An exhortation &c. Pag. 5. Sect. 6.
Moreouer it may please you to consider the conditions & practi∣ses of the Donatists, who deuided them selues frō the congregation,* 1.1 and had their peculiar Churches, or rather conuenticles, in Africa. They taughte also that all other Churches were spotted and im∣pure, bycause of their Ministers. Finally, that there ought to be no compulsion vsed in matters of Religion and fayth, and that none should be punished for their conscience.
Nowe you carie vs from the Anabaptistes in Europe, to the Donatistes in Affricke, and you will paynte vs wyth their colours, but you want the oyle of truth, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of truth, to cause your colours to cleaue and to endure. The Lorde be praysed, that your breath although it be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉anke, yet it is not so strong yt it is able eyther to turne vs, or chaunge vs into what formes it plea∣seth you. I shall desire the reader to loke Theodoret lib. 4. de fabulis Haereticorum & Augustin, ad quod-uult-Deum: and in his firste and second bookes agaynst 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Letters, where he shall fynde of these heretikes, that by comparing them wyth these, to whome M. Doctor lyk〈1 line〉〈1 line〉eth them, the smoke of this accusation mighte the better appeare: For these sclaunders are not worthe th〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 answering. To this diuision from the Churches, and to your supposed conuenticles, I haue answered. They taught that there were no true Churches but in Affrica, we teache nothing lesse, than that there is no true Churche but in Englande. If the Churches be considered in the partes, whether Minister, or people, there is none pure and vnspotted, and this is the faythe of the true Churche, and not of the Donatistes: if it be considered in the whole and generall gouern∣ment and outwarde pollicie of it, it may be pure and vnspotted, for any thing I knowe, if men would laboure to purge it. The Donatists vaunted themselues to be exempted from sinn〈1 line〉〈1 line〉, and what lykelyhoode is there betwene any assertion of the authors of the Admonition, and this fansie of the Donatistes. To the last poynt of no compulsion to be vsed in matters of Religion denying it to be true, I referre the further answere to an other place.