A Reply to a Censure, Tract
A Replie to a Cenſure written againſt the two anſwers to a Ieſuites ſeditious Pamphlet.
IT is much to be lamented, that in the things of this life, there is not a cauſe ſo good, nor a title ſo iuſt, but when it is brought into queſtion, the quarelling partie will readily finde out ſome forme of pleading againſt it, & in the iudgement of ye ignorant or partial hearer, ſeeme to hauehave a good cauſe & great reaſon on his ſide, when in deede, he hath neither the one nor the other. But it is much more to be lamented, that in the thinges of a better life, namely in the matters of our ſaluation, there is nothing ſo plaine in the word of God, nothing ſo agreeable with the vſe of the primatiue Church, but it hath enemies that crie out againſt the light as if it were darkeneſſe, and againſt the trueth as if it were falſhoode, whereby the ignorant are interteyned in their ignorance, and the obſtinate hardened in their rebellion.
Yf the trueth be ſubiect to ſuch iniuries and reproches, they that mayntaine the trueth, muſt partake with it alſo, but alwayes with an affiance therein, that it is mightie and will preuaile. As many alſo as louelove the trueth, & yet for want of knowlege, do as it were ſtagger in ſo great contrari…rie of opinions, they muſt not hauehave their faith in reſpect of perſons, or be caried Iames 2. 1. Ephe. 4. 1….about with eueryevery blaſt of doctrine, in the vncerteintie or hazard of men, who are exerciſed in cunning waies, and lye in waite to deceiue. For this Religion is not true, becauſe ſuch learned men teach it, or that falſe, becauſe ſuch wiſe men doe condemne it: but whatſoeuer is truely taught, and playnely proued by the holy worde of God, if thou …care it with feare and reuerence, that wil confirme thy iudgement, and eſtabliſh thy heart in a good conſcience of the trueth. But in handling theſe controuerſi…s, becauſe an earneſt zeale of the trueth, doth prouoi… the godly to a great hatred of error, and a blind louelove of ſuperſtition carie away others to the ſlaunder of wholeſome doctrine: let both ſides remember, that there is one that ſ…eth and iudgeth in theſe actions, whoſe final ſentence ſhal ſtand in that great day of the Lord Ieſus againſt Rom. 1. 18.al, that withhold the trueth in vnrighteouſneſſe. This, being well conſidered; will ioyne chriſtian louelove with godly-zeale on the one ſide, and ſomewhat ſtay the other, that they breake not out into a defyaunce of the trueth, and into the ſame open faultes, wherewith they ſo much and ſo vniuſtly accuſe others. For, many in great want of arguments, recômpenſe the matter with vnchriſtian taunts and ſlaunders; and not being able to ouerthrow the trueth, are yet alwayes armed with varietie and colout of wordes to charge it as a lye, and the defenders thereof as forgers of lyes, and as maynteiners of daumable abſurdities. Notwithſtanding, as the trueth was not tied 2. Tim. 2. 9.when Paul was in bandes: ſo good cauſes are not confuted, though the defenders thereof be neuer ſo ſcornefully reproched. This may appeare, as by many other treatiſes againſt our brethren heretofore, ſo by the late Cenſure of Ed. Campion or ſome other for him, that was more ready before hand, to deale ſomewhat with the anſwers made to his proud and ſeditious libel. For in a round ſtile this quareler would cary away the maintenance of an euil cauſe, and vnderunder the title & authoritie of a Cenſurer, ratifie his manifold and vniuſt accuſations, that ſo finally he may ſit downe to giuegive open ſentence againſt the truth. But for an anſwere to thoſe accuſations, and a repeale of his falſe ſentence, I mind to follow him, as from line to line, where iuſt occaſion is offered, that vponupon examynation it may appeare, howe little force there is againſt the naked truth of Gods cauſes, in the painted wordes of mans wiſedome.
This Cenſurer taketh in hand the open defence of ye Ieſuites ſeditious Pamphlet, and as a man of authoritie and iudgement, to cenſure my anſwere to it: but as he hath nor perfourmed the one, ſo hee hath greatly miſſed of the other. For the argumēts alleged to proue Campions ſeditious enterpriſe in eueryevery part of his libel, & to open the like practiſes in his fellow Ieſuites, and other Papiſtes, that imploy all their labours againſt the Church of God, and the good eſtate of this kingdome, they remaine all vnanſwered: the Cenſurer did not think it ſafe to giuegive his ſentence in theſe matters, although he knewe well, they were the chiefe things that he ſhould hauehave anſwered. The matters handled by the waye, as of the ſect and doctrine of Ieſuites, of Ed. Campions perſon, of diſputation, of Chriſtian Frankens treatiſe againſt the Ieſuites, they are the matters that the Cenſurer hath choſen out to abide his bitter taunts, and receiue his vniuſt ſentence. Thus this iudge, that for the ſkill and authoritie hee taketh vponupon him, ſhould hauehave cenſured the matter it ſelf, hath dealt only with certaine acceſſaries, leauing the principal cauſe in ful force againſt the Ieſuite.
But for proofe hereof, to come now to the Cenſure, Campion o… the like ſpirit in ſome other petie champion, doth at his entraunce, giuegive an aduertiſment to abuſe his reader, that the Ieſuites offer required not ſo much an anſwere in writing, as ſhorter triall in diſputation. In which wordes he would ſeeme to make it a matter out of doubt, that he & his confederates can ſoone confute the religion eſtabliſhed, and by a ſhort way defende their Popiſh ſuperſtition, if they might come to the triall. But theſe few wordes do bewray much vanitie. For who is Campion, or who are the reſt of theſe ſeedmen, that they ſhould preſume ſo much of themſelues, as to make ſo ſhort worke in anowing that popiſh religiō, that hath nothing to vphold it but tyrannie, nothing to defend it but lies, nothing to reſtore it but hypocriſie & rebellion: Where hauehave theſe diſputers ſtaied ſo long time: Now they are come, what can they get by renewing the battaile ſo often, and ſo lately refuſed and auoided by their chiefe fathers & auncient captaines: Surely, if your ſtudied D. Watſon. M. Peoknam& prepared bookes, be a ſure argument what you can doe in a preſent diſputation, then I doubt not, if it were graunted, but you would therein make a ſhort tria… of your vaine ch…ge, and leaue a ſure teſtimonie of your …tichriſtian religion.
This your aduertiſement is ioyned with a bolde and malicious accuſation, not ſo much againſt M…ſt. Hamner and mee, as againſt the religion, and as many as profeſſe ye ſame. For not hauing a watch before your lippes, you affirme it as cleare, that there can be had nothing from vsus but wordes. Maſt. Hamner hath with his words brought more reaſon and trueth againſt you, then you wilbe wel able to anſweare. Whether I bring nothing but wordes or no, I leaue it to them that … meaſure my anſwere, by their own indifferent iudgemēt, & not by ye preiudice of your vnlawfull Cenſure. Whereas you would ſeeme briefly to gather ye effect of my book… in ſteade thereof you ſpread abroade your owne vncharitable and vntrue termes, cenſuring me and not my anſwere. For you accuſe me of ſubtiltie, of falſifying, of malice, of flatterie for profite, of infinite repeticions in the termes of Pope and Popery, of inuention and exceſſe in railing, and of bolde lyes and aſſertions whatſoeuer with out bluſhing. Almoſt eueryevery lyne ſoundeth loud with ſome foule reproch. Therefore to anſwere you in them al, … report not y• chalenge; ſubtillie for my purpoſe, but for a plaine diſcouerie of Campions practiſe, which is full of diſtoyaltie, full of Popiſh rebellion, and I hauehave don…t ſo iuſtly, that you hauehave thought it good to ſay little or nothing in his defence. Secondly what moued you to charge me as falſifying: the challenge, whereas you hauehave not in al your cenſure ſo much as mentioned the leaſt corruption againſt me: I know I followed ſome ſpeciall copies, which came neither co…tiy nor corrupted to my handes: but …ed their comming, and one an other with great conſent. Such a charge maketh your falſe accuſation to fall vponupon your ſelfe; as a falſe accuſer, for a iuſt recomp…nce of your vniuſt ſentence. The third …ccuſ…t… on of malice, is agaynſt the brotherly louelove yon ſpeake of: for the report of Campions diſſoyall and ſeditious practiſes, being apparauntly true, and in ſoine of you broken out into actuall and vnnaturall rebellion, and founde readie to breake out in others, you cannot well charge mee with malice in declaring a trueth, except you can for full execution of your office looke into my heart, and there finde that I neuer felt. …s no excuſe in this place to maynteine your Ieſuites and Semynaries, that their ſeedes of ſedition, their libels, their maſſes, their bulles and open …rmes, are things done for conſcience and religion: for in making ſuch trayterous practiſes, the effectes of your religion and conſcience, you ſubſcribe to Saunders booke, and both make the tree very euill, becauſe the fruite is very badde: therein alſo you graunt me that, which afterwarde you doe denie. Touching the fourth accuſation of palpable flatterie towarde … ſtates for gaine: if you thinke them vnw… thie of ſuch prayſe, examin the thoughtes of your owne heart in that behalfe: if my duetie and conſcience bounde me to ſay no leſſe in their defence againſt Campions vngodly ſuggeſtions, you hauehave iudged before the time, and one, who by the grace of God is well able to proue his ſpeciall hatren of flatterie and gaine by ſuch vngodly meanes. In the fifth reproch I take it as a plaine note of ſomewhat, that your eares tingle and are wearied with the termes of Pope and Poperie. But your infinite repetition of ſuch ſuperſtitions cauſe often repetition of theſe fitteſt wordes to expreſſe the ſame: for the matter muſt be weariſom and worne out with you, before the proper termes thereof be worne out or buried with vsus. Neither can I promiſe it then, for as the notorious ſuperſtition of Scribes and Phariſees, the iniquitie of Pilate, and the hardneſſe of Pharao while they liued, will in no age ſuffer their odious names to die: ſo the Pope and poperie may for like rebellion receiue the like puniſhment, remayning for euer in all deteſtation. But you (for what cauſe I can eaſely geſſe) hauehave ſcarſely once mencioned the Pope in all your booke, although hee be your Lorde and father, and to you neerer and deerer, then either the Prince, or the louelove of your countrey.
VponUpon my anſwere you promiſed to enlarge your ſelfe, and in brotherly louelove: but you do onelyonly enlarge your ſelfe in anſwering a fewe articles cited againſt the Ieſuites out of Donatus Gotuiſus: in all the reſt you are very ſhort, ſo that my anſwere is not anſwered, but by your malicious and bold Cenſure here and there noted, for a worde or for a ſyllable, making litle for you or againſt me: in the reſt it is charged and ouercharged, with your free taunts and vniuſt ſentence. Your brotherly charitie, I thinke, is ſomewhere els beſtowed.
My order in anſwering the pamphlet from point to point, it pleaſeth you to call rouing, that you may perſwade the reader, I did not leauell at the certaine marke in my aunſwere, nor keepe a right order. Wherein you giuegive me occaſion to ſpeake of your order, which may fitly be called a diſorder, ſuch as alſo may bee looked for … your hands, if you & your fellowes ſhould come to diſputation. The order you hauehave framed to your ſelfe in foure partes: firſt; touching the ſect of Ieſuites: ſecondly, touching Campion: thirdly, touching the challenge: and laſtly, touching the dialogue added to the anſwere, is at your pleaſure, to roue in deede at your owne markes, to bee large or ſhorte, to touch or paſſe by, to anſwere or leaue vnanſwered, as may ſerue beſt for your ſkill and make moſt for your purpoſe. Notwithſtāding, ſeeing you hauehave frained this order, and layde downe theſe 4. partes to my hande, I will followe them in the ſame order, leaſt I might ſeeme with you to make ſome anſwere where I pleaſe, and let the reſt alone.