1.

BOOK with the heathen people,) thus, said he, we may reason against whom this decree of God doth so flatly oppose, with those we may not have so special friendship, as to couple our selves in mariage with them, &c.

32

This tract endeth thus. I am not advised of any objections that are worthy the answering. As for that which is commonly said, that they are Christians by common profession and that they are much better than those other idolatrous people, [i. e. the heathen nations.] And therefore that it should seem, that they are less dangerous in this matter: both these points being the substance of the treaty it self, are already sufficiently answered. So I for my part am fully resolved, that it is directly by the scripture forbidden, that any that professeth religion, according to the word of God, should mary with any that professeth the same after the maner of the church of Rome, being so corrupt, as in these days of ours we find it to be.

This seems to be done by Thomas Cartwright.

MSS. ubi supra.

Number XVI.

A tract of the lawfulness of marying with a papist. THIS writer undertakes to answer the objections of those that asserted the unlawfulness thereof. And first he answereth those places of scripture that were alledged for it. As that of Abraham against the marriage of Isaac his son to the Canaanites, Gen. xxiv. And of Isaac for the mariage of Jacob his son, against taking a wife of the daughters of Canaan, Gen. xxviii. And that assertion of the sons of Jacob to Hemor, that it was not lawful to match their sister with the uncircumcised, Gen. xxxiv. And that peculiar law given by God to the Israelites, not to mingle with the heathen, Exod. xxiii. And lastly, it was urged for this purpose, how unhappy such mariages have often proved: as tokens of God's being offended therewith.

The discourse in answer is somewhat long. Towards the end the answerer argueth thus:

I.

To fear or hope, to persuade or dissuade by regard of BOOK bad or evil successes of former mariages, is fallible and deceitful. As if one should use this induction, divers of their ancestors maried in Spain, Germany, Italy, and France; and had ill success: therefore beware how you match there. A plain mariner's answer to a justice of peace in Kent may aptly be turned over to such opponents. The justice meeting him in the highway, demanded what he was. He answered, A mariner, miraculously delivered of shipwrack; the son of a mariner; the son also of a mariner. And added, that both his father and grandfather had both perished in the sea. What a mad fellow, quoth the justice, art thou, that canst not be warned, but wilt also go to the sea. I pray you, sir, quoth the mariner, what is become of your father and grandfather? Live they? No, quoth the gentleman; they dyed both in their beds. The mariner answered, Then, sir, if I were as you, I would no more come in bed.

The first seven husbands of Sarah, young Tobias's wife, were murthered one after another by a devil; which, as the bruit ran, possest her. Therefore friends used that manner of argument, before recited, to dissuade the mariage. Nevertheless Tobias shut his ears to man, and openeth his heart to God. And never any mariage succeded better.

What Israelite durst imagine, that of Ruth and Thamar, both heathens, their Messiah should descend?

Many mariages made by man are like to an old anthem, beginning with Christ, and ending with Barabbas. It grieveth me to rehearse one thing, albeit in public notice too true, (but it shall be spoken to the condemnation of the professors, and not of the profession.) A man may find

out within this realm as many repentances and wilful divorces (without public order) of protestant matches, as of any other. God amend it. For it was that, and fornication, (for which 24000 perished in one day,) that portend plagues to us; and not lawful mariages.

It is a presumption intolerable and unpardonable, in the 33 censure of matrimonial matches, to seem wiser than the

I.

BOOK Holy Ghost. For where they are contracted with unfeigned love, joyned with devout prayer; with a hope and desire to win the unbelieving part to the religion; (an evi. dent fruit of a good faith ;) the office of a Christian friend shall be rather to say to the man, if he be a brother, O man, what knowest thou, if thou shalt save this woman? and if she be a sister, O woman, what knowest thou, if thou shalt save this man? than to slander and condemn it. This doctrine is out of holy writ.

Another both out of the same, and out of all other stories from the beginning to this day, I will deliver by diligent observation, that where the wife is a sister, there is less peril of her revolt, and more hope of the husband's conversion than the contrary. For as every wife retaineth still a natural kind of rhetoric and insinuation, from her mother Eve, towards her husband; so every husband abideth firm in the old credulity of his father Adam towards his wife.

I conclude, that at mariages in form beforesaid made, by the words of the angel to Tobias, the Devil hath no power to be present. And where Christ is a guest, there is feare of nothing all is honorable and complete.

MSS. Grin

dal. ep.

Lond.

Number XVII.

Whether a protestant prince may tolerate mass. Both the argument and the answer.

IT is against the law of God. It is not to be doubted, but that the usage of the private popish mass, (wherein the use of the sacrament is turned to a sacrifice for sins, and intercession is made to saints, with other things derogatory to this first institution of Christ,) is to be rooted out of the church, as a great evil. Whereupon this followeth, that as it is evil to continue it, so it is not good to suffer it to be used, where it is not. And according to the rule of the civil law, Agentes et consentientes pari pœna plectuntur. And altho' such things that be sometimes evil, and sometimes may be good, are thus suffered, where the end is

either good, or intended for good: yet where a thing is BOOK merely evil of it self, it is a rule, Non est faciendum malum,

ut inde veniat bonum.

The answer hereunto.

I.

secretary Cecil.

If a man that alloweth the mass to be good, and one that doth think it to be indifferent, (that is to say, good, where there is a good intent in the sayer or hearer, and evil where there is an evil,) should make answer hereunto, many things would be alledged for the toleration thereof at the least, 1howsoever the reasons might appear to tend to the allow- Added by ance thereof. But seing the mass, as the Roman church now abuseth it, cannot by scriptures be defended, it must be considered, not whether it be evil, but whether a good Christian may permit another Christian that believeth the mass to be the service of Almighty God, and not to contain any offence against God, to use to himself, with this meaning, that the party may also be instructed in time coming, to understand the error thereof. For which purpose it is good to use some examples of like nature; how they have been permitted by Christ himself, and his apostles.

For whether it will serve or no for any argument, that the prince here suffereth the ambassadors of France and Spain to use the mass and as in other princes countries of the Roman religion, the protestants which do condemn the mass are suffered to use their own religion, and a partaking, in their own formes, of sacraments; it may be doubted: because it is an argument to establish man's conscience, to follow no examples, but such as are contained in the scrip

tures.

Therefore these few out of the scripture shall suffice. 34 Christ himself kept company and dined with them, who Luke vii. esteemed their own traditions more than the commandments

of God. Christ also was so often in the company of sinners, Chap. xvii. as he was called a Samaritane. And yet the Samaritanes were not of the Jews religion.

The meats which the infidels dedicated to idols (whereof St. Paul thus writeth, Quæ immolant, dæmoniis immolant, non Deo) was permitted to the Christians that lived among

.1.

1 Cor. x.

BOOK the Corinthians, with safety of conscience. As appeareth chap. x. Corinth. prima, in this sort: Quod siquis infidelium vos vocat, et vultis ire, quicquid apponitur vobis, edite, nihil interrogantes propter conscientiam. Whereby also appeareth, that Christians were not prohibited the conversing with infidels.

Secondly, It is certain that Christ by his authority confirmed the New Testament, and abolished the Old; as St. Paul writeth to the Hebrews: Hoc, quod dicit novum, antiquavit prius. And the use thereof was not the service of God. And if the Jews took it to be still as needful, as the papists now do the mass, nevertheless St. Paul, &c.

And here this paper ends abruptly.

MSS. Burg.

Number XVIII.

Another discourse upon the same argument.

IF the meat which was of the infidels dedicated to idols might be used and suffered of the Christian Corinthians with a safe conscience; then the mass which the papists use may be now used and suffered of the right Christians with a safe conscience. But the meat dedicated by the infidels unto idols might be used and suffered of the Christian Corinthians with a safe conscience. Ergo, the papistical mass may be now used and suffered of the right Christians with a safe conscience.

The minor is proved from the 2 Cor. x. Siquis infidelium vos vocat, &c. and ye are minded to go; eat whatsoever is set before you, asking no question for conscience sake.

Here we be taught two lessons. First, That that which is offered to idols is not unlawful by it self, but in that it is offered to the Devil, and not unto God. The second, That tho' it be offered unto the Devil, and not to God, and so most wicked; yet for all that, this abhominable abuse and idolatry mar not the liberty and the indifference of the meat, so ungodly abused, but that it may always be eaten lawfully, where no offence is given to the weak. Where