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.

Secondly, of their no-Subiection. SECT. 13.

WHatsoeuer that Vnion was, which the Bishops of A∣fricke, and Professours among them had with rhe Church of Rome, sure wee are that by denying Appeales to Rome, they denied that Subiection, without which your Church will acknowledge no Vnion, and consequently no Saluation: except you shall imagine that the Pope of Rome, whom you intitle Monarch of the Church Catholike, and Bishop of Bishops (to whose absolute Iurisdiction you sweare e 1.1 Obedience; as an Article of Faith, without which none can be saued) would ac∣cept it as a matter of Subiection for Protestants, with Saint Augustine and those other African Bishops, to deny that any ought to be called Bishop of Bishops; and not to yeeld to his

demands in point of Iurisdiction, vpon any pretence of Diuine Law, but to exact of him proofe by a Canon of an ancient Councell; to gain-say his challenge of Right of Appeales to Rome from remote Nations, calling this A smoakie secular pride; to inhibit their Clergie from Appealing to the Romane See, and to denounce Excommunication against them, if they should transgresse in that Case.

IV. CHALLENGE.

WHerefore if any (as some of your Church haue beene) shall be so impudent as to adiudge these Bishops and Professors in the Churches of Africke (which is a part of the world, f 1.2 Thrice as great as Europe) to haue beene without the state of saluation, we can say no lesse, than that which your Cardinall Baronius hath already put in our mouthes, to wit, * 1.3 Then must we blot out of the Table and bookes of Monuments whole Troopes and Armies of Martyrs, within the Church of Africke, for the space of an Hundred yeares (wee might haue said many more) suffering persecution for the faith of Christ: and in like manner must wee wipe out the memorie of famous and godly Professors of the same time. This Collection you must grant to be infallibly true; which doth as iustly and irrefraga∣bly teach vs that your Papall-Article, which seuereth all from Saluation, that professe not Subiection to the Pope and Church of Rome, is New, False, Scandalous, and Schismaticall; for which Article whosoeuer shall dye, may be indeed called the Popes Martyr, but no waies the Martyr of Christ. You may not forget the Councell of Mileuis, and the Threescore vniuersally reputed Orthodox Bishops therein, denouncing Ex∣communication against all African Priests, which should so much as hold it lawfull for them to Appeale to Rome. They that were thus bold to Excommunicate them that should beleeue any such Roman Iurisdiction, did plainly professe their con∣tempt of the Papall Excommunication against themselues, in such a case; and consequently their no beliefe of necessary Sub∣iection or Vnion to the Romane Chaire. Except therefore all these, so many, so learned and Orthodox, so godly and con∣stant

professors of Christ Iesus were damned, this Article, The Romane Catholike Church, without subiection whereun∣to there is no Saluation, is iustly to be condemned as most false and pernicious.

Notes

• e 1.1

  Forma Iura∣menti Pij 5. Ego obedientiam Pon∣tifici Romano spondeo, & hanc veram fidem esse, extra quam nemo saluus esse potest.
• f 1.2

  Master Brere∣wood in his Booke of Religions. pa. 68.
• * 1.3

  See aboue at a.