The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

The answere.

I answere, that the true church of God (which is the mysti∣call body of Christ) doth neuer erre wholly and generally in the fundamentall pointes of religion, and such as are necessary for our saluation. I say first, (the true church of God) because the societie of the visible pastors, are not euer the mysticall [ 1] members of Christ. I say secondly, (wholly and generally) because albeit the trueth may faile for a time in the pastors of [ 2] the church, yet shall it neuer perish in the elect and true mem∣bers thereof. For though particular churches may erre in par∣ticular pointes, yet shall the whole church neuer erre, in the articles of necessary doctrine. Though the elect may erre in part, and at sometime, yet shal they neuer erre,* 1.1 either all gene∣rally, or any one finally. For whom and in respect of whom, the church is rightly called the pillar of trueth.

This my exposition is made good by the testimonie of S. Austen, whose words be these: Secundā ergo Sabbathi non debe∣mus intelligere nisi ecclesiā Christi, sed ecclesiā Christi. in sanctis, ecclesiam Christi in his qui scripti sunt in coelo, ecclesiā Christi in ••is qui mundi huius tentationibus non cedunt.* 1.2 Ipsi enim digni sunt nomine, firmamēti. ergo ecclesia Christi in his qui firmi sunt,

appellata est firmamentum; quae est, in quit, ecclesia dei viui, co∣lumna & firmamentum veritatis. Therefore we may not vn∣derstand the second of the sabboth to bee any other then the church of Christ, yet the church of Christ in the saints, the church of Christ in those, which are not ouercome with the ten∣tations of this wicked world: for they are worthy the name of firmament; therefore the church of Christ is called the firma∣ment in those that are firme, which is (saith hee) the church of the liuing God,* 1.3 the piller and firmament of truth: The like saying hath S. Augustine in many other places, but especial∣ly where he writeth against the Donatists.

Saint Chrysostome expoundeth this place of the veritie it selfe, and not of the pastors as you papists doe: these are his expresse words, quippe veritas ecclesiae, & columna & firma∣mentum est; for the veritie of the church, is both the piller and the firmament. And Anselmus holdeth flatly the opinion of Saint Austen,* 1.4 expounding the words of Saint Paul so plain∣ly of the elect, as no papist is able to auoide the same, vnlesse they will reiect Anselmus, because they cannot answere him: and yet they cannot so do without blushing, because they haue hitherto reputed him for their owne: these therefore are his ex∣presse words.

Domus in qua Deus habitat, ecclesia est ex multis collecta fi∣delibus qui variis modis sunt docendi,* 1.5 & ipsa eius ecclesia est in perfectis columna, id est, sublimis & recta, & inconcussibi∣lis & sustentans iuniores atque sustollens, & in eisdem perfec∣tis est ipsa firmamentum veritatis; quia verbis & exemplis firmat in cordibus infirmorum, veritatem fidei & mandatorum Dei.

The house in which God dwelleth, is the whole congre∣gation of the faithfull, who are to be taught diuersly: and the same church is in the perfect a piller, that is, sublime, straight, inconcussible, supporting and lifting vp the yonger sort, and in the same perfect, it is the firmament of truth, because both by words and examples it confirmeth in the hearts of the weake, the veritie of faith and Gods commandements.

Out of these words I gather first, that the house of God, whereof the Apostle writeth to Timothy, is (not the rable of

Popes and popish prelates) but the congregation of the faith∣full. I gather secondly, that it is meant as well of the laytie, [ 2] as of the clergy: and my reason is founded in these words of Anselmus, (who are to be taught;) for the pastors ex officio must teach the flocke, and not bee taught of the flocke. I ga∣ther thirdly, that it is meant specially of the elect; & my ground is this, because Anselmus saith, it is a piller in the perfect For if there be anie perfection, it is doubtlesse in the elect and none else.

The Popes owne Doctours▪* 1.6 Panormitanus and Syluester doe tell vs in plaine and manifest tearmes, that it is the whole congregation of the faithfull that cannot erre: these are Syl∣uesters words.

Et sic intellige glossam dicentem, quòd ecclesia quae errare non potest, dicitur non papa, sed congregatio fidelium, quae scilicet te∣net fidem quam Petrus cum aliis populis docuit. And thus must the glosse be vnderstood, which saith, that the church which can∣not erre, is not the pope, but the congregation of the faithfull, that is, such as hold firmely that doctrine, which Saint Peter with other (godly) people taught.

Panormitan writeth thus, Ecclesia vniuersitatis errare non potest scilicet in fide vel articulis fidei:* 1.7 & pro hac tantum Chri∣stus in Euangelio orauit ad patrem: in aliis autem non solum ec∣clesia particularis, verum etiam vniuersalis, id est, collecti•• fi∣delium seu concilium generale, errare potest.

The church vniuersall cannot erre, that is to say, in the faith or in the articles of our beliefe:* 1.8 and for this church onely was Christs praier, when he prayed to his father in the gospel; yet in other things, not onely the particular church, but the vniuer∣sal likewise may erre, that is to say, the collection of the faith∣full, or a generall councell. Yea, the Popes own decrees af∣firme so much, to wit, that the church is catholicorum collectio: the congregation of the (faithfull) catholickes. And the popes own deare glosse vppon his own decrees,* 1.9 doth most liuely de∣scribe that church which cannot erre, to be the congregation of the faithful: thus is it there written in expresse tearmes.

Quaero de qua ecclesia intelligas, quod hic dicitur, quod non possit errare si de ipso papa, certum est quod papa errare potest:

respondeo, ipsa congregatio fidelium hic dicitur ecclesia, & ta∣lis ecclesia non potest non esse.

I aske thee (O Pope Luci) of what church thou vnderstan∣dest that, which thou tellest vs in this place: to wit, that the church cannot erre. For if thou vnderstandest it of the Pope himselfe, it is verie certaine that the Pope may erre. I an∣swere therefore, that the church is heere taken for the congre∣gation of the faithfull, and such a church can neuer erre (in∣deede.) Out of these words of Pope Lucius I note first, that [ 1] when the Pope affirmeth that the church cannot erre, then his own deere and faithful interpreter answereth roundly, that that priuiledge is not granted to the Pope, but to the whole congre∣gation of the faithfull. I note secondly, that the saide glosse [ 2] proueth by sundrie chapters of the Popes owne cannon-law, that the Pope both may erre and hath alreadie erred, de facto. I note thirdly, that that church in which the truth alwaies [ 3] abideth, is the multitude of the faithfull. I therefore conclude with S. Paul, S. Augustine, Saint Chrysostome, Anselmus, Syluester, Panormitanus, the Popes owne canon-law, and popish interpreters vpon the same, that the congregation of the faithfull, is the piller and ground of truth, and that church which cannot erre.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Note how the Church cannot erre.
• * 1.2

  August. in Psal. 47. in praef.
• * 1.3

  Vide Augusti. lib. 7. de bapt. c. 51. tom. 6.
• * 1.4

  Chrys. homil. 11. in 1. Tim. 3.
• * 1.5

  Ansel. super hunc locum.
• * 1.6

  Syluest. de eccl. §. 4.
• * 1.7

  Panormit. apud Sylues. de fide §. 9
• * 1.8

  Vide ipsum Pa∣normi•• de electi∣one, cap. signifi∣casti.
• * 1.9

  can. 14. quaest. •• can. a recta, in glossa.