A Trial of the Romish Clergys Title to the Church, Text and commentary · Quoted chapter 16 · Extract § 6
A. D. §. 6.
§ III. That the Romane Church onelyonly is Catholicke.
Thirdly I finde that the Proteſtants companie is not Catholicke, that is to ſay vniuerſall, neither in time, nor in place; for it came vp of late, and is but in few places of Chriſtendome: neither in points of doctrine; for their doctrine conſiſteth chiefely of negatiues, that is to ſay in denying diuers points, which hauehave bene generally held in former ages: as appeareth by the Chronicles of the Magdeburgenſes their owne Doctors, who confeſſe that the ancient Fathers held this and that, which they now denie. And there is no learned Protestant (vnleſſe he be too too impudent) but he will confeſſe, that there cannot be aſſigned a viſible companie of men (profeſſing the ſame faith, which they do) euer ſince Chriſt his time, continuing without interruption till now. And therefore, will he, nill he, he muſt confeſſe, that the Proteſtants Church is not vniuerſall, and therefore not Catholicke, as out of Scripture, I ſhewed Chriſts true Church muſt be.
But the Romane Church is Catholicke. For firſt, it hath bene continually without ceaſing ſince Chriſt and his Apoſtles time, ſtill viſibly (though ſometimes in perſecution) profeſſing the ſame faith which is receiued from the Apoſtles, without change till this day. It is therefore Catholicke or vniuerſall in time. It hath alſo had, and hath at this day, ſome in euerie countrey, where there are any Chriſtians, (which is almoſt, if not abſolutely euerie where) that communicateth and agreeth with it, in profeſſion of faith. Therefore it is alſo Catholicke or vniuerſall in place. It teacheth alſo an vniuerſall and moſt ample vniforme doctrine of God, of Angels, of all other creatures, and ſpecially of man, of mans firſt framing, of his finall end, of things pertaining to his nature, of his fall by ſinne, of his reparation by grace, of lawes preſcribed vntounto him, of vertues which he ought to embrace, of vices which he ought to eſchew, of Chriſt our Redeemer, his Incarnation, life, death, reſurrection, aſcenſion, and comming againe to iudgement, of Sacraments, and all other things, that any way pertaine to Chriſtian religion. Neither doth it at this day denie any one point of doctrine of faith, which in former times was vniuerſally receiued, for a veritie of the Catholicke Church. The which if any man will take vponupon him to gaineſay, let him ſhew and prooue if he can, what point of doctrine the Romane Church doth denie, or holde contrarie to that, which by the Church was vniuerſally held before: as we can ſhew diuers points that the Proteſtants ſo hold or denie. Let him (I ſay) ſhew and prooue by ſetting downe the point of doctrine, the author, the time, the place, and what companie did oppoſe themſelues againſt it, and who they were that did continue (as the true Church muſt ſtill continue) in the profeſſion of the former faith, lineally, without interruption, till theſe our daies: as we can ſhew and prooue against them. Let him alſo ſhew what countrey there is, or hath bene, where Chriſtian faith either was firſt planted, or afterwards continued, where ſome, at leaſt hauehave not holden the Romane faith: as we can ſhew euen at this day, diuers places where their religion is ſcarce heard of, eſpecially in the Indian, Iaponian, and China countries, which were not long ſince, firſt conuerted to the Chriſtian faith, onelyonly by thoſe, who were members of the Romane Church, and chiefly by Ieſuites ſent thither by the authoritie of the Pope. And to go no further then our deare countrie England: we ſhall finde in the Chronicles that it was conuerted by Augustine a Monke, ſent by Saint Gregorie the Pope, and that it cōtinued in that faith, without knowledge of the Proteſtants religion, which then, and for diuers See the Hiſtorie of Saint Bede, lib. 1. cap. 23.hundred yeares after, was neuer heard off, as being then vnhatched. The like record of other countries conuerted by meanes of thoſe onelyonly, who either were directly ſent by the Pope or Biſhop of Rome, or at leaſt, communicated and agreed in profeſſion of faith, with him, we may finde in other Hiſtories. Laſtly let him ſhew ſome ſpace of time, in which the Romane Church was not ſince Chriſt and his Apoſtles time, or in which it was not viſible & knowne: as we can ſhew them many hundred yeares, in which theirs was not at all. Let him (I ſay) therefore ſhew and prooue, (which neuer any yet did or can prooue) that euer the Romane Church did either faile to be, or to be viſible: or being ſtill viſible, when the profeſſion of the ancient faith, which it receiued from the Apoſtles, did faile in it, and when, and by whom the profeſſion of a new faith began in it. As we can ſhew whē, where, & by whom, this new (no) faith of theirs began.
Certaine it is that once the Romane Church had the true faith, and was a true Church, to wit, when Saint Paule wrote to the Romanes ſaying, Veſtra fides annunciatur in vniuerſo orbe, your Rom. 1. In ration. redditis academ. ra. 7.faith is renowned in the whole world. When therefore, I pray you, (as the learned and renowned Maſter Campian vrgeth) when (I ſay) did Rome change the beleefe and profeſſion of faith which once it had? Quo tempore? quo Pontifice? qua via? qua vi? quibus incrementis vrbem & orbem religio peruaſit aliena? Quas voces? quas turbas, quae lamenta ea res progenuit: Omnes orbe reliquo ſo piti ſunt, dum Roma, Roma inquam, noua Sacramenta, nouum ſacrificium nouum religionis dogma procuderet? Nullus extitit Hiſtoricus, neque Latinus, neque Graecus, neque remotus, neque citimus, quirem tantam vel obſcurè iaceret in commentarios? At what time? vnderunder what Pope? what way? with what violence or force? with what augmentatiō or increaſe did a ſtrange religion ouerflow the Citie and the whole world? What ſpeaches or rumors? what tumults or troubles? what lamentations (at leaſt) did it breed? Was all the reſt of the world aſleepe, when Rome (the Imperial and mother Citie, whoſe matters for the moſt part are open to the view of the whole world) when Rome I ſay, did coine new Sacraments, a new ſacrifice, a new doctrine of faith & religion? Was there neuer one Hiſtoriographer, neither Latin nor Greeke, neither farre off nor neere, who would at least obſcurely caſt into his commentaries, ſuch a notable matter as this is?
Certainly it is not poſſible, if ſuch a thing as this had happened, but that it ſhould hauehave bene reſisted, or at leaſt recorded by ſome. For ſuppoſe it were true, (which the Proteſtantes imagine) that ſome points of the faith and religion which Rome profeſſeth at this day, were as contrarie to that which was in it, when Saint Paule commended the Romane faith, as black to white, darkneſſe to light; or ſo abſurd, as were now Iudaiſme, or Paganiſme (as one of their Holinſhead in the deſcription of Britanie. Fol 11.Hiſtoriographers accounteth it worſe, ſaying, that indeed Auguſtine the Monke conuerted the Saxons from Paganiſme, but as the prouer be ſaith (ſaith he) bringing them out of Gods bleſſing into the warme Sunne:) Suppoſe, I ſay, this were true. Then I would demaund, if it were poſſible, that any Prince in any Chriſtian Citie, and much more that the Pope in Rome the mother Citie, could at this day bring in any notable abſurd rite of Iewiſh or Paganiſh religion; for example, to offer vp an Oxe in ſacrifice, or to worſhip a Cow as God: and not onelyonly to practiſe it priuately in his owne Chappell, but to get it publickely practiſed and preached in all Churches, not onelyonly of that Citie, but alſo in all the reſt of the Chriſtian world: and that none ſhould in Chriſtian zeale, continually oppoſe themſelues, that no Biſhop ſhould preach, no Doctor write againſt this horrible innouation of faith, and the author thereof; that none ſhould hauehave conſtancie to ſuffer martyrdome, which Chriſtians hauehave bene alwaies moſt readie to endure, rather then to yeeld to a profeſſion and practiſe, ſo contrarie to their ancient faith; that there ſhould be no true hearted Chriſtians, who would ſpeake of it, or at leaſt lament it, nor no Hiſtoriographer that would ſo much as make obſcure mention of it. Could all be ſo aſleepe, that they could not note, or ſo cold and negligent in matters concerning their ſoules good, as generally, without any care to yeeld vntounto it? No certainly, though there were no promiſe of Chriſt his owne continual preſence; no aſſurance of the infallible aſſiſtāce of his holy ſpirit: yet it is not poſſible that ſuch a groſſe error ſhould ariſe among Chriſtiās, & ouerwhelme the whole world, without ſome reſiſtance. The Biſhops and Paſtors could not be ſo ſimple, or ſo vnmindfull of their duetie, but they would firſt note ſuch an euident contrarietie, to the ancient and vniuerſally receiued faith; and noting it, they would, doubtleſſe with common conſent, reſiſt, contradict, and finally, according to Saint Paule his Gal. 1.rule, accurſe it. If therefore this could not happen now, nor euer heretofore was heard, that any ſuch abſurd errour or hereſie did or could ariſe, without noting or reſiſting; what reaſon can any man hauehave, to ſay, that this hath happened at Rome? Not being able to alledge any writer, that did note the thing, the perſon, the time, and what oppoſition was made and continued againſt it, as in all hereſies that hauehave ſprung vp of new, we can do. If there could not a little ceremonie be added to the Maſſe, but that it was ſet downe in hiſtorie, when and by whom; how could the whole ſubſtance of the Maſſe, (which conſisteth in conſecration, oblation, and conſumption of the ſacred Hoaſt) be newly inuented, and no mention made, when or by whom, or that euer there was was any ſuch new inuention at all? If alſo Hiſtoriographers were not afraid to note perſonall and priuate vices of the Popes themſelues; which they might well thinke Popes would not willingly hauehave made open to the world: why ſhould they hauehave feared to hauehave recorded any alteration in religion? Which if it had bene, had bene a thing done publikely in the view of the whole world; or if there were any feare or flatterie, which might tie the tongues and pennes of thoſe, that liled neare hand, that they durſt not or would not mention ſuch a matter: yet doubtleſſe others, which liued in places further off, ſhould not hauehave had thoſe cauſes, and conſequently would not hauehave kept ſecret ſuch an open and important a thing as this. If laſtly the hiſtories which make mention of theſe priuate vices of Popes, and other Chriſtian Princes, could not onelyonly firſt come out, but alſo continue without touch, till theſe latter times: what reaſon can any hauehave to doubt or dreame, but that the like would hauehave bene ſet out about the alteration of religion, if it had happened? And that, if any ſuch Hiſtorie reporting any true accident of alteration or change of religion, had come out; it ſhould partly by Gods prouidence, partly by humane diligence, hauehave bene preſerued till theſe our daies: eſpecially conſidering, that ſuch records had bene ſo requiſite, for diſcerning the ancient, vnchanged, true Chriſtian Religion, from vpſtart noueltie, which muſt needs be falſe.
So that we may well conclude; that if Chriſtian Religion had, ſince the Apoſtles time, altered in Rome; it would hauehave bene recorded in hiſtories, as other things, and eſpecially ſuch notable alterations are recorded: and thoſe hiſtories would hauehave bene preſerued till this day, as other Christian monuments hauehave bene preſerued, euen in time of perſecution, yea euen then, when the perſecutors made particular enquirie for Chriſtian bookes, to burne or conſume them. But in thoſe ancient Hiſtories, there is no mention made of any ſuch alteration of Religion in Rome. Wherefore it followeth that there was no ſuch alteration or change at all. No ſuch alteration being made, it is euident that the ſame faith and Religion, which was in Saint Paules time, hath alwaies continued, and is there now. That which was there then, was the true faith and Religion, as appeareth by that high commendation, which Saint Paule hath left written of it. Therefore that which is there now, muſt needs be the onelyonly true holy and Catholicke faith; and that companie which profeſſeth it, muſt needs be the OnelyOnly true Holy and Catholicke Church.
Neither can I ſee what anſwere can, with any probabilitie, be forged againſt this reaſon. For to ſay, that the errours of the Church of Rome crept in by little and little, and ſo, for the littleneſſe of the thing, or for negligence of the Paſtours, were not eſpied; is an idle fiction alreadie refuted. For firſt thoſe matters, which the Proteſtants call errours in the Romane Church, be not ſo little matters, but that leſſe, euen in the like kinde, are ordinarily recorded in ſtories. Nay, ſome of them are in the Proteſtants conceits, (and conſequently if men of old time had bene Proteſtants, they would hauehave bene alſo in their conceits) as groſſe ſuperſtition as Paganiſme it ſelfe, namely to adore Chriſt our Sauiour, as being really and ſubſtantially preſent in the Bleſſed Sacrament; the which Sacrament Protestants hold to be, (really and ſubstantially) but a bare peece of bread. Alſo the Protestants account the vſe of the Images to be Idolatrie, and ſay (verie ignorantly or maliciouſly) that we adore ſtockes and ſtones, as the Paynims did. The which things could not ſo hauehave crept in by little and little, but they muſt needs be eſpied: Neither could the Pastours of the Church, at any time, be ſo ſimple and ignorant, ſo ſleepie and negligent, but they must needes hauehave ſeene: and ſeeing must needes in ſome ſort hauehave reſisted, as before I hauehave ſaid. For to imagine all the Paſtours, of any one age, to hauehave bene in ſuch a deepe Lethargicall and deadly ſleepe, that they could not onelyonly not perceiue, when the enemie ſhould ouer ſow Cockle in the hearts of ſome; but alſo when this Cockle of falſe beleefe ſhould grow to outward action, and eſpecially to publicke practiſe, the which could not be but moſt apparent: to imagine (I ſay) all the Paſtors to be ſo ſimple and ſleepie, not then to marke, or not to reſist, is rather the dreame of a proud man in his ſleepe, who is apt to thinke all men fooles beſide himſelfe, then a iudictall conceit of a waking man of any vnderſtanding; who ought to thinke of things paſt, either according to the veritie recorded in ſtories, or when this faileth, by comparing the likelihood of that which hee thinketh was done by men of that time, with that which moſt men of their qualitie would do in like caſe. Finally, if theſe things were ſo, & that the church did by this means, for ſo long ſpace, in ſuch important matters, vniuerſally erre, Neglexerit Lib. de praeſcripofficium Spiritus ſanctus (as Tertullian ſpeaketh, refuting the like cauill of heretickes) the holy Ghoſt ſhould hauehave neglected his office: which is (as I hauehave proued before out of Scripture) not to permit the vniuerſall Church to fall into error, but to ſuggest vntounto it all things that Chriſt ſaid vntounto it, and to teach it all Iohn 14. Iohn 16.truth.