A decacordon of ten quodlibeticall questions concerning religion and state wherein the authour framing himfelfe [sic] a quilibet to euery quodlibet, decides an hundred crosse interrogatorie doubts, about the generall contentions betwixt the seminarie priests and Iesuits at this present.

THE ANSWERE.

IF a man will not be caried away with wordes and winde, but will deepely enter into the consideration of things so as by proofes and probates he doth find most like to be true: he cannot choose but thinke

this question friuolous as wholy depending vpon these weak grounds, and too too grosse conceits of any halfe witted body to be possessed or interteined scz. First, that it is not possible for such things to be true as is heere and in other bookes discouered of the Iesuits: and by this rash resolue, they giue more sanctitie to these Iesuits then to the Pope him∣selfe: who hauing greater, moe and more effectuall helpes & meanes then any or all the Iesuits in the world, to be good, sound, constant, and firmely confirmed in vertue: yet none denies but in matters of life and manners, he may be an euill man (the catholike faith and beleefe of his holinesse freedome from errour, being onely in matters of faith, and Vt est Petrus,) yea if this were so, scz. incredible: that such horrible crimes should be committed by the Iesuits: then followeth it withall, that they want freewill, and haue not potestatem ad vtrumlibet, but are like angels confirmed in grace, & so by consequent must they be saints in heauen: whose ghosts or spirits walke heere amongst vs. For other∣wise it implicates a contradiction: Saint Augustines sentence standing infringible, allowed of by common consent of doctrine: that there is no sinne committed in the world, or euer hath beene, but I or he, or she, or any humane mortall wight may commit the like, be it as horri∣ble, loathsome and vnnaturall seeming, against the course of kinde as can be imagined. This therefore is peoples error, put into their heads by these new illuminates. Secondly, it is but an accustomed coggerie of the Iesuits, to make these bookes and writings against them seeme odious, and such a deed as neuer was done before: their drift therein be∣ing onely to continue their credite with the laitie; to increase the con∣tempt had in all men of the seculars: and to perfect their mischieuous platforme cast for the destruction of their prince and countrey there∣by: which drift of theirs, may easely be perceiued of any halfe witted body that doth but consider, that if such things may be, and that the Iesuits be men, and therefore fraile, and as subiect to fall into sinne as others are: then sure it cannot be otherwise chosen but that they are guiltie of all these crimes laid to their charge, and knowing not in all the world how to excuse or defend themselues if it come to triall (the seculars vrging so vehemently as they do:) they haue no other shift but to stop the peoples eares, eies, and vnderstanding from comming to the knowledge of these matters. Which stoppage can be by no other meanes then to make these bookes and writings set out to discouer them to be holden for infamous libels, and Satyricall inuectiues: nei∣ther to be read nor answered. And this is a second false surmise or cog∣gerie of the Iesuits, to keepe the ignorant in error. Thirdly, whosoeuer shall reade and examine these 10. Quodlibets, and other bookes writ∣ten against the Iesuits from point to point, shall finde, that there is no such detraction, slander, or bitter speech vsed as they talke of, nor so

much as perhaps were necessary to discouer as the case stands: (for that the particulars of any one mans priuate life and actions as they are pri∣uate, with correspondencie had to the generall or common cause, are not as yet touched) but the cause so handled agreeing to the diuersitie of men, matter, time and place, discussed of in these Interrogatories, so, as the answere may passe currant and apparant, couertly, exactly, dis∣ioyntly without either interruption of iustice, on the one side violated by concealing things necessary to be made knowne for cleering of the innocent (fiat enim iustita & ruant caeli) or without breach of charitie on the other side hindred by reuealing of secret faults of any one imperti∣nent to the manifestation of what ingenerall is intended. And heere I account the secret faults which are needlesse or not at all to be opened, to be whoredome, drunkennesse, robbery on the high way, or in secret burghlary and the like offences: which come of passion or frailtie of man. And againe, I account these publike, common, or generall faults, though committed by priuate persons, which rise of pride, ambition, &c. may either indanger the church or common-wealth, or hinder the common cause, by taking away the life of any publike person: or ad∣uancing any one to hinder the same: or finally be the cause directly, or indirectly, of leading ignorant people into errour, or misconceit: con∣trarie to the doctrine of the catholike church, and resolute beleefe of euery obedient childe and member of the same. And of this latter kind are the detractions and defamations (if any be) against the Iesuits, which euery catholike priest is bound vnto to make things knowne: and euery loyall subiect and dutifull childe, is to take notice thereof: for auoiding their owne danger both of body and soule. Therefore must it needs follow, that forasmuch as a libell or inuectiue imports a calum∣niation or slander against any or many, publike or priuate persons, vp∣on a special & peculiar intent, either of reuenge or preferring a priuate faction or action, in opposition against a publike cause: the matter here handled, and the wrong done, being no priuate hurt, but a publike harme, no sole foule danger, but a common-wealth damage; no indi∣uiduall action of the person, but a specificall or rather genericall facti∣on of the case that is heere in request amongst vs, on the behalfe of the catholike church in generall: and our natiue countrey, togither with all other common-wealths: * It may not be left, nor accounted of, as a libelling against the seditious Iesuits and their priuate faction: but turning backe the diuels malice vpon himselfe, and their slanders of the innocent vpon their owne heads: I conclude that as the relinquishing of the Iesuits for Pharisees and conspirators against God and their countrey (as they are) were the safest way for all catholikes, schisma∣tiks, or other of their and the Puritanes fautors: so were it also the Iesuits best course to auoide the lande, and those pure spirited children

of theirs that will come now at no seculars, nor much lesse heereafter, (if they euer depart) it were best for them to be packing with them, and make triall what will be the end of them both, if they delight so much as it seemeth they doe in nouelties and change: and when they are all gone, and the great new Abbot with them: or whether they be all exiled and banished the land or no, (which were great pittie but they should) let them know this: that the Church of God hath no neede of any of them, and the common-wealth much lesse: as both be∣ing now so pestered with them as a greater securitie could not come to either state Ecclesiasticall or temporall, then to concurre by one con∣sent vtterly to expell them the land. And although it greeues my very hart to thinke, that so many vertuous and truely sincere catholikes and religious men and women are deluded by their Pharisaicall life so much, as greatly it is to be feared (because greatly (if it happen) to be lamented) that if they should fall into manifest Apostasie or open re∣bellion (as they are in a great forwardnesse to both) or any other exe∣crable error: these fondlings would follow them euen into hell mouth, spite of priest or pope himselfe, so vainly are many perswaded of them. Yet false prophets shall they prooue, and so let them trust vnto it: as a generall receiued veritie of all true catholikes throughout the world; and flat heresie to defend the contrary that shall dare presume to affirme the fall and stand of the catholike church, faith, and religion, to depend vpon them: No, no, if euery one of their brokers were a professed Iesuit: and euery professed Iesuite a prouinciall ouer a 1000. Rectors: and euery Rector had vnder him 10000. ministers: and euery minister so many nouices: & euery nouice a Parsonian spirite: and after all this if the prowd gates of infernall dungeons were broken vp, and that they had all the helpes out of Stix, Corceris, and Fligiton, that olde satanas Segnior Belzebuh Don Lucifer, or Damp. Bemoth could affoord them: yet neither should they neither could they euer preuaile against the impregnable rocke, which standing post alone, would split them all one after another.

Notes

• Note here diffe∣rentiam actus li∣beri arbitrij. All angels, diuels and mortal men haue free will by crea∣tion: but the an∣gels onely ad bo∣num can not sin if they would: the diuels ad malum cannot do good: & men ad vtrum. libet may either do good or euill, as they list: be∣cause as yet in via, whereas the other two are in patria assigned vnto them: to liue the one, to die the other therein for euer.