Ptōchomuseion [sic]. = The poore mans librarie Rapsodiæ G.A. Bishop of Exceter vpon the first epistle of saint Peter, red publiquely in the cathedrall church of saint Paule, within the citye of London. 1560. Here are adioyned at the end of euery special treatie, certaine fruitful annotacions which may properly be called miscellanea, bicause they do entreate of diuerse and sundry matters, marked with the nombre and figures of Augrime. 2.

The eight Argument.

The true Churche is a visible congregation, whiche maye bee seene and knowen.

But you cannot shew a visible & known church, for Flacius cōdemneth Philip and Philip condemneth Flacius. Ergo, neither you nor they be any Church.

Responsio.

I deny the consequent, for condemnation doth not exclude both the parties: for it is necessarie, the condemnation of the one parte to be iust and good, and of the o∣ther vniust and wicked.

I will make you the like argument. Moses rebuked Aaron being foully decey∣ued. Paulus rebuked Peter when he dissēbled. Ergo, none of thē be of the church.* 1.1 Who would not cal ten Democritos,* 1.2 to laugh hartly at these vnsauery sequeles.

Obiectio.

They that be of the Churche, must folow and obserue thre thinges, that is, vni∣uersallity, antiquitie and common consent, otherwise they cannot be true Catho∣licques.* 1.3 This saith. Vincentius Lirinensis.

Responsio.

If the Churche were now in such state as it was when Vincentius. wrote this saying, we would gladly folow it, and embrace vniuersality & antiquitie, but the Church since that tyme hath established many thinges that repugne agaynst the Scriptures, and therfore it is not to be followed in all thinges.

We ought to folow that vniuersalitie, which contayneth such kind of doctrine as the sacred Bible appointeth and setteth out vnto vs.

Also euery faithfull mā ought to receiue and regarde such an antiquitie, which nothing swarueth from the canonicall veritie, and the meanyng therof.

Or els no vniuersalitie, antiquitie nor consent (though they haue ben put in vre neuer so long) ought to be admitted: for the vniuersall church of Christ beareth the voyce onely of her pastour, and doth not knowledge the voyce of straungers.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Exod. 〈…〉〈…〉 Gal. 2, ••
• * 1.2

  Democri∣tus. 10.
• * 1.3

  Vincentius 11.