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 say first, that your popish Bishoppes of late yeares are neither catholike bishops, nor successours of the Apostles, as I haue alreadie proued▪ I say secondly, that Christ promiseth his spirituall and inuisible presence, not onely to the Apo∣stles for their time, but also to the congregation of the faithful til the worlds ende: and I proue it by the testimonie of the ho∣ly fathers, Saint Chrysostome, and Saint Augustine; Saint Chrysostome hath these expresse words.

Nam cum dicit: ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus vs∣que

ad consummationem seculi, nō ad eos tantummodo loquitur, sed per eos ad vniuersum prorsus orbem.* 1.1

For when he saith, behold, I am with you alwaies vntil the ende of the world, hee speaketh not onely to them, but to all doubtlesse that are in the whole world•• which assertion he hath in many other places of his works.

Saint Augustine hath words so important for this end and scope, as more shall not neede to be alleaged. Thus doth hee write in flat tearmes; Non itaque fi•• dictum est apostolis, eritis mihi testes in Hierusalem & in tota Iudaea, & Samaria,* 1.2 &. vsque in extremum terrae, tanquam ipsi foli quibus tunc loque∣batur tantum munus fuerint impleturi; sed sicut eis solis videtur dixisse quod dixit, ecce ego vobiscum sum vsque in consumma∣tionem seculi quod tamen eum vniuersa ecclesiae promisisse quae aliis mortentibus, aliis nas••e••tibus hic vsque in seculi consum∣mationem futura est, quis non intelliga••? sicut eis & iliud ait, quod ad eos omnino non pertinet: & tamen sic dictum est, tan∣quam ad solos etiam pertineret, cum videritis haec omnia, scito∣te quia propé est in ianu••••: ad quos enim hoc pertinet, nisi ad eos qui in carne tunc erunt, eum omnia complebuntur?

It is not therefore so said to the Apostles, ye shalbe my wit∣nesses in Hierusalem, and in al Iurie, and in Samaria, & euen to the vtmost parts of the world, as if they onely to whom he then spoke, should haue accomplished so great a matter; but as he seemeth to haue said onely to them, that which hee said (in these words) behold, I am with you to the worlds end. Which thing neuerthelesse euery one perceiueth, that he spoke it to the vniuersal church; which by the death of some, and by the birth of other some▪ shall continue to the worlds end; euen as hee saith that to them, which doth nothing at all pertaine to them; and yet is it so spoken as if it onely pertained to them, to wit, when y•••• shall see these things come to passe, knowe that it is neare 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the doores. For to whome doth this pertaine, but to those who shall then bee liuing, when all thinges shall bee accomplished▪ In these words Saint Austen proueth plainly, that this obiection wherin the papists glory so greatly, make th•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for them: for (saith hee) these words alreadie reci∣ted, one spoken to the whole congregation of the faithfull▪

which are or shall be to the worlds end, and this Saint Austen sheweth by two reasons:

[ 1] First, because not onely the Apostles, but others together with them, should be his witnesses in Hierusalem and Sama∣ria; albeit Christ spoke that of them, touching the bearing witnesse of him; as he spoke this to them, concerning his spiri∣tual presence. And therefore as hee spoke the other to all the faithful, so did he also this: that is, promised his inuisible pre∣sence, not onely to the Apostles or pastors of the church, but e∣uen to all the faithful in the world.

[ 2] Secondly, because Christ spoke that to his Apostles as per∣taining onely to them, which for al that did nothing at al con∣cerne them: as if he had saide; it is not a good reason to denie Christs presence to the whole church, because hee vttered the words onely to the Apostles. For since hee spoke that to the Apostles which pertained nothing to them but onely to others; much more might he speake that to them, which belonged to them with others.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Chrys. in cap. 5•• Mat. hom. 15. tom. 2.
• * 1.2

  Agu. in Epist. 80. prop•• finem. tom 2. pag. 238.