of their desire Also they think it some profit onely to barke against y e trueth But whē Rabshakeh came from Babylon and blasphemed at the gates of Ierusalem good Ezechias following the rule of Salomon commanded saying Answere ye him not And I pray you who of vs woulde in the things of this life yeelde to an euill minded man that he should enter an action for the things whereof we haue the right and quiet possession But here the pretensed Catholiques are wise in their generation For when did they graunt to a free disputation or to haue any sermons made by them of the religion but beeing enforced thereunto Yea at this very time howsoeuer this Champion and some others challenge and call for disputation yet their forerunners and fathers in Poperie refuse the same With what forehead then can these Iesuites demaund of vs that themselues will not graunt Or seeing it hath bene graunted at Auspurge and at Poissy and els where and they gained nothing by the graunt why should they call the Ministers to an vnorderly disputation from their ordinarie charge wherein beside other dueties of their ministerie they soundly confute by the plaine word of God as occasion is offred euen the chiefest arguments that the enemie can alledge As for the trial these Iesuits wil make it shalbe w t false weights and measures which are an abomination to the Lord while after their custome they dispute with vnlearned and peeuish distinctions false arguments absurd interpretatiōs plausible notwithstanding to them that haue a forestalled iudgement against the trueth But S. Paul warneth vs to auoide thē that trouble the Church with such disputations and contentions For it is euident that the purpose of these Iesuites is but to cast in matter of griefe to the godly when they see so bolde enterprises of the enemie not at the walles of the citie but euen in the market place and as by a blasing starre to prognosticate some further matter to the Papist and time seruer but most of all to disturbe the peace of the Church and to make the people stagger in religion as many of them as by diligent hearing of the worde haue not attained to the certeine loue of the trueth Neuerthelesse although I thinke it inconuenient in a settled estate to haue the trueth of God and her Maiesties most godly proceedings called into disputation by these men who are her alienated subiectes and in this maner against a singular peace yet vpon other circumstances as disputations haue bene heretofore graunted so they may agayne For not wee but the Papistes refuse lawfull disputation not we but they feele and confesse that they get nothing thereby The inconueniencie is that which I note in the seditious practise of this man and his confederates Otherwise the common wealth hath more cause then y e Church to dreade their forces Wee seeke not to esche we any snare they can laye we feare not their euidence or doubt of our owne title They haue had and may haue the libertie of their pen if these Iesuites haue any thing that their masters had not or which our fathers in the Gospell haue not answered let thē lay it downe in writing w t true forme of argument which is the most certeine tryall of greatest iudgemēt in writing by the grace of God they shalbe answered For howe litle we feare them howe much they feare vs it appeareth by that they suffer not a scroule of religion or tending neuer so litle that way in any mās hand but it is presently a matter for the inquisition Yea they withhold the very word it selfe Wheras we find y t the very view of their outward Rome with her abominations and the inward seeing into y t heart of popish religion with her absurdities haue made many as well grosse Papists as others indifferent betwene both religions to stand resolued in the trueth and to acquaint themselues with the cleare and comfortable doctrine of Iesus Christ after the execrable superstitions of the Pope once throughly knowen But nowe to come to his letters I finde to speake generally that they haue a preface to nine articles the preface and articles being to the same purpose For all is in effect thus much that he hath taken a farre dangerous iourney boldly plainely to offer himself a procter to mainteine against al commers in disputation at the commandement of the Pope the Popish religion to confute the doctrine of Christ Iesus This is the chalenge The promise is to persuade euen Prince people professing the trueth that they are in error as if both Prince and people had not sufficient assurance of their faith or the chiefest Papistes did not from day to day receiue great ouerthrowes both in disputatiō and writing For to the glory of God in the ministerie of the Gospell be it remembred and to the heart griefe of al Romish Catholiques the Lord addeth to the true Catholique Church of his elect great numbers continually to those that openly professe the religion many notable cities which lately were first in the zeale of Poperie and are nowe not the last of them that embrace the trueth notwithstanding so many artes and insolencies vsed to stoppe the course and increase of the Gospell Therefore if the Lord do not punish our contempt of the word we professe what hope may our Chalenger haue that the Pope shall recouer others when he can not keepe his own no not them that lately carried the canopie ouer his head In the preface y e Iesuite reporteth his pilgrimage out of Germany and Boeme into Englād his deare coūtry at the cōmādemēt of his superiours y t sent him where he giueth a note of his danger of his obedience But touching his obedience it commeth to be noted afterward As for his dāgers I see them not so great as he pretēdeth For I dout not but he was wel contented that this place fell to his lot that he wayted a time to aduenture himselfe when there was in his opinion lesse danger then heretofore more hope of some golden daye But the man is come into this noble realme for the glorie of God and the benefite of soules What glory of God cā come by a man sworne to Antichrist against Gods glory sworne to the Councill of Trent against the peace of this kingdom What care of soules can hee haue which would withdraw their foode in enraged therfore would enrage others with y e cup of poison wherwith the whore of Babylō hath heretofore poysoned the princes of y e earth What benefite of soules can poore soules looke for at his hand that in place of the most cleare light of the Gospel would bring in a greater plague of darkenes then that of Egypt This is the effect of the Iesuites loue which he would shew to his deare coūtry after so many yeeres absence out of her sight Being now arriued
verely hold Images Pardons Praying to Saints seruice in an vnknowen tongue as wicked things But let thē all true professors also know that y e Papists hold Steuen Gardiners rule Yelde but in haly water said he to Cardinall Poole that blusshed at some enormities in popery and yeeld in all Thereupon Papistes yeeld in nothing howsoeuer our home Papists thinke or dissemble the matter This is proued by the open dealing of the Iesuites for there is nothing be it neuer so impious neuer so absurde yea though in their owne conscience neuer so contrary to trueth commō sense but they defend it in a booke written w t publike consent called y e Censure of Colen Hitherto it hath bin truely declared y t y e Iesuites are wicked Monkish Friers y t they labour for learning to abolish learning that they ouerlay the nations where they come that they defend all absurdities of the popish Church But for proofe of their absurd and blasphemous doctrines out of a treatise cōcerning this matter I haue enterlaced their owne words as they are to be foūd in y e same book in other of their writings adioining to euery article of their doctrine y e cleane cōtrary doctrine out of y e word of God as foloweth 1 It is not sinne whatsoeuer is against the Lawe of God Censure of Colen leafe 44. Contrary to y e word of God 1. Ioh. 3.4 The transgression of the Law is sinne 2. Cōcupiscence remaining in the regenerate although it be against the lawe of God yet it is not sinne properly in it self or of it owne nature Cens Col. 38. c. in the hādling of Canisius Catechisme leaf 184. A contrary doctrine is taught by Christ Mat. 5. 28. I say vnto you y t whosoeuer shal see a womā to lust after her he hath already committed adulterie with her in his heart 3 The first motions of lust are without hurt of sinne Cens Col. Fol. 54. 89. contrary to the tenth commandement Thou shalt not couet Exod. 20. 17. 4 The holy Scripture is a doctrine vnperfect maymed lame not conteining all things necessarie to faith saluation Cens Col. fol. 220. cōtrarie to that place of Paul 2. Tim. 3. 16 17. Al y e Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teache to confute to correct to instruct in iustice that the man of God may bee perfect and throughly instructed to euery good worke 5 The want of the holy Scriptures must be supplied by peecing it out with traditions Cens Col. 220. Contrary to a Lawe in Moses Deut. 4. 2. Thou shalt not adde to the wordes which I speake to thee neither shalt thou take from them 6 The holy Scripture is a nose of waxe Cens Col. 117. Contrary to the wordes of Dauid The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule Psal 19. 7. 7 The reading of the holy Scripture is not onely not profitable but many wayes very hurtfull to the Church Cens Col. 21. Christ deliuereth a cōtrary note Mat. 22. 29. Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor parte of Christendome or heathenesse vpon lyke assignation I doubt not as I sayde before but that hee was more readie and ioyous to bee sent into his owne countrey But what authoritie hath the Pope to send out swarmes of Iesuites into all the worlde Are they not content falsely to make him Peters successor and head of the Church but that they will also allowe him to apoynt these newe Apostles to goe out into al y e worlde namely these Iesuites enemies to the doctrine of the true Apostles yea and that in nūber not so fewe I thinke as xii hundred for xii because he would haue more to pull downe then Christ sent abroad to build vp withall 3 His assigned charge is laide downe in the third article which is of free cost to preach the Gospell and minister the sacraments Cunning wordes to cloke an euill matter For he speaketh in words fit for the Gospel to auoyd the vsuall and proper speaches of his Popish priesthod and order that are full of derogation agaynst the trueth For they preach not the Gospell but against the Gospell in the traditions and ordinances of the Pope Their ministerie of the Sacramentes is the saying or singing Masse and corrupt baptisme with other actions which they call Sacraments but are none by any warrant out of the word of God For in their definitions of these other fiue falsly named Sacraments they surcharge their margents with great shewe of proofes but almost all are authorities of men there are very fewe places of scripture quoted and those manifestly peruerted The wordes that folowe in his charge To instruct the simple reforme sinners confute errors and in briefe to crye an alarme spirituall against foule vice and proude ignorance howe great shewe doe they make in the monster Tullie noteth those byers and sellers that gayne but litle except they lie much Euen so these marchants that bye and sell with the woman that sitteth vpon many waters in whose forehead this name is branded A mysterie Great Babylon the mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth they gayne nothing but by their shamelesse lyes For that which they set out to sale for instruction is destruction touching the fayth their reformation is a deformation and in their kingdome it may seeme waste labour seeing they haue a shorter way to woorke in blotting that out spel He hath taken vpon him a speciall kinde of warfare vnder the banner of obedience If it be of obedience to God vnder Christes banner it is common to all Christians if it be of obedience to some new false Apostleship of the Popes creation it is as much disobedience to God as it is obedience to those monkish ordinances What plaine dealing then can this be Vnder the title of the glorious banner of obedience the Iesuite recommendeth to the Lordes of the Counsell his disobedience to God his disobedience to the trueth and obedience onely to his Fathers chiefely y e Pope the most blasphemous enemie of God most open enemie to her Maiestie both in his consistorie in the field Obedience acceptable to God is according to his word not according to y e traditions ordināces of mā As for y e Pope he holdeth vp a bāner of rebelliō alwaies against y e kingdō of Iesus Christ many times also against y e kingdome of Princes Vnder this banner he hath lately placed these Iesuites w t some armour finding all other vnlettered and idle Monkes Friers not so fit for y e campe as for the cloister If this votarie hath resigned great interest or manye possibilities of welth honor felicity as he pretēdeth thē the iudgemēt of God was y e heauier against him y t he should sell all he had not to bye the precious pearle recōmēded by Christ but to purchase the
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
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.