wheras mankind is subiect to many and insinite vices , it seemeth to me , that the greatest parte of the heauenly Hicrusalem is filled either with little ones or with very infants . Gregory . Although we must beleeue that all Christned infants dying in their infancy do enter into the heauenly Kingdome : yet is it not to be thought that all little ones , especially those which can speake do enter into heauen . because vnto some infants the entry of that Kingdome is shutte vp , by their owne parents if wickedly they bring them vp . For a certaine man very well knowne to all this citty , three yeeres ago , had a sonne of fiue yeeres of age , as I thinke . whom because he loued ouer carnally , he brought vp ouer loosely . The same child which is a greeuous thing to speake so soone as any thing went contrary to his mind , was a customed to blaspheme the Maiesty of God , but in that last contagiousnes sickned to death . And whan his father helde him in his bosome , as those which were present did witnesse , the childe with ghastly eyes perceiuing that malignant spirits were come vnto him , beganne to crye ; Helpe father , helpe father . And so crying he bent away his face , for to hide it in his fathers bosome . But whan his father asked him what he saw , he answered certaine 〈◊〉 ●amores are come which will carry me away , and whan he had saied this , So many children miserably perish in heresy , being first made to distemble by their parents . he presently blasphemed the name of Gods Maiesty , and yeelded vp the ghost . For that Almighty God might shew for what offence he was deliuered to such tortures , that which his father would not correct him for huing , that he permitted he should iterate dying . that he which long time had liued in blasphemy through God patience : should once by Gods iudgement dye blaspheming to the intent that the father should acknowledge his offence , who being carelesse of the little soule , brought vp for hell fire , no little sinner .

S. Hierome vpon the 10. chapter of S. Mathew . §. 11.

Who loueth his father and mother more than me : Hatred to ones kinred sometimes is piety to God . is not worthy of me . He which before had saide , I came not to send peace , but a sword , and to diuide men against father and mother , daughter in law , and mother in law : least any man should preferre piety before religion : he added : Who loueth his father and mother more than me , is not worthy of me . And in the canticles we read : Cant. 2. The order of charity . he hath ordered in me charity . This order is necessary in euery affection . After God loue thy father , loue thy mother , loue thy children . But if necessity come that the loue of parents and children must be compared to the loue of God , and both cannot be obserued : hatred to ones kinted , is piety to God .

THE THIRD CHAPTER . Of the necessarye renunciation sometimes to be made of husband and wife : although that which hath bene saied aboue belong also to them .

S. Aug. cont. Adimant . c. 3. §. 1

THe true faith and the discipline of the Catholicke Church affirmeth both to be true and spoken of our Lord , A wife is to be left for the kingdome of heauen . and no way contrary : that both the couiunction of man and wife is of our Lord , and the leauing of ones wife for the Kingdome of heauen is of our Lord . For not because Iesus Christ hath raised vp dead men and geuen them life , therfore is not life it selfe to be lefte for the Kingdome of heauen . Euen so than although our Lord hath ioined a wife vnto a man , yet is the to be lefte ( if need be ) for the Kingdome of heauen . For this is not alwaies necessary as the Apostle saieth . 1. Cor. 7 If any faithfull hath a wife an infidell , and she consenteth to dwell with him , lett him not dismisse her . he meaneth truely , that if she do not consent to dwell with him , that is , if she detest in him the faith of Christ , and suffereth him not because he is a Christian , she is to be lefte for the Kingdome of heauen . euen as the same Apostle afterward saieth : if the infidell departe , lett him departe . for the brother or sister is not subiect to bondage in such things . If any man therfore doth leaue the Kingdome of heauen , whilst he will not leaue his wise which cannot abide a Christian husband : he is reprehended by our Lord . The wife also must leaue her husband in like sorte .

So he concludeth that these scriptures are not contrary , because ( saieth he there the wife is ioined to the husband that togither they may deferue the Kingdome of heauen . and so is a wife commanded to be lefte , if she hinder her husband from getting of the Kingdome of heauen .

S. Greg. Lib. 3. mor c. 14. in 2. caput Iob. treating of Iob. sitting in the dunghill and his wines wicked impugning of his holy patience . §. 2

But what doe we say thus much of the insidells , Who sight against Christ . wheras in the Church it selfe we se many carnall persons by their wicked maners fight against the life of their Redeemer ? For some there are who because with the sword they cannot , yet do persecute him with peruerse actions . for whan they see they want in the Church that which they desire : they become the enemies of the good , & not onely addicte them selues to crooked behauiour , but endeuour also to bend the righteous mennes straightnes to their peruersnes . They neglect to consider the things eternall , and with the basenes of their mind they are subdued to the desire of that which is temporall . and so much the deeper they fall from things euerlasting , because they repute that besides temporall goods there are no other . To these men is much displeasant the iust mens simplicity , and when they find occasion of trouble , they perswade them to embrace their doublenes . Wherfore is that very fitte which followeth . His wife saide vnto him , doest thou yet remaine in thy simplicity . Blesse God , & dye For whose person did this deceiuing woman beare , but of certaine carnall persons within the Churches bosome , who in that they be within by their outward profession , doe the more oppresse the good with vncorrected maners . for lesse perhaps should they haue hurte , if the holy Church admitting them had not receiued them in the very closett of faith , and by such receiuing them vnto this profession were not in estate that she cannot auoide them . Luc. 8 Hereof is it that the multitude oppressing our Redeemer , but one only woman did touch him , wherfore he saide , who hath touched me ? To whom whan the Disciples answered : the multitudes throung and presse thee , and dost thou say who hath touched me , he forthwith added , some body hath touched me , for I know that there is vertue proceeded from me . Many therfore do presse our Lord , and one onely toucheth : because those which are carnall in the Church do presse him , being farre from him , & those onely do touch him which being truely humble are ioyned vnto him . The multitude therfore do presse him , because the company of carnall folkes , how much nearer it is admitted , so much the harder is tollerated . A new kind of persecutours . it presseth & toucheth not , because it is importunate being present : and yet in good life alwaies absent . For sometimes they persecute vs by wicked speaches : but sometimes onely by peruerse manners . For sometimes they exhorte vs to that which they follow : other times although they exhorte not , yet ceasse they not to geue vs examples of iniquity . Those therfore which by wordes or examples intise vs to euell , in very deed are our persecutours : by whom we are brought vnto the combate of tentations : which at the least in our harte we may ouercome . But we must vnderstand that those which are carnall in the Church : sometimes through feare , sometimes through presumptuousnes go about to perswade peruersnes : and when them selues either for pusillanimity , or haughtines do shrincke , they seeke to instill the same thinges into the mindes of the iust , and that vnder pretense of charity . Charitable perswaders to schisme . 2. Reg. 19. Mat. 16. Peter had a carnall mind before our Sauiours death and resurrection . Saruias his sonne with a carnall mind followed his captaine Dauid , yet the one sinned by feare , the other by pride . The first hearing of his masters death , said : Lord be it farre from thee , this shall not be vnto thee . The other not suffering the iniuries of his captaine saieth : And for all these wordes shall not Semei be killed , which hath cursed the anointed of our Lord ? But answere is geuen him . what haue I to do with you ô sonnes of Saruias : Euell counsailours are called Deuills . why will you this day become Satan vnto me ? Euell counsailours than are called by the name of the Apostata Angells , who with flattering speaches pretending loue , do draw vnto wickednes . Such are those who contumeliously oppose them selues to Priests . yet farre worse are they , which not of feare but of pride geue them selues to this vice , whose figure especially was this wife of Iob , endeuouring to bring her husband vnto pride : saying : yet dost thou remaine in thy simplicity ? Blesse God , & dye . She reprehendeth simplicity in her husband , because despising all that which is transitory , he desired with a pure harte onely things eternall . as if she had saide : why dost thou simply desire things euerlasting , and patiently groanest at thy present euells ? departing , despise that which is eternally good , and euen by death auoide that which is presently euell .

But those which are electe , whilest inwardly they suffer of carnall men that which is euell , how great an vprightnes they shew within them selues , we may learne of the wordes of him which is wounded and yet sound , How wiues shoud answere their Schismaticke husbands . of him which sitteth , and yet is erected . Thou hast spoken saieth he like a very foolish woman , if we haue receiued good of the hand of our Lord , why should we not abide euell ? Holy men being ouertaken with the conflicte of tribulations , whan at the very same time they abide some striking them , and others perswading them ; to the first they oppose the buckler of patience : against the second they hurle the dartes of Doctrine . Two combares of Catholickes . and with wonderfull conning of vertue they prepare them selues to both manners of fight , that both within they may wisely confute that which is peruerse , and without they may stoutely contemne whatsoeuer is contrary : and by teaching the first correcte them , by tolerating the second oppresse them . For by suffering their enemies which rise against them , they despise them : and by compassion of their diseased frendes they reduce them ; to those they resist least they draw others ; but these they cure , least vtterly they loose the life of all honesty .

S. Hier. in ep. ad Tit. c. 3 §. 3

If it be good which the Emperour and Gouernour commaundeth : obey the will of the commander , God is to be obeyed before husband or any other but if it be euell : answere him out of the actes of the Apostles : It behoueth to obey God more then men . This same let vs vnderstand both of seruants to their masters , and of wiues to their husbandes , & of children to their Parents : that in those things onely they must be subiecte to their masters , husbandes , Parents , which are not contrary vnto Gods commaundements .

An explication of diuerse lawfull manners of separation of man and wife , according to the holy scriptures and the sentence and practise of holy Church .

WE haue in diuerse places aboue , sette downe the doctrine of Christ him selfe with the declaration of the Doctours of the Church , §. 1 concerning the forsaking of wiues for the loue of Christ .

But wheras in this matter of forsaking , or of liuing in the estate of wedlocke , and perfourming matrimoniall dewty one to another , the husband and wife is of like * * Hieron . Ep. ad Oceanum . Aug. lib. 2. de adult . con. cap. 8. & 19. Sylu. verbo Deuortium § 1. condition , and that diuorce or separation or forsaking which is lawfull to the husband is lawfull also to the wife : as well least wiues shold in this pointe be too rashe , as that they may know if need should require how farre they may either with meritte or without sinne proceed : we must necessarily although in few wordes intreate herof .

There are therfore in generall two kinds of diuorces of man and wife . Two kinds of diuorces in generall . the first is nothing else but a declaration of the inualidity of a mariage vnlawfully contracted . whan because of some impediment , the contracte could not be sufficient , and therfore is dissolued by the Church : and of this we haue nothing at this present to say . The other is , whan that mariage which according to the law of God and nature was a true and perfect mariage , is notwithstanding separated by lawfull meanes and of this must we make our wholle discourse .

This separation therfore is of three sortes . Three kinds of separation of a lawfull mariage . For either the mariage is quite dissolued the parties remaining free from the former bond : or the bond of the mariage being still in force , there is a separation made sometimes of bedd onely , sometimes euen of all cohabitation . §. 2. Separation of bond .

The very bond of a mariage once sufficient may be in diuerse waies dissolued otherwise than by death ( for we speake of that dissolution which leaueth both parties aliue )

First if two infidells be maried togither which were neuer baptized : 1. Cor. 7.28 . q. 2. Can. si infidelis . &c. Quanto & cap Gau de diuortijs . the one party comming to our holy faith , may marry againe and so the first mariage may be dissolued in three cases . first if the party which remaineth infidell will not dwell with the faithfull secondly if he will not ( sine contumelia aut iniuria Creatoris ) without contumely or iniury of Christ . Thirdly if by reason of some scandall which may happen the faithfull be bound to forsake his first mariage . as now in diuerse places it is practised and by law established , that such a faithfull person shall be separated from the other remaining an infidell . For S. Paule doth not absolutely commaund , but geueth as it were counsell , not to dismisse the infidell if he be content to dwell still with the other .

Of this dissolution of mariage we need not to intreate the case being cleare , and not in our countrey occurrent . yet this must be taught to all Catholickes , that they beware herin of the doctrine of those heritickes , who agreeably to the rest of their licentiouse opinions maintaine that an hereticke may forsake his Catholicke wife and marry another . The holy Church teacheth that this rule of S Paule hath no place in the mariages of those which haue bene baptized . although they were become heretickes yea and infidells or Turkes , before the time of the mariage : or although afterward either both or one should fall into heresy or infidelity . For the mariage of two baptized not lawfully hindered by any canonicall impediment , is alwaies a Sacrament and if it be once consummated by no meanes can be dissolued .

Secondly the bond it selfe of mariage is taken away , whan after the solemnization of the same , before it be consummated by carnall copulation , the one party entereth into religion . for so soone as that party after ordinary probation maketh his solemne profession , the other remaineth free , and may lawfully marry another , Cap Ex publico . de conuers . coniug. . yet for to take away all occasion of fraude , the cannon lawe alloweth two monethes of liberty vnto one which determineth to enter into religion : after which time he is either bound to matrimoniall dewty ( which being once yeelded , the mariage cannot be dissolued ) or presently to enter without any longer delay . This doctrine is confirmed by the continuall practise of the Church . * * Haer. 78. of S. Tecla induced herunto by Saint Paule as * * l. 2. de virg S. Epiphanius & * * Beda & Simeon Metaph. S Ambrose acknowledge . of S. Alexius a most noble Roman and famous for this acte in all ages . of two souldiers whom S. Augustine reporteth in his time to haue forsaken their spouses & to haue become monkes at Treuers . Lib. 8. conf. c. 6 lib. 3. diall . cap. 14. See 27. q. 2. can . despōsatū & can . Decreta . & de conuers . coniug. c. ex publico . & can . ex parte tua & can . vertum . by whose example their spouses did also dedicate as S. Augustine saieth their virginity vnto God . of S. Gregoria a Romane Nunne , who because she ranne from her spouse in earth ( as writeth S. Gregory ) deserued to haue a spouse in heauen . and of many others in seuerall times . Besides we haue the same in diuerse auncient canons of diuerse Popes . S. Gregory , S. Eusebius , Alexander the third and Innocentius the third .

Finally the Councell of Trent * * Sess. 24. c. 6. defineth it in these wordes . If any one say that mariage onely contracted & not consummated , is not dissolued , by the solemne profession of religion of the one party . Lett him be anathema . Thus much of this shall suffice .

A third dissolution of matrimoniall band , may be , whan the mariage perfectly contracted and not yet consummated , either by request of both parties , or sometime by suite of one onely ( as whan the other hath broken the promised saith , and is already maried although vnlawfully to another ) is by the Popes dispensation dissolued . For than either party may lawfully marry againe . excepte that the dishonest party cannot without dispensation remaine with the second companion , there being betweene them that impediment which is called impedimentum criminis . which is ( for as much as belongeth to our present purpose ) whan a married party committeth adultery and withall either promiseth or presently contracteth although secretly mariage with the adulterer . Antonin . 3. part . tit. 1. cap 21. §. 3. Nauar. c. 22 num. 21. Sylu. verbo Diuortium q 4. Caiet. Tract. 25. q. 1. D. Tho. 4 sent. d. 27. q. 1. ar. 3. Why mariage not consummate is dissolued by religion . Cap. Debliū de Bigamis & glossa ibi . For the allowing of this doctrine we haue the practise of the Church and opinion of all ould Canonistes and most Diuines of our age . and it may very plainly be deduced out of the former verety of our faith . For although euery mariage contracted betweene baptized couples be a Sacrament yet we see that it hath not that indissolubillity and firmenes , which it hath after it is consummated : wheras without any dispensation it is dissolued by profession of religion . And that with great reason . For there be three significations in mariage : first of the inuisible coniunction of Christ and the soule which is in grace . the second of the coniunction of Christ with his wholle Church by the same grace and charity . the third of the coniunction of Christ with his Church by the conformity of his humane nature , which he tooke vpon him in his incarnation . Now of this third doth proceed the perfect firmenes of mariage : although the other two are sufficient to make it a Sacrament . Hence was it that our Sauiour saied not : Mat. 19. Alex. 3 cap. Ex publico . De conu . coniug. . That which God hath ioyned lett not man separate , but after that he had saied : now they are not two but one fresh . What meruaile therfore if that mariage may by some Ecclesiasticall meanes be deuided , which is not yet consummated , and where they be properly as yet two , and not two in one flesh ?

Besides . Hugo de S. vict lib. 2. de Sacr. par. 11 in mariage there are two coniunctions : the one spirituall by mutuall consent of mindes : the other carnall by coniunction of bodies . But it seemeth very great reason that one spirituall bond , should yeeld to another more perfect which is that of religion , wherby the soule is ioyned after so singuler a maner vnto God . especially , here being no iniury vnto the education of children because there are none : nor vnto the other party now remaining free , and no way blemished or made vnfitte for another mariage by the losse of virginity .

And wheras by the doctrine of the Apostle the carnall bond of mariage is dissolued by the naturall death of the one party , 1. Cor. 7. in so much that if the same party should be miraculously reuiued againe , yet might the wife choose whether she would haue him , and if she had maried another she could not haue him : why shall not the spirituall death of one which by religiouse profession dieth to the world , be of sufficient force to take away the spirituall bond of a mariage not consummated ?

Now if there be this difference in the firmity of these two mariages : why shall we not attribute the same autority to Gods Vicar in earth , for to dissolue that by his soueraigne power of binding and loasing , Mat. 16. which a man may without his dispensation by his proper acte dissolue ? especially wheras there may be so vrgent causes of such dispensation , and so important for the good of soules . All this we may confirme with an other truth in Diuinity . For according to the more common & sound opinion of Deuines the Pope may dispense in solemne vowes of religion , Nauar c. 12. num. 75. D. Tho. 4. d. 38. q 1. ar. 4. and geue a Monke vpon iust causes leaue to returne to the world againe and to marry . and this hath bene diuerse times donne . and there is no reason why he may dispense in simple , and not in solemne Vowes . Richardus Durand . Palud . Maior . Henricus S. Antonin . Angel . Innocentius Hostien . Panorm. Caiet. now if one should thus be dispensed withall which had after a contract of mariage before the consummation entered into religion : than might it happen that he should liue in the world maried , his first wife being maried also to another . Than why may not the Pope doe at once , that which by such a circumstance he may do seuerally ?

Lett vs than conclude that in mariage which is consummated none but God himselfe can dispence . who hath not dispensed , but onely in the mariage of infidells , whan one commeth to our holy faith . But in mariage onely contracted and not consummated , the bond may be taken away in two sortes . first by entrance into religion of the one party , without dispensation or consent of the other party : secondly by the dispensation of the Pope at the suite of both parties , or of the one onely whom the other hath already vniustly forsaken . And although this last be not expresely defined by the Church : yet is it very secure in practise : and it becommeth euery deuoute Catholicke with godly affection to perswade him selfe , that so many cheife Pastours of Gods Church . in so waighty a matter haue not erred . §. 3

Thus much being saied of the dissoluing of the very bond of mariage let vs go now to that which followeth of the separation of bedd . Of the separation of bedd .

This separation may be with singuler meritte and with great congruency made by common consent , according to the counsell of S. Paule that the maried persons may geue them selues for a time the more earnestly vnto praier . 1. Cor. 7. For those men are farre deceiued , who by the holy name of matrimony , seeke to excuse their intemperate desues , wholly inclining them selues to the satisfying of their disordered appetite . These should diligently consider the speach of the Angell vnto young I obye . Tob. 6. I will shew thee who are those against whom the Deuell can preuaile . For they which so vndertake mariage , that they may exclude God from them selues and from their mind : and attend vnto their lust as a horse and mule , who haue no vnderstanding : the Deuell hath power ouer those . For this cause doth S. Augustine alleadge S. Ambrose & approue his saying , Lib. 2. cont. Iulia. c. 7. where he calleth him which is intemperate in mariage , his wiues adulterer . and S Hierome worthely hath wrotten : it Skilleth not for how honest a cause a man become madde . Lib. 1. cont. Iouin . wherfore euen the Philosopher Xistus in his sentences , saieth . a too earnest louer of his wife , is an adulterer . towardes another mans wife euerye loue is shamefull : and so is towardes ones owne wife that which is ouer much . a wife man must loue his wife by iudgement and not by passion . he will rule the hastines of pleasure , neither will he be caried hedlong vnto copulation . Nothing is more filthy than for to loue his wife as an aduoutresse . Thus S. Hierome

This we say not to condemne the acte of matrimony which God hath ordained & allowed : but that euery one should vnderstand that euen in that estate there is daunger : The matrimoniall act how it is sometime sinfull . & as the acte may be meritorious whan it is donne for some vertuouse end either of desire of children so that they purpose to make them children of God and members of his Church : or for to render the debt to the other party demaunding : as it may be also at the least voide of sinne whan it is donne for the auoiding of fornication , whan the one party doubteth that otherwise he should fall either in thought or deed : so is it alwaies at the least a veniall sinne to pretend in that action onely delight : and if such delight doe passe the limittes of matrimony ( as if it be ioyned with vnlawfull concupiscence of any other person , or if the naturall order & necessary decency which God hath ordained be not obserued ) it is alwaies a deadly sinne . Those therfore which are the true children of God , must before they marry , The ends of mariage . laye before their eyes the lawfull and godly endes of matrimony . that is , the desire of children for to increase Gods house : the mutuall fidelity one to another and continuall seruices & comforte of this miserable life : & the auoiding of fornication if they be such as list not to fight against the assaultes of the flesh : finally and principally the dignity of the Sacrament and perfect resemblance of the coniunction of Christ and his Church . For reuerence of the which , they must imprint in their mindes , that saying of young Tobye : Tob. 8. wee are the children of Sainctes , and may not be so ioyned togither as the Gentills which know not God . And the daunger of mariage being so great as in very deed it is , and the corruption of our nature so ready to extend it selfe in delightfull things once permitted beyond the dew limittes : it were also very conuenient that euery one which vndertaketh such an estate , sholde seeke some Angell to be instructed by of what maner of inconuenience he may fall into , if diligent care and continuall heede be not taken . Certaine it is that the more we seuere our selues from sensuall things , the more we approach vnto God . And those that for Christ refraine from lawfull delights , are more disposed to receaue of him the heauenly pleasures . At some times therfore as well to bridle the disorder of the appetite , and teach it to obey reason : as also to auoide * * Aug. l. 14. ciu. c. 16. the distraction which the actes of mariage do bring wherby that deuotion may be hindered which is required vpon solemne daies in a Christian : there is a kind of separation to be made betweene man and wife . which we call separation of bedd , although it require not separation of place : of which the Catechisme of the Counsell of Trent doth thus intreate . De sacr. matr . Because all good things by holy praiers are to be obteined at Gods hands : the faithfull are to be taught that for to pray and worship God , they abstaine sometimes from the office of matrimony , and especially that they know how they should obserue this , three daies at the least before they receiue the holy Eucharist , and oftentimes whan the holy fast of Lent is celebrated , euen as our Fathers haue very well and holily commaunded vs . For so will it come to passe that they shall feele the very benefittes of mariage with greater measure of Gods grace daily to be increased : and following the study of piety , they shall not onely passe this life quietly & peaceably , but haue a trew and firme hope which neuer confoundeth of obtaining through Gods goodnes the life euerlasting . Ro. 5.

A second kind of separation of bedd there may be with excele●t perfection , whan both parties agree for the loue of God , and affection vnto the Angelicall vertew of purity , to liue togither perpetually like brother and sister . This is also counselled by S. Paule in the same place . 1. Cor. 7. where he onely by indulgence warneth them to returne againe togither least they be tempted : although he desire that euery one were as him selfe . And this kind of separation is the more meritorious , whan by mutuall consent it is vowed . neither can the one party lawfully vow continency without consent of the other . The excellency of vowes . Aug. ep. 45 for a vowe alwaies geueth a higher dignity vnto euery vertuous action : both because of the stability which is there where it is not lawfull to go backe : faelix necessitas ( saith S. Augustin quae ad meliora compellit : happy is the necessity which enforceth to the better things : and also because it maketh euery acte wherunto it is applied , an acte of religion , a principall vertew of Christian life : and particulerly in the vowe of chastity or continency the soule ther by becommeth after an extraordinary maner the spouse of Christ .

This kind of separation although it be highly reuerenced of Catholickes , as it is of fleshly heretickes contemned : yet is perhaps hardly to be found in our countrey or age . except it be if happely the persecutours make it by keeping the one party in prison ( as it is a familiar quality in them to despise mariage in others , but in them selues : ) whan it were no small meritte for either party to make of necessity a vertue & to offer that vnto God by vow which they are otherwise enforced vnto , at the least for that time vntill God shal bring them togither againe . For euen of such things as are commanded by the law of God may a vowe be made , Sotus . l. 7. de iust . q. 1. ar. 3 of things necessary to be donne a Vow may be made . whan it is so vndertaken , that although I were not otherwise bound yet I would in this particular case bind my selfe . And so in this case the person which hath vowed vnto God to obserue that chastity which he is other wise bound vnto : doth not onely exercise actes of temperance and chastity , but of religion also whansoeuer he auoideth or ouercometh any contrary suggestion or occasion .

But this maner of heroicall separation of bedd and perpetuall abstinence from that which before was lawfull was in ancient ages very familiar vnto gods saints , Epist. 32.45.199 . See S. Greg. l. 9. ep. 39. Theodoret l. 4. hist. c. 13. Hier. ep 14. ad Celant & highly comended by holy Doctours of the Church & namely by S. Augustine who to the confusion of sensuall heretickse which vnderstand nothing but flesh and blood , in three seuerall epistles discourseth of three maried couples , which all had vowed perpetuall continency . neither want we examples of most notable personages . of our blessed * * Mat. 1. Aug. l. 2. de conf. Euan. Cap. 1. Lady & S. Ioseph : * * Krantz . 〈◊〉 c. 32. of Emperour Henry the first of that name , & Runegunde his wife , both Saints . Of our S. Edward confessour . And of a lay man which Cassian * * Coll. 14. c. 7. sayeth for this vertue to haue cast out a Deuell which a holy Eremite could not expell . And of diuers others , which all haue in mariage either obserued perpetuall virginity : or after carnal knowledg vowed perpetual continency . whom if heretickes haue not the gift for to follow neither can this gift be found where the spirit of wisdome doth not dwell lett them ceasse yet to abridge gods mighty hand in bestowing his liberality where ther is capacity of his heauenly grace . Sap. 1.

A third cause of separation in bedd is the adultery or fornication or any kind * * 32 q. 7. cap. non solum . & q. 4. cap. meretrices . Aug. q. 71. super Exo. Mat. 5. of vnlawfull copulation of either party . For than ( if it be manifestly knowen vnto the innocent party ) it is lawfull to whold the debt of matrimony . This is the doctrine of our Sauiour him selfe : For if it be lawfull to dismisse the fornicator , much more to deny him the matrimoniall debt . yet be there some exceptions wherin it is not lawfull to make such separation . First if the one party supposing that the other is dead marry another . Than if the act were committed by violence . Likewise if the wife admitted another man , thinking that it was her owne husband . Besides whan both parties haue committed fornication also whan one party consented or gaue an imediate occasion to the adultry of the other Finally whan a reconciliation is made either by an expesse remission of the fault : or by the innocent parties demaunding or yeelding the debt of mariage after the saulte is once knowen . For than is he deemed to remitt the same . Excepte the wife for some notable feare of the husband shold render the debt : for than she hath not lost her right to deny the same , neither was that a reconciliation , which was not voluntarily made . In like maner after a voluntary reconciliation made although both parties were faulty , yea and although the one parties adultery were altogither vnknowen to the other : by such reconciliation they are both restored to their prime estate . so that notwithstanding any faulte past , that party which shall fall againe , may be iustly denied the matrimoniall debte by the other party perseuering innocent .

Neither will it be amisse here to admonish , that the husband vsing the acte of mariage after any copulation had by his wife with an other man whether sinfully or not sinfully : whether him selfe still remaining bound to her company or no : yet he is accounted Bigamus by the Church : and not admitted without dispensation vnto holy orders after the decease of his wife , euen as if he had bene twise maried , or had maried a widow . which I the more willingly here do vtter , that whosoeuer is desirous so to liue in the estate of mariage that he may not preiudice the vndertaking of a higher estate if it please God to sett him free : may beware herby to returne to the company of his wife , after such accidents except in cases where he may not without sinne refuse the same . For than better is it to putte him selfe in impossibillity of a higher estate to come , than in his present estate to offend God . Finally whansoeuer one may lawfully make separation of bedd , the same party may make a perpetuall vowe of chastity without the others consent , for he is not bound to any reconciliation . But if he chaunce to fall than is he bound to reconciliation and the other partye may irritate the vowe as being made without his consent . But if one not disposed to vowe geueth the other leaue to vowe continency : it can neuer be reuoked againe : but onely vpon sufficient cause bee dispensed by the Church . Now in the separation not onely in bedd , § 4. but also in the very cohabitation it selfe : first there offereth it selfe that excellent resolution by mutuall consent to vowe continency , Of the separation of dwelling . and both togither to enter into religion the one of men , the other of women . For many maried cooples there are , which for that they haue worldly charges , or because they cannot so easely frame them selues to the strictnes of a religiouse life , or because of their age and vnfitnes for a religiouse estate ; do performe that in the world , which vndoubtedly myght be more perfect in religion . And these are not defrauded of their reward . for they also gheld themselues for the kingdome of heauen , although they do not sell all and follow Christ . Neuerthelesse that this is a very great stepp vnto that absolute estate of perfection , we may not doubt , wheras many such persons haue entered into religion . This is a case very well knowen by experience in Gods Church . And although as we haue saied , the one onely may vowe continency by the others consent : yet , with the mutuall consent of both , In three cases one may enter into religion , & not the other the one onely cannot enter into religion without the other : but onely in three csses . First if the one party be very ould ( as of threescore yeeres of age as Sotus requireth ) and out of all daunger of incontinency : for than the same party vowing chastity the other may enter into religion . C Ad apostolicam & C. cum sis de conue coniug. yet this must be with leaue of the Bishop . for although the profession of the other would hould without such leaue : yet were it not free from sinne . and such consent of the one party remaining seculer may be reuoked before the profession of the party religiouse , but not without sinne , whan there were not very iust cause . Secondly if the one party fall into notorious infidellity or heresy : than after a diuorce made by the Church , the other may enter into religion . Thirdly for adultery in like maner : but of these two cases we will say herafter more .

I say therfore that the one party may separate him selfe not onely in bedd but also in habitation from the other for fornication . according to the doctrine of our Sauiour : Mat. 5. although there is no such bond of necessity , but onely whan there were scandall : as may very well happen if the party delinquent be the wife , & the man knowing her fault should seeme to allowe it : for than by reason of scandall he werer bound to diuorce her . the like daunger is not in wiues , towards their husbands whose nature is knowen more to abhorre from their husbands disorder herin . and by diuorcing their husbands they could not amend them : and especially because they are not their husbands superiours , as the husband is the wiues . In this case as we haue saied the party innocent may forsake the other , and enter also into religion or take holy orders without consent : so that the condicions be obserued which we spake of before in the like case of separation in bedd . Yet is there here required the Churches autority , because it is a publicke matter and subiect vnto scandall if it be not orderly donne . But whan the case is notorious and knowen to the worlde : Panorm. Couar . ●otus . Sylu. especially if the dishonest wife dwell in house with the adulterer , a bare separation without entering into orders or religion may ( in my iudgement ) be made by priuate autority : much more where there is no lawfull Ecclesiasticall Courte & no likelihood of scandall . This separation in like manner may be made for spirituall fornication : C. de illa . &c. quanto . de diuortij● . that is for infidelity or heresy . whan there is ioined obstinacy with all , or daunger of infecting the innocent party .

For than may the innocent by the autority of the Church ( or in some cases without as we will presently say , forsake the other . and if he be by the sentence of the Church once condemned of heresy , the innocent party is not bound to receiue him againe repenting , but may either liue alone in a seculer life , or else enter into religion . For this must be well caried in mind that ( as we saied aboue ) no mariage of baptized persons once consummate can be so dissolued that either of the parties may marry another . although the heretickes in this behalfe do play their partes : whom we cannot at this present attend to confute .

All these separations are after a sorte perpetuall ●s we haue declared . for it is in the innocent parties choise to receiue the other againe or no , although the faulte be amended .

There are other causes of diuorce , which are for a time , vntill the causes be taken away . as , for vnreasonable cruelty of the husband . or if the wife or the husband were a witch : or killed the children . Nauar. c. 〈◊〉 n. 22. or sought the others death . or were daungerously furiouse ; or finally if the one party should drawe the other in whatsoeuer maner vnto deadly sinne , and could not be reformed . And in these cases whan necessity vrgeth , the wife may forsake her husband without iudgement of the Church : for it standing her vpon to auoide so imminent daunger of body or soule : she may whan she is in safety more conueniently procure the diuorce . But of the last case it doth especially behoue vs to speake a little . For of that it is which our Sauiour saieth : If any one come vnto me and hateth not his father and mother and wife &c. Luc. 14. he cannot be my Disciple . also in another place : Mat. 18. if thy eye scandilize thee plucke it out and cast it from thee . Saint Paule also in the case of heresy commaundeth to auoide all persons without exception . Tit. 3. S. Hierom. and S. Hierome vpon the place alleaged of S. Mathew thus notably discourseth . Therfore ( saieth he ) all affection is cut of , and all kinred is dispatched : least through occasion of piety any faithfull person may be laied open vnto scandall . if any man ( saieth he ) be so lincked vnto thee as thy hand , thy foote , thy eye , and be profitable , and carefull , and prouident in foreseeing of things : & yet cause thee a scandall , & through disagreing of behauiour , do draw thee to hell : it is better for thee to want both his kinred and helpes , least whilest thou wilt gaine thy kinsemen and frendes , thou haue causes of ruine . therfore do thou not preferre neither wife , nor children , nor frendes , nor any affection which may exclude vs from the Kingdome of heauen , before the loue of our Lord . Euery faithfull knoweth what hurteth him , or wherin his mind is troubled & often tempted . it is better to leade a solitary life , than for the necessities of this life to loose the euerlasting . Thus S. Hierome . Wherfore I do conclude that in case a woman by her husband bevrged to go to the Church or to do any vnlawfull acte of religion : much more than in other carnall sinnes she may , yea and is bound to forsake him , least louing danger she perish therin . Eccle. 3. yet if she perceiue her selfe by Gods grace to be so strong and constant that she feareth no peruersion at all : she is bound for to remaine with him , and so to seeke to gaine him . But if there be notorious adultery ioined withall , and iniurious want of all necessary spirituall helpes of Catholicke religion : I would not doubte but in our countrey where there is no lawfull Ecclesiasticall Courte euen without any danger of peruersion she may forsake him . Thus much haue I thought good to say of this matter now let vs returne to the Fathers againe .

THE FOVRTH CHAPTER Of renunciation of a mans Patrimony and care of prouision for children , more particulerly than was saied before .

Cyprianus libro de lapsis . §. 1.

BVt vnto many persons their owne destruction was not sufficient : Rich men should leaue all , rather than fall . they quaffed as it were death one to another out of a poisoned cupp . And that there might want nothing to the heape of their crime , Impiety of Schismatick parents to their childre young children being brought by their fathers hands , lost whilst they were little ones , that which in the very entrance of life they had gotten . Shall not they say whan the day of iudgement shall come , we our se●ues did nothing , neither forsaking the meate and cuppe of our Lord did we of our owne accord runne vnto profane contagion : others perfidiousnes destroied vs , we felte our parents our patricidial slaughterers they denied for v● our mother the Church and God our father . The Church our mother . that whilst being as yet litle ones , improuident , & ignorant of so hainous an offence we were ioined by others to the felowship of crimes , by other mens fraud we might be entrapped . Voluntary Banishment and losse of patrimony . neither is there ( ô pittifull thing any iust or waighty cause to excuse such iniquity . they should haue forsaken their countrey , and sustained losse of their patrimony . for who is he which is borne and must dye , which must one day leaue his countrey and forsake his patrimony ? that thou maiest not loose Christ , feare the losse of thy saluation , & of thy eternall habitation . behould the holy ghost crieth by the Prophett . ●●sa . 52. Departe you , departe you , go forth hence and touch not that which is vncleane Go forth out of the middest of her : seuer your selues you which carry the vessells of our Lord . and those which are the very vessells of our Lord , and temples of God , do not they go forth of the middest of her and depart , least they be constra●ned to touch that which is vn●●eane , and to be polluted and defiled with deadly dishes ? in another place also a voice is beard from heauen , Apoc. 1 forewarning the seruantes of God what they should do , saying . Go out of her my people , least thou be partaker of her crimes and be punished with her torments : who goeth forth , and departeth , is not made partaker of the crime . but whosoeuer is found partaker of the crime , is also ●ormented with the plagues . And therfore our Lord did bid vs to retire our selues & to flye in time of persecution : and that we might do the same , him selfe both did it , and taught it . Martyrdom is wisely to be expected for wheras the crowne of marty dome commeth from the onely liberality of God , and cannot be obtained but whan the houre is come of receiuing it ; whosoeuer remaining in Christ doth go for a while aside , denieth not his faith , but expecteth time . But who by not going aside , is falne , remained that he might deny . We must not my brethren dissemble the truth , neither must we conceale the matter & cause of our wound . Blind loue of patrimony . the blind loue of their patrimony hath deceiued many : neither could they be willing and ready to departe , who were fettered with their riches as with chaines . These were the irons of those which remained , these were the shackells , wherby their force was weakned , their faith oppressed , their mind inchained , their soule imprisoned ; that such as were addicted vnto earthly desires , might become a pray vnto that serpent , which according to Gods owne sentence is appointed to feed vpon earth . And therfore our Lord all good mens master , both forewarning and counsailing for the time to come , saieth in this maner . Gen. 3. If thou wilte be perfect , go sell all that thou hast , and geue vnto the poore , & thou shalt haue a treasure in heauen , Mat. 19. and come and followe me . if rich men would do this , they should not perish because of their riches . if they laied vp their treasure in heauen , they should not haue an enemy & persecutour at home : their harte and minde and thought should be in heauen , if their treasure were in heauen . neither could he be ouerthrowen by the world , who had nothing in the world wherby he might be ouerthrowen . he would follow our Lord easely and freely as the Apostles , and many in the Apostles time , and others haue donne , who forsaking their goods and parents , with vnseparable coniunction were fastened to our Lord . But how can they follow Christ who are holden fast with the bandes of their patrimony ? or how can they go vp vnto heauen , or clime vp vnto high & heauenly things , who with earthly desires are pulled downward ? They thinke they possesse , who rather are possessed , slaues of their substance , and not masters of their money , but rather their moneis prentises . This time and these men doth the Apostle signify , 1. Tim. 6 saying . They that will be made riche fall into tentation and the snare of the Deuill , and many desires vnprofitable and hurtefull , which drowne men into destruction , and perdition . for the roote of all euills is couetuousnes : which certaine desiring haue erred from the faith , and haue entangled them selues in many sorrowes . But our Lord , ô with how great rewards he inuiteth vs to contempt of riches ? these small and trifling losses of this life , ô with what hire he recompenseth ? Mar. 10. There is none ( saieth he ) which leaueth house , or landes , or parents , or brethren or wife or children for the Kingdome of God , which receaueth not seauen times as much in this time , and in the world to come life euerlasting . Losse of riches is not to be feared but wished . These things being once knowen , and warranted by the assurance of our Lord which promiseth , such losse is not onely not to be feared , but also wished for , the same Lord againe affirming & warning vs , Blessed shall you be , whan they shall persecute you , Luc. 6. and separate you & cast you forth , and curse your name as wicked for the sonne of man . Be gladd in that day and reioise , for your reward is much in heauen .

Cypr. lib. de Opere & Eleemosinis . §. 2.

Lett not that thing ( my deare brethren ( hinder a Christian from good and iust workes , Prouiding for children is no excuse of want of loue to god that any man thinke him selfe excused by the benefitte of his children : wheras in that which is bestowed spiritually , we ought to thinke of Christ who acknowledgeth that he receiueth it , and herein we do not preferre our fellow seruants , but Christ him selfe before our children : him selfe instructing vs . Mat. 10. Who loueth his father or mother more than me , is not worthy of me . and who loueth his sonne or daughter more than me , is not worthy of me . Deut. 33. and in Deuteronomie for the strengthning of our faith , and the loue of God , the very like is written . Who saieth vnto his father or mother , I know you not , neither haue knowen their children , these haue kekpt thy precepts , and obserued thy testament . for if we loue God with all our harte , we must not preferre either parents or children before God . for if by almes geuen vnto the poore , Christ borroweth vpon interest , and whan we geue to the little ones , we geue to Christ , there is no cause why any man may preferr earthly things vnto heauenly , or esteeme more humane things than Diuine . 3. Reg. 17 So that widdow in the third booke of Kings whan in a drought and famine hauing spent all , The wonderfull reward of Almes . of a little meale and oile which was lefte she had made her a cake , which being eaten she might dye with her children : Helias suddainly came , and requested that first she would geue him for to eate , and of that which was lefte she and her children should feed : neither did she sticke to obay him , or in that hunger and necessity preferred her children before Helias . Yea she did in the sight of God , that which pleased God , readily and willingly she offered what was asked , neither of plenty did she geue a litle , but of a little she gaue all , and her children famishing she first feedeth another , neither in penury and famine doth she thinke of meate before mercy ; that whilest in a holsome worke she despiseth her carnal life , she might keepe the spirituall life of her soule . Helias therfore bearing the figure of Christ , and shewing that he rewardeth euery one for his almes , answered and saied . This saieth our Lord , the potte of meale shall not faile and the vessell of oile shall not be deminished vntill that day in which our Lord will send water vpon the earth . According to the faithfulnes of Gods promise , there was multiplied vnto the widow and augmented which she bestowed , and her iust workes & merittes of mercy receiuing increase , the vessells of meale and oile were filled .

Neither did the woman take from her children that which she gaue to Helias , That which is geuen in almes , is not taken from children . but rather she gaue to her children that which liberally and deuoutly she performed . And she as yet knew not Christ . she had not as yet heard his precepts : she did not being already redeemed with his Crosse and passion , render meate and drinke for blood : that hereby it may appeare how much he offendeth in the Church , who preferring him selfe and his children vnto Christ , keepeth his riches , If riches are to be forsaken for the poore : how much more for to keepe fidelity towards God . not imparting his abundant patrimony , vnto the poores necessity . But thou hast many children at home , and the number of children hindreth thee that thou dost not attend to good workes so liberally . But in this respect thou shouldest worke more largely , because thou arte a father of many children . Thou hast the more for which thou must pray , thou must satisfy for the sinnes of many , thou must purge the consciences of many , thou must deliuer the soules of many .

As in this seculer life in nourishing and maintaining of children , the greater the number is , Spirituall care of children . Iob. 1. the greater is the coste : so in a spirituall and heauenly life , the greater number of children thou hast , the greater also must be thy charge . So did Iob offer vp many sacrifices for his sonnes , & such number of hostes he gaue vnto God as was the number of his children and because there cannot any day want wherby God may be offended , there wanted not daily sacrifices wherby sinnes might be clensed . if therfore thou louest thy children sincerely , if thou cariest towardes them a perfect and fatherly sweetnes of charity : thou oughtest the more endeuour with iust actions to commend them vnto God . neither thinke him to be the father of thy children , who is mortall and weake , but prepare them that father , wh● is an euerlasting & stable father of all spirituall children t● him do thou assigne thy riches , whi●h thou keepest for thy heires : lett him be the tutor and guardian of thy children , and by his diuine maiesty a protectour from all worldly iniuries . Patrimony is safe in Gods hand . Thy patrimony once committed vnto God neither the common wealth can exacte , nor the exchequer inuade , nor lawyers cauilling ouerthrowe . in safe is layed vp that inheritance , which is reserued in Gods custody . this is to do for thy deare children against the time to come , this is with fatherly piety to prouide for thy future heires ; according to the true saying of the scripture : I was young , Psal. 36. and now am ould and I haue not seene the iust man forsaken , nor his seed wanting bread All the day he pittieth and lendeth , Prou. 20 and his seed shall be in benediction . and againe , he which conuerseth with out shame in iustice , shall leaue behind him happy sonnes . Thou arte therfore a peruerse and traiterous father , if thou dost not faithfully prouide for thy children , if thou lookest not how to maintaine them with religiouse and trew piety . Thou which seekest rather the earthly than the heauenly patrimony , Some fathers commend their children to the Deuell . and to commend thy children rather to the Deuell than vnto Christ , offendest twise , & committest a dubble hainous sinne . both in that thou preparest not for thy children Gods fatherly helpe , and in that thou teachest them to loue more their patrimony than Christ . Be rather such a father to thy children as was Toby . geue them profitable and holesome precepts , Tob. 4. such as he gaue to his sonnes , commaund thy children that which he commaunded his : saying , and now my sonne I charge thee serue God earnestly : and do before him that which pleaseth him , and geue charge vnto thy children that they do iustice and almes , and be mindfull of God and alwaies praise his name and feare not whilest thou geuest almes , for thou layest vp for thy selfe a good reward against the day of necessity . for almes deliuereth from death , and suffereth not the soule to go to hell .

Pratum spirituale . Cap. 201. §. 3

A certaine Father tould as followeth . A notable example of the care which god hath of good mens children . I went vppon a time to Constantinople , for some necessary busines . and whilest I satte in the Church , there came in a seculer man , of great nobility , and singulerly deuoute . He whan he saw me , came and saluted me with all dewtifull charity . And sitting downe afterward , he beganne to aske me of things appertaining to the good of the soule . And when I tould him that to such as order well these earthlye thinges , there are geuen also those which are heauenly : you haue saied very well O Father saith he : For blessed in deed is he which reposeth his hope in God , & committeth him selfe wholly vnto him . And he saied moreouer . I was the sonne of a certaine seculer man of great nobility and glory . my father was very much addicted to the geuing of almes and bestowed very much vpon the poore . And one day he calling me , shewed me all his money : saying , my sonne whether wilt thou rather , that I leaue thee this money , or leaue thee Christ for thy guardian ? I liking very well that which he did , answered him , that I would rather haue Christ . For all these thinges fade , and this day are , and to morrow shall not be : but Christ remaineth for euer . Which whan he had heard , he frankely & liberally gaue all to the poore : so that dying he left me almost nothing . And I now being brought vnto pouerty , conuersed meanely , hauing my hope in Christ , to whom he had lefte me . there was a nother very riche and principall man , hauing a very deuoute wife and fearing God , but had but one onely daughter she therfore saied to her husband : We haue but this onely daughter : and God hath geuen vs so great riches : what therfore doth she want ? if we seeke to bestow her on any principall and riche man , which is not of good behauiour , he will be a perpetuall affliction vnto her . Lett vs seeke forth for her an humble and deuoute maqn , which may loue her and cherish her according vnto Gods will and pleasure Who saied vnto her . Thou hast saied very well . Go therfore into the Church & pray very deuoutely , & there remaine : and looke who first entereth , he it is whom God sendeth as a spouse for our daughter . She therfore did as her husband willed her . and whan she had praied , and there fatte still , I was the first which entered in . She therfore sending her seruant caused me to be brought : & beganne to aske me : whence are you ? Than I answered , I am of this citty , and the sonne of such a one ? What saieth she ) of that great almes geuer ? Euen of the same , say I Than shee : Parents now a daies do nothing but heape vp Gods wrath against their children . haue you euer a wife ? I answered , no. and tould her what my father saide vnto me , and what answere I gaue him . Than s●●ee glorifying God , saied . Behould your good guardian hath sent you a wife , & money , that you may vse the one & the other with the feare of God . And shee gaue me her daughter & her money . And so I pray continually , that I may followe my fathers example euen vnto my end .

THE FIFTH CHAPTER . Of renunciation of a mans selfe yet more in particuler and of the necessary obligation to suffer martirdome whan otherwise God might be offended . with diuerse forceable exhortations to the same .

S. Cyprian Epistola 56. Cyprian vnto the people of Thibaris , sendeth greeting . §. 1

I Had thought my beloued brethren , He animateth them vnto martirdome . & did earnestly desire if the estate of our matters and the condition of the time would permitte , according to your often desires to come vnto you my selfe , and being present by such meane exhortation as I could afford you , to strengthen your fraternity . But because with vrgent busines we are so hindered , that we cannot conueniently make any long excursions , and be long absent from the people which by Gods mercy we haue vnder our charge , He had a reuelation of the trouble at hand . I haue in the meane while in steed of my selfe sent you this letter . for whereas we our selues are oftentimes vrged and warned by our Lords mercy instructing vs : we must of dewty be carefull for to warne also you . For you must know and of certainety beleeue and hould it for trew , that the day of tribulation beginneth to hang ouer our head , and that the sunsetting of the world and time of Antichrist is at hand . so that we must all of vs stand ready vnto the battell , and thinke of nothing else but of the glory of euerlasting life , & of the Crowne of Confession of Christ . neither let vs thinke that the thinges which do now come are of such maner as those which are past haue bene . A greater and crueller conflicte is at hand , for which with incorrupted faith , and valiant courage the souldiers of Christ must prepare them selues . considering that therfore they drinke daily the blood of Christ , that they may them selues also shed their blood for Christ For that is truely to desire to be with Christ , to imitate that which Christ taught and did . according to S. Iohn ; 1. Io. 2 saying . Who saieth that he remaineth in Christ , must so walke as he hath walked . The blessed Apostle S. Paule also exhorteth & teacheth vs saying : Ro. 2. we are sonnes : but if we be sonnes , we are heires also of God , and coheires of Christ , if so be that we do suffer with him , that we may be glorified with him . all which thinges are now to be considered by vs , that no man desire any thing of the now dying world ; but follow Christ who both liueth for euer , and quickneth his seruants , which retaine the confession of his name . Io. 16 For the time is come ( my deare brethren ) which long since out Lord foretould , saying : The houre will come , that euery one which shall kill you , shall thinke he doth God good seruice . But these things shall they d● because they know not my father nor me . This haue I spoken vnto you , that whan the houre of these things shall come , you remember that I tould you . neither lett any one meruaile that we are afflicted with daily persecutions , and oftentimes oppressed with greeuous tribulations , wheras our Lord hath foretould that these thinges should happen in the latter times , and hath furnished our warfare with his owne instruction and exhortation . Peter also his Apostle hath taught vs that therfore persecutions are made , that we may be proued , & euen we also by the example of those iust persons which are gone before vs , 1. Pet. 4 be ioined through death and sufferings vnto the loue of God . My dearest ( saieth he ) wonder not at the feruour which happeneth vnto you , which is made for your tentation , neither do you shrinke as if any new thing happened to you : but so ofte as you communicate with the passions of Christ , in all things reioise , that in the reuelation of his glory you may reioise being gladd . If you be reuiled in the name of Christ , you are happy , because the name of the maiesty and vertue of God resteth in you . which name truely by them is blasphemed , but by vs is honoured The Apostles taught vs concerning the precepts of our Lord and heauenly commaundments , that which them selues therby had learned . wheras our Lord him selfe doth confirme vs saying . Mat. 1● Luc. 1● There is none which leaueth house or land , or parents , or brethren or sisters , or wife or children , for the Kingdome of God , and receiueth not seauen times as much in this time , & in the world to come life euerlasting . And againe : blessed shall you be whan men shall hate you , and separate you , and thrust you forth , Luc. ● and curse your name as euell , for the sonne of man : Be you gladd in that day and reioise , for behould your reward is much in heauen . our Lord would haue vs be gladd & reioise in persecutions because when persecutions are raised , than are crownes of faith bestowed , than the souldiers of God are proued , than vnto Martyrs are the heauens opened . Neither did we so ascribe our selues to this warfare , that we should onely thinke of peace and shunne and refuse the battaile wheras in this very warfare our Lord hath walked before vs , that master of humility and patience and suffering , first doing that which he taught for to do , and first suffering that which he exherteth to suffer . Lay before your cies , most beloued brethren , that he which onely hath receiued all iudgement of his father , and is for to come to iudge , hath already sette downe the summe , Mat. 1● . of his iudgement & sentence to come , forewarning vs & proclaiming , that before his father he will both confesse those which confesse him , and deny those which deny him . if we could escape death , we might worthely feare it . But wheras it is necessary that he which is mortall do dye , lett vs imbrace this occasion proceeding from Gods promise and liberality , and leavs so passe by death , that we may receaue the reward of immortality : neither lett vs seare to be killed , it being certaine that whan we are killed we are crowned . Catholicke Prisoners ought not to be dismaied by the want of Priestes . And lett no man my brethren seeing our people for feare of persecution to be driuen away and scattered , be therfore troubled in mind , because he seeth not the confraternity gathered togither , neither heareth the Bishops preaching . All cannot than be togither as who may not lawfully kill , but must of reccess●ty be killed . Whersoeuer at such time any brother shall be separated for a while in body but not in spiritt from the flocke , because of the necessity of the time , lett him not be moued with the horrour of such flight , or retiring and hiding him selfe be terrified with the solitarines of a deserte place . He is not alone , whose companion is Christ euen in his flight . he is not alone , which conseruing the temple of God , whersoeuer he is , is not without God . And if whilest he fl●eth in the wildernesse and mountaines , the murderer oppresse him , a wilde beast destroy him , hunger or thirst or colde consume him , or if whilest he hasteth by the seas with daungerous nauigation , a storme or tempest do drowne him : Christ behouldeth his souldier whersoeuer he fighteth , and to him which dieth by reason of persecution for the honour of his name , he geueth that reward which he promised to geue in persecution . neither is it a lesse glory of martirdome , that one dieth not publickely & amongst a multitude : whan the cause of dying is to dye for Christ . Sufficient to the testimoy of a Martyr is that witnesse who proueth & crowneth the Martyrs . Lett vs follow ( deare brethren ) iust Abel , Gen. ● who laied the first foundation of of martirdomes , whilest be first was killed for iustice . Lett vs imitate Abraham , Gen. 2● the frend of God , which did not stay to sacrifice with his owne hands his sonne , whilest with a faithfull deuotion he obeyed God . Lett vs imitate the three children Ananias , Azarias , and Misael : who neither astonished with their age , Dan. 3 nor discouraged with their captiuity , after the conquest of Iewry , and the surprising of Hierusalem , by the valour of their faith , ouercame the King in his owne Kingdome : who being commaunded to adore the image which Nabuchodonozor made , were stronger than either his threates or flames : by these wordes proclaiming and witnessing their faith . O King Nabuchodonozor we need not answere thee concerning this matter For God whom we serue is able to take vs forth of the fornace of burning fire : and to deliuer vs out of thy handes , ô King . And if he will not : know thou , that we serue not thy Gods , & we worship not the goulden image which thou hast erected . They beleeued that according to their faith they might escape : but they added ; if he will not , that the King mighty know that they could euen dye for the God which they worshipped . For this is the force of courage of faith , to beleeue and know that God is able to deliuer from death euen present , and yet not to feare death , nor to yeeld at all , that faith may so be more effectually proued . There issued forth of their mouth the vncorrupted and inuincible vigour of the holy ghost . that we may see those thinges to be trew which our Lord saieth in the gospell : Mat. 10 whan they shall apprehend you , do not thinke what you may speake , for there shall be geuen you euen in that houre what you may speake . for it is not you which speake , but the spiritt of your father which speaketh within you . he sayed , that from aboue there should euen at that time be geuen vs what to speake and answere : and that they did not than speake , but the spirit of God their father : which not departing nor being separated from Confessours , both speaketh & is crowned within vs . So also Daniel whan he was compelled to adore the Idol Bel , whom both the king and people did worship with full liberty of faith broke forth for the defence of Gods honour into these words . I worship nothing but my Lord God which made heauen & earth . What I pray you ? the greeuous torments of the blessed Martyrs amongst the Machabe●s , 2. Mach. 7 and variety of paines of the seauen brethren , and the mother comforting her children in torments , and dying her selfe also with her children , are not these great examples of fortitude and faith , and do not these persons by their passions excite vs to the triumph of martirdome ? The Prophetts whom the holy ghost did inhabite to teach them thinges to come : the Apostles whom our Lord did choose : the iust persons which are killed for iustice ; haue not all these taught vs to dye ? The natiuity of Christ presently beganne with the martirdomes of infants , whan for his name all were killed from two yeeres of age douward . the age not ready for the Skirmish , was fitte for the crowne : and that we may knowe that those are innocent which are killed for Christ , innocent infancy was slaine for his name . it was shewed that no man is free from daunger of persecution : whan such as they receiued martirdome . What shame were it than for a Christian , if the seruant would not suffer , whan his Lord first hath suffered and for vs to refuse for to suffer for our sinnes , whan without sinne of his owne he suffered for vs ? The sonne of God suffered that he might make vs the sonnes of God : & will not the sonne of a man suffer that he may perseuer the s●nne of God ? if we sustaine the hatred of the world : the same hatred of the world Christ suffered before vs if we a●●de in this world reproches , if flight , if torments . more greeuous things hath tasted the Lord & maker of this world ; who saieth ; if you were of this world , Io. 15. the worlde wold loue that which were his owne : but because you are not of the world and I haue chosen you out of the world : therfore doth the world hate you . remember the word which I saied vnto you : the seruant is not greater than his Lord : if they haue persecuted you , they will persecute you also .

Our Lord God , whatsoeuer he taught he also did so that the disciple cannot be excused , which learneth , & doeth not Let not yet any of you my brethren be so terrified with the feare of persecution , or with the coming of Antichrist at hand , that he be not also armed against all things with the Euangelicall exhortations Antichrist cometh , but Christ cometh after . the enemy assaileth and rageth : but Christ presently followth to reuenge our sufferings & woundes . the aduersary fretteth & threatneth , but there is one who is able to deliuer from his handes . Mat. 10. he must be feared , whose anger none can escape : wheras be forewarneth vs ; saying : feare not them which kill the body , but cannot kill the soule : but rather seare him with can destroy both body and soule into bell . Io. 12. And againe who loueth his life shall lose it , and who hateth his life in this world , Apoc. 14. To go to that Church is to adore the beast . shall conserue it vnto euerlasting life . And in the Ap●calipse : if any man adore the beast and his image , & taketh his marke in his forehead and in his hand , be also shall drinke of the wine of the anger of God , mingled in the cuppe of his anger , and shall be punished with fire and brim slone , before the eies of the holy Argells and before theeies of the lambe : and the smoke shall ascend from their torments , world without end , and they shall haue no rest day & night who soeuer do adore the beast and his image . For worldly Skirmishes , men are exercised and practised , & they repute it a great aduantage of their honour if they chaunce to be crowned in the sight of he people , and in the presence of the Emperour . Behould here a singuler and excellent Skirmishe , and honoured with the reward of a heauenly crowne : how God doth behould vs fighting , and opening his eies vpon those whom he hath made his children , is delighted with the vew of our Skirmish whilest we fight & Skirmishe in this conflict of our faith , God behouldeth vs , his Angells behould vs , Christ him selfe behouldeth vs . O what excellency of glory , ô how great felicity it is , to Skirmishe in the presence of God , to be crowned by the iudgement of Christ ? Lett vs arme our selues deare brethren ) with all our force . Lett vs be ready for the combate , with a pure mind intiere faith , and denoute courage . Lett Gods army march to the field which is bidden vs . Let the constant be armed least they lose the benefitte of their late constant standing Lett the lapsed be armed , that he may recouer the losse of his fall . Let honour prouoke the constant , and sorrow the lapsed , vnto the combate The Apostle armeth and prepareth vs , saying our wrestling is not against flesh and blood , but against Princes & Potestates , Eph. 6. against the Rectours of the world of these darknes , against the spiritualls of wickednes in the celestialls , Therfore take the armour of God , Spirituall armous . that you may resist in the euell day , and stand in all things perfect . Stand therfore hauing your loines girded in truth , and clothed with the breastplate of iustice , and hauing your feete shodd to the preparation of the gospell of peate : in all things taking the shield of faith , wherwith you may extinguish all the fiery dartes of the most wicked one . and take vnto you the helmet of saluation , and the sword of the spirite , which is the worde of God . Let vs take these weapons , with this spirituall and heauenly armour of proofe . Lett vs safegarde our selues , that in the euell day we may be able to withstand and resist the Deuills threatnings Lett vs putte on the brest-plate of iustice , that our brest may be fensed and secure from the dartes of the enemy . Lett our feet be shodd & armed with the Euangelicall doctrine , that when we begin to treade on , and crush the serpent , he be not able to bite or trippe vs Lett vs carry stoutely the shield of faith , which garding vs , whatsoeuer the enemy hurleth , may be extinguished . Let vs take for the couer of our head , a helmett of saluation , that our eares may be fensed , that they heare not the bloody proclamations : lett our eies be defended , that they see not the detestable idolls ; lett our forehead be fortified , that the signe of God may be kept vntouched : The signe of the Crosse . lett the mouth be garded , that our conquering tongue may confesse our Lord Iesus Christ . Let vs arme also our right hand with a spirituall sword , that it may couragiously refraine the deadly sacrifices , and remembring that it hath receiued our Lordes body in the Eucharist , lett it embrace him , being hereafter 〈◊〉 receaue of our Lord a reward of heauenly crownes . O that day , what a one my brethren & how great shall it come whan our Lord shall beginne to reckon his people , and to take account with his diuine examination of euery ones meritts , to send the wicked to hell , and to condemne our persecutours to the perpetuall punishment of burning flame . But to yeeld vnto vs reward for our faith and deuotion ? O what glory , and how great ioy will it be , to be admitted that thou maist see God ? to be honoured , that with Christ thy Lord God thou maist receaue the delighte of euerlasting light and saluation ? to salute Abraham , and Isaac and Iacob , and all the Patriarches , and Prophets , and Apostles and Martyrs : with the iust and frendes of God , to enioy in the kingdome of heauen the pleasure of immortality there to receaue that neither eye hath seene , 1. Cor. 2. nor care hath heard , nor hath ascended into the heart of man ? Ro. 8. For that we shall receaue farre greater things than that which here we can either worke or suffer , the Apostle teacheth vs saying the passions of this time are not condigne to the glory to come , that shall be reuealed in vs . what that reuealing shall come , whan Gods glory shall shine vpon vs , so blessed shall we be , and ioifull . being honoured with our Lordes liberallity ; as they shall remaine confounded and miserable , which hauing forsaken God , or rebelling against God haue donne the will of the Deuell , that now of necessity with him they must be tormented with vnquenchable fire . These things my deare brethren lett cleaue to our hartes : lett this be the preparation of your armour . let this be your daily and nightly meditation , to haue before your eies , and to ponder alwaies with your thought and vnderstanding , the torments of the wicked , and the rewardes , and merittes of the iust . What punishment our Lord doth threatten to such as deny him : what glory he promiseth to those which confesse him . if whilest we thinke , & meditate of this , the day of persecution come vpon vs ; the souldier of Christ instructed by his precep● and admonitions , doth not quake at the battaile , but is ready for the crowne . I wishe my deare brethren that you alwaies farewell .

Ex Epistola 26. apud Cypria . quae est Confessorum ê carcere ad Cyprianum . §. 2.

For what thing could befall more gloriouse , The noblenes of mar●irdome . ot what could more happely be bestowed vpon and man from God , than amongst the very butchers being mangled , to confesse our Lord God ? than amongst the raging diuerse and exquisite torments of the seculer power , the body being racked , tortured & quartered , with a dying & yet a free spirit to confesse Christ the sonne of God ? than hauing forsaken the world to be gonne to heauen ? than hauing lefte men , to stand amongst Angells ? than all worldly impediments being cutte of , to represent him selfe at liberty before the sight of God ? than to obtaine the heauenly kingdome without any delay ? Martyrs go to heauen without passing by Purgatory . than in the name of Christ , to haue bene made a companion in passion with Christ ? than by the diuine liberality of his iudge , to become a iudge ? than by the Confession of the name of Christ to haue carried away an vnspotted conscience ? than not to haue obeied humaue and sacrilegious lawes against our faith ? Sacrilegious lawes . than with publicke voice to haue professed the truth ? than by d●ing , to haue subdued euen death that is so feared of all men ? than by death to haue gotten immortality ? than tortured and racked with all instruments of cruelty , by torments to haue ouercome torments ? than to haue with the valour of the mind strouen against all the griefes of a rented body ? than not to haue loathed his owne gushing blood ? than to haue begonne next after his faith to loue his very torments ? than to thinke a losse of his life , that he is not dead ? For vnto this combate doth Christ by the trompete of his gospell excite vs . saying . Who lotteth his father and mother more than me is not worthy of me and who taketh not vp his Crosse & followeth me , is not worthy of me ; Mat. 10. And againe blessed are those which suffer persecution for iustice , for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed shall you be whan they shall persecute you and hate you : be gladd and reiorse , Mat. 5. for so did their fathers persecute the Prophetts also with were befor you . And againe You shall stand before Kinges and Magistrates , Mat. 10. and a brother shall betray his brother to death , & the father the sonne . And who perseuereth to the end , he shall be saued . And to him which ouercometh I will goue to sitte vpon my throne , Appoc . 1. Ro. 8. euen as I haue ouercome & sitte vpon the throne of my father . The Apostle also . Who shall seuer vs from the charity of Christ ? tribulation ? or distresse ? or persecution ? or hunger ? or nakednes ? or daunger ? or the sword , as it is written : for thee we are killed all the day : we are accounted as sheepe of the sacrifice , but in all these things we ouercome for him which hath loued vs . These and the like things whan we read in the gospell , and feele in our selues as it were certaine firebrandes for to inflame our faith , applied vnto vs by our Lords voices : we presently do not onely not dread the aduersaries of the truth at all , but we challenge them : and euen in this onely that we haue not yeelded to the enemies of God , we haue ouercome them : and we haue vanquished the wicked lawes against the truth : and if as yet we haue not shedd our blood , yet are we ready for to shedd it .

Lett no man esteeme this lingering of our putting of , The mercy of Prisons . to be clemency , which rather hurteth vs , which hindereth our glory , which deferreth heauen , which delaieth the happy sight of God For in such a fight , and in such a combatte where faith is a champion , not to haue putte of the Martyrs by delay , is trew clemency . Pray therfore ( ô beloued Cyprian ) that God will more plentifully and readily more and more euery day arme euery one of vs and lighten vs with his grace : and confirme vs and strengthen vs with the might of his power : and like a good Captaine bring forth at the last vnto the battaile his souldiers which as yet he hath exercised and proued within the tentes of the prison ; and that he deliuer vnto vs diuine armour , Spirituall armour for Confessors Eph. 6. those weapons which cannot be ouercome : the brestplate of iustice which vseth neuer to breake the shield of faith which cannot be pearced the sword of the spiritt which cannot be brused for of whom may we rather desire that he pray for these things , than of so gloriouse a Bishop : that those which are appointed to the sacrifice , may aske helpe and succour at the handes of the Priest .

S. Cypr. libro de exhortatione Martyrij cap. 6. §. 3.

That we being redeemed and restored to life by Christ his blood , Christ his blood is to be esteemed aboue all things . Mat. 10. ought to preferre nothing before Christ ; in the gospell our Lord teacheth and saith Who loueth his father or mother more than me , is not worthy of me . And who loueth his sonne or daughter more than me , is not worthy of me . and who taketh not his Crosse and followeth me , is not worthy of me So also in Deuteronomy : Deut. 33. who say to their father and mother I know you not , and haue not acknowledged their sonnes , they haue kept they precepts , and obserued thy testament . Also the Apostle Paule : Ro. 8. who shall separate vs from the charity of Christ ? tribulation ? or distresse ? or persecution ? or hunger ? or nakednes ? or daunger ? or the sword ? as it is written , for we are killed for thy sake all the day , we are esteemed as sheepe of slaughter , but in all these things we ouercome , because of him that loued vs . And againe . 1. Cor. 6. We are not our owne . 1. Cor. 5. you are not your owne : for you were bought with a great price : Do you glorify and carry God in your body Againe . he died for all , that those also which liue , do not now liue to them selues , but to him who died for them and arose againe .

S. Ambrose vpon the 118 Psalme : octon . 21. vpon that verse : Princes haue persecuted me , & my harte did trēbie at thy wordes . §. 4.

If we considere the auncient history : How to behaue a mans selfe in torments . both Saule & Absalon , and many forren Princes persecuted holy Dauid : but none could preuaile against him . There be also Princes of the world and rulers of darkenes , which go about in thy owne brest to oppresse thee , & raise cruell persecutions within thee , promising earthly kingdomes , honour , and riches , if with a base mind thou wilt yeeld vnto them , and determine to obey their commaundements . These Princes sometimes with a cause do persecute , sometimes without a cause : without a cause they persecute him , in whom they finde nothing of their owne , and yet they go about to suddue him . not without a cause they persecute him , who yeeldeth him selfe to their power , and wholly entreth into the possession of the world . for ouer their owne they worthely challenge deminion , & of such they exacte reward of their iniquity . Well doth the Martyr say , that vniustly he suffereth the torments of persecutions who hath stollen nothing ; hath violently oppressed no man ; hath shedd the blood of no man ; hath defiled the bedd of no man : who oweth nothing vnto the lawes , and yet suffereth more greenous punishments than theeues : who speaketh iustly , and is not heard ; who speaketh wordes full of saluation and is impugned : so that he may say : Psal. 119. whan I speake vnto them they impugned me without a cause . Without a cause than doth he suffer persecution , which is impugned without any faulte : he is impugned as an offendour , whan he is in such confession to be commended : he is impugned as an inchaunter , which glorieth in the name of our Lord , piety being the soundation of all vertew . Verely without cause is he impugned , who before wicked men and infidells , is accused of impiety , he being a master of faith . But he which is impugned without a cause , must be valiant and constant how than doth he adde , and my harte did tremble at thy wordes ? To tremble , is a token of infirmity , of dread , and feare . But there is an infirmity vnto saluation : there is also a feare of Sainctes . Feare you our Lord , Psal. 33. Psal. 111. all his Sainctes . and. blessed is the man which feareth our Lord . wherfore is he blessed ? because in his commaundments he hath all his delight . Imagine than a Martyr , A meditation for one which is tortured . standing in the middest of daungers . whan on one side most fierce beasts do rore to cause him terrour : on another side the hissing of hote glowing plates of iron , and the flame of a fiery fornace doth cast forth heate : on another side the drailing of heauy chaines doth rattle : on another the begoared butcher standeth by : imagine him ( I say ) seeing all about him nothing but torments . and than afterward thinking of the commaundments of God , of that euerlasting fire , of that endlesse burning of the perfidiouse , of that misery of a reuiuing paine : to tremble in his harte , least whan he yeeldeth vnto the present miserie . he addict him selfe to eternall torments : to be troubled in mind , whilest he doth as it were with his very eies , behould that terrible sword of the future iudgement . In this trembling of a constant person , do not two equall things seeme to concurre togither , the confidence of one which desireth eternall things , and trembleth at diuine things ? yet be of good courage ; thou which hopest ; be of good courage , thou which arte confident I would to God I might deserue to be such a one , that if happely the persecutour come vpon me , I do not consider the sharpnes of my tortures , I regard not my torments , and paines , I thinke not of the horriblenes of any greife : but account all these things as light ; and feare Christ , least Christ deny me , least Christ exclude me , least he thrust me out of the congregation of his Priestes , if he iudge me vnworthy of that college . but rather he see me , although moued with the terrour of corporall paine , yet trembling more at his future iudgements . Mat. 14. And if he say vnto me : ô thou of little faith why didst thou doubt ? he will yet reach me his hand , and after the boisterous trouble of the raging billowes of this world , establish me in the safe hauen of a secure mind .

S Augustin . ser. 6. de verb. Do. cap. 9. §. 5.

But perhaps some Ruler laieth waite against thee ; and seeketh to impugne thee . The benefitte of imprisonment for religion . Psal. 51. he whetteth his razour , wherwith he may shaue thy heares , not wherwith he may cut thy head . That which I say , you haue euen now heard in the psalme : as a sharpe razour thou hast made deceite . Why did he compare the deceite of the Ruler , vnto an euell razour ! because he is not admitted but to our superfluities . Euen as the heares in our body do seeme superfluous , and without detriment of the flesh are shauen away : so whatsoeuer a furious Ruler can do vnto thee , account that amongst thy superfluities . He taketh away thy pouerty : doth he take away thy riches ? Thy pouerty and thy riches are in thy hart . thy superfluities he may take away , he might damnifie them , and being permitted euen hurte thy body . A Christian shold make no account of his life . For this life to those which thinke of another life , euen this life I say is to be accounted amongst superfluities . For the Martyrs contemned euen it also . they loased not their life but they found it . Assure your selues ( my brethren ) that enemies are not admitted against the faithfull , but in as much as is profitable to tempt and proue the faithfull . Assure your selues of this ( my brethren ) lett none say the contrary . Cast all your care vpon our Lord ; lay your selues wholly vpon him . He will not shrinke from you to let you fall , he which made vs , and gaue vs security of our very heare . Amen , Mat. 10. I say to you , your very heares of the head are all numbred . Our heares are numbred vnto God , how much more our manners , whan our heares are so well knowen ? Behould , that God doth not despise euen our least things : for if he despised them he would not create them . For he truly both made and numbreth our heares also . Luc. 21. But now that they are , thou wilt say they shall happely perish . of this also , heare what he saieth . Amen I say to you , a heare of your head shall not perishe . Why fearest thou a man , ô man which arte caried in Gods bosome ? See thou fall not out of his bosome : whatsoeuer thou shalt suffer there , shall be for thy saluation , not for thy destruction . The Martyrs suffered the quarterings of their members , and are Christians afraide of the iniuries of Christian times ? S. Augustin here speaketh of those countreies where infidell officers did of malice persecute Christians , by false subornations . He which doth thee an iniury now ; doth it with feare . he saieth not openly , come to the Idoll ; he saieth not openly , come to my aultars , and there bankett . And if he say so , and thou wilt not : lett him make his complaint , let him bring his action : he would not come to my aultars , he would not come to the temple which I reuerence . Lett him say it . he dare not . but he deuiseth craftely other thinges . prepare thy heare , he whetteth his razour , he is ready to take away thy superfluities , to shaue away whatsoeuer thou must once leaue . Let him take that which shall remaine if he can . what hath this vniust ruler taken from thee ? what great thing hath he taken ? that which the theefe , that which the burglar , and if he go to the vttermost that with the murderer taketh . if he be permitted to kill the very body , what taketh he from thee but that with the murderer taketh ? I fauoured him whan I called him murderer . for euery murderer how hainous soeuer , is a man that which the agew , which the scorpion , which the poisoning todstoole taketh . all this their might whan they rage against vs , is to do like the todstoole men eate the venemous todstoole and dye . Behould in what brittlenes is this life which thou must once leaue : do not so fight for it that thy selfe be lefte . Our way is Christ . Consider Christ he came to suffer but so to be glorified . to be contemned ; but so to be exalted : to dye ; but after to rise againe . doth the worke terrifie thee ? but see the reward . Why wilt thou in delicatenes come to that thing , whitherto onely labour bringeth ? But thou fearest to loose thy siluer because thou camest by it with great labour . if not without labour thou camest by thy siluer which one day at the least at thy death thou must leaue : wilt thou atchieue life euerlasting . without labour ? Sett more by it , which thou shalt so obtaine after all thy labours . that thou shalt neuer lose it . if that be deare vnto thee which thou after all thy labours so obtainedst , that once thou shalt loose it : how much more ought we to desire those things which are euerlasting ?

S. Bernard serm. 61. in Cant vpon those wordes : My Doue in the holes of the rocke . §. 6.

The Martyr needeth not to be afraide to lifte vp his pale and wan face to him , Cant. 2. A comfore for Martyrs in torments Psal. 67. by whose wannes we were saued : or to represent the glorious similitude of his death , of which it was saied the hinder partes of his backe in the palenes of gould . What should he feare , to whom our Lord saieth , shew me thy face ? to what intent ? as it seemeth vnto me , he desireth rather to shew him selfe . So it is , he desireth to be seene , not to see . For what doth not he see ? there is no need that a man shew him selfe vnto him , to whom there is none but is seene although he hide him selfe from him . He desireth therfore to be seene : the noble courteous Captaine will haue his souldiers countenance and eyes to be lifted vp to his woundes , that so he may encourage his mind , and by his owne example make him the more couragious in suffering . Verely he shall not feele his owne , whan he behouldeth his Captaines wounds . There standeth the Martyr leaping & triumphing although with his body thoroughly quartered : & whilest the sworde searcheth his sides , not onely stoutly but also ioifully he behouldeth on euery side the sacred blood to gush from his flesh . Where is than the soule of the Martyr ? surely in safety : surely in the rocke : surely in the bowels of Iesus : and no meruaile : the woundes being open for his entring in if he were in his owne bowells searching them , As Martyrs were in time past tormented for to deny God : so now to betray their brethren . he should surely feele the sword : he should not abide the paine : he would yeelde and denye . but now dwelling in the rocke , what meruaile if he bee become hard as the rocke ? But neither is it to be meruailed at , if being exiled from his body he feeleth not the griefes of his body Neither is this caused by nummnes , but by loue . for the sense is subdued , not destroyed . neither wanteth there griefes , but it is ouercome , it is despised . Than from the rocke cometh the Martyrs fortitude : thence is he fully able to drinke of the cuppe of our Lord and this sola●ing cuppe , Psal. 22. how notable is it ? it is notable and pleasant , no lesse to the Captaine behoulding , than to the souldier triumphing . for the ioy of our Lord , 2. Esd. 8. is our fortitude . what should he do but reioise at the voice of a most stoute confest on ? Cant. 2 wherfore he doth euen seeke it with great desire Let thy voice sound ( saieth he ) in my eares . neither will he be slow in repaying the reward but that he will confesse him before his father , Mar. 8 whosoeuer shall confesse him before men .

The 77 epistle of S. Cyprian . Cyprian , vnto Nemesian , Felix , Lucius , another Felix , Litteus Polianus , These Martyrs were condemned to digge in the mines . Iad●r , Datiuus his fellow Bisshop : Also to his fellow Priestes and Deacons and others brethren in the Mines , the Martyrs of God the father almighty , & of Iesus Christ our Lord God and Sauiour : sendeth gre●ting euerlasting . § 7.

Your worthines and glory ( most blessed , An exhortation vnto Martyrdom and most beloued brethren ) is such , that it would haue bene my dewty to come my selfe vnto your presence and to embrace you , vnlesse I also being cofined for the confession of Christ his name , were kept within the bonds of a prefixed place . yet in what sort I may I present my selfe , and wheras with body and feete I cannot , with affection and spirit I come vnto you , expressing by letters my harte , wherin with ioy I exulte because of these your vertues & praises : esteeming my selfe as a partner with you if not with the suffering of body , yet in the fellowship of charity And could I hould my peace , and command silence vnto my voice , knowing of my most dearest so many and so gloriouse matters , wherwith Gods liberallity hath honoured you : that some of your company by the accomplishing of their martirdome are gone before , to receaue the crowne of their merittes of our Lord : the rest as yet remaining within the Prison barres , or kept at the mines in chaines ; doth shew by the very delay of punishments , greater examples for the strengthning and fortifying of their brethren : Delay of death in persecution increaseth glory . by the slownes of their torments , winning higher degrees of merittes , and being for to receaue in the heauenly retribution so many rewardes as they sustaine daies of afflictions . which thing I wonder nothing most stoute and blessed brethren that they haue happened vnto you according to the meritt of your religion and faith : that our Lord hath thus exalted you vnto so great a height of glory : Who are those with deserue to be Martyrs . who alwaies haue flourished in his Church by keeping the rule of faith , firmely obseruing our Lordes commaundments , in simplicity , innocency ; in charity , concord , modesty , in humility ; diligence in administration ; watchfulnes in helping the afflicted ; mercy in cherishing the poore ; constancy in desending the truth ; equity in the seuerity of discipline . And least any thing might want in the example of your good deedes , euen now by confessing with mouth and suffering with body you stirre vp your brethrens mindes vnto diuine martirdomes , yeelding your selues Captaines of valour , that the flocke following the shepheardes , and imitating that which is fulfilled by the rulers , may with equall merittes of obedience be crowned by our Lord. A patterne of Bridewell And wheras you being greeuously knocked & beaten with cudgells , haue by such cruelties geuen deuoute beginning to your confession : we are not to be ashamed herof . neither trewly could a Christians body tremble at the cudgell , whose wholle hope is in a tree . the serūat of Christ acknowledged the mistery of our saluation , and being redeemed by a tree vnto life euerlasting , he was furthered by a tree vnto his reward . And what maruaile if you which are vessells of gould and siluer , are confined vnto the mines , Martyrs are gould . that is to a place of gould and siluer , but that now the nature of mines is changed , and the places which were wont to yeeld , now haue begone to receaue gould and siluer ? They haue putte irons also vpon your feete , Fetters most gloriouse . & with infamous chaines haue bound most happy members & temples of God : as though togither with your body your spirit could be bound : or your gould could be abased with the contagion of iron . To men which are dedicated vnto God , & with religiouse constancy do professe their faith : these are not bands , but ornamentes , neither do they fetter Christian feete , for ignominy ; but they sett them forth for to be crowned O feete most happilly chained , which are loased not by a smith , but by Christ . O feete most happily chained , with by a fruitfull iorney are directed vnto heauen O feete bound for a while in this world , that they may be all waies free with our Lord . O feete for a while hindered with shackells and boultes , but yet swiftly running with a gloriouse pace vnto Christ . Lett enuious and malignant cruelty keepe you here so long as she will in bonds and chaines : you shall from these countreies and afflictions go speedely vnto the heauenly Kingdomes . Whilest you are in the mine your body is not pampered with softe lodging and fetherbeads : Hardnes of Prisons . but it is cherished with the comf●urt and refreshing of Christ . the ouer trauailed bowells do lye on the ground : but it is no paine for to lye with Christ . Your members are vnhansome for want of bathing , and disfigured with corruption & filthines : but spiritually is that washed within , which carnally is defiled without . There is little store of bread : but not with bread onely doth a man liue , Deut. 8. Luc. 4 but with the word of God . You want cloathing whan you are colde : but he that hath put on Christ is sufficiently cloathed and apparelled . rough and ragged is the heare of your halfe * * So were those vsed with were sent to the mines . See the like 2. reg. 20. shauen head . but wheras Christ is the head of a man : needes must that head be comely of what fashion soeuer , which is honoured with the confession of Christ . This deformity so detested & abhorred by the gentills , ô with what brightnes shall it be rewarded ? this temporall & short misery , ô with what recompense of a noble & euerlasting honour shall it be exchanged , whan as the Apostle saieth our Lord shall haue reformed the body of our humility , Phillip. 3. configured to the body of his glory ? neither can there be , my beloued brethren , any losse of deuotion or of faith , Want of the sacrifice of the Masse is recompensed in that there where you are the Priestes of God haue no commodity of offering & celebrating the Diuine sacrifices . what ? you do celebrate & offer a sacrifice vnto God both pretiouse and gloriouse , & which shall exceedingly profite you for the obtaining of heauenvly rewards wheras the scripture saieth : Psal. 90. a troubled spirit is a sacrifice vnto God : a contrite and humbled harte God doth not despise . This sacrifice do you offer vnto God , this sacrifice without intermission both day and night you celebrate , being made hoastes vnto God , and yeelding your selues holy and imaculate sacrifices as the Apostle exhorteth saying . Ro. 11 I beseech you therfore brethren by the mercy of God that you exhibite your bodies a liuing host , holy , pleasing God , neither be you conformed to this world , but be reformed in that newnes of your mind that you proue what the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is . For this is that with is most acceptable vnto God ; this is that , in which our workes with greater merittes doe come to winne the fauour of God : this is the onely thing which the seruice of our faith and deuotion may render vnto our Lord for his great & holesome benefitts , To suffer martyrdom is to recompense in a sort Christ . the holy Ghost affirming and testifying in the psalmes : what shall I render vnto God , for all the things which he hath geuen vnto me ? I will receaue the chalice of saluation , and will inuocate the name of our Lord . Pretiouse in the sight of our Lord is the death of his Sainctes . Psal. 119. Who would not willingly and promptly receaue the chalice of saluation ? who would not with ioy and chearfulnes desire that in which he also may render somewhat vnto his Lord ? Who would not stoutly and constantly receaue a death pretiouse in the sight of our Lord : whan he shall please his eies , who from heauen behoulding vs in the combatte for his name , approueth vs willing , helpeth vs fighting , crowneth vs ouercoming , rewarding with the liberality of his goodnes and fatherly piety , whatsoeuer he him selfe hath wrought , & honouring that which him selfe did performe . For that it is by him that we ouercome , and hauing ouercome our enemies we atchieue the reward of a singuler great combate : our Lord teacheth vs in the gospell , saying , Mat. 10 whan they shall deliuer you vp , take no thought how or what to speake : for it shall be geuen you in that houre , what to speake . for it is not you that speake but the spirit of your father that speaketh in you . And againe Lay vp this in your harres , Luc. 21 not to premeduate how you shall answere . for I will goue you mouth & wisdome which all your aduersaries shall not be able to resist and gainsay . Wherein there is both great confidence for those which beleeue , & most hainous offence of the perfidiouse : not to beleeue him which promiseth his helpe to those which confesse him , and on the other side not to feare the same whan he threatneth euerlasting torments to those which deny him All which things you most valiant and faithfull souldiers of Christ haue insinuated vnto our brethren , perfourming in deedes , that which before you taught in wordes and therfore being herafter for the be most great in the Kingdome of heauen , according to our Lords promise , Mat 5 saying : Who doeth and teacheth , shall be called great in the Kingdome of heauen . Finally a very great parte of the common people following your example , together with you hath confessed , Martyrs of the common people Virgins and Boyes . Mat. 13 and togither with you hath bene crowned : lincked vnto you with the bond of a most strong charity , and neither in prison nor in the mines seuered from their spirituall rulers . in with number there want not Virgins , who Laue ioyned vnto the threescore fould fruit the but dreth sould , and whom a dubled glory hath exalted vnto a heauenly crowne . In boyes also a greater courage than age , through the praise of their consession hath surpassed their yeeres , that both sexes , and euery age might set forth the blessed company of your martyrdome . The inward comfort of a persecuted Catholicke . O what strength of a conquering conscience is now within you , most deare brethren ? what height of mind ? what reioising in your hart ? What triumph in your brest ? for euery one of you to stand expecting Gods promised reward . and to be without feare of the day of iudgement ? for to walke in the mines , with the body of a captiue , but with the mind of an Emperour : to know that Christ is present with him , reioising in the suffering of his seruants , who by his footesteppes and waies do go vnto the euerlasting Kingdomes ? you daily waite with ioy for the happy day of your departure , and being euen now to go forth of the world , you hasten vnto the rewardes of Martyrs , & the mansions of heauen . being for to see after the darknes of this world a most shining light & being for to receaue a glory farre exceeding all passions and conflicts . as witnesseth the Apostle , saying : The passions of this time are not condigne to the glory to come , that shall be reuealed in vs . Briefly for that now your speech in your deuotions is more effectuall , and prayer can the more easely obtaine that which is asked in affliction , pray and desire most earnestly , that Gods mercy will consummate all our confessions : that he will out of these darknes & snares of this world , deliuer vs also togither with you vntouched & glorious : that as we haue here stood togither , being lincked with the band of charity and of peace against the iniuries of heretickes and oppressions of gentills , euen so we may togither reioise in the heauenly kingdomes . I wish you all most blessed and beloued brethren in our Lord well to fare , & request you alwayes and euery where to remember vs . Fare you well .

The history of the seauen Machabees Brethren and their mother all Martyrs for the obseruauation of the law of God written in the 7. chapter of the second booke of Ma●habees the memory of these holy Martyrs is kept by the Church of Christ , the first day of August . §. 8

It happened that seauen brethren togither with their mother were taken , and compelled by the King to eate against the law swines flesh , being tormented with whippes and scourges . One of them who was the first , saide in this manner . What seekest thou , Marke in all this history the Christian liberty of Martyrs in rebuking Tyrants . and what wilt thou learne of vs ? we are ready rather to dye , than to transgresse our countrey lawes of God . The King therfore being angry , commaunded frying pannes and brasen pottes to be made red hote , which being donne , he commanded him which first had spoken to haue his tongue cutte out , and the skinne of his head being drawen away , that his handes and feete should be cutte of , his other brethren & his mother looking on And whan he was made altogither vnprofitable , he commaunded fire to be brought , and him yet breathing to be roasted in the frying panne : in which whilst he was for a long time tormented , the rest togither with their mother exhorted one another to dye stoutely ; saying . our Lord God will looke vpon the truth , Deut. 32. and will comforte vs . as Moises declared in the protestation of his Canticle : And he will comforte his seruantes . The first than being dead in this manner , they brought the next to delude him ; and the skinne of his head being drawen away togither with his heare , they asked if he would eate , before he were punished in all his members through his wholle body . But he answering in his countrey language , saied : I will not do it . wherfore he also in the next place receiued the torments of the first And being in his last gasping , he said . Thou trewly ( ô most wicked one ) in this present life doest destroy vs , but the King of the world will raise vs againe which dye for his lawes , in the resurrection of euerlasting life .

After him the third is deluded : & being required he quickly brought out his tongue , and stretched forth his handes constantly : and confidently saied : From heauen I possesse these things , but for the lawes of God now I despise these very same , because of him I hope to receaue them againe . So that the King and those which were with him did admire the young mans mind , that he accounted his torments as nothing . This being thus dead , they vexed the fourth torturing him in the fame forte . And whan he was euen at the pointe of death , he saied thus . it is better for those which are putte to death by men , to expect hope from God , as being to be raised againe by him : for vnto thee there shall be no resurrection vnto life . And whan they had brought the fifth , they vexed him . but he looking vpon him , saied . Thou hauing power ouer men , wheras thou arte mortall , dost what thou wilt but do not thinke that our generation is forsaken of God . but thou abide patiently , and thou shalt see his great power , and how he will torment thee and thy seed . After him they brought the sixth : & he beginning to dye , saied thus . Do not erre in vaine . for we for our owne selues do suffer this , hauing offended against our God , and things worthy of admiration haue bene done amongst vs . but do not thou thinke that thou shalt be scotfree , because thou hast gone about to fight against good . But the mother wonderfull aboue measure , A godly mother . and worthy of the memory of good men , which seeing in the space of one day her seauen sonnes dying , bore it which a good courage , for the hope which she had in God : exhorted euery one of them with her countrey language stoutely , being replenished with wisdome : and ioining a manly courage vnto a womanly thought , said vnto them . I know not how you appeared in my wombe : neither truely did I geue vnto you spirite & soule & life , and the members of euery one of you , did not I fette togither ; but the creatour of the world , which hath fourmed the natiuity of man , and which bath found out the beginning of all things , will restore vnto you againe spirite and life with mercy , euen as now you sette nought by your selues for his lawes . But Antiochus supposing him selfe to be contemned , & despising the vpbraiding voice ; whan as yet the youngest was aliue , not onely with words exhorted him , but with an oth also affirmed that he would make him riche & happy , & esteeme him as a frend , and geue him all mnaner of necessaries , if he would be changed from his countrey lawes . But whan the young man was nothing moued vnto these things , the king called the mother , & perswaded her to c●ūfaile her young sonne for the sauing of his life . And whan he had exhorted her with many wordes , she promised to perswade her sonne . Therfore stouping downe vnto him , deriding the cruell Tyrant , she said in her countrey language : my sonne haue compassion of me , which carried thee nine monethes in my wombe and gaue thee sucke for three yeares and nourished thee , and haue brought thee vnto this age I beseech thee ô sonne , How parents ought to confourt them selues in their childrens vertew . that thou looke vpon heauen and earth and all things which are in them , & that thou vnderstand that God made them and mankind of nothing : so will it come to passe that then do not feare this butcher , but being made a worthy companion and partner with thy brethren , accepte death ; that in that time of mercy I may re●eauet gither with thy brethren , thee also . Euen whilest she was speaking these things , the young man saied : whom do you stay for ? I obey not the precept of the King , A lesson of trew obedience . but the precept of the law , whi●h was geuen vs by Moises . But thou who hast bene he ●●uent our of all malice toward the Iewes , shalt not escape the handes of God . For we for our owne sinnes doe suffer these thinges . And although our Lord God for our correction and punishment is for a while angry with vs , yet he will be reconciled againe vnto his seruantes . but thou ô most wicked and most abominable of all men , be not foolishly extolled with vaine hopes , whilest thou dost ra●e against his seruantes for thou hast not yet escaped he indgement of the almighty God which seeth all thinges . For my brethren hauing now sustained a small labour , do repose vnder the testament of euerlasting lise but thou by the iudgement of God shalt suffer 〈◊〉 punishments of thy pride . I as my brethren also do geue my life and body for my countrey lawes : inuocating God that he will quickly be mercifull vnto our nation : and that thou by torments & stripes maist confesse , that he onely is God . But in me and in my brethren the wrath of almightye God shall cease , which hath iustly bene brought vpon all our generation . Than the King incensed with anger , did shew extreeme cruelty vpon him more than vpon all , being much moued that he was derided . And he therfore died vndefiled , wholly putting his trust in our Lord . Last of all after the sonnes the mother also was putte to death .

THE CONCLVSION TO Catholicke wiues and children .

NOw therfore ô deuoute Catholicke wiues and children whom especially I haue in this labour regarged , remember that you are the spouses and children of God . these men which are now your husbandes , after the shorte space of this life , and the temporall cohabitation of this vale of misery , shall be your husbands no longer . Than shall there be a perpetuall diuorce of this band of mariage : and withall either an eternall diuorcement in place , the one being so farre sundered from the other as is heauen from hell : or both of you for euer shall be diuorced togither from the face of God , if you dye out of his Church or graces or ( that which is a most happy and gloriouse thing ) your carnall matrimony and temporall coniunction being Catholickly and religiously passed ouer in this life , shall be chaunged into a perpetuall & indissoluble vnion in the glory of God .

These men after their death cannot forbid you to marry another : because your promise was made for no longer space . Euen so lett not them liuing still with you cause you to be vnfaithfull vnto God : because that was no part of your plighted promise the faith promised to your husband doth bind you but vntill death but the faithfulnes promised to your most auncient & noble spouse of heauen as it was more auncient than your worldly mariage : so must it neuer be broken , but continew for all eternities . Your husbandes will iustly reprehend you , if you dishonour their bedd : Euen so do you plead your other husbands cause , least his temple be uiolated . most filthy is trewly the crime of fornication : but aboue all other vices heresy and profession of heresy is a spirituall fornication . your husbands ouer your soules haue no autority ; and ouer your bodies but a limitted power : but your heauenly spouse can condemne both vnto euerlasting fyre , or reward both with euerlasting blisse . Lett your effeminate husbands like vnto the wife of Iob impugne your holy constancy : and you with manly courage like vnto another Iob expect Gods patience . Lett your husbands like infidells inuite you to their infidelity : 1. C●●y . but you by your vertew and godly perseuerance endenour to sanctifye both their and your children . Lett your husbands like so many foolish Naballs deserue the wrath of our victoriouse Dauid : 1. Reg. 25. you with the wisdome of Abigail secke to as wage his iust indignation . Say you with Abigail : Let not my Lord be angry with this wicked man Nabal : for according vnto his name he is a foole , and foolishnes is alwaies with him . and you may happely receive that mercifull answere of our heatiently I auid : Blessed be thy speech , and blessed arte thou which hast forbidden me this day to go to blood , and to reuenge me with my owne hand .

And you children whom God hath blessed and made his children by adoption : perswade your selues that it is not so great a benifit●e to haue bene borne vnto the world , as to haue bene regenerate vnto grace more should you haue bene behoulden to your temporall parents if they had not begotten you , than being begotten if they do d●●ne you . 2. Ma●h 7. And yet the very begetting is not their owne worke . God fourmed your body , distinguished your members , gaue lite and soule vnto then all . Lett not them desircy your soule who could not geue it : lett not them destroy your body for euer , who could not make one heare therof . And they trewly in the estate of wedlocke sought happely more their owne disordered contentments then your temporall being . th●●ke than that they are more than beastly , if they secke their present quietnes , by your eternall vndoing . Originall sinne is contracted by carnall propagation euen of most holy and temperate parentes , who like the godly Patriarches seeke nothing in matrimoniall actes but the glory of God and increase of his people : not offending in the same so much as venially . your parents added to the sinne of Adam their owne disorders : maried perhaps out of Gods Church receiuing that holy Sacrament which should haue bene for your benefitte not holily : liued also happely in mariage licentiously : brought you vp whan you were little ones in ignorance and heresy : And God hauing at the length shewed you their folly , and taught you to amend in your selues , that which they disordered , will they now fight against God , & make you souldiers of the Deuell ? what wages shall you receane for such a warsarre ? is there fauour to be bought with the losse of Christ : or worldly preferment to be preferred before a heauenly spouse : or earthly inheritance or dowry better than the rewardes of glory ? Filij hominum vsquequo graui corde , vt quid diligitis vanitatem & queritis menda●um ? Psal. 4. O sonnes of men , but withall sonnes of God loue not these vanities , carry not a harte loaden with lies , and drowsy with the sluggishnes of this world , but let it be lightned and waking vnto God . Lett their riches go with them into perdition : you haue not a father vpon earth , but in heauen . Say rather with the Prophett . Thou arte our father and Abraham hath not knowen vs , Esa. 63. and Israell was ignorant of vs : thou ô Lord arte our father , our redeemer : thy name is euerlasting . Euerlasting trewly is this name of a father , if you forsake not your trew and euerlasting father , your earthly father seeketh to depriue you of your euerlasting father : pull of your garments , and leauing your selues naked with godly feruour restore them him againe : and so with deuoute S Frauncis you may more freely say : Pater noster quies in caelis . If you haue not crosses in this worlde , you shall stants . Protesters ●●o kisse Christ with ●udas . Mat. 26. Luc. 22. So ofte as I thinke of these men , I am putt in Mind of the lacte of Iudas . Iudas coming vnto our Sauiour , saied Haile Rabbi , & he kissed him . But our Sauicur saied vnto him : Iudas with a ●isse dost thou betray the sonne of man ? Even so these Protesters if not Protestants , with a Protestation will seeme to kisse our Sauiour : but with their presence amongst such a Pharisaicall company they do in deed betray him . I would to God they wold open the eares of their harte , and consider those voices which in silence our Sauiour speaketh vnto them . Iudas with a kisse dost thou betray me ? amongst hereticks dost thou professe me ? no other place to professe chastity , but in the bedd of a harlott ? no other time to professe innocency , but in condemning an innocent ? no place to professe the honour thou owest me , but where thou in highest degree dost dishonour me ?

And who seeth not how fittely these Pietesters be compared vnto Iudas ? for who was the first brocher of the practise of a Protestation , but a most trecherous Iudas ? and now Iudas hauing in a sorte hanged him selfe , and scattered abrode the filthy stuffe of his most lothsome bowells abominable before God and man , is it not a pittifull case that our Protesters will still be amongst Protestants ?

With these men therfore will I reason a while : and because the case of it selfe is so cleare that nothing can be clearer : I will only in all clarity satisfy that argument , vpon which they wholly do relye .

This argument i , The argument for ●ro testation the preterded rutc●ity of Mr. Cregory Martin , a man of blessed memory , and of singuler learning . But where doth he maintaine this opinion ? forsooth there where in a wholle volume he proueth this action to be schisme Admitt than that such was his opinion ? Mr. Marin by this opinion would not ouerthrow his principall opinion of schisme . would he not if he had well considered it , haue rather saied that such Protestation was vnlaw ull , than to geue licence of that which he accounted schisme ? shall one word spoken by chaunce in a wholle treatise , ouerthrowe his wholl purpose which he goeth about to proue in the same ? whether would he not haue argued in this maner : to go to the Church is a schismaticall acte , therfore it cannot be iustified by Protestation : rather than thus : to go to the Church with Protestation is lawfull : therfore to go to the Church is no schismaticall acte : wheras one of these propositions vtterly ouerthroweth the other ? For if it be schisme to go to the Church , than is it sinne of it owne nature , than cannot it be iustified by Protestation : for if it were iustifiable by Protestation , than would it follow that it were not schisme and sinne of it owne nature .

For although in sundry cases which of them selues be lawfull , No Protestation can make a naughty thing good yet are oftentimes subiect to scandall by reason of a likenes of euell which is in them , or of some misconstruing of the same by our neighbour , although I say , in such actions a Protestation may serue to satisfy the well meaning or weaker sorte , & so all scandall ceassing the actions remaine fully lawfull , as being before of them selues lawfull , and onely for such a circumstance of scandall vnlawfull : yet hath not any kind of Protestation so much force as to iustifie that which is of it selfe euell . as Iudas his protesting of frendshippe in kissing our Sauiour : or Pilates protesting of innocency in washing his handes : could not make either the one a trew frend of our Lord , or the other trewly innocent . nor Ioab his faire speaches and courteous demeanour towardes Amasa , could excuse his trecherous murder . Euen so than in this case of going to the Church . for wheras such fact is of it selfe vnlawfull and schismaticall as Mr. Martin purposely doth dispute : how can it be that it may be allowed by Protestation ?

And certainely in this case aboue all other , a Protestation is most ridiculous For in this action of going to hereticall Churches , A Protestation is most ridiculous in this case . Going to the Church is a protestation of Protestancy . the principall deformity and iniquity , is that it signifieth a conformity in schisme and false religion : so that it is nothing else of it selfe but a Protestation in facte of false religion . now by a contrary Protestation in words to seeke to disanull the Protestation of the facte , what is it else , but as if a man very expert in the arte of lying , should in telling two contrary tales with one breath , desire to be fully beleeued in both ? But howsoeuer these absurde Protesters perswade them selues , Two lyes made by Protesters . yet haue they iustly receaued the ordinary reward of liers not to be beleeued at all . For wher as by the facte they shew them selues Protestants , no man yet beleeueth them : and wheras by their wordes they seeke to alter the nature of the facte , neither yet can they obtaine creditt , the facte of it selfe remaining as it was before . So that they come euery day from the Church loaden with two diuerse and contrary lyes . ( a small faulte perhaps if they were not in so weighty a matter ) the one that they are Protestants . the other that their fact doth signifie no such thing , as is the profession of Protestancy . I remember that I haue heard a pretty conceite of one who seeing vpon a suddaine that by our Parliaments religion was altered , The Person of Croydon and that defined and decreed superstition , which all our forefathers before accounted trew worshipping of God : made earnest petition to some Parliament Lord that it might be enacted by the autority afore said that it should be but fiue miles from his house to London , that so he might be deliuered from a longer trauaile whan he were to go thither . But whatsoeuer we may worthely attribute to Parliaments , where there is higher autority , more generall consent , more publicke proceedings & meanes to diuulge abrode the knowledge of any matter . than in any other temporall thing can be possibly deuised : it is surely ouermuch prerogatiue to geue vnto the speeches of euery perticuler schismaticke , A Protestation cannot be publicke enough to take away scandall . that he may by one Protestation make that another Protestation shall be no Protestation : although he would Protest euery time not onely in the Pulpitt but also in Printed Papers which surely were necessary if he would make his speecehes of Protestation as well knowen as his Protestation of facte , and yet it were not sufficient perhaps , wheras many would heare of his fact which would not heare of his papers .

The Protestation therfore being of it selfe thus absurde , & for such cause as is worthely to be thoght very farre from that learned Licentiates approbation : it seemeth yet more daungerous for the want of any warrant of auncient practise or example . For it is a very strange case , that in so many ages past , in so diuerse & long persecutions stirred vp against Gods Church by infidells , heretickes , schismatickes : yet no memory should be extant of any satisfying the persecutours pleasure by doing that which he commaunded with a Protestation : but that this Protestation should first of all be heard of in communication with Protestants : belike to shew that Protesters and Protestants are as neare in inward qualities and conditions , as they are in the outward and materiall sound of their names . And surely if the Pope should condemne this opinion of a Protestation as an heresy : ( as it may be he hath in condemning the defender & maintainer therof : ) than could we haue no fitter name for these new heretickes , than to call them Protesting Protestants .

Of contrary Protestations we read oftentimes and almost euery where , that is : that the Saintes of God haue not onely not satisfied their persecutours desires , but haue bouldly protested that they would not obey their vnlawfull commaundments . Be it knowen vnto thee ô King , Dan. 3. that we will not worship thy Gods , & the idoll which thou hast erected we will not adore . This was the Protestation of the three children . Act. 4. & 5. Heare also the Apostles Protestation . We cannot but speake those things which we haue seene and heard . And we must obey God rather than men . 2. Mach. 7. And the youngest Machabee : whom do you stay for ? I obey not the precept of the King , but the precept of the law . These are Protestations fitt for Christians , honourable in the making , famous in the remembring , and most gloriouse in their euerlasting rewardes not those which do as it were call God and heauen & êarth to witnesse , that the obedience of man is preferred before the obedience of God .

Of like examples of Christian Protestations all Ecclesiasticall histories are full : neither could euer the fury of persecutours or extremity of torments driue the champions of Christ , to yeeld or seeme to yeeld to as indifferent thinges as going to the Church may seeme to be , and to seeke to iustifie such actions by Protestation .

This hath alwaies made me thinke that that good vertuous learned Deuine did neuer meane to allow a Protestation as these new Protesters would haue him : considering the repugnance which it hath to his wholle argument of his treatise , and the absurdity of the thing it selfe , which ( although he speake somewhat obscurely ) I cannot thinke but that his wisdome could very well perceaue

Yet do I not doubte but that he worthely admitteth a Protestation in some cases . A Protestation is some times profitable . For this action of going to the Church is than vnlawfull , whan it is a Protestation of conformity in religion : which it is alwaies , whan there is such orderly going as is vsed by the heretickes them selues , now it may be that in diuerse cases this orderlines and conformity may be wanting , & than the going to the Church with heretickes is called but a materiall going and not a formall : because the formality is by the alteration of the essentiall conditions of such going taken away . in this case therfore whan going to the Church is no Protestation of false religion : it is not vnlawfull of it selfe : so that for to avoide scandall if there be any danger therof , I make a Protestation , wherin I shew my going to be onely materiall and not formall . An example or two we may shew out of the scriptures . The going of the people with Hieroboam to Bethell whan he there was to sacrifice , ● . Reg. 13. was a formall going to idolatry , because they went orderly all alike . but the coming thither of the Prophett to reprehend the King , was onely a materiall going to idolatry , and very well knowen to be of a diuerse nature from the other . Naaman Syrus was materially present at idolatry but not formally : because he went not to the temple as vnto a temple , but as vnto any other place where his perticuler temporall seruice might be exacted . neither did he obey his King commanding an acte of religion , but requiring onely the temporall assistance which to his greatnes was conuenient . Now if Naaman had seene any probabillity of scandall , than should he haue bene bound to haue made a Protestation . generally therfore whan there is no contrary Protestation in the facte , that is whan going to the Church with heretickes is only materiall and not formall . than may a Protestation be very well vsed in wordes : which neuerthelesse is not necessary , but in daunger of scandall . So that a Protestation doth not make that lawfull which was vnlawfull but sheweth the lawfulnes of that which was iudged vnlawfull . neither maketh it that a materiall going which was formall : but onely declareth that to be materiall which was in deed materiall before .

Many examples might be brought in our owne case , Mr. Martins case of Protestation is examined . of materiall going : but it hath bene sufficiently donne in other bookes . I will onely touch that case which Mr. Martin him selfe bringeth . A man may lawfully go saieth he to the Church with heretickes if he protest that he goeth to pray Catholickly . Trew it is if he not only protesteth to pray Catholickly , but praieth in deed Catholickly and is there Catholickly present . Which he cannot than do , if he be indistinctly amongst them , whatsoeuer praiers he say . for his facte is a Protestation that he is there to pray in hereticall vnion & participation . and that most of all if he protest that he cometh for obedience : for the end of such obedience , is participation with hereticks and conformity with them . Yet this will I say for Mr Martin , that in case that he pray Catholickly , that is , that he shew a manifest disunion with heretickes : he sinneth not . But this cannot be as the case is with vs . yet can I put such a case

As if Catholicks & herericks in league against the Turke had but one Church , and being agreed not to molest one the other , should at one time in seuerall altars haue Masse and communion and yet the people of force were confused and mingled in the Church : in such a case the Catholicke sinneth not : and his Protestation may be vertuously vsed , although it be not necessary : for there being two seuerall seruices , the presence onely is no more a profession of the one than of the other . Thus I thinke Mr. Martins doctrine trew and I perswade my selfe that he in very deed meant no more . Whatsoeuer Mr. Martin held he would now alter his opinion .

But letting this passe as a matter somewhat vncertaine what he held , whan this shifte was first propounded , and neuer examined before : there is no doubt at all , but if he had afterward knowen the contrary resolution euen only of his Superiour , yea and of many other excellent particuler persons besides , amongst so many hundreths which hould now the contrary : such was his humility and vertew , that he would presently haue yeelded to any one of them . For in matters of conscience ( a most suttell & vnsearchable profundity ) all particulers are not easely seene at the first : and desire of not proceeding rashly with those who may be endamaged with a seuere resolution , causeth many times the determiner to take the more fauourable way , which time the very mother of truth doth after shew to be vnallowable wherof we may find in our countrey sufficient examples in more waighty and apparent dissimulations , than is this of going to the Church , as in the oath of the Supremacy , and receiuing the Protestants communion : which things how easely they were swallowed vp either in K Henryes time or sithence euery man knoweth : and how some Clergy men first allowed them , which afterward disproued them , it is to to manifest .

And it is worthy of consideration , how these Protesters do deale dubblely . The dubble dealing of Protesters . For whan Mr Martin alloweth as they interprete him a Protestation : that is the Censure of the most learned man Mr. Gregory Martin . and we trewly thinke him worthy of much more praise , and that he needeth not the commendation of men , whom God hath ; as we hope commended . But whan he saieth that going to the Church is schisme or deniall of Catholicke religion : than there is no speach of his commendation nor allowing of his opinion at all . We therfore here haue determined omitting many other thinges which hath bene saied herin by others , and especially by the learned assembly of those of the Counsell of Trent , who define this acte to be of it selfe vnlawfull t● lett downe against this pretended and doubtfull autoritie , a trew and plaine autoritie of most graue Deuines euen of this pointe in particuler .

Whan therfore the stature of the monthly penalty for going to the Church came forth : Most absolute autority against this Protestation . he which was than President of the Colledge of Rhemes desiring to tender as much as with Gods fauour he might the distressed case of Catholickes , and to allow them if it were tolerable euen this Protestation which we speake of , in which some perhaps before had bene of contrary opinion vnto him selfe & had gone about to desend it : very charitably according to his accustomed tendernes tooke his iorney to Paris . & there in the Sorbonists College had the case disputed , and resolued that it was altog●ther vnlawfull . Sorbon Colledge . wherupon he made sute vnto the King which than was that he would be a meane vnto her Maiestie . to suspend the execution of the statute for one yeare . but he breeding than that which afterwardes he brought fourth , answered that he would not deale therin . Not contented with this , with fatherly care he wrote to Rome to the Reuerend Father Frauncise Toledo a man of knowen learning and practise . from whom he had this answere which I will presently sett downe . Franciscus Toletus . which was carried into our countrey by one Mr. Edward Strāsam now a Saincte in heauen , and deliuered vnto a Reuerend Priest vnto whom he related this wholle history as the same hath lately imparted it vnto me . Cum tale edictum sit contra Ecclesiam Catholicam & in haeretici erroris fauorem & confirmationem , non est vlla ratione obediendum . Interesse enim haereticorum Conciliabulis & corum Ecclesiam indistincte tanquam vnum eorum frequentare , non solum est veram fidem & religionem occultare , sed falsam sectam nouo quodam facto ad id ordinato profiteri : quod iure diuino prohibitum , nec vlla dispensatione licitum esse , nec vlla temporalittm amissione bonorum iustificari potest .

Protestatio autem illa quae a nonnullis Catholicis sit , a peccato non excusat : cum sit contraria facto . factum enim si tale est vt describitur , nempe haereticorum Ecclesiam frequentare & eorum Conciliabulis indistincte tanquam vnum eorum interesse , Protestatio quoddam est sectae eorundem , & in hune finem tale edictum sanatum est . That is : Wheras such statute is against the Catholicke Church , and in fauour and confirmation of heresy : it must not in any maner be obeyed . for to be present at the Conciliables of heretickes , and to frequent their Church indistinctly as one of them ; is not onely to hide the trew faith and religion , but to professe a false secte by a new kind of facte ordeined therunto . Which being forbidden by the law of God , can neither be lawfull by any dispensation , nor iustified by any losse of temporall goodes .

And that Protestation which is made by some Catholickes , excuseth not from sinne , wheras it is contrary vnto the facte . For the facte if it be such as it is described , that is , to frequent the heretickes Church and to be present at their Conciliables indistinctly as one of them , is a certaine Protestation of their secte , & for this end was that statute made .

Thus much of this autority of so graue learned and famous men in this very point of a Protestation . And yet can I bring farre greater : so that we suppose this as a certaine ground , The ground vpon which the dissallowing of Protestation doth stand . that if going to the Church with heretickes be of it owne nature a sinne and indispensable , than no Protestation can make it lawfull . I will therfore bring the infallible autority of him which sitteth in the chaire of Peter according to the tenour of a letter lately sent into England : wherof a frend in these countreies hath imparted vnto me a copy & I will here sett downe so much as shall belong to this purpose , word for word neither must it seeme straunge to any , that herin I go about to publish so priuate a thing : whan I do nothing else but onely geue a necessary preseruatiue , against diuerse venemous tounges , which out of so sweete and pleasant a flower hauing gathered poison , are euery where busie to disperse the same : as herafter shall appeare .

You must ( saieth the writer of this letter ) haue great regard that you teach not nor defend that it is lawfull to communicate with the Protestants , An Italian letter . in their praiers , or seruice , or conuenticles where they meete to minister their vntrew Sacraments . For this is contrary to the practise of the Church , & the holy Doctors & Fathers vse & example in all ages : who neuer communicated or allowed in any Catholicke person to pray togither with Arrians . Donatists , or what other soeuer . Neither is it a positiue lawe of the Church , ( for so it might be dispensed withall vpon some occasion . ) But it is deriued of Gods owne eternall lawe , as by many cuident arguments I could conuince : and it hath bene largely proued in sundry treatises in our owne tongue and others : and as we haue practised from the beginning of our missions .

And least either any of my Brethren might either mistrust my iudgement , The Definition of the Church . or be not satisfied by such proofes as haue bene made therin : or my selfe be beguiled in mine owne conceite : I thought not onely to take the aduise of the best learned Deuines here : but to make all sure ; I haue demaunded the Popes holines that now is his sentence . who expresly tould me , that to participate with the Protestants , either by praing with them , or coming to their Churches , or seruice , or such like , was by no meanes lawfull or dispensable . so faire goeth this point of the letter .

Thus we see here this truth defined out of Peters chaire , so that there is no more place of doubte at all . neither must we thinke that this is the Popes priuate opinion onely : it is his expresse declaration and absolute pleasure by this resolution to teach and direct our countrey , See Bellarm lib. 4. de Pontif . c. 2. so that herin he could not erre .

But it is a world to see how subtill and cunning iniquity is in defence of it selfe . Three obiections out of the afore saied letter . For out of this very letter I vnderstand that many take occasion to desend going to the Church , thinking that both by the Popes meaning and by the opinion of him Which wrote the letter , they haue such liberty . O extreme madnes , or to say better , most impudent malice . If the Pope will haue them which fall casely receiued againe ; therfore do they not sinne ? than doth not the adulterer , thiefe , murderer , sinne , because they must be easely receiued againe . And who doubteth but that euery sinner , although neuer so hainous , must be receiued againe ? God forbid else : but so that he repent , and ( as the letter specifieth in this very case ) yeeld some reasonable hope that he will herafter stand more strongly ?

But the letter saieth that this sinne being donne of feare is lesse , & more compassionable , & more casely to be absolued .

It seemeth that these graue interpreters make no account of any sinne , but onely of that which is against the holy ghost . for so long as you leaue any place for compassion , or hope of absolution & remission , they will haue no sinne at all . God graunt they be so fearfull as they should be euen of sinnes against the holy ghost , and that they dying in their obstinacy & impenitency , it may not be saied hereafter of them which our Sauiour saied of the Iewes : 10.8 . I go , and you shall seeke me , & shall dye in your sinne . As for their feare : L. 3. ●th . c. 1 Aristotle will tell them that such thinges as are donne for feare are voluntary . And he bringeth our very example . as saieth he , if a Prince hauing in his handes the Parents and children of any persons , shoulde commaund these to redeeme the other by any vnlawfull action . which he concludeth not withstanding such feare to be voluntary . And so is this action of going to the Church : and consequently a sinne still , although it may be by such feare somewhat diminished : but not transferred from a mortall sinne to a veniall , as we will afterward shew .

But the Priest must here ( forsoth ) exacte lesse security from falling againe , than in any other sinne : therfore can this be no sinne , where sufficient security of auoiding it is not exacted .

O deceitfull EVE alwaies excusing : ô malicious serpent alwaies suggesting excuses in most waighty matters . Hath he not exacted sufficient security before , when he requireth Confession , sorow , resonable hope of perseuerance , which is all one with a stedfast purpose of amendment ? And that he requireth lesse security in this sinne than in another , it is not for that it is no sinne at all : but because the daunger of other sinnes ordinarily dependeth vpon one circumstance or vpon a very few : but the daunger of this vpon infinite . One is geuen to lasciuiousnes . take away the occcasion Which is but one , that is familiar conuersation with euell disposed persons , and he is out of daunger . One is geuen to fighting and brawling : cause him to liue more priuately in an orderly and ciuill house , and you see there is great security in his standing in Gods fauour .

But one is very fearfull of his estate , and discouraged and ready to fall with euery blast of searches or Assises . in this man you can haue no security but his owne resolution . For if he conuaigh ouer his landes , he may be putt in prison . if he escape the Assises ; he may be visited by Purseuants . if these be his frendes ; yet some Iustice , or some Commissioner may haue him by the backe : as now a daies none are so busy in such base seruices as gentlemen them selues , and those the nearest neighbours : so that you cannot helpe this man , but he must alwaies be in present daunger of falling . onely his purpose is necessary neuer to fall againe . which if he haue , although his ghostly Father thinketh that he will fall if occasion be offered , yet is he bound to absolue him . For this is a generall rule in all sinnes , Nauar. c. 3. nu. 13 that certainty or security of amendment can neuer be required by the ghostly Father of the Penitent : for neither the office of a souldier , nor of a merchant nor of diuerse other like , can in all probabillity long time continew without sinne : neither is the Confessour onely not bound to beleeue certainely that such will not sinne againe : but the Penitents them selues are not bound to thinke so of them selues , as Nauar doth largely teach . Yett is there alwaies required to firme purpose of the Penitent , which may very well stand with an vncertainty of the effect , whan occasion shall be offered : experience teaching vs that men of neuer so good resolution may fall againe . Thus do we see in what manner lesse certainty may be exacted in auoiding this sinn than in others & yet a firme purpose be necessary in this as well as in all others . Thus much be said against those which out of this letter defend it to be no sinne .

But there ariseth a more subtill kind of persons , Against those which say it is a venial sinne who hearing out of the same letter , that this going to the Church is by no meanes lawfull or dispensable , do confesse in deed that the letter condemneth it as a sinne . but yet not as a mortall sinne , or by which Gods grace is lost , and the horrible guilt of eternall damnation incurred : but onely as a veniall sinne , from which no iust mans life can be free , & which also is by no maner of way dispensable , as well as a mortall sinne . I must needes in these persons not onely commend their subtelty of witte , in that they very well haue conceiued that a veniall sinne cannot be dispensed withall : but admire also the tendernes of their consciences : as being so scrupulous and fearfull , that they thinke it a worthy question to be tossed amongst Deuines , propounded to the Pope , resolued from Rome to England , whether any action practised in our countrey be a veniall sinne or no. It were doubt les a most happy estate of our Countrey if either Catholicks made such account of all veniall sinnes , as this letter wisheth they should make of this , or those Which are our Supiours had not need to let passe many thousand veniall sinnes Without controulment .

I will therfore out of this very letter bring 8. sundry arguments which shall euidently conuince that by the iudgement of the writer , going to the Church is a greeuous mortall sinne .

First for that he saieth it is no waies lawfull , excusable , or dispensable . for although it be trew that a veniall sinne cannot be lawfull : yet is this sinne one of those kinds which the Deuines do call mortall sinnes Exsuo genere : 1.2 . q. 88. ar. ● . which S. Thomas doth thus declare . Whan the will ( saieth he ) is moued towardes any thing , which in it selfe is repugnant vnto that charity by which a man is ordained vnto his last end ; that sinne hath by the very obiect therof that it is mortal . wherfore it is mortal of it owne nature , whether it be against the loue of God , as blasphemy , periury and such like : or against the loue of our neighbour as murder , adultery , & such others . Thus S. Thomas . So that this action of going to the Church , whether we consider it as against faith , as being exteriour heresy : or against charity to our neighbour as being schisme , & scandall : or against religion , as being a superstitious action : or against obedience as being forbidden by so many Ecclesiasticall lawes : it is alwaies against necessary vertewes of Christian life , and so mortall of it owne nature .

Than do I thus argue . Whatsoeuer is indispensable in such a kind of sinne as is mortall of it owne nature , is alwaies a mortall sinne : but so is this . ergo . &c. The Maior is common amongst all Diuines . S. Tho ibid. & ar. 6. who affirme that mortall sinnes ex suo genere , can neuer become veniall , except it be for the imperfection of the acte as not being deliberate , or the smallnes in quantity , as in the stealing of a halfpeny . neither of which exceptions can here in this action take place . The Minor is proued aboue . Secondly he saieth that this is contrary to the practise of the Church , and the holy Doctours , and Fathers , vse , and example in all ages : But fuch practise Doctours and Fathers esteemed it alwaies a hainouse matter , and seuerely reprehended it and punished it , as all histories do witnesse : Therfore will the writer of the letter haue vs to esteeme it in like maner a hainouse and greeuous offence .

Thirdly he referreth him selfe to sundry treatises , See Testam . of Rhemes Mat. 10 , 32 & 2. e●ist of S. Ihon. writen heretofore : but those all especially those of his owne writing condemne it as a mortall sinne ergo .

Fourthly he alleageth the practise of England from the beginning of the missions of Priests : But who is so impudent that he dare deny , that alwaies those Which haue liued in those missions haue made it a mortall sinne ?

Fifthly he saieth the Pope willed that such as should through frailty go to the Church should be easely absolued : than was it his iudgement and the Popes also that there was necessity to be absolued which necessity is not in veniall sinnes which are not necessary to be confessed . and are taken away by other meanes , than by absolution : if so it please the Penitent .

Sixthly he requireth sorow , & reasonable hope that they will herafter stand more strongly . which is a plaine argument of a mortall sinne : for this is not required in a veniall sinne .

Seuenthly he calleth the absoluing of them a receiuing againe . Than were they fallen out of the Church , and quite cutt of from Christ his members : for this is the common vnderstanding of this word , to receiue againe . And is there any doubte than of a mortall sinne ?

Finally the intent of his letter was onely for to represse the singularity of him Which was well knowen to teach the contrary , who now by his going forth hath shewed how neare this point of doctrine in Gods iudgement is vnto flatte heresy & Atheisme : and it was thought better to vse this milde proceeding than thè Ecclesiasticall sword . and yet certaine promise is made of that also if need require . Than was it not his intention to confirmed the others opinion by censuring it as a veniall sinne : neither is that sword to be drawen , but in case of mortall sinne .

God graunt therfore that these so graue and manitould autorities make those which go to hereticall conuenticles , yet at the least to acknowledge their sinne committed therin : & not by defending so great an iniquity , both to increase their owne damnation , & to cause the ruine of diuerse others . If the lapsed will come to acknowledge their fault , to confesse their frailty , to abandon and forsake the same : the dore of Gods mercy is as open vnto them , as vnto all other sinners . most lamentable is the estate of such , who by obstinae defence of sinne , cannot seeke for redresse therof , but most desperately runne into wilfull destruction .

And least this small and simple labour intended onely for the glory of God and for benefitte of the simpler sorte , might chaunce to offend any per son at all : here do I protest that my penne is not directed against any particuler person , neither do I knowe any one particuler person whom these thinges may touch , and in my conscience I suspect none . and especially of the Clergy I assure my selfe that at this present there is not one ( besides some which may liue openly in schisme , for whom I can not answere , neither is it necessary ) which disagreeth in this pointe from his Reuerend and worthy fellowes . Yet do I perfectly know that great hurte is donne euery where and that by Pamphlettes and perswasions of such Lay persons as amongst the simple haue an vndeserued conceite of vertew and learning . Such do I touch : and yet I know none . and therfore conclude with S. Hierome , ep. ●●●●ep 〈◊〉 cia . Neminem specialiter meus sermo pulsauit . Qui mihi irasci voluerit , ipse de se quod talis est consiteb●ur . It cannot ●●and with Christian charity , for the necessary good of many , to regard the offences and speaches of a few .

FINIS .