The Romish Fisher caught and held in his owne net. Or, A true relation of the Protestant conference and popish difference A iustification of the one, and refutation of the other. In matter of fact. faith. By Daniel Featly, Doctor in Diuinity.

The fourth assertion.

The Church in this notion, as it extends to all that professe the true Religion, and participate in the pledges of saluation, was euer, is, and shall be in some degree visible to the end of the world. That it hath euer beene hitherto visible, all Histories accord: and that it shall so continue to the worlds end, our Sauiours words are our warrant,* 1.1 Goe yee, and teach all nations, &c. andle, I am with you alwaies, euen vnto the end of the world. For the continuance of Gods Word, the Prophet Esay is most peremp∣tory: This* 1.2 is my couenant with thee, saith the Lord, &c. My words which I haue put into thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed, from hence-foorth for euer. And Christs words are as direct for the Sacraments, that they shall bee ad∣ministred, till his second comming:* 1.3 As oft as yee eat of this Bread, and drink of this Cup, yee shew foorth the Lords death till hee come. And lastly, S. Paul's words are as expresse for the Ministery:* 1.4 He gaue some Apostles, some Prophets, &c. till wee all come in the vnity of the faith, &c. It is true, Antichrist shall make great hauocke of the Church, and there shall be such a falling away, that Christ at his second comming shall scarce finde faith on the earth: false prophets, and false Christs shall arise, and seduce, if it were possible, the elect; but that is not pos∣sible: hell-gates shall neuer so farre preuaile against the Church. Whatsoeuer becommeth of hypocrites

and temporizers, it is certaine that the elect shall remaine in it, and retaine the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 faith; and if they retaine it, they will also p••ofessed it 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.5 for with the heart, man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with the tongue, confession is made vnto saluation. Sain•• * 1.6Austen thus stoppeth the mouthes of the ••ona∣tists: What is that that thou sayest, The Church 〈◊〉〈◊〉 al∣ready perished, and gone out of all Nations? 〈◊〉〈◊〉 therefore the Gospell is preached, that it may bee in all Nations, therefore euen vnto the end of the world, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Church shall bee in all Nations. I may saue the la∣bour of heaping more testimonies to confirme this point, because* 1.7 M. Fisher, in his reflection on the Conference, spendeth many lines and much labour in fortifying it, as a strong bulwark (as hee imagineth) against vs. I conclude there∣fore with Saint Ambrose,* 1.8 Ecclesia 〈◊〉〈◊〉 po∣test, effluere non potest: The Church may bee euer∣shadowed, it cannot quite faile or bee 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. 28. 20.
• * 1.2

  Esay 59. 21.
• * 1.3

  1. Cor. 11. 26.
• * 1.4

  Ephes. 4. 11. 12. 13.
• * 1.5

  Rom. 10. 10.
• * 1.6

  Aug. in Ps. 110. conc. 2. Quid est quod dicis, Iam pe∣rijsse Ecclesiam de omnibus gen∣tibus? Quando ad hoc praedica∣tur euangelium, vt possit esse in omnibus genti∣bus, ergo ad finem seculi Ecclesia erit in omnibus gen∣tibus.
• * 1.7

  Page 52. & 53.
• * 1.8

  Hexam. l. 4. c. 2.