A briefe treatise of diuers plaine and sure waies to finde out the truth in this doubtfull and dangerous time of heresie Conteyning sundrie worthy motiues vnto the Catholike faith, or considerations to moue a man to beleeue the Catholikes, and not the heretikes. Set out by Richard Bristow priest, licentiat in diuinitie.

The Churches Commaundement.

[ X] ALwaies since Christes Ascension, who-soeuer haue at any tyme re∣sisted the common knovven Visible Church, graunting that in the begin∣ning it was to be seene, and to be obeied (for that is so plaine in the Holy Scrip∣ture it selfe of the Acts of the Apostles, that they cannot denie it) but that after∣ward it became inuisible, and fell from Christ, and therefore no longer to be obeied: who soeuer (I say) haue thus done and spoken, they were euer Schis∣matikes and Heretikes, and in the end forsaken of all Christian men, one and other, how soeuer for a time they decea∣ued the world. Let our aduersaries bring forth (if they can) one example to the contrarie: sure it is, that they can not. And therefore they are themselues such as I haue sayd, Schismatikes, and Here∣tikes, and for such (no doubt) at length will generally be taken, notwithstand-the heards of beastly followers that now they haue.

That such is their talke of the Church vvho knovveth not? vvho is ignorant, hovv they labour to shevv, hovv long endured the Visible Church by the A∣postles gathered, and vvhen it fayled: some of thē setting the age of it at two hundred, some at three hundred, some at fiue hundred yeares: and Iewell more large then his fellowes, at six hundred yeares. And therefore by the Church that then was, they will (say they) be tried, and not by that which was after∣ward for a thousand yeares together vn∣till the rising of Luther, and which yet holdeth on still against Luther and his Adherents. By this Church in no case vvyll they be tryed, bycause it is not (they saie) the same vvhich vvas before in the begynning, and vvhich lasted onlie a certayne tearme of yeares, and vvhich now is restored agayne by Lu∣ther.

This very same was of old the talke of the Donatistes, whose maner was (as S. Augustine writeth) to gather igno∣rantly or deceitfully certaine places out of the Scriptures,* 1.1 & ea detorquere in Ec∣clesiam

Dei, vt tanquam defecisse ac perijsse de toto orbe videatur, and them to wreast a∣gainst the Church of God, to make it seeme that she had as it were failed,* 1.2 and out of the vniuersall world perished. And in another place they say: Apostata∣uit & perijt Ecclesia de omnibus Gentibus: the Church hath played the Apostata, and is perished out of all Nations. Hoc dicunt qui in illa non sunt, saith Saint Augustine. This say they, vvhich are not in the Church. O impudentem vocem &c. Vocem abominabilem, & detestabilem, praesumptionis & falsitatis plenam, nulla veritate suffultam &c. O impudent saying, &c. A saying ab∣ominable and detestable, full of presūp∣tion and falsehood, staied vpon no truth &c. Such was the saying of those Here∣tikes than: & therefore such is the same saying of these our Heretikes now. They Heretikes then for it: & therefore these Heretikes now for it.

On the contrary syde therefore, as the Church was not fayled then, be∣fore Donatus rose: so was it not fayled now, before Luther rose. And therefore, as Saint Augustine and the rest that then

withstood those Heretikes, were of the Church: so we that now vvithstand these Heretikes, be likewise of the Church, and they against the Church. And therefore vnto euery one that will heare Christs voice, must they be sicut Ethnicus & Publicanus,* 1.3 as Ethnikes & Publicans, no credit to be giuen vnto them, no cō∣panie to be kept with them. It was also the familiar saying, as Saint Hierome wit∣nesseth,* 1.4 of the Luciferians, Factum esse de Ecclesia lupanar, that the Church was become a stewes. VVhich was as rea∣sonably sayed of them by Saint Hieromes iudgement, as if one would say, Christum sine causa mortuum fuisse, that Christ dy∣ed in vaine.

Sundrie other Heretikes myght be here brought forth, vvith the like blas∣phemous saying: as in deede yt must needes of all Heretikes so be sayd who if they should say well of the Church, should euer speake against them-selues. And therefore we maruaile the lesse at the feare they haue to name the Church. Castaleon therevpon in steed of Dic Ec∣clesiae,* 1.5 Tell the Church: translating vnto

vs, dicito Reipublicae, tell the common wealth: others in theyr common talke, for the Church hauing in theyr mouths the Congregation: as in our countrie it is common. VVe meruaile not at thys theyr feare, I say. For Gods Church is most certainly alwaies that, which commonly in the world is knowē by the name of the Church: as they alwaies most certainly be Heretikes, vvho are commonly called Heretikes.

And so euermore is the aduise of S. Hierome to be followed of them that wil∣be saued:* 1.6 In illa est Ecclesia permanendum (saith he) quae ab Apostolis fundata vsque ad diem hanc durat. In that Church must vvee keepe our-selues, vvhich once being founded of the Apostles, endu∣reth euen to this daie. For certayne it is by the Holie Scripture, that as Christ fayleth not hym-selfe, so neyther hys Church euer fayleth,* 1.7 being his Inheri∣tance, of God hys Father giuen once vnto hym, and hee neuer deseruing a∣gaine to leese it. Vpon these two Christ (I say) and his Church,* 1.8 runneth all the Scriptures of the olde Testament, either

by Promises, or by Figures, or by Pro∣phecies: and plainer vpon the Church, then vpon Christ. As worthylie hath Saint Au∣gustine noted: Puto proterea, quia videbantin spiritu,* 1.9 contra Ecclesiam homines facturos esse particulas, & de Christo non tātam litem habi∣turos, de Ecclesia magnas contentiones exita∣turos: ideo illud, vnde maiores lites futurae erāt planius praedictum & apertius prophetatum est, vt ad iudicium illis valeat, qui viderunt & fo∣ra•• fugerunt: I thinke for this cause (saieth he) bycause they (the Prophetes) savv in spirit, that against the Church men would make partes, and of Christ they would not haue so much strife, but of the Church they woluld raise great conten∣tions:* 1.10 therefore that, whereupon great∣er debates would be, was more plainlie forespoken and more openly prophicied, that it might serue to their damnation, that saw, and yet ranne out.

And this may he easily perceaue, that wil begin at Genesis,* 1.11 where God saying to Abraham: In semine tuo benedicentur om∣nes Gentes, In thy seede shalbe blessed al Nations: in the Seede vvee haue Christ, in the Blessing of all Nations, wee haue the

Church: and so go on to the end of that part. Then the Scryptures of the nevv Testament, specially that be historicall, what be they els, but certayne recordes of the fulfilling of the sayde former Pro∣myses, Figures, and Prophecies: tou∣ching Christ, the Gospels: touching the Church, the Actes of the Apostles? And all this so plainly, that as the Ievves not seeing of Christ therein, so the Heretikes not seing of the Church in the same, can not possibly be to any thing els impu∣ted, but only to wilful blindnes for dam∣nable lacke of lightsome fayth. And therefore as the Iew to haue hys blind∣nes taken away, must turne to our faith, Cum autem cōuersus fuerit ad Dominum,* 1.12 aufe∣retur velamen: so must the Heretike like∣wise turne him to the Catholike faith: & then shall hee see vndoubtedly as plaine Scriptures for the Church, as the faith∣full Iew shall see for Christ, and plainer to, as before Saint Augustine vvitnessed. Such as we that be Catholikes, doe see for both in euery leafe almost, so manie, so mighty, so euident, that we perceaue the Iew and Heretike to see no more,

then a man that seeth not the Sunne at noonedaies,* 1.13 nor the Moone in the ful.

VVell, ioyne vvith mee issue vpon this who will: They were alwaies Schis∣matikes and Heretikes, I say, that pre∣tended the common knowen Church at any time to haue failed, and that stub∣bornely resisted the same. And therfore Protestants and Puritans be such, and for such of our Countrie and of all the world wil one day be takē Which God graunt of his mercy spedily, that they bring no more poore soules to hell.

Notes

• * 1.1

  De vnit Ec. Cap 12.
• * 1.2

  In ps 102▪ con. 2.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 18.
• * 1.4

  Adu. Lucif
• * 1.5

  Mat. 18.
• * 1.6

  Ibidem.
• * 1.7

  Psal. 2.
• * 1.8

  Read S. August. de vni. ec
• * 1.9

  In Psal. 30.
• * 1.10

  Plainer Prophe∣cies for the Church, then for Christ.
• * 1.11

  Gen. 22.
• * 1.12

  2. Cor. ••.
• * 1.13

  Psal. 88.