A triumph of truth. Or Declaration of the doctrine concerning euangelicall counsayles; lately deliuered in Oxford by Humfrey Leech M. of Arts, & minister. With relation of sondry occurrents, and particularly of D. King, the Vicechancellour, his exorbitant proceedings against the sayd H.L. vpon his constant propugnation thereof. Also the peculiar motiues, ensuing therevpon, which perswaded him to renounce the faction of hereticall congregations, & and to embrace the vnity of the Catholique Church

The eleuenth Motiue. The Protestants Manner of proceeding a∣gainst Catholiques, and Catholique Religion, is absurd in reason, and vnequall in Justice. And hence they are prooued to be Hereticks.

IN my perusall of the ancient Fathers, and Ecclesiasticall histories, I did very often ob∣serue theis two things. First; that the Catho∣lick Church had wisedome to discerne Here∣ticall innouations. Secondly; that she had power to enact necessary lawes for the sup∣pression therof; so that an Heresy could not escape hir censure, nor an Heretick hir iu∣stice.

If Popery therefore be Heresy, and Papists Hereticks (as some fanatically brand them) then surely the Catholick Protestāticall Church is able to shew, that shee, in all ages, hath im∣pugned this Heresy, and that she hath her pro∣per lawes to proceede against Hereticall of∣fendours: If not so; then doubtlesse shee is no more Catholick, then the furious Congrega∣tions of Donatists, Arrians, and such like; who

afflicted the true Church against all order of iustice; being neuer able to shew any Catho∣lick predecessours, who maintayned their opi∣nions, nor any lawes made by them to correct the impugners thereof.

That this is the condition of Protestants, I am a witnesse by their disorderly proceeding against the Doctrine, which I deliuered out of the conforme testimonies of the Church.

For wheras it pleased my Caluinian iudges to call it POPISH, erroneous, false, lying, absurd Doctrine; they could not reprooue it other∣wayes, then Arrians, and Donatists, that is to say, by reiecting the Fathers, and by a tumul∣tuous processe, without any legall course.

And though I required them to deale with me as with an Heretick, by refelling my doctri∣ne, and by proceeding Canonically against me; yet they oppressed me with authoritie alone; hauing their will for reason, and their power for iustice.

But for asmuch as I haue such abundant proofe for the verity of my doctrine, and that their opinion is condemned in the Churche for no lesse then Heresy, (by Syricius, Bishopp of Rome; and a Counsayle there: by S. Ambrose Bishopp of Millayn, and a Counsayle there) I appeach them confidently as Hereticks for embracing Iouinianisme; as Hereticks for con∣temners

of Antiquity; and therefore as Here∣ticks culpable of singular pride.

VVhich infamy if they can washe away from themselues by learning, & honesty, then I will retract my sentence, & confesse my selfe to be an Heretick (for the one of vs must needs be Hereticks) howsoeuer euery ingenuous, & indifferent man must needs confesse, that they did not cary themselues as they should haue done to prooue me guilty of this crime.

Notes

• Ambros: 10. lib epist: e∣pist. 80. & 81.