The grand imposture of the (now) Church of Rome manifested in this one article of the new Romane creede, viz: the holy, catholike, and apostolike Romane Church, mother and mistresse of all other churches, without which there is no saluation. Proued to ba a new, false, sacrilegious, scandalous, schismaticall, hereticall, and blasphemous article (respectiuely) and euerie way damnable. The last chapter containeth a determination of the whole question, concerning the separation of Protestants from the present Church of Rome: whereby may be discerned whether side is to be accounted schismaticall, or may more iustly pleade soules saluation. By the B. of Couentrie & Lichfield.

CHALLENGE.

SAy now, if either Petilian the Heretike could haue questi∣oned Saint Augustine, professing himselfe a Catholike, whether hee had his dependance vpon CAECILIAN Bishop of Carthage, as his spirituall Father; if it had beene a currant profession among the Churches of those times, to haue held the Bishop of Rome The Catholike Father; or the Church of Rome The Catholike Mother-Church, without which there is no sal∣uation? Or whether it could haue stood with the Conscience of Saint Augustine (if he had beene of your now Romish Faith) in a question about the Father-hood, What Bishop; and Mo∣ther-hood, what Church he professed; fo•• to (passing by all mention of the B. of Rome) acknowledge no Head but Christ? and neglecting the Romane Church, adhere to the Whole Church, dispersed throughout the whole Christian World, as in∣deed the properly called Mother-Church? How should not Saint Augustine (although neuer so admirable a Saint) haue beene held a Schismatike and Heretike, if he had liued in these daies, either for his ignorance, or Contempt of the now Ro∣mish resolution of Faith in all such Questions, to wit; that the Spirituall Father of the Church is the Pope of Rome, and the Church of Rome is the Catholike Church is selfe, because Head of all the rest?

As for the prime Mother-Church, by spirituall procreation, wee see that Saint Augustine acknowledgeth no other than Hierusalem, which verefieth that, which * 1.1 hath been largely prooued, to wit; that although the ancient Romane Church might, in many respects, be called A Mother Church of ma∣ny other Churches in Christendome, especially in respect of her admirable care, for the preseruation of diuine truth and peace in the Christian world: Yet now, since, first by vsurping an O∣riginall

Prerogatiue of the Vniuersall Mother, she is become the Mother of Arrogance and Falsehood. 2. By preiudicing the Birth-right of other Churches, more ancient than her selfe, She may be called the Mother of Schisme. 3. By excluding All from hope of Saluation, that beleeue her not to bee the Mother-Church, shee may iustly bee iudged the Mother of damnable Heresie. Of Saint Augustines iudgement, more hereafter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See aboue Chap. 3. Sect. 3. &c.