TEN REASONS PROPOSED TO HIS ADVERSARIES FOR DISPUTATION IN THENAME OF THE FAITH AND PRESENTED TO THE ILLUSTRIOUS MEMBERS OF OURUNIVERSITIES BY EDMUND CAMPION PRIEST OF THE SOCIETY OF THE NAMEOF JESUS Nihil Obstat S. GEORGIUS KIERAN HYLAND, S. T. D, CENSORDEPUTATUS Imprimatur + PETRUS EPUS SOUTHWARC CONTENTSINTRODUCTION RATIONES DECEM TRANSLATION INTRODUCTION

Though Blessed Edmund Campion's _Decem Rationes_ has passedthrough forty-seven editions, [1] printed in all parts of Europe;though it has awakened the enthusiasm of thousands; though MarkAnthony Muret, one of the chief Catholic humanists of Campion'sage, pronounced it to be "written by the finger of God, " yet itis not an easy book for men of our generation to appreciate, andthis precisely because it suited a bygone generation so exactly. Before it can be esteemed at its true value, some knowledge ofthe circumstances under which it was written, is indispensable. 

1. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE _Decem Rationes_. 

The chief point to remember is that the _Decem Rationes_ was thelast and most deliberate free utterance of Campion'sever-memorable mission. During the few months that missionlasted he succeeded in staying the full tide of victoriousProtestantism, which had hitherto been irresistible. The ancientChurch had gone down before the new religion, at Elizabeth'saccession twenty years before, with an apparently final fall, and since then the Elizabethan Settlement had triumphed in everychurch, in every school and court. The new generation had beenmoulded by it; the old order seemed to be utterly prostrate, defeated and moribund. Nor was it only at home thatProtestantism talked of victory. In every neighbouring land shehad gained or was gaining the upper hand. She had crossed theBorder and subdued Scotland, she held Ireland in an iron grip, she had set up a new throne in Holland, she had deeply dividedFrance, and had learned how to paralyze the power of Spain. Whatcould stay her progress?

Then a new figure appeared, a fugitive flying before the law. Hewas hunted backwards and forwards across the country, every man'shand seemed against him. It was impossible to hold out for longagainst such immense odds, and he was in fact soon captured, mocked, maligned, sentenced and executed with contumely. YetCampion and his handful of followers had meanwhile succeeded indoing what the whole nation, when united, had failed to do. Hehad evoked a spirit of faith and fervour, against which theviolence of Protestantism raged in vain. He had saved the beaten, shattered fragments of the ancient host, and animated them withinvincible courage; and his work endured in spite of endlessassaults and centuries of persecution. The _Decem Rationes_ isCampion's harangue to those whom he called upon to follow him inthe heroic struggle. 

2. THE MAN AND THE MISSION. 

Thus much for the inspiration and general significance ofCampion's work considered as a whole. It will also repay a muchmore minute study, and to appreciate it we must enter intofurther details. 

As to the man himself, suffice it to say that he was a Londoner;his father a publisher; his first school Christ's Hospital; thathe was afterwards a Fellow of St. John's, Oxford, and held at thesame time an exhibition from the Grocer's Company. At Oxford heaccepted to some extent the Elizabethan Settlement of religion, but not sufficiently to satisfy the Company of Grocers, whoeventually withdrew their exhibition. This was a sign for furtherinquisitorial proceedings, which made him leave the University, and retire to Dublin; but he was driven also thence by thezealots for Protestantism. Eventually he went over to the EnglishCollege at Douay, whence he migrated to Rome, entered the Societyof Jesus, and after eight years' training had returned, a priest, to his native country, forty years old. His strong point wasundoubtedly a singularly lovable character, and he possessed thegift of eloquence in no ordinary degree. For the rest, hisnatural qualities and acquired accomplishments were above theordinary level, without reaching an extraordinary height. He wasa man who never ceased working, and whose temper was alwaysangelic, though he sometimes suffered from severe depression. Hewas adored by his pupils both at Oxford and in Bohemia. Hismemory was always bright, and his conversation always sparkledwith fresh thoughts and poetical ideas. He composed withextraordinary facility in Latin prose and verse; but the extantfragments of these literary exercises do not strike us as beingof unusual excellence, though genuinely admired in their day. Hewas certainly an ideal missioner: saintly, inspired, eloquent, untireable, patient, consumed with the desire for the success ofhis undertaking, and unfaltering in his faith that success wouldfollow by the providential action of God, despite the obviousfact that all appearances were against him. 

Campion landed at Dover late in June, 1580, and reached Londonat the end of the month. There was an immediate rush to hearhim, and Lord Paget was persuaded to lend his great hall atPaget House in Smithfield to accommodate a congregation for thefeast of Saints Peter and Paul. The sermon was delivered on thetext from the Gospel of the day, _Tu es Christus, Filius Deivivi_. The hall was filled, and the impression caused by thesermon was profound; but the number of hearers had beenimprudently large. Though no arrests followed, the persecutorstook the alarm, and increased their activity to such an extentthat large gatherings had for ever to be abandoned; and after acouple of weeks both Campion and Persons left London to escapethe notice of the pursuivants, whose raids and inquisitorialsearches were making the lot of Catholics in town unbearable, whereas in the country the pursuit was far less active, andcould be much more easily avoided. The two Fathers met for thelast time at Hoxton, then a village outside London, to concerttheir plans for the next couple of months, and were on the pointof starting, each for his own destination, when a Catholic ofsome note rode up from London. This was Thomas Pounde, ofBelmont or Beaumont, near Bedhampton, a landed gentleman ofmeans, an enthusiastic Catholic, and for the last five years orso a prisoner for religion. Mr. Pounde's message in effect wasthis. "You are going into the proximate danger of capture, andif captured you must expect not justice, but every refinement ofmisrepresentation. You will be asked crooked questions, and youranswers to them will be published in some debased form. Be surethat whatever then comes through to the outer world will comeout poisoned and perverted. Let me therefore urge you to writenow, and to leave in safe custody, what you would wish to havepublished then, in case infamous rumours should be put aboutduring your incarceration, rumours which you will then not beable to answer or to repudiate. " Father Persons seems to haveagreed at once. Campion at first raised objections, but soon, with his ever obliging temper, sat down at the end of the tableand wrote off in half an hour an open letter _To the Lords ofHer Majesty's Privy Council_, afterwards so well known as_Campion's Challenge. _

3. THE CHALLENGE. 

Campion, after finishing his letter and taking copy for himself, had consigned the other copy to Pounde. Persons had done thesame; but whereas the latter took the precaution to seal hisletter, Campion had handed over his unfastened. Then the companybroke up. Persons made a wide circle from Northampton round toGloucester, while Campion made a smaller circle from Oxfordshireup to Northampton. When they got back to town in September, theyfound all the world discussing "the Challenge. " What had happenedwas that proceedings had been taken by the EcclesiasticalCommission against Pounde, and he had been committed to solitaryconfinement in the ruinous castle of Bishop's Stortford. Beforehe left London he began to communicate the letter to others, lestit should be altogether lost, and as soon as it was thuspublished it attracted everyone's attention, and his adversarieshad ironically christened it _the challenge_. The word was indeedone which Campion had used, but he had employed it precisely inorder to avoid any charge that might have arisen, of beingcombative and presumptuous. 

Thus in the course of three months Campion, as it were in spiteof himself, had filled England with his name and with the messagehe had come to announce, and he had reduced his adversaries to avery ridiculous position. They had been dared to meet him indisputation, and this they feared to do. In effect, they in theirthousands were hiding their heads in the sand, while theirconstables and pursuivants were raiding the houses of Catholicson every side in hopes of catching the homeless wanderer, and ofstopping his mouth by violence. The pulpits, of course, rang withoutcries against the newcomer, and in his absence his doctrineswere rent and scoffed at; but, as Campion said in a contemporaryletter, "The people hereupon is ours, and the error of spreadingthat letter abroad hath done us much good. " This was the firstpopular success which the Catholics had scored for years; andafter so many years of oppression some popular success was ofimmense importance to the cause. Father Persons, in acontemporary letter, says that the Government found that therewere 50, 000 more recusants that autumn than they had known ofbefore. The number is, of course, a round one, and is possiblymuch exaggerated, but it gives the Catholic leader's view of theadvantage won at this time. 

We may now turn to _The Challenge_ itself, the only piece ofCampion's English during this his golden period, which has survived. 

[TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, THE LORDS OF HER MAJESTIE'S PRIVY COUNCIL]

RIGHT HONOURABLE:

Whereas I have come out of Germanie and Boemeland, being sent bymy Superiors, and adventured myself into this noble Realm, mydeare Countrie, for the glorie of God and benefit of souls, Ithought it like enough that, in this busie watchful andsuspicious worlde, I should either sooner or later be interceptedand stopped of my course. Wherefore, providing for all events, and uncertaine what may become of me, when God shall haplydeliver my body into durance, I supposed it needful to put thiswriting in a readiness, desiringe your good Lordships to give itye reading, for to know my cause. This doing I trust I shall easeyou of some labour. For that which otherwise you must have soughtfor by practice of wit, I do now lay into your hands by plaineconfession. And to ye intent that the whole matter may beconceived in order, and so the better both understood andremembered, I make thereof these ix points or articles, directly, truly and resolutely opening my full enterprise and purpose. 

i. I confesse that I am (albeit unworthie) a priest of ye CatholikeChurch, and through ye great mercie of God vowed now these viiiyears into the Religion of the Societie of Jhesus. Hereby I havetaken upon me a special kind of warfare under the banner ofobedience, and eke resigned all my interest or possibilitie ofwealth, honour, pleasure, and other worldlie felicitie. 

ii. At the voice of our General Provost, which is to me awarrant from heaven, and Oracle of Christ, I tooke my voyagefrom Prage to Rome (where our said General Father is alwaysresident) and from Rome to England, as I might and would havedone joyously into any part of Christendome or Heathenesse, hadI been thereto assigned. 

iii. My charge is, of free cost to preach the Gospel, tominister the Sacraments, to instruct the simple, to reformesinners, to confute errors--in brief, to crie alarme spiritualagainst foul vice and proud ignorance, wherewith many my dearCountrymen are abused. 

iv. I never had mind, and am strictly forbidden by our Father thatsent me, to deal in any respect with matter of State or Policy ofthis realm, as things which appertain not to my vocation, and fromwhich I do gladly restrain and sequester my thoughts. 

v. I do ask, to the glory of God, with all humility, and underyour correction, iii sortes of indifferent and quiet audiences:_the first_ before your Honours, wherein I will discourse ofreligion, so far as it toucheth the common weale and yournobilities: _the second_, whereof I make more account, before theDoctors and Masters and chosen men of both Universities, whereinI undertake to avow the faith of our Catholike Church by proofsinnumerable, Scriptures, Councils, Fathers, History, natural andmoral reasons: _the third_ before the lawyers, spiritual andtemporal, wherein I will justify the said faith by the commonwisdom of the laws standing yet in force and practice. 

vi. I would be loth to speak anything that might sound of anyinsolent brag or challenge, especially being now as a dead manto this world and willing to put my head under every man's foot, and to kiss the ground they tread upon. Yet have I such acourage in avouching the Majesty of Jhesus my King, and suchaffiance in his gracious favour, and such assurance in myquarrel, and my evidence so impregnable, and because I knowperfectly that no one Protestant, nor all the Protestantsliving, nor any sect of our adversaries (howsoever they face mendown in pulpits, and overrule us in their kingdom of grammariansand unlearned ears)[2] can maintain their doctrine indisputation. I am to sue most humbly and instantly for thecombat with all and every of them, and the most principal thatmay be found: protesting that in this trial the better furnishedthey come, the better welcome they shall be. 

vii. And because it hath pleased God to enrich the Queen mySovereign Ladye with notable gifts of nature, learning, andprincely education, I do verily trust that--if her Highness wouldvouchsafe her royal person and good attention to such aconference as, in the ii part of my fifth article I havemotioned, or to a few sermons, which in her or your hearing I amto utter, --such manifest and fair light by good method and plaindealing may be cast upon these controversies, that possibly herzeal of truth and love of her people shall incline her nobleGrace to disfavour some proceedings hurtful to the Realm, andprocure towards us oppressed more equitie. 

viii. Moreover I doubt not but you her Highness' Council being, ofsuch wisdom and discreet in cases most important, when you shallhave heard these questions of religion opened faithfully, whichmany times by our adversaries are huddled up and confounded, willsee upon what substantial grounds our Catholike Faith is builded, how feeble that side is which by sway of the time prevailethagainst us, and so at last for your own souls, and for manythousand souls that depend upon your government, willdiscountenance error when it is bewrayed, and hearken to thosewho would spend the best blood in their bodies for yoursalvation. Many innocent hands are lifted up to heaven for youdaily by those English students, whose posteritie shall neverdie, which beyond seas gathering virtue and sufficient knowledgefor the purpose, are determined never to give you over, buteither to win you heaven, or to die upon your pikes. And touchingour Societie be it known to you that we have made a league--allthe Jesuits in the world, whose succession and multitude mustoverreach all the practices of England--cheerfully to carry thecross you shall lay upon us, and never to despair your recovery, while we have a man left to enjoy your Tyburn, or to be rackedwith your torments, or consumed with your prisons. The expense isreckoned, the enterprise is begun; it is of God, it cannot bewithstood. So the faith was planted: so it must be restored. 

ix. If these my offers be refused, and my endeavours can take noplace, and I, having run thousands of miles to do you good, shallbe rewarded with rigour, I have no more to say but to recommendyour case and mine to Almightie God, the Searcher of Hearts, whosend us His grace, and set us at accord before the day ofpayment, to the end we may at last be friends in heaven, when allinjuries shall be forgotten. 

 * * * * *

"Direct, true, and resolute, " Campion's words certainly are, andthey are calculated in a remarkable degree to reassure andanimate his fellow Catholics and their friends, and it is forthem in reality, rather than for the Lords of the Council, thatthe message is composed. If the composition has a fault it is itscombativeness; and in effect, though this drawback was not feltat the time, it was later. Subsequent missionaries found it bestto adopt a policy of far greater secrecy and silence. If, however, we remember that Campion intended his paper to bepublished under quite different circumstances, we can see that heat least hardly deserves the reproach of being contentious, or ifhe does, his failing was venial when we consider the tastes ofthe age. The immediate result of the publication was withoutquestion a great success. 

THE "DECEM RATIONES. "

Like a wise general, Father Persons at once bethought himself howbest to follow up the good beginning already made. Accordingly, when he and Campion met at Uxbridge (for it was not safe forCampion to come to London), he suggested that the latter, seeingthat his memory was still green at Oxford, should compose a shortaddress on the crisis to the students of the two Universities. Campion met the suggestion as he had met the suggestion ofPounde, with a gentle disclaimer, "alleging divers difficulties, "but soon good-humouredly assented on the condition (not a usualone with literary men) that someone else should propose thesubject. The company therefore made various suggestions, none ofwhich met with general acceptance, until Campion proposed "Heresyin Despair. " "Whereat, " adds Persons, "all that were presentcould not choose but laugh, and wonder to see him fall upon thatargument at such a time when heresy seemed most of all totriumph. " In truth, with England invincible at sea and on land, and the absolute sway of Elizabeth, Cecil, and Walsingham overboth Church and State, what more hopeful position forProtestantism could have been imagined? Campion's meaning, ofcourse, was that Protestantism was in despair of holding theposition of the ancient Church; of ruling in the hearts of a freepeople; of co-existing with Christian liberty. It was unworthy, therefore, of the acceptance of minds that aspired to mentalfreedom, as did the youth of the Universities. This subject foran address was welcomed with acclamation, and Campion promised toundertake it, suggesting on his side that Persons should arrangeways and means for printing the tract when finished, and anyother which might seem needed. 

This agreed to, all separated once more, and Campion rodenorthwards on a tour which he took in Derbyshire, Yorkshire, andLancashire, and which was not over for six months. MeantimeFather Persons had set up his "magic press" near London, andissued from it five volumes of small size indeed, but ofremarkable vigour and merit. As soon as any notable attack wasmade on the Catholics, an answer was brought out in a wonderfullyshort time, and these answers were pithy, vigorous, and pointed, in no ordinary degree. When one remembers how much co-operationis needed to bring out even the slightest volume, one is trulyastonished at the feat of bringing out so many and such goodones, while the hourly fear of capture, torture, and death hungover the heads of all. When threatened with danger in one placethe press was bodily transported to another. 

However, our business at present is not with Persons, but withCampion. His book was finished and sent up to Persons in March, 1581, with a title altered to suit the controversy which hadalready begun. It was now _Decem Rationes: quibus fretus, certamen adversariis obtulit in causa Fidei, Edmundus Campianus&c. _ "Ten Reasons, for the confidence with which Edmund Campionoffered his adversaries to dispute on behalf of the Faith, setbefore the famous men of our Universities. " Persons was charmed, as he had expected to be, with its literary grace. It was inLatin, as had been agreed, and Campion's Latin prose, (thoughcritics of our time find it somewhat silvery and Livian), suitedthe tastes of that day to perfection. The only thing which madePersons at all thoughtful was the number of references. Campiondeclared that he was sure he had verified them, as he enteredthem in his notebook, but Persons, with greater caution, declaredthat they must be verified anew. 

The difficulty of this for men living under the ban, and cut offfrom access to large libraries, was of course great, but throughthe help of others, especially through Mr. Thomas Fitzherbert ofSwynnerton, the task was happily accomplished. Campion came upfrom the north to Stonor, on the Oxfordshire border where thesecret press then was; and there, amid a thousand fears, alarmsand dangers, the book was printed. 

5. THE PRINTING. 

Of the actual preparations for printing the _Ten Reasons_, Persons gives this account in his memoirs[3]: Persons was ofopinion that Campion should come up to London immediately afterEaster [March 26th] to examine the passages quoted, and to assistthe print. Meanwhile Persons began to prepare new means ofprinting, making use of friends and in particular of a certainpriest called William Morris, a learned and resourceful man, whoafterwards died in Rome. [4] This was necessary, as the firstpress near London, where the first two books had been printed, had been taken down. Eventually and with very great difficulty hefound, after much trying, a house belonging to a widow, by nameLady Stonor, in which she was not living at that time. It wassituated in the middle of a wood, twenty miles from London. 

To this house were taken all things necessary, that is, type, press, paper, &c. , though not without many risks. Mr. StephenBrinkley, a gentleman of high attainments both in literature andin virtue, superintended the printing. Father Campion then comingto London, with his book already revised, went at once to thehouse in the wood, where the book was printed and eventuallypublished. Persons too went down to stay with him for some daysto take counsel on their affairs. 

* * * * *

Stonor Park, to which Campion and Persons had betakenthemselves, [5] is still in the possession of the old Catholicfamily of that name, of which Lord Camoys is the representative. Father Morris says that "the printing, according to thetraditions of the place, was carried on in the attics of the oldhouse. "[6] Being near Henley it was possible to go there by roador by water, and one might come and go on the Oxford high-roadwithout attracting attention. 

Still there was grave risk of discovery from the noise made bythe press, and from the number of extra men about the house, asto the fidelity of each of whom it was impossible to beabsolutely sure. Day by day the dangers thickened round them. One evening, soon after their arrival, William Hartley, a priestand afterwards a martyr, who was helping in the work, and hadthen just come back from a visit to Oxford, mentioned casuallythat Roland Jenks, the Catholic stationer and book-binder there, was again in trouble, having been accused by his own servant. Jenks was doubtless known to all Oxford men, indeed but threeyears before his name had been noised all over Europe. He hadbeen sentenced to have his ears cut off for some religiousoffence, when the Judge was taken ill in the court itself, and, the infection travelling with marvellous rapidity, the greaterpart both of the bench and of the jury were stricken down withgaol fever, and two judges, twelve justices, and other highofficials, almost the whole jury, and many others, died withinthe space of two days. [7]

In mentioning Jenks's new troubles Hartley probably did notrealize the extent of the danger to the whole party which theyportended. Persons had in fact employed the very servant who hadnow turned traitor, to bind a number of books for him at hishouse near Bridewell Church, London, which with all its contentswas thus in a perilous condition. Early next morning an expressmessenger was sent in to town with orders to hide or destroyPersons' papers and other effects. It was already too late: thatvery night the house had been searched, and Persons' letters, books, vestments, rosaries, pictures, and other pious objects, had all fallen into the hands of the pursuivants. Worse still, Father Alexander Briant, afterwards a martyr, and one of thebrightest and most lovable of the missionaries, was seized nextdoor, and hurried off first to the Counter, then to the Tower, where he was repeatedly and most cruelly racked to make him saywhere Persons might be found. 

Information about his torture was brought to the Jesuits atStonor, and one can easily see how grave and disturbing suchbad news must have been. "For almost the whole of one night, "says Persons, "Campion and I sat up talking of what we hadbetter do, if we should fall into their hands. A fate whichbefell him soon after. "

The Registers of the Privy Council inform us that their Lordshipsgave orders to have Jenks sent up to London on the 28th of April. This settles approximately the date of the beginning of theprinting at Stonor, and the book was not finished till nearly theend of June. So the work lasted about nine weeks, a fairly longperiod when we consider the smallness of the Latin book, herereproduced. It will, however, be shown from intrinsic evidence, that the stock of type was very small. The printers had to set upa few pages at a time, to correct them at once, and to print off, before they could go any further. Then they distributed the typeand began again. When all was finished they rapidly stabbed andbound their sheets. Considering the fewness of the workmen[8] andthe unforeseen delays which so often occur during printing, thetime taken over the production does not seem extraordinary. 

For many years no example of the original edition of the _DecemRationes_ was known to exist: none of our great public librariesin London or at the Universities possesses a copy. But it was thesingular good fortune of the late Marquess of Bute to pick up twocopies of this extremely rare volume, and he munificentlypresented one of them to Stonyhurst College. Canon Gunning ofWinchester is the happy owner of a third copy. By the courtesy ofthe Rector of Stonyhurst, I am able to offer a minute descriptionof the precious little book. 

The volume is, considering the printing of that time, distinctlywell got up. There is nothing at first sight to suggest that itspublication had been a matter of so much difficulty and danger;but when one scrutinizes every page with care, one finds that itbears about it some traces of the unusual circumstances underwhich it was produced. 

If we look first for the water-mark in the paper we shall findthat it is the pot--the ordinary English sign; a proof, if onewere needed, that the book was really printed in this country. The sheets run from A to K (with prefixed [double-dagger]), infours, 16mo; the folios are 44, of which 39 are numbered (but byaccident the pagination is omitted from 1 to 4 and 40 is blank aswell as the fly-leaves). 

Let us think of what this means. Eleven signatures for 44 folios, 16mo, means that only eight pages 16mo went into each printingframe, or, in other words, that the frame was so small that itwould have been covered by half a folio sheet, 9 by 13 inches. They probably printed off each little sheet by itself, for ifthey had had a larger frame so as to print an entire foliosheet--then we should have found in the finished book that thewater-mark would recur once in each sixteen pages. In point offact, however, it only recurs irregularly in the first, fifth, and tenth gathering. This could not have occurred unless thesheets used were of half folio size. 

A Greek fount was evidently wanting. Campion was fond, after thefashion of scholars of that day, of throwing into his Latinletters a word or two of Greek, which in his autograph arewritten, as Mr. Simpson has remarked, with the facility of onefamiliar with the language. Here on fol. 24 a we find _adynata_, where [Greek: adunata] would have been in Campion's epistolarymanner. Again, on fol. 4 b he quotes, "Hic calix novumtestamentum in sanguine meo, qui (calix) pro vobis fundetur, " andin the margin _Poterion Ekchynomenon_, in Italics, where Greekscript, if obtainable, would obviously have been preferred. Afurther indication of the difficulties under which type had beenprocured is seen in the use of a query sign of a black-letterfount (_i. E. [different question mark]_) instead of the Romanfount (_i. E. , ?_). This will be the more readily comprehended whenwe remember that Father Persons' books, which Brinkley hadprinted before, were in English, and that English prose was thenstill generally printed in Gothic character[9]. 

So Persons also made use of it in order that there might benothing in his books to strike the eye as unusual in books ofthat class. Campion's volume on the other hand being in Latin, itwas necessary to procure a new set of "Roman" type. The use ofthe black-letter query-signs would not at once attract attention, so they were kept, though all else was changed. 

A further trace of the difficulty in finding type is found inthe signs for a, e, diphthong. This combination recurred veryfrequently in Latin, and the printers had very few of them. Verysoon after starting we find them substituting for Roman anItalic diphthong, [ae ligature] also o, e ([oe ligature]), andeven e, an ordinary mediaeval form of the sign. It will benoticed that these substitutions become increasingly frequent, as we approach fol. 12 (end of signature C), fol. 32 (end ofsignature H), and 36 (end of signature I), whereas as soon asthe next signature begins the fount of [ae ligature] is ready tohand again. The conclusion to be deduced is that leaves C, H, and I were each printed off, and the type distributed, beforethe setting up of D, I, and K could be proceeded with. Thisillustrates what has been said before of the very small stock oftype in the printing establishment. 

Another slight peculiarity ought perhaps to be noticed: it isthe accentuation of the Latin. Adverbs, for instance, aregenerally accented on the last syllable, e. G. , doctiu's, facile', qua'm, eo', quo': the rule, however, is by no meansregularly kept. But this has evidently nothing to do with thepeculiar conditions under which Campion's book was produced, andis to be accounted for by the use of accents in otherpublications of the same class. Nothing was then definitelysettled about the accentuation of either French, Italian, orLatin, and Campion's volume does but reproduce the uncertaintyon the matter which was everywhere prevalent. 

Whilst the printers were contending with the difficulties arisingfrom the smallness of their stock of type, difficulties which nodoubt caused vexatious and dangerous delays, Campion and Personsresumed their missionary labours with vigour. In his MemoirsPersons writes:

* * * * *

Whilst the preparations were being made Campion preachedunweariedly, sometimes in London, sometimes making excursions. There was one place [that of the Bellamy's] whither we oftenwent, about five miles from London, called Harohill. In goingthither we had to pass through Tyburn. But Campion would alwayspass bareheaded, and making a deep bow both because of the signof the Cross, and in honour of some martyrs who had sufferedthere, and also because he used to say that he would have hiscombat there. [10]

* * * * *

Father Bombino[11] managed to find out some further details. Mrs. Bellamy's house, he tells us, had a good library, and as toCampion's conduct at Tyburn, he explains that the shape of thegallows was a triangle, supported at its three angles by threebaulks of timber; the tie-beams, however, suggested to Campionthe Cross of Christ. 

From the State Papers we hear of other families and places saidto have been visited by Campion at this period: the Prices, ofHuntingdon; Mr. William Griffith, of Uxbridge; Mr. Edwin East, ofBledlow, Bucks; Lady Babington, at Twyford, Bucks; Mr. Dormer, atWynge, and Mrs. Pollard. [12]

In spite of alarms, dangers, and interruptions, the work ofprinting was concluded without mishap. The method of publicationwas singular. Hartley took the bulk of the copies to Oxford, where the chief academical display of the year, the Act, as itwas called, was taking place in St. Mary's, on several successivedays. Hartley, coming in at the end of the first day, waited forevery one to go out, then slipped his little books under thepapers left on the seats, and was gone. Next morning he enteredwith the rest, and soon saw that his plan had been perfectlysuccessful. The public disputation began, but the attention ofthe audience was elsewhere. There was whispering and comparingnotes, and passing about of little books, and as soon as theseance was over, open discussion of Campion's "Reasons. " Hartleydid not wait for more, but rode back to Stonor with the news thatthe book had surely hit its mark. 

At Oxford, as Father Persons says, many remembered and loved theman, or at least knew of his gentle character, and of the careerhe had abandoned to become a Catholic missionary. The bookrecalled all this; and to those who were able to enter into itsspirit it preached with a strange penetrating force. By all thelovers of classical Latin, and there were many such at that day, it was read greedily. The Catholics and lovers of the old Faithreceived it with enthusiasm, but a still more valid testimony toits power was given by the Protestant Government, which gaveorders to its placemen that they should elaborate replies. Thesereplies drew forth answers from the Catholics, and the controversylasted for several years. Mr. Simpson has included an outline ofthis controversy in his _Life of Campion_, and to it I may refermy readers, having nothing substantial to add to his account. 

6. CRITICISM. 

It would not be necessary for me to say more about its success, except that to us nowadays, the _Rationes_ will not seem at allso remarkable as it did to our ancestors. Religious controversy, in itself, does not much interest us moderns; and those who willread Latin merely to enjoy the style are very few. But in thesixteenth century, as Sir Arthur Helps truly says, men found inthe thrill of controversy the interest they now take in novels. At that time, too, of all literary charms, that of good Latinprose was by far the most popular, and the language was still the"lingua franca" of the learned all the world over. Once we get sofar as to appreciate that both subject and style were in itsfavour, the popularity of the volume will seem natural enough, for it is bright, pointed, strong, full of matter, bold, eloquent, convincing. 

Without attempting anything like a complete account of thereception of the book by the public, I may mention as the mostobvious proof of its popularity, that more strenuous endeavourswere made (so far as I can discover) to answer it than were madein the case of any other assault upon the Elizabethan religioussettlement. Lord Burghley himself, the chief minister of theCrown, called upon the Bishop of London, perhaps the most forwardman then on the episcopal bench, to use all endeavours to ensurethe publication of a sufficient answer. Finally they appointedthe Regius Professors of Divinity both at Oxford and at Cambridgeto provide for the occasion, and it took both of these a longseries of months to propound their answers to Campion's tract, which is only as long as a magazine article. Speaking broadly, wemay say that this was the most that Elizabeth's Establishmentcould do officially; and besides this, there were sermonsinnumerable, and pamphlets not a few by lesser men, as well asdisputations in the Tower, of which more must be said later. 

This hostile evidence is so striking and so ample that it mightseem unnecessary to allege more, but I attach a great deal moreimportance to the praise of theologians of Campion's own faith:for, in the first place this is much harder to obtain than theattention of the persons attacked. Secondly, those who areacquainted with Catholic theological criticism are at firstsurprised to find what very severe critics Catholic theologiansare one of another. In this case, where the writer had from thenature of his task to make so much use of rhetorical arguments, allusions, irony, and unusual forms of expression, there wasmore than usual chance of fault being found, especially as everypossible thorny subject is introduced somehow, and that in termsmeant to please not Roman theologians, but Oxford students. Evidently there was danger here that critics should or might besevere, or at least insist on certain changes and emendations. In fact the work was received with joy, and reprinted frequentlyand with honour. I have lately found a letter in itscommendation from the Cardinal Secretary of State of that day, and Muret, as we have heard, perhaps the greatest humanist thenliving in the Catholic ranks, described it as "Libellum aureum, vere digito Dei scriptum. "

7. THE DISPUTATIONS. 

The publication of the _Decem Rationes_ was the last act ofCampion's life of freedom. He was seized the very next week, andafter five months of suffering was martyred on 1 December, 1581. During that prolonged and unequal struggle against every varietyof craft and violence the _Ten Reasons_ continued to have theirinfluence, and on the whole they were extremely helpful, forthey enabled the martyr to recover some ground which he had lostwhile under torture. During those awful agonies he confessed tohaving found shelter in the houses of certain gentlemen. It iscertain that these names were all known to the Governmentbefore, and that he was not betraying any secret. Neverthelessthe gentlemen in question were at once seized, imprisoned andfined, on the alleged evidence of Campion's confessions only. This of course caused much scandal among Catholics, and so longas he lay lost in the Tower dungeons, unpleasant rumours abouthis constancy could not be effectively contradicted. Thus farElizabeth's ministers had gained an advantage, which Pounde hadforetold they were likely to win. But the remedy he hadsuggested also proved effective. 

Though under ordinary circumstances Elizabeth's ministers "meantnothing less" than having the disputation requested, neverthelessnow that Campion was so terribly shaken and reduced, they hopedthat they might arrange some sort of a meeting, which might inshow correspond with what had been demanded in the _DecemRationes_, and yet leave them with a certain victory. They wereemboldened too, by finding that their prisoner was not after all, such a particularly learned man. He had never been a professor oftheology, or written or made special studies, beyond the ordinarycourse which in those days was not a long one. It was, therefore, settled that four disputations should be held in the Tower ofLondon. Theology was still taught at Oxford and Cambridge insomething of the old mediaeval method and in syllogistic form. The men who were pitted against Campion had lately been, or werestill, examiners at the Universities. Nor is it to be denied fora moment that they did their work well. The attack neverfaltered. Their own side quite believed they had won. The methodthey adopted was this. They assumed the role of examiners, andstarting with the _Decem Rationes_ before them, they pliedCampion with crabbed texts, and obscure quotations from theFathers. Then they cut short his answers, and as soon as one hadexamined for one quarter of an hour, another took his place, forthey were anxious above all things to avoid defeat. The number oftopics broached and left unsettled surpasses belief, indeed thescene was one of utter confusion, taunts, scoldings, sneers--avery, very different test from the academic argumentation, whichCampion had requested. 

The martyr did not show any remarkable erudition, indeed allopportunity to do so was carefully shut off. No University, Ifancy, would have given him a chair of theology on the strengthof his replies on that occasion. There was more than onepremature assertion of victory on the Protestant side. But whenthe Catholic and Protestant accounts are compared, one sees thatthe advantages won against Campion were slight. They evidentlyhoped that by vigorous and repeated attacks they would at lastpuzzle or bear him down. But they were never near this. He wasalways fresh and gay, never in difficulties, or at the end of histether. He stands out quite the noblest, the most sympathetic andimportant figure in those motley assemblies. The Catholics weredelighted. They succeeded in getting their own report of thedisputations, which is still extant, and they would have printedit, if they had been able. Philip, Earl of Arundel, by far themost important convert of that generation, was won over by whathe heard in those debates. 

On the whole then we must say that, if Campion did not come offgloriously, he at least acquitted himself well and honourably, and distinctly gained by the conflict. Offers of disputation werenot the ideal way of forwarding a mission such as his. Nevertheless, in his case, despite circumstances the mostadverse, the result had proved advantageous. It had greatlystrengthened and encouraged his own followers, and that was inreality the best that could then be expected. Incidentally toothe adverse rumours, which had gained ground during hisseclusion, were dissipated. It was clear that, though he mighthave been deceived, his constancy was unconquerable. 

Thus Campion's _Challenge_ and his _Ten Reasons_ not only containthe message of his mission enunciated with characteristiceloquence, but the delivery of each message is an history-makingevent, big with dramatic consequences. The controversy about hisbook did not die with him, but continued for some years, until itwas merged into the standing controversy between the tworeligions. We cannot describe it here. 

Suffice it to say that Mr. Simpson, in the _Appendix_ to his_Edmund Campion_ enumerates not less than twenty works, whichappeared in those controversies between 1581 and 1585. The chiefdefender of Father Campion's writings was Father Robert Drury, S. J. , but all his biographers also have something to say on thesubject. The chief opponents are William Charke, Meredith Hanmer, William Fulke, Laurence Humphrey, William Whitaker, R. Stoke, John Field, Alexander Nowell, and William Day. Some furtherinformation on the whole subject may be found in articles by thelate Father Morris and myself in _The Month_ for July 1889, January 1905, and January 1910. [J. H. P. ]

[Footnote 1: Of these four are in English translations, dated1606 (by Richard Stock), 1632, 1687, and 1827. The presenttranslation is thus the fifth into Campion's mother tongue. Though each of the quaint old versions has its merits, and somedo not lack charm, not one would adequately represent Campion tothe modern reader. A new translation was a necessity--may I notsay, a most happy one--seeing that Father Joseph Rickaby was athand to satisfy it. [J. H. P. ]]

[Footnote 2: The meaning is--"The ministers tyrannize over us, asif we were a kingdom of unlearned schoolboys, listening to ateacher of grammar. "]

[Footnote 3: _Catholic Record Society_ IV. , 14-17. ]

[Footnote 4: Father Bombino calls him Richard Morris, and says hewent into exile and lived with Allen first at Rheims, andafterwards at Rome, where he died in the English College. (_VitaCampiani_, p. 139)]

[Footnote 5: Father Morris identified the lady who let or lentStonor Park, with Dame Cecilia Stonor, daughter of LeonardChamberlain. Father Persons describes her as a widow, and if so, the Sir Francis, then alive, was not her husband, but her son. Both father and son had the same Christian name. ]

[Footnote 6: On the other hand, Mr. Thomas Edward Stonor, in acorrespondence to be mentioned immediately, says that there wereno definite traditions as to the actual locality of the press. ]

[Footnote 7: Challoner, _Missionary Priests_, Introd. P. 12. ]

[Footnote 8: As five printers were subsequently arrested, we knowtheir names, and they deserve to be recorded here, viz. , StephenBrinkley, John Harris, John Hervey, John Tuker, John Compton. Allenspeaks of seven workmen. _Diary of the Tower and Douay Diary. _]

[Footnote 9: The custom however was already changing, and "Roman"type soon afterwards came into general use. ]

[Footnote 1: _Memoirs_, i. Cap. 24; _Collectanea P. _ fol. 155. ]

[Footnote 11: Bombino, _Vita Campiani_ 1620, p. 136. Some ofBombino's additions are not, perhaps, arranged in their truechronological order. He tells us, for instance, a propos ofBrinkley's difficulties in getting printers, that he had to dressthem, and give them horses to ride, like gentlemen. But he doesnot make it clear whether these were the men who printed the _TenReasons_, or Persons' previous works. Bombino says that Brinkleypaid for the type, &c. , but Allen, in a contemporary letter, saysthat George Gilbert had left a fund for these purposes. Bombinosays the printing of the _Decem Rationes_ was commenced atBrinkley's own house at Green Street, and had to be removedbecause one of the servants was arrested in London, and torturedto make him confess, which he heroically refused. Campion andPersons knowing of the torture, not of the man's constancy, atonce removed the press. But Persons' _Memoirs_ ascribes thisincident to an earlier period. (_Domestical Difficulties_, p. 119; _Autobiography_ for 1581). ]

[Footnote 12: Simpson, p. 217, following Lansdowne MSS. Xxx. 78]

RATIONES DECEM

QVIBVS FRETVS B. EDMVNDVS CAMPIANVS CERTAMEN ADVERSARIIS OBTVLITIN CAVSA FIDEI, REDDITAE ACADEMICIS ANGLIAE. 

EPISTOLA [1]

AD REGINAE ANGLIAE CONSILIARIOS, QUA PROFECTIONIS SUAE IN ANGLIAMINSTITUTUM DECLARAT, ET ADVERSARIOS AD CERTAMEN PROVOCAT

Quandoquidem, viri ornatissimi, a Germania et Bohemia revocatus, non sine ingenti vitae meae periculo, in hoc florentissimumAngliae regnum, dulcissimam patriam meam, tandem aliquandoperveni, pro Superiorum meorum voluntate, Dei gloriam et animarumsalutem promoturus; verisimile esse putavi, me turbulento hoc, suspicioso ac difficillimo tempore, sive citius, sive aliquantotardius, in medio cursu abreptum iri. Quapropter ignarus quid deme futurum sit, quum Dei permissu in carceres et vincula fortedetrudendus sim, ad omnem eventum scriptum hoc condidi: quod utlegere, et ex eo causam meam cognoscere velitis, etiam atqueetiam rogo. Fiet enim, ut hac re non parvo labore liberemini, dumquod multis ambagibus inquirere vos audio, id totem apertaconfessione libere expromo. Atque ut rem omnem, quo melius etintelligi, et memoria comprehendi queat, compendio tradam, innovem omnino capita eam dispertiar. 

1. Profiteor me, quamvis indignum, Ecclesiae Catholicaesacerdotem, et iam octo abhinc annis magna Dei misericordia inSocietatem nominis Iesu cooptatum, peculiare quoddam belligenus sub obedientiae vexillo suscepisse; ac simul me omnidivitiarum, honorum et aliorum huiusmodi bonorum spe, ethabendi potestate, abdicasse. 

2. Generalis Praepositi nostri decreto (quod ego tamquam mandatumcoelitus missum, et a Christo ipso sancitum veneror), Praga Romam, ubi Generalis nostri perpetua sedes est; Roma deinde in Angliamcontendi: qua animi alacritate etiam in quamcumque aliam orbisterrarum partem, sive ad christianos, sive ad infideles, profectusfuissem, si me ad eam profectionem superiores mei designassent. 

3. Negotium mihi commisum tale est, ut gratis Evangeliumadministrem, rudes in fide instituam, flagitiosos a scelere admeliorem vitae rationem traducam, errores convellam; et, utsummatim omnia complectar, pugnae spiritualis signum tuba canam, atque alacriter adversus foeda flagitia et superbam ignorationem, qua innumeri cives mei, quos intimis animi visceribus complector, oppressi iacent, depugnem. 

4. Numquam mihi animus fuit, imo et a Patribus, qui me miserunt, severe prohibitum mihi est, ut ne reipublicae ac politicae huiusregni administrationis negotiis me immisceam: nam et aliena haecsunt a vocationis meae instituto, et iis animum cogitationesquemeas libenter avoco. 

5. Quamobrem vestra clementia fretus, ad gloriam Dei tria nonminus aequa, quam ab omni pacis et tranquillitatis reipublicaeperturbatione aliena, concedi mihi et permitti humillime postulo. Primum est, ut Dominationes vestrae, pro sua et reipublicaedignitate, me pro religione disserentem audire non graventur. Alterum, quod et cumprimis desidero, et maximi momenti essearbitror, ut mihi liceat in consessu doctorum, magistorum etutriusque Academiae virorum insignium, sacrosanctae theologiaeprofessorum, verba facere. Promitto me catholicae Ecclesiae fideminvictis rationibus et sacrarum Scripturarum, Conciliorum, Patrumatque historiarum auctoritate, ac denique ex ipsa tum naturali, tum morali philosophia efficaciter demonstraturum et defensurum. Tertium, ut audiar ab utriusque iuris, sive canonici, sivecivilis, peritis, quibus eamdem fidei veritatem, legum, quaeetiamnum vigent, testimonio atque auctoritate comprobabo. 

6. Nollem equidem quidquam proferre, quod insolentemprovocationem aut arrogantiam aliquam prae se ferret; quum etmundo mortuus iam sim, et ex animo paratus promtusque, ut me adcuiusvis pedes abiiciam ac vestigia etiam exosculer. Tantus tamenanimus mihi est pro gloria et maiestate Regis mei Iesuamplificanda, tanta in eius favore fiducia, tanta denique incausae aequitate et firmissimorum argumentorum ac probationumrobore confidentia, (quum certo sciam nullum protestantium, necomnes simul iunctos, nec ullam adversariorum factionem, quantumvis imperitam multitudinem et grammaticos quosdamadolescentulos, apud quos insigniter debacchantur, in erroreminducant, posse dogmata sua disputatione aut tueri aut probare);ut cum illis omnibus, vel cum eorum quolibet, vel cumantesignanis ex omni illorum numero delectis, ultro me offeramcongressurum; bona fide protestans eo mihi gratius fore certamen, quo melius instructi accesserint. 

7. Et quoniam Dominus Deus Dominam meam reginam, eximiis naturae, eruditionis ac regiae educationis dotibus exornare voluit, si suaMaiestas huiusmodi auditionem, qualem in quinto articulo secundoloco efflagitavi, sua regali praesentia et benigna attentionecohonestare dignaretur, sperarem sane, me articulos controversosoptima methodo et perspicuis argumentis ita illustrare, atque abomnibus fallaciarum involucris quibus constricti sunt, explicareposse, ut zelo veritatis et amore, quo sua Maiestas populumcomplectitur, mediocriter eius animum inclinarem, quum adplurimas res, quae regno suo non parum detrimenti afferunt, damnandas et reiiciendas, tum ad nos catholicos, misere iamduioppressos, maiore aequitate prosequendos. 

8. Neque vero dubium mihi est quin vos, ornatissimi consiliariS. M. , quum in maximi momenti negotiis praeclare ac sapienteragere soleatis, ubi has de fide controversias, quas adversariinostri non sine fuco et confuse plerumque pertractant, bona fidedelectas et fuco nudatas perspexeritis, luce meridiana clariuscognituri sitis, quam solidis et firmis fundamentis fidescatholica nitatur. Et quia e contrario protestantium argumentasunt omnino frivola et infirma, quae temporis iniquitate vimaliquam contra nos habere putantur; futurum spero, ut vestrarumanimarum et innumerabilium aliarum, quae a vestro nutu etexemplo pendent, miserti, ab huiusmodi falsorum dogmatumarchitectis et doctoribus facies vestras animumque ipsumavertatis, ac nobis, qui vitam nostram pro vesta salutealacriter profundere parati sumus, aequiori et magis propitiamente auscultetis. Multae innocentes manus quotidie et sineintermissione pro vobis in coelum attolluntur. Haec in vosstudia sunt eorum Anglorum, qui in provinciis transmarinisnumquam interiturae posteritatis patres, virtuti et eruditioniadquirendae dant operam; omninoque secum statuerunt, a salutevestra promovenda non prius absistere, quam vel animas vestrasChristo lucrifecerint, vel lanceis vestras confixi generoseoccubuerint. Et quidem quod ad Societatem nostram attinet, velimsciatis, omnes nos, qui sumus de Societate Iesu, per totumterrarum orbem longa lateque diffusi, (quorum continua successioet multitudo omnes machinationes vestras anglicas facilesuperabit), sanctum foedus iniisse ut cruces, quas nobisiniicietis, magno animo feramus, neque umquam de vestra salutedesperemus, quamdiu vel unus quispiam e nobis supererit, quiTiburno[2] vestro fruatur, atque suppliciis vestrisexcarnificari, carceribusque squalere et consumi possit. Iampridem inita ratio est, divinique numinis auspicio inchoatumcertamen; nulla vis, nullus impetus adversariorum superabit. Hacratione consita et tradita olim fides est, eadem in pristinamdignitatem revocari et restitui debet. 

Quod si hoc scriptum meum, quod offero, reiicitur, nec benevoliconatus mei quidquam possint efficere, et pro itinere multorummillium milliarium vestri causa suscepto, ingratum animumexperiar; id unum agendum mihi supererit, ut vos causamque meamDeo scrutatori cordium commendem: quem quidem ex animo precor, utnobis tantisper gratiam suam impertiri velit, qua ante extremumremunerationis diem in unam sententiam conspiremus; et ut tandemaliquando in coelo, ubi nulla erit iniuriarum memoria, amicitiasempiterna perfruamur. 

PREFATIO

EDMUNDUS CAMPIANVS DOCTISSIMIS ACADEMICIS OXONII FLORENTIBVS ETCANTABRIGIAE, S. P. D. 

Anno praeterito, quum ex instituto vitae meae iussus in hancinsulam remeassem, clarissimi viri, offendi sane fluctus haudpaulo saeviores in anglicano littore, quam quos in oceanobrittannico recens a tergo reliqueram. Mox interiorem in Angliamubi penetrassem, nihil familiarius, quam inusitata supplicia;nihil certius, quam incerta pericula. Collegi me, ut potui, memorcausae, memor temporum. Ac ne prius forte corriperer, quamauditus a quopiam fuissem, scripto protinus mandavi consileummeum, qui venissem, quid quaererem, quod bellum, et quibus, indicere cogitarem Autographum apud me habui, ut mecum, sicaperer, caperetur; exemplum eius apud amicum deposui, quod, mequidem nesciente, pluribus communicatum est. Adversariipublicatam schedulam atrociter acceperunt quum caetera, tum illudinvidiosissime criminantes, quod unus omnibus in hoc religionisnegotio certamen obtulissem; quamquam solus non eram futurus, sifide publica disputassem. Responderunt postulatis meis Hammeruset Charcus. Quid tandem? Otiose omnia. Nullum enim responsum, praeter unum, honeste dabunt, quod numquam dabunt: "Conditionesamplectimur, Regina spondet, advola. " Interea clamant isti:"Sodalitium tuum, seditiones tuas, arrogantiam tuam, proditorem, sine dubio proditorem. " Ridicule. Operam et oleum et famamhomines non insipientissimi cur profundunt?

Verum his duobus, (quorum prior animi causa meam chartam delegit, in quam incurrerat; alter malitiosius totam rem convolvit), praebitus nuper est libellus admodum luculentus, qui quantumoportuit, tantum et de Societate nostra, et de horum iniuriis, etde provincia, quam sustinemus, edisserit. Mihi supererat, (quoniam, ut video, tormenta, non scholas, parant antistites), rationem facti mei vobis ut probarem; capita rerum, quae mihitantum fidentiae pepererunt, quasi digito fontes ostenderem. Vosetiam hortarer, quorum interest praeter caeteros, incumbatis inhanc curam, quam a vobis Christus, Ecclesia, respublica et vestrasalus exigunt. Ego si fretus ingenio, litteris, arte, lectione, memoria, peritissimum quemque adversarium provocavi fuivanissimus et superbissimus, qui neque me, necque illosinspexerim; sin causam intuitus, existimavi satis me valentemesse, qui docerem hunc solem meridie lucere, debetis mihifervorem istum concedere, quem honor Iesu Christi, Regis mei, etinvicta veritas imperarunt. Scitis M. Tullium in Quintiana, quumRoscius victoriam adpromitteret, si efficeret argumentis, septingenta millia passuum non esse decursa biduo, non modo nihilveritum articulos et nervos Hortensii, sed ne grandiores quidemHortensio, Phillipos, et Cottas, et Antonios, et Crassos, quibusmaximam dicendi gloriam tribuebat, metuere potuisse. Est enimquaedam veritas tam illustris et perspicua, ut eam nullaeverborum rerumque praestigiae possint obruere. Porro liquidiusest quod nos agimus, quam illa fuit hypothesis Rosciana. Nam sihoe praestitero: coelos esse, divos esse, fidem esse, Christumesse, causam obtinui. Hic ego non sim animosus? Equidem occidipossum, superari non possum, iis enim Doctoribus insisto, quosille Spiritus erudiit, qui nec fallitur, nec vincitur. 

Quaeso a vobis ut salvi esse velitis. A quibus hoc impetraro, reliqua minime dubitanter expecto. Date modo vos huicsollicitudini, Christum obtestamini, industriam adiungite;profecto sentietis id, quod res est, et adversarios desperare, etnos, tam solide fundatos, quieto magnoque animo hanc arenamexpetere oportere. Brevior hic sum, quod reliquo sermone vosalloquor. Valete. 

RATIONES OBLATI CERTAMINIS

_Ego dabo vobis os et sapientiam, cui non poterunt resistere etcontradicere omnes adversarii vestri. _ Luc. Xxi. 15. 

Rationum capita. 

1. Sacrae Litterae. 

2. Sacrarum Litterarum sententia. 

3. Natura Ecclesiae. 

4. Concilia. 

5. Patres. 

6. Fermamenta Patrum. 

7. Historia. 

8. Paradoxa. 

9. Sophismata. 

10. Omne genus testium. 

PRIMA RATIO

SACRAE LITTERAE. 

Quum multa sunt, quae adversariorum diffidentiam in causaloquuntur, tum nihil aeque atque sanctorum maiestas Bibliorumfoedissime violata. Etenim qui, posteaquam reliquorum testiumvoces et suffragia contempserunt, eo sunt redacti nihilo secius, ut stare nequeant, nisi divinis ipsis codicibus vim et manusintulerint; ii se profecto declarant extrema fortuna confligere, et rebus iam desperatis ac perditis, experiri durissima velleatque ultima. Manicheis[3] quid causae fuit, ut "EvangeliumMatthei et Acta refigerent Apostolica?" Desperatio. His enimvoluminibus cruciabantur, et qui Christum negaverant prognatum deVirgine, et qui Spiritum christianis tum primo coelitus illapsumfinxerant quum ipsorum Paracletus, Persa nequissimus, erupisset. Quid Ebioniis, [4] ut omnes Pauli repudarient epistolas?Desperatio. His enim suam dignitatiem retinentibus, antiquatacircumcisio est, quam isti revocaverant. Quid Luthero[5] utEpistolam Iacobi "contentiosam, tumidam, aridum, stramineam, "flagitiosus apostata nominaret, et "indignam spiritu censeretapostolico?" Desperatio. Hoc enim scripto confessus miser atquedisruptus est, quum "in sola fide iustitiam, constitueret. " QuidLutheri catulis, ut Tobiam, Ecclesiasticum, Machabaeos, et horumodio complures alios eadem calumnia comprehensos, e sincerocanone repente dispungerent? Desperatio. His enim oraculisdisertissime coarguuntur, quoties de angelorum patrocinio, quoties de arbitrii libertate, quoties de fidelibus vitadefunctis, quoties de Divorum hominum intercessione disputant. 

Itane vero? Tantum perversitatis, tantum audaciae? Quum Ecclesiam, concilia, cathedras, Patres, martyres, imperia, populos, leges, academias, historias, omnia vetustatis et sanctitatis vestigiaconculcassent, scripto Dei verbo tantum controversias velledirimere proclamassent, illud ipsum verbum, quod solum restiterat, exsectis e toto corpore tam multis, tam bonis, tam speciosis, partibus, delumbasse? Septem enim ipsos de veteri Testamento[6]codices, ut minuta dissimulem, calviniani praeciderunt; lutheranivero etiam epistolam Iacobi, et huius invidia quinque alias;[7] dequibus aliquando fuerat et alicubi controversum. His quoquelibellum Estheris et tria capita Danielis adnumerant novissimiGenuenses; quae quidem Anabaptistae, istorum condiscipuli, iampridem damnaverant atque deriserant. 

Quanto modestius Augustinus, [8] qui sacrosanctum catalogumpertexens, non sibi neque alphabetum hebraicum, ut Iudaei; nequeprivatum spiritum, ut Sectarii, pro regula posuit; sed illumSpiritum, quo totum corpus Ecclesiae Christus animat. Quae quidemEcclesia custos huius depositi, non magistra, quod haereticicavillantur, thesaurum hunc universum quem Tridentina[9] Synodusest amplexa, vetustissimis olim conciliis publicitus vindicavit. Idem Augustinus, [10] de una Scripturarum particula speciatimdisserens, inducere in animum non potest, librum Sapientiae, quiiam tum Ecclesiae calculo, temporum serie, priscorum testimonioinstinctione fidelium, ut firmus et canonicus robur obtinuerat, cuiusquam temeritate vel susurro extrudi extra canonem oportere. Quid ille nunc diceret, si viveret in terris, et LutherosCalvinosque concerneret opifices bibliorum, qui sua lima politulaet elegantula vetus novumque Testamentum raserint; nequeSapientiam tantum, sed et alia permulta de canonicorum librorumordine segregaverint: ut quidquid ex horum officina nonprodierit, illud ad omnibus phrenetico decreto tamquam incultumet horridum conspuatur?

Ad hoc tam dirum et exsecrabile perfugium qui descenderunt, iicerte licet in ore suorum asseclarum volitent, sacerdotianundinentur declamitent in concione, ferrum in catholicos, equuleum crucemque consciscant; tamen victi, abiecti, squalidi, prostrati sunt: quandoquidem arrepta virgula censoria, velutiarbitri sedentes honorarii, divinas ipsas tabulas, si quae adstomachum non fecissent, obliterant. Ecquis est vel mediocriterinstitutus, qui talium cuniculos hostium reformidet? Qui hominesquamprimum in corona vestra, eruditorum hominum, ad eiusmodiveteratorias artes, tamquam ad familiarem daemonem currerent, nonaurium convicio sed strepitu pedum exciperentur. Quaererem abeis, verbi gratia, quo iure corpus biblicum detruncent atquediripiant? Respondent: non se veras Scripturas exscindere, sedexcernere supposititias. Quo iudice? Spiritu sancto. Hoc enimresponsum a Calvino[11] praescribitur, ut Ecclesiae iudicium, quospiritus examinantur, subterfugiat. Cur igitur alios aliilancinatis, quum omnes eodem Spiritu gloriemini?

Calvinianorum spiritus recipit sex epistolas, quae spiritui nonplacent lutherano; freti tamen uterque sancto Spiritu. Anabaptistae historiam Iobi fabulam[12] appellant, tragicis etcomicis legibus intermixtam. Qui sciunt? Spiritu docente. Castalio[13] mysticum illud Salomonis Canticum, quod utparadisum animae, ut manna reconditum, ut opiparas in Christodelicias catholici admirantur, nihilo pluris quam cantilenam deanicula, et cum pedissequis aulae colloquium amatorium venereusfurcifer aestimavit. Vnde hausit? A spiritu. In ApocalypsiIoannis, cuius omnes apices excelsum aliquid et magnificumsonare confirmat Hieronymus, [14] tamen Lutherus[15] et Brentiuset Kemnitius quiddam, nescio quid, difficiles aristarchidesiderant; eo scilicet propendentes, ut exautoretur. Quempercontati? Spiritum. Quatuor Evangelia fervore praeposteroLutherus[16] inter se committit, et prioribus tribus EpistolasPauli longe praeferens, "unicum" deinceps "Evangelium Ioannis, pulchrum, verum, praecipuum" decernit esse nominandum; quippequi, quod in ipso fuit, libenter etiam Apostolos suarum rixarumsocios adscripsisset. Quo doctore? Spiritu. Quin etiam istefraterculus[17] non dubitavit Evangelium Lucae petulanti styloperstringere, quod in eo crebrius bona nobis virtutum operacommendentur. Quem interrogavit? Spiritum. Theodorus Beza exLucae vigesimo secundo capite : "Hic calix, novum testamentum, in meo sanguine, qui (calix) pro vobis fundetur, ," ausus est ut corruptum vitiatumquetraducere, quod haec oratio nullam expositionem, nisi de vinocalicis converso in verum Christi sanguinem, patiatur. Quisindicavit? Spiritus. Denique quum omnia credant suo quisquespiritui, nomen sancti Spiritus horribili blasphemia mentiuntur. Qui sic agunt, nonne se produnt? Nonne facile refutantur? Nonnein concessu talium virorum, quales estis Academici, tenentur acminimo negotio constringuntur? Cum his ego timeam pro fidecatholica disputare, qui pessima fide voces non humanas, sedaethereas tractavere?

Nihil hic dico, quae vertendo perverterint quamvis intolerabiliasint, quae accusem. Gregorio Martino, scientissimo linguarum, collegae meo, qui doctius et plenius hoc praestabit, nihilpraeripio, nec aliis, quibus id laboris esse iam prae manibusintellexi. Facinorosius crimen est ac tetrius, quod nuncpersequor. Inventos esse doctorculos, qui temulento quodamimpetu in coeleste chirographum involarint; idipsum pluribuslocis, ut maculatum, ut mancum, ut falsum, ut subreptitiumcondemnarint; eius partes aliquas correxerint, aliquascorroserint, aliquas evulserint. Hinc omne propugnaculum, quomuniebatur, in lutheranos spiritus, tamquam in vallaphantasmatum pictosque parietes commutarint; ne prorsusobmutescerent, quum in Scripturas, erroribus suis infestas, impingerent, quas nihilo commodius expedire, quam sorberefavillas, aut saxa mandere, potuissent. 

Haec ergo mihi prima ratio vehemens et iusta fuit quae ubi partesadversarias umbraticas et fractas ostendisset, animum saneaddidit viro et christiano et in his studiis exercitato, prosempiterni Regis diplomate adversus reliquias profligatorumhostium decertandi. 

SECVNDA RATIO

SACRARVM LITTERARVM SENTENTIA

Alterum est, quod me quidem ad congressum incitarit, et horumapud me copiolas elevarit, adversarii perpetuum in Scripturisexponendis ingenium, plenum fraudis, inane prudentiae. Statimhaec, philosophi, tangeretis. Itaque vos auditores expetii. 

Sciscitemur ab adversaras, exempli gratia, quidnam sequuti novamsectam intriverint, qua Christus excluditur e coena mystica? Sinominant Evangelium, accurrimus. A nobis verba sunt:[18] "Hocest corpus meum. Hic est calix meus. " Qui sermo visus est ipsiLuthero[19] tam potens, ut quum etiam discuperet fieriZuinglianus, quod ea re plurimum incommodare Pontificipotuisset, captus tamen et victus apertissimo contextu, cederet;neque minus invitus Christum vere praesentem in Sacramentosanctissimo fateretur, quam olim daemones, victi miraculis, Christum Dei Filium vociferati sunt. [20] Agedum, pagella scriptasuperiores sumus; de sententia scripti contenditur. Hancpervestigemus ex verbis adiacentibus:[21] "Corpus meum, quod provobis tradetur. Sanguis meus, qui pro multis effundetur. " Adhucdurissimae partes Calvini sunt, nostrae faciles et explicatae. Quid amplius? Conferte Scripturas, inquiunt. ConspirantEvangelia, [22] Paulus adstipulatur; voces, clausulae, totaconnexio panem, vinum, insigne miraculum, coeleste pabulum, carnem, corpus, sanguinem, reverenter ingeminant. Nihilaenigmaticum, nihil offusum caligine loquendi. 

Tamen perstant adversarii, neque finem faciunt altercandi. Quidagimus? Opinor, audiatur antiquitas; et quod nos alteris alterisuspecti non possumus, illud omnium saeculorum venerandacanities, Christo propior, ab hac lite remotior, decidatarbitrio. Non ferunt: prodi se aiunt. Dei verbum purum, purum, inclamant; hominum commentarios aversantur. Insidiose inepte. Deiverbum perurgemus, obscurant; Divos testamur interpretes, obsistunt. In summa, sic instituunt, nisi reorum iudiciosteteris, nullum iudicium fore. 

Atque ita se gerunt in omni, quam exercemus, controversia, deinfusa gratia, de inhaerente iustitia, de Ecclesia conspicua, denecessitate Baptismatis, de Sacramentis et Sacrificio, de piorummeritis, de spe et timore, de peccatis imparibus, de auctoritatePetri, de clavibus, de votis, de conciliis evangelicis, decaeteris. Scripturas neque paucas et ponderosa catholici passimin libris, in colloquiis, in templis, in schola citavimus atquediscussimus; eluserunt. Veterum scholia graecorum et latinorumadmovimus; abnuerunt. Quid tum denique? Doctor Martinus Lutherus, aut vero Phillippus, aut certe Zuinglius, aut sine dubio Calvinuset Bezza, fideliter enarrarunt. Egone quemquam vestrum existimentam esse mucosis naribus, qui hoc artificium, monitus, nonpersentiscat? Quare fateor me scholas Academicas cupiderequirere, ut inspectantibus vobis, calamistratos istos milites, in solem et pulverem e suis umbraculis evocatos, non meisviribus, qui cum vestris centesima parte non sum conferendus, sedvalentissima causa et certissima veritate debilitem. 

TERTIA RATIO

NATVRA ECCLESIAE

Audito iam Ecclesiae nomine, hostis expalluit. Sed tamenexcogitavit quiddam, quod a vobis animadverti volo, ut falsiruinam et inopiam cognoscatis. Senserat in Scripturis tumpropheticis, tum apostolicis, ubique honorificam Ecclesiae fierimentionem: vocari civitatem sanctam (Apoc. Xxi. 10), fructiferamvineam (Ps. Lxxix. 9), montem excelsum (Isai. Ii. 2), directamviam (Ibid. Xxxv. 8), columbam unicam (Cant. Vi. 8), regnum coeli(Matth. Xiii. 24), sponsam (Cant. Iv. 8), et corpus Christi (Eph. V. 23 et 1 Cor. Xii. 12), firmamentum veri (1 Tim. Iii. 15), multitudinem illam, cui Spiritus promissas instillet omniasalutaria (Ioan. Xiv. 26): illam, in quam universam nullae sintumquam fauces diaboli morsum letiferum impacturae (Matth. Xvi. 18); illam, cui quicumque repugnet, quantumvis ore Christumpraedicet, non magis Christi, quam publicanus aut ethnicus(Matth. Xviii. 17), potiatur. 

Non est ausus contravenire sonitu, videri noluit Ecclesiae, quamtoties Scripturae commemorant, refragari; nomen callide retinuit, rem ipsam funditus, definiendo, sustulit. His enim proprietatibusdelineavit Ecclesiam, quae penitus ipsam occulant, et dimotam asensibus tamquam ideam platonicam, secretis obtutibus hominumperpaucorum subiiciant[23]; eorum tantummodo, qui singulariterafflati, corpus hoc aerium intelligentia comprehenderent, ethuiusce sodalitatis participes subtili quodam oculo lustrarent. Vbi candor? Vbi simplicitas. Quae Scripturae, quae sensa, quiPatres, hoc penicillo depingunt Ecclesiam? Sunt Christi adAsiaticas ecclesias (Apoc. I. 2, 3), sunt Petri, Pauli, Ioannis, aliorum ad diversos epistolae; frequentes in Actis Apostolicisinchoantur et propagantur ecclesiae (Act. Viii. 10, 11 et seq. ). Quid istae? Num soli Deo et sanctis hominibus, an christianisetiam cuiuscumque generis, manifestae?

Sed profecto durum telum necessitas est. Ignoscite. Nam quisaeculis omnino quindecim, non oppidam, non villam, non domumreperiunt imbutam doctrina sua, donec infelix monachus (Lutherus)incesto connubio votam Deo virginem funestasset; aut Helvetiusgladiator (Zuinglius) in patriam coniurasset; aut stigmaticusperfuga (Calvinus) Genevam occupasset; ii coguntur Ecclesiam, siquam volent, in latebris venditare, et eos parentes asserere, quos nec ipsi noverint, neque mortalium quisquam aspexerit. Nisiforte gaudent maioribus illis, quos haereticos fuisse liquet, utAerio, Ioviniano, Vigilantio, Helvidio, Iconomachis, Berengario, Valdensibus, Lolhardo, Wiclefo, Hussio; a quibus pestiferaquaedam fragmenta dogmatum emendicarint. 

Nolite mirari, si fumulos istos non pertimui, quos, modo admeridianam lucem venero, minime fuerit laboriosum dispellere. Haec est enim nostra sermocianatio. Dic mihi: subscribisEcclesiae, quae saeculis anteactis viguit?--Omnino. --Obeamus ergoterras et tempora. Cui?--Coetui fidelium. --Quorum?--Nominanesciuntur, sed constat plurimos exstitisse. --Constat? Quibusconstat?--Deo. --Quis dicit?--Nos, qui divinitus edoctisumus. --Fabulae qui credam?--Si arderes fide, tam scires hoc, quam te vivere. 

/* Spectatum admissi, risum teneatis?

Iuberi christianos omnes adiungere se Ecclesiae, cavere nespiritali gladio trucidentur, in domo Dei pacem colore, huicanimas credere columini veritatis, istic querelas omnes deponere, hinc eiectos habere pro ethnicis; nescire tamen tot centinis, tothomines, ubinam illa sit, quive huc pertineant? Vnum illudcrepare in tenebris, ubi ubi sit Ecclesia, tantummodo sanctos etin aethera destinatos ea contineri? Ex quo fit ut, si quisimperium sui Praesulis detrectare velit, scelere solvatur, dummodo sibi persuadeat presbyterum in crimen incidisse, et abEcclesia protinus excidisse. 

Quum scirem adversarios talia comminisci, quod nullius aetatisEcclesiae consuessent, et orbatos tota re, velle tamen interangustias vocabulum possidere, solabar me vestro acumine, atqueadeo mihi pollicebar, fore ut quamprimum huiusmodi technas exipsorum confessione cerneretis, statim homines ingenui et cordatistultas argutias in vestram intextas perniciem exscinderetis. 

QVARTA RATIO

CONCILIA

Gravis, Ecclesia nascente, quaestio de legitimis caeremoniis, quae credentium animos disturbavit, coacto Apostolorum etseniorum concilio, soluta est. Credidere parentibus filii, pastoribus oves, in haec verba mandantibus[24]: "Visum estSpiritui sancto et nobis. " Sequuta sunt ad extirpandam haeresim, quae varia quibusque saeculis pullulavit, oecumenica veterumConcilia quatuor, tantae firmitudinis, ut iis ante annos millesingularis honos tamquam divinis vocibus, haberetur[25]. Nonabibo longius. Etiam domi nostrae, comitiis regni eadem Conciliapristinum ius inviolatamque dignitatem obtinent. Haec citabo, teque ipsam[26], Anglia, dulcissima patria, contestabor. Si, quemadmodum prae te fers, quatuor ista Concilia reverebere, summum honorem primae sedis Episcopo, id est, Petro, deferes:[27]incruentum corporis et sanguinis Christi sacrificium in altarirecognosces:[28] beatos Martyres, divosque omnes coelites, ut prote Christo supplicent, obsecrabis:[29] mulierosos apostatas abinfando concubitu et incestu publico coercebis:[30] multa facies, quae demoliris; multa, quae facis, infecta voles. [31] PorroSynodos aliorum temporum, nominatim vero Tridentinam, eiusdemauctoritatis ac fidei cum primis illis fuisse, quando ususvenerit, demonstraturum me spondeo atque recipio. 

Auctus igitur Conciliorum omnium valido et exquisito praesidio, cur non ingrediar in hanc palaestram animo tranquillo etpraesenti, observaturus adversarium, quo se proripiat? Nam etevidentissima producam, quae distorquere non poterit, etprobatissima, quae respuere non audebit. 

Fortasse verbosius loquendo diem extrahere conabitur; sed abintentis hominibus, si vos rego bene novi, nec aures nec oculoscompilabit. Quod si quis erit omnino tam demens, qui se unumopponat Senatoribus orbis terrae, et iis quidem omni exceptionemaioribus, sanctioribus, doctioribus, vetustioribus; libenteraspiciam illud os, quod ubi vobis ostendero, reliquacogitationibus vestris relinquam. Interim hoc monebo; qui plenoConcilio, rite atque ordine consummato, momentum et pondusabrogat, videri mihi nullo consilio, nullo cerebro; neque solumin theologicis tardum, sed etiam in politicis inconsultum. Siumquam Dei Spiritus illuxit Ecclesiae, certe illud est tempusimmitendi Numinis, quum omnium ecclesiarum, quae sunt in terrispatentissimae, religio, maturitas, scientia, sapientia, dignitas, unam in urbem confluxerint, adhibitisque modis omnibus divinis ethumanis, quibus indagari veritas possit, promissum implorentSpiritum, [32] quo salutariter et prudenter sanciat. 

Prosiliat nunc aliquis factionis haereticae magistellus, attollatsupercilia, suspendat nasum, frontem perfricet, iudicesque suosscurriliter ipse iudicet. Quos ille ludos, quos iocos dabit?Repertus est Lutherus, [33] qui diceret, anteferre se Consiliisduorum suffragia bonorum et eruditorum hominum (putatote suum etPhillippi), si quando in Christi nomine consensissent. Ocirculos! Repertus est Kemnitius[34], qui concilium Tridentinumad suos vertiginis importunae calculos exegerit; quid lucratus?Infamiam. Dum iste nictaverit, sepelietur cum Ario; TridentinaSynodus quo magis inveterascet, eo magis in dies eoque perenniusefflorescet. Bone Deus! quae gentium varietas, qui delectusepiscoporum totius orbis, qui regum et rerumpublicarum splendor, quae medulla theologorum, quae sanctitas, quae lacrymae, quaeieiunia, qui flores academici, quae linguae, quanta subtilitas, quantus labor, quam infinita lectio, quantae virtutum etstudiorum divitiae augustum illud sacrarium impleverunt? Audiviego Pontifices exsultantes, et in his Antonium, archiepiscopumPragensem, a quo sum creatus presbyter, amplissimos etprudentissimos viros, quod in ea schola haesissent aliquot annis, ut nullum Ferdinandi Caesaris, cui multum debuerant, regalius etuberius in se beneficium colerent, quam hoc fuit quod inTridentino gymnasio legati ex Pannonia consedissent. Intellexithoc Caesar, qui reversis ita gratulatus est: "Aluimus vos inschola optima. "

Huc invitati fide publica, cur non properarunt adversarii, ut eospalam refellerent, in quos ranunculi coaxant e cavernulis?--Hussioet Hieronymo fregere fidem, inquiunt--Qui?--Constantiensis Conciliiproceres--Falsum est: nullam dedere. Sed nec in Hussium tamenanimadversum fuisset, nisi homo perfidiosus et pestilens, retractusex fuga, quam ei Sigismundus Imperator periculo capitisinterdixerat, violatis etiam conditionibus, quas scripto pepigeratcum Caesare, vim omnem illius diplomatis enervasset. FefellitHussium praecipitata malitia. Iussus enim, quum barbaras in suaBohemia tragoedias excitasset, semetipsum sistere Constantiae, despexit praerogativam Concilii; securitatem periit a Caesare, Caesar obsignavit, christianus orbis resignavit maior Caesare. Redire ad mentem haeresiarcha noluit: periit. Hieronymus veroPragensis furtim venit Constantiam, protectus a nemine; deprehensuscomparuit, peroravit, habitus est perbenigne, liber abiit quovoluit, sanatus est, haeresim eiuravit, relapsus est, exustus est. 

Quid toties unum exemplum de sexcentis exagitant? Repetantannales suos. Martinus ipse Lutherus (a. 1518) odium Dei ethominum, Augustae positus coram Cardinale Caietano, nonne quodpotuit, eructavit, et Maximiliani litteris communitus excessit?Idem accitus Wormatiam (a. 1521), quum et Caesarem et plerosqueImperii principes haberet infensos, nonne Caesaris verbo tutusfuit? Postremo lutheranorum et zuinglianorum capita, praesenteCarolo quinto, haereticorum hoste victore, domino, nonne datisinduciis confessiones suas innovatas exhibuere comitiisAugustanis, et sospites abiere? Haud secus litterae Tridientinaelocupletissimas adversario cautiones providerant:[35] uti noluit. Nimirum se iactat in angulis in quibus ubi tria verba graecasonuerit, sapere videatur; abhorret a luce, quae litteratorem innumero poneret, et ad honesta subsellia devocaret. CatholicisAnglis tale chirographum impunitatis impetrent, si diliguntsalutem animarum. Nos Hussium non causabimur; verbo Principisinnixi, convolabimus. 

Sed ut, unde sum egressus, eo regrediar, Concilia generalia measunt, primum, ultimum, media; his pugnabo. Hastam exspectetadversarius amentatam, quam avellere numquam poterit. Prosternatur in eo satanas, Christus vivat. 

QVINTA RATIO

PATRES

Antiochiae, qua primum in urbe Christianorum nobile cognomentumincrebuit, Doctores, [36] id est, eminentes theologi; etProphetae, id est, concionatores perquam celebres, floruerunt. Huiusce generis "scribas et sapientes, doctos in regno Dei, novapromentes et vetera, "[37] Christum callentes et Moysem, Dominusipse futuros gregi prospexerat. Hos, ingentis beneficii locodonatos, explodere, quanti maleficii est? Explosit adversarius. Quid ita? Quia stantibus illis, concidisset. Id ego quum procertissimo comperissem, pugnam simpliciter exoptavi, non illamiocularem, qua turbae velitantur in compitis, sed istam severamet acrem, qua congredimur in vestris Philosophorum spatiis:

/*-pede pes, densusque viro vir. 

Ad Patres si quando licebit accedere, confectum est praelium; tamsunt nostri, quam Gregorius ipse decimus tertius, filiorumEcclesiae Pater amantissimus. Nam ut omittam loca sparsa, quae exmonumentis veterum conquisita, nostram fidem apposite affirmatequepropugnant; tenemus horum integra volumina, quae de industriareligionem, quam tuemur, evangelicam distincte copiosequedilucidant. Duplex Hierarchia Martyris Dionysii[38] quas classes, quae sacra, quos ritus edocet? Pupugit ea res Lutherum[39] tamvalde, ut huius opera "simillima somniis, nec nonperniciosissima" iudicaret. Imitatus parentem Caussaeus, [40]nescio quis terrae filius, ex Gallia, non est veritus huncDionysium, inclytae gentis Apostolum, vocitare "delirum senem. "Centuriatores[41] vehementer offendit Ignatius et Calvinum, [42]ut in eius epistolis "deformes naevos, et putidas naenias"hominum quisquiliae notarint. Censoribus[43] illis "fanaticumquiddam" Irenaeus edixit; Clemens auctor Stromatum "zizaniafaecesque protulit;"[44] reliqui Patres huius aevi, saneapostolici viri, "blasphemias et monstra posteris reliquerunt. "In Tertulliano rapiunt avide, quod a nobis edocti, nobiscumcommuniter detestentur; sed meminerint libellum dePraescriptionibus, [45] qui nostri temporis sectarios taminsigniter perculit, numquam fuisse reprehensum. Hippolytus, Portuensis[46] episcopus, quam belle, quam clare Antichristinervum, lutherana tempora, praemonstravit? Eum propterea"scriptorem infantissimum et larvam" nominant. Cyprianum, delicias et decus Africae, Gallicanus ille criticus[47] etMagdeburgici[48] "stupidum, et destitutum Deo, et depravatorempoenitentiae" nuncuparunt. Quid admisit? Scripsit enim devirginibus, de lapsis, de unitate Ecclesiae tractationeseuismodi, eas etiam epistolas Cornelio, Romano Pontifici, ut nisifides huic martyr detrahatur, Petrus Martyr Vermilius, omnesquecum eo foederati, peiores adulteris et sacrilegis habeantur. Acne singulis insistam diutius, Patres huius saeculi damnanturomnes, "quippe qui doctrinam de poenitentia miredepravarint. "[49] Quo pacto? Nam austeritas canonum, quae viguitea tempestate, maiorem in modum displicet huic sectae plausibili, quae tricliniis aptior, quam templis, voluptarias aures titillareet pulvillos omni cubito[50] solet assuere. 

Quid aetas proxima, quid peccavit? Chrysostomus et ii Patres"iustitiam fidei foede" videlicet "obscurarunt. "[51] Nazianzenus, quem honoris causa, Theologum veteres appellarunt, Caussaeo[52]iudice, "Fabulator, quid affirmaret, nesciit. " Ambrosius "acacodaemone fascinatus est. " Hieronymus "aeque damnatus, atquediabolus: iniuriosus Apostolo, [53] blasphemus, sceleratus, impius. " "Vnus" Gregorio Massovio[54] "pluris est Calvinus, quamcentum Augustini. " Parum est, centum; Lutherus[55] "nihili facitadversum se mille Augustinos, mille Cyprianos, mille Ecclesias. "Longius rem deducere, supervacaneum puto. Nam in hos, quibachantur, quis miretur in Optatum, Athanasium, Hilarium, Cyrillos, Epiphanium, Basilium, Vincentium, Fulgentium, Leonem, Gregoriumque Romanum fuisse procacissimos?

Quamquam si datur ulla rebus iniustis iusta defensio non inficiorhabere Patres, ubicumque incideris, quod isti, dum sibiconsentiunt, necessario stomachentur. Etinem qui odere stataieiunia, quo animo oportet esse in Basilium, Nazianzenum, Chrysostomum, qui de quadragesima et indictis ieiuniorum feriis, tamquam de rebus iam usitatis, conciones egregias publicarunt?Qui suas animas auro, libidine, crapula et ambitiosisconspectibus vendiderunt, possuntne non esse inimicissimiBasilio, Chrysostomo, Hierionymo, Augustino, quorum excellenteslibri de monachorum instituto, regula, virtutibus, teruntur?

Qui captivam hominis voluntatem invexere, qui christiana funebriasustulere, qui Divorum reliquias incendere, sintne placabilesAugustino, qui de libero arbitrio libros tres, de cura promortuis unum, de miraculis ad Basilicas et memorias Martyrumprolixum caput nobilissimi operis[56] et conciones aliquotexaravit? Qui fidem suis captiunculis metiuntur, nonnesuccenseant Augustino, cuius est insignis epistola, [57] qua seprofitetur antiquitati, consensioni, successioni perpetuae etEcclesiae, quae sola inter tot haereses Catholicae nomenusucapione vindicat assentire?

Optatus, Milevitanus episcopus, Donatianam partem revincit[58] excommunione Catholica; nequitiam accusat ex decreto Melchiadis(lib. 1); haeresim refutat ex ordine Romanorum Pontificum (lib. 2); insaniam patefacit ex Eucharistia et chrismate contaminatis(lib. 3); sacrilegium horret ex diffractis altaribus "in quibusChristi membra portata sunt, " pollutisque calicibus "qui Christisanguinem tenuerunt, " (lib. 6). De Optato quid sentiant, aveoscire, quem Augustinus[59] ut venerabilem et catholicumepiscopum, Ambrosio parem et Cypriano; quem Fulgentius[60] utsanctum et fidelem Pauli interpretem, Augustini similem etAmbrosii, meminerunt. 

Athanasii Symbolum in templis concinunt. Num favent ei, quiAntonium Eremitam Aegyptium, [61] gravis auctor, accurato libellodilaudaverit, quique cum Alexandrina Synodo[62] iudicium SedisApostolicae, Divi Petri, suppliciter appellarit? Prudentius inhymnis quoties precatur Martyres, quos decantat? Quoties ad eorumcineres et ossa Regem Martyrum veneratur? Num hunc probabunt?Hieronymus pro Divorum reliquiis et honoribas scribit inVigilantium, in Iovinianam pro virginitatis gradu. Huccinepatientur? Ambrosius[63] tutores suos Gervasium et Protasium, celebritate notissima, in Arianam ignominiam honestavit; cuifacto divinissimi Patres[64] encomium tribuere: quod factum Deusnon uno prodigio decoravit. Num benevoli sunt Ambrosio futuri?Gregorius Magnus, noster Apostolus, planissime noster est, eoquenomine nostris adversariis odiosus; quem Calvini[65] rabies negatin schola sancti Spiritus educatum, propterea quod sacrasimagines illitteratorum libros appellasset. 

Dies me deficeret numerantem epistolas, conciones, homilias, orationes, opuscula, disceptationes Patrum, in quibus ex apparatograviter et ornate nostra catholicorum dogmata roborarunt. Quamdiu apud bibliopolas ista venierint, tamdiu frustra nostrorumcodices prohibentur; frustra servantur aditus oraeque maritimae;frustra domus, arcae, scrinia, capsulae disquiruntur; frustra totportis minaces tabulae suffiguntur. Nullus enim Hardingus, necSanderus, nec Stapletonus, nec Bristolius haec nova somniavehementius, quam hi, quos recensui, Patres, insectantur. Taliacogitanti accrevit animus et desiderium pugnae, in qua, quoquo semoverit adversarius, nisi gloriam Deo cesserit, feret incommodum. Patres admiserit, captus est; excluserit, nullus est. 

Adolescentibus nobis ita contigit. Ioannes Ivellus antesignanuscalvinianorum Angliae, catholicos ad Divi Pauli Londinensiumincredibili iactantia lacessivit, invocatis per hypocrisim etimploratis Patribus, quicumque intra salutis annum sexcentesimumclaruisset. Accipiunt conditionem memorabiles viri, qui tumexsulabant Lovanii, summis licet difficultatibus propteriniquitatem suorum temporum circumsepti. Ausim dicere, tantopopularibus nostris bono fuisse illam Ivellii astutiam, inscitiam, improbitatem, impudentiam, quas ii scriptoresfeliciter expanderunt, ut vix aliud quidquam, memoria mea, provenerit Anglorum Ecclesiae laboranti fructuosius. Edictumcontinuo valvis appenditur, ne qui codices illiusmodilegerentur, neve haberentur. Quum tantis clamoribus propemodumextorti prodiissent, didicere quicumque negotium attigissent, Patres fuisse catholicos, id est, nostros. Neque hoc sibisuisque vulnus inflictum Laurentius Humfredus[66] tacuit; quiquum alte Ivellum quoad caetera sustulisset, unam ei notamaspersit inconsiderantiae, quod Patrum calculos recepisset, quibuscum sibi nihil esse commercii, nec fore, sine ullacircuitione proloquitur. 

Pertentavimus etiam familiariter aliquando Tobiam Matthaeum, quinunc in concionibus dominatur, quem propter bonas artes et virtutumsemina dileximus, ut responderet ingenue, possetne qui Patresassiduus lectitaret, istarum esse partium, quas ille suaserat. Retulit, non posse, si pariter eos legeret iisque crederet. Verissimum hoc verbum est, neque aliter eum nunc, aut MattheumHuttonum, qui vir nominatus in paucis, versare Patres dicitur, autreliquos adversarios, qui hoc faciunt, sentire arbitror. 

Hactenus ergo securus in hanc aciem potui descendere, bellaturuscum, iis, qui quasi auribus lupum teneant, aeternam causaemaculam cogantur inutere, sive recusent Patres, sive deposcant. Nam in altero fugam adornant, in altero suffocantur. 

SEXTA RATIO

FIRMAMENTVM PATRVM

Si quibus umquam cordi curaeque fuit id, quod maximopere nostrisfuit et esse debet: "Scrutamini Scripturas, "[67] facile princepset palmares in hoc genere sanctissimi Patres exstitere. Horumopera sumptuque tot gentibus et linguis transcripta Biblia etimportata sunt; horum periculis et cruciatibus erepta de flammishostilibus et vastitate; horum laboribus et vigiliis omnem inpartem enucleata studiosissime; die noctuque sacras Litterasimbibere, de suggestibus omnibus sacras Litteras edidere, immensavolumina sacris Litteris ditavere, fidelissimis commentariissacras Litteras explicuere cibos et inediam sacris Litteriscondivere, occupati denique sacris in Litteris, ad senectutemdecrepitam pervenere. 

Quod si frequenter ipsi quoque ab auctoritate maiorum, abEcclesiae praxi, a successione Pontificum, a Conciliisoecumenicis, a traditionibus apostolicis, a cruore Martyrum, ascitis Praesulum, a visis eventisque mirabilibus argumentatisunt; tamen omnium maxime et libentissime sanctarum Litterarumtestimonia densa conglobant, haec premunt, in his habitant, huic"armaturae fortium" duces robustissimi, sarta tecta civitatis Deicontra nefarios impetus quotidie munientes, optimo iure primaspartes honoratissimasque porrigunt. 

Quo magis demiror illam exceptionem adversarii superbam etfatuam, qui velut aquam in profluente quaeritans, sic inScripturis confertissimis Scripturarum penuriam obiectat. Tantisper se Patribus assensurum dicit, dum sacris Litterisadhaerescunt. Num loquitur ex animo? Curabo igitur procedantarmati atque stipati Christo, Prophetis, Apostolis atque omniapparatu biblico, celeberrimi auctores, antiquissimi Patres, sanctissimi viri, Dionysius, Cyprianus, Athanasius, Basilius, Nazianzenus, Ambrosius, Hieronymus, Chrysostomus, Augustinus, latinusque Gregorius. Regnet in Anglia fides illa, quam hiPatres, amicissimi Scripturarum, ex Scripturis exstruunt. Quasafferunt, afferemus; quas conferunt, conferemus; quod inferunt, inferemus. Placet? Excrea, dic sodes--Minime vero, inquis, nisirecte exponant--Quid est hoc ipsum, recte? Arbitratu tuo. Nihilnepudet labyrinthi?

Ergo quum sperem in Academiis florentissimis consociatum iri benemultos, qui, non pingui Minerva, sed acuto iudicio in hascontroversias inspecturi sunt, et horum responsa nugatorialibraturi, laetus hunc diem campi praestolabor, ut qui contrasylvestres tumulos mendiculorum inermium nobilitatem et roburEcclesiae Christi cogitem educere. 

SEPTIMA RATIO

HISTORIA

Pristinam Ecclesiae faciem historia prisca retegit. Huc provoco. Certe antiquiores historici, quos etiam usurpant adversarii, ferenumerantur Eusebius, Damasus, Hieronymus, Ruffinus, Orosius, Socrates, Sozomenus, Theodoretus, Cassiodorus, GregoriusTuronensis, Vsuardus, Regino, Marianus Sigebertus, Zonaras, Cedrenus, Nicephorus. Quid narrant? Nostrorum laudes, progressus, vicissitudinem, hostes. Imo vero, quod observes diligenter, illiqui dissident a nobis odio capitali, Philippus, Pantaleon, Funecius, Magdeburgici, quum se ad scribendam vel chronologiamEcclesiae vel historiam appulissent, nisi nostrorum gestacolligerent, ac inimicorum Ecclesiae nostrae fraudes et sceleracoacervarent, mille quingentos annos argumento vacuipraetermitterent. 

Cum his considera peculiares certarum historiographos regionum, qui unius acta cuiusque populi curiosius operosiusque scrutatisunt. Ii quasi Spartam adepti, quam locupletare modis omnibus etperpolire cuperent, qui ne convivia quidem lautiora, autmanicatas tunicas, aut pugionum capulos, aut inaurata calcaria, talesque minutias, si novitatem saperent, tacuere; profecto, siquid in religione mutatum, aut a primis degeneratum saeculisinaudissent, frequentes memorassent; si non frequentes, saltemaliqui: si non aliqui, unus aliquis absque dubio. Nullus omnino, neque benevolus nobis, neque malevolus, non modo quidquam taleprodidit, sed nec significavit. 

Verbi gratia. Dant nobis adversarii, nec aliter possunt, fuisseRomanam Ecclesiam aliquando Sanctam, Catholicam, Apostolicam: tumquum haec a Divo Paulo promeruisset elogia:[68] "Vestra fidesannuntiatur in universo mundo: sine intermissione memoriam vestrifacio: Scio quia venien ad vos, in abundantia benedictionisChristi veniam: Salutant vos omnes Ecclesiae Christi: Vestra enimobedientia in omnem locum divulgata est. " Tum quum ibi Paulus inlibera custodia[69] disseminaret Evangelium; tum quum in eaquondam "Babylone coelectam Ecclesiam"[70] Petrus regeret; tumquum ille Clemens, [71] apprime laudatus ab Apostolo, [72] sederetad ipsa gubernacula; tum quum profani Caesares, [73] ut Nero, Domitianus, Traianus, Antoninus, Romanos Pontifices laniarent;tum etiam, vel Calvino[74] teste, quum Damasus, Siricius, Anastasius, Innocentius, clavum tenerent Apostolicum. Hoc enimsaeculo nihil adhuc, praesertim Romae, digressos ab Evangelicadoctrina, liberaliter ille concedit. 

Quando igitur hanc fidem tantopere celebratatam Roma perdidit?Quando esse desiit, quod ante fuit? Quo tempore, quo Pontifice, qua via, qua vi, quibus incrementis urbem et orbem religiopervasit aliena? Quas voces, quas turbas, quae lamentaprogenuit? Omnes orbe reliquo sopiti sunt, dum Roma, Roma, inquam, nova sacramenta, novum sacrificium, novum religionisdogma procuderet? Nullus exstitit historicus neque latinus, neque graecus, neque remotus, neque citimus, qui rem tantam velobscure iaceret in commentarios?

Ergo perspicuum hoc quidem est, si, quae nos credimus, historiamulta et varia, nuntia vetustatis, vita memoriae, loquitur acrepetit affluenter; quae vero isti obtrudunt, nulla naratio posthomines natos in Ecclesia valuisse commeminit: et Historicos essemeos, et incursiones adversarias esse frigidissimas, quae nihilmovere possint, nisi prius receptum sit, omnes omnium temporumchristianos in spissam perfidiam atque in gehennae voraginemcorruisse, donec Lutherus Boram constuprasset. 

OCTAVA RATIO

PARADOXA

Ego vero, praestantissimi viri, quum de multis haeresibus quaedamapud me opiniosissimorum portenta reputo, quae mihi venientexpugnanda; meipsum inertiae nequitiaeque condemnem, si cuiusquamin experiundo facultatem aut vires extimescerem. Sit ingeniosus, sit eloquens, sit exercitatus, sit omnium librorum helluo; tamenaridus et balbus appareat necesse est, quum haec tam "adunata"sustentabit. Disputabitur enim, si forte nobis annuent, de Deo, de homine, de peccato, de iustitia, de sacrimentis, de moribus. Videro an ausint asseverare, quae sentiunt, quaeque, rebusaddicti necessariis, divulgant in scriptiunculis. Faxo norintista suorum axiomata. 

DE DEO. --"Deus est auctor et causa[75] peccati, volens, suggerens, efficiens, iubens, operans, et in hoc impiorumscelerata consilia gubernans. Proprium Dei opus fuit, [76] utvocatio Pauli, sic adulterium Davidis, Iudaeque proditorisimpietas. " Monstrum hoc, cuius Philippum aliquando puduit, Lutherus[77] tamen, a quo Philippus hauserat, quasi oraculumcoeleste miris extollit laudibus, et alumnum suum eo nominetantum non exaequat[78] Apostolo Paulo. Percontabor etiam, quidanimi Luthero fuerit, quem Angli[79] calviniani "virum divinitusdatum ad orbem illuminandum" pronuntiant, quum hunc versumdemeret supplicationibus Ecclesiae. [80] "Sancta Trinitas, unusDeus, miserere nobis. "

DE CHRISTO. --Mox ad personam Christi progrediar. Quaeram istasibi quid velint; Christus De Filius, Deus de Deo? Calvino:[81]"Deus ex sese, " Bezae:[82] "Non est genitus de Patris essentia. "Item: "Duae constituantur in Christo uniones hypostaticae, [83]altera animae cum carne, Divinitatis cum humanitate altera. ""Locus apud Ioannem:" 'Ego et Pater unum sumus, ' non ostenditChristum Deum 'homoousion'[84] Deo Patri. " Sed et 'anima mea, inquit Lutherus, [85] odit hoc verbum 'homoousion. '" Pergite:"Christus ab infantia non fuit gratia consummatus, [86] sed animidotibus velut caeteri homines adolevit: usu factus quotidiesapientior, ita ut puerulus ignorantia laborarit. " Quod perindeest, ac si dicerent originis labe et vitio sordidatum. Sedcognoscite diriora: "Christus, quum orans in horto, sudoribusaquae manaret et sanguinis, sensu damnationis aeternaecohorruit:[87] vocem edidit sine ratione, sine spiritu, vocemdoloris impetu repentinam; quam, ut non satis meditatam, cleritercastigavit. " Estne aliquid amplius? Attendite: "Christus, quumactus in crucem exclamaret:" 'Deus meus, Deus meus, ut quiddereliquisti me?' accensus est flammis inferni, [88] desperationisvoceni emisit, non aliter affectus, quam si pereundum ei foretinternecione sempiterna. "

His etiam, si quid possunt, addant: "Christus, inquiunt, [89]descendit ad inferos, id est, mortuus gehennam gustavit, nihilominus quam animae damnatorum, nisi quod sibi restituenduserat. --Quandoquidem enim morte corporea nobis nihilprofuisset;[90] anima quoque luctari cum morte debuit aeterna, atque hoc modo nostrum scelus suppliciumque dependere. " Ac nequis forte suspicetur, istud Calvino per incuriam obrepsisse, idem Calvinus:[91] "Omnes vos, si qui doctrinam istam solatiiplenam exagitastis, perditos" appellat "nebulones. " Tempora, tempora, cuiusmodi monstrum aluistis? Cruor ille delicatus etregius, qui de innocentis Agni corpore lacerato fissoquescaturiit, cuius cruoris una guttula propter dignitatem Hostiaemille mundos redimere potuisset, nihil humano genet profecit, nisi "mediator Dei et hominum (1 Tim ii. 5), homo Christus Iesusmortem quoque secundam (Apoc. Ii. 11), " mortem animae, mortemgratiae, peccati solius et exsecrabilis blasphemiae sociam, pertulisset? Prae hac insania modestus videbitur Bucerus, quamquam est impudens, qui[92] infernum in symbolo sepulcrumaccipit, per epexegesim valde praeposteram, ac potius tautologiamineptam atque stolidam. 

Anglicani sectarii, pars Calvino, idolo suo, pars Bucero, magnomagistro, solent accedere; pars etiam submurmurant in huncarticulum, ne quid facessat ultra molestiae, quemadmodum sinetumultu penitus eximatur de Symbolo. Id veno etiant fuissetentatum in conventiculo quodam Londinensi, memini narrasse mihi, qui interfuit, Richardum Chenaeum, miserrimum senem, malemulctatum a latronibus foris, neque tamen ingressum in paternamdomum. Hactenus de Christo. 

DE HOMINE. --De homine[93] quid? "Imago Dei penitus in hominedeleta est, nulla boni scintilla superstite: tota natura quoadomnes animae partes ita funditus eversa, ut ne renatus quidem etsanctus quidquam sit aliud intrinsecus, nisi mera corruptio atquecontagio. " Quorsum ista? Vt qui sola fide gloriam rapturi sunt, in omnium turpitudinum coeno volutati, naturam accusent, virtutemdesperent, praecepta deonerent. 

DE PECCATO. --Huc Illyricus, Magdeburgensium primipilus, illudsuum adiecit immane placitum[94] de originis peccato, quod essevult: "Intimam substantiam animarum, quippe quas, post Adamilapsum, diabolus ipse procreet, et in sese transformet. " Hocquoque tritum est in hac faece: "Omnia peccata esse paria:"[95]sed ita (ne Stoici reviviscant), "si Deo iudice ponderentur. " Acsi Deus, aequissimus iudex, oneri nostro cumulum potius, quamlevamentum faceret, et id, quod non est in re, quum sit ipseiustissimus, exaggeraret. Hac trutina non levius in Deumseverissime iudicantem deliquerit ille caupo, qui gallumgallinaceum, quando non est opus, occiderit, quam infamis illesicarius, qui plenus Beza, Gallum heroa Guisium, admiribilivirtute principem, displosa fistula interemit; quo facinore nihilvidit orbis noster aetate nostra funestius, nihil luctuosius. 

DE GRATIA. --Sed fortasse, qui tam sunt in peccati conditionetetrici, magnifice philosophantur de divina gratia, quae huicmalo succurrere ac mederi possit. Praeclaras vero isti partesassignant gratiae, "quam neque infusam cordibus nostris, neque adresistendum sceleribus validam esse latrant, sedextra nos in soloDei favore[96] collocant: "qui favor non emendet impios, necpurget, nec illuminet, nec ditet; sed veterem illam sentinamadhuc manantem atque foetentem, ne deformis et odiosa putetur, Deo connivente, dissimulet. Quo suo plasmate tantoperedelectantur, ut ne "Christus quidem aliter apud illos[97] gratiaplenus et veritate dicatur, quam quod ei Deus Pater mirandum inmodum faverit. "

DE IVISTITIA. --Quae res ergo iustitia est? Relatio. [98] Non enimex theologics concinnata virtutibus, fide, spe, charitate, quaeanimam suo nitore convestiant; sed tantum "occultatio delicti, quam qui sola fide prehenderit, ille tam de salute certus est, acsi iampridem interminato coeli gaudio[99] frueretur. " Age, somniet hoc; sed unde constare poterit de futura perseverantia, qua qui caruit, exivit infelicissimus, licet ad tempus purepieque iustitiam coluisset? Imo vero, "haec tua fides, Calvinusait[100], nisi tuam tibi perseverantiam firme pronuntiet, uthallucinari nequeas, tamquam inanis et languida sperneretur. "Agnosco discipulum Lutheri. "Christianus, inquit ille[101] etiamvolens, non potest salutem perdere, nisi nolit credere. "

DE SACRAMENTIS. --Ad Sacramenta festino. Nullum, nullum, non duo, non unum, O Sancte Christe, reliquerant. Ipsorum quippe panisvenenum est; Baptismus etsi adhuc verus, tamen ipsorum iudicio"nihil est, non est unda salutis, non est canalis gratiae, nonderivat in nos Christi merita; sed significatio dumtaxat salutisest. Itaque nihilo pluris Baptismum Christi, quoad naturam rei, quam Ioannis facere caeremoniam. Si habeas, recte; si careas, nihil damni: crede, salvus es, antequam abluere. "[102] Quid ergoparvuli, qui nisi iuventur virtute Sacramenti, sua fide misellinihil assequuntur? "Potius quam Sacramento Baptismatis quidquamtribuamus, inquiunt Magdeburgici, [103] demus inesse fidem ipsisinfantulis, qua serventur, cuius fidei pulsus quosdam abditosintelligant" ipsi, qui vivant necne, nondum intelligunt. Durum. Sihoc adeo durum est, Lutheri pharmacum auditote: "Praestat, inquit, [104] omittere, quandoquidem nisi credat infans, nequidquamlavatur. " Haec illi quidem ancipites animo, quidnam enuntientcategorice. Ergo Balthassar Pacimontanus diribitor interveniat;qui parens Anabaptistarum, quum parvulis motum fidei non possetaffingere, Lutheri cantiunculam adprobavit, et paedobaptismumeiiciens e templis, "neminen nisi adultum fonte sacro decrevitabluere. " Ad reliqua Sacramenta quod attinet, quamvis illa bestiamulticeps horrendas eiectet contumelias, tamen quia quotidianaeiam sunt et callum auribus obduxerunt, hic praetereo. 

DE MORIBVS. --Restant haereticorum de vita et moribus frustanocentissima, quae Lutherus evomi in chartas, ut ex uniuspectoris impuro gurgustio pestem lectoribus inhalaret. Auditepatienter, et erubescite, et mihi date veniam recitanti: "Sinolit uxor[105], aut non possit, veniat ancilla. Siquidem resuxoria tam est cuique necessaria, quam esca, potus, somnus. Matrimonium est virginitate multo praestantius; eam Christus, eamPaulus dissuaserunt hominibus christianis. " Sed haec fortassepropria Lutheri sunt? Non sunt. Etiam nuper a meo Charco, [106]sed misere timideque defenduntur. Vultis ne plura? Quidni?"Quanto sceleratior es, inquit, [107] tanto vicinior gratiae. Omnes actiones bonae peccata sunt; Deo iudice, mortifera; Deopropitio, leviuscula[108]--Nemo malum suapte voluntatecogitat[109]--Decalogus nihil ad christianos[110]--Opera nostraDeus nequaquam curat--Soli recte participant coena Dominica, quitristes, afflictas, perturbatas, confusas, erraticas apportantconscientias. --Confitenda crimina sunt, sed cuilibet, qui si tevel ioco absolverit, modo credideris, absolutus es. --Legerepreces horarias non est sacerdotum, sed laicorum--Christianiliberi sunt a statutis hominum. " Satis superque lacunam istamcommosse videor. Lam finio. Nec vero putetis iniquiorem esse me, qui lutheranos et zuinglianos promiscue coarguerim; nam istimemores a quo proseminati sint, inter se fratres et amici voluntesse, [111] adeoque gravem interpretantur iniuriam, quum in ullare praeter unam, discriminantur. 

Equidem non sum tanti, ut vel mediocrem locum mihi sumam inselectis theologis, qui hodie bellum haeresibus indixere; sed hocscio, quantuluscumque sum, periclitari me non posse, dum Christigratia fultus adversum talia commenta, tam invisa, tam insulsa, tam bruta, coelo terraque iuvantibus, praeliabor. 

NONA RATIO

SOPHISMATA

Scitum est, inter caecos luscum regnare posse. Apud rudes valetsaepe fucata disputatio, quam schola Philosophorum exsibilat. Multapeccat adversarius in hoc genere; sed quatuor fallacies plerumqueconsuitur, quas in Academia malim, quam in trevio, retexere. 

Primum vitium [Greek: skiamachia] est, quae auras et umbras magnocontau diverberat. Hoc pacto: contra coelibes iuratos et votos incastimoniam, quod nuptiae bonae sint, virginitas melior, offeruntur Scripturae loquentes honorifice de coniugio. Quemferiunt? Contra meritum hominis christiani, tinctum Christisanguine, alioquin nullum, promuntur testimonia, quibus iubemur, nec naturae, nec legi, sed sanguini Christi fidere. Quemrefellunt? In eos, qui colunt Coelites, ut famulos Christi maximegratiosos, citantur integrae pagellae, quae vetant colere multosDeos. Vbinam sunt? Huiusmodi argumentis, quae apud haereticosinfinita reperio, nobis esse detrimento non poterunt; vobis essefastidio poterunt. 

Aliud vitium [Greek: logomachia] est, quae sensa deserens, loquaciter cum verbo litigat, "Invenias mihi Missam, inquiunt, aut Purgatorium in Scripturis. " Quid ergo? Trinitas, Homoousion, Persona, nusquam sunt in Bibliis, quia voces istae non sunt?Affine est huic peccato litterarum aucupium; quum neglectaconsuetudine et mente loquentium, quae vita vocabuli est, adversus elementa contenditur. Nempe sic aiunt: "Presbyter nihilest Graecis, nisi senior; Sacramentum, quodvis mysterium. "Caeterum acute D. Thomas, [112] ut omnia: "In vocibus, inquit, videndum, non tam ex quo, quam ad quid sumantur. "

Tertium, [Greek: homonumia] est, longe lateque patens. Vt:"Quorsum ordo sacerdotum; quum Ioannes (Apoc. V. 10) omnes nosvocaverit sacerdotes?" Etiam hoc addidit: "Regnabimus superterram. " Quorsum ergo reges? Item: "Propheta (Isai. LVIII. 6)celebrat ieiunium spiritale, hoc est, ab inveteratis criminibusabstinentiam. Valeat ergo ciborum delectus, et dierumpraescriptio. " Siccine? Igitur insanierunt Moyses, David, Elias, Baptistes, Apostoli, qui biduo, triduo, vel hebdomadis inediamterminarunt; quae quidem, ut a crimine, debebat esse perpetua. Hoc quale sit, iam vidistis: propero. 

Quartum his adiicitur "Circulatio, " in hunc modum: Da mihi notas, inquam, Ecclesiae. "Verbum Dei et purissima Sacramenta. " Haeccinesunt apud vos? "Quis dubitet?"--Ego vero pernego. "Consule verbumDei. "--Iam consului, minusque vobis, quam antea, faveo. "Attamenplanum est. "--Proba mihi. "Quia nos ne latum quidem unguemdiscedimus a verbo Dei. "--Vbi est acumen tuum? Semperne capiespro argumento illud ipsum, quod ponitur in quaestione? Quotieshoc iam inculco? Num tu evigilas? Num faces admovendae sunt? Dicoa te perperam exponi verbum Dei: testes habeo quindecim aetates, sta sententiae, non meae, non tuae, sed harum omnium. --"Stabosententiae verbi Dei: Spiritus ubi vult, spirat. " Eccum, quosgyros, quas rotas fabricat. Hic nugator, tot verborum atquesophismatum architectus, nescio cui formidolosus esse queat, molestus erit fortasse. Molestiam vestra prudentia sublevabit, formidinem res eripuit. 

DECIMA RATIO

OMNE GENVS TESTIVM

"Haec erit vobis directa via, ita ut stulti non errent peream. "[113] Quis enim, quamvis hebes in plebecula, dummodo salutiscupidus parumper attenderit, semitam Ecclesiae tam egregiecomplanatam, non videat, non teneat; vepres, et cautes, et aviadetestatus? Erunt haec etiam rudibus explorata, sicut Isaiasvaticinatus est; vobis igitur, si voletis, exploratissima. 

COELITES. --Theatrum universitatis rerum ponamus ob oculos;quidquid est uspiam peragremus; omnia nobis argumentasuppeditant. Eamus in coelum: "Rosas[114] et liliacontemplemur, " purpuratos nempe martyrio, candidatos innocentia. Romanos, inquam, Pontifices[115] tres et triginta continenteroccisos; Pastores terris omnibus, qui suum pro Christi nominesanguinem oppignerarunt; greges fidelium, qui Pastorum vestigiisinstitere; Divos omnes coelites, qui turbae hominum puritate etsanctimonia praeluxere. Nostros hic vixisse, nostros hincemigrasse reperias. Noster fuit, ut paucula delibemus, illemartyrii sitientissimus Ignatius[116] "qui in rebus Ecclesiaeneminem, ne regen[117] quidem, aequavit Episcopo: quitraditiones[118] quasdam Apostolicas, quarum testis ipse fuerat, ne dilaberentur, scripto mandavit. " Noster anachoretaTelesphorus, [119] "qui ieiunium quadragesimale, sancitum abApostolis, observari severius iussit. " Noster Irenaeus, [120]"qui a successione Cathedraque Romana fidem Apostolicamdeclaravit. " Noster etiam Victor Pontifex, "qui[121] Asiamedicto coercuit universam:" quod quum aliquibus, atque etiamhuic Irenaeo, viro sacratissimo, videretur asperius, nemo tamenattenuavit, ut exoticam potestatem. Noster Polycarpus, [122] quisuper quaestione Paschatis Romam adiit, cuius ambustas reliquiasSmyrna collegit, anniversario die rituque legitimo suumEpiscopum venerata. Nostri Cornelius et Cyprianus, [123] aureumpar Martyrum, ambo magni praesules; sed maior ille, qui RomanusAfricanum errorem resciderat; hic nobilitatus observantia, quamaiorem est prosequutus, amicissimum sui. Noster Sixtus, [124]"cui ad aram solemnibus sacris operanti ministrarunt e cleroseptemviri. " Noster Laurentius, huius Archidiaconus, [125] quemadversarii de suis fastis eiiciunt, quem ante mille ducentosannos vir consularis Prudentius[126] sic ornavit:

 Quae sit potestas credita Et muneris quantum datum, Probant Quiritum gaudia, Quibus rogatus annuis. Hos inter, o Christi decus, Audi et poetam rusticum, Cordis fatentem crimina, Et facta prodentem sua. Audi benignus supplicem Christi reum, Prudentium. 

Nostrae virgines illae[127] perbeatae, Caecilia, Agatha, Anastasia, Barbara, Agnes, Lucia, Dorothea, Catharina; quaedecretam pudicitiam adversus et hominum et daemonum tyrannidemfirmaverunt. Nostra Helena, quam dominicae Crucis inventiocelebravit. Nostra Monica, quae moriens[129] orari etsacrificari pro se mortua ad altare Christi, religiosissimeflagitavit. Nostra Paula, [129] quae ex urbano palatio et opimispraediis in speluncam Bethleemiticam tantis itineribus peregrinacucurrit, ut ad Christi vagientis cunabula delitesceret. NostriPaulus, Hilarion, Antonius, seniculi solitarii. NosterSatyrus, [130] Ambrosii germanus frater, qui tremendam illamhostiam circum se gestans in orario, naufragus insiliit inOceanum, et fide plenissimus enatavit. Nostri Nicolaus etMartinus, episcopi, exerciti vigiliis, paludati ciliciis, ieiunio pasti, Noster Benedictus, tot monachorum pater. Chiliadas istas decennio non exsequerer. 

Sed nec illos repeto, quos in Ecclesiae Doctoribus ante posueram. Memor sum brevitatis meae, Petat ista, qui volet, non solum exabundanti veterum historia, sed multo etiam magis ex gravissimisauctoribus, qui paene singuli Divos singulos memoriae[131]reliquerunt. Renuntiet mihi, de christianis illis antiquissimiset beatissimis quid autumet? Vtrius doctrinae fuerint, catholicae, an lutheranae? Testor Dei solium et illud tribunal, ad quod stabo rationem rationum harum et dicti et factiredditurus, aut nullum coelum esse, aut nostrorum esse; illudexsecramur, hoc ergo defigimus. 

DAMNATI. -Nunc e contrario, si libet, inspiciamus in Tartara. Cremantur incendio sempiterno. Qui? Iudaei. Quam Ecclesiamadversati? Nostram. --Qui? Ethnici. Quam Ecclesiam crudelissimepersequuti? Nostram. --Qui? Turcae. Quae templa demoliti?Nostra. --Qui? Haeretici. Cuius Ecclesiae perduelles?Nostrae. --Quae enim Ecclesia praeter nostram omnibus inferorumportis[132] se opposuit?

IVDAEI. --Quum, pulsis Hebraeis, Christiani[133] succrescerentHierosolymis, Deum immortalem! qui concursus hominum ad locasacra fuit, [134] quae urbis religio, quae sepulcri, quaepraesepii, quae crucis, quae monumentorum omnium, quibus velutexuviis mariti, Ecclesia sponsa delectatur? Hinc manavit in nosIudaeorum odium ferum et implacabile. Queruntur etiam nunc, maiores nostros maioribus suis exitio fuisse. A Simone Mago etlutheranis nullum ictum acceperunt. 

ETHNICI. --In Ethnicis violentissimi fuere, qui toto Imperio, trecentis annis, per intervalla temporum, aerumnosissimaChristianis supplicia machinati sunt. Quibus? Patribus et filiisnostrae fidei. Cognoscite vocem tyranni, qui Divum Laurentiumtorruit in craticula:[135]

 Hunc esse vestris Orgiis Moremque et artem, proditum est; Hanc disciplinam foederis, Libent ut auro antistites. Argenteis scyphis ferunt Fumare sacrum sanguinem, Auroque nocturnis sacris Adstare fixos cereos. Tunc cura summa est fratribus, (Vt sermo testatur loquax), Offerre, fundis venditis, Sestertiorum millia. Addicta avorum praedia Foedis sub auctionibus Successor exhaeres gemit, Sanctis egens parentibus. Haec occulantur abditis Ecclesiarum in angulis; Et summa pietas creditur Nudare dulces liberos. Deprome thesauros, malis Suadendo quos praestigiis Exaggeratos obtines, Nigrantes quos claudis specu. Hoc poscit usus publicus; Hoc fiscus, hoc aerarium, Vt dedita stipendiis Ducem iuvet petunia. Sic dogma vestrum est, audio; "Suum quibusque reddito. " En Caesar agnoscit suum Numisma, nummis inditum. Quod Caesaris scis, Caesari Da: nempe iustum postulo, Ni fallor; haud ullam tuus Signat Deus pecuniam. Nec quum veniret, aureos Secum Philippos detulit; Praecepta sed verbis dedit Inanis a marsupio. Implete dictorum fidem, Quae vos per orbem venditis, Nummos libenter reddite; Estote verbis divites. 

Quis videtur? In quos furit? Cuius Ecclesiae sacra, lychnos, ritus, ornamenta convellit? Cui patellas aureas, et argenteoscalices, et sumptuosa donaria, et opulentam gazam invidet?Profecto lutherizat. Quod enim aliud velum suo latrocinionostri Nemrodes[136] obtenderunt, quum depecularenturecclesias, et Christi patrimonium dissiparent? Contra veromagnus ille Constantinus Christomastigon terror, quam Eeclesiamtranquillavit? Illam, cui Pontifex Sylvester praefuit, [137]quem in Soracte latitantem accersiit, ut eius opera nostrobaptismate tingeretur. --Quibus auspiciis victor? Signocrucis. [138]--Qua matre gloriosus? Helena. --Quibus se patribusadiunxit? Nicaenis. --Cuiusmodi? Vt Sylvestro, ut Marco, utIulio, ut Athanasio, ut Nicolao. --Cuius se precibus[139]commendavit? Antonii. --Quam sellam postulavit[140] in Synodo?Vltimam. --O quanto regalior hac sede, quam qui regis titulum, non debitum, ambierunt! Singula narrare longum est. Sed ex hisduobus altero nobis infestissimo, altero nobis amicissimo, licebit singula coniicere, quae sunt horum simillima. Etenim, ut nostrorum illa fuit Epistasis turbulenta, sic nostrorum haecevasit divina Catastrophe. 

TVRCAE. -Turcica videamus. Mahometes et Sergius monachus apostatain profundo barathro iacent ululantes, et suis et posterorumsceleribus onusti. Haec portentosa et efferata bellua, Sarraceni, Turcae, nisi a nostris ordinibus militiaesacrae, [141] nisi a nostris principibus et populis accisafuisset ac repressa, per Lutherum quidem, (cui gratias hocnomine Solymanus Turcus litteris egisse dicitur), et perlutheranos regulos (quibus Turcorum progressio laetabilisexistimatur); haec, inquam, Erinnys furiosa et exitiosamortalibus, totam iam depopularetur et vastaret Europam; nequeindiligentius altaria et signa crucis, quam ipse Calvinuseverteret. Ergo nostri hostes illi sunt proprii, utpotenostrorum industria a christianorum iugulis repulsi. 

HAERETICI. --Despectemus in haereticos, faeces, et folles, etalimenta gehennae. Primus occurrit Simon Magus. Quid ille?"Eripiebat homini liberam[142] voluntatem; solam fidem[143]percrepabat. " Mox Novatianus: Quis? Antipapa Cornelio, [144]Pontifici Romano, "hostis sacramentorum poenitentiae etchrismatis. "[145] Deinde Manes Persa: hic docebat "baptismumsalutem[146] non conferre. " Post Aerius Arianus "preces damnabatpro mortuis, [147] confundebat episcopis sacerdotes. " Hinc Aerius"solam[148] et ipse fidem personabat, " cognominatus atheos[149]non minus quam Lucianus. Sequitur Vigilantius, [150] qui "Divosorari non ferebat:" ac Iovinianus, qui "virginitatem et nuptiasaequiparabat. " Denique colluvies universa Macedonius, Pelagius, Nestorius, Entyches, Monothelitae, Iconomachi, caeteri, quibusLutherum et Calvinum posteritas aggregabit. Quid isti? Omnes malicorvi, eodem ovo geniti, ab Ecclesiae nostrae Praesulibusdesciverunt, ab illis evicti et exinaniti sunt. 

Deseramus avernum, reddamur terris. Quocumque me oculis etcogitatione convertero, sive Patriarchas intueor et sedesApostolicas, sive Antistites caeterarum gentium, sive laudatosprincipes, reges, caesares, sive christianorum cuiusque nationisinitia, sive ullum iudicium vetustatis, aut lumen rationis, authonestatis decus; nostrae fidei serviunt et suffragantur omnia. 

SEDES APOSTOLICA. --Testis Romana successio, "In qua semperEcclesia, (ut cum Augustino ep. 162 loquar), ApostolicaeCathedrae viguit principatus. " Testes illae reliquae sedesapostolicae, in quas hoc nomen insignite convenit, quod ab ipsisApostolis horumve auditoribus exaedificatae[151] fuerint. 

DISIVNCTTISSIMAE TERRAE. --Testes ubivis gentium pastores, locodissiti, religione nostra concordes, Ignatius et Chrysostomus, Antiochiae; Petrus, Alexander, Athanasius, Theophilus, Alexandriae; Macharius et Cyrillus, Hierosolymis; Proclus, Constantinopoli; Gregorius et Basilius, in Cappadocia;Thaumaturgus, in Ponto; Smyrnae, Polycarpus; Iustinus, Athenis;Dionysius, Corinthi; Gregorius, Nissae; Methodius, Tyri; Ephremus, in Cyria; Cyprianus, Optatus, Augustinus, in Africa; Epiphanius, in Cypro; Andreas, Cretae; Ambrosius, Paulinus, Gaudentius, Prosper, Faustus, Vigilius in Italia; Irenaeus, Martinus, Hilarilius, Eucherius, Gregorius, Salvianus, in Gallia;Vincentius, Orosius, Ildefonsus, Leander, Isidorus, in Hispania;in Britannia, Fugatius, Damianus, Iustus, Mellitus, Beda. Denique, ne ambitiosus videar in nominibus, quaecumque vel opera, velfragmenta supersunt eorum, qui disiunctissimis terris Evangeliumseverunt, omnia nobis unam fidem exhibent, quam hodie catholiciprofitemur. Christe, quid causae tibi afferam, quo minus me detuis extermines, si tot luminibus Ecclesiae tenebricosos homulos, paucos, indoctos, dissectos, improbos, antetulero?

PRINCIPES. --Testes item principes, reges, caesares, horumquerespublicae, quorum et ipsorum pietas, et ditionum populi, etpacis bellique disciplina, se penitus in hac nostra doctrinacatholica fundaverunt. Hic ergo quos ab oriente Theodosios, quosab occidente Carolos, quos Eduardos ex Anglia, Ludovicos eGallia, Hermenegildos ex Hispania, Henricos a Saxonia, Wenceslaose Bohemia, Leopoldos ex Austria, Stephanos ex Hungaria, Iosaphatos ex India, quos orbe toto dynastas atque toparchaspossim arcessere; qui exemplo, qui armis qui legibus, quisollicitudine, qui sumptu, nostram Ecclesiam nutrierunt? Sic enimpraecinuit Isaias (xlix. 23): "Erunt reges nutricii tui, etreginae iutrices tuae. " Audi, Elisabetha, Regina potentissima, tibi canit, te tuas partes edocet. Narro tibi: Calvinum et hosprincipes unum coelum capere non potest. His ergo te principibusadiunge, dignam maioribus, dignam ingenio, dignam litteris, dignam laudibus, dignam fortuna tua. Solum hoc de te molior egoet moliar, quidquid me fiet, cui, tamquam hosti capitis tui, toties iam isti patibulum ominantur. Salve bona crux. Veniet, Elisabetha, dies ille, ille dies, qui tibi liquido commonstrabit, utri te dilexerint, Societas Iesu, an Lutheri progeies Pergo. 

NATIONES AD CHRISTAM TRADVCTAE. --Testes iam omne sorae plagaequemundi, quibus evangelica tuba post Christum natum insonuit. Parumne hoc fuit, idolis ora claudere, Dei regnum gentibusimportare? Christum Lutherus, catholici Christum loquimur. "Numdivisus est Christus?"[152] Minime. Aut nos, aut ille, falsumChristum loquimur. Quid ergo? Dicam. Christus ille sit, etillorum sit, quo Dagon[153] invecto cervices fregerit. NosterChristus opera nostrorum uti voluit, quum Ioves, Mercurios, Dianas, Phaebadas, et illam noctem saeculorum atram, Erebumquetristem, e tot populorum cordibus relegaret. Non est otiumlonginqua perquirere; finitima tantum atque domestica speculemur. Hiberni ex Patritio, Scoti ex Palladio, Angli ex Augustino, Romaesacratis, Roma missis, Romam venerantibus, fidem aut nullam autcerte nostram, id est, catholicam insuxerunt. Res aperta. Curro. 

CVMVLVS TESTIVM. --Testes academiae, testes legum tabulae, testesvernaculi mores hominum, testes selectio caesarum et inauguratio, testes regum ritus et inunctio, testes equitum ordines, ipsaequechlamydes, testes fenestrae, testes nummi, testes urbanae portaedomusque civicae, testes avorum fructus et vita, testes res omneset reculae, nullam in orbe religionem, nisi nostram, imis umquamradicibus insedisse. 

Quae mihi quum suppeterent, et certe sic efficerent meditantem, ut his omnibus nuntium remittere christianis, et consociari cumperditissimis quibusque, videretur insolentis insaniae; nondiffiteor, animatus sum et incensus ad conflictum, in quo nisiDivi de coelo deturbentur, et superbus Lucifer coelum recuperet, cadere numquam potero. Quo mihi sit aequior Charcus, qui me tamimmaniter concerpit, si hanc animulam peccatricem, quam tantiChristus emit, viae tutae, viae certae, viae regiae maluicredere, quam Calvinis scopulis dumetisve suspendere. 

CONCLVSIO

Habetis a me, florentes Academici, hoc munusculum, contextumoperis in itinere subcisivis. Animus fuit et purgare me vobis dearrogantia, et satisfacere de fiducia, et interim dum abadversariis una mecum in scholas invitemini, quaedam apponeredegustanda. Si aequam, si tutum, si honestum ducitis, haberiLutherum, aut Calvinum, canonem Scripturae, mentem sanctiSpiritus, normam Ecclesiae, Conciliorum Patrumque paedagogum, omnium denique testium et saeculorum Deum, nihil est quodsperem, vobis lectoribus vel auditoribus. Sin estis ii, quosapud animum formavi meum, philosophi occulati, amatores veri, simplicitatis, modestiae; hostes temeritatis, nugarum, sophismatum; facile diem in aprico videbitis, qui dieculamangusta rima dispicitis. Dicam libere, quod meus in vos amor, etvestrum periculum et rei magnitudo postulat. Non hoc nescitdiabolus, vos istam lucem, si quando coeperitis oculos attolere, conspecturos. Cuius enim stuporis fuerit, antiquitatichristianae Hammeros et Charcos anteponere? Sed sunt quaedamillecebrae lutheranae, quibus suum ille regnum amplificat, quibus ille tendiculis hamatus multos iani vestri ordinisinescavit. Quaenam? Aurum, gloria, deliciae, veneres. Contemnite. Quid enim aliud ista sunt, nisi terrarum ilia, canorus aer, propina vermium, bella sterquilinia? Spernite. Christus dives est, qui vos alet; Rex est, qui ornabit; lautusest, qui satiabit, speciosus est, qui felicitatum omnium cumuloslargietur. Huic vos adscribite militanti, ut cum eo triumphos, vere doctissimi vereque clarissimi, reportetis. Valete. Cosmopoli 1581. 

[Footnote 1: A Beato Edmundo anglice scripta, ab aliolatine reddita. ]

[Footnote 2: Est hic locus supplicii anglice _Tyburn_. ]

[Footnote 3: Aug. L. 28 contra Faust. C. 2 et de utilit. Cred. C. 3. ]

[Footnote 4: Iren. L. 1, c. 26. ]

[Footnote 5: Lut. In novo test. German. ; Praef. In ep. Iac. ;vide etiam l. De capt. Babyl. Cap. De extr. Unct. Et cent, Magd. 2 p. 58. ]

[Foonote 6: Ii sunt Baruch, Tobias, Iudith, Sapientia, Ecclesiast. , duo Machab. ]

[Footnote 7: Ep. Ad Hebr. , Ep. Iudae, Ep. 2 Petri, Epist. 2 et 3 Ioan. ]

[Footnote 8: De doctr. Christ. L. 2 c. 3. ]

[Footnote 9: Conc. Trid. Sess. 4; vid. Melch. Can. L. 2 de loc, theol. ]

[Footnote 10: De praedest, sanct. C. 14. ]

[Footnote 11: Instit. I. Lib. I, c. 7, num. 4 et 5. ]

[Footnote 12: Xistus Sen. L. 8, haer. 10. ]

[Footnote 13: Praef. In Cant. Vide Bezam in sua praef. Ante comm. Calv. In Iosue. ]

[Footnote 4: Epist. Ad Paulinum. ]

[Footnote 15: Lut. Praef. In Apoc. --Kemn. In exam. Conc. Trid. Sess. 4. ]

[Footnote 16: Praef. In nov. Test. ]

[Footnote 17: Lut. Serm. De Pharis. Et Publ. ]

[Footnote 18: Matth. Xxvi. 26; Marc. Xiv. 22; Luc. Xxii. 19. ]

[Footnote 19: In epist. Ad Argent. ]

[Footnote 20: Matth. Viii. 29; Marc. I. 24. ]

[Footnote 21: Luc. Xxii. 19; Matth. Xxvi. 28; Marc. Xiv. 24. ]

[Footnote 22: Ioan. Vi. ; Matth. Xvi. ; Marc. Xiv. ; Luc. Xxii. ;. 1Cor. X. Et xi. ]

[Footnote 23: Calv. Instit. L. Iv. , c. 1 n. 2 et 3. ]

[Footnote 24: Act. Xv. 28. ]

[Footnote 25: Greg. I. 1, ep. 24. ]

[Footnote 26: Ang. I Elizab. ]

[Footnote 27: Nic. Can. Vi. ; Chalc. Act. Iv. ; Const. C. 5. ]

[Footnote 28: Ephes. Conc. In epist. Ad Nestor; Nic. C. Xiv. ]

[Footnote 29: Chalc. Act. Xi. ]

[Footnote 30: Nic. Conc. Apud Soc. I. I. C. 8. ]

[Footnote 31: Vide Chalc. Can. Iv. , vii. , xvi. , xxiv. ]

[Footnote 32: Matth. Xviii. 20; Ioan. Xiv. 26. ]

[Footnote 33: Lib. De capt. Bab. ]

[Footnote 34: Exam. Conc. Trid]

[Footnote 35: Vide Conc. Trid. Sess. 11, 15 et 18. ]

[Footnote 36: Act. Xiii. 1; 1 Cor. Xii. 28; Ephes. Iv. 11; 1 Cor. Xiv. , 1 et seq. ]

[Footnote 37: Matth. Xiii. 52. ]

[Footnote 38: S. Dion. Areop. De quo vide. 6 Syn. Act. 4, Adon. , Tren. In martyr. Turon. , Syng. , Suid. , Metap. ]

[Footnote 39: Comm. In 1, 13, 17 Deut. Item in capt. Babyl. ]

[Footnote 40: Dial. 5 et 11. ]

[Footnote 41: Cent. 2, c. 10. ]

[Footnote 42: Inst. L. I, c. 13, n. 29. ]

[Footnote 43: Cent. 2, c. 5. ]

[Footnote 44: Cent. 1, l. 2, c. 10 et seq. ]

[Footnote 45: Tert. L. De praescr. Contr. Haer. ]

[Footnote 46: Orat. De cos. Secul. ]

[Footnote 47: Causs. Dial. 8 et 11. ]

[Footnote 48: Cent. 3, c. 4. ]

[Footnote 49: Ibid. ]

[Footnote 50: Ezech. Xiii. 18. ]

[Footnote 51: Praef. In Cent. 5. ]

[Footnote 52: Dial. 6, 7, 8. ]

[Footnote 53: Beza in act. C. 23, v. 3]

[Footnote 54: Test. Stanch. L. De Trinit. ]

[Footnote 55: Contr. Henr. Reg. Angl. ]

[Footnote 56: Lib. 22 de Civit. Dei c. 8 et serm. Dedivers. 34 et seq. ]

[Footnote 57: Contr. Ep. Man. Quam vocant funda c. 4. ]

[Footnote 58: Lib. 1 contr. Parmen. ]

[Footnote 59: Aug. L. 1. Contr. Parmen. ; De unit. C 16; et Dedoctr. Christ. C. 40. ]

[Footnote 60: Lib. 2 ad Monim. ]

[Footnote 61: Vide S. Hieron. De Script. Eccles. ]

[Footnote 62: Vide Epist. Syn. Alexandr. Ad Felic. 2. ]

[Footnote 63: Epist. Ad Ital. Item serm. 91. ]

[Footnote 64: Aug. L. 22 de Civ. Dei; Greg. Tur. L. De glor, Mart. E. 46 et Metaph. ]

[Footnote 65: Instit. L. 1, c. 11, n. 5. ]

[Footnote 66: Lib. De vita Ivelli. ]

[Footnote 67: Ioan. V. 39. ]

[Footnote 68: Rom. 1, 8, 9; xv. 29; xvi, 16, 19. ]

[Footnote 69: Act. Xxviii. 30. ]

[Footnote 70: 1 Pet. V. 13. ]

[Footnote 71: Hieron. In cap. Script. Eccles. ; Euseb. 2 hist. C, 14. ]

[Footnote 72: Phillip. Iv. 3. ]

[Footnote 73: Iren. L. 3, c. 3. ]

[Footnote 74: Inst. L. 4, c. 2, n. 3 et in epist. Ad Sadol. ]

[Footnote 75: Calv. Inst. L. 1, c. 18; l. 2, c. 4; l. 3, cc. 23et 24; Petr. Mart. In 1, Sam. 2. ]

[Footnote 76: Melanct. In cap. Rom. 8. ]

[Footnote 77: Sic docet Luth. In asser. 36 et in resol. Asser. 36et in libr. De servo arbitrio. ]

[Footnote 78: Praef. In Phillip. In ep. Ad Rom. ]

[Footnote 79: In Apol. Eccl. Anglic. ]

[Footnote 80: Vide enchir. Prec. An. 1541. ]

[Footnote 81: Calv. Inst. L. 1, c. 13, n. 23, 24. ]

[Footnote 82: Beza in Hes. ]

[Footnote 83: Beza cont. Schmidel. L. De unitat. Hypost. Duasin Christ. Nat. ]

[Footnote 84: Calv. In Ioan. X, 30. ]

[Footnote 85: Luth. Contr. Latom. ]

[Footnote 86: Bucer. In Luc. 2; Calv. In har. Ev. ; Luc. Los. ;Melanct. In ev. Dom. 1 p. Epiph. ]

[Footnote 87: Marlorat. In Matth. 26; Calv. In harm. Eveng. ]

[Footnote 88: Brent. In Luc. Part. 2, hom. 65 et in Ioan. Hom. 54; Calv. In harm. Evang. ]

[Footnote 89: Schmidel. Conc. De pass. Et coena Dom. ; Aepinuscomm. In Ps. 16. ]

[Footnote 90: Calv. Inst. L. 2, c. 16, n. 10, 11; Brent. Incatech, an. 1551. ]

[Footnote 91: Ibid. N. 12. ]

[Footnote 92: Buc. In Matt. Cap. 26. ]

[Footnote 93: Illyr. In var. L. De orig. Pecc. ; Sarcer. De cons. Vet Eccles. ; Aepinus de imb. Et pecc. Sanct. ; Kemn. Contra cens. Col. ; Calv. Inst. L. 4, c. 15, n. 10, 11. ]

[Footnote 94: Illyr. In var. L. De pecc. Orig. --Vide Hesbusiumin ep. Ad Illyr. ]

[Footnote 95: Calv. In antidot. Conc. Trid. --Idem docueratWiclef. Apud. Wald. L. 2, de Sacr. C. 154. ]

[Footnote 96: Luth. In resp. Contra Lovan. ]

[Footnote 97: Bucer. In Ioan. 1; Wald. In nat. Christi; Brent. Hom 16 in Ioan. ; Cent. L. 1, c. 4. ]

[Footnote 98: Hesb. De iustif. In resp . Asv. 115 obiect. Illyric. In Apol. Confes. Antuerp. C. 6 de iustif. ]

[Footnote 99: Calv. Inst. L. 3, c. 2, n. 28 etc. ]

[Footnote 100: Calv. Inst. L. 3, c. 2, n. 40. ]

[Footnote 101: Lib. De capt. Babyl. ]

[Footnote 102: Calv. Inst. L. 4, c. 15, n. 2 et 10; Cent. L. 1, c. 19; Luth. L. De capt. Babyl. ]

[Footonote 103: Cent. 2 et 5, c. 4. ]

[Footnote 104: Luth. Adv. Cochlae, Item epist. Ad Melanct. T. 2;et in ep. Ad Wald. ]

[Footnote 105: Luth. Serm. De matrim. Et lib. De vit. Coniug. ; inasser. Art. 16; lib. De vot. Monast. ]

[Footnote 106: Charc. In Cens. Suum. ]

[Footnote 107: Luth. Serm. De Pet. ; in asser. Art. 32. ]

[Footnote 108: Id. L. De serv. Arbit. ]

[Footnote 109: Id. Serm. De Moyse. ]

[Footnote 110: Id. L. De capt. Bab. C. De Euch. ]

[Footnote 111: Apol. Eccles. Angl. ]

[Footnote 112: In 1, p. Q. 13, a. 2 ad 2. ]

[Footnote 113: Isai. Xxxv. 8. ]

[Footnote 114: Aug. Serm. 37 de Sanct. ]

[Footnote 115: Dam. In vit. Pont. Rom. ]

[Footnote 116: Hier. Cat. Script. ]

[Footnote 117: Ign. Epist. Ad Smyrn. ]

[Footnote 118: Euseb. L. 3, c. 30. ]

[Footnote 119: Dam. In vita Telesph. To. 1 con. C. Stat. D. 5. ]

[Footnote 120: Lib. 3, c. 3. ]

[Footnote 121: Euseb. 5 hist. 24. ]

[Footnote 122: Euseb. 4 hist. 13 et 14. ]

[Footnote 123: Euseb. 7 hist. 2 interp. Ruff. ]

[Footnote 124: Prud. In hym. De S. Laur. ]

[Footnote 125: Vid. Aug. Ser. 1 de S. Laur. ; Ambr. L. 1 offi, c. 41; Leo serm. In die S. Laur. ]

[Footnote 126: Prud. In hym. De S. Laur. ]

[Footnote 127: Metaph. ; Ambr. Et alii. ]

[Footnote 128: Aug. L. 6 confess. C. 7 ad 13. ]

[Footnote 129: Hier. In epit. Paul. ]

[Footnote 130: Ambr. In orat. Fun. De Satyro. ]

[Footnote 131: Vide sex tomos Surii de vitis Sanct. ]

[Footnote 132: Matth. Xv. 18. ]

[Footnote 133: Euseb. 4 hist. 5. ]

[Footnote 134: Hieron, in epit. Paul. Et passim in epist. ]

[Footnote 135: Prudent. In Pin. De S, Laur. ]

[Footnote 136: Gen. X. 9. ]

[Footnote 137: Dam. In Sylv. ; Niceph. L. 7, c. 33; Zonaras, Cedremus. ]

[Footnote 138: Euseb. L. 2 de vit. Const. C. 7, 8, 9; Sozom. L. 1, c. 8, 9. ]

[Footnote 139: Athan. In vita S. Ant. ]

[Footnote 140: Theod. L. 1, hist. Cap. ]

[Footnote 141: Vid. Volate, lovium Aemilium l. 8, Blond. L. 9 de 2. ]

[Footnote 142: Clem. L. 1, recog. ]

[Footnote 143: Iren. L. 1, c. 2. ]

[Footnote 144: Cypr. Ep. Ad Iubatam et l. 4 ep. 2. ]

[Footnote 145: Theod. De fab. Haeret. ]

[Footnote 146: Aug. Haer. 46, 53, 54. ]

[Footnote 147: Epiph. Haer. 75. ]

[Footnote 148: Aug. Haer. 54. ]

[Footnote 149: Socr. L. 2, C. 28. ]

[Footnote 150: Hier. In Iovin. Et Vigilant. ; Aug. Haer. 82. ]

[Footnote 151: Vid. Tert. De praescr. ; Aug. L. 2 dedoctr. Christ. C. 8. ]

[Footnote 152: 1 Cor. I. 13. ]

[Footnote 153: 1 Reg. V. 4. ]

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 

This is no dry controversial divinity, but a sort of illuminatedcopy of _theses_, the call of a knight's trumpet challenging hisantagonist to come forth. The Ten Reasons represent the ten_theses_, which Edmund Campion would fain have maintained in theDivinity School at Oxford against all comers, sharing, as he didto the full, the passion which his age felt and seems entirely tohave lost, for such intellectual tournaments, as the naturalmeans to bring out the truth and compose religious differences. The reader, then, must not be surprised to find in this littlework quite as much of rhetoric as of logic; if he is unfriendly, he may say considerably more. Nor, if he knows anything of thecontroversial methods of the sixteenth century, will he besurprised at the vehemence of the language. Compared with hisopponents, Luther for example, Edmund Campion is mere milk andhoney. His book made a great stir: it is what a successful bookmust be, instinct with the spirit of the age in which and forwhich it was written. 

The Protestant answer to the Ten Reasons was not given in theDivinity School at Oxford. It was the rack in the Tower, and thegibbet at Tyburn; and that answer was returned ere the year was out. 

J. R. 

Pope's Hall, Oxford

May 1910

PREFACE. 

_Edmund Campion, to the Learned Members of the Universities ofOxford and Cambridge, Greeting. _

Last year, Gentlemen, when in accordance with my calling in lifeI returned under orders to this Island, I found on the shore ofEngland not a little wilder waves than those I had recently leftbehind the in the British Seas. As thereupon I made my way intothe interior of England, I had no more familiar sight than thatof unusual executions, no greater certainty than the uncertaintyof threatening dangers. I gathered my wits together as best Icould, remembering the cause which I was serving and the times inwhich I lived. And lest I might perhaps be arrested before I hadgot a hearing from any one, I at once put my purpose in writing, stating who I was, what was my errand, what war I thought ofdeclaring and upon whom. I kept the original document on myperson, that it might be taken with me, if I were taken. Ideposited a copy with a friend, and this copy, without myknowledge, was shown to many. Adversaries took very ill thepublication of the paper. What they particularly disliked andblamed was my having offered to hold the field alone against allcomers in this matter of religion, though to be sure I should nothave been alone had I disputed under a public safe conduct. Hanmer and Chartres have replied to my demands. What is thetenour of their reply? All off the point. The only honest answerfor them to give is one they will never give: "We embrace theconditions, the Queen pledges her word, come at once. " Meanwhilethey fill the air with their cries: "Your conspiracy! yourseditious proceedings! your arrogance! traitor! aye marry, traitor!" The whole thing is absurd. These men are not fools: whyare they wasting their pains and damaging their own reputation?Nevertheless, in reply to these two gentlemen (one of whom haschosen my paper to run at for his amusement, the other moremaliciously has confused the whole issue) there has recently beenpresented a very clear memorial setting forth all that need besaid about our Society and their calumnies and the part that weare taking. The only course left open to me (since as I see, itis tortures, not academic disputations, that the high-priests aremaking ready) was to make good to you the account of my conduct;to show you the chief heads and point my finger to the sourcesfrom whence I derive this confidence; to exhort you also, as itis your concern above others, to give to this business thatattention which Christ, the Church, the Common Weal, and your ownsalvation demand of you. If it were confidence in my own talents, erudition, art, reading, memory, that led me to challenge all theskill that could be brought against me, then were I the vainestand proudest of mortals, not having considered either myself ormy opponents. But if, with my cause before my eyes, I thoughtmyself competent to show that the sun here shines at noon-day, you ought to allow in me that heat which the honour of JesusChrist, my King, and the unconquered force of truth have put uponme. You know how in Marcus Tullius's speech for Publius Quintius, when Roscius promised that he should win the case if he couldmake out by arguments that a journey of 700 miles had not beenaccomplished in two days, Cicero not only had no fear of all theforce of the pleading of the opposing counsel, Hortensius, butcould not have been afraid even of greater orators thanHortensius, men of the stamp of Cotta and Antonius and Crassus, whose reputation for speaking he set higher than that of allother men: for truth does sometimes stand out in so clear a lightthat no artifice of word or deed can hide it. Now the case on ourside is clearer even than that position of Roscius. I have onlyto evince this, that there is a Heaven, that there is a God, thatthere is a Faith, that there is a Christ, and I have gained mycause. Standing on such ground should I not pluck up heart? I maybe killed, beaten I cannot be. I take my stand on those Doctors, whom that Spirit has instructed who is neither deceived norovercome. I beg of you, consent to be saved. Of those from whom Iobtain this consent I expect without the least doubt that all therest will follow. Only give yourselves up to take interest inthis inquiry, entreat Christ, add efforts of your own, andcertainly you will perceive how the case lies, how ouradversaries are in despair, and ourselves so solidly founded thatwe cannot but desire this conflict with serene and high courage. I am brief here, because I address you in the rest of mydiscourse. Farewell. 

FIRST REASON

HOLY WRIT

Of the many signs that tell of the adversaries' mistrust of theirown cause, none declares it so loudly as the shameful outragethey put upon the majesty of the Holy Bible. After they havedismissed with scorn the utterances and suffrages of the rest ofthe witnesses, they are nevertheless brought to such straits thatthey cannot hold their own otherwise than by laying violent handson the divine volumes themselves, thereby showing beyond allquestion that they are brought to their last stand, and arehaving recourse to the hardest and most extreme of expedients toretrieve their desperate and ruined fortunes. What induced theManichees to tear out the Gospel of Matthew and the Acts of theApostles? Despair. For these volumes were a torment to men whodenied Christ's birth of a Virgin, and who pretended that theSpirit then first descended upon Christians when their peculiarParaclete, a good-for-nothing Persian, made his appearance. Whatinduced the Ebionites to reject all St. Paul's Epistles? Despair. For while those Letters kept their credit, the custom ofcircumcision, which these men had reintroduced, was set aside asan anachronism. What induced that crime-laden apostate Luther tocall the Epistle of James contentious, turgid, arid, a thing ofstraw, and unworthy of the Apostolic spirit? Despair. For by thiswriting the wretched man's argument of righteousness consistingin faith alone was stabbed through and rent assunder. Whatinduced Luther's whelps to expunge off-hand from the genuinecanon of Scripture, Tobias, Ecclesiasticus, Maccabees, and, forhatred of these, several other books involved in the same falsecharge? Despair. For by these Oracles they are most manifestlyconfuted whenever they argue about the patronage of Angels, aboutfree will, about the faithful departed, about the intercession ofSaints. Is it possible? So much perversity, so much audacity?After trampling underfoot Church, Councils, Episcopal Sees, Fathers, Martyrs, Potentates, Peoples, Laws, Universities, Histories, all vestiges of Antiquity and Sanctity, and declaringthat they would settle their disputes by the written word of Godalone, to think that they should have emasculated that same Word, which alone was left, by cutting out of the whole body so manyexcellent and goodly parts! Seven whole books, to ignore lesserdiminutions, have the Calvinists cut out of the Old Testament. The Lutherans take away the Epistle of James besides, and, intheir dislike of that, five other Epistles, about which there hadbeen controversy of old in certain places and times. To thenumber of these the latest authorities at Geneva add the book ofEsther and about three chapters of Daniel, which theirfellow-disciples, the Anabaptists, had some time before condemnedand derided. How much greater was the modesty of Augustine (_Dedoct. Christ. Lib. _ 2, _c. _ 8. ), who, in making his catalogue ofthe Sacred Books, did not take for his rule the Hebrew Alphabet, like the Jews, nor private judgment, like the Sectaries, but thatSpirit wherewith Christ animates the whole Church. The Church, the guardian of this treasure, not its mistress (as hereticsfalsely make out), vindicated publicly in former times by veryancient Councils this entire treasure, which the Council of Trenthas taken up and embraced. Augustine also in a special discussionon one small portion of Scripture cannot bring himself to thinkthat any man's rash murmuring should be permitted to thrust outof the Canon the book of Wisdom, which even in his time hadobtained a sure place as a well-authenticated and Canonical bookin the reckoning of the Church, the judgment of ages, thetestimony of ancients, and the sense of the faithful. What wouldhe say now if he were alive on earth, and saw men like Luther andCalvin manufacturing Bibles, filing down Old and New Testamentwith a neat pretty little file of their own, setting aside, notthe book of wisdom alone, but with it very many others from thelist of Canonical Books? Thus whatever does not come out fromtheir shop, by a mad decree, is liable to be, spat upon by all asa rude and barbarous composition. They who have stooped to thisdire and execrable way of saving themselves surely are beaten, overthrown, and flung rolling in the dust, for all their finepraises that are in the mouths of their admirers, for all theirtraffic in priesthoods, for all their bawling in pulpits, for alltheir sentencing of Catholics to chains, rack and gallows. Seatedin their armchairs as censors, as though any one had elected themto that office, they seize their pens and mark passages asspurious even in God's own Holy Writ, putting their pens throughwhatever they cannot stomach. Can any fairly educated man beafraid of battalions of such enemies? If in the midst of yourlearned body they had recourse to such trickster's arts, callinglike wizards upon their familiar spirit, you would shout atthem, --you would stamp your feet at them. For instance I wouldask them what right they have to rend and mutilate the body ofthe Bible. They would answer that they do not cut out trueScriptures, but prune away supposititious accretions. Byauthority of what judge? By the Holy Ghost. This is the answerprescribed by Calvin (_Instit. Lib. _ I, _c. _ 7), for escapingthis judgment of the Church whereby spirits of prophesy areexamined. Why then do some of you tear out one piece ofScripture, and others another, whereas you all boast of being ledby the same Spirit? The Spirit of the Calvinists receives sixEpistles which do not please the Lutheran Spirit, both all thewhile in full confidence reposing on the Holy Ghost. TheAnabaptists call the book of Job a fable, intermixed with tragedyand comedy. How do they know? The Spirit has taught them. Whereasthe Song of Solomon is admired by Catholics as a paradise of thesoul, a hidden manna, and rich delight in Christ, Castalio, alewd rogue, has reckoned it nothing better than a love-song abouta mistress, and an amorous conversation with Court flunkeys. Whence drew he that intimation? From the Spirit. In theApocalypse of John, every jot and tittle of which Jerane declaresto bear some lofty and magnificent meaning, Luther and Brent andKemnitz, critics hard to please, find something wanting, and areinclined to throw over the whole book. Whom have they consulted?The Spirit. Luther with preposterous heat pits the Four Gospelsone against another (_Praef. In Nov. Test. _), and far prefersPaul's Epistles to the first three, while he declares the Gospelof St. John above the rest to be beautiful, true, and worthy ofmention in the first place, --thereby enrolling even the Apostles, so far as in him lay, as having a hand in his quarrels. Whotaught him to do that? The Spirit. Nay this imp of a friar hasnot hesitated in petulant style to assail Luke's Gospel becausetherein good and virtuous works are frequently commended to us. Whom did he consult? The Spirit. Theodore Beza has dared to carpat, as a corruption and perversion of the original, that mysticalword from the twenty-second chapter of Luke, _this is thechalice, the new testament in my blood, which_ (chalice) _shallbe shed for you_ [Greek: potaerion ekchunomenon], because thislanguage admits of no explanation other than that of the wine inthe chalice being converted into the true blood of Christ. Whopointed that out? The Spirit. In short, in believing all thingsevery man in the faith of his own spirit, they horribly belie andblaspheme the name of the Holy Ghost. So acting, do they not givethemselves away? are they not easily refuted? In an assembly oflearned men, such as yours, Gentlemen of the University, are theynot caught and throttled without trouble? Should I be afraid onbehalf of the Catholic faith to dispute with these men, who havehandled with the utmost ill faith not human but heavenlyutterances? I say nothing here of their perverse versions ofScripture, though I could accuse them in this respect ofintolerable doings. I will not take the bread out of the mouth ofthat great linguist, my fellow-Collegian, Gregory Martin, whowill do this work with more learning and abundance of detail thanI could; nor from others whom I understand already to have thattask in hand. More wicked and more abominable is the crime that Iam now prosecuting, that there have been found upstart Doctorswho have made a drunken onslaught on the handwriting that is ofheaven; who have given judgment against it as being in manyplaces defiled, defective, false, surreptitious; who havecorrected some passages, tampered with others; torn out others;who have converted every bulwark wherewith it was guarded intoLutheran "spirits, " what I may call phantom ramparts and partedwalls. All this they have done that they might not be utterlydumbfounded by falling upon Scripture texts contrary to theirerrors, texts which they would have found it as hard to get overas to swallow hot ashes or chew stones. This then has been myFirst Reason, a strong and a just one. By revealing the shadowyand broken powers of the adverse faction, it has certainly givennew courage to a Christian man, not unversed in these studies, tofight for the Letters Patent of the Eternal King against theremnant of a routed foe. 

SECOND REASON

THE SENSE OF HOLY WRIT

Another thing to incite me to the encounter, and to disparage inmy eyes the poor forces of the enemy, is the habit of mind whichthey continually display in their exposition of the Scriptures, full of deceit, void of wisdom. As philosophers, you would seizethese points at once. Therefore I have desired to have you for myaudience. Suppose, for example, we ask our adversaries on whatground they have concocted that novel and sectarian opinion whichbanishes Christ from the Mystic Supper. If they name the Gospel, we meet them promptly. On our side are the words, _this is mybody, this is my blood. _ This language seemed to Luther himselfso forcible, that for all his strong desire to turn Zwinglian, thinking by that means to make it most awkward for the Pope, nevertheless he was caught and fast bound by this most opencontext, and gave in to it (_Luther, epistol. Ad Argent. _), andconfessed Christ truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament no lessunwillingly than the demons of old, overcome by His miracles, cried aloud that He was Christ, the Son of God. Well then, thewritten text gives us the advantage: the dispute now turns on thesense of what is written. Let us examine this from the words inthe context, _my body which is given for you, my blood which hallbe shed for many_. Still the explanation on Calvin's side is mosthard, on ours easy and quite plain. 

What further? Compare the Scriptures, they say, one with another. By all means. The Gospels agree, Paul concurs. The words, theclauses, the whole sentence reverently repeat living bread, signal miracle, heavenly food, flesh, body, blood. There isnothing enigmatical, nothing befogged with a mist of words. Stillour adversaries hold on and make no end of altercation. What arewe to do? I presume, Antiquity should be heard; and what we, twoparties suspect of one another, cannot settle, let it be settledby the decision of venerable ancient men of all past ages, asbeing nearer Christ and further removed from this contention. They cannot stand that, they protest that they are beingbetrayed, they appeal to the word of God pure and simple, theyturn away from the comments of men. Treacherous and fatuousexcuse. We urge the word of God, they darken the meaning of it. We appeal to the witness of the Saints as interpreters, theywithstand them. In short their position is that there shall be notrial, unless you stand by the judgment of the accused party. Andso they behave in every controversy which we start. On infusedgrace, on inherent justice, on the visible Church, on thenecessity of Baptism, on Sacraments and Sacrifice, on the meritsof the good, on hope and fear, on the difference of guilt insins, on the authority of Peter, on the keys, on vows, on theevangelical counsels, on other such points, we Catholics havecited and discussed Scripture texts not a few, and of muchweight, everywhere in books, in meetings, in churches, in theDivinity School: they have eluded them. We have brought to bearupon them the _scholia_ of the ancients, Greek and Latin: theyhave refused them. What then is their refuge? Doctor MartinLuther, or else Philip (Melancthon), or anyhow Zwingle, or beyonddoubt Calvin and Besa have faithfully laid down the facts. Can Isuppose any of you to be so dull of sense as not to perceive thisartifice when he is told of it? Wherefore I must confess howearnestly I long for the University Schools as a place where, with you looking on, I could call those carpet-knights out oftheir delicious retreats into the heat and dust of action, andbreak their power, not by any strength of my own, --for I am notcomparable, not one per cent. , with the rest of our people;--butby force of strong case and most certain truth. 

THIRD REASON

THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH

At hearing the name of the Church the enemy has turned pale. Still he has devised some explanation which I wish you to notice, that you may observe the ruinous and poverty-stricken estate offalsehood. He was well aware that in the Scriptures, as well ofProphets as of Apostles, everywhere there is made honourablemention of the Church: that it is called the holy city, thefruitful vine, the high mountain, the straight way, the onlydove, the kingdom of heaven, the spouse and body of Christ, theground of truth, the multitude to whom the Spirit has beenpromised and into whom He breathes all truths that make forsalvation; her on whom, taken as a whole, the devil's jaws arenever to inflict a deadly bite; her against whom whoever rebels, however much he preach Christ with his mouth, has no more hold onChrist than the publican or the heathen. Such a loudpronouncement he dared not gainsay; he would not seem rebelliousagainst a Church of which the Scriptures make such frequentmention: so he cunningly kept the name, while by his definitionhe utterly abolished the thing, He has depicted the Church withsuch properties as altogether hide her away, and leave her opento the secret gaze of a very few men, as though she were removedfrom the senses, like a Platonic Idea. They only could discernher, who by a singular inspiration had got the faculty ofgrasping with their intelligence this aerial body, and with keeneye regarding the members of such a company. 

What has become of candour and straightforwardness? WhatScripture texts or Scripture meanings or authorities of Fathersthus portray the Church? There are letters of Christ to theAsiatic Churches (Apoc. I. 3), letters of Peter, Paul, John, andothers to various Churches; frequent mention in the Acts of theApostles of the origin and spread of Churches. What of theseChurches? Were they visible to God alone and holy men, or toChristians of every rank and degree? But, doubtless, necessityis a hard weapon. Pardon these subterfuges. Throughout the wholecourse of fifteen centuries these men find neither town, villagenor household professing their doctrine, until an unhappy monkby an incestuous marriage had deflowered a virgin vowed to God, or a Swiss gladiator had conspired against his country, or abranded runaway had occupied Geneva. These people, if they wantto have a Church at all, are compelled to crack up a Church allhidden away; and to claim parents whom they themselves havenever known, and no mortal has ever set eyes on, Perhaps theyglory in the ancestry of men whom every one knows to have beenheretics, such as Aerius, Jovinianus, Vigilantius, Helvidius, Berengarius, the Waldenses, the Lollards, Wycliffe, Huss, ofwhom they have begged sundry poisonous fragments of dogmas. Wonder not that I have no fear of their empty talk: once I canmeet them in the noon-day, I shall have no trouble in dispellingsuch vapourings. Our conversation with them would take thisline. Tell me, do you subscribe to the Church which flourishedin bygone ages? Certainly. Let us traverse, then, differentcountries and periods. What Church? The assembly of thefaithful. What faithful? Their names are unknown, but it iscertain that there have been many of them. Certain? to whom isit certain? To God Who says so! We, who have been taught ofGod--stuff and nonsense, how am I to believe it? If you had thefire of faith in you, you would know it as well as you know youare alive. Let in as spectators, could you withhold yourlaughter? To think that all Christians should be bidden to jointhe Church; to beware of being cut down by the spiritual sword;to keep peace in the house of God; to trust their soul to theChurch as to the pillar of truth; to lay all their complaintsbefore the Church; to hold for heathen all who are cast out ofthe Church; and that nevertheless so many men for so manycenturies should not know where the Church is or who belong toit! This much only they prate in the darkness, that wherever theChurch is, only Saints and persons destined for heaven arecontained in it. Hence it follows that whoever wishes towithdraw himself from the authority of his ecclesiasticalsuperior has only to persuade himself that the priest has falleninto sin and is quite cut off from the Church. Knowing as I didthat the adversaries were inventing these fictions, contrary tothe customary sense of the Churches in all ages, and that, having lost the whole substance, they still wished in theirdifficulties to retain the name, I took comfort in the thoughtof your sagacity, and so promised myself that, as soon as everyou had cognisance of such artifices by their own confession, you would at once like men of mark and intelligence rend asunderthe web of foolish sophistry woven for your undoing. 

FOURTH REASON

COUNCILS

In the infant Church a grave question about lawful ceremonies, which troubled the minds of believers, was solved by thegathering of a Council of Apostles and elders. The Childrenbelieved their parents, the sheep their shepherds, commanding intheir words, _It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us_(Acts xv). There followed for the extirpation of various heresiesin various several ages, four Oecumenical Councils of theancients, the doctrine whereof was so well established that athousand years ago (see St. Gregory the Great's Epistles, lib. I. Cap. 24) singular honour was paid to it as to an utterance ofGod. I will travel no further abroad. Even in our home, inParliament (ann. 1 Elisabeth), the same Councils keep theirformer right and their dignity inviolate. These I will cite, andI will call thee, England, my sweet country, to witness. If, asthou professest, thou wilt reverence these four Councils, thoushalt give chief honour to the Bishop of the first See, that isto Peter: thou shalt recognise on the altar the unbloodysacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ: thou shalt beseech theblessed martyrs and all the saints to intercede with Christ onthy behalf: thou shalt restrain womanish apostates from unnaturalvice and public incest: thou shalt do many things that thou artundoing, and wish undone much that thou art doing. Furthermore, Ipromise and undertake to show, when opportunity offers, that theSynods of other ages, and notably the Synod of Trent, have beenof the same authority and credence as the first. Armed thereforewith the strong and choice support of all the Councils, whyshould I not enter into this arena with calmness and presence ofmind, watchful to keep an eye on my adversary and see on whatpoint he will show himself? I will produce testimonies mostevident that he cannot wrest aside. Possibly he will take toscolding, and endeavour to talk against time, but he will notelude the eyes and ears of men who will watch him hard, as youwill do, if you are the men I take you for. But if there shall beany one found so stark mad as to set his single self up as amatch for the senators of the world, men whose greatness, holiness, learning and antiquity is beyond all exception, I shallbe glad to look upon that face of impudence; and when I haveshown it to you, I will leave the rest to your own thoughts. Meanwhile I will say thus much: The man who refuses considerationand weight to a Plenary Council, brought to a conclusion in dueand orderly fashion, seems to me witless, brainless, a dullard intheology, and a fool in politics. If ever the Spirit of God hasshone upon the Church, then surely is the time for the sending ofdivine aid, when the most manifest religiousness, ripeness ofjudgment, science, wisdom, dignity of all the Churches on earthhave flocked together in one city, and with employment of allmeans, divine and human, for the investigation of truth, implorethe promised Spirit that they may make wholesome and prudentdecrees. Let there now leap to the front some mannikin master ofan heretical faction, let him arch his eyebrows, turn up hisnose, rub his forehead, and scurrilously take upon himself tojudge his judges, what sport, what ridicule will he excite! Therewas found a Luther to say that he preferred to Councils theopinions of two godly and learned men (say his own and PhilipMelanchthon's) when they agreed in the name of Christ. Oh whatquackery! There was found a Kemnitz to try the Council of Trentby the standard of his own rude and giddy humour. What gained hethereby? Infamy. While he, unless he takes care, shall be buriedwith Arius, the Synod of Trent, the older it grows, shallflourish the more, day by day, and year by year. Good God! whatvariety of nations, what a choice assembly of Bishops of thewhole world, what a splendid representation of Kings andCommonwealths, what a quintessence of theologians, what sanctity, what tears, what fears, what flowers of Universities, whattongues, what subtlety, what labour, what infinite reading, whatwealth of virtues and of studies filled that august sanctuary! Ihave myself heard Bishops, eminent and prudent men, --and amongthem Antony, Archbishop of Prague, by whom I was madePriest, --exulting that they had attended such a school for someyears; so that, much as they owed to Kaiser Ferdinand, theyconsidered that he had shown them no more royal and abundantbounty than this of sending them to sit in that Academy of Trentas Legates from Bohemia. The Kaiser understood this, and on theirreturn he welcomed them with the words, "We have kept you at agood school. " Invited as our adversaries have been under a safeconduct, why have they not hastened thither, publicly to refutethose against whom they go on quacking like frogs from theirholes? "They broke their promise to Huss and Jerome, " is theirreply. Who broke it? "The Fathers of the Council of Constance. "It is false; they never gave any promise. But anyhow, not evenHuss would have been punished had not the perfidious andpestilent fellow been brought back from that flight which theEmperor Sigusmund had forbidden him under pain of death; had henot violated the conditions which he had agreed to in writingwith the Kaiser and thereby nullified all the value of thatsafe-conduct. Huss's hasty wickedness played him false. For, having instigated deeds of savage violence in his native Bohemia, and being bidden thereupon to present himself at Constance, hedespised the prerogative of the Council, and sought hissafe-conduct of the Kaiser. Caesar signed it; the Christianworld, greater than Caesar, cancelled the signature. Theheresiarch refused to return to a sound mind, and so perished. Asfor Jerome of Prague, he came to Constance protected by no one;he was detected and arraigned; he spoke in his own behalf, wastreated very kindly, went free whither he would; he was healed, abjured his heresy, relapsed, and was burnt. Why do they so oftendrag out one case in a thousand? Let them read their own annals. Martin Luther himself, that abomination of God and men, was putin court at Augsburg before Cardinal Cajetan: there did he notbelch out all he could, and then depart in safety, fortified witha letter of Maximilian? Likewise, when he was summoned to Worms, and had against him the Kaiser and most of the Princes of theEmpire, was he not safe under the protection of the Kaiser'sword? Lastly, at the Diet of Augsburg, in presence of Charles V. , an enemy of heretics, flushed with victory, master of thesituation, did not the heads of the Lutherans and Zwinglians, under truce, present their Confessions, so frequently re-edited, and depart in peace? Not otherwise had the letter from Trentprovided most ample safe-guards for the adversary; he would nottake advantage of them. The fact is, he airs his condition incorners, where he expects to figure as a sage by coming out withthree words of Greek: he shrinks from the light, which shouldplace him in the number of men of letters [_lilleratorum_{transcribers note: the Latin is interpolated into thetranslation here}] and call him to sit in honourable place. Letthem obtain for English Catholics such a written promise ofimpunity, if they love the salvation of souls. We will not raisethe instance of Huss: relying on the Sovereign's word, we willfly to Court. But, to return to the point whence I digressed, theGeneral Councils are mine, the first, the last, and thosebetween. With them I will fight. Let the adversary look for ajavelin hurled with force, which he will never be able to pluckout. Let Satan be overthrown in him, and Christ live. 

FIFTH REASON

FATHERS

At Antioch, in which city the noble surname of Christians firstbecame common, there flourished _Doctors_, that is, eminenttheologians, and _Prophets_, that is, very celebrated preachers(Acts xiii. 1). Of this sort were the scribes and wise men, learned in the kingdom of God, bringing forth new things and old(Matth. Xiii. 52; xxiii. 34), knowing Christ and Moses, whom theLord promised to His future flock. What a wicked thing it is toscout these teachers, given as they are by way of a mighty boon!The adversary has scouted them. Why? Because their standing meanshis fall. Having found that out for certain beyond doubt, I haveasked for a fight unqualified, not that sham-fight in which thecrowds in the street engage, and skirmish with one another, butthe earnest and keen struggle in which we join in the arena ofyon philosophers, Foot to foot, and man close gripping man. 

If ever we shall be allowed to turn to the Fathers, the battle islost and won: they are as thoroughly ours as is Gregory XIII. Himself, the loving Father of the children of the Church. To saynothing of isolated passages, which are gathered from the recordsof the ancients, apt and clear statements in defence of ourfaith, we hold entire volumes of these Fathers, which professedlyillustrate in clear and abundant light the Gospel religion whichwe defend. Take the twofold _Hierarchy_ of the martyr Dionysius, what classes, what sacrifices, what rites does he teach? Thisfact struck Luther so forcibly that he pronounced the works ofthis Father to be "such stuff as dreams are made of, and that ofthe most pernicious kind. " In imitation of his parent, an obscureFrenchman, Caussee, has not hesitated to call this Dionysius, theApostle of an illustrious nation, "an old dotard. " Ignatius hasgiven grievous offence to the Centuriators of Magdeburg, as alsoto Calvin, so that these men, the offscouring of mankind, havenoted in his works "unsightly blemishes and tasteless prosings. "In their judgment, Irenaeus has brought out "a fanaticalproduction": Clement, the author of the _Stromata_, has produced"Tares and dregs": the other Fathers of this age, Apostolic mento be sure, "have left blasphemies and monstrosities toposterity. " In Tertullian they eagerly seize upon what they havelearned from us, in common with us, to detest; but they shouldremember that his book _On Prescriptions_, which has so signallysmitten the heretics of our times, was never found fault with. How finely, how, clearly, has Hippolytus, Bishop of Porto pointedout beforehand the power of Antichrist, the times of Luther! Theycall him, therefore, "a most babyish writer, an owl. " Cyprian, the delight and glory of Africa, that French critic Caussee, andthe Centuriators of Magdeburg, have termed "stupid, God-forsakencorrupter of repentance. " What harm has he done? He has written_On Virgins, On the Lapsed, On the Unity of the Church_, suchtreatises as also such letters to Cornelius, the Roman Pontiff, that, unless credence be withdrawn from this Martyr, Peter MartyrVermilius and all his associates must count for worse thanadulterers and men guilty of sacrilege. And, not to dwell longeron individuals, the Fathers of this age are all condemned "forwonderful corruption of the doctrine of repentance. " How so?Because the austerity of the Canons in vogue at that time isparticularly obnoxious to this plausible sect which, betterfitted for dining-rooms than for churches, is wont to ticklevoluptuous ears and to sew _cushions on every arm_ (Ezech. Xiii. 18). Take the next age, what offence has that committed?Chrysostom and those Fathers, forsooth, have "foully obscured thejustice of faith. " Gregory Nazianzen whom the ancients calledeminently "the Theologian, " is in the judgment of Caussee "achatter-box, who did not know what he was saying. " Ambrose was"under the spell of an evil demon. " Jerome is "as damnable as thedevil, injurious to the Apostle, a blasphemer, a wicked wretch. "To Gregory Massow--"Calvin alone is worth more than a hundredAugustines. " A hundred is a small number: Luther "reckons nothingof having against him a thousand Augustines, a thousand Cyprians, a thousand Churches. " I think I need not carry the matterfurther. For when men rage against the above-mentioned Fathers, who can wonder at the impertinence of their language againstOptatus, Hilary, the two Cyrils, Epiphanius, Basil, Vincent, Fulgentius, Leo, and the Roman Gregory. However, if we grant anyjust defence of an unjust cause, I do not deny that the Fatherswherever you light upon them, afford the party of our opponentsmatter they needs must disagree with, so long as they areconsistent with themselves. Men who have appointed fast-days, howmust they be minded in regard of Basil, Gregory, Nazianzen, Leo, Chrysostom, who have published telling sermons on Lent andprescribed days of fasting as things already in customary use?Men who have sold their souls for gold, lust, drunkenness andambitious display, can they be other than most hostile to Basil, Chrysostom, Jerome, Augustine, whose excellent books are in thehands of all, treating of the institute, rule, and virtues ofmonks? Men who have carried the human will into captivity, whohave abolished Christian funerals, who have burnt the relics ofSaints, can they possibly be reconciled to Augustine, who hascomposed three books on Free Will, one on Care for the Dead, besides sundry sermons and a long chapter in a noble work on theMiracles wrought at the Basilicas and Monuments of the Martyrs?Men who measure faith by their own quips and quirks, must theynot be angry with Augustine, of whom there is extant a remarkableLetter against a Manichean, in which he professes himself toassent to Antiquity, to Consent, to Perpetuity of Succession, andto the Church which, alone among so many heresies, claims byprescriptive right the name of Catholic?

Optatus, Bishop of Milevis, refutes the Donatist faction byappeal to Catholic communion: he accuses their wickedness byappeal to the decree of Melchiades: he convicts their heresy byreference to the order of succession of Roman Pontiffs: he laysopen their frenzy in their defilement of the Eucharist and ofschism: he abhors their sacrilege in their breaking of altars "onwhich the members of Christ are borne, " and their pollution ofchalices "which have held the blood of Christ. " I greatly desireto know what they think of Optatus, whom Augustine mentions as avenerable Catholic Bishop, the equal of Ambrose and of Cyprian;and Fulgentius as a holy and faithful interpreter of Paul, likeunto Augustine and Ambrose. They sing in their churches the Creedof Athanasius. Do they stand by him? That grave anchor who haswritten an elaborate book in praise of the Egyptian hermitAntony, and who with the Synod of Alexandria suppliantly appealedto the judgment of the Apostolic See, the See of St. Peter. Howoften does Prudentius in his Hymns pray to the martyrs whosepraises he sings! how often at their ashes and bones does hevenerate the King of Martyrs! Will they approve his proceeding?Jerome writes against Vigilantius in defence of the relics of theSaints and the honours paid to them; as also against Jovinian forthe rank to be allowed to virginity. Will they endure him?Ambrose honoured his patron saints Gervase and Protase with amost glorious solemnity by way of putting the Arians to shame. This action of his was praised by most godly Fathers, and Godhonoured it with more than one miracle. Are they going to take akindly view off Ambrose here? Gregory the Great, our Apostle, ismost manifestly with us, and therefore is a hateful personage toour adversaries. Calvin, in his rage, says that he was notbrought up in the school of the Holy Ghost, seeing that he hadcalled holy images the books of the illiterate. 

Time would fail me were I to try to count up the Epistles, Sermons, Homilies, Orations, Opuscula and dissertations of theFathers, in which they have laboriously, earnestly and with muchlearning supported the doctrines of us Catholics. As long asthese works are for sale at the booksellers' shops, it will bevain to prohibit the writings of our controversialists; vain tokeep watch at the ports and on the sea-coast; vain to searchhouses, boxes, desks, and book-chests; vain to set up so manythreatening notices at the gates. No Harding, nor Sanders, norAllen, nor Stapleton, nor Bristow, attack these new-fangledfancies with more vigour than do the Fathers whom I haveenumerated. As I think over these and the like facts, my couragehas grown and my ardour for battle, in which whatever way theadversary stirs, unless he will yield glory to God, he will be instraits. Let him admit the Fathers, he is caught: let him shutthem out, he is undone. 

When we were young men, the following incident occurred. JohnJewell, a foremost champion of the Calvinists of England, withincredible arrogance challenged the Catholics at St. Paul's, London, invoking hypocritically and calling upon the Fathers, whohad flourished within the first six hundred years ofChristianity. His wager was taken up by the illustrious men whowere then in exile at Louvain, hemmed in though they were withvery great difficulties by reason of the iniquity of their times. I venture to assert that that device of Jewell's, stupid, unconscionable, shameless as it was, qualities which thosewriters happily brought out, did so much good to our countrymenthat scarcely anything in my recollection has turned out to thebetter advantage of the suffering English Church. At once anedict is hung up on the doors, forbidding the reading orretaining of any of those books, whereas they had come out, orwere wrung out, I may almost say, by the outcry that Jewell hadraised. The result was that all the persons interested in thematter came to understand that the Fathers were Catholics, thatis to say, ours. Nor has Lawrence Humphrey passed over in silencethis wound inflicted on him and his party. After high praise ofJewell in other respects, he fixes on him this role ofinconsiderateness, that he admitted the reasonings of theFathers, with whom Humphrey declares, without any beating aboutthe bush, that he has nothing in common nor ever will have. 

We also sounded once in familiar discourse Toby Matthews, now aleading preacher, whom we loved for his good accomplishments andthe seeds of virtue in him; we asked him to answer honestlywhether one who read the Fathers assiduously could belong to thatparty which he supported. He answered that he could not, if, besides reading, he also believed them. [1] This saying is mosttrue; nor do I think that either he at the present time, orMatthew Hutten, a man of name, who is said to read the Fatherswith an assiduity that few equal, or other adversaries who do thelike, are otherwise minded. 

Thus far I have been able to descend with security into thisfield of conflict, to wage war with men, who, as though they helda wolf by the ears, are compelled to brand their cause with aneverlasting stigma of shame, whether they refuse the Fathers orwhether they call for them. In the one case they are preparing torun away, in the other they are caught by the throat. 

SIXTH REASON

THE GROUNDS OF ARGUMENT ASSUMED BY THE FATHERS

If ever any men took to heart and made their special care, --asmen of our religion have made it and should make it their specialcare, --to observe the rule, _Search the Scriptures_ (John v. 39), the holy Fathers easily come out first and take the palm for thematter of this observance. By their labour and at their expenseBibles have been transcribed and carried among so many nationsand tongues by the perils they have run and the tortures theyhave endured the Sacred Volumes have been snatched from theflames and devastation spread by enemies: by their labours andvigils they have been explained in every detail. Night and daythey drank in Holy Writ, from all pulpits they gave forth HolyWrit, with Holy Writ they enriched immense volumes, with mostfaithful commentaries they unfolded the sense of Holy Writ, withHoly Writ they seasoned alike their abstinence and their meals, finally, occupied about Holy Writ they arrived at decrepit oldage. And if they also frequently have argued from the Authorityof Elders, from the Practice of the Church, from the Successionof Pontiffs, from ecumenical Councils, from Apostolic Traditions, from the Blood of Martyrs, from the decrees of Bishops, fromMiracles, yet most persistently of all and most willingly do theyset forth in close array the testimonies of Holy Writ: these theypress home, on these they dwell, to this _armour of the strong_(Cant. Iii. 7), for the best of reasons, is the first and themost honourable part assigned by these valiant leaders in theirwork of forgiving and keeping in repair the City of God againstthe assaults of the wicked. 

Wherefore I do all the more wonder at that haughty and famousobjection of the adversary, who, like one looking for water in arunning stream, takes exception to the lack of Scripture textsin writings crowded with Scripture texts. He says he will agreewith the Fathers so long as they keep close to Holy Scripture. Does he mean what he says? I will see then that there comeforth, armed and begirt with Christ, with Prophets and Apostles, and with all array of Biblical erudition, those celebratedauthors, those ancient Fathers, those holy men, Dionyius, Cyprian, Athanasius, Basil, Nazianzen, Ambrose, Jerome, Chrysostom, Augustine, and the Latin Gregory. Let that faithreign in England, Oh that it may reign! which these Fathers, dear lovers of the Scriptures, build up out of the Scriptures. The texts that they bring, we will bring: the texts they confer, we will confer: what they infer, we will infer. Are you agreed?Out with it and say so, please. Not bit of it, he says, unlessthey expound rightly. What is this "rightly"? At yourdiscretion. Are you not ashamed of the vicious circle?

Hopeful as I am that in flourishing Universities there will begathered together a good number, who will be no dull spectators, but acute judges of these controversies and who will weigh forwhat they are worth the frivolous answers of our adversaries, Iwill gladly await this meeting-day, as one minded to lead forthagainst wooded hillocks [cf. Cicero _in Catilinam_ ii. 11], covered with unarmed tramps, the nobility and strength of theChurch of Christ. 

SEVENTH REASON

HISTORY

Ancient History unveils the primitive face of the Church. To thisI appeal. Certainly, the more ancient historians, whom ouradversaries also habitually, consult, are enumerated pretty wellas follows: Eusebius, Damasus, Jerome, Rufinus, Orosius, Socrates, Sozomen, Theodoret Cassiodorus, Gregory of Tours, Usuard, Regino, Marianus, Sigebert, Zonaras, Cedrinus, Nicephorus. What have they to tell? The praises of our religion, its progress, vicissitudes, enemies. Nay, and this is a point Iwould have you observe diligently, they who in deadly hatreddissent from us, --Melancthon, Pantaleon, Funck, the Centuriatorsof Magdeburg, --on applying themselves to write either thechronology or the history of the Church, if they did not gettogether the exploits of our heroes, and heap up the accounts ofthe frauds and crimes of the enemies of our Church, would pass byfifteen hundred years with no story to tell. 

Along with the above-mentioned consider the local historians, whohave searched with laborious curiosity into the transactions ofsome one particular nation. These men, wishing by all means toenrich and adorn the Sparta which they had gotten for their own, and to that effect not passing over in silence even such thingsas banquets of unusual splendour, or sleeved tunics, or hilts ofdaggers, or gilt spurs, and other such minutiae having any smackof revelry about them, surely, if they had heard of any change inreligion, or any falling off from the standard of early ages, would have related it, many of them; or, if not many, at leastseveral; if not several, some one anyhow. Not one, well-disposedor ill-disposed towards us, has related anything of the sort, oreven dropped the slightest hint of the same. 

For example. Our adversaries grant us, --they cannot dootherwise, --that the Roman Church was at one time holy, Catholic, Apostolic, at the time when it deserved theseeulogiums from St. Paul: _Your faith is spoken of in the wholeworld. Without ceasing I make a commemoration of you. I knowthat when I come to you, I shall come in the abundance of theblessing of Christ. All the Churches of Christ salute you. Yourobedience is published in every place_ (Rom. I. 8, 9; xv. 29;xvi. 17, 19): at the time when Paul, being kept there in freecustody, was spreading the gospel (Acts xxviii. 31) : at thetime when Peter once in that city was ruling _the Churchgathered at Babylon_ (1 Peter v. 13): at the time when thatClement, so singularly praised by the Apostle (Phil. Iv. 3) wasgoverning the Church: at the time when the pagan Caesars, Nero, Domitian, Trajan, Antoninus, were butchering the Roman Pontiffs:also at the time when, as even Calvin bears witness, Damasus, Siricius, Anastasius and Innocent guided the Apostolic bark. Forat this epoch he generously allows that men, at Romeparticularly, had so far not swerved from Gospel teaching. Whenthen did Rome lose this faith so highly celebrated? when did shecease to be what she was before? at what time, under whatPontiff, by what way, by what compulsion, by what increments, did a foreign religion come to pervade city and world? Whatoutcries, what disturbances, what lamentations did it provoke?Were all mankind all over the rest of the world lulled to sleep, while Rome, Rome I say, was forging new Sacraments, a newSacrifice, new religious dogma? Has there been found nohistorian, neither Greek nor Latin, neither far nor near, tofling out in his chronicles even an obscure hint of soremarkable a proceeding?

Therefore this much is clear, that the articles of our belief arewhat History, manifold and various, History the messenger ofantiquity, and life of memory, utters and repeats in abundance;while no narrative penned in human times records that thedoctrines foisted in by our opponents ever had any footing in theChurch. It is clear, I say, that the historians are mine, andthat the adversary's raids upon history are utterly withoutpoint. No impression can they make unless the assertion be firstreceived, that all Christians of all ages had lapsed into grossinfidelity and gone down to the abyss of hell, until such time asLuther entered into an unblessed union with Catherine Bora. 

EIGHTH REASON

PARADOXES

For myself, most excellent Sirs, when, choosing out of manyheresies, I think over in my mind certain portentous errors ofself-opinionated men, errors that it will be incumbent on me torefute, I should condemn myself of want of spirit and discernmentif in this trial of strength I were to be afraid of any man'sability or powers. Let him be able, let him be eloquent, let himbe a practised disputant, let him be a devourer of all books, still his thought must dry up and his utterance fail him when heshall have to maintain such impossible positions as these. For weshall dispute, if perchance they will allow us, on God, onChrist, on Man, on Sin, on Justice, on Sacraments, on Morals. Ishall see whether they will dare to speak out what they think, and what under the constraint of their situation they publish intheir miserable writings. I will take care that they know thesemaxims of their teachers:--"God is the author and cause of evil, willing it, suggesting it, effecting it, commanding it, workingit out, and guiding the guilty counsels of the wicked to thisend. As the call of Paul, so the adultery of David, and thewickedness of the traitor Judas, was God's own work" (Calvin, _Institut_. I. 18; ii. 4; iii. 23, 24). This monstrous doctrine, of which Philip Melanchthon was for once ashamed, Luther however, of whom Philip had learned it, extols as an oracle from heavenwith wonderful praises, and on that score puts his foster-childall but on an equality, with the Apostle Paul (Luther, _De servoarbitrio_). I will also enquire what was in Luther's mind, whomthe English Calvinists pronounce to be "a man given of God forthe enlightenment of the world, " when he wished to take thisversicle out of the Church's prayers, "Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. "

I will proceed to the person of Christ. I will ask what thesewords, "Christ the Son of God, God of God, " mean to Calvin, whosays, "God of Himself" (_Instit. _ i. 13); or to Beza, who says, "He is not begotten of the essence of the Father" (Beza in Josue, nn. 23, 24). Again. Let there be set up two hypostate unions inChrist, one of His soul with His flesh, the other of His Divinitywith His Humanity (Beza, _Contra Schmidel_). The passage in Johnx. 30, _I and the Father are one_, does not show Christ to beGod, consubstantial with God the Father (Calvin on John x. ), thefact is, says Luther, "my soul hates this word, _homousion. _" Goon. Christ was not perfect in grace from His infancy, but grew ingifts of the soul like other men, and by experience daily becamewiser, so that as a little child He laboured under ignorance(Melanchthon on the gospel for first Sunday after Epiphany). Which is as much as to say that He was defiled with the stain andvice of original sin. But observe still more direful utterances. When Christ, praying in the Garden, was streaming with a sweat ofwater and blood, He shuddered under a sense of eternal damnation, He uttered an irrational cry, an unspiritual cry, a sudden cryprompted by the force of His distress, which He quickly checkedas not sufficiently premeditated (Marlorati in Matth. Xxvi. ;Calvin _in Harm. Evangel. _). Is there anything further? Attend. When Christ Crucified exclaimed, _My God, my God, why hast Thouforsaken me, _ He was on fire with the flames of hell, He uttereda cry of despair, He felt exactly as if nothing were before Himbut to perish in everlasting death (Calvin _in Harm. Evangel. _). To this also let them add something, if they can. Christ, theysay, descended into hell, that is, when dead, He tasted hell nototherwise than do the damned souls, except that He was destinedto be restored to Himself: for since by His mere bodily death Hewould have profited us nothing, He needed in soul also tostruggle with everlasting death, and in this way to pay the debtof our crime and our punishment. And lest any one might haplysuspect that this theory had stolen upon Calvin unawares, thesame Calvin calls _all of you who have repelled this doctrine, full as it is of comfort, God-forsaken boobies_ (Institut. Ii. 16). Times, times, what a monster you have reared! That delicateand royal Blood, which ran in a flood from the lacerated and tornBody of the innocent Lamb, one little drop of which Blood, forthe dignity of the Victim, might have redeemed a thousand worlds, availed the human race nothing, unless _the mediator of God andmen, the man Christ Jesus_ (I Tim. Ii. 5) had borne also _thesecond death_ (Apoc. Xx. 6), the death of the soul, the death tograce, that accompaniment only of sin and damnable blasphemy! Incomparison with this insanity, Bucer, impudent fellow that he is, will appear modest, for he (on Matth. Xxvi. ), by an explanationvery preposterous, or rather, an inept and stupid tautology, takes _hell_ in the creed to mean the tomb. Of the Anglicansectaries, some are wont to adhere to their idol, Calvin, othersto their great master, Bucer; some also murmur in an undertoneagainst this article, wishing that it may be quietly removedaltogether from the Creed, that it may give no more trouble. Nay, this was actually tried in a meeting at London, as I rememberbeing told by one who was present, Richard Cheyne, a miserableold man, who was badly mauled by robbers outside, and, for allthat, never entered his father's house. [2]

And thus far of Christ. What of Man? The image of God is utterlyblotted out in man, not the slightest spark of good is left: hiswhole nature in all the parts of his soul is so thoroughlyoverturned that, even after he is born again and sanctified inbaptism, there is nothing whatever within him but mere corruptionand contagion. What does this lead up to? That they who mean toseize glory by faith alone may wallow in the filth of everyturpitude, may accuse nature, despair of virtue, and dischargethemselves of the commandments (Calvin, _Instit. _ ii. 3). Tothis, Illyricus, the standard-bearer of the Magdeburg company, has added his own monstrous teaching about original sin, which hemakes out to be the innermost substance of souls, whom, sinceAdam's fall, the devil himself engenders and transforms intohimself. This also is a received maxim in this scum of evildoctrine, that all sins are equal, yet with this qualification(not to revive the Stoics), "if sins are weighed in the judgmentof God. " As if God, the most equitable judge, were to add to ourburden rather than lighten it; and, for all His justice, were toexaggerate and make it what it is not in itself. By thisestimation, as heavy an offence would be committed against God, judging in all severity, by the innkeeper who has killed abarn-door cock, when he should not have done, as by that infamousassassin who, his head full of Beza, stealthily slew by the shotof a musket the French hero, the Duke of Guise, a Prince ofadmirable virtue, than which crime our world has seen in our agenothing more deadly, nothing more lamentable. 

But perchance they who are so severe in the matter of sinphilosophise magnificently on divine grace, as able to bringsuccour and remedy to this evil. Fine indeed is the functionwhich they assign to grace, which their ranting preachers say isneither infused into our hearts, nor strong enough to resist sin, but lies wholly outside of us, and consists in the mere favour ofGod, --a favour which does not amend the wicked, nor cleanse, norilluminate, nor enrich them, but, leaving still the old stinkingordure of their sin, dissembles it by God's connivance, that itbe not counted unsightly and hateful. And with this theirinvention they are so delighted that, with them, even Christ isnot otherwise called _full of grace and truth_ than inasmuch asGod the Father has borne wonderful favour to Him (Bucer on Johni: Brent hom. 12 on John). 

What sort of thing then is righteousness? A relation. It is notmade up of faith, hope and charity, vesting the soul in theirsplendour; it is only a hiding away of guilt, such that, whoeverhas seized upon this righteousness by faith alone, he is as sureof salvation as though he were already enjoying the unending joyof heaven. Well, let this dream pass: but how can one be sure offuture perseverance, in the absence of which a man's exit wouldbe most miserable, though for a time he had observedrighteousness purely and piously? Nay, says Calvin (_Instit. _iii. 2), unless this your faith foretells you your perseveranceassuredly, without possibility of hallucination, it must be castaside as vain and feeble. I recognise the disciple of Luther. AChristian, said Luther (_De captivitate Babylonis_), cannot losehis salvation, even if he wanted, except by refusing to believe. 

I hasten to pass on to the Sacraments. None, none, not two, notone, O holy Christ, have they left. Their bread is poison; andas for their baptism, though it is still true baptism, nevertheless in their judgment it is nothing, it is not a waveof salvation, it is not a channel of grace, it does not apply tous the merits of Christ, it is a mere token of salvation(Calvin, _Instit. _ iv. 15). Thus they have made no more of thebaptism of Christ, so far as the nature of the thing goes, thanof the ceremony of John. If you have it, it is well; if you gowithout it, there is no loss suffered; believe, you are saved, before you are washed. What then of infants, who, unless theyare aided by the virtue of the Sacrament, poor little things, gain nothing by any faith of their own? Rather than allowanything to the Sacrament of baptism, say the MagdeburgCenturiators (Cent. V. 4. ), let us grant that there is faith inthe infants themselves, enough to save them; and that the saidbabies are aware of certain secret stirrings of this faith, albeit they are not yet aware whether they are alive or not. Ahard nut to crack! If this is so very hard, listen to Luther'sremedy. It is better, he says (_Advers. Cochl. _), to omit thebaptism; since, unless the infant believes, to no purpose is itwashed. This is what they say, doubtful in mind what absolutelyto affirm. Therefore let Balthasar Pacimontanus step in to sortthe votes. This father of the Anabaptists, unable to assign toinfants any stirring of faith, approved Luther's suggestion;and, casting infant baptism out of the churches, resolved towash at the sacred font none who was not grown up. For the restof the Sacraments, though that many headed beast utters manyinsults, yet, seeing that they are now of daily occurrence, andour ears have grown callous to them, I here pass them over. 

There remain the sayings of the heretics concerning life andmorals, the noxious goblets which Luther has vomited on hispages, that out of the filthy hovel of his one breast he mightbreathe pestilence upon his readers. Listen patiently, and blush, and pardon me the recital. If the wife will not, or cannot, letthe handmaid come (_Serm. De matrimon. _); seeing that commercewith a wife is as necessary to every man as food, drink, andsleep. Matrimony is much more excellent than virginity. Christand Paul dissuaded men from virginity (_Liber de vot. Evangel. _). But perhaps these doctrines are peculiar to Luther. They are not. They have been lately defended by my friend Chark but miserablyand timidly. Do you wish to hear any more? Certainly. The morewicked you, are, he says, the nearer you are to grace (_Serm. De. Pisc. Petri_). All good actions are sins, in God's judgment, mortal sins; in God's mercy, venial. No one thinks evil of hisown will. The Ten Commandments are nothing to Christians. Godcares nought at all about our works. They alone rightly partakeof the Lord's Supper, who bury consciences sad, afflicted, troubled, confused, erring. Sins are to be confessed, but toanyone you like; and if he absolves you even in joke, providedyou believe, you are absolved. To read the Hours of the DivineOffice is not the function of priests, but of laymen. Christiansare free from the enactments of men (Luther, _De servo arbitrio, De captivilate Babylon_). 

I think I have stirred up this puddle sufficiently. I now finish. Nor must you think me unfair for having turned my argument againstLutherans and Zwinglians indiscriminately. For, remembering theircommon parentage, they wish to be brothers and friends to oneanother; and they take it as a grave affront, whenever anydistinction is drawn between them in any point but one. I am notof consequence enough to claim for myself so much as anundistinguished place among the select theologians who at this dayhave declared war on heresies: but this I know, that, puny as Iam, I run no risk while, supported by the grace of Christ, I shalldo battle, with the aid of heaven and earth, against suchfabrications as these, so odious, so tasteless, so stupid. 

NINTH REASON

SOPHISM

It is a shrewd saying that a one-eyed man may be king among theblind. With uneducated people a mock-proof has force which aschool of philosophers dismisses with scorn. Many are theoffences of the adversary under this head; but his case is madeout by four fallacies chiefly, fallacies which I would ratherunravel in the University than in a popular audience. The firstvice is [Greek: skiamachia], with mighty effort hammering atbreezes and shadows. In this way: against such as have sworn tocelibacy and vowed chastity, because, while marriage is good, virginity is better (1 Cor. Vii. ), Scripture texts are broughtup speaking honourably of marriage. Whom do they hit? Againstthe merit of a Christian man, a merit dyed in the Blood ofChrist, otherwise null, testimonies are alleged whereby we arebidden to put our trust neither in nature nor in the law, but inthe Blood of Christ. Whom do they refute? Against those whoworship Saints, as Christ's servants, especially acceptable toHim, whole pages are quoted, forbidding the worship of manygods? Where are these many gods? By such arguments, which I findin endless quantity in the writings of heretics, they cannothurt us, they may bore you. 

Another vice is [Greek: logomachia], which leaves the sense, andwrangles loquaciously over the word. _Find me Mass or Purgatoryin the Scriptures_, they say. What then? Trinity, Consubstantial, Person, are they nowhere in the Bible, because these words arenot found? Allied to this fault is the catching at letters, when, to the neglect of usage and the mind of the speakers, war iswaged on the letters of the alphabet. For instance, thus theysay: _Presbyter to the Greeks means nothing else than elder;Sacrament, any mystery_. On this, as on all other points, St. Thomas shrewdly observes: "In words, we must look not whence theyare derived, but to what meaning they are put. "

The third vice is [Greek: homonumia], which has a very widerange. For example: _What is the meaning of an Order of Priests, when John has called us all priests?_ (Apoc. V. 10). He has alsoadded this: _we shall reign upon the earth_. What then is the useof Kings? Again: _the Prophet_ (Isaias lviii. ) _cries up aspiritual fast, that is, abstinence from inveterate crimes. Farewell then to any discernment of meats and prescription ofdays. _ Indeed? Mad therefore were Moses, David, Elias, theBaptist, the Apostles, who terminated their fasts in two days, three days, or in so many weeks, which fasting, being from sin, ought to have been perpetual. You have already seen what mannerof argument this is. I hasten on. 

Added to the above is a fourth vice, Vicious Circle, in this way. Give me the notes, I say, of the Church. _The word of God andundefiled Sacraments_. Are these with you? _Who can doubt it?_ Ido, I deny it utterly. _Consult the word of God. _ I haveconsulted it, and I favour you less than before. _Ah, but it isplain. _ Prove it to me. _Because we do not depart a nail'sbreadth from the word of God. _ Where is your persecution? Willyou always go on taking for an argument the very point that iscalled in question? How often have I insisted on this already? Dowake up: do you want torches applied to you? I say that yourexposition of the word of God is perverse and mistaken: I havefifteen centuries to bear me witness stand by an opinion, notmine, nor yours, but that of all these ages. _I will stand by thesentence of the word of God: the Spirit breatheth where it will_(John iii. 8). There he is at it again; what circumvolutions, what wheels he is making! This trifler, this arch-contriver ofwords and sophisms, I know not to whom he can be formidable:tiresome he possibly will be. His tiresomeness will find itscorrective in your sagacity: all that was formidable about himfacts have taken away. 

TENTH REASON

ALL MANNER OF WITNESS

_This shall be to you a straight way, so that fools shall not goastray in it_ (Isaias xxxv. 8). 

Who is there, however small and lost in the crowd ofilliterates, that, with a desire of salvation and some littleattention, cannot see, cannot keep to the path of the Church, soadmirably smoothed out, eschewing brambles and rocks andpathless wastes! For, as Isaias prophesies, this path shall beplain even to the uneducated; most plain therefore, if youchoose, to you. Let us put before our eyes the theatre of theuniverse: let us wander everywhere: all things supply us with anargument. Let us go to heaven: let us contemplate roses andlilies, Saints empurpled with martyrdom or white with innocence:Roman Pontiffs, I say, three and thirty in a continuous line putto death: Pastors all the world over, who have pledged theirblood for the name of Christ: Flocks of faithful, who havefollowed in the footsteps of their Pastors: all the Saints ofheaven, who as shining lights in purity and holiness have gonebefore the crowd of mankind. You will find that these were ourswhen they lived on earth, ours when they passed away from thisworld. To cull a few instances, ours was that Ignatius, who inchurch matters put no one not even the Emperor, on a level withthe Bishop; who committed to writing, that they might not belost, certain Apostolic traditions of which he himself had beenwitness. Ours was that anchoret Telesphorus, who ordered themore strict observance of the fast of Lent established by theApostles. Ours was Irenaeus, who declared the Apostolic faith bythe Roman succession and chair (lib. Iii. Cap. 3). Ours was PopeVictor, who by an edict brought to order the whole of Asia; andthough this proceeding seemed to some minds, and even to thatholy man Irenaeus, somewhat harsh, yet no one made light of itas coming from a foreign power. Ours was Polycarp, who went toRome on the question of Easter, whose burnt relics Smyrnagathered, and honoured her Bishop with an anniversary feast andappointed ceremony. Ours were Cornelius and Cyprian, a goldenpair of Martyrs, both great Bishops, but greater he, the Roman, who had rescinded the African error; while the latter wasennobled by the obedience which he paid to the elder, his verydear friend. Ours was Sixtus, to whom, as he offered solemnsacrifice at the altar, seven men of the clergy ministered. Ourswas his Archdeacon Lawrence, whom the adversaries cast out oftheir calendar, to whom, twelve hundred years ago, the Consularman Prudentius thus prayed:

 What is the power entrusted thee, And how great function is given thee, The joyful thanks of Roman citizens prove, To whom thou grantest their petitions. Among them, O glory of Christ, Hear also a rustic poet, Confessing the crimes of his heart And publishing his doings. Hear bountifully the supplication Of Christ's culprit Prudentius. 

Ours are those highly-blest maids, Cecily, Agatha, Anastasia, Barbara, Agnes, Lucy, Dorothy, Catherine, who held fast againstthe violent assault of men and devils the virginity they hadresolved upon. Ours was Helen, celebrated for the finding of theLord's Cross. Ours was Monica, who in death most piously beggedprayers and sacrifices to be offered for her at the altar ofChrist. Ours was Paula, who, leaving her City palace and her richestates, hastened on a long journey a pilgrim to the cave atBethlehem, to hide herself by the cradle of the Infant Christ. Ours were Paul, Hilarion, Antony, those dear ancient solitaries. Ours was Satyrus, own brother to Ambrose, who, when shipwrecked, jumped into the ocean, carrying about his neck in a napkin theSacred Host, and full of faith swam to shore (_Ambrose, Orat. Fun. De Satyro_). 

Ours are the Bishops Martin and Nicholas, exercised in watchings, clad in the military garb of hair cloths, fed with fasts. Ours isBenedict, father of so many monks. I should not run through theirthousands in ten years. But neither do I set down those whom Imentioned before among the Doctors of the Church. I am mindful ofthe brevity imposed upon me. Whoever wills, may seek thesefurther details, not only from the copious histories of theancients, but even much more from the grave authors who havebequeathed to memory almost one man one Saint. Let the readerreport to me his judgment concerning those ancient blessedChristians, to what doctrine they adhered, the Catholic or theLutheran. I call to witness the throne of God, and that Tribunalat which I shall stand to render reason for these Reasons, ofeverything I have said and done, that either there is no heavenat all, or heaven belongs to our people. The former position weabhor, we fix therefore upon the latter. 

Now contrariwise, if you please, let us look into hell. There areburnt with everlasting fire, who? The Jews. On what Church havethey turned their backs? On ours. Who again? The heathen. WhatChurch have they most cruelly persecuted? Ours. Who again? TheTurks. What temples have they destroyed? Ours. Who once more?Heretics. Against what Church are they in rebellion? Againstours. What Church but ours has opposed itself against all thegates of hell? When, after the driving away of the Hebrews, Christian inhabitants began to multiply at Jerusalem, what aconcourse of men there was to the Holy Places, what venerationattached to the City, to the Sepulchre, to the Manger, to theCross, to all the memorials in which the Church delights as awife in what has been worn by her husband. Hence arose against usthe hatred of the Jews, cruel and implacable. Even now theycomplain that our ancestors were the ruin of their ancestors. From Simon Magus and the Lutherans they have received no wound. Among the heathen, they were the most violent who, throughout theRoman Empire, for three hundred years, at intervals of time, contrived most painful punishments for Christians. WhatChristians? The fathers and children of our faith. Learn thelanguage of the tyrant who roasted St. Lawrence on the gridiron:

 That this is of your rites The custom and practice, it has been handed down to memory: This the discipline of the institution, That priests pour libations from golden cups. In silver goblets they say That the sacred blood smokes; And that in golden candlestick, at the nightly sacrifices, There stand fixed waxen candles. Then is it the chief care of the brethren, As many-tongued report does testify, To offer from the sale of estates, Thousands of pence. Ancestral property made over To dishonest auctions, The disinherited successor groans, Needy child of holy parents. These treasures are concealed in secret, In corners of the churches; And it is believed the height of piety To strip your sweet children. Bring out your treasures, Which by evil arts of persuasion You have heaped up and hold, Which you shut up in darkling cave. Public utility demands this, The privy purse demands it, the treasury demands it, That the soldiers may be paid for their services, And the commander may benefit thereby. This is your dogma, then: Give every man his own. Now Caesar recognises his own Image, stamped on the coin. What you know to be Caesar's, to Caesar Give; surely what I ask is just. If I am not mistaken, your Deity Coins no money, Nor when he came did he bring Golden Jacobuses[3] with him; But he gave his precepts in words, Empty in point of pocket. Fulfil the promise of the words Which you sell the round world over. Give up your hard cash willingly, Be rich in words. 

(_Prudentius, Hymn on St. Lawrence_). 

Whom does this speaker resemble. Against whom does he rage? WhatChurch is it whose sacred vessels, lamps, and ornaments he ispillaging, whose ritual he overthrows? Whose golden patens andsilver chalices, sumptuous votive offerings and rich treasure, does he envy? Why, the man is a Lutheran all over. With whatother cloak did our Nimrods[4] cover their brigandage, when theyembezzled the money of their Churches and wasted the patrimony ofChrist? Take on the contrary Constantine the Great, that scourgeof the persecutors of Christ, to what Church did he restoretranquillity? To that Church over which Pope Silvester presided, whom he summoned from his hiding-place on Mount Soracte that byhis ministry he might receive our baptism. Under what auspiceswas he victorious? Under the sign of the cross. Of what motherwas he the glorious son? Of Helen. To what Fathers did he attachhimself? To the Fathers of Nice. What manner of men were they?Such men as Silvester, Mark, Julius, Athanasius, Nicholas. Whatseat did he ask for in the Synod? The last. Oh how much morekingly was he on that seat than the Kings who have ambitioned atitle not due to them! It would be tedious to go into furtherdetails. But from these two [Emperors, Decius and Constantine], the one our deadly enemy, the other our warm friend, it may beleft to the reader's conjecture to fix on points of closestresemblance to the one and to the other in the history of our owntimes. For as it was our cause that went through its agony underDecius, so our cause it was that came out triumphant underConstantine. [5]

Let us look at the doings of the Turks. Mahomet and the apostatemonk Sergius lie in the deep abyss, howling, laden with their owncrimes and with those of their posterity. This portentous andsavage monster, the power of the Saracens and the Turks, had itnot been clipped and checked by our Military Orders, our Princesand Peoples, --so far as Luther was concerned (to whom Solyman theTurk is said to have written a letter of thanks on this account), and so far as the Lutheran Princes were concerned (by whom theprogress of the Turks is reckoned matter of joy), --this franticand man-destroying Fury, I say, by this time would bedepopulating and devastating all Europe, overturning altars andsigns of the cross as zealously as Calvin himself. Ours thereforethey are, our proper foes, seeing that by the industry of ourchampions it was that their fangs were unfastened from thethroats of Christians. 

Let us look down on heretics, the filth and fans and fuel ofhell[6] the first that meets our gaze is Simon Magus. What did hedo? He endeavoured to snatch away free will from man: he pratedof faith alone (Clen. Lib. I. Recog. ; Iren. L. 1, c. 2). Afterhim, Novatian. Who was he? An Anti-pope, rival to the RomanPontiff Cornelius, an enemy of the Sacraments, of Penance andChrism. Then Manes the Persian. He taught that baptism did notconfer salvation. After him the Arian Aerius. He condemnedprayers for the dead: he confounded priests with bishops, and wassurnamed "the atheist" no less than Lucian. There followsVigilantius, who would not have the Saints prayed to; andJovinian, who put marriage on a level with virginity; finally, awhole mess of nastiness, Macedonius, Pelagius, Nestorius, Eutyches, the Monothelites, the Iconoclasts, to whom posteritywill aggregate Luther and Calvin. What of them? All blackcrows, [7] born of the same egg, they revolted from the Prelatesof our Church, and by, them were rejected and made void. 

Let us leave the lower regions and return to earth. Wherever Icast my eyes and turn my thoughts, whether I regard thePatriarchates and the Apostolic Sees, or the Bishops of otherlands, or meritorious Princes, Kings, and Emperors, or the originof Christianity in any nation, or any evidence of antiquity, orlight of reason, or beauty of virtue, all things serve andsupport our faith. I call to witness the Roman Succession, _inwhich Church_, to speak with Augustine (_Ep_. 162: _Doctr. Christ_. Ii. 8), _the Primacy of the Apostolic Chair has everflourished_. I call to witness those other Apostolic Sees, towhich this name eminently belongs, because they were erected bythe Apostles themselves, or by their immediate disciples. I callto witness the Pastors of the nations, separate in place, butunited in our religion: Ignatius and Chrysostom at Antioch;Peter, Alexander, Athanasius, Theophilus, at Alexandria; Macariusand Cyril at Jerusalem; Proclus at Constantinople; Gregory andBasil in Cappadocia; Thaumaturgus in Pontus; at Smyrna Polycarp;Justin at Athens; Dionysius at Corinth; Gregory at Nyssa;Methodius at Tyre; Ephrem in Syria; Cyprian, Optatus, Augustine, in Africa; Epiphanius in Cyprus; Andrew in Crete; Ambrose, Paulinus, Gaudentius, Prosper, Faustus, Vigilius, in Italy;Irenaeus, Martin, Hilary, Eucherius, Gregory, Salvianus, in Gaul;Vincentus, Orosius, Ildephonsus, Leander, Isidore, in Spain; inBritain, Fugatius, Damian, Justus, Mellitus, Bede. Finally, notto appear to be making a vain display of names, whatever works, or fragments of works, are still extant of those who sowed theGospel seed in distant lands, all exhibit to us one faith, thatwhich we Catholics profess to-day. O Christ, what cause can Iallege to Thee why Thou shouldst not banish me from Thine own, ifto so many lights of the Church I should have preferredmannikins, dwellers in darkness, few, unlearned, split intosects, and of bad moral character!

I call to witness likewise Princes, Kings, Emperors, and theirCommonwealths, whose own piety, and the people of their realms, and their established discipline in war and peace, werealtogether founded on this our Catholic doctrine. WhatTheodosiuses here might I summon from the East, what Charlesesfrom the West, what Edwards from England, what Louises fromFrance, what Hermenegilds from Spain, Henries from Saxony, Wenceslauses from Bohemia, Leopolds from Austria, Stephens fromHungary, Josaphats from India, Dukes and Counts from all theworld over, who by example, by arms, by laws, by loving care, byoutlay of money, have nourished our Church! For so Isaiasforetold: _Kings shall be thy foster-fathers, and queens thynurses_ (Isaias xlix. 23). 

Listen, Elizabeth, most powerful Queen, for thee this greatprophet utters this prophecy, and therein teaches thee thy part. Itell thee: one and the same heaven cannot hold Calvin and thePrinces whom I have named. With these Princes then associatethyself, and so make thee worthy of thy ancestors, worthy of thygenius, worthy of thy excellence in letters, worthy of thypraises, worthy of thy fortune. To this effect alone do I labourabout thy person, and will labour, whatever shall become of me, for whom these adversaries so often augur the gallows, as though Iwere an enemy of thy life. Hail, good Cross. There will come, Elizabeth, the day, that day which will show thee clearly whichhave loved thee, the Society of Jesus or the offspring of Luther. 

I proceed. I call to witness all the coasts and regions of theworld, to which the Gospel trumpet has sounded since the birth ofChrist. Was this a little thing, to close the mouth of idols andcarry the kingdom of God to the nations? Of Christ Luther speaks:we Catholics speak of Christ. _Is Christ divided?_ (1 Cor. I. 13). By no means. Either we speak of a false Christ or he does. What then? I will say. Let Him be Christ, and belong to them, atwhose coming in Dagon broke his neck. Our Christ was pleased touse the services of our men, when He banished from the hearts ofso many peoples--Jupiters, Mercuries, Dianas, Phoebades, and thatblack night and sad Erebus of ages. There is no leisure to searchafar off, let us examine only neighbouring and domestic history. The Irish imbibed from Patrick, the Scots from Palladius, theEnglish from Augustine, men consecrated at Rome, sent from Rome, venerating Rome, either no faith at all or assuredly our faith, the Catholic faith. The case is clear. I hurry on. 

Witness Universities, witness tables of laws, witness thedomestic habits of men, witness the election and inauguration ofEmperors, witness the coronation rites and anointing of Kings, witness the Orders of Knighthood and their very mantles, witnesswindows, witness coins, witness city gates and city houses, witness the labours and life of our ancestors, witness all thingsgreat and small, that no religion in the world but ours ever tookdeep root there. 

These considerations being at hand to me, and so affecting me asI thought them over that it seemed the part of insolence, nay ofinsanity, to renounce all this Christian company and consortwith the most abandoned of men, I confess, I felt animated andfired to the conflict, a conflict wherein I can never be worsteduntil it comes to the Saints being hurled from heaven and theproud Lucifer recovering heaven. Therefore let Chark, whoreviles me so outrageously, be in better conceit with me, if Ihave preferred to trust this poor sinful soul of mine, whichChrist has bought so dearly, rather to a safe way, a sure way, aroyal road, than to Calvin's rocks or woodland thickets, thereto hang caught in uncertainty. 

CONCLUSION

You have from me, Gentlemen of the University, this littlepresent, put together by the labour of such leisure as I couldsnatch on the road. My purpose was to clear myself in yourjudgment of the charge of arrogance, and to show just cause formy confidence, and meanwhile, until such time as along with meyou are invited by the adversaries to the disputations in theSchools, to give you a sort of foretaste of what is to comethere. If you think it a just, safe, and virtuous choice forLuther or Calvin to be taken for the Canon of Scripture, the Mindof the Holy Ghost, the Standard of the Church, the Pedagogue ofCouncils and Fathers, in short, the God of all witnesses andages, I have nothing to hope of your reading or hearing me. Butif you are such as I have pictured you in my mind, philosophers, keen-sighted, lovers of the truth, of simplicity, of modesty, enemies of temerity, of trifles and sophisms, you will easily seedaylight in the open air, seeing that you already see the peep ofday through a narrow chink. I will say freely what my love ofyou, and your danger, and the importance of the matter requires. The devil is not unaware that you will see this light of day, ifever you raise your eyes to it. For what a piece of stupidity itwould be to prefer Hanmers and Charks to Christian antiquity! Butthere are certain Lutheran enticements whereby the devil extendshis kingdom, delicate snares whereby that hooker of men hascaught with his baits already many of your rank and station. Whatare they! Gold, glory, pleasures, lusts. Despise them. What arethey but bowels of earth, high-sounding air, a banquet of worms, fair dunghills. Scorn them. Christ is rich, who will maintainyou: He is a King, who will provide you: He is a sumptuousentertainer, who will feast you; He is beautiful, who will givein abundance all that can make you happy. Enrol yourselves in Hisservice, that with Him you may gain triumphs, and show yourselvesmen truly most learned, truly most illustrious. Farewell. AtCosmopolis, City of all the world, 1581. 

THE END. 

[Footnote 1: Cf. Newman, _Lectures on Anglican Difficulties_, Lect. Xii. : "I say, then, the writings of the Fathers, so farfrom prejudicing at least one man (J. H. N. ) against the modernChurch, have been singly and solely the one intellectual cause ofhis having renounced the religion in which he was born andsubmitted himself to her. "]

[Footnote 2: Richard Cheyne, Anglican bishop of Gloucester, to whomthere is extant a letter from Campion, dated 1 November, 1571. ]

[Footnote 3: The Latin is Philippos. ]

[Footnote 4: Seems to refer to the first Protestant bishops, _mighty hunters_ (Genesis x. 9) after place, and, to secure it, alltoo ready to alienate the manors and possessions of their see. ]

[Footnote 5: I have here paraphrased, as any literal translationwould have been hopelessly obscure to most modern readers. Campion could but hint darkly his comparison of the Elizabethanpersecution to the Decian. The Latin runs: _Etenim, ut nostrorumilla fuit Epistasis turbulenta, sic nostrorum haec evasit divinaCatastrophe_. _Epistasis_ is "the part of the play where theplot thickens" (Liddell and Scott). _Catastrophe_ is "the turnof the plot" (Id. ). ]

[Footnote 6: _Faeces et folles et alumenta gehennae_. ]

[Footnote 7: _Mali corvi_. ]