Mother of errors and the greate Whore described Apocalyps 17. Gregory the first wanteth much of the learning of former Fathers yet is neither he nor his messenger Austen so bad but that his successors were farre worse Furthermore we doe not beleeue that so wise a man as Gregory the first is reputed would write so foolish Bookes as the dialogues that goe vnder his name and are so full of olde wiues tales and fabulous toyes But should Luther Caluin or others ouerlash in speaking of Fathers yet to doe this K. fauour I am content to ioyne with him vpon this issue that the Fathers of the Church in their authentical writinges in the greatest controuersies betwixt vs and the Papistes are for vs and against them And of this hee could not be ignorant but that he is onely a Schoole pedant and an ignorant broacher of new opinions and not versed in the writings of the Fathers Against vs he alleageth the most reuerend learned Father Toby Matthew most worthy Bishop of Durham but he doth offer him singuler wrong as that reuerend Bishop will alwaies testifie Afterward he bringeth in Genebrard a professed enemy whose deposition is no more worth then if this ketler should out of his malice speake it Luthers scruples grew not vpon doubt of the Fathers doctrine but of the long approbation of the Masse and other abuses In fréewill for substance of doctrine we doubt not of the Fathers fauour against the Papistes Finally he sayth The Fathers haue the infallible assistance of Gods holy spirit in exposition of Scriptures and that those which reiect them reiect also the councels of the Church and the authority of Pastors by which the Church is directed And finallye open a gate to all Heresies But heere are manye absurdities hoodled together without truth or order For First he supposeth most falsely that all the Fathers are reiected by vs. Secondly he confirmeth the expositiō of Fathers to be equal to the determination of the Pope which neither his holy Father nor his owne consortes will graunt Thirdly not euerie one that reiecteth Fathers in some things dooth therefore reiect councels or all the pastors of the Church Finally albeit diuers late Councels were reiected and the testimonies of fathers not admitted without choise yet the definitions of Councels which are apparently deduced out of Scriptures and the Fathers authentical expositions consonant to the rule of faith might bee approued by those which haue authoritie in the Church which euerie priuate man is to followe vnlesse by some equall or greater authoritie that resolution be reuersed But if Kellisons Doctrine were confessed then might the Pope goe shake his eares For what shold we need to goe to him if the Fathers haue Gods holy spirit infallibly assisting them in the exposition of Scriptures againe if denying of the authoritie of Fathers were the opening of a gap to all Heresies thē did the Popes open gaps to al Heresies who in their decretaline expositions of hoc est corpus meum feede my Sheep and drinke ye all of this and infinit such like textes of scriptures decline quite from the common interpretation of Fathers and nothing regard their authoritie The fift Chapter is partly a Scholastical exercise concerning the motiues that may enduce men to beleeue the Christian fayth and partly an inuectiue against vs for that we admit not the rinegued Masse-priestes sent vs hither by the Pope their counterfet miracles And thereupon he would conclude that we want those probable meanes to enduce reasonable men to be of our religion which the Papists haue But first his dispute concerning probable motiues to the fayth is nothing else but a vaine discourse of his owne foolish motions disioynted opinions and improbable fancyes For not onely the Pagans of olde time but also the Turkes now may better alleage antiquity consent authority of mission the subduing of the worlde to their religiō miracles and such like motiues then the Papistes séeing Popery is nothing else but a corruption of Christian religion that is neither so auncient as Arianisme nor so largely spread abroad as Paganisme and Turcisme Neither are the Papistes for learning comparable to the auncient Philosophers Secondly whatsoeuer this K. speaketh of mission it maketh against the Masse-priestes that come both without authority and without any message deliuered by Christ or his Apostles vnto them For neuer shal he prooue the Popes vsurped authority though he should liue to the worldes end nor that Masse-priests are to sacifice for quick and dead and to cut the throat of Princes which be the principal poyntes of their mission Thirdly we offer to prooue that we haue not onely those probable motiues which he speaketh of as miracles consent antiquity and such like to enduce men to like of our religion but also the worde of God the testimony of the auncient apostolike Church and many sure groundes which our aduersaryes want Neither néeded this K. to brag much of Bellarmine or Suarez seeing their positions stand refuted without answer but that he which can say little him selfe must néeds relye on others Fourthly nothing hath this babler to obiect either against the authoritye of our teachers or their doctrine which is not more vnsauery then Colewortes twice or thrice sodden Where he calleth Boy Masse-priestes olde teachers and their doctrine also olde and our teachers and doctrine newe he like a poore disputer beggeth that which he cannot by argument effecte or conuince and like a foolish pleader talketh of matters preiudiciall to him selfe Nay when he shall come to tryall he shall find that the Fathers in all poyntes of fayth are for vs and not for the Pope whose triple-Crowneship and decretaline doctrine they neuer knewe Fiftly where he like a curre barketh at the memory of the renowned Father Bishop Iewel and snarleth at the most famous learned man the Lord of Plessis Marlj as if they had corrupted and mis-alledged Scriptures and Fathers and by vntruthes and weake proofes abused they readers the first is iustified by maister Whitakers against al the barkings of his malicious enimies the second hath verified his allegations against al his accusers by the original words of the authors by him alledged in a late edition of his booke both these verifications stand without reply But if we should goe about to collect all the lyes slaunders impostures corruptiōs falsifications errors fooleries fond conclusions absurd assertions without ground and imperfections of Bellarmine Baronius Suarez Harding Saunders Alan Stapleton and their mates they would fill Cart-loades of volumes Finally all this long discourse is as farre from the purpose as Kellison is farre from learning and honesty For heere hee should reason against the grounds of our Religion But groundes are one thing and motiues another those being certaine these probable and oftentimes not concludent But were hee not a beetle-headed Surueyor as he is a polshorne sacrificer of Baal he would haue forborne to touch this poynt of motiues
saying of Masse or offering their wafer Cakes in honour of our Lady from the Marcionistes the baptisme of Christians by women and their limbus patrum from the Valentinians Manicheies their opinion of the being of Christs body in the Sacrament without soliditie from the Pelagians the denyall of originall sinne in the blessed virgin the perfection of iustice and impeccabilitie of Christians Finally they haue deriued diuers other branches of old condemned Heresies from other Heretickes as at large I haue shewed in my late challenge His fift marke of an Hereticke is want of succession A simple marke if wee doe well consider it For neither in the beginning of the world nor in the time of Aaron was there anye succession of knowne priestes in the world Likewise neither our Sauiour Christ nor Peter did succeede the priestes of the Lawe For Christ was a priest after the order of Melchisedech and Peter was by Christ designed an Apostle hauing none to goe before him But to confesse succession to bee a marke of the Church and want of succession a marke of an Hereticke yet would this one property of Heretickes much blemish the Romish See For neither are the Popes Bishops or Peters successors nor can the Papists deriue their Doctrine of the popes vniuersall power of his two swords of his espousals with the church of his indulgences of the carnal eating champing Christs flesh with the téeth of TraÌ„substantiation of the CoÌ„munion vnder one kinde of adoring the Sacrament and the Crosse with diuine worship of making vowes confessions and prayers to Saintes and such like pointes of decretaline Doctrine from the Apostles or any Apostolike men which as Tertullian sheweth is a necessarie point in succession Ego saith he sum Heres Apostolorum sicut cauerunt testamento suo sicut fidei commiseruÌ„t sicut adiuraueruÌ„t ita teneo As if he shold say none can be the Apostles heires but such as kéepe the doctrine coÌ„tained in their testameÌ„t The same father in the same place excludeth heretikes as strangers enemies holding a contrary doctrine to the Apostles Furthermore the pole-shorne Masse-priests sacrificing Christes body and blood really in the Masse for quicke and dead and diuers purposes caÌ„not deriue their pedegree eyther from the Apostles or from the Priestes and ancient Doctors of the church Finally this forme of gouernment and Doctrine which is now in the Church of Rome cannot bee confirmed by any succession of Bishops and Priests Nay that rotten succession of Popes whervpon the cause of Papists doth hang as vpon a thrid of a Spider-web hath no other ground and certainty then the testimonie of Anastasius the Popes blinde bibliothecary Martin Polonus Platina Sanders Genebrard Illesca and such like base fellows which no Christian I trow wil admit for the Basis and foundation of his faith His sixt marke of heretikes is dissension in Doctrine and this he prooueth in a long and tedious discourse But with this mark he brandeth his owne consortes for Heretikes For they dissent not onely from the auncient Fathers But one from another most manifestly That is aparent by diuers treatises written of controuersies This is prooued by the differences of Thomistes and Scotistes and of all Schoolemen one from an other Neither doe they differ in small matters but in the highest pointes of Religion as namely whether the holy Ghost proceede more principally from the Father then the Son about the diuine notions about the atributes of God about Meritum Congrui about the cause of predestination about the thing designed by the word hoc in these wordes hoc est corpus meum about the conception of the blessed Virgin and all matters of diuinitie as the treatises of Schoolemen doe plainely shew Bellarmine also doth in moste controuersies no lesse earnestly dispute against his owne consortes then against vs. Neither is it materiall that all of them professe themselues willing to abide the Popes determination For vntill he determine somewhat their contentions are endlesse And albeit they then cease to contend yet their differences in opinions appeare neuerthelesse The seauenth chapter of his second Booke discouâ—seth of a seauenth marke of Heretikes and therein he endeuoreth to prooue al to be Heretikes that follow a particular sect Nowe who seeth not that this toucheth the Papists in generall that restreining themselues within the Romish Church followe the Popes sect And are bound by their Doctrine to follow him although he leade them with him to the pit of hell The Monkes also and Fryars follow the heades and rules of their seueral sectes without looking whither they leade them The eight marke of an Heretike saith he is to be condemned by the church or else as he saith afterward by generall Councels which doth no lesse touch his holy Father then the rest For coÌ„trary to the forme of the Nicene councel c. 4 He giueth libertie to Abbots to consecrate Bishops and contrarie to the 5. Cannon absolueth those that are excommunicated by other Bishops Contrary to the 6. Canon hee inuadeth the dioceses of other Patriarkes contrarye to another order hee separateth Priestes from their wiues With Eutyches condemned in the councell of Chalcedon hee beleeueth the Christ hath a bodie neither solide nor palpable nor like to ours For such is that body which he supposeth to be in the Sacrament Likewise all the old Heresies which hee holdeth are condemned by the whole Church Lastly all true Christians doe inwardly abhorre Popish impieties idolatries and Heresies Finally the Papists generally in the Chapt. ad abolendam de haeret condemne them for Heretikes that teach contrarie to the Doctrine of Christes Church concerning the Sacraments But this doth notoriouslye touch themselues For where the Scriptures mention onely baptisme and the Lordes supper as seales of Gods grace they increase the number of Sacraments and make seauen Where Christ said take and eate they say offer heaue hang vp and carry about Where Christ ordeined that all communicating one kinde should also receiue the other they sacrilegiously depriue the people of the cuppe Finallye they teach that Christians are iustified by confirmation and extreame vnction and that all their Sacraments haue like effectes Thus we see hee hath marked his owne consortes with the markes of Heretikes But hee shall neuer bee able to fasten his markes vppon vs. In the beginning of his second Booke hee talketh after his declamatorie manner of the diuels disguising himselfe in the habit of a young gallant like percase to the young Iebusites and Masse-priestes that going about to seduce simple soules attire themselues like gallants or of a Fryar Hee assureth also his disciples that he is discryed eyther by his staring eyes or stinking sauor or horned head or forked feete or base voice But first we would gladly knowe of him why the deuill should rather speake in a base then in a meane voice and next how hee commeth so well acquainted with him that hee knoweth his whole description from his hornes
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
Rebellion of al discontented Persons and Papists Further they teach that oathes are not to be performed to Hereticks easily doth the Pope dispence with them Who then is so patient as to endure this simple fellowes foolish prating these cut-throate Priestes will murder honest men their soules shal sue them for periury is not this trow you a goodly deuice Whether he speake for his owne cause or against vs his idle talke is not much to be regarded that either affirmeth matters nakedly vpon his owne bare word or bringeth no better witnesse then Nicol Borne Genebrard Baronius Thomas Aquinas such like or alleadgeth Scriptures impertinently and falselye or else belyeth his aduersaries shamefully Against Caluin hee bringeth a place out of his Institutions as if he taught that by religion men might disobey Princes lawes a matter neither taught nor euer thought vpon by him To what end then bringeth he allegations out of Scriptures and Fathers to disprooue this rebellious position would hee haue all the world to see that Papists disobeying Princes vpon the Popes warrant repugne both to Scriptures and Fathers His skill in Diuinitie we may easily conjecture not to be singular For first he preferreth the will of man in his conuersion before Gods grace Religion sayth he is not transfused with flesh and blood but infused by God with consent of our will and operation of grace Secondly he maketh mans blood an oblation for sinne and a mediation of others conuersion Thirdly he assigneth Aureolam martyrum that is a degree aboue the coÌ„mon glory of Gods Saints as a rewarde due to Martyrs for their passion Fourthly he sayth Many Virgins haue liued in the flesh like Angels But to say that man can liue without sinne is Pâ—â—gianisme Lastly his groundes are out of Tho. Aquinas and the School-men Is it then like that his Babylonian building wil long stand His notable simplicitie is euery where apparant For seeking king the Kings fauour he rayleth on Religion professed by the King Pleading for the Pope he ouerthroweth the authoritie of the Pope For if the authoritie of Kings be from God then cannot Popes discharge subjectes from their dutie and obedience to Princes Shewing him-selfe vnable to write or to dispute yet most simply he chalengeth vs all into the field offring to dispute with vs. Lastly wanting other meanes he maketh the King a petitioner vnto him-selfe His honesty cannot be great that rayleth against the dead flattereth such as are able to fauour him belyeth both the liuing and dead By Popes sayth he alwayes Countryes haue beene conuerted Yet for many yeares haue they giueÌ„ ouer preaching and lately haue suffered the Turkish religioÌ„ to eniambe get ground vpon Christians He saith further That our Church began but yesterday that our teachers want authoritie that our doctrine hath the markes of heresie that we pull at Christs diuinitie make him no redeemer spirituall Phisitian law-giuer Priest nor Iudge but make him ignorant desperate and damned He chargeth vs further that we haue neither Priest Sacrifice Sacrament nor Prayer matters impudently and without all colour of truth auowched as shall plainly appeare by our answer If when he commeth to dispute he bring no more truth Children will â—isse him out of Schooles for an impudent and lying compagnion These being the principall poyntes and whole somme of this rude Orators pleading before his Majestie wherein no dout he hath made the fairest shew he could of such base wares We may easily imagine that his speech to the common reader is more rude harsh and disioynted In the beginning of his epistle he ruÌ„neth out like a wilde discourser into a long sencelesse and vnreasonable speach concerning inanimate vnreasonable creatures But it must needes be a dull dead and vnreasonable cause that hath such dead vnreasonable aduocates to plead for it He turneth the Sunne into a Cocke a Candle and birds into Carpenters brute beastes into hearbists But whereto tendeth this brutish discourse voyde both of the light of the Sunne and of the light of reason doth he place his consortes among feathered fooles or else among brute beasts from sencelesse creatures in which ranke we may place a good parte of this Surueyer and his consortes he leapeth to brute beastes and froÌ„ brute beastes to man And yet nothing he writeth that may beseeme a sensible creature much lesse a reasonable and discreete man The end and marke of all his wilde vagary is this to shewe that because God hath giuen vs a will wholy bent to good and an vnderstanding naturally enclined to truth auerted from all vntruthes he hath therfore made an exact Suruey of the new ReligioÌ„ as he saith But first these things hang no better together then if he should say he would to Rome because Totnam is foure miles from London and Doway is turned Spanish For man may haue an vnderstanding and will and yet frame no such false surueyes Nay if this surueyor had either had any vnderstanding or good purpose he would neuer haue imployed his labour in such a lewde peece of seruice Further neither dooth mans wil desire any good thing tending to eternall life or vnderstand any such thing so long as he is vnregenerate by Gods grace The wordes of the Apostle are cleare There dwelleth no goâ—d thing in my flesh And againe the naturall man vnderstandeth not the things that are of God Thirdly if mans will vnderstanding had beene so inclined as he pretendeth then would Kellison neuer haue liued vnder the yoke of Poperie nor beleeued the absurdities of popish Religion of which we shall speake God willing particularly heereafter Fourthly so farre is his suruey from exactnesse as a surfet of foolery from sound vnderstanding and reason Finally nothing shall this K. bee able to alleadge in our Religion that abhorreth eyther from reason or rule of good vnderstanding The mission and calling of our Bishops and Ministers shal be iustified against all the barking of Masse-Priestes and Iesuites The markes of Hereticks shall be wiped from our selues deeply imprinted vpon our aduersaries Our Doctrine shal be cleared from the vniust imputations of our aduersaries and euerie indifferent man satisfied that we neither empayre Christes honor nor deny his Preesthood But contrariwise the Papists communicate Christs honor to creatures his preest-hood to Masse-Priestes We shall also proue by plaine euidence that we vpholde the authoritie of Princes and their lawes which the Papists ouerthowe and despise Wee doubt not further to demonstrate that none of vs euer taught that God is author of sinne or cruell or tyrannicall in his proceedings Finally we should bee much ashamed if vices and all impieties were not better censured and punished in England then in Italy Spaine and other popish Countries These matters which Kellison vanteth that hee will make good against vs haue been not onely formerly obiected vnto vs by William Raynoldes and D. Gifford in their rayling volume intituled Caluino-turcismus but also
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
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
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