Answer to the Proud Challenge of a Counterset Catholic, Answer · Answer · Article 26
The 26. article conteyneth in effect but 3. demandes.
1 Shew me againe whether any man of yeares may be ſaued, except he beleue the Catholike Church?
THere is no man of what age or yeares ſoeuer he be that can be ſaued, except he be a member of the Catholike church. But how neceſſary it is to beleue the Catholike church, it is very doubtfull, as you demande, and as the concluſion of this article ſeemeth to require. If you meane that it is neceſſary to beleue the Catholike church, that is to ſay, that God hath an holy vniuerſall Congregation, I graunt it is neceſſary to beleue. But I vtterly deny that ye Romiſh church is that holy Catholike church. But if you meane (as it ſeemeth) and as the reſt of the Papiſtes doe interprete that article, I beleue the Catholike church, that is: I beleue, what ſoeuer the church doth allow, to be true: I deny that it is neceſſary to ſaluation, that a Chriſtian man ſhould ſo beleue the Catholike church, both becauſe the church may erre, & alſo becauſe ſomething may be commonly receiued of the church, which is not materiall to ſaluation. And that this is a falſe interpretation of this article of our Creede, I beleue the Catholike church, that is: I beleue what ſo euer ſhe doth ſet forth or maintaine, to be true, appeareth manifeſtly by the wordes them ſelues: For who euer was ſo ignorant in the Latine tongue, to thinke that Credere Eccleſiam, and Credere Eccleſiae, were all one in ſignification. In deede if the wordes were: Credo Eccleſiae Catholicae, in the datiue caſe, this interpretation might take place, but when it is in the accuſatiue caſe, Credo Eccleſiam Catholicam, A boy that woulde conſter it otherwiſe than thus: I beleue that there is a Catholike church, were worthy to hauehave a dooſen ſtripes for his labour. Moreouer this common diſtinction of Credere in Deum, that is: to put our truſt in God. Credere Deum, that is: to beleue that there is a God, and Credere Deo, that is: to geue credit to God, that he ſpeaketh the trueth, plainely ouerthroweth this fooliſh and falſe interpretation: For we ſay not: Credo in Eccleſiam, that is: I put my whole truſt in the Church, for that were blaſphemie, againſt God, in whome only we muſt beleue, neither do we ſay: Credo Eccleſiae, that is: I geue credit to the Church, as though ſhe ſhoulde alwaies ſpeake the trueth: But we ſaye and confeſſe againſt all heretikes and ſciſmatikes: Credo Eccleſiam &c. that is: I beleue, that there is one Holy, Catholike, and Apoſtolike church, whereof I am a member &c. Finally, when the articles following, are ſpoken in one context and phraſe, it can not be choſen, but that they muſt hauehave one kinde of interpretation Communionem Sanctorum, Remiſſionem peccatorum, Carnis reſurrectionem, that is: I beleue the Communion of Sainctes, the forgeueneſſe of ſinnes, the Reſurrection of the body, &c. whereof the interpretation muſt needes be this: I beleue that there is a Communion of Sainctes, that there is forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, &c. Euen ſo I beleue, that there is a Catholike Church, which is an article of our crede, neceſſary to be beleued of eueryevery Chriſtian man, but to beleue all and eueryevery thing that the Catholike church, by commō conſent doth maintaine, is no article of our Faith, and therefore not neceſſary to ſaluation.
2 And that is it which hath in the face of all the worlde practiſed preaching: the conuerſion of nations to the obedience of the Goſpell: that hath alwaies had the miniſtring of ſacraments, the hearing of matters in controuerſie, power Iudiciarie in Eccleſiaſticall cauſes, the orderly ſucceſſion of Byſhops, vniformitie in ſolemne ceremonies, vnity in faith, that hath in her ſelfe all holy functions of the ſpirite, as working of miracles, remiſſion of ſinnes, the true ſence and interpretation of Gods word that is bewtified by the diuerſitie of ſtates, commended by Chriſt in the Goſpell, as with Virgines, with Martyrs, with Confeſſors, and the reſt.
BEcauſe theſe colewortes hauehave bene ſodden twiſe or thryſe already, they are not worthy to be ſhewed in ſeuerall diſher, but euen as they are here mingled all togither in an hochpotte. Of theſe notes that you make proper to the Catholike Church (as it hath bene declared before) ſome are not alwaies neceſſary in ye catholike church: As open preaching in the face of the world, open miniſtring of Sacraments and execution of diſcipline, theſe are not to be required in a perſecuted Church. Some were proper for a time, and then ceaſed, as working of miracles, and diuers other functions of the ſpirite. Some are neuer neceſſary in the Church, as ſucceſſion of Biſhops, vniformitie in ceremonies, &c. But of all theſe notes, there is not one that is proper to the Church of Rome: for ſhe hath not alwaies practiſed open preaching, and neuer preached the worde of truth, ſhe hath conuerted but few nations to her Religion, from Gentilitie, and them rather by warre, than by preaching: ſhe neuer had ſence ſhe firſt aroſe, the miniſtring of ſacraments according to Chriſt his inſtitutiō, ſhe hath hard matters in controuerſie, not for furtherance of Iuſtice, but for louelove of money. Her iudiciarie power, may be diſpenſed withall for money. She hath had no orderly ſucceſſion of Biſhops, except an hore be an orderly Biſhop of the Church of Rome: And except ſo many ſchiſmes as they write of, be orderly ſucceſſions: ſhe hath not vniformitie in all ceremonies, for diuerſe nations, and diuerſe Churches in theſe nations hauehave diuers ceremonies, as Sarum, Yorke, Bangor, &c. in England: ſhe hath not vnitie in faith: for it is not yet determined, of one of the greateſt articles of Popiſh faith, whether the Pope be aboue the church: ſhe hath no holy functions of God his ſpirite, but prophane vſages of mens inuentions: ſhe hath no true miracles, but the power of Antichriſt in lying ſignes and wonders. She hath nothing leſſe then the true ſenſe of God his worde, which ſubmitteth the ſame to her owne corrupt and changeable iudgement. She is not bewtified with eſtates commended in Scripture, as Apoſtles, Euangeliſts, Prophets, Paſtors and Teachers, but with Popes, Cardinalls, Monkes, Chanons, Fryers, &c. In ſteede of virgines, ſhe hath filthy ſtrumpets, her Nunnes, or elſe ſuch fooliſh virgines as bring no oyle in their lampes: ſhe hath no Martyrs, but obſtinate traytors, as Becket, Fiſher, More, &c. ſhe hath no confeſſors of trueth, though ſhe hauehave ten thouſand mainteyners of ſalſhood and lyes: Wherfore if theſe be the notes of ye Catholike Church, ye Church of Rome can in no wiſe be that ſame.
3 Proue vntounto me that this is not the true Church, or that we be not bound to obey this Church and no other in all controuerſies, and doubtes rayſed either by the difficultie of the Scripture, or by the vayne contention & pride of hereſie, and I recant.
I HaueHave proued, euen immediatly before that not one of thoſe notes, which you count to be markes of the true Church, is proper to your Church. And therefore it is not the truth, neither ought it to be obeyed in any thing. And as for doubtes that ariſe by difficultie of Scripture, or contention of hereſie, muſt be reſolued and determined, as it is abundantly declared before, onelyonly by the Scriptures: for the hard places of the Scripture muſt be opened by eaſie places, and heretikes muſt be confuted, by the Scriptures: for there is neuer hereſie, but there is as great doubt of the Church, as of the matter in queſtion, onelyonly the Scripture is the ſtay of a Chriſtian mans conſcience, which I woulde wiſh that you would truely embrace and recant.