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
no more Further repentance bringeth with it newnesse of life and a care to auoide sinne afterward and not as K. surmiseth a boldnesse in sinning The fift Chapter conteineth nothing almost but vaine repetitions and odious calumniations against Maister Luther and Caluin and other Godly mē First he saith that they condemne the iust mans good deedes as mortal sinnes But this hath bin declared to bee a mortall or rather capitall slaunder For althogh they hold that euen in the workes of good men there are imperfections and that many actes to vs seeming good are euill yet they no where say that the iust mans good deedes are mortall sinnes in the wordes by K. alleadged partially there is no such matter Secondly hee chargeth them to teach that the faithfull mans euil deedes are good and honest But therein hee dealeth vnfathfully and dishonestly For they doe not diminish mens sinnes but commend Gods great mercy that imputeth them not albeit they be very great and heynous Thirdly hée affirmeth that Caluin teacheth that originall sinne hath blotted out the image of God in man But if all the vntruthes of this slauderous Suruey were blotted out the rest would scarce serue to stoppe one Vinegar bottle Caluin saith that the image of God in man is not lost by his fall but onely blemished and defaced The same man where he speaketh of the workes of Infidels saith not that all of them are sinnes but that they sinned all in their morrall actions And this he prooueth out of Augustine lib. 4. contr Iulianum Finally none of vs teaching that our will is vnable to performe any good worke tending to the attaining of eternall life dooth eyther teach contrarie to scriptures or ouerthrowe Artes or extinguish reason or make all sinnes equal albeit this K. in his brablement dooth charge vs therewith In the sixt Chapter he runneth beside himselfe and entreth into a tedious declaration concerning free-will and diuers odious repetitions of the same matters But what will you say is this to the purpose Forsooth no more then if hee should tell you what commaund he had in time past ouer the Hogsheades in my Lord Vauxes Sellar For we do not deny free-will in all thinges as did the Manachees who held that sinne proceeded not from our will but from the substance of the euill soule and therfore are iustly refuted by Saint Augustine in his Booke de duab anim c. 11. neither did Luther deny free-will simply but only in thinges that concerne the attaining of the Kingdome of heauen Furthermore neither doth Luther teach that free-wil goeth necessarily that way which either the spirit spurreth it or the Diuell vrgeth it as this lewd Sycophant ridden and spurred on by no good spirit shamefully lyeth nor doth Caluin affirme that Gods prouidence and predestination taketh away free-will as hee desperatly and imprudently chargeth him neither do we either teach that man sinneth vnwillingly or deny that he hath his will free in naturall ciuill matters What thē is it that pincheth this thick-skind fellow Forsooth because we say that the naturall man neither discerneth the thinges that are of God nor by his free-will is able to performe them This is it which the semipelagian Papistes mislike and against which Doctrine Kellison marshalleth all his forces if such weake stuffe at the least may bee termed forces And first he endeuoreth to prooue free-will But if by this word he vnderstand only an abilitie wil to doe wickedly then we deny not but mā hath free-will If by free-wil he vnderstand that will and power in spiritual matters and concerning eternal life which the conuenticle of Trent and other Romish teachers doe meane then he may do well to take a larger terme to prooue his Doctrine That conuenticle sess 6. c. 1. et 5. speaking of free-will in matters concerning eternall life saith it is only attenuated and weakned and not extinguished or lost by the fall of Adam Gabriel Biel Lib. 2. d. 27. 4. teacheth that a man by force of free-will may remoue the barre of Gods grace that is mortall sinne because hee may cease from the consent and act of sinning yea hate sinne and frame his will not to commit sinne Homo existens in peccato mortali saith he potest remouere obicem hoe est peccatum mortale quia potest cessare à consensu et actu peccandi imò odisse peccatum et velle non peccare Commonly they hold that man in his naturall faculties was left sound after the fall that the will by the force of nature is able to dispose it selfe to receiue grace that the same is able by the force of nature to auoyde euery mortall sinne and to fulfill the Law of God as touching the substance of the act But the Scriptures teach vs that the vnregenerate man is dead and sould vnder sinne 1. Cor. 2. Wee read that the naturall man vnderstandeth not the thinges that are of God and that they are foolishnesse vnto him And 2. Cor. 3. that all our sufficiencie is of God Si ad aliquid idonei sumus id ex deo est saith the Apostle Secondly he saith if man haue no free-will that then all vice may goe for currant But if hee meane free-will and the power therof according to the Doctrine of the Papistes then his conclusion wil not passe for currant nor will his vize-ship prooue more vicious holding with vs according to the Doctrine of the Scriptures and Fathers then he now is esteemed defending the decretales of Popes and Copper Doctrine of Schoole-men The seauenth Chapter of his 7. Booke containeth an inuectiue against vs as if we taught that all Gods commaundements are simply impossible But heerein it seemeth that wilfully he◠mistaketh our Doctrine that hee might the better vent his swelling eloquence to his gaping and witlesse Diciples For we neither hold that the Law is simply in it selfe impossible nor teach that it is impossible simply for the regenerat man to performe the Law of God in part But we say that the vnregenerate cannot performe any Law of God in such sort as hee should and that the regenerate cānot so perfectly performe the whole law as he ought And this we know is the doctrine of the holye Apostles Fathers of the Church Saint Peter Act. 15. saith the Law was a yoake which neither the Disciples of Christ nor their Fathers were able to beare Quid tentatis deum saith he vt imponatur iugum super ceruices discipulorū quod neque patres nostri neque nos portare potuimus Saint Paul Rom. 7. speaking of himselfe saith the Law was spirituall and he carnall sold vnder sinne And Rom. 8. the affection of flesh is death and enmitie against God and is neither subject to the Law of God nor can bee Saint Ambrose in Galat. 3. saith that the commaundementes of God are so great that it is impossible to keepe them Tanta sunt mādata vt impossibile sit seruari ea Likewise lib.
sottish intollerable He cōmeth to the King as he saith armed with hope constrayned by necessitie in the name of the Kings Catholike subiects in the name of the Catholike Church in the name of all Catholike Princes and of all the Christian worlde nay in the name of the great King of heauen and earth But as the common Prouerbe is The hilles trauaile and out commeth a ridiculous Mouse For first what hope can this armed fellowe pretend to obtaine fauourable audience either of the King or State that not onely rayleth on true religion and the Kings true subjectes but also pleadeth for such as of late sought to destroye both the King and State Againe how can he and his consortes talke of comming armed with hope when Catesbie and his followers came armed with yron to cut the Kings throte and to take away our liues and when his armes are not hope nor arguments but bitter Inuectiues dartes of slaunder and malicious fictions Thirdly no man is compelled by necessitie to play the Vice and that without all colour or vizor of modestie For what is more Vice-like then for such a pild compagnion to pretend the name of all the Christian worlde and all Catholike Princes being not able to shewe commission either from any Prince or any part of the Christian worlde Fourthlye not onely all the Catholike Church but also all Catholike Princes doe disauow this presumptuous fellowes pretended Commission renouncing his impious doctrine concerning the faith and Sacraments his trecherous opinions concerning the Popes vsurped authority in deposing and killing Christian King's his wicked defence of the worship of Saints and Angels and all his idle declamations lewd lyes heathenish impostures false doctrines heresies Fiftly the Papists of England for the most part doe euill deserue the name of subjectes But were they ranked among subjectes yet are they not to be ranked among Catholikes seeing they receiue the errors of the modern Synagogue of Rome erre in the faith How-soeuer they think of themselues they haue no reason to allowe their pild Proctors pleading for others who putteth them among theeues and murderers and concludeth that Papists are to haue a tolleration of their opinions because Theeues and murderers are now pardoned We say his conclusion is weake and simple For faultes once committed are more easily pardoned then a lycence graunted to commit faultes euer heer-after Further offences against our brethern are more easilye remitted then offences that are directly committed against God Sixtly if Princes that liue vnder the Pope and are his vassals would prefer any sute to the King they would cōmend it to wiser Agents and not to such a balde compagnion Seuenthly it is a grosse conceit of a raw diuine to thinke that the Christiā world euer beleeued in the Popes triple Crowne or guard of Switzers or embraced the doctrine of the Conuenticle of Trent and Schoolmen concerning Traditions Sacraments Purgatory Indulgēces worship of Saints and Angels and such like poyntes of Popish sayth Finally if this counterfet Legat doe not shew his Commission vnder Seale and plainly proue the Popes Decretales the doctrine of the Conuenticle of Trent School-men the Popes two swordes and all the trash of Poperie he is to be rejected as a frantike forger of newe Commissions and disauowed by his clyents as a foolish and simple pleader His reasons for tolleration of Popery are either grounded vpon false positions or else want forme of good conclusions That which he sayth of the Kinges Predecessors that with Crowne Scepter and Sword they mainteyned the moderne doctrine of the Romish Church is vtterly false For they neuer beleeued that the Pope had power to take away their Crownes or that Christians like Canibals did eate Christs flesh with their teeth and swallowe it downe into their bellyes or other moderne Romish errors heresies and impieties But did any ancient Princes maintaine errors that bindeth not their posteritie to continue therein We are not to folowe the steppes of our parents where them-selues tread awrye Constantine left the Paganisme of his auncestors The auncient Kinges of Spayne were Arians yet doe the later Kinges of Spayne detest Arianisme False it is also that the people of Scotland in time past were of the same faith which this Kellison teacheth at Doway It may bee they built Abbeyes worshipped Saints vsed some popish ceremonies more then christian religiō required But K. must prooue that they beleeued the doctrine of the Cōuenticle of Trent al the Popes decretales offended in jdolatrie as grossely and obstinately as the Papists doe now or else hee trifleth out time in vaine Thirdly hee speaketh not onely falsely but also absurdly where he promiseth honour to such Princes as imbrace Poperie For what can be more dishonorable then for Kings to become vassals to lose halfe their Subjects halfe their authoritye halfe their reuenues doth Kellison suppose it honorable for Kings to be controlled deposed killed or can any free English man endure to be subiect to Italians and strangers Fourthly vainely doth this declaimer promise felicitie to the Realme declyning to popery There can be no greater bondage nor miserie for mens soules then to be entangled with popish lawes traditions and censures Base it is to endure the Masse-priestes extortions and pillages greeuous to see the land deuoured by Caterpillers Fiftly we confesse it is honorable to conquer Heresie but this honor belongeth not to Princes blinded with poperie which is nothing else but a masse or compendium of diuers heresies Contrarywise if Masse-priests were rooted out and Gods true Religion in euerie quarter sincerely receiued then should we neither feare the wrath of God threatned against jdolaters and contemners of Religion nor the enmitie opposition of men hauing no meanes to hurt vs but by the practises mutinies of Papists Sixtly neither is the Religion professed in England new nor is popery old And therein I wil ioyne issue with this Surueyor if hee dare maintaine the contrarye Hee braggeth much but the surfet of popery hath distempered his wits Seauenthly it was honorable we confesse for Constantine to restore Christian Religion But what maketh this for poperie which was not in the world in the daies of Constantine nor many ages after Furthermore when Kellison shall be at any leysure and not troubled with his Gunpowder plots of high treason then we will shew and prooue to his teeth that poperie is a corruptiō of faith a declination frō Christian Religion to errors heresies Finally to secure the Kings life and the peace of the State this wise Orator offereth oathes But Christian people are too well acquainted with the practises of Papists to trust them eyther vpon oathes bands or pledges Of late while they were moste forward to offer oathes and all securitie that could be deuised then Pearcy and his mates were sitting powder vnder the Parliament house and laying a plot for a general massacre of all true Christians and for a
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
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
9. epist 71. He saith no man can auoide sinne Peccatum nemo euitare potest And with him coÌ„senteth S. Hierome in c. 3. ad Galat. affirming that no man can performe the Law Augustine lib. de perfect iustit sheweth reason why no man is able to fulfil that which is commaunded S. Chrysostome in his Homilyes vpon the epistle to the Romans speaking of the Law affirmeth plainely that it is a matter impossible to fulfill it Id verò saith he nemini possibile est And Bernard serm 50. in cantic saith that God commaunding thinges impossible made not men transgressors but humble And this is so plaine a matter that Thomas Aquinas wrighting vpon the third to the Galat. confesseth freely that it is impossible to fulfill the whole Law Implere totam legem saith hee est impossibile But what should we neede to produce so many testimonies when the Pelagians are condemned for Heretickes for saying that a man may liue without sinne which must needes follow if a man be able to fulfill the whole Law and when experience teacheth vs that euen the iust man falleth and all of vs offend in many things if then all those that affirme the Law to be impossible giue occasion of all impietie as this sottish Surueyor affirmeth hee had néede to distinguish subtilly if he meane to cleare the ancient Fathers and Christes Apostles from impietie If he teach contrary to them then is his Doctrine more like to sauor of impietie then that of the holy Apostles and auncient Fathers The rest of his seauenth Booke is nothing else but a rest of rayling termes degorged out of his cankerd and malicious stomacke and voyd of truth and proofe We answer therefore breefly and plainlye to the entent that heerafter hee may bee better enformed concerning our Religion first that Christ hath not freed vs from the obedience of Lawes and that this is no part of our fayth to hold so Nay we say that faithfull men as they are freed from the curse of the Law for their sinnes so by diuers arguments they are exhorted and stirred vp to hearken to the wordes of the Law and to yeeld their obedieÌ„ce vnto it Secondly we pronounce them anathema that shall say that God is the author of sinne and haue I trust fully discharged Maister Caluin from this most vniust imputation Thirdly we take them to bee brutish Heretikes in the forme of men that doe not diligently distinguish betweene vertue and vice In our Doctrine there is not the least suspicion of any such matter Fourthly of conscience wee speake according to the holy Apostle that groundeth it not vpon the Popes decretales but vpon the Law of God Fiftly we hate all pride knowing that humility is the cognizance of Christians and ground-worke of all vertues Sixtly wee exhort men to labour diligently in their vocation thinking them vnworthy to eate that will not worke Wee exhort all men also to doe good workes and that while it is day because the night commeth when no man can worke so farre are we from allowing idlenesse Seuenthly we hold that Mariage is honorable among all degrees of men and say that God will iudge adulterers and fornicators We teach chastity wee punish vnchast and lecherous persons Finally our Doctrine doth shew the way for sinners to arise and to be loosed from the bondes of sinne What a shamlesse fellow then is this to make these Doctrines falsely imputed to vs rules of our Religion when we not only renounce them but also detest them and the reporter of them The Papists iustly charged with that which is falsâ—ly iâ—â—â—â—ed 〈◊〉 But if we looke backe and reflect our eyes vpon the Doctrine and practice of Papists we shal then perceiue them to be guilty of that which they most wickedly and slaundrously impute vnto vs. First as if Christ had freed them from al lawes so they contemne all Lawes The Pope taketh vppon him not only to dispence against the Doctrine of the Apostle and the Law morall but also to loose the subiectes from the obedience of lawes to arme them against their Princes The Masse-priests and marked slaues of Antichrist are exempted from al burthens of Law And Emanuel sa in his Aphorismes saith that the rebellioÌ„ of a Clerke against his Soueraigne Lord is no treason because he is not his Subject Secondly albeit they say that God is not the Author of sinne yet they hold that their idolatrous doctrine of worship of Angels Saintes and Images that the rebellious and treacherous practises of Subiects against Princes vpon warrant of the Pope that the hereticall opinions and traditions of the Synagogue of Rome which are moste wicked and sinfull are of God They blush not also to say that the pope papacy is of God But he is the man of sinne and his state is the Kingdome of Antichrist Thirdly as if they put no difference betwixt vertue and vice so they chuse Prelates Cardinals Popes indifferentlye without respect to theâ—r pietie learning and other good qualities The Pope he dispenseth with all vices the people liueth moste beastly Petrarch in his Sonnets calleth Rome Babylon in regard of the confusion there In his Epistles without title speaking of the Popes Court all goodnesse saith he is there lost Omne ibi bonum perditur Bernard lib. 4. de consid speaking of the Romans saith they were impious towards God profane in haÌ„dling holy thinges seditious one toward another Breidenbach in the historie of his trauailes sheweth a maruellous corruption to haue growne among the people of his time Recessit lex à sacerdotibus saith hee à principibus iusticia consilium à senioribus à populo sides That is the Lawe is departed from Preestes justice from rulers counsell from the Elders and good dealing from the people And least any man might doubt of the indifferent opinion that Papists haue both of good bad the Pope granteth indulgences to all and Preestes absolue all that come to them and promise heauen to all Fourthly hee that seeketh for conscience must neuer hope to finde it among Papistes who making conscience to worke on a holy day and to eate flesh on Frydaies were nothing scrupulous to murder olde and young men and women and all sortes of people and without forme of law to kill many thousands of innocent Christians as may appeare by the bloody massacre of France Anno 1572. and by diuers exequutions doone vpon men of our religion both there and in other places Of late in England Pearcy and his mates being resolued to blow vp the vpper house of Parliament and to make a generall massacre of such as feared God were absolued by Iesuites and Masse-priestes and promised heauen for their good seruice To make a somme of all they make no conscience to make idoles and to worship them to violate the Saboth to rebell against Magistrates or parents or to breake any law of God But to breake the Popes orders or their owne traditions they
accompt it a matter very heynous Fiftly next to Lucifer the Pope excelleth in pride He treadeth on Princes neckes he giueth his feete to bee kissed hee rideth on mens shoulders he is called a God on the earth and vsurpeth his honor Such also are the Prelates and the rest of the popish Clergie Auentinus lib. 6. annal in praef sheweth they excell in pride and with goods giuen to the poore keepe Dogges Horses Harlots Pauperum alimentis canes equos scorta alunt Sixtly neuer was idlenesse more in price then since Monkes and Fryars came into the world They deuoure the fruites of the painefull labour of others and intend nothing but to eate drinke sleepe and to inioy carnall pleasures Of such we may say with the Apostle 2. Thess 3. Hee that laboureth not let him not eate Seauenthly albeit the Masse-priestes Monkes Nonnes and Fryars forsweare marriage yet not sect of Religion or state of men or women is more impure Honorius Augustodunensis speaking of Nunnes saith they are more common then Harlots Omnibus fornicarijs peius prosternuntur In England most horrible abhominations were found in the visitation of Abbyes Petrus de Alliaco lib. de reformat Eccles and Theodoric à Niem in nemore vnion diuers others shew that albeit Priestes were not marryed yet commonly they kept Harlots and that now is euident in our times by common experience Sacerdotes moderni saith Holcot in lib. sap lect 182. sunt similes sacerdotibus Baal sunt angeli apostatici sunt similes sacerdotibus Dagon sunt sacerdotes priapi sunt angeli abyssi The Priestes of his time he resembleth to heathen Priestes and sheweth how much they were subiect to lechery and heathenish impieties Finally the Doctrine of Popery is a doctrine full of licenciousnesse the Popes of Rome take vpon them to dispense with all sins and wickednes Their indulgences as the Germans Grauam 3. complaine are causes of many mischiefes hinc stupra say they incestus adulteria periuria homicidia furta rapinae foenora ac tota malorum lerna They take vppon them to absolue moste wicked sinners à poena culpa Nay euerie Masse-priest challengeth to himselfe power to giue absolution to such as come to confession The Iesuites of late absolued them before hand which by gun-powder went about to blow vp the Parliament house HaÌ„mond the Iesuite absolued Pearcy Catesby and their fellowes taking armes against their King and Countrie While men hope to satisfie for their sinnes in purgatorie they deferre repentance to the last breath Their enemies they tye with yron bondes Alexander the 3. would not release the Emperor vntill he had trod on his necke with his feete and vsed him with greate indignities Contrarywise they promise heauen to their friends though laden with greeuous siâ—s They hold euerie transgression of the Popes decretales to bee sinne This is therefore a Religion that both promiseth reward to cutthroates greeuous sinners and by their indulgences absolutions and fancies of purgatory hold a sinner so fast bound in sinne that there can bee no hope for him to bee loosed as long as he followeth their wicked Doctrines As for Luther and Caluin they are farre from such wicked courses They teach christian liberty But they extend it not so that they exempt Christians eyther from the obedience of Gods lawes or mans lawes but onely from the cursse of the law and from humane traditions that they binde not mens consciences They distinguish Christ Moyses And so would Kellison too but that hee talketh hee knoweth not what Of Moyses his law they make diuers vses and onelye detract from it the effect of iustification and saluation by reason it accuseth man of sinne and is not fulfilled The Apostle also teacheth if iustice were of the law that Christ had dyed in vaine Of the author and original of sinne and of conscience they teach most Christianlye following therein the Doctrine of the Apostles and holy Fathers of the church The pride of the Pope his adherents they detested and refused both by wordes and examples and so farre were they from idlenesse and allowing of idlenesse that they thought him vnworthy to liue or eate that laboured not in some honest and lawfull vocation Concerning chastitie they taught as truely as the Papists wickedly They shewed that it consisted not in forswearing marriage but in abstinence from all filthie thoughtes actes and speeches That which some impute to Luther of taking the Mayde when the wife refuseth is a meere calumniation He sheweth onely what some doe or at the least threaten to doe and not what they ought to doe Of the degrees of consanguinitie they teach better then the Pope They neuer taught that a man might marrie his brothers wife or his Neece or his Sister as the Popes haue doone Finally they hold no sinners fast bound in sinnes but shew the right way how to rise from sinne by faith in Christ and true repentance clearing those doubts which before had entangled many Christian soules and brought them to vtter destruction If then this K. had not had his conscience seared his eyes seeled and his vnderstanding darkned in these points he would haue seene and acknowledged the deformities of his owne fellowes Doctrine and abstained from accusing others Chap. 11. A reiection of Kellisons slaunderous accusations imputing in his 8. Booke Atheisme and contempt of Religion to the professors of true and Christian Religion in the Church of England COnsorte not thy selfe with detractors saith Salomon Prouerb 24. For their destruction shall come vppon them suddenly But Kellison was not so wise as to borrowe light from so wise and prudent a King He hath chosen rather to imitate fooles who as if all their treasure were in their tongues count it gaine to speake lewdely of their betters Istic est thesaurus stultis in lingua situs saith plautus in paenulo vt quaestui habeant malè loqui melioribus Forgetting his friendes in Italy Spaine and other countries groaning vnder the captiuity of Antichrist in his preface he chargeth his natiue couÌ„try of England as vnfortunate for ingendring a certaine Monster called Atheistes But if our Countrie men had lesse frequented Italy there had béene farre lesse Atheisme then in England now there is It is well knowne that Machiauelisme came from Italy and rose not in England and how Englishmen Italienated are said to be like Diuels incarnated Furthermore if the Masse-priestes as they haue brought with them the dregges of Popish heresies had not also brought with them the sinnes of Sodome and mixed diuine Religion with temporall policies and state practises seeking with fire and Gun-powder to reestablish in this kingdome the Popes tyranny then had he had no colour of this imputation Neither dooth this any way concerne vs that professe Religion heere in England beeing the proper crime of the Italianated and Hispaniolized Masse-priestes and their consortes that beeing inspired with the malicious spirit of Antichrist liue like Atheistes
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