An ansvvere to VVilliam Alablaster [sic] his motiues. By Roger Fenton preacher of Grayes Inne

MOTIVE.

COntrarie the Catholikes auouching the inflexible truth of the Church as the voice of Christ, and direction of the spirit, doe stay the mindes of the faithfull from doubt and wauering. But the other making an head from the bodie of the Church are rightly pu∣nished, both with beleefe in errours, and vnbeleefe in truth.

ANSVVERE.

SEe now your conclusion, which buildeth not vpon that point alone, we haue alreadie sifted, but assumeth with all a farre more slipperie ground; that that Church you haue lately plunged your selfe into, is the onely Church we haue talked of all this while: the onely true vniuersall visible Church vpon the earth. Which two vncertainties wel exami∣ned and laid together, will (I feare me) make but a sandie foundation to build vpon, and an vnstable principle to stand vpon it owne ground, and vphold all religion. Yet this is your only sanctuary, wherin you secure your soules of all sound be∣liefe: which standeth vpon these two main pillers, first that the Catholike Church cannot erre (which is not so dangerous, if rightly conceiued, as hath been said) Secondly, that this Romish Church (whereof you professe your selfe a member) is that Catholicke Church. Which second branch must be yet further resolued into other vncertainties (presupposed by you as vndoubted truthes, whereupon the frame of your re∣ligion doth rest it selfe) to wit, first, that this present Romish Church doth not degenerate from the ancient Catholike: but soundly and sincerely professeth that same faith which was established in the primitiue by the Apostles: continued in the ancient Romane Church in the time of the Fathers for the space of 600 yeares. Secondly, this being proued and made manifest, you must adde further, that this Church of

Rome is not so Catholike, as was the Church of Corinth, Ga∣latia, &c. that is, not as a member communicating in the faith of the whole Catholike, but that it selfe is the whole entire Catholike Church: thereby excluding all other Chur∣ches in Christendome as hereticall, which doe not acknow∣ledge themselues subiect to the Bishop of that Sea. Which thing you must defend not against protestants onely, who proue you rather to be an Italian faction, then the Catholike Church (which Iohn Hart doth ingenuously acknowledge to be more probable then he was aware of:) but euen against your owne Doctors and Cardinals must you arme your selues in this point, who complaine there is nothing decreed in coun∣sels, but what the Italian Nation liketh of, as Ludouicus Cardi∣nall of Arle complained at the Councell of Basil: and Clau∣dius Espencaeus a Doctor of your owne in Paris witnesseth for * 1.1 Trent, Haec est illa Helena qua tridenti nuper obtinuit, &c. spea∣king of the Italian Nation. Now if any of these pointes faile you (which me thinkes be verie tickle) then is not the voice of your Church euermore the inflexible truth of Christ, and direction of his spirit, which you presume to be the first ground of Christian Religion, that doth stay the minds of the faith∣full from doubt, and wauering in all the rest.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Espencaeus in comment. in Ti∣tum. ca. 1.