alwaies withstood the gates of hell Matth. 16. Judai Eusch 4. Hist. 5. Hieron in Epist ad Paul in Epist â—â—d Marcel passim in Epist but ours When after the expulsion of the Iewes vnder Vespatian and Titus his sonne Christians increased at Hierusalem O immortall God what comming of good people was there to the holie places that were there What wonderfull deuotion was there among all sorts of people to see that Citie of Hierusalem What zeale to see Christs Sepulcher what desire to see the manger wherein Christ lay what thursting after the sight of the crosse whereon Christ was nailed what longing to behold all sorts of monuments there in which the holie Church taketh as much delight as doth a spouse in the garments laid off by her husband Vpon this began that mortall hatred and implacable of the Iewes against vs for euen at this day they * But they complaine without cause for they haue no reason why they should be angrie with our ancestors complaine that our Ancestors were the cause of their Ancestors ouerthrow as for Simon Magus and the Lutherans Ethnici they receiued neuer ablow at their hands Among the heathen there were many tyrants who during their raigne for the space of 300. yeares by fits at diuers times inuented most bitter torments against Christians Against what manner of Christians I pray you Leo serm de D. Laurent Truly against the Fathers of our faith and their Children Marke well with your selues the speeches of this tirant that broiled S. LaureÌ„ce on a Gridyron It now well appeares Prud. in hym de S. Laur. that this is the order and fashion in your sacrifice This doctrine you all agree to that Bishops must offer vp their sacrifice in plate of gold and the people say that the sacred blood smoketh out of your cups of siluer and that ye haue tapers burning on golden candlesticks during all the time of your night sacrifices Also as common fame doth testifie your brethren haue a speciall care to offer vp thousands of pounds though they sell their lands to get the same the lawfull heire being thus disinherited and brought to beggery though his holie parents greatly complaineth for such shamefull sale of lands as should by right discend to him from his grandfathers This wealth lieth hid in some secret corners of your Churches and you thinke it a great godlie deed to make your sweet babes goe naked fetch out these treasures which thou hoordest vp by thy craftie perswasions and wicked witchcraft the which I say thou haddest in one darke hole or other the commonweale the Kings Eschecker and the common treasure haue need thereof That mony being imployed for souldiers wages the generall lieutenant may be fully fraughted with souldiers I vnderstand that this is an vsuall doctrine amongst you Restore to euery man his owne behold the Emperour acknowledgeth his owne physnomie stamped vpon his owne coine Giue to Caesar that which thou knowest to be Caesars Truly I demaund nothing but that which is iust Thy God except I be deceiued cometh no money neither brought he with him at his comming into the earth any golden gilderds but ministred his commandements by word of mouth being purslesse himselfe Performe faith fullie that his doctrine which you openly preach abroad restore your money willingly content your selfe to be rich in words * Campian demonstrates his Church by the wealth and riches of it A note of the Popish Church What manner of man seemeth this to be against whom doth he thus rage Whose Churches sacrifices lights ceremonies and ornaments hath he gone about to abolish What Churches golden goblets and chalices of siluer and costlie gifts and rich stuffe enuied he at This man vndoubtedly doth hold on Luthers part Gen. 10. For what other colour haue our mighty * The Pope of Rome is that Nimrod the mighty hunter of the Church Nimrods pretended to couer their theft withall when they robbed 1441 0536 V 3 Gods houses and made hanock of Christs inheritance On the coÌ„trary part what Church was it that Constantine the great the very terror of Christs enemies hath brought to quietnes euen that selfe-same Church ouer which the high 〈◊〉 Bishop Siluester was gouernour Dam. in Syl. Zonaras whom the said Emperour called out of the mount Soract where he lay secretly for feare of persecution that by the helpe of the said Siluester he might be * This is false for Siluester was dead many yeares before Constantine was baptised baptised with our Baptisme vnder what banner fought he that he became so great a coÌ„queror euen vnder the banner of the n Euseb lib. 2. de vita Con. c. 7 8.9 â—ozom lib. 1. cap. 9. Crosse who was his mother that he attained â—o so great honor euen that blessed woman Saim Helen what fathers took he part with with the Fathers for sooth of the Nicene Councell what manner of men were they namely they were S. Siuester S. Iulius S. Athanasius S. Nicholas to whose prayers did he commend himselfe to the prayers of o Athan. in vita S. Aut. S. Antony what roome exacted he in the Councell * This is false for it was the chiefest and of beaten gold the very lowest of all Oh how much more Prince-like was he when he sate in this seate then they that since that time ambitionsly haue made sale for a lâ—ttle that is far vnfit for a King It were too long to declare euery matter in particular but by these two Emperors wherof the one was our deadly enemie the other was our most faith full friend one may easilie coniecture of euery other circumstance which are like to these afore spoken of For as vnder the Tyrant our Catholike Christians had a trouble some encrease so vnder this Emperor through Gods great mercie they were brought to a most happie end Let vs looke a little into the Turkes affaires * It is manifest that the Turkes haue no lesse in creased by the helpe of the Pope then by their ovvne strength Mahomet and Sergius the Monke that fell from his religion by howling in the deepe pit of hell oppressed both with their owne sinnes and the sinnes of their posteritie This monstrous and outragious beast Vide Volat. Jouium Aemil. lib. 8 Blond lib. 9. de 1. I meane the Saracens and Turkes if they had not bin quailed and driuen backe heretofore by the orders of Knights in our holy warfare and by the Princes and people that take our part as for Luther * Hee hath good cause to be thankfull to the Pope of Rome to whom it is reported that Solyman the great Turke for this cause gaue great thankes by his letters yea and as for the Lutheran Princes to whom the fortunate successe of the Turkes is but a laughing matter as for them I say this â—aging furie and most mischieuous to mortallmen had before this time destroyed and
Aduersaries I was in so doing most vain-glorious and proud aboue measure for that I considered neither them nor my self more deeply But if vpon considerations of the cause I thought my selfe able enough to proue that this sunne shineth now at Mid-day you must beare with this my feruent zeale which the honor of Iesus Christ my King and inuincible truth haue vrged me vnto Yee know that Marcus Tullius in his oration for Quintius when Roscius warranted him that he should get the better if he could proue that it was not possible for a man to trauaile 700. miles within two daies space was not only nothing afraid of the force and strength of that famous Orator Hortensius but also cared nothing for Philippus Cotta Antonius or Crassus who were Orators farre more excellent then Hortensius was And were as he iudged the principall Orators of his time There is vndoubtedly a truth in all matters so apparent and euident that neither any iugling trickes or enchaunting words can darken the beames thereof But that which I intend to proue is much more plaine then was that supposition of Roscius for if I shall proue this that there is a heauen a God a faith a Christ I haue gotten the victorie Should I not in this cause then be couragious Truly wel may I be killed but ouercome I cannot be for I depend vpon those Doctors whom that holy spirit hath instructed which can neither be deceiued nor ouercome I beseech you haue a care of your soules health of whom I shall obtaine this I expect the rest assuredly Let this be your only care and cogitation First to giue your selues to earnest prayer then diligentlie to studie also and yee shall find out the very depth of the matter and that the Aduersaries are in despaire and that we being so surely grounded haue good cause chearefully and couragiously to looke and long after these disputations I am the shorter in this preface because that all the Treatise following appertaineth properly to you Fare you well AN ANSWERE TO CAMPIANS EPISTLE WRITTEN TO THE STVDENTS OF THE two famous Vniuersities Oxford and Cambridge A Yeere agoe you write it fell out That according to the order of the religion which you professe vpon the commaundement of your Superiours you returned into this Iland Whether Campian you came willingly and of your owne accord or of a certaine necessitie by the order of your profession and Iesuiticall sect you were compelled to returne into England whence some yeeres ago you departed I will not be inquisitiue of because it is not much for the purpose we haue in hand It had bin far more glorious for you and more befitting the person you made shew to be not to haue crept in obscurely and by stealth but to haue returned with credit and authoritie But who is he that had power to send you an Embassage into a forreine country or what necessity lay vpon you to obey his commaundement who had no authority to enioyne you a iourney whither you were vnwilling to goe If that Spanish Souldier the first Author of your Iesuiticall societie were now aliue and should enioyne you to set your country on fire would you obey him I am sure you would say he would neuer commaund so foule a fact And yet he might better commaund and you execute that then this thing for which you professe you are now come hither For whether I pray you may we deeme lesse to set houses on fire then to diuert the minds of people from true Religion to trouble the peace of a Common-wealth to estrange the minds of loyall Subiects from their lawfull Prince and to turne all things topsie turuie which yet was the end of your comming and the order of your profession required no lesse at your hands But let vs heare how you go about your Embassage when say you I had gone further into England I saw nothing more vsuall then vnusuall punishments But Campian what be they Do you eft-soones so slaunder the mild gouernment of gratious Elizabeth accuse it of cruelty England neuer enioying a more mercifull Prince that you affirme you find nothing so common as vnusuall punishments But what new kind of torture haue you seene in Englād since you came into it Or which of your men can you name who hath bin condemned put to death for Religion not only since you came into England but for these 23. yeeres the whole time that good Elizabeth hath swayed the Scepter of this kingdome It is true indeed that some few haue bin punished who iumpe with you in opinion and Religion but they died not for religion but were by open iudgment of law conuicted of Treason There was of late executed one Euerard a Priest sent from the Colledge at Rhemes into England Who though he was in daunger to the Lawes many waies yet might haue had his life but that impudently at the barre he vttered things shamefull vile and intolerable For he boasted himselfe both to be the subiect and Vassall of the Pope euen in England and affirmed that the Pope was no lesse the head of the Church of England then of the Church of Rome Auouching further that he was verily perswaded that the Pope did not erre when he termed Queene Elizabeth an Heretike and the Patron of Heretikes and denounced her no lawfull Queene Euerard was for this confession conuicted and condemned who afterwards as if this had not been enough in prison professed plainly and directly in the presence and hearing of Sixteene men of credit That it was no sinne against God to commit treason against his Prince Yet for all this he suffered no new and vnusuall punishment but the same that all Traytors suffer among vs in the like case But who are you and what is your religion that you so bouldly obiect crueltie vnto vs Heare me this one thing Campian and denie it if you can It is not long since moe of our brethren were condemned by you at one Session executed in one day consumed in one fire then you can recount to me haue yet bin put to death for the Popes cause at any time or by any kind of death in the whole happie raigne of Queene Elizabeth Doe but call to mind Campian the rare cruelty the exquisite tortures the frequent Martyrdome of former times and if there be in you any sparke of humanity you cannot chuse but confesse that your side hath been extreme cruell and we sufficiently prouoked to seueritie against you and to haue repayed you with the like For what times I pray you can afford vs such and so many butcheries of men as was to be seene when you were Lords ouer vs and which are yet fresh in memorie Tell vs what sexe or age you spared and did not bloodilie execute all without difference and distinction of learned or vnlearned male or female old or young Children Virgins Married Clergie and Laytie Bishops Archbishops escaped not your hands The Martyrs you did
corrupt and counterfeit and with this you were put to silence and had not to answere only that you might probablie in shew conuince Luther of blasphemie you demaunded of our men their iudgment of this Epistle They cleerly answered that they accounted this Epistle of S. Iames as all other the Epistles and bookes of the new Testament to be Canonicall Affirming that all our Churches were of the same iudgement And from this you would conclude that Luther therefore was blasphemous because he had written that some probablie called the authoritie of this Epistle into question To this our men replied the consequence was naught from our reuerent opinion of this Epistle to inferre that whosoeuer made any question of it did blaspheme And heere you plainely yeelded For when you boasted of two other reasons that you had you produced none at all After this you came to the old Testament where you accuse vs to haue raced many bookes out of the true Canon The testimonie of Antiquitie was laid before you whence it was cleere that those bookes were not Canonicall Heere you preferred the late Councels and Fathers before the auncient which may not be permitted you And you set Austine in opposition against Hierom when it had been fitter you would haue reconciled them Augustine he affirmes these bookes to be Canonicall Hierome denies them yea expresly plainly and euidently For Augustine our men answered that he vsed the word Canonicall doubtfully or in diuers signification And that they shewed plainely out of Augustines owne words and Cardinall Caietans Augustine you shifted off and Caietan you audaciously reproached affirming that the Cardinall lost all his grace and elegancie when he once began to Comment vpon the Scriptures At length Campian you were forced euen in Gratian not without blushing to acknowledge this ambiguity of the word And whereas you could not be ignorant of auncient records it was a wonder to our men to see you write that we had of a sudden raced out these bookes Surely this word escaped you very vnlearnedly and inconsideratly we haue store both of auncient witnesses and of others succeeding them who will and can free vs from such imputation of Noueltie To passe by Origen and Eusebius Cyprian or whosoeuer he was that writ the exposition of the Creed we find among his workes after he had reckoned vp all the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament he addeth These are those bookes which the Fathers haue included in the Canon Cyprian in expos Symbo where they would that all the grounds of our faith should haue their foundation Yet we must know that there are other bookes which were not called of our predecessors Canonicall but Ecclesiasticall as the booke of Wisedome said to be Salomons and another booke of Wisdome said to be Syrackes Of the same rancke is the little booke of Toby and Iudith and the bookes of the Machabies To him I will adde another later in time and yet he writ 400. yeeres agoe Hugo de sancto victore a very learned man and famous in his time If you haue not read what he hath written in this kind reade it if you haue read it remember it with me after he had reckoned vp by name the Canonicall bookes of the old Testament in the end he thus writeth There are besides in the old Testament Hugo de Sanct. victore in prologo pomi lib. de Sacram. cap. 7. certeine other bookes which indeed we reade but are not written in the corpes of the text or in the authentike Canon As the booke of Toby and Iudith and Machabees and the booke called the Wisdome of Salomon and Ecclesiasticus I omit others and many which I could produce in this kind and that of all ages out of which the constant iudgement of the Church touching these bookes may be discerned Which being so doth it become you Campian to be so iniurious vnto vs so boldly to affirme that we haue latelie crossed out those bookes out of the Canon or which of vs wil be afraid of you triffling so childishly please not your self too much with your wit neither abuse the gifts and parts which you haue gotten by nature or industry to defend falshood and to vphold the kingdome of Antichrist Lay your hand vpon your hart and know your selfe well and cease from that arrogancie with which your vaine sect hath puffed you vp leaue off your lying shake off that Iesuiticall light be hauiour of yours And as Augustine perswaded Hierome take to you the grauitie of a Christian and make recantation For it is no dishonor to recant an error but to persist in it But let vs againe come to your preface There remaineth only for me say you an account to be giuen of my fact and euidently to shew and as it were with the finger to point at those Chapters and fountaines which breed in me such confidence But we Campian can see no cause at all why you should promise so great things of your self or so trust in those fountaines which are as vaine as may be and light as water for these your ten heads which haue made you so headie and bould are so many guilded lies vpon which if you relie your case is farre more lamentable then of those Iewes whom the Prophet Ieremie reproues Trust not in lying words Jer. 7.4 saying The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord. And what is your Euensong but this or that which is farre more foolish and desperate But you say You are able enough to proue that this Sunne shineth now at midday Your sufficiencie all men may see You are as wel able Campian to turne the day into night and to pull the Sunne out of the heauens as defend these heads Those vnusuall boastings and promises so vsuall with you argue a mind proud and swelling with arrogancie and not indued with sound knowledge and learning The emptier the vessels be the lowder they sound VVhat insolencie I pray you made you adde that of Roscius Supposition as if the things you defend were as manifestly true as it is impossible any man should run 700. miles in two daies I am ashamed Campian to see how vaine you be and full of boasting and arrogancy What dare you vndertake to conuince all the most famous and excellent Churches of the world of error as directly and plainly as it is impossible for a man to walke 700. miles in two daies If Campian you can compasse the world in three daies if you can outgoe the Sun if touch the heauens with your fingers if number the starres if drinke vp the sea you may demonstrate the truth of your cause to which you are so deuoted But if those things surpasse your strength then shall you neuer make this good no though the whole knot of Iesuits ioyne with you Now whereas you intreate vs to haue a care of our soules health we take in good part your desire and endeuour of our saluation And indeed
fellowes digged out of their graues to helpe you in your desperate cause heare me Campian that which Iewel then said most truly and confidently challenging you to the triall of sixe hundred yeares antiquity offering also to yeeld you the victory if you brought one plaine and manifest authority out of any Father or Councell that same we do all professe and promise and will surely performe it Twentie yeares are expired and not one of you hitherto could performe the condition if you perswade your selfe to haue more sufficiency hereunto then your masters before haue had why stay you why sit you still why discontinue you the defence of so good a cause But alas you are no body you haue read nothing you haue no strength answerable to such an endeuor The learned Humphrey did not taxe Iewel as if he had too liberally vndertaken for the Fathers or performed lesse then he promised but only that he had yeelded further vnto you then he needed and called backe the cause which was already determined by the Scriptures to the authorities of the Fathers which yet he did not as though he distrusted any thing the triall of Scriptures for hee knew that they were sufficient to refute all popish errors but that hereby he might beate downe that their insolent and most false bragge of antiquitie which preuailed with many You say further that you haue conferred sometimes familiarly with Toâ—y Matthew and wâ—â—led him to answere freely whether hee that read the Fathers diligently could bee of that part which â—e fauoured Although in priuate and familiar conference wee say many things which we would not haue further reported or dispersed yet I doubt not but the worthy Mathew gaue you such an answere as was both agreeable to the truth and fit for his iudgement and wisdome Wee must not in all things beleeue the Fathers nor doth our faith depend vpon their word Sometimes they haue erred and been the occasion of errors vnto others yet may we reade them by their truthes be more learned by the contrary more wary And this also thinketh Matthew Hutton that famous man whom you surmise to bee the only man amongst vs conuersant in the Fathers And this also is all our opinions After you haue thus finished your discourse you will now as you say without feare come into the battell and fight with vs. You are still telling vs of armies skirmishes warres campes and of your battailes but you should remember that the triall of warre is common to both sides and the issues of battailes vncerteine The and of warre lieth in the strength of armes not in the stoutnes of words EDMVND CAMPIAN The sixt Reason which is the foundation of the Fathers IF euer that saying a Iob. 5. search the Scriptures was loued and liked of by any which was greatly regarded and ought to be amongst vs the holy Fathers assuredly herein excelled and exceeded for by their labour and cost were the Bibles copied out and conueyed to so many countries and nations of strange languages by their great perils and torments were they deliuered from burning by the enemies and from destruction by their paines and teachings haue they been throughout expounded most faithfully they spent whole daies and nights in the study of holy Scriptures they preached out of euery Pulpit the holy Scriptures they enriched long volumes with holy Scriptures with most faithful Commentaries they explained the holy Scriptures they seasoned as well their feasting as their fasting with holy Scriptures And finally they exercised themselues euen vntill crooked old age crept vpon them in holy Scriptures And although they grounded their reasons also vpon the authority of their Auncestors vppon the common practise of the Church vpon the succession of Bishops vpon generall Councels vpon Traditions of the Apostles vpon the bloodshedding of Martyrs vpon the decrees of Preâ—â—â—s vpon strange signes and marnâ—â—â—â—us â—â—â—racles yet their greatest desire was especially to fill their treatises with store of testimonies out of the holy Scriptures These they vrge vpon these they make their habitation to these Scriptures as vnto the coate b Cant. 4. armor of valiant souldiers they worthily yeeld the highest and most honorable place like noble captaines daily desending the Catholike Church which is the citie of God by them kept in good repaire against all mischeeuous assaults of her enemie the which thing maketh me the more to maruell at that proud and foolish exception of the aduersarie who like one that seeketh for water in the running riuer complaineth for the scarsity of Scriptures where greatest store of Scriptures are alleadged So long he saith he is content to be iudged by the Fathers as they swarue not from the Scriptures Doth he speake as he thinketh I will see then that these most famous writers most auncient Fathers and most holy men Saint Denys S. Cyprian S. Athanasius S. Basil S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Ambrose S. Hierome S. Chrysostome S. Augustine and S. Gregory the great shall come forth wel armed and vpholden with Christ with the Prophets with the Apostles and with the whole furniture of the Bible Grant good Lord that that religion may * And at this day the same faith flourisheth in England which those Fathers did had and defended raigne in England I say good Christ grant that that religion may raigne in England that these Fathers that embrace the Scriptures so louingly haue builded vp out of the Scriptures Looke what Scriptures they bring wee will bring the same looke what Scriptures they conferre we will conferre the same looke what Scriptures they alleadge we will alleadge the same Art thou also contented with this cough out Sir a Gods name and tell me plainly what you thinke I like them not thou wilt say except they interpret the said Scriptures rightly what meanest thou by saying rightly ô now I know after thy owne fancy Art thou not ashamed of this blind intreate dealing Then for as much as I am in good hope that in the foresaid Vniuersities that most freshly flourish there will ioyne together a great number of such as will looke into these controuersies not grosely but with sharpe iudgement and wil weigh these mens trifling answere not partially but in equall ballance I will therefore with a chearefull courage expect this day of battell as one that mindeth to march forward with the nobility force of Christs Church against a monkesâ— multitude of ragged Rogues WILLIAM WHITAKERS The answere to the sixth Reason which is the foundation of the Fathers I Cannot wel coÌ„iecture Campion what these new foundations of the fathers may bee which you propound vnto vs. As touching the fathers we haue giuen you your answere and haue plainely prooued that they affoord no foundation for you to build your cause vpoÌ„ And it is probable that you thought so your self therefore you iudged it not safe for you to rest in them vnlesse you brought foorth certaine foundations by which you might strengthen the
Churches Apostasie out of these your owne Chronicles they are no secrets but such as any man that will reade and obserue may easilie discerne And since you call vs vnto Histories f DVR Two things here are of which you would persvvade the Reader one that the Fathers of the Councell allovved not that vvhich the Pope affected by his Legates another that the Legates did malitiously produce a forged Canon What vvould you doe if you could find any thing of vvaight in any storie against vs WHIT pag. 494. They are the things indeed wherein I would instruct the Reader and what can any storie afford vs more solide and perspicuous for whether you respect the aâ—â—bition and fraud not vsed in former times by the Bishops of Rome or the authority of the Councell or that famous sentence giuen against the Bishops of Rome there is no man so ignorant and vnexperienced but he will confesse that they enacted and decreed a great matter and of no smale importance I will put you in mind of one thing related in an auncient storie consider it well whether it touch your Pope or no and then answere fully concerning the whole matter A Councell was assembled in Africke of 217. Concil Carthag 6. cap. 3.1.7.9 Bishops whereof Augustine himselfe was one the glorie and starre of Africke I will set downe the story briefly Zozimus Bishop of Rome sent thither his Legates which should perswade the Fathers of Africke that appeales might be made to the Bishop of Rome from all other Bishops The Legates make relation hereof vnto the Fathers and withall produce a Canon of the Councell of Nice wherein the priuiledge was recorded the Fathers wonder at this new decree and answere the Legates that they neuer saw any such Canon in any copie Greeke or Latin and that as they thought the true and perfect copie of that Councell remained with them which Cecilianus Bishop of Carthage which was himselfe present at that Councell had brought into Africke notwithstaÌ„ding they determine to send to Constantinople Alexandria and Antioch such as might receiue the true and naturall copies from the Bishops of those cities The Popes Legates would faine haue stayed them from sending but could not Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria and Atticus of Constantinople deliuer vnto the messengers the copies with letters to the Fathers of Africk wherin they do auouch that those copies were most true and sincere Concil Afâ—â—c Can. 105. Then at length the forgery appeareth in the Canon of the Councell of Nice no such thing can be found so they writ to Celestine then Pope and command him to surcease from making any such claime euer after and not to send abroad his Collectors lest thereby they may seeme to bring the presumptuous smokie pride of the world into the Church of Christ The Pope for the time yeelded not voluntarily but perforce for an hundred yeeres after Boniface the second in an Epistle vnto Eulalius inueigheth bitterly against Aurelius Bishop of Carthage which was now President of the African Councell and affirmeth that hee and his fellowes whereof Augustine was the chiefe were all moued by the deuill to withstand the Church of Rome thus Pope Boniface censureth as schismatikes Aurelius of Carthage other the African Bishops yea and Augustine himselfe among the rest because they resisted the Bishop of Rome in that matter as for Eulalius then Bishop of Carthage he giueth him great thankes because he made friendship with the Church of Rome that is he willingly permitted the immediate power of the Bishop of Rome ouer the Church of Africke These things I haue related out of their truest records and of this kind I could rehearse many more so little cause haue you to promise your selfe much helpe out of Historie Hence may bee perceiued what the purpose and endeuour of the Bishops of Rome haue bin these many yeares viz. to make themselues Lords of all Churches which also at length they obtained But because you aske the question and desire answere when Rome lost her faith so much commended and what that which once was ceased to be I may truly affirme that though in many things she had made shipwracke of faith before yet theÌ„ did it begin to be the seate of Antichrist when Phocas the murderer granted vnto Boniface the third that the Church of Rome should be head of all Churches and the Bishop of Rome should be called Vniuersall Bishop I will not too curiously search into the moments of times a mischiefe creepeth priuily for a time vnespied of men But the common opinion which men conceiued of those times was that Gregory the great was the last good and the first ill Bishop of Rome He was no better then he should be and all that succeeded him were starke nought euery one striuing to goe beyond his predecessor in all lewdnes so that now a sincke of all wickednes hath violently burst into the Church and hath possessed all the parts therof You force me Campian to open the sores of your Church which I had rather not touch but you are so vnreasonable that you neither spare vs nor your selues Barnard who was the only religious man your Church had for many yeares how often and how grieuously doth he bewaile the most desperat estace of your Church g DVR Bernard speaketh not of the doctrine of the Church but of the manners of the vvicked and in the Church the euill men were euer mixed among the good WHIT. pag. 504. I wonder vvhat was in your mind when you confesse that the manners of your predecessors were such as he describeth both heere and ad Eugen. lib. 4. Amongst these you being their Pastor vvalke decked vvith much pretious apparell If I durst speaze it these are rather paâ—â—ors for diuels then for Christs sheepe Your Court vsually receiueth good men but maketh sevv good There the vvicked are not made better but the good farre worse A number of such places I could alledge out of him neither bewailâ—th lâ—ethe mixture of the bad as you say but the perishing of the good and the ruâ—ne of the Church A shamefull contagion spreaâ—â—â—h ouer the body of the whole Church Bernard in Cant. Ser. 33 De conuer Pauli the seruants of Christ serue Antichrist From the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head nothing is sound With these and the like speeches vsed Bernard to bewaile and complaine of the intolerable wickednes of your Church which he would neuer haue done without sufficient reason mouing thereunto Aeneas Syluius ad Casparem Schlik Aeneas Syluius afterwards Pope writeth that charity was waxed cold and faith vtterly gone and what manner of Church shall we iudge this to haue been when shee had lost both faith and charity But it may be you will say that he wrote this of malice vnto the Church and that after hee changing his opinion when of Aeneas he was made Pius for that was euer his vsuall speech Cast
if charity be truly in vs vve haue true iustice and vvell said Augustine Charitie begun is iustice begun charitie encreased is iustice encreased great charity is great iustice perfect charitie is perfect iustice WHIT. pag. 583. All is true you say touching charitie Loue your neighbour as the law requireth and you haue fulfilled the second Fable but this you cannot doe therefore be not brag in the opinion of your charitie which if it were as great as euer any man had yet it should be farre short of that the Law requireth neither can it make you iust As for Augustine wee confesse as much as hee saith but this is not the iustice which freâ—th vs from the wrath of God for that neuer increaseth or groweth but is euer most absolute and perfect that is Christ his obedience imputed vnto vs by faith Of charitie August Epist 29. writeth thus As long as charity may be encreased that verily vvhich is lesse is faulty by that vvhich is faulty there is none iust vpon earth goodwill and fauour whereby the Lord embraceth vs in Christ and forgiueth vs our sinnes and receiueth vs into fauour we place it in God but the effects of this Grace are in vs which effects are these that we do by the holy Ghost perceiue that wee are loued of God that we beleeue in God and repose al hope of saluation in that mercy of God We do not therefore take away all grace from man and place it only in Gods fauour but that first grace wherby he hath reconciled vs to himselfe in Christ and wherin our saluation is contained that alone wee place in God which being felt by vs faith hope and charity and other vertues do follow it which are ours and resident in vs. But we deny that position of yours of infused grace whereby you defend that the grace whereby we are iustified is a certaine habite situate in our minds within and we acknowledge no other iustifying y DVR Why do you not then freely confesse that you doe place all grace only in the fauour of God vvithout vs vvhich fauour doth neither amend the wicked nor purge nor illuminate nor enrich them but only dissemble their old remaining stinking chanell God winking at it WHIT. pag. 584. You cease not to trouble vs with your ignorance for doth it follow that wee remoue all grace from vs because wee place iustifying grace which is the mercy of God in Christ not in vs but in God only for beside this grace there is another grace communicated to all the Saints wherby their soules â—re purged and renewed This consisteth in faith and in the fruits of faith which they coÌ„monly cal Grace infused therfore that chanell of sin doth remaine not within them that haue attained true righteousnes as you slander vs to teach but by the power of the holy Ghost it is daily purged out yet so that as loÌ„g as we liue there remaine some reliques of sin old Adam For if that chanel were so purged that no blots of sinne did remaine in vs neither would S. Paul complaine of the law of his members and the body of death Rom. 7.23.24 Neither should wee neede the renuing of the spirit 2. Cor. 4.16 grace but the great and free mercy of God whereby hee did elect and predestinate vs in Christ before all eternitie vnto life euerlasting and hath called vs in time and iustified vs. z DVR But vvhat place of Scripture doth distinguish iustification from sanctification S. Paul doth not 1. Cor. 6.11 Rom. 6.13 That also is a strange thing that faith should iustifie vs and not sanctifie vs but more strange that Christ should impute his righteousnes to vs that vve may be iust and yet not holy and sanctified WHIT. pag 586. Who can reade the Scripture specially the Epistle to the Romanes and not find these two distinguished for in the first part of it he treateth of iustification in the latter of sanctification vvhat is more manifest then that he vvriteth Rom 8.30 vvhom he hath called those hee hath iustified vvhom hee hath iustisted those hee hath glorified Now this glorification signifieth the glorious renouation which is begun heere and perfected in another life as your Thomas vpon this place hath obserued Againe 1. Cor. 1.30 Is not heere iustification and sanctification distinguished iustification and sanctification are inseparable yet must they be distinguished which because you do not you place iustification in sanctification Your place out of the Epistle to the Corinthes doth plainly distinguish them Your second place sheweth that a kind of iustificatioÌ„ is in sanctification but it is not that perpect iustice by which we are iustified before God but only an imperfect one As for your wondeâ—s and strange things they come from your ignorance for we haue neuer sepaâ—ated these two but affirme that he who is by faith partaker of Christ his righteouâ—nes must needs haue the old man crucified and the body of sinne destroyed in him that he may no longer serue sinne For grace infused wherein regeneration and sanctification consisteth and which the Scriptures call the new man is not strong enough to iustifie vs a DVR Grace infused and our inherent righteousnes though it be not perfect yet it is true iustice and doth iustifie vs. WHIT. pag. 58â— By this you ouerthrow your doctrine of iustification for that iustice which doth reconcile vs to God ought to be most perfect that such as neither the law nor God himselfe can require a more perfect That which is not perfect is in it kind corrupt If then â—n imperfect iustice can please God then a corrupt thing will please him and so should he not be perfectly iust but being most iust that only pleaseth him which is according to the prescription of the law most perfect Luk. 10.27.28 Leuit. 18.5 because it neuer satisfieth the law of God in this life and ought euery day to be restored and aspire to greater perfection For so Paul saith 2. Cor. 4.16 Although our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed daily which place Augustine hath very often vsed in this cause You see therfore both what grace we place in God and what we confesse to be infused into our hearts For as for that you say wee barke out that grace is not strong enough for the resisting of sinne therein you goe about thorough our sides to wound Paul himself vppon whoÌ„ this your reproch reboundeth Rom. 7.18.19.21.23 For though he were indued with infused grace as much as any other yet he denieth that he could attaine to perfect that which is good b DVR S. Paul saith only that hee vvas assayed and tempted by those motions but seeing it is not sinne vvhere the consent of the vvill is not bee saith it vvas not hee that did it but the flesh for hee doubted not but grace vvas sufficient for him vvhereby be might ouercome all these seeing he had the
that by his obedience we might be made righteous For this obedience of Christ imputed to vs and apprehended by faith Rom. 5.19 is that righteousnes of ours which you enquire after not heaped vp with our vertues as you would haue it but place in Christ who is made vnto vs of God 1. Cor. 1.30 wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption And this is our d DVR The Scripture plainly witnesseth that as vve are made sinners by Adam so vve are made iust by Christ. Rom. 5. WHIT. pag. 602. You vnderstand not the Apostle For though we bee iust in Christ as we were sinners in Adam yet not after the same manner In Adam we sinned and had his sinne by propagation deriued to vs but the iustice of Christ thought it was communicated vnto vs by imputation ye 〈◊〉 â—as it not so deriued vnto vs. The Apostle would only teach and say this as Adam was the author of sin so Christ was the author of righteousnesse righteousnes euen Christ e DVR Answere me I pray you why the Apostles and Christ do so oft exhort vs to the obedience of the law and neuer bid vs apprehend the righteousnes of Christ by faith as Luk. 10. Matth. 25. WHIT. pag. 603. Christ and his Apostles do exhort vs to the obedience of the law not to the end wee may deserue euerlasting life by our workes but because it is our duty to walke in that race of piety wherein vvee are placed that vvee walking in those good workes and insisting in that vvay vvhich the Lord hath propounded to vs may come at length to that most happy mark For albeit we neuer come to a marke vnlesse we goe the right way yet the way is not the cause of the marke Novv vvhereas you say that we are no where commanded to apprehend Christ righteousnes by faith you bewray your miserable ignorance Peruse therefore better these famous places for proofe of that the Scriptures do commaund vs this Rom. 4.5 Rom. 5.19 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 2.16 Gal. 3.14 Ion. 3 18. Ioh. 5.24 Act. 10.43 As for the cause for which Christ in Matth. 25. saith he vvill make mention of vvorkes in the day of iudgement it is for that as Iames chap. 2.18 saith works do make shevv proofe of faith But in that very place vers 34. before Christ mentioneth those vvorkes of the Saints he toucheth the true and proper causes of saluation 1. Gods adoption in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possesse by the right of inheritance For that which one possesseth by the right of inheritance hee doth not deserue it by his merits 2. The eternall election of God vvhen hee saith that it is a kingdome prepared for theÌ„ from the fouÌ„dations of the world Novv if your opinion be this that God did prepare them this kingdome because he did foresee their great good vvorkes your ovvne Thomas is an aduersarie against you Thom de verit quast 6. art 2. Thom. 1. part quaest 23. art 1. himselfe whose f DVR Christ is called by S. Paul our righteousnes so in the same place hee saith that he is our vvisdome and our sanctification WHIT pag. 609. That vvisdome and righteousnes sanctification vvhich S. Paul affirmeth Christ to be made vnto vs are not resiâ—ent in vs as qualities nor are they othervvise ours than as vve doe embrace and possesse vvhole Christ by faith righteousnes and innocencie being ascribed vnto vs doth bring assured remission of sinnes and true righteousnes This the Diuines cal the first iustice after which followeth another compounded of these vertues of yours For with that remission of sinnes which dependeth on Christs obedience faith and hope charity are ioyned which make vs iust also after a sort but inchoatiuely not perfectly I haue declared to you in few words our opinion touching righteousnes sith you make inquiry what it is But your vertues cannot so cloath the soule round about as that no naked thing may appeare For all our righteousnesses are like g DVR Jf you speake of that iustice vvhich vve get to our selues vvithout the helpe of Christ you say truly but if of that which Christ hath purchased for vs by his blood and powred into our harts you doe an intollerable iuturie vnto Christ WHIT. pag 610. I speake of that righteousnes which euerie regenerate man hath by the help of Christ For do you thinke the Prophet wanted the helpe of Christ yet he professeth his righteousnes is impure and imperfect if you thinke hee did speake of their workes which are not regenerate you must deny that hee was regenerate who confesseth the imperfection of his workes Of this righteousnesse Beruard doth vnderstand it Serm. 5. de verbis Isay And all the godly haue thus confessed of them clues Psal 130.3 Dan. 9.7 Ezra 9.15 Iob. 9.3.28 1. Ioh. 1.8 1. Ioh. 2.7 filthie clouts Esay 64.6 and those not only defiled but also torne and rent in many peeces Rom. 13.14 Phil. 3 9. 2. Cor. 5.19 Christ himselfe must be put vpon vs that we may be found in him not hauing our owne h DVR Saint Paul calleth the righteousnes of the law that which is gotten by the doctrine of the lavv without the helpe of Grace And the iustice of faith not any apprehended by faith but because they come vnto it by faith WHIT. pag. 613. In examining the place we shall see of what iustice S. Paul speaketh first he denieth that to bee any part of iustice whatsoeuer he had gloriously done when he was a Pharisie that though he was then according to the iustice of the Law without reproofe indued with many good qualities yet he accounted all loffe for Christs sake vers 4.5.6.7 And lest any should thinke that he attributed any thing to his workes ofter faith he addeth that he reiecteth these also neither ascribed his iustification vnto them Adding in the 8. verse that hee accounted all things losse Not the other but these also I contemne and vpon this inferreth vers 9. Not hauing my owne righteousnes which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ. When then he excludeth all kind of workes hee must needs vnderstand the iustice of Christ righteousnes which is of the law but that which is by the faith of Christ namely the righteousnes that is of God through faith For God was in Christ and reconciled the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes to them With this cloathing our soules must be cloathed that they may be beautified and gloriously adorned neither are wee ashamed of that word vpon which you play when we say that our righteousnes is a couering of the fault For so doth the Prophet Dauid pronouÌ„ce him to be a blessed man Psal 22.1 Rom. 4.6 whose iniquities be forgiueÌ„ whose sins are couered And this pardon we appreheÌ„d only by faith now this faith is not feined nor dead nor separate from other vertues nor
witnesse with vs all coasts and quarters of the world wherein the â—â—angelicall trumpet hath beene sounded euer since Christs natiuity Was this thinke you an easie matter to shut the mouthes of idols and to translate the kingdome of God vnto the Gentiles Luther speaketh of Christ and we Catholicks speake also of Christ Is Christ then * He is diuided by you diuided 1. Cor. 1. no surely but either we preach a wrong Christ or else he How then shall we know who preacheth Christ aright I will tell thee Let him be true Christ and on their side by whose bringing in Dagons necks were broken 1. Reg. 5. That Christ which is on our side was well content to vse the seruice of men of our Church when hee expelled out of the harts of so many people such a number of Iupiters Mercuries Dianes Phebades and an horrible darke rabble and lamentable hellishnes wherewith many in former time were oppressed I haue not respit to fetch matter out of farre Countries Let vs then consider of such as either border vpon vs or else are familiar with vs at home All these that follow sucked into their breasts either no faith at all or the selfe same faith vndoubtedly which we professe that is the Catholick faith namely the Irish men from S. Patrick the Scots from Palladius and the English men from S. Austen who were all consecrated Bishops at Rome sent from Rome and alwaies vsed great reuerence towards Rome Cumulus testium The matter is manifest I run forward witnesses hereof are all Vniuersities witnesses all written lawes witnesses are the common manners of all people euery where in their owne countries witnesses are the fashions of chusing Emperours and the solemne ceremonies vsed in their Coronation witnesse are the auncient rites exercised in the annointing of Kings witnesses are the orders practised in dubbing of Knights and their very * Cloakes cloakes Also witnesses 〈◊〉 the Church windowes Church windowes gates of Cities houses all manner of things great and small are wonderfull testimonies witnesses are the peeces of money witnesses are the gates houses of euery Citie witnesses are the worthie workes and vertuous liues of our auâ—â—â—stâ—rs finally witnesses are all maÌ„ner of things both great small all kind of orders that neuer any other religioÌ„ but our catholick religion that euer took any deep roote vpon the face of the earth When I saw my selfe guarded with all these helps and felt my selfe comforted with the consideration thereof I thought it a point of insolent folly to forsake the great companie of all these good Christians and to ioyne fellowship with the veriest raâ—â—hels that liue therefore I confesse that I was greatly animated and vrged vnto this scholasticall combate wherein vnlesse the saints be driuen out of heauen and proud Lucifer recouer heauen againe I cannot take the faile Wherfore I trust M. Chark who hath conceiued so euill opiuioÌ„ of me heretofore will yet now shew me a more fauorable countenance in that I had rather commit in trust this sinfull soule of mine which Christ hath so dearely bought to a safe and certaine way and vnto the Kings high way then hang it vpon the rocks and bushes of Caluines diuellish doctrine The Conclusion HEere haue you most flourishing men of both the Vniuersities this my slender gift composed at vacant times as I trauelled I minded herein both to acquit my selfe before you of arrogancie and to answere your expectatioÌ„ why I had so great a trust in this cause and in the meane while to giue you a taste of some reasons to find you eccupied vntil you may be inuited to take my part in the Schooles and to forsake the aduersaries If you iudge it to be right and reason if you thinke it a safe thing for you if you thinke it to be an honest point that * It is as ment that Luther and Caluin should be so accounted of as the Pope Luther and Caluine should be taken for the true Canon of Scripture for the true meaning of the holie ghost for the rule of the Church for a Schoolemaster ouer all Councels and Fathers and lastly for a God and therefore to be beleeued before all witnesses and agâ—â— There is no cause then at all why I should conceiue any good hope of your indiffereÌ„cie either in perusing of these my ten reasons or else in giuing eare vnto me if I might be allowed to dispute But if you be such men as I haue alwaies perswaded my selfe that you were I means wise Philosophers very circumspect and embracers of truth simplicitie and modestie enemies to rashnes fables and sophistical cauilling then I doubt not but you which now spie a little light at a narrow chinek will quicklie see the day light in an open place freely and franckly I will let you vnderstand of that which the loue I beare you the danger you stand in and the weightinesse of the cause requireth It is well knowne to the diuell that you shall see the truth of this cause if euer you begin to cast vp your eyes For what a senselesse part were it to preferre such as Hanmer and Charke before the antiquitie of all Christendome * As though Poperie had no baites by which it intangleth the professors of it But there be certaine pleasant baits in Luthers doctrine wherewith he inlargeth his kingdome with which baites he being first caught himselfe hath intangled as many of your coat as bite at the same baits For what are these baits forsooth gold vaineglory delicate fare and Venus games Despise them for what are they else but the very off-scumme of the earth a loude blast of wind delicate wormes meate and faire dunghils I say regard them not for Christ is rich who will not faile but finde you all things necessary Christ is a King and will adorne you Christ is well stored with daintie fare and will satisfie your appetites Christ is most beautifull and will plentifully bestow vpon you great store of all felicities adioyne your selues as souldiers vnto this Captaine that so gallantly goeth on warfare that like most learned men indeed and of most valure with him at the last day you may triumph for the victorie which you haue obtained Fare you well From the large Citie of the wide word WILLIAM WHITAKERS The answere to the tenth Reason which is all manner of Witnesses CAmpian you are now low drawn and doe plainely bewray your want and desperate beggerie Hitherto haue you found no place of sure footing and therefore now you haue resolued to wander and runne thorough whatsoeuer is in the world So one while you flie alost into heauen by and by you slippe downe to hell after you visit the Iewes Pagans Turkes Heretikes Lands Seas Apostolike Nations and Countries farre remote searching diligently for any monument of your superstition I am sorrie and ashamed on your behalfe whom I see painefully busied about meere trifles For what
that which shall not be vttered out of their shops must by their brain-sicke decree be reiected as a thing most rude and loath some They that are driuen to this horrible and detestable shift though their Armes be blazed neuer so farre abroad by their owne disciples though they buy and selâ— benefices though in their Sermons they cry out against Catholikes though they procure them the sword racke and gallowes yet are they ouercome naught set by horrible in mens sight and quite ouerthrowne For as much as the taking vpon them the authoritie of Censorors and sitting as honorable Iudges do dash out at their pleasure such holy Scriptures as they found would not serue their turne is there any body though neuer so simple which can feare these subâ—tle sleights of the Aduersaries who assoone as they should enter within your assemiblie that are learned men and flie vnto such their vsuall snifts as it were vnto their familiar spirit should though not with reproach full words yet at the least with trampling of your feet be thrust out of your schooles I would demaund of them for example sake bâ— what authoritie they mayme and robbe the corpes of the Bible They answere they doe not cut out any true Canonicall Scriptures but cull out only such as are not Canonicall that haue been forsted into the Bible and are indeed but counterfeits Who shall be iudge the * Campian refuseth the holy Ghost as Iudge holy Ghost for this very answere doth o 1. Lib. Inst. cap. 7. Caluin giue thereby to escape the iudgement of the Church by whose authoritie all spirits are tried why then do some of you cut off certaine bookes and others of your crew allow the same seeing you all vaunt of the self-same spirit The Caeluinists spirit alloweth of six Epistles which the Lutheran spirit doth dâ—sallow and yet both of you as you say haue the holie spirit The p Xistus Sen. lib. 7. Anabaptists doe call the historie of Iob a fable interlaced with tragicall and Comicall meeters how know they that by the spirit that instructeth them q Praefat. in Cant. Castalio that lecherous varlet made no more account of that mysticall booke of Salomon commonly called Cantica canticorum which the Catholikes do as highly esteeme as a Paradise of the soul as that heauenly food Manna which was laid vp and kept in the tabernacle and as delicate dainties in Christ then he did of a * This is falsoe for Castalio in his preface hath no such word baudie song and ribaudous taâ—be of a Courtly wayting mayd with her louer where had he this of the spirit In the Apocalyps of r Epist. ad Paul S. Iohn euery little title whereof S. Hierome affirmeth to containe some high and notable mysterie yet neuertheles these Å¿ Praef. in Apoc. seuere Iudges Luther Brentius and Kemnitius find I know not what lacking shooting all at this marke that the booke might be defaced and be of no authoritie whom did they aske the spirit * This is most false reade the answere to it Luther vpon a prepostorous zeale casteth a bone amongst the g Praefat. in nouum Test. foure Euangelists and preferring S. Paules Epistles farre before the three former Gospels in the end concludeth that the one only Gospell of S. Iohn is from henceforth to be taken for the gay for the true and the principall Gospell as one that asmuch as in him lay would gladly haue made the Apostles also partakers of his brawling in religious matters who was his Tutor the spirit Besides this that peeuish u Ser. de Pharis Publican Fryer was so malapert as to endeuor to make * This is false for Luther neuer spake saucily of S. Luke S. Lukes Gospell to be suspected to be written in a wanton style because therein good workes are often commended vnto vs whom hath he consulted with the spirit Theodorus Beza was so bold as to reprehend that mysticall word taken out of the 22. Chapter x Luc. C. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of S. Luke Hic est Calix nouum Testamentum in sanguine meo qui calix pro vobis fundetur This is the Cup of the new Testament in my blood which Cup shall be shâ—dde for you as very corrupt and euilly placed there because this sentence cannot admit any interpretation but of the * This is false for by no meanes can he endure thiâ— exposition wine of the Cup changed into the very true blood of Christ where learned he that of the spirit Finally when euery man committeth euery thing to his priuate spirit they belie the name of the holy Ghost most blasphemously Do not these fellowes which deale thus bewray themselues and shew what they are are they not easily confuted are they not in the assemblie of such men as you of both the Vniuersities be quickly perceiued and soone represt Ought I to feare disputations with these in defence of the Catholike faith who with much falshood haue handled the very word not of man but of God himselfe Here I passe ouer such things as they haue depraued in their false translations though there be intolerable matters wherewith I may well charge them I am very loath to take away any part of the matter either from my old Colledge fellow Master Gregory Martin a man of excellent great knowledge in the three tongues y Latin Greeke and Hebrew which will handle this matter farre more learnedly and copiously then I can or from some others which as I vnderstand haue already vndertaken this matter The matter that I now write of is farre more heynous and horrible There were lately discouered certaine pettie Doctors that vpon a drunken pange laid violent hands vpon the diuine Scriptures and haue condemned them as corrupted as maymed as falsified as craftily foisted in in sundrie places some parts thereof they haue corrected some they haue raced and some they haue quite pulled out And lastly they haue changed as the fortresse of this authenticall writing of Gods owne hand wherewith before it was fenced vnto certaine Lutherane spirits as though it were into vaine bulwarkes of their owne imaginations or into bare painted walles least peraduenture they should haue bin mum for want of matter when they should stumble at such places of Scripture as are plaine against their heresies Of which neuerthelesse they could no sooner shift their hands then suppe vp hot coales or eate hard stones Then this first reason seemed to me vrgent and iust which when it had euidently laid before mine eyes that the Aduersaries side was but counterfeited and feeble truely it incouraged me much being both a Christian and also somewhat beaten in this kind of studie in defence of the euerlasting Kings Charter to encounter with the remnaunts of these discomfited enemies WILLIAM WHITAKERS The answere to the first Reason THat Campian which made you most cheerefull in the cause you haue vndertaken and
boulder then a Iesuite being newlie come out of your den or cabbine where you haue lurked these diuers yeeres to proclame warre against vs all and challenge to the combate the most valiant of vs that you saie was the euident apprehension of our distrust and diffidence in our cause But what manhood is this for so valourous a man as you make shew to be to prouoke and with sharpe warre to pursue so timerous aduersaries who are readie to betake themselues to their heeles not daring to stand to it but distrusting their owne strength But tell vs in what things our distrust hath bin so sensible There are many things say you which euidently bewray the aduersaries mistrust in the cause Verelie if boldnes in oppugning and withstanding Religion were of as great force as vsually it is in making of warre and scaling the enemies walles and racing his townes we might well feare your furious and desperate attempts for whatsoeuer could be compassed by rage furie and crueltie that hath not in this combate and contention been wanting But such weapons cannot dare religion and truth neither can they displace it Let it be graunted we haue not been so cheerefull and readie in the defence of a good cause as we ought and as the cause it selfe well deserued neither haue we put to flight your forces so soone as we ought to haue vanquished theÌ„ yet we neuer gaue ground we neuer turned our backs vpon you neither euer sled out of the field a DVR You boats much of your valour but vvhether thinke you is he valorous or fearefull vvho dare not othervvise buckle vvith his aduersarie but vpon condition he may forbid him what weapons he list and choose for himselfe vvhat he list Now here is your valour you forbid vs the vveapons of the Church Councels Fathers You only leaue vs the weapons of the Scriptures WH Pag. 4. He that will ouercome in this cause must onely vse those weapons which are allowed in this kind of sight For it is not lawfull heere as in warre to take any weapon by which you can wound your enemie But weapons must be fetched out of the armorie of the Scriptures and the spirit of God or else there vvill be no foyling of an aduersary And this is that which the Scriptures doe warrant and Constantine commanded the Fathers of the Nicene Councel to vse against the Arrians and to end controuersies the bookes of the Euangelists and Apostles and the oracles of the old Prophets Theodoret. lib. 2. cap. 6. And the like teacheth Hillarie de Trinit lib. 7. August Epist. 3. and contr liter Petil. Donat. lib. 3. cap. 6. and in diuers other places Why doe you then repoue this thing in vs Tell me vvhose cause thinke you is best vvhether ours vvho are content vvith the Sâ—riptures alone and being armed vvith them can defend our ovvne and refel others or yours vvhich in no case can be safe if the cause must be tried by the Scripture only Therefore at the fiâ—st you are forced to confesse that you must come into the field vnarmed and naked if no vveapons vvill be afforded you besides the Scriptures For tell vs Campian if you can and remember the bypast times Did we euer cuÌ„ningly auoid any disputation did we euer refuse any combate did we euer shift off any of your offers and challenges But how often haue we publikely entred the combate with you how often haue we refuted your oft iterated Sophistications what writing of yours is yet vnanswered by vs or what course of disputation haue we not yeelded to Are not all those disputations held at Wittenberge Ratesbone Augusta Spire Wormes Bearne Possia London Cambridge Oxford most plentifull and pregnant witnesses with what spirits with what learning with what truth we defended our Religion what shew or signe of feare or diffidence found you amongst vs nay rather how true and singular confidence did there appeare in vs you it is and not we when it comes to a trial indeed that begins to sweat chaunge countenance tremble euery ioynt of you and bewray your deepe distrust and the naughtines of your cause Wherefore Campian take it from me if you thinke our distrustfulnes will helpe you any thing you much deceiue your selfe for if we haue with courage stood against your predecessors so far surpassing you we will not yeeld a haire to you nor feare your manner of conflict being so childish in the iudgement of all men But this diffidence you so cast in our dish tell vs what it is and how it appeares so clearely Forsooth we distrust our hold in the Scriptures and the maiestie of Gods bookes we haue most filthilie corrupted This indeed is a very great crimination you obiect to vs and an vndoubted proofe of our distrust for they who are not able to maintaine the Religion they professe vnlesse they lay violent hands vpon the Scriptures and impeach the sacred authoritie of those heauenly bookes the cause on their side must be very naught and desperate indeed Therfore I graunt vnto you that it was very fearefull desperation which made the Manachies renounce the old Testament wholy and cancell part of the new the same also made Ebion reiect all Paules Epistles and other heretikes to do so too for there was nothing fitter for them to vphold those their monstrous opinions then by denying those bookes of holy Scripture But I pray you Campian let vs see how these things make for your purpose or what it is wherein we are so like those forenamed Heretikes Me thinkes it little beseemeth your learning and eloquence to slaunder vs and to pinne vpon our sleeues such odious crimes of auncient heretikes so vndeseruedly If we haue shaken hands with the Manachees if with the Ebionits tell vs wherein But if we are culpable of no such thing the Lord shall iudge your outragious and bold slaunders and maintaine our vprightnes and innocency For who euer thought and spoke more honorably reuerently and with more due regard of the Scriptures then we who haue receiued and imbraced all Scripture giuen by inspiration as the very voice of God himself holding it for the only mysterie of our faith and religion and so resting in it as that we desire no other helpe as necessary to saluation which if we had not with more diligence and deuotion defended then you euer did long ere this the glorie of it had perished and it had bin counted as a dead letter For what haue we done for these many yeeres with more endeuour and diligence then maintaine the maiesty and excellencie of the Scriptures which you haue so vnworthily violated And yet you blush not to match vs with the Manachees and Ebionits who haue violently laid most impure and villanous hands vpon those sacred bookes But say you Luther that most wicked Apostata called the Epistle of S. Iames a contentious swelling barren and strawen Epistle and iudged it vnworthy the spirit of an Apostle still