the same oracle and doeth it not appertayne to Campion in England Surely it doeth apperteyne asmuch but the open attempt is not so safe Therefore it commeth here to bee considered that the oracle hath a double heart and a double tongue set at large to denye or breake euen an othe made to one not of his sect and euermore to say and vnsaye to promise and breake promise as may make most for his deuilish practises 5. Now foloweth y e execution of his message wherein he asketh with shewe of great humilitie the thing that bewrayeth his singular pride For he aloue professeth with a chalenge in all knowledge touching his causes to encounter with all sortes of learning and learned men and against them notwithstanding their strength and the strength of their cause to prooue the most weake and languishing title of Popish religion And before whom Not before some fewe in a corner but in the light presence of this renowmed estate so enriched with singular giftes of learning experience and iudgement namely in the presence of her honorable Counsell before the Doctours Masters and choyse men of both the Vniuersities and thirdly before the lawyers spirituall as he speaketh and temporall But let vs further examine what hee vttereth In this place the Iesuite a man professing so great knowledge knoweth not himselfe he remembreth not in this article what he solemnly protested in the former For there he affirmed that he minded not that he might not in any respect deale with matters of state but now as hauing his will altered and a secrete dispensatiō against the charge of his fathers he wil discourse of religiō so far as it toucheth the cōmō wealth their nobilities But out of the abundāce of the heart doth the mouth speaketh the pen writeth It foloweth wherof he maketh most account to try the matter out with the doctors masters of ech vniuersity What he bringeth from a newe forge I may more easely gesse then determine But if it be no more then his masters of these all other vniuersities haue brought already into their bookes disputations it is nothing y t long agoe hath not bene confuted It may be not hauing better reasons he presumeth of him selfe that he hath fayrer colours then they had and a stronger spirite of illusion to deceiue and cary away y e preiudicate inconstant hearer against reason The manifolde waies he promiseth to cōuince by are profes inuincible scriptures c. If he can prooue his cause by inuincible scriptures it is sufficient there neede no further proofes But if he alledge y e scriptures for his cause as satan did as heretikes doe vsing some of the words leauing the fulnes of the sentence or peruerting y e words to another sense then the holy Ghost deliuereth then shall he preuaile as Satan did and his reward shalbe among the false prophetes As for Councils Fathers and stories they are rather witnesse one to another of some contrarietie and all witnesses of y e time howe corruptions crept into the Church then authentical iudges in causes of religion Neuerthelesse we haue if we woulde vse thē in their true allegation matter sufficient to confute y t which the Iesuite hopeth to confirme by false allegation Touching places in the fathers to the contrary some of thē are alredy condemned of bastardie being places manifestly forged other not gyltie of forgery howe great so euer the authors of thē were yet it is euident they were but men that the word of God alone hath credit of for it selfe that y e word of God alone is y e touchstone fining pot y t sheweth y e least corruption the least cōmixture of corruption much more the palpable errors of y e new Iesuites Moreouer for the latter Councils because y e Pope reigned ouer thē he being now arraigned is no lawfull witnesse in his owne case And because these Councils make warre against the authoritie of Gods word y e Spirit of y e Lordes mouth which is his word shal proceed more and more to consume them Afterwarde the Iesuite not so carefull to performe as to moue great expectation by promise draweth mē to looke for profes of his religiō where profes are no more to be founde then a sure foundatiō vpon the sande or a place of light in the kingdome of darkenes So impossible are the things that now he vndertaketh For among other proofes he vndertaketh to auow y e faith of the Catholike Church by naturall and morall reason which are two great enemies of true religion two great nourses of Atheisme and heresie The Apostle teacheth this that the naturall man can not discerne the thinges of God they seeme foolishnes to him Dauid finding the rebellion and ignorance of a naturall heart craued a cleane heart to bee created within him and a newe spirit newe not onely in affections but in vnderstanding that hee myght learne the iudgementes of God For want of this heart Salomon was a stranger from God a long time notwithstanding he had a natural and morall wisdome aboue any that euer reigned in Ierusalem Peter coulde not receiue the reuelation of fayth from flesh and blood but this Iesuite can deliuer it from thence Therefore the religion which Iesuites woulde plant againe in England is not according to y e holy Scriptures giuē by inspiration of God but according to the carnall sense of vntaught men which must haue gods to goe before them that is they must haue a religion allowing gods images worshippings in y e feeling and wisdome of a naturall man that can not looke with the eyes of fayth vp into heauen nor with spirituall iudgement into y e great mysterie of godlinesse conteined in the holy scriptures Last of all this chalenger as one brought vp in y e Innes of court at Padua in the middest of spiritual lawyers vndertaketh to iustifie his said faith by commō wisdome of law standing yet in force practised Wherein againe he promiseth to paye out that which he neuer receiued in But if he hath borowed somewhat out of the lawes to saue his credit let vs examine howe farre it may go for paiment Among other lawes he relieth most vpon the Canon lawe and some such fragments thereof as yet he thinketh to stand in some force To speake therfore of the Canon law many matters therein are so grosse that euen many Papistes which otherwise haue a harlots forehead cā not read them without blushing Neuerthelesse out of a sea of such absurdities there is a booke extant y t hath gathered many notable places to proue aboue thirtie poyntes of our religion This was the iust iudgement of God against the Popes that they setting downe wicked canons shoulde not remember to take away y e good Nowe for so much of that law as is in practise if it be not pure let
Grammer herein also he is gyltie of a false and spitefull accusation For we can make proofe that the Lorde hath giuen vs of the spoiles of Egypt of Arabia of Iewry and of Rome But it may be he noteth it that many nowe rule in the Church that in times past haue ruled onely in Grammer schooles I graunt that some fewe such are amongst vs but such profitable and sufficient teachers of men that it were pitie they shoulde any more teache children Nowe let vs passe from his scoffes and come againe to his vaunts The Campmaster hauing with Rabshaketh denied the arme of our God to be able to deliuer vs and condemning our cause before it bee indited doeth notwithstanding craue the combat with all and euery one of vs offering the best welcome to him that commeth best furnished I answere These are wordes The prouerbe maketh it a vayne fight to fight with a shadowe but wee haue not so much as his shadowe for a measure of the Champion or for an argument that hee is at hande But as already he hath vaunted of the vniuersalitie of his knowledge so nowe he setteth out the vniuersalitie of his powers making him selfe a monster that hath infinite persons to stand it out infinite eares to heare and infinite tongues to answere all and euery Protestant Can hee speake wisely in a suddē disputatiō that vttereth folly in a premeditate and weightie letter will he looke to win that knoweth not how to make his match The last point of y e article is his protestatiō of ioy to meete with no vnarmed enemie but the better we come furnished the better welcome We haue nowe heard more then ynough of his selfe liking more thē needed of his chalēge wherin hitherto we finde nothing hard but y t which he doeth not brag of namely where to finde him For some will beare me witnesse it is harder to finde him then to answere him when hee is founde But these wordes are deliuered to draw credit to himselfe and his cause also to cast discredit vpō vs and our religion Wherein he doeth still affirme the conclusion that shoulde be prooued It is not ynough for a Iesuite or for the oracle of the Iesuites to affirme except proofes appeare But we must tarry till the Champion come to the listes 7 In the seuenth article he speaketh good words true touching the singular graces of God wherewith he hath enriched her Maiestie in noble giftes of nature learning princely education It is very wel if you thinke thus duetifully in your heartes and speake so reuerently of her Maiesty abroad and in your secret prayers But why do you passe ouer the grace of graces in her which deserue perpetuall honor namely her godly zeale and knowledge in professing publishing y e glorious Gospel of Iesus Christ in abandoning your popish superstitions Why moreouer did you not yeelde to her highnes al thāks frō the heart for her exceeding clemencie by the which many of you liue yet shew your selues vnworthy of so great mercie If the giftes of enemies be giftlesse gifts as the prouerbe noteth what are the bare words of them that are more disloyall in deede then they can shewe themselues loyall in wordes But be it knowen to you that her Maiestie by her rare giftes which you acknowledge woulde easily see your flattering hypocrisie and your grosse presumption of her readinesse to incline or rather to decline to you and moreouer readily iudge of your sandy foundatiō and vntempered morter if either your letters were worthy the least reading or your selfe meete for any place in her most honorable presēce Your faire light woulde be dimme in the brightnesse of her wisedome your good methode would appeare to haue a great maime at her learned consideration your playne dealing would shew it selfe plaine dallying with Gods causes if in the singular dexteritie of her iudgement shee were present at your disputatiō or sermōs to giue sentence Therefore let mee heere once chalenge and charge y e chalenger that he did so far breake out into seditious and disloyall speach as to offer that wrong to her Maiestie wisdom in suggesting to her subiects that she can be remoued with a shaken reede who was not moued in the cause at the earnest sutes and threates of mightie Princes Wherein as her Maiestie hath receyued a notable prerogatiue of Gods fauour and hath singular cause to reioyce before him in the peace of conscience that passeth al vnderstanding so she hath made proofe to the worlde that shee is resolued for the happy cōtinuance of that which hath had so happie and manifold blessings and promiseth more and more till we come to the fulnesse thereof for euer As for her Maiesties loue to her people and their most dutifull loue and ioye to her againe it requireth no Popish Doctor or doctrine to alter it being already established in the knowledge of the Gospel which worketh the effectuall bonde of peace and perfection in Prince and people Therefore the second poynt of this article is as presūptuous as the first The first in drawing her Maiesties excellent iudgement and zeale of Gods house into doubt of alteration vpon a disputation or a few sermons the second in calling her best proceedings into accusation as hurtfull to the Realme But it is not the Gospell that hurteth the realme it is you ye Papistes and your religion that hurt it and would bring it to miserable desolation to set vp agayne your abomination Yea many yeeres since you had done it but that the Lord of mercy and iudgement striueth whether he may shew greater tokens of his gracious fauour to her Maiestie the land or indignation to you and your most wicked attemptes in discouering from time to time so many of your secrete conspiracies and deepe practises and in meeting so happily with your open rebellions and inuasions In the wordes following the chalenger doeth trippe himselfe for hauing presently before praysed her Maiestie nowe correcting himselfe he doth vtter his griefe agaynst her that hee and his confederates are oppressed and finde not equitie at her hande O vniust complaynt that I saye no more Her mighty arme and sword hath not bene so heauie as the little finger of those that persecute the Church Therefore if mine aduise may be taken in good parte I woulde wish you that are so great oppressers except ye were oppressed and namely you Iesuites who notwithstanding the saluation signified by the name of Iesus which you take yet you are the bellowes to kindle and increase the fire of persecution more then any in all places where you can preuayle not to complayne of oppression least it be redoubled vpon you and yet without breach of equitie 8 From presuming of her Maiesties pliablenesse to their side he returneth to her honorable Counsel in the same maner meaning For attributing to them the prayse of nobilitie much wisdome and drift in cases most
last wordes of this article are in sound very plausible as the rest of his speeches pretending nothing but trueth in his false cause nothing but loue in his seditious pamphlet Therfore let them be examined Speaking of Popish religion he sayth it is of God A bare affirmation without any proofe So in all his letter he onely affirmeth referring vs to his credite whereas men would rather be caried w t reason But his reasoÌ„s are to be looked for wheÌ„ he commeth to answere his chalenge Yet to answere him with a reason Poperie is not of God for then it could not haue receiued so great ouerthrowes only by the word of God Neither was y e Popish religion planted in blood neyther is it like whatsoeuer is layd downe in bragges that in blood these Iesuites or any other wil restore it Otherwise the wordes may haue this true construction Popish religion was planted in strength by sheading the blood abolishing the doctrine of the Martyrs in like sort they hope to restore it agayne By persecutions it preuayled at the first and by persecutions they looke to preuayle at the last But blessed be God that hath shewed y e vanitie of this hope by shewing in our daies that the blood of his Martyrs whose godly cause iustifie their godly death is the seede of the Church France Flanders and our owne countrey are wonderfull arguments of this if any man will descend into y e deepe coÌ„sideration of the particulars If the Lord hath heretofore made Nebuchadnezzar his seruant to punish Israel it was not the power of Babel that did it but the sinnes of Ierusalem All such chastisements of the Church redound to the good of the Church and leaue wrath against those that rise vp against his people and the blood of his saints that is so precious in his eyes 9 In the last place he aggreueth the fault of her Maiesties most honorable priuy CouÌ„sell if they will not receyue that which he doeth not offer For although his letters be full of promises and verball offers yet in trueth and deede he offreth nothing no not so much as these letters They were scattered abroade before any copie came to their handes so it appeareth that as he meant not to stand to the answere of his chalenge so he meant not so much as to sende the letters of chalenge whyther he woulde haue them thought to be directed Now after all stormes and other outrageous actes in this tragedie and imaginarie chalenge the Iesuite hauing charged y e Lords for their part if they reiect his offer reward his endeuours and pilgrimage of many thousande miles with rigour he for his part falleth to a calme conclusion Therein he promiseth hauing no more to say to recoÌ„mende our case and his owne to Almightie God the searcher of hearts and prayeth that in heauen we may be made friends This prayer if he will make from the heart we also will pray that through their coÌ„uersion God may graunt it in Christ Iesus If he wil pray it in loue and trueth to that praier he shal haue our Amen But let euery man that speaketh well meane accordingly least the searcher of hearts finde out punish their hypocrisie His last wordes somewhat touch the former sore therefore must not be passed ouer with silence In being our remembrancer that in heaueÌ„ all iniuries shalbe forgotten he couertly complaineth againe of iniuries The iniuries he susteineth he alone is guiltie of For what greater iniurie can be done to another theÌ„ he hath done vnto himself He hath departed froÌ„ the faith left his couÌ„trey refused y e protection of a gracious Prince with many other honours felicities as he declared in y e first article In him therfore y e coÌ„plaint of iniuries is vniust but against him y e complaint not of iniuries alone but of seditions of heresie of impietie is very iust so y t he is to take heed hereafter vnto his steps least though al iniuries be forgotteÌ„ in heaueÌ„ yet for want of repentaÌ„ce such iniquities receiue punishment in an other place Therefore briefly to see into al this matter to coÌ„clude these letters of Ed. Campion y e Iesuite which were cast abroad w tout a directioÌ„ to comfort the Papists sweetely to feed them w t hope of a great coÌ„quest against the religion are fouÌ„d vpon examination to sound a false Alarme hauing nothing for y e Papists to feede vpon but vaine hope or venim to satisfie a hart nourished w t reproches nothing to trust vnto but a broken reede that not yet in hand Touching the Protestants the same libel hath nothing that can either strike the least feare into them or cast the least discredite vpon them or their religion Notwithstanding against y e Papists and for the Protestants especially those in place further to consider it the pamphlet hath beside the vanitie many points discouering as well great mischiefe intended against her Maiesties peaceable and godly gouernement as against the heauenly and most fruitful preaching of y e Gospel Which mischiefe notwithstaÌ„ding the Lord our God hath from time to time and lately wonderfully disappoynted that the Papists which will not heare what is taught out of the worde may see and consider what the Lord preacheth to them in those his notable iudgements and that we both Prince people so blessed of God woulde with new songs praise the Lord who is euermore good to Israel the Lord I say whose mercie and trueth endureth and preuaileth for euer Amen FINIS Reue. 18. 11. 2. Reg. 18. 36 Prou. 26. 4. Prou. 20. 23. 2. Tim. 2. 23. Tit. 3. 9 10. R. Maffeus in Iudam Watson and others at home Reuel 17. 2. Heb. 9. 26. 10. 12. 18. Iesuites Philip. 2. 9. Act. 11. 26. Exod. 8. 2. Censur Colon. Donati Gotuisi lib. de fide Iesu Iesuitarum Catechis Canisii Cic. offic 1. Apo. 18. 11. Apoc. 17. 5. 2. Thes 2. 4. His bulles His forces in Ireland Iere. 7. 22. Mat. 15. 9. Mat. 13. 46. Reuel 13. 16. His most insolent and malicious Bull. 1569. answered by M. Bullinger Prou. 26. 2. Galat. 1. 10. 3. Cor. 4. 5. Galat. 1. 8 9. Apoc. 16. 14. Acts. 16. 14. Gen. 19. 16. Colloquium Iesuiticum 2. Tim. 3. 8. Gen. 3. 1. Rom. 1. 16. Hebr. 10. 22 23. Apoc. 17. 4. Ion. 4. 23. 24 Iohn 8. 44. Mat. 12. 34. Mat. 4 6. Councils Fathers Stories 2. Tim. 3. 16. Psal 119. 130. Esai 11. 4. 2. Thes 2. 8. 1. Cor. 2. 14. Psal 51. 10. 1. Kin. 11. 5. 1. Kin. 3. 12. Mat. 16. 16. 2. Tim. 3. 16. Exod. 32. 1. 1. Tim. 3. 16. Canon lawe Sententiae Halleri ex decretis canon collectae Common lawe A treatise of the supremacie Also sermoÌ„s and bookes by Tunstall Gardiner Bonner and other papists against the Pope Reuel 14. 8. 18. 2. Friers and such like entring into their order are saide to die may make their will which is proued standeth in force as if they were dead Iam. 1. 8. Iere. 5. 2. Iosh 7. 10. Papinianus Ael Spartianus in vita Caracalli Horatius Quid dignuÌ„ tanto feret hic promissor hiatu 2. King 18. 30. Ephes 4. 3. Col. 3. 14. 1. Cor. 2. 6 8. Rom 8. 5 6 7 Reue. 1â—8 18. 21. Iob. 13. 4. Ephe. 2. 20 Gal. 1. 8 â— Phil. 3. 7. c. In Ireland 29. Nouemb. Iam. 4. 3. Phil. 37. c. Iohn 10. 11. heb 13. 20. Phil. 2. 17 30 Iere. 25. 9. 27. 6. Ier. 24. 7 8 9 Psal 116. 15.
these things and moreouer crucifie the sonne of God againe euerie day in their most blasphemous sacrifice of the Masse yet when you holde vp those handes in prayer I doubt not but it is with desire to haue Popish religion restored to haue the Lords of the Counsell remoued to haue way made for you to returne frō your beggerly estate to the dignities and regencie of the lande And why then doe you that are knowen to make this prayer and to followe your prayers with practises notwithstanding make mention of them as a dutiful and holy seruice towarde the Counsell If the things ye seeke by prayer otherwise were good then the prayer enterprise also may be good but if ye aske the thinges that are euil the praier is turned into sinne and you finde how true the wordes of Iames are concerning such praiers and such purposes you aske and receiue not But howsoeuer you pray or purpose we in all trueth loue holde vp both our handes and heartes vnto God for you that are in darkenes and in the shadowe of death praying him in his deare sonne Iesus Christ to cast vpon you the light of his countenance that you may see finde that righteousnes which S. Paul desired with the losse of al the other helpes preeminences namely not the righteousnes which was his owne which is of the lawe but the righteousnes which is of God through faith This is vnfeinedly our publique and priuate praier for you with continuall supplication that God woulde make vs all sheepe of the same folde whereof Iesus Christ alone is the great Pastor To come againe to that which followeth in the letter he addeth the praise of English students beyonde Sea saying Their posteritie shal not die No more shall the posteritie of Antichrist til they and their abominations be brought into iudgement As for the vertue sufficient knowledge which they gather I would know whether it be vertue or knowledge that cause them in some places to carie letters to enter into sedicious matters priuilie in other places to carrie armes against her Maiestie openly Other fruite of their abandoning the lande great studies beyond sea I heare of none a fewe motiues excepted In the next wordes you professe better vertue and more knowledge if the euil cause were not stil the same For in deede it is y e heauenly gift of God in our calling to despise the death of the bodie for the life of their soules whom otherwise we cannot in our ministerie bring to saluation But your cause tendeth not to the saluation but to the condemnation of those whom you carie away with your carnall worshippings and false doctrine Moreouer it may be these are but wordes of a vaine bragge as hitherto appeareth For albeit you woulde seeme determined vpon your league neuer to giue ouer the Lords of the Counsel but either to winne them to heauen as if now they were lost to hell or to die vpon their pikes yet you that haue taried so long from so great a worke tarie yet longer making no haste to come to so good a match These valiant resolute souldiers vnder y e Popes banner of obedience appeare not euen this Campmaster appeareth not But it may be he hath withdrawen himselfe to write his letters consolatorie into Ireland and backe againe to Rome and among other his large offers he mindeth to afforde vs this that we shall haue some time to prepare for so dangerous a combat To let this passe that which followeth doeth shew his spirit For out it must with ful mouth and great sound he can no longer keepe his own counsel It woulde be marked and taken heede of not for feare of the matter but to see the rebellion of the men The societie of Iesuites proclaime by their trumpet Master Campiō make it knowen that they haue all made a league not to leaue a mā of thēselues aliue free from the honor of Stories Tiburne or consumption in prison til they haue ouer-reached all the practises of Englād Fearefull wordes threatning paper shot But the weakenes of their force taketh nothing frō the greatnesse of their malicious and trayterous purpose For if their power were as their purpose see I pray you what an alteration they would soone worke in this land Neuerthelesse these Iesuites that minde to leaue no way that they thinke may establish the beast whom they worship yet they vtter this traiterous branch of the vnholy league as if it were no other thing thē by preaching to winne men to saluation But I haue largely shewed that it is destruction that they call saluation Therefore to conclude these matters his purpose is with his confederates by al meanes to subdue men to the Popes bondage and in this piece of seruice to preuayle or to die vpon any daungers A great offer for so small gayne a great danger for so wretched a purpose But if the Iesuite report the conclusion of y e league truely when it is put in execution which notwithstanding they wil flee more then we cā feare it wil not go so ill with the Church of God in England as it will go wel with all other Churches For if all the Iesuites in the worlde bend their forces towarde England and come to carie the crosse that here shalbe layd vpon them we shalbe ouerlayed with those swarmes of grashoppers except the Lord prouide a mighty west wind to cast them violently into the Sea but all other Churches shalbe free from that plague But if answereably to our professiō we remaine y e Israel of God though Egypt be plagued yet there shalbe no complaining in the tents of Iacob After these bragges in words only howe readie they are in the planting of Popish religion to die at Tiburne or in any other torments he sheweth vs that the expence is reckoned the enterprise is begun To gather these matters First he publisheth a general cōspiracie of al the Iesuites in the world and they were not alone in the decree to die vpon our pikes or to draw vs frō religiō Secōdarily he forewarneth definitiuely that this their league succession multitude must ouerreach al the practises of England Thirdly that the accōpt is made the enterprise begun In respect of any thing these Iesuites or their adherēts can doe we haue no cause to feare at all for their rage shal turne to y e praise of God who wil cōfound thē for his trueth to get glory to his name But in respect of our sinnes in not bringing forth fruites worthie of the Gospell we may feare least some of these noysome beasts in their swarmes cast some shadow vpō the tree of life Touching those last wordes so playnely laying downe their multitude confederacie threats and beginnings I leaue any further to examine them they are for an other examination as drawing neere the heart of the common wealth for the purpose and execution thereof The