Two Treatises Against the Papists, Article rebutted 26
The 26. article conteyneth in effect but 3. demandes.
1 Shew me againe whether any man of yeares may be saued, except he beleue the Catholike Church?
THere is no man of what age or yeares soeuer he be that can be saued, except he be a member of the Catholike church. But how necessary it is to beleue the Catholike church, it is very doubtfull, as you demande, and as the conclusion of this article seemeth to require. If you meane that it is necessary to beleue the Catholike church, that is to say, that God hath an holy vniuersall Congregation, I graunt it is necessary to beleue. But I vtterly deny that ye Romish church is that holy Catholike church. But if you meane (as it seemeth) and as the rest of the Papistes doe interprete that article, I beleue the Catholike church, that is: I beleue, what soeuer the church doth allow, to be true: I deny that it is necessary to saluation, that a Christian man should so beleue the Catholike church, both because the church may erre, & also because something may be commonly receiued of the church, which is not materiall to saluation. And that this is a false interpretation of this article of our Creede, I beleue the Catholike church, that is: I beleue what so euer she doth set forth or maintaine, to be true, appeareth manifestly by the wordes them selues: For who euer was so ignorant in the Latine tongue, to thinke that Credere Ecclesiam, and Credere Ecclesiae, were all one in signification. In deede if the wordes were: Credo Ecclesiae Catholicae, in the datiue case, this interpretation might take place, but when it is in the accusatiue case, Credo Ecclesiam Catholicam, A boy that woulde conster it otherwise than thus: I beleue that there is a Catholike church, were worthy to hauehave a doosen stripes for his labour. Moreouer this common distinction of Credere in Deum, that is: to put our trust in God. Credere Deum, that is: to beleue that there is a God, and Credere Deo, that is: to geue credit to God, that he speaketh the trueth, plainely ouerthroweth this foolish and false interpretation: For we say not: Credo in Ecclesiam, that is: I put my whole trust in the Church, for that were blasphemie, against God, in whome only we must beleue, neither do we say: Credo Ecclesiae, that is: I geue credit to the Church, as though she shoulde alwaies speake the trueth: But we saye and confesse against all heretikes and scismatikes: Credo Ecclesiam &c. that is: I beleue, that there is one Holy, Catholike, and Apostolike church, whereof I am a member &c. Finally, when the articles following, are spoken in one context and phrase, it can not be chosen, but that they must hauehave one kinde of interpretation Communionem Sanctorum, Remissionem peccatorum, Carnis resurrectionem, that is: I beleue the Communion of Sainctes, the forgeuenesse of sinnes, the Resurrection of the body, &c. whereof the interpretation must needes be this: I beleue that there is a Communion of Sainctes, that there is forgiuenesse of sinnes, &c. Euen so I beleue, that there is a Catholike Church, which is an article of our crede, necessary to be beleued of eueryevery Christian man, but to beleue all and eueryevery thing that the Catholike church, by commō consent doth maintaine, is no article of our Faith, and therefore not necessary to saluation.
2 And that is it which hath in the face of all the worlde practised preach…ng: the conuersion of nations to the obedience of the Gospell: that hath alwaies had the ministring of sacraments, the hearing of matters in controuersie, power Iudiciarie in Ecclesiasticall causes, the orderly succession of Byshops, vniformitie in solemne ceremonies, vnity in faith, that hath in her selfe all holy functions of the spirite, as working of miracles, remission of sinnes, the true sence and interpretation of Gods word that is bewtified by the diuersitie of states, commended by Christ in the Gospell, as with Virgines, with Martyrs, with Confessors, and the rest.
BEcause these colewortes hauehave bene sodden twise or thryse already, they are not worthy to be shewed in seuerall dishes, but euen as they are here mingled all togither in an hochpotte. Of these notes that you make proper to the Catholike Church (as it hath bene declared before) some are not alwaies necessary in ye catholike church: As open preaching in the face of the world, open ministring of Sacraments and execution of discipline, these are not to be required in a persecuted Church. Some were proper for a time, and then ceased, as working of miracles, and diuers other functions of the spirite. Some are neuer necessary in the Church, as succession of Bishops, vniformitie in ceremonies, &c. But of all these notes, there is not one that is proper to the Church of Rome: for she hath not alwaies practised open preaching, and neuer preached the worde of truth, she hath conuerted but few nations to her Religion, from Gentilitie, and them rather by warre, than by preaching: she neuer had sence she first arose, the ministring of sacraments according to Christ his institutiō, she hath hard matters in controuersie, not for furtherance of Iustice, but for louelove of money. Her iudiciarie power, may be dispensed withall for money. She hath had no orderly succession of Bishops, except an hore be an orderly Bishop of the Church of Rome: And except so many schismes as they write of, be orderly successions: she hath not vniformitie in all ceremonies, for diuerse nations, and diuerse Churches in these nations hauehave diuers ceremonies, as Sarum, Yorke, Bangor, &c. in England: she hath not vnitie in faith: for it is not yet determined, of one of the greatest articles of Popish faith, whether the Pope be aboue the church: she hath no holy functions of God his spirite, but prophane vsages of mens inuentions: she hath no true miracles, but the power of Antichrist in lying signes and wonders. She hath nothing lesse then the true sense of God his worde, which submitteth the same to her owne corrupt and changeable iudgement. She is not bewtified with estates commended in Scripture, as Apostles, Euangelists, Prophets, Pastors and Teachers, but with Popes, Cardinalls, Monkes, Chanons, Fryers, &c. In steede of virgines, she hath filthy strumpets, her Nunnes, or else such foolish virgines as bring no oyle in their lampes: she hath no Martyrs, but obstinate traytors, as Becket, Fisher, More, &c. she hath no confessors of trueth, though she hauehave ten thousand mainteyners of falshood and lyes: Wherfore if these be the notes of ye Catholike Church, ye Church of Rome can in no wise be that same.
3 Proue vntounto me that this is not the true Church, or that we be not bound to obey this Church and no other in all controuersies, and doubtes raysed either by the difficultie of the Scripture, or by the vayne contention & pride of heresie, and I recant.
I HaueHave proued, euen immediatly before that not one of those notes, which you count to be markes of the true Church, is proper to your Church. And therefore it is not the truth, neither ought it to be obeyed in any thing. And as for doubtes that arise by difficultie of Scripture, or contention of heresie, must be resolued and determined, as it is abundantly declared before, onelyonly by the Scriptures: for the hard places of the Scripture must be opened by easie places, and heretikes must be confuted, by the Scriptures: for there is neuer heresie, but there is as great doubt of the Church, as of the matter in question, onelyonly the Scripture is the stay of a Christian mans conscience, which I woulde wish that you would truely embrace and recant.