Answer Unto Assertion that Church of Rome is the True Church, Title page – Dedication
A Confutation of the Principall Pointes of POPERIE; By Iohn Knewstub.
Imprinted in London at the Three Cranes in the Vine-tree by Thomas Dawson, for Richard Sergier.
To those Gentlemen in Suffolke whom the true worshipping of God hath made right worshipfull, grace and peace, be multiplied through Iesus Christ.
THe holie Apostle S. Paule doth plainely teach,Rom. 8.18. that all things fall out for the best vntounto them that louelove God: which thing, the manifest departing of many from the fayth, doth sufficiētly confirme: for this defection & falling away from the truth, doth giuegive vntounto the children of God, occasion of a more neare search, & diligent inquirie after the truth, while they hauehave not satisfied themselues, to set opinion against opinion, and perswasion against perswasion: but as the aduersaries of the gospel hauehave beautified their errors with the best, that their abilitie could afoord: so the friends of the same, hauehave from time to tim… …ade it manifest, that all that beaut… was but borowed, & that their dealing therin hath bene such, as is the practice of an impudent woman, who by wearing the heare of another, seeketh the cōmendation of that beautie, which is not her owne: Whereby this gaine hath growne vntounto the godly: that against temptation, touching the trueth of doctrine: our enimie findeth vsus better armed and more sufficiently prouided: in that we hauehave not onelyonly an opinion, that that which we hold should be true, but can also bring foorth store of argumentes and authorities, aswell for the vpholding of that, as for the ouerthrow of the contrarie. So that, entrance is both wayes denied vntounto the enimie.
Moreouer while we see the gospel, cōtinually casting out suche huge heapes of Fome and Froth: wee learne, that it cānot be otherwise, but that our selues are to be cast out as scumme, vnles the Gospel shal find fauour with our affection, aswel as it hath entertainmēt with our tongue. For seeing that mōstrous doūghil of Popery, is nothing els, but the sweepings of the Gospel: Howe shoulde not at the leaste experience, which profiteth the dullest heades, in this pointe preuaile with vsus? And seeing the Gospel keepeth not all that come vntounto her: can it be that we shold not godly feare aswell the daunger of our deuorcement from her: as nowe we are ashamed, not to be reputed as those, who bee betrothed vntounto her: Now as the wicked (taking more libertie of life, and growing into a greater contempt of al duty, both vntounto God and man, by being offēded at the gospel for the breaking out of their wickednesse: whether in opinion or conuersation, who hauehave been brought vp some time in the bosome of the church:) therby doe euidently declare, that they are of the wicked: for vntounto the good, all thinges fal out for their good: So do we by getting this gaine of these controuersies in religion, that therby we better both our iudgemēt, and our affection towarde the trueth: make it assured, vntounto our selues and vntounto our owne soules, that wee are of that number that feare the lord, whose propertie it is, euen to gaine greatly by that, which bringeth losse vntounto many. Let our warines thē be so much the greater, and our paines so muche the more, as the times whereinto we be fallen, do tel vsus how hard a matter it is, to keepe vsus euen and vpright with our God: and how daungerous: whē we once be trusted with his Gospel, to deale vnfaithfully in our obedience towarde the same.
The cause why I hauehave published this matter, is, for that he, who required my answeare to his Assertions did not vouchesafe for al that after he had receiued it, so much as once to reade it. Wherevpon diuers hauehave mooued me, to make that cōmon vntounto moe, which founde so small fauour with him, for whose cause it was taken in hand, that seeing himself, would not geue any occasiō, to think my paines wel bestowed, in respect of any good done vntounto him: yet should it be lawful for others, (the Lorde blessing it) so to profite by occasion of him, as to receiue some fruite of that, which was not doone but at his request, and for him.
These my labours, (how slender soeuer, in the defence of religion, against Poperie and superstition) I am bolde to offer vntounto your worships: principally because the Lorde hath aduaunced you vntounto the greatest worship, that is, to the worshipping of himselfe in spirit and truth, and vntounto those minds that beare such good will towards his truth, hath ioyned in like maner armes of great authoritie in your Countrey, to be able to cherish, credit, and maintaine the same: secondarily to leaue behinde me a perpetuall testimonie, of the duetie and good will, which both in this common respect, and in manie other priuate touching my selfe, I doe beare vntounto you. And last of all, that this publique recorde, might become a spurre vntounto your further profiting and a stay, to keepe you from the danger of falling away, and not answering vntounto the hope and expectation of such a beginning. The Lorde of all maiestie and power, continue his graces toward you, that he may hauehave the prayse, of a continued and complete woorke of merciemercy in you.
Your woorships to commaund in the Lord. Iohn Knewstub.
An answeare vntounto certaine assertions, tending to mainteyne the Churche of Rome, to be the true and Catholique Churche.
Assertion.
IT is an article of our Faith, to beleeue the Catholique Church, whose Scholmaister is the holie Ghost, and therfore in the Creede that article is placed next to the article of the beliefe in the holye Ghost: by whose continuall instruction and assistance being directed,1. Tim. 3. shee cannot erre in matters of faith. For as saint Paul saith, she is Columna & firmamentum veritatis: so that wee are all bounde her to beleeue and obaie, yea howsoeuer it seemeth to our sence & vnderstanding.