Answer to Campian the Jesuit, To the reader
TO THE CHRISTIAN READERS.
THe holie Apoſtle S. Paul knowing his calling, and remembring wel his commiſſion, which hee had receiued from Chriſt, ſaith: Chriſt ſent me not to baptiſe, but to preach the Goſpell. 1. Cor. 1.17.Not meaning that hee had no commiſſion to baptiſe at all, for then had he offended, when he baptiſed ſome; but that this was the ſpeciall end, and the chiefeſt part of his calling, to preach. So to allude to it, I may ſay of my calling, that Chriſt ſent me not to write, but to preach; ſo I iudge of that one talent Chriſt hath giuen me, if I be able to iudge aright of it. Which hath been the reaſon why I hauehave withſtood ſo many motions of friends, who hauehave ſet vponupon me with earneſtnes to hauehave publiſhed in print diuers things, God enabled me to vtter in preaching. And knowing the neceſſitie of preaching, and feeling the greatnes of the burthen, as S. Paul ſaid, Who is ſufficient for theſe things, 1. Cor. 2.16.I finde all my priuate ſtudies little enough for my publike Miniſterie, that the more I attaine vntounto, the more I may communicate to others. As the Preacher ſaith,Eccleſ. 12.9 The more wiſe the Preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, and cauſed them to heare, and ſearched foorth, and prepared many parables. I am not of their mindes, who think that a man may gather Manna enough vponupon the day before the Sabbath, to ſerue his familie or charge vponupon the Sabbath it ſelf. And though I know mē hauehave their ſeuerall gifts, ſome men able to do that in an houre, which another cannot doe in three; yet I know and acknowledge my owne ſtrength and abilitie to bee ſuch, as that I muſt hauehave much more time than many others; which both hath made me vnwilling, and will ſo make me ſtill, to diſtract my ſelf, or intangle my minde with any other thing than with my ordinarie Miniſterie. I hauehave often thought of Augustines obſeruation, that our Sauiour Chriſt preached much,De conſenſ… Euangeliſt. lib. 1. cap. 7. but wrote nothing: and thence hauehave imputed it a fault to thoſe who hauehave the roome of Chriſt, which are giuen to write much, and preach little; ſpecially when their places in the Church requires preaching more than writing. I know well that writing is and hath bin very profitable to the Church; yet I find a corruption in our times that maketh it leſſe profitable, becauſe I ſee men buy bookes more for the Author, than the matter, and delite more to hauehave ſuch a booke in their houſes, than by diligent reading to hauehave it either in their heads or hearts; by which they are neither able to inſtruct in the truth, and informe in their duties ſuch as belong to them; neither to defend the truth of God, when they come in places where they meet with ſuch as reſiſt the truth, as Iannes and Iambres did Moſes, 2. Tim. 3.8.Atheiſts and Papiſts I meane, and ſuch like, men of corrupt mindes, reprobate concerning the faith. And ſo their bookes are a iudgement to condemne them for vaine fooliſh men, according to that of Salomon: Prou. 17.16Wherefore is there a price in the hand of the foole to get wiſedome, and he hath no heart? But beloued, let it not be ſo with you, or ſo no more, the times are dangerous, there are many deceiuers abroad, and many daily deceiued, for that they hauehave had a price and opportunitie all theſe golden and happie daies of the Goſpell to hauehave got wiſedome, but hauehave no hearts, but only for wealth, honour, pleaſure, and ſuch like. And if you hauehave neglected the opportunitie with them, thinke it high time to lay hold of it, leſt it be too late, when the fit occaſion is altogether paſt; and labour and pray for hearts to ſeeke Wiſedome, while ſhe cries in the ſtreetes and ſeekes for you; leſt you ſeek her when ſhe will not bee found. And the rather, becauſe when there is no louelove of truth, 2. Theſſ. 2.11.12.God ſends ſtrong deluſions, that men ſhould beleeue lies. That all they might be damned, that beleeue not the truth, but hauehave pleaſure in vnrighteouſnes. It is the wiſdome of men when they heare that many falſe coyners are abroad, to looke well what ſiluer or gold they receiue, and if they hauehave not either the ſcales and weights, or the touchſtone of the Goldſmith, or the skill to vſe them to trie that they receiue, they will aske, and being men that hauehave much to receiue and their ſtate ſtands vponupon it, they will both hauehave them, and learne the skill to vſe them. Should it not bee ſo with you? ſhall theſe be wiſer in their generation, than the children of light? or will you bee wiſer for the world, than for heauen? If you louelove heauen, I ſay, not as you ought, but euen in any ſort as you louelove the world, and hauehave in any meaſure the like care for your ſpirituall eſtate, as you hauehave for the temporall, in theſe dangerous times get to you the ballance of the Sanctuarie, not to hauehave it in your houſes only, but in your hearts and memories. The exhortation of Chryſostome is not ſo neceſſarie for theſe times:Commentar. in Coloſſ. 3.16. Prouide for your ſelues Bibles; for moſt hauehave them in their hands and houſes. But that hee ſaith in another place is fitter for our times:Hom. 3. de Laza. When you are at home, giuegive your ſelues to a continuall reading of the holy Scriptures. A thing verely much neglected of moſt in our times, to whom his complaint will well agree: Which of our people goe about any thing worthie the name of a Christian? Hom. 13. in Joan.who ſearcheth out the ſenſe of the Scriptures? vndoubtedly none: but the Cheſſe-board and dice-play we finde often and eueryevery where; but their bookes are ſeldome in hand. For your bookes are ſeldome in hand, but when you goe to Church: they lie in your houſes couered with duſt, and as it were ſpread ouer with ſpiders webbes, as if it ſeemed you durſt not touch them; when the Tables are kept cleane with vſe, and Cards worne blacke with continuall play. But beloued theſe things ſhould not be ſo, if either you regard the commandement of Chriſt,Iob. 5.39. Search the Scriptures; which is as abſolute and generall, as that Commandement, Thou ſhalt not commit adulterie, or ſteale: or if you reuerence the counſell of the Apoſtle, which is as much as a commandement: Let the word of God dwell plentifully in you in all wiſedome. Coloſſ. 3.16.As good ſchollers therefore in the ſchoole of Chriſt, giuegive obedience to theſe things, and vſe a continuall and conſtant reading of the word, at leaſt eueryevery day ſome part of it: which becauſe it is obſcure, not in it ſelfe, but by the weaknes of mans vnderſtanding, as men doe to weake eyes applie ſome holeſome ſalue, not to make the light more perſpicuous, but the eyes more able: ſo vſe the helpe of ſome other writers, by which you may more profitably reade it, and enable your ſelues the better to conceiue of it, and to know how to applie to eueryevery occurrence the things, which are there ſet downe in their moſt excellent and wiſe order, though ſomewhat hidden and infolded to thoſe, who hauehave not their ſenſes, as they ought, exerciſed therein. And if any deſire ſome direction for himſelfe, in ſtudying both the Scriptures and other bookes, which may helpe for the vnderſtanding of them, and their better inſtruction in the matters of ſaluation; I woul intreate them firſt to heare the ancient and worthie Father and Elder of the ancient Romiſh Church (when as, though not without ſome blemiſhes,Note that it is neither new, nor hereticall, nor dangerous for the common people to read the ſcripture, and that by the iudgement of the Church of Rome, in her purer times. Hieron. ad Laetam de inſtitut. ſiliae, epist. 7. it held the foundation, which now it hath quite ouerthrowne) Hierome I meane, whoſe counſell I would make the ground of my aduice fitting our times. He directing Lata for the education of her daughter for this point, aduiſeth thus: Let her firſt reade the Pſalmes, that by ſuch heauenly hymnes ſhe may withdraw her ſelfe from vaine delites. Then the Prouerbes of Salomon, that thence ſhe may hauehave excellent inſtructions for the gouernment of her life. Then Eccleſiaſtes, that by it ſhe may learne to contēne al worldly things. After theſe the booke of Iob, that ſhe may follow the examples of vertue and patience: let her proceed to the Goſpels, and neuer lay them out of her hands: the Acts and the Epistles of the Apoſtles, let her ſtudiouſly reade and make them the delite of her heart. And when ſhe hath furniſhed the ſtorehouſe of her ſoule with theſe riches, let her heedfully reade the Prophets, the fiue bookes of Moſes, the bookes of the Kings and Chronicles, and the ſmall volumes of Ezra and Heſter. And in the laſt place the Song of Songs; leſt if ſhe reade it firſt of all, ſhe may happily be wounded, while ſhe is not able to vnderstand the ſpirituall marriage Song, ſet out vnderunder carnall words. But let her take heed of all the bookes of Apocrypha: and if at any time ſhe will reade them, not for the truth of doctrine, but for the reuerent reſemblance they may ſeeme to hauehave with the holy Scriptures; let her take this instruction withal, that they were not written by thoſe, whoſe names they carrie, and that in them alſo there are many corrupt things ſcattered here and there: and therefore it is a ſpeciall point of wiſedome to cull out the gold from the droſſe. Let her hauehave with her the bookes of Cyprian: let her runne ouer the Epistles of Athanaſius and bookes of Hilarie, without feare of error. Let her delite in their writings and …its, in whoſe books is deliuered the ſound doctrine of faith. Other mens workes let her ſo reade, that ſhe may rather cenſure them, than be tied to follow them. Thus farre Hierome. Which direction of his, as touching the forepart of it, the Scriptures and Apocrypha, if any think they could better aduiſe, let them for me enioy their conceit, vnderunder their correction I will ſubſcribe fully to it. In the latter part, becauſe he ſpeaketh of Authors not in our naturall tongue, in ſtead of them I would commend theſe vntounto you, written originally in our owne tongue. For matter of controuerſie, Doctor Bilſon, now Lord Biſhop of Wincheſter, his true defence betweene Chriſtian ſubiection and vnchriſtian rebellion againſt the Ieſuites. Doctor Fulke his anſwere to the Rhemiſt Teſtament, and diuers other of his workes: and Doctor Willets Synopſis. For matter of conſcience, the Workes of Maſter Greenham and Maſter Rogers. For matter both of conſcience and ſoundnes of faith, the Workes of Maſter Perkins. Many other particular Treatiſes of ſpeciall things there are, written by good and learned men; which you may reade as occaſion may offer it, and the aduice of diſcreete men may encourage you. Now with the bookes of the firſt kinde would I commend this particular book, which, at the commanding requeſt of an honorable perſon, I hauehave both reduced into one booke, written by ſeuerall Authors in ſeuerall Treatiſes, and tranſlated into Engliſh for your benefit. In which the greateſt part of the controuerſies betwixt vsus and the Church of Rome, you ſhall finde in ſome part touched. The ſtate of the queſtion plainly laid downe, and ſome manifeſt, ſhort and pithie anſwere or reſolution of it. Two Papiſts are the opponents, Campian an Engliſhman, and Duraeus a Scot; one Engliſhman and a famous light of our Church hath anſwered them both. The anſwere to the firſt was more ſparing, becauſe the aduerſaries obiections were either ſlender, or ſleightly vrged. But there is ſo full a ſupplie made thereof by the anſwere to the ſecond, that he had little ſtomacke or abilitie to make a reioynder.
The whole worke I aſſure you (if you dare take my iudgement) will be very profitable, if ſo be you will be attentiue & diligent readers. For beſides that good which is in it ſelf, it will be a notable introduction to all other Treatiſes of controuerſies, that with more eaſe and facilitie you may reade them, and with more profit be conuerſant in them. The text (as I may ſo call it) is Campians and Doctor Whitakers; the marginall notes are compoſed of Duraeus his obiections in defence of Campian and the Romiſh errors, and the replie of Doctor Whitakers in defence of the truth and his owne anſwere. Duraeus is noted thus; DVR. Doctor Whitakers thus; WHIT. I hauehave as fitly as I could placed eueryevery obiection with his anſwere neere vntounto that which is excepted againſt: and if any thing happen, by the ouerſight of the Printer, or length of the note to bee not ſo aptly placed, take a little paines to looke ouer the precedent and ſubſequent pages.
I confeſſe I hauehave in Duraeus omitted many things, becauſe they either were not pertinent for the defence of Campian, or but the multiplication of many teſtimonies out of the Fathers, which hauehave their full anſwere in the generall, or anſwered in ſome other place before.
The number in eueryevery anſwere noteth the page where it is to be found in Doctor Whitakers his replie, that any man may turne and reade the anſwere at large, if he vnderſtand the tongue, and receiue more contentment. Yet this know, there are ſeueral impreſſions of the bookes, which alſo differ; that which I followed was imprinted anno 1583.
For the moſt part I hauehave onelyonly in quotations ſet downe the booke, chapter and verſe, both of the Scriptures and Fathers, and ſeldome recited the whole words (becauſe the margent would not beare it) but when the ſubſtance of the anſwere conſiſted in thē; and therfore you muſt both helpe me & your ſelues in vſing your Bibles to peruſe the places.
The ſuperiours directing you to what place eueryevery note belongs, are the letters of the Alphabet. If there be ſometimes a note and no ſuperiour, you muſt conceiue it belongs vntounto the former note, where ye ſuperiour is. And if the number be ſomtimes omitted, you muſt ſo vnderſtand that the anſwere is in the ſecond page where ye former is noted.
The obiection you ſhall often finde to hauehave diuers parts and particulars in it, and ſo alſo the anſwere ſemblably. Therefore you muſt take paines for your profit to compare one thing with another, and one part with another.
If you follow theſe directions, you ſhall reade the whole with no ſmall fruit to your ſelues. And yet to make it more profitable vntounto you, I hauehave in reading the ſheetes ouer, as they were printed, gathered the ſumme of eueryevery anſwere and the chiefe matter in it, not in any order, I cōfeſſe, which had bin a thing impoſſible, becauſe no method is in it; not from any error of the Anſwerer, but becauſe he was forced to follow a fellow that rode a wilde gooſe chaſe. The benefit of which epitomie may be this: If you reade the ſumme of eueryevery anſwere, before you reade each particular anſwer, it will well prepare you to conceiue of the anſwere it ſelfe; if after, which I could wiſh alſo you would doe, then it will preſent to you the whole as it were in a mappe. When you hauehave read both and the whole booke, if at any time you remember ſome thing you would ſee more particularly, and can but tell or make ſome nie coniecture in what anſwere it is laid downe, with reading of one page you may finde in what … of the … be found. Finally, let it incourage you the …ther to reade this Treatiſe, becauſe you ſhall finde in it whatſoeuer is by our late Papiſts in their P…phlets and Treatiſes, which they hauehave audaciouſly ſent abroad in theſe few laſt yeeres, (when the lawes hauehave been laid aſleepe and the iuſt ſeueritie of them greatly qualified) I ſay, whatſoeuer is in them either obiected againſt our Church and doctrine, or ſpoken in their owne defence, is here to be found, and a ſolid anſwere giuen vntounto them, if any thing would giuegive them ſatisfaction. If you bee but well exerciſed in this one booke, out of it you may gather ſome ſmooth ſtones, as out of a brooke, by which, though you ſhould not be enabled to hold any long warre with a cunning Papiſt, yet you may ſmite him in the forehead, and fell him groueling to the earth,1. Sam. 17. as Dauid did the vncircumciſed Philiſtine. The Apoſtle exhorts that we earneſtly contend for the maintenance of the faith, Jude verſ. 3.which was once giuen vntounto the Saints. A naked and vnarmed man may well contend, but ſhall neuer be able to maintaine any thing committed to him, but it will ſoone be taken from him; ſo may I ſay for the truth, it is not words but weapons, and weight of diuine reaſon that muſt defend it: therefore muſt eueryevery Chriſtian ſouldier, that thinkes to hauehave the crowne, take to him ſuch armour as Gods Armourie will affoord him. Now thoſe weapons if ſo be you cannot fetch ſo readily in the word of truth it ſelfe, becauſe of your infirmitie, they are here brought to your hand, and you withall are led by the hand to the particular places where they are in the word it ſelfe. Now the Lord of hoſts ſtrengthen you in the truth, and arme you with his grace, that you may be able to ſtand againſt all the enemies of your ſaluation,2. Tim. 4.7.8. and that you may fight a good fight, and finiſh your courſe, and keepe the faith that you may obtaine the crowne of righteouſnes, which the Lord the righteous Iudge will giuegive at the laſt day vntounto all thoſe that louelove his appearing.
Yours euer in the Lord, Richard Stock.