A DIALOGVE BETWIXT A SECVLAR PRIEST , AND A LAY GENTLEMAN .

Concerning some points objected by the Iesuiticall faction against such Secular Priests , as haue shewed their dislike of M. Blackwell and the Iesuits proceedings .

Printed at Rhemes . MDCI.

AMongst many Letters and Treatises that haue come vnto my hands concerning the matters in question betwixt the Secular Priests and the Iesuits : one of most moment , pyth , and substance ( in mine opinion ) is this ensuing Dialogates discourse . Which by so much the more meriteth my poore commendation in gracing it with a generall Preface : by how much as it is in a sort an Abstract , Compendium , or a Breefe of all , and the most important matters that are in controuersie betwixt vs and the said Span. or Iesuiticall faction . For ( omitting other perticulars ) you haue here exquisitely handled , The great contention about superioritie arrogated to the Iesuits ouer the Secular Priests : you haue here discussed , The question about Schisme ; and the vnlearned , but very malicious libels of Fa. Lyster the Iesuit , couertly confuted . You haue here decided , The case of obedience and disobedience ; and , what ignorant obloquie the common sort of Catholicks haue the Secular Priests in , for they know not what themselues , but a forgery filed with Iesuiticall lying lips , which hath giuen it a glasse of a stainlesse die , in a sencelesse conceit of infallable truth , to rest in the bare words of a wretch vnworthy the naming , for the honour of Priesthood mightily preiudiced by him . You haue here set downe , The causes of the Iesuits double dilligence in defending the Archpriest ; together with their many vnhonest , vncharitable , irreligious , vnpriestly practises for a supremacie . You haue here insinuated vnto you , The Iesuiticall vnspeakable pride , ambition , enuie , mallice , extortion , crueltie , and aboue all , their more intollerable backebiting tongues for inuectiues against whome they hate , than euer had Ouid , Horace , or any other malignant detractor , scold , or Cinicall slaunderer . In few , you haue here explaned , The grounds of all the Iesuiticall calumnies , defamations , and iniuries , wherewith their apparators , sumners , and brokers haue and doe still vex , torment , and crucifie Christ his seruants with their tongues , in as mercilesse a pursuit as the common people of the Iewes ( at the Scribes and Pharisies instigation , suggestion , and egging forward ) pursued our Lord and master Iesus Christ himselfe , on earth amongst them . These with many the like points of importance are here very learnedly treated of : whereby to giue all Catholickes ( as well priests that are not of the deepest reach : as also and most especially the laitie , both men and women , marvellously seduced , blinded , and led into error by the Iesuiticall faction ) to vnderstand , what may doe them good , if they list to accept of it in these daungerous times of our common calamities : how and wherein they are to censure or suspend their iudgement , vntill they heare the case decided : and who they are , scil. the secular priests or the Iesuits , that haue most offended the state , preiudiced both Pope and Prince , giuen greatest scandale , and incurred the highest displeasure , with desert of sharpest punishment to bee inflicted vpon them at the hands of God and man . And for to giue the deuout Catholicke reader a little tast for an antepast of this ensuing discourse , I desire nothing more than that which the noble Senatour desired of king Auener his soueraigne , to wit , that all passion , affection , and partiall doome set aside , choller , hastinesse , and the furie of that part and third portion of and in man , called pars irascibilis , shut vp in prison , committed to close keeping , in silence for the time ; and reason set on the throne of iustice , in the court of a good conscience , to iudge of all things as they are in their own proper kind , vprightly weighed in the ballance of equitie and iustice , without collusion in the matter , sophistication in the worth or falshood in the weights , vnequally proportioned : to consider with me these few points following , euen for Gods loue , for the reuerend regard all true Catholickes haue or ought to haue to euery annointed priest , and for their owne vertuous intents sake , as desirous not wittingly and willingly to be led away with error , nor to conceiue amisse of well meant endeuours .

The first calumniation here handled , is Disobedience , laid to the secular priests charge , by the seditious Iesuits : wherein these points are to be considered : first , how that these two disiunctiue consorts , Obedience , and Disobedience , doe the one of them follow the other by as necessary a sequele as the shaddow dooth the body , when either the obiects they both respect , or els the subiests wherein they are inherent , stand in opposition by contrary qualities , properties , or motions : verbi gratia : A man seruing two masters at once , the one as Emperour of the sea in the field of warre ; the other as high Constable , Seneshall , or Lord Chauncelor of the Realme , &c. in the land of peace : If these two commaund simul & semel , an act to be acted by their said seruant , agreeing to their place , office , and calling ; the obedience to the one must needs inferre a disobedience to the other , in that same action . But if withall these two great commaunders bee aduersaries : then is the case most cleare . And this was the cause why our Sauiour said that Nemo potest duobus dominis servire , &c. And by consequent then it may be inferd by an argument made by way of comparison , That it is impossible to be obedient to the See Apostolick , but that by necessary sequele , the same obseruant must disobey Master Blackwell the Archpriest : And the reason is : for that our disobedience in the case proposed as in controuersie betwixt vs and him together , with his great masters the Iesuits , consists in this , scil. That we would admit of no innouation , or new institution , or authoritie , which is not conformable to holy Apostolicall , Ecclesiasticall , Canonicall custome decree and order in elections , without his Holinesse speciall Bull and Breue , for allowing , ratifying , and confirming of the same . But Master Blackwels authoritie was in that degree of opposition , in many points contrarie to the churches Cannons and Apostolicall order : Ergo , the obedience to the See Apostolicke in resistance of him as an Archp. at the first : must needs be an act of disobedience to him , in not acceptance of him as our lawfull superior . Againe , in another sence , our obedience in the foresaid case in controuersie , consists in this , scil. That we would not admit of any such authoritie as might impeach vs of any disloyaltie by act , word , or thought , in things wherein our dutifull obeysance was requisite , or whereby wee might be iustly said to haue stained our religion with treason , or entangled our priestly function with princes affaires : but this authoritie of Master Blackwels , hath drawne him and the Iesuits together , with all the confederates , conspirators , abettors , and aiders of him and them in it , within the compasse of treason , by reason of the platforme which is for inuasion ; and within the compasse of a premunire , by reason of his presumed authoritie , to make laws and exercise jura regalia siue in spirituliabus siue in temporalibus : Ergo , our obedience to her Maiestie , in resistance of the Iesuiticall Arch-priest , with detestation of all such vnnaturall plots , drifts , and intendments , as were approued to lie close couched in his authoritie , being so much the greater , by how much as the said traiterous pretences were masked with a seeming religious zeale ; must needs be an act of disobedience to the said Archpriest and his fellowes ( subiects of Father Parsons , as Garnet and others ) in the highest degree of contempt , that ambition frustrated of aspiring hopes , can imagine to haue possibly beene offered vnto them . Secondly , there occurreth then also to be well weighed , the difference betwixt a subordinate and a supreame authoritie to commaund , and therewith also the like difference to obey . For although obedience be due in all inferiours to their superiours : yet , with this prouiso by custome , practise , course , and order of all lawes , scil. That if the inferiour subiect be wronged by any subordinat officiall , or magistrat , hee may alwayes appeale for iustice from that subordinate court and authoritie to a higher office and officer aboue the president incumbent : and so in order from one to another , vntill he come to the highest supreame or soueraigne in cheefe . And so we say that in spiritualibus obedience is due in euery parishioner to his Pastor , but yet in order , vnder his Bishop : of euery Diocesean to the Bishop of that Diocaeces , &c. but yet in order , vnder the Pope or vniuersall Bishop . And againe , in temporalibus obedience is due in euery inferiour subiect to the meanest officer placed in authoritie vnder his soueraigne , but yet in order , first , to all such as are subordinate one vnder another to the ordinarie Iustices of the peace , but yet in order , to these vnder the high Commissioners , and to these in order : to the Lords of the Honourable priuie Councell : and to them all in order vnder the soueraigne or supreame Maiestie : and then by consequent the Iesuits and their Archpresbiteran or Spanish faction inueighing against the Secular Priests , for appealing to the See Apostolick for iustice in spiritualibus and to the regall throne of sacred Maiestie in defence Apologiticall of their innocencie in temporalibus , doe peruert all lawes , customes , and orders , and arrogate to themselues a dignitie , preheminencie , and authoritie aboue both Pope and Prince : and are thereby guiltie of high treason , with many blasphemies breathed out by the ignorant multitude vpon this occasion against them both . Thirdly , there doth here occurre to be considered , the nature , qualitie , and condition of those acts which are to be enacted , executed , and performed vnder obedience to that legifer , promulgator , or other commaunder ouer his subiects . For that , such may the act be in it selfe , as no power on earth may lawfully commaund it : and if there doe , yet ought it not , neither may it ( without incurring mortall sinne ) be obeyed . For example , If eyther Pope or Prince doe commaund their subiects or subiect to commit incest with their owne mother , or to murther their parents , or to commit any other act , which in it selfe is euill , and as we say , intrinsice malum : no dispensation , pardon , nor placard , can euer make that act to be iustifiable and good , although it may be forgiuen before God and man , quia miserecordia ejus super omnia opera ejus . And seeing God can forgiue more than man can offends then a fortiori , mans offence to man , may and is more easily forgiuen . Conformablie then hereunto , for as much as the Pope himselfe may bee lawfully resisted and disobeyed in causes temporall : especially , when the matter concernes the vtter subuersion of a whole Common-wealth : nay , of many mightie kingdomes ( as this platforme laid by the Iesuits , doth aime at no lesse , in suggestion to his Holinesse for the Spaniards inuasion : ) therefore doth it necessarily follow , that this act of obedience to our Soueraigne , as wee are English subjects , in defence of her royall person and our natiue land , doth take away all the least sinne or offence that can be imagined by our disobedience to the same See Apostolicke for so doing and actuall resistance , made against his Holinesse , or any forraigne power that should come with hostile hand to pierce this Realme . Nay , seeing it was oracled from those diuine lips that were blasphemie to thinke they could either erre , dissemble , or possibly lie , scil. that Reddenda sunt Caesari quae sunt Caesaris , &c. And seeing that Maxime holds irrefragably sure , that non est faciendum malum vt inde eveniat bonum ( positis ponendis inter bonum & malum : ) I say then that it were a sinne , and a most great and greeuous breach of the law of God , of Nature , and of Nations ; and he or she to bee holden for traitors , that vnder any pretence should occasionate the conquest of their natiue land , or ( standing as the State of England doth this day ) should not defend it , dentibus & ensibus & vsque ad sanguinem , euen while one drop of bloud were left in his bodie . This Hipocriticall shew and vaine vaunt of religion , together with the Iesuits masked pretence of restoring the Catholicke Romane faith , are as farre wide from the matter or any likelyhood of the Churches flourish by that bloudie meanes , as the conuersion of a soule is impossible , after it is once out of this mortall life . Thus then you see what a vile , malicious , and most sottish , cousening , and sencelesse slaunder it is , that the Iesuits and their seditious brokers haue raised of the Secular Priests and other Catholicks , that will not rub on their loftie banke of ambition and vnnaturall aspiring conspiracie : euery one , lad , and lasse , tag and rag ; and as well the ignorant as those of more wit , but no lesse mallice , vpbraiding priests , with disobedience to their Superiour , when they neither know what obedience nor disobedience is , nor when , to whome , or wherein it is , or is not due . Yea , so sencelesse they are herein , That if eyther the Pope and the Church , or her Maiestie and the State , would take them at the worst : they might all bee iustly condemned for erronious and trayterous persons , by their owne censure applied in the premisses to these two contraries .

The second Slander or calumniation here handled , is the infamies , obloquies , and reprochfull words in passages giuen out by the Iesuiticall fastion against the secular priests . And for that I verily thinke neither Zoilus , Aristarch , Timon , or other Misanthropos , euer equal'd , or els was to be compared with a Iesuit in the damnable art of detraction or enuie : therefore doe these points occurre herein to be duly considered of euery deuout Catholicke . First , what great contempt these wicked men haue brought Priesthood into , by this most vngodly meanes : which I thinke there is no auncient Catholicke in England this day , of any compassionat religious mind , whose heart dooth not bleed to behold and to thinke on the difference betwixt the reuerend regard had in times past , and at this present , as well by one priest of and towards another , as by the Catholicke Laitie in generall to all priests , without this newfangle Pharisaicall most daungerous exception of persons , &c. For what Catholick , before these Iesuits got footing in England , would not haue trembled at the heart to haue called an annointed Catholicke Priest ( howsoeuer he had earst liued ) a Knaue , a Villaine , a Spie , a Southsayer , an Idolater , a Schismaticke , a Libertine , an Apostata , an Atheist , with other the most odious tearmes that the diuell or mallice is able to inuent ? And yet than this , nothing is more common now euery where amongst this leaud brood of the Iesuiticall faction : our common aduersaries euen of their owne humanitie , and for ciuilities sake shewing a more reuerend esteeme and respect to be had of priests ( at least for their learning , scholarisme , morall vertues , and other good abilities noted in most of those , had by that faction in disgrace ) than any of these new pestiferous Puritanean Iesuiticall Sectaries will eyther acknowledge , or giue any signe to bee had of them . All the wonted benedictions of priests now are reiected , their prayers , their sacrifices , their hallowes , and their holies , contemned ; and whatsoeuer else they doe , pertaining to priestly function and authoritie ( though in neuer so bad persons , yet to be reuerenced , remaining in the Catholicke Church ) despised , as of no valliditie , worth or efficacie , more than if the said Priests were but lay persons . Loe what a readie way these mischieuous men haue made for Antichrist , vnder pretence of their Pharisaicall zeale . Secondly , it is to be considered , That the end these vngodly polliticke set the ignorant multitude on gog for against Priesthood and the Secular Cleargie , is onely and wholly to withdraw all Catholicke hearts from them , to themselues and their societie ; with more like diuellish than humane mallice in them . And to make it seeme more plausible and easilier seased on in weake idle braines : they possesse their inconstant , flexible , wandering thoughts with follies , scruples , and feares ; as , That the Secular Priests are become prophane Publicanes and grosse sinners , vnlearned , ignorant , infirme and weake men , of no reach , iudgement , nor conscience in things ; that they runne on without making any account or reckoning of sinne : that they haue no authoritie , but all is lost they had , by their bad demcanure : that they remaine Catholickes onely in show for the time , but are indeed very Atheists ( for so the speech will neuer out of my mind which one vsed of Doctor Bagshaw in the Gate-house , after his departure to Wisbich , tending wholly to this infamous kind of malignant backbiting ) that they are daungerous men to bee receiued into any mans house , &c. All these , with many the like most impious speeches and slaunders are here touched , as raised by that faction against innocent men , blessed Martyrs , and reuerend Priests , euen from the beginning ( of enuie in a Iesuits heart , to see any doe well that followed not them ) to this present houre . And now they heaue at all in generall , whereas before they maligned but some certaine priests in speciall : whereof my poore selfe haue tasted so great and heauie an ouer-weight , as euen enuie , mallice , and themselues might seeme with shame to keepe silent hereafter , and horror of their account appaule them for the wrong they haue done me . But yet I liue , and so I must a while , maugre the deuils mallice and all the Iesuits that hate me . Thirdly , it is furthermore to be well weighed , That their enuious proceedings herein , is most pernitious to all those Catholicks , euen whom they beare most in hand of all good meant on their partie vnto them . For who doth not see it , that the onely cause of this their infeoft emulation at the Seculars good hap , riseth vpon this , That God sweetly so disposing , as their innocencie beeing knowne to her Maiestie and Honourable Councell , together with the Iesuits trayterous hearts , they finding more fauour than the Iesuits do , and thereby lesse daunger incurred by those that doe receiue them : the Iesuits very pollitickely ( but most impiously , maliciously , and vnpriestly ) imagining that in the end , this course taken , would occasionate all the Catholicks in England to side with the Secular Priests , and vtterly renounce the sayd Iesuits : for their most safetie , they haue no other shift nor meanes in the world to auoid this eminent daunger of perpetuall exile out of England ( as their like practises caused their odious banishment out of Fraunce ) than to beare the people in hand , That her Maiestie and the State meaneth no fauour nor good to be extended to the innocent more than to the guiltie ; that the Secular Priests are but vsed as spies ; that the State intendeth to get out of them what they can , and then to cut both them and those they conuerse with all off together . And for those and like reasons are the Secular Priests ( say they ) very daungerous persons , and ought not of any Catholicke to bee trusted . Which most vile , vncharitable , and wicked speech of theirs , is so much the more sencelesse , by how much as it implicats a contradiction ; as in this ensuing discourse will appeare at large . Meane while it is to be considered , Whether Daniell , or Esdras , or Zorobabell , or Tobias , or Esther in the time of the Iewes captiuitie , or the sweet Paranimph or Ioseph of Aramathia , or the mournefull Magdalen , or the choice vessell of election in the sorrowfull prime-birth of the Church her infancie : or yet Saint Sebastian , Saint Martyn , S. Bernard , S. Augustine , S. Ambrose , S. Clare , or any other , in time of the like heauie calamities in the Catholicke Church to these of ours , finding extraordinarie fauour with God , and grace with men more than others , yea perhaps farre before them , or at least their equals in vertue and true Catholicke religious zeale , could find , that were in the same predicament with them of disgrace ; were they ( I say ) to bee condemned by other Catholicke Christians in these dayes , for that they found more friendship at the ciuile Magistrates hands , than others could ? Was Daniel thought to be a rebell , or Esdras a spie , or Zorobabell an Atheist ? Or good Tobias an Ideot , or Queene Esther a make-bate : for that the first was made Generall of those Emperours forces , vnder whom ( as captiue ) he liued : the second in speciall esteeme , trust , and affiance with the same princes : the third sent home with great treasure , to build vp the ruinated Temple and Citie : the fourth often spared , being taken in the exercise of his countries rites , ceremonies , religious acts , and other workes of charitie , which most of his fellowes if they had been taken tripping in , had been sure to haue died for : and the fift and last of these , obtaining mercie , grace , and pardon , not onely for herselfe , but also for her whole countrey , people , and Nation , proscribed all to death irreuocable , by false suggestion of Haman the traitour ? Againe , Was blessed S. Iohn euer the worse , for being not onely admitted into the iudgement hall by permission of the highest Priest : when all the rest of our Sauiours Apostles were forced to flie away ( or else had beene sure by all morall coniecture to haue in the Iewish furie , tasted of their Lord and maister his cup of torments at least , if not of death : ) but also being then free , and neuer once examined what he thought of his maister Iesus , he was able of his bare word to bring in his fellow S. Peter : who , if an vnhappie girle had not been , might haue stayed there still , without any sinne or offence committed by that action . And yet in and by a Iesuiticall censure , they had been certainely condemned as spies , if they had escaped scotfree as S. Iohn did , and S. Peter might , if no worse matter had happened vnto him than that his personall presence there . Was good old Ioseph thought to bee a Statist , or should our blessed Ladie , or Nicodemus ( as timorous as most of our English schismatickes are ) haue had a scruple or doubt of beeing betrayed in going to take downe and entombe the bodie of God , her onely Iesus , because the said Aramathian found more than ordinarie fauour at the high priests hands , in obtaining of him , to burie it where he thought good ? Was the blessed Magdalen suspected to bee a worse woman , for that , that she was permitted of the souldiours to passe and repasse to and from the sepulchre vntouched of them ? Was Saint Paule condemned of any one , for hauing leaue ( being prisoner ) to goe where he lift , for any to come to him that would , and for that Festus , that Felix , that king Agrippa , and others , vsed him kindly , often sent for him , and would not permit his countreymen the Iewes to haue their bloudie will satiated when and as they desired . In few , were any of these that found more fauour than their fellowes in any time of persecoution , ouer heard of to be iudged , censured , and condemned as spies , as daungerous persons , as reprobates , or fallen from their faith , before this day ? No certainely . The Iesuits amongst many innovations in the Church of God , haue brought this in first of any other for one , scillicet , That all men fortunes , graces , fauours , and actions whatsoeuer , should bee euill thought of , which were eyther beneficiall to any , without a commoditie to their soeietie ; or not squared , agreeing to their trecherous proceedings , or but onely done without their consent , ratibition , allowance , and liking . Well , as their pride , their enuie , and their mallice hath been vnspeakeable herein : so their teares , their bloud , and all their liues ( if they were giuen and bestowed in recompence and way of satisfaction ) will neuer bee able to rince out that staine of their good names , which they haue charactered in their torne consciencelesse heart , and credite , which they haue lost thereby in the hearts of all other vertuous , wise , and sound Catholickes , naturall Englishmen and women of all degrees .

As for their other generall slaunders : That the matter in contention was once alreadie decided at Rome , and therefore would they make the world beleeue , That the Secular Priests were seditious , turbulent , and factious persons : and also , That they ( the said Priests ) are the onely Statesmen and meddlers , statizing more daungerously than they ( the said Iesuits ) doe Hispanize or Spanifie , &c. the one and the other , are both most false , meere calumniations , forgeries , and slaunders , without any truth in the report or broachers of them abroad : and very sensibly , prudently , and learnedly are they here confuted , and their shamefull dealing , trecheries , and impietie , couertly discouered thereby ; together with the foysting in of that poore simple man , Maister Blackwell , into an office and authoritie , hee little knew ( God wot ) what it meant , or what treasonable practises were intended to bee wrought by him . Finally , there doe here occurre to be well considered ( as a point in my mind of as great a drift , moment , and consequence , as any wee yet touched ) the panigeries of the Iesuits praises , the causes moouing them to send foorth their spirits to course both sea and land with bugle blasts of bloudie Bellonaes menaces , to all that dare presume to contradict a Iesuit : and the extreame follie , madnesse , lunacie , or what to tearme it ( I know not ) in sundrie of the Catholicke Laitie , yea , and of the more vnlearned and lesse experienced sort of Priests , that will beleeue euery word to be an Oracle that falleth from a Iesuits lips , ( in so much as once one sayd : That if such a Priest , a follower and factor of the Iesuits faction , should bid him hang himselfe , he would doe it ) that cannot be otherwise persuaded , but that all the whole Church and Common-wealth of Christendome depends vpon these impotent aspirers : that stand stiffely in it as a thing impossible , how euer the Secular Priests should preuaile against such rare peerelesse Sance-peres : that thinke it no way agreeing to Catholicke Christian doctrine , how euer such pure illuminats ( who haue , as they say of themselues , a more neare familiaritie with God , than any other priests ) should euer faile in points of faith , good life , gouernement , and order in all things : that their liues , words , and acts haue beene touched to the quicke , and euer hetherto haue been found faultlesse , spotlesse , and ( as a man might say ) immaculate without crime , for to the same end dooth one Father Holtbies speech in a rayling letter tend , ( as written to a Catholicke ladie , of no lesse noblenesse for her vertue , than for her bloud ) against all the Apellants in generall , but against a reuerend Priest ( maister Mush by name , whose bookes Holthie is vnworthie to carrie ) in speciall : that they are the most learned , the most prudent , the most vertuous , the most religious , the most what not perfection on earth is in a Iesuit ; with the contraries in all others to be found . These straunge paradoxes , as they presage a high marke , which the Iesuits aime at , and therewithall a heauie ruine , so doe they demonstrate a sencelesse , witlesse , and idle braine in those that doe beleeue them , that cannot see into them , that will not be informed of their daungers by following their vnnaturall faction , and therewithall prognosticate a sorer , absurder , and a more mischeeuous heresie ( if not Antichrist himselfe ) to bee brought in by them , than euer yet was heard of in the Christian world , to this houre . For how is it possible ( vnlesse the dolorous date of mans miseries be well nigh spent , and wee the miserable wretches , reserued to liue in these heauie dayes of the Churches last calamities ) that euer any issuing out of Adams loines , should be so ignorant of Natures frailetie in man , as these Iesuit fautors seeme to be by this sencelesse attributing vnto them a state of innocencie in a sort aboue that wherein our Plasmist created our protaplast in terrestriall Paradise ?

Mans wit , though it haue suffered a great diminution by our protoparents fall , as all the rest of the parts and powers in humane nature haue , ( yea , euen synderisis is not exempted , but seemeth in many to be extinguished , rather than to haue any being at all ) yet these sparkes of Natures light are left in our soules , scil. First , to be of so high capacitie , insatiable longing , and touring reach in search after diuine knowledge , as nothing can content the vnderstanding or intellectuall part of man , saue onely summum bonum , ens entium , eternall felicitie , beatitude , God himselfe and no more : which euen Heathen Philosophers , Plato , Aristotle , Socrates , and others , haue acknowledged , sought for , and died insatiable , because they wanted faith to find it by . Secondly , the Diuell by naturall knowledge , perceiuing well in the law of kind , that couert barren could not make a band , thought it in vaine for him to tempt our protomother Eue , with eating of the forbidden tree , vnlesse Father Adam could haue been drawne ( as he was ) to haue tasted of the same : and thereupon hoped the fiend ( as it came to passe ) to cut the entaile of his heauenly inheritance , caused our parents to make a conueighance by fine and recouerie to the deuill , a forfeiture of his tenure , a breach of the conditions with his maker , a defeature of the heires male of his bodie for euer , and put the heires generall to a desperate forme-downe . Thirdly , notwithstanding all this , That the originall writ of priuiledge was reuoked , and humane nature left to it selfe naked and vnarmed amongst so many enemies and allurements to impietie , as that thereby it came to that impotent degree wherein now it is : yet a light sparke of Synderesis , breaking out in the pure naturals of proper kind , moued euen Philosophers , and such as were onely conuersant in naturall affaires , ( prouing by lamentable experience the still continuance and vncured scars of that combat ; which were , and so they are , Ignorance , Error , Concupiscence , Sinne , Sorrow , Hunger , Calamitie , Sickenesse , Death it selfe , and other afflictions found in themselues , and vnacquainted with what they had lost in their first auncestor ) to deplore the state of man so much , that they were not afraid to affirme , That Nature onely in the preduction of man behaued her selfe as a step-mother , and not as a naturall parent .

If Heathen Naturians could diue so deepe in finding euen by Natures instinct , the miseries , infortunities , fraileties , imperfections , and impurities of man : if Plutarch in his Naturals , Plato in his Common-wealth , Cicero in his Orator , Aristotle in his Happie Man , Plinie in his Proaeme , Lactantius in his Epistles , Homer in his Odes , Empedocles , Democritus , Heraclitus , and other Sages in their writings doe complaine of Natures vnkindnesse in this point of imperfection left in man : if Saint Augustine against Iulian , Clemens Alexandrinus in his Stromateus , and diuerse other Doctours , Legifers , and Hystoriors doe note this acknowledgement of humane imbecilitie to be in these Heathen Wisards , ignorant of the cheefe point which we Christians doe know and firmely beleeue to haue occasionated these our downefals , imperfections , and ignorance in all things : then what conceit should Christians haue of mans state , constancie , and sickerness , in any , or all his actions : compared by holy writ in one place to a reed shaken with euery wind : in another , to a daungerous conflict in set battell : ( for so said Iob , militia est hominis vita super terram ) and in another , to a withered flower , to day fresh , to morrow in the furnace ; and alwayes like a weathercocke , chaungeable , wandering , and vncertaine .

True it is , and cannot be denied , That the Heathens complaint was vniust , and proceeded of loosenesse , ignorance , and mallice ; especially the blockish and beastly Epicures , to whom , Natures infirmitie was such a stumbling blocke , as they thereupon denied the prouidence diuine of God towards man , and all religion and reuerence of man to him againe . Yet the scope of my speech tending onely to this , To bewray the Catholickes extreame follie , in conceiting the Iesuits to be such men of such rarenesse , such excellencie , such worthinesse and perfestion , as ( excepting our Sauiour Christ , as man , our blessed Ladie , perhaps S. Iohn Baptist , if the Iesuits will giue me leaue ) their like neither was , neither is , neither euer will be found in rerum natura , from Adams fall to the worlds end . There cannot be a sounder argument taken , to confirme , That the Iesuits are but miserable wretches , and as impotent , weake , fraile , imperfect , and sinfull men , as we poore Publicanes ( so esteemed of by them ) are . Then this deducted out of the principles of Natures owne lawes , customes , and traditions in our bowels : for Cat will to her kind : Bunten to his bay : Frie to his hole , and Man to his miserie . And all this , by reason that the wound which was inflicted in the state of innocencie , hath so festered in the whole posteritie of Adam , as no hope of cure , during the time of mans mortalitie . And the transgression of the first law-breaker , was so venomous a seed to bring foorth wickednesse in the race of man : that neuer any Legifer , spirituall or temporall , either by example in themselues ( as a president to subiects , ) or by any decree , ordinance , reward , or preferment for vertue , or penaltie and punishment for vice , or any other engine or instrument , cold root it out . Read the booke of Kings , of Iob , of Saint Iohn , of Saint Paule to the Romanes , of Dauid in his fiftieth Psalme : of Philip Bergan in his Hystorie , of Iosephus in his Antiquities , of Polydor in his inuentions , of Virgil in his Aeneides , of Plinie in his workes , of Stow , Grafton , Fabian , Fox , and other Hystorians in our English Chronicles : and you shall find all this I speake to bee true . No Bohemus amongst the Bohemians , no Tuball amongst the Spaniards , no Belus amongst the Assyrians , no Ceres or Rhadamanthus , no Draco , Solon , or other Legifer amongst the Athenians , no Mercurius amongst the Aegyptians , no Minos , Lycurgus , Charandos , Phorondus , Romulus , Pythagoras , or Apollo , amongst the Cretensians , Lacedemonians , Tyrians , Grecians , Romanes , Italians , Archadians ; no Druides amongst the Gaules , no Martia , Mulmutius , Gildas , Alfrede , Edward , or any other vertuous king , polliticke prince , prudent regent , or exquisite Legifer amongst the Britons or Englishmen : at a word , no Law-maker of , to , or for any nation , could euer vtterly take it away . Neither any Abraham , Lot , Iob , Moyses , Samuel , Salomon , or Adam himselfe ( that had tasted the difference of both estates , of innocencie and sinne , of originall iustice and originall offences , of syndericall prudence and sottish ignorance ; and had preached of all these to the primitiue world ) could by any exemplar , altogether root it vp . Neither yet Christ Iesus , the wisedome of God his father , and coequall God with him , the most perfect Law-maker , President , and Examplar , without exception , our Priest , Sacrifice , and Redeemer , that tendered , offered , and payed so rigorous a raunsome for mans redemption , deliuerie , and demerites , that the least part , parcell , and portion of his tres-sacred , immaculate , and infinitely valuable oblation ; was both able , effectuall , and worthy not onely to haue cleansed all mallice , rancour , and venome of sinne , but the whole infection of all other infirmities and defects in any creature : would not for all that wholly take them from the world , but left them as a perpetuall penitentiall memoriall of a former euill desert , to tontinue in this state of pilgrimage : and as they were contracted by Adam in our first fall from innocencie in Paradice , so perfectly to be renewed by Christ in our last resurrection to endlesse happinesse . The law deliuered to Angels , was transgressed in Heauen , before euer Adam came within a ken of Paradice , ( if we follow the common opinion , That the Angels were created in that imperiall pallace ) the law giuen to man in the state of innocencie , was broken in Paradice terrestriall ; the vnwritten law vnder the Patriarkes , the written law of Moyses , the Euangelicall and most perfect law of Christ , all haue beene broken , and too often violated on earth . Of this , all ages , all times , all places , all persons of note and common sense haue complained : God and Angels from Heauen complayned : Prophets and prudent Princes , wise and polliticke Regents , carefull and vetuous Gouernours on earth complayne : the Patriarckes and auncient first Fathers , before the Law ; Priests ; Princes , and Prophets vnder the Law ; Christ his Apostles , Disciples , and all holy men in the Law of grace haue complained : the first man complayned : the last man will complaine : our Elders before ( sayth Seneca ) hereof complained : we our selues complaine : and those that shall liue after vs , will complaine of mans miseries , infirmities , fraileties , imperfections , and weaknesse in all things . And shall any Catholicke then bee so blinded with an erronious conceit of an extraordinarie perfection of pieties , of religion , of deuotion , of familiaritie with God , of freedome from sinne , of peculiar indowments with grace , for soule points , gouernment and instruction in all things , to rest in a Iesuit , aboue all other men on liue ? Phy , Catholickes phy: let neuer so vncatholicke a thought take a momentarie repose vpon the buttresse of your breasts ; or once sincke into the centre of your hearts , least you sinke downe into hell without redemption in so blasphemous a thought as this were ; and as too many of you haue beene infected , though not as yet I hope so peruerted as that you are remedilesse impossible to be cured . If the Iesuits will be Puritanes , and esteeme better of themselues than all their neighbours doe besides ; yet puritanize not you with them : least they take incouragement by your ignorant applauses , to prosecute their impious courses , and so draw you on to attempt their owne and your destruction ; yea , and I pray God , not perdition also of bodie and soule , by running into some desperate heresie , with , or after them .

What should I say more ? I am still too tedious : for such are the Meandrian passages in discourse of the Iesuiticall platformes , drifts , and deuices , as dayes , months , and years , would faile to set downe all the errors , calumnies , and pragmatickes vsed by them and their correspondent consorts , on their owne behalfe , against the Secular priests , and all that ayme not at the period of their fatall course : From which I beseech God to blesse , preserue , and keepe all innocent , sincere , harmlesse , well meaning hearts ; and to recall , reuoke , and deliuer all those out of their snares , that are alreadie infected with their flatterie , falshood , and follie . And so crauing pardon , if I haue exceeded too farre the limits of an Epistle , or any way otherwise offended any person that is not Iesuited in affection or faction , I now in a generall congie to all gentle censurers of my well meant ( how meane soeuer ) endeuours , as heartily , as hastily being called away , doe take my leaue .