REASONS OF A CHALLENGE SENT TO THE Universities of ENGLAND IN Matters of Religion By Edmund Campion Priest of the Society of Jesus Faithfully Translated into English Permissu Superiorum LONDON Printed for Mat. Turner at the Sign of the Holy Lamb in High-Holbourn MDCLXXXVII To the most Pregnant Wits of the two Famous Universities of Oxford and Cambridge LAst year being come in a Mission to this Isle according to my imployment Renowned Champions I found waves more Tempestuous a great deal on the English Shore than I left in the Britannick Ocean By and by when I had pressed farther into England I saw nothing more common than unaccustomed Tortures nothing more certain than unexpected Dangers I recollected my self as well as I could mindful of the Justice of my cause and not forgetful of the times and lest I should by chance be taken up before I was heard I reduced the intentions of my mind into writing I thought fit to declare to the World what I came for what I zealously endeavour'd for what kind of War I wag'd and against whom I Proclaimed it I had the Original Copy with me which I was resolv'd should be taken with me if I was taken I intrusted a friend with a Copy of it who contrary to my knowledge communicated it to a great many more my Adversaries Rudely seized the Book as soon as it was Published passing their most malicious Censures upon it That one man should Challenge them all in matters of Religion although I should not stand alone in the Field in case I was ingaged for the Publick Faith Hanmer and Charke answered my Challenges and what then disingenously all for they made no material answer but one which will never be approved of We embrace your Proposals the Queen Espouses them make your application to her In the interim they cry our your Society your Seditions your Arrogance a Traytor without doubt a Traytor O Ridiculous Why do Wise Men thus lose their labour and credit But of these two one for his fancies sake made Incursions into my Book the last did more maliciously weigh the whole cause The Book was published lately being very plain treating of our Society of the injuries we sustained and of the Province we now undertake what remains therefore since our Adversaries prepare Torments for me and not the Schools but to prove the matter of Fact to you which Created so much Confidence in me as to demonstratively show the sources of things I would also exhort you whom it concerns above all men to take that care which Christ the Church your Country and Salvation requires of you had I trusted in my Parts Learning Subtilty Reading Memory and Challeng'd such a croud of Adversaries I had been Vain and Arrogant but I never regarded my self nor them but considering the cause I deem'd my self sufficient to uncloud the Sun at Noon Day therefore pardon those heats of Zeal which the honour of Christ my King and the invincible Truth have occasioned Ye know M. Tullius when Roscius did promise him a Victory in case he would defend by dint of Argument that Seven Hundred Miles could not be run in two days did not only not fear the force and efficacy of Hortensius his Arguments but even of those that were his betters the Philippi the Cottae Antonii and Crassi who gain'd to themselves great honour in Rhetorick Indeed there is some Truth so Transparent that no Sophistry in words nor Jugling in things can Eclipse Moreover that is more manifest which we undertake than that supposition of Roscius for if I can prove that there is a Heaven that there are Saints that there is one true Faith that there is a Christ the Victory is mine May I not be then Couragious here They may Martyr me but they can never Baffle me for I insist on those Doctrines which the Spirit hath Taught which is never deceived nor overthrown I beseech you that you would use the means whereby you might obtain Salvation as for the rest I am not at all in suspence but that I shall receive from those I Petition it of if they will apply themselves to study call upon Christ and be diligent they will certainly find out the Truth to the Confusion of its Adversaries in the mean while it behoves us who are so firmly grounded to take the Field with a magnanimous Courage I draw the Curtain here because the rest which I have to say is Dedicated to you Farewel The Heads of the Reasons 1. HOly Scripture 2. The Sense of Holy Scripture 3. The Nature of the Church 4. Councils 5. Fathers 6. Decrees of the Fathers 7. History 8. Paradoxes 9. Sophisms 10. All sorts of Witnesses The Reasons of the Challenge sent to the Vniversities of England by Edmund Campion ALthough there are Innumerable Arguments to Demonstrate our Adversaries Diffidence in their Cause yet not any one so Material as their Violation of the Divine Majesty of the Holy Bible which is the Authority I draw my Sword for against Those who after they have contemned the Votes and Suffrages of all other Witnesses yet are reduced to that Non-plus that they cannot subsist unless they seize on SCRIPTURE and deprive Her of her Stings Indeed they do by their Actions insinuate unto the World as though they were driven into very dangerous Streights and were resolv'd in this so imminent danger of Shipwrack to make their most Audacious Efforts for their Religions and their last What induced the Manichees to reject the Gospel of St. Matthew and the Acts of the Apostles Distrust in their Cause For at these Volumes they were Thunder-struck who denied Christ Born of the Virgin Mary and who feigned that the Spirit descended from Heaven upon Christians when their Paracletus a Diabolical Persian started up Why did the Ebionites divorce the Epistles of St. Paul Distrust in their Cause for these retaining their pristin Grandeur their Ancient though Polite Imbellishments were antiquated which they forsooth had newly reformed What Instigated Luther that cursed Apostate to Censure the Epistle of St. James as Contentious bigg with Pride and Arrogance insipid empty and unworthy of an Apostolical Spirit Distrust in his Cause For with this Particle of Scripture the Fiend was Wounded and Stabbed to the Heart when he took up the Gauntlet for Justification by Faith only What made Luther's Hell-hounds strike out of the Authentick Canon Tobias Ecclesiasticus Maccabees and many others with the same disgust Distrust in their Cause For with these Oracles they were most Eloquently reprimanded as often as they disputed of Guardian Angels of the Liberty of free will of the Faithful departed this Life and the Intercession of the Saints But is it so Is there so great Infidelity so great Confidence when the Foot-steps of Antiquity and Authority are imprinted in the Church Councils Popes Fathers Martyrs Empires Peoples Laws Universities Histories by Scripture they are resolved to put an end to Controversies
Zuinglian because in that point he could be prejudicial to the Pope yet being taken and bound in the conclusion did yield and acknowledged Christ to be really present in the Holy Sacrament not less against his will than the Devils heretofore being overcome with Miracles called upon the Name of God Let it be so we treated of the Scripture before the Controversie now is on the Sense of Scripture we will search out this from the following words My Body which is given for you my Blood which shall be shed for you as yet Calvin's side is the hardest ours is easie and plain what would ye have more Search the Scriptures ye say well the Scriptures agree St. Paul is for us The Words Clauses and whole Connexion do reverently repeat the Bread and Wine a singular Miracle Heavenly Food Flesh Body and Blood There is nothing enigmatical nothing overclouded with obscurity of words yet our Adversaries persist neither do they make an end of Bantering what do we do Antiquity may be heard I think and Antiquity of time may bring forth that which we cannot see betwixt one another other they do not bring it they say they are betrayed they call the Scripture pure they are averse to mens Comments on it as treacherous and disingenious we urge the Word of God they obscure it we call Saints to witness as Interpreters they withstand them in fine so they order it that unless you will side with the guilty you must not give your judgment at all and so they behave themselves in every Controversie they undertake of infused Grace of inherent Justice of the visibility of the Church of necessity of Baptism of the Sacraments and Sacrifice of the Mass of the merits of the Just of Hope and Fear of the disparity of Sins according to their aggravations of the Authority of Peter of the Keys of Prayers of Evangelical Mysteries and so of other things And we Catholicks have cited a great many weighty Texts of Scripture and discussed them in Books Colloquies Churches they have eluded them we have hinted on the Commentaries of Greek and Latin Writers they have winked at them what then Dr. Martin Luther or certainly Phillippus or to be sure Zuinglius hath faithfully published it or without doubt Calvin or Beza Can I think any Bodys Nose so stopt as not to smell out this deceit wherefore I confess I ardently desire the University Schools that openly I may raise those accomplish'd Souldiers out of their Ambush not to charge them in the hundredth part with my force for alas what is mine but defeat them with the Prevalent and Invincible Truth The Third Reason WHen the name of a Church was heard the Enemy grew pale yet I have devised something which I would have you consider that you might know the ruine and decay of Falshood you are sensible that in the Scriptures both Prophetick and Apostolick there is an honourable mention made of the Church that 't is called the Holy City the Fruitful Vine the High Mountain the Direct Way the only Dove the Kingdom of Heaven the Spouse and Body of Christ the Firmament of Truth that Assembly in which Christ hath infused all things necessary to Salvation against which Catholick Church the Gates of Hell shall never prevail that which whosoever opposes although he Preaches Christ with his mouth does no more injoy him than the Publican or Gentile he dares not contradict me with his roaring he would not seem to resist the Church which the Scripture so often Commemorates he hath craftily retained the name he has carried the day by his definition of it for he hath delineated a Church with these Properties which may be hidden quite remov'd from the senses and Phoenix like may be expos'd to view at a certain time to a very small number and those supernaturally inspir'd they may comprehend her Body Air-like in their understanding and may discern the Members of her Society with the subtile Eye of the Intellect as they may Cuckows Persecuted and Destroyed by their Young ones Where is your Candour Where is your Sincerity What Scriptures What Interpretations what Fathers draw out such a Church with their Pencil There are Epistles of Christ to the Churches of Asia of Peter of Paul John and other Epistles to divers There are many Churches in the Acts of the Apostles begun and propagated what are these Are they visible to God alone and holy men or to Christians of all sorts but Necessity hath no Law For how is it after 15 Ages they find no Town Village or House hath imbibed their Doctrine until that Diabolical Monk had Debauch'd a Devoted Nun by Incestuous Matrimony or Zuinglius the Fencer had Plotted against his Country and the Stigmatiz'd Vagabond had settled at Geneva they are compell'd to expose a Church to view in Caves if they will have one and Adopt them Sons which they never knew nor ever any man saw unless they trace the Foot-steps of their Ancestors who are plainly demonstrated to have been Hereticks as as Aerius Jovenianus Vigilantius Helvidius Iconomachi Berengarius Waldenses Lolhard Wickliff Hass from which several Poysonous Fragments of Opinions went a begging don't you wonder if I did not fear those Meteors which if I can but come to the day-light I will easily dispel for this is our time for Disputation Tell me do you subscribe to the Church which flourished in Ages before Yes Let us then survey Nations Countrys and Times in our mind To what To the Congregation of the Faithful of whom their Names are not known but 't is evident there are a great many how is it evident by God Who promulgated it We who are divinely inspired They are Stories how can I believe them If you are fervent in Faith you should know this so as to live by it When you my Advocates behold these wiles Can you through modesty refrain from smiles That all Christians be enjoyn'd to incorporate themselves into this Church and beware lest they be killed with the Sword of the Spirit to Worship Peace in the House of God to trust to this Pillar of Truth and lay aside all Controversies about it and from henceforth to be cast out as Gentiles so many men to be bound in Chains wheresoever she is Who do these belong to that only thing is in suspence where where is their Church She is reserved for Saints only and those that are Predestinated for Salvation how is it That if any one will Lampoon the Government he may be absolved from the offence so that he fall into the Presbyterian Perswasion and Apostatize from the Church When I found my Adversaries to insinuate such things which was a Custom in no Age of the Church before I was an Orphan to the thing yet put in a word for need and comforted my self with your Wit and Judgment and promised my self so to do until by their own Concessions you would discern their Stratagems and then as Ingenious
of Sin being bad do much Philosophize of Divine Grace which can heal and succour this Sin But Graces do assign those famous parts which they report neito be infused in our hearts nor be of force to resist wickedness but are placed without us in the favour of God alone which favour cannot amend the Wicked nor cleanse them nor illuminate them nor enrich them but the old Sink as yet remaining and waxing rank that it should not seem stinking and odious God winking at it they conceal With this their Sophism they are so delighted that with them indeed Christ cannot be said to be full of Grace and Truth than that God the Father hath favoured him in a wonderful manner What then therefore is justice A relation for 't is not trimm'd up out of Theological Virtues Faith Hope and Charity which do cloath the mind with its splendour but only the hiding a fault which could he that hath Faith alone comprehend he is sure of Salvation and e're long will enjoy the infinite joy of Heaven Let it be so let this sleep but how will it be evident concerning future Perseverance which whosoever wants makes an unhappy Exit although for a time he worships Justice purely and piously Yea truly this is thy Faith Calvin says so unless he firmly foretels thy Perseverance to thee as thou canst not be deceiv'd thou wouldest be despis'd as empty and faint And again Luther A Christian also says he cannot willingly lose Salvation unless he will not believe I hasten to the Sacraments none none not two not one O Christ have they left for their Bread is Poyson Baptism although it be yet true yet in their judgment 't is nothing 't is not the Water of Health nor the Channel of Grace it doth not derive Christs Merits unto us but it is only a signification of Health therefore they make no more of the Baptism of Christ according to the nature of the thing than the ceremony of John If you have it well if you want it no loss believe thou art sav'd before thou art wash'd What then the Infants who unless they are sav'd by their own Faith to their own misery obtain nothing Rather than we should attribute any thing to the Sacrament of Baptism say the Magdeburgici we grant that there is Faith in Infants by which they may be saved they understand some hidden impulsions of Faith that they live and do not as yet understand is hard If this be so hard hearken to the Physick of Luther It is better to omit it since that unless an Infant believes he cannot be wash'd These things they say being doubtful in mind they affirm any thing categorically Therefore Baltasar Pacimentanus the parter of strife intervenes who being the Parent of the Anabaptists could not feign the motion of Faith in Infants approv'd of Luthers caution and casting Paedo-baptism out of the Churches he decreed that no body should be wash'd in the Holy Font unless ripe of age That which appertains to the rest of the Sacraments although the many-headed Beast may cast out horrid Contumelies yet because they are daily buzz'd in their Ears I pass it by here The most Nocent fragments of the Lives and Manners of Heriticks which Luther has spew'd out in his writings that with one impure Gale of his Breath he would breath the Plague into his Readers hear patiently and blush and pardon me which recites them if a Wife will not or cannot let the Maid come for to have to do with a Wife is as necessary as Meat Drink Sleep Matrimony is much more excellent than Virginity St. Paul hath disswaded Christians from it But these things perhaps are proper only to Luther They are not even now it was defended by Chark but miserably and fearfully Will you have any more What else By how much the more Wicked you are so much the nearer Grace All good actions God being judge are Mortal Sins God being favourable are light ones no body thinks evil at his own will The Decalogue is nothing to Christians God doth not regard our Works Those only rightly partake of the Lords Supper who bring sad afflicted troubled confused wandring Consciences Crimes are to be confessed but to whom If any have absolv'd thee even in a jest you are absolv'd in case you have believ'd To read hourly Prayers is not the part of Priests but of the Laity Christian Children are from the Statutes of Men. I have stirr'd this Sink enough and too much now I will end neither truly can you think me more unjust who have promiscuously reproved the Lutherans and Zuinglians for they being mindful from whence they sprung would be Brethren and Friends amongst themselves and interpret it a grievous injury when they are discriminated in any thing besides one Truly I am not of such a value that I should take a mean place to my self amongst the select Divines who have to day proclaim'd War against Heresies but this I know of how great value soever I am I cannot be in danger whilst supported by Christs Grace I will Heaven and Earth helping me maintain the War against such Devices so envious so dull and so brutish The Ninth Reason 'T IS well known that among the Blind somtimes the Moon-Eye reigns amongst the Ignorant oftentimes a Fallacious Disputation is prevalent which is hiss'd out in the Schools Our Adversaries offend much in this kind but for the most part 't is tack'd together with 4 Fallacies which I had rather unfold in the University than in the Street The first Schiamachia which beats the Ears with a great blustering in this manner In unmarried men sworn and vowed unto Chastity that Marriage is good but Virginity is better Scriptures are brought speaking honourably of Marriage whom do they fight against The desert of a Christian Man dy'd with Christs Blood otherwise there are no Testimonies drawn by which we are commanded not to trust to Nature nor the Law but the Blood of Christ Whom do they argue against Against those who Worship Saints as the most gracious Servants of Christ there are whole Pages cited which forbid them to Worship many Gods Where are they These Arguments which as I find are infinite among Hereticks cannot be to our damage it may be for you an object of Derision Another Vice is Logomachy which deserting the Senses do quarrel with a word Shew me the Mass or Purgatory in Holy Scriptures What then Trinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Person are no where in the Bibles because they are not words a carping at Letters is a kin to this when custom and mind of speakers being neglected that which is the life of the word is contended with the Elements For so they say Presbyter is nothing else in Greek than Seniour the Sacrament any Mystery But D. Thomas says in words we must take heed that all things are not taken so much ex quo as ad quid The third
is Homonymia of long and large extent as to what purpose is the Order of Priests when John call'd us all Priests also he subjoin'd this We will reign upon the Earth To what end therefore are Kings Also the Prophet celebrates the Spiritual Feast that is Abstinence from inveterate Crimes Therefore let choice of foods and set days prevail Is it so therefore Moses David Elias Baptistes Apostles were mad who determinated the fasting of the Week to 2 or 3 days which indeed is a perpetual crime You see now what it is I make hast The fourth is added to this Circulation after this manner Give me I say the marks of your Church the Word of God and the most pure Sacraments What are these with you who doubts it But I deny it Counsel the word of God I have Counselled it already and I less favour you than I did before ah but yet it is plain Prove it to me because indeed we do not depart the breadth of a nail from the Word of God Where is your Wit you will always take for an Argument that which is put in the Question How often do I inculcate this Dost not thou watch me Are not the Torches to be remov'd I say the Word of God to be a little explain'd by thee I have 15 Ages witnesses stand to the sense not mine nor thine but of these all I will stand to the sense of the Word of God Where the Spirit will it breathes Behold what circles what wheels does he make This is a Trifler a Coiner of so many words and sophistries I know not to whom he cannot be deceitful he may be troublesome perhaps Your Prudence will raise the trouble the thing will cast away fear The Tenth Reason THis will be to you a direct way so that Fools cannot err by it For who is there although dull in a Common-wealth when desirous of Salvation hath consider'd a little doth not see and hold the Path of the Church so well plained detesting both Brambles and Rocks and inaccessible places These things also shall be desired by the Ignorant as Isaias foretold To you also if you would have it very desirously we lay a prospect of the Scene of things before your Eyes What is more we Err in all things to us affords an argument Let us go into Heaven let us contemplate Roses and Lillies purpled with Martyrdom white with Innocency Three and Thirty Popes slain together the Pastors in all Nations who pawn'd their Blood for the Name of Christ the Flocks of the Faithful who traced their Pastors steps all the Heavenly Saints with crouds of men shining forth with Purity and Holiness thou mayst see ours liv'd here but ours are remov'd from hence ours was Ignatius that I may take a smack of few things mâ—st thirsty of Martyrdom Who in Ecclesiastical affairs equaliz'd none yea not the King himself with a Bishop Who committed many Apostolical Traditions of which he himself was witness to writing Our Anchorite Telesphorus who commanded the Fast of Lent being establish'd by the Apostles to be more severely observed Our Irenaeus who deriv'd the Apostolick Faith from the Succession of the Roman See Ours was Pope Victor who restrain'd all Asia with his Edict which did seem so sharp to some and also to Irenaeus a very Holy Man yet no body envied it as a Foreign Power Our Polycarp who went to Rome upon the Query of the Passover whose burnt Relicks Smyrna gathered up reverencing their Bishop on an Anniversary day and with particular ceremonies Our Cornelius and Cyprian a Golden Pair of Martyrs both great Bishops but greater was he who being a Roman suppressed the African Heresie Who being renown'd for his vigilancy Prosecuted his own Predecessor Our Sextus to whom waiting at the Altar Seven Angels appeared Our Arch Deacon Laurence whom our Adversaries struck out of their Calender although so much extoll'd by Prudentius in him de S. Laur. Ours those blessed Virgins Caecilia Agatha Anastasia Barbara Agnes Lucia Dorothy Catherine who established their devoted Chastity against the Tyranny both of Men and Devils Our Hellen whom the Festival of Inventio Crucis Celebrates Our Monica who dying most religiously desir'd to be Pray'd for after her Death Our Paula who from a Palace fled into a Cave of Bethlehem although a stranger in so great a Journey to attend the Person of Christ. Ours Paul Hilarion Antony who retired into a Wilderness Our Satyrus Brother-in-law to St. Ambrose who carrying the Consecrated Host about him in danger of Shipwrack leaped into the Ocean and being full of Faith Swam out again Our Bishops Nicolas and Martin exercised in Watches Fenced in with Turfes fed with fasting Our Benedict the Father of so many Monks I could not finish those Chiliads in ten years Neither do I repeat those which I ranked before amongst the Doctors of the Church I am mindful of shortness Let them inspect those as will in the Fertile History of the Ancients or rather in the most Grave Authors who almost each of them have left each of the Saints to memory Let any one declare to me out of those most Ancient and blessed Books what he thinks whether they are Catholick Doctrine or Lutheran I call the throne of God to witness and that Tribunal before which I shall stand to give the Reason of these Reasons Word and Deed whether there is no Heaven or whether it is ours If there is we embrace it if not we defie it Now on the contrary if you will let us look into Hell They are burnt with everlasting fire who the Jews what Church were they averse to Ours Who the Gentiles What Church did they most cruelly Persecute Ours Who the Turks Whose Temples did they demolish Ours Who Hereticks of whose Church were they Enemies Ours For what Church besides ours hath oppos'd it self against the Gates of Hell When the Jews being banish'd the Christians settled at Jerusalem Good God! What concourse of People resorted to the Holy Tabernacles what the Festival of the Sepulchre what of the Manger what of the Cross what of all Saints with which as it were with the Ornaments of a Spouse they were delighted Hence arose the fierce and implacable hatred of the Jews towards us Also they say now our Ancestors were the cause of their own destruction but they receiv'd no blow from Simon Magus or the Lutherans The Gentiles were very furious who in a small space of time brought most miserable Persecutions on the Christians On whom The Fathers and Sons of our Church Hear ye the voice of the Tyrant who Roasted St. Lawrence on a Grid-iron of which See Prudentius in him de S. Laur. Against whom doth he rage The Holy things of whose Church Lamps Rites and Ornaments doth he root out To whom doth he envy Golden Dishes and Silver Chalices and rich Treasure To us Indeed it is Luther like For what other Veil did his Nimrods