is Homonymia of long and large extent as to what purpose is the Order of Priests when John call'd us all Priests also he subjoin'd this We will reign upon the Earth To what end therefore are Kings Also the Prophet celebrates the Spiritual Feast that is Abstinence from inveterate Crimes Therefore let choice of foods and set days prevail Is it so therefore Moses David Elias Baptistes Apostles were mad who determinated the fasting of the Week to 2 or 3 days which indeed is a perpetual crime You see now what it is I make hast The fourth is added to this Circulation after this manner Give me I say the marks of your Church the Word of God and the most pure Sacraments What are these with you who doubts it But I deny it Counsel the word of God I have Counselled it already and I less favour you than I did before ah but yet it is plain Prove it to me because indeed we do not depart the breadth of a nail from the Word of God Where is your Wit you will always take for an Argument that which is put in the Question How often do I inculcate this Dost not thou watch me Are not the Torches to be remov'd I say the Word of God to be a little explain'd by thee I have 15 Ages witnesses stand to the sense not mine nor thine but of these all I will stand to the sense of the Word of God Where the Spirit will it breathes Behold what circles what wheels does he make This is a Trifler a Coiner of so many words and sophistries I know not to whom he cannot be deceitful he may be troublesome perhaps Your Prudence will raise the trouble the thing will cast away fear The Tenth Reason THis will be to you a direct way so that Fools cannot err by it For who is there although dull in a Common-wealth when desirous of Salvation hath consider'd a little doth not see and hold the Path of the Church so well plained detesting both Brambles and Rocks and inaccessible places These things also shall be desired by the Ignorant as Isaias foretold To you also if you would have it very desirously we lay a prospect of the Scene of things before your Eyes What is more we Err in all things to us affords an argument Let us go into Heaven let us contemplate Roses and Lillies purpled with Martyrdom white with Innocency Three and Thirty Popes slain together the Pastors in all Nations who pawn'd their Blood for the Name of Christ the Flocks of the Faithful who traced their Pastors steps all the Heavenly Saints with crouds of men shining forth with Purity and Holiness thou mayst see ours liv'd here but ours are remov'd from hence ours was Ignatius that I may take a smack of few things mâ—st thirsty of Martyrdom Who in Ecclesiastical affairs equaliz'd none yea not the King himself with a Bishop Who committed many Apostolical Traditions of which he himself was witness to writing Our Anchorite Telesphorus who commanded the Fast of Lent being establish'd by the Apostles to be more severely observed Our Irenaeus who deriv'd the Apostolick Faith from the Succession of the Roman See Ours was Pope Victor who restrain'd all Asia with his Edict which did seem so sharp to some and also to Irenaeus a very Holy Man yet no body envied it as a Foreign Power Our Polycarp who went to Rome upon the Query of the Passover whose burnt Relicks Smyrna gathered up reverencing their Bishop on an Anniversary day and with particular ceremonies Our Cornelius and Cyprian a Golden Pair of Martyrs both great Bishops but greater was he who being a Roman suppressed the African Heresie Who being renown'd for his vigilancy Prosecuted his own Predecessor Our Sextus to whom waiting at the Altar Seven Angels appeared Our Arch Deacon Laurence whom our Adversaries struck out of their Calender although so much extoll'd by Prudentius in him de S. Laur. Ours those blessed Virgins Caecilia Agatha Anastasia Barbara Agnes Lucia Dorothy Catherine who established their devoted Chastity against the Tyranny both of Men and Devils Our Hellen whom the Festival of Inventio Crucis Celebrates Our Monica who dying most religiously desir'd to be Pray'd for after her Death Our Paula who from a Palace fled into a Cave of Bethlehem although a stranger in so great a Journey to attend the Person of Christ. Ours Paul Hilarion Antony who retired into a Wilderness Our Satyrus Brother-in-law to St. Ambrose who carrying the Consecrated Host about him in danger of Shipwrack leaped into the Ocean and being full of Faith Swam out again Our Bishops Nicolas and Martin exercised in Watches Fenced in with Turfes fed with fasting Our Benedict the Father of so many Monks I could not finish those Chiliads in ten years Neither do I repeat those which I ranked before amongst the Doctors of the Church I am mindful of shortness Let them inspect those as will in the Fertile History of the Ancients or rather in the most Grave Authors who almost each of them have left each of the Saints to memory Let any one declare to me out of those most Ancient and blessed Books what he thinks whether they are Catholick Doctrine or Lutheran I call the throne of God to witness and that Tribunal before which I shall stand to give the Reason of these Reasons Word and Deed whether there is no Heaven or whether it is ours If there is we embrace it if not we defie it Now on the contrary if you will let us look into Hell They are burnt with everlasting fire who the Jews what Church were they averse to Ours Who the Gentiles What Church did they most cruelly Persecute Ours Who the Turks Whose Temples did they demolish Ours Who Hereticks of whose Church were they Enemies Ours For what Church besides ours hath oppos'd it self against the Gates of Hell When the Jews being banish'd the Christians settled at Jerusalem Good God! What concourse of People resorted to the Holy Tabernacles what the Festival of the Sepulchre what of the Manger what of the Cross what of all Saints with which as it were with the Ornaments of a Spouse they were delighted Hence arose the fierce and implacable hatred of the Jews towards us Also they say now our Ancestors were the cause of their own destruction but they receiv'd no blow from Simon Magus or the Lutherans The Gentiles were very furious who in a small space of time brought most miserable Persecutions on the Christians On whom The Fathers and Sons of our Church Hear ye the voice of the Tyrant who Roasted St. Lawrence on a Grid-iron of which See Prudentius in him de S. Laur. Against whom doth he rage The Holy things of whose Church Lamps Rites and Ornaments doth he root out To whom doth he envy Golden Dishes and Silver Chalices and rich Treasure To us Indeed it is Luther like For what other Veil did his Nimrods
and lmbowel its very Body their only Buoy to Posterity exenterating its most goodly and specious parts For the seven Books of the Old Testament to connive at small things were spew'd out by the Calvinists and the Epistle of St. James and five others by the Lutherans with the like Hickups of indigestion about which there was one while a Controversie To these our Modern Presbyterians add the Book of Hester and in a manner the Three Chapters of Daniel which the Anabaptists their contemporaries long since Hiss'd out and derided How modestly did St. Augustine who concluding his Holy Catalogue did not lay down the Hebrew Alphabet for a Rule as the Jews did nor a private Spirit as the Sectaries did but that Spirit which Christ infused into his Church which Church indeed is the Trustee of this Legacy not the Testatrix as some Hereticks do object This Trust the Council of Trent embraced and was challenged by more Ancient Councils The same St. Augustine could not draw into the Scheme of his knowledge why the Book of Wisdom which is now and was then in force as Authentick and Canonical both by the Suffrages of the Church Succession of Ages by the Testimony of the Ancients and Inspirations of the Faithful should be struck out of the Canon with a Rash and Unadvised Censure What would he say now if he should have survived so many Lutheran and Calvinistical Artificers of the Bible who with their Polite and Elegant File have extenuated the Old and New Testament neither have they excluded the Book of Wisdom only but many others out of the Canonical Predicament That whatsoever came not from their Anvil that by a Phrensical Decree was spew'd out as Monstrous and Abortive To this so Dire and Unconsecrated a Sanctuary who have recourse to they indeed although they are extolled in the mouths of their Scullions do make Sale of their Benefices Declaim against Catholicks in their Sermons prepare Axes Racks Tormentilio's and Crosses yet they have been overcome abject disgrac'd vanquish'd and defeated forasmuch as having passed their Sentences as Authoriz'd Judges they obliterate Scripture it self if any part agrees not with their Stomach who is there even ordinarily Learned would fear such Rabbet-like Enemies Which Enemies when they are besieg'd by a Ring of such Learned men as we are will run to their old wiles as it were to Familiar Devils and should not be Entertain'd with Victorious Hummings but Disgraceful Hissings I ask of them for instance By what Right they Maim and Rend the Body of the Bible They answer They do not cut out the true Scriptures but cull out the Supposititious Who is their Judge The Holy Spirit For this answer is prescribed by Calvin that he might escape the Sentence of the Church by which Spirits are tryed Why therefore do you torment one another when all glory in the same Spirit The Spirit of the Calvinists receive Six Epistles which do not please the Spirit of the Lutherans yet both trusted in the Holy Spirit The Anabaptists term the History of Job a Fable interwoven with Comical and Tragical Laws How do they know The Spirit teaches them so Castalio a Debauch'd Rascal esteem'd the Mystical Song of Solomon which the Catholicks admire as the Paradice of the Soul as the hidden Manna as Rich delights in Christ no more than a Song on his Mistriss a Love-colloquie with the Ladies of the Court Whence did he draw it From the Spirit In the Revelation of St. John where every point doth express something Magnificent and Lofty as St. Jerome says yet Luther Brentius and Kemnitius curious Criticks desire it should be Authoriz'd Who would they ask The Spirit Luther with a Preposterous Zeal places the Four Evangelists by themselves and preferring them before the Three Epistles of St. Paul doth moreover Decree that the Gospel of St. John should be denominated True and Singular and good Reason for it because in it he made the Apostles partakers of his Contentions who teach'd him so to do the Spirit But yet that Frier did not scruple to touch the Gospel of S. Luke with a petulant stile because the good Works of Vertue are too often commended in it Who told him so The Spirit Theodorus Beza dared to Traduce that Mystical Expression out of the Twenty Second Chapter of St. Luke This is the Cup the New Testament in my Blood which Cup shall be poured out for you as Corrupted and Depraved because these Sentences admit of no other Exposition than of the Wine of the Cup being chang'd into the real Blood of Christ who told him so the Spirit Lastly when every one intrusts all things to his Spirit they do asperse the Holy Spirit with horrible Blasphemy whoever doth these things do not they betray themselves are they not easily Confuted are they not bridled and restrained without difficulty by a Consistory of such Learned Men as you are O! ye Academians May I fear to dispute with those who have not only with the most Treacherous Infidelity laid hands on Humane Writings but Divine I pass by those things which they have misconstrued although I can accuse them of things inexcusable I submit that to my Friend Gregory Martin who is Skilful of Languages who will perform it more Learnedly and Accurately than I and to others who as I am inform'd have it on the Anvil I Prosecute Crimes more heinous and of a worse nature I have found out Learned Banterers who with rash Incursions have Invaded Gods Prerogative and in many places have inveighed against it as Corrupt Imperfect False and Surreptitious Some parts they have Corrected some they have Carped at and some they have Rooted out quite Hence all the Turrets which they were Fortified with were chang'd into Lutheran Spirits as it were into Castles of Phantasms that they should not be Gravell'd when they should Quote the Scriptures infested with their Errours which indeed they can no more clear themselves of than Sup the Sparks or Eat the Stones For this Cause my first Reason was Vehement and Just that when it had delineated our Adversaries party despersed and vanish'd it might add Courage to all Christians who exert their Wits in these Studies to Fight for a Crown of Glory against the residue of our overthrown Enemies The Second Reason ANother thing which hath inflamed me to a Combat and to bring such Ammunition Musquets and Blunderbusses with me is our Adversaries policy big with Fraud and barren of Prudence in explaining the Scriptures presently ye will touch at this ye Philosophers and therefore I sought out you for my Auditors We ask of our Adversaries for instance who they follow what new Sect they entered into that they exclude Christ out of the Mystical Supper If they Quote the Gospel we appeal to it the words with us are This is my Body this is my Blood which expression seem'd so prevalent with Luther that he desired to be a
searching out things new and old prophesying of Christ and Moses what a heinous thing it is to hiss at such good men and maliciously extol evil my adversaries hissed why so because they have exploded a Learned Scribe When I found that true I desired the Field singly not that sporting one which the Rabble Skirmish on viz. the Street but a large Campaigne Foot to Foot a Giant with a Dwarfe but if the Fathers should chance to be in ambush the Fight is ended they Fight as much for us as Gregory the 13th that most Loving Father of the Sons of the Church For to connive at many different Proofs which may be gathered out of the Monuments of Antiquity they do Positively and Affirmatively defend the same Faith they do fully and distinctly explain those Volumes which we Patronize and Industriously desend that Religion we profess There is a twofold Hierarchy which teaches us in what Classis Rites and Ceremonies are This thing Prickt Luther so much that he thought of his Works in his Dreams and Visions Causeus imitating his Father a Terrefilius of France did not blush to call this Dionysius a doting old Man altho' an Apostle of a good Family Ignatius was offended at the Centuriators and at Calvin in that he esteemed of him as the scum of the Earth his Works as disfiguring Moles and meer Songs Ireneus published something Phanatical to the World in the Judgment of Censors Clemens the first Inventor of Coverleds Midwifed into the World Tares and Dregs The rest of the Fathers of this age were men of an Apostolical Spirit but lest to their posterity Blasphemies Tertullian they greedily snap at what they learn from us they indigestedly spew up again but they should have remembred the Book of Prescriptions which touch'd the Sectaries of our age so much was never called in How well did Hippolitas Bishop of Portua Divine the strength of Antichrist and Luthers times therefore they term him a young Writer and a Conjurer The French Critick and the Magdeburgecy term Cyprian the Glory and Honour of Africa one stupid and not Divinely inspired and a Corrupter of repentance What did he receive he wrote of Virgins of Sins of the unity of the Church with many other Tracts of the like nature and Epistles to Cornelius Romanus the High Priest and if Faith be not applyed to this Martyr Peter Martyr Vermilius and his Confederates can be accounted no better than Adulterers and Sacrilegious persons And not to insist longer on particulars all the Fathers of our Age are condemned for they are they who would have corrupted the Doctrine of the Penitent Myrrh Tree by what means for the Austerity of the Canon which was vigorous at that time did in abundant manner displease this plausible Sect who delighted more in Couches than in Temples in tickling their Voluptuous Ears and in sowing Pillows to their Elbows What did the next Age How did they offend Chrysostome and those Fathers did foully obscure the Justice of Faith Nazianzen whom for honours sake the Ancients called a Divine Causaus being Judge was a lyer and knew not what he said Ambrose was bewitched by an Evil Spirit Hierome was equally damned with the Devil injurious to an Apostle blasphemous wicked impious One Calvin with Gregory Massovius is worth a hundred Augustines a hundred they are few Luther prefers himself before a Thousand Augustines a Thousand Cyprians a Thousand Churches I think it needless to protract the time longer but who inveighs against these who wonders at these Optatus Athanasius Hillary Cyril Epiphanius Basil Vincentius Pulgentius Leo and Pope Gregory as puffed up with Pride Although we will grant a just defence to unjust things yet we have the Fathers ready to stand by us and lay new Irons in the fire to suppress them by force and therefore they are stomach'd for they which have refused to fast at set times how can they follow Basil Nazianzen Leo Chrysostome who have published so many Sermons concerning Lent appointed Vigils and Feasts as accustomed things they that have sold themselves to Gold Lust Gluttony and Ambitious Prospects to do Wickedly cannot be friends to Basil Chrysostome Jerome Augustine whose excellent Books of the Discipline of the Monks of their Rules and Morals are worn out they who have captivated the understandings of men who have brought Persecutions on the Christians who have burned the Relicks of the Saints are they acceptable to St. Austin who in his Three Books of Free-will of the care for the Dead of the Miracles and Monuments due to the Memories of Martyrs hath printed the select heads and Sermons of his most noble indeavours They which pretend Faith by their Fallacies are not they angry with Augustine who wrote an excellent Epistle against a Manichee where he acknowledges himself to assent to antiquity agreement to the Fathers Succession of Pastors and to that perpetual Church which only owns the name of Catholick amongst so many Heresies Optatus Bishop of Millain Excommunicated the Donatists out of the Church he accuseth them of Heresie by the Decree of Melchiades he clears the Priesthood he proclaims to the world the barbarous indignities and contaminations offered to the Eucharist and Chrisme he is amazed at their Sacriledge and abused Altars on which the Members of Christ are born and their polluted Cups which contained the blood of Christ. What do they think of Optatus I desire to know whom Augustine makes mention of as a Venerable and Catholick Bishop Contemporary with Ambrose and Cyprian whom Fulgentius denotes as a Holy and Faithful Interpreter of St. Paul not unlike to Augustine and Ambrose They sing the Song of Athanasius in Churches Is not he a grave Author who commended Antonium Eremitam the Aegyptian Hermit for his accurate Book And by that means he was called to the Synod of Alexandria by the Decree of the Apostolical Chair to wit St. Peters Prudentius in his Hymns how often doth he sing to those Martyrs whom he praised will they approve of this Jerome writes for the relicks of the Saints and their honours against Vigilantius against Jovinianus for Caelibacy will they suffer this Ambrose honoured his Tutors Gervasius and Proteus with an Immortal Fame to the shame of the Arrians so that the Holy Fathers pay an Encomium of praise to him which deed God has not Graced with one Miracle will they therefore wish well to St. Ambrose for the future Gregory the Great our Apostle certainly ours and by that Title odious to our adversaries the Blind Zeal of Calvin denies to have been brought up in the School of the Holy Ghost because he termed Images the Books of the unlearned My time will fail me if I should number the Epistles Sermons Homilies Tracts Controversies of the Fathers which without delay weightily and politely confirmed our Catholicks Opinions as long as they were to be bought
at the Booksellers in vain were our Books prohibited in vain were the Sea-ports stopp'd in vain were our Houses Boxes Chests and Trunks searched in vain were so many Wars proclaimed at the Gates for there is no Sanders nor Allen nor Stapleton nor Bristow can prosecute these new Dreams better than these Fathers I have quoted taking a prospect of these things I was inflamed and desired the Field in which wheresoever our Adversaries turn themselves unless they yield the glory to God they shall be overthrown they admit of the Fathers taken vanish'd nothing It happen'd when we were Nâ—vices John Jewel Eminent amongst the Calvinists of England challenged with Vain-glorious Sarcasms the Catholicks at St. Pauls London crying out Show me the Fathers which flourish'd the first six hundred years Some worthy Persons embrac'd the propositions who were banish'd from Lavain and environ'd with dâ—fficulties by means of the vitiousness of the Times I dare to say he has done more good to the Catholicks by that disingenuity ignorance knavery and impudence which our writers have discover'd than any one in my mind ever did who took up the Cudgels for the Church of England An Edict was always on the Gates lest those Books which came out in a hurry could not be had They which manag'd this business were convinc'd that the Fathers were Catholicks viz. ours Lawrence Humphrys who had receiv'd a mortal wound to him and his Party notwithstanding he had supported Jewel in other things now aspers'd him with unadvisedness that he had admitted of the approbation of those Fathers whom he had nothing to do with nor should not have mention'd them without turning them over We ask Matthew Tobias who now domineers in the Puâ—pit whom we chose out for his good Learning and seeds of Virtue and well read in the Fathers whether they confirm'd these things or no he answer'd ingeniously they did not neither will any say so that read them This is very true for neither he nor Matthew Hutton although a man of a hundred is said to have consulted the Fathers nor I believe any of our Adversaries who say so So far I can go into the Field against those who do as 't were stop their Ears either they will be compell'd to bear the Eternal Reproach of their Cause or refuse the Fathers or appeal to them If one they fly if another they are gravell'd The Sixth Reason IF they had that Courage or care that chiefly ought to be in them and searched the Scriptures the Holy Fathers had Caesar like been Triumphant by whose labour and cost the Bible has been Translated into so many Languages and carried into so many Nations in their dangers and torments snatch'd out of the flames by their labours and watchings all things are reveal'd as clear as the Sun they have been day and night intent on the Holy Scriptures published it with the Opinions of all they have wrote large Volumes of Scripture they hunger'd and thirsted at length being expert in Holy writ they came to a decrepit Old Age Which if they frequently argue also from the authority of our Ancestors Practice of the Church Succession of Popes General Councils Apostolical Traditions Blood of Martyrs from the Edicts of Kings from Visions and Miraculous Aspects yet all these do contain Testimonies of Holy writ this they press for this they subsist in this Armour do their Couragious Captains use themselves to to defend the City of God against all Assaults How much more do I admire at my Adversaries who object against want of Scripture in full Scripture so far they say they adhere to the Fathers as they agree with the Holy Scripture do they speak according to their mind Then I 'll take care they shall go arm'd with Christ the Apostles Prophets and all Scripture the most famous Men most Holy Fathers and most Ancient Fathers viz. Dionysius Cyprian Athanasius Basil Nazianzen Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Augustin and Gregory the Roman Let that Faith Reign in England which these courteous Fathers ground on the Scriptures of Scriptures what they bring we 'll bring whom they counsel we 'll counsel we 'll infer what they infer content Say let it be so but you say no unless they explain it right what is this right explanation According to our pleasure Are not you asham'd of this Labyrinth Therefore my hope is in the flourishing Universities where I shall be accompanied with those who won't inspect these Controversies with a gross judgment but an accute one and weighing these trifling answers will gladly wait this day at Camp while I show forth the Church against the forces of unarm'd Beggars The Seventh Reason ANcient History does discover the face of an Ancient Church This I dare do Certainly the most Ancient Historians which our Adversaries insist upon are in a manner numbred here Eusebius Damasus Hierome Ruffinus Orosius Socrates Sozomenus Theodoret Cassiodorus Gregory the Turonian Vsuardus Regino Marianus Sigebeâ—t Zonaras Cedrenus Nicephorus What do they say they tell our Progress our Praise our hard Fortune they speak of our Enemies yea truly that you may observe diligently those who separate from â—â— with a mortal hatred Phillip Pantaleon Funcâ—ias Magâ—â—â—â—…gici who when they apply'd themselves to write either the Chronology or History of the Church unless they could collect the actions of us or our Enemies let slip five hundred years without one Argument With these revolve the peculiar Historians of certain Nations who have search'd out the actions of all people very nicely and censoriously these having got what they aim'd at endeavour'd by all means to improve it and who are not silent truly in their dainties Coat-sleeves Dagger-hilts Goldenspurs or such toys if they are in the fashion and truly had any thing in Religion chang'd or degenerated from its first Principles there would certainly some one of them Commemorate it But no one at all either of a good or bad genius towards us hath discover'd the thing or so much as signify'd it For instance our Adversaries grant neither can they do otherwise that the Church of Rome was sometime Holy Catholick and Apostolick moreover it deserv'd this Encomium from St. Paul Your Faith is Preached in the whole World without intermission I make mention of you I know because coming to you I come to you in the abundance of the blessing of Christ they salute you all of the Church of Christ for your obedience is divulg'd unto every place And 't was then when Paul had the liberty of the Prison and did sow the Gospel Then when Peter did govern the Church at Rome Then when Clemens very commendable in the sight of the Apostle did fill the Chair Then when the profane Caesars Nero Domitian Trajan Antonine did torment the Popes of Rome then also as Calvin witnesseth when Damasus Syricius Anastasius Innocentius did fill the Apostolick Chair for in this Age they grant none but Rome hath deviated from the Evangelical Doctrine
REASONS OF A CHALLENGE SENT TO THE Universities of ENGLAND IN Matters of Religion By Edmund Campion Priest of the Society of Jesus Faithfully Translated into English Permissu Superiorum LONDON Printed for Mat. Turner at the Sign of the Holy Lamb in High-Holbourn MDCLXXXVII To the most Pregnant Wits of the two Famous Universities of Oxford and Cambridge LAst year being come in a Mission to this Isle according to my imployment Renowned Champions I found waves more Tempestuous a great deal on the English Shore than I left in the Britannick Ocean By and by when I had pressed farther into England I saw nothing more common than unaccustomed Tortures nothing more certain than unexpected Dangers I recollected my self as well as I could mindful of the Justice of my cause and not forgetful of the times and lest I should by chance be taken up before I was heard I reduced the intentions of my mind into writing I thought fit to declare to the World what I came for what I zealously endeavour'd for what kind of War I wag'd and against whom I Proclaimed it I had the Original Copy with me which I was resolv'd should be taken with me if I was taken I intrusted a friend with a Copy of it who contrary to my knowledge communicated it to a great many more my Adversaries Rudely seized the Book as soon as it was Published passing their most malicious Censures upon it That one man should Challenge them all in matters of Religion although I should not stand alone in the Field in case I was ingaged for the Publick Faith Hanmer and Charke answered my Challenges and what then disingenously all for they made no material answer but one which will never be approved of We embrace your Proposals the Queen Espouses them make your application to her In the interim they cry our your Society your Seditions your Arrogance a Traytor without doubt a Traytor O Ridiculous Why do Wise Men thus lose their labour and credit But of these two one for his fancies sake made Incursions into my Book the last did more maliciously weigh the whole cause The Book was published lately being very plain treating of our Society of the injuries we sustained and of the Province we now undertake what remains therefore since our Adversaries prepare Torments for me and not the Schools but to prove the matter of Fact to you which Created so much Confidence in me as to demonstratively show the sources of things I would also exhort you whom it concerns above all men to take that care which Christ the Church your Country and Salvation requires of you had I trusted in my Parts Learning Subtilty Reading Memory and Challeng'd such a croud of Adversaries I had been Vain and Arrogant but I never regarded my self nor them but considering the cause I deem'd my self sufficient to uncloud the Sun at Noon Day therefore pardon those heats of Zeal which the honour of Christ my King and the invincible Truth have occasioned Ye know M. Tullius when Roscius did promise him a Victory in case he would defend by dint of Argument that Seven Hundred Miles could not be run in two days did not only not fear the force and efficacy of Hortensius his Arguments but even of those that were his betters the Philippi the Cottae Antonii and Crassi who gain'd to themselves great honour in Rhetorick Indeed there is some Truth so Transparent that no Sophistry in words nor Jugling in things can Eclipse Moreover that is more manifest which we undertake than that supposition of Roscius for if I can prove that there is a Heaven that there are Saints that there is one true Faith that there is a Christ the Victory is mine May I not be then Couragious here They may Martyr me but they can never Baffle me for I insist on those Doctrines which the Spirit hath Taught which is never deceived nor overthrown I beseech you that you would use the means whereby you might obtain Salvation as for the rest I am not at all in suspence but that I shall receive from those I Petition it of if they will apply themselves to study call upon Christ and be diligent they will certainly find out the Truth to the Confusion of its Adversaries in the mean while it behoves us who are so firmly grounded to take the Field with a magnanimous Courage I draw the Curtain here because the rest which I have to say is Dedicated to you Farewel The Heads of the Reasons 1. HOly Scripture 2. The Sense of Holy Scripture 3. The Nature of the Church 4. Councils 5. Fathers 6. Decrees of the Fathers 7. History 8. Paradoxes 9. Sophisms 10. All sorts of Witnesses The Reasons of the Challenge sent to the Vniversities of England by Edmund Campion ALthough there are Innumerable Arguments to Demonstrate our Adversaries Diffidence in their Cause yet not any one so Material as their Violation of the Divine Majesty of the Holy Bible which is the Authority I draw my Sword for against Those who after they have contemned the Votes and Suffrages of all other Witnesses yet are reduced to that Non-plus that they cannot subsist unless they seize on SCRIPTURE and deprive Her of her Stings Indeed they do by their Actions insinuate unto the World as though they were driven into very dangerous Streights and were resolv'd in this so imminent danger of Shipwrack to make their most Audacious Efforts for their Religions and their last What induced the Manichees to reject the Gospel of St. Matthew and the Acts of the Apostles Distrust in their Cause For at these Volumes they were Thunder-struck who denied Christ Born of the Virgin Mary and who feigned that the Spirit descended from Heaven upon Christians when their Paracletus a Diabolical Persian started up Why did the Ebionites divorce the Epistles of St. Paul Distrust in their Cause for these retaining their pristin Grandeur their Ancient though Polite Imbellishments were antiquated which they forsooth had newly reformed What Instigated Luther that cursed Apostate to Censure the Epistle of St. James as Contentious bigg with Pride and Arrogance insipid empty and unworthy of an Apostolical Spirit Distrust in his Cause For with this Particle of Scripture the Fiend was Wounded and Stabbed to the Heart when he took up the Gauntlet for Justification by Faith only What made Luther's Hell-hounds strike out of the Authentick Canon Tobias Ecclesiasticus Maccabees and many others with the same disgust Distrust in their Cause For with these Oracles they were most Eloquently reprimanded as often as they disputed of Guardian Angels of the Liberty of free will of the Faithful departed this Life and the Intercession of the Saints But is it so Is there so great Infidelity so great Confidence when the Foot-steps of Antiquity and Authority are imprinted in the Church Councils Popes Fathers Martyrs Empires Peoples Laws Universities Histories by Scripture they are resolved to put an end to Controversies