Concerning the Lords Day, State of the Church of Rome, Execution of Priests, Position 3
THE THIRD POSITION. PRIESTS ARE EXECVted, not for Religion, but for Treaſon.
IT is not to bee denied, that Prieſts are executed for affirming the Popes Primacie, and reconciling to the pretended Church of Rome, &c. which are points of their ſuppoſed religion: But yet they are not executed for theſe (or like) points or parts as they be religious, but as they bee trayterous, or dangerous to the State, in ciuill conſideration.
1 For, if Prieſts were executed for theſe, or like poynts, as they be religious, then the Church would proceed againſt them in Eccleſiaſticall maner, before the ſecular power execute ciuill puniſhment. As againſt Anabaptiſtes, and other in this Queenes raigne, hath bene performed. So that Prieſts their caſe differeth from Hackets only Secundum magis & minus, the one being more dangerous in ciuil conſideration then the other.
2 Secondly, they ſhould be executed as wel for affirming the Popes primacy and reconciling, &c. (as Story for his miſdemeanure, though) beyond ſeas. For ſuch affirming the primacie and reconciling, &c. are as damnable in religious conſideration on one ſide of the ſeas, as on the other, but not ſo dangerous to our ſtate in ciuill conſideration.
3 Thirdly, they ſhould be executed as well for other points of popery: as giuing the glory of the Creator (to wit prayer and praiſe) to creatures, Angels, Saints, ſtockes, and ſtones, &c. being no leſſe damnable then ſuch affirming the Popes primacy and reconciling, &c. in religious conſideration, but not ſo dangerous to the ſtate in ciuill conſideration. As may appeare by a like caſe propounded.
If Anabaptiſtes, denying magiſtracy, and that Chriſt tooke fleſh of the Virgin Mary, ſhould ſwarme in England, and if Magiſtrates ſhould puniſh in a more ciuil manner of proceeding, not the latter (though no leſſe damnable, as it is religious) but the former, being more dangerous to the ſtate in ciuill conſideration, who would ſay, that Anabaptiſtes did ſuffer for religion, and not for treaſon or felony?
4 That affirming the Popes primacy and reconciling, &c. may appeare directly to be dangerous to the ſtate in ciuill conſideration, and therefore trayterous; it is to be knowne & conſidered, that Pope Pius Quintus (by his bull declaratory) pronounced our gracious and Chriſtian Queene an hereticke, and excommunicated all ſuch as yeeld obedience to her. If then the Popes authority be perſwaded as a matter of conſcience, & if by reconciliation her Maieſties ſubiects become vowed members of ſuch an head as is her capitall enemy, we may be aſſured that ſo many as are ſo perſwaded and reconciled, are prepared to obey the Pope, and diſobey the Prince. Is not then ſuch affirming the Popes primacy and reconciling, &c. dangerous to the ſtate, in ciuill conſideration, and therefore trayterous?
5 In that I ſay (prepared) it is yet further to be knowne and conſidered: that whereas the Northerne Earles had ill ſucceſſe in executing the ſaid Bull, other deuiſes were fruſtrated, and the hope of Papiſts their preſent preuailing much failed Parſons and Campian (Engliſh Prieſts) being to come into England to vrge the ſayd Bull, and doubting that (in the rigour thereof) it would not be readily obeyed, did craue and obtaine of Pope Gregory the thirteenth, this expoſition more plauſible to Papiſts, but more dangerous to the ſtate: That the ſaid Bull may alway bind the Queene and heretiques: but Catholikes (that is Papiſts) in no ſort, things ſtanding as they do, but then only, when there may be publike execution thereof.
6 Philopater a louer of his country (as he pretendeth by that fained name) no Engliſhman (if ye will beleeue him) yet deſcended of the Engliſh nation (as he ſaith himſelfe) in a poyſonfull and trayterous booke, often printed in diuers places beyond the ſeas (ſuch liking find ſuch books with ſuch ſubiects as Papiſts be) graunteth that Prieſts are ſent, with authoritySect. 3. from the Pope, to pardon, excommunicate, reconcile, and teach (according to the Bull expounded) that ſubiects are not to obey the Queene in ſpiritual matters, but in ciuill, and that for the preſent ſtate of things.
7 What is implied in this laſt clauſe, Philopater himſelfe diſcouereth when he ſaith, that it is agreed among diuers Lawyers and ſchoolemen, that if a PrinceSect. 3. faile from the Romane faith, and endeuour to withdraw other, ſubiects may and ought oppoſe themſelues, & depoſe their Princes, if they hauehave force. Which prouiſo, he inculcateth and vrgeth with this reaſon: Laſt religion ſhould be indamaged, and aduanced, attempts not preuailing.
8 The ſame Philopater doth peremptorily pronounce as tyrannicall, this queſtion moued to Prieſts, fugitiues, recuſants, and ſuch like: If the Pope, or other in his behalfe and cauſe of religion, ſhould inuade the land, what part would you take, the Popes or the Princes? His reaſon of miſlike is, becauſe a right Papiſt cannot anſwere freely thereunto, without offence to God or Caeſar. As if God were offended, if Caeſar defended againſt the Pope.
By which expoſition of the bull, doctrine of the Prieſts, and miſlike of a queſtion ſo neceſſary it doth clearely appeare that the end of affirming the Popes primacy and reconciling, &c. is to prepare her Maieſties ſubiects to be ready (vponupon paine of excommunication) to ioyne with ſuch forces as ſhall be imploied againſt our Queene and ſtate, in a pretended cauſe of religion. Is not this dangerous to the ſtate in ciuill cōſideration, and therefore trayterous?
9 Let the affects and effects of ſuch teachers and ſchollers be obſerued, and the truth of this aſſertion will be ſo euident, as that nothing can be more manifeſt. To let paſſe their broad ſpeeches, whē and where they dare: their concealing and abetting traytors, and trayterous deſignes, as they may (poſſibly) without danger, their reioycing at, and ſpreading abroad newes, importing ſucceſſe to the Pope, though danger to the Prince, &c. To omit (I ſay) theſe and many ſuch arguments of their trayterous affection, the ſhamefull practiſes of many, bewray the Popiſh preparation of moſt, if opportunitie once ſerue. Many hauehave been the conſpiracies againſt her Maieſties perſon, to take away her life. But O Lord hauehave mercy vponupon vsus, to preſerue her. Many hauehave bin the treaſons againſt the Land to deſtroy it. But O holy one of Iſrael defend this thine inheritance. Who hauehave bin the authors and actors of all theſe tragicall attempts, but ſuch teachers and ſchollers? What were the Rebels in the North? And were they not prouoked to rebellion by Nicholas Morton Prieſt, ſent from Pope Pius, to vrge the execution of his bull? What were the Rebels in Ireland? And was not Nicholas Sanders a Iudas (that is) a leader to the Popes army, that came in pretence to relieue them? Parry and Sommeruile went about to murther her Maieſtie. The one was encouraged in his diuelliſh enterpriſe, by Cardinall Como, in the name of the Pope: and ſhall we thinke that the other wanted the holy counſell of Hall the Prieſt arraigned? Babington and his complices, conſpired againſt Prince & country. Was not Ballard Prieſt a chiefe counſellor to them? and did not Bost a Prieſt keepe counſell (at leaſt) as he lately confeſſed? If then Teachers and Schollers, Prieſts and Papiſts, concurre in ſeeking and following all opportunities to ſubuert our State, can any other end be imagined of Prieſts, their perſwading, and reconciling, but to prepare their Schollers to ioyne together againſt Prince and country, when force ſhall anſwere their affection?
10 That the multitude of reſolued Papiſts, be thus poyſoned and prepared, let this be your laſt conſideration for this time, and not the leaſt at any time. That as the King of Aſhur purpoſing to beſiege Hieruſalem, ſent from Laciſh Rabſhaketh 2. Chron. 32. 9. 12. 13.and others, to weaken the hands of the people, by diſgracing their King Hezechiah, as one without religion, in that he had taken away Altars, and defaced high places; and by aduancing Saneherib, as one that preuailed againſt all Gods: So theſe Locuſts, which hauehave faces of men,Reuel. 9. 3. 78. 10. 11. and haire of women, but the ſtings of ſcorpions in their tailes, to wit, Prieſts, who pretend a tēder care of ſauing ſoules in the beginning, but intend a cruell deſtruction of Life and Land in the end, are ſent into this Realme by their King (theIſa. 7. 4. Angell of the bottomleſſe pit, out of the ſmoke thereof, namely, by the Pope in his fume, but without flame I truſt) before inuaſion intended, to weaken the hands, and withdraw the hearts of the people, from our gracious Queene, by diſgracing her Maieſtie, as one without religion, in that ſhee hath taken away ſacrificing Altars, and defaced religious houſes; and by aduancing their King, as one that preuaileth againſt all Gods, all States, all Religions. The like practiſe of ſending Prieſts to prepare people againſt the comming in of Spaniards, is to bee perceiued in Scotland.
11 What ſucceſſe this deuice hath, is alſo to be conſidered. The Pope is certified by Cardinall Allen, and the King of Spaine by Parſons the Prieſt, that there ſhall be found (ready ſecretly within her Maieſties dominions) many thouſāds of able people, that wil be ready to aſſiſt ſuch power as ſhall be ſet on land. Of whoſe names they hauehave deliuered bead-roles, eſpecially of ſuch as dwel in port Townes and on the ſea-coaſt, with aſſurance that Prieſts ſhall continue their reconciled people, in their lewde conſtancy. So hath her Maieſtie publiſhed in her Declaration, Anno 1591. But Philopater denieth it,Sect. 4. impudently and barely without any reaſon. But if Ballard Prieſt ſent ſuch a beadrole into Spaine, and Throgmorton had gathered the names of popiſh Noblemen and Gentlemen, to the ſame purpoſe: It may bee (in reaſon) ſuppoſed, that to Prieſts intelligence is ſent by Prieſts, what ſchollers they hauehave perſwaded and prepared for Treaſon and Rebellion.
To conclude, 1. If the Church proceed not againſt Prieſts in Eccleſiaſticall manner, before the Secular power execute them. 2. If Prieſts ſuffer not for affirming the Popes Primacy and reconciling, &c. beyond ſeas. 3. If Prieſts be not executed for other points of Popery, no leſſe damnable then theſe, as they bee religious. 4. But if the Pope by his Bull, hath vponupon paine of Excommunication diſcharged her Maieſties ſubiects of their allegeance. 5. If Papiſts be diſpenſed with, for obeying her Maieſtie till time ſerue to the contrary. 6. If Prieſts come of purpoſe to reconcile and teach according to the Bull expounded. 7. If it bee a Catholique doctrine, that ſubiects hauing force, ought to depoſe their Prince, maintaining Religion contrary to the Church of Rome: and 8. In that caſe to ioyne with forreigne power. 9. If maiſters and ſchollers hauehave from time to time attempted to put the ſaid Bull in execution. 10. If Prieſts bee ſent before inuaſion to prepare the people: and 11. If thouſands be notified euen by Prieſts prepared: then it may be auouched, that Prieſts are not executed for affirming the Popes Primacy and reconciling, &c. as they be religious, but as they be trayterous, or dangerous to the State in ciuill conſideration.
FINIS.
End of the text · James Balmford, Concerning the Lords Day, State of the Church of Rome, Execution of Priests (1607)