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
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
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