Meditations upon the marks of the true Church of Christ: or, Motives of credibility in behalf of the true religion: and, the easiest way to finde it out. / By H.W.

The second Point.

Consider now what things the Pro∣testants acknowledge against them∣selves: And here a man may truly say; Out of thy own mouth I judge thee, naughty servant.

First they disclaim from the antient Fathers, and will not own them. That Luther, and Calvin, and the Centurists, doe so, it is well knowne to all that read theire workes. And that many of the English Protestant writers doe the same, their works do witnesse. True it is, many of them doe pretend to appeal to the Fathers; but since as many, or more of them, doe not, but the contra∣ry; it appears by this that the Prote∣stants are divided amongst themselves in this main point. Therefore, Mittam Egyptios, contra Egyptios, I will put the E∣gyptions, against the Egyptions, belongs to them. And since (of the forementioned Protestant Authors,) many do plain∣ly censure, and condemne the Fathers for holding popish tenents; hence also it followes, that they must grant them

to bee all one with the now Roman Catholicks.

Secondly, they grant that the anci∣ent Fathers condemned in the ancient hereticks many opinions, which are held by the protestants themselves now a days: This is instanced at large by the author of the Progeny; and o∣thers: that the assertions of the old he∣reticks were condemned; and that notwithstanding the Protestants now hold the same, is evident; and there∣fore they are forced to grant it; in par∣ticular about the Sacraments, the Scriptures, Freewill, Faith, Good∣works, Mariage of Priests, Monachism and divers other points.

Thirdly, they grant that the four first generall Councels lawfully con∣demned Arius, Nestorius, Eutyches, and Macedonius, and that these were truly hereticks: and yet some of them erred but in one point. Therefore, since to deny any one point sufficiently pro∣pounded as a truth revealed by God, makes an heretick; and this by the pro∣testants

own consession: let any prudent man judg whether the protestants do not expose their sules to evident danger; First by denying so many points now held by the Roman catho∣licks, and the same held by the antient Fathers also. Secondly by not having amongst themselves one, and the same body, or number of things to bee be∣lieved: but on the contrary taking to themselves all liberty in belie∣ving; and being actually so various, and disagreeing in matters of faith, as every where they are amongst them selves: and so by granting these for∣mer to have been truly hereticks, for their denial of some one point (as they must grant it, seeing the four first general councells are received in Eng∣land) hence it followes that they con∣demne, and undo themselves, and their own cause.

Founthly they grant that when Lu∣ther began, there was neither true prea∣ching, nor true pastors, nor true do∣ctrine in the world. Which thing though it be most false: yet by grant∣ing

this, they grant that they them∣selves had no Church till Luther began, and what Church began then onely, could not be the true Church of Christ, for want of Antiquity, apostolical suc∣cession, Visibility and Indefectibility; which proprieties Christs Church must have. True it is, that Prideaux (as also some others) troubled at this sequel, denyes the former proposition, & pre∣tends that the protestant Church was visible in every age. But, first neither he, nor any other could ever yet prove any such visibility. Secondly, this argues that the protestants are here al∣so, as in other points, at variance a∣mongst themselves.

Lastly they confess (and in confessing this alone, they grant enough to undo themselves and establish the truth of the Roman Church) that they went out from the Roman Catholicks. The thing indeed in it self is most true; and it hath been often proved by Catho∣licks, that Waldo, Wicliffe, Hus, Luther, Calvin and the cheif of these new Re∣formado's were sirst Catholicks and

members of the Roman Church, before their change: But the thing now to be considered is their own consession of this truth. As for Luther, he ac∣knowledgeth in many places of his Works, that he had been a Papist, and went out from them. And Caloin sayes in plain terms, that he, and his departed from the Church of Rome, yea and from the whole world. Discessio∣nem à tot mundo facere coactisumus. . Mr. Jewel, Fox, Rainolds, Mason and many more of them acknowledge their Church to have gone out of the Ro∣man Church: so that nothing re∣mains now but to take notice of what sequels result out of this, and their other ingenuous confessions.

Notes

• Luke 1••, 22.
• Lect. 9 de visibil.
• Epist. 141. And Instit. lib. 4. c. 6.
• The Proge∣ny 1.3.c.7.