we bring all ReligioÌ„ into contempt But how prooueth hee that wee contemne the Churches authoritie First he sayth it is a maxime and almoste an article of fayth among vs that the true Church which once was hath erred grossely and in no lesse matters then fayth justification merit free-will workes satisfaction Purgatory prayer to Sayntes worship of Images number vertue of Sacraments sacrifice and such like But if hee meane the whole Catholique Church this is neither article nor maxime nor opinion of ours that the whole Church hath erred grossely If he meane the Pope and his adherents and parasites why should not they erre as well as the Churches of Antioch Alexandria Hierusalem and Constantinople That they haue indeed erred we haue already prooued and offer our selues alwayes ready to prooue and it is most apparant for that their Doctrine is not only diuers but also contrary to the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and namely in the points aboue specified Next hee sayth Luther cared not for a thousand Churches and Caluin Beza and others despised all the Councels and ancient Fathers But neyther the contempt of the Synagogue of Rome nor the reiection of diuers Conuenticles assembled by Popes nor the refusall of diuers counterfet Bookes alledged vnder the name of Fathers or of some Fathers singuler opinions doth argue anye contempt of the true Church or of lawfull councelles or of the authenticall writinges and common Doctrines of Fathers Further I would haue thought that reason might haue taught him talking so long of Religion that priuate mens sayinges and opinions should not so often haue beene imputed generally to vs or to the whole Church To prooue that contempt of the Churches authoritie bringeth Religion into contempt hee alleadgeth that wee cannot knowe which is Scripture which not but by the voice of the Church But first this is nothing to vs which doe much esteeme the authoritie of the Apostolike and Catholike Church We say also that euerie priuate man is to reuerence the iudgement of the true Church But what is this to the Romish synagogue that is not the true church againe what is this to the Pope that is an oppressor of the church and an enemie of Christian Religion if Kellison wil contend that the sentence of the Pope which neither vnderstandeth nor percase can reade Scriptures in the originall tongues must needes be followed in deciding the controuersies about Canonical scriptures his owne schollers wil laugh at him that maketh a betilheaded fellow iudge in matters of religion a blinde man iudge of colours If he refer men to the particular church of Rome that now is it will bee said that she cannot bee iudge and partye and that the auncient Church is much to bée preferred before her Saint Augustine wee confesse among manye other reasons was enduced also to beleeue by the churches authoritie So likewise are many more then he But K. remooueth all other reasons and motiues in matter of discerning scriptures and maketh his moderne Church a necessarie cause and almost sole motife of faith as if none were to beleeue eyther scriptures or any other Article of faith vnlesse hee bee resolued by the Pope and the moderne Church of Rome Blasphemously also hee affirmeth that the Romaine Church being contemned wee can no more assure a man of Scripture then of a Robin-hoodes tale But to vse these comparisons is blasphemye To make so much of nothing and to stand so much vpon a blinde Pope and to preferre the Romaine moderne Church before the auncient and all other moderne churches is foolery In the fourth Chapter he beareth his Reader in hand that wee reject some bookes of Canonicall Scripture and for proofe saith that Luther reiected the Booke of Iob Ecclesiastes and all the Gospels saue that of Iohn and that we reiect the Bookes of Iudith Tobia Ecclesiasticus Wisdome and the Machabees But these latter Bookes hee shall neuer prooue to be canonicall vnlesse wée take the Canon largelye as Saint Augustine sometimes seemeth to doe S. Hierome in prol galeato Athanasius in Synops Gregorius Nazianzenus in carminibus Epiphanius in lib. de pond mensur and the moste and best Fathers esteeme of them no otherwise then we doe The calumniation concerning Luther wee haue answered already But saith K. they will needes receiue Scripture at the Roman Churches hand And of this hee would inferre that as well we ought to follow that Church in the number of bookes as in receiuing canonicall Scripture vpon that Churches warrant This sâ—ith hee but hee taketh that for graunted that no man yeeldeth him For wee take the Scriptures as the Church of Rome her selfe did from the Prophets and Apostles We doe also assure our selues that the iudgement of the Apostolike Church is farre to be preferred before the iudgement of the Apostaticall moderne Romish Church Lastlye wee answere to his argument that wee haue diuers arguments to assure vs of the authoritie truth and number of canonicall bookes of Scriptures beside the testimony of any one particular Church as for example the testimony of Scripture it selfe the likenesse Maiestie antiquitie truth stile of Scripture and such like In the fift chapter he endeuoreth to prooue that our dissensions in Religion doe open a gappe to contempt of Religion And thereupon talketh his pleasure of Caluinistes and Lutherans Puritanes Protestants soft and rigid Lutherians Zuinglians Bezites Anabaptistes Libertines Brownistes Martinistes family of loue and damned crew But first the damned crew is by vs damned In this late conspiracie of Papists Edward Baynham that is knowne to bee of the damned crewe was choson for a fit maÌ„ to goe as nuntio from this damned crew to the Pope Anabaptistes Libertines the family of loue are more among the Papists then among vs. We say to them anathema maranatha The Brownistes and Martinistes wee generally condemne The rest are the names of slaunder deuised by Papistes To answere his obiection therefore wee say that the Churches of Germanye France and other countries doe well agree and priuate men doe submitte themselues to the determination of a free generall councell and in the meane while to their nationall Churches The groundes of his sixt chapter are laide vpon the Popes head-ship For because wee want a visible head hee supposeth wee giue great aduantage to Atheistes But as the Popes headship is a matter rather fancied then prooued out of Scriptures or Fathers so what so euer is thereupon built the same is founded vpon fancie and not worth a head of Garlike That Saint Peter did rule both the Apostles and all the church as Christes vicar generall and head of the Church it cannot bee prooued All the Apostles were called alike and sent to teach and administer the Sacraments alike They had also the keyes of the Church giuen to them by one ioynt commission and Paul professeth that the principall of the Apostles gaue vnto him nothing But had Peter had any such monarchy as is
as you haue alwayes professed the true Christian and Apostolike faith and detested all errors and abhominations of Popery so still endeuour zealously to maintaine the same truth against all the calumniations treacherous practises of all such as audaciously and impudently oppugne the fayth and seeke to draw men into errors God will honor those that seeke his honor vnfeynedly and such as cary themselues as lukewarme shall be cast out of his mouth and deemed vnworthy to rest in his holy Mountaine Thus relying vpon your fauor I commend this Treatise to your Lordship and your Lordship to the Almightyes protection beseeching him to blesse you and yours in this life and in the life to come to giue you a crowne of glory promised to all those that shall perseuer to the end and manfully and seriously contend for the maintenance of truth and the setting foorth of Gods Glory Your Lordships in all dutifull affection Matthew Sutcliffe The Contents of the Booke THe Preface to the Reader wherein Kellisons two Epistles or preambles are censured and diuers poyntes noted in the title and front of his Booke Chapter 1. Kellisons fond conceit error concerning the foundations of our religion is noted and diuers errors of his first booke refuted Chap. 2. The foundations of Popish religion discouered to be most weake and foolish Chap. 3. The motiues to Popish religion mentioned by Kellison compared with the motiues of true religion Therein also the true motiues to Popery are expressed Chap. 4. Of the markes and propertyes of heretikes Chap. 5. An answere to Kellisons calumniations against the doctrine professed in the Church of England concerning Christ his person and his two natures Chap. 6. A collection of certaine absurd blasphemous assertions of the Papists concerning Christ his incarnation person natures and offices Chap. 7. An answere to Kellisons calumniations charging vs either to haue no religion at all or a gracelesse religion Chap 8. The Surueyors calumniations against our doctrine concerning God refuted Chap. 9. That our doctrine giueth due obedience and respect both to Princes and to their lawes Chap. 10. That our doctrine leadeth men to vertue deterreth them from vices Chap. 11 A rejection of Kellisons slanderous accusations imputing in his 8. booke Atheisme contempt of religion to the professors of true religion in the Church of England THE PREFACE TO THE READER Conteyning a briefe Censure vpon the Title and the front of Kellisons Suruey and his two liminare Epistles and Praeambles THe Deuill as we read Iob 1. is said To compasse the Worlde and to walke through it and experience teacheth vs that he is a very busie curious Surueyer We are not therefore to thinke it strange if his children do immitate their father and proue great compassers of the world and contriuers of plots and surueyes to bring men within the circle of their owne errors Among the rest one Kellison a copper kettle Masse-preist hath shewed him-selfe a great compasser of sea and land to winne proselytes to the Synagogue of Antichrist and a busie and captious surueyer to espye motes in our Christian faith for this end hath set out a large volume called The Suruey of the new Religion But first we say to him as Christ said to a man of his qualitie Hypocrita primū eijce trabem c. Hipocrite first cast the beame out of thine owne eye and then thou shalt more easily see to take a mote out thy brothers eye So we pray him to discharge his Romish religion of the just imputation of noueltie then he may with more reason taxe others for maintayning newe religion As for our Religion it is vniustly and absurdly termed newe For as Ignatius said in his Epistle to the Philippians Christ is our antiquitie And in religion that is most ancient that is from the Apostles as Tertullian doth signifie If then our Religion be from Christ and is grounded vpon the holy Scriptures and not vpon late Decretales and the opinions of Popes School-men and Canonists how is the same reputed newe doth not Kellison remember that the somme of our whole desire is that Popish nouelties and the late Tridentine doctrine being abolished we may returne to the ancient Catholike and Apostolike faith Absurdly also he his consorts repute the Romish moderne religion to be ancient seeing the same as it differeth from the religion professed in the Church of England is nothing but an hochpot of heresies and erroneous corrupt doctrine either deriued from late School-men or first established by the late Conuenticles of Trent Florence Constance and Lateran or by little and little confirmed by corrupt custome The Popish Masse as it now standeth is but a late patcherie In the olde ordinall of Rome it appeareth that neither priuate Masses nor halfe Communions nor Transubstantiation nor the sacrifice of Christs body and blood contayned vnder the accidents of bread and wine for quicke and dead nor the adoration of the Sacrament with latria nor prayers to Saints and for the dead were in vse in ancient time The Fathers doe no where teach that brute beasts receiuing a consecrated hoast eate Christs flesh or that Christs flesh is receiued downe into mens bellyes nay they teach quite contrary The Bishops of Rome for many yeares vsed not the temporall sworde Neither was the Pope Lord of Rome vntill the time of Boniface the 9. Gregory the first condemned both the vniuersall authoritie of one Bishop ouer the rest and the adoration of Images Neuer was it imagined before the time of the Conuenticle of Trent that euery pield Masse-priest as ofte as he said Masse wrought three miracles The necessitie of auricular confession was first decreed by Innocent the third The number of 7. Sacraments albeit before talked of idly by School-men was not by any publike authoritie receiued before the Conuenticle of Florence Finally it is easie to shew that the Popes doctrine concerning Indulgences Purgatorie the worship of Saints and Images extreame vnction and other poynts of religion in controuersie betwixt the Papists and vs is lately brought in and more newe then that religion which we professe which by Kellison is lewdly and falsely called newe Many wonder also why he should call his Treatise A Suruey of the newe Religion seeing the poyntes which he handleth are neither matters of religion nor professed by vs nor proued against them vpon whome they are fathered by Cochleus Staphylus Genebrard Bolsec Stapleton Sanders and such like lying parasites He professeth him-selfe a Doctor but his Discourse declareth him to be in the number of those of whome the Apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 1. Which would be Doctors of the Law and yet vnderstand not whereof they speake nor whereof they affirme If he haue no more knowledge then he hath shewed in this Suruey he is a Doctor and professor of Diuinitie of a lowe price Little certes doth he vnderstand what that profession meaneth that could not distinguish his owne
For what motiue can any man haue to beleeue that an vnlearned bougerly blinde and wicked Pope is supreme iudge of Religion that an obscure and infamous Italian hath power to depose the King of England that Christians are not to beleeue the articles of our christian faith nor Scriptures vnlesse they receiue them from the Popes chayre that Ecclesiasticall traditions of which the authours and defenders are not yet resolued are equall to holy Scriptures that the olde lattin vulgar translation of the Bible is authenticall and the originall text not or that Dogges do somtime eate Christes body or that Christes body and blood is sacrificed in the Masse although the same at the same instant be in heauen and is not consumed as is the manner of sacrifices and infinite such absurdities In the end of the first Chapter hee citeth diuers slaundrous reports of Luther and Caluin and talketh Idely of the good life of Papists or rather excuseth their lewd life notorious to the world He doth also alleage the number antiquity miracles and other qualityes of such as taught his religion Afterward he runneth backe to talke of the succession of Popes Finally by a tale out of Iosephus of the Iewes and Samaritans Temple he douteth not but he should winne the victory if he were to plead against vs. But if he plead no more wisely then he doth in this place his auditorye should haue good reason to hisse him from the barre For first his slanderous reportes against Luther and Caluin are matters deuised by Cochleus Staphilus Bolsecus and other popish parasites hired of purpose to deuise slanders against thē of which Bolsecus in publike synode reuoked his malicious libell But the matters we obiect to the Popes and their adherents are matters recorded in publik actes authētical histories the authors wherof were men fauouring popery Secondly this Lobster-faced fellow would blush to talk of the liues of the Italians and other the popes adherents but that he knoweth their lewde actes are concealed from the people of England by the remotenesse and distance of their Country And yet all that know Italy and the nations subiect to the Pope will say he hath no reason to stand much vpon their pietye or honestye Thirdly neuer shall he shewe eyther that the moderne Popes are the successors of the first Bishops of Rome or that the Popish Bishops that are now the marked slaues of Antichrist are the true successors of Austen the Monke and his fellowes Nay the Doctrine that wee professe being taught by them and the decretaline doctrine that we refuse being vnknowne to them it must needes followe that not the popish Wolues but our Bishops are their successors Finally the tale out of Iosephus doth little fit this K. purpose For neither hath the moderne Church of Rome any affinitie with the temple of the Iewes nor can this K. doe any such feates as he imagineth Was not then this surueyor both idle and vnaduised that runneth through so many impertinent matters to his particular purpose and so aduerse to his generall cause The last Chapter of his first book is yet more extrauagāt then al the rest For therin he speaketh not one word of the groūds of our Religion which are the things which he propoūded for the subiect of his discourse but of the Pope whome wee take to bee the head of Antichristes Kingdome and to bee so rightlye called although hee would gladlye prooue him to bee the supreme iudge in matters of Religion And his reason is for that euery Kingdome hath his King euerie Dukedome a Duke euerie Cittie a Major or Bayliffe euery Army a general euerie village almost hath a Constable c. hee prooueth the same also by Gods order both before the Law and after and by the example of Saint Peter and of the Bishops of Rome who as he saith were euer called the Vicars of Christ and successors of S. Peter And in the end hauing runne himselfe out of breath he concludeth that we haue no iudge in matters of Religion and so open a gap to all Heresies But if he come into his Countrie and reason no better the Constable of the parrish where he landeth if hee bee a man of any vnderstanding may doe well to set him by the heeles For First hee reasoneth absurdly from politick bodies to Christes mystical body Secondly if any argument might bee drawne from thence yet would this similitude ouerthrowe the Popes monarchy For albeit euerie Kingdome Armie Cittie and Village hath his gouernour yet it were absurd to make one King ouer all the world one commander ouer all armies one grand Maior or Constable ouer all the Maiors and Constables of the world Thirdly neyther was there one supreme iudge of matters of Religion before the lawe vnder the lawe or in the time of the Gospell as I haue at large prooued against Bellarmine in my Bookes De pōtifice Rom. which are to hot for such a tender fingred Surueyor to handle nor are we now to conforme our selues to the law but to Christes institution Fourthly for one thousand yeares after Christ shall not this ranging fellow prooue that the Bishops of Rome were called Christs Vicars The title of Peters successors is common to all true teachers succeeding Peter and importeth no generall commaund ouer the whole Church Fiftlye Theophilus Bishop of Antioche Lib. 2. Autolicum is grossely belyed So like wise is Chrysostome homil 34. in epist 1. ad Corinth Finally he wrongeth vs where he saith we haue no judge of matters of Religion For the onely supreme iudge that determineth infallibly is God speaking in Scriptures If any varietie bee about his determination the supreme iudge of all the church vpon earth is a lawfull generall councell proceeding according to Gods word In the meane while euerie nation is to stand to the definition of a nationall councel And to this iudge doe we submit our selues As for the Papists they submitte themselues to a blinde Pope that sometime beleeueth not and seldome vnderstandeth the Articles of the Christian faith Kellison therefore that dreameth of such a fellowes infallible iudgement hath little reason to talke against the proceeding vsed in the Church of England for deciding of matters of Religion Further hee hath neede to beware that the Constable of one parrish or other take him not within the sphere of his actiuitie least he place him in the supreme hole of the Stocks for his supreme idiotisme in matters of iudgement concerning religion Chap. 2. The foundations of Popish religion discouered to be most weake and foolish THus we haue séene how much this K. hath mistaken the grounds of our religion and how litle he hath to say against them Let vs therefore nowe consider his supposed groundes and the common foundations of the popish religion and what Christians are to thinke of them Kellison where he talketh of the grounds of our religion discourseth first of the mission of our Preachers and Lib. 1. cap. 1. concludeth
that no man is to hang his saluation on these newe Ministers Which argueth first that hee supposeth the mission of the Pope and his shaâ—â—â— Masse-priestes to be a principall ground of religion and next 〈◊〉 â—he papists are to hang their saluation vpon them But this 〈…〉 nely a meere foolery and most grosse impietye but also an open way to all superstition and Heresie The same ground is also ouerthrowne by Kellisons owne positions Meere foolery it is to build our faith vpon a blind ignorant and wicked Pope Neither can wee esteeme it other then impietie to adde a foundation to that which is already laide which is Christ Iesus and to beleeue the Popes determinations as the word of God Furthermore this being graunted then will it followe the Pope teaching Heresie that all Papists are to followe him and that when he goeth to hell for teaching errors according to the Chapter si papa dist 40. that Kellison and his consorts are to goe after him Kellison supposeth that he cannot erre But this sheweth that his faith is built vppon supposals yea such supposals as by euident demonstrations are declared to be false Finally this ground of the mission of the Popes and their adherent Masse-priestes is ouerthrowne by Kellison his owne discourse For if the Popes bee not S. Peters or the first Bishops of Romes successors then are they as Kellison saith intruders and false Prophets nay theeues and Robbers But Saint Peters successors they cannot be hauing First no vocation to be Apostles Secondly taking on them an Office that S. Peter neuer had to wit to mannage both the swords to dispose of kingdomes to cut christian mens throates that will not receiue their marke and leauing S. Peters office in feeding Christes shéepe Neither are they the lawful successors of the first Bishops For first they are no Bishops as neither hauing lawfull election by the people and Clergie but onely by certaine new vpstart electors called Cardinals nor preaching or dooing the worke of a Bishop Secondly they haue deuised a new Doctrine and faith diuers from that which the first bishops of Rome taught as their decretales shew Thirdly they haue taken vppon them an vniuersall power both in temporall and ecclesiasticall matters which the Christian Bishops of Rome in times past neuer had nor challenged The Masse-priests consequently being authorized by the Pope cannot pretend any lawfull calling or mission But were they cleare of this exception yet can they not iustifie their mission For first they are called ad sacrificandum pro viuis et defunctis that is to sacrifice for quicke and dead But of such a calling there is neyther ground nor memoriall in the holy scriptures or auncient fathers Secondly they teach not the Doctrine of the Apostles and their successors but of the Popes decretales and of the Schools Sophisters Lastly they are the market slaues of Antichrist hauing their crownes shauen and their handes annointed with his oyle and with him they fight against the Saints of God Of their abhominable villanies I will say nothing at this time although I haue iust occasion being prouoked thereto by the vniust slaunders of this greasie Masse-priest against maister Luther and Maister Iohn Caluin of reuerend memorie That part of my defence shall be reserued to a greater volume Secondly this K. excludeth scriptures from being a foundation of religion Wherin he hath great reason if we respect the doctrine of Papists For how can they admit scriptures for a foundation that rayle against them flye from them and cannot stand if their authoritie were most eminent and to bee preferred before all humaine deuises but this sheweth the Kellison is a better Mason to build Babell and the synagogue of satan which is vpholden with humane traditions and the Popes sword theÌ„ the Church of God which is built vppon the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ being the cheefe corner stone His third foundation as it seemeth is laid vpon Councels and Fathers For of them hee talketh much Lib. 1. C. 4. but neither doth he name what Councels nor what Fathers nor what writings of Fathers he meaneth matters of verie important consideration For foundations must be certaine But among the councels actes and writings of Fathers there are many thinges neuer established by councels nor taught by Fathers Furthermore the Fathers themselues will not haue their writings taken for canonicall or authenticall scriptures as may bee prooued by infinite testimonies But I will heere onelye alleadge one or two Quamuis sanctus sit aliquis post apostolos saith Hierome in Psal 86. quamuis disertus sit non habet authoritatem He saith plainely that no Father after the Apostles time hath authoritie The same Father sheweth that onely Scriptures are the foundation of the Church and Augustine lib. 2. Contr. Crescon c. 31. hath these words literas Cypriani non vt canonicat habeo The like he saith epist 19. ad Hieronymum and epist 48. shewing that there is great difference betwixt scriptures and the writings of Fathers Finally diuers Heretikes haue pretended councels and Fathers His last and moste authenticall foundation is the supreme iudgement of the Pope But that sheweth that popish religion is rather from man then God and that the Papists are rather the synagogue of Antichrist relying vppon his decretales then the church of God that is built vpon also plainelye declare that there is no certainty in popish Religion standing vppon the humor of a man whose opinions are repugnant to other popes and whose minde may change and cause him to vtter contrarie Doctrines Thirdly it sheweth that Popish Religion is absurd being grounded vpon the opinions and sentences of ignorant impious men Finally grant this then the Papists if the Pope deny Christ must all goe to hell with him Likewise Stapleton handling of purpose this argument in the preface of his booke of Doctrinall principles deliuereth vnto vs these seauen principles and foundations of faith First the Catholike and Apostolike Church Secondly the power of the same church in teaching and iudging matters of faith infallibly Thirdlye the persons in whome this power doth reside Fourthly the meanes by which they proceede in teaching judging Fiftly the chiefe heads about which that power is conuersant Sixtly authoritie to interpret Scriptures infallibly and lastly power to deliuer Doctrines not conteined in Scriptures But if he had beene bound in statute staple I doe not thinke he could haue spoken more absurdly or impiously falslye For First if hee talke of principles demonstratiue of the christian faith then should he not haue talked of single words and termes as he doth but of propositions or Scriptures conteining the primarye propositions of the Christian faith Secondly if the rude fellow had but had one graine of pietie he would not haue left out the holy Scriptures out of the number of christian principles Thirdly the Church to speake properlye is built vpon a foundation and is not the foundation of the Church
and titles The Valentinians as Tertullian in his Book against them testifieth did colour their most vaine and filthie deuises with holy names titles and arguments of true religioÌ„ Sanctis nominibus titulis argumentis verae religionis vanissimà atque turpissima figmenta configurantes So likewise doe Papistes vnder colour of Catholike religion present to their followers their hereticall Dâ—â—trine concerning the being of Christes bodie in many places transubstantiatioÌ„ the carnall eating of Christes flesh with the mouth the deuouring of Christes body by brute beastes and the merits of congruitie Vnder the title of Gods true worship they commend the seruice of the blessed Virgin the adoration of Angels of Saints and of their images vnder the name of the sacrifice of praise and thankes-giuing they shadow the abhominable idolâ— of the Masse and vnder the name of succession the greeuous yoake of the Popes Tyrannye But as Wolues muffled in sheepes cloathing are discerned by their Woluish qualities so Hereticks are discouered by certaine markes and hereticall properties The which if Kellison would or durst haue set downe truely then would it haue appeared that Papists and not we are Heretikes For first Heretikes are they that teach new Doctrine in the Church Haerest deputatur saith Tertullian Lib. de praescript quod postea inducitur But such is the decretaline and Trent doctrine of traditions iustification Sacraments purgatorie indulgences worship of images Angels and Saints Secondly they flye the light of Scriptures and speake euill of them Therefore Tertullian calleth them lucifugas scripturarum and Ierenaeus Lib. 3. aduers haeres c. 2. saith when they are conuinced by Scriptures they fall to accuse Scriptures as if they stood not well or wanted authoritie or were to bee wrested to diuers sences or else as if truth could not bee sound by those that are ignorant of tradition Cum ex scripturis arguuntur in accusationem conuertuntur ipsarum scripturarum quasi non recte habeant neque sint ex authoritate quia variè sint dictae quia non possit ex his inueniri veritas ab hâ—â— qui nesciant traditionem And doe not the Papists flye the light of Scriptures forbidding them to bee read publikelie in vulgar tongues and punishing such as haue Scriptures translated into their mother tongue without licence doe they not also say that Scriptures are like a nose of waxe or as Kellison saith waxy and that they depend vpon the Church and that the truth cannot sufficiently be knowne without tradition Thirdly Heretickes teach otherwise then the Apostles did Therefore the Apostle 1. Tim. 1. gaue order to Timothy that hee should charge some that they should not teach otherwise Vnde extranei inimici apostolis haeretici saith Tertullian de praescript adu haeret nisi ex diuersitate doctrinae quaÌ„ vnusquisque de suo arbitrio aduersus Apostolos aut protulit aut recepit Whence are Heretickes strangers and enemies to the Apostles but by reason of the diuersitie of Doctrine which euerie one of his owne head either deuised or receiued contrarie to the Apostles This qualitie is also incident to the Papistes that not onely teach otherwise then did the Apostles but haue also added to the Apostles doctrine all that trash which wee desire to be scoured away as being contrarie to the apostolike forme of doctrine Fourthly Heretickes stand much vpon false miracles and prophesies as the examples both of Montanistes and Seuerians doe shew There were also certaine Heretickes called mirabiliarij confirming all their Doctrines with miracles Tertullian de praescrip aduers haeret Sheweth that Heretickes shall commend the authoritie of their teachers in raysing the dead curing the weake and fore-prophecying things to come adijcient multa de authoritate cuiusque doctoris haeretici illos maxima doctrinae suae confirmasse mortuos suscitasse debiles reformasse futura significasse In which pointes the Papists doe followe them at the heeles bragging of the miracles of Dominic Francis Ignatius Xauerius and other their Romish Saints and making miracles prophecies markes of their Church and motiues to enduce men to like of their Religion Fiftly Hereticks commonly stand vpon traditions as wee may reade in Irenaeus Lib. 3. c. 2. And because Christ said he had many things to say to the Apostles which they could not theÌ„ beare imagine that their deuises were conteined in these concealed Doctrines Omnes etiam insipientissimi haeretici qui se Christianos vocari volunt audacias figmentorum suorum quas maxime exhorret sensus humanus saith Augustin tract 97. in Ioan. bac occasione euangelicae sententiae colorare conantur vbi dominus ait adhuc multa habeo vobis dicere sed non potestis portare modò The same humor is likewise in the Papists and diuers of them vse these words of our Sauiour to that purpose albeit S. Augustine calleth them therefore most foolish Heretickes Sixtly our Sauiour Christ sheweth that false Prophets shall come vnto vs in the habit and cloathes of Sheepe but are inwardly rauening Wolues The same we finde partly verified in the Arians and Donatistes but moste expressely in the Papistes For albeit they will bee called Catholikes and Christes sheepe yet they deuoure true Catholikes like Wolues and massacre all that once dare open their mouthes against their idolatries and hereticall imaginations Their inquisitors tribunals are full of blood of innocents and their garments are red with blood and carrie euident markes of their crueltie In France they haue massacred old and young men and women and spared none that came in their way farre passing in crueltie both the Donatistes and Arians 7. To defend their peruerse erroneous Doctrine Hereticks are wont to detruncate and by false expositions to peruert holy scriptures Tertullian de praescript saith of marcion that to fit his purpose he cut the Scriptures at his pleasure ad materiam suam caedem scripturarum confecit Hierome in epist ad Galat. c. 5. saith hee may bee called an Heretike that vnderstandeth the Scriptures otherwise then the sence of the holy Ghost requireth albeit he be not yet departed out of the Church So likewise the Papists abuse the holy Scriptures moste shamefully in their allegations cutting them and forcing them contrarie to the meaning of the holy Ghost The old Latin translation of the Bible cutteth off and addeth to the originall text and yet will they needes haue it authenticall These words of Isay ecce ponam in fundamentis Sion lapidem c. in praefat in lib. de pontif Rom. Bellarmine most impudently detorteth to the Pope Likewise doe the Papists abuse these wordes Hierem. 1. ecce constitui te hodie super gentes to prooue that the Pope is made head of nations These words bibite ex hoc omnes they conster as if none of the communicants but the preest were to drinke of the chalice 8. Hereticks conceale diuers of their false lewd Doctrines Iraeneus lib. 1. c. 23. saith that they holde that they are not
to his clouen feete And lastly how it hapned that speaking of the Deuill in the first part of the period he forgot himselfe in the second speaketh of some member of the Deuill and of an Hereticke what are Heretikes discerned by their staring eyes and forked feete and such like partes he telleth vs also of the pecking of Birdes and the counterfeting of alchymistes grauers and Heretickes putting grauers of idolatrous images nere to Heretikes as they doe well deserue But what is that to vs if heretikes be such as counterfet religion and yet are gone out of the Church then concerneth it vs nothing For with our mouth we professe and with our hart we beleeue all the Christian and Apostolike faith and dissent not from the Apostolike church in any one article of faith professed publikelye for a thousand yeares after Christ Nay wee doe onely relinquish the Papists as Christians in old time left the Arians and Donatists and as some now leaue the Mahometans wherein they haue forsaken Christ and his truth Either then must this K. shew that as former heretikes haue done we broach some doctrine contrarye to the ancient faith or else hee talketh idelye of going out of the Church Maister Luther he left the Papists hauing once folowed their opinions but not in any point of faith but rather where they taught contrary to the faith Secondly neuer shall he prooue either that the professors of our Religion are of a later standing then the moderne Papistes or that our religion embraceth nouelties For Luther is not our founder nor any of late time but the Apostles of Christ Iesus whose doctrine left in deposte to the church we embrace detesting all prophane nouelties of Papistes Neither doe we bring in any new faith but reiect the popish later Heresies and corruptions though to some they seeme olde But saith Kellison the faith hath neuer increased in substāce but onely in explicatiō as if their Doctrine of traditions of Romish interpretations of the latin vulgar translation of the 7. sacramēts of iustificatiō by orders and extreme vnction of transubstantiation of the carnall eating chāping with the teeth of Christes flesh of the sacrifice of Christes body blood in the Masse vnder the accidentes of breade wine for quicke and dead and the Popes vniuersall Monarchie were matters of no substance or else as if the substance of these Articles had beene euer beleeued in the Church This he would insinuate but the noueltie of them is so apparent that his consorts are much puzled when they come to search them in auncient writers Thirdly we neither call our selues Lutherians Caluinistes Zuinglians nor any such particular names Neither is it materiall that the Papistes doe call vs in scorne by these names For who doth credite the malicious tearmes of enemies nay in this point we are more cléere then the papistes that call themselues some Franciscans some Dominicans some by other names which we doe not Fourthly wee renounce all old Heresies condemned by auncient Councels and pronounce Florinus that held God to bee the author of sinne Anathema The like we say of Eunomius Pelagius and their consortes Neither was Caluin of other opinion but that his malicious enemies doe falsely impute vnto him that he should teach that God is the author of sinne Wee doe not say with Iouinian that all sins are equall nor denie to the bodies of Christians decent buriall Nor did Hierome writing against Vigilantius allowe prayers to Saints departed or the merits of Monkery or teach as the Papistes doe of vigils or lightes set vp in churches at noone time But suppose he shold holde opinions cōtrary to the truth yet are not his wordes a rule of Heresie The second synod at Nice allowed a certaine reuerence doone to images but nothing so much as the Papistes now giue to them But whatsoeuer that synode decreed in that point the same was reprooued in a synod at Frank-ford and neuer generallye receiued eyther in the East or West Churches Aerius was reputed an Hereticke for Arianisme and not for finding fault with superstitious oblations for the dead Whatsoeuer his opinion was it toucheth vs nothing that doe allow the orders of the Church established among vs. Finally we anathematize the Heresies of the Simonians Menandrians and others whome he ridiculously surmiseth to haue bene condemned for denying the real presence of the Messalians and Caians whome he imagineth to haue beene accounted Heretikes for denying the sacramentes to conteine grace as the Papistes hold it of the Nouatians that denyed repentance to publike sinners of the Gnostikes Manichees and Encratites whome hee ignorantlye surmiseth to haue beene condemned for denying marryage to bee a Sacrament of Heluidius Rhetorius and all other auncient condemned Heretikes If then this Hereticke will obiect Heresies to vs hee must both set downe the wordes of the Heresie condemned by the Catholike Church and prooue that wee holde such an Heresie Fiftly wee want no proofe of our Religion which may be drawne from true succession For we do not only communicate in matters of faith with the Apostles but also with the auncient Bishops of Hierusalem Antioche Alexandria and Rome almost for a thousand yeares Wee succeede also to the Bishops of England before Bishop Cranmer in al things which they taught well and according to the Catholike fayth But could we shew no line of succession yet if we agree in doctrine with the Apostles and first Bishops of the Christian Church it is sufficient Ad hanc formam prouocabuntur ab illis ecclesiis saith Tertullian de praescript aduers haeret quae licet nullum ex apostolis vel apostolicis authorem suum proferant vt multo posteriores quae denique quotidie instituuntur tamen in eadem fide conspirantes non minus apostolicae deputantur pro consanguinitate doctrinae He telleth vs playnly that they are Apostolike Churches that teach the same Doctrine albeit they were not founded by the Apostles or Apostolike men nor had any succession of Bishops Likewise hee sheweth that they are the Apostles heires that hold that fayth which is conteined in their Testament Seeing then we do only publish Apostolicall Doctrine and purge away Popish errors our Churches are most truly Apostolicall But sayth K. pag. 196. This is to make bare Scripture judge of our Doctrine and as much as if we should say that the Church of God fayled and that the Synagogue of the Diuell possessed the world many yeares Hee telleth also how Luther in his preface before the disputation of Lipsia vanted that he had first published Christ But first this is a common abuse of Heretikes to call Scriptures bare Secondly false do clearely disperse this cloud of slaunder But his foolish attempt may giue cause to vs to touch both him and his consortes for their manifold and blasphemous impietyes In the beginning of his third Booke he sayth that as the Stoickes commend Zeno the Platonickes Plato the Peripatetickes Aristotle the
periure them-selues in their resolutions of cases of consciene teach them how to equiuocate to frustrate othes And the Pope commaundeth his followers to break their othes giuen to Princes by him excommunicate vppon paine of damnation God commaundeth subiects to obey Kinges and Children to honor Parents The Pope commaundeth them to Rebell and take armes against such as he excommunicateth and willeth Children to be exequutioners of their Fathers by his inquisitors being falsely iudged Heretikes God forbiddeth murder adultery fornication theft false witnessing and concupiscence The Pope promiseth heauen to murderers of Princes and to Gun-powder Traytors permitteth common stewes receiueth the hyre of Whores commaundeth all his followers to spoyle such as by him are most vniustly excommunicated by lyes and forgeryes maintayneth his vsurped Monarchy and determineth in the conuenticle of Trent that concupiscence is no sinne in the regenerate Can we then doubt whether Papistes be Atheistes Fiftly none but Atheistes eyther take to themselues diuine honor or giue the same to creatures But the Pope c. satis dist 96. taketh to himselfe the name of God In the first Booke of Ceremonies c. 7. hee applyeth to himselfe the honor that is proper to Christ saying All power is giuen to me in heauen and earth In c. quoniam de immunitate in 6. he claymeth to be the spouse of the Church His flattering parasites call him a God on the earth and our Lord God the Pope and such like tearmes as may bee prooued by the testimonie of Felin in c. ego N. de iureiurando and by the glosse in c. cum inter non nullos extr de verb. signif Thomas Waldensis a man much esteemed by Stapleton in prolog Tom. 1. doct fid thus cryeth out to Pope Martin Lord saue vs wee perish Simon Begnius in concil later sess 6. calleth Leo the x. the Lion of the tribe of Iuda and a Sauiour Ecce venit Leo de tribu Iuda saith he And againe te Leo beatissime saluatoreÌ„ expectauimus The same may also be prooued by infinite other testimonies Sixtly Atheistes they are that make a mocke of Christian Religion But this is a common crime of Popes and Papistes for commonly they vse wordes of Scripture to make sport withall As did Bonâ—face the 8. casting ashes into Prochetus his eyes and turning these wordes memento homo quod cinis es into a iest They also say that Christ may be eaten of Hogges and Dogges and hang him vpon euerie Altar Gregory the 7. cast him into the fire When the Pope rideth abroade he sendeth his God of past among the baggage and scullery When their Saints doe not answere their desires they cast them into the water and rayle on them Seauenthly not contenting themselues with Christian Religion they haue forged diuers new Relgions and place more perfection in them then in Christian Religion Vnto S. Francis they giue the title of figuratiue Iesus and say that the order of S. Dominicke is protected vnder our Ladyes gowne in heauen all which be trickes of Atheisme Eightly the worship of Angels and Saintes is confirmed with infinite lies and most ridiculous fables redde publikely in popish Churches And yet no man alloweth them but such as make mockes at Religion Ninthly it is playne Atheisme to deuise new worships of God For Christians haue but one God and one worship of God prescribed in his word It is also atheisme to violate Christes institution in his Sacraments But Papists haue deuised diuers new formes in worshipping of God by Masses prayers to saints incensing of images leading about Asses carying of palmes and infinite such like ceremonies They haue also deuised new Sacraments and made them equal to baptisme and the Lords Supper Vnto bapisme they haue added chrisme salt spittle light From Christes supper they haue taken the Cuppe They haue abolished bread and wine Of a Sacrament to bee receiued they haue made a sacrifice to be heaued and offered That which should bée common to all they haue made priuate where Christians shold celebrate the memorie of Christes death in the Lordes Supper these commaund the Sacrament to bee administred in a tongue not vnderstood where the People vnderstandeth neither what is doone nor said Finally by the confession of Kellison the Papists may be conuinced to be execrable Atheistes Papists proued Atheists by KellisoÌ„s confession For if Atheistes bee monsters begotten by Heresies as he saith then are Papists moÌ„sters For they maintaine many old and new Heresies as hath often beene prooued and are easily conuinced to bee Atheistes The heresies of Simon Magus Carpocrates the Scribes and Pharises the Capernaites of Marcus the Encratites Collyridians Eutychians PelagiaÌ„s StaurolatriaÌ„s diuers others are coÌ„mon among them Page 261. he saith that Christes passion was not our formall justificatioÌ„ or satisfactioÌ„ He meaneth likewise that his iustice is not our formall iustice and saith that he is onely the meritorious cause of our redemption and saluation which deserueth for vs at Gods hands grace by which together with our cooperation we may be saued redeemed But this is most horrible impietie and taketh from Christ the honor of our redemption saluation and iustification making man to be his owne redeemer and sauiour Pag. 667. hee reckoneth them among Atheistes that make God cruell and tyrannical But so doe the Papistes making our Lady more mercifull then Christ and setting out him with Dartes and Thunder-boltes and her with mercy and pittie They do also say that God punisheth sinnes forgiuen with cruell torments in Purgatory and make the Pope to graunt indulgences which God doth not Pag. 668. hee insinuateth them to bee Atheistes that erre in Gods worship and offer not lawfull sacrifices vnto him But of this crime the Papistes are most guilty pretending to offer Chistes body and bloud really which was neuer commaunded them nor can be done more then once and erring wholy in the worship of Saints and images Pag 674. He giueth out boldly that those which coÌ„temne the Churches authoritie bring all Religion into contempt But audaciously hee therein condemneth the Pope and Synagogue of Rome For none euer did more proudly condemne the authoritie of the church then they The Pope claymeth to be aboue the generall councell and aboue the Church If the whole world shold giue sentence against the Pope they say his sentence is to be preferred before all Him they honor as supreme iudge The authoritie of the Fathers they regard not if he say contrary They giue him power to dispense against the Law and against the Apostle Page 689. he saith that such as admit some bookes of Scripture reiect others open a gappe to contempt of all Scripture and religion But if such as reiect Scriptures and contemne them be Atheistes then are Papistes superlatiue Atheistes They also reiect the third and fourth bookes of Ezras and the third and fourth of the Machabees Lastly they esteeme not in allowing or disalowing of canonicall Scriptures eyther
promised as much as he Yet sought he the destruction of the King State being perswaded thereto by Iesuites and led into treason by the rules of Popish Religion As for the Masse and Doctrines of Poperie which he bringeth with him they leade to destruction and not to saluation they teach idolatrye and not Gods true worship error and Heresie and not true Faith The Popes obedience is a yoke in supportable His lawes are snares of mens consciences His Priests and Fryars are the Locustes come out of the bothomlesse pit of Hell His Religion is neyther Catholike nor auncient but rather a mixture of new and olde Heresies Neither can the King looke eyther for safety or peace so long as he suffereth a generation of viperous Priests and Friars depending on an Arch-Priest to liue within the bowels of the State and a packe of Papists to vphold the authority of his opposites vnder colour of Religion Take away the Gun powder Papists such as had rather serue Antichrist then Christ to bow their knees to Baalim then to worship God and then you remoue the hopes of our enemies that seek to disturbe our peace the firebrāds of troubles that are the likeliest meanes to set all on a flame To such as demaund why hee dedicated this great bale of blotting paper to the King he giueth this answere that hee cannot want an answere because he cannot want a reason And no doubt but he imagined that therein he did pindarize and speake very eloquently Yet many want answeres that haue farre more reason and honestie then he diuers want no ready answeres that proceede without reason Whatsoeuer hee pretendeth little reason had he to offer this bundl e of papers to the King For albeit learned men present their Bookes to Kings supposing nothing to bee well begunne vnlesse after God the King fauour it as Vegetius affirmeth yet this is nothing to this rude peece of worke that is so fraught with calumniations and idle discourses that neither God nor man can well seeme to fauour it Further although the King delite in Bookes and hath set foorth diuers rare monuments of his rare wit and learning yet doth hee not take pleasure in such scurrilous surueyes Nor may we thinke that a man of such iudgement and learning can like or allowe such base stuffe Thirdly we confesse that the King is indeede the protector of Religion the Champion of the Church and defender of the Faith But little doth this auaile Kellisons cause who pleadeth rather for jdolatrie and superstition then Religion for the sinagogue of Antychrist rather then for Christs Church for the errors and abuses of Poperie rather then for the faith of Christ Fourthly it is not to be doubted but that all the Kings true friendes did tryumph and make Bonfires at the Kings happie entrance into the Kingdome and at his Coronation But that sheweth that the Iesuites Masse-priestes and their adherents are not the Kings true Friends For they tryumph but a little at the Kings prosperitie and many of them of late haue sought insteede of Bonfires which this K. calleth Feux de Ioy to set the Cittie vppon a fire to blow vp the Parliament house and places adioyning with Gunne-powder Other their consorts are more desirous to burne the bones bodies of Gods saints then to make bonfires when they vnderstand of the Kinges prosperous successe Fiftly wee acknowledge that God by his prouidence hath reserued the King for the Crowne of England quietly possessed him of his Crowne But we know also that the Papists haue of late sought to depriue him of his liberty life and Crowne And Parsons and the Iesuites of long time haue oppugned the Kings Title both of them resisting not onely the Kings right but also Gods prouidence Finally if for all these fauours God expect at his Maiesties handes that hee imploye himselfe in some honorable seruice for the Catholike Church and Christes true faith and for the deliuerance of his Realmes from Aegiptiā captiuitie and the restoring of his subjects to the Catholike faith as Kellison desireth then is hee to take a resolute course for the remouing of al idolatrous Masse-priestes which seduce his Subiectes and turne them from the Catholike faith their alleageance to imbrace humane traditions and the decretaline Doctrine of the Pope and to prefer the Pope before their King Then is he further to ouerthrow the groues of the jdolatrous Priestes and to prouide that his Realmes be not againe entangled with a yoake of bondage ouer-whelmed with ignorance Aegiptian darkenesse Lastly he is to see that Heresies and false Doctrines bee not receiued vnder the colour of Romish Religion Most grossely therefore hath this Romish Legat fayled in the proofes of his presumptuous attempt in presenting his worthlesse and trifling discourses to the King But hauing once passed the limits of modestie he passeth himself in impudency afterward aduenturing to preferre a sute to the King for libertie to Papists and for tolleration of Popish Religion A matter that with modestie cannot be mencioned to so pious a King and by rules of Religion and state may not be granted For it is impious Idolatrous and heretical And therfore may not be admitted of christiās It is factious rebellious derogatory both to the prerogatiue of Princes liberty of Subiects And therfore not to be endured in any wel gouerned state Finally themselues admit no Religion contrarie to their owne false groundes if they can doe withall Why doe they then require that of others that they yeeld not to others thēselues if he deny any point of these he shall finde them iustified in diuers answers framed to the importune supplycations of Papistes and wee shall alwaies be readye to prooue the same againe as oft as the matter shall come in question But had he reason to come to the King yet he hath no reason to rayle on the Kings predecessor Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie as hee dooth charging hir first with raysing a storme of persecution and next with the ruine of the Catholtke faith Nay most falsely he chargeth a most clement and mercifull Queene with persecution and a Christian Prince of singular pyetie with hatred of Catholike Religion Moste falsely I say for al her actes and lawes doe argue an excellent moderation in her proceedings against such as moste violentlye prosecuted her and so farre was she vrged to doe that shee did that the secular Priestes not onely excuse her for proceeding against Papists but also to their vttermost defend her Furthermore no christian Prince in our time shewed more zeale in the defence of true Catholike Religion then she True it is that shee fauoured not Popish errors But nothing is more different then Popery and Catholike Religion Neither shall this K. euer prooue the contrarie Hauing ended his idle discourse concerning the dedication of his book he maketh bolde to begin his sute for a tolleration of Popery But his proceding is
answered by vs in a Treatise called Turco Papismus And that so sufficiētly that D. Gifford resteth eyther satisfied or silent If then this new surueyor would needes renew their slaunders and vaine obiections he should for his credit sake haue doone wel eyther to haue replyed to our answere or to haue held his peace as his betters haue done Againe if hee had beene so wise and circumspect as he pretendeth to bee he would haue been well aduised before he entred this course least he might giue vs occasion to rip vp the deformities fooleries absurdities Heresies impieties and other abuses of Popery of which I doubt not but his best friendes when they are laid open will bee much ashamed Himselfe being but a new vpstart Doctor lately crept out of my Lord Vauxes Buttery will bee much puzled to make any probable defence for them Thus much may serue for answere to the front of his Suruey and his two liminare Epistles For the rest I shall not neede to say much in this place Onely this I thought good to signifye vnto thee good Reader that thou looke not for any curious or long answere heereafter to wit that the whole volume is nothing but a newe packe of olde calumniations and lyes The forme of his discourse is trifling the Subject rayling Such declamations it should seeme hee was wont in the time of his butlerage to make ouer a canne of Beere His proofes are fancies and bare conceites His witnesses fellowes of a lowe price His conclusions weake collections It may bee eyther neede and hunger or else hope and promise of reward made him so talkatiue How be it least hee might grow proud of his owne prowesse I haue vndertaken to shape him a short answere In the meane while concerning his obiections and proofes this hee may learne of mee for his instruction First that it is a foolish thing for a man to obiect that to others whereof they are cleare and hee moste guiltie and to suruey other mens estates when his owne can abide no suruey Secondly that the bosome and domesticall testimonies of Cochleus Genebrard Bolsec Stapleton and such like are little to be esteemed Fidele est testimonium quod causas non habet mentiendi That testimony saith Hierome ad Saluinam deserueth most credit that hath no causes of fiction Be not then mooued with the largenesse of Kellisons volume nor with his manifold leasings Common barators are wont to put in longest billes whē they haue least matter and shallow waters make moste noise To such lewd and long lies this our short answere will be more then sufficient Vouchsafe therefore to compare both our discourses together and to reade them with indifferency And so thou shalt soone discouer the vanitie of his accusations and giue sentence for our innocency THE EXAMINATION and Confutation of Kellisons scurrilous Suruey of the newe Religion as he tearmeth it Chap 1. Kellisons fond conceit and error concerning the foundations of our Religion IF it be the part of a wise builder to lay a firme foundation as our Sauiour Christ Math. 7. teacheth and common experience prooueth most euidently vnto vs then we may wel collect that Kellison our aduersary in his Suruey hath shewed himselfe neither wise builder nor wise man who in his first booke going about to build the Toure of his Romish Babel doth wholy mistake his foundations laying the frame of his worke eyther vpon the Pope whome he supposeth to be a visible Iudge of all controuersies or vpon the mission and preaching of Romish Masse priestes Furthermore talking of our Religion he doth grossely erre in the foundations of it supposing that it relyeth first vpon the authoritie of our Preachers then vpon their allegations out of Scriptures thirdly vpon mens priuate spirits fourthly vpon credible or probable testimonies and lastly vpō some visible Iudge matters certes rather deuised by him selfe then taught by vs. The visible Iudge and authoritie of Priestes is layd as a foundation of fayth by Stapleton in his booke of doctrinal principles That which he talketh of priuat spirits and the allegatiō of Scriptures out of mens own humors is an imputation of Papists layd vpon vs and that most vniustly For we build the Church vpon the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ him selfe being the cheefe corner stone as the Apostle teacheth vs Ephes 2. And the Scriptures we receiue not as they are interpreted by the Massepriests or any mans humorous fancy but as they procéed from the spirit of God by the ministery of his Prophets and Apostles Wherefore mistaking the foundation of the worke we may well imagine that his discourse that is a worke raysed either without foundation or beside the foundation is most vaine idle and absurd The first Chapter of his first booke he beginneth with a long declamatory narration proouing that no man is to intrude him selfe into the function of the ministery of the Church without mission But what is that to the foundation of religion which is the subiect which he promised to handle Doth he suppose that the principal foundation of his Massing religion is layd vpon the preaching or rather not preaching mission of pol-shorne priests sent out by the Pope to say Masse for quicke and dead if he doe then like as his gunpowder consortes went about of late to blow vp the King and Sate so doth he goe obout to blow vp the Popes Chayre together with all his Cardinals Friars Monkes and Masse-priestes For first the Pope shall neuer be able to proue his mission Ephes 4. wee read that Christ gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and Teachers But the Pope is none of all these His state is too great to be conteyned within this small and weake number Further he is no successor of Peter For he rather killeth thē féedeth Christs shéep Thirdly he rather medleth with Swordes then Keyes and if he handleth the Keyes of the Church yet can he shewe no Commission for it Fourthly he is absurd if he clayme the right of a Bishop For he doth not the worke of a Bishop Lastly the Apostles Successors and Preachers sent from God procéed according to their Commission and Instructions receiued from God But the Pope procéedeth according to his owne Decretales and the rules of his owne Chancery Out then must he goe and all that pretend to come from him as méere intruders if we folowe the Apostles rules The Cardinals are but of a late standing S. Peter had no Cardinals about him Nor were the parish Priests of Rome that assisted the auncient Bishops of that Cittie so gallant fellowes as these new Cardinals are They neither preach nor Baptise as Cardinals And therefore cannot pretend right of succession eyther from the Apostles or from auncient Bishops or Priestes In the holy Scriptures albeit some alleadge the wordes Cardines terrae there is no mention of them Finallye the Fathers knew them not If then the Popes decretales warrant them not
should any deny them to be truly the Apostles successors Finally the defection of ordinary Priestes in the Romish Church being extraordinary we may not imagine that all ordinary rites and formes were to be obserued in the vocation of such as by the instinct of Gods holy spirit were stirred vp extraordinarily to restore the decayed partes and ruines of Gods Temple But sayth Kellison pag. 9. If their Preachers be sent by an ordinary mission let them shewe their succession And heere hee alleageth Tertullians wordes lib. de praescript aduers haeret concerning the orders of Bishops and succession from the Apostles And two places out of S. Augustine in Psal contr part Donati And contr epist fund where he speaketh of the succession of Bishops Againe he vrgeth vs if any thing were extraordinary in those which first reformed the Church to prooue their mission by miracles and runneth into a long discourse of the visibilitie of the Church of miracles and prophesies To which wee answere first that if the succession of Bishops were the onelye proofe of an ordinarie mission the Papists themselues were in bad tearmes hauing no proofes of their succession of popes so much bragged of but the testimony of Anastasius Platina Naucler Sabellicus Onuphrius Genebrard Baronius such like hungrie parasites of the Pope iarring and contending one against another like mastye Curres about a bone Secondly the Greekes Antiochians and Aegiptians pretend to this day succession of Bishops and yet are grossely fallen froÌ„ the faith want true Bishops Thirdly Tertullian S. Augustine speak of successioÌ„ of Bishops but neither of theÌ„ denyeth theÌ„ to bee Bishops or pastors that are not ordeined by a Bishop who was not ordered with al soleÌ„nities Fourthly we shew such a succession of Bishops as the Papists theÌ„selues cannot controle deriuing theÌ„ coÌ„cerning order externall formes from Bishops allowed by our aduersaries and concerning succession of Doctrine from the Apostles Fathers and auncient Bishops of the primitiue Church Fiftly the question concerning the visibilitie of the Church is diuers from that which concerneth succession For I hope K. will not say that hee euer saw the succession of Romish Bishops or that any Apostle saw his successors Lastly wee alleage that the old Prophets were sent extraordinarily and yet wrought no miracles Diuers apostolicall men likewise haue beene raysed vp by God at diuers times and yet wee reade not that eyther all of them prophecied or wrought miracles This being our answere of which Kellison could not be ignorant but that hee is eyther ignorant of matters in question or else voide of honesty and good dealing what is it I pray you that hee is able to alleadge against the vocation and mission of Gods ministers in our Churches First saith he Page 11. They say that the Apostles which were the first Bishops and Pastors had for a time their lawfull successors but that at the length the church fayled and the Pastors with it But while he talketh of mission he lyeth shamefully and without all commission For first wee distinguish both Bishops and ordinarie pastors from Apostles So doth the Apostle also Ephe. 4. Secondly we deny that Christs Church euer hath fayled Thirdly wee teach that the Apostles haue alwaies had some successors albeit neither in one place nor without all interruption If then he haue not fayled in true dealing let him set downe the authors names that haue affirmed this which hee reporteth and relate their words sincerely age 13. he addeth that Luther disobeyed the Pope and the Church and deuised a new Religion to cloake his villany But first the Pope and the Church are euill yoaked together For Christs sheepe heare not the voice of strangers Secondly these words of villany come out of his shop of mallice Lastly neuer shall this K. prooue that Luther deuised any new Religion For he onely impugned late errors and sought to bring Christians backe to the auncient Catholike faith Thirdly he shapeth an other answere for vs Page 14. maketh vs to say that wee had predecessors but they were inuisible But this abuse with he offereth vs is too grosse palpable for neither doe we make our predecessors inuisible Nor doe we denie that the ancient fathers holy Bishops of old time as they taught the Catholicke and apostolike faith and no more were out predecessors Fourthly hee telleth vs that such as pretend extraordinarie sending runne vnsent But he taketh vppon him too too arrogantlye to limit Gods power and seemeth plainely to contradict Gods word S. Paul Ephes 4 mencioneth Euangelists without limitation either of times or places and Saint Iohn Apocaly 11 foresheweth that God will giue power to his two witnesses preaching against the Kingdome of Antichrist and the abuses of their times Neither doth either Optatus or CypriaÌ„ or the Apostle speake any word against vs herein Optatus Lâ—b 2. contra parmen speaketh of some intruding donatists Cyprian of certaine presuÌ„ptuous Nouatians which as the Arch-priests Iesuites and Masse-priests doe in EnglaÌ„d thrust theÌ„selues into the ministerie in Africk without warrant The Apostle Eph. 4. leaueth out the Pope therefore ouerthroweth our aduersaries cause But hee saith not one word why Pastors and teachers may not sometime either hee sent extraordinarily or furnished with extraordinarie power Finally albeit the Church be built vpon a Rocke yet particular Churches Citties may fall into errors and hardly can bee reformed without some extraordinarie helpes Fiftly he affirmeth Page 19. that extraordinarie mission is alwaies to be prooued by extraordinarie signes and tokens of Prophecies or miracles And to this purpose hee feyneth that both Luther and Caluin endeuoured to prophecy and to worke miracles But the first is disprooued by the examples of the prophets and Apostles For neither doe we reade that all the prophets wrought miracles nor that all the Apostles prophesied Furthermore the Godly Martyrs of old time and the auncient Bishops were often indued with extraordinarie graces yet did they not all worke wonders and prophecy The second is disprooued both by our Doctrine and practise For neither doe wee now practise miracles or stand vpon prophecies nor doe wée teach that the Doctrine of truth is to be confirmed with miracles or prophecies To conuince vs this K. produceth the testimonye of Cochleus Surius Staphylus Genebrard Fontanus Bolsec and such like fellowes But their testimonies are not worth a Nut-shell being hired to speake shame of the popes aduersaries Hee is verie light of beleefe that giueth credit to the wordes eyther of enemies or hired parasites Finally he concludeth Page 28. that we haue no assurance of our Religion by the authoritie of our Preachers being able to say no more then false Apostles for proofe of their authoritie Hee doubteth not also to affirme that both Brownists and those of the family of Loue may as well alleadge Scriptures and pretend to bee sent of God as Caluin and Luther But first he sheweth himselfe a simple Doctor of Diuinitie
that teacheth that the authoritie of preachers is a sufficient assurance for Christians to builde their Religion and faith vpon As for vs wee beleeue them no further then they treade in the steps and continue in the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets of God Secondly it is not sufficient to alleadge or pretend Scriptures but they must bee truelye alleadged Neither is the priuate fancie of euerie capriecious head to be equalled with the determinations of graue men and well experimented in Scriptures Lastlye there is no comparison betweene learned men called and allowed by the Church phantasticall fellowes that rashly presume to leape into the ministeriall function without eyther calling allowance or qualities fitting for such a calling In his second chapter he shameth not to say that those which ground their Religion on Scriptures which hee like a bad and bare fellow calleth bare set the gate open to all Heretickes and Heresies Thus our aduersaries aduauncing the Popes decretales and the vncertaine tradisions of the Romish Church detest the holy Scriptures and open their mouthes against God But wee are rather to beleeue Christ and his Apostles then such blasphemous gapers and speakers against holy Scriptures The Apostle Ephes 2. saith the faithfull are built vppon the Apostles and prophets Ephes 6. the word of God is called the sword of the Spirit And 2. Tim. 3. The scripture is commended as profitable to instruct and reproue and able to make the man of God perfit But neither may the ground of faith be tearmed a gate set open to Heresies nor is the sword of the spirit a meanes to breede errors Further how can the same be a gate set open to heretikes being able to make the man of God perfit certes if the allegation of Scriptures were a way to error our Sauiour Christ would neuer haue sent his hearers to search scriptures Neither would the auncient Fathers haue termed Scriptures a canon of faith if they had beene any gate set open to Heresies Irenaeus in his third booke against Heresies saith the Apostles first preached the Gospell and afterwards deliuered the same to vs in Scriptures that it might be a foundation pillar of our faith He sheweth also that it is the propertie of Heretikes when they are conuinced by Scriptures to accuse the Scriptures and to speake euill of them Origen in Math. tract 25. sheweth that Scriptures are to be brought for proofe of all Doctrines Neither neede we to doubt but that of themselues they are verie sufficient Our Sauiour Math. 4. by Scriptures onely ouercame the Diuell Neither did the auncient Fathers by other weapons preuaile against Hereticks In generall councels of olde time not the Popes decretales but the holy Scriptures were laide before the fathers Lastly if the word of God cannot be receiued it is farre more vnlike that Heretickes will respect the traditions or wrightings of men Neither is it material that Hereticks cauil against Scriptures and detort them to contrarie sences For such cauils and deprauations may easily be refuted by scriptures and to such abuses the wrightings of men are much more subiect then holy scriptures But saith Kellison The Deuill hath alwayes affected to be as like as may be to Christ and his Apostles in allegation of Scripture He maketh also a long and lewd narration of heretikes alleadging Scriptures But first most false it is that the deuil alwayes affecteth to alleadge Scriptures Nay he alleadgeth traditions customes and humane deuises more often then Scriptures False it is also that heretikes more often alleadge Scriptures then the testimony of traditions Fathers other reasons But suppose that heretikes should often alleadge Scriptures yet we are not to refuse that which by others is abused Neither doe wise men refuse meat because gluttons doe thereby surfet or forbeare to drinke for that drunkards abuse wine to excesse If then Kellison wil néeds folowe heretikes in calumniating scriptures and not forbeare as the deuil did to abuse Scriptures to contrary sence then must he giue Christians leaue to folowe Christ and his Apostles in alleadging Scriptures and not presume to condemne those which prefer Scriptures before traditions Gods worde before the Popes decretales Pag. 33. and 34. He runneth out into a large field concerning the possession of Scriptures which as he sayth belongeth to Catholikes not to heretikes But what may this make for Papists whom by many reasons we haue in our Challenge conuinced to be heretikes and not Catholikes Furthermore the question which he proposeth here concerneth the sufficiency and authority and not the possession of Scriptures But this is this Surueyors pleasure to abandon matters in Controuersie and to trifle about needlesse questions Afterward he sheweth why heretikes aledge Scriptures and mentioneth the decrees writings of the Pope the Church He endeuoreth also to prooue that Scripture is not easily to be vnderstood Matters much stood vpon by him but yet very impetinent in this place where the question is about allegation of Scriptures as an Argument of it selfe only sufficient Furthermore what if heretikes depraue and wrest Scriptures shal not true Catholikes rely vpon them Thirdly the Popes bulles and blundering decretales are not of such qualitye that they ought to be cōpared to Scriptures or mentioned where they are in place Lastly Scriptures in matters necessary to saluation are playne and easy But what if some places were difficult should we therfore absteine to alleadge Scriptures nay rather we ought diligently to study them that by vnderstanding of them we may resolue our difficultyes Tertullian alleadged by him pag. 37. doth not refuse flatlye to dispute with heretikes by Scripture or count such disputation lippe labour as this impudent compagnion falsely affirmeth For his common course was to conuince heretikes by Scriptures But if he thought it frutelesse at any time to alleadge Scriptures it was against such onely as denied the Scriptures Of holy Scriptures the prophane fellowe speaketh if not blasphemously yet basely and contemptibly pag. 35. he compareth them to colours vsed by foule women and to sweete odours vsed by sluttes pag. 39. he calleth them bare and compareth them to a nose of waxe and alloweth the saying of one that compared them to Aesops Fables especially vnderstanding the bare letter of Scriptures Finally he shameth not pag. 41. to say that the worde of God with a false meaning is the worde of the deuill Matters deseruing rather corporal punishment then verbal censures We may not therfore maruel if he rayle at Luther Caluin belying them without all shame or conscience First he sayth Luther dissaloweth S. Iames his Epistle He onely maketh it inferiour to other Canonical Scriptures as not esteemed to be his Secondly he chargeth Caluin and Luther with Misconstruing S. Pauls Epistles He should rather prooue it then falsely affirme it Thirdly he saith Luther doth discanon Iob jest at Ecclesiastes and contemne all the Gospels but S. Iohns the Epistle to the Hebrewes and that
vnlesse he will haue both a building without a foundation and a foundation beside the building Fourthly it is an absurd course to separate the power of the Church and the persons in whome the same consisteth from the Church Fiftly what more ridiculous then to call a forme of proceeding a principle of Christian Doctrine Sixtly all Articles of the faith may be called heads but it is meere foppery to thinke that Christian Religion hath as many foundations as seuerall Articles Finally it is moste absurde to beleeue that eyther the Pope or the Church of Rome doth interpret scriptures infallibly or hath the power to adde Articles not contained in Scriptures to the Christian faith If then Stapletons meaning be that all traditions not written and all interpretations of the Pope and his adherents and all the Popes determinations and decretales and the sayings of the fathers and Councels allowed by the Pope are the foundations of faith then doth he endeuor to build Babylon not Hierusalem fantasticall deuises and monstrous chimeraes and not the true faith the kingdome of Antichrist and not Christes church Nay if these were foundations of faith then would it follow First that the foundation of the Romish faith is not yet fully laide For as yet all their decretales and determinations are not fully published Secondly we should not know where to finde this faith these traditions and interpretations and opinions of Fathers all of them being not yet resolued Thirdly the Romish faith should be a meere humane deuise standing vpon humane fancies Finally it should be contrary to it selfe and to scriptures for such are the Romish traditions and interpretations and allegations of fathers Canus in his Booke de Locis Theologicis layeth downe ten groundes from whence all arguments in controuersies of Diuinitie in his opinion are deriued The first is holy Scripture The 2. traditiō The 3. is the authoritie of the Catholik church The 4. is the authority of general councels The 5. is the authoritie of the Church of Rome The 6. is the authoritie of the holy Fathers The 7. is the authoritie of Schoolemen Canonists The 8. is naturall reason The 9. is the authoritie of Philosophers and ciuill lawyers The last is the authoritie of humane histories But first it is no smal wrong to ioyne with holy scriptures not onely the writing of Fathers but also the writings of Schoolemen canonists and profane writers Secondly it is the ouerthrowe of faith to found the same vppon vncertaine and vnknowne traditions Thirdly it appeareth heereby that the faith of Papists for the moste part is an humane opinion being grounded vpon men nay vpon humane reason Finally his groundes are not onely changeable for the moste part but also contrarie one to another That is prooued not onely by the mutability of the decrees of councels Doctrine of councels Schoole-diuines Canonists and prophane authors but also by traditions themselues of which diuers are abrogated and ceased This may be demonstrated by traditions by testimonies of Fathers actes of Councels the doctrine of Thomistes and Scotistes Canonists ciuill Lawyers and profane writers For not onely profane writers haue shewed themselues ignorant of matters of faith but both Schoolemen and fathers haue held contrarie opinions as shall be prooued when neede is by diuers particulars Bellarmine in his Preface in lib. de pont Rom. is not ashamed to apply these words of the Prophet Isay Behold I will put a Stone in the foundation of Sion vnto the pope There also hee auoucheth the Sea of Rome to bee the foundation of the Faith Likewise in the end of his preface de verbo dei he seemeth to holde that the sence of Scriptures is to be fetched from the Popes See and sencelesse decretales Lastly the same man doth as confidently alleadge the Pope decretales as Saint Paules Epistles Gelasius in the Chapter Sancta dist 15. ordeineth that the Histories of Martyrs and their sufferings are to bee receiued And commonly the Romish Church doth prooue her traditions partly out of such legends and partly out of their missals porteses and other rituall Bookes Kellison therefore when he looketh vpon the ruinous foundations of the Romish faith hath little reason to talke against the foundations of our Christian faith For First we all agree that the writings of the Prophets and Apostles are the principles and foundations of our faith and thus both Scriptures and Fathers doe teach vs. But the Papists as may appeare by that which I haue alleadged doe one differ from another Canus doth not once mention the Pope among his theologicall places which to Stapleton and Bellarmine is the principall foūdation of the worke Contrarywise Stapleton leaueth Scriptures out of his reckoning of principles of faith which Canus confesseth to be a moste solide foundation of faith Canus againe numbreth diuers foundations and places theologicall which others doe not once mention Secondly albeit we doe not build our faith principallye eyther vpon the actes of councels or testimonies of Fathers further then they build their Doctrine vpon holy Scriptures yet in the interpretatiō of Scriptures wee doe not neglect the authoritie of councels and Fathers But the Papists albeit they seeme to found their faith vpon the authoritie of councels and Fathers yet regard them not one straw if it be the popes pleasure to determine contrarie vnto them Thirdly our faith is built vpon the rocke Christ Iesus but the faith of the Romanists is built vppon the straw and stubble of popish traditions determinations and as they say vpon the Pope who to them is the supreme iudge and pole-starre of faith shining out of his papall Chaire Fourthly our faith is the Christian faith being built onely vpon the word of God Theirs is a decretaline an humane faith being built vpon the Popes decretales and humane inuentions Fiftly our groundes are immoouable and agree well one with an other But their groundes are mutable and contrary one to another Sixtly they cannot deny our groundes vnlesse they will blaspheme against holy Scriptures But vpon their owne groundes they are not yet well agreed We doe generally refuse them and antiquity was ignorant of them Seuenthly our groundes are safe and sure But he that foloweth the Pope or beleeueth all that is written in the Breuiaryes and Missals cannot assure him felfe that he is in the right Finally it is a thing most ridiculous to beleeue that whatsoeuer an vnlearned Pope or a man voyd of religion determineth in matters of fayth is to be holden as a matter and firme Article of fayth For as well may a blind man iudge of colours as a blind and irreligious Pope of matters of religion But we are assured that the Prophets and Apostles haue truly declared vnto vs the whole counsaile of God Open your eyes therfore deere Christians and suffer not your selues to be abused by the impostures of Masse-priestes You see they are not resolued in the foundations of fayth And doe you
think that these men entend the edification of Gods Church who â—rre in the maine principles and foundations of fayth and cannot stand vnlesse the Pope who hath manifestly declared himselfe an enemy of religion may sit iudge in his owne cause Chap. 3. Kellisons Motiues to Popish religion compared with the Motiues that may enduce men to embrace true Christian religion Therein also the true motiues to Popery are touched KEllison in his first Booke and fift Chapter talketh of Motiues to Christian religion but so coldely and barely as if his cause wanted life and motion First he telleth vs pag. 106. that our Sauiour Christ proued his Mission by prophecyes and miracles Among other miracles hee talketh of the strange coÌ„quest which the Apostles made of Idolatry Secondly he sayth we want reason and authoritye to perswade men to our religion being not comparable eyther to auncient Fathers or to Bellarmine Suarez and such fellowes in wit or learning or good life or antiquity or number or dignity Thirdly he talketh of consent succession But First the example of our Sauiour Christ the conquest made by Christs Apostles ouer Idolatrye maketh against the idolatrous papists For neither can the Pope prooue his vniuersall Monarchy by Prophets or by miracles nor hath any Christian man reason to adhere to papistes that want confirmation of their Popes and Masse-priestes Mission and yet bring into their Churches heathenish idolatry and much false and erronious doctrine and namely concerning the 7. Sacramentes the sacrifice of Christs body and blood in the Masse for quicke dead Popish purgatory and teaching that man by power of free will is able to worke his owne saluation that we are to make vowes and confessions to Saints to offer sacrifice in honor of them that we are to satisfie for sinnes whose guilt is remitted in Purgatory that the Pope hath power to deliuer soules out of Purgatory by his Indulgences that his Chaire is the foundatioÌ„ of the church and such like doctrines of deuils Secondly the ancient Fathers are wholy against the papistes in these poynts As for the Popes of Rome and their parasites Bellarmine Suarez and the rest they are not such as are to be bragged vpon eyther for learning wit good life or any vertue Thirdly neither are the papistes comparable in number to the Turkes Paâ—aÌ„s nor haue they eyther true succession or consent or antiquity that maketh for them Nay if the papistes would stand to these motiues they were cleerly gone For neither haue they prophesies or miracles for them Nor can the Pope or the Masse-priests prooue their mission by miracles nor doth antiquity make for them As for good life this K. may be much ashamed to speake of it the filthynes of Popes Cardinals Masse-priestes Monkes Nonnes and Friars being so notorious to the worlde and recorded in so many storyes and actes of Councels What then is the reason that so many adhere to papistes and what are the motiues that enduce so many to like their religion Forsooth first Fire and Sword For they kill all that will not receiue the Popes marke or that once mutter against their idolatrous religion Secondly secret and trecherous practises against all that shall once dare to professe the truth Masse-priestes brewe treason and rebellion Iesuites set on assassinors The Pope hath his Agents with all Princes Neither doth he or his Agents omit any occasion to stirre vp Princes to make warre against them that professe the truth and to persecute them to death Thirdly excoÌ„municating and killing and poysoning of Kings opposite to the Popes tyranny By the Popes practice K. Henry the 8. and Quéene Elizabeth were often in danger here in England By the trechery of the Leaguers King Henry the 3. was slayne and Henry the 4. wounded and brought to great extremity in France Henry of Lucemburgh was poysoned by a Dominican Fryar Frederic the 2. was empoysoned and in the end murdered as Matthew Paris doth signifie and this no dout by the Popes practise The 5. of Nouember anno 1605. a trayne of gunpowder was layd by certaine Papistes vnder the vpper house of Parliament purposing to destroy the King the Quéene the Prince the nobles and commons there assembled and by their destruction to replant popery in England The treason discouered they broke forth into open rebellion Fourthly slaundrous Libels as the inuectiues of Alan and Parsons against Quéene Elizabeth and the State of Saunders against Her and her Parents and Counsaile of the Leaguers and Iesuites against King Henry the 3. and 4. of France and the rayling discourses written against Luther Zuinglius Caluin Beza Knox and all godly men declare Fiftly their impudent lies and fables in setting foorth their owne Religion and discommending the truth and such as eyther now or in time past professed it as the fabulous tales of Iacobus de voragine Surius Baronius and diuers writers of popish Histories will testifie Sixtly their publishing of counterfet bookes vnder the names of Fathers and the corrupting of Fathers by their expurgatorie indexes 7. Their impudent falsification of ancient Fathers and other writers as may bee prooued out of the allegations of Bellarmine Stapleton and other popish Proctors 8. Their false imputations laide vpon others and their impudent denials of thinges done by themselues 9. The diligent suppressing of the Books of holy Scripture and all Bookes written in vulgar tongues concerning matters of religion 10. The prohibiting of Christians to dispute reason or question of matters of faith 11. The ignorance blindnes of christians that know nothing but onely such matters as the false Fryars and Masse-priestes tel them 12 The impudent clamors raylings of this generation in Pulpits lying and slaundring all that professe the Gospell sincerely 13. The rigor of auriculer confession by meanes whereof the Popish faction vnderstandeth all mens secrets 14. The bloody crueltie of the popes agentes executioners and inquisitors Finally the rewardes and prayses that are giuen to those that trauaile eyther by writing or practise to maintaine the Popes cause Without these motiues all the motiues mentioned by Kellison were to no purpose As for vs wee haue two principall motiues to hold vs in the truth which would also mooue others to draw vnto vs if they knew them The first is the truth and iustice of our cause The next is the impieties blasphemies abhominations fooleries absurdities iniustice of Popery For the truth of our Religion weâ— offer to bring Scriptures councels Fathers antiquitie consent true succession law reason and all other proofes required in the iustification of Religion The reasons to deterre men from Popery we shal God willing deduce at large in a particular discourse Thus much may serue to requite Kellisons discourse of motiues to Religion for the present Chap. 4. Of the markes and properties of Heretickes THe name and nature of Heresie beeing so odious it is not to be maruelled if the Patrons thereof disguise themselues in their tearmes names
pretended yet that is nothing for the aduantage of our triple crowned Popes that are so vnlike to Peter and kil Christes sheep as he fed them Nay the auncient Bishops of Rome neither gaue lawes to the whole church nor ordained bishops in all quarters nor receiued appeales out of al the world nor reserued certaine cases to themselues nor practised the rest of the moderne Popes authoritie But saith K. where a head wanteth there euerie man may preach and embrace what Religion he will As if generall and prouinciall councels and Bishops in their Diocesses Godly Princes in their Kingdomes were not able to remedy this disorder Other meanes certes there was not in the primitiue Church and he that looketh that Popes should redresse Atheisme and other abuses is himselfe much abused In the last Chapter hee saith that denying the reall presence taught by the Popish Synagogue we ruine Christian Religion and call all other mysteries of faith in question But his proposition is moste false and absurd For not those which deny the Cyclopicall eating of Christes flesh and the carnall presence thereof vnder the accidents of bread and wine but such rather as hold that Christes flesh and blood is receiued of reprobats persons nay Hogges and Dogges and is swallowed downe into the belly and deny thinges felt and seene doe bring a slaunder vpon Religion and call all holy mysteries not onely into question but into contempt also Auerroes for this grosse opinion onely affirmed that the Religion of Christians was of all other most ridiculous For what can bee deuised more ridiculous then to make a God and to eate him vp presently this doctrine of Papists hath beene a great stumbling blocke both to Gentiles â—nd Christians and is so improbable and contrarie to Christes institution the expositions of Fathers and common reason as nothing more Kellison I confesse braggeth that he will bring as plaine proofes for the reall presence as are brought in scriptures either for the holy Trinitie or Christes incarnation Or else he promiseth he will yeelde the bucklers Which if hée would haue performed then had he long ere this lost and forsaken the field For he bringeth onely two places and neither of them to his purpose as I haue at large declared in my Book de missa against Bellarmine where all the cauillations of our aduersaries are particularlye discussed and so stand for any thing either this doughty Doctor of Doway or Bellarmine can say against vs. Furthermore the comparison of the popish reall presence and the Doctrine thereof compared with the great mysteries of the holy Trinitie and Christes incarnation declareth him to bee an Atheist that beleeueth such fundamentall pointes of Religion no more then the popish absurd Doctrine of the carnal and canibal like eating of Christes flesh and drinking of his blood and receiuing them with our mouth into our bellyes Diuers other absurdities hee committeth also in this Chapter page 698. speaking of popish sacrifices by sacrifice saith he wee consecrate to his seruice the liues and substance of brute beastes So it appeareth if they sacrifice Christ in the Masse that they kill him and compare him to brute Beastes page 710. hee falsifyeth Saint Augustines wordes in his tract vpon S. Iohns Gospell page 713. hee confoundeth real sacramentall eating There also hee saith that Christ would not say he meant a figuratiue and spirituall eating but moste falsely For Christ saith that the flesh profiteth nothing And both Origen and Austen do expound these wordes of eating Christes flesh spirituallye and figuratiuelie Lastly to prooue the real presence hee alleadgeth page 728. a testimonie out of S. Andrewes legend But neither can he prooue his carnall reall presence nor iustifie his assertion where hee maketh them Atheistes and ruiners of Christian religion that deny this absurd scandalous and blasphemous Doctrine Wherfore as by lawful tryall we haue acquited our selues our doctrine of all suspition of Atheisme so wee doubt not but to lay the same most iustly vpon the Pope his adherents vpoÌ„ their impious wicked doctrine * Outward professors of Popery inward Atheistes Bernard in serm 1. in Conuers Pauli beganne to complaine long since both of the iniquitye of Popes and of the dissolutenesse of Preest and People Egressa est iniquitas à senioribus iudicibus vicarijs tuis saith he qui videntur regere populum tuum Non est iam dicere vt populus sic sacerdos quod nec sit populus vt sacerdos Petrarch in his Sonnets calleth Rome false and trayterous Babylon and the mother of errors and chargeth her with seruing Venus and Bacchus rather then the God of heauen In his Epistles without name speaking of the Popes Court hee saith it is voide of all goodnesse and that there is neither libertie nor rest nor joy nor hope nor faith nor charitye but contrariwise greate losse and casting away of mens soules Omne ibi bonum perditur sed primum omnium libertas mox ex ordine quies gaudium spes fides Charitas animae iacturae ingentes Wernerus in fascic temporum in Martino 2. Adriano 3. Stephano exclaimeth as if holy men were perished from the earth and truth diminished among the Sonnes of men and as if that were a moste wicked time ô tempus pessimum saith he in quo defecit sanctus deminutae sunt veritates à filijs hominum Breidenbachus in historia peregrinat sua reporteth that in his time the law was departed from priestes justice from Princes counsaile from the Elders faith from the people loue from parents reuerence from Subjects charitie from Praelates Religion from Monkes honesty from young men discipline from the Clergie His wordes are these Recessit lex à sacerdotibus à principibus iustitia consilium à senioribus à populo fides amor à parentibus à subditis reuerentia charitas à praelatis religio à monachis à iunenibus honestas à clericis disciplina In veritate comperi saith Walterus Mapes quod sceleri cleri studet vniuersitas liuor regnat veritas datur funeri haeredes luciferi sunt praelati That is of a truth I finde that the whole Romish Clergie dooth study vilany Enuie reigneth and truth is buryed Such Clergiemen are the heyres of Lucifer And againe non est qui faciat bona istorum quorum conscientia speluncae est latronum There is none of these that dooth good their conscience is like a denne of theeues Mathew Paris in Henr. 3. saith that in those times the sparks of faith began to grow cold Temporibus illis ingruentibus igniculus fidei coepit nimis refrigescere Petrus de Alliaco in lib. de reformat eccles noteth the luxuriousnes auarice idlenesse blasphemies magicke artes and superstitions and that both of Princes and people of his time Adrian the 6. in his instructions to his legat Cheregatus confesseth ingeniously the corruptions of the church of Rome and Romanistes Omnes nos saith he declinauimus
vnusquisque in vias suas nec fuit iam diu qui faceret bonum non fuit vsque ad vnum The Bishop of Bitonto preaching in the first session of the conuenticle of Trent speaking of the manners of the people then confesseth that they said in their heart that there was no God dicunt in corde suo saith he quod non est Deus This may also bee specified by infinite examples both of Popes and Cardinals and their followers Theodoricke à Niem de schism lib. 2. c. 42. calleth Gregory the 12 and Petrus de Luna Elders of Babylon and saith that such iniquitie was gone from them that the Catholike faith was therby ouershadowed and that Religion suffered Shipwracke and that vertue was departed from all men Vt Catholica fides obnubiletur omnis religio naufragium patiatur Virtutes ab omnibus recesserunt Iohn the 12. or as some number the 13. dranke to the Deuill in his meriment and called vpon him when he playd at Dice and as the Histories set out by Papistes themselues declare was a wicked fellow Gregory the seuenth as Beno the Cardinall writeth had commerce with the Deuill and was in the Councell of Brixina condemned for a Magician Hee saith also that hee cast the Sacrament into the fire which is not so much in him to bee maruelled For hee that worshipeth the Deuill cannot esteeme much of the body of Christ which as Papists hold is contained vnder the formes of bread and wine in the Sacrament This man when he dyed as Sigebertus witnesseth confesseth that by the perswasion of the Diuell hee had raysed many stirres in the world Siluester the second as storyes report made a compact with the Deuill It is sayd also that Gregory the 6. Bonet the 9. Paul the third and diuers other Popes were Magicians and Negromancers But such men as giue themselues to art Magick renounce God and serue the Deuill Of Sixtus the fourth we read that hee laughed at Religion and beleeued not that their was a God Riserat vt viuens caelestia numina Sixtus Sic moriens nullos credidit essé Deos. saith one Vpon Alexander the sixt Sanazar wrote these verses as a memoriall of his impieties Humana iura nec minus caelestia Ipsosque sustulit deos c. That is he disolued both Gods Lawes and mans Lawes and beleeued not that there was a God Clement the 7. as is said when hee drewe neere to his end told those which stoode about him the shortly he hoped to bee resolued of that of which he had euer much doubted viz. whether there were eyther Heauen or Hell or no. And the rather wee beleeue this report because these verses were written of him Contemptor diuum scelerum vir publicus hostis that is a contemner he was of God a flagitious fellow and à publique enimie of his Country Iohn the 23. was condemned by the councell of Constance for denying the resurrection of the dead and for other poyntes of Atheisme Leo the 10. esteemed the Gospell no otherwise then as a fable And of Iulius the third the Papistes them-selues reporte diuers speaches sauoring of Atheisme If then Atheisme do so raigne in the Popes of Rome whome the Papistes call most holy and honor as the heades and foundations of their Church supreme Iudges of all controuersies and are bound to follow albeit they may lead infinite soules to Hell as it is said in Chap. si Papa dist 40. it is no maruell although the Masse priests and their followers be tainted with Atheisme and contempt of Religion Machiauell whome many Atheists follow was no English-man but an Italian and a great friend of Clement the 7. to whōe also he dedicated his Florentine historie Neither was he an English-man that held it a peccadillo or little sinne no creer en dios that is not to beleeue in God That Italian that beleeued no other Trinity then Messer domine dio il papa et nostra donna et preti et frati that is God Almightie the Pope and our Lady and Priestes and Friars learned not his impiety I trow from vs. The * That the Doctrine of Popery tendeth to Atheisme very doctrine of Popery tendeth to Atheisme and ignorance of God Generally the lay-people think themselues safe if they beleeue as the Church beleeueth and so Hosius and others teach their Disciples But what I pray you is this but Atheisme for men to be ignorant of Christ his grace and of the meanes of their saluation and of Gods true worship Ephes 2. the Gentiles worshipping many Gods are sayd to be without God in the world May not then the same be verified of Papistes that worship so many Angels and Saintes and giue the honor of God to the Sacrament to the Crucifixe and the Images of the Trinity Thirdly how can we esteeme them to haue any feeling of true piety that speake so lewdly of Scriptures Some call them a Nose of Waxe some a Ship-mans Hose some a bare Letter some Inky Diuinity some a matter of strife some the ground of Heresies Kellison pag. 687. saith if a man contemne the authority of the Romane Church that hee shall no more bee able to assure himselfe of Scripture then of a Robin Hoodes tale Pag. 41. hee saith the Scripture with a false meaning is the word of the Deuill As if the Scripture being endited by the holy Ghost could in any respect be called the word of the Deuill Pag. 39. he compareth Scriptures to Aesopes Fables and saith they are of a Waxie nature But he that is of God heareth Gods worde and speaketh reuerently of Scriptures Fourthly none but Atheistes and such as sauour of Atheisme directly violate and impugne Gods commaundements and make Lawes repugnant vnto them But the Papistes offend heerein both greeuously and notoriously God sayth thou shalt haue no other Gods but me the Popish faction sayth contrary thou shalt haue other Gods commaunding their followers to call vppon Saints and Angels to worship the Sacrament and Crucifixes to confesse their sinnes to offer Christes body and blood in the honor of Saintes and Angels Tursellinus a Iebusite in his Epistle to Peter Aldobrandini before his storie of Loreto saith Christ hath made his Mother partaker of his diuine Majestie power as farre as it was lawfull Matrem suam saith he praepoteus ille deus diuinae maiestatis potestatisque sociam quatenus licuit asciuit In the second Commaundement we are directly prohibited to make grauen Images to the intent to bow to them and to worshippe them But the Papistes haue impiously blotted out this commaundement in their short Catechismes commaund men vpon paine of death and damnation to fall downe before Crucifixes and other Images and to worship them somtime with doulia sometimes with latria according to the subiect The third Cōmaundement forbiddeth vs to take Gods name in vaine But Papistes in their rascall Rhemish annotations in Act. 23. teach their followers to
the sayings of Fathers or the iudgement of the auncient Church but wholy rely vpon the opinion of the Doctors of Trent and the Pope They preferre the olde Latin translation before the original text of the Bible and allow no sence of Scripture but that which the Romish church approoueth Page 693. he maketh dissension in Religion to be a note of Atheisme but if that be so then hath he branded his owne consorts with a marke of atheisme For hardly shal you finde one article of Religion wherein the wrangling Schoolemen doe not differ one from another Bellarmine quarrelleth as often with his owne fellowes almoste as with vs. About the diuine attributes and notions they are not yet resolued If they durst many would dispute against the Popes Monarchye dispensations indulgences and such like The Masse as yet is not perfectly setled Page 696. he signifyeth the erroneous opiniōs about the head-ship of the Church are enducements to atheisme which being graunted then are the Papistes in a fayre way to atheisme For vnder the title of Christ the sole and true head of the church they admit Antichrist and bring vs foorth a monster not onely with two heades but with as many heades as Popes There wanteth therfore nothing but some Hercules to cut of these Hydraes heades and to restore to Christ his right of headship Further in euerye vacation they want their visible head which as Kellison saith giueth adauantage to Atheistes and maketh them to make a mocke at Religion They haue also some times Popes without brayne or witte which is as great an inconuenience as the rest Finally if such as teach erroneously of the presence of Christes body blood in the sacrament vnderstād not the words of Christes institution ruine Christian Religion and call all other mysteries of the faith into question as Kellison Page 698. resolutelye and peremptorily auoucheth then will it plainely fall out that the Papistes are ruiners of Religion and haue no assurance of any point of faith by them defended For as I haue before touched and shall else-where more plentifully declare they erre moste grossely in their Doctrine concerning the real presence and haue shamefully mistaken and corrupted Christes institution of that holy mysterie Wee may therefore conclude first that as the true professors of the christian faith in the church of England are moste innocent and cleare of this shamelesse imputation of atheisme moste wrongfully charged vpon them by this surueying or rather surfeting Sycophant so the Papists our aduersaries and the principall actors among them are much to be suspected that vnder colour of Popery they couer a secret poyson of atheisme Secondly if eyther our aduersaries or any other would with indifferent eyes and vnpartial iudgement consider eyther the articles of our faith which we professe or the deformities and abuses of poperie which we refuse and detest discerning truth from the slaundrous imputations of such wicked sycophants as this that then they would neither mislike vs for our forsaking the Synagogue of Satan nor allowe the impious courses of our rayling aduersaries nor long sticke in the myrie and filthie puddle of popish errors and indure his tyrannicall gouernement ALmighty God which hast told vs that Antichrist shal be reuealed and slayne by the breath of the mouth of the Lord Iesus and destroyed with the brightnesse of his comming vouchsafe dayly more and more to reueale him to all the christian world and to discouer his trecherous and murdrous practises to all true Catholikes and to dispell the mistes of calumniations lyes and forgeryes which his agentes doe dayly endeuour to spread abroad against the professors of truth that so the truth appearing both such as are in error may be reformed and the weake confirmed in the sincere profession of the Gospell the Kingdome of Antichrist destroyed through our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus And let all those that wish the prosperity of Sion and the conuersion or confusion of Babel say alwaies Amen Amen An aduertisment to the Reader RIDICVLOVS it is gentle Reader for him that entreth into the Battle to complaine of blowes He that cōmeth to strike others must not thinke strāge if he be striken himselfe And yet I perceiue my aduersaryes blush not to complaine that heerein they haue receiued wrong They I say that come like wolues with open mouth to deuoure vs raile at M. LVTHER Maister CALVIN al the church of England as if it consisted of Heretikes Schismatikes loose liuers Atheistes nay of a sort of men worse then Turkes and Pagans finde fault with me if I tell them of their heresies Treasons Gun-powder practises Idolatryes infidelitie perjuries and other vilanies Whether they or we haue reason I referre my selfe to indifferent judges that shal read the Treatises of both the partyes HILARY in his Book against CONSTANTIVS thought it no fault to speake sharply if truely Si falsa dicimus saith he infamis sit sermo malidicus That is if we speake vntruth let our tarte speache seeme infamous Otherwise he challengeth the liberty of Apostles in censuring manifest faults Si vniuersa haec manifesta esse ostendimus saith he non sumus extra apostolicam libertatem modestiam Saint HIEROME apolog 2. in Ruffin thinketh it lawfull to barke for Christ because Dogges barke for their Maisters Canes latrant pro dominis suis tu non me vis latrare pro Christo Beside that when a man is accused of Heresie hee would not haue him patient If then we neither shew impatiency nor speake doggedlie but only report those crimes truely of which our aduersaryes are most guilty it is then our aduersaries euill conscience that pincheth rather then our tart stile that byteth To let Dogges baule without correcting were nothing else but to encourage them in their dogged snarling and barking and Bishop Iewell of reuerend memory and others that haue vsed this mildenesse haue greatly confirmed our aduersaryes malice This therfore vnderstand that it is not out of stomacke but out of iudgment that wee take this course of plaine dealing Phryx plagis emendatur The PHRYGIAN and such as are of his base humor are bettred with stripes rather then with gentle wordes There distemper is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as THEOPHRASTVS saith in sympos apud Plutarchum That is a drunkennesse without wine But it may be corrected with a sad and tart answere Further necessity forced vs for the repelling of their malicious slaunders to shewe that they are to bee charged with those crimes justly which they impute to innocēt men most falsely And it may bee if truth make them not cease their barking yet shame will make them barke more softly This is the reason of our doing which if thou be indifferent I hope thou wilt allow If enimie I hope thou canst not justly condemne And if thou beest experimented in these courses thou canst not chuse but acknowledge the same to bee both profitable honest and necessary Profitable to represse the malice of such Curres as continually barke against truth honest for the defence of the pious memorie of the innocent and necessary for the ending of these brablements If the aduersaries giue vs no occation to lay open theit faultes we shall be content to burye them in silence If they persist in rayling and reuiling at honest men they must haue patience to heare our free answer Against Popes Cardinals Monkes Fryers Masse-priestes and their seditious Salt-peter followers wee cannot want either wordes or matter This is that which I thought good to aduertise thee and which I hope will satisfie all if they bee indifferent If not indifferent they haue no reason to take vppon them to bee our judges nor we to vnder-goe their censure nor you to mislike our stile as too sharp and vnfitting Laus Deo
and Sodomites teach rebellion murder of Princes periurie equiuocations and diuers other pointes of Doctrine repugnant both to Religion and ciuill pollicy In the first Chapter of his 8. Booke hee affirmeth Kellisons calumniatitions as if our doctrine sauored of Atheisme refuted that certaine poyntes of our Doctrine open a gappe to a deniall of the diuine Majesty But when hee commeth to particulars hee powreth out of his wide mouth a streame of impudent slaunders First hee saith wee are not afrayd to auouch that God is the author of all sinne and wickednesse and that he hath ordained vs to sinne from all eternitie that wee sinne by Gods will and commaundement and that he vrgeth vs to sinne And concludeth that wee make God cruell and tyrannicall as commaunding vs that which wee cannot performe wanting free-will and punishing vs for faultes which wee cannot auoyde But first hee doth not so much as offer to prooue his charge eyther out of the Doctrine of the Chuch of England or out of any mans wrightinges whose name is of any note in our Church Nay hee knoweth wee teach contrarie to that which he imputeth vnto vs. May he not then be ashamed to charge his aduersaries with matters so false and improbable Secondly hee is neither able to conuince Maister Caluin of any such impious Doctrine nor hath he reason to make so greate clamours if anye one priuate man of our teachers should hold any point of erroneous Doctrine Lastly before hee come at his conclusion hee must make better proofe of his premisses if he meane to haue the particulars of his suruey to passe without censure He must also vnderstand that albeit we haue not freewil or liberium arbitrium in discerning the thinges of God and dooing thinges pleasing to his diuine Maiestie it followeth not that God is therefore cruell or tyrannicall because by our owne default we became vnable to performe the Lawe and blinde in discerning matters tending to eternall life The rest of the first Chapter containeth a long inuectiue against Atheistes and certaine weake arguments brought to prooue that there is a God But as in the first hée toucheth his owne fellowes so in the second hee confirmeth them in their Atheisme being able to bring no better arguments to confute them and in the whole behaueth himselfe fondly and vnlearnedly First hee saith that neither reason nor faith nor both together are able to discouer what God is But therein hee discouereth by his owne confession that hee is a poore Surueyor of Religion not knowing what God is and a silly Doctor of Diuinitie if hee deny that Scriptures teach vs what God is as farre as is necessarie for vs to know Pag. 642. he saith that creatures in God are increate infinite perfect and that all of them in God are God Which assertion first taketh away the distinction betwixt God and creatures Next aduanceth creatures to a diuine being And thirdly commeth neere to Seruetus his impiety For if a creature in God is God why may not Kellison also say that God in a stone is a stone and in Iron Iron as Seruetus did if Bellarmine in praefat ante tom 1. disput say truly Neither can it excuse him that God foresawe and foreknew all thinges and as Philosophers say had ideaes in him For this deuise of ideaes is a Philosophical fancy and yet cannot make Kellisons assertion good seeing the platonicall philosophers distinguish ideaes from the thinges them-selues and make them separate from them Pag. 645. he talketh of conuincing a God-head and sayth that the world by Philosophers is called Alle. But the first speech is impious seeming to import that he meaneth to ouercome God and to confute him as hee hath alredy endeuored to confute his truth The second proceedeth of ignorance For hardly will hee bee able to shew in what tongue Philosophers call the world Alle. Pag. 648. he belyeth Caesar where hee maketh him say that the first inhabitants of England sprang out of the earth as herbes or Toad-stooles Caesar in his commentaryes talketh neyther of hearbes nor Toad-stooles and vtterly reiecteth this falshood Pag. 649. he would gladly prooue that there is a God by the conuulsions of men possessed And pag. 650. by Witches Hee sayth also that such as are possessed by Deuils somtimes howle like Dogges somtime yell like Wolfes But his argumentes from Witches and possessed with Deuils prooue the Deuill rather then God Secondly his proofes are weake being drawne rather from illusions and counterfet trickes then from matters euidently true Lastly it is hard to be beleeued that he hath heard any that eyther howled like Dogges or yelled like Wolfes These proofes therfore are liker to draw men to infidelitye then otherwise Afterward he talketh idlely of the heauy and lumpish nature of the earth an element as it seemeth predominant in him of the Common-wealth of Bees so well ordered that a Statist may learne policy from it as he beleeueth of the leapes of Hares of Foxes and Fearne bushes of Spiders and spider-webs and such like vaine and idle similitudes But what should I follow or runne after him that runneth so farre not onely from his argument but from himselfe also In the second chapters rubrike he affirmeth that our Doctrine ruineth al Religiō But in the Chapter it selfe there is no ground brought for proofe of his assertiō Only in the latter end he doth afresh charge vs with holding that God is the author of all sinne And thereof concludeth that those which beleeue this must needes haue cold hearts in Religion But we haue declared his antecedent to be false and fantasticall What then shall we need to beat downe his ruinous consequent The rest of this Chapter containeth diuers poyntes of popish Doctrine cōcerning Gods true worshippe Heretikes and their markes Christes honor Priestes an sacrifices succession vnity vniuersality here idelye repeated and formerly refuted Pag. 671. he beareth vs in hand that the moderne Romish Religion is most conformable to the Doctrine planted by the Apostles But he shall not be able to prooue all his life halfe of that which he hath affirmed in one line He saith he hath prooued it in his commentaries in secunda secūda But his proofes are weake and therefore dare not abide the light If he come forth with his proofes of his Religion heerafter we will pray him also to shew that the Romish Doctrine of blowing vp Princes and Parliament-houses with Gun-powder of breaking of oathes of lying and equiuocating of the Popes vniuersall Monarchye of kissing the Popes Pantoufle of iustification by confirmation extreme vnction Mariage and orders ex opere operato of taking Christ with the teeth of transubstantiation halfe communions priuate Masses prayer in a tongue not vnderstoode worship of Saintes and Angels and the rest of those Popish Heresies which we refuse are conformable to that Religion which was first planted by the Apostles In the third Chapter hee affirmeth that in contempt of the Churches authority