Two Treatises Against the Papists, Article rebutted 1
The first article conteyneth 3. demandes.
1 First I aske of the protestant what Church that was, which conuerted all these cuntries that be now Christian, to the faith of Christ?
IF you meane by Christians, true Christians, and by the faith of Christ, the true faith of Christ, I answere: only the true Church of Christ, hath had the worde of God and sacraments, as meanes which God vseth, to subdue al nations vntounto the obedience of the faith, as was the primitiue Church of the Apostles, which hath continued vntounto this daye by succession, not of personnes, and places, but of faith and truth, wherefore if the Papist can proue, that we holde not the same faith and trueth, vntounto which the Apostles conuerted the nations, we refuse to be called the Church or Congregation of Christ.
But if by Christians and Christian faith, you meane all them that professe the name of Christ, in the whole worlde, I aunswere, that the true Church of Christ, did not conuert them all, for in Aethiopia, there are yet people, conuerted by the false apostles, which taught circumcision, and obseruation of the lawe, in which heresie they continue vntounto this day, and it is manifest by all histories, that the nations of the Alanes, Gothes, and Vandales, were first conuerted by the Arrians.
2 And let him shew vntounto me, that euer his Church conuerted any people, or lande in the earth, from Idolatrie, or Gentility, or Iudaisme, to the true Religion of Christ, or that this his fayth was taught to any Nation in steede of true Christianity.
WE are members of that Church, which conuerted all landes in the earth that are conuerted, from Idolatry, Gentility, Iudaisme, or heresie, to the true Religion of Christ, and we affirme that the Apostles taught none other faith in steede of true Christiantie, but that which we hold, as we are readie to proue by the worde of God: And at this daye the most parte of Europe, is conuerted from Idolatrie, heresie, and Antichristianitie, vntounto the same true faith, that we mainteine, as in England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Denmarke, Suetia, Bohemia, Polonia, by publike authoritie, in Spaigne, and Italie, a great numbre vnderunder persecution and tyrannie. Also of the Iewes, no small numbre are conuerted to our religion, since the rising vp of the Gospell in our dayes.
3 Or any Church, but the common Catholike Church to hauehave don that, and I recant.
BEcause you meane by the common Catholike, not the true Catholike, but the popish church: First I denie that euer the popish church conuerted any people, to the true faith. Secondly, I denie that the popish church hath conuerted all nations, to the profession of Christ: For, it is shewed before, that the false Apostles, and Arians, conuerted some nations to the profession of Christes name, but yet to false religion, And it is also manifest by histories, that the Grecians, whome the papistes counte no parte of their church, but schismatikes, conuerted the Moscouites first of all, vntounto the profession of the name of Christ, which yet continue in their religion, being neither the true faith, nor yet popish religion. As for the popish church, as it is certeine, that it hath peruerted and corrupted all partes of the Latine, or Westerne Church, with Idolatry and false religion, so it shalbe harde for the papistes to proue, that it hath conuerted any Nation from Gentility to the popish religion, except some partes of Germanie, and them by force of armes, rather than by preaching, and reaching, as appeareth by the conuersion of Liuonia, Anno Domini 1200. of Prussia, Anno Domini 1254. and of Lithuania, Anno Domini 1386. wherefore I conclude that seeing I hauehave shewed that our Church, holding the true doctrine of the Apostles, is that which conuerted all nations to true religion, and that the popish church, hath not conuerted any people to true religion, nor all people to the profession of the name of Christ, this chalenger, whosoeuer he be, do the recant.