ALbeit the questions of reli­gion, which the Papistes hold, haue bene by them al­readie from time to time maintained with all their iudgement and learning in their publique wrytings, and are also in writing sufficiently answered, to make all men see the trueth, that do not wilfully shut their eyes against it: yet notwithstanding, as Affrica is saide still to bring foorth some new monsters, so the schooles of the Romish church are continually occupied in forging some new misshapen arguments and instru­mēts against the Gospel, esteeming it great seruice to their general Prouost, to be still in the chalenge, though they receiue no honour in the fielde: still to cast out their dartes, though they be beaten back to the wounding of that head, they would most defend.

Hereupon it commeth that one Edmond [...]ampion, a principal champion belike of y^e [...]opish religion, flying farre from the fielde [Page] some yeres past for want of armour, is now [...] returned with furniture out of Germanie and Boeme, from Rome and other places, & maketh, he one alone, like another Golias, y^e chalenge, wherein whole armies heretofore haue had as great ouerthrowes, as euer had the Philistines by the arme of God fighting with Israel.

This Coronell doeth by a pamphlet most vnsittingly writtē as to her Maiesties most honorable priuie Coūsel, & more vnsittingly scattered abroade, require disputation before all, and with all: and hauing in deede small hope to preuaile, and in trueth litle will to come to the triall (for he can not but see the heauie hand of God against him & his cause) yet he hath a purpose to disturbe all by the very proclayming of this spiritual fight, and by giuing aime to them, that in the same league attempt otherwyse more dangerous matters against the state.

These letters comming to my hand, af­ter I had read them, and considered his in­solent vaunts against y^e trueth, ioyned with woordes pretending great humilitie, his protestation of zeale to saue soules, deliuered with matter that draweth them into damna­ble heresies, I expected a present yssue by [Page] his personall answere, before them to whom such causes apperteine. But not vnderstan­ding of any such yssue, and finding the let­ters to be more and more spred as Libels, abusing the name and holy authoritie of the Counsell, and that they prepare inconstant mindes to the mislike of religion, and desire of Poperie (which plainely appeareth to be the practise of the Champion in scattering them) I thought it my dutie to answere the same, in respect of the publique iniurie of­fred to religion, with all humilitie offering this answere, or further proceeding with the saide Libell, to their honours most wise consideration.

But before I come to y^e particular points of his letters, I am shortly to touch y^e chiefe and onely matter therein pretended: which is a desire to haue a disputation graunted, or solemne audience for some sermons to bee made in the mayntenance of the most wor­thily abandoned Popish religion.

This petition seemeth to all Papists needfull, & I can not blame thē, for it would do them good to obteine, if it were but a question for somewhat, who haue right to nothing. But I would wōder, if any which professe the Gospell should now looke for a [Page] disputation, to answere euery vaine cha­lenge, & that after so many & blessed yeeres, wherein error hath euery way bene confu­ted, & the trueth established. For our partes, we are so assured of the manifest trueth, that we make no doubt thereof. For their parts, if they sought conference in a good consci­ence, & with a desire to learne, it were neces­sary to regard their desires, & to relieue their conscience. But returning into the lande, with vngodly vowes and obstinate mindes to persist in their errors, and hauing hope with their maskes to deceiue many, it is meete to keepe them as farre from doing harme by their lies, as they withholde them­selues farre from receiuing good by our trueth. For to our profession they minde not to be brought, they are votaries to the con­trarie. What then shall we gaine by dispu­ting with them, when they will not bee gai­ned to the trueth? To our selues alreadie through the great mercie and power of God and his word, we haue by disputations made great gaine within the realme and abroade, and the same gaine increaseth to the saintes of God, with increase of sorowe and lamen­tation to all that yet haue traffique with the whore of Babylon.Reue. 18. 11. Moreouer in this dis­putation [Page] to ouerthrowe the chalengers by the worde (as often their masters haue bene, and they easily may bee) what great victory can it bee ouer two or three of the last & least in y^e quarrel? They make accompt to gayne nothing indeede, yet by false report of some that stand readie prest, to post away y^e newes of victorie, before there be a stroke striken, they may winne some piece of their desire. Also they think it some profit, onely to barke against y^e trueth.2. Reg. 18. 36 But whē Rabshakeh came from Babylon, and blasphemed at the gates of Ierusalem, good Ezechias following the rule of Salomon commanded,Prou. 26. 4. saying, An­swere ye him not. And I pray you, who of vs woulde in the things of this life yeelde to an euill minded man, that he should enter an action for the things, whereof we haue the right and quiet possession? But here the pre­tensed Catholiques are wise in their gene­ration. For when did they graunt to a free disputation, or to haue any sermons made by them of the religion, but beeing enforced thereunto? Yea, at this very time, howso­euer this Champion and some others chal­lenge and call for disputation, yet their forerunners, and fathers in Poperie refuse the same. With what forehead then can [Page] these Iesuites demaund of vs, that them­selues will not graunt? Or seeing it hath bene graunted at Auspurge, and at Poissy and els where, and they gained nothing by the graunt, why should they call the Mini­sters to an vnorderly disputation, from their ordinarie charge: wherein beside other due­ties of their ministerie, they soundly con­fute by the plaine word of God, as occasion is offred, euen the chiefest arguments that the enemie can alledge? As for the trial these Iesuits wil make, it shalbe w^t false weights, and measures,Prou. 20. 23. which are an abomination to the Lord: while, after their custome, they dispute with vnlearned and peeuish distincti­ons, false arguments, absurd interpretatiōs, plausible notwithstanding to them that haue a forestalled iudgement against the trueth. But S.2. Tim. 2. 23. Paul warneth vs to auoide thē that trouble the Church with such disputations and contentions.Tit. 3. 9, 10. For it is euident that the purpose of these Iesuites is but to cast in matter of griefe to the godly, when they see so bolde enterprises of the enemie, not at the walles of the citie, but euen in the market place: and, as by a blasing starre, to prognosticate some further matter to the Papist and time seruer: but most of [Page] all to disturbe the peace of the Church, and to make the people stagger in religion, as many of them, as by diligent hearing of the worde haue not attained to the certeine loue of the trueth. Neuerthelesse, although I thinke it inconuenient in a settled estate, to haue the trueth of God, and her Maiesties most godly proceedings called into disputa­tion by these men, who are her alienated sub­iectes, and in this maner against a singular peace: yet vpon other circumstances, as dis­putations haue bene heretofore graunted, so they may agayne. For not wee, but the Pa­pistes refuse lawfull disputation: not we, but they feele and confesse that they get nothing thereby.R. Maffeus in Iudam. Watson and others at home. The inconueniencie is that, which I note in the seditious practise of this man, and his confederates. Otherwise the com­mon wealth hath more cause then y^e Church to dreade their forces. Wee seeke not to es­che we any snare they can laye: we feare not their euidence, or doubt of our owne title. They haue had and may haue the libertie of their pen: if these Iesuites haue any thing that their masters had not, or which our fathers in the Gospell haue not answered, let thē lay it downe in writing w^t true forme of argument, (which is the most certeine [Page] tryall, & of greatest iudgemēt) & in writing, by the grace of God, they shalbe answered. For howe litle we feare them, & howe much they feare vs, it appeareth by that they suffer not a scroule of religion, or tending neuer so litle that way, in any mās hand, but it is pre­sently a matter for the inquisition. Yea, they withhold the very word it selfe. Wheras we find y^t the very view of their outward Rome with her abominations, and the inward see­ing into y^t heart of popish religion, with her absurdities, haue made many, as well grosse Papists, as others indifferent betwene both religions, to stand resolued in the trueth, and to acquaint themselues with the cleare and comfortable doctrine of Iesus Christ, after the execrable superstitions of the Pope once throughly knowen.

But nowe to come to his letters, I finde (to speake generally) that they haue a pre­face to nine articles: the preface and articles being to the same purpose. For all is in ef­fect thus much: that he hath taken a farre & dangerous iourney, boldly & plainely to of­fer himself a procter to mainteine against al commers in disputation, at the commande­ment of the Pope, the Popish religion, & to confute the doctrine of Christ Iesus. This [Page] is the chalenge. The promise is to persuade euen Prince & people professing the trueth, that they are in error: as if both Prince and people had not sufficient assurance of their faith: or the chiefest Papistes did not from day to day receiue great ouerthrowes both in disputatiō and writing. For (to the glory of God in the ministerie of the Gospell be it remembred, and to the heart griefe of al Ro­mish Catholiques) the Lord addeth to the true Catholique Church of his elect, great numbers continually: & to those that openly professe the religion, many notable cities, which lately were first in the zeale of Pope­rie, and are nowe not the last of them that embrace the trueth: notwithstanding so ma­ny artes and insolencies vsed to stoppe the course and increase of the Gospell. There­fore, if the Lord do not punish our contempt of the word we professe, what hope may our Chalenger haue, that the Pope shall reco­uer others, when he can not keepe his own, no not them that lately carried the canopie ouer his head?

In the preface, y^e Iesuite reporteth his pil­grimage out of Germany and Boeme into Englād his deare coūtry, at the cōmādemēt of his superiours y^t sent him, where he giueth [Page] a note of his danger & of his obedience. But touching his obedience, it commeth to be no­ted afterward. As for his dāgers, I see them not so great as he pretēdeth. For I dout not but he was wel contented that this place fell to his lot: & that he wayted a time to aduen­ture himselfe, when there was, in his opini­on, lesse danger then heretofore, & more hope of some golden daye. But the man is come into this noble realme for the glorie of God and the benefite of soules. What glory of God cā come by a man sworne to Antichrist against Gods glory: sworne to the Councill of Trent against the peace of this kingdom? What care of soules can hee haue, which would withdraw their foode, & in enraged, & therfore would enrage others with y^e cup of poison wherwith the whore of Babylō hath heretofore poysoned the princes of y^e earth?Reuel. 17. 2. What benefite of soules can poore soules looke for at his hand, that in place of the most cleare light of the Gospel, would bring in a greater plague of darkenes, then that of E­gypt? This is the effect of the Iesuites loue which he would shew to his deare coūtry af­ter so many yeeres absence out of her sight.

Being now arriued, he keepeth his person secret, that he may vnderhand & safely sowe [Page] matter of heresie & sedition: but by letters he maketh his purpose knowen with cunning speaches. Why he keepeth himselfe secret so long as he may, one reason is to auoide, that hee would seeme to make none accompt of: namely a iust punishment of his contempts against y^e law. Another reason is (as I sayd) to make way for the Pope priuately, because he dareth not effect his message opēly. That he deliuereth his minde in writing, not as a priuate letter in one copie, but as a publique matter in many copies all abroade, it is to entertaine sliding mindes with vaine hope: to cast some disgrace vpon the causes of reli­gion, & all by a promise of that which all the Iesuites in the worlde can not performe, though this Chāpion alone doth vndertake it. Such vndertakers are like ynough to o­uertake some simple ones, not yet cleansed from the dregges of Properie: otherwise it will be hard to preuayle with men of vnder­standing, who euer suspect them of bankrup­ting, that aske so much credit of their owne word w^tout any sureties. Thus it appeareth that this Iesuites promises, & crauing cre­dite to be beleeued in so great things, is but to withdrawe many of her Maiesties sub­iectes from the loue of the Gospel, whereby [Page] they are taught to their owne saluation: and consequently from regard of them selues, & from obedience to her Maiesties most noble and godly proceedings. Yet as if he did not minde this matter, he doth insinuate his own danger for weldoing: as if it were like, that, notwithstanding his close dealing, as much to keepe himselfe as he may, this busie world might finde him out sooner or later, and in­terrupt a busie felow, & this watchful world would finde him out for all his watchfulnes. But I would this suspicious worlde would more suspect them that come to vs in sheeps clothing, being inwardly rauening wolues. It is to small purpose that he layeth downe the confession of the matter without present­ment of the man. For if the mā were founde, there is matter ynough against him without his confession. Yet he would be accounted a good dealer, and to saue his examiners from some labour when he shall haply be founde and brought to examination. Neuerthelesse if in these letters al be not plainely confessed, that may iustly be implyed, then he hath not eased his examiners from the practise of their wit in finding out more daungerous practises concealed, then are those, which are here expressed to cloke the rest. It fol­loweth [Page] to speake of his articles layd downe directly, truly, resolutely to opē his purpose.

1 In the first hee confesseth his calling, That, albeit vnworthy, hee is a priest of the Romish church, which he doth falsly honour with the name of the Catholique Church. Such as y^e Church is, such is his priesthood also: the Church Antichristian, & the priests thereof ministers of Antichrist, taking vpon them against the manifest worde of God to offer vp a sacrifice for the quicke & dead. An intolerable blasphemie against the all suffi­cient sacrifice of the Lord Iesus,Heb. 9. 26. & 10. 12. & 18. offring him selfe once for all & for euer. But, to iudge an euill seruant by his owne mouth, hee that is vnworthy of so foule a priesthood, what shal he be worthy of? Not by the great mercie, but by the iust iudgement of God worthy of that that is worse: worthy of a place among the newe and detestable Iesuites.

In this place, because these scorpiōs, y^e Ie­suites are vnknowē amōg vs in England, I haue occasiō to speake of thē, y^t y^e godly may take heed of their leauen, & that their louers may iustly be ashamed of such loue.Iesuites. The Ie­suites are a kinde of Regulars professing o­bediēce to y^e Pope & their General, at whose sēding they must forsooth of free cost preach, [Page] wheresoeuer they be sent. They had an ob­scure cōceptiō about fiue & forty yeres past, not long after y^e restoring of the Gospel, one Layolas a Spaniard being the father of thē. But they had not their ful creation & cōmis­sion, till within these thirtie yeres by Pope Paulus quartus. Before that time al Friers professed the rule of some one Frier, as the Frāciscans the rule of Francis, the Domi­nicans, y^e rule of Dominic, or some one such like Patrō. Afterward when euill colors be­wrayed thē selues at a good light, & the prea­ching of y^e Gospel brought popish orders in­to open iudgement, then many papists were ashamed, y^t there was not an order after an honest name, whereupō some boldly aduētu­red to borow y^e holy name of Iesus, & called thēselues the societie of Iesus, or Iesuites. Nowe it was not so vile a thing before, to name thēselues by some base & beggerly fri­er, but it was afterwarde more hautie pride, whē they presumed to abuse y^e name proper to Iesus,Philip. 2. 9. at which name all the knees of all things in heauē & earth must bow down thē ­selues. This mighty & glorious name, these Iesuites bring in, to giue credite to their weake & shamefull order, reckening y^e Lord Iesus himself amōg Friers, withal making [Page] him but a Patrone of the yongest cōpany of Friers, & so to stand behind Francis & Do­minick. These new Iesuites must be called y^e societie of Iesus, as if they alone were in the societie of Iesus, & all other vtterly ex­cluded: whereas rather these Iesuites are excluded for their heresies, & they onely in­cluded in the felowship and body of Iesus Christ, which folow his doctrine, and haue y^e anointing of his Spirite, contenting them selues with the name of Christians, made to them expresly lawfull and honorable by the word of God.Act. 11. 26. Wherefore these that corrupt­ly haue called themselues Iesuites, may be called Iebusites, without offence to the Lord Iesus, & most aptly in respect of their dealings. As their name, so chalenged to themselues, is absurd, seruing them only to make a shew of holinesse, and to deceiue the poore people: so their practises are yet more detestable. For they gather learning onely, as the spider gathereth poyson, that they may infect the heart & stomake of their dis­ciples. And as good Physicians prepare a countrepoyson to saue life, so these in a contrarie course prouide not a countre ve­nim, but venim it selfe against the wholsome meate, euen against the worde of God, the [Page] foode of our soules, whereby they are nouri­shed & preserued into life euerlasting. These Monkish Friers, or Frierly Monkes (O heauy iudgement of God) these Iebusites I say, from whose contagiō we haue bene free euer hitherto, they haue lately aduētured in­to England, as skoutes to the Irish rebels, and prepare to establish againe popish super­stitions. But let vs yet further examine these Iesuites, that plague all nations where they come,Exod. 8. 2. as the Frogges and Caterpillers of Egypt did. Our bastard Papists in Englād, that are neither true to vs, nor faithfull to their owne side, woulde seeme ashamed of many grosse points in Poperie, saying, they verely hold Images, Pardons, Praying to Saints, & seruice in an vnknowen tongue, as wicked things. But let thē & all true pro­fessors also know, that y^e Papists hold Ste­uen Gardiners rule: Yelde but in haly water (said he to Cardinall Poole that blusshed at some enormities in popery) and yeeld in all. Thereupon Papistes yeeld in nothing, how­soeuer our home Papists thinke or dissem­ble the matter. This is proued by the open dealing of the Iesuites: for there is nothing, be it neuer so impious, neuer so absurde, yea though in their owne conscience neuer so [Page] contrary to trueth & commō sense, but they defend it in a booke written w^t publike con­sent, & called,Censur. Colon. y^e Censure of Colen. Hitherto it hath bin truely declared, y^t y^e Iesuites are wicked Monkish Friers, y^t they labour for learning to abolish learning, that they ouer­lay the nations where they come, that they defend all absurdities of the popish Church. But for proofe of their absurd and blasphe­mous doctrines,Donati Got­uisi lib. de fi­de Iesu & Iesuitarum. out of a treatise cōcerning this matter, I haue enterlaced their owne words, as they are to be foūd in y^e same book, & in other of their writings, adioining to eue­ry article of their doctrine, y^e cleane cōtrary doctrine out of y^e word of God, as foloweth.

1 It is not sinne whatsoeuer is against the Lawe of God. Censure of Colen, leafe 44. Contrary to y^e word of God. 1. Ioh. 3.4. The transgression of the Law is sinne.

2. Cōcupiscence remaining in the rege­nerate, although it be against the lawe of God, yet it is not sinne properly in it self, or of it owne nature. Cens. Col. 38. &c. in the hādling of Canisius Catechisme, leaf. 184. A contrary doctrine is taught by Christ, Mat. 5. 28. I say vnto you, y^t whosoeuer shal see a womā to lust after her, he hath already committed adulterie with her in his heart.

[Page] 3 The first motions of lust are without hurt of sinne. Cens. Col. Fol. 54. 89. contra­ry to the tenth commandement, Thou shalt not couet. Exod. 20. 17.

4 The holy Scripture is a doctrine vn­perfect, maymed, lame, not conteining all things necessarie to faith & saluation. Cens. Col. fol. 220. cōtrarie to that place of Paul, 2. Tim. 3. 16, 17. Al y^e Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God, & is profitable to teache, to confute, to correct & to instruct in iustice, that the man of God may bee perfect, and throughly instructed to euery good worke.

5 The want of the holy Scriptures must be supplied by peecing it out with traditi­ons. Cens. Col. 220. Contrary to a Lawe in Moses. Deut. 4. 2. Thou shalt not adde to the wordes which I speake to thee, neither shalt thou take from them.

6 The holy Scripture is a nose of waxe. Cens. Col. 117. Contrary to the wordes of Dauid, The law of the Lord is perfect, con­uerting the soule. Psal. 19. 7.

7 The reading of the holy Scripture is not onely not profitable, but many wayes very hurtfull to the Church. Cens. Col. 21. Christ deliuereth a cōtrary note, Mat. 22. 29. Ye erre, not knowing the Scriptures, nor [Page] parte of Christendome, or heathenesse, vpon lyke assignation, I doubt not (as I sayde before) but that hee was more readie and ioyous to bee sent into his owne coun­trey. But what authoritie hath the Pope to send out swarmes of Iesuites into all the worlde? Are they not content falsely to make him Peters successor and head of the Church, but that they will also allowe him to apoynt these newe Apostles, to goe out into al y^e worlde, namely these Iesuites, ene­mies to the doctrine of the true Apostles: yea, and that in nūber not so fewe (I thinke) as xii. hundred for xii. because he would haue more to pull downe, then Christ sent abroad to build vp withall?

3 His assigned charge is laide downe in the third article, which is, of free cost to preach the Gospell, and minister the sacra­ments. Cunning wordes to cloke an euill matter. For he speaketh in words fit for the Gospel, to auoyd the vsuall and proper spea­ches of his Popish priesthod and order, that are full of derogation agaynst the trueth. For they preach not the Gospell, but against the Gospell, in the traditions and ordinances of the Pope. Their ministerie of the Sacramentes is the saying or [Page] singing Masse, and corrupt baptisme, with other actions which they call Sacraments, but are none by any warrant out of the word of God. For in their definitions of these other fiue falsly named Sacraments, they surcharge their margents with great shewe of proofes,Catechis. Canisii. but almost all are authorities of men: there are very fewe places of scripture quoted, and those manifestly peruerted. The wordes that folowe in his charge, To instruct the simple, reforme sinners, con­fute errors, and in briefe to crye an alarme spirituall against foule, vice and proude ig­norance, howe great shewe doe they make in the monster.Cic. offic. 1. Tullie noteth those byers and sellers that gayne but litle, except they lie much.Apo. 18. 11. Euen so these marchants that bye and sell with the woman that sitteth vpon many waters, in whose forehead this name is branded,Apoc. 17. 5. A mysterie: Great Babylon, the mother of whoredomes and abomi­nations of the earth: they gayne nothing but by their shamelesse lyes. For that which they set out to sale for instruction, is destruc­tion touching the fayth: their reformation is a deformation: and in their kingdome it may seeme waste labour, seeing they haue a shorter way to woorke, in blotting that out [Page] spel. He hath taken vpon him a speciall kinde of warfare vnder the banner of obedience. If it be of obedience to God vnder Christes banner, it is common to all Christians: if it be of obedience to some new false Apostle­ship of the Popes creation, it is as much dis­obedience to God, as it is obedience to those monkish ordinances. What plaine dealing then can this be? Vnder the title of the glori­ous banner of obedience, the Iesuite recom­mendeth to the Lordes of the Counsell his disobedience to God, his disobedience to the trueth, and obedience onely to his Fathers, chiefely y^e Pope,2. Thes. 2. 4. the most blasphemous ene­mie of God,His bulles. & most open enemie to her Ma­iestie both in his consistorie,His forces in Ireland. & in the field.Iere. 7. 22. O­bedience acceptable to God is according to his word,Mat. 15. 9. not according to y^e traditions & or­dināces of mā. As for y^e Pope, he holdeth vp a bāner of rebelliō alwaies against y^e kingdō of Iesus Christ: & many times also against y^e kingdome of Princes. Vnder this banner he hath lately placed these Iesuites w^t some armour, finding all other vnlettered and idle Monkes & Friers, not so fit for y^e campe, as for the cloister. If this votarie hath resigned great interest, or manye possibilities of welth, honor & felicity, (as he pretēdeth) thē [Page] the iudgemēt of God was y^e heauier against him, y^t he should sell all he had, not to bye the precious pearle recōmēded by Christ,Mat. 13. 46. but to purchase the marke of the beast deliuered by Antichrist.Reuel. 13. 16. For y^t was not the way to make a friend of vnrighteous Mammon, but so to forsake y^e blessings of this life, that thereby he forsooke also y^e blessings of the life to come: except the serpent obteine mercie, & cast his skin. Neuerthelesse this vngodly losse is al­ledged as a great gaine to his euill cause.

2 The second & third article are one in ef­fect: for the secōd in substāce doth only & out of order make mentiō of the place where he is to exercise his charge, before the charge be expressed. To folow him & his order, in this article he mentioneth his returne into Eng­land, as for great good: but passeth by his de­parture thence with silence, as carying a plaine note of much euil. He taketh his voy­age from Prage to Rome, and thence into England being commanded by a warrant from heauen and an oracle of Christ. Great wordes emporting a great ambassage. But least any should take it, that hee receiued his warrant in a dreame, or hearde a voyce in deede out of heauen, he expoundeth him self, yet with wordes doubtfull, as oracles [Page] among the Gentiles were wont to speake. For whether hee vnderstande the generall Prouost of the Iesuites onely, or whether hee vnderstande the Pope him selfe, it is somewhat doubtfull. If he meant not the generall Prouost of the Iesuites, (which I rather thinke) then hee auoyded the name of Pope, as iustly odious euery where for his abominable superstitions, pride, and tyran­nie ouer mens liues and consciences: but in England most of all,His most in­solent and malicious Bull. 1569. answered by M. Bullinger for that he hath againe and againe throwen out his thunderbolts of curse both against the Prince, and agaynst the people. Wherin, by the way, let vs looke to the effect of those curses. Did not y^e Lord turne them into blessings? Did it not ap­peare euen to the Papists howe vnderserued the curses were, and howe litle the blasphe­mously supposed omnipotencie of the Pope can doe? Was not Salomons Prouerbe iustified in those Bulles?Prou. 26. 2. As a byrde wan­dreth, and a swallowe flyeth away, so doeth a curse that is vnderserued.

But to returne to y^e doubtful speach, whe­ther he meant the Pope, or the Iesuites ma­ster, what blasphemie is it to attribute y^e au­thoritie of a warrant from heauen, and the voyce of Christ, to a man whose breath is in [Page] his nostrelles, and whose sinnes reach vp to heauen, calling for vengeance? Doe we now perswade and preach men?Galat. 1. 10. or rather, as the Apostle saith, Ought not euen the Apostles themselues to preach Christ Iesus y^e Lorde, and them selues seruantes?3. Cor. 4. 5. Saint Paul woulde not preach otherwise then the Gos­pel, no not at the voyce of an Angell from heauen:Galat. 1. 8, 9. and these come to preach Antichri­stianitie at the voyce of the man of sinne. Therefore, how are all men, especially they whom the Lorde hath exalted to his place of iustice, howe are they to take diligent heede of these men, and of the matter they bring, much more dangerous thē the former buls? If the Popes worde be to them a warrant from heauen, and an oracle of Christ, then at his word they must inuade kingdomes, throwe downe estates, change gouerne­mentes, roote out the Gospell, and plant ig­norance, with all other their beggerly and wicked superstitions that accōpanie the Po­pish doctrine. It foloweth that the Pope is alwayes resiant at Rome: but y^e Iesuite must remember that hee may remooue his chaire to Sibyllas denne, or any other place by the doctrine of the Iesuites. As for his readie mynde to haue gone ioyously into anie [Page] the power of God.

8 That the righteous mā liueth by saith, he hath it not in Christ, but by his owne workes. Cens. Col. 118. A contrary place in Paul. Rom. 11. 6. If righteousnesse bee of workes, it is no more grace.

9 Men doe surely hope that euerlasting life shalbe giuen them, but they do not be­leeue it: now hope often faileth, otherwise it were no hope. Cens. Col. 108. A contrary place. Heb. 6. 19. Hope is y^e sure anchor of y^e soule: & Rō. 5. 5. Hope maketh not ashamed.

10 The Scripture in deede neuer tea­cheth the inuocation of Saints, yet we must beleeue, receiue & hold it Fol. 230. Contra­ry to this is the place. Esai. 63. 16. Thou art our Father, and Abraham knewe vs not: and Israel was ignorant of vs.

11 Christ neuer said to the lay men, Do this, in the remēbrance of mee. Fol. 302. S. Paul doth plainely confute this. 1. Cor. 11.

12 Traditiōs are of equal authoritie with the worde of God: we must beleeue them, thogh they be manifestly against the scrip­ture. Fo. 230. Cōtrary to this saith Christ, In vaine do mē worship me, teaching doctrines that are but the traditions of men. Mat. 15. 9.

13 We must worship the image of Christ [Page] with like honour that wee doe the holy bookes of the Gospel. Fol. 66. Against this saith S. Paul, 2. Cor. 6. 15. What agree­ment is there betweene the Church of God and Idoles?

These and many other blasphemies doe the Iesuites maintaine. There is not a spi­der, nor a spiders web in any corner of the Popes brest, but these Doctors will hold it no lesse holy, then that which commeth out of Christes brest. But doe not euen the Pa­pists that know these things, easely see, how the Iesuites in these doctrines bewray the spirit of Antichrist,Apoc. 16. 14. that went out into all the world to deceiue and destroy? Surely none can see,Acts. 16. 14. except the holye Ghost open their heart:Gen. 19. 16. none can depart out of Sodom, ex­cept the Lorde doe drawe them. Although I haue bene long in this matter, yet for a fur­ther discouery, and for plaine warrant that the sect of Iesuites is most wretched, at the ende of my answere I haue added a trāslati­on of a booke,Colloquium Iesuiticum. wherein y^e sect is notably disco­uered by a testimonie out of their own heart.

Nowe to returne to Campions wordes: He hath bene a Iesuite these viii. yeeres. A long time to see so many enormities, & in al y^e space not to returne from them to the Go-spel, [Page] with a short pardon, which cannot be rooted out but by much preaching. Their confuta­tion of errors is in deede a confutation of the trueth, and a confirmation of lies, as ap­peareth nowe more then the lyght of the Sunne at noone. For as the Apostle spea­keth of them,2. Tim. 3. 8. They shall preuayle no lon­ger: their madnesse is made euident to all men, as the inchantment of Iannes and Iambres. As these withstoode Moses: so the Iesuites resist Iesus Christ, & the lyght of the Gospel, men full of ambition in their corrupt mindes, and enemies to the Crosse of Christ. That he thinketh his poore coun­treymen abused with proude ignorance, I maruell what hee meaneth to blame igno­rance in any. For we that professe the Gos­pell, lament and crye out against ignorance: our aduersaries they alwayes haue made much of it, as the mother of deuotion: yea euen the most famous order of the Francis­can Fryers, that extol Francis their Father, and their order aboue the heauen of heauens, they haue a rule that the vnlettered among them shoulde not care to learne letters. But the Iesuites, they professe and teache knowledge. Let vs see, what knowledge, and for what cause. It is the very same [Page] knowledge which y^e serpent performed:Gen. 3. 1. who promised the knowledge of euill, to take a­way the knowledge of good: who promised life, and brought in death. Therein also the cause appeareth: for this master promiseth to roote out proude ignorance, minding in deede to roote out the fyncere knowledge of the Gospell,Rom. 1. 16. which is the power of God to saluation. Here the Iesuite most wickedly calleth the knowledge of the Gospel, igno­rance: and the stedfast confession of our faith & hope that wauereth not,Hebr. 10. 22, 23. he termeth pride. But Poperie, which this rooter out of the Gospell woulde plant in place thereof, is in deede proude ignorance, and a treading vn­der foote of y^e blood of Christ. For it proudly refuseth to heare, and reioyceth to bee with­out vnderstanding. Therefore Poperie is that proud ignorance that must not reenter, and the disease therof remaining in many, is that which must be more & more rooted out. For, though it promise all good things, what one good thing can that religiō bring, which ioyneth the merittes of man with the merittes of Christ, which matcheth, or ouer­matcheth the worde of God with traditions, the commandement of God with the coun­termaund of the Pope, the Temple of God [Page] with Idoles? Which doctrines and many o­ther are the doctrines of men, as contrary to y^e holy worde of God, as is darknes to light, & infidelitie to faith in Christ Iesus. What, I say, can the Iesuites religion bring, but some vnblessed blessings of a mā, which draw after them the euerlasting curses of God? The sunne of righteousnes, that shineth in­to our hearts, being thus taken awaye, this Iesuite would bring vs to some knowledge of the woman that is arayed with purple & scarlet,Apoc. 17. 4. & ouerlaid w^t gold, precious stones, and pearle. Which woman is set out vnto the carnall eye, & sense, by such allurements to recouer y^e kings of y^e earth her old louers, that she may make thē drunken againe with her cup of fornications. Therefore in the bo­wels of Iesus I beseech all my deare coun­trey men not to be deceiued by this Iesuite, who bringeth into Englād a worship cleane contrary to the worship of God. For Gods worship is in Spirit and trueth:Ion. 4. 23. 24 and poperie is in gold and siluer & pearle, and crucifixes, and Agnus deis, all for the eye, and to snare the heart of a carnall man, bewitching it with so great glistering of the painted har­lot. It is also in all kynde of musike to fyll the eare with delight, and in all excellent [Page] perfumes to please the smell. These and all the rest are carnall intisements, to quenche the Spirite, bewraying that Poperie wor­keth in vs, not a feeling or iudgement of Gods seruice in Spirite, but of fleshly plea­sures, to cary vs away to the fornications of that strumpet of all the worlde. Nowe as Popery is not a worship of God in Spirit, so is it not ioyned with any worship of God in trueth, but in y^e canons & decrees of men, who, to rayse vp their owne kingdome, goe about to throw down both the kingdome of men, and (which is their chiefest practise) the kingdome of Iesus Christ. Therefore it was too broade to charge the Gospel nowe preached, as an abusing of his poore coun­treymen: whereas he himselfe seeth where­with they are many of them abused from Rome, and by these close messengers from thence: namely with most foolish and beg­gerly trashe, as Bulles, pardons, holie graines, copper pieces of Agnus dei, with such other childish inuentions, wherein (if a strong spirit of error did not reigne in some) I maruell that the beggerlinesse and follie of their religion is not more espied and had in a perpetuall detestation.

4 The fourth article doeth shew as much [Page] trueth in his words, as is in his religiō. For in wordes hee doeth openly deny that which is most apparant in his doinges, and most necessary for his cause. He neuer had mind, and was streightly forbidden by his father that sent him, to deale in any respect with any matters of state, &c. Here he doeth ear­nestly affirme that which must not be belee­ued: here he doeth perswadingly craue that which must not at al be giuē him. He would be thought no enemie of the state, no dealer with the common wealth or policie: & ren­dreth a reason, (if you wil beleue him,) It ap­perteineth not to his vocation: and from it he doeth gladly estrange, and sequester his thoughtes. But all these wordes are as if a man woulde manifestly wounde his neigh­bour to the heart, and yet in the deede doing cry out, saying, I doe not so much as thinke him any harme. For he that smiteth our re­ligion, woundeth our common wealth: be­cause our blessed estate of policie standeth in defence of religion, and our most bles­sed religion laboureth in the mayntenance of the common wealth. Religion and poli­cie in Englande are, through Gods singu­lar blessings, preserued together in life, as with one spirite: hee that doeth take awaye [Page] the life of the one, doeth procure the death of the other. Neyther can any Iesuite from Prage or Rome, come ouer to confute and alter religion, but hee must attempt the change of the state, to the lamentable de­struction of the lande. Hee can not agayne bring in the Pope, but he must take awaye from her royall Maiestie, her iust supreme soueraintie, and depriue her at one clappe of the authoritie shee hath ouer all persons and ordinances. She must haue nothing to doe with the bodie or goods of the Cler­gie (as they speake:) shee must seeke a reconciliation from the Popes curse: her chiefe lawes must bee no lawes: the pre­sent gouernement, that I may not saye the present gouerner, must bee changed, a newe established, and made subiect to the checke of the Priest of Rome. Notwith­standing this man that woulde ouerthrowe all, woulde make vs beleeue his purpose is to touche nothing. Because he caryeth no sworde, he woulde hee thought to cary no weapon. But is not one trumpet worse then many swordes? What manifest dissi­mulation is then in the champions wordes? what playne contrarietie? But it is no new thing: for his whole pamphlet is full of [Page] such monsterous contrarietie, while hee de­liuereth humilitie in shewe, but pryde in deede: agayne, while he vttereth the words of swelling pryde, hauing no matter but vile and base. But Antichrist and his mi­nisters must needes learne of their father his chiefest lesson, which is to lye, that the saying of Christ may appeare,Iohn. 8. 44. Satan is a lyer, and the father of lyes. As for his reason, that thinges of policie appertayne not to his vocation: although it bee true in deede, yet it is so sayde onely to couer his purpose, which is to the contrary. For appertayneth it to Saunders in Irelande by the same oracle, and doeth it not apper­tayne to Campion in England? Surely it doeth apperteyne asmuch but the open at­tempt is not so safe. Therefore it commeth here to bee considered, that the oracle hath a double heart and a double tongue, set at large to denye or breake euen an othe made to one, not of his sect, and euermore to say and vnsaye, to promise, and breake pro­mise, as may make most for his deuilish practises.

5. Now foloweth y^e execution of his mes­sage, wherein he asketh with shewe of great humilitie, the thing that bewrayeth his sin­gular [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [Page] pride. For he aloue professeth with a chalenge in all knowledge, touching his causes, to encounter with all sortes of lear­ning, and learned men: and against them, notwithstanding their strength, and the strength of their cause, to prooue the most weake and languishing title of Popish reli­gion. And before whom? Not before some fewe in a corner, but in the light & presence of this renowmed estate, so enriched with singular giftes of learning, experience and iudgement: namely in the presence of her honorable Counsell, before the Doctours, Masters, and choyse men of both the Vni­uersities: and thirdly before the lawyers spirituall (as he speaketh) and temporall. But let vs further examine what hee vtte­reth. In this place the Iesuite a man profes­sing so great knowledge knoweth not him­selfe, he remembreth not in this article, what he solemnly protested in the former. For there he affirmed that he minded not, that he might not in any respect deale with matters of state: but now as hauing his will altered and a secrete dispensatiō against the charge of his fathers, he wil discourse of re­ligiō so far as it toucheth the cōmō wealth & their nobilities. But out of the abundāce [Page] of the heart,Mat. 12. 34. doth the mouth speaketh, & the pen writeth. It foloweth, wherof he maketh most account, to try the matter out with the doctors, & masters of ech vniuersity. What he bringeth from a newe forge, I may more easely gesse, then determine. But if it be no more, then his masters of these & all other v­niuersities haue brought already into their bookes & disputations, it is nothing y^t long agoe hath not bene confuted. It may be, not hauing better reasons, he presumeth of him selfe that he hath fayrer colours then they had, and a stronger spirite of illusion to de­ceiue and cary away y^e preiudicate & incon­stant hearer against reason. The manifolde waies he promiseth to cōuince by, are profes inuincible, scriptures, &c. If he can prooue his cause by inuincible scriptures, it is suffi­cient: there neede no further proofes. But if he alledge y^e scriptures for his cause,Mat. 4 6. as sa­tan did, & as heretikes doe, vsing some of the words, & leauing the fulnes of the sentence, or peruerting y^e words to another sense then the holy Ghost deliuereth, then shall he pre­uaile as Satan did, and his reward shalbe a­mong the false prophetes.Councils. Fathers. Stories. As for Councils, Fathers, and stories, they are rather witnesse one to another of some contrarietie, and all [Page] witnesses of y^e time, howe corruptions crept into the Church, then authentical iudges in causes of religion. Neuerthelesse we haue (if we woulde vse thē) in their true allegati­on, matter sufficient to confute y^t which the Iesuite hopeth to confirme by false allega­tion. Touching places in the fathers to the contrary, some of thē are alredy condemned of bastardie, being places manifestly forged: other not gyltie of forgery, howe great so e­uer the authors of thē were, yet it is euident they were but men: & that the word of God alone hath credit of & for it selfe:2. Tim. 3. 16. Psal. 119. 130. that y^e word of God alone is y^e touchstone, & fining pot y^t sheweth y^e least corruption, the least cōmix­ture of corruption: much more the palpable errors of y^e new Iesuites. Moreouer for the latter Councils, because y^e Pope reigned o­uer thē, he, being now arraigned, is no law­full witnesse in his owne case. And because these Councils make warre against the au­thoritie of Gods word,Esai. 11. 4. 2. Thes. 2. 8. y^e Spirit of y^e Lordes mouth, which is his word, shal proceed more and more to consume them. Afterwarde the Iesuite, not so carefull to performe, as to moue great expectation by promise, draweth mē to looke for profes of his religiō, where profes are no more to be founde, then a sure [Page] foundatiō vpon the sande, or a place of light in the kingdome of darkenes. So impossi­ble are the things that now he vndertaketh. For among other proofes, he vndertaketh to auow y^e faith of the Catholike Church, by naturall and morall reason, which are two great enemies of true religion, & two great nourses of Atheisme and heresie. The Apostle teacheth this, that the naturall man can not discerne the thinges of God,1. Cor. 2. 14. they seeme foolishnes to him. Dauid finding the rebellion and ignorance of a naturall heart,Psal. 51. 10. craued a cleane heart to bee created within him, and a newe spirit: newe, not onely in affections, but in vnderstanding, that hee myght learne the iudgementes of God. For want of this heart,1. Kin. 11. 5. 1. Kin. 3. 12. Salomon was a stran­ger from God a long time, notwithstanding he had a natural and morall wisdome aboue any that euer reigned in Ierusalem.Mat. 16. 16. Peter coulde not receiue the reuelation of fayth from flesh and blood: but this Iesuite can deliuer it from thence. Therefore the religi­on which Iesuites woulde plant againe in England, is not according to y^e holy Scrip­tures giuē by inspiration of God,2. Tim. 3. 16. but accor­ding to the carnall sense of vntaught men, which must haue gods to goe before themExod. 32. 1. [Page] that is, they must haue a religion allowing gods, & images, & worshippings in y^e feeling and wisdome of a naturall man, that can not looke with the eyes of fayth vp into heauen: nor with spirituall iudgement into y^e great mysterie of godlinesse conteined in the holy scriptures.1. Tim. 3. 16. Last of all this chalenger, as one brought vp in y^e Innes of court, & at Padua in the middest of spiritual lawyers, vnderta­keth to iustifie his said faith by commō wis­dome of law, standing yet in force & prac­tised. Wherein againe he promiseth to paye out that, which he neuer receiued in. But if he hath borowed somewhat out of the lawes to saue his credit, let vs examine howe farre it may go for paiment. Among other lawes he relieth most vpon the Canon lawe,Canon lawe. and some such fragments thereof as yet he thin­keth to stand in some force. To speake ther­fore of the Canon law, many matters there­in are so grosse, that euen many Papistes, which otherwise haue a harlots forehead, cā not read them without blushing. Neuerthe­lesse, out of a sea of such absurdities, there is a booke extant,Sententiae Halleri ex decretis ca­non. collectae y^t hath gathered many nota­ble places to proue aboue thirtie poyntes of our religion. This was the iust iudgement of God against the Popes, that they setting [Page] downe wicked canons, shoulde not remem­ber to take away y^e good. Nowe for so much of that law as is in practise, if it be not pure, let not the worlde maruaile, if in purging the Church from so many abominations wherewith the aduersaries had in all places and so long time together defiled it, some small matter remained not swept away and caried out with the rest.Common lawe. As for the positiue lawes of the lande, wherein also the Iesuite woulde seeme to haue knowledge and mat­ter for maintenance of his popish superstiti­ons, they make wonderfully against him. I speake not this onely in respect of the most godly lawes made of late vnder King Hen­rie the eyght, her Maiesties father of noble fame, or since vnder the Josias of these ages King Edward the sixt, and in the most bles­sed and prosperous raigne of her Maiestie: but lawes made in the time of Edwarde the first, Richard the thirde, and some others before and after.A treatise of the supre­macie. Also sermōs and bookes by Tunstall, Gardiner, Bonner, and other pa­pists against the Pope. For euen these haue made auncient lawes (as appeareth by a booke written onely of this argument aboue four­tie yeeres since) to abandon the Popes au­thoritie: which head of the Popish Church being taken away, the body can not remaine but as a dead carkeis, that must haue present [Page] buriall: or remaine as one of y^e antique ima­ges of Rome, that hauing lost the head, yet is highly esteemed onely for antiquitie.

6 In the sixt article first he sheweth how litle power he hath ouer his tongue, or ouer his pen. For being loth to speake any thing that might but sounde of an insolent brag or chalenge, yet hee doeth most insolently bragge more then any, and chalenge more then all. For what one man hath made such a bragge, or such a chalenge, as out of al sci­ences against al men to mainteyne that that for want of maintenance is fallen, as y^e An­gel prophecied of y^e fall,Reuel. 14. 8. & 18. 2. saying, Great Ba­bylon is fallen, & the inhabitants & friendes thereof see her dayly fall, and there is ney­ther violence nor subtiltie that can lift her vp againe. But the Iesuite moueth pitie, & rendereth a reason why he may not boast. He is a dead man to this worlde. Friers and such like en­tring into their order, are saide to die & may make their will, which is proued & standeth in force, as if they were dead. In what sense he is dead, I know not. In deede as yet he can neither be founde aliue, nor dead, nor the place of his buriall. Whatsoeuer other may thinke, hee thinketh not himselfe spiri­tually dead: but dead by resignation of a worldly life, or danger of death that may come by iustice of lawe. Whatsoeuer it is, he woulde be pitied, before he commeth [Page] neere any danger. As he moueth pitie, so he beggeth loue for the wonderfull loue & rea­dy minde he would seeme to beare towarde euery man. He offreth hayle master, as Ju­das did, & a kisse downe to the ground. But we must not beleeue words of loue from an enemie y^t sheweth malice in deede. Yet there is some thing in his professed loue. For to treade afterward proudly vpon our heads, & to make vs kisse y^e Popes feete, he wil in the Popes seruice first laye his head vnder our feete, & kisse the ground we tread vpon. O false shew of gracious lowlines! O seruile wordes of flatterie, ioyned with intolerable pride of a deceitfull heart! For to whome is not y^e notorious pride, & hideous crueltie of Antichrist knowen? It foloweth to see how soone & suddenly a double minded man she­weth him selfe inconstant in all his wayes.Iam. 1. 8. He that in one line abaseth him selfe to the dust, in the next exalteth him selfe against heauen. He nowe pretending the defence of the maiestie of Christ, and yet intending to defend y^e tyranny of Antichrist, doeth display his courage, his affiance, his assurance, his euidence, so impregnable, that no mā may encountre with him. As before he promi­sed to crye a false Alarme againe sinne, so [Page] nowe in presumption of himselfe he soun­deth the victory, and proclaimeth a triumph, and that before he hath shewed his face in the field. If those wordes did no more tickle the Papists that beleeue all and receiue al from Rome, then they doe vs, who examine spi­rites by the worde, he might haue reserued them for a fitter time, and a better place. In a good cause, it is good alwaies to be bolde, to haue singular affiance in the gratious fa­uour of Iesus Christ. On the other side in an euil cause to trust to a broken reede of E­gypt, is a double folly, & bringeth a double mischiefe: first an ouerthrow in the attempt, and afterward the shame of an euill matter. Moreouer, for an enemie of the kingdome of Christ to call Christ his King, and to bo­rowe his name to iustifie a foule enterprise, it is nothing else, but to sinne the sinne of them that sweare,Iere. 5. 2. The Lord liueth, and yet deceyue. For therein the offender maketh the Lord of hostes a witnesse,Iosh. 7. 10. & a reuenger of his impietie. In the wordes folowing (if his heart varyed not frō his pen) he maketh account to haue very fauorable readers, that will beleeue so great matters in so slender a man.Papinianus. Ael. Spartia­nus in vita Caracalli. For, as one sayde of another matter, It is easier to commit murther then to de­fende [Page] it, so is it easier to fal into the error of Poperie, then to mainteyne it. Neuerthe­lesse this chalenger doeth so vndertake the maintenāce, as if nothing could be replyed against him. And not contenting himselfe to say, The Protestants cannot answere, he doeth in spitefull wordes of disgrace ease his stomacke of much gall against the prea­chers and against their pulpits: against the hearers, and their vnlearned eares. His im­pressions of malice are so strong, and the o­pinion conceiued of his owne sufficiencie so great,Horatius: Quid dignū tanto feret hic promis­sor hiatu. that he vaunteth, saying, I know per­fectly that no one Protestant, nor all the Protestants liuing can mainteine their do­ctrine. They haue mainteined it by the word of might and trueth against all the aduersa­ries in writing and solemne disputation, as hath bin noted. And can they not now main­teine it against one man, but of eight or nine yeeres standing in his profession, as litle in deede, as he is great in his owne conceipt? Yes, y^e meanest of many by y^e grace of God can mainteyne it, and shall preuayle. And if our aduersaries wyll looke into our defen­ces already published, they shall see the de­fence of our religion so great, and the cause so manifest, that I may truely vse these [Page] wordes against the chalenger on the other­side, No one Iesuite, nor all the Iesuites liuing shall be able to answere that that is written, or to roote out that which is plan­ted. We face not men downe in our pul­pits (which is his foule reproch against our holy exercise of preaching) but wee labour by the powerfull worde of God to bring all men to the knowledge and obedience of the trueth. As for our kingdome of Gramma­rians, againe I vnderstande not his taunt. Wee prayse God for the knowledge of ma­ny tongues by many Grammers: and for the knowledge of Grammer, that leadeth into further vnderstanding: and these gifts wee vse to the glory of God, and the confu­tation of your religion. If his taunt was to note, that we want other good artes, & haue onely some swaye in Grammer, herein also he is gyltie of a false and spitefull accusati­on. For we can make proofe that the Lorde hath giuen vs of the spoiles of Egypt, of A­rabia, of Iewry, and of Rome. But it may be he noteth it, that many nowe rule in the Church, that in times past haue ruled one­ly in Grammer schooles. I graunt that some fewe such are amongst vs: but such profitable and sufficient teachers of men, [Page] that it were pitie, they shoulde any more teache children. Nowe let vs passe from his scoffes, and come againe to his vaunts. The Campmaster hauing with Rabshaketh deni­ed the arme of our God to be able to deliuer vs,2. King. 18. 30. and condemning our cause before it bee indited, doeth notwithstanding craue the combat with all and euery one of vs, offe­ring the best welcome to him that com­meth best furnished. I answere, These are wordes. The prouerbe maketh it a vayne fight to fight with a shadowe: but wee haue not so much as his shadowe for a measure of the Champion, or for an argument that hee is at hande. But as already he hath vaunted of the vniuersalitie of his knowledge, so nowe he setteth out the vniuersalitie of his powers, making him selfe a monster that hath infinite persons to stand it out, infinite eares to heare, and infinite tongues to an­swere all and euery Protestant. Can hee speake wisely in a suddē disputatiō, that vt­tereth folly in a premeditate and weightie letter? will he looke to win, that knoweth not how to make his match? The last point of y^e article is his protestatiō of ioy to meete with no vnarmed enemie: but the better we come furnished, the better welcome. We [Page] haue nowe heard more then ynough of his selfe liking: more thē needed of his chalēge, wherin hitherto we finde nothing hard, but y^t which he doeth not brag of: namely where to finde him. For some will beare me wit­nesse, it is harder to finde him, then to an­swere him when hee is founde. But these wordes are deliuered to draw credit to him­selfe and his cause: also to cast discredit vpō vs, and our religion: Wherein he doeth still affirme the conclusion that shoulde be proo­ued. It is not ynough for a Iesuite, or for the oracle of the Iesuites to affirme, except proofes appeare. But we must tarry till the Champion come to the listes.

7 In the seuenth article he speaketh good words & true, touching the singular graces of God, wherewith he hath enriched her Maiestie in noble giftes of nature, learning & princely education. It is very wel if you thinke thus duetifully in your heartes, and speake so reuerently of her Maiesty abroad, and in your secret prayers. But why do you passe ouer the grace of graces in her, which deserue perpetuall honor: namely her godly zeale and knowledge, in professing & publi­shing y^e glorious Gospel of Iesus Christ, & in abandoning your popish superstitions? [Page] Why moreouer did you not yeelde to her highnes al thāks frō the heart, for her excee­ding clemencie, by the which many of you liue, & yet shew your selues vnworthy of so great mercie? If the giftes of enemies be giftlesse gifts (as the prouerbe noteth) what are the bare words of them that are more dis­loyall in deede, then they can shewe them­selues loyall in wordes? But be it knowen to you, that her Maiestie by her rare giftes which you acknowledge, woulde easily see your flattering hypocrisie, and your grosse presumption of her readinesse to incline, or rather to decline to you: and moreouer rea­dily iudge of your sandy foundatiō, and vn­tempered morter, if either your letters were worthy the least reading, or your selfe meete for any place in her most honorable presēce: Your faire light woulde be dimme in the brightnesse of her wisedome, your good me­thode would appeare to haue a great maime at her learned consideration, & your playne dealing would shew it selfe plaine dallying with Gods causes, if in the singular dexte­ritie of her iudgement, shee were present at your disputatiō or sermōs to giue sentence. Therefore let mee heere once chalenge and charge y^e chalenger, that he did so far breake [Page] out into seditious and disloyall speach, as to offer that wrong to her Maiestie & wisdom, in suggesting to her subiects, that she can be remoued with a shaken reede, who was not moued in the cause, at the earnest sutes, and threates of mightie Princes. Wherein as her Maiestie hath receyued a notable prero­gatiue of Gods fauour, and hath singular cause to reioyce before him in the peace of conscience, that passeth al vnderstanding: so she hath made proofe to the worlde, that shee is resolued for the happy cōtinuance of that, which hath had so happie and manifold bles­sings, and promiseth more and more, till we come to the fulnesse thereof for euer.

As for her Maiesties loue to her peo­ple, and their most dutifull loue and ioye to her againe, it requireth no Popish Doctor or doctrine to alter it: being already establi­shed in the knowledge of the Gospel, which worketh the effectuall bonde of peace and perfection in Prince and people.Ephes. 4. 3. Col. 3. 14. Therefore the second poynt of this article is as presūp­tuous as the first. The first in drawing her Maiesties excellent iudgement and zeale of Gods house into doubt of alteration vpon a disputation or a few sermons: the second in calling her best proceedings into accusation [Page] as hurtfull to the Realme. But it is not the Gospell that hurteth the realme: it is you, ye Papistes, and your religion that hurt it, and would bring it to miserable desolation, to set vp agayne your abomination. Yea many yeeres since you had done it, but that the Lord, of mercy and iudgement, striueth whether he may shew greater tokens of his gracious fauour to her Maiestie & the land, or indignation to you, and your most wic­ked attemptes, in discouering from time to time so many of your secrete conspiracies and deepe practises: and in meeting so hap­pily with your open rebellions and inuasi­ons. In the wordes following, the chalen­ger doeth trippe himselfe, for hauing pre­sently before praysed her Maiestie, nowe correcting himselfe, he doth vtter his griefe agaynst her, that hee and his confederates are oppressed, and finde not equitie at her hande. O vniust complaynt, that I saye no more. Her mighty arme and sword hath not bene so heauie, as the little finger of those that persecute the Church. Therefore, if mine aduise may be taken in good parte, I woulde wish you that are so great oppres­sers, except ye were oppressed, and name­ly you Iesuites (who notwithstanding the [Page] saluation signified by the name of Iesus, which you take, yet you are the bellowes to kindle and increase the fire of persecution more then any, in all places where you can preuayle) not to complayne of oppression, least it be redoubled vpon you, and yet with­out breach of equitie.

8 From presuming of her Maiesties plia­blenesse to their side, he returneth to her ho­norable Counsel in the same maner & mea­ning. For attributing to them the prayse of nobilitie & much wisdome, and drift in ca­ses most important, he notwithstāding pro­miseth himselfe without doubt (as hauing y^e disposition of their hearts in his hande) that they also will at last for their own soules, & for many thousand soules that depend vpō their gouernmēt, discoūtenāce the religiō, & hearken vnto Papistry. He would not be­forehand make this promise, & (which is his chiefe purpose) drawe the multitude to ex­pect backsliding in their honors, if he did not highly esteeme his owne basenesse, & basely iudge of their excellēcie. But how doth this inconstant Iesuite still giue in one line, and take away in another? Haue her Maiesties most honorable Counsell wisdome in cases most importāt? & are they without wisdome [Page] in the most importāt cause of religiō, which more thē al other causes, importeth them for their owne soules & many thousande soules beside?1. Cor. 2. 6, 8. Rom 8. 5, 6, 7 Without this wisdom of God in the Gospell, there is no wisedome in the wisest men of the worlde. Then the Iesuite with­drawing from their honors this wisdome, he attributeth to them a wisedome which is no wisedome, and so his praises are no praises. But he findeth, & in their wise gouernment feeleth their wisedome to bee according to knowledge, & their knowledge ioyned with zeale, according to y^e reuealed trueth, which they vnder her Maiestie mainteine to Gods glory, & y^e cutting off of Popish enterprises to the contrary. Wherefore y^e ages that shal come after, shall witnes for her Maiestie & for them, that in singular wisdom, they haue restored & mainteined the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ, & blessedly withstoode the flatteries of Iesuites, and the violence of the vnholy fathers army, that would in Englād set vp the beast,Reue. 1 [...]8. & 18. 21. that must be throwen downe into the nethermost hel, & neuer rise againe: whose feareful fall will draw with it the fall of as many as depend vpō her, & yeeld their seruice to her, notwithstanding her intolera­ble pride & bloody fornications. Moreouer [Page] this Iesuite writeth to their honor without regard of their honors. For as if they had no eyes to see, nor hearts to consider what may be, and what hath bene said for Popish reli­gion, he wil now open the questions of re­ligion so faithfully, that their honors shall see the substantiall groundes whereon the Popish faith is builded. Haue all other Ie­suites wanted learning? Haue euen this Champions masters wanted strength in the field, and dexteritie in their enterprises? To heale the woundes of the beast,Iob. 13. 4. are all other Phisitions, Phisitions of no valew?

Thus we see how this Iesuite chargeth the Lordes, as not hauing their eyes yet o­pen to see what religion is, and also noteth the wantes of his masters, that haue not done, that himselfe will vndertake. But to performe all these promises, he must not al­ledge the authoritie of his oracle: for the ora­cle himself may sooner with Atlas beare the weight of the worlde vpon his shoulders, then mainteine so great a quarell, as is the defense of the Romish Church against the Gospel of God: as is the maynteining of the worldly kingdome of the Pope, against the spirituall and mightie kingdome of Ie­sus Christ. After these things he returneth [Page] to his slaunders against the preachers of the worde, charging them, that they huddle vp, and confounde questions of religion. But whatsoeuer the Iesuite thus casteth out in malicious & false termes, God bath blessed the preachers of the Gospell with worthie gifts, and a pure forme of preaching, agree­able to the puritie of the Gospel which they professe. So that if our aduersaries, & their giftes come to a right examination, it shall appeare to al men, that if Papists haue lear­ning, so we also: if they haue order and me­thode, so wee also: if they haue giftes to perswade, we much more, vpon more excel­lent groundes. And (which is more then all) whereas they preach men, we preache God, whereas they preache error, we preache the trueth, not according to men, but according to the foundation of the holy Prophets and Apostles,Ephe. 2. 20 Christ Iesus being the head cor­ner stone. As for Antiquitie, Fathers, Coū ­cils, we allowe them as farre as the worde of God doeth not disalowe them. But if any oracle from heauen, or consent of all the worlde, teache, or perswade any thing, o­therwise then we haue receiued in the word, we subscribe to the sentence alreadie pro­nounced by Saint Paul,Gal. 1. 8, [...]. and registred in [Page] his holy Epistle to the Galathians. What kinde of new preaching these new Iesuites bring, I know not: but if they followe the veine of their forefathers the auncient Fri­ers, then I know that they wil draw byase, whether they huddle or no. The worlde is yet full of volumes, wherein their sermons are penned downe, but with matter so ridi­culous, and Latine so barbarous, that all bookes written to make sport, must giue place to them. From charging the prea­chers, he proceedeth to charge y^e sway of the time, for preuayling against him and his. The time is neither shorter, nor longer, bet­ter, nor worse in it selfe: therefore in this fi­guratiue speach, he couertly chargeth the gouerners of the time. Wherein he againe vttereth his murmuring, & repineth that his golden times so often calculated, can yet take no place. But blessed be the Lord, that hath stretched out his arme, the swaye and stroke whereof preuayleth against all ene­mies of the kingdome of Iesus Christ: and let not their praises die for euer, whome the Lord hath raysed vp to be his instruments in so glorious a worke. As for the best blood in your bodies which you woulde spēd for their honors, which of them require [Page] any such sacrifice at your hande? who stand in neede of it? In so euil a cause, as the per­swading of error, what can it auaile? If I may againe aduise you, keepe it to preserue life: it may be the Lord hath appointed a day for your true repentance, that renoun­cing your former workes of merite and su­pererogation, you may receiue y^e loue of the trueth, and builde your faith vpon the me­rites of Christ alone,Phil. 3. 7. &c. which shalbe your owne saluation. And leaue to professe loue, where you practise treason: cease to promise the sheading of your blood willingly, as in a good cause, whereas experience hath lately shewed that you & your confederates lost blood in a notorious euill cause.In Ireland 29. Nouemb. But that was the mercy of God that watcheth o­uer vs still, to take the wicked in their wic­kednes, which mercie shall watch ouer vs continually, if we auoide the contempt of y^t Gospel we professe, and shewe our selues thankefull to his maiestie for so great mer­cies. Againe the Iesuite flaunteth in words, & vaunteth of his innocent handes lifted vp to heauen euery day & euery houre, as for the good of their honours. To make your hands no fowler then they are, yet those in­nocent handes haue written no innocent [Page] bookes: they haue cast abroade no innocent libels: they helde out no innocent banner of Popish obedience in their actual rebellions heretofore in England, & presently in Ire­land. But if those handes may be innocent that haue done these things, and moreouer crucifie the sonne of God againe euerie day in their most blasphemous sacrifice of the Masse: yet when you holde vp those handes in prayer, I doubt not, but it is with desire to haue Popish religion restored, to haue the Lords of the Counsell remoued: to haue way made for you to returne frō your beg­gerly estate to the dignities and regencie of the lande. And why then doe you, that are knowen to make this prayer, and to followe your prayers with practises, notwithstan­ding make mention of them as a dutiful and holy seruice towarde the Counsell. If the things ye seeke by prayer & otherwise, were good, then the prayer & enterprise also may be good: but if ye aske the thinges that are euil, the praier is turned into sinne: and you finde, how true the wordes of Iames are, concerning such praiers and such purposes, you aske,Iam. 4. 3. and receiue not. But howsoeuer you pray or purpose, we in all trueth & loue, holde vp both our handes and heartes vnto [Page] God for you, that are in darkenes and in the shadowe of death, praying him in his deare sonne Iesus Christ, to cast vpon you the light of his countenance, that you may see & finde that righteousnes which S.Phil. 37. &c. Paul de­sired, with the losse of al the other helpes & preeminences: namely, not the righteous­nes, which was his owne, which is of the lawe, but the righteousnes which is of God through faith. This is vnfeinedly our pub­lique and priuate praier for you, with conti­nuall supplication, that God woulde make vs all sheepe of the same folde, whereof Ie­sus Christ alone is the great Pastor.Iohn. 10. 11. heb. 13. 20. To come againe to that which followeth in the letter: he addeth the praise of English stu­dents beyonde Sea, saying, Their poste­ritie shal not die. No more shall the posteri­tie of Antichrist, til they and their abomina­tions be brought into iudgement. As for the vertue & sufficient knowledge which they gather, I would know whether it be vertue or knowledge that cause them in some pla­ces to carie letters, & to enter into sedicious matters priuilie: in other places to carrie armes against her Maiestie openly. Other fruite of their abandoning the lande, & great studies beyond sea I heare of none, a fewe [Page] motiues excepted. In the next wordes you professe better vertue, and more knowledge, if the euil cause were not stil the same. For in deede it is y^e heauenly gift of God in our calling to despise the death of the bodie,Phil. 2. 17, 30 for the life of their soules, whom otherwise we cannot in our ministerie bring to saluation. But your cause tendeth not to the saluation, but to the condemnation of those whom you carie away with your carnall worshippings and false doctrine. Moreouer it may be, these are but wordes of a vaine bragge, as hitherto appeareth. For albeit you woulde seeme determined, vpon your league neuer to giue ouer the Lords of the Counsel, but either to winne them to heauen (as if now they were lost to hell) or to die vpon their pikes: yet you that haue taried so long, from so great a worke, tarie yet longer, making no haste to come to so good a match. These valiant & resolute souldiers vnder y^e Popes banner of obedience appeare not: euen this Campmaster appeareth not. But it may be, he hath withdrawen himselfe, to write his letters consolatorie into Ireland, and backe againe to Rome: and among other his large offers, he mindeth to afforde vs this, that we shall haue some time to prepare for so dan­gerous [Page] a combat. To let this passe, that which followeth, doeth shew his spirit. For out it must with ful mouth and great sound, he can no longer keepe his own counsel. It woulde be marked, and taken heede of, not for feare of the matter, but to see the rebelli­on of the men. The societie of Iesuites pro­claime by their trumpet Master Campiō, & make it knowen, that they haue all made a league not to leaue a mā of thēselues aliue, free from the honor of Stories Tiburne, or consumption in prison, til they haue ouer­reached all the practises of Englād. Feare­full wordes threatning paper shot. But the weakenes of their force, taketh nothing frō the greatnesse of their malicious and tray­terous purpose. For if their power were as their purpose, see, I pray you, what an alte­ration they would soone worke in this land! Neuerthelesse these Iesuites that minde to leaue no way, that they thinke may establish the beast, whom they worship, yet they vtter this traiterous branch of the vnholy league, as if it were no other thing, thē by preaching to winne men to saluation. But I haue largely shewed, that it is destruction that they call saluation. Therefore to conclude these matters, his purpose is with his con­federates [Page] by al meanes to subdue men to the Popes bondage: and in this piece of seruice to preuayle, or to die vpon any daungers. A great offer for so small gayne: a great dan­ger for so wretched a purpose. But if the Ie­suite report the conclusion of y^e league true­ly, when it is put in execution (which not­withstanding they wil flee more then we cā feare) it wil not go so ill with the Church of God in England, as it will go wel with all other Churches. For if all the Iesuites in the worlde bend their forces towarde Eng­land, and come to carie the crosse, that here shalbe layd vpon them, we shalbe ouerlayed with those swarmes of grashoppers, except the Lord prouide a mighty west wind to cast them violently into the Sea: but all other Churches shalbe free from that plague. But if answereably to our professiō we remaine y^e Israel of God, though Egypt be plagued, yet there shalbe no complaining in the tents of Iacob. After these bragges in words on­ly, howe readie they are in the planting of Popish religion to die at Tiburne or in any other torments, he sheweth vs that the ex­pence is reckoned, the enterprise is begun. To gather these matters, First he publi­sheth a general cōspiracie of al the Iesuites [Page] in the world (and they were not alone in the decree) to die vpon our pikes, or to draw vs frō religiō. Secōdarily he forewarneth de­finitiuely, that this their league, succession & multitude, must ouerreach al the practi­ses of England: Thirdly that the accōpt is made, & the enterprise begun. In respect of any thing these Iesuites, or their adherēts can doe, we haue no cause to feare at all, for their rage shal turne to y^e praise of God, who wil cōfound thē for his trueth, & to get glo­ry to his name. But in respect of our sinnes, in not bringing forth fruites worthie of the Gospell, we may feare least some of these noysome beasts in their swarmes cast some shadow vpō the tree of life. Touching those last wordes so playnely laying downe their multitude, confederacie, threats and begin­nings, I leaue any further to examine them: they are for an other examination, as draw­ing neere the heart of the common wealth, for the purpose and execution thereof. The last wordes of this article are in sound very plausible (as the rest of his speeches) preten­ding nothing but trueth in his false cause, & nothing but loue in his seditious pamphlet. Therfore let them be examined. Speaking of Popish religion, he sayth it is of God. A [Page] bare affirmation without any proofe. So in all his letter he onely affirmeth, referring vs to his credite: whereas men would rather be caried w^t reason. But his reasōs are to be looked for, whē he commeth to answere his chalenge. Yet to answere him with a rea­son, Poperie is not of God, for then it could not haue receiued so great ouerthrowes, on­ly by the word of God. Neither was y^e Po­pish religion planted in blood, neyther is it like (whatsoeuer is layd downe in bragges) that in blood these Iesuites or any other wil restore it. Otherwise the wordes may haue this true construction: Popish religion was planted in strength, by sheading the blood, & abolishing the doctrine of the Martyrs: & in like sort they hope to restore it agayne. By persecutions it preuayled at the first, and by persecutions they looke to preuayle at the last. But blessed be God that hath shewed y^e vanitie of this hope, by shewing in our daies that the blood of his Martyrs, whose godly cause iustifie their godly death, is the seede of the Church. France, Flanders, and our owne countrey are wonderfull arguments of this, if any man will descend into y^e deepe cōsideration of the particulars. If the Lord hath heretofore made Nebuchadnezzar his [Page] seruant to punish Israel,Iere. 25. 9. & 27. 6. it was not the power of Babel that did it, but the sinnes of Ierusalem.Ier. 24. 7, 8, 9 All such chastisements of the Church redound to the good of the Church, and leaue wrath against those that rise vp a­gainst his people,Psal. 116. 15. and the blood of his saints that is so precious in his eyes.

9 In the last place he aggreueth the fault of her Maiesties most honorable priuy Coū ­sell, if they will not receyue that which he doeth not offer. For, although his letters be full of promises and verball offers, yet in trueth and deede, he offreth nothing, no not so much as these letters. They were scat­tered abroade before any copie came to their handes: so it appeareth, that as he meant not to stand to the answere of his chalenge, so he meant not so much as to sende the let­ters of chalenge, whyther he woulde haue them thought to be directed. Now after all stormes, and other outrageous actes in this tragedie and imaginarie chalenge, the Ie­suite hauing charged y^e Lords for their part, if they reiect his offer, & reward his ende­uours and pilgrimage of many thousande miles with rigour: he for his part falleth to a calme conclusion. Therein he promiseth (hauing no more to say) to recōmende our [Page] case and his owne to Almightie God the searcher of hearts, and prayeth that in hea­uen we may be made friends. This prayer if he will make from the heart, we also will pray that through their cōuersion God may graunt it in Christ Iesus. If he wil pray it in loue and trueth, to that praier he shal haue our Amen. But let euery man that speaketh well, meane accordingly, least the searcher of hearts finde out & punish their hypocri­sie. His last wordes somewhat touch the for­mer sore, & therefore must not be passed ouer with silence. In being our remembrancer, that in heauē all iniuries shalbe forgotten, he couertly complaineth againe of iniuries. The iniuries he susteineth, he alone is guil­tie of. For what greater iniurie can be done to another, thē he hath done vnto himself? He hath departed frō the faith, left his coūtrey, & refused y^e protection of a gracious Prince, with many other honours & felicities, as he declared in y^e first article. In him therfore, y^e cōplaint of iniuries is vniust: but against him, y^e complaint, not of iniuries alone, but of seditions, of heresie, & of impietie is very iust: so y^t he is to take heed hereafter vnto his steps, least, though al iniuries be forgottē in heauē, yet for want of repentāce, such iniqui­ties [Page] receiue punishment in an other place.

Therefore, briefly to see into al this matter & to cōclude, these letters of Ed. Campion y^e Iesuite, which were cast abroad w^tout a di­rectiō, to comfort the Papists, & sweetely to feed them w^t hope of a great cōquest against the religion, are foūd vpon examination to sound a false Alarme, hauing nothing for y^e Papists to feede vpon, but vaine hope, or ve­nim to satisfie a hart nourished w^t reproches: nothing to trust vnto, but a broken reede, & that not yet in hand. Touching the Prote­stants the same libel hath nothing, that can either strike the least feare into them, or cast the least discredite vpon them, or their reli­gion. Notwithstanding against y^e Papists, and for the Protestants, especially those in place further to consider it, the pamphlet hath (beside the vanitie) many points dis­couering as well great mischiefe intended against her Maiesties peaceable and godly gouernement, as against the heauenly and most fruitful preaching of y^e Gospel. Which mischiefe notwithstāding the Lord our God hath from time to time, and lately wonder­fully disappoynted, that the Papists which will not heare what is taught out of the worde, may see and consider what the Lord [Page] preacheth to them in those his notable iudge­ments: and that we, both Prince & people so blessed of God, woulde with new songs praise the Lord, who is euermore good to Israel: the Lord, I say, whose mercie and trueth endureth and pre­uaileth for euer. Amen.