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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13133-0.txt b/13133-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2ea630e --- /dev/null +++ b/13133-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4216 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13133 *** + +TEN REASONS PROPOSED TO HIS ADVERSARIES FOR DISPUTATION IN THE +NAME OF THE FAITH AND PRESENTED TO THE ILLUSTRIOUS MEMBERS OF OUR +UNIVERSITIES BY EDMUND CAMPION PRIEST OF THE SOCIETY OF THE NAME +OF JESUS Nihil Obstat S. GEORGIUS KIERAN HYLAND, S.T.D, CENSOR +DEPUTATUS Imprimatur + PETRUS EPUS SOUTHWARC CONTENTS +INTRODUCTION RATIONES DECEM TRANSLATION INTRODUCTION + + + + + + +Though Blessed Edmund Campion's _Decem Rationes_ has passed +through forty-seven editions,[1] printed in all parts of Europe; +though it has awakened the enthusiasm of thousands; though Mark +Anthony Muret, one of the chief Catholic humanists of Campion's +age, pronounced it to be "written by the finger of God," yet it +is not an easy book for men of our generation to appreciate, and +this precisely because it suited a bygone generation so exactly. +Before it can be esteemed at its true value, some knowledge of +the 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 the +last and most deliberate free utterance of Campion's +ever-memorable mission. During the few months that mission +lasted he succeeded in staying the full tide of victorious +Protestantism, which had hitherto been irresistible. The ancient +Church had gone down before the new religion, at Elizabeth's +accession twenty years before, with an apparently final fall, +and since then the Elizabethan Settlement had triumphed in every +church, in every school and court. The new generation had been +moulded by it; the old order seemed to be utterly prostrate, +defeated and moribund. Nor was it only at home that +Protestantism talked of victory. In every neighbouring land she +had gained or was gaining the upper hand. She had crossed the +Border and subdued Scotland, she held Ireland in an iron grip, +she had set up a new throne in Holland, she had deeply divided +France, and had learned how to paralyze the power of Spain. What +could stay her progress? + +Then a new figure appeared, a fugitive flying before the law. He +was hunted backwards and forwards across the country, every man's +hand seemed against him. It was impossible to hold out for long +against such immense odds, and he was in fact soon captured, +mocked, maligned, sentenced and executed with contumely. Yet +Campion and his handful of followers had meanwhile succeeded in +doing what the whole nation, when united, had failed to do. He +had evoked a spirit of faith and fervour, against which the +violence of Protestantism raged in vain. He had saved the beaten, +shattered fragments of the ancient host, and animated them with +invincible courage; and his work endured in spite of endless +assaults and centuries of persecution. The _Decem Rationes_ is +Campion's harangue to those whom he called upon to follow him in +the heroic struggle. + +2. THE MAN AND THE MISSION. + +Thus much for the inspiration and general significance of +Campion's work considered as a whole. It will also repay a much +more minute study, and to appreciate it we must enter into +further 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; that +he was afterwards a Fellow of St. John's, Oxford, and held at the +same time an exhibition from the Grocer's Company. At Oxford he +accepted to some extent the Elizabethan Settlement of religion, +but not sufficiently to satisfy the Company of Grocers, who +eventually withdrew their exhibition. This was a sign for further +inquisitorial proceedings, which made him leave the University, +and retire to Dublin; but he was driven also thence by the +zealots for Protestantism. Eventually he went over to the English +College at Douay, whence he migrated to Rome, entered the Society +of Jesus, and after eight years' training had returned, a priest, +to his native country, forty years old. His strong point was +undoubtedly a singularly lovable character, and he possessed the +gift of eloquence in no ordinary degree. For the rest, his +natural qualities and acquired accomplishments were above the +ordinary level, without reaching an extraordinary height. He was +a man who never ceased working, and whose temper was always +angelic, though he sometimes suffered from severe depression. He +was adored by his pupils both at Oxford and in Bohemia. His +memory was always bright, and his conversation always sparkled +with fresh thoughts and poetical ideas. He composed with +extraordinary facility in Latin prose and verse; but the extant +fragments of these literary exercises do not strike us as being +of unusual excellence, though genuinely admired in their day. He +was certainly an ideal missioner: saintly, inspired, eloquent, +untireable, patient, consumed with the desire for the success of +his undertaking, and unfaltering in his faith that success would +follow by the providential action of God, despite the obvious +fact that all appearances were against him. + +Campion landed at Dover late in June, 1580, and reached London +at the end of the month. There was an immediate rush to hear +him, and Lord Paget was persuaded to lend his great hall at +Paget House in Smithfield to accommodate a congregation for the +feast of Saints Peter and Paul. The sermon was delivered on the +text from the Gospel of the day, _Tu es Christus, Filius Dei +vivi_. The hall was filled, and the impression caused by the +sermon was profound; but the number of hearers had been +imprudently large. Though no arrests followed, the persecutors +took the alarm, and increased their activity to such an extent +that large gatherings had for ever to be abandoned; and after a +couple of weeks both Campion and Persons left London to escape +the notice of the pursuivants, whose raids and inquisitorial +searches were making the lot of Catholics in town unbearable, +whereas in the country the pursuit was far less active, and +could be much more easily avoided. The two Fathers met for the +last time at Hoxton, then a village outside London, to concert +their plans for the next couple of months, and were on the point +of starting, each for his own destination, when a Catholic of +some note rode up from London. This was Thomas Pounde, of +Belmont or Beaumont, near Bedhampton, a landed gentleman of +means, an enthusiastic Catholic, and for the last five years or +so a prisoner for religion. Mr. Pounde's message in effect was +this. "You are going into the proximate danger of capture, and +if captured you must expect not justice, but every refinement of +misrepresentation. You will be asked crooked questions, and your +answers to them will be published in some debased form. Be sure +that whatever then comes through to the outer world will come +out poisoned and perverted. Let me therefore urge you to write +now, and to leave in safe custody, what you would wish to have +published then, in case infamous rumours should be put about +during your incarceration, rumours which you will then not be +able to answer or to repudiate." Father Persons seems to have +agreed at once. Campion at first raised objections, but soon, +with his ever obliging temper, sat down at the end of the table +and wrote off in half an hour an open letter _To the Lords of +Her 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 the +same; but whereas the latter took the precaution to seal his +letter, Campion had handed over his unfastened. Then the company +broke up. Persons made a wide circle from Northampton round to +Gloucester, while Campion made a smaller circle from Oxfordshire +up to Northampton. When they got back to town in September, they +found all the world discussing "the Challenge." What had happened +was that proceedings had been taken by the Ecclesiastical +Commission against Pounde, and he had been committed to solitary +confinement in the ruinous castle of Bishop's Stortford. Before +he left London he began to communicate the letter to others, lest +it should be altogether lost, and as soon as it was thus +published it attracted everyone's attention, and his adversaries +had ironically christened it _the challenge_. The word was indeed +one which Campion had used, but he had employed it precisely in +order to avoid any charge that might have arisen, of being +combative and presumptuous. + +Thus in the course of three months Campion, as it were in spite +of himself, had filled England with his name and with the message +he had come to announce, and he had reduced his adversaries to a +very ridiculous position. They had been dared to meet him in +disputation, and this they feared to do. In effect, they in their +thousands were hiding their heads in the sand, while their +constables and pursuivants were raiding the houses of Catholics +on every side in hopes of catching the homeless wanderer, and of +stopping his mouth by violence. The pulpits, of course, rang with +outcries against the newcomer, and in his absence his doctrines +were rent and scoffed at; but, as Campion said in a contemporary +letter, "The people hereupon is ours, and the error of spreading +that letter abroad hath done us much good." This was the first +popular success which the Catholics had scored for years; and +after so many years of oppression some popular success was of +immense importance to the cause. Father Persons, in a +contemporary letter, says that the Government found that there +were 50,000 more recusants that autumn than they had known of +before. The number is, of course, a round one, and is possibly +much exaggerated, but it gives the Catholic leader's view of the +advantage won at this time. + +We may now turn to _The Challenge_ itself, the only piece of +Campion'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 by +my Superiors, and adventured myself into this noble Realm, my +deare Countrie, for the glorie of God and benefit of souls, I +thought it like enough that, in this busie watchful and +suspicious worlde, I should either sooner or later be intercepted +and stopped of my course. Wherefore, providing for all events, +and uncertaine what may become of me, when God shall haply +deliver my body into durance, I supposed it needful to put this +writing in a readiness, desiringe your good Lordships to give it +ye reading, for to know my cause. This doing I trust I shall ease +you of some labour. For that which otherwise you must have sought +for by practice of wit, I do now lay into your hands by plaine +confession. And to ye intent that the whole matter may be +conceived in order, and so the better both understood and +remembered, 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 Catholike +Church, and through ye great mercie of God vowed now these viii +years into the Religion of the Societie of Jhesus. Hereby I have +taken upon me a special kind of warfare under the banner of +obedience, and eke resigned all my interest or possibilitie of +wealth, honour, pleasure, and other worldlie felicitie. + +ii. At the voice of our General Provost, which is to me a +warrant from heaven, and Oracle of Christ, I tooke my voyage +from Prage to Rome (where our said General Father is always +resident) and from Rome to England, as I might and would have +done joyously into any part of Christendome or Heathenesse, had +I been thereto assigned. + +iii. My charge is, of free cost to preach the Gospel, to +minister the Sacraments, to instruct the simple, to reforme +sinners, to confute errors--in brief, to crie alarme spiritual +against foul vice and proud ignorance, wherewith many my dear +Countrymen are abused. + +iv. I never had mind, and am strictly forbidden by our Father that +sent me, to deal in any respect with matter of State or Policy of +this realm, as things which appertain not to my vocation, and from +which I do gladly restrain and sequester my thoughts. + +v. I do ask, to the glory of God, with all humility, and under +your correction, iii sortes of indifferent and quiet audiences: +_the first_ before your Honours, wherein I will discourse of +religion, so far as it toucheth the common weale and your +nobilities: _the second_, whereof I make more account, before the +Doctors and Masters and chosen men of both Universities, wherein +I undertake to avow the faith of our Catholike Church by proofs +innumerable, Scriptures, Councils, Fathers, History, natural and +moral reasons: _the third_ before the lawyers, spiritual and +temporal, wherein I will justify the said faith by the common +wisdom of the laws standing yet in force and practice. + +vi. I would be loth to speak anything that might sound of any +insolent brag or challenge, especially being now as a dead man +to 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 a +courage in avouching the Majesty of Jhesus my King, and such +affiance in his gracious favour, and such assurance in my +quarrel, and my evidence so impregnable, and because I know +perfectly that no one Protestant, nor all the Protestants +living, nor any sect of our adversaries (howsoever they face men +down in pulpits, and overrule us in their kingdom of grammarians +and unlearned ears)[2] can maintain their doctrine in +disputation. I am to sue most humbly and instantly for the +combat with all and every of them, and the most principal that +may be found: protesting that in this trial the better furnished +they come, the better welcome they shall be. + +vii. And because it hath pleased God to enrich the Queen my +Sovereign Ladye with notable gifts of nature, learning, and +princely education, I do verily trust that--if her Highness would +vouchsafe her royal person and good attention to such a +conference as, in the ii part of my fifth article I have +motioned, or to a few sermons, which in her or your hearing I am +to utter,--such manifest and fair light by good method and plain +dealing may be cast upon these controversies, that possibly her +zeal of truth and love of her people shall incline her noble +Grace to disfavour some proceedings hurtful to the Realm, and +procure towards us oppressed more equitie. + +viii. Moreover I doubt not but you her Highness' Council being, of +such wisdom and discreet in cases most important, when you shall +have heard these questions of religion opened faithfully, which +many times by our adversaries are huddled up and confounded, will +see upon what substantial grounds our Catholike Faith is builded, +how feeble that side is which by sway of the time prevaileth +against us, and so at last for your own souls, and for many +thousand souls that depend upon your government, will +discountenance error when it is bewrayed, and hearken to those +who would spend the best blood in their bodies for your +salvation. Many innocent hands are lifted up to heaven for you +daily by those English students, whose posteritie shall never +die, which beyond seas gathering virtue and sufficient knowledge +for the purpose, are determined never to give you over, but +either to win you heaven, or to die upon your pikes. And touching +our Societie be it known to you that we have made a league--all +the Jesuits in the world, whose succession and multitude must +overreach all the practices of England--cheerfully to carry the +cross you shall lay upon us, and never to despair your recovery, +while we have a man left to enjoy your Tyburn, or to be racked +with your torments, or consumed with your prisons. The expense is +reckoned, the enterprise is begun; it is of God, it cannot be +withstood. So the faith was planted: so it must be restored. + +ix. If these my offers be refused, and my endeavours can take no +place, and I, having run thousands of miles to do you good, shall +be rewarded with rigour, I have no more to say but to recommend +your case and mine to Almightie God, the Searcher of Hearts, who +send us His grace, and set us at accord before the day of +payment, to the end we may at last be friends in heaven, when all +injuries shall be forgotten. + + * * * * * + +"Direct, true, and resolute," Campion's words certainly are, and +they are calculated in a remarkable degree to reassure and +animate his fellow Catholics and their friends, and it is for +them in reality, rather than for the Lords of the Council, that +the message is composed. If the composition has a fault it is its +combativeness; and in effect, though this drawback was not felt +at the time, it was later. Subsequent missionaries found it best +to adopt a policy of far greater secrecy and silence. If, +however, we remember that Campion intended his paper to be +published under quite different circumstances, we can see that he +at least hardly deserves the reproach of being contentious, or if +he does, his failing was venial when we consider the tastes of +the age. The immediate result of the publication was without +question a great success. + +THE "DECEM RATIONES." + +Like a wise general, Father Persons at once bethought himself how +best to follow up the good beginning already made. Accordingly, +when he and Campion met at Uxbridge (for it was not safe for +Campion to come to London), he suggested that the latter, seeing +that his memory was still green at Oxford, should compose a short +address on the crisis to the students of the two Universities. +Campion met the suggestion as he had met the suggestion of +Pounde, with a gentle disclaimer, "alleging divers difficulties," +but soon good-humouredly assented on the condition (not a usual +one with literary men) that someone else should propose the +subject. The company therefore made various suggestions, none of +which met with general acceptance, until Campion proposed "Heresy +in Despair." "Whereat," adds Persons, "all that were present +could not choose but laugh, and wonder to see him fall upon that +argument at such a time when heresy seemed most of all to +triumph." In truth, with England invincible at sea and on land, +and the absolute sway of Elizabeth, Cecil, and Walsingham over +both Church and State, what more hopeful position for +Protestantism could have been imagined? Campion's meaning, of +course, was that Protestantism was in despair of holding the +position of the ancient Church; of ruling in the hearts of a free +people; of co-existing with Christian liberty. It was unworthy, +therefore, of the acceptance of minds that aspired to mental +freedom, as did the youth of the Universities. This subject for +an address was welcomed with acclamation, and Campion promised to +undertake it, suggesting on his side that Persons should arrange +ways and means for printing the tract when finished, and any +other which might seem needed. + +This agreed to, all separated once more, and Campion rode +northwards on a tour which he took in Derbyshire, Yorkshire, and +Lancashire, and which was not over for six months. Meantime +Father Persons had set up his "magic press" near London, and +issued from it five volumes of small size indeed, but of +remarkable vigour and merit. As soon as any notable attack was +made on the Catholics, an answer was brought out in a wonderfully +short time, and these answers were pithy, vigorous, and pointed, +in no ordinary degree. When one remembers how much co-operation +is needed to bring out even the slightest volume, one is truly +astonished at the feat of bringing out so many and such good +ones, while the hourly fear of capture, torture, and death hung +over the heads of all. When threatened with danger in one place +the press was bodily transported to another. + +However, our business at present is not with Persons, but with +Campion. His book was finished and sent up to Persons in March, +1581, with a title altered to suit the controversy which had +already 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 Campion +offered his adversaries to dispute on behalf of the Faith, set +before the famous men of our Universities." Persons was charmed, +as he had expected to be, with its literary grace. It was in +Latin, as had been agreed, and Campion's Latin prose, (though +critics of our time find it somewhat silvery and Livian), suited +the tastes of that day to perfection. The only thing which made +Persons at all thoughtful was the number of references. Campion +declared that he was sure he had verified them, as he entered +them in his notebook, but Persons, with greater caution, declared +that they must be verified anew. + +The difficulty of this for men living under the ban, and cut off +from access to large libraries, was of course great, but through +the help of others, especially through Mr. Thomas Fitzherbert of +Swynnerton, the task was happily accomplished. Campion came up +from the north to Stonor, on the Oxfordshire border where the +secret press then was; and there, amid a thousand fears, alarms +and 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 of +opinion that Campion should come up to London immediately after +Easter [March 26th] to examine the passages quoted, and to assist +the print. Meanwhile Persons began to prepare new means of +printing, making use of friends and in particular of a certain +priest called William Morris, a learned and resourceful man, who +afterwards died in Rome.[4] This was necessary, as the first +press near London, where the first two books had been printed, +had been taken down. Eventually and with very great difficulty he +found, after much trying, a house belonging to a widow, by name +Lady Stonor, in which she was not living at that time. It was +situated 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. Stephen +Brinkley, a gentleman of high attainments both in literature and +in virtue, superintended the printing. Father Campion then coming +to London, with his book already revised, went at once to the +house in the wood, where the book was printed and eventually +published. Persons too went down to stay with him for some days +to take counsel on their affairs. + +* * * * * + +Stonor Park, to which Campion and Persons had betaken +themselves,[5] is still in the possession of the old Catholic +family of that name, of which Lord Camoys is the representative. +Father Morris says that "the printing, according to the +traditions of the place, was carried on in the attics of the old +house."[6] Being near Henley it was possible to go there by road +or by water, and one might come and go on the Oxford high-road +without attracting attention. + +Still there was grave risk of discovery from the noise made by +the press, and from the number of extra men about the house, as +to the fidelity of each of whom it was impossible to be +absolutely sure. Day by day the dangers thickened round them. +One evening, soon after their arrival, William Hartley, a priest +and afterwards a martyr, who was helping in the work, and had +then just come back from a visit to Oxford, mentioned casually +that 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 three +years before his name had been noised all over Europe. He had +been sentenced to have his ears cut off for some religious +offence, when the Judge was taken ill in the court itself, and, +the infection travelling with marvellous rapidity, the greater +part both of the bench and of the jury were stricken down with +gaol fever, and two judges, twelve justices, and other high +officials, almost the whole jury, and many others, died within +the space of two days.[7] + +In mentioning Jenks's new troubles Hartley probably did not +realize the extent of the danger to the whole party which they +portended. Persons had in fact employed the very servant who had +now turned traitor, to bind a number of books for him at his +house near Bridewell Church, London, which with all its contents +was thus in a perilous condition. Early next morning an express +messenger was sent in to town with orders to hide or destroy +Persons' papers and other effects. It was already too late: that +very 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 the +brightest and most lovable of the missionaries, was seized next +door, and hurried off first to the Counter, then to the Tower, +where he was repeatedly and most cruelly racked to make him say +where Persons might be found. + +Information about his torture was brought to the Jesuits at +Stonor, and one can easily see how grave and disturbing such +bad news must have been. "For almost the whole of one night," +says Persons, "Campion and I sat up talking of what we had +better do, if we should fall into their hands. A fate which +befell him soon after." + +The Registers of the Privy Council inform us that their Lordships +gave orders to have Jenks sent up to London on the 28th of April. +This settles approximately the date of the beginning of the +printing at Stonor, and the book was not finished till nearly the +end of June. So the work lasted about nine weeks, a fairly long +period when we consider the smallness of the Latin book, here +reproduced. It will, however, be shown from intrinsic evidence, +that the stock of type was very small. The printers had to set up +a few pages at a time, to correct them at once, and to print off, +before they could go any further. Then they distributed the type +and began again. When all was finished they rapidly stabbed and +bound their sheets. Considering the fewness of the workmen[8] and +the unforeseen delays which so often occur during printing, the +time taken over the production does not seem extraordinary. + +For many years no example of the original edition of the _Decem +Rationes_ was known to exist: none of our great public libraries +in London or at the Universities possesses a copy. But it was the +singular good fortune of the late Marquess of Bute to pick up two +copies of this extremely rare volume, and he munificently +presented one of them to Stonyhurst College. Canon Gunning of +Winchester is the happy owner of a third copy. By the courtesy of +the Rector of Stonyhurst, I am able to offer a minute description +of the precious little book. + +The volume is, considering the printing of that time, distinctly +well got up. There is nothing at first sight to suggest that its +publication had been a matter of so much difficulty and danger; +but when one scrutinizes every page with care, one finds that it +bears about it some traces of the unusual circumstances under +which it was produced. + +If we look first for the water-mark in the paper we shall find +that it is the pot--the ordinary English sign; a proof, if one +were needed, that the book was really printed in this country. +The sheets run from A to K (with prefixed [double-dagger]), in +fours, 16mo; the folios are 44, of which 39 are numbered (but by +accident the pagination is omitted from 1 to 4 and 40 is blank as +well 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 printing +frame, or, in other words, that the frame was so small that it +would have been covered by half a folio sheet, 9 by 13 inches. +They probably printed off each little sheet by itself, for if +they had had a larger frame so as to print an entire folio +sheet--then we should have found in the finished book that the +water-mark would recur once in each sixteen pages. In point of +fact, however, it only recurs irregularly in the first, fifth, +and tenth gathering. This could not have occurred unless the +sheets used were of half folio size. + +A Greek fount was evidently wanting. Campion was fond, after the +fashion of scholars of that day, of throwing into his Latin +letters a word or two of Greek, which in his autograph are +written, as Mr. Simpson has remarked, with the facility of one +familiar with the language. Here on fol. 24 a we find _adynata_, +where [Greek: adunata] would have been in Campion's epistolary +manner. Again, on fol. 4 b he quotes, "Hic calix novum +testamentum in sanguine meo, qui (calix) pro vobis fundetur," and +in the margin _Poterion Ekchynomenon_, in Italics, where Greek +script, if obtainable, would obviously have been preferred. A +further indication of the difficulties under which type had been +procured is seen in the use of a query sign of a black-letter +fount (_i.e. [different question mark]_) instead of the Roman +fount (_i.e.,?_). This will be the more readily comprehended when +we remember that Father Persons' books, which Brinkley had +printed before, were in English, and that English prose was then +still generally printed in Gothic character[9]. + +So Persons also made use of it in order that there might be +nothing in his books to strike the eye as unusual in books of +that class. Campion's volume on the other hand being in Latin, it +was necessary to procure a new set of "Roman" type. The use of +the 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 in +the signs for a, e, diphthong. This combination recurred very +frequently in Latin, and the printers had very few of them. Very +soon after starting we find them substituting for Roman an +Italic diphthong, [ae ligature] also o, e ([oe ligature]), and +even e, an ordinary mediaeval form of the sign. It will be +noticed that these substitutions become increasingly frequent, +as we approach fol. 12 (end of signature C), fol. 32 (end of +signature H), and 36 (end of signature I), whereas as soon as +the next signature begins the fount of [ae ligature] is ready to +hand again. The conclusion to be deduced is that leaves C, H, +and I were each printed off, and the type distributed, before +the setting up of D, I, and K could be proceeded with. This +illustrates what has been said before of the very small stock of +type in the printing establishment. + +Another slight peculiarity ought perhaps to be noticed: it is +the accentuation of the Latin. Adverbs, for instance, are +generally accented on the last syllable, e.g., doctiu's, +facile', qua'm, eo', quo': the rule, however, is by no means +regularly kept. But this has evidently nothing to do with the +peculiar conditions under which Campion's book was produced, and +is to be accounted for by the use of accents in other +publications of the same class. Nothing was then definitely +settled about the accentuation of either French, Italian, or +Latin, and Campion's volume does but reproduce the uncertainty +on the matter which was everywhere prevalent. + +Whilst the printers were contending with the difficulties arising +from the smallness of their stock of type, difficulties which no +doubt caused vexatious and dangerous delays, Campion and Persons +resumed their missionary labours with vigour. In his Memoirs +Persons writes: + +* * * * * + +Whilst the preparations were being made Campion preached +unweariedly, sometimes in London, sometimes making excursions. +There was one place [that of the Bellamy's] whither we often +went, about five miles from London, called Harohill. In going +thither we had to pass through Tyburn. But Campion would always +pass bareheaded, and making a deep bow both because of the sign +of the Cross, and in honour of some martyrs who had suffered +there, and also because he used to say that he would have his +combat 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 to +Campion's conduct at Tyburn, he explains that the shape of the +gallows was a triangle, supported at its three angles by three +baulks of timber; the tie-beams, however, suggested to Campion +the Cross of Christ. + +From the State Papers we hear of other families and places said +to have been visited by Campion at this period: the Prices, of +Huntingdon; Mr. William Griffith, of Uxbridge; Mr. Edwin East, of +Bledlow, Bucks; Lady Babington, at Twyford, Bucks; Mr. Dormer, at +Wynge, and Mrs. Pollard.[12] + +In spite of alarms, dangers, and interruptions, the work of +printing was concluded without mishap. The method of publication +was singular. Hartley took the bulk of the copies to Oxford, +where the chief academical display of the year, the Act, as it +was called, was taking place in St. Mary's, on several successive +days. Hartley, coming in at the end of the first day, waited for +every one to go out, then slipped his little books under the +papers left on the seats, and was gone. Next morning he entered +with the rest, and soon saw that his plan had been perfectly +successful. The public disputation began, but the attention of +the audience was elsewhere. There was whispering and comparing +notes, and passing about of little books, and as soon as the +seance was over, open discussion of Campion's "Reasons." Hartley +did not wait for more, but rode back to Stonor with the news that +the book had surely hit its mark. + +At Oxford, as Father Persons says, many remembered and loved the +man, or at least knew of his gentle character, and of the career +he had abandoned to become a Catholic missionary. The book +recalled all this; and to those who were able to enter into its +spirit it preached with a strange penetrating force. By all the +lovers of classical Latin, and there were many such at that day, +it was read greedily. The Catholics and lovers of the old Faith +received it with enthusiasm, but a still more valid testimony to +its power was given by the Protestant Government, which gave +orders to its placemen that they should elaborate replies. These +replies drew forth answers from the Catholics, and the controversy +lasted for several years. Mr. Simpson has included an outline of +this controversy in his _Life of Campion_, and to it I may refer +my 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 all +so remarkable as it did to our ancestors. Religious controversy, +in itself, does not much interest us moderns; and those who will +read Latin merely to enjoy the style are very few. But in the +sixteenth century, as Sir Arthur Helps truly says, men found in +the thrill of controversy the interest they now take in novels. +At that time, too, of all literary charms, that of good Latin +prose was by far the most popular, and the language was still the +"lingua franca" of the learned all the world over. Once we get so +far as to appreciate that both subject and style were in its +favour, 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 the +reception of the book by the public, I may mention as the most +obvious proof of its popularity, that more strenuous endeavours +were made (so far as I can discover) to answer it than were made +in the case of any other assault upon the Elizabethan religious +settlement. Lord Burghley himself, the chief minister of the +Crown, called upon the Bishop of London, perhaps the most forward +man then on the episcopal bench, to use all endeavours to ensure +the publication of a sufficient answer. Finally they appointed +the Regius Professors of Divinity both at Oxford and at Cambridge +to provide for the occasion, and it took both of these a long +series of months to propound their answers to Campion's tract, +which is only as long as a magazine article. Speaking broadly, we +may say that this was the most that Elizabeth's Establishment +could do officially; and besides this, there were sermons +innumerable, and pamphlets not a few by lesser men, as well as +disputations in the Tower, of which more must be said later. + +This hostile evidence is so striking and so ample that it might +seem unnecessary to allege more, but I attach a great deal more +importance to the praise of theologians of Campion's own faith: +for, in the first place this is much harder to obtain than the +attention of the persons attacked. Secondly, those who are +acquainted with Catholic theological criticism are at first +surprised to find what very severe critics Catholic theologians +are one of another. In this case, where the writer had from the +nature of his task to make so much use of rhetorical arguments, +allusions, irony, and unusual forms of expression, there was +more than usual chance of fault being found, especially as every +possible thorny subject is introduced somehow, and that in terms +meant to please not Roman theologians, but Oxford students. +Evidently there was danger here that critics should or might be +severe, or at least insist on certain changes and emendations. +In fact the work was received with joy, and reprinted frequently +and with honour. I have lately found a letter in its +commendation from the Cardinal Secretary of State of that day, +and Muret, as we have heard, perhaps the greatest humanist then +living 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 of +Campion's life of freedom. He was seized the very next week, and +after five months of suffering was martyred on 1 December, 1581. +During that prolonged and unequal struggle against every variety +of craft and violence the _Ten Reasons_ continued to have their +influence, and on the whole they were extremely helpful, for +they enabled the martyr to recover some ground which he had lost +while under torture. During those awful agonies he confessed to +having found shelter in the houses of certain gentlemen. It is +certain that these names were all known to the Government +before, and that he was not betraying any secret. Nevertheless +the gentlemen in question were at once seized, imprisoned and +fined, on the alleged evidence of Campion's confessions only. +This of course caused much scandal among Catholics, and so long +as he lay lost in the Tower dungeons, unpleasant rumours about +his constancy could not be effectively contradicted. Thus far +Elizabeth's ministers had gained an advantage, which Pounde had +foretold they were likely to win. But the remedy he had +suggested also proved effective. + +Though under ordinary circumstances Elizabeth's ministers "meant +nothing less" than having the disputation requested, nevertheless +now that Campion was so terribly shaken and reduced, they hoped +that they might arrange some sort of a meeting, which might in +show correspond with what had been demanded in the _Decem +Rationes_, and yet leave them with a certain victory. They were +emboldened too, by finding that their prisoner was not after all, +such a particularly learned man. He had never been a professor of +theology, or written or made special studies, beyond the ordinary +course which in those days was not a long one. It was, therefore, +settled that four disputations should be held in the Tower of +London. Theology was still taught at Oxford and Cambridge in +something of the old mediaeval method and in syllogistic form. +The men who were pitted against Campion had lately been, or were +still, examiners at the Universities. Nor is it to be denied for +a moment that they did their work well. The attack never +faltered. Their own side quite believed they had won. The method +they adopted was this. They assumed the role of examiners, and +starting with the _Decem Rationes_ before them, they plied +Campion with crabbed texts, and obscure quotations from the +Fathers. Then they cut short his answers, and as soon as one had +examined for one quarter of an hour, another took his place, for +they were anxious above all things to avoid defeat. The number of +topics broached and left unsettled surpasses belief, indeed the +scene was one of utter confusion, taunts, scoldings, sneers--a +very, very different test from the academic argumentation, which +Campion had requested. + +The martyr did not show any remarkable erudition, indeed all +opportunity to do so was carefully shut off. No University, I +fancy, would have given him a chair of theology on the strength +of his replies on that occasion. There was more than one +premature assertion of victory on the Protestant side. But when +the Catholic and Protestant accounts are compared, one sees that +the advantages won against Campion were slight. They evidently +hoped that by vigorous and repeated attacks they would at last +puzzle or bear him down. But they were never near this. He was +always fresh and gay, never in difficulties, or at the end of his +tether. He stands out quite the noblest, the most sympathetic and +important figure in those motley assemblies. The Catholics were +delighted. They succeeded in getting their own report of the +disputations, which is still extant, and they would have printed +it, if they had been able. Philip, Earl of Arundel, by far the +most important convert of that generation, was won over by what +he heard in those debates. + +On the whole then we must say that, if Campion did not come off +gloriously, he at least acquitted himself well and honourably, +and distinctly gained by the conflict. Offers of disputation were +not the ideal way of forwarding a mission such as his. +Nevertheless, in his case, despite circumstances the most +adverse, the result had proved advantageous. It had greatly +strengthened and encouraged his own followers, and that was in +reality the best that could then be expected. Incidentally too +the adverse rumours, which had gained ground during his +seclusion, were dissipated. It was clear that, though he might +have been deceived, his constancy was unconquerable. + +Thus Campion's _Challenge_ and his _Ten Reasons_ not only contain +the message of his mission enunciated with characteristic +eloquence, but the delivery of each message is an history-making +event, big with dramatic consequences. The controversy about his +book did not die with him, but continued for some years, until it +was merged into the standing controversy between the two +religions. 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, which +appeared in those controversies between 1581 and 1585. The chief +defender of Father Campion's writings was Father Robert Drury, +S.J., but all his biographers also have something to say on the +subject. The chief opponents are William Charke, Meredith Hanmer, +William Fulke, Laurence Humphrey, William Whitaker, R. Stoke, +John Field, Alexander Nowell, and William Day. Some further +information on the whole subject may be found in articles by the +late 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, dated +1606 (by Richard Stock), 1632, 1687, and 1827. The present +translation is thus the fifth into Campion's mother tongue. +Though each of the quaint old versions has its merits, and some +do not lack charm, not one would adequately represent Campion to +the modern reader. A new translation was a necessity--may I not +say, a most happy one--seeing that Father Joseph Rickaby was at +hand to satisfy it. [J.H.P.]] + +[Footnote 2: The meaning is--"The ministers tyrannize over us, as +if we were a kingdom of unlearned schoolboys, listening to a +teacher of grammar."] + +[Footnote 3: _Catholic Record Society_ IV., 14-17.] + +[Footnote 4: Father Bombino calls him Richard Morris, and says he +went into exile and lived with Allen first at Rheims, and +afterwards at Rome, where he died in the English College. (_Vita +Campiani_, p. 139)] + +[Footnote 5: Father Morris identified the lady who let or lent +Stonor Park, with Dame Cecilia Stonor, daughter of Leonard +Chamberlain. 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 a +correspondence to be mentioned immediately, says that there were +no 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 know +their names, and they deserve to be recorded here, viz., Stephen +Brinkley, John Harris, John Hervey, John Tuker, John Compton. Allen +speaks 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 of +Bombino's additions are not, perhaps, arranged in their true +chronological order. He tells us, for instance, a propos of +Brinkley's difficulties in getting printers, that he had to dress +them, and give them horses to ride, like gentlemen. But he does +not make it clear whether these were the men who printed the _Ten +Reasons_, or Persons' previous works. Bombino says that Brinkley +paid for the type, &c., but Allen, in a contemporary letter, says +that George Gilbert had left a fund for these purposes. Bombino +says the printing of the _Decem Rationes_ was commenced at +Brinkley's own house at Green Street, and had to be removed +because one of the servants was arrested in London, and tortured +to make him confess, which he heroically refused. Campion and +Persons knowing of the torture, not of the man's constancy, at +once removed the press. But Persons' _Memoirs_ ascribes this +incident 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 OBTVLIT +IN CAVSA FIDEI, REDDITAE ACADEMICIS ANGLIAE. + +EPISTOLA [1] + +AD REGINAE ANGLIAE CONSILIARIOS, QUA PROFECTIONIS SUAE IN ANGLIAM +INSTITUTUM DECLARAT, ET ADVERSARIOS AD CERTAMEN PROVOCAT + +Quandoquidem, viri ornatissimi, a Germania et Bohemia revocatus, +non sine ingenti vitae meae periculo, in hoc florentissimum +Angliae regnum, dulcissimam patriam meam, tandem aliquando +perveni, pro Superiorum meorum voluntate, Dei gloriam et animarum +salutem promoturus; verisimile esse putavi, me turbulento hoc, +suspicioso ac difficillimo tempore, sive citius, sive aliquanto +tardius, in medio cursu abreptum iri. Quapropter ignarus quid de +me futurum sit, quum Dei permissu in carceres et vincula forte +detrudendus sim, ad omnem eventum scriptum hoc condidi: quod ut +legere, et ex eo causam meam cognoscere velitis, etiam atque +etiam rogo. Fiet enim, ut hac re non parvo labore liberemini, dum +quod multis ambagibus inquirere vos audio, id totem aperta +confessione libere expromo. Atque ut rem omnem, quo melius et +intelligi, et memoria comprehendi queat, compendio tradam, in +novem omnino capita eam dispertiar. + +1. Profiteor me, quamvis indignum, Ecclesiae Catholicae +sacerdotem, et iam octo abhinc annis magna Dei misericordia in +Societatem nominis Iesu cooptatum, peculiare quoddam belli +genus sub obedientiae vexillo suscepisse; ac simul me omni +divitiarum, honorum et aliorum huiusmodi bonorum spe, et +habendi potestate, abdicasse. + +2. Generalis Praepositi nostri decreto (quod ego tamquam mandatum +coelitus missum, et a Christo ipso sancitum veneror), Praga Romam, +ubi Generalis nostri perpetua sedes est; Roma deinde in Angliam +contendi: qua animi alacritate etiam in quamcumque aliam orbis +terrarum partem, sive ad christianos, sive ad infideles, profectus +fuissem, si me ad eam profectionem superiores mei designassent. + +3. Negotium mihi commisum tale est, ut gratis Evangelium +administrem, rudes in fide instituam, flagitiosos a scelere ad +meliorem vitae rationem traducam, errores convellam; et, ut +summatim 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 huius +regni administrationis negotiis me immisceam: nam et aliena haec +sunt a vocationis meae instituto, et iis animum cogitationesque +meas libenter avoco. + +5. Quamobrem vestra clementia fretus, ad gloriam Dei tria non +minus aequa, quam ab omni pacis et tranquillitatis reipublicae +perturbatione aliena, concedi mihi et permitti humillime postulo. +Primum est, ut Dominationes vestrae, pro sua et reipublicae +dignitate, me pro religione disserentem audire non graventur. +Alterum, quod et cumprimis desidero, et maximi momenti esse +arbitror, ut mihi liceat in consessu doctorum, magistorum et +utriusque Academiae virorum insignium, sacrosanctae theologiae +professorum, verba facere. Promitto me catholicae Ecclesiae fidem +invictis rationibus et sacrarum Scripturarum, Conciliorum, Patrum +atque historiarum auctoritate, ac denique ex ipsa tum naturali, +tum morali philosophia efficaciter demonstraturum et defensurum. +Tertium, ut audiar ab utriusque iuris, sive canonici, sive +civilis, peritis, quibus eamdem fidei veritatem, legum, quae +etiamnum vigent, testimonio atque auctoritate comprobabo. + +6. Nollem equidem quidquam proferre, quod insolentem +provocationem aut arrogantiam aliquam prae se ferret; quum et +mundo mortuus iam sim, et ex animo paratus promtusque, ut me ad +cuiusvis pedes abiiciam ac vestigia etiam exosculer. Tantus tamen +animus mihi est pro gloria et maiestate Regis mei Iesu +amplificanda, tanta in eius favore fiducia, tanta denique in +causae aequitate et firmissimorum argumentorum ac probationum +robore confidentia, (quum certo sciam nullum protestantium, nec +omnes simul iunctos, nec ullam adversariorum factionem, +quantumvis imperitam multitudinem et grammaticos quosdam +adolescentulos, apud quos insigniter debacchantur, in errorem +inducant, posse dogmata sua disputatione aut tueri aut probare); +ut cum illis omnibus, vel cum eorum quolibet, vel cum +antesignanis ex omni illorum numero delectis, ultro me offeram +congressurum; 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 sua +Maiestas huiusmodi auditionem, qualem in quinto articulo secundo +loco efflagitavi, sua regali praesentia et benigna attentione +cohonestare dignaretur, sperarem sane, me articulos controversos +optima methodo et perspicuis argumentis ita illustrare, atque ab +omnibus fallaciarum involucris quibus constricti sunt, explicare +posse, ut zelo veritatis et amore, quo sua Maiestas populum +complectitur, mediocriter eius animum inclinarem, quum ad +plurimas res, quae regno suo non parum detrimenti afferunt, +damnandas et reiiciendas, tum ad nos catholicos, misere iamdui +oppressos, maiore aequitate prosequendos. + +8. Neque vero dubium mihi est quin vos, ornatissimi consiliari +S. M., quum in maximi momenti negotiis praeclare ac sapienter +agere soleatis, ubi has de fide controversias, quas adversarii +nostri non sine fuco et confuse plerumque pertractant, bona fide +delectas et fuco nudatas perspexeritis, luce meridiana clarius +cognituri sitis, quam solidis et firmis fundamentis fides +catholica nitatur. Et quia e contrario protestantium argumenta +sunt omnino frivola et infirma, quae temporis iniquitate vim +aliquam contra nos habere putantur; futurum spero, ut vestrarum +animarum et innumerabilium aliarum, quae a vestro nutu et +exemplo pendent, miserti, ab huiusmodi falsorum dogmatum +architectis et doctoribus facies vestras animumque ipsum +avertatis, ac nobis, qui vitam nostram pro vesta salute +alacriter profundere parati sumus, aequiori et magis propitia +mente auscultetis. Multae innocentes manus quotidie et sine +intermissione pro vobis in coelum attolluntur. Haec in vos +studia sunt eorum Anglorum, qui in provinciis transmarinis +numquam interiturae posteritatis patres, virtuti et eruditioni +adquirendae dant operam; omninoque secum statuerunt, a salute +vestra promovenda non prius absistere, quam vel animas vestras +Christo lucrifecerint, vel lanceis vestras confixi generose +occubuerint. Et quidem quod ad Societatem nostram attinet, velim +sciatis, omnes nos, qui sumus de Societate Iesu, per totum +terrarum orbem longa lateque diffusi, (quorum continua successio +et multitudo omnes machinationes vestras anglicas facile +superabit), sanctum foedus iniisse ut cruces, quas nobis +iniicietis, magno animo feramus, neque umquam de vestra salute +desperemus, quamdiu vel unus quispiam e nobis supererit, qui +Tiburno[2] vestro fruatur, atque suppliciis vestris +excarnificari, carceribusque squalere et consumi possit. +Iampridem inita ratio est, divinique numinis auspicio inchoatum +certamen; nulla vis, nullus impetus adversariorum superabit. Hac +ratione consita et tradita olim fides est, eadem in pristinam +dignitatem revocari et restitui debet. + +Quod si hoc scriptum meum, quod offero, reiicitur, nec benevoli +conatus mei quidquam possint efficere, et pro itinere multorum +millium milliarium vestri causa suscepto, ingratum animum +experiar; id unum agendum mihi supererit, ut vos causamque meam +Deo scrutatori cordium commendem: quem quidem ex animo precor, ut +nobis tantisper gratiam suam impertiri velit, qua ante extremum +remunerationis diem in unam sententiam conspiremus; et ut tandem +aliquando in coelo, ubi nulla erit iniuriarum memoria, amicitia +sempiterna perfruamur. + +PREFATIO + +EDMUNDUS CAMPIANVS DOCTISSIMIS ACADEMICIS OXONII FLORENTIBVS ET +CANTABRIGIAE, S. P. D. + +Anno praeterito, quum ex instituto vitae meae iussus in hanc +insulam remeassem, clarissimi viri, offendi sane fluctus haud +paulo saeviores in anglicano littore, quam quos in oceano +brittannico recens a tergo reliqueram. Mox interiorem in Angliam +ubi penetrassem, nihil familiarius, quam inusitata supplicia; +nihil certius, quam incerta pericula. Collegi me, ut potui, memor +causae, memor temporum. Ac ne prius forte corriperer, quam +auditus a quopiam fuissem, scripto protinus mandavi consileum +meum, qui venissem, quid quaererem, quod bellum, et quibus, +indicere cogitarem Autographum apud me habui, ut mecum, si +caperer, caperetur; exemplum eius apud amicum deposui, quod, me +quidem nesciente, pluribus communicatum est. Adversarii +publicatam schedulam atrociter acceperunt quum caetera, tum illud +invidiosissime criminantes, quod unus omnibus in hoc religionis +negotio certamen obtulissem; quamquam solus non eram futurus, si +fide publica disputassem. Responderunt postulatis meis Hammerus +et Charcus. Quid tandem? Otiose omnia. Nullum enim responsum, +praeter unum, honeste dabunt, quod numquam dabunt: "Conditiones +amplectimur, Regina spondet, advola." Interea clamant isti: +"Sodalitium tuum, seditiones tuas, arrogantiam tuam, proditorem, +sine dubio proditorem." Ridicule. Operam et oleum et famam +homines 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 quantum +oportuit, tantum et de Societate nostra, et de horum iniuriis, et +de provincia, quam sustinemus, edisserit. Mihi supererat, +(quoniam, ut video, tormenta, non scholas, parant antistites), +rationem facti mei vobis ut probarem; capita rerum, quae mihi +tantum fidentiae pepererunt, quasi digito fontes ostenderem. Vos +etiam hortarer, quorum interest praeter caeteros, incumbatis in +hanc curam, quam a vobis Christus, Ecclesia, respublica et vestra +salus exigunt. Ego si fretus ingenio, litteris, arte, lectione, +memoria, peritissimum quemque adversarium provocavi fui +vanissimus et superbissimus, qui neque me, necque illos +inspexerim; sin causam intuitus, existimavi satis me valentem +esse, qui docerem hunc solem meridie lucere, debetis mihi +fervorem istum concedere, quem honor Iesu Christi, Regis mei, et +invicta veritas imperarunt. Scitis M. Tullium in Quintiana, quum +Roscius victoriam adpromitteret, si efficeret argumentis, +septingenta millia passuum non esse decursa biduo, non modo nihil +veritum articulos et nervos Hortensii, sed ne grandiores quidem +Hortensio, Phillipos, et Cottas, et Antonios, et Crassos, quibus +maximam dicendi gloriam tribuebat, metuere potuisse. Est enim +quaedam veritas tam illustris et perspicua, ut eam nullae +verborum rerumque praestigiae possint obruere. Porro liquidius +est quod nos agimus, quam illa fuit hypothesis Rosciana. Nam si +hoe praestitero: coelos esse, divos esse, fidem esse, Christum +esse, causam obtinui. Hic ego non sim animosus? Equidem occidi +possum, superari non possum, iis enim Doctoribus insisto, quos +ille 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 huic +sollicitudini, Christum obtestamini, industriam adiungite; +profecto sentietis id, quod res est, et adversarios desperare, et +nos, tam solide fundatos, quieto magnoque animo hanc arenam +expetere oportere. Brevior hic sum, quod reliquo sermone vos +alloquor. Valete. + +RATIONES OBLATI CERTAMINIS + +_Ego dabo vobis os et sapientiam, cui non poterunt resistere et +contradicere 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 causa +loquuntur, tum nihil aeque atque sanctorum maiestas Bibliorum +foedissime violata. Etenim qui, posteaquam reliquorum testium +voces et suffragia contempserunt, eo sunt redacti nihilo secius, +ut stare nequeant, nisi divinis ipsis codicibus vim et manus +intulerint; ii se profecto declarant extrema fortuna confligere, +et rebus iam desperatis ac perditis, experiri durissima velle +atque ultima. Manicheis[3] quid causae fuit, ut "Evangelium +Matthei et Acta refigerent Apostolica?" Desperatio. His enim +voluminibus cruciabantur, et qui Christum negaverant prognatum de +Virgine, et qui Spiritum christianis tum primo coelitus illapsum +finxerant quum ipsorum Paracletus, Persa nequissimus, erupisset. +Quid Ebioniis,[4] ut omnes Pauli repudarient epistolas? +Desperatio. His enim suam dignitatiem retinentibus, antiquata +circumcisio est, quam isti revocaverant. Quid Luthero[5] ut +Epistolam Iacobi "contentiosam, tumidam, aridum, stramineam," +flagitiosus apostata nominaret, et "indignam spiritu censeret +apostolico?" Desperatio. Hoc enim scripto confessus miser atque +disruptus est, quum "in sola fide iustitiam, constitueret." Quid +Lutheri catulis, ut Tobiam, Ecclesiasticum, Machabaeos, et horum +odio complures alios eadem calumnia comprehensos, e sincero +canone repente dispungerent? Desperatio. His enim oraculis +disertissime coarguuntur, quoties de angelorum patrocinio, +quoties de arbitrii libertate, quoties de fidelibus vita +defunctis, 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 vestigia +conculcassent, scripto Dei verbo tantum controversias velle +dirimere 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; lutherani +vero etiam epistolam Iacobi, et huius invidia quinque alias;[7] de +quibus aliquando fuerat et alicubi controversum. His quoque +libellum Estheris et tria capita Danielis adnumerant novissimi +Genuenses; quae quidem Anabaptistae, istorum condiscipuli, iam +pridem damnaverant atque deriserant. + +Quanto modestius Augustinus,[8] qui sacrosanctum catalogum +pertexens, non sibi neque alphabetum hebraicum, ut Iudaei; neque +privatum spiritum, ut Sectarii, pro regula posuit; sed illum +Spiritum, quo totum corpus Ecclesiae Christus animat. Quae quidem +Ecclesia custos huius depositi, non magistra, quod haeretici +cavillantur, thesaurum hunc universum quem Tridentina[9] Synodus +est amplexa, vetustissimis olim conciliis publicitus vindicavit. +Idem Augustinus,[10] de una Scripturarum particula speciatim +disserens, inducere in animum non potest, librum Sapientiae, qui +iam tum Ecclesiae calculo, temporum serie, priscorum testimonio +instinctione fidelium, ut firmus et canonicus robur obtinuerat, +cuiusquam temeritate vel susurro extrudi extra canonem oportere. +Quid ille nunc diceret, si viveret in terris, et Lutheros +Calvinosque concerneret opifices bibliorum, qui sua lima politula +et elegantula vetus novumque Testamentum raserint; neque +Sapientiam tantum, sed et alia permulta de canonicorum librorum +ordine segregaverint: ut quidquid ex horum officina non +prodierit, illud ad omnibus phrenetico decreto tamquam incultum +et horridum conspuatur? + +Ad hoc tam dirum et exsecrabile perfugium qui descenderunt, ii +certe licet in ore suorum asseclarum volitent, sacerdotia +nundinentur declamitent in concione, ferrum in catholicos, +equuleum crucemque consciscant; tamen victi, abiecti, squalidi, +prostrati sunt: quandoquidem arrepta virgula censoria, veluti +arbitri sedentes honorarii, divinas ipsas tabulas, si quae ad +stomachum non fecissent, obliterant. Ecquis est vel mediocriter +institutus, qui talium cuniculos hostium reformidet? Qui homines +quamprimum in corona vestra, eruditorum hominum, ad eiusmodi +veteratorias artes, tamquam ad familiarem daemonem currerent, non +aurium convicio sed strepitu pedum exciperentur. Quaererem ab +eis, verbi gratia, quo iure corpus biblicum detruncent atque +diripiant? Respondent: non se veras Scripturas exscindere, sed +excernere supposititias. Quo iudice? Spiritu sancto. Hoc enim +responsum a Calvino[11] praescribitur, ut Ecclesiae iudicium, quo +spiritus examinantur, subterfugiat. Cur igitur alios alii +lancinatis, quum omnes eodem Spiritu gloriemini? + +Calvinianorum spiritus recipit sex epistolas, quae spiritui non +placent lutherano; freti tamen uterque sancto Spiritu. +Anabaptistae historiam Iobi fabulam[12] appellant, tragicis et +comicis legibus intermixtam. Qui sciunt? Spiritu docente. +Castalio[13] mysticum illud Salomonis Canticum, quod ut +paradisum animae, ut manna reconditum, ut opiparas in Christo +delicias catholici admirantur, nihilo pluris quam cantilenam de +anicula, et cum pedissequis aulae colloquium amatorium venereus +furcifer aestimavit. Vnde hausit? A spiritu. In Apocalypsi +Ioannis, cuius omnes apices excelsum aliquid et magnificum +sonare confirmat Hieronymus,[14] tamen Lutherus[15] et Brentius +et Kemnitius quiddam, nescio quid, difficiles aristarchi +desiderant; eo scilicet propendentes, ut exautoretur. Quem +percontati? Spiritum. Quatuor Evangelia fervore praepostero +Lutherus[16] inter se committit, et prioribus tribus Epistolas +Pauli longe praeferens, "unicum" deinceps "Evangelium Ioannis, +pulchrum, verum, praecipuum" decernit esse nominandum; quippe +qui, quod in ipso fuit, libenter etiam Apostolos suarum rixarum +socios adscripsisset. Quo doctore? Spiritu. Quin etiam iste +fraterculus[17] non dubitavit Evangelium Lucae petulanti stylo +perstringere, quod in eo crebrius bona nobis virtutum opera +commendentur. Quem interrogavit? Spiritum. Theodorus Beza ex +Lucae vigesimo secundo capite : "Hic calix, novum testamentum, +in meo sanguine, qui (calix) pro vobis fundetur, <Greek: +potaerion enchunomenon>," ausus est ut corruptum vitiatumque +traducere, quod haec oratio nullam expositionem, nisi de vino +calicis converso in verum Christi sanguinem, patiatur. Quis +indicavit? Spiritus. Denique quum omnia credant suo quisque +spiritui, nomen sancti Spiritus horribili blasphemia mentiuntur. +Qui sic agunt, nonne se produnt? Nonne facile refutantur? Nonne +in concessu talium virorum, quales estis Academici, tenentur ac +minimo negotio constringuntur? Cum his ego timeam pro fide +catholica disputare, qui pessima fide voces non humanas, sed +aethereas tractavere? + +Nihil hic dico, quae vertendo perverterint quamvis intolerabilia +sint, quae accusem. Gregorio Martino, scientissimo linguarum, +collegae meo, qui doctius et plenius hoc praestabit, nihil +praeripio, nec aliis, quibus id laboris esse iam prae manibus +intellexi. Facinorosius crimen est ac tetrius, quod nunc +persequor. Inventos esse doctorculos, qui temulento quodam +impetu in coeleste chirographum involarint; idipsum pluribus +locis, ut maculatum, ut mancum, ut falsum, ut subreptitium +condemnarint; eius partes aliquas correxerint, aliquas +corroserint, aliquas evulserint. Hinc omne propugnaculum, quo +muniebatur, in lutheranos spiritus, tamquam in valla +phantasmatum pictosque parietes commutarint; ne prorsus +obmutescerent, quum in Scripturas, erroribus suis infestas, +impingerent, quas nihilo commodius expedire, quam sorbere +favillas, aut saxa mandere, potuissent. + +Haec ergo mihi prima ratio vehemens et iusta fuit quae ubi partes +adversarias umbraticas et fractas ostendisset, animum sane +addidit viro et christiano et in his studiis exercitato, pro +sempiterni Regis diplomate adversus reliquias profligatorum +hostium decertandi. + +SECVNDA RATIO + +SACRARVM LITTERARVM SENTENTIA + +Alterum est, quod me quidem ad congressum incitarit, et horum +apud me copiolas elevarit, adversarii perpetuum in Scripturis +exponendis ingenium, plenum fraudis, inane prudentiae. Statim +haec, philosophi, tangeretis. Itaque vos auditores expetii. + +Sciscitemur ab adversaras, exempli gratia, quidnam sequuti novam +sectam intriverint, qua Christus excluditur e coena mystica? Si +nominant Evangelium, accurrimus. A nobis verba sunt:[18] "Hoc +est corpus meum. Hic est calix meus." Qui sermo visus est ipsi +Luthero[19] tam potens, ut quum etiam discuperet fieri +Zuinglianus, quod ea re plurimum incommodare Pontifici +potuisset, captus tamen et victus apertissimo contextu, cederet; +neque minus invitus Christum vere praesentem in Sacramento +sanctissimo fateretur, quam olim daemones, victi miraculis, +Christum Dei Filium vociferati sunt.[20] Agedum, pagella scripta +superiores sumus; de sententia scripti contenditur. Hanc +pervestigemus ex verbis adiacentibus:[21] "Corpus meum, quod pro +vobis tradetur. Sanguis meus, qui pro multis effundetur." Adhuc +durissimae partes Calvini sunt, nostrae faciles et explicatae. +Quid amplius? Conferte Scripturas, inquiunt. Conspirant +Evangelia,[22] Paulus adstipulatur; voces, clausulae, tota +connexio panem, vinum, insigne miraculum, coeleste pabulum, +carnem, corpus, sanguinem, reverenter ingeminant. Nihil +aenigmaticum, nihil offusum caligine loquendi. + +Tamen perstant adversarii, neque finem faciunt altercandi. Quid +agimus? Opinor, audiatur antiquitas; et quod nos alteris alteri +suspecti non possumus, illud omnium saeculorum veneranda +canities, Christo propior, ab hac lite remotior, decidat +arbitrio. Non ferunt: prodi se aiunt. Dei verbum purum, purum, +inclamant; hominum commentarios aversantur. Insidiose inepte. Dei +verbum perurgemus, obscurant; Divos testamur interpretes, +obsistunt. In summa, sic instituunt, nisi reorum iudicio +steteris, nullum iudicium fore. + +Atque ita se gerunt in omni, quam exercemus, controversia, de +infusa gratia, de inhaerente iustitia, de Ecclesia conspicua, de +necessitate Baptismatis, de Sacramentis et Sacrificio, de piorum +meritis, de spe et timore, de peccatis imparibus, de auctoritate +Petri, de clavibus, de votis, de conciliis evangelicis, de +caeteris. Scripturas neque paucas et ponderosa catholici passim +in libris, in colloquiis, in templis, in schola citavimus atque +discussimus; eluserunt. Veterum scholia graecorum et latinorum +admovimus; abnuerunt. Quid tum denique? Doctor Martinus Lutherus, +aut vero Phillippus, aut certe Zuinglius, aut sine dubio Calvinus +et Bezza, fideliter enarrarunt. Egone quemquam vestrum existimen +tam esse mucosis naribus, qui hoc artificium, monitus, non +persentiscat? Quare fateor me scholas Academicas cupide +requirere, ut inspectantibus vobis, calamistratos istos milites, +in solem et pulverem e suis umbraculis evocatos, non meis +viribus, qui cum vestris centesima parte non sum conferendus, sed +valentissima causa et certissima veritate debilitem. + +TERTIA RATIO + +NATVRA ECCLESIAE + +Audito iam Ecclesiae nomine, hostis expalluit. Sed tamen +excogitavit quiddam, quod a vobis animadverti volo, ut falsi +ruinam et inopiam cognoscatis. Senserat in Scripturis tum +propheticis, tum apostolicis, ubique honorificam Ecclesiae fieri +mentionem: vocari civitatem sanctam (Apoc. xxi. 10), fructiferam +vineam (Ps. lxxix.9), montem excelsum (Isai. ii. 2), directam +viam (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 omnia +salutaria (Ioan. xiv. 26): illam, in quam universam nullae sint +umquam fauces diaboli morsum letiferum impacturae (Matth. xvi. +18); illam, cui quicumque repugnet, quantumvis ore Christum +praedicet, non magis Christi, quam publicanus aut ethnicus +(Matth. xviii. 17), potiatur. + +Non est ausus contravenire sonitu, videri noluit Ecclesiae, quam +toties Scripturae commemorant, refragari; nomen callide retinuit, +rem ipsam funditus, definiendo, sustulit. His enim proprietatibus +delineavit Ecclesiam, quae penitus ipsam occulant, et dimotam a +sensibus tamquam ideam platonicam, secretis obtutibus hominum +perpaucorum subiiciant[23]; eorum tantummodo, qui singulariter +afflati, corpus hoc aerium intelligentia comprehenderent, et +huiusce sodalitatis participes subtili quodam oculo lustrarent. +Vbi candor? Vbi simplicitas. Quae Scripturae, quae sensa, qui +Patres, hoc penicillo depingunt Ecclesiam? Sunt Christi ad +Asiaticas ecclesias (Apoc. i. 2, 3), sunt Petri, Pauli, Ioannis, +aliorum ad diversos epistolae; frequentes in Actis Apostolicis +inchoantur et propagantur ecclesiae (Act. viii. 10, 11 et seq.). +Quid istae? Num soli Deo et sanctis hominibus, an christianis +etiam cuiuscumque generis, manifestae? + +Sed profecto durum telum necessitas est. Ignoscite. Nam qui +saeculis omnino quindecim, non oppidam, non villam, non domum +reperiunt imbutam doctrina sua, donec infelix monachus (Lutherus) +incesto connubio votam Deo virginem funestasset; aut Helvetius +gladiator (Zuinglius) in patriam coniurasset; aut stigmaticus +perfuga (Calvinus) Genevam occupasset; ii coguntur Ecclesiam, si +quam volent, in latebris venditare, et eos parentes asserere, +quos nec ipsi noverint, neque mortalium quisquam aspexerit. Nisi +forte gaudent maioribus illis, quos haereticos fuisse liquet, ut +Aerio, Ioviniano, Vigilantio, Helvidio, Iconomachis, Berengario, +Valdensibus, Lolhardo, Wiclefo, Hussio; a quibus pestifera +quaedam fragmenta dogmatum emendicarint. + +Nolite mirari, si fumulos istos non pertimui, quos, modo ad +meridianam lucem venero, minime fuerit laboriosum dispellere. +Haec est enim nostra sermocianatio. Dic mihi: subscribis +Ecclesiae, quae saeculis anteactis viguit?--Omnino.--Obeamus ergo +terras et tempora. Cui?--Coetui fidelium.--Quorum?--Nomina +nesciuntur, sed constat plurimos exstitisse.--Constat? Quibus +constat?--Deo.--Quis dicit?--Nos, qui divinitus edocti +sumus.--Fabulae qui credam?--Si arderes fide, tam scires hoc, +quam te vivere. + +/* Spectatum admissi, risum teneatis? + +Iuberi christianos omnes adiungere se Ecclesiae, cavere ne +spiritali gladio trucidentur, in domo Dei pacem colore, huic +animas credere columini veritatis, istic querelas omnes deponere, +hinc eiectos habere pro ethnicis; nescire tamen tot centinis, tot +homines, ubinam illa sit, quive huc pertineant? Vnum illud +crepare in tenebris, ubi ubi sit Ecclesia, tantummodo sanctos et +in aethera destinatos ea contineri? Ex quo fit ut, si quis +imperium sui Praesulis detrectare velit, scelere solvatur, +dummodo sibi persuadeat presbyterum in crimen incidisse, et ab +Ecclesia protinus excidisse. + +Quum scirem adversarios talia comminisci, quod nullius aetatis +Ecclesiae consuessent, et orbatos tota re, velle tamen inter +angustias vocabulum possidere, solabar me vestro acumine, atque +adeo mihi pollicebar, fore ut quamprimum huiusmodi technas ex +ipsorum confessione cerneretis, statim homines ingenui et cordati +stultas argutias in vestram intextas perniciem exscinderetis. + +QVARTA RATIO + +CONCILIA + +Gravis, Ecclesia nascente, quaestio de legitimis caeremoniis, +quae credentium animos disturbavit, coacto Apostolorum et +seniorum concilio, soluta est. Credidere parentibus filii, +pastoribus oves, in haec verba mandantibus[24]: "Visum est +Spiritui sancto et nobis." Sequuta sunt ad extirpandam haeresim, +quae varia quibusque saeculis pullulavit, oecumenica veterum +Concilia quatuor, tantae firmitudinis, ut iis ante annos mille +singularis honos tamquam divinis vocibus, haberetur[25]. Non +abibo longius. Etiam domi nostrae, comitiis regni eadem Concilia +pristinum 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 altari +recognosces:[28] beatos Martyres, divosque omnes coelites, ut pro +te Christo supplicent, obsecrabis:[29] mulierosos apostatas ab +infando concubitu et incestu publico coercebis:[30] multa facies, +quae demoliris; multa, quae facis, infecta voles.[31] Porro +Synodos aliorum temporum, nominatim vero Tridentinam, eiusdem +auctoritatis ac fidei cum primis illis fuisse, quando usus +venerit, demonstraturum me spondeo atque recipio. + +Auctus igitur Conciliorum omnium valido et exquisito praesidio, +cur non ingrediar in hanc palaestram animo tranquillo et +praesenti, observaturus adversarium, quo se proripiat? Nam et +evidentissima producam, quae distorquere non poterit, et +probatissima, quae respuere non audebit. + +Fortasse verbosius loquendo diem extrahere conabitur; sed ab +intentis hominibus, si vos rego bene novi, nec aures nec oculos +compilabit. Quod si quis erit omnino tam demens, qui se unum +opponat Senatoribus orbis terrae, et iis quidem omni exceptione +maioribus, sanctioribus, doctioribus, vetustioribus; libenter +aspiciam illud os, quod ubi vobis ostendero, reliqua +cogitationibus vestris relinquam. Interim hoc monebo; qui pleno +Concilio, rite atque ordine consummato, momentum et pondus +abrogat, videri mihi nullo consilio, nullo cerebro; neque solum +in theologicis tardum, sed etiam in politicis inconsultum. Si +umquam Dei Spiritus illuxit Ecclesiae, certe illud est tempus +immitendi Numinis, quum omnium ecclesiarum, quae sunt in terris +patentissimae, religio, maturitas, scientia, sapientia, dignitas, +unam in urbem confluxerint, adhibitisque modis omnibus divinis et +humanis, quibus indagari veritas possit, promissum implorent +Spiritum,[32] quo salutariter et prudenter sanciat. + +Prosiliat nunc aliquis factionis haereticae magistellus, attollat +supercilia, suspendat nasum, frontem perfricet, iudicesque suos +scurriliter ipse iudicet. Quos ille ludos, quos iocos dabit? +Repertus est Lutherus,[33] qui diceret, anteferre se Consiliis +duorum suffragia bonorum et eruditorum hominum (putatote suum et +Phillippi), si quando in Christi nomine consensissent. O +circulos! Repertus est Kemnitius[34], qui concilium Tridentinum +ad suos vertiginis importunae calculos exegerit; quid lucratus? +Infamiam. Dum iste nictaverit, sepelietur cum Ario; Tridentina +Synodus quo magis inveterascet, eo magis in dies eoque perennius +efflorescet. Bone Deus! quae gentium varietas, qui delectus +episcoporum totius orbis, qui regum et rerumpublicarum splendor, +quae medulla theologorum, quae sanctitas, quae lacrymae, quae +ieiunia, qui flores academici, quae linguae, quanta subtilitas, +quantus labor, quam infinita lectio, quantae virtutum et +studiorum divitiae augustum illud sacrarium impleverunt? Audivi +ego Pontifices exsultantes, et in his Antonium, archiepiscopum +Pragensem, a quo sum creatus presbyter, amplissimos et +prudentissimos viros, quod in ea schola haesissent aliquot annis, +ut nullum Ferdinandi Caesaris, cui multum debuerant, regalius et +uberius in se beneficium colerent, quam hoc fuit quod in +Tridentino gymnasio legati ex Pannonia consedissent. Intellexit +hoc Caesar, qui reversis ita gratulatus est: "Aluimus vos in +schola optima." + +Huc invitati fide publica, cur non properarunt adversarii, ut eos +palam refellerent, in quos ranunculi coaxant e cavernulis?--Hussio +et Hieronymo fregere fidem, inquiunt--Qui?--Constantiensis Concilii +proceres--Falsum est: nullam dedere. Sed nec in Hussium tamen +animadversum fuisset, nisi homo perfidiosus et pestilens, retractus +ex fuga, quam ei Sigismundus Imperator periculo capitis +interdixerat, violatis etiam conditionibus, quas scripto pepigerat +cum Caesare, vim omnem illius diplomatis enervasset. Fefellit +Hussium praecipitata malitia. Iussus enim, quum barbaras in sua +Bohemia 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 vero +Pragensis furtim venit Constantiam, protectus a nemine; deprehensus +comparuit, peroravit, habitus est perbenigne, liber abiit quo +voluit, sanatus est, haeresim eiuravit, relapsus est, exustus est. + +Quid toties unum exemplum de sexcentis exagitant? Repetant +annales suos. Martinus ipse Lutherus (a. 1518) odium Dei et +hominum, Augustae positus coram Cardinale Caietano, nonne quod +potuit, eructavit, et Maximiliani litteris communitus excessit? +Idem accitus Wormatiam (a. 1521), quum et Caesarem et plerosque +Imperii principes haberet infensos, nonne Caesaris verbo tutus +fuit? Postremo lutheranorum et zuinglianorum capita, praesente +Carolo quinto, haereticorum hoste victore, domino, nonne datis +induciis confessiones suas innovatas exhibuere comitiis +Augustanis, et sospites abiere? Haud secus litterae Tridientinae +locupletissimas adversario cautiones providerant:[35] uti noluit. +Nimirum se iactat in angulis in quibus ubi tria verba graeca +sonuerit, sapere videatur; abhorret a luce, quae litteratorem in +numero poneret, et ad honesta subsellia devocaret. Catholicis +Anglis tale chirographum impunitatis impetrent, si diligunt +salutem animarum. Nos Hussium non causabimur; verbo Principis +innixi, convolabimus. + +Sed ut, unde sum egressus, eo regrediar, Concilia generalia mea +sunt, primum, ultimum, media; his pugnabo. Hastam exspectet +adversarius amentatam, quam avellere numquam poterit. +Prosternatur in eo satanas, Christus vivat. + +QVINTA RATIO + +PATRES + +Antiochiae, qua primum in urbe Christianorum nobile cognomentum +increbuit, Doctores,[36] id est, eminentes theologi; et +Prophetae, id est, concionatores perquam celebres, floruerunt. +Huiusce generis "scribas et sapientes, doctos in regno Dei, nova +promentes et vetera,"[37] Christum callentes et Moysem, Dominus +ipse futuros gregi prospexerat. Hos, ingentis beneficii loco +donatos, explodere, quanti maleficii est? Explosit adversarius. +Quid ita? Quia stantibus illis, concidisset. Id ego quum pro +certissimo comperissem, pugnam simpliciter exoptavi, non illam +iocularem, qua turbae velitantur in compitis, sed istam severam +et acrem, qua congredimur in vestris Philosophorum spatiis: + +/*-pede pes, densusque viro vir. + +Ad Patres si quando licebit accedere, confectum est praelium; tam +sunt nostri, quam Gregorius ipse decimus tertius, filiorum +Ecclesiae Pater amantissimus. Nam ut omittam loca sparsa, quae ex +monumentis veterum conquisita, nostram fidem apposite affirmateque +propugnant; tenemus horum integra volumina, quae de industria +religionem, quam tuemur, evangelicam distincte copioseque +dilucidant. Duplex Hierarchia Martyris Dionysii[38] quas classes, +quae sacra, quos ritus edocet? Pupugit ea res Lutherum[39] tam +valde, ut huius opera "simillima somniis, nec non +perniciosissima" iudicaret. Imitatus parentem Caussaeus,[40] +nescio quis terrae filius, ex Gallia, non est veritus hunc +Dionysium, 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 "fanaticum +quiddam" Irenaeus edixit; Clemens auctor Stromatum "zizania +faecesque protulit;"[44] reliqui Patres huius aevi, sane +apostolici viri, "blasphemias et monstra posteris reliquerunt." +In Tertulliano rapiunt avide, quod a nobis edocti, nobiscum +communiter detestentur; sed meminerint libellum de +Praescriptionibus,[45] qui nostri temporis sectarios tam +insigniter perculit, numquam fuisse reprehensum. Hippolytus, +Portuensis[46] episcopus, quam belle, quam clare Antichristi +nervum, lutherana tempora, praemonstravit? Eum propterea +"scriptorem infantissimum et larvam" nominant. Cyprianum, +delicias et decus Africae, Gallicanus ille criticus[47] et +Magdeburgici[48] "stupidum, et destitutum Deo, et depravatorem +poenitentiae" nuncuparunt. Quid admisit? Scripsit enim de +virginibus, de lapsis, de unitate Ecclesiae tractationes +euismodi, eas etiam epistolas Cornelio, Romano Pontifici, ut nisi +fides huic martyr detrahatur, Petrus Martyr Vermilius, omnesque +cum eo foederati, peiores adulteris et sacrilegis habeantur. Ac +ne singulis insistam diutius, Patres huius saeculi damnantur +omnes, "quippe qui doctrinam de poenitentia mire +depravarint."[49] Quo pacto? Nam austeritas canonum, quae viguit +ea tempestate, maiorem in modum displicet huic sectae plausibili, +quae tricliniis aptior, quam templis, voluptarias aures titillare +et 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 "a +cacodaemone fascinatus est." Hieronymus "aeque damnatus, atque +diabolus: iniuriosus Apostolo,[53] blasphemus, sceleratus, +impius." "Vnus" Gregorio Massovio[54] "pluris est Calvinus, quam +centum Augustini." Parum est, centum; Lutherus[55] "nihili facit +adversum se mille Augustinos, mille Cyprianos, mille Ecclesias." +Longius rem deducere, supervacaneum puto. Nam in hos, qui +bachantur, 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 inficior +habere Patres, ubicumque incideris, quod isti, dum sibi +consentiunt, necessario stomachentur. Etinem qui odere stata +ieiunia, 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 ambitiosis +conspectibus vendiderunt, possuntne non esse inimicissimi +Basilio, Chrysostomo, Hierionymo, Augustino, quorum excellentes +libri de monachorum instituto, regula, virtutibus, teruntur? + +Qui captivam hominis voluntatem invexere, qui christiana funebria +sustulere, qui Divorum reliquias incendere, sintne placabiles +Augustino, qui de libero arbitrio libros tres, de cura pro +mortuis unum, de miraculis ad Basilicas et memorias Martyrum +prolixum caput nobilissimi operis[56] et conciones aliquot +exaravit? Qui fidem suis captiunculis metiuntur, nonne +succenseant Augustino, cuius est insignis epistola,[57] qua se +profitetur antiquitati, consensioni, successioni perpetuae et +Ecclesiae, quae sola inter tot haereses Catholicae nomen +usucapione vindicat assentire? + +Optatus, Milevitanus episcopus, Donatianam partem revincit[58] ex +communione 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 quibus +Christi membra portata sunt," pollutisque calicibus "qui Christi +sanguinem tenuerunt," (lib. 6). De Optato quid sentiant, aveo +scire, quem Augustinus[59] ut venerabilem et catholicum +episcopum, Ambrosio parem et Cypriano; quem Fulgentius[60] ut +sanctum et fidelem Pauli interpretem, Augustini similem et +Ambrosii, meminerunt. + +Athanasii Symbolum in templis concinunt. Num favent ei, qui +Antonium Eremitam Aegyptium,[61] gravis auctor, accurato libello +dilaudaverit, quique cum Alexandrina Synodo[62] iudicium Sedis +Apostolicae, Divi Petri, suppliciter appellarit? Prudentius in +hymnis quoties precatur Martyres, quos decantat? Quoties ad eorum +cineres et ossa Regem Martyrum veneratur? Num hunc probabunt? +Hieronymus pro Divorum reliquiis et honoribas scribit in +Vigilantium, in Iovinianam pro virginitatis gradu. Huccine +patientur? Ambrosius[63] tutores suos Gervasium et Protasium, +celebritate notissima, in Arianam ignominiam honestavit; cui +facto divinissimi Patres[64] encomium tribuere: quod factum Deus +non uno prodigio decoravit. Num benevoli sunt Ambrosio futuri? +Gregorius Magnus, noster Apostolus, planissime noster est, eoque +nomine nostris adversariis odiosus; quem Calvini[65] rabies negat +in schola sancti Spiritus educatum, propterea quod sacras +imagines illitteratorum libros appellasset. + +Dies me deficeret numerantem epistolas, conciones, homilias, +orationes, opuscula, disceptationes Patrum, in quibus ex apparato +graviter et ornate nostra catholicorum dogmata roborarunt. +Quamdiu apud bibliopolas ista venierint, tamdiu frustra nostrorum +codices prohibentur; frustra servantur aditus oraeque maritimae; +frustra domus, arcae, scrinia, capsulae disquiruntur; frustra tot +portis minaces tabulae suffiguntur. Nullus enim Hardingus, nec +Sanderus, nec Stapletonus, nec Bristolius haec nova somnia +vehementius, quam hi, quos recensui, Patres, insectantur. Talia +cogitanti accrevit animus et desiderium pugnae, in qua, quoquo se +moverit adversarius, nisi gloriam Deo cesserit, feret incommodum. +Patres admiserit, captus est; excluserit, nullus est. + +Adolescentibus nobis ita contigit. Ioannes Ivellus antesignanus +calvinianorum Angliae, catholicos ad Divi Pauli Londinensium +incredibili iactantia lacessivit, invocatis per hypocrisim et +imploratis Patribus, quicumque intra salutis annum sexcentesimum +claruisset. Accipiunt conditionem memorabiles viri, qui tum +exsulabant Lovanii, summis licet difficultatibus propter +iniquitatem suorum temporum circumsepti. Ausim dicere, tanto +popularibus nostris bono fuisse illam Ivellii astutiam, +inscitiam, improbitatem, impudentiam, quas ii scriptores +feliciter expanderunt, ut vix aliud quidquam, memoria mea, +provenerit Anglorum Ecclesiae laboranti fructuosius. Edictum +continuo valvis appenditur, ne qui codices illiusmodi +legerentur, neve haberentur. Quum tantis clamoribus propemodum +extorti prodiissent, didicere quicumque negotium attigissent, +Patres fuisse catholicos, id est, nostros. Neque hoc sibi +suisque vulnus inflictum Laurentius Humfredus[66] tacuit; qui +quum alte Ivellum quoad caetera sustulisset, unam ei notam +aspersit inconsiderantiae, quod Patrum calculos recepisset, +quibuscum sibi nihil esse commercii, nec fore, sine ulla +circuitione proloquitur. + +Pertentavimus etiam familiariter aliquando Tobiam Matthaeum, qui +nunc in concionibus dominatur, quem propter bonas artes et virtutum +semina dileximus, ut responderet ingenue, possetne qui Patres +assiduus 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 Mattheum +Huttonum, qui vir nominatus in paucis, versare Patres dicitur, aut +reliquos adversarios, qui hoc faciunt, sentire arbitror. + +Hactenus ergo securus in hanc aciem potui descendere, bellaturus +cum, iis, qui quasi auribus lupum teneant, aeternam causae +maculam 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 nostris +fuit et esse debet: "Scrutamini Scripturas,"[67] facile princeps +et palmares in hoc genere sanctissimi Patres exstitere. Horum +opera sumptuque tot gentibus et linguis transcripta Biblia et +importata sunt; horum periculis et cruciatibus erepta de flammis +hostilibus et vastitate; horum laboribus et vigiliis omnem in +partem enucleata studiosissime; die noctuque sacras Litteras +imbibere, de suggestibus omnibus sacras Litteras edidere, immensa +volumina sacris Litteris ditavere, fidelissimis commentariis +sacras Litteras explicuere cibos et inediam sacris Litteris +condivere, occupati denique sacris in Litteris, ad senectutem +decrepitam pervenere. + +Quod si frequenter ipsi quoque ab auctoritate maiorum, ab +Ecclesiae praxi, a successione Pontificum, a Conciliis +oecumenicis, a traditionibus apostolicis, a cruore Martyrum, a +scitis Praesulum, a visis eventisque mirabilibus argumentati +sunt; tamen omnium maxime et libentissime sanctarum Litterarum +testimonia densa conglobant, haec premunt, in his habitant, huic +"armaturae fortium" duces robustissimi, sarta tecta civitatis Dei +contra nefarios impetus quotidie munientes, optimo iure primas +partes honoratissimasque porrigunt. + +Quo magis demiror illam exceptionem adversarii superbam et +fatuam, qui velut aquam in profluente quaeritans, sic in +Scripturis confertissimis Scripturarum penuriam obiectat. +Tantisper se Patribus assensurum dicit, dum sacris Litteris +adhaerescunt. Num loquitur ex animo? Curabo igitur procedant +armati atque stipati Christo, Prophetis, Apostolis atque omni +apparatu biblico, celeberrimi auctores, antiquissimi Patres, +sanctissimi viri, Dionysius, Cyprianus, Athanasius, Basilius, +Nazianzenus, Ambrosius, Hieronymus, Chrysostomus, Augustinus, +latinusque Gregorius. Regnet in Anglia fides illa, quam hi +Patres, amicissimi Scripturarum, ex Scripturis exstruunt. Quas +afferunt, afferemus; quas conferunt, conferemus; quod inferunt, +inferemus. Placet? Excrea, dic sodes--Minime vero, inquis, nisi +recte exponant--Quid est hoc ipsum, recte? Arbitratu tuo. Nihilne +pudet labyrinthi? + +Ergo quum sperem in Academiis florentissimis consociatum iri bene +multos, qui, non pingui Minerva, sed acuto iudicio in has +controversias inspecturi sunt, et horum responsa nugatoria +libraturi, laetus hunc diem campi praestolabor, ut qui contra +sylvestres tumulos mendiculorum inermium nobilitatem et robur +Ecclesiae Christi cogitem educere. + +SEPTIMA RATIO + +HISTORIA + +Pristinam Ecclesiae faciem historia prisca retegit. Huc provoco. +Certe antiquiores historici, quos etiam usurpant adversarii, fere +numerantur Eusebius, Damasus, Hieronymus, Ruffinus, Orosius, +Socrates, Sozomenus, Theodoretus, Cassiodorus, Gregorius +Turonensis, Vsuardus, Regino, Marianus Sigebertus, Zonaras, +Cedrenus, Nicephorus. Quid narrant? Nostrorum laudes, progressus, +vicissitudinem, hostes. Imo vero, quod observes diligenter, illi +qui dissident a nobis odio capitali, Philippus, Pantaleon, +Funecius, Magdeburgici, quum se ad scribendam vel chronologiam +Ecclesiae vel historiam appulissent, nisi nostrorum gesta +colligerent, ac inimicorum Ecclesiae nostrae fraudes et scelera +coacervarent, mille quingentos annos argumento vacui +praetermitterent. + +Cum his considera peculiares certarum historiographos regionum, +qui unius acta cuiusque populi curiosius operosiusque scrutati +sunt. Ii quasi Spartam adepti, quam locupletare modis omnibus et +perpolire cuperent, qui ne convivia quidem lautiora, aut +manicatas tunicas, aut pugionum capulos, aut inaurata calcaria, +talesque minutias, si novitatem saperent, tacuere; profecto, si +quid in religione mutatum, aut a primis degeneratum saeculis +inaudissent, frequentes memorassent; si non frequentes, saltem +aliqui: si non aliqui, unus aliquis absque dubio. Nullus omnino, +neque benevolus nobis, neque malevolus, non modo quidquam tale +prodidit, sed nec significavit. + +Verbi gratia. Dant nobis adversarii, nec aliter possunt, fuisse +Romanam Ecclesiam aliquando Sanctam, Catholicam, Apostolicam: tum +quum haec a Divo Paulo promeruisset elogia:[68] "Vestra fides +annuntiatur in universo mundo: sine intermissione memoriam vestri +facio: Scio quia venien ad vos, in abundantia benedictionis +Christi veniam: Salutant vos omnes Ecclesiae Christi: Vestra enim +obedientia in omnem locum divulgata est." Tum quum ibi Paulus in +libera custodia[69] disseminaret Evangelium; tum quum in ea +quondam "Babylone coelectam Ecclesiam"[70] Petrus regeret; tum +quum ille Clemens,[71] apprime laudatus ab Apostolo,[72] sederet +ad 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 enim +saeculo nihil adhuc, praesertim Romae, digressos ab Evangelica +doctrina, 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 religio +pervasit aliena? Quas voces, quas turbas, quae lamenta +progenuit? Omnes orbe reliquo sopiti sunt, dum Roma, Roma, +inquam, nova sacramenta, novum sacrificium, novum religionis +dogma procuderet? Nullus exstitit historicus neque latinus, +neque graecus, neque remotus, neque citimus, qui rem tantam vel +obscure iaceret in commentarios? + +Ergo perspicuum hoc quidem est, si, quae nos credimus, historia +multa et varia, nuntia vetustatis, vita memoriae, loquitur ac +repetit affluenter; quae vero isti obtrudunt, nulla naratio post +homines natos in Ecclesia valuisse commeminit: et Historicos esse +meos, et incursiones adversarias esse frigidissimas, quae nihil +movere possint, nisi prius receptum sit, omnes omnium temporum +christianos in spissam perfidiam atque in gehennae voraginem +corruisse, donec Lutherus Boram constuprasset. + +OCTAVA RATIO + +PARADOXA + +Ego vero, praestantissimi viri, quum de multis haeresibus quaedam +apud me opiniosissimorum portenta reputo, quae mihi venient +expugnanda; meipsum inertiae nequitiaeque condemnem, si cuiusquam +in experiundo facultatem aut vires extimescerem. Sit ingeniosus, +sit eloquens, sit exercitatus, sit omnium librorum helluo; tamen +aridus 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, rebus +addicti necessariis, divulgant in scriptiunculis. Faxo norint +ista suorum axiomata. + +DE DEO.--"Deus est auctor et causa[75] peccati, volens, +suggerens, efficiens, iubens, operans, et in hoc impiorum +scelerata consilia gubernans. Proprium Dei opus fuit,[76] ut +vocatio Pauli, sic adulterium Davidis, Iudaeque proditoris +impietas." Monstrum hoc, cuius Philippum aliquando puduit, +Lutherus[77] tamen, a quo Philippus hauserat, quasi oraculum +coeleste miris extollit laudibus, et alumnum suum eo nomine +tantum non exaequat[78] Apostolo Paulo. Percontabor etiam, quid +animi Luthero fuerit, quem Angli[79] calviniani "virum divinitus +datum ad orbem illuminandum" pronuntiant, quum hunc versum +demeret supplicationibus Ecclesiae.[80] "Sancta Trinitas, unus +Deus, miserere nobis." + +DE CHRISTO.--Mox ad personam Christi progrediar. Quaeram ista +sibi 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 ostendit +Christum 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 animi +dotibus velut caeteri homines adolevit: usu factus quotidie +sapientior, ita ut puerulus ignorantia laborarit." Quod perinde +est, ac si dicerent originis labe et vitio sordidatum. Sed +cognoscite diriora: "Christus, quum orans in horto, sudoribus +aquae manaret et sanguinis, sensu damnationis aeternae +cohorruit:[87] vocem edidit sine ratione, sine spiritu, vocem +doloris impetu repentinam; quam, ut non satis meditatam, cleriter +castigavit." Estne aliquid amplius? Attendite: "Christus, quum +actus in crucem exclamaret:" 'Deus meus, Deus meus, ut quid +dereliquisti me?' accensus est flammis inferni,[88] desperationis +voceni emisit, non aliter affectus, quam si pereundum ei foret +internecione sempiterna." + +His etiam, si quid possunt, addant: "Christus, inquiunt,[89] +descendit ad inferos, id est, mortuus gehennam gustavit, nihilo +minus quam animae damnatorum, nisi quod sibi restituendus +erat.--Quandoquidem enim morte corporea nobis nihil +profuisset;[90] anima quoque luctari cum morte debuit aeterna, +atque hoc modo nostrum scelus suppliciumque dependere." Ac ne +quis forte suspicetur, istud Calvino per incuriam obrepsisse, +idem Calvinus:[91] "Omnes vos, si qui doctrinam istam solatii +plenam exagitastis, perditos" appellat "nebulones." Tempora, +tempora, cuiusmodi monstrum aluistis? Cruor ille delicatus et +regius, qui de innocentis Agni corpore lacerato fissoque +scaturiit, cuius cruoris una guttula propter dignitatem Hostiae +mille mundos redimere potuisset, nihil humano genet profecit, +nisi "mediator Dei et hominum (1 Tim ii. 5), homo Christus Iesus +mortem quoque secundam (Apoc. ii. 11)," mortem animae, mortem +gratiae, peccati solius et exsecrabilis blasphemiae sociam, +pertulisset? Prae hac insania modestus videbitur Bucerus, +quamquam est impudens, qui[92] infernum in symbolo sepulcrum +accipit, per epexegesim valde praeposteram, ac potius tautologiam +ineptam atque stolidam. + +Anglicani sectarii, pars Calvino, idolo suo, pars Bucero, magno +magistro, solent accedere; pars etiam submurmurant in hunc +articulum, ne quid facessat ultra molestiae, quemadmodum sine +tumultu penitus eximatur de Symbolo. Id veno etiant fuisse +tentatum in conventiculo quodam Londinensi, memini narrasse mihi, +qui interfuit, Richardum Chenaeum, miserrimum senem, male +mulctatum a latronibus foris, neque tamen ingressum in paternam +domum. Hactenus de Christo. + +DE HOMINE.--De homine[93] quid? "Imago Dei penitus in homine +deleta est, nulla boni scintilla superstite: tota natura quoad +omnes animae partes ita funditus eversa, ut ne renatus quidem et +sanctus quidquam sit aliud intrinsecus, nisi mera corruptio atque +contagio." Quorsum ista? Vt qui sola fide gloriam rapturi sunt, +in omnium turpitudinum coeno volutati, naturam accusent, virtutem +desperent, praecepta deonerent. + +DE PECCATO.--Huc Illyricus, Magdeburgensium primipilus, illud +suum adiecit immane placitum[94] de originis peccato, quod esse +vult: "Intimam substantiam animarum, quippe quas, post Adami +lapsum, diabolus ipse procreet, et in sese transformet." Hoc +quoque tritum est in hac faece: "Omnia peccata esse paria:"[95] +sed ita (ne Stoici reviviscant), "si Deo iudice ponderentur." Ac +si Deus, aequissimus iudex, oneri nostro cumulum potius, quam +levamentum faceret, et id, quod non est in re, quum sit ipse +iustissimus, exaggeraret. Hac trutina non levius in Deum +severissime iudicantem deliquerit ille caupo, qui gallum +gallinaceum, quando non est opus, occiderit, quam infamis ille +sicarius, qui plenus Beza, Gallum heroa Guisium, admiribili +virtute principem, displosa fistula interemit; quo facinore nihil +vidit orbis noster aetate nostra funestius, nihil luctuosius. + +DE GRATIA.--Sed fortasse, qui tam sunt in peccati conditione +tetrici, magnifice philosophantur de divina gratia, quae huic +malo succurrere ac mederi possit. Praeclaras vero isti partes +assignant gratiae, "quam neque infusam cordibus nostris, neque ad +resistendum sceleribus validam esse latrant, sedextra nos in solo +Dei favore[96] collocant: "qui favor non emendet impios, nec +purget, nec illuminet, nec ditet; sed veterem illam sentinam +adhuc manantem atque foetentem, ne deformis et odiosa putetur, +Deo connivente, dissimulet. Quo suo plasmate tantopere +delectantur, ut ne "Christus quidem aliter apud illos[97] gratia +plenus et veritate dicatur, quam quod ei Deus Pater mirandum in +modum faverit." + +DE IVISTITIA.--Quae res ergo iustitia est? Relatio.[98] Non enim +ex theologics concinnata virtutibus, fide, spe, charitate, quae +animam suo nitore convestiant; sed tantum "occultatio delicti, +quam qui sola fide prehenderit, ille tam de salute certus est, ac +si iampridem interminato coeli gaudio[99] frueretur." Age, +somniet hoc; sed unde constare poterit de futura perseverantia, +qua qui caruit, exivit infelicissimus, licet ad tempus pure +pieque iustitiam coluisset? Imo vero, "haec tua fides, Calvinus +ait[100], nisi tuam tibi perseverantiam firme pronuntiet, ut +hallucinari nequeas, tamquam inanis et languida sperneretur." +Agnosco discipulum Lutheri. "Christianus, inquit ille[101] etiam +volens, non potest salutem perdere, nisi nolit credere." + +DE SACRAMENTIS.--Ad Sacramenta festino. Nullum, nullum, non duo, +non unum, O Sancte Christe, reliquerant. Ipsorum quippe panis +venenum est; Baptismus etsi adhuc verus, tamen ipsorum iudicio +"nihil est, non est unda salutis, non est canalis gratiae, non +derivat in nos Christi merita; sed significatio dumtaxat salutis +est. 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 ergo +parvuli, qui nisi iuventur virtute Sacramenti, sua fide miselli +nihil assequuntur? "Potius quam Sacramento Baptismatis quidquam +tribuamus, inquiunt Magdeburgici,[103] demus inesse fidem ipsis +infantulis, qua serventur, cuius fidei pulsus quosdam abditos +intelligant" ipsi, qui vivant necne, nondum intelligunt. Durum. Si +hoc adeo durum est, Lutheri pharmacum auditote: "Praestat, +inquit,[104] omittere, quandoquidem nisi credat infans, nequidquam +lavatur." Haec illi quidem ancipites animo, quidnam enuntient +categorice. Ergo Balthassar Pacimontanus diribitor interveniat; +qui parens Anabaptistarum, quum parvulis motum fidei non posset +affingere, Lutheri cantiunculam adprobavit, et paedobaptismum +eiiciens e templis, "neminen nisi adultum fonte sacro decrevit +abluere." Ad reliqua Sacramenta quod attinet, quamvis illa bestia +multiceps horrendas eiectet contumelias, tamen quia quotidianae +iam sunt et callum auribus obduxerunt, hic praetereo. + +DE MORIBVS.--Restant haereticorum de vita et moribus frusta +nocentissima, quae Lutherus evomi in chartas, ut ex unius +pectoris impuro gurgustio pestem lectoribus inhalaret. Audite +patienter, et erubescite, et mihi date veniam recitanti: "Si +nolit uxor[105], aut non possit, veniat ancilla. Siquidem res +uxoria tam est cuique necessaria, quam esca, potus, somnus. +Matrimonium est virginitate multo praestantius; eam Christus, eam +Paulus dissuaserunt hominibus christianis." Sed haec fortasse +propria 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; Deo +propitio, leviuscula[108]--Nemo malum suapte voluntate +cogitat[109]--Decalogus nihil ad christianos[110]--Opera nostra +Deus nequaquam curat--Soli recte participant coena Dominica, qui +tristes, afflictas, perturbatas, confusas, erraticas apportant +conscientias.--Confitenda crimina sunt, sed cuilibet, qui si te +vel ioco absolverit, modo credideris, absolutus es.--Legere +preces horarias non est sacerdotum, sed laicorum--Christiani +liberi sunt a statutis hominum." Satis superque lacunam istam +commosse videor. lam finio. Nec vero putetis iniquiorem esse me, +qui lutheranos et zuinglianos promiscue coarguerim; nam isti +memores a quo proseminati sint, inter se fratres et amici volunt +esse,[111] adeoque gravem interpretantur iniuriam, quum in ulla +re praeter unam, discriminantur. + +Equidem non sum tanti, ut vel mediocrem locum mihi sumam in +selectis theologis, qui hodie bellum haeresibus indixere; sed hoc +scio, quantuluscumque sum, periclitari me non posse, dum Christi +gratia 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 valet +saepe fucata disputatio, quam schola Philosophorum exsibilat. Multa +peccat adversarius in hoc genere; sed quatuor fallacies plerumque +consuitur, quas in Academia malim, quam in trevio, retexere. + +Primum vitium [Greek: skiamachia] est, quae auras et umbras magno +contau diverberat. Hoc pacto: contra coelibes iuratos et votos in +castimoniam, quod nuptiae bonae sint, virginitas melior, +offeruntur Scripturae loquentes honorifice de coniugio. Quem +feriunt? Contra meritum hominis christiani, tinctum Christi +sanguine, alioquin nullum, promuntur testimonia, quibus iubemur, +nec naturae, nec legi, sed sanguini Christi fidere. Quem +refellunt? In eos, qui colunt Coelites, ut famulos Christi maxime +gratiosos, citantur integrae pagellae, quae vetant colere multos +Deos. Vbinam sunt? Huiusmodi argumentis, quae apud haereticos +infinita reperio, nobis esse detrimento non poterunt; vobis esse +fastidio 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 neglecta +consuetudine et mente loquentium, quae vita vocabuli est, +adversus elementa contenditur. Nempe sic aiunt: "Presbyter nihil +est 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 nos +vocaverit sacerdotes?" Etiam hoc addidit: "Regnabimus super +terram." Quorsum ergo reges? Item: "Propheta (Isai. LVIII. 6) +celebrat ieiunium spiritale, hoc est, ab inveteratis criminibus +abstinentiam. Valeat ergo ciborum delectus, et dierum +praescriptio." Siccine? Igitur insanierunt Moyses, David, Elias, +Baptistes, Apostoli, qui biduo, triduo, vel hebdomadis inediam +terminarunt; 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." Haeccine +sunt apud vos? "Quis dubitet?"--Ego vero pernego. "Consule verbum +Dei."--Iam consului, minusque vobis, quam antea, faveo. "Attamen +planum est."--Proba mihi. "Quia nos ne latum quidem unguem +discedimus a verbo Dei."--Vbi est acumen tuum? Semperne capies +pro argumento illud ipsum, quod ponitur in quaestione? Quoties +hoc iam inculco? Num tu evigilas? Num faces admovendae sunt? Dico +a te perperam exponi verbum Dei: testes habeo quindecim aetates, +sta sententiae, non meae, non tuae, sed harum omnium.--"Stabo +sententiae verbi Dei: Spiritus ubi vult, spirat." Eccum, quos +gyros, quas rotas fabricat. Hic nugator, tot verborum atque +sophismatum 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 per +eam."[113] Quis enim, quamvis hebes in plebecula, dummodo salutis +cupidus parumper attenderit, semitam Ecclesiae tam egregie +complanatam, non videat, non teneat; vepres, et cautes, et avia +detestatus? Erunt haec etiam rudibus explorata, sicut Isaias +vaticinatus est; vobis igitur, si voletis, exploratissima. + +COELITES.--Theatrum universitatis rerum ponamus ob oculos; +quidquid est uspiam peragremus; omnia nobis argumenta +suppeditant. Eamus in coelum: "Rosas[114] et lilia +contemplemur," purpuratos nempe martyrio, candidatos innocentia. +Romanos, inquam, Pontifices[115] tres et triginta continenter +occisos; Pastores terris omnibus, qui suum pro Christi nomine +sanguinem oppignerarunt; greges fidelium, qui Pastorum vestigiis +institere; Divos omnes coelites, qui turbae hominum puritate et +sanctimonia praeluxere. Nostros hic vixisse, nostros hinc +emigrasse reperias. Noster fuit, ut paucula delibemus, ille +martyrii sitientissimus Ignatius[116] "qui in rebus Ecclesiae +neminem, ne regen[117] quidem, aequavit Episcopo: qui +traditiones[118] quasdam Apostolicas, quarum testis ipse fuerat, +ne dilaberentur, scripto mandavit." Noster anachoreta +Telesphorus,[119] "qui ieiunium quadragesimale, sancitum ab +Apostolis, observari severius iussit." Noster Irenaeus,[120] +"qui a successione Cathedraque Romana fidem Apostolicam +declaravit." Noster etiam Victor Pontifex, "qui[121] Asiam +edicto coercuit universam:" quod quum aliquibus, atque etiam +huic Irenaeo, viro sacratissimo, videretur asperius, nemo tamen +attenuavit, ut exoticam potestatem. Noster Polycarpus,[122] qui +super quaestione Paschatis Romam adiit, cuius ambustas reliquias +Smyrna collegit, anniversario die rituque legitimo suum +Episcopum venerata. Nostri Cornelius et Cyprianus,[123] aureum +par Martyrum, ambo magni praesules; sed maior ille, qui Romanus +Africanum errorem resciderat; hic nobilitatus observantia, qua +maiorem est prosequutus, amicissimum sui. Noster Sixtus,[124] +"cui ad aram solemnibus sacris operanti ministrarunt e clero +septemviri." Noster Laurentius, huius Archidiaconus,[125] quem +adversarii de suis fastis eiiciunt, quem ante mille ducentos +annos 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; quae +decretam pudicitiam adversus et hominum et daemonum tyrannidem +firmaverunt. Nostra Helena, quam dominicae Crucis inventio +celebravit. Nostra Monica, quae moriens[129] orari et +sacrificari pro se mortua ad altare Christi, religiosissime +flagitavit. Nostra Paula,[129] quae ex urbano palatio et opimis +praediis in speluncam Bethleemiticam tantis itineribus peregrina +cucurrit, ut ad Christi vagientis cunabula delitesceret. Nostri +Paulus, Hilarion, Antonius, seniculi solitarii. Noster +Satyrus,[130] Ambrosii germanus frater, qui tremendam illam +hostiam circum se gestans in orario, naufragus insiliit in +Oceanum, et fide plenissimus enatavit. Nostri Nicolaus et +Martinus, 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 ex +abundanti veterum historia, sed multo etiam magis ex gravissimis +auctoribus, qui paene singuli Divos singulos memoriae[131] +reliquerunt. Renuntiet mihi, de christianis illis antiquissimis +et beatissimis quid autumet? Vtrius doctrinae fuerint, +catholicae, an lutheranae? Testor Dei solium et illud tribunal, +ad quod stabo rationem rationum harum et dicti et facti +redditurus, aut nullum coelum esse, aut nostrorum esse; illud +exsecramur, hoc ergo defigimus. + +DAMNATI.-Nunc e contrario, si libet, inspiciamus in Tartara. +Cremantur incendio sempiterno. Qui? Iudaei. Quam Ecclesiam +adversati? Nostram.--Qui? Ethnici. Quam Ecclesiam crudelissime +persequuti? Nostram.--Qui? Turcae. Quae templa demoliti? +Nostra.--Qui? Haeretici. Cuius Ecclesiae perduelles? +Nostrae.--Quae enim Ecclesia praeter nostram omnibus inferorum +portis[132] se opposuit? + +IVDAEI.--Quum, pulsis Hebraeis, Christiani[133] succrescerent +Hierosolymis, Deum immortalem! qui concursus hominum ad loca +sacra fuit,[134] quae urbis religio, quae sepulcri, quae +praesepii, quae crucis, quae monumentorum omnium, quibus velut +exuviis mariti, Ecclesia sponsa delectatur? Hinc manavit in nos +Iudaeorum odium ferum et implacabile. Queruntur etiam nunc, +maiores nostros maioribus suis exitio fuisse. A Simone Mago et +lutheranis nullum ictum acceperunt. + +ETHNICI.--In Ethnicis violentissimi fuere, qui toto Imperio, +trecentis annis, per intervalla temporum, aerumnosissima +Christianis supplicia machinati sunt. Quibus? Patribus et filiis +nostrae fidei. Cognoscite vocem tyranni, qui Divum Laurentium +torruit 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 argenteos +calices, et sumptuosa donaria, et opulentam gazam invidet? +Profecto lutherizat. Quod enim aliud velum suo latrocinio +nostri Nemrodes[136] obtenderunt, quum depecularentur +ecclesias, et Christi patrimonium dissiparent? Contra vero +magnus ille Constantinus Christomastigon terror, quam Eeclesiam +tranquillavit? Illam, cui Pontifex Sylvester praefuit,[137] +quem in Soracte latitantem accersiit, ut eius opera nostro +baptismate tingeretur.--Quibus auspiciis victor? Signo +crucis.[138]--Qua matre gloriosus? Helena.--Quibus se patribus +adiunxit? Nicaenis.--Cuiusmodi? Vt Sylvestro, ut Marco, ut +Iulio, 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 his +duobus altero nobis infestissimo, altero nobis amicissimo, +licebit singula coniicere, quae sunt horum simillima. Etenim, +ut nostrorum illa fuit Epistasis turbulenta, sic nostrorum haec +evasit divina Catastrophe. + +TVRCAE.-Turcica videamus. Mahometes et Sergius monachus apostata +in profundo barathro iacent ululantes, et suis et posterorum +sceleribus onusti. Haec portentosa et efferata bellua, +Sarraceni, Turcae, nisi a nostris ordinibus militiae +sacrae,[141] nisi a nostris principibus et populis accisa +fuisset ac repressa, per Lutherum quidem, (cui gratias hoc +nomine Solymanus Turcus litteris egisse dicitur), et per +lutheranos regulos (quibus Turcorum progressio laetabilis +existimatur); haec, inquam, Erinnys furiosa et exitiosa +mortalibus, totam iam depopularetur et vastaret Europam; neque +indiligentius altaria et signa crucis, quam ipse Calvinus +everteret. Ergo nostri hostes illi sunt proprii, utpote +nostrorum industria a christianorum iugulis repulsi. + +HAERETICI.--Despectemus in haereticos, faeces, et folles, et +alimenta 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 et +chrismatis."[145] Deinde Manes Persa: hic docebat "baptismum +salutem[146] non conferre." Post Aerius Arianus "preces damnabat +pro mortuis,[147] confundebat episcopis sacerdotes." Hinc Aerius +"solam[148] et ipse fidem personabat," cognominatus atheos[149] +non minus quam Lucianus. Sequitur Vigilantius,[150] qui "Divos +orari non ferebat:" ac Iovinianus, qui "virginitatem et nuptias +aequiparabat." Denique colluvies universa Macedonius, Pelagius, +Nestorius, Entyches, Monothelitae, Iconomachi, caeteri, quibus +Lutherum et Calvinum posteritas aggregabit. Quid isti? Omnes mali +corvi, eodem ovo geniti, ab Ecclesiae nostrae Praesulibus +desciverunt, ab illis evicti et exinaniti sunt. + +Deseramus avernum, reddamur terris. Quocumque me oculis et +cogitatione convertero, sive Patriarchas intueor et sedes +Apostolicas, sive Antistites caeterarum gentium, sive laudatos +principes, reges, caesares, sive christianorum cuiusque nationis +initia, sive ullum iudicium vetustatis, aut lumen rationis, aut +honestatis decus; nostrae fidei serviunt et suffragantur omnia. + +SEDES APOSTOLICA.--Testis Romana successio, "In qua semper +Ecclesia, (ut cum Augustino ep. 162 loquar), Apostolicae +Cathedrae viguit principatus." Testes illae reliquae sedes +apostolicae, in quas hoc nomen insignite convenit, quod ab ipsis +Apostolis horumve auditoribus exaedificatae[151] fuerint. + +DISIVNCTTISSIMAE TERRAE.--Testes ubivis gentium pastores, loco +dissiti, 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, vel +fragmenta supersunt eorum, qui disiunctissimis terris Evangelium +severunt, omnia nobis unam fidem exhibent, quam hodie catholici +profitemur. Christe, quid causae tibi afferam, quo minus me de +tuis extermines, si tot luminibus Ecclesiae tenebricosos homulos, +paucos, indoctos, dissectos, improbos, antetulero? + +PRINCIPES.--Testes item principes, reges, caesares, horumque +respublicae, quorum et ipsorum pietas, et ditionum populi, et +pacis bellique disciplina, se penitus in hac nostra doctrina +catholica fundaverunt. Hic ergo quos ab oriente Theodosios, quos +ab occidente Carolos, quos Eduardos ex Anglia, Ludovicos e +Gallia, Hermenegildos ex Hispania, Henricos a Saxonia, Wenceslaos +e Bohemia, Leopoldos ex Austria, Stephanos ex Hungaria, +Iosaphatos ex India, quos orbe toto dynastas atque toparchas +possim arcessere; qui exemplo, qui armis qui legibus, qui +sollicitudine, qui sumptu, nostram Ecclesiam nutrierunt? Sic enim +praecinuit Isaias (xlix. 23): "Erunt reges nutricii tui, et +reginae iutrices tuae." Audi, Elisabetha, Regina potentissima, +tibi canit, te tuas partes edocet. Narro tibi: Calvinum et hos +principes unum coelum capere non potest. His ergo te principibus +adiunge, dignam maioribus, dignam ingenio, dignam litteris, +dignam laudibus, dignam fortuna tua. Solum hoc de te molior ego +et 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 plagaeque +mundi, quibus evangelica tuba post Christum natum insonuit. +Parumne hoc fuit, idolis ora claudere, Dei regnum gentibus +importare? Christum Lutherus, catholici Christum loquimur. "Num +divisus est Christus?"[152] Minime. Aut nos, aut ille, falsum +Christum loquimur. Quid ergo? Dicam. Christus ille sit, et +illorum sit, quo Dagon[153] invecto cervices fregerit. Noster +Christus opera nostrorum uti voluit, quum Ioves, Mercurios, +Dianas, Phaebadas, et illam noctem saeculorum atram, Erebumque +tristem, e tot populorum cordibus relegaret. Non est otium +longinqua perquirere; finitima tantum atque domestica speculemur. +Hiberni ex Patritio, Scoti ex Palladio, Angli ex Augustino, Romae +sacratis, Roma missis, Romam venerantibus, fidem aut nullam aut +certe nostram, id est, catholicam insuxerunt. Res aperta. Curro. + +CVMVLVS TESTIVM.--Testes academiae, testes legum tabulae, testes +vernaculi mores hominum, testes selectio caesarum et inauguratio, +testes regum ritus et inunctio, testes equitum ordines, ipsaeque +chlamydes, testes fenestrae, testes nummi, testes urbanae portae +domusque civicae, testes avorum fructus et vita, testes res omnes +et reculae, nullam in orbe religionem, nisi nostram, imis umquam +radicibus insedisse. + +Quae mihi quum suppeterent, et certe sic efficerent meditantem, +ut his omnibus nuntium remittere christianis, et consociari cum +perditissimis quibusque, videretur insolentis insaniae; non +diffiteor, animatus sum et incensus ad conflictum, in quo nisi +Divi de coelo deturbentur, et superbus Lucifer coelum recuperet, +cadere numquam potero. Quo mihi sit aequior Charcus, qui me tam +immaniter concerpit, si hanc animulam peccatricem, quam tanti +Christus emit, viae tutae, viae certae, viae regiae malui +credere, quam Calvinis scopulis dumetisve suspendere. + +CONCLVSIO + +Habetis a me, florentes Academici, hoc munusculum, contextum +operis in itinere subcisivis. Animus fuit et purgare me vobis de +arrogantia, et satisfacere de fiducia, et interim dum ab +adversariis una mecum in scholas invitemini, quaedam apponere +degustanda. Si aequam, si tutum, si honestum ducitis, haberi +Lutherum, aut Calvinum, canonem Scripturae, mentem sancti +Spiritus, normam Ecclesiae, Conciliorum Patrumque paedagogum, +omnium denique testium et saeculorum Deum, nihil est quod +sperem, vobis lectoribus vel auditoribus. Sin estis ii, quos +apud animum formavi meum, philosophi occulati, amatores veri, +simplicitatis, modestiae; hostes temeritatis, nugarum, +sophismatum; facile diem in aprico videbitis, qui dieculam +angusta rima dispicitis. Dicam libere, quod meus in vos amor, et +vestrum periculum et rei magnitudo postulat. Non hoc nescit +diabolus, vos istam lucem, si quando coeperitis oculos attolere, +conspecturos. Cuius enim stuporis fuerit, antiquitati +christianae Hammeros et Charcos anteponere? Sed sunt quaedam +illecebrae lutheranae, quibus suum ille regnum amplificat, +quibus ille tendiculis hamatus multos iani vestri ordinis +inescavit. 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; lautus +est, qui satiabit, speciosus est, qui felicitatum omnium cumulos +largietur. Huic vos adscribite militanti, ut cum eo triumphos, +vere doctissimi vereque clarissimi, reportetis. Valete. +Cosmopoli 1581. + +[Footnote 1: A Beato Edmundo anglice scripta, ab alio +latine 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.;. 1 +Cor. 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. de +divers. 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 De +doctr. 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. 23 +et 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. 36 +et 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. duas +in 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.; Aepinus +comm. in Ps. 16.] + +[Footnote 90: Calv. Inst. l. 2, c. 16, n. 10, 11; Brent. in +catech, 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 Hesbusium +in ep. ad Illyr.] + +[Footnote 95: Calv. in antidot. Conc. Trid.--Idem docuerat +Wiclef. 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.; in +asser. 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 de +doctr. 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 illuminated +copy of _theses_, the call of a knight's trumpet challenging his +antagonist to come forth. The Ten Reasons represent the ten +_theses_, which Edmund Campion would fain have maintained in the +Divinity School at Oxford against all comers, sharing, as he did +to the full, the passion which his age felt and seems entirely to +have lost, for such intellectual tournaments, as the natural +means to bring out the truth and compose religious differences. +The reader, then, must not be surprised to find in this little +work quite as much of rhetoric as of logic; if he is unfriendly, +he may say considerably more. Nor, if he knows anything of the +controversial methods of the sixteenth century, will he be +surprised at the vehemence of the language. Compared with his +opponents, Luther for example, Edmund Campion is mere milk and +honey. His book made a great stir: it is what a successful book +must be, instinct with the spirit of the age in which and for +which it was written. + +The Protestant answer to the Ten Reasons was not given in the +Divinity School at Oxford. It was the rack in the Tower, and the +gibbet 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 of +Oxford and Cambridge, Greeting._ + +Last year, Gentlemen, when in accordance with my calling in life +I returned under orders to this Island, I found on the shore of +England not a little wilder waves than those I had recently left +behind the in the British Seas. As thereupon I made my way into +the interior of England, I had no more familiar sight than that +of unusual executions, no greater certainty than the uncertainty +of threatening dangers. I gathered my wits together as best I +could, remembering the cause which I was serving and the times in +which I lived. And lest I might perhaps be arrested before I had +got 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 of +declaring and upon whom. I kept the original document on my +person, that it might be taken with me, if I were taken. I +deposited a copy with a friend, and this copy, without my +knowledge, was shown to many. Adversaries took very ill the +publication of the paper. What they particularly disliked and +blamed was my having offered to hold the field alone against all +comers in this matter of religion, though to be sure I should not +have been alone had I disputed under a public safe conduct. +Hanmer and Chartres have replied to my demands. What is the +tenour of their reply? All off the point. The only honest answer +for them to give is one they will never give: "We embrace the +conditions, the Queen pledges her word, come at once." Meanwhile +they fill the air with their cries: "Your conspiracy! your +seditious proceedings! your arrogance! traitor! aye marry, +traitor!" The whole thing is absurd. These men are not fools: why +are they wasting their pains and damaging their own reputation? +Nevertheless, in reply to these two gentlemen (one of whom has +chosen my paper to run at for his amusement, the other more +maliciously has confused the whole issue) there has recently been +presented a very clear memorial setting forth all that need be +said about our Society and their calumnies and the part that we +are taking. The only course left open to me (since as I see, it +is tortures, not academic disputations, that the high-priests are +making ready) was to make good to you the account of my conduct; +to show you the chief heads and point my finger to the sources +from whence I derive this confidence; to exhort you also, as it +is your concern above others, to give to this business that +attention which Christ, the Church, the Common Weal, and your own +salvation demand of you. If it were confidence in my own talents, +erudition, art, reading, memory, that led me to challenge all the +skill that could be brought against me, then were I the vainest +and proudest of mortals, not having considered either myself or +my opponents. But if, with my cause before my eyes, I thought +myself competent to show that the sun here shines at noon-day, +you ought to allow in me that heat which the honour of Jesus +Christ, my King, and the unconquered force of truth have put upon +me. You know how in Marcus Tullius's speech for Publius Quintius, +when Roscius promised that he should win the case if he could +make out by arguments that a journey of 700 miles had not been +accomplished in two days, Cicero not only had no fear of all the +force of the pleading of the opposing counsel, Hortensius, but +could not have been afraid even of greater orators than +Hortensius, men of the stamp of Cotta and Antonius and Crassus, +whose reputation for speaking he set higher than that of all +other men: for truth does sometimes stand out in so clear a light +that no artifice of word or deed can hide it. Now the case on our +side is clearer even than that position of Roscius. I have only +to evince this, that there is a Heaven, that there is a God, that +there is a Faith, that there is a Christ, and I have gained my +cause. Standing on such ground should I not pluck up heart? I may +be killed, beaten I cannot be. I take my stand on those Doctors, +whom that Spirit has instructed who is neither deceived nor +overcome. I beg of you, consent to be saved. Of those from whom I +obtain this consent I expect without the least doubt that all the +rest will follow. Only give yourselves up to take interest in +this inquiry, entreat Christ, add efforts of your own, and +certainly you will perceive how the case lies, how our +adversaries are in despair, and ourselves so solidly founded that +we cannot but desire this conflict with serene and high courage. +I am brief here, because I address you in the rest of my +discourse. Farewell. + +FIRST REASON + +HOLY WRIT + +Of the many signs that tell of the adversaries' mistrust of their +own cause, none declares it so loudly as the shameful outrage +they put upon the majesty of the Holy Bible. After they have +dismissed with scorn the utterances and suffrages of the rest of +the witnesses, they are nevertheless brought to such straits that +they cannot hold their own otherwise than by laying violent hands +on the divine volumes themselves, thereby showing beyond all +question that they are brought to their last stand, and are +having recourse to the hardest and most extreme of expedients to +retrieve their desperate and ruined fortunes. What induced the +Manichees to tear out the Gospel of Matthew and the Acts of the +Apostles? Despair. For these volumes were a torment to men who +denied Christ's birth of a Virgin, and who pretended that the +Spirit then first descended upon Christians when their peculiar +Paraclete, a good-for-nothing Persian, made his appearance. What +induced the Ebionites to reject all St. Paul's Epistles? Despair. +For while those Letters kept their credit, the custom of +circumcision, which these men had reintroduced, was set aside as +an anachronism. What induced that crime-laden apostate Luther to +call the Epistle of James contentious, turgid, arid, a thing of +straw, and unworthy of the Apostolic spirit? Despair. For by this +writing the wretched man's argument of righteousness consisting +in faith alone was stabbed through and rent assunder. What +induced Luther's whelps to expunge off-hand from the genuine +canon of Scripture, Tobias, Ecclesiasticus, Maccabees, and, for +hatred of these, several other books involved in the same false +charge? Despair. For by these Oracles they are most manifestly +confuted whenever they argue about the patronage of Angels, about +free will, about the faithful departed, about the intercession of +Saints. 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 declaring +that they would settle their disputes by the written word of God +alone, to think that they should have emasculated that same Word, +which alone was left, by cutting out of the whole body so many +excellent and goodly parts! Seven whole books, to ignore lesser +diminutions, have the Calvinists cut out of the Old Testament. +The Lutherans take away the Epistle of James besides, and, in +their dislike of that, five other Epistles, about which there had +been controversy of old in certain places and times. To the +number of these the latest authorities at Geneva add the book of +Esther and about three chapters of Daniel, which their +fellow-disciples, the Anabaptists, had some time before condemned +and derided. How much greater was the modesty of Augustine (_De +doct. Christ. lib._ 2, _c._ 8.), who, in making his catalogue of +the Sacred Books, did not take for his rule the Hebrew Alphabet, +like the Jews, nor private judgment, like the Sectaries, but that +Spirit wherewith Christ animates the whole Church. The Church, +the guardian of this treasure, not its mistress (as heretics +falsely make out), vindicated publicly in former times by very +ancient Councils this entire treasure, which the Council of Trent +has taken up and embraced. Augustine also in a special discussion +on one small portion of Scripture cannot bring himself to think +that any man's rash murmuring should be permitted to thrust out +of the Canon the book of Wisdom, which even in his time had +obtained a sure place as a well-authenticated and Canonical book +in the reckoning of the Church, the judgment of ages, the +testimony of ancients, and the sense of the faithful. What would +he say now if he were alive on earth, and saw men like Luther and +Calvin manufacturing Bibles, filing down Old and New Testament +with a neat pretty little file of their own, setting aside, not +the book of wisdom alone, but with it very many others from the +list of Canonical Books? Thus whatever does not come out from +their shop, by a mad decree, is liable to be, spat upon by all as +a rude and barbarous composition. They who have stooped to this +dire and execrable way of saving themselves surely are beaten, +overthrown, and flung rolling in the dust, for all their fine +praises that are in the mouths of their admirers, for all their +traffic in priesthoods, for all their bawling in pulpits, for all +their sentencing of Catholics to chains, rack and gallows. Seated +in their armchairs as censors, as though any one had elected them +to that office, they seize their pens and mark passages as +spurious even in God's own Holy Writ, putting their pens through +whatever they cannot stomach. Can any fairly educated man be +afraid of battalions of such enemies? If in the midst of your +learned body they had recourse to such trickster's arts, calling +like wizards upon their familiar spirit, you would shout at +them,--you would stamp your feet at them. For instance I would +ask them what right they have to rend and mutilate the body of +the Bible. They would answer that they do not cut out true +Scriptures, but prune away supposititious accretions. By +authority of what judge? By the Holy Ghost. This is the answer +prescribed by Calvin (_Instit. lib._ I, _c._ 7), for escaping +this judgment of the Church whereby spirits of prophesy are +examined. Why then do some of you tear out one piece of +Scripture, and others another, whereas you all boast of being led +by the same Spirit? The Spirit of the Calvinists receives six +Epistles which do not please the Lutheran Spirit, both all the +while in full confidence reposing on the Holy Ghost. The +Anabaptists call the book of Job a fable, intermixed with tragedy +and comedy. How do they know? The Spirit has taught them. Whereas +the Song of Solomon is admired by Catholics as a paradise of the +soul, a hidden manna, and rich delight in Christ, Castalio, a +lewd rogue, has reckoned it nothing better than a love-song about +a mistress, and an amorous conversation with Court flunkeys. +Whence drew he that intimation? From the Spirit. In the +Apocalypse of John, every jot and tittle of which Jerane declares +to bear some lofty and magnificent meaning, Luther and Brent and +Kemnitz, critics hard to please, find something wanting, and are +inclined to throw over the whole book. Whom have they consulted? +The Spirit. Luther with preposterous heat pits the Four Gospels +one against another (_Praef. in Nov. Test._), and far prefers +Paul's Epistles to the first three, while he declares the Gospel +of St. John above the rest to be beautiful, true, and worthy of +mention in the first place,--thereby enrolling even the Apostles, +so far as in him lay, as having a hand in his quarrels. Who +taught him to do that? The Spirit. Nay this imp of a friar has +not hesitated in petulant style to assail Luke's Gospel because +therein good and virtuous works are frequently commended to us. +Whom did he consult? The Spirit. Theodore Beza has dared to carp +at, as a corruption and perversion of the original, that mystical +word from the twenty-second chapter of Luke, _this is the +chalice, the new testament in my blood, which_ (chalice) _shall +be shed for you_ [Greek: potaerion ekchunomenon], because this +language admits of no explanation other than that of the wine in +the chalice being converted into the true blood of Christ. Who +pointed that out? The Spirit. In short, in believing all things +every man in the faith of his own spirit, they horribly belie and +blaspheme the name of the Holy Ghost. So acting, do they not give +themselves away? are they not easily refuted? In an assembly of +learned men, such as yours, Gentlemen of the University, are they +not caught and throttled without trouble? Should I be afraid on +behalf of the Catholic faith to dispute with these men, who have +handled with the utmost ill faith not human but heavenly +utterances? I say nothing here of their perverse versions of +Scripture, though I could accuse them in this respect of +intolerable doings. I will not take the bread out of the mouth of +that great linguist, my fellow-Collegian, Gregory Martin, who +will do this work with more learning and abundance of detail than +I could; nor from others whom I understand already to have that +task in hand. More wicked and more abominable is the crime that I +am now prosecuting, that there have been found upstart Doctors +who have made a drunken onslaught on the handwriting that is of +heaven; who have given judgment against it as being in many +places defiled, defective, false, surreptitious; who have +corrected some passages, tampered with others; torn out others; +who have converted every bulwark wherewith it was guarded into +Lutheran "spirits," what I may call phantom ramparts and parted +walls. All this they have done that they might not be utterly +dumbfounded by falling upon Scripture texts contrary to their +errors, texts which they would have found it as hard to get over +as to swallow hot ashes or chew stones. This then has been my +First Reason, a strong and a just one. By revealing the shadowy +and broken powers of the adverse faction, it has certainly given +new courage to a Christian man, not unversed in these studies, to +fight for the Letters Patent of the Eternal King against the +remnant of a routed foe. + +SECOND REASON + +THE SENSE OF HOLY WRIT + +Another thing to incite me to the encounter, and to disparage in +my eyes the poor forces of the enemy, is the habit of mind which +they continually display in their exposition of the Scriptures, +full of deceit, void of wisdom. As philosophers, you would seize +these points at once. Therefore I have desired to have you for my +audience. Suppose, for example, we ask our adversaries on what +ground they have concocted that novel and sectarian opinion which +banishes Christ from the Mystic Supper. If they name the Gospel, +we meet them promptly. On our side are the words, _this is my +body, this is my blood._ This language seemed to Luther himself +so 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 open +context, and gave in to it (_Luther, epistol. ad Argent._), and +confessed Christ truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament no less +unwillingly than the demons of old, overcome by His miracles, +cried aloud that He was Christ, the Son of God. Well then, the +written text gives us the advantage: the dispute now turns on the +sense of what is written. Let us examine this from the words in +the context, _my body which is given for you, my blood which hall +be shed for many_. Still the explanation on Calvin's side is most +hard, 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, the +clauses, the whole sentence reverently repeat living bread, +signal miracle, heavenly food, flesh, body, blood. There is +nothing enigmatical, nothing befogged with a mist of words. Still +our adversaries hold on and make no end of altercation. What are +we to do? I presume, Antiquity should be heard; and what we, two +parties suspect of one another, cannot settle, let it be settled +by the decision of venerable ancient men of all past ages, as +being nearer Christ and further removed from this contention. +They cannot stand that, they protest that they are being +betrayed, they appeal to the word of God pure and simple, they +turn away from the comments of men. Treacherous and fatuous +excuse. We urge the word of God, they darken the meaning of it. +We appeal to the witness of the Saints as interpreters, they +withstand them. In short their position is that there shall be no +trial, unless you stand by the judgment of the accused party. And +so they behave in every controversy which we start. On infused +grace, on inherent justice, on the visible Church, on the +necessity of Baptism, on Sacraments and Sacrifice, on the merits +of the good, on hope and fear, on the difference of guilt in +sins, on the authority of Peter, on the keys, on vows, on the +evangelical counsels, on other such points, we Catholics have +cited and discussed Scripture texts not a few, and of much +weight, everywhere in books, in meetings, in churches, in the +Divinity School: they have eluded them. We have brought to bear +upon them the _scholia_ of the ancients, Greek and Latin: they +have refused them. What then is their refuge? Doctor Martin +Luther, or else Philip (Melancthon), or anyhow Zwingle, or beyond +doubt Calvin and Besa have faithfully laid down the facts. Can I +suppose any of you to be so dull of sense as not to perceive this +artifice when he is told of it? Wherefore I must confess how +earnestly I long for the University Schools as a place where, +with you looking on, I could call those carpet-knights out of +their delicious retreats into the heat and dust of action, and +break their power, not by any strength of my own,--for I am not +comparable, not one per cent., with the rest of our people;--but +by 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 of +falsehood. He was well aware that in the Scriptures, as well of +Prophets as of Apostles, everywhere there is made honourable +mention of the Church: that it is called the holy city, the +fruitful vine, the high mountain, the straight way, the only +dove, the kingdom of heaven, the spouse and body of Christ, the +ground of truth, the multitude to whom the Spirit has been +promised and into whom He breathes all truths that make for +salvation; her on whom, taken as a whole, the devil's jaws are +never to inflict a deadly bite; her against whom whoever rebels, +however much he preach Christ with his mouth, has no more hold on +Christ than the publican or the heathen. Such a loud +pronouncement he dared not gainsay; he would not seem rebellious +against a Church of which the Scriptures make such frequent +mention: so he cunningly kept the name, while by his definition +he utterly abolished the thing, He has depicted the Church with +such properties as altogether hide her away, and leave her open +to the secret gaze of a very few men, as though she were removed +from the senses, like a Platonic Idea. They only could discern +her, who by a singular inspiration had got the faculty of +grasping with their intelligence this aerial body, and with keen +eye regarding the members of such a company. + +What has become of candour and straightforwardness? What +Scripture texts or Scripture meanings or authorities of Fathers +thus portray the Church? There are letters of Christ to the +Asiatic Churches (Apoc. i. 3), letters of Peter, Paul, John, and +others to various Churches; frequent mention in the Acts of the +Apostles of the origin and spread of Churches. What of these +Churches? Were they visible to God alone and holy men, or to +Christians of every rank and degree? But, doubtless, necessity +is a hard weapon. Pardon these subterfuges. Throughout the whole +course of fifteen centuries these men find neither town, village +nor household professing their doctrine, until an unhappy monk +by an incestuous marriage had deflowered a virgin vowed to God, +or a Swiss gladiator had conspired against his country, or a +branded runaway had occupied Geneva. These people, if they want +to have a Church at all, are compelled to crack up a Church all +hidden away; and to claim parents whom they themselves have +never known, and no mortal has ever set eyes on, Perhaps they +glory in the ancestry of men whom every one knows to have been +heretics, such as Aerius, Jovinianus, Vigilantius, Helvidius, +Berengarius, the Waldenses, the Lollards, Wycliffe, Huss, of +whom they have begged sundry poisonous fragments of dogmas. +Wonder not that I have no fear of their empty talk: once I can +meet them in the noon-day, I shall have no trouble in dispelling +such vapourings. Our conversation with them would take this +line. Tell me, do you subscribe to the Church which flourished +in bygone ages? Certainly. Let us traverse, then, different +countries and periods. What Church? The assembly of the +faithful. What faithful? Their names are unknown, but it is +certain that there have been many of them. Certain? to whom is +it certain? To God Who says so! We, who have been taught of +God--stuff and nonsense, how am I to believe it? If you had the +fire of faith in you, you would know it as well as you know you +are alive. Let in as spectators, could you withhold your +laughter? To think that all Christians should be bidden to join +the Church; to beware of being cut down by the spiritual sword; +to keep peace in the house of God; to trust their soul to the +Church as to the pillar of truth; to lay all their complaints +before the Church; to hold for heathen all who are cast out of +the Church; and that nevertheless so many men for so many +centuries should not know where the Church is or who belong to +it! This much only they prate in the darkness, that wherever the +Church is, only Saints and persons destined for heaven are +contained in it. Hence it follows that whoever wishes to +withdraw himself from the authority of his ecclesiastical +superior has only to persuade himself that the priest has fallen +into sin and is quite cut off from the Church. Knowing as I did +that the adversaries were inventing these fictions, contrary to +the customary sense of the Churches in all ages, and that, +having lost the whole substance, they still wished in their +difficulties to retain the name, I took comfort in the thought +of your sagacity, and so promised myself that, as soon as ever +you had cognisance of such artifices by their own confession, +you would at once like men of mark and intelligence rend asunder +the 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 the +gathering of a Council of Apostles and elders. The Children +believed their parents, the sheep their shepherds, commanding in +their words, _It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us_ +(Acts xv). There followed for the extirpation of various heresies +in various several ages, four Oecumenical Councils of the +ancients, the doctrine whereof was so well established that a +thousand years ago (see St. Gregory the Great's Epistles, lib. i. +cap. 24) singular honour was paid to it as to an utterance of +God. I will travel no further abroad. Even in our home, in +Parliament (ann. 1 Elisabeth), the same Councils keep their +former right and their dignity inviolate. These I will cite, and +I will call thee, England, my sweet country, to witness. If, as +thou professest, thou wilt reverence these four Councils, thou +shalt give chief honour to the Bishop of the first See, that is +to Peter: thou shalt recognise on the altar the unbloody +sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ: thou shalt beseech the +blessed martyrs and all the saints to intercede with Christ on +thy behalf: thou shalt restrain womanish apostates from unnatural +vice and public incest: thou shalt do many things that thou art +undoing, and wish undone much that thou art doing. Furthermore, I +promise and undertake to show, when opportunity offers, that the +Synods of other ages, and notably the Synod of Trent, have been +of the same authority and credence as the first. Armed therefore +with the strong and choice support of all the Councils, why +should I not enter into this arena with calmness and presence of +mind, watchful to keep an eye on my adversary and see on what +point he will show himself? I will produce testimonies most +evident that he cannot wrest aside. Possibly he will take to +scolding, and endeavour to talk against time, but he will not +elude the eyes and ears of men who will watch him hard, as you +will do, if you are the men I take you for. But if there shall be +any one found so stark mad as to set his single self up as a +match for the senators of the world, men whose greatness, +holiness, learning and antiquity is beyond all exception, I shall +be glad to look upon that face of impudence; and when I have +shown it to you, I will leave the rest to your own thoughts. +Meanwhile I will say thus much: The man who refuses consideration +and weight to a Plenary Council, brought to a conclusion in due +and orderly fashion, seems to me witless, brainless, a dullard in +theology, and a fool in politics. If ever the Spirit of God has +shone upon the Church, then surely is the time for the sending of +divine aid, when the most manifest religiousness, ripeness of +judgment, science, wisdom, dignity of all the Churches on earth +have flocked together in one city, and with employment of all +means, divine and human, for the investigation of truth, implore +the promised Spirit that they may make wholesome and prudent +decrees. Let there now leap to the front some mannikin master of +an heretical faction, let him arch his eyebrows, turn up his +nose, rub his forehead, and scurrilously take upon himself to +judge his judges, what sport, what ridicule will he excite! There +was found a Luther to say that he preferred to Councils the +opinions of two godly and learned men (say his own and Philip +Melanchthon's) when they agreed in the name of Christ. Oh what +quackery! There was found a Kemnitz to try the Council of Trent +by the standard of his own rude and giddy humour. What gained he +thereby? Infamy. While he, unless he takes care, shall be buried +with Arius, the Synod of Trent, the older it grows, shall +flourish the more, day by day, and year by year. Good God! what +variety of nations, what a choice assembly of Bishops of the +whole world, what a splendid representation of Kings and +Commonwealths, what a quintessence of theologians, what sanctity, +what tears, what fears, what flowers of Universities, what +tongues, what subtlety, what labour, what infinite reading, what +wealth of virtues and of studies filled that august sanctuary! I +have myself heard Bishops, eminent and prudent men,--and among +them Antony, Archbishop of Prague, by whom I was made +Priest,--exulting that they had attended such a school for some +years; so that, much as they owed to Kaiser Ferdinand, they +considered that he had shown them no more royal and abundant +bounty than this of sending them to sit in that Academy of Trent +as Legates from Bohemia. The Kaiser understood this, and on their +return he welcomed them with the words, "We have kept you at a +good school." Invited as our adversaries have been under a safe +conduct, why have they not hastened thither, publicly to refute +those against whom they go on quacking like frogs from their +holes? "They broke their promise to Huss and Jerome," is their +reply. Who broke it? "The Fathers of the Council of Constance." +It is false; they never gave any promise. But anyhow, not even +Huss would have been punished had not the perfidious and +pestilent fellow been brought back from that flight which the +Emperor Sigusmund had forbidden him under pain of death; had he +not violated the conditions which he had agreed to in writing +with the Kaiser and thereby nullified all the value of that +safe-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, he +despised the prerogative of the Council, and sought his +safe-conduct of the Kaiser. Caesar signed it; the Christian +world, greater than Caesar, cancelled the signature. The +heresiarch refused to return to a sound mind, and so perished. As +for Jerome of Prague, he came to Constance protected by no one; +he was detected and arraigned; he spoke in his own behalf, was +treated very kindly, went free whither he would; he was healed, +abjured his heresy, relapsed, and was burnt. Why do they so often +drag out one case in a thousand? Let them read their own annals. +Martin Luther himself, that abomination of God and men, was put +in court at Augsburg before Cardinal Cajetan: there did he not +belch out all he could, and then depart in safety, fortified with +a letter of Maximilian? Likewise, when he was summoned to Worms, +and had against him the Kaiser and most of the Princes of the +Empire, was he not safe under the protection of the Kaiser's +word? Lastly, at the Diet of Augsburg, in presence of Charles V., +an enemy of heretics, flushed with victory, master of the +situation, 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 Trent +provided most ample safe-guards for the adversary; he would not +take advantage of them. The fact is, he airs his condition in +corners, where he expects to figure as a sage by coming out with +three words of Greek: he shrinks from the light, which should +place him in the number of men of letters [_lilleratorum_ +{transcribers note: the Latin is interpolated into the +translation here}] and call him to sit in honourable place. Let +them obtain for English Catholics such a written promise of +impunity, if they love the salvation of souls. We will not raise +the instance of Huss: relying on the Sovereign's word, we will +fly to Court. But, to return to the point whence I digressed, the +General Councils are mine, the first, the last, and those +between. With them I will fight. Let the adversary look for a +javelin hurled with force, which he will never be able to pluck +out. Let Satan be overthrown in him, and Christ live. + +FIFTH REASON + +FATHERS + +At Antioch, in which city the noble surname of Christians first +became common, there flourished _Doctors_, that is, eminent +theologians, 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 the +Lord promised to His future flock. What a wicked thing it is to +scout these teachers, given as they are by way of a mighty boon! +The adversary has scouted them. Why? Because their standing means +his fall. Having found that out for certain beyond doubt, I have +asked for a fight unqualified, not that sham-fight in which the +crowds in the street engage, and skirmish with one another, but +the earnest and keen struggle in which we join in the arena of +yon philosophers, + + Foot to foot, and man close gripping man. + +If ever we shall be allowed to turn to the Fathers, the battle is +lost and won: they are as thoroughly ours as is Gregory XIII. +himself, the loving Father of the children of the Church. To say +nothing of isolated passages, which are gathered from the records +of the ancients, apt and clear statements in defence of our +faith, we hold entire volumes of these Fathers, which professedly +illustrate in clear and abundant light the Gospel religion which +we defend. Take the twofold _Hierarchy_ of the martyr Dionysius, +what classes, what sacrifices, what rites does he teach? This +fact struck Luther so forcibly that he pronounced the works of +this Father to be "such stuff as dreams are made of, and that of +the most pernicious kind." In imitation of his parent, an obscure +Frenchman, Caussee, has not hesitated to call this Dionysius, the +Apostle of an illustrious nation, "an old dotard." Ignatius has +given grievous offence to the Centuriators of Magdeburg, as also +to Calvin, so that these men, the offscouring of mankind, have +noted in his works "unsightly blemishes and tasteless prosings." +In their judgment, Irenaeus has brought out "a fanatical +production": Clement, the author of the _Stromata_, has produced +"Tares and dregs": the other Fathers of this age, Apostolic men +to be sure, "have left blasphemies and monstrosities to +posterity." In Tertullian they eagerly seize upon what they have +learned from us, in common with us, to detest; but they should +remember that his book _On Prescriptions_, which has so signally +smitten the heretics of our times, was never found fault with. +How finely, how, clearly, has Hippolytus, Bishop of Porto pointed +out beforehand the power of Antichrist, the times of Luther! They +call him, therefore, "a most babyish writer, an owl." Cyprian, +the delight and glory of Africa, that French critic Caussee, and +the Centuriators of Magdeburg, have termed "stupid, God-forsaken +corrupter of repentance." What harm has he done? He has written +_On Virgins, On the Lapsed, On the Unity of the Church_, such +treatises as also such letters to Cornelius, the Roman Pontiff, +that, unless credence be withdrawn from this Martyr, Peter Martyr +Vermilius and all his associates must count for worse than +adulterers and men guilty of sacrilege. And, not to dwell longer +on individuals, the Fathers of this age are all condemned "for +wonderful corruption of the doctrine of repentance." How so? +Because the austerity of the Canons in vogue at that time is +particularly obnoxious to this plausible sect which, better +fitted for dining-rooms than for churches, is wont to tickle +voluptuous 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 the +justice of faith." Gregory Nazianzen whom the ancients called +eminently "the Theologian," is in the judgment of Caussee "a +chatter-box, who did not know what he was saying." Ambrose was +"under the spell of an evil demon." Jerome is "as damnable as the +devil, injurious to the Apostle, a blasphemer, a wicked wretch." +To Gregory Massow--"Calvin alone is worth more than a hundred +Augustines." A hundred is a small number: Luther "reckons nothing +of having against him a thousand Augustines, a thousand Cyprians, +a thousand Churches." I think I need not carry the matter +further. For when men rage against the above-mentioned Fathers, +who can wonder at the impertinence of their language against +Optatus, Hilary, the two Cyrils, Epiphanius, Basil, Vincent, +Fulgentius, Leo, and the Roman Gregory. However, if we grant any +just defence of an unjust cause, I do not deny that the Fathers +wherever you light upon them, afford the party of our opponents +matter they needs must disagree with, so long as they are +consistent with themselves. Men who have appointed fast-days, how +must they be minded in regard of Basil, Gregory, Nazianzen, Leo, +Chrysostom, who have published telling sermons on Lent and +prescribed days of fasting as things already in customary use? +Men who have sold their souls for gold, lust, drunkenness and +ambitious display, can they be other than most hostile to Basil, +Chrysostom, Jerome, Augustine, whose excellent books are in the +hands of all, treating of the institute, rule, and virtues of +monks? Men who have carried the human will into captivity, who +have abolished Christian funerals, who have burnt the relics of +Saints, can they possibly be reconciled to Augustine, who has +composed three books on Free Will, one on Care for the Dead, +besides sundry sermons and a long chapter in a noble work on the +Miracles wrought at the Basilicas and Monuments of the Martyrs? +Men who measure faith by their own quips and quirks, must they +not be angry with Augustine, of whom there is extant a remarkable +Letter against a Manichean, in which he professes himself to +assent to Antiquity, to Consent, to Perpetuity of Succession, and +to the Church which, alone among so many heresies, claims by +prescriptive right the name of Catholic? + +Optatus, Bishop of Milevis, refutes the Donatist faction by +appeal to Catholic communion: he accuses their wickedness by +appeal to the decree of Melchiades: he convicts their heresy by +reference to the order of succession of Roman Pontiffs: he lays +open their frenzy in their defilement of the Eucharist and of +schism: he abhors their sacrilege in their breaking of altars "on +which the members of Christ are borne," and their pollution of +chalices "which have held the blood of Christ." I greatly desire +to know what they think of Optatus, whom Augustine mentions as a +venerable Catholic Bishop, the equal of Ambrose and of Cyprian; +and Fulgentius as a holy and faithful interpreter of Paul, like +unto Augustine and Ambrose. They sing in their churches the Creed +of Athanasius. Do they stand by him? That grave anchor who has +written an elaborate book in praise of the Egyptian hermit +Antony, and who with the Synod of Alexandria suppliantly appealed +to the judgment of the Apostolic See, the See of St. Peter. How +often does Prudentius in his Hymns pray to the martyrs whose +praises he sings! how often at their ashes and bones does he +venerate the King of Martyrs! Will they approve his proceeding? +Jerome writes against Vigilantius in defence of the relics of the +Saints and the honours paid to them; as also against Jovinian for +the rank to be allowed to virginity. Will they endure him? +Ambrose honoured his patron saints Gervase and Protase with a +most glorious solemnity by way of putting the Arians to shame. +This action of his was praised by most godly Fathers, and God +honoured it with more than one miracle. Are they going to take a +kindly view off Ambrose here? Gregory the Great, our Apostle, is +most manifestly with us, and therefore is a hateful personage to +our adversaries. Calvin, in his rage, says that he was not +brought up in the school of the Holy Ghost, seeing that he had +called 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 the +Fathers, in which they have laboriously, earnestly and with much +learning supported the doctrines of us Catholics. As long as +these works are for sale at the booksellers' shops, it will be +vain to prohibit the writings of our controversialists; vain to +keep watch at the ports and on the sea-coast; vain to search +houses, boxes, desks, and book-chests; vain to set up so many +threatening notices at the gates. No Harding, nor Sanders, nor +Allen, nor Stapleton, nor Bristow, attack these new-fangled +fancies with more vigour than do the Fathers whom I have +enumerated. As I think over these and the like facts, my courage +has grown and my ardour for battle, in which whatever way the +adversary stirs, unless he will yield glory to God, he will be in +straits. Let him admit the Fathers, he is caught: let him shut +them out, he is undone. + +When we were young men, the following incident occurred. John +Jewell, a foremost champion of the Calvinists of England, with +incredible arrogance challenged the Catholics at St. Paul's, +London, invoking hypocritically and calling upon the Fathers, who +had flourished within the first six hundred years of +Christianity. His wager was taken up by the illustrious men who +were then in exile at Louvain, hemmed in though they were with +very 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 those +writers happily brought out, did so much good to our countrymen +that scarcely anything in my recollection has turned out to the +better advantage of the suffering English Church. At once an +edict is hung up on the doors, forbidding the reading or +retaining of any of those books, whereas they had come out, or +were wrung out, I may almost say, by the outcry that Jewell had +raised. The result was that all the persons interested in the +matter came to understand that the Fathers were Catholics, that +is to say, ours. Nor has Lawrence Humphrey passed over in silence +this wound inflicted on him and his party. After high praise of +Jewell in other respects, he fixes on him this role of +inconsiderateness, that he admitted the reasonings of the +Fathers, with whom Humphrey declares, without any beating about +the bush, that he has nothing in common nor ever will have. + +We also sounded once in familiar discourse Toby Matthews, now a +leading preacher, whom we loved for his good accomplishments and +the seeds of virtue in him; we asked him to answer honestly +whether one who read the Fathers assiduously could belong to that +party which he supported. He answered that he could not, if, +besides reading, he also believed them.[1] This saying is most +true; nor do I think that either he at the present time, or +Matthew Hutten, a man of name, who is said to read the Fathers +with an assiduity that few equal, or other adversaries who do the +like, are otherwise minded. + +Thus far I have been able to descend with security into this +field of conflict, to wage war with men, who, as though they held +a wolf by the ears, are compelled to brand their cause with an +everlasting stigma of shame, whether they refuse the Fathers or +whether they call for them. In the one case they are preparing to +run 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,--as +men of our religion have made it and should make it their special +care,--to observe the rule, _Search the Scriptures_ (John v. 39), +the holy Fathers easily come out first and take the palm for the +matter of this observance. By their labour and at their expense +Bibles have been transcribed and carried among so many nations +and tongues by the perils they have run and the tortures they +have endured the Sacred Volumes have been snatched from the +flames and devastation spread by enemies: by their labours and +vigils they have been explained in every detail. Night and day +they drank in Holy Writ, from all pulpits they gave forth Holy +Writ, with Holy Writ they enriched immense volumes, with most +faithful commentaries they unfolded the sense of Holy Writ, with +Holy Writ they seasoned alike their abstinence and their meals, +finally, occupied about Holy Writ they arrived at decrepit old +age. And if they also frequently have argued from the Authority +of Elders, from the Practice of the Church, from the Succession +of Pontiffs, from ecumenical Councils, from Apostolic Traditions, +from the Blood of Martyrs, from the decrees of Bishops, from +Miracles, yet most persistently of all and most willingly do they +set forth in close array the testimonies of Holy Writ: these they +press home, on these they dwell, to this _armour of the strong_ +(Cant. iii. 7), for the best of reasons, is the first and the +most honourable part assigned by these valiant leaders in their +work of forgiving and keeping in repair the City of God against +the assaults of the wicked. + +Wherefore I do all the more wonder at that haughty and famous +objection of the adversary, who, like one looking for water in a +running stream, takes exception to the lack of Scripture texts +in writings crowded with Scripture texts. He says he will agree +with the Fathers so long as they keep close to Holy Scripture. +Does he mean what he says? I will see then that there come +forth, armed and begirt with Christ, with Prophets and Apostles, +and with all array of Biblical erudition, those celebrated +authors, those ancient Fathers, those holy men, Dionyius, +Cyprian, Athanasius, Basil, Nazianzen, Ambrose, Jerome, +Chrysostom, Augustine, and the Latin Gregory. Let that faith +reign 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, unless +they expound rightly. What is this "rightly"? At your +discretion. Are you not ashamed of the vicious circle? + +Hopeful as I am that in flourishing Universities there will be +gathered together a good number, who will be no dull spectators, +but acute judges of these controversies and who will weigh for +what they are worth the frivolous answers of our adversaries, I +will gladly await this meeting-day, as one minded to lead forth +against wooded hillocks [cf. Cicero _in Catilinam_ ii. 11], +covered with unarmed tramps, the nobility and strength of the +Church of Christ. + +SEVENTH REASON + +HISTORY + +Ancient History unveils the primitive face of the Church. To this +I appeal. Certainly, the more ancient historians, whom our +adversaries also habitually, consult, are enumerated pretty well +as 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 I +would have you observe diligently, they who in deadly hatred +dissent from us,--Melancthon, Pantaleon, Funck, the Centuriators +of Magdeburg,--on applying themselves to write either the +chronology or the history of the Church, if they did not get +together the exploits of our heroes, and heap up the accounts of +the frauds and crimes of the enemies of our Church, would pass by +fifteen hundred years with no story to tell. + +Along with the above-mentioned consider the local historians, who +have searched with laborious curiosity into the transactions of +some one particular nation. These men, wishing by all means to +enrich and adorn the Sparta which they had gotten for their own, +and to that effect not passing over in silence even such things +as banquets of unusual splendour, or sleeved tunics, or hilts of +daggers, or gilt spurs, and other such minutiae having any smack +of revelry about them, surely, if they had heard of any change in +religion, or any falling off from the standard of early ages, +would have related it, many of them; or, if not many, at least +several; if not several, some one anyhow. Not one, well-disposed +or ill-disposed towards us, has related anything of the sort, or +even dropped the slightest hint of the same. + +For example. Our adversaries grant us,--they cannot do +otherwise,--that the Roman Church was at one time holy, +Catholic, Apostolic, at the time when it deserved these +eulogiums from St. Paul: _Your faith is spoken of in the whole +world. Without ceasing I make a commemoration of you. I know +that when I come to you, I shall come in the abundance of the +blessing of Christ. All the Churches of Christ salute you. Your +obedience is published in every place_ (Rom. i. 8, 9; xv. 29; +xvi. 17, 19): at the time when Paul, being kept there in free +custody, was spreading the gospel (Acts xxviii. 31) : at the +time when Peter once in that city was ruling _the Church +gathered at Babylon_ (1 Peter v. 13): at the time when that +Clement, so singularly praised by the Apostle (Phil. iv. 3) was +governing 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. For +at this epoch he generously allows that men, at Rome +particularly, had so far not swerved from Gospel teaching. When +then did Rome lose this faith so highly celebrated? when did she +cease to be what she was before? at what time, under what +Pontiff, by what way, by what compulsion, by what increments, +did a foreign religion come to pervade city and world? What +outcries, 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 new +Sacrifice, new religious dogma? Has there been found no +historian, neither Greek nor Latin, neither far nor near, to +fling out in his chronicles even an obscure hint of so +remarkable a proceeding? + +Therefore this much is clear, that the articles of our belief are +what History, manifold and various, History the messenger of +antiquity, and life of memory, utters and repeats in abundance; +while no narrative penned in human times records that the +doctrines foisted in by our opponents ever had any footing in the +Church. It is clear, I say, that the historians are mine, and +that the adversary's raids upon history are utterly without +point. No impression can they make unless the assertion be first +received, that all Christians of all ages had lapsed into gross +infidelity and gone down to the abyss of hell, until such time as +Luther entered into an unblessed union with Catherine Bora. + +EIGHTH REASON + +PARADOXES + +For myself, most excellent Sirs, when, choosing out of many +heresies, I think over in my mind certain portentous errors of +self-opinionated men, errors that it will be incumbent on me to +refute, I should condemn myself of want of spirit and discernment +if in this trial of strength I were to be afraid of any man's +ability or powers. Let him be able, let him be eloquent, let him +be a practised disputant, let him be a devourer of all books, +still his thought must dry up and his utterance fail him when he +shall have to maintain such impossible positions as these. For we +shall dispute, if perchance they will allow us, on God, on +Christ, on Man, on Sin, on Justice, on Sacraments, on Morals. I +shall see whether they will dare to speak out what they think, +and what under the constraint of their situation they publish in +their miserable writings. I will take care that they know these +maxims of their teachers:--"God is the author and cause of evil, +willing it, suggesting it, effecting it, commanding it, working +it out, and guiding the guilty counsels of the wicked to this +end. As the call of Paul, so the adultery of David, and the +wickedness 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 heaven +with wonderful praises, and on that score puts his foster-child +all but on an equality, with the Apostle Paul (Luther, _De servo +arbitrio_). I will also enquire what was in Luther's mind, whom +the English Calvinists pronounce to be "a man given of God for +the enlightenment of the world," when he wished to take this +versicle 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 these +words, "Christ the Son of God, God of God," mean to Calvin, who +says, "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 in +Christ, one of His soul with His flesh, the other of His Divinity +with His Humanity (Beza, _Contra Schmidel_). The passage in John +x. 30, _I and the Father are one_, does not show Christ to be +God, consubstantial with God the Father (Calvin on John x.), the +fact is, says Luther, "my soul hates this word, _homousion._" Go +on. Christ was not perfect in grace from His infancy, but grew in +gifts of the soul like other men, and by experience daily became +wiser, 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 and +vice of original sin. But observe still more direful utterances. +When Christ, praying in the Garden, was streaming with a sweat of +water and blood, He shuddered under a sense of eternal damnation, +He uttered an irrational cry, an unspiritual cry, a sudden cry +prompted by the force of His distress, which He quickly checked +as 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 Thou +forsaken me,_ He was on fire with the flames of hell, He uttered +a cry of despair, He felt exactly as if nothing were before Him +but to perish in everlasting death (Calvin _in Harm. Evangel._). +To this also let them add something, if they can. Christ, they +say, descended into hell, that is, when dead, He tasted hell not +otherwise than do the damned souls, except that He was destined +to be restored to Himself: for since by His mere bodily death He +would have profited us nothing, He needed in soul also to +struggle with everlasting death, and in this way to pay the debt +of our crime and our punishment. And lest any one might haply +suspect that this theory had stolen upon Calvin unawares, the +same 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 delicate +and royal Blood, which ran in a flood from the lacerated and torn +Body of the innocent Lamb, one little drop of which Blood, for +the dignity of the Victim, might have redeemed a thousand worlds, +availed the human race nothing, unless _the mediator of God and +men, the man Christ Jesus_ (I Tim. ii. 5) had borne also _the +second death_ (Apoc. xx. 6), the death of the soul, the death to +grace, that accompaniment only of sin and damnable blasphemy! In +comparison with this insanity, Bucer, impudent fellow that he is, +will appear modest, for he (on Matth. xxvi.), by an explanation +very preposterous, or rather, an inept and stupid tautology, +takes _hell_ in the creed to mean the tomb. Of the Anglican +sectaries, some are wont to adhere to their idol, Calvin, others +to their great master, Bucer; some also murmur in an undertone +against this article, wishing that it may be quietly removed +altogether from the Creed, that it may give no more trouble. Nay, +this was actually tried in a meeting at London, as I remember +being told by one who was present, Richard Cheyne, a miserable +old man, who was badly mauled by robbers outside, and, for all +that, never entered his father's house.[2] + +And thus far of Christ. What of Man? The image of God is utterly +blotted out in man, not the slightest spark of good is left: his +whole nature in all the parts of his soul is so thoroughly +overturned that, even after he is born again and sanctified in +baptism, there is nothing whatever within him but mere corruption +and contagion. What does this lead up to? That they who mean to +seize glory by faith alone may wallow in the filth of every +turpitude, may accuse nature, despair of virtue, and discharge +themselves of the commandments (Calvin, _Instit._ ii. 3). To +this, Illyricus, the standard-bearer of the Magdeburg company, +has added his own monstrous teaching about original sin, which he +makes out to be the innermost substance of souls, whom, since +Adam's fall, the devil himself engenders and transforms into +himself. This also is a received maxim in this scum of evil +doctrine, that all sins are equal, yet with this qualification +(not to revive the Stoics), "if sins are weighed in the judgment +of God." As if God, the most equitable judge, were to add to our +burden rather than lighten it; and, for all His justice, were to +exaggerate and make it what it is not in itself. By this +estimation, as heavy an offence would be committed against God, +judging in all severity, by the innkeeper who has killed a +barn-door cock, when he should not have done, as by that infamous +assassin who, his head full of Beza, stealthily slew by the shot +of a musket the French hero, the Duke of Guise, a Prince of +admirable virtue, than which crime our world has seen in our age +nothing more deadly, nothing more lamentable. + +But perchance they who are so severe in the matter of sin +philosophise magnificently on divine grace, as able to bring +succour and remedy to this evil. Fine indeed is the function +which they assign to grace, which their ranting preachers say is +neither infused into our hearts, nor strong enough to resist sin, +but lies wholly outside of us, and consists in the mere favour of +God,--a favour which does not amend the wicked, nor cleanse, nor +illuminate, nor enrich them, but, leaving still the old stinking +ordure of their sin, dissembles it by God's connivance, that it +be not counted unsightly and hateful. And with this their +invention they are so delighted that, with them, even Christ is +not otherwise called _full of grace and truth_ than inasmuch as +God the Father has borne wonderful favour to Him (Bucer on John +i: Brent hom. 12 on John). + +What sort of thing then is righteousness? A relation. It is not +made up of faith, hope and charity, vesting the soul in their +splendour; it is only a hiding away of guilt, such that, whoever +has seized upon this righteousness by faith alone, he is as sure +of salvation as though he were already enjoying the unending joy +of heaven. Well, let this dream pass: but how can one be sure of +future perseverance, in the absence of which a man's exit would +be most miserable, though for a time he had observed +righteousness purely and piously? Nay, says Calvin (_Instit._ +iii. 2), unless this your faith foretells you your perseverance +assuredly, without possibility of hallucination, it must be cast +aside as vain and feeble. I recognise the disciple of Luther. A +Christian, said Luther (_De captivitate Babylonis_), cannot lose +his salvation, even if he wanted, except by refusing to believe. + +I hasten to pass on to the Sacraments. None, none, not two, not +one, O holy Christ, have they left. Their bread is poison; and +as for their baptism, though it is still true baptism, +nevertheless in their judgment it is nothing, it is not a wave +of salvation, it is not a channel of grace, it does not apply to +us the merits of Christ, it is a mere token of salvation +(Calvin, _Instit._ iv. 15). Thus they have made no more of the +baptism of Christ, so far as the nature of the thing goes, than +of the ceremony of John. If you have it, it is well; if you go +without it, there is no loss suffered; believe, you are saved, +before you are washed. What then of infants, who, unless they +are aided by the virtue of the Sacrament, poor little things, +gain nothing by any faith of their own? Rather than allow +anything to the Sacrament of baptism, say the Magdeburg +Centuriators (Cent. v. 4.), let us grant that there is faith in +the infants themselves, enough to save them; and that the said +babies are aware of certain secret stirrings of this faith, +albeit they are not yet aware whether they are alive or not. A +hard nut to crack! If this is so very hard, listen to Luther's +remedy. It is better, he says (_Advers. Cochl._), to omit the +baptism; since, unless the infant believes, to no purpose is it +washed. This is what they say, doubtful in mind what absolutely +to affirm. Therefore let Balthasar Pacimontanus step in to sort +the votes. This father of the Anabaptists, unable to assign to +infants any stirring of faith, approved Luther's suggestion; +and, casting infant baptism out of the churches, resolved to +wash at the sacred font none who was not grown up. For the rest +of the Sacraments, though that many headed beast utters many +insults, yet, seeing that they are now of daily occurrence, and +our ears have grown callous to them, I here pass them over. + +There remain the sayings of the heretics concerning life and +morals, the noxious goblets which Luther has vomited on his +pages, that out of the filthy hovel of his one breast he might +breathe pestilence upon his readers. Listen patiently, and blush, +and pardon me the recital. If the wife will not, or cannot, let +the handmaid come (_Serm. de matrimon._); seeing that commerce +with a wife is as necessary to every man as food, drink, and +sleep. Matrimony is much more excellent than virginity. Christ +and 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 miserably +and timidly. Do you wish to hear any more? Certainly. The more +wicked 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 his +own will. The Ten Commandments are nothing to Christians. God +cares nought at all about our works. They alone rightly partake +of the Lord's Supper, who bury consciences sad, afflicted, +troubled, confused, erring. Sins are to be confessed, but to +anyone you like; and if he absolves you even in joke, provided +you believe, you are absolved. To read the Hours of the Divine +Office is not the function of priests, but of laymen. Christians +are 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 against +Lutherans and Zwinglians indiscriminately. For, remembering their +common parentage, they wish to be brothers and friends to one +another; and they take it as a grave affront, whenever any +distinction is drawn between them in any point but one. I am not +of consequence enough to claim for myself so much as an +undistinguished place among the select theologians who at this day +have declared war on heresies: but this I know, that, puny as I +am, I run no risk while, supported by the grace of Christ, I shall +do battle, with the aid of heaven and earth, against such +fabrications 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 the +blind. With uneducated people a mock-proof has force which a +school of philosophers dismisses with scorn. Many are the +offences of the adversary under this head; but his case is made +out by four fallacies chiefly, fallacies which I would rather +unravel in the University than in a popular audience. The first +vice is [Greek: skiamachia], with mighty effort hammering at +breezes and shadows. In this way: against such as have sworn to +celibacy and vowed chastity, because, while marriage is good, +virginity is better (1 Cor. vii.), Scripture texts are brought +up speaking honourably of marriage. Whom do they hit? Against +the merit of a Christian man, a merit dyed in the Blood of +Christ, otherwise null, testimonies are alleged whereby we are +bidden to put our trust neither in nature nor in the law, but in +the Blood of Christ. Whom do they refute? Against those who +worship Saints, as Christ's servants, especially acceptable to +Him, whole pages are quoted, forbidding the worship of many +gods? Where are these many gods? By such arguments, which I find +in endless quantity in the writings of heretics, they cannot +hurt us, they may bore you. + +Another vice is [Greek: logomachia], which leaves the sense, and +wrangles loquaciously over the word. _Find me Mass or Purgatory +in the Scriptures_, they say. What then? Trinity, Consubstantial, +Person, are they nowhere in the Bible, because these words are +not found? Allied to this fault is the catching at letters, when, +to the neglect of usage and the mind of the speakers, war is +waged on the letters of the alphabet. For instance, thus they +say: _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 they +are derived, but to what meaning they are put." + +The third vice is [Greek: homonumia], which has a very wide +range. For example: _What is the meaning of an Order of Priests, +when John has called us all priests?_ (Apoc. v. 10). He has also +added this: _we shall reign upon the earth_. What then is the use +of Kings? Again: _the Prophet_ (Isaias lviii.) _cries up a +spiritual fast, that is, abstinence from inveterate crimes. +Farewell then to any discernment of meats and prescription of +days._ Indeed? Mad therefore were Moses, David, Elias, the +Baptist, 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 manner +of 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 and +undefiled Sacraments_. Are these with you? _Who can doubt it?_ I +do, I deny it utterly. _Consult the word of God._ I have +consulted it, and I favour you less than before. _Ah, but it is +plain._ Prove it to me. _Because we do not depart a nail's +breadth from the word of God._ Where is your persecution? Will +you always go on taking for an argument the very point that is +called in question? How often have I insisted on this already? Do +wake up: do you want torches applied to you? I say that your +exposition of the word of God is perverse and mistaken: I have +fifteen centuries to bear me witness stand by an opinion, not +mine, nor yours, but that of all these ages. _I will stand by the +sentence 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 of +words and sophisms, I know not to whom he can be formidable: +tiresome he possibly will be. His tiresomeness will find its +corrective in your sagacity: all that was formidable about him +facts have taken away. + +TENTH REASON + +ALL MANNER OF WITNESS + +_This shall be to you a straight way, so that fools shall not go +astray in it_ (Isaias xxxv. 8). + +Who is there, however small and lost in the crowd of +illiterates, that, with a desire of salvation and some little +attention, cannot see, cannot keep to the path of the Church, so +admirably smoothed out, eschewing brambles and rocks and +pathless wastes! For, as Isaias prophesies, this path shall be +plain even to the uneducated; most plain therefore, if you +choose, to you. Let us put before our eyes the theatre of the +universe: let us wander everywhere: all things supply us with an +argument. Let us go to heaven: let us contemplate roses and +lilies, Saints empurpled with martyrdom or white with innocence: +Roman Pontiffs, I say, three and thirty in a continuous line put +to death: Pastors all the world over, who have pledged their +blood for the name of Christ: Flocks of faithful, who have +followed in the footsteps of their Pastors: all the Saints of +heaven, who as shining lights in purity and holiness have gone +before the crowd of mankind. You will find that these were ours +when they lived on earth, ours when they passed away from this +world. To cull a few instances, ours was that Ignatius, who in +church matters put no one not even the Emperor, on a level with +the Bishop; who committed to writing, that they might not be +lost, certain Apostolic traditions of which he himself had been +witness. Ours was that anchoret Telesphorus, who ordered the +more strict observance of the fast of Lent established by the +Apostles. Ours was Irenaeus, who declared the Apostolic faith by +the Roman succession and chair (lib. iii. cap. 3). Ours was Pope +Victor, who by an edict brought to order the whole of Asia; and +though this proceeding seemed to some minds, and even to that +holy man Irenaeus, somewhat harsh, yet no one made light of it +as coming from a foreign power. Ours was Polycarp, who went to +Rome on the question of Easter, whose burnt relics Smyrna +gathered, and honoured her Bishop with an anniversary feast and +appointed ceremony. Ours were Cornelius and Cyprian, a golden +pair of Martyrs, both great Bishops, but greater he, the Roman, +who had rescinded the African error; while the latter was +ennobled by the obedience which he paid to the elder, his very +dear friend. Ours was Sixtus, to whom, as he offered solemn +sacrifice at the altar, seven men of the clergy ministered. Ours +was his Archdeacon Lawrence, whom the adversaries cast out of +their calendar, to whom, twelve hundred years ago, the Consular +man 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 against +the violent assault of men and devils the virginity they had +resolved upon. Ours was Helen, celebrated for the finding of the +Lord's Cross. Ours was Monica, who in death most piously begged +prayers and sacrifices to be offered for her at the altar of +Christ. Ours was Paula, who, leaving her City palace and her rich +estates, hastened on a long journey a pilgrim to the cave at +Bethlehem, 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 the +Sacred 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 is +Benedict, father of so many monks. I should not run through their +thousands in ten years. But neither do I set down those whom I +mentioned before among the Doctors of the Church. I am mindful of +the brevity imposed upon me. Whoever wills, may seek these +further details, not only from the copious histories of the +ancients, but even much more from the grave authors who have +bequeathed to memory almost one man one Saint. Let the reader +report to me his judgment concerning those ancient blessed +Christians, to what doctrine they adhered, the Catholic or the +Lutheran. I call to witness the throne of God, and that Tribunal +at which I shall stand to render reason for these Reasons, of +everything I have said and done, that either there is no heaven +at all, or heaven belongs to our people. The former position we +abhor, we fix therefore upon the latter. + +Now contrariwise, if you please, let us look into hell. There are +burnt with everlasting fire, who? The Jews. On what Church have +they turned their backs? On ours. Who again? The heathen. What +Church have they most cruelly persecuted? Ours. Who again? The +Turks. What temples have they destroyed? Ours. Who once more? +Heretics. Against what Church are they in rebellion? Against +ours. What Church but ours has opposed itself against all the +gates of hell? When, after the driving away of the Hebrews, +Christian inhabitants began to multiply at Jerusalem, what a +concourse of men there was to the Holy Places, what veneration +attached to the City, to the Sepulchre, to the Manger, to the +Cross, to all the memorials in which the Church delights as a +wife in what has been worn by her husband. Hence arose against us +the hatred of the Jews, cruel and implacable. Even now they +complain 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 the +Roman Empire, for three hundred years, at intervals of time, +contrived most painful punishments for Christians. What +Christians? The fathers and children of our faith. Learn the +language 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? What +Church is it whose sacred vessels, lamps, and ornaments he is +pillaging, whose ritual he overthrows? Whose golden patens and +silver chalices, sumptuous votive offerings and rich treasure, +does he envy? Why, the man is a Lutheran all over. With what +other cloak did our Nimrods[4] cover their brigandage, when they +embezzled the money of their Churches and wasted the patrimony of +Christ? Take on the contrary Constantine the Great, that scourge +of the persecutors of Christ, to what Church did he restore +tranquillity? To that Church over which Pope Silvester presided, +whom he summoned from his hiding-place on Mount Soracte that by +his ministry he might receive our baptism. Under what auspices +was he victorious? Under the sign of the cross. Of what mother +was he the glorious son? Of Helen. To what Fathers did he attach +himself? To the Fathers of Nice. What manner of men were they? +Such men as Silvester, Mark, Julius, Athanasius, Nicholas. What +seat did he ask for in the Synod? The last. Oh how much more +kingly was he on that seat than the Kings who have ambitioned a +title not due to them! It would be tedious to go into further +details. But from these two [Emperors, Decius and Constantine], +the one our deadly enemy, the other our warm friend, it may be +left to the reader's conjecture to fix on points of closest +resemblance to the one and to the other in the history of our own +times. For as it was our cause that went through its agony under +Decius, so our cause it was that came out triumphant under +Constantine.[5] + +Let us look at the doings of the Turks. Mahomet and the apostate +monk Sergius lie in the deep abyss, howling, laden with their own +crimes and with those of their posterity. This portentous and +savage monster, the power of the Saracens and the Turks, had it +not been clipped and checked by our Military Orders, our Princes +and Peoples,--so far as Luther was concerned (to whom Solyman the +Turk is said to have written a letter of thanks on this account), +and so far as the Lutheran Princes were concerned (by whom the +progress of the Turks is reckoned matter of joy),--this frantic +and man-destroying Fury, I say, by this time would be +depopulating and devastating all Europe, overturning altars and +signs of the cross as zealously as Calvin himself. Ours therefore +they are, our proper foes, seeing that by the industry of our +champions it was that their fangs were unfastened from the +throats of Christians. + +Let us look down on heretics, the filth and fans and fuel of +hell[6] the first that meets our gaze is Simon Magus. What did he +do? He endeavoured to snatch away free will from man: he prated +of faith alone (Clen. lib. i. recog.; Iren. l. 1, c. 2). After +him, Novatian. Who was he? An Anti-pope, rival to the Roman +Pontiff Cornelius, an enemy of the Sacraments, of Penance and +Chrism. Then Manes the Persian. He taught that baptism did not +confer salvation. After him the Arian Aerius. He condemned +prayers for the dead: he confounded priests with bishops, and was +surnamed "the atheist" no less than Lucian. There follows +Vigilantius, who would not have the Saints prayed to; and +Jovinian, who put marriage on a level with virginity; finally, a +whole mess of nastiness, Macedonius, Pelagius, Nestorius, +Eutyches, the Monothelites, the Iconoclasts, to whom posterity +will aggregate Luther and Calvin. What of them? All black +crows,[7] born of the same egg, they revolted from the Prelates +of our Church, and by, them were rejected and made void. + +Let us leave the lower regions and return to earth. Wherever I +cast my eyes and turn my thoughts, whether I regard the +Patriarchates and the Apostolic Sees, or the Bishops of other +lands, or meritorious Princes, Kings, and Emperors, or the origin +of Christianity in any nation, or any evidence of antiquity, or +light of reason, or beauty of virtue, all things serve and +support our faith. I call to witness the Roman Succession, _in +which Church_, to speak with Augustine (_Ep_. 162: _Doctr. +Christ_. ii. 8), _the Primacy of the Apostolic Chair has ever +flourished_. I call to witness those other Apostolic Sees, to +which this name eminently belongs, because they were erected by +the Apostles themselves, or by their immediate disciples. I call +to witness the Pastors of the nations, separate in place, but +united in our religion: Ignatius and Chrysostom at Antioch; +Peter, Alexander, Athanasius, Theophilus, at Alexandria; Macarius +and Cyril at Jerusalem; Proclus at Constantinople; Gregory and +Basil 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; in +Britain, Fugatius, Damian, Justus, Mellitus, Bede. Finally, not +to appear to be making a vain display of names, whatever works, +or fragments of works, are still extant of those who sowed the +Gospel seed in distant lands, all exhibit to us one faith, that +which we Catholics profess to-day. O Christ, what cause can I +allege to Thee why Thou shouldst not banish me from Thine own, if +to so many lights of the Church I should have preferred +mannikins, dwellers in darkness, few, unlearned, split into +sects, and of bad moral character! + +I call to witness likewise Princes, Kings, Emperors, and their +Commonwealths, whose own piety, and the people of their realms, +and their established discipline in war and peace, were +altogether founded on this our Catholic doctrine. What +Theodosiuses here might I summon from the East, what Charleses +from the West, what Edwards from England, what Louises from +France, what Hermenegilds from Spain, Henries from Saxony, +Wenceslauses from Bohemia, Leopolds from Austria, Stephens from +Hungary, Josaphats from India, Dukes and Counts from all the +world over, who by example, by arms, by laws, by loving care, by +outlay of money, have nourished our Church! For so Isaias +foretold: _Kings shall be thy foster-fathers, and queens thy +nurses_ (Isaias xlix. 23). + +Listen, Elizabeth, most powerful Queen, for thee this great +prophet utters this prophecy, and therein teaches thee thy part. I +tell thee: one and the same heaven cannot hold Calvin and the +Princes whom I have named. With these Princes then associate +thyself, and so make thee worthy of thy ancestors, worthy of thy +genius, worthy of thy excellence in letters, worthy of thy +praises, worthy of thy fortune. To this effect alone do I labour +about thy person, and will labour, whatever shall become of me, +for whom these adversaries so often augur the gallows, as though I +were an enemy of thy life. Hail, good Cross. There will come, +Elizabeth, the day, that day which will show thee clearly which +have loved thee, the Society of Jesus or the offspring of Luther. + +I proceed. I call to witness all the coasts and regions of the +world, to which the Gospel trumpet has sounded since the birth of +Christ. Was this a little thing, to close the mouth of idols and +carry 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, at +whose coming in Dagon broke his neck. Our Christ was pleased to +use the services of our men, when He banished from the hearts of +so many peoples--Jupiters, Mercuries, Dianas, Phoebades, and that +black night and sad Erebus of ages. There is no leisure to search +afar off, let us examine only neighbouring and domestic history. +The Irish imbibed from Patrick, the Scots from Palladius, the +English 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 the +domestic habits of men, witness the election and inauguration of +Emperors, witness the coronation rites and anointing of Kings, +witness the Orders of Knighthood and their very mantles, witness +windows, witness coins, witness city gates and city houses, +witness the labours and life of our ancestors, witness all things +great and small, that no religion in the world but ours ever took +deep root there. + +These considerations being at hand to me, and so affecting me as +I thought them over that it seemed the part of insolence, nay of +insanity, to renounce all this Christian company and consort +with the most abandoned of men, I confess, I felt animated and +fired to the conflict, a conflict wherein I can never be worsted +until it comes to the Saints being hurled from heaven and the +proud Lucifer recovering heaven. Therefore let Chark, who +reviles me so outrageously, be in better conceit with me, if I +have preferred to trust this poor sinful soul of mine, which +Christ has bought so dearly, rather to a safe way, a sure way, a +royal road, than to Calvin's rocks or woodland thickets, there +to hang caught in uncertainty. + +CONCLUSION + +You have from me, Gentlemen of the University, this little +present, put together by the labour of such leisure as I could +snatch on the road. My purpose was to clear myself in your +judgment of the charge of arrogance, and to show just cause for +my confidence, and meanwhile, until such time as along with me +you are invited by the adversaries to the disputations in the +Schools, to give you a sort of foretaste of what is to come +there. If you think it a just, safe, and virtuous choice for +Luther or Calvin to be taken for the Canon of Scripture, the Mind +of the Holy Ghost, the Standard of the Church, the Pedagogue of +Councils and Fathers, in short, the God of all witnesses and +ages, I have nothing to hope of your reading or hearing me. But +if 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 see +daylight in the open air, seeing that you already see the peep of +day through a narrow chink. I will say freely what my love of +you, and your danger, and the importance of the matter requires. +The devil is not unaware that you will see this light of day, if +ever you raise your eyes to it. For what a piece of stupidity it +would be to prefer Hanmers and Charks to Christian antiquity! But +there are certain Lutheran enticements whereby the devil extends +his kingdom, delicate snares whereby that hooker of men has +caught with his baits already many of your rank and station. What +are they! Gold, glory, pleasures, lusts. Despise them. What are +they but bowels of earth, high-sounding air, a banquet of worms, +fair dunghills. Scorn them. Christ is rich, who will maintain +you: He is a King, who will provide you: He is a sumptuous +entertainer, who will feast you; He is beautiful, who will give +in abundance all that can make you happy. Enrol yourselves in His +service, that with Him you may gain triumphs, and show yourselves +men truly most learned, truly most illustrious. Farewell. At +Cosmopolis, 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 far +from prejudicing at least one man (J.H.N.) against the modern +Church, have been singly and solely the one intellectual cause of +his having renounced the religion in which he was born and +submitted himself to her."] + +[Footnote 2: Richard Cheyne, Anglican bishop of Gloucester, to whom +there 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, all +too ready to alienate the manors and possessions of their see.] + +[Footnote 5: I have here paraphrased, as any literal translation +would have been hopelessly obscure to most modern readers. +Campion could but hint darkly his comparison of the Elizabethan +persecution to the Decian. The Latin runs: _Etenim, ut nostrorum +illa fuit Epistasis turbulenta, sic nostrorum haec evasit divina +Catastrophe_. _Epistasis_ is "the part of the play where the +plot thickens" (Liddell and Scott). _Catastrophe_ is "the turn +of the plot" (Id.).] + +[Footnote 6: _Faeces et folles et alumenta gehennae_.] + +[Footnote 7: _Mali corvi_.] + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13133 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..28d9bc9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #13133 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13133) diff --git a/old/13133.txt b/old/13133.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f86756b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13133.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4612 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Ten Reasons Proposed to His Adversaries for +Disputation in the Name of the Faith and Presented to the Illustrious +Members of Our Universities, by Edmund Campion, Translated by J. H. P. + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Ten Reasons Proposed to His Adversaries for Disputation in the Name +of the Faith and Presented to the Illustrious Members of Our Universities + +Author: Edmund Campion + +Release Date: August 7, 2004 [eBook #13133] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TEN REASONS PROPOSED TO HIS +ADVERSARIES FOR DISPUTATION IN THE NAME OF THE FAITH AND PRESENTED TO THE +ILLUSTRIOUS MEMBERS OF OUR UNIVERSITIES*** + + +E-text prepared by Geoff Horton + + + +TEN REASONS PROPOSED TO HIS ADVERSARIES FOR DISPUTATION IN THE +NAME OF THE FAITH AND PRESENTED TO THE ILLUSTRIOUS MEMBERS OF OUR +UNIVERSITIES BY EDMUND CAMPION PRIEST OF THE SOCIETY OF THE NAME +OF JESUS Nihil Obstat S. GEORGIUS KIERAN HYLAND, S.T.D, CENSOR +DEPUTATUS Imprimatur + PETRUS EPUS SOUTHWARC CONTENTS +INTRODUCTION RATIONES DECEM TRANSLATION INTRODUCTION + + + + + + +Though Blessed Edmund Campion's _Decem Rationes_ has passed +through forty-seven editions,[1] printed in all parts of Europe; +though it has awakened the enthusiasm of thousands; though Mark +Anthony Muret, one of the chief Catholic humanists of Campion's +age, pronounced it to be "written by the finger of God," yet it +is not an easy book for men of our generation to appreciate, and +this precisely because it suited a bygone generation so exactly. +Before it can be esteemed at its true value, some knowledge of +the 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 the +last and most deliberate free utterance of Campion's +ever-memorable mission. During the few months that mission +lasted he succeeded in staying the full tide of victorious +Protestantism, which had hitherto been irresistible. The ancient +Church had gone down before the new religion, at Elizabeth's +accession twenty years before, with an apparently final fall, +and since then the Elizabethan Settlement had triumphed in every +church, in every school and court. The new generation had been +moulded by it; the old order seemed to be utterly prostrate, +defeated and moribund. Nor was it only at home that +Protestantism talked of victory. In every neighbouring land she +had gained or was gaining the upper hand. She had crossed the +Border and subdued Scotland, she held Ireland in an iron grip, +she had set up a new throne in Holland, she had deeply divided +France, and had learned how to paralyze the power of Spain. What +could stay her progress? + +Then a new figure appeared, a fugitive flying before the law. He +was hunted backwards and forwards across the country, every man's +hand seemed against him. It was impossible to hold out for long +against such immense odds, and he was in fact soon captured, +mocked, maligned, sentenced and executed with contumely. Yet +Campion and his handful of followers had meanwhile succeeded in +doing what the whole nation, when united, had failed to do. He +had evoked a spirit of faith and fervour, against which the +violence of Protestantism raged in vain. He had saved the beaten, +shattered fragments of the ancient host, and animated them with +invincible courage; and his work endured in spite of endless +assaults and centuries of persecution. The _Decem Rationes_ is +Campion's harangue to those whom he called upon to follow him in +the heroic struggle. + +2. THE MAN AND THE MISSION. + +Thus much for the inspiration and general significance of +Campion's work considered as a whole. It will also repay a much +more minute study, and to appreciate it we must enter into +further 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; that +he was afterwards a Fellow of St. John's, Oxford, and held at the +same time an exhibition from the Grocer's Company. At Oxford he +accepted to some extent the Elizabethan Settlement of religion, +but not sufficiently to satisfy the Company of Grocers, who +eventually withdrew their exhibition. This was a sign for further +inquisitorial proceedings, which made him leave the University, +and retire to Dublin; but he was driven also thence by the +zealots for Protestantism. Eventually he went over to the English +College at Douay, whence he migrated to Rome, entered the Society +of Jesus, and after eight years' training had returned, a priest, +to his native country, forty years old. His strong point was +undoubtedly a singularly lovable character, and he possessed the +gift of eloquence in no ordinary degree. For the rest, his +natural qualities and acquired accomplishments were above the +ordinary level, without reaching an extraordinary height. He was +a man who never ceased working, and whose temper was always +angelic, though he sometimes suffered from severe depression. He +was adored by his pupils both at Oxford and in Bohemia. His +memory was always bright, and his conversation always sparkled +with fresh thoughts and poetical ideas. He composed with +extraordinary facility in Latin prose and verse; but the extant +fragments of these literary exercises do not strike us as being +of unusual excellence, though genuinely admired in their day. He +was certainly an ideal missioner: saintly, inspired, eloquent, +untireable, patient, consumed with the desire for the success of +his undertaking, and unfaltering in his faith that success would +follow by the providential action of God, despite the obvious +fact that all appearances were against him. + +Campion landed at Dover late in June, 1580, and reached London +at the end of the month. There was an immediate rush to hear +him, and Lord Paget was persuaded to lend his great hall at +Paget House in Smithfield to accommodate a congregation for the +feast of Saints Peter and Paul. The sermon was delivered on the +text from the Gospel of the day, _Tu es Christus, Filius Dei +vivi_. The hall was filled, and the impression caused by the +sermon was profound; but the number of hearers had been +imprudently large. Though no arrests followed, the persecutors +took the alarm, and increased their activity to such an extent +that large gatherings had for ever to be abandoned; and after a +couple of weeks both Campion and Persons left London to escape +the notice of the pursuivants, whose raids and inquisitorial +searches were making the lot of Catholics in town unbearable, +whereas in the country the pursuit was far less active, and +could be much more easily avoided. The two Fathers met for the +last time at Hoxton, then a village outside London, to concert +their plans for the next couple of months, and were on the point +of starting, each for his own destination, when a Catholic of +some note rode up from London. This was Thomas Pounde, of +Belmont or Beaumont, near Bedhampton, a landed gentleman of +means, an enthusiastic Catholic, and for the last five years or +so a prisoner for religion. Mr. Pounde's message in effect was +this. "You are going into the proximate danger of capture, and +if captured you must expect not justice, but every refinement of +misrepresentation. You will be asked crooked questions, and your +answers to them will be published in some debased form. Be sure +that whatever then comes through to the outer world will come +out poisoned and perverted. Let me therefore urge you to write +now, and to leave in safe custody, what you would wish to have +published then, in case infamous rumours should be put about +during your incarceration, rumours which you will then not be +able to answer or to repudiate." Father Persons seems to have +agreed at once. Campion at first raised objections, but soon, +with his ever obliging temper, sat down at the end of the table +and wrote off in half an hour an open letter _To the Lords of +Her 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 the +same; but whereas the latter took the precaution to seal his +letter, Campion had handed over his unfastened. Then the company +broke up. Persons made a wide circle from Northampton round to +Gloucester, while Campion made a smaller circle from Oxfordshire +up to Northampton. When they got back to town in September, they +found all the world discussing "the Challenge." What had happened +was that proceedings had been taken by the Ecclesiastical +Commission against Pounde, and he had been committed to solitary +confinement in the ruinous castle of Bishop's Stortford. Before +he left London he began to communicate the letter to others, lest +it should be altogether lost, and as soon as it was thus +published it attracted everyone's attention, and his adversaries +had ironically christened it _the challenge_. The word was indeed +one which Campion had used, but he had employed it precisely in +order to avoid any charge that might have arisen, of being +combative and presumptuous. + +Thus in the course of three months Campion, as it were in spite +of himself, had filled England with his name and with the message +he had come to announce, and he had reduced his adversaries to a +very ridiculous position. They had been dared to meet him in +disputation, and this they feared to do. In effect, they in their +thousands were hiding their heads in the sand, while their +constables and pursuivants were raiding the houses of Catholics +on every side in hopes of catching the homeless wanderer, and of +stopping his mouth by violence. The pulpits, of course, rang with +outcries against the newcomer, and in his absence his doctrines +were rent and scoffed at; but, as Campion said in a contemporary +letter, "The people hereupon is ours, and the error of spreading +that letter abroad hath done us much good." This was the first +popular success which the Catholics had scored for years; and +after so many years of oppression some popular success was of +immense importance to the cause. Father Persons, in a +contemporary letter, says that the Government found that there +were 50,000 more recusants that autumn than they had known of +before. The number is, of course, a round one, and is possibly +much exaggerated, but it gives the Catholic leader's view of the +advantage won at this time. + +We may now turn to _The Challenge_ itself, the only piece of +Campion'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 by +my Superiors, and adventured myself into this noble Realm, my +deare Countrie, for the glorie of God and benefit of souls, I +thought it like enough that, in this busie watchful and +suspicious worlde, I should either sooner or later be intercepted +and stopped of my course. Wherefore, providing for all events, +and uncertaine what may become of me, when God shall haply +deliver my body into durance, I supposed it needful to put this +writing in a readiness, desiringe your good Lordships to give it +ye reading, for to know my cause. This doing I trust I shall ease +you of some labour. For that which otherwise you must have sought +for by practice of wit, I do now lay into your hands by plaine +confession. And to ye intent that the whole matter may be +conceived in order, and so the better both understood and +remembered, 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 Catholike +Church, and through ye great mercie of God vowed now these viii +years into the Religion of the Societie of Jhesus. Hereby I have +taken upon me a special kind of warfare under the banner of +obedience, and eke resigned all my interest or possibilitie of +wealth, honour, pleasure, and other worldlie felicitie. + +ii. At the voice of our General Provost, which is to me a +warrant from heaven, and Oracle of Christ, I tooke my voyage +from Prage to Rome (where our said General Father is always +resident) and from Rome to England, as I might and would have +done joyously into any part of Christendome or Heathenesse, had +I been thereto assigned. + +iii. My charge is, of free cost to preach the Gospel, to +minister the Sacraments, to instruct the simple, to reforme +sinners, to confute errors--in brief, to crie alarme spiritual +against foul vice and proud ignorance, wherewith many my dear +Countrymen are abused. + +iv. I never had mind, and am strictly forbidden by our Father that +sent me, to deal in any respect with matter of State or Policy of +this realm, as things which appertain not to my vocation, and from +which I do gladly restrain and sequester my thoughts. + +v. I do ask, to the glory of God, with all humility, and under +your correction, iii sortes of indifferent and quiet audiences: +_the first_ before your Honours, wherein I will discourse of +religion, so far as it toucheth the common weale and your +nobilities: _the second_, whereof I make more account, before the +Doctors and Masters and chosen men of both Universities, wherein +I undertake to avow the faith of our Catholike Church by proofs +innumerable, Scriptures, Councils, Fathers, History, natural and +moral reasons: _the third_ before the lawyers, spiritual and +temporal, wherein I will justify the said faith by the common +wisdom of the laws standing yet in force and practice. + +vi. I would be loth to speak anything that might sound of any +insolent brag or challenge, especially being now as a dead man +to 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 a +courage in avouching the Majesty of Jhesus my King, and such +affiance in his gracious favour, and such assurance in my +quarrel, and my evidence so impregnable, and because I know +perfectly that no one Protestant, nor all the Protestants +living, nor any sect of our adversaries (howsoever they face men +down in pulpits, and overrule us in their kingdom of grammarians +and unlearned ears)[2] can maintain their doctrine in +disputation. I am to sue most humbly and instantly for the +combat with all and every of them, and the most principal that +may be found: protesting that in this trial the better furnished +they come, the better welcome they shall be. + +vii. And because it hath pleased God to enrich the Queen my +Sovereign Ladye with notable gifts of nature, learning, and +princely education, I do verily trust that--if her Highness would +vouchsafe her royal person and good attention to such a +conference as, in the ii part of my fifth article I have +motioned, or to a few sermons, which in her or your hearing I am +to utter,--such manifest and fair light by good method and plain +dealing may be cast upon these controversies, that possibly her +zeal of truth and love of her people shall incline her noble +Grace to disfavour some proceedings hurtful to the Realm, and +procure towards us oppressed more equitie. + +viii. Moreover I doubt not but you her Highness' Council being, of +such wisdom and discreet in cases most important, when you shall +have heard these questions of religion opened faithfully, which +many times by our adversaries are huddled up and confounded, will +see upon what substantial grounds our Catholike Faith is builded, +how feeble that side is which by sway of the time prevaileth +against us, and so at last for your own souls, and for many +thousand souls that depend upon your government, will +discountenance error when it is bewrayed, and hearken to those +who would spend the best blood in their bodies for your +salvation. Many innocent hands are lifted up to heaven for you +daily by those English students, whose posteritie shall never +die, which beyond seas gathering virtue and sufficient knowledge +for the purpose, are determined never to give you over, but +either to win you heaven, or to die upon your pikes. And touching +our Societie be it known to you that we have made a league--all +the Jesuits in the world, whose succession and multitude must +overreach all the practices of England--cheerfully to carry the +cross you shall lay upon us, and never to despair your recovery, +while we have a man left to enjoy your Tyburn, or to be racked +with your torments, or consumed with your prisons. The expense is +reckoned, the enterprise is begun; it is of God, it cannot be +withstood. So the faith was planted: so it must be restored. + +ix. If these my offers be refused, and my endeavours can take no +place, and I, having run thousands of miles to do you good, shall +be rewarded with rigour, I have no more to say but to recommend +your case and mine to Almightie God, the Searcher of Hearts, who +send us His grace, and set us at accord before the day of +payment, to the end we may at last be friends in heaven, when all +injuries shall be forgotten. + + * * * * * + +"Direct, true, and resolute," Campion's words certainly are, and +they are calculated in a remarkable degree to reassure and +animate his fellow Catholics and their friends, and it is for +them in reality, rather than for the Lords of the Council, that +the message is composed. If the composition has a fault it is its +combativeness; and in effect, though this drawback was not felt +at the time, it was later. Subsequent missionaries found it best +to adopt a policy of far greater secrecy and silence. If, +however, we remember that Campion intended his paper to be +published under quite different circumstances, we can see that he +at least hardly deserves the reproach of being contentious, or if +he does, his failing was venial when we consider the tastes of +the age. The immediate result of the publication was without +question a great success. + +THE "DECEM RATIONES." + +Like a wise general, Father Persons at once bethought himself how +best to follow up the good beginning already made. Accordingly, +when he and Campion met at Uxbridge (for it was not safe for +Campion to come to London), he suggested that the latter, seeing +that his memory was still green at Oxford, should compose a short +address on the crisis to the students of the two Universities. +Campion met the suggestion as he had met the suggestion of +Pounde, with a gentle disclaimer, "alleging divers difficulties," +but soon good-humouredly assented on the condition (not a usual +one with literary men) that someone else should propose the +subject. The company therefore made various suggestions, none of +which met with general acceptance, until Campion proposed "Heresy +in Despair." "Whereat," adds Persons, "all that were present +could not choose but laugh, and wonder to see him fall upon that +argument at such a time when heresy seemed most of all to +triumph." In truth, with England invincible at sea and on land, +and the absolute sway of Elizabeth, Cecil, and Walsingham over +both Church and State, what more hopeful position for +Protestantism could have been imagined? Campion's meaning, of +course, was that Protestantism was in despair of holding the +position of the ancient Church; of ruling in the hearts of a free +people; of co-existing with Christian liberty. It was unworthy, +therefore, of the acceptance of minds that aspired to mental +freedom, as did the youth of the Universities. This subject for +an address was welcomed with acclamation, and Campion promised to +undertake it, suggesting on his side that Persons should arrange +ways and means for printing the tract when finished, and any +other which might seem needed. + +This agreed to, all separated once more, and Campion rode +northwards on a tour which he took in Derbyshire, Yorkshire, and +Lancashire, and which was not over for six months. Meantime +Father Persons had set up his "magic press" near London, and +issued from it five volumes of small size indeed, but of +remarkable vigour and merit. As soon as any notable attack was +made on the Catholics, an answer was brought out in a wonderfully +short time, and these answers were pithy, vigorous, and pointed, +in no ordinary degree. When one remembers how much co-operation +is needed to bring out even the slightest volume, one is truly +astonished at the feat of bringing out so many and such good +ones, while the hourly fear of capture, torture, and death hung +over the heads of all. When threatened with danger in one place +the press was bodily transported to another. + +However, our business at present is not with Persons, but with +Campion. His book was finished and sent up to Persons in March, +1581, with a title altered to suit the controversy which had +already 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 Campion +offered his adversaries to dispute on behalf of the Faith, set +before the famous men of our Universities." Persons was charmed, +as he had expected to be, with its literary grace. It was in +Latin, as had been agreed, and Campion's Latin prose, (though +critics of our time find it somewhat silvery and Livian), suited +the tastes of that day to perfection. The only thing which made +Persons at all thoughtful was the number of references. Campion +declared that he was sure he had verified them, as he entered +them in his notebook, but Persons, with greater caution, declared +that they must be verified anew. + +The difficulty of this for men living under the ban, and cut off +from access to large libraries, was of course great, but through +the help of others, especially through Mr. Thomas Fitzherbert of +Swynnerton, the task was happily accomplished. Campion came up +from the north to Stonor, on the Oxfordshire border where the +secret press then was; and there, amid a thousand fears, alarms +and 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 of +opinion that Campion should come up to London immediately after +Easter [March 26th] to examine the passages quoted, and to assist +the print. Meanwhile Persons began to prepare new means of +printing, making use of friends and in particular of a certain +priest called William Morris, a learned and resourceful man, who +afterwards died in Rome.[4] This was necessary, as the first +press near London, where the first two books had been printed, +had been taken down. Eventually and with very great difficulty he +found, after much trying, a house belonging to a widow, by name +Lady Stonor, in which she was not living at that time. It was +situated 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. Stephen +Brinkley, a gentleman of high attainments both in literature and +in virtue, superintended the printing. Father Campion then coming +to London, with his book already revised, went at once to the +house in the wood, where the book was printed and eventually +published. Persons too went down to stay with him for some days +to take counsel on their affairs. + +* * * * * + +Stonor Park, to which Campion and Persons had betaken +themselves,[5] is still in the possession of the old Catholic +family of that name, of which Lord Camoys is the representative. +Father Morris says that "the printing, according to the +traditions of the place, was carried on in the attics of the old +house."[6] Being near Henley it was possible to go there by road +or by water, and one might come and go on the Oxford high-road +without attracting attention. + +Still there was grave risk of discovery from the noise made by +the press, and from the number of extra men about the house, as +to the fidelity of each of whom it was impossible to be +absolutely sure. Day by day the dangers thickened round them. +One evening, soon after their arrival, William Hartley, a priest +and afterwards a martyr, who was helping in the work, and had +then just come back from a visit to Oxford, mentioned casually +that 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 three +years before his name had been noised all over Europe. He had +been sentenced to have his ears cut off for some religious +offence, when the Judge was taken ill in the court itself, and, +the infection travelling with marvellous rapidity, the greater +part both of the bench and of the jury were stricken down with +gaol fever, and two judges, twelve justices, and other high +officials, almost the whole jury, and many others, died within +the space of two days.[7] + +In mentioning Jenks's new troubles Hartley probably did not +realize the extent of the danger to the whole party which they +portended. Persons had in fact employed the very servant who had +now turned traitor, to bind a number of books for him at his +house near Bridewell Church, London, which with all its contents +was thus in a perilous condition. Early next morning an express +messenger was sent in to town with orders to hide or destroy +Persons' papers and other effects. It was already too late: that +very 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 the +brightest and most lovable of the missionaries, was seized next +door, and hurried off first to the Counter, then to the Tower, +where he was repeatedly and most cruelly racked to make him say +where Persons might be found. + +Information about his torture was brought to the Jesuits at +Stonor, and one can easily see how grave and disturbing such +bad news must have been. "For almost the whole of one night," +says Persons, "Campion and I sat up talking of what we had +better do, if we should fall into their hands. A fate which +befell him soon after." + +The Registers of the Privy Council inform us that their Lordships +gave orders to have Jenks sent up to London on the 28th of April. +This settles approximately the date of the beginning of the +printing at Stonor, and the book was not finished till nearly the +end of June. So the work lasted about nine weeks, a fairly long +period when we consider the smallness of the Latin book, here +reproduced. It will, however, be shown from intrinsic evidence, +that the stock of type was very small. The printers had to set up +a few pages at a time, to correct them at once, and to print off, +before they could go any further. Then they distributed the type +and began again. When all was finished they rapidly stabbed and +bound their sheets. Considering the fewness of the workmen[8] and +the unforeseen delays which so often occur during printing, the +time taken over the production does not seem extraordinary. + +For many years no example of the original edition of the _Decem +Rationes_ was known to exist: none of our great public libraries +in London or at the Universities possesses a copy. But it was the +singular good fortune of the late Marquess of Bute to pick up two +copies of this extremely rare volume, and he munificently +presented one of them to Stonyhurst College. Canon Gunning of +Winchester is the happy owner of a third copy. By the courtesy of +the Rector of Stonyhurst, I am able to offer a minute description +of the precious little book. + +The volume is, considering the printing of that time, distinctly +well got up. There is nothing at first sight to suggest that its +publication had been a matter of so much difficulty and danger; +but when one scrutinizes every page with care, one finds that it +bears about it some traces of the unusual circumstances under +which it was produced. + +If we look first for the water-mark in the paper we shall find +that it is the pot--the ordinary English sign; a proof, if one +were needed, that the book was really printed in this country. +The sheets run from A to K (with prefixed [double-dagger]), in +fours, 16mo; the folios are 44, of which 39 are numbered (but by +accident the pagination is omitted from 1 to 4 and 40 is blank as +well 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 printing +frame, or, in other words, that the frame was so small that it +would have been covered by half a folio sheet, 9 by 13 inches. +They probably printed off each little sheet by itself, for if +they had had a larger frame so as to print an entire folio +sheet--then we should have found in the finished book that the +water-mark would recur once in each sixteen pages. In point of +fact, however, it only recurs irregularly in the first, fifth, +and tenth gathering. This could not have occurred unless the +sheets used were of half folio size. + +A Greek fount was evidently wanting. Campion was fond, after the +fashion of scholars of that day, of throwing into his Latin +letters a word or two of Greek, which in his autograph are +written, as Mr. Simpson has remarked, with the facility of one +familiar with the language. Here on fol. 24 a we find _adynata_, +where [Greek: adunata] would have been in Campion's epistolary +manner. Again, on fol. 4 b he quotes, "Hic calix novum +testamentum in sanguine meo, qui (calix) pro vobis fundetur," and +in the margin _Poterion Ekchynomenon_, in Italics, where Greek +script, if obtainable, would obviously have been preferred. A +further indication of the difficulties under which type had been +procured is seen in the use of a query sign of a black-letter +fount (_i.e. [different question mark]_) instead of the Roman +fount (_i.e.,?_). This will be the more readily comprehended when +we remember that Father Persons' books, which Brinkley had +printed before, were in English, and that English prose was then +still generally printed in Gothic character[9]. + +So Persons also made use of it in order that there might be +nothing in his books to strike the eye as unusual in books of +that class. Campion's volume on the other hand being in Latin, it +was necessary to procure a new set of "Roman" type. The use of +the 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 in +the signs for a, e, diphthong. This combination recurred very +frequently in Latin, and the printers had very few of them. Very +soon after starting we find them substituting for Roman an +Italic diphthong, [ae ligature] also o, e ([oe ligature]), and +even e, an ordinary mediaeval form of the sign. It will be +noticed that these substitutions become increasingly frequent, +as we approach fol. 12 (end of signature C), fol. 32 (end of +signature H), and 36 (end of signature I), whereas as soon as +the next signature begins the fount of [ae ligature] is ready to +hand again. The conclusion to be deduced is that leaves C, H, +and I were each printed off, and the type distributed, before +the setting up of D, I, and K could be proceeded with. This +illustrates what has been said before of the very small stock of +type in the printing establishment. + +Another slight peculiarity ought perhaps to be noticed: it is +the accentuation of the Latin. Adverbs, for instance, are +generally accented on the last syllable, e.g., doctiu's, +facile', qua'm, eo', quo': the rule, however, is by no means +regularly kept. But this has evidently nothing to do with the +peculiar conditions under which Campion's book was produced, and +is to be accounted for by the use of accents in other +publications of the same class. Nothing was then definitely +settled about the accentuation of either French, Italian, or +Latin, and Campion's volume does but reproduce the uncertainty +on the matter which was everywhere prevalent. + +Whilst the printers were contending with the difficulties arising +from the smallness of their stock of type, difficulties which no +doubt caused vexatious and dangerous delays, Campion and Persons +resumed their missionary labours with vigour. In his Memoirs +Persons writes: + +* * * * * + +Whilst the preparations were being made Campion preached +unweariedly, sometimes in London, sometimes making excursions. +There was one place [that of the Bellamy's] whither we often +went, about five miles from London, called Harohill. In going +thither we had to pass through Tyburn. But Campion would always +pass bareheaded, and making a deep bow both because of the sign +of the Cross, and in honour of some martyrs who had suffered +there, and also because he used to say that he would have his +combat 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 to +Campion's conduct at Tyburn, he explains that the shape of the +gallows was a triangle, supported at its three angles by three +baulks of timber; the tie-beams, however, suggested to Campion +the Cross of Christ. + +From the State Papers we hear of other families and places said +to have been visited by Campion at this period: the Prices, of +Huntingdon; Mr. William Griffith, of Uxbridge; Mr. Edwin East, of +Bledlow, Bucks; Lady Babington, at Twyford, Bucks; Mr. Dormer, at +Wynge, and Mrs. Pollard.[12] + +In spite of alarms, dangers, and interruptions, the work of +printing was concluded without mishap. The method of publication +was singular. Hartley took the bulk of the copies to Oxford, +where the chief academical display of the year, the Act, as it +was called, was taking place in St. Mary's, on several successive +days. Hartley, coming in at the end of the first day, waited for +every one to go out, then slipped his little books under the +papers left on the seats, and was gone. Next morning he entered +with the rest, and soon saw that his plan had been perfectly +successful. The public disputation began, but the attention of +the audience was elsewhere. There was whispering and comparing +notes, and passing about of little books, and as soon as the +seance was over, open discussion of Campion's "Reasons." Hartley +did not wait for more, but rode back to Stonor with the news that +the book had surely hit its mark. + +At Oxford, as Father Persons says, many remembered and loved the +man, or at least knew of his gentle character, and of the career +he had abandoned to become a Catholic missionary. The book +recalled all this; and to those who were able to enter into its +spirit it preached with a strange penetrating force. By all the +lovers of classical Latin, and there were many such at that day, +it was read greedily. The Catholics and lovers of the old Faith +received it with enthusiasm, but a still more valid testimony to +its power was given by the Protestant Government, which gave +orders to its placemen that they should elaborate replies. These +replies drew forth answers from the Catholics, and the controversy +lasted for several years. Mr. Simpson has included an outline of +this controversy in his _Life of Campion_, and to it I may refer +my 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 all +so remarkable as it did to our ancestors. Religious controversy, +in itself, does not much interest us moderns; and those who will +read Latin merely to enjoy the style are very few. But in the +sixteenth century, as Sir Arthur Helps truly says, men found in +the thrill of controversy the interest they now take in novels. +At that time, too, of all literary charms, that of good Latin +prose was by far the most popular, and the language was still the +"lingua franca" of the learned all the world over. Once we get so +far as to appreciate that both subject and style were in its +favour, 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 the +reception of the book by the public, I may mention as the most +obvious proof of its popularity, that more strenuous endeavours +were made (so far as I can discover) to answer it than were made +in the case of any other assault upon the Elizabethan religious +settlement. Lord Burghley himself, the chief minister of the +Crown, called upon the Bishop of London, perhaps the most forward +man then on the episcopal bench, to use all endeavours to ensure +the publication of a sufficient answer. Finally they appointed +the Regius Professors of Divinity both at Oxford and at Cambridge +to provide for the occasion, and it took both of these a long +series of months to propound their answers to Campion's tract, +which is only as long as a magazine article. Speaking broadly, we +may say that this was the most that Elizabeth's Establishment +could do officially; and besides this, there were sermons +innumerable, and pamphlets not a few by lesser men, as well as +disputations in the Tower, of which more must be said later. + +This hostile evidence is so striking and so ample that it might +seem unnecessary to allege more, but I attach a great deal more +importance to the praise of theologians of Campion's own faith: +for, in the first place this is much harder to obtain than the +attention of the persons attacked. Secondly, those who are +acquainted with Catholic theological criticism are at first +surprised to find what very severe critics Catholic theologians +are one of another. In this case, where the writer had from the +nature of his task to make so much use of rhetorical arguments, +allusions, irony, and unusual forms of expression, there was +more than usual chance of fault being found, especially as every +possible thorny subject is introduced somehow, and that in terms +meant to please not Roman theologians, but Oxford students. +Evidently there was danger here that critics should or might be +severe, or at least insist on certain changes and emendations. +In fact the work was received with joy, and reprinted frequently +and with honour. I have lately found a letter in its +commendation from the Cardinal Secretary of State of that day, +and Muret, as we have heard, perhaps the greatest humanist then +living 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 of +Campion's life of freedom. He was seized the very next week, and +after five months of suffering was martyred on 1 December, 1581. +During that prolonged and unequal struggle against every variety +of craft and violence the _Ten Reasons_ continued to have their +influence, and on the whole they were extremely helpful, for +they enabled the martyr to recover some ground which he had lost +while under torture. During those awful agonies he confessed to +having found shelter in the houses of certain gentlemen. It is +certain that these names were all known to the Government +before, and that he was not betraying any secret. Nevertheless +the gentlemen in question were at once seized, imprisoned and +fined, on the alleged evidence of Campion's confessions only. +This of course caused much scandal among Catholics, and so long +as he lay lost in the Tower dungeons, unpleasant rumours about +his constancy could not be effectively contradicted. Thus far +Elizabeth's ministers had gained an advantage, which Pounde had +foretold they were likely to win. But the remedy he had +suggested also proved effective. + +Though under ordinary circumstances Elizabeth's ministers "meant +nothing less" than having the disputation requested, nevertheless +now that Campion was so terribly shaken and reduced, they hoped +that they might arrange some sort of a meeting, which might in +show correspond with what had been demanded in the _Decem +Rationes_, and yet leave them with a certain victory. They were +emboldened too, by finding that their prisoner was not after all, +such a particularly learned man. He had never been a professor of +theology, or written or made special studies, beyond the ordinary +course which in those days was not a long one. It was, therefore, +settled that four disputations should be held in the Tower of +London. Theology was still taught at Oxford and Cambridge in +something of the old mediaeval method and in syllogistic form. +The men who were pitted against Campion had lately been, or were +still, examiners at the Universities. Nor is it to be denied for +a moment that they did their work well. The attack never +faltered. Their own side quite believed they had won. The method +they adopted was this. They assumed the role of examiners, and +starting with the _Decem Rationes_ before them, they plied +Campion with crabbed texts, and obscure quotations from the +Fathers. Then they cut short his answers, and as soon as one had +examined for one quarter of an hour, another took his place, for +they were anxious above all things to avoid defeat. The number of +topics broached and left unsettled surpasses belief, indeed the +scene was one of utter confusion, taunts, scoldings, sneers--a +very, very different test from the academic argumentation, which +Campion had requested. + +The martyr did not show any remarkable erudition, indeed all +opportunity to do so was carefully shut off. No University, I +fancy, would have given him a chair of theology on the strength +of his replies on that occasion. There was more than one +premature assertion of victory on the Protestant side. But when +the Catholic and Protestant accounts are compared, one sees that +the advantages won against Campion were slight. They evidently +hoped that by vigorous and repeated attacks they would at last +puzzle or bear him down. But they were never near this. He was +always fresh and gay, never in difficulties, or at the end of his +tether. He stands out quite the noblest, the most sympathetic and +important figure in those motley assemblies. The Catholics were +delighted. They succeeded in getting their own report of the +disputations, which is still extant, and they would have printed +it, if they had been able. Philip, Earl of Arundel, by far the +most important convert of that generation, was won over by what +he heard in those debates. + +On the whole then we must say that, if Campion did not come off +gloriously, he at least acquitted himself well and honourably, +and distinctly gained by the conflict. Offers of disputation were +not the ideal way of forwarding a mission such as his. +Nevertheless, in his case, despite circumstances the most +adverse, the result had proved advantageous. It had greatly +strengthened and encouraged his own followers, and that was in +reality the best that could then be expected. Incidentally too +the adverse rumours, which had gained ground during his +seclusion, were dissipated. It was clear that, though he might +have been deceived, his constancy was unconquerable. + +Thus Campion's _Challenge_ and his _Ten Reasons_ not only contain +the message of his mission enunciated with characteristic +eloquence, but the delivery of each message is an history-making +event, big with dramatic consequences. The controversy about his +book did not die with him, but continued for some years, until it +was merged into the standing controversy between the two +religions. 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, which +appeared in those controversies between 1581 and 1585. The chief +defender of Father Campion's writings was Father Robert Drury, +S.J., but all his biographers also have something to say on the +subject. The chief opponents are William Charke, Meredith Hanmer, +William Fulke, Laurence Humphrey, William Whitaker, R. Stoke, +John Field, Alexander Nowell, and William Day. Some further +information on the whole subject may be found in articles by the +late 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, dated +1606 (by Richard Stock), 1632, 1687, and 1827. The present +translation is thus the fifth into Campion's mother tongue. +Though each of the quaint old versions has its merits, and some +do not lack charm, not one would adequately represent Campion to +the modern reader. A new translation was a necessity--may I not +say, a most happy one--seeing that Father Joseph Rickaby was at +hand to satisfy it. [J.H.P.]] + +[Footnote 2: The meaning is--"The ministers tyrannize over us, as +if we were a kingdom of unlearned schoolboys, listening to a +teacher of grammar."] + +[Footnote 3: _Catholic Record Society_ IV., 14-17.] + +[Footnote 4: Father Bombino calls him Richard Morris, and says he +went into exile and lived with Allen first at Rheims, and +afterwards at Rome, where he died in the English College. (_Vita +Campiani_, p. 139)] + +[Footnote 5: Father Morris identified the lady who let or lent +Stonor Park, with Dame Cecilia Stonor, daughter of Leonard +Chamberlain. 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 a +correspondence to be mentioned immediately, says that there were +no 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 know +their names, and they deserve to be recorded here, viz., Stephen +Brinkley, John Harris, John Hervey, John Tuker, John Compton. Allen +speaks 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 of +Bombino's additions are not, perhaps, arranged in their true +chronological order. He tells us, for instance, a propos of +Brinkley's difficulties in getting printers, that he had to dress +them, and give them horses to ride, like gentlemen. But he does +not make it clear whether these were the men who printed the _Ten +Reasons_, or Persons' previous works. Bombino says that Brinkley +paid for the type, &c., but Allen, in a contemporary letter, says +that George Gilbert had left a fund for these purposes. Bombino +says the printing of the _Decem Rationes_ was commenced at +Brinkley's own house at Green Street, and had to be removed +because one of the servants was arrested in London, and tortured +to make him confess, which he heroically refused. Campion and +Persons knowing of the torture, not of the man's constancy, at +once removed the press. But Persons' _Memoirs_ ascribes this +incident 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 OBTVLIT +IN CAVSA FIDEI, REDDITAE ACADEMICIS ANGLIAE. + +EPISTOLA [1] + +AD REGINAE ANGLIAE CONSILIARIOS, QUA PROFECTIONIS SUAE IN ANGLIAM +INSTITUTUM DECLARAT, ET ADVERSARIOS AD CERTAMEN PROVOCAT + +Quandoquidem, viri ornatissimi, a Germania et Bohemia revocatus, +non sine ingenti vitae meae periculo, in hoc florentissimum +Angliae regnum, dulcissimam patriam meam, tandem aliquando +perveni, pro Superiorum meorum voluntate, Dei gloriam et animarum +salutem promoturus; verisimile esse putavi, me turbulento hoc, +suspicioso ac difficillimo tempore, sive citius, sive aliquanto +tardius, in medio cursu abreptum iri. Quapropter ignarus quid de +me futurum sit, quum Dei permissu in carceres et vincula forte +detrudendus sim, ad omnem eventum scriptum hoc condidi: quod ut +legere, et ex eo causam meam cognoscere velitis, etiam atque +etiam rogo. Fiet enim, ut hac re non parvo labore liberemini, dum +quod multis ambagibus inquirere vos audio, id totem aperta +confessione libere expromo. Atque ut rem omnem, quo melius et +intelligi, et memoria comprehendi queat, compendio tradam, in +novem omnino capita eam dispertiar. + +1. Profiteor me, quamvis indignum, Ecclesiae Catholicae +sacerdotem, et iam octo abhinc annis magna Dei misericordia in +Societatem nominis Iesu cooptatum, peculiare quoddam belli +genus sub obedientiae vexillo suscepisse; ac simul me omni +divitiarum, honorum et aliorum huiusmodi bonorum spe, et +habendi potestate, abdicasse. + +2. Generalis Praepositi nostri decreto (quod ego tamquam mandatum +coelitus missum, et a Christo ipso sancitum veneror), Praga Romam, +ubi Generalis nostri perpetua sedes est; Roma deinde in Angliam +contendi: qua animi alacritate etiam in quamcumque aliam orbis +terrarum partem, sive ad christianos, sive ad infideles, profectus +fuissem, si me ad eam profectionem superiores mei designassent. + +3. Negotium mihi commisum tale est, ut gratis Evangelium +administrem, rudes in fide instituam, flagitiosos a scelere ad +meliorem vitae rationem traducam, errores convellam; et, ut +summatim 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 huius +regni administrationis negotiis me immisceam: nam et aliena haec +sunt a vocationis meae instituto, et iis animum cogitationesque +meas libenter avoco. + +5. Quamobrem vestra clementia fretus, ad gloriam Dei tria non +minus aequa, quam ab omni pacis et tranquillitatis reipublicae +perturbatione aliena, concedi mihi et permitti humillime postulo. +Primum est, ut Dominationes vestrae, pro sua et reipublicae +dignitate, me pro religione disserentem audire non graventur. +Alterum, quod et cumprimis desidero, et maximi momenti esse +arbitror, ut mihi liceat in consessu doctorum, magistorum et +utriusque Academiae virorum insignium, sacrosanctae theologiae +professorum, verba facere. Promitto me catholicae Ecclesiae fidem +invictis rationibus et sacrarum Scripturarum, Conciliorum, Patrum +atque historiarum auctoritate, ac denique ex ipsa tum naturali, +tum morali philosophia efficaciter demonstraturum et defensurum. +Tertium, ut audiar ab utriusque iuris, sive canonici, sive +civilis, peritis, quibus eamdem fidei veritatem, legum, quae +etiamnum vigent, testimonio atque auctoritate comprobabo. + +6. Nollem equidem quidquam proferre, quod insolentem +provocationem aut arrogantiam aliquam prae se ferret; quum et +mundo mortuus iam sim, et ex animo paratus promtusque, ut me ad +cuiusvis pedes abiiciam ac vestigia etiam exosculer. Tantus tamen +animus mihi est pro gloria et maiestate Regis mei Iesu +amplificanda, tanta in eius favore fiducia, tanta denique in +causae aequitate et firmissimorum argumentorum ac probationum +robore confidentia, (quum certo sciam nullum protestantium, nec +omnes simul iunctos, nec ullam adversariorum factionem, +quantumvis imperitam multitudinem et grammaticos quosdam +adolescentulos, apud quos insigniter debacchantur, in errorem +inducant, posse dogmata sua disputatione aut tueri aut probare); +ut cum illis omnibus, vel cum eorum quolibet, vel cum +antesignanis ex omni illorum numero delectis, ultro me offeram +congressurum; 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 sua +Maiestas huiusmodi auditionem, qualem in quinto articulo secundo +loco efflagitavi, sua regali praesentia et benigna attentione +cohonestare dignaretur, sperarem sane, me articulos controversos +optima methodo et perspicuis argumentis ita illustrare, atque ab +omnibus fallaciarum involucris quibus constricti sunt, explicare +posse, ut zelo veritatis et amore, quo sua Maiestas populum +complectitur, mediocriter eius animum inclinarem, quum ad +plurimas res, quae regno suo non parum detrimenti afferunt, +damnandas et reiiciendas, tum ad nos catholicos, misere iamdui +oppressos, maiore aequitate prosequendos. + +8. Neque vero dubium mihi est quin vos, ornatissimi consiliari +S. M., quum in maximi momenti negotiis praeclare ac sapienter +agere soleatis, ubi has de fide controversias, quas adversarii +nostri non sine fuco et confuse plerumque pertractant, bona fide +delectas et fuco nudatas perspexeritis, luce meridiana clarius +cognituri sitis, quam solidis et firmis fundamentis fides +catholica nitatur. Et quia e contrario protestantium argumenta +sunt omnino frivola et infirma, quae temporis iniquitate vim +aliquam contra nos habere putantur; futurum spero, ut vestrarum +animarum et innumerabilium aliarum, quae a vestro nutu et +exemplo pendent, miserti, ab huiusmodi falsorum dogmatum +architectis et doctoribus facies vestras animumque ipsum +avertatis, ac nobis, qui vitam nostram pro vesta salute +alacriter profundere parati sumus, aequiori et magis propitia +mente auscultetis. Multae innocentes manus quotidie et sine +intermissione pro vobis in coelum attolluntur. Haec in vos +studia sunt eorum Anglorum, qui in provinciis transmarinis +numquam interiturae posteritatis patres, virtuti et eruditioni +adquirendae dant operam; omninoque secum statuerunt, a salute +vestra promovenda non prius absistere, quam vel animas vestras +Christo lucrifecerint, vel lanceis vestras confixi generose +occubuerint. Et quidem quod ad Societatem nostram attinet, velim +sciatis, omnes nos, qui sumus de Societate Iesu, per totum +terrarum orbem longa lateque diffusi, (quorum continua successio +et multitudo omnes machinationes vestras anglicas facile +superabit), sanctum foedus iniisse ut cruces, quas nobis +iniicietis, magno animo feramus, neque umquam de vestra salute +desperemus, quamdiu vel unus quispiam e nobis supererit, qui +Tiburno[2] vestro fruatur, atque suppliciis vestris +excarnificari, carceribusque squalere et consumi possit. +Iampridem inita ratio est, divinique numinis auspicio inchoatum +certamen; nulla vis, nullus impetus adversariorum superabit. Hac +ratione consita et tradita olim fides est, eadem in pristinam +dignitatem revocari et restitui debet. + +Quod si hoc scriptum meum, quod offero, reiicitur, nec benevoli +conatus mei quidquam possint efficere, et pro itinere multorum +millium milliarium vestri causa suscepto, ingratum animum +experiar; id unum agendum mihi supererit, ut vos causamque meam +Deo scrutatori cordium commendem: quem quidem ex animo precor, ut +nobis tantisper gratiam suam impertiri velit, qua ante extremum +remunerationis diem in unam sententiam conspiremus; et ut tandem +aliquando in coelo, ubi nulla erit iniuriarum memoria, amicitia +sempiterna perfruamur. + +PREFATIO + +EDMUNDUS CAMPIANVS DOCTISSIMIS ACADEMICIS OXONII FLORENTIBVS ET +CANTABRIGIAE, S. P. D. + +Anno praeterito, quum ex instituto vitae meae iussus in hanc +insulam remeassem, clarissimi viri, offendi sane fluctus haud +paulo saeviores in anglicano littore, quam quos in oceano +brittannico recens a tergo reliqueram. Mox interiorem in Angliam +ubi penetrassem, nihil familiarius, quam inusitata supplicia; +nihil certius, quam incerta pericula. Collegi me, ut potui, memor +causae, memor temporum. Ac ne prius forte corriperer, quam +auditus a quopiam fuissem, scripto protinus mandavi consileum +meum, qui venissem, quid quaererem, quod bellum, et quibus, +indicere cogitarem Autographum apud me habui, ut mecum, si +caperer, caperetur; exemplum eius apud amicum deposui, quod, me +quidem nesciente, pluribus communicatum est. Adversarii +publicatam schedulam atrociter acceperunt quum caetera, tum illud +invidiosissime criminantes, quod unus omnibus in hoc religionis +negotio certamen obtulissem; quamquam solus non eram futurus, si +fide publica disputassem. Responderunt postulatis meis Hammerus +et Charcus. Quid tandem? Otiose omnia. Nullum enim responsum, +praeter unum, honeste dabunt, quod numquam dabunt: "Conditiones +amplectimur, Regina spondet, advola." Interea clamant isti: +"Sodalitium tuum, seditiones tuas, arrogantiam tuam, proditorem, +sine dubio proditorem." Ridicule. Operam et oleum et famam +homines 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 quantum +oportuit, tantum et de Societate nostra, et de horum iniuriis, et +de provincia, quam sustinemus, edisserit. Mihi supererat, +(quoniam, ut video, tormenta, non scholas, parant antistites), +rationem facti mei vobis ut probarem; capita rerum, quae mihi +tantum fidentiae pepererunt, quasi digito fontes ostenderem. Vos +etiam hortarer, quorum interest praeter caeteros, incumbatis in +hanc curam, quam a vobis Christus, Ecclesia, respublica et vestra +salus exigunt. Ego si fretus ingenio, litteris, arte, lectione, +memoria, peritissimum quemque adversarium provocavi fui +vanissimus et superbissimus, qui neque me, necque illos +inspexerim; sin causam intuitus, existimavi satis me valentem +esse, qui docerem hunc solem meridie lucere, debetis mihi +fervorem istum concedere, quem honor Iesu Christi, Regis mei, et +invicta veritas imperarunt. Scitis M. Tullium in Quintiana, quum +Roscius victoriam adpromitteret, si efficeret argumentis, +septingenta millia passuum non esse decursa biduo, non modo nihil +veritum articulos et nervos Hortensii, sed ne grandiores quidem +Hortensio, Phillipos, et Cottas, et Antonios, et Crassos, quibus +maximam dicendi gloriam tribuebat, metuere potuisse. Est enim +quaedam veritas tam illustris et perspicua, ut eam nullae +verborum rerumque praestigiae possint obruere. Porro liquidius +est quod nos agimus, quam illa fuit hypothesis Rosciana. Nam si +hoe praestitero: coelos esse, divos esse, fidem esse, Christum +esse, causam obtinui. Hic ego non sim animosus? Equidem occidi +possum, superari non possum, iis enim Doctoribus insisto, quos +ille 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 huic +sollicitudini, Christum obtestamini, industriam adiungite; +profecto sentietis id, quod res est, et adversarios desperare, et +nos, tam solide fundatos, quieto magnoque animo hanc arenam +expetere oportere. Brevior hic sum, quod reliquo sermone vos +alloquor. Valete. + +RATIONES OBLATI CERTAMINIS + +_Ego dabo vobis os et sapientiam, cui non poterunt resistere et +contradicere 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 causa +loquuntur, tum nihil aeque atque sanctorum maiestas Bibliorum +foedissime violata. Etenim qui, posteaquam reliquorum testium +voces et suffragia contempserunt, eo sunt redacti nihilo secius, +ut stare nequeant, nisi divinis ipsis codicibus vim et manus +intulerint; ii se profecto declarant extrema fortuna confligere, +et rebus iam desperatis ac perditis, experiri durissima velle +atque ultima. Manicheis[3] quid causae fuit, ut "Evangelium +Matthei et Acta refigerent Apostolica?" Desperatio. His enim +voluminibus cruciabantur, et qui Christum negaverant prognatum de +Virgine, et qui Spiritum christianis tum primo coelitus illapsum +finxerant quum ipsorum Paracletus, Persa nequissimus, erupisset. +Quid Ebioniis,[4] ut omnes Pauli repudarient epistolas? +Desperatio. His enim suam dignitatiem retinentibus, antiquata +circumcisio est, quam isti revocaverant. Quid Luthero[5] ut +Epistolam Iacobi "contentiosam, tumidam, aridum, stramineam," +flagitiosus apostata nominaret, et "indignam spiritu censeret +apostolico?" Desperatio. Hoc enim scripto confessus miser atque +disruptus est, quum "in sola fide iustitiam, constitueret." Quid +Lutheri catulis, ut Tobiam, Ecclesiasticum, Machabaeos, et horum +odio complures alios eadem calumnia comprehensos, e sincero +canone repente dispungerent? Desperatio. His enim oraculis +disertissime coarguuntur, quoties de angelorum patrocinio, +quoties de arbitrii libertate, quoties de fidelibus vita +defunctis, 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 vestigia +conculcassent, scripto Dei verbo tantum controversias velle +dirimere 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; lutherani +vero etiam epistolam Iacobi, et huius invidia quinque alias;[7] de +quibus aliquando fuerat et alicubi controversum. His quoque +libellum Estheris et tria capita Danielis adnumerant novissimi +Genuenses; quae quidem Anabaptistae, istorum condiscipuli, iam +pridem damnaverant atque deriserant. + +Quanto modestius Augustinus,[8] qui sacrosanctum catalogum +pertexens, non sibi neque alphabetum hebraicum, ut Iudaei; neque +privatum spiritum, ut Sectarii, pro regula posuit; sed illum +Spiritum, quo totum corpus Ecclesiae Christus animat. Quae quidem +Ecclesia custos huius depositi, non magistra, quod haeretici +cavillantur, thesaurum hunc universum quem Tridentina[9] Synodus +est amplexa, vetustissimis olim conciliis publicitus vindicavit. +Idem Augustinus,[10] de una Scripturarum particula speciatim +disserens, inducere in animum non potest, librum Sapientiae, qui +iam tum Ecclesiae calculo, temporum serie, priscorum testimonio +instinctione fidelium, ut firmus et canonicus robur obtinuerat, +cuiusquam temeritate vel susurro extrudi extra canonem oportere. +Quid ille nunc diceret, si viveret in terris, et Lutheros +Calvinosque concerneret opifices bibliorum, qui sua lima politula +et elegantula vetus novumque Testamentum raserint; neque +Sapientiam tantum, sed et alia permulta de canonicorum librorum +ordine segregaverint: ut quidquid ex horum officina non +prodierit, illud ad omnibus phrenetico decreto tamquam incultum +et horridum conspuatur? + +Ad hoc tam dirum et exsecrabile perfugium qui descenderunt, ii +certe licet in ore suorum asseclarum volitent, sacerdotia +nundinentur declamitent in concione, ferrum in catholicos, +equuleum crucemque consciscant; tamen victi, abiecti, squalidi, +prostrati sunt: quandoquidem arrepta virgula censoria, veluti +arbitri sedentes honorarii, divinas ipsas tabulas, si quae ad +stomachum non fecissent, obliterant. Ecquis est vel mediocriter +institutus, qui talium cuniculos hostium reformidet? Qui homines +quamprimum in corona vestra, eruditorum hominum, ad eiusmodi +veteratorias artes, tamquam ad familiarem daemonem currerent, non +aurium convicio sed strepitu pedum exciperentur. Quaererem ab +eis, verbi gratia, quo iure corpus biblicum detruncent atque +diripiant? Respondent: non se veras Scripturas exscindere, sed +excernere supposititias. Quo iudice? Spiritu sancto. Hoc enim +responsum a Calvino[11] praescribitur, ut Ecclesiae iudicium, quo +spiritus examinantur, subterfugiat. Cur igitur alios alii +lancinatis, quum omnes eodem Spiritu gloriemini? + +Calvinianorum spiritus recipit sex epistolas, quae spiritui non +placent lutherano; freti tamen uterque sancto Spiritu. +Anabaptistae historiam Iobi fabulam[12] appellant, tragicis et +comicis legibus intermixtam. Qui sciunt? Spiritu docente. +Castalio[13] mysticum illud Salomonis Canticum, quod ut +paradisum animae, ut manna reconditum, ut opiparas in Christo +delicias catholici admirantur, nihilo pluris quam cantilenam de +anicula, et cum pedissequis aulae colloquium amatorium venereus +furcifer aestimavit. Vnde hausit? A spiritu. In Apocalypsi +Ioannis, cuius omnes apices excelsum aliquid et magnificum +sonare confirmat Hieronymus,[14] tamen Lutherus[15] et Brentius +et Kemnitius quiddam, nescio quid, difficiles aristarchi +desiderant; eo scilicet propendentes, ut exautoretur. Quem +percontati? Spiritum. Quatuor Evangelia fervore praepostero +Lutherus[16] inter se committit, et prioribus tribus Epistolas +Pauli longe praeferens, "unicum" deinceps "Evangelium Ioannis, +pulchrum, verum, praecipuum" decernit esse nominandum; quippe +qui, quod in ipso fuit, libenter etiam Apostolos suarum rixarum +socios adscripsisset. Quo doctore? Spiritu. Quin etiam iste +fraterculus[17] non dubitavit Evangelium Lucae petulanti stylo +perstringere, quod in eo crebrius bona nobis virtutum opera +commendentur. Quem interrogavit? Spiritum. Theodorus Beza ex +Lucae vigesimo secundo capite : "Hic calix, novum testamentum, +in meo sanguine, qui (calix) pro vobis fundetur, <Greek: +potaerion enchunomenon>," ausus est ut corruptum vitiatumque +traducere, quod haec oratio nullam expositionem, nisi de vino +calicis converso in verum Christi sanguinem, patiatur. Quis +indicavit? Spiritus. Denique quum omnia credant suo quisque +spiritui, nomen sancti Spiritus horribili blasphemia mentiuntur. +Qui sic agunt, nonne se produnt? Nonne facile refutantur? Nonne +in concessu talium virorum, quales estis Academici, tenentur ac +minimo negotio constringuntur? Cum his ego timeam pro fide +catholica disputare, qui pessima fide voces non humanas, sed +aethereas tractavere? + +Nihil hic dico, quae vertendo perverterint quamvis intolerabilia +sint, quae accusem. Gregorio Martino, scientissimo linguarum, +collegae meo, qui doctius et plenius hoc praestabit, nihil +praeripio, nec aliis, quibus id laboris esse iam prae manibus +intellexi. Facinorosius crimen est ac tetrius, quod nunc +persequor. Inventos esse doctorculos, qui temulento quodam +impetu in coeleste chirographum involarint; idipsum pluribus +locis, ut maculatum, ut mancum, ut falsum, ut subreptitium +condemnarint; eius partes aliquas correxerint, aliquas +corroserint, aliquas evulserint. Hinc omne propugnaculum, quo +muniebatur, in lutheranos spiritus, tamquam in valla +phantasmatum pictosque parietes commutarint; ne prorsus +obmutescerent, quum in Scripturas, erroribus suis infestas, +impingerent, quas nihilo commodius expedire, quam sorbere +favillas, aut saxa mandere, potuissent. + +Haec ergo mihi prima ratio vehemens et iusta fuit quae ubi partes +adversarias umbraticas et fractas ostendisset, animum sane +addidit viro et christiano et in his studiis exercitato, pro +sempiterni Regis diplomate adversus reliquias profligatorum +hostium decertandi. + +SECVNDA RATIO + +SACRARVM LITTERARVM SENTENTIA + +Alterum est, quod me quidem ad congressum incitarit, et horum +apud me copiolas elevarit, adversarii perpetuum in Scripturis +exponendis ingenium, plenum fraudis, inane prudentiae. Statim +haec, philosophi, tangeretis. Itaque vos auditores expetii. + +Sciscitemur ab adversaras, exempli gratia, quidnam sequuti novam +sectam intriverint, qua Christus excluditur e coena mystica? Si +nominant Evangelium, accurrimus. A nobis verba sunt:[18] "Hoc +est corpus meum. Hic est calix meus." Qui sermo visus est ipsi +Luthero[19] tam potens, ut quum etiam discuperet fieri +Zuinglianus, quod ea re plurimum incommodare Pontifici +potuisset, captus tamen et victus apertissimo contextu, cederet; +neque minus invitus Christum vere praesentem in Sacramento +sanctissimo fateretur, quam olim daemones, victi miraculis, +Christum Dei Filium vociferati sunt.[20] Agedum, pagella scripta +superiores sumus; de sententia scripti contenditur. Hanc +pervestigemus ex verbis adiacentibus:[21] "Corpus meum, quod pro +vobis tradetur. Sanguis meus, qui pro multis effundetur." Adhuc +durissimae partes Calvini sunt, nostrae faciles et explicatae. +Quid amplius? Conferte Scripturas, inquiunt. Conspirant +Evangelia,[22] Paulus adstipulatur; voces, clausulae, tota +connexio panem, vinum, insigne miraculum, coeleste pabulum, +carnem, corpus, sanguinem, reverenter ingeminant. Nihil +aenigmaticum, nihil offusum caligine loquendi. + +Tamen perstant adversarii, neque finem faciunt altercandi. Quid +agimus? Opinor, audiatur antiquitas; et quod nos alteris alteri +suspecti non possumus, illud omnium saeculorum veneranda +canities, Christo propior, ab hac lite remotior, decidat +arbitrio. Non ferunt: prodi se aiunt. Dei verbum purum, purum, +inclamant; hominum commentarios aversantur. Insidiose inepte. Dei +verbum perurgemus, obscurant; Divos testamur interpretes, +obsistunt. In summa, sic instituunt, nisi reorum iudicio +steteris, nullum iudicium fore. + +Atque ita se gerunt in omni, quam exercemus, controversia, de +infusa gratia, de inhaerente iustitia, de Ecclesia conspicua, de +necessitate Baptismatis, de Sacramentis et Sacrificio, de piorum +meritis, de spe et timore, de peccatis imparibus, de auctoritate +Petri, de clavibus, de votis, de conciliis evangelicis, de +caeteris. Scripturas neque paucas et ponderosa catholici passim +in libris, in colloquiis, in templis, in schola citavimus atque +discussimus; eluserunt. Veterum scholia graecorum et latinorum +admovimus; abnuerunt. Quid tum denique? Doctor Martinus Lutherus, +aut vero Phillippus, aut certe Zuinglius, aut sine dubio Calvinus +et Bezza, fideliter enarrarunt. Egone quemquam vestrum existimen +tam esse mucosis naribus, qui hoc artificium, monitus, non +persentiscat? Quare fateor me scholas Academicas cupide +requirere, ut inspectantibus vobis, calamistratos istos milites, +in solem et pulverem e suis umbraculis evocatos, non meis +viribus, qui cum vestris centesima parte non sum conferendus, sed +valentissima causa et certissima veritate debilitem. + +TERTIA RATIO + +NATVRA ECCLESIAE + +Audito iam Ecclesiae nomine, hostis expalluit. Sed tamen +excogitavit quiddam, quod a vobis animadverti volo, ut falsi +ruinam et inopiam cognoscatis. Senserat in Scripturis tum +propheticis, tum apostolicis, ubique honorificam Ecclesiae fieri +mentionem: vocari civitatem sanctam (Apoc. xxi. 10), fructiferam +vineam (Ps. lxxix.9), montem excelsum (Isai. ii. 2), directam +viam (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 omnia +salutaria (Ioan. xiv. 26): illam, in quam universam nullae sint +umquam fauces diaboli morsum letiferum impacturae (Matth. xvi. +18); illam, cui quicumque repugnet, quantumvis ore Christum +praedicet, non magis Christi, quam publicanus aut ethnicus +(Matth. xviii. 17), potiatur. + +Non est ausus contravenire sonitu, videri noluit Ecclesiae, quam +toties Scripturae commemorant, refragari; nomen callide retinuit, +rem ipsam funditus, definiendo, sustulit. His enim proprietatibus +delineavit Ecclesiam, quae penitus ipsam occulant, et dimotam a +sensibus tamquam ideam platonicam, secretis obtutibus hominum +perpaucorum subiiciant[23]; eorum tantummodo, qui singulariter +afflati, corpus hoc aerium intelligentia comprehenderent, et +huiusce sodalitatis participes subtili quodam oculo lustrarent. +Vbi candor? Vbi simplicitas. Quae Scripturae, quae sensa, qui +Patres, hoc penicillo depingunt Ecclesiam? Sunt Christi ad +Asiaticas ecclesias (Apoc. i. 2, 3), sunt Petri, Pauli, Ioannis, +aliorum ad diversos epistolae; frequentes in Actis Apostolicis +inchoantur et propagantur ecclesiae (Act. viii. 10, 11 et seq.). +Quid istae? Num soli Deo et sanctis hominibus, an christianis +etiam cuiuscumque generis, manifestae? + +Sed profecto durum telum necessitas est. Ignoscite. Nam qui +saeculis omnino quindecim, non oppidam, non villam, non domum +reperiunt imbutam doctrina sua, donec infelix monachus (Lutherus) +incesto connubio votam Deo virginem funestasset; aut Helvetius +gladiator (Zuinglius) in patriam coniurasset; aut stigmaticus +perfuga (Calvinus) Genevam occupasset; ii coguntur Ecclesiam, si +quam volent, in latebris venditare, et eos parentes asserere, +quos nec ipsi noverint, neque mortalium quisquam aspexerit. Nisi +forte gaudent maioribus illis, quos haereticos fuisse liquet, ut +Aerio, Ioviniano, Vigilantio, Helvidio, Iconomachis, Berengario, +Valdensibus, Lolhardo, Wiclefo, Hussio; a quibus pestifera +quaedam fragmenta dogmatum emendicarint. + +Nolite mirari, si fumulos istos non pertimui, quos, modo ad +meridianam lucem venero, minime fuerit laboriosum dispellere. +Haec est enim nostra sermocianatio. Dic mihi: subscribis +Ecclesiae, quae saeculis anteactis viguit?--Omnino.--Obeamus ergo +terras et tempora. Cui?--Coetui fidelium.--Quorum?--Nomina +nesciuntur, sed constat plurimos exstitisse.--Constat? Quibus +constat?--Deo.--Quis dicit?--Nos, qui divinitus edocti +sumus.--Fabulae qui credam?--Si arderes fide, tam scires hoc, +quam te vivere. + +/* Spectatum admissi, risum teneatis? + +Iuberi christianos omnes adiungere se Ecclesiae, cavere ne +spiritali gladio trucidentur, in domo Dei pacem colore, huic +animas credere columini veritatis, istic querelas omnes deponere, +hinc eiectos habere pro ethnicis; nescire tamen tot centinis, tot +homines, ubinam illa sit, quive huc pertineant? Vnum illud +crepare in tenebris, ubi ubi sit Ecclesia, tantummodo sanctos et +in aethera destinatos ea contineri? Ex quo fit ut, si quis +imperium sui Praesulis detrectare velit, scelere solvatur, +dummodo sibi persuadeat presbyterum in crimen incidisse, et ab +Ecclesia protinus excidisse. + +Quum scirem adversarios talia comminisci, quod nullius aetatis +Ecclesiae consuessent, et orbatos tota re, velle tamen inter +angustias vocabulum possidere, solabar me vestro acumine, atque +adeo mihi pollicebar, fore ut quamprimum huiusmodi technas ex +ipsorum confessione cerneretis, statim homines ingenui et cordati +stultas argutias in vestram intextas perniciem exscinderetis. + +QVARTA RATIO + +CONCILIA + +Gravis, Ecclesia nascente, quaestio de legitimis caeremoniis, +quae credentium animos disturbavit, coacto Apostolorum et +seniorum concilio, soluta est. Credidere parentibus filii, +pastoribus oves, in haec verba mandantibus[24]: "Visum est +Spiritui sancto et nobis." Sequuta sunt ad extirpandam haeresim, +quae varia quibusque saeculis pullulavit, oecumenica veterum +Concilia quatuor, tantae firmitudinis, ut iis ante annos mille +singularis honos tamquam divinis vocibus, haberetur[25]. Non +abibo longius. Etiam domi nostrae, comitiis regni eadem Concilia +pristinum 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 altari +recognosces:[28] beatos Martyres, divosque omnes coelites, ut pro +te Christo supplicent, obsecrabis:[29] mulierosos apostatas ab +infando concubitu et incestu publico coercebis:[30] multa facies, +quae demoliris; multa, quae facis, infecta voles.[31] Porro +Synodos aliorum temporum, nominatim vero Tridentinam, eiusdem +auctoritatis ac fidei cum primis illis fuisse, quando usus +venerit, demonstraturum me spondeo atque recipio. + +Auctus igitur Conciliorum omnium valido et exquisito praesidio, +cur non ingrediar in hanc palaestram animo tranquillo et +praesenti, observaturus adversarium, quo se proripiat? Nam et +evidentissima producam, quae distorquere non poterit, et +probatissima, quae respuere non audebit. + +Fortasse verbosius loquendo diem extrahere conabitur; sed ab +intentis hominibus, si vos rego bene novi, nec aures nec oculos +compilabit. Quod si quis erit omnino tam demens, qui se unum +opponat Senatoribus orbis terrae, et iis quidem omni exceptione +maioribus, sanctioribus, doctioribus, vetustioribus; libenter +aspiciam illud os, quod ubi vobis ostendero, reliqua +cogitationibus vestris relinquam. Interim hoc monebo; qui pleno +Concilio, rite atque ordine consummato, momentum et pondus +abrogat, videri mihi nullo consilio, nullo cerebro; neque solum +in theologicis tardum, sed etiam in politicis inconsultum. Si +umquam Dei Spiritus illuxit Ecclesiae, certe illud est tempus +immitendi Numinis, quum omnium ecclesiarum, quae sunt in terris +patentissimae, religio, maturitas, scientia, sapientia, dignitas, +unam in urbem confluxerint, adhibitisque modis omnibus divinis et +humanis, quibus indagari veritas possit, promissum implorent +Spiritum,[32] quo salutariter et prudenter sanciat. + +Prosiliat nunc aliquis factionis haereticae magistellus, attollat +supercilia, suspendat nasum, frontem perfricet, iudicesque suos +scurriliter ipse iudicet. Quos ille ludos, quos iocos dabit? +Repertus est Lutherus,[33] qui diceret, anteferre se Consiliis +duorum suffragia bonorum et eruditorum hominum (putatote suum et +Phillippi), si quando in Christi nomine consensissent. O +circulos! Repertus est Kemnitius[34], qui concilium Tridentinum +ad suos vertiginis importunae calculos exegerit; quid lucratus? +Infamiam. Dum iste nictaverit, sepelietur cum Ario; Tridentina +Synodus quo magis inveterascet, eo magis in dies eoque perennius +efflorescet. Bone Deus! quae gentium varietas, qui delectus +episcoporum totius orbis, qui regum et rerumpublicarum splendor, +quae medulla theologorum, quae sanctitas, quae lacrymae, quae +ieiunia, qui flores academici, quae linguae, quanta subtilitas, +quantus labor, quam infinita lectio, quantae virtutum et +studiorum divitiae augustum illud sacrarium impleverunt? Audivi +ego Pontifices exsultantes, et in his Antonium, archiepiscopum +Pragensem, a quo sum creatus presbyter, amplissimos et +prudentissimos viros, quod in ea schola haesissent aliquot annis, +ut nullum Ferdinandi Caesaris, cui multum debuerant, regalius et +uberius in se beneficium colerent, quam hoc fuit quod in +Tridentino gymnasio legati ex Pannonia consedissent. Intellexit +hoc Caesar, qui reversis ita gratulatus est: "Aluimus vos in +schola optima." + +Huc invitati fide publica, cur non properarunt adversarii, ut eos +palam refellerent, in quos ranunculi coaxant e cavernulis?--Hussio +et Hieronymo fregere fidem, inquiunt--Qui?--Constantiensis Concilii +proceres--Falsum est: nullam dedere. Sed nec in Hussium tamen +animadversum fuisset, nisi homo perfidiosus et pestilens, retractus +ex fuga, quam ei Sigismundus Imperator periculo capitis +interdixerat, violatis etiam conditionibus, quas scripto pepigerat +cum Caesare, vim omnem illius diplomatis enervasset. Fefellit +Hussium praecipitata malitia. Iussus enim, quum barbaras in sua +Bohemia 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 vero +Pragensis furtim venit Constantiam, protectus a nemine; deprehensus +comparuit, peroravit, habitus est perbenigne, liber abiit quo +voluit, sanatus est, haeresim eiuravit, relapsus est, exustus est. + +Quid toties unum exemplum de sexcentis exagitant? Repetant +annales suos. Martinus ipse Lutherus (a. 1518) odium Dei et +hominum, Augustae positus coram Cardinale Caietano, nonne quod +potuit, eructavit, et Maximiliani litteris communitus excessit? +Idem accitus Wormatiam (a. 1521), quum et Caesarem et plerosque +Imperii principes haberet infensos, nonne Caesaris verbo tutus +fuit? Postremo lutheranorum et zuinglianorum capita, praesente +Carolo quinto, haereticorum hoste victore, domino, nonne datis +induciis confessiones suas innovatas exhibuere comitiis +Augustanis, et sospites abiere? Haud secus litterae Tridientinae +locupletissimas adversario cautiones providerant:[35] uti noluit. +Nimirum se iactat in angulis in quibus ubi tria verba graeca +sonuerit, sapere videatur; abhorret a luce, quae litteratorem in +numero poneret, et ad honesta subsellia devocaret. Catholicis +Anglis tale chirographum impunitatis impetrent, si diligunt +salutem animarum. Nos Hussium non causabimur; verbo Principis +innixi, convolabimus. + +Sed ut, unde sum egressus, eo regrediar, Concilia generalia mea +sunt, primum, ultimum, media; his pugnabo. Hastam exspectet +adversarius amentatam, quam avellere numquam poterit. +Prosternatur in eo satanas, Christus vivat. + +QVINTA RATIO + +PATRES + +Antiochiae, qua primum in urbe Christianorum nobile cognomentum +increbuit, Doctores,[36] id est, eminentes theologi; et +Prophetae, id est, concionatores perquam celebres, floruerunt. +Huiusce generis "scribas et sapientes, doctos in regno Dei, nova +promentes et vetera,"[37] Christum callentes et Moysem, Dominus +ipse futuros gregi prospexerat. Hos, ingentis beneficii loco +donatos, explodere, quanti maleficii est? Explosit adversarius. +Quid ita? Quia stantibus illis, concidisset. Id ego quum pro +certissimo comperissem, pugnam simpliciter exoptavi, non illam +iocularem, qua turbae velitantur in compitis, sed istam severam +et acrem, qua congredimur in vestris Philosophorum spatiis: + +/*-pede pes, densusque viro vir. + +Ad Patres si quando licebit accedere, confectum est praelium; tam +sunt nostri, quam Gregorius ipse decimus tertius, filiorum +Ecclesiae Pater amantissimus. Nam ut omittam loca sparsa, quae ex +monumentis veterum conquisita, nostram fidem apposite affirmateque +propugnant; tenemus horum integra volumina, quae de industria +religionem, quam tuemur, evangelicam distincte copioseque +dilucidant. Duplex Hierarchia Martyris Dionysii[38] quas classes, +quae sacra, quos ritus edocet? Pupugit ea res Lutherum[39] tam +valde, ut huius opera "simillima somniis, nec non +perniciosissima" iudicaret. Imitatus parentem Caussaeus,[40] +nescio quis terrae filius, ex Gallia, non est veritus hunc +Dionysium, 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 "fanaticum +quiddam" Irenaeus edixit; Clemens auctor Stromatum "zizania +faecesque protulit;"[44] reliqui Patres huius aevi, sane +apostolici viri, "blasphemias et monstra posteris reliquerunt." +In Tertulliano rapiunt avide, quod a nobis edocti, nobiscum +communiter detestentur; sed meminerint libellum de +Praescriptionibus,[45] qui nostri temporis sectarios tam +insigniter perculit, numquam fuisse reprehensum. Hippolytus, +Portuensis[46] episcopus, quam belle, quam clare Antichristi +nervum, lutherana tempora, praemonstravit? Eum propterea +"scriptorem infantissimum et larvam" nominant. Cyprianum, +delicias et decus Africae, Gallicanus ille criticus[47] et +Magdeburgici[48] "stupidum, et destitutum Deo, et depravatorem +poenitentiae" nuncuparunt. Quid admisit? Scripsit enim de +virginibus, de lapsis, de unitate Ecclesiae tractationes +euismodi, eas etiam epistolas Cornelio, Romano Pontifici, ut nisi +fides huic martyr detrahatur, Petrus Martyr Vermilius, omnesque +cum eo foederati, peiores adulteris et sacrilegis habeantur. Ac +ne singulis insistam diutius, Patres huius saeculi damnantur +omnes, "quippe qui doctrinam de poenitentia mire +depravarint."[49] Quo pacto? Nam austeritas canonum, quae viguit +ea tempestate, maiorem in modum displicet huic sectae plausibili, +quae tricliniis aptior, quam templis, voluptarias aures titillare +et 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 "a +cacodaemone fascinatus est." Hieronymus "aeque damnatus, atque +diabolus: iniuriosus Apostolo,[53] blasphemus, sceleratus, +impius." "Vnus" Gregorio Massovio[54] "pluris est Calvinus, quam +centum Augustini." Parum est, centum; Lutherus[55] "nihili facit +adversum se mille Augustinos, mille Cyprianos, mille Ecclesias." +Longius rem deducere, supervacaneum puto. Nam in hos, qui +bachantur, 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 inficior +habere Patres, ubicumque incideris, quod isti, dum sibi +consentiunt, necessario stomachentur. Etinem qui odere stata +ieiunia, 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 ambitiosis +conspectibus vendiderunt, possuntne non esse inimicissimi +Basilio, Chrysostomo, Hierionymo, Augustino, quorum excellentes +libri de monachorum instituto, regula, virtutibus, teruntur? + +Qui captivam hominis voluntatem invexere, qui christiana funebria +sustulere, qui Divorum reliquias incendere, sintne placabiles +Augustino, qui de libero arbitrio libros tres, de cura pro +mortuis unum, de miraculis ad Basilicas et memorias Martyrum +prolixum caput nobilissimi operis[56] et conciones aliquot +exaravit? Qui fidem suis captiunculis metiuntur, nonne +succenseant Augustino, cuius est insignis epistola,[57] qua se +profitetur antiquitati, consensioni, successioni perpetuae et +Ecclesiae, quae sola inter tot haereses Catholicae nomen +usucapione vindicat assentire? + +Optatus, Milevitanus episcopus, Donatianam partem revincit[58] ex +communione 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 quibus +Christi membra portata sunt," pollutisque calicibus "qui Christi +sanguinem tenuerunt," (lib. 6). De Optato quid sentiant, aveo +scire, quem Augustinus[59] ut venerabilem et catholicum +episcopum, Ambrosio parem et Cypriano; quem Fulgentius[60] ut +sanctum et fidelem Pauli interpretem, Augustini similem et +Ambrosii, meminerunt. + +Athanasii Symbolum in templis concinunt. Num favent ei, qui +Antonium Eremitam Aegyptium,[61] gravis auctor, accurato libello +dilaudaverit, quique cum Alexandrina Synodo[62] iudicium Sedis +Apostolicae, Divi Petri, suppliciter appellarit? Prudentius in +hymnis quoties precatur Martyres, quos decantat? Quoties ad eorum +cineres et ossa Regem Martyrum veneratur? Num hunc probabunt? +Hieronymus pro Divorum reliquiis et honoribas scribit in +Vigilantium, in Iovinianam pro virginitatis gradu. Huccine +patientur? Ambrosius[63] tutores suos Gervasium et Protasium, +celebritate notissima, in Arianam ignominiam honestavit; cui +facto divinissimi Patres[64] encomium tribuere: quod factum Deus +non uno prodigio decoravit. Num benevoli sunt Ambrosio futuri? +Gregorius Magnus, noster Apostolus, planissime noster est, eoque +nomine nostris adversariis odiosus; quem Calvini[65] rabies negat +in schola sancti Spiritus educatum, propterea quod sacras +imagines illitteratorum libros appellasset. + +Dies me deficeret numerantem epistolas, conciones, homilias, +orationes, opuscula, disceptationes Patrum, in quibus ex apparato +graviter et ornate nostra catholicorum dogmata roborarunt. +Quamdiu apud bibliopolas ista venierint, tamdiu frustra nostrorum +codices prohibentur; frustra servantur aditus oraeque maritimae; +frustra domus, arcae, scrinia, capsulae disquiruntur; frustra tot +portis minaces tabulae suffiguntur. Nullus enim Hardingus, nec +Sanderus, nec Stapletonus, nec Bristolius haec nova somnia +vehementius, quam hi, quos recensui, Patres, insectantur. Talia +cogitanti accrevit animus et desiderium pugnae, in qua, quoquo se +moverit adversarius, nisi gloriam Deo cesserit, feret incommodum. +Patres admiserit, captus est; excluserit, nullus est. + +Adolescentibus nobis ita contigit. Ioannes Ivellus antesignanus +calvinianorum Angliae, catholicos ad Divi Pauli Londinensium +incredibili iactantia lacessivit, invocatis per hypocrisim et +imploratis Patribus, quicumque intra salutis annum sexcentesimum +claruisset. Accipiunt conditionem memorabiles viri, qui tum +exsulabant Lovanii, summis licet difficultatibus propter +iniquitatem suorum temporum circumsepti. Ausim dicere, tanto +popularibus nostris bono fuisse illam Ivellii astutiam, +inscitiam, improbitatem, impudentiam, quas ii scriptores +feliciter expanderunt, ut vix aliud quidquam, memoria mea, +provenerit Anglorum Ecclesiae laboranti fructuosius. Edictum +continuo valvis appenditur, ne qui codices illiusmodi +legerentur, neve haberentur. Quum tantis clamoribus propemodum +extorti prodiissent, didicere quicumque negotium attigissent, +Patres fuisse catholicos, id est, nostros. Neque hoc sibi +suisque vulnus inflictum Laurentius Humfredus[66] tacuit; qui +quum alte Ivellum quoad caetera sustulisset, unam ei notam +aspersit inconsiderantiae, quod Patrum calculos recepisset, +quibuscum sibi nihil esse commercii, nec fore, sine ulla +circuitione proloquitur. + +Pertentavimus etiam familiariter aliquando Tobiam Matthaeum, qui +nunc in concionibus dominatur, quem propter bonas artes et virtutum +semina dileximus, ut responderet ingenue, possetne qui Patres +assiduus 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 Mattheum +Huttonum, qui vir nominatus in paucis, versare Patres dicitur, aut +reliquos adversarios, qui hoc faciunt, sentire arbitror. + +Hactenus ergo securus in hanc aciem potui descendere, bellaturus +cum, iis, qui quasi auribus lupum teneant, aeternam causae +maculam 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 nostris +fuit et esse debet: "Scrutamini Scripturas,"[67] facile princeps +et palmares in hoc genere sanctissimi Patres exstitere. Horum +opera sumptuque tot gentibus et linguis transcripta Biblia et +importata sunt; horum periculis et cruciatibus erepta de flammis +hostilibus et vastitate; horum laboribus et vigiliis omnem in +partem enucleata studiosissime; die noctuque sacras Litteras +imbibere, de suggestibus omnibus sacras Litteras edidere, immensa +volumina sacris Litteris ditavere, fidelissimis commentariis +sacras Litteras explicuere cibos et inediam sacris Litteris +condivere, occupati denique sacris in Litteris, ad senectutem +decrepitam pervenere. + +Quod si frequenter ipsi quoque ab auctoritate maiorum, ab +Ecclesiae praxi, a successione Pontificum, a Conciliis +oecumenicis, a traditionibus apostolicis, a cruore Martyrum, a +scitis Praesulum, a visis eventisque mirabilibus argumentati +sunt; tamen omnium maxime et libentissime sanctarum Litterarum +testimonia densa conglobant, haec premunt, in his habitant, huic +"armaturae fortium" duces robustissimi, sarta tecta civitatis Dei +contra nefarios impetus quotidie munientes, optimo iure primas +partes honoratissimasque porrigunt. + +Quo magis demiror illam exceptionem adversarii superbam et +fatuam, qui velut aquam in profluente quaeritans, sic in +Scripturis confertissimis Scripturarum penuriam obiectat. +Tantisper se Patribus assensurum dicit, dum sacris Litteris +adhaerescunt. Num loquitur ex animo? Curabo igitur procedant +armati atque stipati Christo, Prophetis, Apostolis atque omni +apparatu biblico, celeberrimi auctores, antiquissimi Patres, +sanctissimi viri, Dionysius, Cyprianus, Athanasius, Basilius, +Nazianzenus, Ambrosius, Hieronymus, Chrysostomus, Augustinus, +latinusque Gregorius. Regnet in Anglia fides illa, quam hi +Patres, amicissimi Scripturarum, ex Scripturis exstruunt. Quas +afferunt, afferemus; quas conferunt, conferemus; quod inferunt, +inferemus. Placet? Excrea, dic sodes--Minime vero, inquis, nisi +recte exponant--Quid est hoc ipsum, recte? Arbitratu tuo. Nihilne +pudet labyrinthi? + +Ergo quum sperem in Academiis florentissimis consociatum iri bene +multos, qui, non pingui Minerva, sed acuto iudicio in has +controversias inspecturi sunt, et horum responsa nugatoria +libraturi, laetus hunc diem campi praestolabor, ut qui contra +sylvestres tumulos mendiculorum inermium nobilitatem et robur +Ecclesiae Christi cogitem educere. + +SEPTIMA RATIO + +HISTORIA + +Pristinam Ecclesiae faciem historia prisca retegit. Huc provoco. +Certe antiquiores historici, quos etiam usurpant adversarii, fere +numerantur Eusebius, Damasus, Hieronymus, Ruffinus, Orosius, +Socrates, Sozomenus, Theodoretus, Cassiodorus, Gregorius +Turonensis, Vsuardus, Regino, Marianus Sigebertus, Zonaras, +Cedrenus, Nicephorus. Quid narrant? Nostrorum laudes, progressus, +vicissitudinem, hostes. Imo vero, quod observes diligenter, illi +qui dissident a nobis odio capitali, Philippus, Pantaleon, +Funecius, Magdeburgici, quum se ad scribendam vel chronologiam +Ecclesiae vel historiam appulissent, nisi nostrorum gesta +colligerent, ac inimicorum Ecclesiae nostrae fraudes et scelera +coacervarent, mille quingentos annos argumento vacui +praetermitterent. + +Cum his considera peculiares certarum historiographos regionum, +qui unius acta cuiusque populi curiosius operosiusque scrutati +sunt. Ii quasi Spartam adepti, quam locupletare modis omnibus et +perpolire cuperent, qui ne convivia quidem lautiora, aut +manicatas tunicas, aut pugionum capulos, aut inaurata calcaria, +talesque minutias, si novitatem saperent, tacuere; profecto, si +quid in religione mutatum, aut a primis degeneratum saeculis +inaudissent, frequentes memorassent; si non frequentes, saltem +aliqui: si non aliqui, unus aliquis absque dubio. Nullus omnino, +neque benevolus nobis, neque malevolus, non modo quidquam tale +prodidit, sed nec significavit. + +Verbi gratia. Dant nobis adversarii, nec aliter possunt, fuisse +Romanam Ecclesiam aliquando Sanctam, Catholicam, Apostolicam: tum +quum haec a Divo Paulo promeruisset elogia:[68] "Vestra fides +annuntiatur in universo mundo: sine intermissione memoriam vestri +facio: Scio quia venien ad vos, in abundantia benedictionis +Christi veniam: Salutant vos omnes Ecclesiae Christi: Vestra enim +obedientia in omnem locum divulgata est." Tum quum ibi Paulus in +libera custodia[69] disseminaret Evangelium; tum quum in ea +quondam "Babylone coelectam Ecclesiam"[70] Petrus regeret; tum +quum ille Clemens,[71] apprime laudatus ab Apostolo,[72] sederet +ad 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 enim +saeculo nihil adhuc, praesertim Romae, digressos ab Evangelica +doctrina, 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 religio +pervasit aliena? Quas voces, quas turbas, quae lamenta +progenuit? Omnes orbe reliquo sopiti sunt, dum Roma, Roma, +inquam, nova sacramenta, novum sacrificium, novum religionis +dogma procuderet? Nullus exstitit historicus neque latinus, +neque graecus, neque remotus, neque citimus, qui rem tantam vel +obscure iaceret in commentarios? + +Ergo perspicuum hoc quidem est, si, quae nos credimus, historia +multa et varia, nuntia vetustatis, vita memoriae, loquitur ac +repetit affluenter; quae vero isti obtrudunt, nulla naratio post +homines natos in Ecclesia valuisse commeminit: et Historicos esse +meos, et incursiones adversarias esse frigidissimas, quae nihil +movere possint, nisi prius receptum sit, omnes omnium temporum +christianos in spissam perfidiam atque in gehennae voraginem +corruisse, donec Lutherus Boram constuprasset. + +OCTAVA RATIO + +PARADOXA + +Ego vero, praestantissimi viri, quum de multis haeresibus quaedam +apud me opiniosissimorum portenta reputo, quae mihi venient +expugnanda; meipsum inertiae nequitiaeque condemnem, si cuiusquam +in experiundo facultatem aut vires extimescerem. Sit ingeniosus, +sit eloquens, sit exercitatus, sit omnium librorum helluo; tamen +aridus 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, rebus +addicti necessariis, divulgant in scriptiunculis. Faxo norint +ista suorum axiomata. + +DE DEO.--"Deus est auctor et causa[75] peccati, volens, +suggerens, efficiens, iubens, operans, et in hoc impiorum +scelerata consilia gubernans. Proprium Dei opus fuit,[76] ut +vocatio Pauli, sic adulterium Davidis, Iudaeque proditoris +impietas." Monstrum hoc, cuius Philippum aliquando puduit, +Lutherus[77] tamen, a quo Philippus hauserat, quasi oraculum +coeleste miris extollit laudibus, et alumnum suum eo nomine +tantum non exaequat[78] Apostolo Paulo. Percontabor etiam, quid +animi Luthero fuerit, quem Angli[79] calviniani "virum divinitus +datum ad orbem illuminandum" pronuntiant, quum hunc versum +demeret supplicationibus Ecclesiae.[80] "Sancta Trinitas, unus +Deus, miserere nobis." + +DE CHRISTO.--Mox ad personam Christi progrediar. Quaeram ista +sibi 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 ostendit +Christum 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 animi +dotibus velut caeteri homines adolevit: usu factus quotidie +sapientior, ita ut puerulus ignorantia laborarit." Quod perinde +est, ac si dicerent originis labe et vitio sordidatum. Sed +cognoscite diriora: "Christus, quum orans in horto, sudoribus +aquae manaret et sanguinis, sensu damnationis aeternae +cohorruit:[87] vocem edidit sine ratione, sine spiritu, vocem +doloris impetu repentinam; quam, ut non satis meditatam, cleriter +castigavit." Estne aliquid amplius? Attendite: "Christus, quum +actus in crucem exclamaret:" 'Deus meus, Deus meus, ut quid +dereliquisti me?' accensus est flammis inferni,[88] desperationis +voceni emisit, non aliter affectus, quam si pereundum ei foret +internecione sempiterna." + +His etiam, si quid possunt, addant: "Christus, inquiunt,[89] +descendit ad inferos, id est, mortuus gehennam gustavit, nihilo +minus quam animae damnatorum, nisi quod sibi restituendus +erat.--Quandoquidem enim morte corporea nobis nihil +profuisset;[90] anima quoque luctari cum morte debuit aeterna, +atque hoc modo nostrum scelus suppliciumque dependere." Ac ne +quis forte suspicetur, istud Calvino per incuriam obrepsisse, +idem Calvinus:[91] "Omnes vos, si qui doctrinam istam solatii +plenam exagitastis, perditos" appellat "nebulones." Tempora, +tempora, cuiusmodi monstrum aluistis? Cruor ille delicatus et +regius, qui de innocentis Agni corpore lacerato fissoque +scaturiit, cuius cruoris una guttula propter dignitatem Hostiae +mille mundos redimere potuisset, nihil humano genet profecit, +nisi "mediator Dei et hominum (1 Tim ii. 5), homo Christus Iesus +mortem quoque secundam (Apoc. ii. 11)," mortem animae, mortem +gratiae, peccati solius et exsecrabilis blasphemiae sociam, +pertulisset? Prae hac insania modestus videbitur Bucerus, +quamquam est impudens, qui[92] infernum in symbolo sepulcrum +accipit, per epexegesim valde praeposteram, ac potius tautologiam +ineptam atque stolidam. + +Anglicani sectarii, pars Calvino, idolo suo, pars Bucero, magno +magistro, solent accedere; pars etiam submurmurant in hunc +articulum, ne quid facessat ultra molestiae, quemadmodum sine +tumultu penitus eximatur de Symbolo. Id veno etiant fuisse +tentatum in conventiculo quodam Londinensi, memini narrasse mihi, +qui interfuit, Richardum Chenaeum, miserrimum senem, male +mulctatum a latronibus foris, neque tamen ingressum in paternam +domum. Hactenus de Christo. + +DE HOMINE.--De homine[93] quid? "Imago Dei penitus in homine +deleta est, nulla boni scintilla superstite: tota natura quoad +omnes animae partes ita funditus eversa, ut ne renatus quidem et +sanctus quidquam sit aliud intrinsecus, nisi mera corruptio atque +contagio." Quorsum ista? Vt qui sola fide gloriam rapturi sunt, +in omnium turpitudinum coeno volutati, naturam accusent, virtutem +desperent, praecepta deonerent. + +DE PECCATO.--Huc Illyricus, Magdeburgensium primipilus, illud +suum adiecit immane placitum[94] de originis peccato, quod esse +vult: "Intimam substantiam animarum, quippe quas, post Adami +lapsum, diabolus ipse procreet, et in sese transformet." Hoc +quoque tritum est in hac faece: "Omnia peccata esse paria:"[95] +sed ita (ne Stoici reviviscant), "si Deo iudice ponderentur." Ac +si Deus, aequissimus iudex, oneri nostro cumulum potius, quam +levamentum faceret, et id, quod non est in re, quum sit ipse +iustissimus, exaggeraret. Hac trutina non levius in Deum +severissime iudicantem deliquerit ille caupo, qui gallum +gallinaceum, quando non est opus, occiderit, quam infamis ille +sicarius, qui plenus Beza, Gallum heroa Guisium, admiribili +virtute principem, displosa fistula interemit; quo facinore nihil +vidit orbis noster aetate nostra funestius, nihil luctuosius. + +DE GRATIA.--Sed fortasse, qui tam sunt in peccati conditione +tetrici, magnifice philosophantur de divina gratia, quae huic +malo succurrere ac mederi possit. Praeclaras vero isti partes +assignant gratiae, "quam neque infusam cordibus nostris, neque ad +resistendum sceleribus validam esse latrant, sedextra nos in solo +Dei favore[96] collocant: "qui favor non emendet impios, nec +purget, nec illuminet, nec ditet; sed veterem illam sentinam +adhuc manantem atque foetentem, ne deformis et odiosa putetur, +Deo connivente, dissimulet. Quo suo plasmate tantopere +delectantur, ut ne "Christus quidem aliter apud illos[97] gratia +plenus et veritate dicatur, quam quod ei Deus Pater mirandum in +modum faverit." + +DE IVISTITIA.--Quae res ergo iustitia est? Relatio.[98] Non enim +ex theologics concinnata virtutibus, fide, spe, charitate, quae +animam suo nitore convestiant; sed tantum "occultatio delicti, +quam qui sola fide prehenderit, ille tam de salute certus est, ac +si iampridem interminato coeli gaudio[99] frueretur." Age, +somniet hoc; sed unde constare poterit de futura perseverantia, +qua qui caruit, exivit infelicissimus, licet ad tempus pure +pieque iustitiam coluisset? Imo vero, "haec tua fides, Calvinus +ait[100], nisi tuam tibi perseverantiam firme pronuntiet, ut +hallucinari nequeas, tamquam inanis et languida sperneretur." +Agnosco discipulum Lutheri. "Christianus, inquit ille[101] etiam +volens, non potest salutem perdere, nisi nolit credere." + +DE SACRAMENTIS.--Ad Sacramenta festino. Nullum, nullum, non duo, +non unum, O Sancte Christe, reliquerant. Ipsorum quippe panis +venenum est; Baptismus etsi adhuc verus, tamen ipsorum iudicio +"nihil est, non est unda salutis, non est canalis gratiae, non +derivat in nos Christi merita; sed significatio dumtaxat salutis +est. 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 ergo +parvuli, qui nisi iuventur virtute Sacramenti, sua fide miselli +nihil assequuntur? "Potius quam Sacramento Baptismatis quidquam +tribuamus, inquiunt Magdeburgici,[103] demus inesse fidem ipsis +infantulis, qua serventur, cuius fidei pulsus quosdam abditos +intelligant" ipsi, qui vivant necne, nondum intelligunt. Durum. Si +hoc adeo durum est, Lutheri pharmacum auditote: "Praestat, +inquit,[104] omittere, quandoquidem nisi credat infans, nequidquam +lavatur." Haec illi quidem ancipites animo, quidnam enuntient +categorice. Ergo Balthassar Pacimontanus diribitor interveniat; +qui parens Anabaptistarum, quum parvulis motum fidei non posset +affingere, Lutheri cantiunculam adprobavit, et paedobaptismum +eiiciens e templis, "neminen nisi adultum fonte sacro decrevit +abluere." Ad reliqua Sacramenta quod attinet, quamvis illa bestia +multiceps horrendas eiectet contumelias, tamen quia quotidianae +iam sunt et callum auribus obduxerunt, hic praetereo. + +DE MORIBVS.--Restant haereticorum de vita et moribus frusta +nocentissima, quae Lutherus evomi in chartas, ut ex unius +pectoris impuro gurgustio pestem lectoribus inhalaret. Audite +patienter, et erubescite, et mihi date veniam recitanti: "Si +nolit uxor[105], aut non possit, veniat ancilla. Siquidem res +uxoria tam est cuique necessaria, quam esca, potus, somnus. +Matrimonium est virginitate multo praestantius; eam Christus, eam +Paulus dissuaserunt hominibus christianis." Sed haec fortasse +propria 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; Deo +propitio, leviuscula[108]--Nemo malum suapte voluntate +cogitat[109]--Decalogus nihil ad christianos[110]--Opera nostra +Deus nequaquam curat--Soli recte participant coena Dominica, qui +tristes, afflictas, perturbatas, confusas, erraticas apportant +conscientias.--Confitenda crimina sunt, sed cuilibet, qui si te +vel ioco absolverit, modo credideris, absolutus es.--Legere +preces horarias non est sacerdotum, sed laicorum--Christiani +liberi sunt a statutis hominum." Satis superque lacunam istam +commosse videor. lam finio. Nec vero putetis iniquiorem esse me, +qui lutheranos et zuinglianos promiscue coarguerim; nam isti +memores a quo proseminati sint, inter se fratres et amici volunt +esse,[111] adeoque gravem interpretantur iniuriam, quum in ulla +re praeter unam, discriminantur. + +Equidem non sum tanti, ut vel mediocrem locum mihi sumam in +selectis theologis, qui hodie bellum haeresibus indixere; sed hoc +scio, quantuluscumque sum, periclitari me non posse, dum Christi +gratia 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 valet +saepe fucata disputatio, quam schola Philosophorum exsibilat. Multa +peccat adversarius in hoc genere; sed quatuor fallacies plerumque +consuitur, quas in Academia malim, quam in trevio, retexere. + +Primum vitium [Greek: skiamachia] est, quae auras et umbras magno +contau diverberat. Hoc pacto: contra coelibes iuratos et votos in +castimoniam, quod nuptiae bonae sint, virginitas melior, +offeruntur Scripturae loquentes honorifice de coniugio. Quem +feriunt? Contra meritum hominis christiani, tinctum Christi +sanguine, alioquin nullum, promuntur testimonia, quibus iubemur, +nec naturae, nec legi, sed sanguini Christi fidere. Quem +refellunt? In eos, qui colunt Coelites, ut famulos Christi maxime +gratiosos, citantur integrae pagellae, quae vetant colere multos +Deos. Vbinam sunt? Huiusmodi argumentis, quae apud haereticos +infinita reperio, nobis esse detrimento non poterunt; vobis esse +fastidio 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 neglecta +consuetudine et mente loquentium, quae vita vocabuli est, +adversus elementa contenditur. Nempe sic aiunt: "Presbyter nihil +est 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 nos +vocaverit sacerdotes?" Etiam hoc addidit: "Regnabimus super +terram." Quorsum ergo reges? Item: "Propheta (Isai. LVIII. 6) +celebrat ieiunium spiritale, hoc est, ab inveteratis criminibus +abstinentiam. Valeat ergo ciborum delectus, et dierum +praescriptio." Siccine? Igitur insanierunt Moyses, David, Elias, +Baptistes, Apostoli, qui biduo, triduo, vel hebdomadis inediam +terminarunt; 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." Haeccine +sunt apud vos? "Quis dubitet?"--Ego vero pernego. "Consule verbum +Dei."--Iam consului, minusque vobis, quam antea, faveo. "Attamen +planum est."--Proba mihi. "Quia nos ne latum quidem unguem +discedimus a verbo Dei."--Vbi est acumen tuum? Semperne capies +pro argumento illud ipsum, quod ponitur in quaestione? Quoties +hoc iam inculco? Num tu evigilas? Num faces admovendae sunt? Dico +a te perperam exponi verbum Dei: testes habeo quindecim aetates, +sta sententiae, non meae, non tuae, sed harum omnium.--"Stabo +sententiae verbi Dei: Spiritus ubi vult, spirat." Eccum, quos +gyros, quas rotas fabricat. Hic nugator, tot verborum atque +sophismatum 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 per +eam."[113] Quis enim, quamvis hebes in plebecula, dummodo salutis +cupidus parumper attenderit, semitam Ecclesiae tam egregie +complanatam, non videat, non teneat; vepres, et cautes, et avia +detestatus? Erunt haec etiam rudibus explorata, sicut Isaias +vaticinatus est; vobis igitur, si voletis, exploratissima. + +COELITES.--Theatrum universitatis rerum ponamus ob oculos; +quidquid est uspiam peragremus; omnia nobis argumenta +suppeditant. Eamus in coelum: "Rosas[114] et lilia +contemplemur," purpuratos nempe martyrio, candidatos innocentia. +Romanos, inquam, Pontifices[115] tres et triginta continenter +occisos; Pastores terris omnibus, qui suum pro Christi nomine +sanguinem oppignerarunt; greges fidelium, qui Pastorum vestigiis +institere; Divos omnes coelites, qui turbae hominum puritate et +sanctimonia praeluxere. Nostros hic vixisse, nostros hinc +emigrasse reperias. Noster fuit, ut paucula delibemus, ille +martyrii sitientissimus Ignatius[116] "qui in rebus Ecclesiae +neminem, ne regen[117] quidem, aequavit Episcopo: qui +traditiones[118] quasdam Apostolicas, quarum testis ipse fuerat, +ne dilaberentur, scripto mandavit." Noster anachoreta +Telesphorus,[119] "qui ieiunium quadragesimale, sancitum ab +Apostolis, observari severius iussit." Noster Irenaeus,[120] +"qui a successione Cathedraque Romana fidem Apostolicam +declaravit." Noster etiam Victor Pontifex, "qui[121] Asiam +edicto coercuit universam:" quod quum aliquibus, atque etiam +huic Irenaeo, viro sacratissimo, videretur asperius, nemo tamen +attenuavit, ut exoticam potestatem. Noster Polycarpus,[122] qui +super quaestione Paschatis Romam adiit, cuius ambustas reliquias +Smyrna collegit, anniversario die rituque legitimo suum +Episcopum venerata. Nostri Cornelius et Cyprianus,[123] aureum +par Martyrum, ambo magni praesules; sed maior ille, qui Romanus +Africanum errorem resciderat; hic nobilitatus observantia, qua +maiorem est prosequutus, amicissimum sui. Noster Sixtus,[124] +"cui ad aram solemnibus sacris operanti ministrarunt e clero +septemviri." Noster Laurentius, huius Archidiaconus,[125] quem +adversarii de suis fastis eiiciunt, quem ante mille ducentos +annos 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; quae +decretam pudicitiam adversus et hominum et daemonum tyrannidem +firmaverunt. Nostra Helena, quam dominicae Crucis inventio +celebravit. Nostra Monica, quae moriens[129] orari et +sacrificari pro se mortua ad altare Christi, religiosissime +flagitavit. Nostra Paula,[129] quae ex urbano palatio et opimis +praediis in speluncam Bethleemiticam tantis itineribus peregrina +cucurrit, ut ad Christi vagientis cunabula delitesceret. Nostri +Paulus, Hilarion, Antonius, seniculi solitarii. Noster +Satyrus,[130] Ambrosii germanus frater, qui tremendam illam +hostiam circum se gestans in orario, naufragus insiliit in +Oceanum, et fide plenissimus enatavit. Nostri Nicolaus et +Martinus, 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 ex +abundanti veterum historia, sed multo etiam magis ex gravissimis +auctoribus, qui paene singuli Divos singulos memoriae[131] +reliquerunt. Renuntiet mihi, de christianis illis antiquissimis +et beatissimis quid autumet? Vtrius doctrinae fuerint, +catholicae, an lutheranae? Testor Dei solium et illud tribunal, +ad quod stabo rationem rationum harum et dicti et facti +redditurus, aut nullum coelum esse, aut nostrorum esse; illud +exsecramur, hoc ergo defigimus. + +DAMNATI.-Nunc e contrario, si libet, inspiciamus in Tartara. +Cremantur incendio sempiterno. Qui? Iudaei. Quam Ecclesiam +adversati? Nostram.--Qui? Ethnici. Quam Ecclesiam crudelissime +persequuti? Nostram.--Qui? Turcae. Quae templa demoliti? +Nostra.--Qui? Haeretici. Cuius Ecclesiae perduelles? +Nostrae.--Quae enim Ecclesia praeter nostram omnibus inferorum +portis[132] se opposuit? + +IVDAEI.--Quum, pulsis Hebraeis, Christiani[133] succrescerent +Hierosolymis, Deum immortalem! qui concursus hominum ad loca +sacra fuit,[134] quae urbis religio, quae sepulcri, quae +praesepii, quae crucis, quae monumentorum omnium, quibus velut +exuviis mariti, Ecclesia sponsa delectatur? Hinc manavit in nos +Iudaeorum odium ferum et implacabile. Queruntur etiam nunc, +maiores nostros maioribus suis exitio fuisse. A Simone Mago et +lutheranis nullum ictum acceperunt. + +ETHNICI.--In Ethnicis violentissimi fuere, qui toto Imperio, +trecentis annis, per intervalla temporum, aerumnosissima +Christianis supplicia machinati sunt. Quibus? Patribus et filiis +nostrae fidei. Cognoscite vocem tyranni, qui Divum Laurentium +torruit 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 argenteos +calices, et sumptuosa donaria, et opulentam gazam invidet? +Profecto lutherizat. Quod enim aliud velum suo latrocinio +nostri Nemrodes[136] obtenderunt, quum depecularentur +ecclesias, et Christi patrimonium dissiparent? Contra vero +magnus ille Constantinus Christomastigon terror, quam Eeclesiam +tranquillavit? Illam, cui Pontifex Sylvester praefuit,[137] +quem in Soracte latitantem accersiit, ut eius opera nostro +baptismate tingeretur.--Quibus auspiciis victor? Signo +crucis.[138]--Qua matre gloriosus? Helena.--Quibus se patribus +adiunxit? Nicaenis.--Cuiusmodi? Vt Sylvestro, ut Marco, ut +Iulio, 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 his +duobus altero nobis infestissimo, altero nobis amicissimo, +licebit singula coniicere, quae sunt horum simillima. Etenim, +ut nostrorum illa fuit Epistasis turbulenta, sic nostrorum haec +evasit divina Catastrophe. + +TVRCAE.-Turcica videamus. Mahometes et Sergius monachus apostata +in profundo barathro iacent ululantes, et suis et posterorum +sceleribus onusti. Haec portentosa et efferata bellua, +Sarraceni, Turcae, nisi a nostris ordinibus militiae +sacrae,[141] nisi a nostris principibus et populis accisa +fuisset ac repressa, per Lutherum quidem, (cui gratias hoc +nomine Solymanus Turcus litteris egisse dicitur), et per +lutheranos regulos (quibus Turcorum progressio laetabilis +existimatur); haec, inquam, Erinnys furiosa et exitiosa +mortalibus, totam iam depopularetur et vastaret Europam; neque +indiligentius altaria et signa crucis, quam ipse Calvinus +everteret. Ergo nostri hostes illi sunt proprii, utpote +nostrorum industria a christianorum iugulis repulsi. + +HAERETICI.--Despectemus in haereticos, faeces, et folles, et +alimenta 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 et +chrismatis."[145] Deinde Manes Persa: hic docebat "baptismum +salutem[146] non conferre." Post Aerius Arianus "preces damnabat +pro mortuis,[147] confundebat episcopis sacerdotes." Hinc Aerius +"solam[148] et ipse fidem personabat," cognominatus atheos[149] +non minus quam Lucianus. Sequitur Vigilantius,[150] qui "Divos +orari non ferebat:" ac Iovinianus, qui "virginitatem et nuptias +aequiparabat." Denique colluvies universa Macedonius, Pelagius, +Nestorius, Entyches, Monothelitae, Iconomachi, caeteri, quibus +Lutherum et Calvinum posteritas aggregabit. Quid isti? Omnes mali +corvi, eodem ovo geniti, ab Ecclesiae nostrae Praesulibus +desciverunt, ab illis evicti et exinaniti sunt. + +Deseramus avernum, reddamur terris. Quocumque me oculis et +cogitatione convertero, sive Patriarchas intueor et sedes +Apostolicas, sive Antistites caeterarum gentium, sive laudatos +principes, reges, caesares, sive christianorum cuiusque nationis +initia, sive ullum iudicium vetustatis, aut lumen rationis, aut +honestatis decus; nostrae fidei serviunt et suffragantur omnia. + +SEDES APOSTOLICA.--Testis Romana successio, "In qua semper +Ecclesia, (ut cum Augustino ep. 162 loquar), Apostolicae +Cathedrae viguit principatus." Testes illae reliquae sedes +apostolicae, in quas hoc nomen insignite convenit, quod ab ipsis +Apostolis horumve auditoribus exaedificatae[151] fuerint. + +DISIVNCTTISSIMAE TERRAE.--Testes ubivis gentium pastores, loco +dissiti, 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, vel +fragmenta supersunt eorum, qui disiunctissimis terris Evangelium +severunt, omnia nobis unam fidem exhibent, quam hodie catholici +profitemur. Christe, quid causae tibi afferam, quo minus me de +tuis extermines, si tot luminibus Ecclesiae tenebricosos homulos, +paucos, indoctos, dissectos, improbos, antetulero? + +PRINCIPES.--Testes item principes, reges, caesares, horumque +respublicae, quorum et ipsorum pietas, et ditionum populi, et +pacis bellique disciplina, se penitus in hac nostra doctrina +catholica fundaverunt. Hic ergo quos ab oriente Theodosios, quos +ab occidente Carolos, quos Eduardos ex Anglia, Ludovicos e +Gallia, Hermenegildos ex Hispania, Henricos a Saxonia, Wenceslaos +e Bohemia, Leopoldos ex Austria, Stephanos ex Hungaria, +Iosaphatos ex India, quos orbe toto dynastas atque toparchas +possim arcessere; qui exemplo, qui armis qui legibus, qui +sollicitudine, qui sumptu, nostram Ecclesiam nutrierunt? Sic enim +praecinuit Isaias (xlix. 23): "Erunt reges nutricii tui, et +reginae iutrices tuae." Audi, Elisabetha, Regina potentissima, +tibi canit, te tuas partes edocet. Narro tibi: Calvinum et hos +principes unum coelum capere non potest. His ergo te principibus +adiunge, dignam maioribus, dignam ingenio, dignam litteris, +dignam laudibus, dignam fortuna tua. Solum hoc de te molior ego +et 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 plagaeque +mundi, quibus evangelica tuba post Christum natum insonuit. +Parumne hoc fuit, idolis ora claudere, Dei regnum gentibus +importare? Christum Lutherus, catholici Christum loquimur. "Num +divisus est Christus?"[152] Minime. Aut nos, aut ille, falsum +Christum loquimur. Quid ergo? Dicam. Christus ille sit, et +illorum sit, quo Dagon[153] invecto cervices fregerit. Noster +Christus opera nostrorum uti voluit, quum Ioves, Mercurios, +Dianas, Phaebadas, et illam noctem saeculorum atram, Erebumque +tristem, e tot populorum cordibus relegaret. Non est otium +longinqua perquirere; finitima tantum atque domestica speculemur. +Hiberni ex Patritio, Scoti ex Palladio, Angli ex Augustino, Romae +sacratis, Roma missis, Romam venerantibus, fidem aut nullam aut +certe nostram, id est, catholicam insuxerunt. Res aperta. Curro. + +CVMVLVS TESTIVM.--Testes academiae, testes legum tabulae, testes +vernaculi mores hominum, testes selectio caesarum et inauguratio, +testes regum ritus et inunctio, testes equitum ordines, ipsaeque +chlamydes, testes fenestrae, testes nummi, testes urbanae portae +domusque civicae, testes avorum fructus et vita, testes res omnes +et reculae, nullam in orbe religionem, nisi nostram, imis umquam +radicibus insedisse. + +Quae mihi quum suppeterent, et certe sic efficerent meditantem, +ut his omnibus nuntium remittere christianis, et consociari cum +perditissimis quibusque, videretur insolentis insaniae; non +diffiteor, animatus sum et incensus ad conflictum, in quo nisi +Divi de coelo deturbentur, et superbus Lucifer coelum recuperet, +cadere numquam potero. Quo mihi sit aequior Charcus, qui me tam +immaniter concerpit, si hanc animulam peccatricem, quam tanti +Christus emit, viae tutae, viae certae, viae regiae malui +credere, quam Calvinis scopulis dumetisve suspendere. + +CONCLVSIO + +Habetis a me, florentes Academici, hoc munusculum, contextum +operis in itinere subcisivis. Animus fuit et purgare me vobis de +arrogantia, et satisfacere de fiducia, et interim dum ab +adversariis una mecum in scholas invitemini, quaedam apponere +degustanda. Si aequam, si tutum, si honestum ducitis, haberi +Lutherum, aut Calvinum, canonem Scripturae, mentem sancti +Spiritus, normam Ecclesiae, Conciliorum Patrumque paedagogum, +omnium denique testium et saeculorum Deum, nihil est quod +sperem, vobis lectoribus vel auditoribus. Sin estis ii, quos +apud animum formavi meum, philosophi occulati, amatores veri, +simplicitatis, modestiae; hostes temeritatis, nugarum, +sophismatum; facile diem in aprico videbitis, qui dieculam +angusta rima dispicitis. Dicam libere, quod meus in vos amor, et +vestrum periculum et rei magnitudo postulat. Non hoc nescit +diabolus, vos istam lucem, si quando coeperitis oculos attolere, +conspecturos. Cuius enim stuporis fuerit, antiquitati +christianae Hammeros et Charcos anteponere? Sed sunt quaedam +illecebrae lutheranae, quibus suum ille regnum amplificat, +quibus ille tendiculis hamatus multos iani vestri ordinis +inescavit. 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; lautus +est, qui satiabit, speciosus est, qui felicitatum omnium cumulos +largietur. Huic vos adscribite militanti, ut cum eo triumphos, +vere doctissimi vereque clarissimi, reportetis. Valete. +Cosmopoli 1581. + +[Footnote 1: A Beato Edmundo anglice scripta, ab alio +latine 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.;. 1 +Cor. 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. de +divers. 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 De +doctr. 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. 23 +et 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. 36 +et 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. duas +in 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.; Aepinus +comm. in Ps. 16.] + +[Footnote 90: Calv. Inst. l. 2, c. 16, n. 10, 11; Brent. in +catech, 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 Hesbusium +in ep. ad Illyr.] + +[Footnote 95: Calv. in antidot. Conc. Trid.--Idem docuerat +Wiclef. 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.; in +asser. 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 de +doctr. 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 illuminated +copy of _theses_, the call of a knight's trumpet challenging his +antagonist to come forth. The Ten Reasons represent the ten +_theses_, which Edmund Campion would fain have maintained in the +Divinity School at Oxford against all comers, sharing, as he did +to the full, the passion which his age felt and seems entirely to +have lost, for such intellectual tournaments, as the natural +means to bring out the truth and compose religious differences. +The reader, then, must not be surprised to find in this little +work quite as much of rhetoric as of logic; if he is unfriendly, +he may say considerably more. Nor, if he knows anything of the +controversial methods of the sixteenth century, will he be +surprised at the vehemence of the language. Compared with his +opponents, Luther for example, Edmund Campion is mere milk and +honey. His book made a great stir: it is what a successful book +must be, instinct with the spirit of the age in which and for +which it was written. + +The Protestant answer to the Ten Reasons was not given in the +Divinity School at Oxford. It was the rack in the Tower, and the +gibbet 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 of +Oxford and Cambridge, Greeting._ + +Last year, Gentlemen, when in accordance with my calling in life +I returned under orders to this Island, I found on the shore of +England not a little wilder waves than those I had recently left +behind the in the British Seas. As thereupon I made my way into +the interior of England, I had no more familiar sight than that +of unusual executions, no greater certainty than the uncertainty +of threatening dangers. I gathered my wits together as best I +could, remembering the cause which I was serving and the times in +which I lived. And lest I might perhaps be arrested before I had +got 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 of +declaring and upon whom. I kept the original document on my +person, that it might be taken with me, if I were taken. I +deposited a copy with a friend, and this copy, without my +knowledge, was shown to many. Adversaries took very ill the +publication of the paper. What they particularly disliked and +blamed was my having offered to hold the field alone against all +comers in this matter of religion, though to be sure I should not +have been alone had I disputed under a public safe conduct. +Hanmer and Chartres have replied to my demands. What is the +tenour of their reply? All off the point. The only honest answer +for them to give is one they will never give: "We embrace the +conditions, the Queen pledges her word, come at once." Meanwhile +they fill the air with their cries: "Your conspiracy! your +seditious proceedings! your arrogance! traitor! aye marry, +traitor!" The whole thing is absurd. These men are not fools: why +are they wasting their pains and damaging their own reputation? +Nevertheless, in reply to these two gentlemen (one of whom has +chosen my paper to run at for his amusement, the other more +maliciously has confused the whole issue) there has recently been +presented a very clear memorial setting forth all that need be +said about our Society and their calumnies and the part that we +are taking. The only course left open to me (since as I see, it +is tortures, not academic disputations, that the high-priests are +making ready) was to make good to you the account of my conduct; +to show you the chief heads and point my finger to the sources +from whence I derive this confidence; to exhort you also, as it +is your concern above others, to give to this business that +attention which Christ, the Church, the Common Weal, and your own +salvation demand of you. If it were confidence in my own talents, +erudition, art, reading, memory, that led me to challenge all the +skill that could be brought against me, then were I the vainest +and proudest of mortals, not having considered either myself or +my opponents. But if, with my cause before my eyes, I thought +myself competent to show that the sun here shines at noon-day, +you ought to allow in me that heat which the honour of Jesus +Christ, my King, and the unconquered force of truth have put upon +me. You know how in Marcus Tullius's speech for Publius Quintius, +when Roscius promised that he should win the case if he could +make out by arguments that a journey of 700 miles had not been +accomplished in two days, Cicero not only had no fear of all the +force of the pleading of the opposing counsel, Hortensius, but +could not have been afraid even of greater orators than +Hortensius, men of the stamp of Cotta and Antonius and Crassus, +whose reputation for speaking he set higher than that of all +other men: for truth does sometimes stand out in so clear a light +that no artifice of word or deed can hide it. Now the case on our +side is clearer even than that position of Roscius. I have only +to evince this, that there is a Heaven, that there is a God, that +there is a Faith, that there is a Christ, and I have gained my +cause. Standing on such ground should I not pluck up heart? I may +be killed, beaten I cannot be. I take my stand on those Doctors, +whom that Spirit has instructed who is neither deceived nor +overcome. I beg of you, consent to be saved. Of those from whom I +obtain this consent I expect without the least doubt that all the +rest will follow. Only give yourselves up to take interest in +this inquiry, entreat Christ, add efforts of your own, and +certainly you will perceive how the case lies, how our +adversaries are in despair, and ourselves so solidly founded that +we cannot but desire this conflict with serene and high courage. +I am brief here, because I address you in the rest of my +discourse. Farewell. + +FIRST REASON + +HOLY WRIT + +Of the many signs that tell of the adversaries' mistrust of their +own cause, none declares it so loudly as the shameful outrage +they put upon the majesty of the Holy Bible. After they have +dismissed with scorn the utterances and suffrages of the rest of +the witnesses, they are nevertheless brought to such straits that +they cannot hold their own otherwise than by laying violent hands +on the divine volumes themselves, thereby showing beyond all +question that they are brought to their last stand, and are +having recourse to the hardest and most extreme of expedients to +retrieve their desperate and ruined fortunes. What induced the +Manichees to tear out the Gospel of Matthew and the Acts of the +Apostles? Despair. For these volumes were a torment to men who +denied Christ's birth of a Virgin, and who pretended that the +Spirit then first descended upon Christians when their peculiar +Paraclete, a good-for-nothing Persian, made his appearance. What +induced the Ebionites to reject all St. Paul's Epistles? Despair. +For while those Letters kept their credit, the custom of +circumcision, which these men had reintroduced, was set aside as +an anachronism. What induced that crime-laden apostate Luther to +call the Epistle of James contentious, turgid, arid, a thing of +straw, and unworthy of the Apostolic spirit? Despair. For by this +writing the wretched man's argument of righteousness consisting +in faith alone was stabbed through and rent assunder. What +induced Luther's whelps to expunge off-hand from the genuine +canon of Scripture, Tobias, Ecclesiasticus, Maccabees, and, for +hatred of these, several other books involved in the same false +charge? Despair. For by these Oracles they are most manifestly +confuted whenever they argue about the patronage of Angels, about +free will, about the faithful departed, about the intercession of +Saints. 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 declaring +that they would settle their disputes by the written word of God +alone, to think that they should have emasculated that same Word, +which alone was left, by cutting out of the whole body so many +excellent and goodly parts! Seven whole books, to ignore lesser +diminutions, have the Calvinists cut out of the Old Testament. +The Lutherans take away the Epistle of James besides, and, in +their dislike of that, five other Epistles, about which there had +been controversy of old in certain places and times. To the +number of these the latest authorities at Geneva add the book of +Esther and about three chapters of Daniel, which their +fellow-disciples, the Anabaptists, had some time before condemned +and derided. How much greater was the modesty of Augustine (_De +doct. Christ. lib._ 2, _c._ 8.), who, in making his catalogue of +the Sacred Books, did not take for his rule the Hebrew Alphabet, +like the Jews, nor private judgment, like the Sectaries, but that +Spirit wherewith Christ animates the whole Church. The Church, +the guardian of this treasure, not its mistress (as heretics +falsely make out), vindicated publicly in former times by very +ancient Councils this entire treasure, which the Council of Trent +has taken up and embraced. Augustine also in a special discussion +on one small portion of Scripture cannot bring himself to think +that any man's rash murmuring should be permitted to thrust out +of the Canon the book of Wisdom, which even in his time had +obtained a sure place as a well-authenticated and Canonical book +in the reckoning of the Church, the judgment of ages, the +testimony of ancients, and the sense of the faithful. What would +he say now if he were alive on earth, and saw men like Luther and +Calvin manufacturing Bibles, filing down Old and New Testament +with a neat pretty little file of their own, setting aside, not +the book of wisdom alone, but with it very many others from the +list of Canonical Books? Thus whatever does not come out from +their shop, by a mad decree, is liable to be, spat upon by all as +a rude and barbarous composition. They who have stooped to this +dire and execrable way of saving themselves surely are beaten, +overthrown, and flung rolling in the dust, for all their fine +praises that are in the mouths of their admirers, for all their +traffic in priesthoods, for all their bawling in pulpits, for all +their sentencing of Catholics to chains, rack and gallows. Seated +in their armchairs as censors, as though any one had elected them +to that office, they seize their pens and mark passages as +spurious even in God's own Holy Writ, putting their pens through +whatever they cannot stomach. Can any fairly educated man be +afraid of battalions of such enemies? If in the midst of your +learned body they had recourse to such trickster's arts, calling +like wizards upon their familiar spirit, you would shout at +them,--you would stamp your feet at them. For instance I would +ask them what right they have to rend and mutilate the body of +the Bible. They would answer that they do not cut out true +Scriptures, but prune away supposititious accretions. By +authority of what judge? By the Holy Ghost. This is the answer +prescribed by Calvin (_Instit. lib._ I, _c._ 7), for escaping +this judgment of the Church whereby spirits of prophesy are +examined. Why then do some of you tear out one piece of +Scripture, and others another, whereas you all boast of being led +by the same Spirit? The Spirit of the Calvinists receives six +Epistles which do not please the Lutheran Spirit, both all the +while in full confidence reposing on the Holy Ghost. The +Anabaptists call the book of Job a fable, intermixed with tragedy +and comedy. How do they know? The Spirit has taught them. Whereas +the Song of Solomon is admired by Catholics as a paradise of the +soul, a hidden manna, and rich delight in Christ, Castalio, a +lewd rogue, has reckoned it nothing better than a love-song about +a mistress, and an amorous conversation with Court flunkeys. +Whence drew he that intimation? From the Spirit. In the +Apocalypse of John, every jot and tittle of which Jerane declares +to bear some lofty and magnificent meaning, Luther and Brent and +Kemnitz, critics hard to please, find something wanting, and are +inclined to throw over the whole book. Whom have they consulted? +The Spirit. Luther with preposterous heat pits the Four Gospels +one against another (_Praef. in Nov. Test._), and far prefers +Paul's Epistles to the first three, while he declares the Gospel +of St. John above the rest to be beautiful, true, and worthy of +mention in the first place,--thereby enrolling even the Apostles, +so far as in him lay, as having a hand in his quarrels. Who +taught him to do that? The Spirit. Nay this imp of a friar has +not hesitated in petulant style to assail Luke's Gospel because +therein good and virtuous works are frequently commended to us. +Whom did he consult? The Spirit. Theodore Beza has dared to carp +at, as a corruption and perversion of the original, that mystical +word from the twenty-second chapter of Luke, _this is the +chalice, the new testament in my blood, which_ (chalice) _shall +be shed for you_ [Greek: potaerion ekchunomenon], because this +language admits of no explanation other than that of the wine in +the chalice being converted into the true blood of Christ. Who +pointed that out? The Spirit. In short, in believing all things +every man in the faith of his own spirit, they horribly belie and +blaspheme the name of the Holy Ghost. So acting, do they not give +themselves away? are they not easily refuted? In an assembly of +learned men, such as yours, Gentlemen of the University, are they +not caught and throttled without trouble? Should I be afraid on +behalf of the Catholic faith to dispute with these men, who have +handled with the utmost ill faith not human but heavenly +utterances? I say nothing here of their perverse versions of +Scripture, though I could accuse them in this respect of +intolerable doings. I will not take the bread out of the mouth of +that great linguist, my fellow-Collegian, Gregory Martin, who +will do this work with more learning and abundance of detail than +I could; nor from others whom I understand already to have that +task in hand. More wicked and more abominable is the crime that I +am now prosecuting, that there have been found upstart Doctors +who have made a drunken onslaught on the handwriting that is of +heaven; who have given judgment against it as being in many +places defiled, defective, false, surreptitious; who have +corrected some passages, tampered with others; torn out others; +who have converted every bulwark wherewith it was guarded into +Lutheran "spirits," what I may call phantom ramparts and parted +walls. All this they have done that they might not be utterly +dumbfounded by falling upon Scripture texts contrary to their +errors, texts which they would have found it as hard to get over +as to swallow hot ashes or chew stones. This then has been my +First Reason, a strong and a just one. By revealing the shadowy +and broken powers of the adverse faction, it has certainly given +new courage to a Christian man, not unversed in these studies, to +fight for the Letters Patent of the Eternal King against the +remnant of a routed foe. + +SECOND REASON + +THE SENSE OF HOLY WRIT + +Another thing to incite me to the encounter, and to disparage in +my eyes the poor forces of the enemy, is the habit of mind which +they continually display in their exposition of the Scriptures, +full of deceit, void of wisdom. As philosophers, you would seize +these points at once. Therefore I have desired to have you for my +audience. Suppose, for example, we ask our adversaries on what +ground they have concocted that novel and sectarian opinion which +banishes Christ from the Mystic Supper. If they name the Gospel, +we meet them promptly. On our side are the words, _this is my +body, this is my blood._ This language seemed to Luther himself +so 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 open +context, and gave in to it (_Luther, epistol. ad Argent._), and +confessed Christ truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament no less +unwillingly than the demons of old, overcome by His miracles, +cried aloud that He was Christ, the Son of God. Well then, the +written text gives us the advantage: the dispute now turns on the +sense of what is written. Let us examine this from the words in +the context, _my body which is given for you, my blood which hall +be shed for many_. Still the explanation on Calvin's side is most +hard, 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, the +clauses, the whole sentence reverently repeat living bread, +signal miracle, heavenly food, flesh, body, blood. There is +nothing enigmatical, nothing befogged with a mist of words. Still +our adversaries hold on and make no end of altercation. What are +we to do? I presume, Antiquity should be heard; and what we, two +parties suspect of one another, cannot settle, let it be settled +by the decision of venerable ancient men of all past ages, as +being nearer Christ and further removed from this contention. +They cannot stand that, they protest that they are being +betrayed, they appeal to the word of God pure and simple, they +turn away from the comments of men. Treacherous and fatuous +excuse. We urge the word of God, they darken the meaning of it. +We appeal to the witness of the Saints as interpreters, they +withstand them. In short their position is that there shall be no +trial, unless you stand by the judgment of the accused party. And +so they behave in every controversy which we start. On infused +grace, on inherent justice, on the visible Church, on the +necessity of Baptism, on Sacraments and Sacrifice, on the merits +of the good, on hope and fear, on the difference of guilt in +sins, on the authority of Peter, on the keys, on vows, on the +evangelical counsels, on other such points, we Catholics have +cited and discussed Scripture texts not a few, and of much +weight, everywhere in books, in meetings, in churches, in the +Divinity School: they have eluded them. We have brought to bear +upon them the _scholia_ of the ancients, Greek and Latin: they +have refused them. What then is their refuge? Doctor Martin +Luther, or else Philip (Melancthon), or anyhow Zwingle, or beyond +doubt Calvin and Besa have faithfully laid down the facts. Can I +suppose any of you to be so dull of sense as not to perceive this +artifice when he is told of it? Wherefore I must confess how +earnestly I long for the University Schools as a place where, +with you looking on, I could call those carpet-knights out of +their delicious retreats into the heat and dust of action, and +break their power, not by any strength of my own,--for I am not +comparable, not one per cent., with the rest of our people;--but +by 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 of +falsehood. He was well aware that in the Scriptures, as well of +Prophets as of Apostles, everywhere there is made honourable +mention of the Church: that it is called the holy city, the +fruitful vine, the high mountain, the straight way, the only +dove, the kingdom of heaven, the spouse and body of Christ, the +ground of truth, the multitude to whom the Spirit has been +promised and into whom He breathes all truths that make for +salvation; her on whom, taken as a whole, the devil's jaws are +never to inflict a deadly bite; her against whom whoever rebels, +however much he preach Christ with his mouth, has no more hold on +Christ than the publican or the heathen. Such a loud +pronouncement he dared not gainsay; he would not seem rebellious +against a Church of which the Scriptures make such frequent +mention: so he cunningly kept the name, while by his definition +he utterly abolished the thing, He has depicted the Church with +such properties as altogether hide her away, and leave her open +to the secret gaze of a very few men, as though she were removed +from the senses, like a Platonic Idea. They only could discern +her, who by a singular inspiration had got the faculty of +grasping with their intelligence this aerial body, and with keen +eye regarding the members of such a company. + +What has become of candour and straightforwardness? What +Scripture texts or Scripture meanings or authorities of Fathers +thus portray the Church? There are letters of Christ to the +Asiatic Churches (Apoc. i. 3), letters of Peter, Paul, John, and +others to various Churches; frequent mention in the Acts of the +Apostles of the origin and spread of Churches. What of these +Churches? Were they visible to God alone and holy men, or to +Christians of every rank and degree? But, doubtless, necessity +is a hard weapon. Pardon these subterfuges. Throughout the whole +course of fifteen centuries these men find neither town, village +nor household professing their doctrine, until an unhappy monk +by an incestuous marriage had deflowered a virgin vowed to God, +or a Swiss gladiator had conspired against his country, or a +branded runaway had occupied Geneva. These people, if they want +to have a Church at all, are compelled to crack up a Church all +hidden away; and to claim parents whom they themselves have +never known, and no mortal has ever set eyes on, Perhaps they +glory in the ancestry of men whom every one knows to have been +heretics, such as Aerius, Jovinianus, Vigilantius, Helvidius, +Berengarius, the Waldenses, the Lollards, Wycliffe, Huss, of +whom they have begged sundry poisonous fragments of dogmas. +Wonder not that I have no fear of their empty talk: once I can +meet them in the noon-day, I shall have no trouble in dispelling +such vapourings. Our conversation with them would take this +line. Tell me, do you subscribe to the Church which flourished +in bygone ages? Certainly. Let us traverse, then, different +countries and periods. What Church? The assembly of the +faithful. What faithful? Their names are unknown, but it is +certain that there have been many of them. Certain? to whom is +it certain? To God Who says so! We, who have been taught of +God--stuff and nonsense, how am I to believe it? If you had the +fire of faith in you, you would know it as well as you know you +are alive. Let in as spectators, could you withhold your +laughter? To think that all Christians should be bidden to join +the Church; to beware of being cut down by the spiritual sword; +to keep peace in the house of God; to trust their soul to the +Church as to the pillar of truth; to lay all their complaints +before the Church; to hold for heathen all who are cast out of +the Church; and that nevertheless so many men for so many +centuries should not know where the Church is or who belong to +it! This much only they prate in the darkness, that wherever the +Church is, only Saints and persons destined for heaven are +contained in it. Hence it follows that whoever wishes to +withdraw himself from the authority of his ecclesiastical +superior has only to persuade himself that the priest has fallen +into sin and is quite cut off from the Church. Knowing as I did +that the adversaries were inventing these fictions, contrary to +the customary sense of the Churches in all ages, and that, +having lost the whole substance, they still wished in their +difficulties to retain the name, I took comfort in the thought +of your sagacity, and so promised myself that, as soon as ever +you had cognisance of such artifices by their own confession, +you would at once like men of mark and intelligence rend asunder +the 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 the +gathering of a Council of Apostles and elders. The Children +believed their parents, the sheep their shepherds, commanding in +their words, _It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us_ +(Acts xv). There followed for the extirpation of various heresies +in various several ages, four Oecumenical Councils of the +ancients, the doctrine whereof was so well established that a +thousand years ago (see St. Gregory the Great's Epistles, lib. i. +cap. 24) singular honour was paid to it as to an utterance of +God. I will travel no further abroad. Even in our home, in +Parliament (ann. 1 Elisabeth), the same Councils keep their +former right and their dignity inviolate. These I will cite, and +I will call thee, England, my sweet country, to witness. If, as +thou professest, thou wilt reverence these four Councils, thou +shalt give chief honour to the Bishop of the first See, that is +to Peter: thou shalt recognise on the altar the unbloody +sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ: thou shalt beseech the +blessed martyrs and all the saints to intercede with Christ on +thy behalf: thou shalt restrain womanish apostates from unnatural +vice and public incest: thou shalt do many things that thou art +undoing, and wish undone much that thou art doing. Furthermore, I +promise and undertake to show, when opportunity offers, that the +Synods of other ages, and notably the Synod of Trent, have been +of the same authority and credence as the first. Armed therefore +with the strong and choice support of all the Councils, why +should I not enter into this arena with calmness and presence of +mind, watchful to keep an eye on my adversary and see on what +point he will show himself? I will produce testimonies most +evident that he cannot wrest aside. Possibly he will take to +scolding, and endeavour to talk against time, but he will not +elude the eyes and ears of men who will watch him hard, as you +will do, if you are the men I take you for. But if there shall be +any one found so stark mad as to set his single self up as a +match for the senators of the world, men whose greatness, +holiness, learning and antiquity is beyond all exception, I shall +be glad to look upon that face of impudence; and when I have +shown it to you, I will leave the rest to your own thoughts. +Meanwhile I will say thus much: The man who refuses consideration +and weight to a Plenary Council, brought to a conclusion in due +and orderly fashion, seems to me witless, brainless, a dullard in +theology, and a fool in politics. If ever the Spirit of God has +shone upon the Church, then surely is the time for the sending of +divine aid, when the most manifest religiousness, ripeness of +judgment, science, wisdom, dignity of all the Churches on earth +have flocked together in one city, and with employment of all +means, divine and human, for the investigation of truth, implore +the promised Spirit that they may make wholesome and prudent +decrees. Let there now leap to the front some mannikin master of +an heretical faction, let him arch his eyebrows, turn up his +nose, rub his forehead, and scurrilously take upon himself to +judge his judges, what sport, what ridicule will he excite! There +was found a Luther to say that he preferred to Councils the +opinions of two godly and learned men (say his own and Philip +Melanchthon's) when they agreed in the name of Christ. Oh what +quackery! There was found a Kemnitz to try the Council of Trent +by the standard of his own rude and giddy humour. What gained he +thereby? Infamy. While he, unless he takes care, shall be buried +with Arius, the Synod of Trent, the older it grows, shall +flourish the more, day by day, and year by year. Good God! what +variety of nations, what a choice assembly of Bishops of the +whole world, what a splendid representation of Kings and +Commonwealths, what a quintessence of theologians, what sanctity, +what tears, what fears, what flowers of Universities, what +tongues, what subtlety, what labour, what infinite reading, what +wealth of virtues and of studies filled that august sanctuary! I +have myself heard Bishops, eminent and prudent men,--and among +them Antony, Archbishop of Prague, by whom I was made +Priest,--exulting that they had attended such a school for some +years; so that, much as they owed to Kaiser Ferdinand, they +considered that he had shown them no more royal and abundant +bounty than this of sending them to sit in that Academy of Trent +as Legates from Bohemia. The Kaiser understood this, and on their +return he welcomed them with the words, "We have kept you at a +good school." Invited as our adversaries have been under a safe +conduct, why have they not hastened thither, publicly to refute +those against whom they go on quacking like frogs from their +holes? "They broke their promise to Huss and Jerome," is their +reply. Who broke it? "The Fathers of the Council of Constance." +It is false; they never gave any promise. But anyhow, not even +Huss would have been punished had not the perfidious and +pestilent fellow been brought back from that flight which the +Emperor Sigusmund had forbidden him under pain of death; had he +not violated the conditions which he had agreed to in writing +with the Kaiser and thereby nullified all the value of that +safe-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, he +despised the prerogative of the Council, and sought his +safe-conduct of the Kaiser. Caesar signed it; the Christian +world, greater than Caesar, cancelled the signature. The +heresiarch refused to return to a sound mind, and so perished. As +for Jerome of Prague, he came to Constance protected by no one; +he was detected and arraigned; he spoke in his own behalf, was +treated very kindly, went free whither he would; he was healed, +abjured his heresy, relapsed, and was burnt. Why do they so often +drag out one case in a thousand? Let them read their own annals. +Martin Luther himself, that abomination of God and men, was put +in court at Augsburg before Cardinal Cajetan: there did he not +belch out all he could, and then depart in safety, fortified with +a letter of Maximilian? Likewise, when he was summoned to Worms, +and had against him the Kaiser and most of the Princes of the +Empire, was he not safe under the protection of the Kaiser's +word? Lastly, at the Diet of Augsburg, in presence of Charles V., +an enemy of heretics, flushed with victory, master of the +situation, 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 Trent +provided most ample safe-guards for the adversary; he would not +take advantage of them. The fact is, he airs his condition in +corners, where he expects to figure as a sage by coming out with +three words of Greek: he shrinks from the light, which should +place him in the number of men of letters [_lilleratorum_ +{transcribers note: the Latin is interpolated into the +translation here}] and call him to sit in honourable place. Let +them obtain for English Catholics such a written promise of +impunity, if they love the salvation of souls. We will not raise +the instance of Huss: relying on the Sovereign's word, we will +fly to Court. But, to return to the point whence I digressed, the +General Councils are mine, the first, the last, and those +between. With them I will fight. Let the adversary look for a +javelin hurled with force, which he will never be able to pluck +out. Let Satan be overthrown in him, and Christ live. + +FIFTH REASON + +FATHERS + +At Antioch, in which city the noble surname of Christians first +became common, there flourished _Doctors_, that is, eminent +theologians, 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 the +Lord promised to His future flock. What a wicked thing it is to +scout these teachers, given as they are by way of a mighty boon! +The adversary has scouted them. Why? Because their standing means +his fall. Having found that out for certain beyond doubt, I have +asked for a fight unqualified, not that sham-fight in which the +crowds in the street engage, and skirmish with one another, but +the earnest and keen struggle in which we join in the arena of +yon philosophers, + + Foot to foot, and man close gripping man. + +If ever we shall be allowed to turn to the Fathers, the battle is +lost and won: they are as thoroughly ours as is Gregory XIII. +himself, the loving Father of the children of the Church. To say +nothing of isolated passages, which are gathered from the records +of the ancients, apt and clear statements in defence of our +faith, we hold entire volumes of these Fathers, which professedly +illustrate in clear and abundant light the Gospel religion which +we defend. Take the twofold _Hierarchy_ of the martyr Dionysius, +what classes, what sacrifices, what rites does he teach? This +fact struck Luther so forcibly that he pronounced the works of +this Father to be "such stuff as dreams are made of, and that of +the most pernicious kind." In imitation of his parent, an obscure +Frenchman, Caussee, has not hesitated to call this Dionysius, the +Apostle of an illustrious nation, "an old dotard." Ignatius has +given grievous offence to the Centuriators of Magdeburg, as also +to Calvin, so that these men, the offscouring of mankind, have +noted in his works "unsightly blemishes and tasteless prosings." +In their judgment, Irenaeus has brought out "a fanatical +production": Clement, the author of the _Stromata_, has produced +"Tares and dregs": the other Fathers of this age, Apostolic men +to be sure, "have left blasphemies and monstrosities to +posterity." In Tertullian they eagerly seize upon what they have +learned from us, in common with us, to detest; but they should +remember that his book _On Prescriptions_, which has so signally +smitten the heretics of our times, was never found fault with. +How finely, how, clearly, has Hippolytus, Bishop of Porto pointed +out beforehand the power of Antichrist, the times of Luther! They +call him, therefore, "a most babyish writer, an owl." Cyprian, +the delight and glory of Africa, that French critic Caussee, and +the Centuriators of Magdeburg, have termed "stupid, God-forsaken +corrupter of repentance." What harm has he done? He has written +_On Virgins, On the Lapsed, On the Unity of the Church_, such +treatises as also such letters to Cornelius, the Roman Pontiff, +that, unless credence be withdrawn from this Martyr, Peter Martyr +Vermilius and all his associates must count for worse than +adulterers and men guilty of sacrilege. And, not to dwell longer +on individuals, the Fathers of this age are all condemned "for +wonderful corruption of the doctrine of repentance." How so? +Because the austerity of the Canons in vogue at that time is +particularly obnoxious to this plausible sect which, better +fitted for dining-rooms than for churches, is wont to tickle +voluptuous 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 the +justice of faith." Gregory Nazianzen whom the ancients called +eminently "the Theologian," is in the judgment of Caussee "a +chatter-box, who did not know what he was saying." Ambrose was +"under the spell of an evil demon." Jerome is "as damnable as the +devil, injurious to the Apostle, a blasphemer, a wicked wretch." +To Gregory Massow--"Calvin alone is worth more than a hundred +Augustines." A hundred is a small number: Luther "reckons nothing +of having against him a thousand Augustines, a thousand Cyprians, +a thousand Churches." I think I need not carry the matter +further. For when men rage against the above-mentioned Fathers, +who can wonder at the impertinence of their language against +Optatus, Hilary, the two Cyrils, Epiphanius, Basil, Vincent, +Fulgentius, Leo, and the Roman Gregory. However, if we grant any +just defence of an unjust cause, I do not deny that the Fathers +wherever you light upon them, afford the party of our opponents +matter they needs must disagree with, so long as they are +consistent with themselves. Men who have appointed fast-days, how +must they be minded in regard of Basil, Gregory, Nazianzen, Leo, +Chrysostom, who have published telling sermons on Lent and +prescribed days of fasting as things already in customary use? +Men who have sold their souls for gold, lust, drunkenness and +ambitious display, can they be other than most hostile to Basil, +Chrysostom, Jerome, Augustine, whose excellent books are in the +hands of all, treating of the institute, rule, and virtues of +monks? Men who have carried the human will into captivity, who +have abolished Christian funerals, who have burnt the relics of +Saints, can they possibly be reconciled to Augustine, who has +composed three books on Free Will, one on Care for the Dead, +besides sundry sermons and a long chapter in a noble work on the +Miracles wrought at the Basilicas and Monuments of the Martyrs? +Men who measure faith by their own quips and quirks, must they +not be angry with Augustine, of whom there is extant a remarkable +Letter against a Manichean, in which he professes himself to +assent to Antiquity, to Consent, to Perpetuity of Succession, and +to the Church which, alone among so many heresies, claims by +prescriptive right the name of Catholic? + +Optatus, Bishop of Milevis, refutes the Donatist faction by +appeal to Catholic communion: he accuses their wickedness by +appeal to the decree of Melchiades: he convicts their heresy by +reference to the order of succession of Roman Pontiffs: he lays +open their frenzy in their defilement of the Eucharist and of +schism: he abhors their sacrilege in their breaking of altars "on +which the members of Christ are borne," and their pollution of +chalices "which have held the blood of Christ." I greatly desire +to know what they think of Optatus, whom Augustine mentions as a +venerable Catholic Bishop, the equal of Ambrose and of Cyprian; +and Fulgentius as a holy and faithful interpreter of Paul, like +unto Augustine and Ambrose. They sing in their churches the Creed +of Athanasius. Do they stand by him? That grave anchor who has +written an elaborate book in praise of the Egyptian hermit +Antony, and who with the Synod of Alexandria suppliantly appealed +to the judgment of the Apostolic See, the See of St. Peter. How +often does Prudentius in his Hymns pray to the martyrs whose +praises he sings! how often at their ashes and bones does he +venerate the King of Martyrs! Will they approve his proceeding? +Jerome writes against Vigilantius in defence of the relics of the +Saints and the honours paid to them; as also against Jovinian for +the rank to be allowed to virginity. Will they endure him? +Ambrose honoured his patron saints Gervase and Protase with a +most glorious solemnity by way of putting the Arians to shame. +This action of his was praised by most godly Fathers, and God +honoured it with more than one miracle. Are they going to take a +kindly view off Ambrose here? Gregory the Great, our Apostle, is +most manifestly with us, and therefore is a hateful personage to +our adversaries. Calvin, in his rage, says that he was not +brought up in the school of the Holy Ghost, seeing that he had +called 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 the +Fathers, in which they have laboriously, earnestly and with much +learning supported the doctrines of us Catholics. As long as +these works are for sale at the booksellers' shops, it will be +vain to prohibit the writings of our controversialists; vain to +keep watch at the ports and on the sea-coast; vain to search +houses, boxes, desks, and book-chests; vain to set up so many +threatening notices at the gates. No Harding, nor Sanders, nor +Allen, nor Stapleton, nor Bristow, attack these new-fangled +fancies with more vigour than do the Fathers whom I have +enumerated. As I think over these and the like facts, my courage +has grown and my ardour for battle, in which whatever way the +adversary stirs, unless he will yield glory to God, he will be in +straits. Let him admit the Fathers, he is caught: let him shut +them out, he is undone. + +When we were young men, the following incident occurred. John +Jewell, a foremost champion of the Calvinists of England, with +incredible arrogance challenged the Catholics at St. Paul's, +London, invoking hypocritically and calling upon the Fathers, who +had flourished within the first six hundred years of +Christianity. His wager was taken up by the illustrious men who +were then in exile at Louvain, hemmed in though they were with +very 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 those +writers happily brought out, did so much good to our countrymen +that scarcely anything in my recollection has turned out to the +better advantage of the suffering English Church. At once an +edict is hung up on the doors, forbidding the reading or +retaining of any of those books, whereas they had come out, or +were wrung out, I may almost say, by the outcry that Jewell had +raised. The result was that all the persons interested in the +matter came to understand that the Fathers were Catholics, that +is to say, ours. Nor has Lawrence Humphrey passed over in silence +this wound inflicted on him and his party. After high praise of +Jewell in other respects, he fixes on him this role of +inconsiderateness, that he admitted the reasonings of the +Fathers, with whom Humphrey declares, without any beating about +the bush, that he has nothing in common nor ever will have. + +We also sounded once in familiar discourse Toby Matthews, now a +leading preacher, whom we loved for his good accomplishments and +the seeds of virtue in him; we asked him to answer honestly +whether one who read the Fathers assiduously could belong to that +party which he supported. He answered that he could not, if, +besides reading, he also believed them.[1] This saying is most +true; nor do I think that either he at the present time, or +Matthew Hutten, a man of name, who is said to read the Fathers +with an assiduity that few equal, or other adversaries who do the +like, are otherwise minded. + +Thus far I have been able to descend with security into this +field of conflict, to wage war with men, who, as though they held +a wolf by the ears, are compelled to brand their cause with an +everlasting stigma of shame, whether they refuse the Fathers or +whether they call for them. In the one case they are preparing to +run 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,--as +men of our religion have made it and should make it their special +care,--to observe the rule, _Search the Scriptures_ (John v. 39), +the holy Fathers easily come out first and take the palm for the +matter of this observance. By their labour and at their expense +Bibles have been transcribed and carried among so many nations +and tongues by the perils they have run and the tortures they +have endured the Sacred Volumes have been snatched from the +flames and devastation spread by enemies: by their labours and +vigils they have been explained in every detail. Night and day +they drank in Holy Writ, from all pulpits they gave forth Holy +Writ, with Holy Writ they enriched immense volumes, with most +faithful commentaries they unfolded the sense of Holy Writ, with +Holy Writ they seasoned alike their abstinence and their meals, +finally, occupied about Holy Writ they arrived at decrepit old +age. And if they also frequently have argued from the Authority +of Elders, from the Practice of the Church, from the Succession +of Pontiffs, from ecumenical Councils, from Apostolic Traditions, +from the Blood of Martyrs, from the decrees of Bishops, from +Miracles, yet most persistently of all and most willingly do they +set forth in close array the testimonies of Holy Writ: these they +press home, on these they dwell, to this _armour of the strong_ +(Cant. iii. 7), for the best of reasons, is the first and the +most honourable part assigned by these valiant leaders in their +work of forgiving and keeping in repair the City of God against +the assaults of the wicked. + +Wherefore I do all the more wonder at that haughty and famous +objection of the adversary, who, like one looking for water in a +running stream, takes exception to the lack of Scripture texts +in writings crowded with Scripture texts. He says he will agree +with the Fathers so long as they keep close to Holy Scripture. +Does he mean what he says? I will see then that there come +forth, armed and begirt with Christ, with Prophets and Apostles, +and with all array of Biblical erudition, those celebrated +authors, those ancient Fathers, those holy men, Dionyius, +Cyprian, Athanasius, Basil, Nazianzen, Ambrose, Jerome, +Chrysostom, Augustine, and the Latin Gregory. Let that faith +reign 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, unless +they expound rightly. What is this "rightly"? At your +discretion. Are you not ashamed of the vicious circle? + +Hopeful as I am that in flourishing Universities there will be +gathered together a good number, who will be no dull spectators, +but acute judges of these controversies and who will weigh for +what they are worth the frivolous answers of our adversaries, I +will gladly await this meeting-day, as one minded to lead forth +against wooded hillocks [cf. Cicero _in Catilinam_ ii. 11], +covered with unarmed tramps, the nobility and strength of the +Church of Christ. + +SEVENTH REASON + +HISTORY + +Ancient History unveils the primitive face of the Church. To this +I appeal. Certainly, the more ancient historians, whom our +adversaries also habitually, consult, are enumerated pretty well +as 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 I +would have you observe diligently, they who in deadly hatred +dissent from us,--Melancthon, Pantaleon, Funck, the Centuriators +of Magdeburg,--on applying themselves to write either the +chronology or the history of the Church, if they did not get +together the exploits of our heroes, and heap up the accounts of +the frauds and crimes of the enemies of our Church, would pass by +fifteen hundred years with no story to tell. + +Along with the above-mentioned consider the local historians, who +have searched with laborious curiosity into the transactions of +some one particular nation. These men, wishing by all means to +enrich and adorn the Sparta which they had gotten for their own, +and to that effect not passing over in silence even such things +as banquets of unusual splendour, or sleeved tunics, or hilts of +daggers, or gilt spurs, and other such minutiae having any smack +of revelry about them, surely, if they had heard of any change in +religion, or any falling off from the standard of early ages, +would have related it, many of them; or, if not many, at least +several; if not several, some one anyhow. Not one, well-disposed +or ill-disposed towards us, has related anything of the sort, or +even dropped the slightest hint of the same. + +For example. Our adversaries grant us,--they cannot do +otherwise,--that the Roman Church was at one time holy, +Catholic, Apostolic, at the time when it deserved these +eulogiums from St. Paul: _Your faith is spoken of in the whole +world. Without ceasing I make a commemoration of you. I know +that when I come to you, I shall come in the abundance of the +blessing of Christ. All the Churches of Christ salute you. Your +obedience is published in every place_ (Rom. i. 8, 9; xv. 29; +xvi. 17, 19): at the time when Paul, being kept there in free +custody, was spreading the gospel (Acts xxviii. 31) : at the +time when Peter once in that city was ruling _the Church +gathered at Babylon_ (1 Peter v. 13): at the time when that +Clement, so singularly praised by the Apostle (Phil. iv. 3) was +governing 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. For +at this epoch he generously allows that men, at Rome +particularly, had so far not swerved from Gospel teaching. When +then did Rome lose this faith so highly celebrated? when did she +cease to be what she was before? at what time, under what +Pontiff, by what way, by what compulsion, by what increments, +did a foreign religion come to pervade city and world? What +outcries, 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 new +Sacrifice, new religious dogma? Has there been found no +historian, neither Greek nor Latin, neither far nor near, to +fling out in his chronicles even an obscure hint of so +remarkable a proceeding? + +Therefore this much is clear, that the articles of our belief are +what History, manifold and various, History the messenger of +antiquity, and life of memory, utters and repeats in abundance; +while no narrative penned in human times records that the +doctrines foisted in by our opponents ever had any footing in the +Church. It is clear, I say, that the historians are mine, and +that the adversary's raids upon history are utterly without +point. No impression can they make unless the assertion be first +received, that all Christians of all ages had lapsed into gross +infidelity and gone down to the abyss of hell, until such time as +Luther entered into an unblessed union with Catherine Bora. + +EIGHTH REASON + +PARADOXES + +For myself, most excellent Sirs, when, choosing out of many +heresies, I think over in my mind certain portentous errors of +self-opinionated men, errors that it will be incumbent on me to +refute, I should condemn myself of want of spirit and discernment +if in this trial of strength I were to be afraid of any man's +ability or powers. Let him be able, let him be eloquent, let him +be a practised disputant, let him be a devourer of all books, +still his thought must dry up and his utterance fail him when he +shall have to maintain such impossible positions as these. For we +shall dispute, if perchance they will allow us, on God, on +Christ, on Man, on Sin, on Justice, on Sacraments, on Morals. I +shall see whether they will dare to speak out what they think, +and what under the constraint of their situation they publish in +their miserable writings. I will take care that they know these +maxims of their teachers:--"God is the author and cause of evil, +willing it, suggesting it, effecting it, commanding it, working +it out, and guiding the guilty counsels of the wicked to this +end. As the call of Paul, so the adultery of David, and the +wickedness 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 heaven +with wonderful praises, and on that score puts his foster-child +all but on an equality, with the Apostle Paul (Luther, _De servo +arbitrio_). I will also enquire what was in Luther's mind, whom +the English Calvinists pronounce to be "a man given of God for +the enlightenment of the world," when he wished to take this +versicle 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 these +words, "Christ the Son of God, God of God," mean to Calvin, who +says, "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 in +Christ, one of His soul with His flesh, the other of His Divinity +with His Humanity (Beza, _Contra Schmidel_). The passage in John +x. 30, _I and the Father are one_, does not show Christ to be +God, consubstantial with God the Father (Calvin on John x.), the +fact is, says Luther, "my soul hates this word, _homousion._" Go +on. Christ was not perfect in grace from His infancy, but grew in +gifts of the soul like other men, and by experience daily became +wiser, 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 and +vice of original sin. But observe still more direful utterances. +When Christ, praying in the Garden, was streaming with a sweat of +water and blood, He shuddered under a sense of eternal damnation, +He uttered an irrational cry, an unspiritual cry, a sudden cry +prompted by the force of His distress, which He quickly checked +as 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 Thou +forsaken me,_ He was on fire with the flames of hell, He uttered +a cry of despair, He felt exactly as if nothing were before Him +but to perish in everlasting death (Calvin _in Harm. Evangel._). +To this also let them add something, if they can. Christ, they +say, descended into hell, that is, when dead, He tasted hell not +otherwise than do the damned souls, except that He was destined +to be restored to Himself: for since by His mere bodily death He +would have profited us nothing, He needed in soul also to +struggle with everlasting death, and in this way to pay the debt +of our crime and our punishment. And lest any one might haply +suspect that this theory had stolen upon Calvin unawares, the +same 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 delicate +and royal Blood, which ran in a flood from the lacerated and torn +Body of the innocent Lamb, one little drop of which Blood, for +the dignity of the Victim, might have redeemed a thousand worlds, +availed the human race nothing, unless _the mediator of God and +men, the man Christ Jesus_ (I Tim. ii. 5) had borne also _the +second death_ (Apoc. xx. 6), the death of the soul, the death to +grace, that accompaniment only of sin and damnable blasphemy! In +comparison with this insanity, Bucer, impudent fellow that he is, +will appear modest, for he (on Matth. xxvi.), by an explanation +very preposterous, or rather, an inept and stupid tautology, +takes _hell_ in the creed to mean the tomb. Of the Anglican +sectaries, some are wont to adhere to their idol, Calvin, others +to their great master, Bucer; some also murmur in an undertone +against this article, wishing that it may be quietly removed +altogether from the Creed, that it may give no more trouble. Nay, +this was actually tried in a meeting at London, as I remember +being told by one who was present, Richard Cheyne, a miserable +old man, who was badly mauled by robbers outside, and, for all +that, never entered his father's house.[2] + +And thus far of Christ. What of Man? The image of God is utterly +blotted out in man, not the slightest spark of good is left: his +whole nature in all the parts of his soul is so thoroughly +overturned that, even after he is born again and sanctified in +baptism, there is nothing whatever within him but mere corruption +and contagion. What does this lead up to? That they who mean to +seize glory by faith alone may wallow in the filth of every +turpitude, may accuse nature, despair of virtue, and discharge +themselves of the commandments (Calvin, _Instit._ ii. 3). To +this, Illyricus, the standard-bearer of the Magdeburg company, +has added his own monstrous teaching about original sin, which he +makes out to be the innermost substance of souls, whom, since +Adam's fall, the devil himself engenders and transforms into +himself. This also is a received maxim in this scum of evil +doctrine, that all sins are equal, yet with this qualification +(not to revive the Stoics), "if sins are weighed in the judgment +of God." As if God, the most equitable judge, were to add to our +burden rather than lighten it; and, for all His justice, were to +exaggerate and make it what it is not in itself. By this +estimation, as heavy an offence would be committed against God, +judging in all severity, by the innkeeper who has killed a +barn-door cock, when he should not have done, as by that infamous +assassin who, his head full of Beza, stealthily slew by the shot +of a musket the French hero, the Duke of Guise, a Prince of +admirable virtue, than which crime our world has seen in our age +nothing more deadly, nothing more lamentable. + +But perchance they who are so severe in the matter of sin +philosophise magnificently on divine grace, as able to bring +succour and remedy to this evil. Fine indeed is the function +which they assign to grace, which their ranting preachers say is +neither infused into our hearts, nor strong enough to resist sin, +but lies wholly outside of us, and consists in the mere favour of +God,--a favour which does not amend the wicked, nor cleanse, nor +illuminate, nor enrich them, but, leaving still the old stinking +ordure of their sin, dissembles it by God's connivance, that it +be not counted unsightly and hateful. And with this their +invention they are so delighted that, with them, even Christ is +not otherwise called _full of grace and truth_ than inasmuch as +God the Father has borne wonderful favour to Him (Bucer on John +i: Brent hom. 12 on John). + +What sort of thing then is righteousness? A relation. It is not +made up of faith, hope and charity, vesting the soul in their +splendour; it is only a hiding away of guilt, such that, whoever +has seized upon this righteousness by faith alone, he is as sure +of salvation as though he were already enjoying the unending joy +of heaven. Well, let this dream pass: but how can one be sure of +future perseverance, in the absence of which a man's exit would +be most miserable, though for a time he had observed +righteousness purely and piously? Nay, says Calvin (_Instit._ +iii. 2), unless this your faith foretells you your perseverance +assuredly, without possibility of hallucination, it must be cast +aside as vain and feeble. I recognise the disciple of Luther. A +Christian, said Luther (_De captivitate Babylonis_), cannot lose +his salvation, even if he wanted, except by refusing to believe. + +I hasten to pass on to the Sacraments. None, none, not two, not +one, O holy Christ, have they left. Their bread is poison; and +as for their baptism, though it is still true baptism, +nevertheless in their judgment it is nothing, it is not a wave +of salvation, it is not a channel of grace, it does not apply to +us the merits of Christ, it is a mere token of salvation +(Calvin, _Instit._ iv. 15). Thus they have made no more of the +baptism of Christ, so far as the nature of the thing goes, than +of the ceremony of John. If you have it, it is well; if you go +without it, there is no loss suffered; believe, you are saved, +before you are washed. What then of infants, who, unless they +are aided by the virtue of the Sacrament, poor little things, +gain nothing by any faith of their own? Rather than allow +anything to the Sacrament of baptism, say the Magdeburg +Centuriators (Cent. v. 4.), let us grant that there is faith in +the infants themselves, enough to save them; and that the said +babies are aware of certain secret stirrings of this faith, +albeit they are not yet aware whether they are alive or not. A +hard nut to crack! If this is so very hard, listen to Luther's +remedy. It is better, he says (_Advers. Cochl._), to omit the +baptism; since, unless the infant believes, to no purpose is it +washed. This is what they say, doubtful in mind what absolutely +to affirm. Therefore let Balthasar Pacimontanus step in to sort +the votes. This father of the Anabaptists, unable to assign to +infants any stirring of faith, approved Luther's suggestion; +and, casting infant baptism out of the churches, resolved to +wash at the sacred font none who was not grown up. For the rest +of the Sacraments, though that many headed beast utters many +insults, yet, seeing that they are now of daily occurrence, and +our ears have grown callous to them, I here pass them over. + +There remain the sayings of the heretics concerning life and +morals, the noxious goblets which Luther has vomited on his +pages, that out of the filthy hovel of his one breast he might +breathe pestilence upon his readers. Listen patiently, and blush, +and pardon me the recital. If the wife will not, or cannot, let +the handmaid come (_Serm. de matrimon._); seeing that commerce +with a wife is as necessary to every man as food, drink, and +sleep. Matrimony is much more excellent than virginity. Christ +and 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 miserably +and timidly. Do you wish to hear any more? Certainly. The more +wicked 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 his +own will. The Ten Commandments are nothing to Christians. God +cares nought at all about our works. They alone rightly partake +of the Lord's Supper, who bury consciences sad, afflicted, +troubled, confused, erring. Sins are to be confessed, but to +anyone you like; and if he absolves you even in joke, provided +you believe, you are absolved. To read the Hours of the Divine +Office is not the function of priests, but of laymen. Christians +are 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 against +Lutherans and Zwinglians indiscriminately. For, remembering their +common parentage, they wish to be brothers and friends to one +another; and they take it as a grave affront, whenever any +distinction is drawn between them in any point but one. I am not +of consequence enough to claim for myself so much as an +undistinguished place among the select theologians who at this day +have declared war on heresies: but this I know, that, puny as I +am, I run no risk while, supported by the grace of Christ, I shall +do battle, with the aid of heaven and earth, against such +fabrications 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 the +blind. With uneducated people a mock-proof has force which a +school of philosophers dismisses with scorn. Many are the +offences of the adversary under this head; but his case is made +out by four fallacies chiefly, fallacies which I would rather +unravel in the University than in a popular audience. The first +vice is [Greek: skiamachia], with mighty effort hammering at +breezes and shadows. In this way: against such as have sworn to +celibacy and vowed chastity, because, while marriage is good, +virginity is better (1 Cor. vii.), Scripture texts are brought +up speaking honourably of marriage. Whom do they hit? Against +the merit of a Christian man, a merit dyed in the Blood of +Christ, otherwise null, testimonies are alleged whereby we are +bidden to put our trust neither in nature nor in the law, but in +the Blood of Christ. Whom do they refute? Against those who +worship Saints, as Christ's servants, especially acceptable to +Him, whole pages are quoted, forbidding the worship of many +gods? Where are these many gods? By such arguments, which I find +in endless quantity in the writings of heretics, they cannot +hurt us, they may bore you. + +Another vice is [Greek: logomachia], which leaves the sense, and +wrangles loquaciously over the word. _Find me Mass or Purgatory +in the Scriptures_, they say. What then? Trinity, Consubstantial, +Person, are they nowhere in the Bible, because these words are +not found? Allied to this fault is the catching at letters, when, +to the neglect of usage and the mind of the speakers, war is +waged on the letters of the alphabet. For instance, thus they +say: _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 they +are derived, but to what meaning they are put." + +The third vice is [Greek: homonumia], which has a very wide +range. For example: _What is the meaning of an Order of Priests, +when John has called us all priests?_ (Apoc. v. 10). He has also +added this: _we shall reign upon the earth_. What then is the use +of Kings? Again: _the Prophet_ (Isaias lviii.) _cries up a +spiritual fast, that is, abstinence from inveterate crimes. +Farewell then to any discernment of meats and prescription of +days._ Indeed? Mad therefore were Moses, David, Elias, the +Baptist, 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 manner +of 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 and +undefiled Sacraments_. Are these with you? _Who can doubt it?_ I +do, I deny it utterly. _Consult the word of God._ I have +consulted it, and I favour you less than before. _Ah, but it is +plain._ Prove it to me. _Because we do not depart a nail's +breadth from the word of God._ Where is your persecution? Will +you always go on taking for an argument the very point that is +called in question? How often have I insisted on this already? Do +wake up: do you want torches applied to you? I say that your +exposition of the word of God is perverse and mistaken: I have +fifteen centuries to bear me witness stand by an opinion, not +mine, nor yours, but that of all these ages. _I will stand by the +sentence 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 of +words and sophisms, I know not to whom he can be formidable: +tiresome he possibly will be. His tiresomeness will find its +corrective in your sagacity: all that was formidable about him +facts have taken away. + +TENTH REASON + +ALL MANNER OF WITNESS + +_This shall be to you a straight way, so that fools shall not go +astray in it_ (Isaias xxxv. 8). + +Who is there, however small and lost in the crowd of +illiterates, that, with a desire of salvation and some little +attention, cannot see, cannot keep to the path of the Church, so +admirably smoothed out, eschewing brambles and rocks and +pathless wastes! For, as Isaias prophesies, this path shall be +plain even to the uneducated; most plain therefore, if you +choose, to you. Let us put before our eyes the theatre of the +universe: let us wander everywhere: all things supply us with an +argument. Let us go to heaven: let us contemplate roses and +lilies, Saints empurpled with martyrdom or white with innocence: +Roman Pontiffs, I say, three and thirty in a continuous line put +to death: Pastors all the world over, who have pledged their +blood for the name of Christ: Flocks of faithful, who have +followed in the footsteps of their Pastors: all the Saints of +heaven, who as shining lights in purity and holiness have gone +before the crowd of mankind. You will find that these were ours +when they lived on earth, ours when they passed away from this +world. To cull a few instances, ours was that Ignatius, who in +church matters put no one not even the Emperor, on a level with +the Bishop; who committed to writing, that they might not be +lost, certain Apostolic traditions of which he himself had been +witness. Ours was that anchoret Telesphorus, who ordered the +more strict observance of the fast of Lent established by the +Apostles. Ours was Irenaeus, who declared the Apostolic faith by +the Roman succession and chair (lib. iii. cap. 3). Ours was Pope +Victor, who by an edict brought to order the whole of Asia; and +though this proceeding seemed to some minds, and even to that +holy man Irenaeus, somewhat harsh, yet no one made light of it +as coming from a foreign power. Ours was Polycarp, who went to +Rome on the question of Easter, whose burnt relics Smyrna +gathered, and honoured her Bishop with an anniversary feast and +appointed ceremony. Ours were Cornelius and Cyprian, a golden +pair of Martyrs, both great Bishops, but greater he, the Roman, +who had rescinded the African error; while the latter was +ennobled by the obedience which he paid to the elder, his very +dear friend. Ours was Sixtus, to whom, as he offered solemn +sacrifice at the altar, seven men of the clergy ministered. Ours +was his Archdeacon Lawrence, whom the adversaries cast out of +their calendar, to whom, twelve hundred years ago, the Consular +man 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 against +the violent assault of men and devils the virginity they had +resolved upon. Ours was Helen, celebrated for the finding of the +Lord's Cross. Ours was Monica, who in death most piously begged +prayers and sacrifices to be offered for her at the altar of +Christ. Ours was Paula, who, leaving her City palace and her rich +estates, hastened on a long journey a pilgrim to the cave at +Bethlehem, 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 the +Sacred 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 is +Benedict, father of so many monks. I should not run through their +thousands in ten years. But neither do I set down those whom I +mentioned before among the Doctors of the Church. I am mindful of +the brevity imposed upon me. Whoever wills, may seek these +further details, not only from the copious histories of the +ancients, but even much more from the grave authors who have +bequeathed to memory almost one man one Saint. Let the reader +report to me his judgment concerning those ancient blessed +Christians, to what doctrine they adhered, the Catholic or the +Lutheran. I call to witness the throne of God, and that Tribunal +at which I shall stand to render reason for these Reasons, of +everything I have said and done, that either there is no heaven +at all, or heaven belongs to our people. The former position we +abhor, we fix therefore upon the latter. + +Now contrariwise, if you please, let us look into hell. There are +burnt with everlasting fire, who? The Jews. On what Church have +they turned their backs? On ours. Who again? The heathen. What +Church have they most cruelly persecuted? Ours. Who again? The +Turks. What temples have they destroyed? Ours. Who once more? +Heretics. Against what Church are they in rebellion? Against +ours. What Church but ours has opposed itself against all the +gates of hell? When, after the driving away of the Hebrews, +Christian inhabitants began to multiply at Jerusalem, what a +concourse of men there was to the Holy Places, what veneration +attached to the City, to the Sepulchre, to the Manger, to the +Cross, to all the memorials in which the Church delights as a +wife in what has been worn by her husband. Hence arose against us +the hatred of the Jews, cruel and implacable. Even now they +complain 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 the +Roman Empire, for three hundred years, at intervals of time, +contrived most painful punishments for Christians. What +Christians? The fathers and children of our faith. Learn the +language 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? What +Church is it whose sacred vessels, lamps, and ornaments he is +pillaging, whose ritual he overthrows? Whose golden patens and +silver chalices, sumptuous votive offerings and rich treasure, +does he envy? Why, the man is a Lutheran all over. With what +other cloak did our Nimrods[4] cover their brigandage, when they +embezzled the money of their Churches and wasted the patrimony of +Christ? Take on the contrary Constantine the Great, that scourge +of the persecutors of Christ, to what Church did he restore +tranquillity? To that Church over which Pope Silvester presided, +whom he summoned from his hiding-place on Mount Soracte that by +his ministry he might receive our baptism. Under what auspices +was he victorious? Under the sign of the cross. Of what mother +was he the glorious son? Of Helen. To what Fathers did he attach +himself? To the Fathers of Nice. What manner of men were they? +Such men as Silvester, Mark, Julius, Athanasius, Nicholas. What +seat did he ask for in the Synod? The last. Oh how much more +kingly was he on that seat than the Kings who have ambitioned a +title not due to them! It would be tedious to go into further +details. But from these two [Emperors, Decius and Constantine], +the one our deadly enemy, the other our warm friend, it may be +left to the reader's conjecture to fix on points of closest +resemblance to the one and to the other in the history of our own +times. For as it was our cause that went through its agony under +Decius, so our cause it was that came out triumphant under +Constantine.[5] + +Let us look at the doings of the Turks. Mahomet and the apostate +monk Sergius lie in the deep abyss, howling, laden with their own +crimes and with those of their posterity. This portentous and +savage monster, the power of the Saracens and the Turks, had it +not been clipped and checked by our Military Orders, our Princes +and Peoples,--so far as Luther was concerned (to whom Solyman the +Turk is said to have written a letter of thanks on this account), +and so far as the Lutheran Princes were concerned (by whom the +progress of the Turks is reckoned matter of joy),--this frantic +and man-destroying Fury, I say, by this time would be +depopulating and devastating all Europe, overturning altars and +signs of the cross as zealously as Calvin himself. Ours therefore +they are, our proper foes, seeing that by the industry of our +champions it was that their fangs were unfastened from the +throats of Christians. + +Let us look down on heretics, the filth and fans and fuel of +hell[6] the first that meets our gaze is Simon Magus. What did he +do? He endeavoured to snatch away free will from man: he prated +of faith alone (Clen. lib. i. recog.; Iren. l. 1, c. 2). After +him, Novatian. Who was he? An Anti-pope, rival to the Roman +Pontiff Cornelius, an enemy of the Sacraments, of Penance and +Chrism. Then Manes the Persian. He taught that baptism did not +confer salvation. After him the Arian Aerius. He condemned +prayers for the dead: he confounded priests with bishops, and was +surnamed "the atheist" no less than Lucian. There follows +Vigilantius, who would not have the Saints prayed to; and +Jovinian, who put marriage on a level with virginity; finally, a +whole mess of nastiness, Macedonius, Pelagius, Nestorius, +Eutyches, the Monothelites, the Iconoclasts, to whom posterity +will aggregate Luther and Calvin. What of them? All black +crows,[7] born of the same egg, they revolted from the Prelates +of our Church, and by, them were rejected and made void. + +Let us leave the lower regions and return to earth. Wherever I +cast my eyes and turn my thoughts, whether I regard the +Patriarchates and the Apostolic Sees, or the Bishops of other +lands, or meritorious Princes, Kings, and Emperors, or the origin +of Christianity in any nation, or any evidence of antiquity, or +light of reason, or beauty of virtue, all things serve and +support our faith. I call to witness the Roman Succession, _in +which Church_, to speak with Augustine (_Ep_. 162: _Doctr. +Christ_. ii. 8), _the Primacy of the Apostolic Chair has ever +flourished_. I call to witness those other Apostolic Sees, to +which this name eminently belongs, because they were erected by +the Apostles themselves, or by their immediate disciples. I call +to witness the Pastors of the nations, separate in place, but +united in our religion: Ignatius and Chrysostom at Antioch; +Peter, Alexander, Athanasius, Theophilus, at Alexandria; Macarius +and Cyril at Jerusalem; Proclus at Constantinople; Gregory and +Basil 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; in +Britain, Fugatius, Damian, Justus, Mellitus, Bede. Finally, not +to appear to be making a vain display of names, whatever works, +or fragments of works, are still extant of those who sowed the +Gospel seed in distant lands, all exhibit to us one faith, that +which we Catholics profess to-day. O Christ, what cause can I +allege to Thee why Thou shouldst not banish me from Thine own, if +to so many lights of the Church I should have preferred +mannikins, dwellers in darkness, few, unlearned, split into +sects, and of bad moral character! + +I call to witness likewise Princes, Kings, Emperors, and their +Commonwealths, whose own piety, and the people of their realms, +and their established discipline in war and peace, were +altogether founded on this our Catholic doctrine. What +Theodosiuses here might I summon from the East, what Charleses +from the West, what Edwards from England, what Louises from +France, what Hermenegilds from Spain, Henries from Saxony, +Wenceslauses from Bohemia, Leopolds from Austria, Stephens from +Hungary, Josaphats from India, Dukes and Counts from all the +world over, who by example, by arms, by laws, by loving care, by +outlay of money, have nourished our Church! For so Isaias +foretold: _Kings shall be thy foster-fathers, and queens thy +nurses_ (Isaias xlix. 23). + +Listen, Elizabeth, most powerful Queen, for thee this great +prophet utters this prophecy, and therein teaches thee thy part. I +tell thee: one and the same heaven cannot hold Calvin and the +Princes whom I have named. With these Princes then associate +thyself, and so make thee worthy of thy ancestors, worthy of thy +genius, worthy of thy excellence in letters, worthy of thy +praises, worthy of thy fortune. To this effect alone do I labour +about thy person, and will labour, whatever shall become of me, +for whom these adversaries so often augur the gallows, as though I +were an enemy of thy life. Hail, good Cross. There will come, +Elizabeth, the day, that day which will show thee clearly which +have loved thee, the Society of Jesus or the offspring of Luther. + +I proceed. I call to witness all the coasts and regions of the +world, to which the Gospel trumpet has sounded since the birth of +Christ. Was this a little thing, to close the mouth of idols and +carry 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, at +whose coming in Dagon broke his neck. Our Christ was pleased to +use the services of our men, when He banished from the hearts of +so many peoples--Jupiters, Mercuries, Dianas, Phoebades, and that +black night and sad Erebus of ages. There is no leisure to search +afar off, let us examine only neighbouring and domestic history. +The Irish imbibed from Patrick, the Scots from Palladius, the +English 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 the +domestic habits of men, witness the election and inauguration of +Emperors, witness the coronation rites and anointing of Kings, +witness the Orders of Knighthood and their very mantles, witness +windows, witness coins, witness city gates and city houses, +witness the labours and life of our ancestors, witness all things +great and small, that no religion in the world but ours ever took +deep root there. + +These considerations being at hand to me, and so affecting me as +I thought them over that it seemed the part of insolence, nay of +insanity, to renounce all this Christian company and consort +with the most abandoned of men, I confess, I felt animated and +fired to the conflict, a conflict wherein I can never be worsted +until it comes to the Saints being hurled from heaven and the +proud Lucifer recovering heaven. Therefore let Chark, who +reviles me so outrageously, be in better conceit with me, if I +have preferred to trust this poor sinful soul of mine, which +Christ has bought so dearly, rather to a safe way, a sure way, a +royal road, than to Calvin's rocks or woodland thickets, there +to hang caught in uncertainty. + +CONCLUSION + +You have from me, Gentlemen of the University, this little +present, put together by the labour of such leisure as I could +snatch on the road. My purpose was to clear myself in your +judgment of the charge of arrogance, and to show just cause for +my confidence, and meanwhile, until such time as along with me +you are invited by the adversaries to the disputations in the +Schools, to give you a sort of foretaste of what is to come +there. If you think it a just, safe, and virtuous choice for +Luther or Calvin to be taken for the Canon of Scripture, the Mind +of the Holy Ghost, the Standard of the Church, the Pedagogue of +Councils and Fathers, in short, the God of all witnesses and +ages, I have nothing to hope of your reading or hearing me. But +if 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 see +daylight in the open air, seeing that you already see the peep of +day through a narrow chink. I will say freely what my love of +you, and your danger, and the importance of the matter requires. +The devil is not unaware that you will see this light of day, if +ever you raise your eyes to it. For what a piece of stupidity it +would be to prefer Hanmers and Charks to Christian antiquity! But +there are certain Lutheran enticements whereby the devil extends +his kingdom, delicate snares whereby that hooker of men has +caught with his baits already many of your rank and station. What +are they! Gold, glory, pleasures, lusts. Despise them. What are +they but bowels of earth, high-sounding air, a banquet of worms, +fair dunghills. Scorn them. Christ is rich, who will maintain +you: He is a King, who will provide you: He is a sumptuous +entertainer, who will feast you; He is beautiful, who will give +in abundance all that can make you happy. Enrol yourselves in His +service, that with Him you may gain triumphs, and show yourselves +men truly most learned, truly most illustrious. Farewell. At +Cosmopolis, 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 far +from prejudicing at least one man (J.H.N.) against the modern +Church, have been singly and solely the one intellectual cause of +his having renounced the religion in which he was born and +submitted himself to her."] + +[Footnote 2: Richard Cheyne, Anglican bishop of Gloucester, to whom +there 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, all +too ready to alienate the manors and possessions of their see.] + +[Footnote 5: I have here paraphrased, as any literal translation +would have been hopelessly obscure to most modern readers. +Campion could but hint darkly his comparison of the Elizabethan +persecution to the Decian. The Latin runs: _Etenim, ut nostrorum +illa fuit Epistasis turbulenta, sic nostrorum haec evasit divina +Catastrophe_. _Epistasis_ is "the part of the play where the +plot thickens" (Liddell and Scott). _Catastrophe_ is "the turn +of the plot" (Id.).] + +[Footnote 6: _Faeces et folles et alumenta gehennae_.] + +[Footnote 7: _Mali corvi_.] + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TEN REASONS PROPOSED TO HIS +ADVERSARIES FOR DISPUTATION IN THE NAME OF THE FAITH AND PRESENTED TO THE +ILLUSTRIOUS MEMBERS OF OUR UNIVERSITIES*** + + +******* This file should be named 13133.txt or 13133.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/1/3/13133 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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