Two Treatises Against the Papists, Article rebutted 21
The 21. article conteyneth but one demande.
1 Moreouer, I aske of the Protestants: whether in that time, in which they holde the true church to hauehave bene hidden or lost: the people that learned this article of their Creede (I beleue the Catholike church) was bounde to goe from that church which they sawe, and taught them both the article, and all other thinges touching their faith and by which they were Christened, and receyued all other sacraments, and commodities of saluation, whether they were bounde, I say, to beleue this vnknowen and close Congregation, which they coulde neuer come vntounto, nor by which they euer receiued; or coulde receiue any benefit, and so forsake that church by whom and in whom, they receiued both their faith and sacraments: Shew me therefore that the Christian men of these dayes, were charged to beleeue any other church than that, which taught them the article of the church, and baptized them, and I recant.
THis demande, is like a drunken mans dreame, hauing neither heade nor foote: whether they shoulde beleue the church was lost: whether they shoulde beleue the church that was vnknowen to them, &c. But if your demande hauehave any sense in it: This is my aunswere. The church was neuer lost, but hidden from the eyes of the worlde: Therefore, if the people that where taught that article: To beleue the Catholike church, and were baptized to your church, vnderstood that this church, was not the Catholike church, which was so commonly called, but that God had a secret Congregation, which was in deed, the true Catholike church, they were bound to forsake your church, and to beleue the secret Congregation: for if a man had ben baptized of the Arrians and being brought vp by them, had learned that article, to beleue the Catholike church, which the Arrians would expound to be them selues, if afterward, by God his helpe, this man vnderstood, that the church of the Arrians, was not the catholike church, as he was taught it was, but that Athanasius, and a few other, that were banished and persecuted, were the true Catholike church: he was bounde to leaue the Arrians, commonly called the church, and to ioyne him selfe with the secret, banished, hidde, and persecuted church of Christ. But as for your Popish church, in that time of blindenesse and error taught not the people that article, nor any other but kept them backe from the knowledge, as well of that article, as of all other thinges that were necessary to their saluation: for you taught them nothing els, but to pronounce, and that full il fauoredly, like popingeys, certeine latine wordes, which they vnderstoode no more than stockes or stones. So that the people had no instruction of you, no not of the name of God, in many places but that they receiued by vncertaine talke of their parentes, as it were from hande to hande: for how many thousand parishes are there in Englande, that within these 60. yeares woulde declare, that they neuer hearde sermon in their life. As for that they hearde of their seruice, they learned as much of it, as of the ringing of their belles, which was a sounde without vnderstanding. Therefore you may be ashamed to speake of teaching the people, their belefe and all thinges necessary for saluation, when you hauehave counted it heresie to learne their creede in English, or to reade the scripture in English, in which is conteined all thing necessary to be knowen for euerlasting saluation. Finally because you requier me to shew you that the Christian people of those dayes, were bounde to beleue any other church than that, which taught them the article of the church and baptised them, I trow I will so shew it you, that for both your eares, you dare not deny it: how saye you? The Christian people of the Greeke church, which were taught by the Greeke church, that article of the church, and by the same Greeke church were baptised, whether ought they to beleue any other church but the Greeke church? If you say no: then you acknowledge the Greeke church to be the true church which denieth the Popes authoritie, if you saye yea: Then you are welcome home, you recant.