Reims Against Rome, Propositions · Proposition 13
XIII. Propoſition. That the Church of Rome cannot erre:
Confuted by their owne Bible.
I. IN it we reade, that ſhee is in particular forewarned to take heed of falling, Rom. 11. 20. which admonition proueth her poſſibilitie of erring.
II. It foretelleth of her Apoſtaſie. Yea, this Church, whichSee his Maieſties broke, and Biſhop Downham de Antichriſto & Reſponſ eius ad …eſſiam de Antic…r. they ſay cannot erre, and whereof the Pope is Head, is called the great Whore, named Babylon, drunken with the Saints blood, ſitting vponupon the Beaſt with ſeuen heads, hauing ten hornes, expounded by their owne Bible to be Rome, Reuel. 17. 1. 5, 6. the great Citie, ſituate vponupon ſeuen Hills, and which in Iohns dayes reigned ouer the Kings of the earth, verſ. 9, 18.
III. Their Bible telleth vsus, that there were begun in her vncharitable diſputations about eating, and not eating of ſome things; about obſeruation of dayes, Rom. 14. men, for theſe things condemning and deſpiſing one another. There were ſuch then, as were authors of diuiſions and ſcandals, contrary to the doctrine which the Saints then had learned, Rom. 16. 17. ſo that a defection was then breeding, and a beginning to erre from the Apoſtles doctrine in his dayes.
IV. The Epiſtle of Saint Paul written vntounto them, ſheweth, that ſhe hath erred: for his and her doctrine are at odds in many things; as for example in theſe for inſtance.
| The Romiſh Church. | Saint Paul. |
| She calleth not her ſelfe, A Church, but, The Church, and is euer boaſting of that name. | Hee neuer calleth them at Rome then, The Church, as in other Epiſtles he vſeth to call others; the Corinthians, Galatians, Epheſians, Reuel. 2. 1. &c. a point for Papiſts to note and to obſerue, why this title is not giuen her. |
| She ſaith, that God may be repreſented like an old man. | He teacheth it to be a Heatheniſh practice, for which God plagued them, Rom. 1. 23. |
| She teacheth, that all ſins deſerue not death, but in themſelues many are veniall. | He nameth 23. ſinnes, Rom. 1. 29, 30, 31. worthy of death; not for the Act, but for the conſent of heart, verſ. 32. and Rom. 6. 23. He ſaith, that the ſtipend of ſinne is death; he excepteth none. |
| She teacheth, that the Virgin Marie was without ſinne. | He teacheth otherwiſe; All to be vnderunder ſinne, Rom. 3. 9. All to hauehave ſinned, ver. 33. and he exempteth none, of either Iewes or Greekes; neither there, or any where elſe, ſaue Ieſus Chriſt onelyonly, Heb. 4. 15. |
| She teacheth, that they are iuſt fied by workes, and that before God. | He contrarily, Rom. 3. 24. We are iuſtified gratis by grace: for we account a man to be iuſtified by faith, without the workes of the Law, verſ 28. For if Abraham were iuſtified by works, he hath to glory; but not with God, Rom. 4. 2. |
| She teacheth, that concupiſcence in the regenerate is not ſinne. | He contrary calleth it ſinne, Rom. 7. 7. |
| She teacheth, that a man may perfectly fulfill the Law, and do workes of ſupererogation. | He teacheth the contrary, and that out of himſelf, Ro. 7, 15, 16, 18, 25. agreeing with our Sauiours teaching, Luk. 17. 10. |
| She teacheth, that the ſufferings of the Saints here, are worthy of eternall glory. | He teacheth, that the paſſions of this time are not condigne of glorie to come, Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. |
| She teacheth, that the Church cannot erre. | S. Paul ſheweth the contrary in Rom. 11. 19, 20, 21. by example of the Iſraelites, and doth forewarne the Romanes to take heed that God do not caſt them off. |
| She teacheth, that the Pope and his Clergie is not ſubiect to Ciuill Authoritie. | He teacheth the contrary, not exempting any, Rom. 13. 1, 3, 4, 6. with Tit. 3. 1. |
| She teacheth, that holineſſe is to be put in the obſeruation of daies, and difference of meates. | He maketh this as a thing indifferent, and teacheth that none are to contend about ſuch things, and that the kingdome of God ſtands not herein, Rom. 14. 1, 2, 5, 17. |
| She teacheth, that it is not profitable for all to reade the Scriptures. | He teacheth, that it was written for the vſe and comfort of all, Rom. 4. 23. & 15. 4. |
| She teacheth, to pray to Saints, Angels, and to the Virgin Marie, and to giuegive them praiſes for many things. | He teacheth to pray to God, Rom. 15. 30. and ſo prayeth he, Rom. 15. 5, 13, 33. and 16. 27. to none other prayeth he, nor giueth prayſes, but to God for his mercies. |
Thus we ſee them to be at odds with the Apoſtle, by the witneſſe of their owne Bible, laid to their doctrines. The like might be ſhewed out of the Epiſtles of Saint Peter, whom the Popes claime for their Rocke, and therefore their Church not onelyonly may, and doth erre.
And to make yet this more cleare, we will view them firſt in their virtuall Church, and then in their Church repreſentatiue.
The creame or quinteſſence of their Church (as it is reduced to an Elixir by the Refiners and Alchymiſts the Ieſuites) is ſqueczed into a little roome, and comprized in the Pope, whom they call the Virtuall Church. Of his Holyhood they auouch,