Answer to the Proud Challenge of a Counterset Catholic, Answer · Answer · Article 2
The ſecond article conteyneth 4. demandes.
1 I aſke of him what Church it was, which hath induced the Chriſtian people through the whole worlde, to geue moſt humble credit in all points, to the holy bookes of the Byble?
I Aunſwere, it was the Church of Chriſt, and not the Popiſh church, which hath commended the bookes of holy Scripture, to be beleued of all true Chriſtians where ſoeuer they be, although it be the office of the holy Ghoſt, to open the hartes of men, and to forme them that they may beleue the ſcripture to be true, like as it is the office of the ſcripture or worde of God, to trie and examine, whether it be the ſpirite of God that perſwadeth vsus to beleue any thing, ſo the ſpirite beareth witneſſe to the worde and the worde to the ſpirite. As for the popiſh church it coulde not induce the Chriſtian people to geue credit to the ſcripture in all pointes, becauſe ſhe is contrarie to the ſcripture in many pointes: and euen in the cheefeſt pointes of Chriſtian Religion, namely in pointes concerning the glorie of God, and the ſaluation of mankinde, geuing the glory of God to dead men, and dumbe Images, and denying the mercy of God, pourchaſed by the onelyonly ſacrifice of Chriſtes death, to be the onelyonly cauſe of mans ſaluation. Finally ſeeing it is manifeſt by the aunſwere to the firſt article, that the popiſh church did not conuerte all nations, to the profeſſion of the Chriſtian faith, it is euident thereby, that the popiſh church did not induce all them, that are called Chriſtians, to geue credit to the bookes of the holy Bible, as this chalenger woulde hauehave it to be thought.
2 VVhat Church hath had the diſcerning & ſeuering of them from other writinges of all ſortes?
THe Church of Chriſt, hath not an abſolute authority to allow or refuſe bookes of the ſcripture, but a iudgment to diſcerne true writinge from counterfaicts, & the word of God, of infallible verity, from ye writing of men, which might erre, & this iudgement ſhe hath, not of her ſelfe, but of the holy Ghoſt: as for the popiſh Church, it can not be ſaid to hauehave this iudgemēt of diſcerning the ſcripture of God from other writings, not only becauſe ſhe is ſo blind that ſhe can not diſcerne betwene ye Canonical bookes of the ſcripture, from the Apocrypha writings, as appereth by receauing the bookes of the Machabees, Eccleſiaſticus, &c. to be of equall authoritie with ye bookes of the Law, Pſalmes, &c. but alſo becauſe ſhe is ſo preſumptuous, as to compel men to beleue, that Cuſtomes, and traditions, writinges of doctors, decrees of Popes, and Councells, are equall with the authoritie of God his worde, yea are of force, to alter and change the lawe of God, and the inſtitution of Chriſt, ſet forth vntounto vsus in ye ſcripture. And although ſhe boaſt that ſhe receaueth all the bookes of ſcripture, yet this proueth no more that ſhe is the Church of Chriſt, than was the churches of the Arrians, Donatiſtes, Nouatians, Euthychans, & other heretikes, which receiued the Bible, as well as the Popiſh church.
3 VVhat Church hath had the cuſtodie of them, and moſt ſafely hath preſerued them, for the neceſſary vſe of God his people, and from the corruption of aduerſaries, as well of Iewes, as heretikes of all ſortes?
THe prouidence of God, hath alwayes preſerued the Scripture, both from the violence of tyrants, & from the falſhoode of heretikes, and hath neuer ſuffred the true Church, to be deſtitute of the neceſſarie vſe thereof. But the popiſh church, hath not kept the ſcripture for the neceſſary vſe of the people, which hath ſo kept it in an vnknowen tongue, that the people coulde hauehave no vſe, much leſſe the neceſſary vſe thereof: wherefore if this be a note of the Catholike Church, to kepe the worde of God for the neceſſarie vſe of God his people, it is plaine that the popiſh church is not the Catholike Church, which hath kept the ſcripture ſo, that God his people coulde hauehave no vſe thereof.
And if the only cuſtodie of the ſcripture from corruption of heretikes, be a ſure note of the Church, why is not the Greeke Church, the Catholike Church, which vntounto this day hath kept the ſcripture as ſafely as the popiſh church? why are not other Eſtern Churches of Aſia, which neuer acknowledged the Pope, or popiſh religion, true Churches, which likewiſe hauehave preſerued the ſcripture, as we hauehave ſeen of late, that the newe Teſtament is printed in the Syrian tongue, at themperours charges, for the encreaſe of Chriſtian faith among them. And finally, why are not the Iewes, the Catholike Church, which hauehave kept the old Teſtament in Hebrue, more faithfully than euer the Papiſtes. And becauſe they boaſt of ſafe preſeruing of the ſcriptures, all men, that are learned in the tongues can teſtifie, in how corrupt a Latin tranſlation they hauehave kept the ſcriptures, both of the olde and of the new Teſtament.
4 And let the Proteſtant declare to me, that their Congregation hath had from time to time, or euer had right herein, or any other Church, ſauing the Catholike Church, and I recant.
OVr Congregation, which is the body of Chriſt, hath euer had, both right and poſſeſſion of the ineſtimable treaſure of the word of Chriſt her heade: as appeareth by this, that our Church and Congregation beleueth nothing but that ſhe learneth in it, acknowledgeth that all thinges profitable to ſaluation, are ſufficiently conteined in it, and finally in all thinges ſubmitteth her ſelfe to the iudgemēt of it. But the popiſh church, which beleueth many thinges contrarie to the ſcripture, teacheth many thinges beſide the ſcripture, neceſſary to ſaluation, and refuſeth to hauehave her faith, doctrine, and ceremonies, to be iudged by the ſcripture, neither hath, neither euer had, any right to the ſcripture, though ſhe hauehave neuer ſo many bookes of them in poſſeſſion. Wherefore theſe thinges conſidered, this chalenger doth recant.