A Brief Confutation of a Popish Discourse, Part 1 · Answer 2
The second reason.
THe second reason (saith hée) why a Catholike can not yeeld to go to church, is because he cānot go without scandale, which is a sin more mentioned, more forwarned, more forbidden, more detested, more threatened in the scripture, then any sinne els mentioned in the same, except it be Idolatrie. I will not stande to examine the comparison, but certaine it is, that the wilfull giuing of offence, or as hée calleth it newly, scandale, is in scripture often and greatly detested, and verie damnable and abhominable, a thing well knowne to them, that are wise and learned in the scriptures, and therefore néeded not the one quarter of quotations and textes, that are cited for it. There are also diuers kindes therof, and neuer a good of them all. Whether it be by inducing other men to sinne, by false doctrine, or wicked example, by offending the weake conscience of our brethrē in a thing of it selfe lawful, which our reasoner setteth downe absolutely, without regarde of such circumstances. If I doe offende an other mans conscience in a thing of it selfe lawfull. As though our sauiourMat. 15. 5. 12. Christ might be accused for neglecting the offence of the obstinate Pharisees. Or whether it be by giuing occasion to the enemy to blaspheme, when a man doeth wickedly, which also our Aduocate of the Recusantes doeth set downe so nakedly, that he woulde make a Christian man afraid to glorifie Christ before a Iew, whō both hée is sure to offend, and that hée will take occasion, either in heart or mouth, to blaspheme our Sauiour. The third point (saith hée) is in respect of the enemie, that is, when although I doe not induce any man to sinne or offende any mans conscience, yet I doe disedisie the enemy, and doe that thing whereby the enemy is scandalised, and taketh an occasion to blaspheme God, his trueth, his lawe, or the like. For except the thing, which I doe is wicked, as the adultery of Dauid, which hée bringeth for an example, though the enemy is scandalized, as the Pharisées were at Christ, and taketh an occasion to …aspheme God, his trueth, or his worde, …. It is no … and …, by mée lewdly giuen, but by him wickedly taken. But cleare it is, that offence by no meanes may bée giuen either to the Iewes or to the Gentiles, or to the Church of God. But howe is the second part of the argument proued, which … al y• proofe. A Catholike (saith he) by going to Church, seruice, or prayers of them of the contrarie religion, can not but commit this great Scandale in the highest degree, that is in all those three pointes, before rehearsed. This is boldly saide, but what is the reason to shewe, that it is truely saide. Touching the first pointe (saieth hee) If he bee a man of any calling, his example shal induce some other as wife, &c. This is as good Logike, as the necessarie supposition, to pr…us an vniuersall proposition, by a particular. Euerie Catholike giueth offence, because some that is of any calling, induceth by his example. So that hée which is a méere priuate man, whose example can not induce, or authoritie constraine, is exempt from this point of giuing offence. But why shoulde any man, of what estate so euer hée is, bée charged with offence giuing: when the thing which hée doeth is not disprooued, but by a vayne supposition, to be godly and honest.
And touching the seconde pointe, when it is not a thing indifferent, but either a necessarie duetie, as wée iudge, or a thing altogether vnlawfull, as hée holdeth, to come to the Churche, howe can any man bée saide touching that pointe, to commit offence, which is contrary to his owne determination, of that point. But by a marginall note, hée commaundeth vsus to marke the third pointe, and that is this. There is no enemy of the Catholike religion in the worlde, whether hee bee Gentile, Iewe, Turke, or heretike, but that hee must both thinke and speake, the woorse of the saide religion, seeing the professours of the same, are content for worldly pollicy to dissemble it: and leauing their owne Churches, to present them selues to the Churches of their open and professed enemies.
This man reasoneth altogether of necessities, and impossibilities, the strongest Cheynes that are to holde any reasons, if they were surely linked & riueted, into the causes, that hée would binde with them. But howe prooueth hée, that it is necessarie for euerie enemie of the Catholike religion in the worlde to thinke woorse of it, for the dissembling of some of the professours of the same? The worlde is wyde, and the true Catholike religion, hath many enemies, that are wise, which when they knowe, that eueryevery religion, and their owne, what euer it bée, hath many dissemblers, when it is persecuted, will not for the onelyonly pointe of dissembling, thinke woorse of the Catholike religion, then they thinke of their owne, for the same cause. But not withstanding the Cheyne is no better locked to the cause of all the enemies, yet the off…nce of dissi…ulation is carefully to bée a…yded, in respecte of some parte of them. But vntill going to the Church, where the woorde of God is reade and taught, the Sacrament ministred, and prayers conceaued, according to the … of the holy scriptures, can bee condemned of wickednesse, there is no offence to bée feared in frequenting the same. But that the go…rs to Churche offende not God by hypo…sie and dissimulation, let them take héede of all sortes, at their vttermost perrill, for asGalat. 6. you cyte it, albéeit (you wrongly apply it) they shall finde one day, that God is not mocked.