A Reply to a Censure, Tract · Part 2
Touching the Man.
Concerning Edmund Cam…ion although The 2. part.you miſſe not your ordinary taunts againſt me in place of arguments for the cauſe yet hauing ſpoken nothing agaiſt him but a truth, I …ra… not your … hauing dealt but wt a ſeditio us Ieſuite, you could not wel accuſe me of … … thinke neither of his fatherhoode nor of his practiſe as you do▪ either to reuerence the one, or defende the other. Out of my anſwere, you hauehave gathered together diuers accuſations layd downe againſt him: but make nomention of the reaſons wherupon thoſe accuſations were grounded: which iniurie you hauehave alſo done me, in other places. But if the ſame reaſons bee briefly remembred, it will eaſely appeare; that whatſoeuer he ſayeth or doeth, it is to hinder the courſe of the Goſpell, & to trouble the peace of the lande, and therefore to be taken in moſt euill part. For, notwithſtanding your defence, if he ſpeake humblie, hauing the worke of pride in his heart and in his hand; he diſſembleth: If he yeelde cōmendation where he hateth, it is daungerous fla…: If he ſhew confidence in his weake arme, and againſt the Goſpell that ſo preuayleth eueryevery where, hee onelyonly vaunteth: If he vnla… fully offer a triall of diſputation denied by his fathers, and being him ſelfe in daunger of an other tryall. he meaneth no perfourmance: If he proteſt peace againſt his open and knowen practiſe of commotion, he … dited: If hee deſire audienc… to open his mouth againſt the religion of God eſtabliſhed, and to exalt the authoritie of Antichriſt, whoſe double banne by his two … and double curſe hath benē openly denounced againſt this noble Realme. For anſwer hereunto, I leaue him to them that may admitte and commit him to. But heere the reader may beholde howe litle you hauehave to ſay in your Captaines defence, who allowe him in your booke …more then iii. leaues of the which ii. are ſpent in prouing a queſtion not denyed, and making much againſt your cauſe. For, prouing that religion ſtandeth with obedience to magiſtrates, which you tall temporall obedience, you muſt needes conclude that your Romiſh religion is no religion, becauſe it caſteth off this yoke of ſubiection layed vponupon vsus by the worde, and bringeth in a forraine ſupremacie to rule and ouerrule all by his Luke 20. 25. Rom. 13. 1. Tit. 3. 1.vſurped power and moſt vngodly practiſes. Therefore, taking in hande to confute it, you hauehave in deede confirmed my general concluſion: that Papiſts can not teach or mainteine the pretended Catholike religion, but they muſt be traytours to GOD and enemies to the State. But becauſe you bring euill argumentes to proue this good concluſion, I muſt examine them, and lay open that errour, which is ſecretly and ſophiſtically conueyed vnderunder a ſhew of probable and true propoſitions. Firſt, to proue my concluſion againſt God, hee affirmeth Poperie to be the Catholique faith, which is to craue and beg the cauſe, and to affirme the chiefeſt matter in queſtion. Your argumentes laide downe at large, will make this your order of diſputation more playne, and the errour more ſenſible. Your former reaſon is this: whoſoeuer calleth him an enemie to God, that mainteyneth Poperie, vttereth the reproch of an vncleane mouth: All profeſſors of the Goſpell ſo holde and ſo call the maynteyners of Poperie, therefore all profeſſors of the Goſpel vtter the reproch of an vncleane mouth. In this reaſon the firſt propoſition is brought, againſt all art, to proue and ſhould it ſelfe be proued: it is placed firſt and ſhoulde be placed laſt for the concluſion: for if hee could in a true argument proue and conclude that which is onelyonly affirmed in the firſt aſſertion, the controuerſie were at an ende. Therefore you ſpeake in a purpoſe to diſgrace the trueth, & not with arguments to proue your cauſe. Your ſecond argumēt is thus framed: Whoſoeuer ſpeaketh againſt thoſe y• would bring in a doctrine, contrary to the Goſpell eſtabliſhed, condemneth the former noble princes of England, y• Anſw▪ ſpeaketh againſt them: therefore the Anſw. condemneth the former noble princes of England. I graunt the ſecond propoſition: but the firſt is ful of vntruth. For I ſpeake of the preſent eſtate and preſent practiſes among you: what is that to former ſtates and former proceedings? I ſpeake of ſubiectes, and the Cenſurer doeth drawe it to princes: I ſpeake of them that dealt contrarie to the ſetled lawes, and he doth bring it as ſpoken againſt thoſe, that made and mainteined their owne lawes then in force. This one propoſition being ſo falſe, ran make no argument, but ſophiſticall for a ſhewe of trueth, when there is nothing in it but falſhode. Alſo the Ieſuites woordes hauehave an argument intended for him in this forme: what religion former princes from the conuerſion of the lande vntounto our age, hauehave mainteined, that muſt not be condemned: but they hauehave mainteined Poperie: therefore Poperie muſt not be condemned. The firſt propoſition is falſe, for wee muſt liue by the rule of Gods worde, and not by the example of men, that may deceiue and Pſal. 119. 105. Ex. 23. 2. E…e. 20. 18be deceiued, as appeareth in the ſtorie of the kinges of Iſrael and Iuda. The ſecond propoſition is falſe like the firſt. For ſince the cōqueſt, as I hauehave partly ſhewed in my anſwere, Edward the firſt, Edw. the third, Richard the ſecond, & others did ſet themſelues, euen ſo long ago againſt y• tyrannie of Antichriſt. And which is more, our Chronicles ſhewe that before Pſeudoauſtens comming, our religion was free from many ſuperſtitions, which he brought in: neyther did the Pope chalenge any preeminence of King Lucius, nor yet was it yeelded him long after. But while you pleade the authoritie, and, as you account it, the Catholike regiment of ſome of thoſe princes againſt me, you ſpeake againſt your ſelf ſecretly, opening your heart to diſcouer what you thinke of other Princes ſince, and namely of her Maieſties authoritie, and lawes eſtabliſhing the Goſpel. This is ſufficient to diſcouer the counterfeit honour, and heartie hate to the preſent ſoueraigntie. It followeth that I anſwere your obiections to the ſecond part of my concluſion: whether I make all Papiſtes traytours, becauſe they are of contrary religion to that which nowe ſtandeth in force by the grace of God, and vnderunder her Maieſties bleſſed gouernement. What may be ſayde of all Papiſtes generally, I leaue it as a queſtion, which I hauehave not vndertaken: other men hauehave, if you will looke into their reaſons. But for all reconciled Papiſtes employed with Saunders in Irelande, or entred to withdrawe the people in Englande: ſuch as with Campion and his fellowes helpe forward ſome of the haynous attemptes that come to light from day to day, if I would holde my peace, themſelues will bewray and confeſſe treaſon agaynſt her Maieſtie and the eſtate: beſide open contempt agaynſt the Lorde, and the free preaching of the Goſpell. Neyther doeth my zeale ouerrunne my witte, in making mention of theſe matters, or my malice ouerlaſh all reaſon, as you hauehave tauntingly accuſed mee without cauſe. My zeale I wiſh increaſed according to knowledge, and againſt all your abominable ſuperſtitions: In malice I hauehave not dealt, but am carefull to deteſt all corruption in the ſeruice of God. Biſhop Tunſtall an authenticall witneſſe, ſhal acquite mee of this reproche, who for like Rome practiſes, vſeth more bitter and broade ſpeaches, euen againſt your great Cardinall, Cardinall Poole. For hauing charged the Pope with his peſtilent malice, (ſo hee ſpeaketh) and Poole as his inſtrument, afterwarde hee A ſermon of Cuth. Biſhop of Dureſme printed. Anno 1539.calleth the Cardinall an arrant traytour, of a deuiliſh purpoſe to deſtroye his natiue countrey, alſo that hee ranne headlongs into hell, and was (for this Romiſh matter) incomparably woorſe then any Pagane. And will you call this hote doctrine: But to proceede, you note that religion ſtandeth with temporall obedience. It is truely ſayd of true religion: but Popiſh religion doeth take awaye from princes their ſupreme authoritie, making them the Popes vaſſalles and their people his tributaries. It warranteth all men to renounce and leaue their obedience, it diſpenſeth with all rebellion, and pardoneth any treaſon to thoſe that are reconciled for the day of execution. He that hath an eye to ſee, or an eare to heare, may heare and ſee this, and ſome fruites thereof, both in the land and without. Your trayterous bulles, your actuall rebellion in the north, where D. Morton had the firſt bull, & where your Prieſtes alſo ſayd maſſe in the tents: Stories trayterous ſhifte & chuſing him an other king, and pleading him ſelfe no ſubiect to the Queene, whoſe ſubiection and protection hee vnnaturally renounced, without any cauſe in the worlde giuen, but abuſing her Maieſties clemencie: your ſeconde bull and ſeconde actuall rebellion vnderunder Saunders in Irelande: the alienating & mouing of the people by your opē Maſſes in Lākeſhire & elſwhere: your other attemptes which came ſo neere the quicke procured by your Ieſuiticall Saunders of the viſible monarch. in the 7. booke pag. 334. 732. 736.Maſſes of reconcilemēt: finally, Saunders booke allowing and extolling theſe rebellions and enterpriſes, canonizing the Captaines therof with the title of notable Martyrdome: what are they but open and actuall proofes, that there is in you a reſolution to doe any thing you dare do, for the ouerthrowe of the preſent eſtate: It is openly layde to your charge that your malice is ſo great to ſome aliue, that you will be auenged of them, as you were in Cambridge of M. Bucer and Paulus Fagius fiue yeeres after their death. Your example of the Apoſtles obedience to Magiſtrates of contrarie religion, proueth nothing for you, that holde not that doctrine, neyther yet followe their example. They and the faythfull in the primatiue Church, yeelded obedience to princes that beleeued not, and you doe it not to them that beleeue and mayntaine the Goſpell, as it is proued agaynſt you. The like examples followe: for the bleſſed Martyrs of late times did al patiently yeeld them ſelues to death, according to the doctrine which they profeſſed, and witneſſed their obedience aſwell to the Prince as to GOD in their greeuous perſecutions. In all my booke there is no ſuch generall queſtion propounded as you charge me with, that eueryevery one of a contrarie religion, muſt needes be an enemie to the State. I hauehave alreadie anſwered, that true religion teacheth and yeldeth obedience to magiſtrates: but your religion bringeth euen Emperours vnderunder the ſubiection of the Pope, to giuegive their attendance at his gate, and at his ſtirrup, wherein you withdraw from Ceſar that that is Ceſars, Matt. 22. 21.aſwell as otherwiſe you withholde from God that that is Gods. The malici…us report which foloweth againſt ſome of our chiefe Prelates (as you ſpeake) cannot bee prooued: nor your repeated taunt againſt our ſpirites, which if they were as euill as you make them, being compared with your, there would bee I graunt, no great difference. Touching thoſe godly and learned men, Wickliffe, Luther and Caluine, whome you charge with daungerous doctrine againſt Princes, I anſwere that the light is no clearer at No…ue, then that they taught all obedience to be due to Princes in the Lorde, and that for conſcience ſake without any rebellion: as in their writings it remaineth, witneſſed to all the world. Luther vponupon the fifth Commandement, noteth for the ſacred authoritie of Magiſtrates, that this precept of obedience to them commeth next to the Commandement of obedience to God: adding that it teacheth vsus how to behaue our ſelues toward Luth. in expoſ. decalogi Tom 7. pag. 1. 19.all Magiſtrates, who are ordeyned and appoynted of God. For Magiſtrates are comprehended vnderunder the name of Parentes, being the cōmon Fathers of the cō mon wealth. M. Caluin beſide many other ſingular places of purpoſe handled, to ſet forth the ſoueraintie of Magiſtrates, hath theſe wordes in his inſtitutions: God hath not onelyonly teſtified that he approueth and accepteth of Magiſtrates office: but Cal. inſt. lib. 4. cap. 20. ſect. 4.hath moreouer ſet out the dignitie thereof with moſt honorable titles of prayſe, marueilouſly commending the ſame. Wherupon he citeth that, that God calleth them Gods: concluding y• their authoritie is moſt lawfull and holy, and in all the life of man, a thing of all other moſt honeſt. Moreouer, hauing taught ſubiectes their duetie to obey Statutes, to pay tribute, to beare publique charge and office: hee proueth Pſal. 82. 1. 6. Iohn 10. 25.againſt al rebels, that if they riſe againſt the Prince, they touch the annoynted of God. Thus the glorie of the Prince, is the good eſtate of the people: and the ioye of the people, is the bleſſed proſperitie of their Prince. I might ſhew the like doctrine out of Wickliffe, but it needeth not, after ſo ſufficient proofes againſt you for M. Luther, and M. Caluin. If on the other ſide they had wordes in the places barely quoted by you in the margent, to proue that which you charge them with, I doubt not but you would hauehave ſet them downe at large and in the beſt maner. But for the conſcience, this libertie it hath, that when a lawe is made againſt God, ſuch as your popiſh lawes be, then the rule of the Apoſtle taketh place, It is better to obey God Act. 4. …9.then man, which rule notwithſtanding alloweth no rebellion at all, but teacheth the ſubiect to offer himſelfe with all lowlines to the merciemercy of the magiſtrate, either to keepe a good conſcience, or to witneſſe the integritie thereof to God, and his obedience 1. Pet. 4. 15.to the Prince by a patient ſuffering. But, if we may beleeue your wordes, you condēne y• doctrine that teacheth ſubiectes not to obey the Prince for conſcience ſake: wherein, if it be your opinion indeede, you giuegive a ſentence of condemnation againſt your ſelfe, and againſt all the recuſants in England or fled beyond ſeas. But by this aſſertion eueryevery man may ſee you make no conſcience of a lie, which hauehave vttered one manifeſtly againſt your owne doctrine, diſpenſing with rebellion by the Popes Bulls, which is alſo taught in your bookes Saunders de v… mo…a…. lib. …. Howlets booke.and from time to time diſcouered by your practiſes. Where ſhall we builde vponupon your wordes and not be deceiued? when ſhall we thinke that you ſpeake the trueth from your heart: Howe ſhall we looke for conſtant dealing towardes vsus, when you are ſo inconſtant coward your ſelues: But this is that I noted againſt Campion: a double minded man is inconſtant in all his Iam. 1. 8.wayes. For the commotions (as you call them) in other countreys, by thoſe of the religion, it is well knowen that they hauehave Edicts, Priuileges, and paciffcations to cleere them from ſedition: whereby alſo their good conſcience and lawfull proceedings for the aduancement of religion is ſufficiently auowed. Nowe you come to pleade the innocencie of the wolfe, becauſe he hath ſheepes clothing, or becauſe it is not ſafe for him to breake into the foulde watched by diligent ſhepeheardes. You preſume that we would not liue ſo quietly, if the ſtate preſſed vsus, as you ſay your Catholiques are preſſed. Howe vnquietly you hauehave dealt I neede not ſo oſten to repeate: how quietly we would abide in ſuch times, our doctrine and former example of obedience doth moue a better expectation th… you will conceiue. You complaine without cauſe, but it is high time both by bookes and by preaching, to prouoke the Prince in a zeale of Gods houſe, to exerciſe iuſtice againſt Pſal. …9. 9. Iſa. 49. 23. 2. King. 18. 40.thoſe, that will not be brought from their practiſes of rebellion to the louelove of the trueth, no not by her exceeding merciemercy and rare clemencie. For ſeeing merciemercy taketh no more place with them, iuſtice is neceſſarie both in reſpect of her owne ſafetie, and in reſpect of her people, that the bleſſed preaching of the Goſpell may continue eſtabliſhed to vsus, and to our poſteritie for euer. I that can not, as you ſay, bluſh for my ſelfe, bluſh notwithſtāding for you that are ſo full of bloud and crueltie, and yet charge our ſpirite as cruell and bloudie. For one fier in the time of your perſecutiō, conſumed moe then hauehave been executed for religiō only, & not attainted of ſome trayterous or fellonious intention in all the time of her Maieſties happie gouernement, notwithſtanding ſo many offenders and ſo heinous offences of capitall Idolatrie. Therfore you had ſmall cauſe to complaine of the iuſtice done in examining two or three of your traiterous cōfederates at the rack: for you cannot alledge one for a thouſande of the tormentes, famines, cruell and lingering deathes, wherewith our brethren hauehave beene cōſumed vnderunder yt Pope, with no leſſe outrage, then Ne…o, Domitian or Diocleſian vſed againſt y• martyrs of Ieſus Chriſt. What eyes hath the Cenſurer, that can note ſo ſmal ſufferings againſt his felowes, and will not deteſt ſo deteſtable and ſauage crueltie practiſed by the Popiſh inquiſition where it can lay holde: concluded alſo, and, when time ſerueth, to be put in execution agaynſt this lande by the conſpiracie of Trent: In this complaint I finde, that the Cenſurer is ready with a litle helpe to breake out euen againſt the higheſt alſ… … for he that is priuie to ſo infinite cruelties of the Pope, doth neuertheleſſe exerciſe his ſtile to enlarge a ſmall matter againſt her Maieſties iuſtice, ſaying that all Chriſtendome, did talke of the late racking and tormenting of the Prieſts in the Tower. Yf this be true, you hauehave ſwift and many Curriers, that can giuegive ſo generall aduer…ſment in ſo ſmal time as vi. or vii. weekes. To aggreue this matter, bee ſaieth they were vertuous prieſts: and that they were tormented for their conſcience, where as he knoweth that beſide their owne cofeſſion, other euidences prooued them guiltie of ſuch attempts as deſerued yt their right …oynt ſhoulde hauehave bene racked. All this vniuſt complaint and excuſe of the prieſtes, content him not, but hee addeth moreouer a perſwaſion, that the ſame iuſtice in the Tower hath caſt mens heartes into a horrour of ſuch ſtrange and vnwonted dealinges: wheras in very trueth there was no one of them ſo racked, but that, howſoeuer their minds ſeemed to yeelde to the feare of paine, they were yet worſe afraied thē hurt. For the very next Sabboth day, though to the Churchwarde they muſt be drawe… or driuen or caried betweene two men like obſtinate b…ares to a ſtake: yet could they after y• ſermō walke home vponupon their own legges ſtoutely ynough and ſtrongly as other folkes. This is indeede to ſtraine at a gnat and ſwallowe vp a camell, to complayne Matt. 23. 24.of iuſtice mercifully & neceſſaryly vſed to two or three, and your ſelues with all horrible tormentes to deſtroy great cities, and attempt the deſolation of whole kingdomes. But to paſſe from this ſ… cauſeleſſe and fooliſh complaint, which may worthily hurt your cauſe: I nothing feare any loſſe that can come to our religion by ſo neceſſarie iuſtice. As for your laſt note of deſperation, which may come by theſe torcures, it is not to be feared: you are ſo reſolued (yf we may beleeue Campions proteſtation for himſelf and his fellowe Ieſuites) & hauehave ſuch a confidēce in your cauſe, that there is no ſuch fea…: they are prepapared by the whippe to endure greater things, eſpecially in the cauſe you eſteeme ſo great and ſo woorthy your ſufferings. This neuertheleſſe I may graunt you, that your euill cauſe may more charge and racke yo… conſciences to deſperation, then a thouſande times more coul… d… to the godly mart…s, who hauehave ſounde it a ioyfull Phil. 1. 29.thing, not onelyonly to beleeue in Chriſt: but alſo to ſuffer for him.
The Cenſurer hauing vſed a large digreſſion, returneth to the man, & finding his defence a barren matter, doeth only denie ſome things which in my anſwere were proued againſt him, ſecōdly adding a praiſe yt al the gold in England wil not gilt …im: and that if he mette with me in equall balance I ſhould appeare too light: which naked aſſertions may bee ſufficiently anſwered with a bare deniall. Yet for a further anſwere, what is it to proue Campions quiet purpoſe by his owne naked woordes, when his open practiſes appeare to the contrary? For notwithſtāding your ſcoffe, a man ſeeing little into common wealths, might eaſely ſee into theſe matters, and knowe both what the Ieſ…ites ſuperiours ſeeke, and what their inſtrumentes woulde bring to paſſe in this kingdome. Let any Nomb. 23. 8.man iudge: will not the Ieſuites bee as faithfull to their ſuperiours as Balam the falſe Prophet was vntounto the Lorde? Balam bleſſed where the Lord had bleſſed, and curſed where the Lord had curſed. And ſhal the Pope diſcharge hee Maieſties ſubiects of their Liegeance, and wil not Campion declare it? ſhall hee denounce the curſe againſt her, and will not the Ieſuites ſubſcribe thereunto: But I will not agayne proue yt which is already ſufficiently prooued. Your tales of the Iaponian Ieſuites, are neither of credit, being written by themſelues in their owne prayſe: nor to the purpoſe if they be as quiet as they & you report. For eyther they are in the Portingales Iſlandes and neede not, or, among the Heatheneſſe and dare not yet rebell. Secondly you will not ſeeme to vnderſtande a plaine ſpeach of your Golden day, ſo often by the goodneſſe of God adiourned, or as I hope, for euer diſappoynted: but expounde it as ſpoken onelyonly of Campion and his louelove of golde, the leaſt ſuſpicion whereof neuer entred into my thoughtes. But you hauehave here the ſeconde time deliuered that hard iudgement agaynſt me, with other reproches, which I let paſſe. I knowe that notwithſtanding any parriſhes or Parſons opinion at the balances, yet the iudgement appertaineth Deut. 1. 17.to the Lord.