Answer to the Proud Challenge of a Counterset Catholic, Answer · Answer · Article 28
The 28. article conteyneth 3. demandes.
1 If vnitie in Faith, auſteritie of life, ſharpe diſcipline, great penance, much faſting, large almes, godly deuotion, obedience to higher powers, grauitie and conſtancie in all caſes, be not the ſignes of the true Church.
IF you aſke of true Faith, repentance, diſcipline, &c. theſe might be ſignes of the true Church, but if you meane vnitie in any faith, &c, as it ſeemeth by your wordes, the Mahometiſtes and Turkes, are the true Church, for they hauehave vnitie in their faith, auſteritie of life, ſharpe diſcipline, faſting, almes, deuotion, obedience, grauitie, Conſtance, &c. as much, or rather more then the popiſh church.
2 Or be not more in our Church then in their Congregation, I recant.
YOu hauehave not vnitie in true faith: for you knowe not what it meaneth, but are vtter enemies vntounto it, and in your owne principles, there is no vnitie, whether the Pope or the Councell be ſuperior, &c. you may, as all hypocrites, pretende auſteritie of life, when you are moſt luxurious riotors, as the world knoweth: your diſcipline is not ſo ſharpe, but money wil make it blunt: you hauehave great penance but no true repentance, you hauehave much abſtinence from meates, which is the doctrine of diuills, but you faſt as litle as other men: your almes are large but without faith, and therefore duplicate page duplicate page ſinne: your deuotion is blinde, and not godly, but like her mother Ignorance: you are diſobedient to Chriſtian Magiſtrates, ſubmitting your ſelues to Antichriſt: your grauitie and conſtancie in all caſes, is better commended of yourſelf, then knowne of other men: Wherefore being voyde euen of theſe, which you make the ſignes of the true Church, you are none of the true Church, except you recant.
3 But if diſcorde in religion, licentiouſnes in lyuing, contempt of Diſcipline, reiecting of penance, lotheſomneſſe of faſting, lacke of zeale and deuotion, diſobedience to Magiſtrates, ſacriledge, apoſtacie, breach of vowes, vnlawfull luſtes, wantonneſſe in all life and maners, if theſe thinges, I ſay, agree not better to the Proteſtants, than the Catholikes, or if theſe be not the plaine ſignes and fructes of a falſe church, and doctrine, I recant.
WE acknowledge that in the outward face of our church, be many hypocrites, chargeable with theſe crimes that you ſpeake of, and we yelde our ſelues guiltie before God of greuous offences, that our life is not aunſwerable vntounto our doctrine: Neuertheleſſe we doubt not, but God for Chriſt his ſake, will hauehave mercy vponupon vsus. But if in life and conuerſation we be compared with you Papiſtes, euen the cheefeſt of your church, as Popes, Cardinalls, Byſhoppes, Monkes, &c. We dare approue our life to be honeſter both before God and men. You ſhall neuer be able to charge vsus with ſuch ryot, whoredome, adulterie, inceſt, ſodomitry, beſtiality, murther, poyſoning, necromancie, apoſtaſie, blaſphemie, &c. as both the worlde ſeeth to ouerflowe in your Prelates at this daye, and we are able to bring forth of your owne Cronicles and Hyſtories, to hauehave ben committed in times paſt: wherefore, for very ſhame, leaue of this compariſon. We meinteine no ſtewes, neither of males nor females, we ſet forth no bookes in commendation of Sodomitry, we exact no tribute of Courtiſans, to kepe open bawdrie, we priuiledge no writinges that teache men to committe vylanie, worthy of a thouſand deathes. Therefore be not ſo impudent, to charge vsus with theſe crimes aboue the Papiſtes, but rather forſake that filthie whore, the mother of all fornication, and recant.