Answer to the Proud Challenge of a Counterset Catholic, Answer · Answer · Article 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 receyned 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 ilfauoredly, 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.