CAMPIAN ENGLISHED. OR A TRANSLATION of the TEN REASONS, in which EDMUND CAMPIAN (of the SOCIETY of JESUS) Priest, insisted in his Challenge, to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge Made by a PRIEST of the Catholic and Roman Church,  
Vidi mulierem ebriam de sanguine Sanctorum, & de sanguine Martyrum JESV.  Apocalyps'. c. 17. 
Printed with Licence. M. DC. XXXII.   

Let the courteous Reader be pleased to correct the faults escaped in printing as followeth:  
Pag 24. lin. 17. Shill, read, skill. 30 6. foe, read, so. 37.10. ob, read●, of. 16 payers, read, prayers. 42.5. Tohy, read, Toby. 49.16. achowledgeth, read, acknowledgeth 71.11. such, read, such 91.6. unworthiby, read, unworthily. 98. penult. exhihited, read, exhibited 97.19. moaning, read, moving 20. fast, read, fasts. 1●9. 2. vohappie, read, unhappy.  
20. manntrs, read, manners. 147.18. it, read, in. 178.15. testore, read, restore. 183.12 in, read, is. 189.1. bryas, read, briars.   

The Translatour's EPISTLE DEDICATORY to the ENGLISH FATHERS of the Society of JESUS.  
MOST Virtuous, Reverend, & Learned MEN; To whom should I rather address this my small labour, then to yourselves, who are partly interessed in the Person, whose Work is here translated, since you are all members of that Society, in which he died: partly, in the Cause with him, since you have devoted yourselves to the propagation of that Religion, for which he died? In which Combat no doubt he well remembered (though in a different sense) those words of a holy Father: 
(a) August. l. 1. Confess. c. 5.  Moriar, ne moriar.  
The Work, which at this present receives from me, an English tincture and dye, is in its Original of such worth, that I need not to merchandise and stall forth the value of it, seeing your own judgements can best censure thereof. For I presume, that diverse of you have (I will not say, read, but) even studied the Book itself. Only this I will maintain, that the Author hath here in discoursing of the supreme Mysteries of the Catholic Faith, invested (as it were) and clothed them in such robes of speech, as best sort to their Reverence & Majesty; since a Man is able to glass in this small Treatise, the full perfection of Elocution and Oratory.  
His Virtues, Learning, Christian fervour, and Resolution, I will not here endeavour to display; for I grant, I am not able to pencil them forth; Who was in his own time reputed (by his enemies) evil, because he was remarkably good; And whose central cogitations were ever fixed upon the gaining of Souls, for which (as above I intimated) he died the death of Saints: Who now joyeth, in that he then lamented; and laugheth, in that he wept: 
(b) Ps. 125.  Qui seminant in lachrimis, in exultatione metent.  
Now for my more peculiar dedication of this my Translation (besides the reasons above sett-downe) my own respectful affection towards your Order inviteth me thereto: Which affection is not grounded without just cause. For you are the Men (I mean your Order) designed to repair & reedifye the decayed Walls of the City of God: you are the Men, whose province and charge is not only to re-estate the Catholic Church in such Countries, out of which she in former times hath been unworthily exiled; but withal (to speak in the Idiom of the Prophet) to 
(c) Esay. c. 54.  enlarge the place of her Tents, and spread out the curtayns of her habitation, even among the Gentiles: you are the Men, whose function in Catholic Countries is so to organize (as I may say) the Soul of youth, as that it may receive the Information of Learning and Piety: you are the Men, who do indoctrinate your Penitents and followers (howsoever Heresy and her Attendants bark to the contrary) in true Allegiance to their Temporal Sovereigns; And therefore not undeservedly was that worthy Soldier, the old Prince of Parma (once Governor of the Low-Countryes) accustomed to say, That for keeping of a Town in duty and Loyalty to the Civil Magistrate, he had rather have it fortified with a College of jesuits, then with a Garrison of Soldiers; since by the one (said he) Obedience is procured chiefly through servile fear of man, by the other through fear of God, and of their soul's perdition: To conclude, you are the Men, who not only by inherency, but even by Production, may be justly styled Literate and Virtuous; since you no less plant these Qualities in others, than you enjoy them in yourselves. So desirous you are to spread and fructify in all worthy and charitable Actions. But what is here your remuneration and Reward? Give ear unto the Prophet, & exult: 
[d) Daniel c. 12.  Qui docti fuerint, fulgebunt quasi splendor firmamenti; Et qui ad iustitiam erudiunt multos, quasi stellae in perpetuas aeternitates.  
I would not be thought by any, as if I were persuaded, that besides yourselves, the Church of God were not furnished with many others, who most painfully labour in the Vineyard of our Lord, much enriching and cultivating it, by their pious endeavours. No. God forbid, my Affection should so far transport my judgement. For I (even with joy) acknowledge, that there are throughout all countries of Christendom, (and even among my own Rank of Priests in England) many others, most learned, most zealous, most religious, most laborious in the spiritual good of their Christian brethren; & who would be ready to engage their blood for the Salvation of Souls. For here we must rest assured, that as in the Celestial, so in our terrestrial jerusalem, 
(c) joan 14.  Multae mansiones sunt, there are many different states and Professions of men; yet all (though by several ways and courses) leaveling at one and the same Mark.  
Only this I say (most Worthy Men) & this at all times I will say: The Church of God hath received that comfort & benefit by your Order, as that Luther and his brood (for Truth and Falsehood ever move about one and the same Centre of Religion) had made far greater incursions throughout Europe, had they not been withstood and beaten back by Persuading, by Preaching, by Writing, by Prayer, by exemplary lives, and by diverse other forcible means of Men of your Profession. This then being a verity undeniable, the less is any one to marvel, why I do dedicated this my small work to you, since I see, you so peculiarly dedicate yourselves too God. And thus humbly beseeching you to vouchsafe (now and then) your charitable remembrance of me, in the times of your chiefest Devotions, for the expiating of my maniefold sins, I cease ever continuing.  
Yours in all respectful Observancy.   

THE TRANSLATOVR'S EPISTLE TO THE READER.  
COurteous Reader; Having ever allotted (for my private studies) certain hours from the daily exercising of my function of Priesthood; and lately unbethinking me, what profitable labour I might undertake, whereby others might be bettered (for I willingly acknowledge that Principle: bonum est sui diffusiwm) my imagination could not fix itself more firmly on any other Subject, then in translating the Ten Reasons, which contained a Challenge made to both the Universities by that Blessed Saint, Father Campia● of the Society of JESUS; Who after much spiritual good by him done, suffered death in Queen Elizabeth's days; he so purchasing life, by losing of life: Who might then well expostulate with his Enemies in the words (not comparatively, for that were blasphemy, but allusively) which our Saviour did with the jews: 
(a) joan c. 10.  propter quod opus (bonum) me lapidatis?  
Now touching the Book here translated; it is in the Latin Original most exquisite, both for the Ar● therein, and for the Matter veiled under the Art. And for the first; Whereas Rhetoric chiefly consisteth in applying Reason to the Imagination, for the more easy invading and moving the will, that it may give an assent to the Understanding, this point is so fully performed by the Author, as that I think, even therein, it may overmatch any so small a part of tully's Works. For to insist a little in the style or Dialect of writing: We find therein such proprieties of most significant words, where he undertaketh to deliver a thing in proper terms: such swelling Metaphors (yet not forced) here and there dispersed, for the increasing of the sense: such choice use of F●equentatiues, and Diminutives, when either the point expressed is often iterated, or through an Extenuation is to appear little in the Reader's eye: such vehement and ingeminated Interrogations, for the greater asseveration of the matter discussed: such short Transitions & deliveries of himself in few words, when either the subject expressed was done in haste, or when but incidently it is spoken of; such precise Climaxes or Gradations of words (especially of Epithets) placed in order, that thereby the sense may by degrees 'tice, and become more full: briefly (to omit many other ornaments of Speech) such elegant Apostrophies to the Universities, and other closing Epiphonema●s and Acclamations, when the point hath been largely amplified, or fully treated of: And all this is performed with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perfection of A●t, as that if we do take away any one word, and insert in its place any other Synonymous word, the sense partly quaileth. We may add hereto the compendious shortness of his style, and the loftiness of it. The shortness (it being void of all spinositie & obscurity) exacts more cunning, and the rather in respect of the plenty of the Matter, which those few Leaves do involve. For we see, more skill is required to draw a curious picture, in a little Table, then in a large. Now the sublimity of the style is such, as that through many Schemes and Figures of Oratory, it may be well called C●thurnall and stately; his pen indeed flying therein a higher pitch, than ever Phaethon, who (according to the Poets) was carried in his Father's chariot. Which Circumstance of writing implieth a far greater difficulty, by reason of the peculiar subject it being matter of Divinity and Controversies in Faith. And yet ●uen in this point he observeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Decerum, so much exacted in true Rhetoric: for where the subject to be expressed, is not of any sublime, but of a mean and low Nature, there his words run low, and he in such places purposely useth certain Flats and Plains in his style; which resemble humble and pleasant vales, seated among lofty hills.  
Besides all this artificial furniture of Speech, there is found a wonderful Christian fervour in his words, well discovering his undauted spirit, and fiery desire to suffer for the Catholic Religion, which fire nothing but his own Blood could after extinguish; And accordingly he had that felicity granted him, as to 
(b) Apoc. 7.  wash his robes in the blood of the Lamb: Happy man! who by once losing his Breath, performed a double death; by the one he satisfying the due of Original sin; by the other, his particular sins: Whose death was so working and moving with Doctor Case of Oxford (the greatest Philosopher, that our English Universities have brought forth in this time) that diverse months after the execution of Father ●ampian, and Mr. Sherwi● (that most holy Man) th● Doctor being in London, and beholding their heads & quarters upon long poles over one of the Cittie-gate●, said in great vehemency to one in his company: Conciona●tur & adhuc, & adhu●; ●heir dead bodies pr●a●h to this day, even to this instant. And to proceed further; this Apostolical man (I mean Father Campian) being upon the ladder, and ready to be cast of, took these words of the Apostle for his Text, to discourse of to the people: 
(i) 1. Co●. 4.  Spectaculum facti sumus mundo, & Ang●lis, & hominibus; a sentence the most apposite and choicest (in respect of all circumstances) that the New Testament could afford. But the Officers would not suffer him to proceed forward. In like sort, he at that time looking up towards the sun, said to his fellow-prisonner M●. Sherwin: Be of courage, Man; within this hour both of us (through Christ his mercy) shall be far●e higher above the sun, than now we are under the sun. By which passages we may easily see, how far he was from all consternation & dismaydnes, being indeed most present to himself, as one replenished with heavenly comfort and resolution, and justifying in himself those words of holy Writ: Anima mea in manibus m●is semper.  
But to return to the Book: All this curious structure of words, serves but as the mother-of-pearle to enclose within it the pearl itself, which is the Matter and Subject there handled: For under his lines are briefly contained most choking and unanswerable Arguments in defence of our Catholic Religion; since the materials of this Treatise are indeed an abbreviated draught of all chief Articles of Faith, controverted between the Protestants and us; branching itself forth into all those principal heads of proofs, which other more copious books do at large unfold: So as the huge and learned Volumes even of Cardinal Bellarm●n's Controversies may not unaptly be called a Scholia, serving to paraphraze and comment this litle-greate work. Which Diamond-worke (for being small in quantity, it is most preciable) hath gained (through its own worth) such a hand of estimation in the Church of God, as that in most Catholic Countries, it hath enjoyed the Honour (a privilege not granted to any man's writings in this Age) to have been commonly printed and bound-up together in one Volume, with the small works of several most ancient and learned Fathers, treating of the like Subject in general Controversies in Faith; as with Tertullian de Praescriptionibus, Vincentius Lyrinensis contra Haereses, Cyprian de Vnitate Ecclesiae, and Austin de utilitate credendi: Fathers, of which the youngest lived within four hundred years after Christ his Ascension. Neither is the conjunction of this Treatise with the ancient Father's Works done without just cause; since I dare pronounce it (not as an amplification, but) as a measured Truth, that (not speaking of holy Scripture) so much doctrinal matter of Faith, and so much Oratory, delivered in so high a key, we●e never sin●e Christ's tim●, comprehended in Latin within so few leaves. And thus much touching the Book in its Original.  
Now concerning the Translation: It is done faithfully, & wholly agreeable to the sense of the Author, and is as literal, as the English with any elegancy (according to my shill) will well bear with the Latin: The same frame and form of speech (I mean the same Figure●, Caesur●s, and Cadence●, of the Latin) is precisely (as much as possibly may be) kept in the English. And though in the censure of many it hath been imagined, that the English tongue would not well suit with so high a style, and that (perhaps even for this particular reason) this Work hath been forborn to be translated by any English Catholic; yet in my judgement the English (after trial once made, and good store of words at hand) doth even in this point well comport with the Latin, and is thereby rather much advantaged & graced, then prejudiced; And the Translator is much eased herein, as having in a readiness such curious moulds or frames of Elocution, to cast his matter in. This liberty I have taken to myself, that (now & then) where an English word of a more full signification, by way of a Metaphor or otherwise, doth occur, than the Latin affordeth (& this some times falleth out not by reason of any defect of the Author, but through the fullness of the English) I make choice of the said English word for the greater redundancy of the sense. In like sort (here and there, though rarely) I have inserted a word or two, to make the drift of the Author to appear more turgent and forcing in the English (and, thereby to beget a Pathos & to move the Reader, more fully) than the compendious shortness of the Latin (being translated without any addition) would carry. But now will any illiterate Literalist (who dwelleth only in the bare letter of the Latin) find fault herewith? If any of that rank do carp thereat, let that man know, I hold him to be over servilely Grammatical, and to taste strongly of Pedantical Scholarisme. My proceeding here, is most warrantable: For since Words are the images of the Notions of the Mind, why should we no● lay on the fairest colours of speech, that our skill can afford, it being directed only to make the picture to appear more lively? and that the Words may st●ike the Imagination (and consequently the Will) more intensely? I ever here except, where the Subject of the Translation is the sacred Writ of God, in the translating whereof a literal plainness is the best Eloquence; and want of Art, the chiefest Art; since this Subject cannot brook, either adding to, or taking from.  
I do not here intimate the least touch, as if any blemish were in the Autographon, or that it were possible for any Translation to equal it. No; silks died (we ever see) do lose the glass & beauty of their primitive colours; And Campian translated, much diminisheth the lustre and grace of Campian in the Original. But howsoever this my Translation will be entertained, it is undertaken; fi●st and principally, for the good of those, that understand not the Latin; since pity it is, that such a Maistre-peece, as this, wrought by an English Man, should be concealed from Men, for their being mere English: Secondarily, to vindicate and redeem this Work (so far as in me lieth) from the indignity and wrong it suffered from the pen of one Stock, a Minister in London; who (being, a● blockish, as a stock) some twenty years since, translated this Treatise with the shuffling, silly, and weak Answer thereto of D. Whitaker's, Father Campian's Adversary. But that Stock did so adulterate and deprave this Work, as that I grant, it much grieved me to see it pass under so rude and gross a file; his labour tending only to contaminate and soil the beauty thereof with his dirty quill.  
But to leave this point, and to turn myself to thee (good Reader) if thou ●e Catholic, I could wish thee to peruse this Treatise for thy greater corroboration and strengthening; if a Protestant (as, o, too many thousands in our poor Country are) then for thy instruction and Conversion. And if thou remain in this latter state, implore God to give thee his Grace to embrace his Truth, on what side thou shalt find it to be. But these thy prayers are not to be made with a tepidity and could indifferency, but they are to be poured out incessantly, vehemently, and strongly; that so thou mayst say with the Prophet, 
(c) jer. 38.  Prostravi ego preces meas; seeing Prayers in zeal and fervour of hart are a pleasing and grateful Sacrifice to God; if not so performed, than no sacrifice at all, since here the Altar is without fire. But I will not enlarge myself any further, for fear my Porche be over great for the House, and therefore with this I leave thee, and rest  
Thine, in our Saviour JESUS-CHRIST.   

To the most Learned and Celebrious ACADEMIANS of Oxford and Cambridge EDMUND CAMPIAN wisheth Health.  
WHEN this year past, by my chosen institution of life, and command of my Superiors (Most excellent Men) I returned into this Island, I did find storms much more boisterous and rugged upon the coasts of England, than those, which I had lately escaped in the Briton Ocean. After I had entered into the hart of the Realm, I saw nothing more usual than unusual punishments; nothing more certain, than uncertainty of danger. I closed myself together, as well as the present state of things would permit, being mindful of the Cause, mindful of the Times. And for fear, that perhaps I should be apprehended, before my entrance-in was rumoured, I presently did set down in writing, Who I was, that was come; What I sought after; What manner of war, and against whom, I did proclaim. The first draught of it, I eue● kept about me, that, if so I were taken, it also with me might be taken: A Copy thereof I delivered to a friend, the which (truly without my intention and privity) was made known to many. The Adversaries do with great indignity and atrocity entertain this Writing being divulged; And among other things, they most maliciously insist upon, that I being but One, dare in matter of Religion send this Challenge to them All; Although it is certain, that I should not be alone in this Combat, if the disputation might proceed by public Warrant. Hanmer and Chark have shaped an Answer to my Demands. What was it at the length? Most idle and frivolous. For not any answer sorting with their honours, but one they give, which one they shall never give: We embrace your challenge, the Queen promiseth open security, make haste, and fly over to us. In lieu hereof, these two blotters of paper cry out, with a multitude of obstreperous words: Fie of thy sodality, thy seditious molitions, thy arrogancy, thou art a Traitor, doubtlessly a Traitor. Ridiculously! Why do Men, as if scarce they enjoyed but their five senses, make such profusion and waste of labour, charges, and their own reputation? But as concerning these two (of which the fi●st out of Religion vastly runneth upon my said Writing; the other even brea●hing malice, rudely tumbles & tosses it up and down) there is lately published a small Treatise for them to pe●vse, which discourseth (so far forth, as is th●ught convenient) of our Society, of the injuries offered us by these kind of men, and of the function, which we undergo. Now to me it remained; (because I see, the chief Protestant Doctors prepare for me the rack and gallows, not the Schools) to war●ant with you the cause of this my proceeding; and to point out those branches and heads of Matter (harbingers of my desired future Disputation's) which have distilled into me so great confidence and security: And further I would hereby wish you, who are more peculiarly obliged thereto then others to espouse you● serviceable days chiefly to t●is incumbency and labour; since CHRIST, the Church, the Commonwealth, and your own Soul's welfare exact thus much from you. If I, as enjoying pregnancy, learning, art, reading, memory, should provoke any one skilful and experienced Adversary, I might justly have thereby bewrayed in me a swelling ventosity and pride, as neither rightly balancing myself, nor them: But if I looking upon the Cause of Religion with a dispassionate, unpreiudging, and single eye have thought myself able enough, to demonstrate this Sun to shine in its Meridian, your Ingenuities ought not to rest disedifyed thereby; but freely to grant to me (being embarked in so great an Action) this fervor, which the Honour of JESUS CHRIST my King, and the impugnable Truth have produced. You well know, that Marcus Tullius in his Oration for Quintius, when Roscius did 〈…〉 to obta●ne the Cause then controversed, if he could but evict, that seven hundred miles could not be run in the space of two days, did not only little regard the elocution of Hortensius, but neither of those, when excelled Hortensius in his Art, as the Philippies, the Cottae, the Antony's, t●e Crassis, who●e re●●e countenances were full of Rhetoric, & to wh●ch men himself ascribed all perfection in Oratory, and store of filed w●rds; For there is as centaine Truth of that radiancy and splendour, that no impostures either in gallantry of speech, or in the matter itself can overclowde it. Now this, which we here undertake, is more clear and illustrious, then was the Thesis or Subject of Roscius. For if I can but make good, that there is a Heaven, that there is a God, that there is a Faith, that there is a CHRIST, I do come of victorius. May I not then be he●e courageous? may I not here show an inexpugnable confidence's Certainly, hanged, drawn, & quartered I well may be, overcome I cannot be; Since I anchor myself on those Doctors, whom that Spirit did instruct, which is neither vanquished, nor deceived; How then can I here loose the honour of the day? I humbly beseech you, that you would be but content to be saved; this is the Butt ob my desires; which one request if I may obtain, I shall be far more hopeful in all the rest In the meantime render yourselves wholly up to this solicitude and Warrfare, batter at the ears of CHRIST with your incessant payers, become breathless in your diligence and labour herein; And then doubtlessly you shall find the matter to stand, as (abstracting from all Circumstances) it is in itself; that is you shall find our Adversaries ●o use strange tergiue●sations of distrust and despair; and us (as being securely grounded) ready to expect and wait for this field of Combat, with all composed serenity of mind, and spiritual resolution. I here forbear to spread myself in more words, since in the rest following I direct further speeches to you.  
Fare you well.   

THE REASONS of the Challenge of EDMUND CAMPIAN made to the ACADEMIANS of England.  

The first Reason. THE SACRED SCRIPTURES.  
IN the throng of so many things, which proclaim our Aduersarie's guilty diffidence in matter of Religion; there is not any point so much prevailing therein, as the Majesty of God's sacred Writ, being by them most unworthily dishonoured. For after they have spurned at the authorities and consents of all Witnesses, they are finally b●ought to this one shift, that they a●e not able longer to subsist and stand, except th●y make violent incursions and sallies upon the said Divine Books. Doubtlessly these men discover themselves to be in the extremest peril; and being in these straits, they are most desperately resolved to expect & endure the danger of the last shot. What forced the Manichees 
(a) August. l. 28. contra Faustum. c. 2. & de Vtilitat. ●reden li ●. 3.  to read with a malevolent and troubled eye the Gospel of Matthew, & the Acts of the Apostles? Distrust in thei● Cause, and desperation. For with these volumes of Holy Scripture they were wounded; since they denied CHRIST to have been borne of a 
(b) Math. c. 1.  Virgin, and dreamt, that the Holieghost then descended from Heaven, when their Paraclete (that most blasphemous and wicked Persian) fi●st stepped forth and appeared to the world. What constrained the 
(c) Irenaeu● l. 1. c 26  Ebyonits' to discanon all the Epistles of Paul? Desperation For these retaining their dignity, Circumcision, which those men laboured to revive, was wholly antiquated and disannulled. What induced Luther (that flagitious Apostata) to alleviate the worth of the Epistle of james, by styling it 
(d) juth. in Non. T●stam. Ge●m. Praefat. in Epist. jacobi. Vid● l de Captivit. Bab. c de extreme vnctione & Cent. 2. Magd pag. 58.  Contentious, swelling, dry, strawy, and unworthy the spirit of Apostle? Desperation. For with this writing the wretch was appalled and confounded, when he enthroned justice in the only seat 
(e) jac. 2  of Faith. What caused the littar or p●sthumi of Luther at one push to thrust out of the Canon of the Bible, the Books of Tohie, Ecclesiasticus, the Machabies, and diverse 
(f) Babble. Geneu.  others equally calumniated by them for their Serpentine malice borne to th●se former? Desperation: since by these Divine Oracles they are utterly foiled, as often as they dispute of the patronage 
(g) Tob 11.  of Angels, as often as they impugn the doctrine of 
(h) Eccl●s. 15.  Freewill; as often as they entertain any discourse of the state of the faithful 
(i) 2. Machab. 12.  departed; as often, as they make assault upon the Article of Intercession 
(k) 2. Machab. 15  of Saints. But what? Is the matter brought to this issue? Is pertinacy in judgement, and insolent Boldness arrived to this ascent and strain? Are not our Adversaries afraid, after they have betrampled (with all contempt) upon the Church of Christ, upon Coun●ells, the seats of Christ's Apostles, the Fathers, Martyrs, Emperors, Assents of all People, ancient Lawe●, Universities, Histories, briefly upon all steps or prints of Antiquity & Sanctity; and further have publicly dogmatized, that all Controversies are to receive their inappealable trial only from the written Word of God; Are they not afraid (I say) nevertheless, thus to have mangled that very Word yet remaining, by having hewed from thence (as from the whole body) so many, so good, so fair parcels thereof? The Caluinists have paired away (not to speak of some small passages) seven 
(l) The Books he, Baruch, Tobias, judith, Sapientia E●●les. and the two Machab.  Books out of the Old Testament: The Lutherans the Epistle of james, and through their malignant disaffection to this, five 
(m] Epist. to the Heb. Epist. o● Iu●e, 2. Epist. of Peter. 2. & 3. of john This appeareth from Lu●her in P●aefat citat. Magd●burg. Cent. 1. l. 2. c. 4. K●mpnit in exam Conc. Trident. Sess. 4.  other Epistles; which at some time, and in some place heretofore, have been called in question. With these our late spiritualised Brethren of Geneva 
(n) Bibl Geneu  do range (as Apocryphal) The Book of H●ster, and almost three whole Chapters of Daniel; which the Anabaptists (their pewfellows) long since with a scornful and subriding countenance have exploded. O with how much more modesty did Austin proceed, who composing the sacred Catalogue of Scripture, took not for his boundary therein the Hebrew Alphabet, with the jews; nor the private revealing spirit, with our Sectaryes; but measured it with that very Spirit, with the which CHRIST doth inanimate the whole Body of the Church: 
[o) Austin. de doctrine. Christ. l. 2. c. 8.  Which Church being the Guardian of this Depositum (as the Heretics do suggest) and not the Mistress, hath challenged to itself long-since, by the authority of most ancient Counsels, all this Treasury; Which point of late the Council of Trent 
p) Vide Concil. Trident. s●ss 4.  hath in like manner acknowledged. The same Austin 
(q) Vi●. M●l●b. Can. l. ●. de lor. Theolog. c. 9. 1●.11.  elaboratly disputing but of one small branch of Scripture, could not be induced to believe, that the Book of Wisdom, which so long had received its further strength from the judgement of the Church, from the long hand of Time, from the approbation of the Ancients, from the secret instinct or Dictamen of the faithful, should after all this through the precipitate rashness, or swispering contradiction of some one fellow or other, be rejected, as a 
Austin de Praed●st. Sanct. c. 14.  Book adulterate and spurious, or unworthy any place in the Canon of Scripture: But what would the said Father say, if he were here conversing upon earth, and should behold diverse Luther's and Caluins to become Bible-makers, who with their polishing file and castigation have shaved the Old and New Testament: Neither have they strooken out the Book of Wisdom only, but diverse other parts beside, from the whole bulk of Scripture; and this with such a magistralitie and peculiar delivery of themselves, as that whatsoever of this nature is not vented out of their shop, the same should through a phrenetical resolution be spitted at, & loathed, as wares untrimmed and not saleable? These men, who are forced to descend to such a dire and execrable refuge, though they be much honoured through the assenting tongues of their followers, though they traffic at pleasure in Church-livings, though they have gained a popular applause by their often Sermoning, though they jointly threaten in words & writing the sword, torture, or the gallows against Catholics; nevertheless they are found to be, but men overthrown, dishonoured, contemptible, and whose Cause even in its maisterveyne lies mortally a-bleeding: Since they assuming to themselves a censorious and correcting authority, and sitting (forsooth) as honourable judges, do obliterate and deface with their expunging ●enne ●uen the Tables of Sacred W●in, i● so it seemeth to endanger them in any sort. Is there any man (though but initiated in this kind of study) who will fear the petty (though subtle) forces of such enemies? Which enemies (not being able to withstand the first onsett) so soon as they appear in the eye & presence of you (Learned Men) and make their flight to these their cony-holes, as relying therein upon their familiar Spirit or Genius, are to be entertained not so much with words of contumely, as with hissing and trampling of feet.  
I would demand of them (for instance sake) by what right or privilege, they thus cleave and tear a pieces the Body of the Scripture? They return this horse and dry answer, that they do attempt, non exscindere, sed ●xcernere, not to cut of any true parts, but to cull out the suppositions and forged. By the authority of what judge do they attempt this? By the spirit of the Holieghost; they reply. For this very evasion (being a cardinal point, and great mystery in their art) is delivered by 
(s) In●tit. l. 1. c. 7 〈◊〉 4.5.  Calvin, that he might decline the judgement of the Church, by which all Spirits are tr●ed. Why then do several of you wound with your pens several parts of the said Scripture, since you all promiscuously vaunt of enjoying the same Spirit? Are you not here plunged and stabled? The Spirit of the Caluini●ts achnowledgeth six Epistles, which Epistles are wholly rejected by the Spirit ●f Luth●r; And yet they both (we must presume) were endued with the Spirit of the Holieghost. The 
(t) Sixt. Sen●ns. l. 8. Haer. 10  Anabaptists do style the History of job, a fable; as being intermixed with Tragical and Comical matter. By what means know they this? The Spirit so teacheth them. Castalio 
(u) Praefat. in Cant. vide B●zam. in Praefat. ante Comment. Calu. in I●sue.  (that goatish and lecherous companion) was not ashamed to prise the mystical Canticle of Solomon (which all Catholics do admire, as the Paradise of the Soul, as the Hidden Manna, as most choice delights in Christ) at no more, then as a lovesong made to one's Leman, or as an amorous discourse had with the wayting-maydes of the Mistress. From whence sucked he this? from the Spirit. The Apocalypse of john (where every line according to Hierome, 
(x) Epist. ad Paul.  soundeth some sublime & magnifical point) Luther, 
(z) in exam. ●●n●il. Trident. ●●ss. 4.  
(y) Praefat. i● Apocal  Brentius, and Kempnitius (such rigid Aristarchi they are) do note with a Theta of condemnation, as censuring it to be defective; and there-upon they wished, that it might lose the honour of being reputed Scripture. Who was here their Instructor? The Spirit. Luther 
(a) Luth. praefat. in N●●. Testam. Germ.  through a preposterous zeal ballanceth and compareth the four Gospels together, and advancing the Epistles of Paul much above the three first, he in the close of all, peremptorily and Senatour-like, decreeth the Gospel of john only to be acknowledged as fair, true, and most principal; because as much as in him did lie, he willingly would have made the Apostles partakers of his contentions in matters of Faith. By whom was he here warranted? By the presumed sovereignty and domination of the Spirit. Yea this our diminutive 
(b) Serm. de Pha●●●. & Publican  Brother blushed not to disgorge some wanton and petulant words against the Gospel of Luke, by reason that the exercise of Virtue and Good Works is therein frequently inculcated. Who instilled this into him? The Spirit. Theodorus 
(c) Beza. in Luc 22.  Beza so commanded over the written Word, as that he dared to traduce (as corrupted, and by some mean vitiated) that most sacred and hidden sentence out of Luke 22. Hic est calix, nowm testamentum, in sanguine meo, qui 
(d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  (calix) pro vobis fundetur: This is the Chalice, the new Testament, in my blood, which (Chalice) shallbe shed for you: Because this texture of words could suffer no other exposition, then that of the Wine in the Cup, turned into the true Blood of Christ. Who revealed thus much to him? The Spirit. Briefly, whiles every one believeth in his own Spirit, they do belie the name of the Spirit of God, with most horrible blasphemy.  
Who run these divisions of desperate boldness (Learned Academ●ans) do they not betray themselves? are they not easily vanquished? are they not in the presence of such indicious Men, as you are, laid prostrate with the least encounter? May I be afraid to dispute with these in defence of the Catholic Faith, who without all faith & integrity have thus dishonoured the Word, not of man, but of God?  
I here forbear to speak, how these men in their Versions of Scripture have perverted the Scripture; they standing chargeable with most insufferable abuses of this nature. I am loath to snatch this labour out of the hands of Gregory Martin my Colleague, and one most skilful in the Tongues, who more accuratly can perform the same; upon whom and some others this task is now laid. The atrocity, which here I labour to unfold, is far more facinorous, and scarcely piacular: There are certain petty Doctors (forsooth) stepped up, who even drunk with an impetuous frenzy, and bearing themselves great, as if they did carry about with them the Holieghost, have laid their profane fingers upon God's own Hand-wryting: condemning many passages thereof as maimed, as imperfect, as false, as surreptitious: Some parts of it they have corrected, some (by circumcising the Text) corroded, and others wholly disauthorized. And for their Sanctuary in these their irreligious procedures, they are glad to entrench themselves in Luther's Spirit, as in a rampire fabricated of Phantasms and painted walls; that so they may not be wholly dumb or mute, when they fall upon such Scriptures, as do impugn their Errors; And yet they find no less difficulty to fortify and strengthen their Cause thereby, then if they should, by endeavouring to sup up sparks of fire, or eat stones.  
This then first Reason or Motive (which I have planted, as a murthering-peece, in the forepart of my challenge) seemeth to me most pressing and strong; the which, after it had (in my own sight) fully played upon the feeble & broken forces of the Adversary, did (I confess) give courage to a Christian Man, and to one trained in this kind of fight, to wage war in defence of the Crown of the Eternal King, against the scattered relics and troops of the profligated and wasted Enemy.   

The second Reason. THE SENTENCE of Holy Scriptures.  
AN other Allective, whereby I am invited to this Conflict, and which hath elevated & lessened in my apprehension these men's strength, and much encouraged me to make a second charge upon them, is their continual affected sleights in expounding the Scriptures, being loaded with deceit, but void of wisdom. You shall instantly (worthy Men) even feel and touch the same (so gross and palpable it is) And for this end I appeal to you the rather, as to my Auditors.  
For example; let us demand and redemaund, why the professors of this new Sect have excluded Christ from the Mystical Supper, and here exiled all Trans-elementation. If they once but name the Gospel (the true History of our saviour's speeches, life, & actions) we presently join issue. The words thereof even depose the Truth in our behalf; Hoc est corpus meum; hic est sanguis meus. 
(a) Mat. 26 Marc. 14 Luc. 22.  Which words were so powerful and prevailing in the ears of Luther, as though he much coveted to become a Zwinglian, whereby out of the riot of his malice he might disadvantage the Pope, yet being here wholly overborne with the stream of the Text, he forcedly yielded in part to the truth; and 
(b) Epist ad Argentin.  confessed no less unwillingly Christ to be truly and really present in the most holy Sacrament, than the 
(c) Mat. 8 Marc. 1.  Devil's long-since convicted with the Miracles of Christ, did vociferate and noize him to be the Son of the living God. Well. Go on forward: The naked Written Word fortifyeth our side, and debilitateth our Adversaries. But the true Sense of this passage is here to be questioned. This we may infallibly pick out of the words subsequent: Corpus meum, quod 
(d) Luc. 22. Mat. 26  pro vobis datur. Sanguis meus, 
(e) Marc. 14  qui pro vobis effundetur: My body which is given for you; My blood, which shallbe shed for you. Hitherto Caluin's Cause is thorny, and fraught with difficulties; Ours expedit, clear, and obvious. What is further to be done? Confer the Scriptures herein, they say; so much they seek to impropriate the Scriptures to their own use. We reply: nothing more to be desired. The 
(f) Marc. 14 Luc. 22.  Gospels do unanimously conspire; Paul 
(g) 1. Cor. c. 10. & 11.  assenteth thereto; The Words, the Sentences, the whole contexture do most appositely and reverently repeat and ingeminate the Bread, the wine, a 
(h) Mat. 16  remarkable miracle, heavenly 
(i) joan. 8.  food, his flesh, his body, and blood. Nothing here Enigmatical, nothing darkened with the mist of obscure phrases. Nevertheless our Adversaries still persist in great estuation and heat, and never make an end of their further altercation and wrangling. How are we then to proceed? I trust Antiquity (which even Reverence forbids to control) is no liar, but here she may be heard; and what both sides through their reciprocal jealousy cannot perform, that the venerable hoarie-head of all precedent Ages, being more near to Christ, more remote from this Controversy, may indisputably determine. This they do not brook; They are (they say) by this course betrayed; they incessantly cry out: the word of God is a pure fountain; the Commentaries of men they utterly reject. Most calumniously! most idly! Let us forcibly insist in the Word of God; they bias & pervert the sense: Let us attend it with answerable expositions of holy Interpreters, the sentinals of the Church, in every Age; they withstand. The Period of all is, ●hat except thou wilt be content to stand to the judgement of the guilty, no judgement of these matters must pass. Shame they not, thus to give ground in their disputes? And thus they bear themselves in every Controversy of Faith, ventilated between both parties: Of Grace infused, of inherent justice, of the visibility of the Church, of necessity of Baptism, of the Sacraments and Sacrifice, of the Merits of Holy men, of Hope and fear, of Disparity of Sinne●, of the Sovereignty of Peter, of the Keys, of Vows, of Evangelicall Counsels, finally of all other Questions we have frequently alleged and discussed divers texts of Scripture (and those most choking) in our Books, in our Discourses, in the Churches, in the Schools: Our Adversaries but elude and shuffle them of. We have adjoined to th● said Texts (for the sealing up of the matter) the sorting Scholiaes' and constructions of the ancient Greek and Latin Fathers: They contemn and slight them. But what is the closure of all? forsooth Doctor Martin Luther, or else Philipp Melancthon, or certainly Zwinglius, or without all doubt Calvin and Beza have most infallibly Oracled the Truth touching the former points. Shall I so much wrong any one of you, by reputing him of so stopped a nose, as that being premonished, he cannot strongly sent so thick and gross an artifice? Wherefore I freely confess, that I greedily thirst after your Academical Schools, that so in the Theatre and sight of yourselves, I may weaken and ruffle these crisped and effeminate soldiers, they being once brought out of their shades into open view; but this not through any strength of mine (who stand not in a hundred part paralleled with others of our Religion) but through the force of a most prevailing Cause, and impregnable Truth.   

The third Reason. The nature of HOLY CHURCH.  
AT the very hearing of the word (Church) pronounced, the Enemy did grow pale: Nevertheless one imposture he hath excogitated, of which I much desire▪ you should take notice, that thereby you may more easily deprehend the ruin and mendicitie of falsehood. After he had diligently observed, that both in the Prophetical and Apostolical Scriptures there was made frequently most honourable mention of the Church: As, that it is called the Holy 
(a] Apoc. 2  City, a fructiferous 
[b] ps. 7.  Vine, a mighty high 
[c] Esay. 2  Mountain, the right and 
[d) Esay. 35  straight Way, the only 
[e) Cant. 6.  Dove, the Kingdom 
(f) Mat 13  of Heaven, the 
[g) Cant. 4.  Sp●use and 
(h) Ephes. 5  body of Christ the pillar 
[i] 1. Timo●. 3  of Truth; that Society, into the which the Holieghost (then promised) 
[k] joan. 14.  instilleth all healthful things, that Society, upon the which, the 
(l) Mat. 1●  Devil (though swollen with malice) through out all the parts thereof, could never fasten his teeth with ●nie deadly bit; briefly that Society, against the which, whosoever is contumacious 
(m] Mat. 18  and refractory (although with his tongue he preacheth Christ) yet he can have no greater share in him, than any Publican or Heathen. Now in regard of these Panegyrics the Adversary dares not in express words openly impugn the Church, which the Scriptures do so much magnify and celebrate: Therefore the name of the Church he subtly retaineth, the thing itself by defining he utterly overthroweth; thus he making the Being of the Church, to consist in a Not-being. For he hath attempted to delineate and draw the Church with such 
(n) Calu. Instit. l. 4. c. 1 num. 2. & 3.  proprieties and shadows, which do keep her in a continual latency; and as being removed from all sensible apprehension (like to Plato's Idea) do expose her to the sight of some few men, and those only, who being rapt Spiritualists, can comprehend with their nice imagination this airy body, and can with a transpearcing and searching eye find out, and steadfastly behold the members of this sodality. Where is any candour in this proceeding? Where ingenuity and plainness, the Attendant of Truth? What Scriptures, what sententionall Resolutions, what Fathers do thus pencil forth the Church? There are Epistles written to the Churches 
(o) Apoc. 1  of Asia, there are also several written by Peter, by Paul, by john, and other the Apostles; The planting, propagation, and expansion of Churches is abundantly recorded in the Acts 
(p) Act. 8.10. & sequent.  of the Apostles. What do all ●●ese passages of Scripture enforce? Do they evict those Churches to be made known and manifest only to God and holy men, or otherwise to Christians of all sorts: But certainly; Durum telum necessitas. Commiserate them. For since these men, during the full space of fifteen hundred years (after long disquisition and search made) could not light upon one City, one Village, one House empoisoned with their Novelismes, until that unhappy M●nke 
(q) Luth●r.  had polluted a Virgin (devoted to God) by incestuous copulation, or that Swashbuckler & Roaring-Boy 
(r) Zwingl.  of Helvetia had conspired against his Country, or that 
(s) Calvin.  Stigmatical fugitive had impatronized himself of Geneva; no wonder if they be constrained to vaunt of their Church (if ani● Church they will challenge) 〈◊〉 lying in a perpetual obscurity; and to make claim to those for their progenitors, whom neither themselves had known, nor any others have ever seen. Except (perhaps) they glory in some of their chief Prodromi and forerunners, whom to have been positive and form 
(t) vide Henr. Pantal. in Chronog.  Heretics, is evident; As, Aerius, jovinian, Vigilantius, Heluidius, the Iconomachi, Berengarius, the Waldenses, Lolhardus, Wicliff, Huss, from all which they have begged certain pestilent fragments of Doctrinal speculations; greedily indeed licking up much of that poison, which those former had vomited out in their blurred papers. Wonder not (Academians) if I nothing fear these empty smokes, the which so soon as I shall come to the height of your presence, will be most easy to dissipate and dispel. For this is our Sermocination and discourse.  
Tell me (o Protestant) wilt thou strike sail, and yield to that Church, which hath ever enjoyed in former Ages an uneclipsed and glorious conspicuity? Altogether (replies he) and without appeal. Let us then perlustrate the places and times. To which Church dost thou subscribe? To the Congregation of the Faithful. Who were the Men? Their names indeed do lie interred in oblivion; but it is evident, that many such did then live. Evident? To whom is it evident? To God. Who dares maintain this groundless assertion? We, who have received from the Lord herein sublime Enthusiasms and illuminations. Fabulous toys! How can I be drawn to believe this? If thou didst burn with an inflamed faith, thou wouldst as certainly know this, as thou knowest, that thou dost live.  
Spectatum admissi risum teneatis? Whereas the divine Word commandeth all Christians to range & join themselves to the Church; to take heed of being slain by the spiritual sword, to live in peace in the house of God; to lay down their souls upon the affiance of the Church, as upon the pillar of Truth; here to determine all complaints and accusations; to repute men disincorporated and cast out from thence, but for Heathens: Is it possible then, (as if Christ instantly intended to repudiate his Spouse) that it should not be known, during the revolution of so many Hundreds of years, where the Church was, or whether in all that time it remained in its full Orb, but rather suffered an utter disparition; or who they were, that appertained thereto? Or will our Adversaries, notwithstanding all this, still whisper in Corners, that there (there only) the Church is, where their Gospelers, and such only, as they suppose to be predestinated, are to be found? From whence it inevitably resulteth, that if one should deprave & calumniate the authority of his spiritual Prelate, he offendeth not, if so he can be persuaded, that his said Prelate were at that time in mortal sin, and had finally fallen from the Church.  
Whereas then I called to mind, that our Adversaries have fabricated such deceitful Stratagems, wherewith no Church in any former Age was acquainted; and that they being deprived of the thing itself, would in these straits nevertheless seek to possess (& therein rest solaced) the naked sound of a poor Word or Name, I was much animated at the remembrance of your Crystalline and clear judgemenrs, & did undoubtedly promise to myself, that as soon, as you had discovered these subterfugious Sophistications and frauds even from the Adversaries own confession, you (as Men of true resolution and fortitude) would instantly cut asunder all such nets and illaqueations, woven to ensnare your Souls, unto your own interminable perdition.   

The fourth Reason. COUNSELS.  
IN the infancy of the Church, a most weighty question & doubt touching the practice of the Ceremonies of the Law (which then much afflicted the weak and tender minds of the Believers) received its final decision from a Council of the Apostles and Seniors, upon that occasion assembled. The Sons did then believe their Parents, the Sheep their Pastors charging them in these words: Visum est 
(a) Act. 15  Spiritui Sancto, & nobis. In aftertimes there followed four Ecumenical or General Counsels, ready ever and pressed to extirpate any Heresy, budding up within the circle of those Ages. Which Counsels have gained such a hand of Authority, as that more than a thousand years since, wonderful Honour was ascribed unto them, even as to the 
(b) Gregor. l. 1. Epi. 24.  words of the Holieghost. I will not exspatiate a far-off; for even here at home, the said Counsels did obtain their ancient sovereignty and inviolable dignity; and this by the concurrent and joint consent of the whole 
(c) Ann. 1. Elizab.  Parlamenr. In proof whereof, o England (my most dear Country) I call thee to witness. For if thou wilt reverence rhose four Counsels (as thou didst then make some fair and suspicious approaches thereof) thou wilt afford supreme honour to the Bishop of the first Sea, I mean to Peter: 
(d) Nieen. Can. 6. Chalced. art. 4 16 Constantinop. cap. 5.  thou wilt acknowledge an Incruent Sacrifice 
(e) Ephes. Concil. Epist. ad Nestor. Nicen. can. 14.  of the Body and Blood of Christ upon the Altar: Thou wilt humbly beseech the blessed Martyrs, 
f Calced. Act. 11. , & all the Court of Heaven, to advocate & intercede to Christ for thee: thou wilt restrain voluptuous Apostates from all execrable yoking together, & public 
(g] Nic. Concil. apud Socrat. l. 1. c. 8.  incest: briefly thou wilt do many things, which now thou forbearest to do, and wilt forbear 
(h) vide Chalced. Can. 4.7.16.24  to do many things, which now thou dost. But to proceed: I do here undertake and give my hand, to demonstrate (when just occasion thereof shallbe presented) that the General Counsels of all succeeding Ages (and particularly that of Trent) were equally prized and reverenced with the first four. Now than I being thus encamped and strengthened with the inexpugnable fortress of all the General Counsels; why may I not enter into this Combat, with a cheerful alacrity; being ready to charge upon the Enemy, what way soever he betakes? since I will produce proofs so evident, that he cannot detort; so warrantable and authorized, that he shall not dare to deny. Perhaps he will labour to ravel out the time in idle and unnecessary surplusage of words; But if I have taken (Notable Men) your true height, he shall not be able to enchant either your ears or eyes. Now if any man shall become so dissolved & loose in judgement, as to balance himself (being but one) with all the Senators and Doctors of the whole world, and those incomparably more famous, ●ore holy, more learned, more ancient; I would willingly behold that meretricious and frontless Countenance; the which after I have once exposed to your sight, all the rest I will leave to your more retired and morning thoughts.  
In the mean time this I will aver, that whosoever seeks to disesteem and abrogate the authority of a Council (with due circumstances celebrated) it being in this respect the last Resort or Tribunal, and above all Appeal; that man seems to be of no counsel, no wit, no brains; and not only in points Theological short, but even in matters Civil, impolitic and iniudicious. For if the Spirit of God hath ever shined upon the Church, doubtlessly then is the time of darting forth its beams and influences, when the Religion, maturity, learning, wisdom, & dignity of all Churches dispersed upon the face of the earth are gathered into one City; and there they even besieging the ears of God with their prayers, do by the interueniencie both of all Divine and Humane helps, for the mining and searching out of the Truth, implore the Spirit 
(i) Mat. 28 joan. 14.  promised, that by its direction they may decree healthfully & prudently for Man's soul.  
Now let any Heretical Sr. john, or Superintendent step out, let him lift up the eyelids, draw awry his nose, rub his forehead (his mimical gesture thus commenting his, inward mind) finally let him with all scurrility and ignorance judge his own judges, the very eye and carriage of Heresy; what Comical sport, what matter of laughter will this empty Trunk afford? Luther 
(k) l. de Capt. Babil.  is found to say, that he preferred the voices and judgements of two good and learned men, consenting in the name of Christ (he did mean himself, and Melancthon) before any Counsels, though never so numerous, never so ancient. O circulation and winding inflexions! Kempnitius 
(l) in Exam. Concil. Trid.  in like sort dared to subject the Council of Trent, to the censure of his own vertiginous and giddy head-piece, and to cause the worth thereof to pass through the straight report of his embasing tongue. What gained he? eternal shame and infamy. Whilst this excentrous and irregular Sectary (except he give a full stop in the mean time to his present course) willbe interred in the grave of Arius; the Council of Trent▪ the more accession of years it shall hereafter enjoy, the more will be attended on with honour, reverence, and estimation. Good God What confluence of several Nations, what peculiar choice of Bishops of the whole World, what splendour and fastigious dignity of Kings and Commonwealths, what most remarkable and profound Divines, what sanctity, what tears, what fastings, what Academical learning, what skill in tongues, what piercing subtility of wit, what incessant diligence & labour, what infinite reading, what riches of virtue & literature did replenish that sacred and holy Consistory? Upon occasion one time I did hear diverse great and learned Prelates (of which number, Antonius Archbishop of Prague was one, by whose sacred Hand I am created Priest) much glorying, that for some few years, they had made their stay in that School: they further affirming, that they never received from Ferdinando then Emperor (to whom otherwise they had been much obliged) a more princely and magnificent Benefitt, than this was; that some of them being sent as Legates out of Pannonia, had their places and suffrages in the Council of Trent. Of which thing the Emperor being advertised, and as willing to accent this one courtesy above the rest, did regratulate the said Bishops at their return, in these words: Aluimus vos in Schola optima. Now why did not our Adversaries (being invited thereto by public warrant) hasten to this Synod, that so they might in open view befallen those, against whom th●y m●tter like frogs croaking out of their little holes? To salve their engaged honour therein, they reply, that they could not securely repair thither; since solemn stipulation. and promise (made upon the like occasion) was not kept with Hus● and Hi●●ome of P●ague. Who did infringe it? The Doctors (say they) of the Council of Constance. It is false; for that Council gave not any stipulation. The true state of these two men was this. Huss had never lost his life, but that being a perfidious 
(m) Huss.  and turbulent fellow, (as ever rowing the Oa●e of Sedition) and escaping by flight (though af●er brought back) which Sigismond the Emperor had interdicted him upon the danger of his head, and violating all Conditions made by him to the Emperor, he laboured to enervate, or rather frustrate the authority of his Letters Patent. A precipitate and headlong malice did overreach this Incendiary; For after he had stirred up great combustions and Tragedies in his own Country of Bohemia, he was commanded to make his stay at Constance; He contemned the prerogative of the Council; demanded warrant of the Emperor. The Emp●rour sealed thereto. The Christian World (more potent than the Emperor) unsealed. To renounce his Novelismes, this Archheretic could not be induced; he perished. Now Hierome 
(n) Ie●●me ●f Prage.  of Prague (to wind the matter up in few words) came by stealth to Constance, was protected by no man; Being apprehended, he was convented; He pleaded his Cause, was entertained kindly, enjoyed his liberty, was cured, abjured his Heresy; He after relapsed; he was burned. But why so often do they exagitate this straying and alone example among many hundreds? Let them revolve their own Annals. Was not Martin Luther himself (hateful to God and Man) cited at Augusta 
[o] Anno 1518.  before Cardinal Caietan, and did he not there eructate and belch forth what he could, and yet as being secured by the Letters of Maximilian, went he not away peaceably and without danger? The same Martin, being commanded to appear at the City 
[p] 1521  of Worms, though then Cesar and diverse Princes of the Empire were highly offended towards him, did not the Word of Cesar (whose Eagles pownce scorned to seize upon so base a prey) become his Sanctuary? To conclude, were not the Antefignani and most eminent men among all the Lutherans and Zwinglians, even in the presence of Cha●les the fifth (an enemy to Heretics, a Conqueror, a supreme and absolute Lord) after promise for their safety once given, permitted to exhibit their Confessions 
[q) August. Confess.  of Faith, so often renewed at the Dietes of Augusta? and did they not depart with all impunity & freedom? Just in the same manner did the Council of Trent 
[r) vide Concil. Trident Sess 15. & 18.  provide most ample cautions for the Adversary, repairing thereto. He would not vouchsafe to use them. Notwithstanding he much vaunteth and exalteth himself in corners and private Conventicles; where after he hath psittically learned to sound some few Greek words, he will needs seem to be wise and literate: He declineth (with a toade-like ●etirednes) the aspect and eye of the World, w●ich should range a learned man in his due place, and call him to wartantable seats of judicature. Let the Protestants procure for the Catholics of England, if they desire their soul's good, the like Handwriting or Warrant from the Queen. We will not be affrighted with the misfortune of Huss. Let us once enjoy but the word of the Prince, and we will in all haste even fly together unto the Court.  
But to recover myself, and to return from whence I have digressed; All General Counsels plead my Cause; the First, the Last, the Middle. These are my weapons, with these I will fight. Let the Adversary expect the encounter of a looped and piercing javelin, the which he shall be never able to draw out of his wounded side. Let Satan become thereby vanquished; and CHRIST victorious.   

The fifth Reason. THE FATHERS.  
AT what time the Honourable Surname of Christians began in the City of Antioch to get more and more on wing, and became more diwlged, Doctors, 
(a) Act. 13 1. Co●. 12. & 14 Eph. 4.  that is, eminent Divines, and Prophets, to wit, remarkable Preachers, did then flourish. Of this kind our Lord himself was most solicitous to provide for his ensuing flock, Scribes and Wisemen, learned in the Kingdom of God, bringing forth things, New 
(b) Mat. 13.  and Old; fully instructed in Christ and Moses. Now these men being bequeathed to the Church for her larger opulency, and being (as it were) her chief retinue or Guard, how great a mischief is perpetrated to explode & eliminate them? And yet the Adversary hath exploded them. Upon what inducement? Because their standing is his falling. When I had diligently observed this exorbitancy of carriage, I did fervently demand the Combat; not that iocularie and sportful skirmish, which the vulgar perform in their public streets; but that severe and grave conflict, by which we may encounter in the Schools of your own Universities: Pede pes, densusque viro vir.  
If at any time hereafter it may be thought lawful, to make our repair to the Fathers, the war is ended. They are all as entirely ours, as Gregory the Thirteenth is, that most living Father of the Sons of the Church. For to omit all such sparsed and scattered passages (discerped by us) out of the Father's Monuments, which most punctually and positively do fortify our Faith; we do hold and possess even whole volumes of theirs, whose peculiar Subject is articulately and copiously to discourse and prove, and, as it were, to dissect every nerve and finew of that evangelical Religion, which we at this present maintain. The double 
(c) Diony●. Areop de quo vi●● Synod 6 Act. 4 Ado Treu in Martyr. Su●d. M●tap.  Hierarchy of Dionysius the Martyr, what Ecclesiastical Orders, w●at sacred Mysteries, what rites doth it throughly teach and set down? This point so gauled Luther, as that he reputed his Works to be, 
(d) ●u●h. com●●. in 1 13 17 D●u●er. & in Captivi. Babyl  Sim llima somniis, nec non perniciossima; most l●ke to dreams; and most pernicious. Caussaeus, some obscure Terrae filius in France (as borne of the slime of that Country) following the obliquity of Luther's paths, was not afraid often to term this Dionysius (being the Apostle of a most famous Nation) delirum 
(e) Caussae dia●og. 5 & 11.  senem, an old doting man. Ignatius doth mightily distaste the Centurists, he also distasteth Calvin; 
(f) C●nt. 2 c. 10.  so as these Refuse and scum of men have (through their cold severity) noted in his Epistles, 
[g) Instit. l. 1 c. 13. num 29.  deforms naevos, & pu●●das naemas, certain f●ule blemishes, and trifling songs. In the judgement of these rigid Censours (whose Calenda●i● and prescribed ta●ke, was but unworthiby to tax t●e Fathers) Irenaeus hath diwlged in his Writings, ●anaticum 
(h) Cent. 2. c. 5.  quiddam, certain fanatical st●ff, and rapt or inspired conceits. Clemens (the Author of the Book called Stromata) did vent forth, 
[i] Cant. 2.  zizania & feces; darnel, and bas● matter or dreggs. Upon the rest of the Fathers of this Age (being indeed Apostolical Men) they even shower down reproaches, daring to charge them, that 
[k] Cent. 1. l. 2 c 10. & s●q.  blasph●mias & monst●a posteris reliquerunt, they have transmitted in their Writings blasphemies, and monstrous opinions to their successors. Upon Tertullian they make violent onsetts and incursions, for his maintaining of that Error, which we Catholics first discovered to them in him: Yet in the meantime let them remember, that the Book, 
(l) Tertul l de Praefer. contra Haeres.  de Praescriptionibus, written by this Father (in which Book the Sectaries of this time, even by a presaging pen, are dangerously wounded) was never controlled by the Church of God. How clearly and exactly doth 
(m) Hyppol. Orat. de Cons. secul.  Hippolytus, (Bishop of Portua) premonstrate and point out the times of Luther; the very strength of Antichrist, and for this peculiar reason they loudly mouth it, calling him, scriptorem 
(n) jewel.  infantissimum, & laruam, a most childish-Writer, and walking Spirit. Upon Cyprian (who was the honour and pride of Africa) that French 
(o) C●ussae. dialog. 8. & 11.  Critic, and the Magdeburgians 
[p) C●nt 33. c. 4.  have throwed this imputation, terming him, stupidum, & destitutum Deo, & depravatorem Paenitentiae, a man stupid or blockish, and deprived of the grace of God; and one, who hath foully corrupted the doctrine of Penance. What points of Papistry (as they in the foam of their impure language do speak) did this Father maintain? He did write of the state of cloistered Virgins, of revolted Apostates, of the unity of the Church, such elaborate Treatises, as also such Epistles to Cornelius, then Bishop of Rome; as that except we take away all credit and authority from the words of this Martyr, Peter Martyr Vermilius and all his Consociates therein, are to be accounted far worse, than Adulterers and sacrilegious persons. But not to dwell overlong in particular Fathers, (who are most basely trodden upon by these men) all the Fathers of this Age (without exception) are insimulated within one and the same sentence of condemnation; 
(q) Cent. 3. c. 4.  quip d●ctriuam de Paen●tentia mire depravarint, because th●y wonderfully depraved the doctrine of Penance. From what fountain streameth the acerbity of this their accusation? Because the rigour of those Canons, 
(r) Paenit veteres Canon.  which were of force in that time, is incompatible with the softness and delicacy of Luther's Sect, which, as being more apt for banqueting-chambers and beds of down, than Temples and Churches, is accustomed to entertain with vain discourse voluptuous ears, and 
(s) Ezec. 13  puluillos omni cubito assuere, to spend the time in all pleasure, Sardanapalisme, and luxury. To descend to the next Centurie: in what hath it sinned? chrysostom (forsooth) and the Doctors thereof (as presumed to have in their writings certain defects and blemishes, iustitian● 
(t) p●aefat. in C●nt. 5.  sidei saedè obscurarunt, have foully obliterated & obscured the justice of Faith.  
Nazianzen, whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for honour-sake the Ancients have graced with the title of The Divine, in the judgement of Caussaeus, is 
(u) Dialog. c. 7.8. Causs●. ubi sup.  fabulator, quid affirma●et, n●sc●it, a lying writer, not knowing what he would affirm. Ambrose, a cacodaemo●e fascinatus est, is bewitched by an evil spirit. Hierome is by the Adversary censured to be, 
(x) Beza. in A●t. Apost. c. 23.  aequè damnatus atque diabolus, as certainly damned as the devil; 
(y) B●z ubi supra.  iniurio●us Apostolo, blasphaemus, sceleratus, impius: injurious to the Apostle, blasphemous, and wicked. In the libration and balance of Gregorius Massovius (a great Idolater of Calvin) 
(z) teste staunch. 〈◊〉 de Trinit  pluris est unus Caluinus, quam centum Augustini, One Calvin is of greater authority, than a hundred Augustine's. Tush, a Hundred is here no number. Luther, (who even believeth in himself) nothing prizeth against his own authority 
(a) Luther. l. contra Hemir. vegem Angl.  mille Augustinos, mille Cyprianos, mille Ecclesia●, a thousand Augustine's, a thousand Cy●rians, a thousand Churches. I hold it but needless to spin out this point to any further length. For who bear themselves with this insolency to these former Fathers, (wronging their honours with such Phillippicks, or Satyrous Pasquil's) no wonder if they breathe nothing but pride, contumacy, and petulant procacitie against Optatus, A●hanasius, Hilarius, the Cyrils, Epiphanius, Basil, Vincentius Fulgentius, Leo, and Gregory Bishop of Rome. Nevertheless if there can be given any just pretext for injust proceedings, I deny not, but that there ever occurrs in the Father's Writings (upon what book soever we shall but incidently fall) that at which our Adversaries (as long as they remain unanimous among themselves) must needs stomach & rest much discontented.  
For who doth hate set and apppointed fasts (the wings of Prayer) must they not rest disaffected towards Leo and chrysostom; who have made most learned & moaning Sermons of th● fa●t of Lent, and of other ordained fast, as of things ●●●●ally practised in their days?  
Who have prostituted their souls to open sale, for riches, lust, Epicurism (the Element of Lust) ambitious and vain sights or Spectacles, must not such men be fully gorged against Basil, chrysostom, Hierome, Austin; whose excellent Books of the Institutes, rules, and required virtues of Monks, are in each man's hands?  
Who have even enchained and shackled Man's Will, by despoiling it of all Liberty; Who have taken away all Rites and Ceremonies used at Christian funerals; Who have burned and consumed the Relics of Saints; can they be in charity with Austin; who hath written, de libero arbitrio three Books; de cura pro Mortuis, one; and of Miracles exhihited at Monuments or Tombs of Martyrs, a large 
(b) Austin. de Civit Dei l. 22 8.  Chapter●●● that most worthy Work, de Ciuita●e Dei, besides some Sermons 
(c) Austin. serm. de diverse. ●4. & seq.  of the same Subject?  
Who measure their Faith by the false yard of impostures, deceits, and calumnious sleights; how tetrical and sour must they be with Austin, who hath written a most famous Epistle against Manichaeus the Heretic, in the 
(d) Austin. contro. Epist. Man●ch. quam vocat. fundam. c. 4.  which he professeth himself ever to cleave & stick fast to Antiquity, Consent in doctrine, an uninterrupted Succession, and lastly to that Church, which alone (among so many emergent heresies) by long Tradition and custom, challengeth to itself the name Catholic? Optatus Bishop of Miletus (whose pen did single out the Donatists) impugneth their Sect or party from the force of Catholic 
(e) Optat. l. 1. & 2 contr.  Consent & Communion, accuseth them of wickedness from the decree of Pope Melchisedech, 
l. 1. ubi supra.  refuteth their Heresy from the Order 
(g) l. 2.  and succession of the Roman Bishops, displayeth their fury from their contaminating 
(h) l. 1.  & defiling of the B. Eucharist and Chrism, conceiveth horror at their sacrilege showed in breaking down 
(i) l. 6.  of Altars, in quibus Christi membra portata sunt, upon which the members of Christ are borne and in polluting the Chalices, 
(k) l. 6.  qui Christi sanguinem tenuerunt, which contained the Blood of Christ. Now I much desire to know, how our Adversaries bear themselves towards Optatus, whose memory Austin 
(l) Aust. l. 1. contr. Parm. & de Vnitat. Eccles. c. 16. & l 3 the doctr. Ch●ist. c. 40.  much celebrateth by accounting him a venerable and Catholic Bishop, equal to Ambrose and Cyprian; 
(m] Fulgen●. l. 2 ad Monim. Vide Epist. Synod. Alex.  & Fulgentius by styling him, a holy and faithful Interpreter of Paul, resembling him to Austin and Ambrose.  
The Adversaries do read the Creed of Athanasius in their Churches. Are they (trow you) favourable and gracious to him? Who (being a grave Author) did even with whole peals of laud's and praises magnify (in a choice book of his) Antony 
(n) Vide Hi●ron. de scrip. Eccles.  the Hermit in Egypt; And who with the Council of Alexandria did with all prostration and humility appeal to the judgement of the Apostolical Sea of S. Peter? How often doth Prudentius in his Hymns pray unto the Martyrs, 
(o) Vide Epist. Synod. Alex. ad f●licem 1.  whose worth in Verse he so much recordeth? How often before their Reliks' and bones doth he worship the King of all Martyrs? stands not this divine Poet unto them in the Aspect of a Diametrical Opposition?  
Hierome sharpened his pen against Vigilantius, in defence of the Relics and honour of Saints; against jovinian, in patronising the state of Virginity, do they not read his Writings, with the Eye of sullivation and malignity?  
Ambrose 
(p) Vide ep. Amb. ad Italos t. 3. So ij & eius●em Ambros. Epist. 85 Item serm. 91.  honoured his two Tutors Geruasius and Protasius with a remarkable Celebrity, and this to the great disgrace and ignominy of the Arian Heresy; to which Act the most holy Fathers 
(q) Aug. l. 22 de Civit. Dei c. 8. Gregor. Turr. l. de gloria Martyr. c. 46. Metaphrast.  have ascribed their due Encomion and praise; and which God himself hath warranted not with one only prodigious event or miracle. Can they brook Ambrose therefore? Gregory the Great, our Apostle, and in truth he is wholly ours; and under this title the very sound of his Name jars in the ears of our Adversaries: This man (I say) the fury of Calvin 
(r) Calvin. Iust●t l. 1 c. 11. nu●. 5.  denies to have been instructed in the School of the Holy Ghost, because he called sacred Images (by which the Saints are to us absently present) the Books of the illiterate and unlearned.  
The day is too short, and indeed the Sun must run a greater circle of his course to serve my turn, before I can number the Epistles, Sermons, Homilies, smaller Volumes, & Disputations of the Fathers; all being filled and stored with unanswerable proofs in defence of the Sentences and Articles of our Catholic Religion. As long as these their Monuments of Learning are to be sold in the Stationer's shops, (in which the Enemy most unworthily pretends, as you have seen, so many chains of Error and Superstition to have been woven) so long in vain are our Books forbidden to be read; in vain are the Seaports so narrowly kept, for the preventing of their entrance in, in vain are the houses of Catholics, their trunks, boxes, and other private receptacles violently broken open; in vain are so many minacious & threatening Proclamations set upon the public Gates, and other chief places in Cities; since neither Harding, nor Sanders, nor Allan, nor Stapleton▪ nor Bristol, do affect these supposed new dreams, more zealously, or with greater fervour and sedulity, than these Fathers (above by me mentioned) have done.  
When I ●eflected upon this point with a serious introversion of mind, I grant, it gave an edge to my desire, and my greediness of Combat was increased, in the which what way soever the Adversary shall take (except he will yield to God's honour) he runneth himself upon the sands. If he allow of the Fathers; he than looseth the field: If he exclude them; he thus escapeth; but by flight.  
It so chanced (myself then being young) that john jewel▪ the Antesignanus & foreman of the Caluinists in England (who ever builded his state in the ruins of men's Souls) did in his Sermon at Paul's Cross, provoke the Catholics with incredible boasting; he through Hypocrisy, appealing to, and calling upon those Fathers, who flourished within the first six hundred years of our Redemption. Those worthy men, who then suffered exile at Lovayne, in all haste arrested his challenge with their penns, though they stood obnoxious to diverse difficulties, in regard of the iniquity of the times. I dare be bold to pronounce, that the calumny, ignorance, improbity, and supercilious impudency of this jewel (who indeed wanted a foil to make his lustre good) then happily laid open by these Men's writings, did so much benefit to our general Cause, at that I can hardly remember any one thing more advantageous to the Catholic Church of England, then groaning under the Burden. Menacing Edicts and scrolls were in all haste affixed upon the common Posts, that no such books should be red, or kept by any; though jewel's vaunting exclamation might justly seem to extort the writing of them. All Persons at that time, which observed this passage, did by this means learn, that the ancient Fathers were wholly Catholic; that is, wholly Ours.  
Neither did D. Humphrey conceal this wound, given to himself and his Brethren; who, though he daigned to become jewel's Encomiast, in immoderately extolling him, and by seeking to embalm his Memory by writing 
(s) de vita juelli.  his life; yet did cast this one aspersion of inconsideration and inaduertencie upon him; to wit, that jewel proffered to stand inalterably to the judgements of the Fathers; with which men this Doctor in peremptory & express words disclaimeth from having the least inteecourses, commerce, or association: so loath is the Enemy to keep any quarter with the Primitive Writers and Fathers.  
One time in familiar discourse, we throughly sownded Toby Matthew (who now domineers in the Pulpit, enchanting, much above others, by his often Sermoning, the ear of Credulity, and whom for his good literature and sparks of Morality we greatly affected) entreating him to answer ingenuously and plainly; Whether that man, who spent himself in diligent reading the Fathers, could possibly fluctuate touching the truth of the Roman Religion, or could unfeignedly embrace that Faith, to the which himself so earnestly exhorteth. He freely unbreasted himself, and thus replied: it was impossible, if so with the reading ●f them he would give an indubious assent and credit unto them. Which Sentence is most true, and I am fully persuaded, that neither himself at this present, nor Matthew Hutton (who is reputed by some, to be much traveled in the Fathers) nor the rest of our Adversaries, who perform the like labour, can be of any other judgement.  
Hitherto therefore I may securely descend into these Lists, as prepared to battle with those, who (as men holding the wolf by the ears) are forced to leave upon their Cause a perpetual and indelible scar or blemish, whether they reject, or admit the Fathers: Since in the One, they but provide for their running away, in the Other they are suffocated and strangled.   

The sixth Reason. THE GROUND of the Fathers.  
IT is clear, that if ever that precept and command: 
[a) john. 5.  Scrutamini Scripturas, Search the Scriptures, was (as in reason it hath, and aught to be to us) peculiarly incumbent upon any sort of Christians, that the most holy Fathers did (with the greatest praise, and in the highest degree) accomplish the same; since by these Men's diligence and charges, the Bibles have been translated and transcribed into so many tongues, and transported into so many discoasted Nations: By these Men's dangerous (yet successive) attempts, they were snatched out of the flames of the Enemy, and of all utter devastation and extinguishment; By these Men's indefatigable pains, each part and passage of them was most painfully cut up, and (as it were) anatomised. For both day and night those Fathers did even drink up the Holy Scriptures: they were ever most ready from out their Chairs and Pulpits, to discourse of the Holy Scriptures; they always enriched their voluminous writings with testimonies, borrowed from the Holy Scriptures; they have disclosed and unfolded with their faithful Scholiaes and Commentaries, the most knotty passages of the Holy Scripture: they have seasoned their Feasts & Fasts, with studying the Holy Scriptures: To conclude, they have spent all their days with a Sabaoth l●sse & incessant labour ●euen to the end of their feeble old age) in meditating upon the H●lie Scriptures. And although the said Doctors were frequently accustomed, to draw their arguments (in patronage of their Faith from the authority of their forefathers, from the practice of the Church, from the Succession of Popes, from General Counsels, from Apostolical Traditions, from the vn●aunted constancy of Martyrs, from the Sentences & Decrees of the Pastors of the Church▪ and from stupendious and astonishing Miracles, whereby the settled Course of Nature was, as I m●y say, unnatured and dissolved: Yet all these different sorts of proofs they ever most willingly enlevened with stored testimonies of the written Law: This is their favorit-studie; this they press; in this they make their Station; this mount (to overtopp their Adversaries) they daily raise higher through a continual coaceruation & heaping together of sacred Texts; To this 
(b) Cant. 4.  armaturae fortium, these most valiant and spiritual Commanders, fortifying the well-repayred edifice of the City of God (against all wicked assaults) do yield by all-right the first place and precedency. And here now I have the more reason to rest astonished at that proud & foolish Exception of the Adversary, who, (as one still seeking for water in a flowing stream) never ceaseth to charge the Father's writings (being even loaded with infinite passages of Scripture) with want & penury of Scripture. So long (saith he) he will give assent to the Fathers, as long as they inseparably adhere to the divine Scriptures. Stand his words (think you) in conjunction with ●is thoughts? Well then, goe to. Let the most remarkable Authors, most ancient Fathers, most holy and reverend Men, Dionysius, Cyprian, Athanasius, Basil, Nazianzen, Ambrose, Hierome, chrysostom, Austin, and the Latin Gregory, marshal forth together, being armed and guarded on each side, with CHRIST, with the Prophets, with the Apostles, and with all Biblicall furniture and preparation. O that that Faith might at this present reign in England, the which these Fathers, being wholly devoted to the Scriptures, did build upon the Scriptures. What scriptures they do produce, the same we will produce; what passages thereof together they do confer, the same we will confer: what they do from thence infer, the same we will infer. Will this satisfy thee, thou Bible-pretender? Spit out, (man) deliver thy mind freely. N●, thou repliest, except the Fathers (not divorcing the letter fr●m the intended meaning of the Holy Ghost) do expound the Scripture in a true ●ense. What is the sense of these thy words: in a true sense? forsooth according to thy own silly weening; This is the circle, within which thy disputes are encompassed. Blushest thou not at this thy maze and Labyrinth? Therefore, as being in good hope, that I shall find assembled, in your most flourishing Universities, man●e, who will look into these Controversies of Faith, not with a phlegmatic and dull eye, but with an impartial, sharp, & dispassionate judgement, fully balancing the trifling evasions of these men (by which evasions, their Cause is wholly dismantelled and laid naked to the view of all) I will with all cheerful readiness expect this hour of fight; at what time I shallbe prepared to draw forth into the field the unvanquishable troops and forces of the Church of CHRIST, against the small wild companies of certain poor and unarmed fresh-water-souldiers.   

The seaventh Reason. HISTORY.  
THe ancient Histories do unveyle and display the true eye and face of the ancient Church. Hither I provoke the Enemy. Doubtlessly the Historiographers of greatest Antiquity (and those, which our Adversaries usurp) are these: 
(a) General Historiographers  Eusebius, Damasus, Hierome, Ruffinus, Orosius, Socrates, Zozomene, Theodoret, Cassiodorus, Gregorius Turonensis, Vsuardus, Rhegius, Marianus, Sigebertus, Zonaras, Cedrenus, Nicephorus. What do these men record, whose peculiar labour was to save and redeem the memory of the Church's Actions, from the deluge of Time? They relate our prayers, our progresses in disseminating the Faith, our vicissituds and Returns of seasons, our enemies. Yea (which ought to draw an indifferent eye more observantly upon this point) even those Historiographers, who profess implacable hat●ed to us, as 
(b) Heretical Historiographers  Philipp Melancthon, Pantaleon, Punctius, the Magdeburgians, when they do busy themselves in writing the Chronologie or History of the Church, except they gather together the honourable Actions of our men, by describing the palmie and victorious state of our Church, and do amass with their pens the treachery and facinorous c●imes of our Enemies, they should (as being deprived of any Subject or Argument) have passed over in an eternal silence fifteen hundred years.  
To these we may adioyn● the particular Historians 
(c) Historiographer c●rtain Countries.  of certain Countries, who (through a most laboursome curiosity) have registered the Acts of each such People. These men, as if they had gotten a Spartae, the which they coveted by all means possible to cultivate and beautify, and who concealed not in their Chronicles (so pre●ise they were to hold intelligence with all times, by means of History) to relate any extraordinary and chargeable feastings, or long-sle●ued gowns, or new-fashioned hilts of daggers, or guilt spurs, or any other such trifles if they but tasted of novelty; If they had heard, that Religion had suffered any digression from its first Being, or had degenerated from the Primitive ages, would certainly most of them have made special and punctual mention thereof; if not most, yet at least some few; if not some few, yet some one or other without all doubt. There is not one Historiographer either favourable or malevolent towards us, who ever recorded any such alteration, or but once intimated in his writings so much.  
For Example. Our Adversaries do freely acknowledge (a truth so evident, that it lieth out of the way of contradiction) that the Church of Rome was once Holy, Catholic, and Apostolical. When? Then, when it deservedly had obtained those high praises of Saint Paul; Your 
(d) Rom. 1.  faith (speaking to the Romans) is renowned in the whole world: Without 
(e) Rom. 1.  intermission I make memory of you: I know, 
(f) Rom. 15.  that coming to you (o Romans) I shall come in the abundance of the blessing of Christ: 
Rom. 16.  All the Churches of Christ salute you: Your obedience 
(h) Rom. 16  is published in every place: Then, when Paul 
[i] Act ●8.  (being at Rome in liberty) dilated the Gospel to all: Then, when Peter 
[k] 1. Pet. 5.  governed the Church gathered together in that place, then being Babylon: Then, when Clemens 
(l) Ier●me in c. script. Eccl. & Euseb. 2. histor. c. 14.  himself (greatly commended by the Apostle) swaighed that Sea: Then, when the profane Emperors, as Nero, Domitian, Traian, 
(m) Phil. c. 4  Antoninus did inhumanely butcher the Roman Bishops; Yea then, 
(n) Ireneus. l. 3. c. 3.  when (even by the confession 
(o) Calu. Instit. l. 4. c. 1. nu· 3. &· in Epist. ad Sadol.  of Calvin) Damasus, Siricius, Anastasius, and Innocentius did hold the Apostolical stern. For during this Age (especially at Rome) Calvin (out of his bounty) granteth, that the foresaid Bishops did depart in nothing from the evangelical doctrine.  
Hear now I demand: When did Rome lose this Fa●th so much above celebrated? When did she cease to be that, which afore she was? At what time, in what Pope's days, by what means, by what force or stratagems, with what increases and degrees did a strange Religion invade V●bem & Orbem, not only the Mother-Cittie, but the whol● world? What tears, what oppositions, what disconsolate sighs & groans did this change beget? Were ●ll men upon the face of the earth drowned in a dead sleep, or at least settled in the lose of an incurious negligence, stupour, and dulness, when Rome (Rome, I say) did stamp and dogmatise new Sacraments, a new Sacrifice, new Articles of Religion? Was there not one Historian then to be found, neither of the Greek, nor of the Latin Church, neither of any remote or near Nation, who would but casually fall upon the least touch of insinuating so violent an irruption of a new Faith, or give the smallest overture thereof in his writings?  
Therefore I conclude, It is more than evident; if we believe those things to be true, which History (in itself various and large) being the Ambassador of Antiquity, the Soul of Memory, ever reflecting back the image of things past, doth affluently and abundantly testify; that such a Change of Religion, as our Adversaries seek to obtrude upon us, is a mere vapourous and imaginary conceit, as not being warranted with the authority of any History, since the Churches first beginning; and consequently, that all Historiographers are mine, and that the effectless attempts herein, and incursions of our Adversaries are most cold and feeble, as nothing prevailing; except it be first received for a main Theorem and Principle, that all Christians of all times did precipitately fall into gross misbelief, and into the lowest gulf of Hell, until Luther 
[p) Vide Coclaeus in anno 1523.  did constuprate, and lustfully pollute Catherine Boar.   

The eight Reason. PARADOXES.  
TRuly (most accomplished Men) when I call to mind out of the abundance of many Heresies certain strange and prodigious Fantasies of some opinionative Writers, which will occur to be impugned by me; I should deservedly condemn myself of supine negligence, sloth, and pusillanimity, if I should fear the shock and encounter of any enemy. Let him be acute, l●t him be eloquent, let him be much practised in this kind of war, let him be a Helluo of books, and wholly absorbed in his studies, briefly let him be All, or More, than he is; yet of force must he bewray himself to be but dry, loose, and faltering, as long as he shall sustentate or maintain these following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and impossibilities. We ●ill dispute (if it chance our Adversaries give us leave) of 
(a) of God  God, of Christ, of Man, of Sin, of justice, of the Sacraments 
(b) Calu. Instit 1. cap. 18. l 2. c 4. l· 3 c. 23. & 24. Peter Martyr. in 1. Samu●l 2.  of Manners. I will try, if they have the courage to justify that by dint of argument, which they in their own souls believe, and which (as necessarily resulting from their discourses) they diwlge in their pestilent Scripts and pamphlets. I will cause them to own these their Axioms and Principles: God 
(b) Calu. Instit 1. cap. 18. l 2. c 4. l· 3 c. 23. & 24. Peter Martyr in 1. Samu●l 2.  is the author and cause of Sin, willing, suggesting, effecting, commanding, working, and governing the flagitious counsels of the wicked: As the calling of Paul, so the adultery 
(c) Melanct. ann●tat. in cap. Rom. 8. witt●mb. 152●.  of David, and the impiety of judas the proditour, was the peculiar hand-worke of God. o monstrous Assertion! of which after Philipp Melancthon was ashamed, nevertheless Luther (from whom Melancthon had borrowed it) doth extol with infinite praise this Sentence, 
(d) sic do●et Lutherus in Assert. 36. & in l●b. de ●●ruo arbitrio.  as a heavenly Oracle; and in this respect in part 
(e) Luth. praef. in annotat. Phil. in Epist. ad Rom.  equals this his Scholar with Paul the Apostle.  
I would further here demand, what was Luther's conceit (whom our English Caluinists pronounce to be 
(f) Apolog. Eccles. Angl.  virum divinitus datum ad orbem illuminandum, A man even sent by God to enlighten the World) when he did expunge this Verse out of the prayers of the Church: 
(g) Vide Euchir. precum, anno 1543. of Christ  Sancta Trinitas, unus Deus, miserere nobis, Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy of us?  
I will next proceed to the Person of Christ. What is the meaning of these unseasoned words? ●hrist being the Son of God, is God of God; So 
(h) Calu. l 1 c. 13. num. 23 & 24.  Calvin teacheth: Christ is not begotten of ●he substance of the Father, So Beza. Again, Two Hypostatical 
[k[ Beza. contra S●hinel l. de Vnitat. Hypost. dua. in Christ. nature.  Unions are constituted in Christ; the one of the soul with the flesh; the other of the Divinity with the Humanity. 
(i] B●za. in Hesh.  That passage in john: I and my Father are one; 
(l) Calu. in joan. 10  showeth not, that Christ being God, is consubstantial to God the Father. Yea further, Luther 
(m) Luther contra Lati●●r  thus pronounceth: Anima mea●odit hoc ve●bum: Homoousion, my very soul hateth th●s word: H●mousios, or Consubstantial●s. These (lo) are the beginnings and conceptions of Arianism, which after receive a more perfect shape. But let us dog these men further. Christ 
(n) Bucer. in Lu●. 2.  from his infancy was not consummate and full of grace, but (as other men) increased in the faculties of the Soul: And he being daily become more experienced by use, did (as little children) first 
[o) Luther. Lo●. H●m in Euang. doctr.  labour wi●h ignorance. Which is potentially as much to say, as that Christ was stained with the spot and blemish of Original Sinne. But take notice of more direful and horrid Doctrines. Christ praying in the Garden, when he did sweat drops of Water and Blood, 
Marlot. in Math. 20.  was afraid wi●h the sense & feeling of eternal damnation: He then uttered words without reason, without spiri●; words suddenly bursting out through force of grief and pain, 
Calvin in ha●m. Euang.  and such as not being sufficiently premeditated, he instantly recalled and corrected. Is there any more of this stuff yet behind? Observe. When Christ being upon the Cross, cried out: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? He was burned with flames 
(r) Brentius. in Luc p●rt. 2. hom. 65  of fire, and uttered words of black despair; no otherwise, then if he should have perished with eternal perdition. See how these Gospelers do even meditate and study blasphemies, poisoning the texts of holy Scripture with their wicked constructions. They further thus comment that Sentence: Christ descended into Hell; that is, He being dead, did no less tast● 
(s) S●midel. conc. de possion. & ●aena Dom.  Hell, than the Souls of the damned; this only excepted, that he was after to be restored to his former felicity. For since (say they) only by corporal 
(t) Calvin Instit. l. 2. c. 16. n. 10 11 & Brent. in Catec. ann. 1552.  death, he could profit us nothing, his soul therefore aught to fight with everlasting death, that by this means he might expiate our wickedness and punishment; Thus do they detort the Written Word, to overthrow the dignity of the Eternal Word. Now that no man shall surmise these speeches to fall from Calvin through inaduertencie, the same Calvin taketh such complacency therein, & so strong he is in this his blasphemy, as that he pronounceth all them to be perditos 
(u) Calu. Insi. l 2. c. 16. nu. 12.  nebulones, lost & damned fellows, qui doctrinam istam solarij plenam exagitant, who do call in question this most comfortable doctrine. O Times! o portentous Times! what monster have you here nourrished? 〈◊〉 delicate and princely dropping ●loud, which streamed from the torn & pierced body of the innocent Lamb, of which blood every small drop (in regard of the impreciable worth of the Sacrifice) was of force to redeem a thousand Worlds, could it nothing profit Mankind, except the (x) Mediator of God and Man, the Man CHRIST JESUS had suffered 
(y) Apoc. 2.  mortem secundam, the second death, the death of the Soul, the death of all grace, and such as is companion only to Sin and execrable blasphemy? In regard of this man's lunacy, Bucer (though impudent) will needs seem to be of a more pliable stern and modesty; who by the word Hell, in the Creed, understandeth 
(z) Bucer. in Mat 26.  the grave, by the figure Epexegesis, though most preposterously, or rather by an unfit and idle Tautology. Of our English Sectaries diverse are accustomed to range themselves herein under Calvin, their Idol: diverse under Bucer, their great Master, and half Arch of their Church; and diverse also (such Heteroclits in Faith they are) do secretly murmur against this Article; wishing (if without noise and tumult it could be effected) it were craded and put out of the Creed. Which thing to have been once attempted in a Conventicle in London, one Richard Cheny (thereat present) did relate unto me: a miserable old man, much afflicted by the thieves out of God's Church; yet had not the grace before his death to implant himself therein. Hitherto of CHRIST.  
Touching Man; 
of Man.  what do they dictate? The 
(a) Illyricus in va●ijs libr. de Origin. peccat Sacer de conu●. Ec●l●s. A●pn. de in. & per sanct. C●mpnit contra Cens. Col.  Image of God is wholly obliterated in M●n; All his fair impressions are extinct; All his Nature suffereth such a dassipation and dissolution throughout the powers of his Soul, & is so utterly overthrown, as that not even any Regenerate and holy man is intrinsically any other thing then mere Corruption, and contagion, as being in league with all vice. Whither tend these doctrinal Speculations? or why do they forge these grounds? To the end, that themselves, who through only Faith seek to lay violent hands on the Kingdom of God (which point is the very Soul of protestancy) and who lie wallowing in the mire of all turpitude, 
(b) Calu. l. 4 Inst c. 15 n 10.11.  & engulfe themselves in all wickedness, may accuse Nature, despair of being become Virtuous, and disburden themselves of God's Precepts.  

of Sinne.  And hence it is, that Illyricus 
(c) Illyr. in varijs lib. de peecatori. vide Ilechus. in ep. ad Illyr. an pe●cae●ti sit substantia.  (the standard-bearer to the Magdeburgenses) hath reveted this point more firmly, by annexing his terrible sentence of Original Sin; Which he defineth to be (after the fall of Adam) the internal Substance of Souls, which the Devil doth work or cause, and which he transformeth into himself.  
This also is obvious and frequent in their School. That 
(d) Calu in Antid. Concil. Tri●ens Wicles. apud Wal●er l. de Sacram. c. 134.  all Sins are equal; yet with this cautionary explication (lest the Stoics be brought again upon the Stage) if God, as judge, do balance them. As if God, who is a most just judge, (and yet coveteth to overweigh more in Mercy, than justice) should rather by exagerating our offence, add a heap then ease, to our burden. And thus in this trutination of Sins, it followeth, that that Cook doth not commit a lesser sin against God most severely judging, who should kill (when there is no need) gallum gallinaceum, a dunghill cock, than that infamous Homicide did, wh● (being full of Beza) murdered with his pistol Gallum Heroa Guisit●m, the Noble French Guyse; a Prince of unmatcheable Virtue; than which facinorous act our part of Christendom in this our Age hath seen nothing more detestable, nothing more deplorable.  

Of Grace.  But it may be, that those men, who lie plunged in this unpleasant state of Sin (sin being the very life of death) do nevertheless speciously and highly philosophise of Divine Grace, which (as a spiritual Electuary) may cure this disease. Indeed they ascribe very honourable and worthy privileges to this Grace, which they cry out in their books and speeches, neither to be infused in our hearts, nor powerful enough to check the malice of Sin by resisting any flagitious crime; but which they place extrinsecally and out of us only in the 
(e) Luth in r●sp. contra Lovan.  favour of God; Which favour doth neither correct, nor purge, nor enlighten, nor enrich the wicked, being become thrall to all turpitude, nor even regulate the sudden impetuosities of Nature; but only doth conceal and dissemble (God conniving thereto) the old sink and channel of Sin (yet remaining and stinking) that it appeareth not nauseous and loathsome. And with this plaster our Adversaries are so much solaced, as that they are not afraid to pronounce, that Christ himself can be said to be no otherwise full 
(f) 
Bucer in joan. 2. well. in not.  
Christi. Brent. hom. 12. in joan. Cent l. 1. c. 4.   of Grace and Truth, then in that God the Father did in a wonderful and most high degree extend his bowels of Love & favour towards him. Sweet JESUS, what a blasphemous and horrid doctrine even against thy Nature, Honour, and Dignity, have these men created!  

Of Iusti●e.  What thing then is justice? a bare intentional 
(g) He●hut de justif. in resp ad 115 object. Illyr. ni Apolog. Cons. Autu. c. 6. the justific.  Relation. Since it is not woven of the Theological Virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity; which do invest the Soul with their splendour and gorgeousness; but it is only a palliating & hiding of the Offence; the which palliation who apprehendeth by Faith (clearing by this means all accounts with God) is a● secure of his Salvation, as if be did already 
(h) Cal l. 3 Inst c. 2 n. 28.42  enjoy the interminable felicity of Heaven.  
But go too. Let the Adversary dream this. How can he be assured of his future perseverance in justice; for 
(i) Mat 12 Luc. 11.  want whereof the poor believing Man, though for a time he liveth piously, yet in the end departeth of the Theatre of this world, in most calamitous & vohappie state?  
Here Calvin steps up, and 
(k] Calu. l. ●. c. 2. nu. 40.  replies saying: except thou sit so close and inmoveable in thy Faith, as that it doth ascertain thee of thy continuance in Virtue, and this in so strong a manner, that thou stand not obnoxious to deceit therein, (being ever in thy power to command over time and repentance) this thy floating and unstable faith is to be contemned, as weak, faint, and improfitable. I here acknowledge the disciple of Luther, 
(l) Luth. lib. de captivis. Babylon  who thus indoctrinateth his Proselyts: A Christian (though willing) cannot lose his Salvation, except be forbear to believe. What liberty and dissolution in manntrs doth this doctrine involve?  
I hasten to the Sacraments. 
Of the Sacram.  Not any, not any of tbem, not two, not one, (o Blessed Christ!) have they left. For their bread is poison. Baeptisme (though as yet not adulterated) is in their judgement of no force. It is not a healthful Water; It is not the conduit of Grace, nor leaveth behind it any tincture in us; It doth not derive to us the merits of Christ; but it is only an empty sign 
(m) Calu. Inst. l 4 c. 15. n. 2. & 10.  or signification of Salvation. And therefore in respect of the nature of the Sacrament itself, they prise the Baptism of Christ at no higher value, than the 
(n) Calu. l. 4· Inst. c. 15. num. 7 Cent. 1. l. 1. c 10.  Ceremony of it performed by john. If thou hast received Baptism (say they) it is well; if thou wantest it, no loss; Believe, and thou art saved, before thou 
(o) Luth. l. de captain. Babylon.  be baptised. What then shall become of little suckling Babes, who, except they be helped with the virtue of this Sacrament, can procure no benefit by their Faith. But here the Magdeburgians 
[p] Cent. ●. 5. c. 4.  put in, and, as willing to straighten this crooked point, say: Before we ascribe any operation to the Sacrament of Baptism, we will maintain, that those infants ha●e Faith, by the which they are saved: Of which faith they do observe in themselves certain secret and hidden motions, who yet observe not, whether they live, or no. Harsh and strange! But if this be to be reputed harsh, then mark the Antidote of Luther; who here, to extricate himself out of the net, saith: It is 
[q] Luth. advers. co●hlaeū item, epist. ad M●lact. to. 2. & in epist. a● Wal.  better to omit the Baptising of an Infant, since his ablution, if so he do not believe, is improfitable. Thus the Adversary's speaking hereof with such a fluctuation of judgement and mincing hesitation, know not how to deliver their sentences herein Categorically and positively. Therefore let Baltasar Pascimontanus dig through this stony difficulty, 
The Anabapt.  and decide the point; Who being the Parent of Anabaptists, & seeing, that not with the least tecture of reason he could forge any Faith to be in Infants, did allow the caution of Luther, and exiling all Pedobaptisme out of the Church, did thereupon decree, that only Persons of ripe age should be washed in the sacred Font. As touching the other Sacraments; Although that many headed Beast 
[r) Apocal. 1●.  doth often please himself with the ejaculation and casting out of his throat of most horrible contumelies against them; yet since they daily obtund the ears with a fastidious iteration, I wholly pretermit and pass them over.  
There yet remain behind certain most hurtful gobbets of Heretical doctrine, 
Of Mamners  touching life and Manners; the which Luther had vomited out in his papers, that so from the impure belching of his stomach, he might inhale & breath poison into his Readers. Hear o you Academians) with patience, but withal blush (for I presume your cheeks cannot endure such unchaste words) and pardon me, being the Relatour.  
If the 
s) Luth. serm de Matrim.  wife will not, nor can perform the due of marriage, let the chambermaid come, and step in her room. Certainly the art of Venery is as necessary 
t) ●uth. in lib. de vita coniugal.  to every one, (see what filth he disgorgeth) as meat, drink, or sleep. Matrimony is much more excellent, 
u) ●uth. in Ass. Act. 16.  than Virginity, since from this latter 
x) Luth de notis Euang.  Christ and Paul have dehorted all Christians. But what? Are these (perhaps) individual or peculiar to Luther? They are not. Since they were lately defended by my Antagonist, Chark, 
[y) Chark. l. in ●ens. suum.  but most miserably (God knows) and fearfully.  
Will you have any more drawn out of this Vessel? Why not? By how much thou art the more 
z) ●uth. serm. de pisc. Pet.  wicked, by so much, saith Luther, thou art more near to Grace. All good Actions, 
a) ●uth. in Asser art 32.  God judging them, are Mortal Sins; God resting propitious, venial and more pardonable. No man thinketh 
b) ●uth. l. deseruo arbit.  evil, out of his own disposition. The Decalogue 
c) Luth. de Moyse  nothing belonged to Christians. God 
d) Luth l. de Capt. Bab.  respecteth not our Good Works. Only they rightly participate of the Supper 
e ●u●h. de captain Bab c. de Euchar.  of our Lord, whose severed Consciences are attended on with sorrowful, afflicted, troubled, confused, and erring thought or cogitations. Our sins are indeed to be confessed; but to any man, who if he do absolve th●e but in 
f, Luth. in Ass. are. 12.13  ●east (so that thou believest) thou art fully absolved. To read prayers of set Hours, belongeth not to Priests, 
g, Luth. de captain. Babyl. c. de Ord.  but to the Lai●●e. Christians are free 
h, Luth. in capt. Bab. c. de Baptism.  from the Statutes and Ordinances of Men.  
I am loath to foul my Paper any longer with such ordure; And I hope, I may be thought to have already stirred enough in this unsavoury puddle. I now end. And here I am not to incur a●ie reprehension in your Censures, because I have promiscuously insimulated the Lutherans and Zwinglians within the former Tenets or Positions; Since both these, being mindful from whose loins they are first proseminated, do much covet (through their proximity of blood) to entertain a mutual inteecourses and friendship; and therefore being thus 
Apol. Eccles. Angl.  interlinked, do interpret it as no small injury to be dis-joined, (one thing only excepted) in dogmatic Articles of ●a●th and Religion.  
Truly I am not of that strength, as that I will vindicate to myself but the middle rank of those selected Divines, who at this day have proclaimed open War and Hostility against Heresies. But this I well know, how feeble & weak soever I am, I cannot be endangered; whilst being supported with the Grace of Ch●ist, and seconded both with Heaven and Earth, I shall fight against Innovations so odious, so execrable, so gross and brutish, even benighting & wholly darkening the judgement of Man.   

The ninth Reason. SOPHISMS.  
IT i● an outworn saying; that a fellow having but one eye, is able to gallant it among those, who be stone-blind. A varnished an● dissolute kind of arguing hat● often a sovereignty over the judgements of the unlearned, which manner of dispute (at not being solid and substantive it itself) the School of Philosophers doth wholly exsibilate. The Adversary (who is poor & needy in proofs) much offendeth herein. But his impostures (for the most part) are wrought upon four Threads; the which rather in your Universities, then in the common streets, I make choice to unweave.  

S●●iama●hia.  The first, we may call a Schiamachia, by the which a man doth diverberate a shadow or the air with an impetuous (but idle) endeavour. In this sort: Against those, who vow perpetual Chastity, and who confess that Marriage is good, but withal believe, that Virginity is better, the Scriptures are produced, s●eaking 
(a) 1. Cor 7.  worthily and honourably of Marriage. Whom do they wound? Against the meritorious works, & feriall or painful labours of Christians, d●ed in the blood of Christ (otherwise unavayleable) many divine passages are alleged, by the which we are commanded to confide, neither in Nature, nor in the Law, but in the Blood of Christ. At whom do they rove? Against those, who worship the Saints of Heaven, as most gracious servants in the eye of CHRIST, are discharged whole volleys of shot out of the sacred Writ, prohibiting us to adore many Gods. Where be those Gods? This kind of arguments, the which familiarly drop from our Adversary's pen, can in no sort prove to us dangerous; to you (perhaps) wearisome and disgustful.  
An other peccant humour of theirs, is called Logomachia; 
Logomachia.  Here one leaving the sense, doth childishly and litigiously contend with the naked Word. As thus: Find me, if thou canst (say our Adversaries) the word Mass, or Purgatory in the Scripture. What then must here be the inference? Doth not this open the sluice to the denial of the undivided Trinity? Is not the doctrine of the Trinity, Consubstantiality, and the Person in the Scriptures, because these Words occur not in the Scriptures? Cousin germane to this Paralogism, is a birding or captious taking hold of the very letters; where the approved custom and mind of the Speaker being neglected (which is the very life of the Word, or by which the Word through a continual acceptation is, as it were, indenized) we idly fight against the very syllables; after this manner: The Word, Presbyter in Greek, is nothing but a Senior in Latin: Again, A Sacrament, is every Mystery. But as in all, so in this S. Thomas most pregnantly teac●eth; saying: 
(b) ●. pa●t. qu. 13. art. 2. ad urg 2.  In words we are to observe, non tam à quo, quam ad quid; Let so much from whence they are derived, as to what (by a warrantable custom) they are applied.  
A third Imposture is termed H●mon●mia; 
Homonymia.  which largely spreadeth itself, and by which a Word is even wrenched and overmuch strained. For Example: To what end should there be the Order of Priests in the Church, since 
(c) Apoc. 5.  john hath styled you all priests? In like sort, john there addeth: We shall reign upon the earth; Why then should their be any peculiar Kings? Again, The Prophet doth much celebrate a spiritual 
(d) Esay. 58  fast; to wit, an abstinency from inveterate and accustomed sins; Away therefore withal superstitious choice of meats, popish fish, and prescript times of fasting. But is this good Logic? Then mark, how it recoileth back. For then have Moses, David, Elias, S. john Baptist, and the Apostles even doted, who limited thei● fasting from usual meats, within two or three days, or a weeke's compass; Whereas fasting from Sin ought to be perpetual and unintermitted. This sophistry you see, how slighty and transparent it is. But I haste forward.  

Circulatio.  The fourth vicious form of their disputing I call a Circulation. Thus for instance sake. Set down (I say) the Notes of the Church. The Adversary replies; The Word of God, and the most pure Sacraments. But are these in your possession and hands? Who doubteth thereof? I do not so much doubt, as absolutely deny it. Consult herein (saith he) with the holy Scripture. I have already consulted with it, and at this instant I stand less favourable to your Cause, than afore. Tush, it is most evident. Euict so much by proof. We do not swerve a fingar's breadth from the Word of God. Where is thy Wit, thou empty Scull? Wilt thou still take that for thy argument, which is indifferently questioned on both sides? How often hath this thy erroneous dispute been inculcated and exprobrated to thee? Wilt thou not leave dreaming? wilt thou have a torch to enlighten thy conceit? I aver, that the Word of God is wrongfully expounded by thee. I have for my witnesses hereof fifteen hundred years. Stand irrevocably to the judgement, neither of me, nor of thyself; but of the said fifteen hundred years. I will stand to the judgement of God; 
(e] joan. 3.  Spiritus, ubi vult, spirat. Behold what Circles, what Meandrian turnings, the Adversary here maketh, and how unsteady he is in arguing! This trifter, being the Architect of so many Words and Sophisms, (his Cause thus leaning upon the feeble crutches of deceit, and calumny) cannot become formidable to any man; troublesome he may be. With the trouble your patience (I hope) will dispense; with the least touch of fear, the matter itself stands wholly incompatible.   

The tenth Reason. ALL KINDS OF WITNESSES.  
HAec 
(a) Isay. 35.  erit vobis directa via, ita ut stulti non errent per eam. This shall be unto you a direct way, so that fools shall not err by it; saith the Prophet, speaking of the Church. Now what man, though among the vulgar sort, is so obtuse and dull, if he bear but an eye fixed upon his Salvation, who may not easily discern, and withal impathe himself in the beaten way of the Church; it being so notoriously made plain, even, and tracked; he by this meanus declining in his gate all unhaunted foote-wayes, or craggy steps and deviations?  
These points shallbe made explorat & evident even to the ignorant and illiterate; as Esay hath prophesied; to yourselves then (if so you be constant to your own good) most explorate, and most evident.  
Let us present to the eyes of our Imagination, the Theatre or stage of this Universal All; and let our thoughts lance forth into the main Ocean of every thing created. 
The Saints in Heaven.  All things dispute in our behalf; all things even swear the truth of our Religion. Let us ascend to Heaven: There we may contemplate Roses 
(b) Austin serm. 37. de Sanctis.  and Lilies, blessed Martyrs, I mean, who by shedding their blood, became read; by their innocence white and candid. Such were the thirty three 
(c) Damas. in vita Roman. Pontif.  Popes successively slaughtered by the Heathen Enemy. Such were the Pastors and Doctors in all Countries, who in that rugged and tempestuous state of the Church, engaged their blood for the name of Christ: Such were the faithful sheep, who (in the A●●me and purity of a good Conscience) insisted in the steps of their shepherds: Such were all the Saints now in Heaven, who through sanctimony and purity (like stars of the greatest magnitude) gloriously shined in the eyes of the Multitude. Certain it is, that all these were Ours▪ when they here conversed on earth; that all these continued Ours, even to their last gasp and dissolution. And but to retail some Particulars out of diuer● H●ndreds, since I will not be lavish of time: On our side and Party stood blessed Igna●ius (whose thirs● only Martyrdom could quench) who did not 
(e) Ignat●us in ●pi●● ad ●mi●n●ns.  paralelle any man (no not the King) with a Bishop in matters of the Church, 
(d) Jerome in Catal. scriptor.  And who with his own pen (lest otherwise they might perish) did record certain 
(f) ●u●eb. l 3. c. 30  Apostolical Traditions, of which himself was eye-witness. On our side 
(g) Damas. in vita Tel●sph. tom. 1. c●n de 〈◊〉 d. 4  stood Telesphorus (the Anachoret) who commanded, that the Fast of Lent (first instituted by the Apostles) should be kept with a more rigorous care and observation. On our side was I●enaeus, who preached and confirmed the Apostolical Faith, even from the 
(h) Ir●na●us ●  Succession of the supreme Bishops, and the Sea of Rome. On our side Victor (the Pope) who by his 
(i) Euseb. l. 5. c, ●●  Edict or bull reduced all Asia unto Obedience: which Act though by many and particularly by the former Irenaeus (though otherwise a most blessed man) was censured over rigid and severe; yet not one ever questioned his authority, or traduced him, as assuming in that business any Exotic or foreign Sovereignty. On our side was Polycarpus, who for the deciding the 
[k] Eus●b. 4. h●st. c. 13.  Question of keeping Easter-day, made a peculiar journey to Rome; Whose relics being burned, the Christians of Smyrna gathered together, celebrating, the Memory of their Bishop with an 
(l) Euseb. 4. hist. c. 14.  Aniversarie day, and most solemn Feast. On our side were C●●nel●us and Cyprian (that golden Pair of Martyrs) both great Prelates, but greater the first, who sterning the Church of Rome, extinguished the African 
[m] Euseb l. 7 h●st. 2.  Errors; And this other much ennobled himself through the great observancy, he bore to his most dear and friendly Superior. On our side was Six●u●, upon whom, celebrating at the Altar the most dreadful Sacrifice of the Mass, seven 
(n) Prudent in hymn. de S. Laurent  Cleargie-men did reverently attend. On our side S. Laurence (archdeacon 
(o) vid. Aug. serm. 1. de S. Laurent Amb l. 1. off. c. 41 & l. 2. off. c. 28. Leo serm. in die S. Laur●nt  to the said Sixtus) who did even importune Martyrdom, and whom the Adversaries (for their grace is to disgrace the good) have scourged out of their Calendar, our martyrologue; and yet to him above twelve hundred years since, P●udentius (once Consul of Rome) in this manner directed his prayers: 
Quae 
[p) Prudent. in hymn. S. Laur.  sit potestas credita,  
Et mune●is quantum datum,  
P●obat Qui●itum gaudia,  
Quibus ●●gatus annuis.  
Hos inter, o Christi decus,  
Audi etc.   
In English thus: 

Servant of Christ, what power is g●u●n to thee,  
The Roman joys at large do testify,  
By these great favours, which thou dost a●f●rde  
To them, who sue to thee in sweet accord.   

Among wh●ch troop, a rustic Po●t, ●o hear,  
His faults confessing with a trembling, fear:  
O hea●e benignly poor Prudentius,  
Guilty of Christ's blood through sins most impious.    
On our side stand those most blessed Virgins; 
[q] Metaph. Ambr. s●rm. 90 tom. 3. & l. 1. de Virgin. 〈◊〉 T●eu in Martyr.  Cecilia, Agatha, Barbara, Agnes, Lucia, Dorothea, Catherina, who (enjoying an inward calm of their passions) defended their vowed Chastity, as most incontaminate & intemerate, against all assaults and tyranny of men and Devils. On our side was H●lena, to whom the finding 
[r) Russin. l. 1. c 8.  of the Cross (upon which our Lord suffered) hath given so great celebrity and honour. Monica. 
(s) e● Aug l. 9 Confess. c. 7. ●sque ad 1●.  who (languishing and fainting away in devotion) in the agony of her last sickness, most religiously and earnestly implored, that Prayers and Sacrifice might be offered up for her at the Altar, after her death and departure. Paula, 
(t) Hi●ron. in Ep●st. Pauliae.  who even drunk with fervour and devotion, (a wine, which the lukewarm Christian never tasteth) did abandon her Palace and fruitful Demaynes, and being a stranger, posted (with a most wearisome pilgrimage) to the Cave of Bethleem, that so she might spend the remnant of her life (the poor weak blast of breath) in spiritual retires of the Soul, and in bewailing her sins even in that place, where CHRIST in his infancy lay crying in his Cradle, and swaddling clothes. On our side are Paulus, Hilarion, 
(u) Hi●r●n. in Catalogue. Script.  Antonius, 
(x) Ath●n in e●a S. Anto.  those good old solitary and religious heremites; whose even speaking silence in their daily and nightly meditations, pierced the ears of God. On our side was Satyrus, 
(y) Ambr. in orat. su. de Sat●ro.  a brother-germaine to Ambrose, who (bearing about him the most dreadful Heast) suffered shippwrack; and through the strength of his Faith in that most holy Sacrament, escaped the danger of the Sea. On our side Nicolau● 
(z) joan. l. ●acon.  a●d Martinus, 
(a) S●uer. Sulp. Metaph.  both reverend Bishops, being Men much exercised in watching, clothed with haircloth, and even feed with extraordinary and unpractised fasting. On our side was Benedi●tus, 
(b) Gr●gor. l. 2. D●a.  that Father of so many Monks. Ten years' space is too short a time to call to mind so many thousands, as have professed our Catholic Religion: And here I forbear to repeat the Names of those, whom above I have marshaled among the troops of the Doctors of the Church, since I am mindful (as I may term it) of my slow speediness. He that more largely will enrich and furnish himself with the knowledge thereof, let him evolue not only the Histories of ancient Writers, but chiefly such grave Authors, of which number almost every particular 
(c) Vide S●xt. tom. Surij. de vit. Sanct.  Author did pick out a particular Saint, that so by their Pens, they might record their glorious Memories. Which labour after this Man hath performed, then let him in the secret and inward reflex of his Soul sincerely relate to me, whether he be persuaded, that those most ancient and blessed Christians (whose sanctity the very Walls and streets did in those time's Echo forth) were, in Religion, Roman catholics, or Lutherans. I here call to witness the Throne of God, and that Tribunal of justice, before which I shallbe convented to give a reason of these my Reasons, and an account of this my attempted Challenge, that either there is no Heaven, or that Heaven is only Ours; the first we wholly execrate; upon this other than we cast our anchor.  
But now on the contrary side, if it please, 
The damned.  let us peep and look down into Hell. There lie broiling in a sempiternal conflagration and flames of fire: Who? The jews. To whar Church professed they an implacable hatred and hostility? To our Church. Who more? The Heathens. What Church have they most tyranniously persecuted? Ours. Who besides? the Turks. Whose Temples and Oratories have they demolished and beaten down? Ours. Who yet? The Heretics. Against what Church have they made their traitorous Insurrections and rebellious Assaults? Against our Church. For what other Church, then Ours, (still breathing new Spirits of fervour) hath laid battery against 
[d] Mat. 16.  all the gates of Hell?  
When the jews were expulsed 
(e) Eus●b. 4 hist. 5.  jerusalem, and the Christians began more fully to spread & plant their Faith, o immortal God what confluence of Multitudes was then to those holy places, 
(e) jerom in Ep●st. Pau●. ad Marcel. & passim in Epist.  what religious respect was borne to that City, what reverence was given to the Sepulchre of Christ, to the Manger, to the Cross; and to other his monuments, with all which the Church (his Spouse) was delighted, as with the worn and layd-asyde garments of the Bridegroom? Hence flowed the jews barbarous and irreconciliable hatred against us. Yea at this day and hour they complain, that our Ancestors wrought their Ancestors overthrow; as from Simon Magus and Luther they received not the hurt (so much as) of a fillipp or flea-biting.  

Th● Heathens  Among the Heathens (whilst their state was upon the ascent of the wheel) there were many bloody Tyrants, who (swollen with livour and malice against Christian Religion) during their reign, and for the space of three hundred years (by certain vicissitudes of times) only excogitated, how to punish Christians with most exquisite and horrible torments. What Christians? The Fathers, and the Sons of our Catholic Roman Faith, who then ever remained even, in Fortune's uneavennesse. Weigh well the thundering fragours and comminations of that inhuman Monster, who broiled S. Laurence upon the gridiron: 
Hunc 
(f) Prudentius in hymno de S. Laure●●  esse vestris Orgijs  
Moremque & artem proditum est:  
Hanc disciplinam faederis,  
Libent ut auro Antistites.  
Argenteis scyphis etc.   
In English thus: 
The manner of your sacred Rites is known,  
Report whereof through every place is blown:  
Your Bishops must perform their Sacrifice  
In golden Plates; and sacred Blood likewise  
Must smoke in silver Cups in each man's sight,  
And Tapers burn (beset in gold) all night.  
And further yet by spreading fameed is said,  
That thousands of Sester●ians are paid  
By your own Brethren, tbrough their sale of lands  
Unto your Church's use: And thus tbeir hands  
To beggary often bring their nearest heirs,  
And so you free them of their father's cares.  
These heaps of silver usually you hide  
In secret corners of your Church's side.  
You it repute a mark of Piety,  
To disinherit your Posterity.  
Therefore restore the treasure badly got,  
Which now in darksome holes doth lie forgot.  
The Commonwealth, the King, the Public Treasure  
In justice ought thereof to make due seizure.  
And thus our Captains and our Men-of-warre  
Of their just stipends you shall not debar.  
A Principle you have, it is well known:  
Restore to every one, what is his own.  
Cesar (lo) here acknowledges Cesar's print  
And stamp in silver, made first at the mint.  
Render to Cesar, what is Cesar's due;  
I ask, but what by right aught to accrue.  
Your God his stamp in silver did not frame,  
Nor stored was with gold, when first he came:  
In riches poor, his doctrine he first taught,  
With empty purse his Precepts he in-brought.  
Perform in deeds, what with his Words accords;  
Restore your Gold; be only rich in Words.   
Who seemeth this Tiger to be? Against whom doth he thus foam, and lighten forth his rage? Whose Churches, Sacrifices, lights, Rites, and ornaments seeketh he to abolish? What Church's golden goblets, and silver Chalices, and sumptuous donaries, and plentiful treasure doth he so much stomach? Verily this Man even acteth Luther. For under what other veil have our Nimrod's 
(g) Gen 10  masked their latrocinies and robberies, when they prayed upon the Churches, and dissipated the patrimony of CHRIST? But now to look on the other end of the Balance; Constantine the Great (that terror or scourge of those, who were scourges of Christians) what Church brought he to the haven or shore of quietness? That very Church, of which Sylueste● 
(h] Damas. in Sylu. Ni●. l 7 c 33. Zona●a● Cedr●a.  was Pilot whom living (for fear of persecution) under the hatches in Soractes, Constantine called forth, that from his hands he might receive our Baptism. Under what banner fought this Emperor, that he became so victorious? Under the sign of the 
(i) Eus●●. l. 2 d● 〈◊〉. Constant. c 7 8.9. Soz●m. l 1. c 8.9.  Crosse. By what Mother was he made so celebrious? By Helena. To what Fathers of Christ's Church did he adjoin himself? To the Fathers of the Ny●ene Council. Who were the Men? Sylvester, Marcus, julius, Athanasi●s, Nicolaus. To whose prayers did he recommend himself? To the intercession of Annonce. 
(k] A●han, in vita S. An●.  What seat● did he affect in that Synod? Through an humble ambition, the 
(l) ●h●od. l. 1 c. 7.  lowest. O how more regal and princely did he appear, being enthroned in the Chair of Humility, than those do, who have unduely hunted after the Title of a King? It is over tedious to relate all the particulars of this Passage. But from the different comportments of these two Emperors (the one being most malevolent to us, the other most benevolent) we may easily conjecture of all other points. For as by the wickedness of the first, our Prologue became most turbulent; so by the virtue of the lat●r, our Catastrophe and end was made most divine and happy.  

The Tu●ks.  Next, let us behold the Turkish proceedings. Mahomet & Sergius 
(m) Zonara's  (the Apostata Monde) lie howling in the lowest and most darksome nook of Hell, being loaded with their own and their Successour's flagitious crimes. This portentous and fierce Beast (the Saracens and Turks, I mean) except he had been 
(n) vide Volater. Iou●um. Aemilium. l. 8. Blou●. l. 9  calmed and repressed by the Order of Knights of our Holy Wa●fare, and by our Catholic Princes and Forces (for as for Luther, Solyman the Turk is reported to have given thanks to him by his letters; and for the Lutheran Party and States (as if they had interleagued together, or at least had been but Adue●sarie-friends) this progress of the Turks is to them accounted pleasing & grateful) this furious Eryn●is, I say, being most exitial & dangerous to all Christendom, had before this day made devastation and spoil of all Europe, breathing an utter evisceration thereof; and had been no less forward and diligent in overthrowing Altars, and the Signs of the Cross, than Calvin himself whose Ad, is heretical impiety hath been. Since then by the labour and industry of our men (whose invincible courage hath been the stop or partition-wall between the Tu●ke and Europe) the Saraceus have been kept back from the cutting of the throats of all Christians: It therefore cannot be denied, but that they are to be ●eputed, as our designed and peculiar enemy's.  

The Heretics.  Let us vouchsafe a look upon the Heretics, who are the dreggs, the bellowes, the fuel of Hell-fire, there they lying in a death, which never dies. First affronteth us Simon Magus: What did he perpetrate? He spoilt man ●f freewill, 
(o) Cl●m●ns l. ● recognit.  and first broached the doctrine of sole Faith. Next appeareth Nouat●anus. What Gallant was this? This Man tumultuously making himself Antipope, did brave, 
(q) Cypr. epist. add jubaian & l. 4. epis. 2.  and shoulder out of his Seat, Cornelius the true Pope: He further was an enemy of the two 
(r) Theo●. de fab. Haeret.  Sacraments of Penance & Chrism. Then occurreth Manes Persa. This fellow's Scene, was to dogmatise, that Baptism 
(s) August. haer 46.  could not confer Salvation. After him, Aerius (the Arian) presenteth himself: This man condemned all Prayers 
(t) Epiph. haer. 75. & Aug. haer. 13.  for the dead; and equalled Priests with Bishops. Next followeth Aetius, who with open mouth maintained the Heresy of Only Faith who was surnamed, 
(u) Aug. h●er 34.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
(x) Socrates' l 2.28.  (an Atheist no less than Lucian. Then crept up Vigilantius, who could not brook, that Saints 
(y) jero. in Vigil. & Aust. haer. 83.  should be prayed unto: And jovinian, who (wh●ly immersed in flesh) placed Virginity 
(z) jerom. in jovinian  and Marriage in one scale or balance. To conclude, in the end came that universal Collunies, or mass of filth, Macedonius, Pelagius, N●storius, Eutiches, the M●nothelits, the Iconomachy, & other Planetary & wand'ring Heretics, to whom Posterity shall adjoin Luther & ●aluin. Of what airy we●e all these Birds? They were all bad Crows, hatched of one and the same egg; Who rebelling and making head against the chief Doctors and Pastors of our Church, were in the end by them confounded, and annihilated.  
Let us leave Hell, and be testored to the Earth. 
The Earth.  What way so ever I convert my eye or thought, whether I behold and consider the patriarchal and Apostolical Seats; or the chief Prelates of other Nations; or the most renowned Princes, Kings, and Emperors; or the first plantation of Christianity throughout all Countries; or any Character of Antiquity, or Light of Reason, or signature ●nd print of Virtue and Morality; They all most serviceably give their voices and suffrages in behalf of our Faith; yea they all even trumpet forth the indubitate infallibility thereof.  
Witness of this point is the uninterrupted succession of the Roman Bishops; 
Apostolical Seats.  In which Church (to speak in Austin's dialect) 
(a) Aust n. Ep 19●.  Apostolicae Cathedrae semper viguit principatus, the principality and pre-eminence of the Apostolical Chair ever flourished. Witnesses also are other Apostolical Seats; to which this very name of Apostolical, was peculiarly and remarkably ascribed; in that they were first 
(b) vile Tertul. de Prescript. Aug. l. 2. the doctrine. Christian c. 8. Most distant countries.  erected either by the Apostles, or by their Hearers and Scholars.  
Witnesses again are the Pastors and Doctors dispersed throughout all Nations; being much disterminated in place, but in our Religion most concordant: as, 
(c) jerom. in Catal. scriptor. Eccles. & alij.  Ignatius and chrysostom, at Antioch: Peter, Alexander, Athanasius, Theophilus, at Alexandria: Macarius and Cyrill, at jerusalem: Proclus, at Constantinople: Gregory and Basil, in Cappadocia: Thaumaturgus, in Pontus: Polycarpus, at Smyrna: Iustinu●, at Athens: Dionysius, at Corinth: Gregory, at Nyssa: Methodius, at Tyrus: Ephremus, in Syria: Cyprian, Optatus, Austin, in Africa: Epiphanius, in Cyprus: Andreas, at Crete: Ambrose, Paulinus, Gaudentius, Prosper, Faustus, Vigilius, in Italy; Irenaeus, Martinus, Hilarius, Eucherius, Gregory, Saluianus, in France: V●ncentius, Or●siu●, Hildefonsus, Leander, Isodorus, in Spain: In Britanny, Fugatius, Damianus, justus, Mellitus, Beda. To conclude (that I may not be thought ambitious in recital of Names) what entire works, or but fragments, are yet extant of those Writers, who living in most dis-joined parts of the Earth have sowed the Gospel of Christ, they all corroborate and strengthen that one Faith, which we catholics at this day profess. O blessed Christ! with what colour or pretext of excuse can I plaster my cause, or how can I apologise for myself, why thou should not exterminate me out of the number of thy Saints, if so I shall advance before so many Lights of the Church, certain obscure hedge-creepers; in number few, in learning weak, in doctrine and Faith divided, in conversation profane and facinorous?  
Witnesses in like manner are all ancient Princes, 
Princes.  Kings, Caesar's, and their Commonwealths; The piety of which Princes and People, and the Discipline both of Peace and War did originally take their rooting, in this our Catholic doctrine. What 
(d) Vide sex tom. Su●ij de Sanct.  Theodosij out of the East, what Charles'es' out of the West, may I here recite? What Edward's of England, Lodovicks of France, Hermingildi of Spain, Henry's of Saxony, Wenceslaes of Bohemia, Leopolds of Austria, Stevens of Hungary, josaphats of India; finally what other Dynastaes' and Toparchaes, I mean, Governors of Empires and particular places, throughout the whole world, may I appeal unto? All which (being organised with secular power) by example, by Arms, by Laws, by solicitous industry, by magnificent charges, have maintained & supported our Church? 
(e] Esay. 49.  For so Esay long-since foretold: Erunt Reges nutricij tui, & Reginae nutrices tuae; Kings shallbe thy fosterfathers', & queens thy nurses. Give ear, o E●izabeth, most potent Queen; To thee so great a Prophet preacheth, thee he instructeth in thy duty. I do confidently aver, that one Heaven in not wide enough, to contain Calvin and these Princes. With these Monarchs' then range thyself, run with them one and the same line of Action; To thee I speak, who art worthy thy progenitors, worthy the transcendency of thy wit, worthy the rareness of thy learning, worthy the high praises and Eulogies passed upon thee, finally worthy thy present dignity & Regal Sovereignty. Only this thing I plot towards thee, and this I will plot, whatsoever be the event: This is my dangerous machination, this is my traitorous attempt▪ against whom, as against the designed enemy of thy life, the Adversaries so often do threaten the gibbet. All hail, o holy Cross! The day will come (o Queen Elizabeth) that very day, I mean, when the veil of each man's actions shallbe drawn aside, & when it will evidently appear, whether the Society of JESUS, or the brood of Luther did affect thee with Christian Love and Charity. I hasten forward.  

Countries converted to Christianity.  Witnesses furthermore of the certainty of our Religion, are all the Quarters of the World, to the which (after the Incarnation and Birth of Christ) the trumpet of the Gospel hath sounded. Was it a work of small labour (think you) to seal up for ever the mouths of the Idols, and to import and bring the Kingdom of God unto the Gentiles? Luther preachet Christ; We catholics preach Christ, But is Christ divided? No. 
(f) 1 C●r. 1.  Either we, or he, do preach a false CHRIST. How then standeth the matter? I will show. Let him be the true CHRIST, and let him be on their party, by whose forces Dagon's 
(g) 1. Reg. 5.  neck was shivered in pieces. Our CHRIST vouchsafed to use our pains, when he dis-enthralled & freed so many Souls from longer worshipping of those jupiters', Mercuries, Diana's, Phaehades, and dissipated from their hearts that horrible N●ght of Hellish darkness. The time will not suffer me to insist in foreign precedents & examples; The disclosure (as I may say) and opening of su●h Countries (in respect of Christi●n Religion) as are near at hand & domestical, we will contemplate. The Irish Nation than first sucked either no Religion, or ours, (that is, the Catholic Religion) from Patritiu●, the Scottish from Palladius, the English from Austin; All these three men being consecrated Bishops at Rome, sent from Rome, and ever with a dutiful Observancy reverencing Rome. The matter is most evident. I poaste.  

A 〈◊〉 of Witness.  Witnesses in this last place of the irrefragable truth of our Faith, are the Universities; witnesses are all written Laws; witnesses the common manners and customs of People; witnesses the Election and Inauguration of Emperors; witnesses are the Ceremonies & Anoyling of Kings; Witnesses the Orders of Knights, and the very fashion of their Military Robes, Witnesses are the Churches-windowes; witnesses the Stamps and Coins of Silver; witnesses the Gates of Cities; and their public Towne-howses; witnesses the pious works & virtuous lives of our Ancestors; To conclude, Witnesses are all things whatsoever, Great or Small, contained within the Circumference of this vast Vnivers, that no other Religion than ours, did ever take any deep root and plantation.  
All which former Reasons and Considerations (as so many sealing Arguments, and even cloying my judgement with satiety of Proofs) being fully & deliberately weighed, I did hold it no little insolency and madness for me, to break with all Christians of precedent Times, giving them my last Adieu; and to comparte & consociate myself with the very froth of men, & certain outcasts or lost Companions. Wherefore I freely confess, I am much encouraged and animated to this Conflict, in which except the Saints of God be detruded & driven out of Heaven, and proud Lucifer recover Heaven, I cannot fall. In regard whereof I do presume, that Charke, who so inhumanely doth convitiate me, tearing asunder my good name and reputation, should in all equity be of a more gentle flexure, and more supple-minded towards me, if I be resolved to impathe my sinful and poor soul (the which CHRIST hath bought at so high a rate) rather in a safe way, in a certain way, in the King's highway, then to hang it upon the rocks and bryas of Caluin's pestiferous doctrine and Innovations.   

The Conclusion.  
Here now (most celebrious Academians) you have this small gift (an earnest of my much expected Congresse) composed at several stolen hours in time of my daily journeying. My project was, to absterge and wipe away with you my supposed spot of arrogancy, to give some Reasons for the justifying of my confidency, & withal, whilst you are invited to the Schools with me, to set before your judgements some considerable points, by way of taste & delibation. If you hold it equal, if secure, if reasonable, to erect Luther or Calvin, as the Square of the Scripture, the Oracle of the Holieghost, the rule of the Church, the Schoolmaster of all Counsels and Fathers, to be short, a God, assuming a supreme sovereignty over all Witnesses and Ages, I am in despair of bettering your minds by my endeavours, whether you Read or Hear: But if you be such, as I have Ideated and figured out to myself, Philosophers, eagle-eyed, lovers of Truth, integrity, & modesty; enemies to headlong rashness, illaqueations, and Sophisms; you then will easily see the full day at Noontide, who can espy the first appearance or break of day, through a small crevice or slifter. I will even power myself out unto you, & will freely speak, what the immensenes of my Love towards you, your own danger, and the greatness of the business may justly seem to require. The Devil is not ignorant, but that you will most clearly discover this light, if once you begin but to lift up your eyes. For what stupour and insensibility is it, to advance above all Christian antiquity some obscure and unlearned Hanmers and Charks? But there are certain pleasing Allectives, by which the devil much enlargeth his kingdom, and by which (as by his nets) he hath already ensnared many of your quality. What be they? Gold, Glory, delicacy of sare, Venery. Spurn at them. O, build your minds of such an height, as that the assaults of these low and fading delights may not reach thereto. What other thing are th●se, than the entralls of the Earth, shrill and stridulous Ay●e, a Kitchen of worms, dunghill pleasures? Spit at them. CHRIST is rich▪ who will maintain you: He is a King who will honour you: Lauteous▪ who will satiate you: Specious and beautiful, who will heap upon you all pleasure and happiness. Under his Banner then marshal yourselves, to him give up your names; that so you being become truly most learned, & spiritually most valorous, and this without delay (for he is ignorant, who is ever learning; and liveth evil, who is ever beginning to live well) you may close up your days with Trophies and Triumphs of Victory. Fare you well. From Cosmopolis, a City in the World. 158●.  
FINIS.    

THE HEADS OF THE TEN Reasons.  

1. The Sacred Scriptures, pag. 39  
2. The Sentence of Holy Sriptures. pag. 59  
3. The nature of Holy Church. pag. 63.  
4. Counsels. pag. 73.  
5. The Fathers. pag. 87.  
6. They grounds of the Fathers. pag. 100L.  
7. History. pag. 117.  
8. Paradoxes. pag. 125.  
9 Sophisms. pag. 147.  
10. All Kinds of witnesse●. pag. 155.