Popery Anatomized, Section 1
SECTION I. THE INTRODƲCTION.
M. Gilbert Brown. An Anſwer to a certain Libel or Writing, ſent by M. JOHN WELSCH to a Catholick, as an Anſwer to an objection of the Roman Church, &c.
I received a little ſcrol which was ſent to you by M. John Welſch Miniſter at Kirkubright, in the which there is much promiſed, and little done. And becauſe it may appear to ſome to be ſomething, I will, God willing, anſwer the ſame in particular.
M. John Welſch his Reply.
AS to your judgement and cenſure of this my anſwer to your objection, wherein ye think there is much promiſed and little done, I do not regard it: For ſo long as your heart is bewitched with the pleaſures of Babel, your light is but darkneſs: ſo while the Lord anoint your eyes with that eye-ſalve promiſed in the Revelation 3. and purge your heart by faith, ye cannot diſcern of things different, and give upright judgement. What I promiſed, I am now, by the grace of God, ready to perform. And whether it was ſomething or nothing, much or little that I did, let work bear witneſs, and let them that love the truth judge.
M. Gilbert Brown.
Firſt, he tittles his libel, An anſwer to an objection of the Roman Church, whereby they go about to deface the verity of that only true Religion which we profeſs.
God forbid that we Catholicks, whom he calls the Roman Church, ſeeing that we are the only defenders of the truth, as our predeceſſors the Paſtors of the true Church was before us, ſhould go about to deface the truth. But we go about to impugn all falſe doctrine repugnant to the truth, as the holy Fathers of the primitive Church did before us, againſt the hereticks in their dayes, as Ireneus, Cyprian, Ambroſe, Auguſtine, Hierome, Baſile, Gregory, Chryſoſtome, with the reſt of the true Paſtors of the Church. And ſeeing that the Miniſters of this new Evangel have not only invented ſome hereſies themſelves, but alſo have renewed many old condemned hereſies confuted by them before (as they cannot deny) as I ſhal give ſome examples afterward, as the hereſie of Simon Magus, of Manicheus, Pelagius, Aerius, Jovinianus, Vigilantius, with many others; what leſs can we do nor impugn the ſame, as our predeceſſors did before?
M. John Welſch his Reply.
As to your anſwer: Firſt, ye deny it and deteſt it as a blaſphemy. Next, ye go about to clear your ſelves from the ſuſpicion of it. Thirdly, ye challenge us and our doctrine with the crimes of novelty and hereſie: And ſo ye conclud, ye could do no leſs nor impugn it.
As to your denying of the defacing of the truth of God, ſo doth the whoriſh woman, Prov. 30.20. after ſhe hath eaten, ſhe wipes her mouth, and ſaith, ſhe hath not ſinned: which is true as well in ſpiritual as in bodily fornication: So notwithſtanding your Church hath buried the truth of God in the graves of darkneſs, and did overcover it with their traditions and gloſſes theſe many years by gone, yet you wipe your mouthes, and ſay, you have not ſinned. But look to it in time; for ignorance, and zeal without knowledge, will not excuſe you in the day of the Lord. That you deteſt it as a blaſphemy, ſo did the high Prieſt rent his clothes, and ſaid Chriſt blaſphemed, Matth. 26.65. when he ſpake but the truth. As for your golden ſtyles which you take to your ſelves of Catholicks, defenders of the truth, ſucceſſors to the Paſtors of the true Church, and impugners of all falſe doctrine. Your doctrine indeed could not deceive ſo many, if it were not covered with theſe ſtyles: your poyſon and abomination would not be drunken ſo univerſally, if it were not in ſuch a golden cup as this, Rev. 17.4. So theſe are the hyſſop wherewith ye would waſh you from this iniquity, and cleanſe you from this ſin. But may not falſe Prophets come in ſheeps clothing? Matth. 7.15. And the ministers of Satan, can they not transform themſelves, as though they were the miniſters of Chriſt, 2. Cor. 11.13.14. The Scriptures have fore-told it: And did not the falſe Apoſtles in Epheſus, call themſelves the Apostles of Christ, and yet they were found lyars? And did not the ſynagogue of Satan call her ſelf the ſynagogue of the Jews, Rev. 2.4.9. (that is, the Church of God) and yet they were not ſo▪ but the ſynagogue of the devil? Yea, and did not Abrahams ſeed, and they that ſate in Moſes chair, and was the ſucceſſors of Aaron, condemn the Savior of the world, John 8.37. Matth. 23.2. Therefore not by your ſtyles, but by your fruits ye muſt be tryed, Matth. 7.16. For if ye be Catholicks, &c. ye will teach the doctrine of that good Paſtor, and chief ſhepherd the Lord Jeſus, John 10.14. So it is your doctrine, and not your ſtyles, that muſt defend you.