THe Naturalistes , amongst manie other obseruable relations , record this of the a a Struthio camelus . Pererius in Genes. cap. 6. p. 329. n. 71. Bercor . Redus . moral . 7. cap. 69. vide Plin. Struthio , that hauing once put her head into the bush , albeit her whole bodie bee out , yet shee thinketh her selfe , close and safe , as if she were cleane out of sight . The like perswasion , as it seemes , hath bred the same witlesse confidence in you . The cause of your reuolt is couered ouer with such glorious pretences , weightie considerations , apparant detections of falshoods in our learned Protestants , that forsooth b b Pag. 96. & 97 Morall reason must assure vs , you were not transported by any light or sudden motion ; that you would not striue vnwisely against the benefits of fortune ; or vnkindly against the dutie of nature , vnlesse some superiour and more excellent Consideration , did obtaine a powerable authority in your soule . These furze are , in your conceit , a sufficient shelter to keepe your hypocrisie from being descried . But , alas , howsoeuer you thrust your first Motiue into this thicket , the bushes , God wot , are too bare to couer so vast & monstrous vntrueths , which lie open to the view of the world . Such is the waight of that lumpish masse , that it is vnpossible for your Struthio's wings to soare out of our reach . It is no new fallacie to come in , with a non causa vt causa ; it was of yore a logicall axiome , Quaedam videntur & non sunt : you haue now made it practicall : wherein you iumpe with your predecessors the glozing Pharises , as in opening of this your painted sepulchre will more fully appeare . It standeth not with my nature , I confesse , to blase your shame , neither is my profession to be an historian to persons of your ranke , yet rather than the integritie of so well founded a Religion , ( then which none better ) should receiue the least blemish by your forged calumnies , it is fit the world should be better acquainted with that malignant humor which hath driuen you into these franticke fits . All diseases , by the verdite of the best Physitions , arise vel ex repletione , vel ex inanitione , either from fulnesse , or emptinesse : to the like originall we may also refer the distemperature of the minde . Plentie breedeth sensualitie , and luxurious affections : want is the mother of heresie , and schismaticall defections . And no maruell , for they that fast much are vsually troubled with Vertigo , the swimming and giddinesse of the braine . This was Aërius his disease : whose emptie stomacke being disappointed of the fat c c Aug. de heres. n. 53. Bishopricke , after which he did long gape , sent vp such foggie mysts of discontentment into his daseled head , that like the d d Mat 17.15 . Demoniake in the Gospell , hee fell sometimes into the water , sometimes into the fire , neuer ceasing to tumble downe the hill of faith , vntill he fell flat Arrian . Aspiring spirits , hauing their hopes defeated , growe turbulent , and that , either to bee reuenged of those , whose fauours haue been more nigardly , then their prodigall desires , or to raise a new fabricke for their better fortunes vpon the vantage of e e Haec non successit , aliam ingrea●…an ur viam . opposition . It much grieueth mee to reade of any spice of this disease in men of our nation , but more to see it in men of the Church , and most of all , that they who are thus tainted , do rather lay the fault vpon the infallible groundes of a spotles religion , than vpon the boundlesse appetite of their owne endlesse desires , making conscience the ladder of their climing ambition .

Doe you aske me Quorsum haec ? I will tell you , Mutato nomine de te narratur fabula . When I speake of Aërius , I thinke of him whom indeed I am loth to name , euen of M. Theomisus : I might call you M. f f Plautus . ●…surio : for so do the g g A●…g . de heres. n. 69. symptomes bewray your malladie , Si saturio fuisses , non Circumcellio fuisses . Faine would I plucke back my pen , but that my eye telleth me how you haue plaide the counterfeit , in ascribing your reuolt to the insoliditie of our religion , which was wholly hammered by your owne ill balanced discretion . It is twentie to one , but some of your Ladies will be pearing into this letter , therefore will I write no more , then I am able to iustifie , nor will I put you in mind of anything , wherunto your owne knowledge shall not readily subscribe . If any thing be omitted , it is not my ignorance , but my charitie that concealeth it . These things were not done in a h h Act. 26.26 . corner .

That famous Colledge of Christs Church in Oxford , which you haue ill repaied , for the sweete milke which you haue sucked out of her breasts , hath not yet forgotten how you were euer stained with Puritanisme , how violently aduerse you were to all such , as were suspected to fauour the Romish Sea . She doth yet smile to think , what paine you took , being Censor of the house , in putting your hand to the sawing downe of a poore harmelesse May-pole , because you thought it came out of a Romish forrest . When you were Lecturer at S. Dunstons , your contributorie auditors thought your long prayer , and spitting pawles too short , because the reuerend Bishops ( yea euen your own Lord and Master ) were euer left out for wranglers and Antichristian Hierarchies , not worthie to be named in the same day , with your holy Pastors and sanctisted Ministers . Thus haue you euer affected singularitie .

But how commeth it to passe , you should now fall into the opposite contrarietie ? i i

Dum vitant stulti vitia , in contraria currunt .

Incidit in Scillam &c.

You mention onely their writings , wherein you play Canis ad Nilum , catching and snatching heere and there , for fragments of sentences , which , like m m Artic. 12. sect. 6. applied by you , pag. 122. Iewels Procustes , you stretch out to the length of your owne fancie : plainly bewraying your selfe , that either you were not so well grounded , or so throughly affected to your Religion , as it became an instructer of others , or that to magnifie your selfe , and gaine the more credence with those , vnto whose harber you were driuen by the tempestuous storme of your extremities , you did picke these imaginarie cauillations ; which had they been reall doubts indeed , might with your greater credit and charitie , haue been decided in a more priuate sceane . Hee that hath but halfe an eye may see there is a Pad in the straw : happily you haue done this , either wholly to escape , or to agree the better with your creditors , that seeing your sudden alienation , their desperate debts may be more easily compounded : happily hauing missed a former preferment , you thinke by this meanes to be wooed by the State to returne to your first loue : happily the yoke of wedlocke being somewhat burthensome to your shoulders , was an inducement to make you cast off the n n Luk 9.62 . You haue plaied Ananias , fortune beheld you not with a benigne and comfortable aspect , as you pretend . pag. 97. Plough . Surely not only some , but euen all of these were the cords , that haled on your First motiue . Your debts were ( the world knoweth ) very clamorous : the misse of your preferment was grieuous : and the mariage-god Himenaeus was none of your best friends . To ease your selfe of all these , which Atlas himselfe could hardly vndergo , you thought good to cast anchor in a new sea , and to fish in troubled waters .

And for as much as you could not be well rid of your wife , creditors , and other grieuances , as long as you held your profession , you chose rather with o o 1. Tim. 1.20 . Himenaeus and Alexander , to make shipwracke of this , then to haue your ship ouercharged with those . The Iesuites , you knew , were no ordinary guls , and therfore , if you ment to be Sanctuarised by them , it lay you in hand first , Auaere aliquid carcere dignum , to ascertaine them by some audacious proiect , of your future fidelitie : as you haue now done , by making your owne pen a crosse-barre of restraint , for any welcome returne vnto your old home . Into what a pitifull straight ( poore soule ) were you then driuen ? was there no other way to repaire your ruinous fortunes , but by giuing a bill of diuorce vnto that faith , whereunto you were first vnited ? it cannot , it cannot , howsoeuer you pretend , but p p Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt . grieue you to the heart , that you haue with Esau , sold your birth-right for a messe of pottage , which many teares will hardly redeeme . I cannot blame you , Richard Etkins houshold Chaplaine vnto the now Lord Bishop of London . if at the sight of Mr. R. E. your old fellow Chaplaine and friend , you had Peters teares in your eyes , for the denial of your Master . I do easily belieue , vpon his credible report , that at such time as he desired your companie to Bruxels , or to England , you smote your hand vpon your heart , and in great passion vttered these words , O that I might safely returne , for that is my desire . The small liking you haue to the Romish Religion , you sufficientlie manifested , when as being reconciled to that Synagogue , by one Flud a Priest , you did yet after your returne out of Yorkeshire , write a little Pamphlet of veniall and mortall sinnes , flat against the principles of that profession . And were you not now in Hucksters hands , whose vigilent eies haue mewed you fast vp , in their idolatrous cage , I dare say you had been in England long since , for so did you protest , as you hoped to haue any part in the passion of our Sauiour Christ , that within three weeks at the furthest , ( if you liued so long ) you would bee heere after your fathers returne : who , good man , tooke a tedious iourney to seeke out his lost sonne , who neuer opened his mouth to aske him blessing for his paines .

Was it not griefe enough , trow you , to the old man , to see his sonne Theophilus Higgons , turned into Thomas Foster , as if you had been ashamed to answere to your fathers name ? to see you so strangelie habited , so barely arrayed , so gastlie visaged , whom he had so carefullie tendred ? Was not this griefe enough , I say , but that you must depriue him also of that priuate dutie , which was due vnto him ? and contrarie to his expresse commandement , and request , and your owne solemne promise made to him , make his presence knowne to your Confessor , wherby he might haue bin in danger , as much as in you lay , to haue lost , not only his vnnaturall son , but euen his dearest life in a strange Land ? and that which is worst , make him a sorrowfull witnesse of your periurous vow ? The like solemne oath did you take in the presence of him , by whom your father was accompanied , that vpon the q q Fides Jesuitica , fides Punica . Faith of a Romane Catholike , and , as you hoped to be saued , this booke of yours , which you then shewed him , should not be printed . This albeit it be no strange newes to your afflicted wife , and some of your deceiued creditors , who are throughly acquainted with many such your voluntarie & intended periuries , ( as vpon your next replie shall bee more particularlie specified , vnder whose name soeuer you meane to couer it ) ; yet is it a sufficient testimonie , that not the approbation of your Romish Religion , but the grimme aspect of your owne estate , hath driuen you to this exigent . It is not long since you haue complained , through impatient emulation & ambition , ( both which do distract the mind , and turne it ouer to hellish discontent ) that if you might haue been then preferred , and not aduised rather to returne to the Vniuersitie , to repaire your wings ; you would not haue changed your copie so soone , nor made so sorie a flight from vs to Rome . This you know to be well knowne , and vpon further occasion may bee better specified vnto the world . Hinc illae lachrymae . And yet as if D. Humfrey had made you fall out with your wife , countrey , creditors and all , you are so impudently shamelesse , as to say , r r Pag. 172. He that " was the snare of death vnto many , began to " loose the snare wherein I was intangled . Whereas you should more truelie and tolerablie haue said , of your expected preferment , Quod alteri beneficium , mihi fuit maleficium , that which was another mans blisse , was my Bane .

Let any man now iudge , whether you be not infected with Aërius his disease . Doe you not now stand vpon the like tearmes with our religion , as mony-mongers do with their courted mistresses ? Auge Dotem wil make vp the match . She that hath no portion , hath little proportion in your eies . Well may you liken your selfe to the young s s Pag. 99. Partridge , you are so Pragmaticall , that you would faine flie to aduancement , the shell yet vpon your head . Had you loued our religion as well as Iacob did his Rachel , you would not haue thought much , to haue serued seuen , and seuen yeeres , for her sake . Put as if the Lord had no more blessings , then one , you are like a reed shaken in the wind , impatient of delaies , storming to waite the good pleasure of his will : Flectere si nequeas superos , Acheronta mouebis :

If there be not a golden mine in heauen , you will trie what you can finde by digging into the suburbs of hell . But be you well assured , Denarij sepulchrales , Pluto's , ( I should haue said S. Peters ) Pence , will neuer paie your debts , nor make vp the remainder of your wiues portion , the losse wherof hath made her misse of your loue . You shall be kept , I dare warrant , as hungrie as a hauke , that they may haue you still at their lure . Those golden mountaines , that Flud promised , will prooue no better then mole-hils of drosse : which in the end your compulsarie imploiments must be faine to purchase , with the expence of your best blood . What can your tongue or pen refuse to do for them , vpon whom you must whollie depend ? You haue alreadie , being but a Punie in their Schoole , made so desperate an assault , not only against our Church , but euen gouernment of our State , that you cannot but be soone set a work , about some more desperate and dangerous attempt . What wil they not expect from you , whose pen hath already broched this traiterous and seditious assertion ? t t Pag. 163. and 164. That in your secret thoughts you could not but acquit the Papists from the crime of disobedience , and vndutifulnes to the State : for as much as they made not themselues contrarie to it , but it is made contrarie to them ; the * * Non tellus cymbam , tellurem cymba relinquit . change being in the State , which propoundeth a new faith , and not in them who conserue the old . A graue and religious sentence . Hell it selfe could not haue belched out anie more pestilent . But why should we take it vnkindlie at your hands ? You vse our State no worse , then you did your father , nor our Church more vnkindlie , then your owne wife : hauing withheld your naturall dutie from the one , and your loyall affection from the other . If these be the fruits of your religion , I am so farre from enuying it , that my verie soule abhorreth it .

HAuing thus dismasked your hypocrisie , & vncased your mastership of your Lions skin , I know no reason but that I may take hart of grace , and venture vpon your Maine reason for the proofe of Purgatorie . What said I ? your Maine reason ? admit it were as Maine as it is Maimed , yet , I must deale truly with you , had euerie bird his owne a a Moueret cornicula risum . feather , your Peacockes plumes would soone vanish . For indeed , it doth rather both for matter and manner appertaine to b b Vpon the same Scripture , Mat 12. and Marke 3. Maldonat , c c Vpon the same Scripture , Mat 12. and Marke 3. Iansenius , and d d Bellarm. de Purg. lib. 1. c. 4. Bellarmine , Sic oculos , sic ille manus , sic ora gerebat :

So is it by them propounded , so prosecuted . Wherein you secretlie bewray the inualiditie thereof : For why should you be so saucie , as to wrest this weapon out of their hands , vnlesse you meant to handle it better then they ? indeed , Multum refert quid à e e Dauus nè an herus ? quoque dicatur , and for ought I see , your thrust is as short as theirs ; wherefore you must be contented to haue your old Venie put off , with an old ward .

Sic disputas egregie Magister : Whosoeuer shall speake a word against the holy Ghost , it shall not bee forgiuen him in this world , nor in the world to come . Ergo , Some sins are forgiuen in the world to come . Ergo , Purgatorie . Ergo , f f Each implying other , this per modum signi , that per modum causae . pag. 19. Prayer for the Dead . This is your Lactea Via , your Aurea Catena , with which you are so fettered to the Romish sect . Well , be as proud of it as you will , I dare auerre , it hath but one good linke , as for the rest , the test shall proue them not so good as Virginian oare : affording not so much as a S. Nicholas penie towards your Purgatorie , nor a taper for your Dirge .

It was an old prouerb when I went to schoole , Veritas non quaerit angulos : How commeth it to passe , that S. Marke his exposition is such a mote in your eie , that it galleth you to the quicke to haue him decide this controuersie ? Did hee not write of the same matter ? Was hee not indued with the same spirit ? it may be trulie said of them both , as the Psalmist g g Psal. 41.8 . prophetically foretold , one Deepe answereth another . They were both prefigured by the two h h Exod. 25.20 . Cherubins , one beholding the other . Matthew is excellently seconded by Marke , Marke notablie sampled by Matthew . Let the question be this : When shall he that sinneth against the holy Ghost be forgiuen ? S. Marke maketh answere , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i i Ergo no simple glosse . pag. 2. Neuer . Which is all one , as if he had said with S. Matthew , more figuratiuelie , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : Neither in this world , nor in the world to come . Implying nothing else , but the perpetuitie of the punishment , and including no specificall distribution of sinnes , whereof some are to be remitted in this world , and some in the world to come , as you suppose . For so S. Marke explaineth himselfe , & his fellow Euangelist , altogether as largely as S. Matthew in these words , k k Mark . 3.29 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : is culpable of eternal damnation : So that Matthewes partatiue , and Markes collectiue doe note one thing , viz. Eternitie .

Were you , as you pretend , a true child of Antiquitie , you would not bee more curious then Athanasius , Jerom , Hilarie , and Ambrose , who were content , as often as they examined these words , to render them by Aeternum , not seeking any further . l l Pag. 2. This was no simple glosse in those daies . The Greeke Fathers dreamed not of temporall punishment after death , but of eternall . And this accordeth with the opinion of m m Caluin . Harm . Euang. in eum locum . Caluin , who holdeth that the scope of the text concerneth onely the last iudgement , where there is no place for the remission of any sinne , which was not formerlie pardoned in this life . Now then , whether wee ought to attribute more faith to your affirmitiue collection , or to Saint Markes Identicall narration , iudge you . The syllogisticall examination of your argument , wil make the folly therof more euident . Whosoeuer , &c. it shall not be forgiuen him in this world , nor in the world to come : Ergo ( say you ) Some sinnes are pardoned in the world to come . That you may see how willing I am to giue Sea-roome , for feare of splitting your tender sided Foyst , I will grant all , and yet , Nè canas ante victoriam . For your Purgatorie should notwithstanding bee verie impudent to intrude it selfe . What n n You may wel say , what is this to Purgatorie ? pag. 19. inconvenience should follow , if I should yeeld that some sins are pardoned in the world to come ? I dare auouch it , without any preiudice to the cause . Our Sauiour speaking of the vnbeleeuer , saith , o o Ioh. 3.18 . He is condemned alreadie , and yet you cannot denie , but that he must come to a second p p 2. Cor. 5.10 . Doome . So is it with the belieuer : albeit he haue full q q 1. Ioh. 2.12 . Remission granted , and his pardon sealed in this life , yet he must haue the same proclaimed at the Generall Gayole deliuerie in the world to come . In which sense he may as truly be said , to haue his sinnes then pardoned , as the other his then condemned .