A TREATISE OF SCHISM.  
Showing, that all Catholics aught in any wise to abstain altogether from heretical Conventicles, to wit, their prayers, sermons. etc. divided into four Chapters, whereof 

1. Containeth sundry reasons to that purpose, grounded for the most part upon Scriptures and Fathers.  
2. Examples out of holy Scripture.  
3. Examples out of ecclesiastical histories.  
4. Answers to the chief objections.    
By Gregory Martin Licentiate in Divinity.  
DVACI. Apud johannem Foulcrum. 1578.   

HIc Tractatus est planè Catholicus, & nostris imprimis hominibus hoc schismatis tempore pernecessarius.  
Ita testor Gulielmus Alanus S. Theologiae Doctor & Professor.   

¶ THE PREFACE to the Reader.  
COnstantius Emperor, father unto Constantine the great, 
Eus. de vita Const. lib. 1. ca 11.  offered unto his nobility this Condition, That as many as would offer Sacrifice unto the Idols, should have both access unto his royal person, dwell in his Court, and have offices & great honour in the common wealth. They that would not thus do, should have no access unto his person, no familiarity with him, should bear no office in the common wealth, but should be banished the Court, and also be deprived of such offices and honours, as presently they did enjoy. Forthwith the whole Court is divided in two parts, whereby the Emperor easily might perceive each man's mind, faith, truth, & religion: for the true Christians were by and by ready humbly to departed, rather than by tarrying to violate their faith for world lie honour. Then Constantius opening his secret purpose, blameth the dissembling sort, calleth them dastards, faint hearted Cowards, traitors unto their God, and his truth, and flatterers unto their Emperor, men unworthy to live in his service. For how will ye keep faith unto me your master (saith he) that have violated your faith unto the eternal God? ye are convicted of perjury unto God, how can ye be true unto man? The others he commended highly for their constancy, piety, & true faith, he judgeth them worthy to have rule & charge of earthly things, that had showed themselves faithful to God. They are (saith he) like to be true unto their Emperor, that have showed themselves true and faithful to God, he committeth the custody of his own person to them, the charge & government of the Empire he layeth in their hands, the rest he did utterly banish as pernicious flatterers, turne-coates, and hypocrites. Verily, the fact was heroical, & worthy the father of Constantine, it was the very way to try true men from flatterers, faithful servants from false deceivers. For he that will not stick to violate his faith, his religion, & his conscience towards God, for lucre's sake, who can think that such willbe faithful and trusty unto man? Great therefore is the oversight of our days, wherein he that can best dissemble, he that can violate his faith unto God and his Church, for worldly preferment, is taken for most trusty and faithful: he that will come to the Church, although it be never so much against his conscience, he that will receive their what shall I call it, although he wisheth it in his belie that delivereth it, is thought to be best to be trusted with the greatest affairs & weightiest business about the prince. But this good Emperor judged them unworthy to have charge about men, that made no conscience to violate their faith unto God. But one will say, 
4. Reg. 5. Obiectio.  Naaman the Assyrian was permitted by Elizeus the Prophet, to go with the king into the temple where Idolatry was, and yet never impair his conscience: even so may we go to the Church for obedience sake without hurting our conscience, or violating our faith to God. 
Resp.  If Elizeus gave him leave (as you guess, which yet the text proveth not) to go to do his master temporal service, not in respect of religion, but according to his office, it was, (as you confess) but by leave of the prophet, whom God did will then to be obeyed: but he that is Elizeus now, doth give you no such leave, but doth command the contrary, whose voice you are bound to obey, else this example of Naaman will condemn you. For if he durst not do so much, as his temporal office unto his master in the temple without the prophets leave, how dare you do an act of religion, to further heresy against the express commandment of him, 
Deut. 24. Math. 19 Marc. 10. Heb. 7. Galat. 3  who is greater in office then Elizeus? Moses' gave the jews libellum repudy, a letter of divorce, not that it was so from the beginning, but propter duritiam; because of the hardness of their hearts, because of the imperfection of the jews, for the old law brought nothing to perfection, gave no grace, but was a time of infancy: but now infancy is passed into man's age, and grace is given more abundantly to men. The time a time of perfection that will admit no such divorce, no such licence (as you seem to say) Naaman thassyrian had, who was but a Proselyte or a Catechumene. 
1. Cor. 10.  Also there were no such weaklings to take scandal at his presence in the Temple of Remmon, as are here in the synagogue of heretics. You may not therefore draw this example of Naaman to colour your offence, no more than may these that now do put away their old wives and take new, use this example of the old law to cloak their adultery. 
Math. 5.  For unless your righteousness do exceed that righteousness of the Scribes & pharisees, ye can not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Also heresy & schism are two most grievous sins, yet distinct according to that whereto they are directly opposite of themselves: 
S. Tho. 2.2  as heresy of itself is repugnant unto faith, Schism opposite unto the unity of the ecclesiastical charity. And therefore, like as faith and charity are two divers virtues, (although whosoever lacketh faith, is also void of charity) So Schism and and heresy are two divers vices, although who that is an heretic, is also a schismatic, 
Hier. supper epist. ad Galat.  yet not every Schismatic is an heretic: as teacheth S. Hierome. Inter schisma & haeresim hoc interest, quòd haeresis perversum dogma habet, Schisma ab ecclesia separate. etc. Between Schism and heresy these are the odds, That heresy hath always a perverse opinion against an article of faith, Schism separateth from the Church: yet like as the losing of charity is the very high way towards the losing of a man's faith, according to that of S. Paul, A quibus quidam aberrantes, conversi sunt in vaniloquium. From which some wandering (charity and such like) are resolved into brabblings. So is Schism the high way into heresy, although at first Shisme may be understood somewhat divers from heresy itself, yet in th'end there is no Schism that doth not coin forthwith some heresy to have a colour to revolt from the Church. And therefore commonly the sin of Schism hath been more grievously punished in the Scriptures than infidelity or Idolatry. 
Exod. 32.  For we read, that the sin of Idolatry was punished by the sword, by man's execution, 
Num. 16.  But of the sin of Schism we read, Si novam rem fecerit Dominus, ut aperiens terra os suum deglutiat eos, et omnia quae ad illos pertinent. etc. If our Lord should do a new thing, that the earth opening her mouth do swallow them, and all things that do appertain unto them, and living, they shall descend to hell, by this you shall know that they have blasphemed our Lord God. Also the ten tribes, which through Schism revolted from the kingdom of David, were most grievously punished, 
3. Reg. 12.  and in fine fell from Schism to idolatry. Moreover, as long as Abraham abode among the Chaldeis, who were Idolaters, 
Gen. 13. 15-17.  it is not found that our Lord appeared much unto him, although, as it may be thought, he was a good man: but when he departed from thence, we read, that often God appeared unto him, and as of a benefit most singular, doth put him in remembrance of his delivery. 
Gen. 33.  Ego dominus qui eduxi vos de terra Hurr Chaldeorum. jacob the beloved did refuse to go into the company of reprobate Esau, although by gifts he had pacified him, neither would suffer any of his servants to be among his herdsmen. 
Gen. 21.  Ismaels' play with Isacke did so offend Sara, that it is called in Scripture persecution. Hard it was, (although Abraham prostrate besought it) to save Lot from the wrath of God in Sodoma: yea, his wife for looking once back towards the place where the wicked were, 
Gen. 19  is eternally punished: 
Math. 26. Luk. 22.  and Peter the prince of th'apostles by entering into the palace of the high superintendant, & warming himself at their fire, is driven to deny his faith: john the beloved could not escape their hands, but by leaving his gaberdine behind, glad to escape stark naked. These are written for our instructions, 
2 Tim. 2.  that we should beware of false heretics and Schismatics, whose speech creepeth as doth the disease of a cancar, 
Ca Apost. 63.  & infecteth those that it toucheth. The Church therefore, as a careful mother, hath by Canons of antiquity utterly forbidden her children to come near the forsaken company, 
Con. Laod. can. 9. 3●.33.  as by the cotations in the margin may appear. Bruno a learned writer saith, that each proviso whereby heresies & schisms are to be avoided, do consist in these: 
Bruno.  Haereticorum communione, collegiis, conventiculis, Scholis, praedicationibus, & doctrinis, libris falsis, ab haereticis, vel compositis, vel depravatis By communicating with heretics in their colleges, conventicles, or prophesying, preachings, schools, or in books, either by them sally made, or by their notes corrupted: for as by these things being suffered, heresies & Schisms do grow, increase, take rooting, and infect: So these occasions being prohibited & cut off, they are either suppressed or utterly extinguished. To communicate with heretics in these things, is for three causes forbidden by the Church, and that upon pain of the censures thereof. The first, because heretics are cut from the Church, with whom neither the Church, nor they of the Church aught to have either fellowship or communion. Secondly, because Catholics communicating in any of the premises with heretics, corum se peccatis involuant, do wrapp themselves (to be guilty) in their sins, as it is written, Departed from the tabernacles of these wicked men (Schismatics) touch nothing that appertaineth unto them, 
Rom. 12.  lest in their sins you wrapp yourselves. Thirdly, lest in using their society, you be made one of them. 
2. Tim. 2. 1. Cor. 10.  Qui stat videat nè cadat. For their speech and company doth infect. An emulamur dominum? Shall we provoke or try whether God dare punish us? Are we stronger than he, that we can abide his displeasure? We do every day provoke him to anger, when we come to the conventicles of his enemies. It is not good to sustain his displeasure. And therefore is it forbidden by the Constitutions of the Apostles. 
Const. Apost. lib. 5. ca 4. Et idem multis in locis. Vide F. Turria.  Impios haereticos qui impenitents fuerint. etc. The wicked heretics that have separated themselves from the faithful Catholics, cast off, for they are impenitent, and charge the Catholics to abstain from their fellowship by all means, neither let them have any communication with them in speech or prayers, for they are adversaries and thieves to the Church, they beguile the flock, defile the heritage. We warn you therefore, that ye avoid them, lest they entangle your souls in their snares, for it is not lawful to run with thieves. No man can serve two masters at once. Thus far the Apostles. We see what charge they gave to the children of the household: For like as the life of the body proceedeth from the quickening spirit (for until the breath of life was into the nostrils of man breathed, 
Aug. Ser. 186. & in joan.  the body was senseless, without life, 
A fit similitude.  for the life of the body is the soul, made after the Image of God: all the members as long as they remain in the body, have life and strength effectual to their appointed operation proceeding from the soul, in the same body for that purpose abiding. But if either leg, arm, ear, or nose be cut off from the body, the life of the soul followeth it not, it is dead, unprofitable, wretched, and miserable: the life of the soul followeth not a divided member: Even so, look what the soul of man doth in the natural body of man, the same doth the holy Ghost in the mystical body of Christ. By Baptism we have put on Christ. 
Gal. 3. Rom. 6.  Quotquot in Christo baptizati estis, Christum induistis. We are incorporate into his body, as truly, as the legs, arms, and head, are by sinews organically joined to the life of thy soul. So truly are they that have put on Christ in Baptism, united unto the mystical body of Christ, which is the Catholic Church: The soul or life of which body is the holy Ghost, 
joh. 15.  like as the life of man is his soul. As long as we remain in this body mystical, in this vine, as true members, as true branches, so long have we life, grace, & gifts proportionable unto the part, that we occupy in the mystical body. If we cut off ourselves by heresy, by schism, by going into the Church, where it is, or where any part of the schismatical service thereof is said or preached, we have no more the life, graces, and gifts of the holy Ghost, to merit life everlasting, then hath the leg or arm, cut off from the body, the life of the soul, which only remaineth in the body. The graces of the holy Ghost do not follow a divided member, what good works soever he do, they help nothing to merit life, but he is a dead member withered to be cast into the everlasting fire of hellish pain and woeful misery. Vbi ecclesia, 
Iren. li. 3. cap. 40.  ibi & spiritus, & ubi spiritus dei, illic ecclesia & omnis gratia, spiritus autem veritas. Where the Church is, there is the spirit, & where the spirit of God is, there is the Church & all grace, & the spirit is truth. And S. Augustine saith: Qui ecclesiam relinquit, 
Aug. tract. 1. in 1, Ep. joh.  quomodò est in Christo? How is he in Christ, that forsaketh the church of Christ? how is he in Christ, that is not in the body of Christ, which is his Catholic Church? To try whether thou be a member of this Church (good reader) peruse this book for thy salvation prepared not by one man, but by the whole Church, whose voice thou art bound to obey: and if thou findest thyself to lack, use the remedy therein prescribed to save thy save thy soul, and pray for them that for thy behoof have set it forth. From Rheims within the Octaves of All Saints. 1578.  
By your countryman G. M.   

¶ REASONS THAT CATHOLICS aught in any wise to abstain from heretical Conventicles.  
CAP. I  
THeir very persons aught to be avoided: 
Tit. 3.  Haereticum hominem post unam & alteram admonitionem devita. A man that is an heretic avoid after he is once or twice admonished. And, Nec ave ei dixeritis: 
joh. 2.  qui namque dicit illi, ave, communicate operibus eius malignis. say not so much to him as, God save you, for he that saith so to him, doth communicate with his wicked works. 
Euseb. li. 3. cap. 22.  As S. john did teach other, so himself gave example: Fugiamus hinc, nè balneum cadat super nos, in quo est Cerinthus veritatis hostis. Let us flee from hence, lest the bathe fall upon us, in the which Cerinthus is, the enemy of truth. It is a famous history: S. john the Apostle and Evangelist would not tarry in the place, 
2. Tim. 4.  when he heard Cerinthus the heretic was there. Alexander aerarius restitit verbis nostris, quem & tudevita. Alexander the Coppersmith withstood our words, whom I will that thou also do avoid or shun.  
It is dangerous. 
Rom. 16.  Per dulces sermons & benedictiones seducunt corda innocentium. By sweet words and gay blessings they seduce the hearts of the simple or good meaning persons. And therefore, Rogo vos fratres ut obseruetis eos, & declinate abillis. I beseech you brethren take good heed of them, and turn aside from them. 
2. Tim. 2.  And, Sermo eorum ut cancer serpit, & subverterunt quorundam fidem, multùm enim proficiunt ad impietatem. Sed firmum fundamentum Dei stat, habens signaculum hoc, cognovit Dominus qui sunt eius. Their talk creepeth like a canker, and they have subverted the faith of certain, for they prevail much in ungodliness. But the foundation of God standeth sure, our Lord knoweth who are his. Only they that flee from such: and therefore it followeth: Discedat abiniquitate omnis qui nominat nomen Domini. Let him departed from wickedness, every one that nameth the name of our Lord: every good Catholic. Again, 
2. Pet. 2.  Pellicientes animas instabiles, eos qui paululum effugiunt. Alluring unconstant souls, such as scape them but a very little. Who are they qui paululum effugiunt, but such as boldly communicate with them, and therefore are in danger to become theirs altogether? Effugiunt, they scape them, because in heart they consent not: but paululum, very little, because in fact they are like to them. If they presume upon their constancy or knowledge, that there can ensue no danger, Qui stat, videat ne cadat. He that standeth, let him beware he fall not. And, Qui tangit picem, 
Ecclesi. 13.  inquinabitur ab ea. He that toucheth pitch, shallbe defiled with it.  
And, 
Ecclesi. 3.  Qui dormit iuxtà sepern, mordebit eum coluber. He that sleepeth near the hedge, a serpent will sting him. And, Qui amat periculum peribit in illo. He that loveth or seeketh danger shall perish in it.  
For the self-same cause it is not lawful, to read heretical books, and is it lawful to hear their sermons and prayers? 
Sozom. li. 1. ca 20. & li. 2. c. 31. de libris Marcelli haeretici.  Constantine the great made it death to him that did not burn the books of Arrius. Martian also and justinian made careful decrees to this purpose. This place is very large. Gregory the great (Bishop of Rome) did not absolve one Anastasius a priest from suspicion of heresy, 
Li. 5 ep. 64  till he had promised, that he would never read that heretical hook again, for the which he was suspected. Anastasium pręsbiterum promittentem, quòd codicem quendam haereticum nunquàm denuò lecturus esset, ita demùm absoluit suspectum haereseos. See Hessels that famous Doctor of Louvain in 1. Tim. 6. ad illud in graeco, aphistaso apo ton tointon. Dionysius Alexandrinus a most ancient, learned, 
Euseb. ec. li. 7. ca 6  and virtuous Bishop confesseth to a friend of his who warned him of heretical books, that he felt himself the worse for them, and had abstained, but that a heavenly vision gave him, as it were, a privilege, adding this cause: Nam satis habes virium & firmitatis ad quaeque, tùm convincenda, tùm exploranda. For thou art strong & sure enough, both to confound all that is in them, and to examine them. He that hath not this warrantise from Christ, or from his vicar, may not presume. It is noted in certain learned Catholics of our time, that by reading such books they somewhat yielded to error, Albertus Pighius and Alphonsus: may ignorant men be bolder than these?  
It doth argue consent, and that by presence you allow their doings, and therefore, in foro ecclesiae, you are taken for such, although you be not such, 
Apoc. 18.  and you shallbe punished with them. Exite de illa (Babilone, haeresi) populus meus, ut nè participes sitis delictorum eius, de plagis eius non accipiatis. Go out from her (meaning Babylon, which signifieth heresy) my people, that you be not partaker of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues. Mark: Populus meus, My people, because they were in heart his, 
Rom. 1.  but in conversation joined with his enemy. Digni sunt morte non solùm qui ea faciunt, sed etiam qui cònsentiunt illa facientibus. They are worthy of death, not only the doers, but they that consent.  
It doth dishonour God, and honour his adversary: a disgrace to the Church, a joy and comfort to heresy. The Church is a City upon an hill, that may only appear and be seen: the more it appeareth and is universal, the more it is for the honour of Christ. 
prover. 14  Honour Regis multitudo populi; paucitas plebis ignominia Principis. It is the kings honour to have a multitude of people, to have few is dishonour to the Prince. The adversaries knowing this, desireth only to make up a number, and is careless what they think in conscience, so they make a show to be his by any means. 
Psalm. 16.  De absconditis tuis adimpletus est venture eorum. Of such as are secret Catholics, they fill up their heretical synagogue: Lutherans, Caluinists, Puritans, anabaptists, all are the adversaries by profession. If he may get also of them that would otherwise be counted Catholics, to join openly with them, is it not his honour? He that in secret sootheth his prince, and openly taketh part with his enemve, in heart is his, in fact the others: his in peace, and the others in time of danger, whether of the two doth he most honour? 
1. Reg. 2.  But God sayeth: Honorem meum alteri non dabo. I will not give mine honour to another. And, Qui me glorificaverit, glorificabo eum: qui autem contemnunt me, erunt ignobiles. He that shall glorify me, him will I glorify: but will I glorify: but they that set little by me, shallbe of no reputation. And that voice of our Saviour to the jews what true Christian may abide, when it is worthily said to himself also. 
joh. 8.  Vos autem inhonorastis me, But you have dishonoured me. And, Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus, ut videant & glorificent Patrem vestrum qui in coelis est. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see it and glorify your Father that is in heaven. Nemo accendit lucernam & ponit eam sub modio, sed super candelabrum. No man is by God's grace lightened with Catholic faith and understanding, to hide it in his bosom. O it is a glorious thing, not only in mind, but bodily to join with our Lord. A notable example in the Levites, 
Exod. 32.  when Moses said: Si quis est Domini, iungatur mihi. If any man be of our lords side, let him join with me. They ran from the Schismatical idolaters, protesting that they were on their lords side, and therefore they were Parson & haereditas Domini, The priestly tribe, and afterwards accounted all one with juda, under the special protection of Almighty God. Ambros. li. 2. of. cap. 24. Licet tibi silere in negotio pecuniario. etc. In causa autem Dei, ubi communionis periculum est, etiam dissimulare peccatum est non leave. Thou mayest hold thy peace sometime in a money matter, but in God's cause, where there is danger of communicating with his enemies, to dissemble only, is no small sin.  
It is not only glorious, 
6. Luc. 12.  but necessary, to confess our faith openly. Qui negat me coram hominibus, negabo & ego cum coram Patre meo & Angelis eius. He that denieth me before men, I will also deny him before my Father and his Angels. And, 
Rom. 10.  Cord creditur ad justitiam, To be justified we must believe in the heart in catholic quietness. Over confessio fit ad salutem. To be saved we must confess with our mouth in time of heresy. And, 
Hebr. 10.  justus meus ex fide vivit. Quod si subtraxerit se, 
Subtractio seu praevaricatio.  non placebit animae meae. Nos autem non sumus subtractionis filii in, perditionem, sed fidei in acquisitionem animae. My just one liveth by faith. But if he secretly revolt, he shall not please my soul. We are not revolting children to perdition, but the children of faithfulness to save our soul. Subtrahere se, is to shrink from protesting his faith: huposteilasthai praevaricari. D. Amb. ep. 3. Ipsis Gentilibus displicere consuevit praevaricantis affectus, liberè namque debet defendere unusquisque fidele mentis suae & servare propositum. The paynim themselves were wont to mislike his behaviour that betrayeth his own cause: for every man aught freely to maintain and to keep the faithful purpose of his own mind and conscience.  
It argueth a neuter, that is, such a one as is not affected to either religion, and consequently of no religion: atheon, sine deo in hoc mundo: an Atheiste, one that acknowledgeth no God in this world. Apoc. 3 utinam frigidus esses aut calidus, sed quia tepidus es, & nec frigidus nec calidus, incipiam te evomere ex ore meo. I would thou were cold or hot, that is, no dissembler, but a plain dealer one way or the other. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, a neuter, earnest in neither, 
Mat. 11.  I will begin to spew thee out of my mouth. Qui non est mecum, contra me est, & qui mecum non colligit, spargit. He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.  
Or if thou have a conscience toward the Catholic Religion, and dost clean contrary, 
Rom. 14.  that is damnable. Beatus qui se non judicat in eoquod probat. Blessed is he that condemneth not himself in doing contrary to that he best alloweth. Quod enim ex fide non est, peccatum est. that is, according to his conscience: hoc est secundùm conscientiam, 
1.2, q 19  as S. Thomas expoundeth it: who maketh this conclusion so certain and unfallible, that if a man in conscience should err, as it is sin to do accordingly: so also to do contrary, is to him a damnable sin. For example. A Caluinist adoring the blessed Sacrament doth sin, because he is persuaded in conscience, he aught not, and that it is Idolatry. contrarywise, a Catholic because of his conscience, that Christ is there present, peccat non adorando, sinneth in not adoring, 
In psal. 98.  as S. Austin saith. jacob. 4. Scienti bonum facere, & non facienti peccatum est illi. He that knoweth to do good, 
In psa. 54.  and doth it not, to him it is sin. S. Austin. Qui nosti esse mala quae facis, & tamen facis ea, nonnè vivus descendis ad inferos? Thou that knowest the things that thou dost are ill, and yet dost them, dost thou not go down into hell quick? Thou art in conscience and knowledge a Catholic, in fact & demeanour thou wouldst seem an heretic, estnè ex fide? is it according to thy conscience? estnè quod probas? Is it that thou dost best allow? ergò peccatum est, quia non ex fide, ergò iudicasti teipsum in co quod probas. Therefore it is sin, because it is not according to thy conscience. Therefore thou hast condemned thyself, in doing contrary to that thou allowest. But wouldst thou not seem to allow their doings? Nolite errare, 
Galat. 6  deus non irridetur. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Why do other incur displeasure, but by disallowing their proceedings? how is that known, but by their absence only? (for many have not occasion to speak their faith) ergò thou art quiet, because thou dost seem to allow it, and that is gathered by thy presence: to thee therefore is said illud in ep. Cleri. Rom. apud Cipr. 31. Cùm totum fidei Sacramentum in confession nominis Christi intelligatur digestum, qui fallaces in excusatione praestigias quaesivit, negavit. Et qui vult videri propositis adversus evangelium, vel edictis, vel legibus satisfecisse, hoc ipso iam paruit, quòd videri paruisse se voluit. Whereas the whole mystery of faith is understood to consist in confessing the name of Christ, he that hath sought false sleights for excuse thereof, hath denied. And he that will seem to have fulfilled such Statutes and laws as are set forth against the Gospel, in so doing he hath obeyed them in very deed, forasmuch as he would have it seem that he hath obeyed them. Who knoweth not that cold Catholics come to Church in England upon this false principle: 
De Civit. dei lib. 6. cap. 10.  We must obey a law? Saint Austen writeth of Seneca, one familiar with Saint Paul, but a dissembler for fear of Nero. Eò damnabilius fecit (colendo Idola) quòd ea quae fallaciter egit, sic tamen egit, ut veraciter egisse existimaretur. He did it (meaning his worshipping of Idols) so much the more damnably, because that which he did only for a show, yet so he did it, that he would be thought to have done it truly, and from his very heart.  
Here you may remember old Eleazarus, 
2. Mach. 5.  that would not seem to break any little point of God's law, but die rather a most cruel death. It is a famous history done before the time of grace, and therefore shall condemn our dissembling Catholics now in great points, for fear of small damages. Non namque aetati nostrae dignum est fingere; ut multi adolescentes arbitrantes Eleazarum transisse ad vitam alienigenarum, decipiantur. etc. It is a thing unworthy of our age to dissemble, whereby many young men thinking that Eleazarus is revolted to the life and Religion of Gentiles, may be deceived through my example.  
But it is possible that thy conscience is indifferent to both religions, and so thou art excused from doing against thy conscience. 
jacob. 3.  Nunquid fons de eodem foramine emanat dulcem & amaram aquam? Doth a fountain out of one and the self-same springe gush forth sweet and sour water? truth and heresy? unity and schism? Nemo potest duobus dominis servire. 
2. Cor. 6.  No man can serve two masters. And, Non potestis bibere calicem Domini & calicem dęmoniorum. Quae participatio iustitię cum iniquitate? aut quę conventio Christi ad Belial? aut quę pars fideli cum infideli? You cannot drink of our lords cup and the cup of devils? What partaking hath righteousness with iniquity? or what agreement is there between Christ and Belial? Or what part hath a faithful man with the faithless or infidel? And what followeth? Propter quod exite de medio eorum, & seperamini, dicit Dominus, & immundum ne tetigeritis, & ego recipiam vos, & ero vobis in patrem. For the which cause go out from among them, and separate yourselves from them, saith our Lord, and touch not that that is unclean, and I will receive you, and will be to you a Father. As much to say, if you will follow my religion only, I am your Father, your God. etc. Otherwise, 
Esai. 28.  Coangustum est stratum, ita ut alter excidat, & pallium breve non potest duos tegere. The bed is narrow, so that thou must needs fall out, and a short blanket cannot cover two. Which Saint Hierome doth interpret of Christ, who is, as it were, Sponsus animae nostrae, The Spouse wedded to our soul: And therefore can not abide adulterum simul secum in codem strato, an advoulterer together with him in the same bed. He will alone have us, or not at al. 
3. Reg. 18.  Si Baal sit Deus, sequimini eum; sin Dominus sit Deus, scquimini illum. Quousque claudicatis in utramque partem? If Baal be God, follow him. If our Lord be God, follow him. 
Ephes 4.  How long limp you on both sides? una fides, unus Deus, unus Dominus. One faith (saith S. Paul) one God, one Lord. 
3. Reg. 3  The natural Mother (Catholica Ecclesia) said not to Solomon: Dividatur. Let the child be divided, but all or none. The Samaritans worshipped the true God schismatically, and withal their own babbles: but it is said (joh. 4.) of the jews that had the true woorshipp of one God, Catholics, as it were. Non coutuntur judaei Samaritanis. The jews keep no company with the Samaritans. 
Deut. 22.  Again, those precepts: Non arabis 'bove & asino: Non texes vestimenta ex lino & lana: non miscebis duo semina in agro tuo. Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an Ass together. Thou shalt not weave garments of both linen and woollen. Thou shalt not mingle two divers seeds in thy field: and the like. What is the signification, but, Vae duplici cord. Woe be to the double hearted. And, Vir duplici animo inconstans est in omnibus viis suis. A double hearted man is unconstant in all his ways. And, 
Eccl. 3  Vir ingredients duas vias non habebit successus. And, Cor prawm scandalizabitur in eyes. A man that goeth in two ways, shall not go forward, and a wicked heart shall stumble in them. And that which is terrible. 
Sophon. 1.  Disperdam de terra eos, qui iurant in deum & in Melchom. I will destroy them that swear by God, and their wicked king. For so Melchom doth signify by God in heart, by their prince in behaviour, which serve both, depend upon both. etc. In malitia sua lętificaverunt regem, 
Oscae. 7.  & in mendaciis suis principes. They have the the king in their naughtiness, & princes by their lying or dissembling. Of such men as learn to dissemble of their naughty pastors, S. Austen saith: Si indifferentem habuero errorem tuum, 
De pastor. cap. 7.  attendit qui fortis est, putat nihil esse ire in haeresim, quando aliquod commodum de seculo reduxerit, unde mutetur. Statim mihi dicit fortis ille periturus, & hâc, & hâc deus est. Quid interest? homines inter se litigantes hoc fecerunt: ubicunque colendus est deus. If I shall think thy error indifferent, and that it is all one to do this or that, he that is otherwise strong, marketh it, and thinketh it is nothing to run into heresy, when some worldly commodity shall appear, whereby he may be altered and changed, by and by this stout man saith unto me, God is both here and there, what difference is there? men by jangling among themselves have made all this ado. God is to be worshipped in every place or congregation.  
It is scandalous, and maketh thy brother to sin, which is a very weighty consideration, as appeareth by our saviours Vae: 
Mat. 18.  Vae mundo à scandalis: Vae illi per quem veniunt scandala. Woe be to the world by reason of stumbling blocks: Woe be to him that maketh other men to stumble. And, 
Marc. 9  Qui scandalizaverit unum ex pusillis istis, credentibus in me, bonum est ei magis si circundaretur mola asinaria collo eius, & in mare mitteretur. He that is an occasion why any one of these little ones, that believe in me, do stumble or sin, it were good for him, if a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were cast into the Sea. Pusilli, Little one, are they that believe well, and mean well, and gladly would do for the best, but are easily moved to relent by authority or example. Here remember once more old Eleazarus, who therefore chose to die, 
2. Mach. 6.  because young men should not be bold to break God's law, saying: Old Eleazarus did so, why may not we? but, O worthy Eleazarus, it was required only of thee to eat lawful meats, so that thou wouldst but seem to have eaten unlawful: yea (quoth he) therefore let me die, rather than young persons by thinking that I did it, offend damnably by occasion of my dissimulation. This man knew before by inspiration that Vae which Christ afterward pronounced scandalizantibus. And therefore less marvel (although marvelous) if S. Paul afterward speak vehemently: 
1. Cor. 8.  Si ęsca scandalizat fratrem meum, non manducabo carnem in aeternum. If meat offend my brother, or be occasion of his fin, I will not eat flesh for ever: although the meat of itself was good and lawful. Sic namque peccantes in fratres, & percutientes conscientiam corum infirmam, in Christum peccatis. For you sinning after that sort against your brethren, and wounding their weak conscience, sin against Christ: wherein was this dangerous scandal committed? mark the case like to ours. Si namque quis viderit eum qui habet scientiam, in idolio recumbentem, nonnè conscientia eius cùm sit infirma, aedificabitur ad manducandum idolothita? for if a man shall chance to see him that hath knowledge sit in the temple of idols, shall not his conscience being weak, be edified and induced to eat idolatrous meats by thy example? if a weakling see thee (a man of account and estimation) present in the Church of heretics, or at their sermons, their conscience being not fully settled to detest heresy, is he not easily induced to frequent their convencles with danger of daily corruption, and either to like the better, or to mislike the less of their sayings and doings? 
Aug. epist. 154.  Apparet illud esse prohibitum, (saith S. Austen) nè in honorem alienorum deorum aliqua re utamur, áut uti existimemur, sic etiam accipiendo, ut quamuis animo contemnamus, eos tamen qui nostrum animum ignorant, ad haec honoranda aedificemus. It is evident that this is forbidden, that we use not any thing in the honour of strange Gods, or to be thought to use, taking it in such sort, that although in heart we despise it, yet we edify and induce them that know not our heart, to honour the same things. This case concerneth all states, upon whose example any one Christian soul dependeth: princes, prelate's, pastors, masters, parents. Of princes let one jeroboam suffice, who is always mentioned in scripture with this title of his scandalous apostasy. Qui peceare fecit Israel, that made Israel to sin: which is properly scandalum, or scandalizare. S. Ambrose to the Emperor Valentinian, epist. 30. urgeth the like inconvenience if he did but yield a little to the paynim request. Totus hic Christianorum periclitatur Senatus. etc. This whole bench of Christian Senators is in danger to offend mortally by this means. And (which is much to be noted contra excusandas excusationes in peccatis: against all blind excuses to justify ill doings, common now a days to diminish great faults) whereas the Emperor might have said, I did not sacrifice, nor induce any man to do it: yet because he permitted that only to be done, whereof Idolatry followed, paganis ut erigerent arras, the Paynims to set up Idolatrous altars, he saith: Vox enim tua, manus tua. Thy word is thy hand. Et subscriptio tua opus est tuum. And to subscribe to the Paynims licence, is as much as if thou hadst done it thyself. And again: Quisquis hoc suadet, sacrificat, & quisquis hoc statuit. Whosoever giveth council to it, doth sacrifice to false Gods, and whosoever doth decree it. See how far this sin (scandalum) extendeth, not only to the doers, but to them that council, subscribe, wink at it, permit and dissemble it. Apoc. 2. Habes illic tenentes doctrinam Balaam, qui docebat Balac mittere scandalum coram filiis Israel, pugnabo cum illis in gladio oris mei. Thou hast there that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac how to give occasion that the children of Israel might sin: I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He threateneth the masters and counsellors, qui docebant mittere scandalum, as Balaam, not only the prince himself and chief doer Balac. Of 
* Vide exemplum Miseni & Vitalis, qui à Ro. pont. missi Constantinopolim, cum Petro haeretico communicarunt, quantum scandalum populo dederint, ut putaverit Pontificem Rom. cum haeretico communicasse. evagr. li. 3. cap. 21.  prelate's I will give examples afterward in more convenient plaee, lest I dwell in this reason to long. Of Pastors, S. Austen (de pastoribus ca 7. to .9.) Si fortè dixerit aliquis Donatista, non tibi do filiam meam, nisi fueris de part mea; illi opus est ut attendat et dicat: Si nihil maliesset de part eorum, non contra illos dicerent tanta pastors nostri, non pro illorum errore satagerent. If perhaps some Donatist shall say (to a cold Catholic) I give thee not my daughter unless thou be of my side, it standeth this man upon to take good heed, and to say with himself: If there were no harm on their side, our Pastors or preachers would not speak so much against them, they would not be so earnest to confounded their error. It followeth: Si ergò cessemus et taceamus, contraria locuturus est: utique si malum esset in part Donati, loquerentur contrà, redarguerent eos, satagerent lucrari illos, si errant revocarent illos, si percunt, quaererent illos. etc. If therefore we cease and hold our peace, he will say contrary: Verily if there had been any evil in Donatus faction, our Pastors and Curates would speak against it, would rebuke them, if they be lost would seek them. etc. Of Parents. Ciprianus de lapsis. Nun illi (paruuli) cùm judicii dies venerit, dicent: Nos nihil fecimus, nec derelicto cibo et poculo domini (the blessed Sacrament) ad profana contagia spontò properavimus; perdidit nos aliena perfidia, parents sensimus homicidas. Illi nobis ecclesiam matrem, illi parentem deum negaverunt, ut dum parvi et improvidi, et tanti facinoris ignari, per alios ad consortium criminis iungimur, aliena fraud caperemur. Will not they (the children) when the day of judgement shall come, say? We have done nothing of ourselves, neither, forsaking the meat and the cup of our Lord (the blessed Sacrament) have we of our own accord hastened to profane infections, other men's infidelity hath undone us, we have felt our own parents menstears, they have denied us the Church our Mother, and God our Father, that whiles we being young, and foreseeing no danger, and ignorant that it was so heinous a fault, by the motion of others are made partakers of the crime, by other men's policy might so be entrapped. This place concerneth most kind of persons, & were to be handled at large, because Parents may many ways give their children occasion to fall into heresy & schism (but I would gladly end this first part concerning reasons:) briefly, if they give example, by communicating, if they permit their children, or rather command them, thereby to excuse themselves, imagining that it is venial in them because of their age: if they do not forbidden them and teach them the contrary, if they send them to schools or universities, where they must needs hear and see, and do that they should not. etc.  
Nuptię cum infidelibus prohibentur, et cum hereticis. Marriage with Infidels, and with heretics is forbidden, because of the danger in perverting one the other. Et contractę discindi poterunt ac debent, illę quoad vinculum, istę quoad cohabitationem, si cohabitare non liceat sine iniuria Creatoris. And being contracted may notwithstanding, and aught to be sundered, th'one to be no marriage, the other not to live together at all, if they cannot live together without injury of their Maker: that is, if th'one will needs make tother offend God. 
2. Cor. 6.  Nolite jugum ducere cum infidelibus. Draw not in one yoke with Infidels. Which is most properly spoken de coniugibus, et. 1. Cor. 7. and Tertullian ad uxorem, 
Euscb. li. 4 cap. 16.  and thecclesiastical history of a virtuous godly matron that departed from her husband. And our Saviour himself. 
Mat. 19  Qui reliquerit uxorem propter me, centuplum accipiet. He that forsaketh his wife for my sake, shall receive a hundred fold. Qui non oderit, 
Luc. 14.  non est me dignus. He that hateth her not for my sake, is not worthy of me. 
Deut. 13.  And Moses: Si uxor quae est in sinu ruo. If thy wife that fléepeth in thy bosom will persuade thee error, cast thou the first stone at her. If the wife and her husband may not keep company, because the one is a wicked infidel or heretic, of whom it is said: Et adhęrebit uxori sue. And he shall cleave to his wife. And if the son must upon pain of damnation forsake the Father, and the daughter her mother, because they are of a contrary belief (for Qui diligit eos plus me, and, Qui non odit patrem et matrem, non est me dig He that loveth them better than me: yea, he that doth not hate father and mother (in this case) is not worthy of me. 
Luc. 12.  Putatis quia pacem veni mittere? non dico vobis, sed seperationem. Think you that I came to send peace upon the earth? no, I tell you truth, but division and dissension: meaning, that for his sake the son should leave his father, the daughter her mother, the wife her husband, one friend forsake another. If, I say, this be so, much more heretical conventicles are to be abhorred.  
All open professors of heresy or known heretics are ipso facto excommunicati, in so doing they are excommunicate forthwith, without further sentence, as appeareth in Counsels, decrees, et in bulla coenę domini. In their prayers and sermons their profession is manifest, ergò then especially we must abstain from them, quia participare cum excommunicato in divinis etiam catholicè, grave peccatum est: because to communicate or to be partaker with an excommunicate person in things pertaining to God's service, albeit after a catholic manner (as when the Pelagiens had all their service and ceremonies catholic) is by the judgement of learned divines and the consent of the Church a grievous sin, how much more grievous is it to communicate with them, when their service and manner of prayer is wholly heretical? Yea, the first case de reseruatis in bulla Coe. Domini, est hęresis, & comprehendit eos qui praesumunt legere libros hęreticorum, quique imprimunt, et domi habent, et demùm omnes fautores hęreticorum: ergò à pari, to frequent their conventicles where they pray & preach is comprehended.  
It is excommunication to enter into the Jews synagogue at the time of their ceremonies, wherein every day, as S. Hierome writeth, they pronounce a solemn curse contra jesum Nazarenun, against jesus of Nazareth, so they call him of contempt & despite. The like is said of the Grecians in Venice: much more is it to be conceived of haunting heretical conventicles, where the blessed Sacrament, the vicar of Christ, are impudently blasphemed: much more, 
1. Cor. 5.  I say, as appeareth by the Apostles distinction, de fornicariis huius mundi, and, si is qui frater nominatur, est fornicarius. Of them whom he calleth fornicators of this world, infidels or Paynims: and of christian brethren that are fornicators: of them he meant not, but of this latter. Nè commisceamini cum illis, Keep no company with them. etc. but more of this comparison hereafter. Here cometh to hand another reason.  
Scripsi vobis non commisceri, 
1. Cor. 5 14.  si is qui frater nominatur, est fornicarius, aut avarus, aut maledicus. etc. cum eiusmodi nec cibum sumere. I wrote to you not to keep company with any such, as being a Christian man, is a fornicator, or covetous, or foul speaker, with such a one I say not to take meat. And 2. Thessal. 3. generally: Denunciamus autem vobis, fratres, in nomine Domini jesu Christi, ut subtrahatis vos ab omni fratre ambulante inordinatè. etc. We earnestly and precisely declare unto you (brethren) that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that liveth unorderly And, Per epistolam hunc notate, & nè commisceamini cum illo. give me a note of him by your letters, and keep no company with him. Why? ut confundatur, to shame him. He talketh of less sins than heresy. And is it the way to shame heretics, and so to reclaim them, when their sayings and singings are honoured with our presence? To absent ourselves is, no doubt, a confusion to them, and doth astonish them, although they be obstinate.  
Every Catholic must confess that the Church of Christ upon earth is visible, the members whereof must needs be tied together aliquo signaculorum vel Sacramentorum visibilium consortio, 
Li. 19 ca 11 contra Faustum.  with some society of visible signs or Sacraments, as S. Austen saith: èrgò they that secretly in heart are Catholics, and visibly in Sacraments and ceremonies communicate with heretics, flatly declare the they are not to be accounted of Christ's visible and only Church: which place being well urged, must needs condemn them by their. Catholic opinion of the visible Church. For if all should hide their faith, how should the Church appear? If others do (God be thanked) innumerable, and they do not, how are they the children of one mother, the members of one body? Or what privilege have they, whereas it is necessary that many always do protest visibly their religion, to be exempted from that open profession? They cannot possibly cavil against it: for, Reliqui mihi septem millia qui non curuaverunt genua ante Baal. I have left me seven thousand that have not bowed their knees before Baal. An heretical objection for their invisible Church, is meant of them that in Jerusalem even then served God openly in the Temple, 
〈…〉  when Elias complained that in Samaria among the ten Tribes, 
〈…〉  Relictus sum ego solus. Or he spoke it of the good men in the ten Tribes. (S. Austen Collat. contra Donat. cap. 20.) of zeal, because he knew but few.  
If nothing else did move, yet very zeal against the enemies of Christ and his Church should 'cause a good Christian to abstain. Zelus domus tuę comedit me. The zeal of the house of God hath eaten me. And, Odivi ecclesiam malignantium, & cum impiis non sedebo. Lavabo inter innocentes manus meas, & circundabo altar tuum Domine. I hate the congregation of wicked men, & with the ungodly I will not sit. I will wash my hands among innocents, and compass thy altar, O Lord. That is: I will embrace it with both hands, not giving one to thee, and the other to thy adversary. Dilexi decorem domus tuae, & locum habitationis gloriae tuae. I have loved the beauty of thine house, and the place where thy glory dwelleth. Hath a cold Catholic this zeal to God's house against synagogue? to whom it may justly be said: Si videbas furem, currebas cum eo: & cum adulteris portionem tuam ponebas. Existimasti iniquè quòd ero tui similis. If thou sawest a thief, thou didst run with him: and with the advoulterous thou didst take part. Thou hadst a wicked surmise that I will be like to thyself: a good gentle God to favour thy sin, as thou dost favour heresy. Arguam te, & statuam contra faciem tuam. I will lay it to thy charge, be thou sure, and call thee to account for it in the dreadful day.  
And because men do flatter themselves many ways in this case, and think it great wisdom and small offence to hide their conscience for advantage, by yielding a little. Let us consider certain other ways of consenting to Infidels, not so well known to the ignorant, 
After the Admiral's death Puritans did wear crosses in France.  and yet make a mortal sin. Caietan, in summula, tit. Habitus mutatio. Si differentia certa distinctiva Christianorum & aliorum est, ita ut quilibet utens tali habitu fateatur svam fidem, mortale esset peccatum, puta, Christianum defer super vestes characterem O ex aliquo timore, ubi hoc est proprium signum judęorum; quia hoc nihil aliud est, quàm ex timore fateri se judaeum. If there be a certain distinct mark, whereby to know Christians and others a sunder, so that any man by using that habit, thereby doth protest his faith, it were a mortal sin, for example, if a Christian man for fear should wear upon his outward garment this letter O in that place where it is a peculiar mark of the jews: 
The mark of heretics, character bestiae. Apo. 19 of Catholics signum ✚ Ezech. 9 If both bear one mark, how shall Christ sai: Cognosco oves meas I know my sheep.  for that is nothing else but of fear to confess himself a Jew. Or if a Puritan abhorring from a friars weed, would for fear wear it, being a most certain badge of a papist, he sinneth mortally according to S. Thomas conclusion de ratione errant, in my eight reason. Can there be a more manifest distinction of Catholics and heretics, than their Churches, their Sacraments, their prayers, their sermons? In S. Austin's time when it was demanded, Quâ itur ad catholicam? Which is the way to the Catholic Church? were not their Churches plainly so distinct, that to ask the way to either, was a token of his religion that asked: like as the schismatical Samaritans judged Christ to be of the jews religion, 
Luc. 9  Quia facies eius erat euntis in Jerusalem. Because his face looked as if he were going to Jerusalem. And therefore he could get no entertainment among them.  
It is all one to communicate with the devil and with his ministers. See then how easily a man may sin in this case, whereas, tollere signum (as they term it) by that means to help the person bewitched, is, in the opinion of great learned men, a certain communication with the devil. S. Hierom in vita S. Hilarionis noteth this especially in the cure that he did upon a maid bewitched per tormenta verborum, & portentosas figuras subter limen domus puellae defossas, By tormenting words and monstrous figures digged into the ground under the thresshal of her door. Noluit autem (saith he) sanctus antequàm purgaret virginem, signa jubere perquiri, nè solutis incantationibus, recessisse dęmon videretur. The holy man would not bid them look out the signs or figures, lest it might seem that the devil departed by undoing the enchantments Alas how common is this now adays and many other means, esteemed very honest ways, by signs, words, ceremonies, yea, unless they conjure flatly, and of purpose consult with the devil, they think the rest is no communication with him: right so in our case you may consider, where a man doth communicate with heresy, and deny his faith by many indirect and covert ways, never without mortal sin, by wilful presence, by Oxford protestations, quatenùs consentit verbo dei, as far as it agreeth with the word of God, by seeming to receive although he do not: by giving his name to the vicar as having received: by conceiving a new sense when his words import falsehood, & must needs sound consent to the hearers, as being asked of an heretic. Is the body of Christ in the blessed Sacrament? no forsooth, meaning in his visible quantity. etc. by whatsoever subtle and secret means of seeming to favour their opinions. So he that in praying for the Queen, used this stile, supreme governor of all persons ecclesiastical and temporal: Although it be true in his sense, yet his purpose was to have it seem, as though it were all one with the common stile. And so there be writers that think S. Peter saying: Nescio hominem, spoke it in this sense: Nescio purum hominem: 
Hieron. in 4. Math. & Theophilactus in 22. Luc.  but neither did he so mean, and if he did, yet the hearers understood him in the sense that they urged, and therefore it was so also a flat denial. Vide Augustinum varia genera mendaciorum lib. contra mendacium cap. 3. & deinceps.  
Another reason may be, because this dissimulation and indifferency pertaineth to old heresies. First Basilides, (Niceph. li. 4. cap. 2.) among other monstruous heretics, res nullo in discrimine ponere docuit, adiaphorein, perinde atque tempore exigente, absque exceptione omni praecisè fidem abiurare liceret. He taught men to be indifferent to any religion, as if it were lawful (the time so requiring) precisely without all exception to abjure the faith. The second Helcesaitarum. (Euseb. li. 6. cap. 31. ex Origene) fidem negare indifferens quiddam esse. Qui enim interiore cogitation rectè de fide sentiat, tametsi ore cùm necessitas illum cò detruserit, fidem perneget, eum tamen animo firmè illi adhaesurum. That to deny the faith is an indifferent thing, for he that in his heart inwardly hath a true belief, although with mouth, when necessity urgeth him, he deny his faith, yet in his mind he is ready to stick to it steadfastly. These make their ground, necessity, as many cold Catholics do, thinking so to be excused, and therefore, as S. Cyprian writeth de lapsis in his time: Non expectaverunt saltem ut interrogatinegarent, ante aciem multi victi. etc. They did not stay so long as to be examined first, and then deny their faith, many yielded before they began to fight. They prevent the law, lest they should be urged to their pain, calling it necessity, when they must either do it, or incur a little damage of displeasure or liberty. But let them learn, that it was the persuasion of the profane Count Magnus' servant to Valens the Arrian Emperor, to the Catholic priests and Deacons of Alexandria. 
Theodoritus li. 4. cap. 20.  O miseri, obsequimini, Arrianae opinioni assentite. Nam divinum numen, licet illa quam colitis religio vera sit, si non vestra sponte sed necessitate adducti, ab ea discedatis, veniam vobis daturum est. Etenim in his quae necessitate peccantur, relinquitur excusationi locus, Sed cùm sua sponte quisquam deliquerit, career reprehensione non potest. O wretched men, obey a law, agree to the Arrian religion: for the divine godhead, although your religion be true, if you revolt from it, not of your own accord, but by compulsion, will pardon you: for in such offences as are committed of necessity, some excuse will be taken: but when a man shall offend wilfully, that cannot lack blame and reproof. But how little those glorious Confessors were moved with this ethnish persuasion, appeareth in the story. S. Austen to signify, that no necessity in this case excuseth, 
In lasp. 30  Qui timendo mori mentitur, moritur antequàm moriatur, qui ideò mentiebatur ut viveret. He that fearing to die, lieth or dissembleth, is dead before he die, who therefore lied or dissembled that he might live. The third heresy is Priscilianistarum, of whom S. Austen writeth, 
Contra mond. ca 6  that being demanded their religion, they answered, Catholiks, that is of the contrary to their profession, because they would the better search what was done among the Catholics. Whereupon certain Catholics thinking they might do the same towards those heretics by dissembling in their conventicles, to learn their mysteries, 
Non in verbis tan tùm est mendacium sed factis, ut prophetia.  gave occasion to S. Austen to writ contra mendacium, against lying or dissembling, as himself telleth lib. 2. retract. 60. concluding that it was not lawful in any wise.  
To end, and, as it were, to bind fast the conclusion of all these reasons with the verdict of the Church, and ecclesiastical Fathers of our time, when this question was moved in the Council of Trent, to satisfy the doubtful consciences, chief of our countrymen, Twelve of the best learned (one Petrus a Soto) chosen by the Council to decide it, pronounced, omninò non licere, that it was in no case lawful. Being in England I saw their short discourse in writing. It is also the judgement of the best learned Fathers and Professors in Rome, Jesuits. And of so many as are sound Cotholike divines, of upright judgement, that have no foolish piety, to soothe the fearful humour of their carnal friends.   

¶ The 2. Chapter. Examples out of Scripture.  
THe Apostasy of jeroboam, and the ten Tribes is famous by these words: Erexit altar contra altar. He set up another altar against the true altar in jerusalem. He did sacrifice himself out of jerusalem, made priests other then Levites. etc. 
3. Reg. 13.  God therefore sending his prophet to rebuke him, gave straight commandment, that he should not eat nor drink with them, nor tarry among them, which he duly and truly observed, although the king himself invited him to his table. But being departed from thence, and fallen into the company of one thereabouts, that would needs entertain him, and 'cause him to eat, and because he refused upon God's commandment, told him that he also was the prophet of God, and did warrant him against all displeasure and offence. This good meaning man believed him, did eat and communicate with the Samaritane: and what followed? he was told by & by that he should die for it before he came home. A lion meeteth him in the way, and not hurting the ass, killed the credulous and disobedient man, for communicating with schismatics. A goodly example for Catholics against the ungodly persuasions of their friends that say unto them in this sort: Why are you so scrupulous? is it so great a matter to come to Church? 
2. Esdr. 6. is a notable example to resist the persuasion of false friends.  am not I Catholic aswell as you? I warrant you. Let them take heed of these false Catholics more then of open heretics, remembering that this man of God, whom jeroboam the king could not persuade, was persuaded by one that named himself a prophet. S. Austen. ep. 23. Quàm multi volebant esse Catholici manifesta veritate commoti, & offensionem suorum reverendo, quotidiè differebant. How many would gladly have been Catholics, because manifest truth did move them, and fearing the displeasure of their friends, daily differred it? Is it not verified here, 
Psal. 36.  Amici mei adversum me appropinquaverunt. My friends approached against me?  
Again, Elias and Elizeus, Oseas and Amos lived among the ten schismatical tribes to preach unto them, but did not communicate with them in their unlawful Sacrifice, 
Levit. 17.  which was lawful only in the Temple of jerusalem. Oseae. 4. 
Amos. 5. & Oseae. 9  Nolite ingredi in Galgala, & nè ascenderitis in Beth-anen. Enter not into Galgal, and go not up to Beth-anen: that is, domum iniquitatis, the house of iniquity: or, domum Idoli, the Idols house, because of jerohoams' golden calves, which before was called Bethel. Domus Dei, The house of God. Again, Si fornicaris tu Israel, If thou play the harlot, that is, if thou run after false religion, O Israel, 
Aug. lib. 1. contra Crescon, cap. 32.  you Samaritans or ten Tribes, manifest heretics and Schismatics. (Sunt enim Samaritani veluti haeretici judaeorum: for the Samarithe Samaritans are as heretics from the jews) Non delinquat saltem juda. Let not the Catholic juda offend by communicating with them. Particeps idolorum Ephraim, dimit eum. Ephraim (the ten tribes) taketh part with Idols, let him go, follow him not. S. Hierom in his Comment. 
In cap. 4. Oscae.  Super hęreticos prona intelligentia est, ad quos, vel de quibus dicitur. Si semel fornicaris, haeretice, saltem tu ecclesiastice nè delinquas, nè ingrediaris in Galgala, haereticorum conciliabula, non est ibi domus dei, sed domus Idoli. Concerning heretics the understanding of this place is easy, to whom or of whom it is said. If thou heretic play the fornicator from Christ, and his Church, yet thou that art a Catholic man offend not with him, enter not into Galgal, that is, heretical Conventicles. There is not the house of God, but the house of an Idol. Thus far S. Hierome. Mark now this brief comparison. The Temple of jerusalem which only had lawful Sacrifice, with she Catholic Church, extra quam non benè offertur, etsi sacrificium valeat. Out of the which Sacrifice is never well offered, although itself be always of value. Beth-anen with the heretical synagogues which before were Bethel: the houses of God, Catholic Churches: The ten Tribes with flat heretics: juda, or the two Tribes in jerusalem with Catholics. Consider the prophets words and the Doctor's interpretation, and for our purpose it is very plain. Tractat hunc locum Balduinus egregiè in historia sua de collatione Donatistarum & Catholicorum, quam subiunxit Optato, which is much worth the reading.  
The next example may be old Toby, Qui, cùm coeteri omnes irent in Bethel ad adorandos vitulos, hic solus fugit consortia omnium, & pergebat in jerusalem ad templum Domini. etc. Hęc & his similia secundùm legem dei obseruabat puerulus. Who, when all others went to Bethel to worship the calves, he alone fled their company and went to jerusalem, the Temple of our Lord. etc. These and other like things he observed according to the law of God being but a little one. After when he was in Niniuée, Nunquam contaminatus est in ęscis eorum. He was never polluted with their meats forbidden by the law. Being undoubtedly one of that number of whom God said to Elias: Reliqui mihi septem millia quinon curuaverunt genua ante Baal. I have left to myself seven thousand that have not bowed their knees before Baal. O what an honour was it in such an universal Apostasy when Elias said: Relictus sum ego solus. I am left alone, to have the glorious testimony of Almighty God in the lesser number of constant men. Reliqui mihi. I have left to me. Such are these few good Catholics, which either beyond the Seas or at home seek to the Catholic Church. They shall have toby's blessing, an Angel to direct them in all their doings, and the king Sennacherib shall (spite of his teeth) not hurt them. 
Heb. 1  Nolite timere pusille grex, Pater namque meus paravit vobis Regnum. Fear not little sweet flock, for my Father hath prepared you a kingdom.  
judith followeth, whose godly and constant wisdom if our Catholic gentlewomen would follow, they might destroy Holofernes, the master heretic, and amaze all his retinue, and never defile their religion by communicating with them in any small point. She came to please Holofernes, 
judith. 11.  but yet in her religion she would not yield so much as to eat of his meats, but brought of her own with her, and told him plainly, that being in his house, yet she must serve her Lord and God still, desiring for that purpose liberty once a day to go in & out the gate. 
judith. 12.  Non potero manducare ex his quae praecipis mihi, ne veniat super me offensio. I may not eat of that which thou commandest me, lest I incur God's displeasure. Which her constancy (a wondered thing to tell) was the very means afterward, whereby she carried away his head safely, the porters presupposing that she went forth (as before) to pray to her God. He hoped well to have had the company of her body, and so to possess her altogether: but God did so direct her religious mind, that she confounded him and all his, not once touching of his meats: Her good maid waited upon her all this time. And surely one constant judith shall easily make many like servants, a thing much to be wished, for the Catholic bringing up of young gentlewomen, who otherwise are in danger of Holofernes, and his ungracious ministers.  
For all young persons the story of Daniel, and the other children is convenient, who refused also to eat of the king's meats, ne communicando polluerentur, lest by communicating with them they might be polluted: which pleased God so well, that they were in better liking after roots and herbs, than the rest after flesh and fish. 
Daniel. 1. & 6.  And concerning prayers, he was so far from joining with Infidels, that he would not intermitt his own daily prayers toward the temple in jerusalem, when he knew it was death by the kings commandment.  
The zeal of Matthathias and his sons, 
1. Mach. 1. &. 2.  nè praeputium adducerent cum Gentilibus, rather than they would become uncircumcised like the Gentiles: the death of Eleazarus rather than he would seem to communicate: 
2. Mach. 6.  the careful diligence of Esdras and the rest in ablegando mulieres alienigenas, 
1. Esdr. 9 &. 2. Esd. 13  in putting away their foreign wives, which signify schisms and heresies, as in the proverbs is plain: the death of the seven Machahées and their worthy mother rather than they would communicate: 
2. Mach. 7. Vide jansenium in ca 2.5.6.7.9.11.  the wise man's council there so often to inculcate abstaining from the company mulieris alienae, blandae, pulchrae, sed stultae: of the woman that is a stranger, and speaketh fair, and is beautiful, but a very fool (heresy undoubtedly) the fall of Solomon so wise, so high in God's favour, Ex consuetudine & coniugiis foeminarum alienigenarum, By familiarity and marriage of foreign women, the express commandment of God to the contrary. Non inibitis cum illis foedus. You shall neither make nor meddle with them. Non dabitis filios vestros filiabus eorum. You shall not give your sons to their daughters, because they will pervert them, the same perilous effect so certainly ensuing, as the psalm maketh mention, 
Psal. 105.  Commisti sunt intergentes, & didicerunt opera eorum, & factum est illis in scandalum. They mingled themselves among the Gentiles, and learned their works, and it was an occasion to them of heinous sin: So many precepts de non tangendo immundo, not to touch any unclean thing, and if they did, to be unclean afterward: the zeal of the good Levite, which would not stay in jebus although it was toward night. 
judicum. 19 vers. 12.  Non ingrediar oppidum gentis alienae. I will not enter into the town of a foreign Nation, that are not of the sons of Israel. 
Genes. 34. vers. 1. &. 2.  Dina egressa in urbem alienigenarum, mox violata. Dina the daughter of jacob wandering abroad into Sichem a town of strangers and Infidels, by and by deflowered and corrupted: the answer of joseder and Zorobabel to the Gentiles that offered to help them in building the Temple. Non potestis aedificare nobiscum, 
1. Esdr. 4. vers. 3.  nos soli aedificabimus. You may not build with us, we alone will build: the strait charge to take nothing of the Anathema, 
joshua 7. u 13. &. 25.  the death of Acham for the contrary: the commandment to kill old and young, not to spare the very infant. Beatus qui tenebit & allidet paruulos tuos ad petram. 
Deut. 2.  Blessed is he that shall hold, and shall squise thy young ones against the rock, the lest infant of that harlot Babylon. And, 
Cantic. 2. vers. 15.  Capite nobis vulpeculas paruulas, quae demoliuntur vineam meam. Catch us these little foxes that spoil my vineyard, 
Deut. 14.  aswell the little as the great, for they do much harm also. Qui minima neglig it, paulatim defluit. He that is negligent in lesser points, by little and little falleth to greater enormities. 
Deut. 16.  Again, non rades caput in circulum, non incides carnes. Thou shalt not shave thy head in compass, thou shalt not cut or hew thy flesh (because it was a fashion of the Paynims) the paring of the captive women's nails and cutting her hear, the great praise of many kings in juda: veruntamen excelsa non abstulit, but he took not away sacrifices made upon hills, one point lacking to a perfect religious prince: that Solomon built a several house for pharao's daughter and his wife, 
3. Reg. 7.  for reverence to the temple, and ark of God, no Gentle to dwell nigh it: 
Exod. 4.  that Moses sent away uxorem Madianitidem, his wife that was a Madianite and stranger when he become Dux populi Dei in Egypt: 
Heb. 11.  and that he would not be esteemed the son of Pharaoh his daughter, but renouncing all the glory of Egypt, dealt only with the people of God, that the very name of Incircumcisus was odious & abominable. These and other like (quae omnia in figura contingebant illis) (All which chanced to them in figures (do they not signify that we aught to avoid all society and fellowship of error, and not to communicate with them in any small point of religion, nor to reserve any part thereof as indifferent, yea, rather to forsake wife and all dearest friends, then to communicate with infidelity?  
Last of all, to conclude this part of Scriptural examples, 
Epi. 76. fig. 3.  S. Cyprian doth much amplify the crime of schism by the grievous punishment of them which consented only, and took any part with Chore, Dathan, and Abyron. Omnes omninò cum authoribus coniungi, qui fuerint eorum peccato contaminati. That all are in punishment to be joined with the principal doers that shallbe polluted with partaking their sin. He concludeth thus: And when the sons of Aaron offerentes alienum ignem, 
Levit. 10.  did so offend, that the very thuribula eorum, their censars were turned into laminas, and might not be used, but kept for a memorial to the terror of others: are not we afraid cooperantes' alienis oblationibus, precibus, concionibus, erroribus? Assisting and furthering by our presence heretical oblations, prayers, sermons, other their errors. Here might be added out of the new testament the primitive example of the Christians. 
Act. 1. &. 4  Hi omnes erant perseverantes unanimiter in oration. They continued with one accord every one of them in prayer to God. And, Multitudinis credentium erat cor unum & anima una. Coeterorum autem nemo audebat se coniungere illis. Of the number that believed there was one heart and one mind. And of the rest that did not believe none durst join himself with them: according to the Psalm. Qui inhabitare facis unius moris in domo. That maketh his people to dwell in his house all of one manner and opinion. Is this observed where heretics and catholics meet in prayer together? 
In. 9 Oseae  Haereticorun conciliabula (saith S. Hierome) non domus Dei appellantur, sed speluncae latronum. Heretical conventicles are not called the house of God, but dens of strong thieves. But it is very likely, some man here will say, that these former authorities are against Gentiles and Paynims, not against heretics. 
In the third objection and his answer  Of this point I will say more afterward, whether of these are most to be shunned. In the mean time this I say. That which in the old Testament is spoken literally of Gentiles and idolaters, mystically is referred of all ancient Fathers to heretics in the new law, as shall appear by the ecclesiastical examples next following, wherein it is manifest, that Christians did as much abhor from heretics, as the jews before from Gentiles, and no marvel, because Christ commanded so in plain words: 
Mat. 18. vers. 11.1  Si ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut Ethnicus. If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as an Ethnic.   

¶ Examples out of ecclesiastical Histories.  
¶ The third Chapter.  
OF S. john in my first reason. Euseb. li. 4. ca 13. ex Irenaeo writeth, Joannem Domini Discipulum, cùm Ephesi ad balnea se conferret, intusque videret Cerinthum haereticum, se mox è balneo illotum proripuisse, & dixisse: fugiamus ociùs, nè balneum in quo est Cerinthus veritatis adversarius extemplò corruat. That S. john our lords Disciple going to the Baths at Ephesus, and seeing the heretic Cerinthus within, immediately leapt out of the bathe unwashed, and said: Let us flee hence in all haste, lest the bathe wherein Cerinthus the enemy of truth is, fall presently. In the same place, of S. Policarpe S. john's scholar, Marcioni in eius conspectum venienti ac roganti, Nosce nos amabo, Respondit, Novi quidem primogenitum Sathanae. When Martion the heretic came into his sight, and said ambitiously to him: Know us, Sir, I beseech you. I know thee (quoth he) to be an old babe, or the first begotten of Satan. And be addeth generally of others: Talem namque tùm Apostoli, 
Niceph. li. 3. ca 30.  tùm illorum discipuli adhibuerunt cautionem, ut nè sermonem quidem cum aliquo illorum qui veritatem suis commentis adulterare nitebantur, aliquando confer vellent, sicut Paulus admonet, hęreticum hominem devita. etc. For the Apostles and their scholars were so wary and circumspect in this case, that they would not so much as once reason the matter with any of them that endeavoured by their leasings to corrupt the truth, according to S. Paul's admonition: Shun the man that is an heretic and avoid him.  
And therefore Ignatius the Apostles scholar also, writeth, epist. 6. ad Philadelphenses. Fratres, ne erretis: Si quis eum sectatur qui se absciderit à veritate, regnum dei non haereditabit. My brethren, be not deceived: If a man follow his faction that hath cut off himself from the truth, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. And lest they might understand him of consent in opinion, he addeth: Et qui non abscedit à mendaci concionatore, in gehennam condemnabitur. Nec enim à piis discedendum, nec cum impiis commercia habenda. And he that goeth not away from a false preacher, shallbe damned into hell, for neither must we departed from the godly, nor have any dealing with ungodly and wicked men.  
Of Origen Eusebius telleth (li. 
Niceph. li. 5. Cap. 4.  6. ca 3.) quòd necessitate compulsus in eadem familia degere cum Paulo quodam heretico, tamen per idem tempus, evidentia catholicę suę opinionis judicia ostendere non dubitavit. That although of necessity he was forced to live in one house with one Paul an heretic, yet at the self-same time he doubted not to show evident tokens of his Catholic opinion. Wherein? Nam cùm frequens multitudo, non hęreticorum tantummodò, sed nostrorum etiam, propter singularem dicendi vim quę in Paulo inesse videbatur, ad eum accederent, Origenes tamen nunquàm induci poterat, ut precibus unà cum illo interesset. For when a great multitude, not only of heretics, but of our men also, for a singular grace of utterance that seemed to be in Paul, came unto him (as our Catholics gladly run to fine heretical sermons) yet Origen could never be induced to be present at prayer & divine service with him. Why so? Quip qui ab ineunte ętate & ecclesię canonem obnixè obseruasset, & (ut ipse in quodam libro loquitur) errorum doctrinas fuisset semper detestatus. As one who from his youth both had straightly observed the Canon of the Church, and (as himself speaketh in a certain book) had always detested erroneons doctrine. Two things are here to be noted, that he had that zeal of a child, and especially that it was the Canon or rule of the Church so to do: 
Vide Can 44.45.  which rule is plain in the Canons of the Apostles. Can. 63. Si quis clericus aut laicus Sinagogam judaeorum aut haereticorum conventiculum ingressus fuerit, ut preces cum illis coniungat, deponitor, & à communione secluditor. If any of the Clergy or say man shall enter into the jews synagogue, or the conventicle of heretics, 
Vide ep. Firmiliani apud Cipr. 75. apertissimum testimonium consuetudinis Catholicorun. nu. 7. frustra iam dubitat. etc.  to prayer among them, let him be deposed and excommunicated. If a Caviller say it toucheth not them that are present only, and say their own prayers: the Greek readeth to suneuxasthai to pray with them, or proseuxasthai, to pray simpliciter without any addition. And Origen following the Canon, induci non poterat, ut precibus unà cum illo interesset. Can not be induced to be present only at prayer with the heretic.  
Heraclas bishop of Alexandria was origen's chief scholar, & as it were, Catechist under him. Euseb. li. 6. ca 12. Of him Dionysius Alexandrinus having spoken of heretical books not to be read, but with great judgement, saith: 
Euseb. li. 7 cap. 6.  Istum Canonem istudque exemplum a beato Papa nostro Heracla cepi. Ille namque eos qui ab ecclesia abscessissent, cùm essent accusati, quòd consuetudine cuiusdam eorum qui alienan à side doctrinam tuebantur, multum usi fuissent, Ecclesia eiecit. etc. This Canon or rule (saith he) and this example I received of our holy Father Heraclas: for he excommunicated them that were departed out of the Catholic Church, when they were accused to have kept company very much with any of them that did maintain contrary doctrine to the true faith.  
Athanasius that mighty Champion against the Arrians coming to Antioch where one Leontius was bishop, Eum, ut à Catholica fide aversum devitavit, atque cum illis qui Eustathiani vocabantur, communicavit, conventu in ędibus privatis peracto. Shunned him as one turned from the Catholic faith, and he communicated with them that were called Eustathians (because they held with their Catholic Bishop Eustathius deprived) making assemblies in private houses. And Sozomen. lib. 3. ca 9 of the same, he did rather pray with Catholics in private houses, then with Leontius in the Church. Of which Leontius by the way it is not amiss to note what a dissembler and double dealer he was, that they now a days which are like unto him, 
Athanas. apud The odd. lib. 2. cap. 24.  may be ashamed. Etenim cùm clerum & laicam multitudinem in duas parts divisam cerneret, For when he saw that the Clergy and say multitude were divided into two parts, (some Arrians, some Catholics, or Homusians') and that the one company sange Gloria Patri, & Filio, & Spiritui Sancto, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the holy Ghost, to make them equal: the other per filium in spiritu sancto. Glory be to the Father by the son in the holy Ghost, to make them unequal. Ipse totam glorificationem tacitus secum recitavit. He said secretly to himself the whole Gloria Patri (because he would offend neither part) & in the end only pronounced In secula seculorum, so loud, that they which were next him, might hear it.  
Eulogius primarius pręs biter Edissenorum, a priest of Edessa, 
Theodorit, li. 4. cap. 16.  one of the chief, whose praise is in the ecclesiastical history, being exhorted by Modestus that persecuted Catholics under Valens the Arrian Emperor, in these words: Communica cum Imperatore. Communicate with the Emperor, do as he doth, shun him not because he is an Arrian, answered: Nunquid cum imperio est sacerdotis dignitatem consecutus? I pray you, Sir, quoth he, hath he with the Empire obtained also priestly or bishoply dignity? meaning that they must follow their Catholic Bishop Barses who was deprived, & not the Emperor. The gentleman being offended at this answer, I said not so, you dolt, quoth he: Sed vos, utì, quibuscum communicet Imperator, cum iisdem communicetis, adhortatus sum. But I exhorted you all to communicate with them, with whom the Emperor himself doth communicate, meaning with Lupus and other Arrian Bishops: and so banished four score of them at once. Of whom the two chief, this Eulogius and Protegines being sent, as God would have it, ad Antinoen in Thebais, a province in Egypt, after they perceived that the Bishop of that City was of their religion, they communicated with the Clergy there in ecclesiastical assemblies at Church and otherwise. Mark, They did forsake the ecclesiastical Conventicles of Arrian Bishops, and being banished for it, finding there a Catholic Bishop, strait they communicated with him. Is not this our case?  
The petition of Alexander Bishop of Constantinople is memorable, 
Theodor. li. 1. cap. 14.  when the Emperor Constantine was seduced by the Arrians to permit that Arius might be received into the Church, and the Catholic Communion, Ista duo à deo postulavit, sic locutus. Si Arius cras in Ecclesia conventus aget, dimit me servum tuum, & nè simul perdas pium cum impio: sin clemens parces ecclesiae tuae, considera verba Eusebianorum, & nè des in ruinam haereditatem tuam: tolle Arium de medio, nè illo in ecclesiam ingresso, tùm haeresis unà cum eo ingressa videatur, tùm deinceps impietas pietatis locum occupet. He requested these two things of God, speaking thus: If Arius to morrow shall make conventicles in the Church, let me thy servant departed, and destroy not the godly man together with the ungodly: but if thou wilt mercifully spare thy Church, consider the words of the Eusebians (Arrians) and give not over thine heritage to ruin and decay. Take Arius out of the way, lest if he enter into the Church, both heresy may seem to have entered together with him, & in time wicked blasphemy against God may possess the place of God's true religion. He wished to die rather than to be in the Church with Arius and his company. What followed? Arius ingressus latrinas, poscente ventris necessitate, crepuit medius. Alexander conventum cum omnibus fratribus celebrare, preces fundere. etc. Before the time was come to make their assembly, Arius going to a house of office, because he was taken short as he was in the street, there powered out his bowels. Alexander that Catholic Bishop assembled his brethren the Clergy together, prayed and gave thanks.  
Paulus praesbiter Eustachii Antiocheni Episcopi hac de re laudatur, quòd se nunquàm haereticorum communione polluerat. Paulinus a Priest of Antioch under the Bishop Eustachius is very famous, and hath a singular commendation for this point, that he never defiled himself by communicating with heretics. Hieron.  
To come from the Clergy to the lay multitude, which is nearer to our purpose. Septimana sacrosanctan Pentecosten subsequenti, populus (Alexandrinus) ubi ieiunaverat, in coemiterium proptereà ad orationem egreditur, quòd omnes Georgii detestarentur communionem. In Whitsonwéeke the people of Alexandria after they had fasted (as the fashion than was, and now is, in the Church) goeth out into the Churchyard, to pray for this occasion, because all of them detested communicating or being in the Church with George the heretical Bishop: wherein they were so constant, protesting thereby the Catholic faith against the Arrian Bishop, that they suffered divers and grievous persecutions, as Athanasius telleth. lib. 2. cap. 14. apud Theodoritum.  
De Samosatensibus sic idem Theodor. lib. 4. cap. 14. Posteaquàm Ariani gregem Pastore long optimo (Eusebio) priuârant, & alterum in eius furrogârant locum (Eunomium,) nemo ex urbis incolis, vel pressus aegestate, vel divitiis affluens, famulus vel artifex, agricola vel consitor, vir vel mulier, juvenis vel senex, ad conventum ecclesiasticum accedere voluit, sed episcopus solus agebat. Quip nemo aut in eius venit conspectum, aut cum eo sermonem contulit, licet diceretur vitam apud eos valdè modestè instituisse. After that the Arrians had deprived the flock of their excellent and most virtuous Shepperd (Eusebius their Catholic Bishop) and had stalled another in his room (Eunomius,) none of the inhabitants there, poor or rich, servant or artificer, husbandman or grafter, man or woman, young or old, would come to the Church, but the Bishop was there all alone: for no man would either come into his sight, or talk with him, albeit he was reported to have used himself very modestly & quietly among them. This example serveth against them that communicate with their heretical Bishop or vicar, because he is a gentle person forsooth, and his wife a very honest woman: such fond reasons foolish Catholics have.  
I might add here the zeal of that people that would not wash in the bathe where the Bishop washed. 
Theodor. ibidem.  Sed aquam hereticae nequitie contagione infectam esse rati, eam in cloacam emittunt, novamque sibi infundi imperant. But supposing the very water was infected with the filth of heretical wickedness, cast it out into the sink, and commanded new water to be powered in. And that the very boys and children playing at the bal in the street, which chanced to fall under the asses feet whereupon Lucius the Arrian Bishop did ride, would not play with it again, till they had sensed it up and down in the flame of the fire, so to purge it. But I will add one example more of the multitude abhorring ecclesiastical conventicles or coming to Church among such persons.  
When Liberius the Bishop of Rome was banished, 
Theodor. lib. 2. ca 17.  and one Felix placed for him, Tametsi fidem Niceni Concilij seruavit integram, tamen quia cum Arianis liberè communicavit, nemo ex Romae habitatoribus in ecclesiam, dum ille intùs erat, ingredi voluit. Although he maintained every point of the Nicene Council concerning faith, yet because he freely communicated with Arrians, none of the Inhabitants of Rome would enter into the Church so long as he was within. Which was signified to the Emperor Constantius per praestantes foeminas, by women of good calling, who first threatened their noble husbands, that unless they did obtain of his grace, that their bishop Liberius might return, they would forsake them and go where he was. Afterwards by the advise of their fearful husbands, themselves went to entreat the Emperor, richly appareled like unto judith, the sooner to move him, as in deed they did, and Liberius was called home. A worthy example for noble gentlewomen to follow: Note moreover, that all true Catholics then refused to communicate with Felix, not because he was an heretic, but because he was content to communicate with them, and to be made Bishop by them. And therefore it is written of him thus: Foelix pro Liberio ab Arianis factus Pontifex, non tàm sectae diversitate, quàm communionis & ordinationis conniventia maculatur. Felix being made Bishop of Rome by the Arrians in Liberius place, blotted his estimation, not so much for diversity of sect or opinien, as for yielding to communicate with them, and to be consecrated Bishop of them. By occasion whereof it seemeth very expedient in this place to add examples of such glorious Catholics that refused to receive the Sacraments at heretics hands, for that also pertaineth to this question, and to the state of our country.  

¶ Sacraments not to be received of heretics or schismatics.  
AFter that Eusebius was first deprived, and after a Martyr, 
Theodor. li. 4. ca 14.  the aforenamed Samosatensis agreed to have Antiochus his sister's son their Bishop, Virum multis rectè factis nobilitatum, & qui praeclatè pro divina doctrina decertasset. Itaque cùm omnes ad unum Antiocho suffragati essent, & ad sacram mensam deduxissent, coegissentque genua flectere, simul ac conversus vidit jovianum (qui aliquandò communioni Arianae adhaeserat) dexteram sibi imponentem, manum eius repulit, imperavitque ut à numero eorum qui ipsum consecrarent, segregaretur, dixitque se nullo modo far posse dextran illam sibi imponi, que sacra misteria per blasphemiam consecrata receperat. A man for many good deeds very famous, and one that had worthily stood in the maintenance of God's divine doctrine. Therefore, when all, with out exception had given their voices to Antiochus, and had brought him to the holy table (the aultare) and made him kneel, casting his head back as soon as he saw jovian lay his hand upon him (who sometime had communicated with the Arians) he thrust away his hand, and willed that he might be separated from the number of them that should consecrated him, saying that he would by no means suffer, that the same hand should be laid upon him that had received the blessed Sacrament consecrated by a tongue that had consented to blasphemy: meaning that he being otherwise a Catholic, yet had said Mass among the Arrians. It maketh against ignorant Catholics that receive the blessed Sacrament consecrated by our schismatical priests, 
Vide exemplum Satiri quod sequitur.  and think it is very well done.  
Moses the Eremite a very wondered man by the means of Mania Queen of the Saracenes was constrained to be their Bishop, 
Sozom. li. 6. cap. 38.  much against his will, of humility refusing. Quòd si verò mihi hoc munus, cùm sim planè eo indignus, dei voluntate deseratur, eum testor, quod tuas manus sanguine sanctorum virorum respersas mihi non impones. But if it be the will of God (quoth he) that this office must needs be put upon me, whereas I am altogether unworthy of it, I call him to witness, that thou shalt not say thy hands upon me that art sprinkled with the blood of holy men. He speaketh to Lucius bishop of Alexandria that persecuted Catholics under Valens the Arrian. Magistratus igitur Romani, reiecto Lucio, eum ad episcopos qui iam tum aetatem in exilio degebant, recta deducunt, à quibus factus est episcopus. Whereupon the Magistrates of Rome rejecting Lucius, bring him strait to the Catholic Bishops, which at that time lived in banishment, of whom he was consecrated Bishop.  
What a worthy Emperor Theodosius Magnus was, 
Socrat. li. 5. cap. 6.  who hath not heard at the lest? Is cùm propter morbi gravitatem baptizari properaret, primum sciscitabatur ab episcopo (Thessalonicensi) quam fidem amplexaretur. At cùm episcopus respondisset, opinionem Arij minimè per Illyrium pervasisse, sed omnes illius loci Nicenam fidem semper obseruasse, Imperator ab Ascholio (episcopo) libentissimo animo baptismum recepit. He, when upon occasion of dangerous sickness made haste to be baptized, first of all he asked the bishop (of Thessalonica) of what religion he was. And when he had answered, that Arius opinion had not passed through Illyria, but that all thereabouts did always keep the Nicene faith, the Emperor most gladly received Baptism of him. Add here by the way, 
Li. 4. ca 62 de vita eius.  that Eusebius history of Constantine the great his baptism at Nicomedia by the Arrian Bishops is not allowed, because it is in no case likely, that so Catholic an Emperor that made such laws against the Arians and their books, would be baptized of them, but rather, as the Catholic tradition is, of Silvester Bishop of Rome, 
Melch. ● Canus de histo. li. 11.  where is to be seen to this day Baptisterium Constantini, The font of Constantine. But because some man may think that the Baptism of the Arrians was justly refused, and and of necessity, Propter formam verborum mutatam, albeit I think Theodosius never considered so deeply, but only that they were heretics, (quęrebat enim de fide episcopi, non de forma baptismi) let us add such a Testimony to the former above mentioned as admitteth no cavil.  
Satyrus a virtuous gentleman and brother to S. Ambrose, 
D. Ambr. de obitu fratris.  sailing into Africa, nondum perfectioribus initiatus misteriis, (either Catechumenus or Neophitus) lately made a Christian, carrying about him a consecrated host, which other gave him, more ancient Christians, in great danger of drowning, was by it so miraculously preserved, that he longed to receive that sacred mystery into his mouth, which before he never had done, as it seemeth. Nam qui tantum misterij coelestis involuti in orario pręsidium fuisset expertus, quantum arbitrabatur, si ore sumeret, & toto pectoris hauriet arcano. For he that had tried so great aid of that heavenly mystery, only wrapped up in a napkin, what did he conceive would be, if he might take it in his mouth, and suck it with the whole secret of his heart. But notwithstanding his exceeding desire, would he receive it of every priest trow you? Sed non ita avidus fuit ut esset incautus. Aduocavit ad se episcopum, percontatusque est ab eo, utrumnam cum episcopis Catholicis, hoc est, cum Romana ecclesia conveniret: & fortè in schismate regionis illius ecclesia erat; Lucifer enim (Episcopus) se à nostra communione diviserat. Itaque eò transire maluit, ubi tutò posset exoluere (quod voverat) etc. But he was not so greedy, that he would be unadvised or heedless. He called the Bishop to him, and asked of him, whether he did agree with the Catholic bishops, that is, with the Church of Rome or no: Now it happened that the Church of that country was in schism, because Lucifer their Bishop had divided himself from communicating with us. And therefore (saith S. Ambrose of his brother) he rather chose to pass over the Seas thither where he might safely perform that which he had vowed concerning the receiving of the blessed Sacrament. It is long to tell all, 
Hier. cont. Lucifer.  but much worth the reading. This Lucifer was a very famous Catholic Bishop and maintainer of the Nicene faith, but in the end a Schismatic, and author of the Luciferians. This gentleman rather than he would receive the blessed Sacrament of him, adventured the Seas again into Italy, where he received of Catholics. S. Ambrose maketh it a proof summae eius in Dei cultum obseruantię, of his singular reverence toward the woorshipp of God, qui nullam veram putavit nisi verae fidei gratiam. Who thought that to receive of a schismatic or heretic had no effect of grace Not as though grace depended of the minister, but because he that wittingly communicateth with such ministers, maketh himself unworthy and unapt to receive sacramental grace. 
Notandun.  Note herewithal this sentence of S. Ambrose: Scimus plerosque aviditate studii praetermittere cautionem. We know that many men for greedy zeal are nothing wary and circumspect in these cases, as they should be, against such as care not, so they may be confessed and receive of a priest, 
Ecclesi. 7.  whether he be schismatical or no. The wise man saith: Noli esse justus nimiùm: Be not over just, but in time and place, and other circumstances. S. 
Epist. 77.  Cyprian doth comfort certain Confessors priests, who being condemned ad fodinas, to dig in mine pits, and gladly would have said Mass, but could not, not to think it any damage, their Confession & Martyrdom to supply the Sacrifice, or rather to be a sufficient Sacrifice. When it cannot be done, but by communicating with heretics, solutio divinae gratiae in affectu & fide est, saith S. Ambrose. 
Vbi supra  Our good purpose and intent due to God for his grace bestowed upon us, may be performed in affection and faithful desire, when we cannot do the thing itself that we purposed. that we purposed. And that young noble gentleman is much praised, who meeting the blessed Sacrament when an heretic carried it, would not adore, lest so he might seem to communicate with him. So, to hear Mass is good, but to hear the Mass of a schismatical priest, or of him that is suspended for keeping a concubine, is expressly forbidden. 
Psal. 98.  Honour Regis judicium diligit. The honour of the prince loveth discretion and judgement. A good thing done undiscreetly, & without due circumstances, doth not honour God nor please him. This by the way: now to our former purpose of the Sacraments.  
Athanasius in epi. ad omnes Orthodoxos. Cùm ecclesię ministri persecutionem patiuntur, populi impietatem Arianorum execrantes, malunt ita morbis contabescere ac periclitari, quam Arianorum manus suis capitibus imponi. When spiritual men that have cure of souls suffer persecution, the people detesting the wickedness of the Arians, will rather pine away with sickness, and abide all danger, then suffer the Arians to say their hands on their heads. He seemeth to speak of the Sacraments of penance & anoiling: for he saith: Eos absque visitationis obsequio infirmari. That they are sick, and that there is no priest to visit them. And because they were wont also sumere viaticum, to take their wayfare the blessed Sacrament, the case is like, which they chose rather to lack undoubtedly at the point of death, then to take it of an Arrian. One place more to this purpose may not be omitted.  
Victor Vticensis li. 2. de Arianorum persecutione Vandalica. When Catholic Bishops and priests were carried away-into banishment, Innumerabilis populus occurrentes, & suos infantulos vestigiis martyrum proiicientes, ista voce clamabant. Quibus nos miseros relinquitis, dum pergitis ad coronas? Qui hos baptizaturi sunt paruulos fontibus aquę perennis? Qui nobis poenitentię munus collaturi sunt, & reconciliationis indulgentia obstrictos peccatorum vinculis soluturi? Qui nos solennibus orationibus sepulturi sunt morientes? A quibus divini sacrificij ritus exhibendus est consuetus? etc. An innumerable multitude of people running to meet them, and casting their infants at the Martyr's feet, cried out in this manner: To whom do you leave us poor wretches, whiles you go to be crowned? who shall christian these little ones in the fontes of everlasting water? who shall bestow upon us the benefit of penance and lousing us from all the bands of sin by pardoning and reconciling us? who shall bury us when we die with solemn prayers? who shall celebrated the accustomed ceremony of the divine sacrifice? in effect, who shall say Mass. etc. Some man might have answered, there are other to do it in their rooms. Yea, but they knew right well, that they were all heretics, and therefore they mourned for want of the Sacraments, as being determined not to communicate with them.  
To conclude with a Canon of the Apostles concerning the Clergy, 
Can. 45.  especially whose good example is an instruction to the people. Episcopum aut pręs biterum qui hęreticorum baptisma aut sacrificium susceperit, deponi pręcipimus. A Bishop or a priest that shall take the Baptism or sacrifice of heretics, we give express commandment that such a one be deposed: ton dexamenon him that doth allow it by presence, winking at it, not shunning the parties, not preaching against them, frequenting their conventicles: for it followeth: Quę etenim conventio inter Christum & Belial? aut quę particula fideli cum infideli? For what agreement is there between Christ and Belial? or what little portion or society hath the faithful man with the Infidel? unless you will understand it of false Baptism and polluted Sacrifice, which may also be the sense and meaning.  
By these few examples in stead of other innumerable, doth appear how exactly practise of Christian people hath always agreed with scripture and with reason for avoiding of heretics and their conventicles.    

¶ Answers to the chief objections.  
¶ The fourth Chapter.  
BUt let us see moreover, for the better satisfying of them whom this former discourse of reason, Scripture and practice doth not satisfy what they are wont to plead for their dissimulation, 
Psal. 140.  ad excusandas excusationes in peccatis.  

¶ The first Objection.  
NAaman Syrus healed of his leper by Elizeus, 
4. Reg. 5.  and believing now in one true and living God, desired notwithstanding, that when his prince did go into the Temple of Remmon to adore, because he was wont to lean upon his shoulders, he might also be present there to do his king that accustomed service. To whom the Prophet answered: Vade in pace. Go in peace. That is (say they) be bold and make no scruple of conscience in that matter.   

¶ The Answer.  
THis is a great place with noble men, that gladly would yield a little to please their prince, so they might do it by example of scripture, and the authority of a prophet. Nam quod exemplo fit, iure fieri putatur. That which is done by some former example, is thought to be done lawfully, as the Orator saith. Is thought to be lawful, not that it is always lawful, because the case may be altered. Briefly, what the prophet meant by this short answer is not easily defined. Very probably this may be said: first, that Vade in pace, Go in peace, is the common hebrewe phrase for Vale, Far you well. Exo, 4. 1. Reg. 20. 2. Reg. 15. judith. 8. as we say: God speed you well. And, Gen. 29. Valetnè? Doth he well? Valet. very well. In the hebrew. An pax est ei? Is he in peace? Pax. In good peace. And to our Lady the blessed virgin: ave Maria. Hail Mary. In hebrew, Pax tibi Maria. Peace be to thee Mary. And, Dicite, Pax huic domui. Say ye, Peace be to this house. So, that Vade in pace, is not to bid him be bold and fear not, but to wish him to do well. And in this sense the prophet did not answer to his petition: 
4. Reg. 4.  why so? because it was not revealed unto him so far, as when he saith: Anima eius in amaritudine est, & Dominus celavit à me. Her soul is in great anguish, and our Lord hath concealed it from me. And S. Chrisost. in 2. Esa. Prophetae pro diversa qualitate temporis, dum minimè adspirarentur, quasdam enunciabant incisiones. The Prophets as the quality of the time diversly required, whiles they were inspired with the spirit of God, so far they uttered certain sentences and pieces of their prophecies. etc. So that they had not at all times to answer every question, or to grant all requests: 
Num. 22. &. 23. 3. Reg. 22.  but as Baalam & Micheas said, whatsoever God did put into their mouth, that they would speak & must speak. But to grant that he did answer him, yet it is so wisely tempered, that he might neither presume much upon it, as flatly granted, nor take an occasion to revolt, as flatly denied so small a request, as it did seem to him, and was in deed in comparison of his former idolatry: which circumstance with the rest is much to be considered. He was but then converted from Idalatrye to believe in the true God, he might by that toleration do much good to the converting of others. He requested only to do his accustomed service to the Prince. etc. If it had been denied, Nowm hoc vinum veterem utrem facilè rupisset, linum fumigans extinxisset. Qui nimiùm emungit, elicit sanguinem. This new wine might easily have broken the old bottle, might quickly have put out altogether the tow that yet soultered, and was very like in time to burn very clear. He that straineth to much, fetcheth blood. And therefore they that plead upon this example, must conceive the case thus: A vehement heretic lately converted, much depending upon his Lord or Prince, and requesting that he may for a time attend only upon him in the Church, especially if his service be peculiar to some one thing, to bear the sword, the mase, the Canopy, Verge, Train, book. etc. to such a one so likened to Naaman, it might perhaps be said in their sense: Vade in pace. And, as I remember, Lira upon that place doth so define. But this is pap for infants and young Catholics, 
Hebr. 5.  Perfectorum autem (such as our men aught to be) est solidus cibus: corum qui pro consuetudine exercitatos habent sensus ad discretionem boni & mali. But for the perfect, strong meat is more convenient: for such, I say, which of long custom and bringing up have their sense and understanding exercised to discern between good and evil. They have for the most part been borne and brought up in Catholic religion, they are no convertites. If they therefore claim children's privilege, you must answer them with S. Paul. Cùm deberetis magistri esse propter tempus, rursùm indigetis ut vos doceamini, quae sint elementa exordii sermonum dei, & facti estis quibus lac opus sit, non solido cibo. Omnis namque qui lactis est particeps, expers est sermonis justitiae: paruulus namque est. Whereas for your time you aught to be masters and teachers, you have need to be taught again yourselves what are the principles and first letters of Gods will and commandment. And you are become such as have need of pap, rather than strong meat: for whosoever is a milksopp, he is ignorant of that that should make him a perfect just man, for he is a very babe. Another answer better than these is, that he meant to adore the true God by open protestation in the Idols temple. And so may a Catholic protesting there, that he defieth their heretical service, and cometh to pray after the Catholic manner, which were to edify rather than to give offence. But they will say:   

¶ The second Objection.  
TV fidem habes? 
Rom. 14.  penes teipsum habe coram deo. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. ergò Saint Paul giveth them leave, yea, commandeth them to keep their conscience to themself.   

¶ The Answer.  
IT must be told them that it is two faults, to do ill, and to maintain it as well done by the Apostles authority. A great abuse not to consider the circumstance of scriptures, but as they would wish it to signify, so to expound it, as the Poet saith, Quod nimis miseri volunt, hoc facilè credunt. That which poor wretches are too desirous of, they believe it easily. The Apostle talketh de Idolothytis, meats offered to Idols, defining thus, that Idolum nihil est, & nihil common per ipsum, 
1. Cor. 8. Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 10.  sed omnia munda. An Idol is nothing, and no meat is unclean of itself, but all meats are clean, & omnia licent, all meats are lawful. All might be eaten of them that did know thus much: whom he calleth habentes scientiam, such as have knowledge: But because there were other weaklings, not so well instructed (non in omnibus est scientia, all have not knowledge) that in conscience thought the eating of Idolothita to be an honour to the Idol, & yet did eat thereof, (quidam conscientia usque nunc Idoli quasi Idolothitum manducant, & conscientia eorum cùm sit infirma polluitur. Qui namque discernit, si manducaverit, damnatus est, quia non ex fide. Some in conscience making even yet some account of an Idol, eat it as idolatrous meat, and their conscience being weak is defiled, for he that maketh a difference, if he do eat, is condemned, because he doth not according to his belief and conscience, because his faith and conscience is, that it honoureth the Idol, & therefore they should not eat thereof.) And because these men would not of themselves have eaten it, but did it by the example of them, qui habebant scientiam & fidem, that did according to their knowledge and conscience, and might do it lawfully but for scanual to their weak brethren: therefore S. Paul willeth them also to abstain, rather than 'cause the other by their example to eat also, and so to sin, Quia existimantes esse common, & comedentes, ideò peccabant. For they that thought it unclean, and yet did eat, did therefore sin: whereas the others, habentes scientiam nihil esse common per se, knowing that nothing is unclean of itself, did not offend in eating, but in giving the weaker sort occasion to eat. Omnia sunt munda, sed malum est homini qui per offendiculum manducat. All things are clean, but it is ill for the man that eateth with giving offence & scandal, that maketh his brother to sin by that means, whereas the thing is indifferent in itself. Esca enim nos non commendat deo. Meat doth not make us commendable. And therefore if thou be never the better for eating, ut quid tua libertas ab aliena conscientia judicatur? why dost thou use this liberty of thine, to wound thy brother's conscience? Sic enim peccantes in fratres, & percutientes eorum conscientiam infirmam, in Christum peccatis. For, sinning after that sort against your brethren, and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. This is the Apostles whole drift de Idolothitis, concerning meats offered to Idols. Now to our purpose, whereas these habentes scientiam, that have knowledge, did say: We know, Omnia munda mundis. All are clean to the clean, we have no such scrupulosities, why should we abstain as though we were weaklings? Nay, we will eat rather to protest our knowledge and our conscience. To this S. Paul answereth: Tu fidem habes? penes teipsum habe coram deo. Hast thou a strong faith and perfect knowledge in these things? it is enough for thee that God doth know that thou art none of these weaklings. But because it is indifferent, and God doth not look for it, nor like thee any thing the better for eating, (Neque namque si manducaverimus, abundabimus, neque si non manducaverimus, deficiemus. For neither if we eat shall we gain thereby, neither if we eat not, shall we lose by it,) abstain from thy brother's conscience, who not having knowledge, thinketh that it is pollutum ex Idolo, and made unclean by being offered to the Idol, and by thy example eateth, & so sinneth against his conscience. If thou answer me, let him look to that, what is it to me? I know it is not unclean, and Idolum nihil est, that an Idol is a thing of nothing, and therefore I eat with a safe conscience. O (saith he) but Si quis dixerit, Hoc immolatum est Idolis, 
1. Cor. 10.  noli manducare propter illum, & propter conscientiam: Conscientiam autem dico non tuam, sed alterius. If any man shall say, this was offered to Idols, eat not of it for his sake, and for conscience: conscience I say not thine own, but that other man's, because he thinketh it is unclean and unlawful. Otherwise if thou boast thy knowledge, to the ruin of thy weak brother, Scientia haec inflat, 
1. Cor. 8.  charitas autem aedificat. This knowledge doth puff up and make proud, but it is charity that edifieth: So that the Apostle briefly saith thus: In things indifferent that may be omitted without sin, although thou knowest it may lawfully be done, yet do it not cum scandalo fratris, to 'cause thy brother to fall, that is, if thy doing put him in danger of sinning, or make him to sin: for example. Thou knowest that to fast upon Sunday, in many cases, is indifferent before God, and therefore thou dost often use it among other days. But if any man less skilful, living with thee, 
D. Aug. cp. 86. ad Casulanun.  non habens discretionem boni & mali, having not judgement to discern between good and evil, as Saint Paul (the Apostle) saith, be offended, thinking that thou dost favour manichiesme, and thereby himself is induced to think their fast lawful, or not to eat by thy example, when in his conscience it seemeth unlawful: in this case, Meliùs non ieiunatur die dominico, It is better not to fast upon the Sunday. Tu fidem habes? penes teipsum habe coram deo. Is it thy faith and conscience, that thou mayest? well, be it between God and thee. Again, to come nearer our purpose. A very learned Doctor of Divinity, and sound Catholic may lawfully come to heretical sermons for the better confuting of them, when he hath heard their reasons: and he may also lawfully be absent, so that to him it is indifferent. If he know other some of less knowledge and constancy, that by his so doing thinketh he favoureth their heresy, or alloweth their sayings, or doth not greatly mislike, or if he do, yet that he, or any other man may boldly be present, so that they also either think the better of them, or abstain not from them, he thought to refrain. So that by this case it appeareth, that S. Paul's place is to our purpose altogether, and clean contrary to their purpose that allege it: for the Apostle in things indifferent willeth us to do that which may not be scandalous to our brother. But neither this point de vitandis haereticis, of avoiding heretics, is indifferent, as the scriptures aforesaid and examples declare: and if it were, they choose that which must needs scandalizare magis, as I have showed before in the tenth reason: for not to come there, cannot possibly make any other man to sin. And to come there, not only possibly, but very likely and in manner certainly maketh others to sin by example.   

¶ The third Objection.  
BEcause some scriptures and reasons afore mentioned, 
Idolaters and heretics are to be shunned alike.  literally concern Idolatry, they will say, it pertaineth nothing to the case de vitandis haereticis, of shunning heretics: for if the question were of communicating with idolaters, they would die many deaths rather than yield.   

¶ The Answer.  
THat which they grant (because they must needs) of avoiding idolaters sacrifice and ceremonies, shall flatly convince them, to avoid heretics and their conventicles, equally at the lest, and peradventure much more. S. Hierome throughout all his commentaries upon the Prophets, applieth that mystically to heresies & heretics, which literally is spoken of Idols and idolaters, using commonly this preface: 
Oseae. 4.  Super hęreticos facilis interpretatio est. The meaning of this place being referred to heretics is very easy, 
Amos. 5.  namely to our purpose, that, Nolite ingredi in Galgala. etc. Enter not into Galgal in any wise, above mentioned at large. 
1. joh. 5.  Again, he that said: Filioli, custodite vos à simulachris. Children, keep yourselves from Idols, said of an heretic, 
joh. 2.  Nolite recipere eum in domum, nec ave ei dixeritis: Quinamque dicit illi, ave, communicate operibus eius malignis. Receive him not into your house, neither say unto him so much as God save you, for he that so sayeth, communicateth with his wicked works. And he that said: Fugite ab Idolorum cultura. 
1. Cor. 10.  Flee from the worshipping of Idols, said also of heretics: Declinate ab illis, hos devita, 
Rom. 16. 2. Tim. 3. Tit. 3.  haereticum hominem post unam & secundam correptionem devita. Turn aside from them: And again, Audid all such: And again, Shun him that is an heretic, after he hath been once or twice warned. And that he meaneth of whatsoever communicating and society with either of both, he declareth: 
2. Cor. 6.  Quae participatio justitiae cum iniquitate? aut que societas luci ad tenebras? Quae conventio Christi ad Belial? aut quae pars fideli cum infideli? Qui consensus templo dei cum idolis? vos namque estis templum dei vivi, propter quod exite de medio eorum, & seperamini. etc. What part hath righteousness with iniquity? Or, what fellowship is between light and darkness? What agreement between Christ and Belial, what portion hath the faithful with the faithless: how doth the temple of God agree with Idols? for you are the temple of the living God. wherefore departed from among them, and separate yourselves. How many ways doth he express, that there aught to be no communicating inter fidelem & infidelem, between the faithful and the faithless: which comprehendeth the heretic aswell as the idolater. And our Saviour himself most plainly: Si ecclesiam non audierit, 
Mat. 18.  sit tibi sicut ethnicus. If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as an heathen: tibi, to thee, speaking to his disciples that were Jews. Abhor from him as from a Gentle. 
joan. 18.  how is that? Nolebant ingredi praetorium, nè contaminarentur. They would not enter into pilate's court, who was a Heathen, lest they should be defiled. And Cephas subtrahebat & segregabat se à gentibus. 
Galat. 2.  Cephas or Peter withdrew and separated himself from the Gentiles: why? timens eos qui ex circum cisione erant, for fear of offending the jews. The jews abhorred nothing so much as a Gentle, so we must abhor the conventicles of heretics. 
Epist. 76. figure. 2.  S. Cyprian upon that place (Math. 10.) In viam gentium né abieritis, & in Civitates Samaritanorum nè intraveritis. Go not into the way of Gentiles, and enter not into the Cities of Samaritans, saith, that he would not have added, of the Samaritans, but that he made Schismatics equal with Gentiles. Addendo, & Civitates Samaritanorum debere omitti, ostendit schismaticos Gentilibus adaequari. By adding (saith he) that they should pass by and leave the Cities of Samaritans also, he declareth that schismatics and Gentiles are of equal account: for the Samaritans were schismatics from the Jews. And, de unitate ecclesiae, he declareth very excellently, how heresy & schism succeeded into the very place, & the self-same degree that Idolatry had before time. Christi adventu prostratus inimicus vidensidola derelicta, & per nimium credentium populum sedes suas ac templa deserta, excogitavit novam fraudem, ut sub ipso christiani nominis titulo fallat incautos, haereses invenit et schismata, quibus subverteret fidem, veritatem corrumperet, scinderet unitatem. etc. The enemy Satan being overthrown by the coming of Christ, seeing Idols forsaken, and that his Sees and Temples were left desert, by reason of the great multitude of faithful people, he devised a new subtlety, under the very title and name of Christianity to deceive the unwary. He found out, I say, heresies and schisms, whereby he might overthrow faith, corrupt the truth, divide the unity of the Catholic Church. S. Ambrose to signify, that they are very Infidels, saith: 
De incarnate. cap. 2.  Quadam nuncupativa fidei germanitate, parricidialibus gladiis nos cupiunt vulnerare. With a certain brotherly affinity or likeness of one faith they covet to wound us, as if one brother should draw his sword against his other brethren. And praiseth his brother Satyrus, quòd non arbitrabatur fidem esse in schismate, because he thought there was not a right & perfect faith in schism, much less in heresy. S. Austen: 
In psal. 88 sub finem  Amemus Dominum deum nostrum, amemus Ecclesiam eius: illum sicut Patrem, istam sicut matrem: sed matrimonium hoc magna charitate compaginatur: nemo offendit unum, et promeretur alteram: nemo dicat, ad idola quidem vado, sed tamen Ecclesiam dei non relinquo, Catholicus sum: timens matrem, offendis patrem. Alius item dicit. Absit à me, non consulo sortilegium, non seruio lapidibus, sed tamen in part Donati sum. Quid tibi prodest non offensus pater, qui offensus vindicat matrem? Let us love our Lord God, let us love his Church: him as a father, her as a mother. This Matrimony is knit together with great charity. No man offendeth the one, & hath the favour of the other. Let no man say: I go to Idols in deed, but for all that I do not forsake the Church of God, I am a Catholic still, although thou stick to the mother, yet thou offendest against the Father. Some other saith: I ask no council of Soothsayers, (God forbidden) I worship no stocks nor stones, but for all that I am of Donatus side (a schismatic and an heretic) what doth it avail thee not to offend directly against the father, who is offended notwithstanding, and will punish the injury done to the mother. To commit Idolatry he maketh a sin against God: to be in schism, a sin against the Church of God. Whether a man do th'one or tother, he saith, it offendeth God all one.  
Thus far it seemeth the case is equal, 
Heretics more to be shunned then paynim or jews.  and that they are to be shunned alike. Now, ex abundanti, to prove, that the heretic and schismatic is worse than the Gentle or the jew, and therefore to be more eschewed, these may seem very plain arguments. S. 
1. Cor. 5.  Paul: Scripsi vobis in epistola, nè commisceamini fornicariis, non utique fornicariis huius mundi, aut idolis feruientibus, sed si is qui frater nominatur, est fornicarius, aut avarus. etc. cum eiusmodi nec cibum sumere. I wrote to you in an Epistle, not to keep company with fornicators, I mean not the fornicators of this world (Infidels and Gentiles) or worshippers of Idols: but if he that is our Christian brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, with such a one that you do not so much as eat and drink. Is it not evident that he willeth them to abstain from a false christened brother, rather than from a flat Panym, and that for lesser sins than heresy? Again, the Church permitteth them to live, & that by the Apostles authority, Quid mihi de iis qui foris sunt judicare? What have I to do to judge of them that are without? meaning all that were not Christians: but the heretic is punished with death. Whether is more abhorred? 
Li. 6. ca 37.  See the ecclesiastical history of Eusebius, where Dionysius the famous Bishop saith, that to suffer Martyrdom for the avoiding of schism is more commendable then for the avoiding of Idolatry, because in the one is the safety of our soul, in the other is the salvation of the whole Church. It is a notable place. And S. Austen proveth, that schism offended God more than idolatry by the self-same reason, because it was more grievously punished, as in Chore, Dathan, and Abyron, then in Aaron, and them that worshipped the calf. Again, of the jews and heretics, the same Doctor writeth: 
In ps. 45.  Quòd haeretici offendant ad lapidem iam montem factum, miseriores judęis qui faciliùs ad lapidem tum parvum, et paulò antè abscissum offenderunt. Heretics stumble at the stone that is now grown to be a mighty hill, being more miserable than the Jews, who, no marvel, if they stumbled more easily at the stone as then being little, and cut out of the quarry a little before. He alludeth to Daniels prophecy of our Saviour to be borne of the Virgin. The jews stumbled at the beginning when the Church began: but heretics stumble now at it, when it filleth the whole world. If then they be worse than the jews, ergò much more than the paynim which are Infidels only negatiuè, negatively, as S. Thomas termeth it, because they have not heard of Christ and his Church, according to those places: Si non fecissem in eyes signa, 
joh. 15.  quae nemo alius fecit, peccatum non haberent (nempè obstinatae infidelitatis) nunc autem viderunt et oderunt. If I had not wrought among them tokens, such as no other man did, they should not have sinned (to wit, the sin of obstinate infidelity) but now they have seen, and yet hate me. And, Si coeci essetis, non haberetis peccatum. 
joh. 9  If you were blind in deed, and had never heard of me, you should not have sinned of obstinate infidelity. Nunc verò dicitis, quia vidimus, peccatum vestrum manet. But now ye say, that we see very well, therefore your sin remaineth. And therefore he saith: 
Math. 11.  Terrae Sodomorum remissius erit in die judicii quàm tibi. There shallbe more favour Sodomites in the day of judgement then to thee. The greater punishment is always a token of the greater sin, especially after this life. Now it is certain, that this obstinate infidelity is greater in the heretic, then either in jew or Paynim.  
Again, all authors of heresies, and Catholics perverted by them, are Apostates, and revolters from their first Christian profession, ergò worse than they that never professed the name of Christ. 
2. Pet. 2.  Si refugientes coinquinationes mundi in cognition Domini jesu Christi. If they that fly from worldly uncleanness by the knowledge of jesus Christ (as when paynim are christened)  rursus implicati superantur, facta sunt eyes posteriora deteriora prioribus: melius namque erat illis non cognoscere viam iustitię, quàm post agnitionem retrorsum converti. etc. If they, I say, entangled again with them, be so overcome, this later revolt maketh them in worse case them before they first believed: for they had been better not to know the way of righteousness, then after they know it to turn back again. And, Immundus spiritus egressus de homine. etc. An unclean spirit being departed out of man (when by Baptism the spirit of Infidelity and paganism is driven out) non inveniens requiem, dicit: Revertar in domum meam undè exivi. Not finding any rest, saith: I will return into my house from whence I departed, and so with seven other spirits worse than himself (to signify what a heinous offence revolting heresy is) re-entereth, & facta sunt posteriora illius hominis deteriora prioribus. And the later state of that man is far worse than the former was. If worse, ergò the more to be avoided.  
But the greatest reason is, the greater danger that ensueth of communicating with heretics, that bear the name of Christians, then with paynim which are manifest jufidels, as S. Austen deduceth of these scriptures. Si enim inimicus meus maledixisset mihi, abscondissem me forsitan ab eo: 
S. Aug. in Psal. 40.  tu verò notus meus, qui dulces mecum capiebas cibos, veniat mors super illos. etc. For if mine open enemy had reviled me, I might perhaps have hid me from him, but thou art my familiar acquaintance, that didst eat meat with me sweetly, let death come to such. And, Homo pacis meę in quo speravi, magnificavit super me supplantationem. The man that seemed to be at peace with me, in whom I trusted, wrought mightily to supplant and undermine me. But let that one place of the same Doctor suffice for a number upon these words: Ab his qui appropinquant mihi. From them that approach unto me, she saith: Ab his qui long sunt à me, 
In ps. 54.  facilis cautio est. Non me tàm citò fallit, qui dicit, veni Idolum adorare, multùm à me long est. Christianus es? Christianus (inquit) ex propinquo adversatur, propè est, redime in pace animam meam ab his qui appropinquant mihi. I can eastly beware of them that are far off from me. He doth not deceive me so soon that saith: Come, woorshipp an Idol, he is very far from me, a Gentle and Panime. But I say to an other, art thou a Christian? Yea forsooth, a Christian, saith he. This fellow standeth very near me, he may quickly overthrow me. Redeem and deliver, O Lord, my soul from them that after this sort approach, and come near unto me. Here it is plain, that he desireth to be delivered from the heretic or schismatic, more than from the Panim or idolater. Ciprianus. 
Lib. de unitate ecclesiae.  Non aperta tantùm pericula metuenda sunt, facilior cautio est, ubi manifestior formido est, plus cavendus est inimicus. cùm latenter obrepit. etc. Not only open dangers are to be feared. A man may sooner take heed, when the fear is more manifest. We must be more circumspect for the enemy, when he creepeth toward us secretly. And therefore, because the case is like in avoiding both, or more urgent against the heretic, I will conclude this answer with S. Ambrose, Ferendunnè istud, 
Epist. 30.  ut Gentilis sacrificet, et Christianꝓ intersit? Is it to be borne that a Gentle do sacrifice, and a Christian be present at it? even so is it tolerable, that an heretic pray or preach, or minister Sacraments, and a Catholic to be present?   

¶ The fourth Objection.  
IF they were Arians or the like old famous condemned heretics, if they did deny the Godhead of Christ his incarnation, or any principal article of the creed, I would flee from them as from Infidels.   

¶ The Answer.  
THis point is much to be considered, because the ignorance of men is such, 
Caluinists and Lutherans are as much to be abhorred as any old condemned heretics.  that they think it hardly to be heresy, unless it be expressly against the Trinity, and the articles of the creed. First therefore to this out of S. Austen ad julianam viduam, to julian a widow. Illud optimè novimus, cum omnibus vestris cultores vos esse & fuisse individuae Trinitatis: 
Epist. 143.  Sed non hinc solùm error humanus obrepit, ut aliquid sentiatur de individua Trinitate: sunt namque & alia in quibus pernitiosissimè erratur, sicut hoc est. etc. We know that very well, that you and all yours are and have been worshippers of the undivided Trinity: But not thereof only creepeth in human error, if a man be falsely persuaded concerning the Trinity: for there are other points also wherein error is committed very dangerously, as this is one, he meaneth pelagianismum contra gratiam dei, The heresy of Pelagius against the grace of God. It is plain that this heresy against the grace of God is against no article of the creed expressly, and yet I trow they will not communicate with a Pelagian: who was in his time so abhorred, especially in our country, that wise men think the name of grace, so often in our English phrase, began to the detestation of his heresy, as past grace, he lacketh grace, ungracious, grace and virtue make a man. etc. Again in another place: Dicent rudiores: Nonnè isti quos vocatis haeretici, eandem Trinitatem confitentur, in eundem Christum credunt? atqui id fecerunt antiqui haeretici, quorum tamen opiniones ipsa absurditate sua jacent. The ruder sort will say (such as our simple catholics are) These whom you call heretics, I pray you do they not confess and acknowledge the self-same Trinity that you do, do they not believe in the same Christ? yes, but so did very ancient and old heretics too, whose opinions notwithstanding are come to nothing for the very absurdity of them. 
Li. 2. Trinit. cap. 17  S. Austen hath the like place. Hoc qui credunt, nec tamen in catholica fide, sed in schismate aliquo aut haeresi credunt. etc. Whosoever believeth all articles of the creed, and is otherwise a schismatic or an heretic, or not in the Catholic Church, it availeth him nothing. And in the end of his book concerning heresies, having reckoned up all heresies unto his time, Multùm adiwat cor fidele nosse quid credendum non sit, etiamsi disputandi facultate id refutare non possit. Omnis itaque Christianus Catholicusista non debet credere. Sed non omnis qui ista non credit, consequenter debet se Christianum iam putare vel dicere. It doth much help the heart of a faithful man to know what he aught not to believe, although he can not by the way of disputation refute it. Every good Christian Catholic man therefore aught not in any case to believe any of these foresaid heresies: but every one that doth not believe these, may not therefore by & by think or call himself a good Christian. Why so? If he condemn all old heresies against Christ, & the Trinity, is not that sufficient? No, Possunt enim (saith he) & haereses aliae quae in hoc opere nostro commemoratae non sunt, vel esse. For there may be other heresies also which are not mentioned in this Treatise, either now be (which he had not hard of) vel fieri, or be coined hereafter unto the worlds end, quarum aliquam quisquis tenuerit, Christianus Catholicus non erit. Of the which whosoever shall maintain one, he shall not be a Christian Catholic man. Note the same, quarum aliquam, to maintain any one error stubbornly, is heresy, either of those opinions there named, or any that might rise afterward. And because it is heresy, therefore the maintainer thereof is to be avoided, even as an Arrian, juxta illud, Hęreticum hominem devita. Avoid the man that is an heretic. Whatsoever his error be, as the self same Doctor declareth excellently for this purpose, 
De fide ad Petrum. cap. 44.  saying: Haec quadraginta capitula fideliter crede, & si quem contraria his dogmatizare cognoveris, tanquam pestem fuge, & tanquam haereticum abiice. Ita namque ista quae hìc posuimus fidei Catholicae congruunt, ut si quis non solùm omnibus, sed etiam singulis volverit contrair, in eo quòd singulis horum contumaciter repugnat, hęreticus, atque ex hoc omnibus Catholicis anathematizandus appareat. etc. These forty articles believe faithfully, and if thou shalt know any man to hold contrary opinions to these, avoid him as a plague or pestilence, and cast him off for an heretic: for these points which we have put, do so agree jump with the Catholic faith, that if a man will gainsay, not only all, but any one of them by itself, in that he doth stubbornly stand against any one of them, it is evident he is an heretic, and therefore to be abandoned and accursed of all Catholic men.  
Let us examine a little those two testimonies. In the first de haeresibus he saith, the he that holdeth any one of those points, is no Christian Catholic man: but there you have jovinian condemned and Aerius, whose heresies our calvenistes maintain at this day, ergò they must be abhorred aswell as Arrians. In the second he saith, that he which doth not believe every one of those forty articles by him rehearsed, is to be abhorred as an heretic. Read them, and you shall find that our heretics deny very many of them, albeit he addeth of every one, Firmissimè tene, & nullatenùs dubita. Hold it for a most assured certainty, and doubt in no wise. It is plain then that there may grow, and daily do, sundry heresies, that are not expressly against the articles of the creed: Unless you will say, they are all against that article: Credo in Ecclesiam catholicam, in this sense, I believe all that the Catholic Church believeth, and so there may be as many heresies, as are verities in the Catholic faith: 
Quicunque vult.  Quam nisi quis integram inviolatamque seruaverit, absque du bio in aeternum peribit. Which faith unless a man do keep whole & without breach, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly: why? but because he is an heretic. 
2, 2. q. 5. 3.  And S. Thomas conclusion is well known. Qui errat in uno articulo, de nullo fidem habet. He that erreth or believeth not any one article of the Catholic faith, he in very deed, to speak truly and properly, believeth none: because the Catholic Church believeth aswell all as one. And therefore if he did believe upon that ground, he should believe every one: if that be not his ground, he believeth not, but followeth fancy and his own reason. For this cause Iconoclaster or Image breakers are ancient heretics, because they denied that article of the catholic Church de venerandis imaginibus, 
So Eunomius, Vigilantius, iovinianus.  of reverence to be given to Images, and are condemned by the second Council of Nice, as Arius was by the first: they for their heresy against the Church, he for his heresy against the person of Christ. So that the case of both heresies is equal, of that that is flatly against Christ the head, and that that is against the Church the body. Is that possible? yea. Qui vos spernit, me spernit. He that despiseth you, despiseth me. And, Saul! Saul! quid me persequeris? Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? when he did persecute his Church. And, Ego sum veritas (saith he) I am truth: as of the Church is said: Firmamentum & columna veritatis, that she is the stay and pillar of truth: ergò every opinion against the truth, is against Christ & his Church equally. And, Spiritus sanctus quem mittet pater in nomine meo, ille docebit vos omnem veritatem, quia de meo accipiet, & annunciabit vobis. The holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all truth: for he shall receive of that that is mine, and declare unto you. If Christ sent the holy Ghost to direct the Church into all truth from time to time (Habeo namque multa dicere, sed non potestis omnia portare modò. For I have many things (saith he) to tell you, but presently you cannot bear them all) whosoever stubbornly resisteth one article of the Catholic Church, 
1. joh. 4.  resisteth Christ. Omnis spiritus qui soluit jesum, ex Deo non est. Every spirit that divideth jesus, is not of God. He divideth him that maketh not account of his body the Church. 
Ephes. 4.  And, Ipse dedit quosdam quidem Apostolos, quosdam prophetas, alios verò Euangelistas, alios autem pastors & Doctores, ad consummationem sanctorum, in aedificationem corporis Christi. etc. He gave some to be Apostles, some Prophets, other some Evangelists, others Pastors and teachers, to make up the number of Saintes, to the edifying of the body of Christ. Why? ut iam non scimus paruuli sluctuantes, et circumferamur omni vento doctrinae. etc. That now we be no more little ones wavering and carried about with every blast of doctrine. Therefore Christ gave us Counsels, Fathers, Popes, Bishops, not to serve from the truth: if we do, is it not a denying of Christ? And therefore he said: Si Ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi tanquam ethnicus. If he will not hear the Church, esteem him as an Heathen or Gentle. As much to say, Si me non audierit, 
Luc. 10.  If he will not hear me: for, Qui vos audit, me audit. He that heareth you, heareth me. And, Vbicunque duo vel tres congregati sunt in nomine meo, ego sum in medio eorum. Wheresoever be two or three gathered together in my name, I am in the mids of them. And whereas S. john writeth of the Samaritans, 
joh. 4.  Multi crediderunt in eum propter verbum mulieris testimonium perhibentis. Many believed in him upon the woman's word, that bore witness, (which woman is a plain figure of the Church) he addeth: Cùm venissent ergò ad illum Samaritani, dicebant mulieri: Quia iam non propter tuam loquelam credimus, ipsi namque audivimus & scimus. When the Samaritans were come unto him, they said to the woman: Now we do not believe upon thy report, for ourselves have heard and do know. So that the testimony of the Church, and the testimony of Christ always concur and agree upon all truths. 
In psa. 88  And therefore S. Austen said very excellently. Matrimonium hoc magna charitate compaginatur. Nemo offendit unum, & promeretur alteram. This matrimony is coupled with great charity and love. No man offendeth against the one, and winneth the other. 
Epist. 49.  And S. Cyprian. Confessor Christi nec dici, nec esse iam potest, qui ecclesiam Christi negavit. Nam cùm Paulus dicit, Erunt duo in carne una, Sacramentum hoc magnum in Christo & ecclesia, quomodò potest esse cum Christo, qui cum sponsa Christi, atque in eius ecclesia non est? He can neither be called, nor be in very deed a Confessor of Christ, that hath denied the Church of Christ. For whereas Paul saith: They shallbe two in one flesh, This is a great Sacrament in Christ and the Church, how can he be with Christ, that is not with the spouse of Christ, and in his Church. 
Ad virginem Demetriaden. He calleth it S. Innocentii & D. Anastasii fidem, the faith of S. Inno centius and B. Anastasius.  And S. Hierome ad Damasum of the Church of Rome, which he always maketh one with the catholic Church. Qui tecum non colligit, spargit. Hoc est, qui Christi non est, Antichristi est. He that gathereth not with thee, scattereth: that is, He that is not with Christ, pertaineth to Antichrist. Mark. Qui cum ecclesia Romana non colligit. He that gathereth not with the Church of Rome: what is that to say? Qui christi non est, He that is not with Christ: see how they run still together. 
De obitu fratris.  And S. Ambrose speaking of the Luciferians schismatics only, no heretics, saith, that they had not fidem in Christum, any true faith in Christ. 
Ambros. ibidem. Cuin Catholicis, hoc est, cum Romana Ecclesiaconuenire. To agreed with catholics and to agreed with the Church of Rome, is all one.  Quia etsi fidem erga deum tenerent, tamen erga dei ecclesiam non tenerent. Etenim cùm propter ecclesiam Christus passus sit, et Christi corpus ecclesia sit, non videtur ab eyes exhiberi Christo fides, à quibus evacuatur eius passio, corpusque Christi distrahitur. Because albeit toward God they kept their faith, toward the Church they did not keep it: For whereas Christ did suffer for the Church, and the Church is the body of Christ, it seemeth that they do not believe in Christ, by whom his passion is made fruitless, and the body of Christ distracted in pieces. And therefore he praiseth his brother Satyrus exceedingly for not communicating with them. This point is much to be considered of them, 
Euseb. hist li. 6. ca 37.  that easily abhor such as blaspheme Christ, but think it is a small matter, or rather know not what it is to resist or discredit that Church. And therefore an Arian they would abhor perhaps, a Marcionist, an Ebionite, that held heresies directly against Christ, not a Lutheran, a Zwinglian, a Caluenist. etc. that blaspheme the Church. But hitherto I have proved, that they are to be avoided alike. 
In psa. 30. conc. 2.  Now that they are more to be shunned and abhorred, when S. Austen writeth thus in the former comparison of Christ and his Church: Obscuriùs dixerunt Prophetae de Christo quàm de ecclesia, puto proptereà, quia videbant in spiritu, contra ecclesiam homines facturos esse particulas, & de Christo non tantam litem habituros, de ecclesia magnas contentiones excitaturos. The Prophets spoke more darkly of Christ then of the Church: therefore I suppose because they foresaw in spirit, that men would make parts against the Church, and that they would not strive so bitterly concerning Christ, but concerning his Church they would raise great tragedies. Doth he not mean, that the heresies against the Church should be more perilous, then against the person of Christ, because the prophet's arm us against them more strongly, & inform us more plainly. Again, more dangerous, because under the name & profession of Christ they seduce the sooner, which I handled partly in my answer to the third objection, and will say more to the objection following: but this one argument must of force convince. The Arian and other ancient heretics, each denied but one article of Christian faith, being in all other points Catholic: these men, besides the renewing of many old condemned errors (which are well known) they shake most points of Christian Catholic religion, standing all upon negatives, scoffing schoolmasters, preachers of all licentious liberty, of whom may be said that which Leo magnus writeth of the Manichées, 
Ser. 5. de iciu. 10. m.  who were always accounted somewhat more than heretics: Come in cunctis perversitatibꝰ multiformen teneat principatum (diabolus) arcen tamen sibi in istorum struxit insania, & latissiman in eyes aulam in qua se exultantiùs iactaret, invenit: ubi non unius pravitatis speciem, sed omnium simul errorum impietatunque mixturan generaliter possideret. Quod enim in paganis prophanum, in judęis carnalibus coecum. etc. hoc in istos quasi in sentinan quandam cum omnium sordium concretione confluxit. Whereas in all perverse & wicked professions the devil beareth rule many ways, yet he hath built his top tower in the madness of these good fellows, and hath found in them a very large court, wherein he might make merry, & vaunt himself, as in whom he had possession, not of one kind of naughtiness, but a general mixture of all errors & impieties together: for that which is profane in the Gentiles, & blind in the carnal jews, that same with all other filth clammed together hath run into them like streams into a sink. And surely for their life and manners, 
2. Tim. 3. 2. Pet. 2.  read S. Paul & ep. judae, foretelling the nature of later heretics, you shall see that all concur in ours. But I had rather prove my conclusion, by the multitude of their errors. S. Austen de origine animae ad Vincentium, 
Li. 3. ca 15.  having reckoned up eleven of his false articles, Haec (inquit) si pertinaciter singula defendantur, tot haereses facere possunt, quot opiniones numerantur. Quocircà considera quàm sit hoc horrendum, ut omnes sint in uno homine, quę damnabiles essent in singulis singulae. These (saith he) each one by itself, if they be stubbornly defended, may make so many heresies, as there be opinions in number. And therefore consider what a horrible thing this is, for all to be in one man, whereas every one in divers men were damnable. His place above alleged is like to this. 
Ca 44. de fide ad Petrum.  Now if a man would scan Luther's opinions and calvin's, how many errors shall he there find in one of them, that were each one by itself damnable in divers men, and very many have been already condemned in others? And therefore if Arius for one error, by their own confession aught to be abhorred, let them consider, quàm horrendi sunt illi, what horrible heretics they are, and how much to be abandoned, in whom so many heresies do concur, so many that it is very like Antichrist himself named (arnoumai I deny all) is next, 
Apoc. 13. de numero bestiae.  whose next forerunners these are in denying all, and in omni seductione iniquitatis (as S. Paul saith) iis qui pereunt, in all deceit of iniquity to them that perish: for of those old single heresies it was said in the Apostles time, 
2. Thes. 2.  Misterium iam operatur iniquitatis. The mystery of iniquity doth work, or is in working even now, as it did in all heresies downward, but tum revelabitur filius iniquitatis, quandò instat dies Domini. Then the son of iniquity shallbe revealed, when the day of our Lord is at hand: then (toward the later days) he shall come with his main force. S. Basil doubted in his time, 
Ep. 70. & 71.  Num ecclesias suas prorsus reliquit Dominus? an novissima hora est. etc. Hath God utterly forsaken his Churches? Is the last hour come? But read him, and you shall see that the heretics which he complaineth of, were very tolerable in respect of ours. So that if equal evils, are equally to be eschewed, and the greater, the more: it followeth, that Calvinistical conventicles are as much, at the lest, and by all good reason much more to be abhorred than Arians, Pelagians. etc. But because our question is chief of frequenting their prayers, understand this, that not only ancient schismatics, of whom it is certain, (as Donatistae, Luciferani) but the heretics also Ariani, Macedonianis, Pelagiani, kept all ecclesiastical service and ceremonies like the Catholics. And yet what zeal the good Christians then had, not to come into the Church where such were present, you may remember by the ecclesiastical examples aforesaid. 
Cap. 3.  How much more these, where nothing is like, but all of purpose and in despite made unlike, not without blasphemy, as when they say: From all Papistry good Lord deliver us, meaning all Catholic religion. May a Catholic man be present at this, more than a Christian at the jews curse pronounced every day in Nazarenum & Nazarenos? 
1. Cor. 10.  against jesus of Nazareth and the Nazarenes? As they speak in despite of Christ and Christians, so our heretics in despite of the Church, and catholics, ut prudentibus loquor, vos ipsi iudicate quod dico. I speak as to wise men, Yourselves be judges of that that I say.   

¶ The fift Objection.  
THere be many good men of them, godly prayers, Psalms, Scriptures, although somewhat be lacking, yet that which they have is good, and agreeing with the Catholics.   

¶ The Answer.  
MAny good men? Are they better than Angels? 
Gal. 1.  Si Angelus de coelo evangelizet vobis: Si quis vobis euangelizauerit praeter id quod accepistis, Anathema sit. If an Angel from heaven from heaven preach unto you, if any whosoever he be shall preach otherwise then that you have received, be he accursed: Any man or Angel whatsoever he be. And because many follow their good vicar, which before said Mass, and now preacheth the contrary for advantage, and saith the communion, S. Paul addeth of himself, licet nos. If we ourselves, and the rest Apostles come and preach contrary to that we first preached, Anathema sit. Be he accursed. But are they gentle persons, sweet men? no marvel: Eiusmodi pseudoapostoli sunt operarij subdoli, 
2. Cor. 11.  transsigurantes see in Apostolos Christi, & non mirum: ipse namque Sathanas transfigurat se in Angelum lucis. Non est ergo magnum si ministri eius transfigurentur velut ministri justitiae. Such false Apostles are crafty workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ, and no marvel, for Satan himself transformeth himself into an Angel of light, and therefore it is no great matter, if his ministers be misshapen as the ministers of justice or righteousness. Such common places are infinite. But Apoc. 9 They are described excellently under the names of Locusts, similitudines locustarum similes equis paratis in proelium. The forms of these Locusts were like hor ses ready to the skirmish, they are hot and vehement. Super capita eorum tanquam coronae, Upon their heads as it were crowns (not crowns in deed) similes auro, like to gold (not gold) all their triumph and victory in pulpits is counterfeit: Fancies earum tanquam facies hominum. Their faces are as it were the faces of men. They seem very sweet men, & habebant capillos sicut capillos mulierum, and they had hear like to women's hear. They have wife and children, and live honestly forsooth in wedlock, and extol Matrimony wonderfully, which pleaseth married men exceedingly. Vox alarm sicut vox curruum equorum multorum currentium in bellum. The voice of their wings like the voice of many chariots and horses running to the camp (their vehemency in pulpits) But what followeth? Et habebant caudas similes scorpionum, & aculei erant in caudis earum. And they had tails like to Scorpions, and their stings were in their tails. The end and effect is to seduce men to ever lasting damnation. 
Rom. 16.  Per dulces benedictiones seducunt corda multorum. By sweet blessings they seduce the hearts of many. 
Ep. 7. vel 190.  S. Austen. Ab ea (ecclesia) seperati, quam diu contra illam sentiunt, boni esse non possunt, quia etsi aliquos, corum bonos videtur ostendere quasi laudabiliter conversatio, malos eos ipsa facit divisio, dicente Domino, Qui mecum non est, adversum me est. Being separated and divided from the Church, as long as they have a contrary opinion to it, they cannot be good: for although their conversation after a sort laudable make a show that they are good, the very schism and division maketh them nought, according to our Lords saying: He that is not with me, is against me. S. Cyprian. 
Epist. 52.  Quisquis ille est, & qualiscunque est, Christinus non est, qui in Christi ecclesia non est etc. Whosoever he be, and what manner of man soever he be, a Christian man he is not, that is not in the Church of Christ. See S. Austen ep. 120. ca 27. Nec tales sunt quos facilè contemnas They are not such (saith he) as a man mai make light of, they appear wondered Saintlike. etc. S. Ambrose. 
Li. 3 de spiritu sancto. Cap. 18.  Etsi multi nominent se Christianos, nomen usurpant, non omnes mercedem habent. Et Cain obtulit sacrificium, & judas osculum, sed audivit: juda, osculo filium hominis tradis? hoc est, amoris pignore scelus imples, & pacis instrumento odiaseris, et charitatis officio mortem irrogas? non agnosco nomen meum, ubi non agnosco doctrinam meam. Although many name themselves Christians, and usurp the name, all have not the reward. Cain offered Sacrifice, and judas a kiss, but he heard these words: judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss? that is: Dost thou work mischief with a pledge or token of love? and dost thou sow hatred with that which is an instrument of peace? and by semblance of friendly charity art thou author of death? I acknowledge not my name, where I do not acknowledge my doctrine. Mark how they are compared cum osculo judae. 
Ep. 2.  Ignatius. Non Christiani sed Christempori, qui ex nomine Christi quęstum faciunt, erroris venenum alliuentes dulcibus alloquiis. etc. They are not Christians, but merchants of Christ, that make gain by the name of Christ, anointing the poison of error with sweet words. Briefly, what greater show of virtue and true Christianity may be made in outward appearance, then if they die willingly for Christ's sake, not in a false opinion, but in the maintenance of a truth: as many heretics have in the persecution of Pagan Emperors. 
Deunitate ecclesiae  Of whom S. Cyprian writeth, that it nothing availeth them, not, although they die in the honour of Christ against Idols. If they be schismatics, heretics, or out of the Church, which is S. Paul's doctrine. 
1. Cor. 15.  Who presupposing all other good things to be in man, yet, Si charitatem non habeam, If I have no charity, although I would be burned for God's sake, nihil mihi prodest, it availeth me nothing. He hath not charity that is not in the unity of the Catholic Church, as Saint Austen doth largely declare. (Ep. 204.) 
Aug. 204.  Foris ab Ecclesia constitutus, & seperatus à compage unitatis, & vinculo charitatis, aeterno supplicio punireris, etiamsi pro Christi nomine vivus incendereris: hoc est enim quod ait Apostolus. Etsi tradidero corpus. etc. For as concerning Fox Martyrs, wherein they glory most as an argument of their true confession, S. Austen saith: 
Aug. in Psal. 68  Non persecutionem pati, non teneri, non flagellari, non includi, non proscribi, non occidi laus est: sed habendo causam bonam ista pati, haec laus est: laus namque est in causae bonitate, non in poenae acerbitate. It is no praise to suffer persecution, to be taken, to be scourged, to be imprisoned, to loose goods and lands by proclamation, to be put to death: but for having a good cause to suffer these things, that is praise worthy: for praise consisteth in the goodness of the cause, not in the sharpness of the punishment. But if none of these shows may make a man bold to communicate with them as good Christians, how is it said: Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos. 
How heretics are discerned from Catholics. Ex fructibus, By their fruits.  By their fruits you shall know them? Look upon their opinions, and see the fruit or sequel of them, and from what spirit they proceed, and you shall easily prove their spirits, An ex Deo sint. Whether they be of God. To deny all authority of Counsels and Fathers, to follow their own judgement, self-will and wisdom. etc. Is it not the most certain fruit of excessive pride? To preach against merit of Christian works, is it not the mean to neglect all goodness, by a foolish security of faith? to make chastity impossible, vows unlawful, and therefore to break them: virginity of no merit before God more than matrimony, no difference of meats or days, no fasting, etc. Is it not the fruit of licentious minds, and the ready way to riotous liberty, to Epicures brutishness, to Atheism. etc. Contrariwise, look upon all Catholic articles, every one proceedeth from holy inspiration, and tendeth to perfection of virtue and godliness.  
But they have good prayers, psalms, etc. S. Austen. Quid prodest, 
In psa. 102  quia hymnum cantat lingua tua, si sacrilegium exhalat vita tua? What availeth it, that thy tongue singeth a psalm, if thy life breath out sacrilege? All heretics and Schismatics are sacrilegi, robbers of all sacred and holy ordinances. And, Quid prodest si domiwm confiteris, 
In psal. 88  Deum honoras, ipsum praedicas, filium eius agnoscis. etc. et blasphemas ecclesiam eius? What doth it profit, if thou confess our Lord, honour'st God, praisest him, acknowledgest his Son, and so forth, and in the mean time dost blaspheme his Church. S. Hierome. Quicquid loquuntur & putaverint se in laudem dei dicere, ululatus luporum & vaccarum insanientium sonitus est. Whatsoever they speak and think that they say to the praise of God, is the howling of wolves, and the bellowing noise of mad kine: interpreting these words: Non clamaverunt ad me in cord suo, sed ululabant in cubilibus suis. They cried not to me in their heart, but they shall howl in their cabins. That which they sing or say, 
In. 8. Oseae, & in 4.  although it be very good, God doth abhor it. Nolo per os vestrum nominis mei fieri mentionem, quod Idolorum recordatione pollutum est. I will have no mention made of my name by your mouth, which is polluted by often naming of Idols. Interpreting that, Neque iuraveritis, vivit Dominus. Neither shall you swear, As the Lord liveth. Non est speciosa laus in ore peccatoris. Praise is nothing seemly or precious in the mouth of a sinner. And, Hic populus labiis me honorat, cor autem eorum long est à me. This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Non omnis qui dicit, Domine! Domine! Not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Many Prophets and virgins shall say in the later day: Domine, domine, aperi nobis, nonnè in nomine tuo prophetavimus, dęmonia eiecimus? Lord, Lord, open to us, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils? have not we done many goodly things, and that in thy name? His answer is: Amen dico vobis, nescio vos. Verily I say to you, I know you not: that is, Non probo. I do not allow you. Notwithstanding all this: Discedite à me operarii iniquitatis in ignem aeternum. Departed from me ye workers of wickedness into everlasting fire. Modicum fermentum totam massam corrumpit. A little leaven spilleth all the dough. Ad quem respiciam nisi contritum spiritum, & trementem sermons meos? To whom shall I have a regard, but to him that is of a contrite heart, and trembleth at my words? Otherwise if virtue and sincerity be wanting, Qui immolat bovem. He that offereth an ox to me (a good thing) quasi qui interficiat hominem, even as he that killeth a man. he pleaseth me no better. 
Esay. 66.  Qui mactat pecus, quasi qui excerebrat canem. Qui offered oblationem, quasi qui sanguinem suillum offerat. Qui recordatur thuris, quasi qui benedicat idolum. He that doth sacrifice a sheep, is all one with him that knocketh out the brains of a dog. He that offereth cakebread, as if one should offer swine's blood. He that burneth frankincense, and he that blesseth an Idol, both please me alike. A goodly place to prove, that God doth abhor heretics praise, be their words never so gay, their prayers, their preachings, as much as if they should speak blasphemy. 
Psal. 49.  Quare tu enarras iustitias meas, & assumis testamentum meum per os tuum? Why dost thou preach of my justice, and takest my testament through thy mouth? If thou sawest a thief, thou didst run with him. etc. Peter for saying, Tues Christus filius dei vivi, Thou art Christ the son of the living God, was made head of the Church. And, Beatus es Simon bar-iona. Blessed art thou Simon son of jona: but when the wicked spirit saideeven as much in the same words, he was rebuked and commanded to hold his peace. In like manner, although their prayers and service were all one with ours, (as it is in deed clean contrary) yet they in opinion and otherwise being not Catholic, all is nothing worth. Ignatius. 
Epista.  Nemo bonum dixerit, qui bonum malo admiscet. No man can call him good, that mingleth good with that which is nought. S. 
In psa. 54.  Austen of the Donatists & Catholics, unum alleluia resonamus, we sing one Alleluia, & many other things he reckoneth, wherein they agree: but because they were schismatics out of the Church, it availeth not. And super illud ps. 
Psal. 54.  In multis erant mecum. In many things they were with me, he reckoneth up many Sacraments and ceremonies, in quibus omnibus (saith he) erant mecum, sed non omninò mecum: in schismate, non mecum: in haeresi, non mecum. Sed in hiis paucis, in quibus non mecum, non prosunt eis multa, in quibus mecum. In all the which things they agreed with me, but not with me altogether: in schism, not with me: in heresy, not with me. And for these few wherein they are not with me, those many do nothing avail them, wherein they are with me. So Luther of the zwinglians (whom I allege non ad authoritatem, sed ad confusionem nostrorum Catholicorum. 
Cop. dial. 6. cap. 15.  Not for his authority, but that our Catholics may be ashamed to see the heretics judgement in this point) (better than theirs) frustrà illi in deum Patrem, & filium, & spiritum sanctum, & Christum seruatorem credunt, omnia (inquam) haec nihil illis prosunt quandò hunc unum negant articulum, eumque falsi insimulant, dum de Sacramento Christus ait, Hoc est corpus meum. They in vain believe in God the Father, and the Son, and the holy Ghost, and Christ our Saviour, all this, I say, doth avail them nothing. Whereas they deny this one article and accuse it as false, 
De fide cap. 1.  when Christ saith of the Sacrament, This is my body. S. Ambrose. Vinci illi vel facilè possunt, vel facilè vitari, quorum prima propositione omne consilium pectoris proditur. At verò high quibus multa nobiscum paria sunt, facilè possunt innoxias mentes & soli Deo deditas, fraudulenta societate percutere, dum malorum suorum virus per bona nostra defendunt. Nihil enim periculosius his haereticis esse potest. etc. undè vehementer nobis cavendum est, nè se vel sensibus vel auribus nostris huiusmodi aliquid latenter insinuet, quia nihil tàm cogit in mortem, quàm sub obtentu fidei fidem violare. They may either be overcome easily, or easily avoided, by whose first proposition or sentence all the purpose of their heart is disclosed: but they that have many things equal with us, may easily by false fellowship wound simple souls that think no harm, and are given only to please God, whiles they defend the poison of their own evil by such good things as they borrow of us: for nothing can be more perilous than such heretics. Whereupon we must be very circumspect, that no such thing enter in secretly and sweetly into our senses or ears, for nothing doth drive a man so forcibly to death, as under the colour of faith to destroy faith, or by seeming a good Christian man to persuade heresy. Let us therefore say with David. Cum hominibus operantibus iniquitatem, non communicabo cum electis eorum. With men that work iniquity, I will not communicate with their chosen brethren. I will neither make nor meddle with them that seem the best of them, and most sanctish or Angelical. Oleum peccatoris non impinguet caput meum. Their sweet oiled words shall not drop upon my head.   

¶ The sixth Objection.  
TO come to their prayers only seemeth a small thing, and to forsake Parents, wife, children. etc. is very much. And therefore, if presence only will excuse the matter, it seemeth more expedient to yield.   

¶ The Answer.  
HEre be two points, th'one, whether lesser points of religion may be neglected, presupposing them to be little or less: tother, how far we may be affected toward flesh and blood, when they hinder faith and religion. To the first: The truth is, it is no small point: For if Catholic Christians have always avoided the company of heretics in every place, and in every thing, by the Apostles commandment, if the Catholic service, not only of an heretic, but of a schismatic. etc. as before appeareth by my examples & scriptures, is it a small matter to frequent their conventicles in the Church, whose service, Sermons, ministration of Sacraments are as heretical, as themselves are in most articles heretics? But presupposing it to be so, let us consider of lesser points generally. 
De mendac. cap. 13  If a man should tell you out of S. Austen that we aught rather to die then to make a venial lie, or to dissemble venially against the truth, you would wonder. Well, let that be perfection rather than necessity. This is certain, the lesser the thing is for the which we sustain persecution, 
D. Greg. in resp. ad in terrogationes Augustini Anglorum Apostoli.  propter justitiam, for righteousness, the more heroical and meritorious the fact is, S. john Baptist for telling Herode of his unlawful wife (it is a small thing in respect of death to hold one's peace.) S. Laurence for the Church goods to the poor. Many for not delivering Church-bookes, 
See Chrisostome in Babila, that a prelate aught to die for the lest point of ecclesiastical privilege and priestly authority Contra Faustum li. 19 ca 14  Bibles, ornaments in the time of Dioclesian. Chrisostome for rebuking the pride of Eudoxia the Empress. Babilas before him for excommunicating the Emperor a murderer. Not as though these were small things, but many so esteem them, and think it were better to yield, or at the lest not meddle, then to deal in them. S. Austen having amplified the glorious martyrdom of Eleazarus and the Machabées before the time of grace, for refusing swine's flesh, not the greatest point of their law, declareth how more necessary it is that we sustain any death pro Eucharistia, pro Baptismo: for the blessed Sacrament, for Baptism, for any other article of the new law. As for Images only, accounted a small point among cold Catholics, how many of all estates, prelate's, nobles, suffered either death or banishment in the time of seven Emperors that were image-breakers? They considered that Quicunque totam legem obseruauerit, 
jacob. 2.  offendit autem in uno, factus est omnium reus. Whosoever keepeth all the law besides, and offendeth in one point, he is made guilty of al. They remembered that she was the true mother, which would have the whole child, or no part thereof, abhorring from the division of it. He that will die for the blessed Sacrament, and will not for purgatory or indulgences, divideth Christ, and the law of his Church. He that maintaineth all Catholic articles to death, and yet boldly communicateth with heretics, he is content to be half a Catholic, and divideth the child. But remember what our Solomon threateneth by his servant john. Novi opera tua, & fidem, & charitatem, & patientiam. I know thy works and faith, 
Apoc. 2.  and charity, and patience, and many other good things, sed habeo adversus te pauca, quia permittis mulierem jezabel (heresy and heretical conventicles) seducere servos meos. etc. Ecce mittam eam in lectum, to seduce my servants. Behold, I will cast her into a bed (hell fire) & qui moechantur cum ca, in persecutione maxima erunt. And they that play the harlots with her, shallbe in very great tribulation, they that communicate with her. 
Cap. 3.  And, Esto vigilans, & confirma coetera quae moritura erant. Watch well, and strengthen other things, which were like to die, other points which procure eternal death, for lack of zeal and perfection. Non enim invenio opera tua plena coram deo meo. For I do not find thy works full before my God. Sed habes pauca nomina, qui non inquinaverunt vestimenta sua. Howbeit thou hast a few names which have not defiled their garments, have not by communicating polluted themselves. 
Li. 4. ca 17 Math. 5. Quicunque solucrit unum de mandatis istis minimis, minimus vocabitur in regno coelorum. Whosoever breaketh one of these lest commandments, shallbe called the lest in the kingdom of heaven.  Et ambulabunt mecum in albis quia digni sunt. And they shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy: because they have not omitted any little point of my pleasure. Such a Champion was S. Basil, of whom Theodoretus writeth thus: Cùm Praefectus (Valentis Imp. Ariani Modestus) Coesaream venislet, Basilium magnum accersitum honorificè excipit, hortatur ut cedat tempori, & ne propter nimis curiosam dogmatum obseruationem, eamque paruò aestimandan, tot tantasque, ecclesias prodat, pollicetur se Imperatoris amicitiam ei conciliaturun. etc. Cui divinus ille vir: Pueris quidem haec (inquit) oratio convenit: At qui sunt in sacris literis educati, ne unam quidem sillabam divinorum dogmatum prodi sinunt, sed pro istorum defension, si opus sit, nullum non mortis genus libenter amplectuntur. 
Mat 5. jota unum aut unus apex non praeteribit. One lote, or one title shall not pass.  Quod autem ad Imperatoris amicitiam attinet, eam cum pietate iunctam magni aestimo: sed si ea careat, pernitiosum esse dico. Ac cùm praefectus diceret eum amentem esse, me (inquit) hanc semper amentiam opto habere. When the Lieutenant of Valens the Arian Emperor Modestus, came to Caesarea, he sendeth for Basil the great, entertaineth him honourably, erhorteth him to yield to the time, and not to disquiet so many and so great Churches, for an overcurious preciseness in opinions, and that little to be accounted of, he promiseth him to procure him the emperors favour. To whom that man of God answered: This talk, in good sooth, would do well to children, but they that are brought up in holy Scriptures, and sacred writings, cannot abide that one syllable of any divine article be betrayed or neglected, but for defence of them, if need be, will willingly embrace any kind of death. And as for the emperors friendship, if it be joined with godliness, I esteem it greatly: if not, I say it is pernicious & hurtful. Now whereas the Lieutenant said he was mad, and not well advised, I wish (quoth he) to have this madness always. Mark, Ne unam quidem sillabam, Not so much as one syllable, notwithstanding the Emperor, and although he was accounted a mad man for it, as now a days they are that resist in little points. Again, how wary were the Catholics in not granting any one word, not not one letter, although of itself indifferent: but that might be wrested to heresy, as omoiousion of a like substance, to the Arrians for omousion, and tres hypostases, for tres personas in S. Hierome, which he calleth Litum melle gladium. A sword anointed with honey. Chrisotocos, the mother of Christ to the Nestorians. Why so? S. Ambrose, In causa Dei, 
Li 2. office cap. 17.  ubi communionis periculum est, etiam dissimulare peccatum est non leave. In God's cause, when there is danger of communicating, when we may be thought to take part with them, or may in deed be induced to consent after a sort to their errors, in that case to dissemble or yield never so little is no little sin, which is a lesson for us to abhor from any one thing that the heretic would gladly obtain of us, be it never so little, as to come to Church only: yea, I know them to whom was said of the greatest Potentates, do but say you will come to Church: which some Eleazarus would never have said: but they did sinfully yield so far, which would never have yielded, I think, if the heretic had not tempered his deceit to the lest request that may be in that kind: to whom it is all one, whether they do, or seem to do, when other ignorant people think they do and may be told, that such and such promised to do. Which seeming only, what a sin it is, see the eight and tenth reason out of S. Cyprian, S. Austen, and the example of Eleazarus.    

¶ Of carnal affection to wife and children.  
THe scriptures are full to the contrary in God's cause. Qui amat patrem, matrem, uxorem. etc. plusquam me, non est me dignus. He that loveth father, mother, wife. etc. more than me, is not worthy of me. 
Marc. 9  Si oculus tuus scandalizat te, eiice eum: si manus dextera, amputa eam. If thine eye offend thee, cast him out: if thy right hand, cut it off, better it is to go alone to heaven, unum oculum habentem, having but one eye, then with thy wife or children into hell. The reward of the contrary is this. Qui reliquerit uxorem, vel liberos. etc. 
Math. 19  propter nomen meum, centuplum accipiet, et vitam aeternam possidebit. He that shall forsake wife or children. etc. for my name, shall receive a hundred fold, and possess everlasting life. Is this a hard case? 
Math. 10.  Putatis (saith Christ) quòd pacem veni mittere? non, dico vobis, sed bellum: Veni enim seperare filium à patre suo, et nurum à socra sua. etc. mici homines domestici eius. Think you that I came to send peace? Not, I tell you truth, but war: for I came to separate the son from his Father, and the daughter in law from her mother in law. etc. The enemies of a man are they of his own household: not because Christ is the cause of this dissension, but because this ensued of his coming, whiles one followeth him, & the other doth not: th'one is a Catholic, tother an heretic: one zealous to forsake all, tother will keep all to forsake God. 
Deut. 13.  And therefore in the old law it is commanded: Si surrexerit pseudopropheta, & dixerit: Veni, seruiamus diis alienis. etc. If there rise a false preacher, and say: Come, let us go serve or woorshipp strange Gods, (that is, all false doctrine and error,) cast thou the first stone upon that person, albeit he be thy father, thy brother, thy sister, thy wife, quae dormit in sinu tuo, that sleepeth in thy bosom. 
Deut. 33.  And, Qui dixerit patri suo & matri suae, nescio vos, hic est qui facit voluntatem meam. He that shall say in this case to his father, and to his mother, I know you not: he it is that doth my wil 
Luc. 4.  Qui non odit patrem suum & matrem. etc. He that hateth not his father and mother, is not my Disciple. 
Epist. ad Heliodor.  S. Hierome not in the case of avoiding sin, but of seeking greater perfection, saith: Licet paruulus ex collo pendeat nepos, 
Sir Tho. Moore to his daughter Margaret.  licet ubera quibus ne nutrierat matter ostendat, licet in limine pater iaceat, per calcatum perge patrem, siccis oculis ad vexillum crucis evola. Solum pietatis genus est, in hac re esse crudelem. Although thy little nephew hang about thy neck, although thy mother show the breasts wherewith she gave thee suck, although thy father lie cross thy way in the door, tread over him and go forward, melt not once at the matter, but flee courageously to the banner of the Cross. This is the only case, wherein crudelity is religious godliness. This is to be done, if our friends would stay us from entering religion, much more in the case of professing our faith. Where those sarings have place, Sine mortuos sepelire mortuos suos. 
Luc. 9  Suffer the dead to bury their dead, to him that would bury his father first, and afterward follow Christ. 
Math. 23.  Again, Nolite vocare vobis patrem in terris: unus est enim pater vester qui in coelis est. Cal ne man father upon earth, for you have but one father, him that is in heaven. If your earthly father be against your heavenly, then unus sit pater vester qui in coelis est. Let he only be your Father that is in heaven: otherwise, see the danger, and the consequence of carnal persuasions proceeding from unfriendly friends in S. Austen. 
In psa. 48  Quid eyes fecerunt tentationes soevientium? What did the temptations of them that dealt severely prevail with them? Nothing in comparison. Maiorem violentiam habuerunt oculi flentium suorum, quàm persecutiones insectantium. Quàm multos etram tenebant filij nè paterentur? quàm multorum genibus provoluebantur uxores. etc? The eyes of their weeping friends had more force and violence, than the persecutions of the hangmen. How many did the children hold back from suffering? how many were there, at whose knees their wives cast themselves to that purpose? And, quàm multi volebant esse Catholici manifesta veritate coniuncti, 
Epist. 48.  et offensionem suorum reverendo, quotidiè differebant? How many would gladly be Catholics being convicted by manifest truth, and differred it daily, fearing the displeasure of their friends. To whom all true Catholics must say, as Christ to Peter, who for unskilful love to his master, would have hindered the redemption of the world. Vade post me Satana, scandalo mihi es, non sapis ea quae sunt dei. Come behind me Satan, thou art a block in my way, thou hast no savour or feeling of those things that God would have. This is to be said, if he persuade us to subscribe, to take the oath, to receive, to come to their conventicles, that we may be sound Catholics, that we may neither offend in hearing, nor in seeing that which we aught not, as it is written in the praise of Lot. 
2. Pet. 2.  Aspectu enim et auditu justus erat. For he was a just man both for sight and for hearing. Which I beseech almighty God to grant unto us, who will undoubtedly well reward us for it: for little, short, and worldly discommodities, unspeakable joys, everlasting bliss, heaven itself and the holy Trinity, to which be all glory for ever.  
FINIS.