The ground of the Catholike and Roman religion in the word of God With the antiquity and continuance therof, throughout all kingdomes and ages. Collected out of diuers conferences, discourses and disputes, which M. Patricke Anderson of the Society of Iesus, had at seuerall tymes, with sundry bishops and ministers of Scotland, at his last imprisonment in Edenburgh, for the Catholike faith, in the yeares of our Lord 1620. and 1621. Sent vnto an honorable personage, by the complyer, and prisoner himselfe. The first part, or introduction.

The fourteenth Consideration.

Of the third marke of the Church, which is Catholike, or Vniuersall.

THe third marke of the Church is, that it is Catholike, or Vniuersall, aswell in tyme & place, as in points of do∣ctrine. And first that the Church is vniuersall in tyme, and continueth perpetually, is sufficiently proued out of the Scriptures cited aboue in the eight Consideration. Second∣ly, that the Church is vniuersall in place, is expresly set downe in the Bible:(a) All the bounds of the earth shalbe conuer∣ted vnto our Lord. And agayne:(b) His dominion shalbe also from sea to sea, and from ••he riuer to the ends of the earth. And our Sa∣uiour sayth:(c) That it was needfull that he should suffer and ryse agayne from the dead the third day, and that pennance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name throughout all nations, begin∣ning at Hierusalem. Thirdly, it is manifest that the true Church is vniuersall, in respect of Doctrine, holding vniuersally in all ages and in all countreys the selfe same points of doctrine (as the Centuries following witnes lar∣gely) without interruption or change, which from the Apostles partly by word and partly by writing it receaued, according to the commaundement of S. Paul:(d) Hold the traditions which you haue learned eyther by word, or by our Epistle. Which commaundement S. Augustine declareth to haue bene obserued by the Catholike Pastours of the primitiue Church, for thus he sayth:(e) whatsoeuer they foūd in the Church that they held, whatsoeuer they learned that they taught, whatsoeuer they receaued of their Fathers that they deliuered to vs their children.

The contrary whereof is verified of all Heretiks, and specially of the Puritanes and Protestants of Scotland, for their Congregation is not vniuersall in tyme, because they are new come. For first the true doctrine was plāted, euen as the good seed was sowen in the field, and afterward the darnell, that is false doctrine, was ouersowen by the ene∣my of Gods Church. And S. Paul hauing taught the Ephe∣sians

the true doctrine of Fayth, sayd, that after his depar∣ture, He knew that rauenous wolues wold enter in among them, not sparing the flock; and, that amongst themselues there would aryse men speaking peruerse things, that they might lead away disciples af∣ter them. Neyther is the Protestants Congregation vniuer∣sall in respect of place. For it is proper to all heretiks to say, Heere is Christ, there is Christ, that is to say, Christ is only truly preached in this Countrey of Scotland, or that coun∣trey of England; and therfore our Sauiour fortold vs of them, and commanded vs not to belieue them. For as S Augustin sayth:(f) Whatsoeuer hereticall company sitteth in cor∣ners (that is to say in a few particuler Prouinces of the world) is a Concubine, not a Matrone: that is, she is not the spouse of Christ, nor the lawful mother of Gods children. And this vniuersality is assigned by the sayd S. Augustin as a proper token to discerne true Christian Religion from heresy:(g) For heresies are not found (sayth he) in many nations, where the Church is (as in Spayne and Italy,) but the Church, which is in all places, is found euen in those natiōs where heresies are (as in Scot∣land, England, and Ireland.) Neyther doe the Protestants and Puritanes hold vniuersally one manner and forme of doctrine, chopping and changing, adding and detracting continually some thinges perteyning to the substance of doctrine.

This marke hath the two propertyes perteyning to a true marke: first it is euident and cleare, euer to be seene in the Church of God, because that which is in all places and at all tymes, cannot he hid from the eyes of al men. Second∣ly, it is only proper to the Church: for heresies and false opiniōs endure only for short tyme, neither are they spread through the whole world, but only in particular kingdoms and Prouinces thereof.

Notes

• (a)

  Psal. 22 v. 17.
• (b)

  Psal. 72. v. 8.
• (c)

  Luk. 24 v. 46.
• (d)

  2. Thes. 2. v. 14.
• (e)

  Augu. lib. 1. con. Iulius.
• Matth. 13. v. 25.
• Actes 20. v. 25. Matth. 24. v. 23.
• (f)

  Augu. lib. 4. de Symbol. c. 10.
• (g)

  Ang. lib. de vnit. Eccles. c. 3.