Answer to a Popish Antichristian Catholic, Offer 20
The Twentith offer.
Offerer.
Twentith, Moreouer, let the learned Proteſtant proue, that the true and Catholike church of Chriſt, may at any time bee voide of Gods ſpirit (which he hath promiſed to be with his Church for euer) ſaying: Et ego rogabo patrem, et alium paracletum dabit vobis, Iohn. 14.vt maneat vobiſcum in aeternū, or falſly to interpret any ſentence of holy ſcripture, or to induce any erroure among the people, or approoue vnprofitable and hurtfull vſages amonge the Chriſtians, or that ſhee ſuffereth any damnable abuſe in her religion, without open repredhenſion thereof: Let the learned Proteſtant prooue any of theſe points, and I will then yeelde and recant, and not before.
Crowley.
The true Catholique church of Chriſt in déed, is neuer voyde of Gods ſpirite. Yea, there is not one member of that church, which hath not that ſpirite dwelling in it, in ſome meaſure. For thus the Apoſtle Paule hath written to the Romaines. Si quis autem ſpiritum Christi non habet, hie non est eius. If there be any that hath not ye ſpirite of Chriſt, the ſame belongeth not to him. Rom. 8. Rom. 8,I doo confeſſe therefore, yt the true Catholique church of Chriſt, is neuer voide of Gods ſpirit. But according to the words that this Offerer hath cited out of the 14. cha. of Iohn: Iohn, 14,our ſauiour Chriſt hath ſent another comforter, which is ye holy ſpirit of God, to be with his Church for euer. But what maketh this for M. Offerers purpoſe? Hee muſt prooue that the church of Rome, being ſuch as now it is, & hath bin, for the ſpace of a thouſand yéeres (almoſt) is that true Catholique church of Chriſt: and then theſe pointes will ſerue him to ſome purpoſe: otherwiſe, they doo make flatly againſt him.
Taking your church to bee the true Catholike church of Chriſt: you offer to yéelde and recant, if the Proteſtant can prooue that your church hath faſly interpreted any one ſentence of the holy ſcripture. The Proteſtant hath alreain his anſwere to your 19. offer, ſufficiently prooued, that your whole church hath in the 25. ſeſſion of your Tridentine counſell, falſly interpreted (or rather flatly denied) mo then one, two, or thrée ſentences of the holy ſcriptures, as to the indifferent Reader it may there moſt euidently apeere: wherefore wée doo looke for the performance of your promiſe in yéelding and recanting.
That your church hath induced, & doth ſtill induce errors amongſt the people, hath approued and doth ſtill approoue, duplicate page duplicate page vnprofitable and hurtfull vſages amongſt Chriſtians, hath ſuffered and dooth ſtill ſuffer, damnable abuſes in religion, without open reprehention: is more manifeſt then that which lyeth open in the cleare ſunne light. Wherefore the Proteſtant néedeth not to ſpend any time in the proofe therof. It may ſuffice to put ye reader in minde of thoſe ſhameleſſe errors that your church hath taught, & dooth ſtill teach and maintaine, concerning the inuocation of Angelles, and Saints, the praying for the deade, the worthyneſſe of mens works, and the ſatiſfying to God for ſinnes committed againſt his maieſtie. And for your vnprofitable and hurtfull vſages: it were enough, to will the reader to remember your gadding on Pilgrimage, your viſiting, kiſſing and worſhipping of Reliques, and your burning of Lights before blinde Stockes, and Stones, in the open day and ſunne light. And for your damnable abuſes, there néedeth no more, but to wiſh the reader to conſider of your abhominable Maſſe, which you make a ſacrifice for the ſinnes both of the quick and of the deade, which being doone, I ſée no reaſon why, the readers may not cry out & ſay vntounto this Offerer and his fellowes: yéelde and recant for ſhame.