Answer to the Proud Challenge of a Counterset Catholic, Answer · Answer · Article 22
The 22. article, although it be very confuſe, yet it conteyneth in effect 3. demandes.
1 I aske alſo whether any man for the ſpace of that 1000. yeres of blindenes could be ſaued, out of that ſecrete and ſmall Church, which they ſay was the true Church, if they aunſwer me, there might be ſome ſaued, with our Sacraments, and in the Communion or fellowſhip of the Papiſtes out of the Proteſtants Church, then there was a way to heauen, out of Gods Church: if they ſay that none could be ſaued by our Sacraments out of their cloſe Church, then all men yong and old periſhed for thoſe yeares without any hope of mercy, becauſe they could not vnite them ſelues, and be incorporate to that company and Congregation, whereof they neuer neither hearde, nor coulde by any meanes ſurmiſe. Therefore let any man aliue proue vntounto me that either any man could out of the true Church be ſaued.
NO man aliue that knoweth what the true Church meaneth, will ſay, that any man can be ſaued out of the true Church, for he that is not a member of the body of Chriſt, cā by no meanes receiue any benefit of Chriſt to his ſaluation. Therefore how long ſo euer the true Church were hidden, whether it were a thouſand yeres (as you beare men in hand that we ſhould ſay) or two thouſand yeares it is not materiall, this is certeyne, that out of this Church, none could be ſaued, and though you count it ſmal, as in deede in reſpect of the world, it is but a ſmall flocke, and fewe are elected, and fewe finde the ſtreit gate of life. Luke 12. Matth. 7. & 20. yet is the number of it greater, then mans eye commonly can diſcerne. As when Elias thought that he only had bene left alone of the true Church: God anſwered, that he had yet reſerued 7000. that neuer bowed their knee to Baal. 1. Reg. 19. And as Eſay declareth when the people ſhoulde be almoſt all deſtroyed, yet a remnant ſhould be ſaued, which though it ſeemed to be ſmall, yet it ſhould ouerflow and fill all the world with righteouſnes, Eſa. 10. and though it ſhal be like a gathering of grapes when vintage is ended, or the ſhaking of an oliue tree when men thinke they hauehave left nothing vppon it, yet there be two or three in the toppe amonge the boughes, & foure or fiue vnderunder the leaues in the higheſt brā ches. Eſay. 17. & 24.
2 Or that any other company could be knowne for the true and onelyonly Church but our common Catholike ſocietie.
THe true Catholike Church was neuer ſo ſecrete or hidden but it might be knowne of all thoſe that had eyes to ſee it, whoſe hartes were lightened with the ſpirite of God and were enſtructed by the worde of God, that they might vnderſtande the trueth, and knowe the ſpouſe of Chriſt from the common ſtrompet of Antichriſt.
3 Or that all men were damned for a thouſand yeares togither becauſe they coulde not finde, nor ſurmiſe of any other Church, then that which practiſeth all holy functions, which Chriſt left for our ſaluation in the world, and I recant.
WE take not vponupon vsus to medle with God his iudgments, whom he condemneth, & for what cauſes, further then the word of God teacheth vsus, namely that as many as hauehave not beleued in the onelyonly ſonne of God, are condemned for their vnbeliefe, other ſecret cauſes we remit to his ſecrete counſell and knowledge. And wheras you ſay that the popiſh church practiſeth all holy functions that Chriſt left for the ſaluation of his Church, it is moſt falſe: for firſt you doe not preach remiſſion of ſinnes in the bloode of Chriſt onelyonly, for either you preach not all, or elſe you preach remiſſion of ſinnes in any thing, rather then the onelyonly merites of Chriſt, as in mens owne merites, workes of ſupererogation, pardons, maſſes, beggarly ceremonies, as holy water, auriculer confeſſion &c. Secondly, you miniſter not the Sacraments purely according to Chriſt his inſtitution, but either corrupt and defile them with mans traditiōs, as you do Baptiſme, or elſe cleane chaūge the vſe of them, as in the Lordes Supper, which you make a Sacrifice, an idoll, a Prieſtes breakfaſt, and defraude the people of the one halfe of the ſacrament, as though you were wiſer then he, that inſtituted it in both kindes. Thirdly, diſcipline you hauehave conuerted into tyranny and couetouſnes, reteyning nothing but the name of it alone: Wherefore ſeeing you exerciſe no holy function after Chriſt his inſtitution, but cleane contrary to the ſame, and doe obſtinately defend the filthy whore of babylon againſt the cleare light of the Goſpell, & the true ſpouſe of Chriſt, ye ſhall be damned except you recant.