Answer to Campian the Jesuit, Reasons · Conclusion
The Concluſion vntounto the Vniuerſitie men.
CAmpian (moſt worthy men) would preſent this gift of his vntounto you, which of what worth it is you can beſt iudge. I will not go about to turne or allenate your affections from him, whom I know more firmely reſolued, then that any ſuch ſlender reaſons can any whit moue you. He may (I graunt) make ſome ſhew, and get ſome applauſe from the vnlearned multitude; but that he ſhould be able to beguile you, or caſt a miſt before ſuch and ſo great iudgements, if I ſhould ſuſpect it, I ſhould be too in…tio…s to the Vniuerſities. Therefore I a… well content that Campian hauehave ſuch place is your conceipts and affections, as he can procure, and referre the cenſure of the matter moſt willingly vntounto you. This worke he compoſed at vacant times us he trauelled, if we may beleeue him of his word. He would not ſeeme to write any thing purpoſely and … rately, wherein he both apparantly diſtruſt his cauſe, and bewraies the vanitie of his diſpoſition. For whereas before he had prepared it with great deliberation, and brought it into England from Rome, he would ſeeme to vsus to hauehave penned it on a ſuddaine, at idle times in his trauaile, which plainely ſhewes the badnes of his cauſe, and argues more then ordinarie arrogancie. But this is ordinarie with our Papists, to pretend all their writings are done of a ſuddaine, and ex tempore, hoping thereby to be eaſily excuſed in their errors: beſides they will hereby make vsus beleeue, that when they write more deliberately, and take greater paines, then their writings ſhall be vnanſwerable. After Biſhop Iewell that famous preacher of the truth, had challenged all Papiſts, and called them to the triall of antiquitie, ſome yeares ago, certaine bookes were publiſhed by men of great name, Harding, Rastall, Dorman: but obſerue their notable policie. When they had been full three yeares in preparing their anſwere, and at length had finiſhed ſomewhat, fearing they ſhould be but lightly reſpected by the learned and circumſpect reader, they diſſembled their intent, alleaging that they were written in haſt, not with purpoſe of publiſhing them, but only to ſatisfie the particular requeſt of ſome priuate friends, what could they hauehave fained more fooliſhly, or affirmed more featefullie? But Campian thought good to follow their politique example, affirming this worke of his was made by the way … houres, when he at great leiſure had prepared is beyond the ſeas. And yet the matter of the booke, the manner of his ſtile, and his whole gift (as he calleth it) is ſuch, as I eaſily beleeue it was rather done in great haſt, then by mature deliberation. For what … theſe his …en reaſons, but a little ſumme of ſlanders, laid, and drawne together out of the bookes and lectures of Lindane, Sanders, Caniſius, Melchior Canus, Bellarmine, in compoſing whereof, Campian might eaſily make haſt, eſpecially ſeeing his greateſt care was not how true, but how ſlanderous all things were that he ſhould ſet downe. For I doubt not, but you that are the learned of the Vniuerſities, perceiue by this time that thoſe things written in this booke by Campian, are ſuch, as for the matter are moſt vntrue, for the ſtile, ſpitefull and malitious. I teſtifie before God, and I call heauen, earth, and whatſoeuer creatures in the world to witnes, that either there is no truth, or thoſe things thus by Campian propounded are moſt falſe. View it well, ſearch it, and know it altogether, Campian is an aduerſary, and deceiptfull, truſt him not, he is deceiued himſelfe, and laboureth to deceiue you. By him none can be deceiued, but ſuch as willingly will be intangled with error. Al things he hath, are common, only his audaciouſnes, in affirming, and faining any thing, it is ſtrange and incredible. If it were fit that he ſhould be reſpected more then Luther, then Caluine, then Chriſt himſelfe, the teacher of truth, then he had ſome cauſe to hope: but ſeeing this is vnmeete and vnreaſonable, he can preuaile nothing at all with you, by his reaſons. Night remaines till the day be light, but the Sunne riſing darknes is diſpelled; and the truth appearing, falſhood vaniſheth.
God the father of lights, the only teacher of heauenly wiſedome, vouchſafe vsus his ſpirit, that ignorance and deceiue… error being … we may harken to the voice of that g… Shepheard, auoid the inti…ments and b…tes of Antich…, and may know God the Father in Chriſt Ieſus, to whom with the holy Spirit, bee all praiſe and glory aſ…ed for euer.
FINIS.