Answer to Campian the Jesuit, Reasons · Reason 4
EDMVND CAMPIAN. The fourth Reaſon, which is generall Councels.
AGreat controuerſie for the keeping of the ceremonies of the old law, which in the Primitiue Church much moued the minds of faithfull people, was by a Councell gathered together, of the Apostles and ſome elders decided. Children then beleeued their Parents, and ſheepe their Sheepheards, charging them in this ſort:aAct. 15 It hath pleaſed the holy Ghoſt, and vsus; after this there were holden foure generall Councels of auncient Fathers, for the rooting out of hereſie, which budded vp aboundantly in eueryevery age, which were of ſuch authoritie abouebGreg. li. 1. epist. 24. 1000. yeeres agoe, that*Gregorie made ye foure Councels, equall to the Euangeliſts. great honour was attributed vntounto them, as though it had been vntounto the foure Gospels. I will ſeeke no further; euen here in our owne Countrey by ancAnno 1. Elizab. acte of Parliament, the ſelfe ſame Councels doe retaine ſtill their former force, and pure authoritie: which ſaid acte I will heere alleadge: And call thee, thy ſelfe O England, my most louing Countrey, to witneſſe. If thou reuerence, as thou pretendest, thoſe Councels,Nic. Can. 6. Chal. act. 4. & 16. Conſtan. c. 5. Eph. conc. in epist. ad Neſtorium. Nic. con. 14 Chal. act. 11 Nic. conc. apud. Soc. lib. 1 cap. 8. Vide Chalc. can. 4.15.23 then wilt thou yeeld vp the ſupremacie to the Biſhop of the chiefe ſea, that is, to Saint Peter. Then wilt thou acknowledge vponupon the altar, the vnbloodie ſacrifice of the bodie and blood of Christ. Then wilt thou pray the bleſſed Martyrs and all the Saints in Heauen to make interceſſion to Christ for thee. Then wilt thou restraine theſe leacherous Apoſtataes from their filthie carnall copulation, and open inceſt. Then wilt thou build vp many things, which now thou pullest downe, and wiſh many things vndone, which now thou doeſt. Moreouer, I promiſe and vndertake, as occaſion and time ſhall ſerue, to proue, that the*Campian makes all Synods equall with the Goſpell. Councels holden at other times, and namely the Councell of Trent, hauehave been of equall authoritie and credit with the foure first Councels. Wherefore then ſhould I not come to this place of triall, ſecurely and couragiouſly, to marke into what corner my enemie will creepe, ſeeing I am*This is falſe, ancient Councels doe not confirme the Romiſh faith. ayded with the valiant and piked garriſon of all the Councels? For I will alleadge both most manifest matter which he ſhall not be able to wrest aſide, and alſo most ſubstantially prooued, which he dare not contemptuouſly reiect. He will perhaps goe about to trifle out the time, with multiplying of many words: but if you be the men that I hauehave alwaies taken you for, you will take ſo good heed vntounto him, that he ſhall neither rob you of your eares nor eyes. If there ſhall be any at all ſo mad, as to oppoſe himſelfe againſt the ſages of all Chriſtendome, and thoſe, ſuch men as for holines of life learning and antiquitie, are too great to be challenged; I would willingly behold that brazen face, the which when I ſhall ſh…w you, I will leaue the rest to your imaginations. In the meane while, I will giuegive you this caueat, that whoſoeuer affirmeth, that a generall Councell,*The Councell of Trent was neither a full Councell, nor lawfully held. And ſo both the Emperor and the French King hauehave iudged. Sleidan. anno 1551. lib. 33. The aſſemblie of certaine men. duly and orderly kept, and finiſhed, is of no force or authoritie, the ſame man ſeemeth to me, to be one of no iudgement, nor of any wit; and not onelyonly an aſſe in diuinitie, but alſo voide of diſcretion in worldly policie. If euer the ſpirit of God illuminated the Church, ſurely then that time is most fit to ſend downe the holy Ghost, when the religion, perfection, knowledge, wiſdome and honour of all Churches disperſed throughout all Christendome, are aſſembled together into one Citie: and vſing all meanes both diuine and humane, whereby the truth may be ſearched out,Matth 18. they call vponupon the holy Ghost, promiſedeJoh. 14. by God vntounto them, that by his aſſistance, they may establiſh godly lawes, for the ſafe and wiſe gouernement of the Church. Now let there ſome pettie peart hereticall Doctor leape out, let him looke vp ſtately, let him ſcorne and mocke, let him lay all ſhame aſide, let him ſaucily giuegive iudgement of his owne iudges, what game, what pastime ſhall he make; we hauehave ſpied out ſuch a one, euen Martin fLib. de capt. Bab.Luther, who ſaith, that he more esteemeth of the voices of two honeſt and learned men (ye may well imagine his owne, and Philip Melancthons) if they come together in Chriſts name, then he did of all generall Councels. O worthy companie! We hauehave found out alſo, another of the ſame crue, to witgMartini Kemnitij examen Conc. Tridentini. Kemnitius, who hath vndertaken to examine the Councell of Trent, by his owne vnreaſonable giddie braine: what hath he gained? an euill name: ſo that he, except he preuent it by recanting, ſhall be buried for an heriticke with Arrius: whereas the Councell of Trent, the elder it waxeth, by ſo much more it ſhall flouriſh daily and continually.*The famous praiſes of the Councell of Trent. O good Lord, with what diuerſitie of people out of all countries, with what choice of Biſhops throughout all Chriſtendome, with what excellencie of Kings and Common-weales, with what profound diuines, with what*Two Biſhops were taken in adulterie and put to death. Illyric. deuotion, with what lamentations, with what abſtinence and faſting, with what flowers of Ʋniuerſities, with what knowledge of ſtrange tongues, with what ſharpe wits, with what ſtudie, with what endleſſe reading, with what ſtore of vertues and exerciſes was that ſacred place repleniſhed? I heard with my owne eares Biſhops reioyce, being men of great birth and very well learned, of which, one was Anthony Archbiſhop of Prage (who created me Prieſt) for that they had been brought vp certaine yeeres in that famous Schoole; ſo that they acknowledged no benefite that euer the Emperour Ferdinando beſtowed on them (to whom otherwiſe alſo they thought themſelues no little beholding) to be more princely and bountifull, then this was, that by him being ſent in Embaſſage from Pannonia, they ſate in the Councell of Trent, together with the reſt of the Fathers there preſent. This thing the Emperour full well perceiued, who greeted them in this ſort at their returne: We hauehave maintained you in an exceeding good Schoole, why made the aduerſaries no haſt hither, being promiſed to goe and come ſafe; that they might openly hauehave confuted them, againſt whom they croke like Toads out of their hoales. They hauehave broken promiſe (ſay they) with Huſſe and Hierome, who? the heads of the Councell of Conſtance. That is a lye:Ioh. Huſſ. for they made them no promiſe. And yet Huſſe had not been put to death; if that he, falſe and treacherous villaine as he was, not only by an eſcape, which the Emperour Sigiſmundus had forbidden him vponupon paine of death; and being taken, was brought backe againe: but alſo by*This is falſe, for he broke no conditions. breaking certaine couenants which he had made in writing with the Emperor had not loſt the benefit of that ſafe conduct: Huſſe was hedged in for his haſtie knauerie; for whereas at his countrie in Bohem, he had ſtirred vp barbarous tumults, and was therfore commanded to appeare before the generall Councel at Conſtance, he contemned the prerogatiue of the Councell, and made ſuite for a ſafe conduct to the Emperor. The*Note. Emperour ſealed him one; all Christendome, which is greater then the Emperour, vnſealed it again: the arch heretike would not recant, and therfore he was burnt:Hierome of Prage. As for Hierome of Prage, he came priuately without any ſafe conduct at all to the Councell of Conſtance, and being apprehended did appeare, and had libertie to ſay what he could, and was verie curteouſly intreated, and ſuffered to goe abroad at his pleaſure. Hee was cured of his diſeaſe, and abiured his hereſie, hee fell againe, and therefore was burnt. But wherefore do they ſo often inculcate and call to memorie, this one example amongst ſixe hundred?Anno 1518 Let them peruſe their chronicles: Martin Luther, one hated both of God and man, perſonallie appeared at Augusta before the Cardinall Caietane, and did he not belche forth of his venemouſe gorge, what poyſoned ſpeeches he could, and at length being protected with the Emperour Maximilians ſafe conduct, went he not ſafe away?Anno 1521 The ſame Martin Luther being ſent for, to come to Wormes, though hee had both the Emperour, and almoſt all the Princes of the Empire his Enemies, did hee not vponupon the Emperours word come and goe ſafe? Finally, did not the ring-leaders of the Lutherans and Zuinglians in the preſence of Charles the fifth, the open enemie to all heretikes, Conqueror, and ſoueraigne, vponupon a truce graunted them, exhibit at an aſſemblie at Auguſta,August. confeſſ. Vide acta Conc. Trid. the confeſſion of their faith, which before they had ſo often altered, and went they not without hurt away? Likewiſe the councell of Trent prouided for the aduerſarie most large warrants to come and goe ſafe, but he would not vſe the ſame. He beaſteth forſooth of himſelfe in corners, where when he can vtter three greeke words, he may ſeeme to bee a great learned man: He flies from the light, which would make a ſlender ſcholler to bee accounted learned, and ſo aduance him to ſeates of great dignitie. Let them purchaſe for vsus Engliſh Catholikes, if they louelove their ſoules health,*There is not the ſame reaſon. ſuch a ſafe conduct in writing: wee will not alleadge Huſſe for our excuſe, but make our ſpeedie repaire to the court, putting our whole truſt in the Queenes Maieſties word. But that I may returne thither from whence I digreſſed: All generall Councels are on my ſide, the firſt, the laſt, the reſt; theſe ſhalbe my weapons. Let the aduerſarie expect, a well headed dart, which he ſhall neuer be able to ſhake off. God graunt that Satan in him may be quite ouerthrowne, and Christ reuined.