Answer to the Proud Challenge of a Counterset Catholic, Answer · Answer · Article 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.
VVE 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 teaching, 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.