WE could very willingly appeal to our Ad­versaries themselves, were they uncon­cerned, whether a plainer Proof can be given of a Baffled Cause in a Controversy relating to any Point of revealed Religion, than for the Assertors of it to decline maintaining it by those Books, which alone can acquaint us with Divine Revelations. But 'tis Notorious that the Romanists are highly charge­able upon this Account, in their Endeavours to persuade the World, that theirs is the only true Church. They need not be told, that we are beholden to the Holy Scriptures for our having any Notion of such a thing as a Church, and they and we are agreed that that only is the true Christian Church, which professeth the true Christi­an [Page 74] Faith: and therefore how is it possible they should not be aware, that the best way to be satisfied whether those, who challenge to themselves the Title of the True and Catholick Church, have it really belonging to them, is, to examine their Faith by the Holy Scriptures? Which 'tis hard to imagine they can think to be so imper­fect a Rule of Faith, as to believe it a justifiable thing to be so averse to this Method, as we have ever found they are. This we of the Reformation have always stuck to, and we are desirous of nothing more, than that it may be tryed by the Faith we profess, whether we are sound Members of the Catholick Church, and the soundness of our Faith may be tryed by the Scriptures.

But instead of taking this Course, those of the Roman Communion have invented and do insist on a Company of Notes and Characters of the Church, which are ei­ther not to be met with, or are far from being plainly delivered, in Scripture. Had this been our practice, I appeal to their own Consciences, whether they could have imputed it to a better Cause, than our being con­scious to our selves of the disagreeableness of our Faith with the Doctrine of Scripture, and our not daring to have it brought to this Touch-stone.

Of this sort of Notes Cardinal Bellarmine hath given us no fewer than Fifteen, among which he could afford no Place to this Note of ours; though 'tis as evident as the Light, that this one alone would have signified much more to his Purpose, than all that long Bead-roul put together.

The Design of this Discourse is to examine his Fourth Note, viz. Amplitudo, sive Multitudo & Varietas Cre­dentium. Amplitude, or Multitude and Variety of Be­lievers. And how far he makes it to extend, his next Words inform us, viz. Ecclesia enim verè Catholica, non [Page 75] solum debet amplecti omnia Tempora, sed etiam omnia Lo­ca, omnes Nationes, omnia Hominum Genera. The truly Catholick Church ought not only to comprehend all Ages, but also all Places, all Nations, and all Sorts of Men. And,

First, He endeavours to prove this to be a true Note.

Secondly, To make it to belong to the Church of Rome, and to her alone.

Thirdly, To perswade us that those particularly who call themselves the Reformed Churches, can lay no claim to it.

And it shall be my Business,

First, To shew that this cannot be a Note of the true Church. And,

Secondly, Supposing it to be so, that the Church of Rome will however gain nothing by it, as to her Preten­sion; nor the Reformed Churches lose any thing: Nay on the contrary, that it will quite overthrow her Pre­tension of being the whole Catholick Church, and do the Reformed Churches as great Service, as Her Preju­dice.

First, I will briefly shew, that this cannot be a Note of the true Church. By a Note is understood a distin­guishing Character; but this is such a Character of the true Church as no one could less distinguish it: And that, whether we consider the Members thereof under, either the notion of a great Multitude, or a great Multi­tude of Believers.

Considering them under the Notion of a great Multi­tude, the Church which is Christ's Kingdom, is far from being distinguishable as such from the Kingdom of Sa­tan, which was always incomparably more numerous: [Page 76] Or from that part of it which consisteth of Idolatrous Pagans. What Romanist can boast of his Church, in reference to this Note, as Demetrius the Silver-Smith did of his Diana, when he said, That all Asia and the World worshipped her? Nor can the Church of Christ by the Number of its Members be distinguished from the Worshippers of that great Impostor Mahomet; which the Sons of the Roman Church must especially grant to be far exceeding the Members of Christ's true Church in Number, since they make themselves the only Catho­licks.

Again, considering them under the Notion of a great Multitude of Believers, there was an Age in which the Orthodox Christians could not be distinguished from Hereticks, by the greatness of their Number (whom the Romanists will not admit to be Members of the Church in any sense) for in the Reign of Arrianism, ingenuit Orbis & mirabatur &c. The World lamented and wondred to find it self turned Arrian; saith St. Hierom. And it became a Proverb, Athanasius against the whole World, and the whole World against Athanasius. And lastly, the Church of Christ is not to be thus distingui­shed from the Kingdom of Antichrist. I wish our Ad­versaries could impartially consider, whose Note that of having Power given him over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations is most likely to be: Apoc. 13. 7. And who it is that is described by sitting, as upon seven Hills, Chap. 17. 1. so upon many Waters: Vers. 15. Which Waters are Peoples, and Multitudes, and Nations, and Tongues.

These things considered, nothing is more apparent, than that the true Church is neither to be distinguished from other Bodies of Men, or of Professors of Christia­nity, by the largeness of its Extent, or the Numerous­ness of its Members; and therefore that a true Note [Page 77] thereof cannot result from these. And besides, a true Note of the Church must be Essential to it, must belong thereto as the true Church, and therefore is inseparable from it. But how could Amplitude or Multitude, be ascribed to the true Church in the Time of our Saviour, when he called it a little Flock, and said, Strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it, &c.

But Bellarmin pretends to fetch this Note of his out of the Bible, and not only to be beholden to Vincensius Lyrinensis for it, whom he first cites in favour of it; tho little to his Purpose, as will be seen anon. The Texts he produceth are four; two in the Old Testament and two in the New. Those in the Old Testament are, Psal. 2. 8. Where God the Father promiseth his Son, That He will give him the Heathen for his Inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the Earth for his Possession. And Psal. 72. 8. Where 'tis prophesied, That Christ shall have Dominion from Sea to Sea, and from the River unto the Ends of the Earth. Those in the New Testament are, Luke 24. 47. Where our Lord declareth, That Repen­tance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations, beginning at Ierusalem. And Acts 1. 8. Where he tells his Apostles, That they shall receive Power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon them, and they shall be Witnesses unto him, both in Ierusalem, and in all Iudea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the Earth. And it cannot be doubted but that these Texts do prove, that the Members of Christ's Church shall be a very vast Multitude, and that its Amplitude should even extend over all the World. But neverthe­less,

1. It doth not from hence follow, that the Conjun­ction of Amplitude and Multitude doth make a Note, [Page 78] or distinguishing Character, of Christ's true Church. It is one thing to say, it belongs thereto as an Attribute; and another, that 'tis appropriated to it as a Note. That may be even Essential to a Thing, which yet is not a Note of Distinction, or peculiar Property, whereby it may be known from all other Things. The power of Sensation is essential to a Man, yet for all that, he is not distinguishable thereby from a Beast. But it is evi­dent from what hath been discoursed, that the true Church is not to be distinguish'd from the Kingdom of Satan, nor of Antichrist, nor from Erroneous Sects, by Amplitude and Multitude: And that these together, or apart, are not so much as Essential to the Church of Christ; since there was a time when, as hath been said, it was without them both.

2. This is so far from being a Note of the Church, that 'tis no more than a variable State and Condition thereof; since it hath had, from time to time, its Ebbs and Flows, and hath had sometimes larger, and other times straiter and narrower Bounds. This the Cardinal was aware of, and therefore, among other things he would have to be observed for the right understanding of this his Note, he saith, That Although the Church ought not necessarily to be in all places at the same time, yet now it ought necessarily to be, or to have been, in the greater part of the World: For 'tis acknowledged by all, even the Hereticks themselves (meaning the Protestants) that the Church is now in her old Age, and therefore must be past growing. By the way; though all his Hereticks, no doubt, do believe that the Church hath daily grown elder and elder, yet I know not how many he hath found asserting, that she is now arrived at old Age. But it will by no means be granted him, that the Church is yet grown so old as to be past growing, or to have a [Page 79] period put to its time of Encreasing. And therefore I add,

3. That we have great Assurance that the Church hitherto hath not deserved to be compared with what it shall be before the end of the World, both in respect of its Amplitude, and the number of Believers. For there are very many plain Prophecies from whence this may certainly be concluded; which all, that without prejudice consider them, must needs be satisfied, have not hitherto been accomplished. Namely, those which have reference to the Calling of the Iews, and the bring­ing in of the fulness of the Gentiles, and the most plenti­ful Effusion of the Spirit, and perfect rest from Persecution, and universal Peace, with the most wonderful outward Prosperity of the Church. There are, I say, abundance of the plainest Predictions and Promises of this Nature, which the Church hath not as yet experimented the performance of; and they are expressed in such Words as that it may reasonably be believed, that those great things which God hath heretofore done for his Church, either Iewish or Christian, are no better than Types and Emblems of what he intends to do, in His appointed time. Among those Predictions and Promises, the Rea­der may consult these following, which are but a few in comparison of the whole Number, viz. in the Old Testament, Psal. 22. 27 to 31. Isa. 2. 1 to 6. Chap. 11. throughout. Ier. 32. 37 to 43. Chap. 33. 7 to the end. Dan. 7. 13, 14. And in the New Testament, Mat. 24. 14. Rom. 11. 12. and ver. 25 to 33. 2 Cor. 3. 15, 16. Apoc. 20. 1 to 7. Though the fulfilling of these Scrip­tures hath been deferred for so many Ages, yet He is Faithful that hath promised so glorious an encrease of His Church, with the other unspeakable Blessings now men­tioned, and will fulfil them when the Time is come [Page 80] which His infinite Wisdom knows to be the fittest for that Purpose.

And thus much may suffice to be said in reference to the Cardinal's proving this Note by Scripture.

As to those Words, in the next place, of Vincensius Lyrinensis, in his Commonitorium, which he produceth for the confirming thereof, viz. Eos propriè esse Catholi­cos, qui tenent id quod semper, quod ubique, quod ab omni­bus creditum est. Those are properly Catholicks, who hold that which hath been always, every where, and by all believ­ed. I answer,

1. That Vincensius doth not pretend to give us, in these Words, a Note of the Catholick Church, but of such a Christian. This is evident at first sight: And so is this,

2. Whereas he makes it the Character of a true Ca­tholick, to hold what hath been believed semper, ubique & omnibus, it cannot be hence inferred, that he believed Amplitude, or a Multitude of Believers to be so much as an Attribute of the Catholick Church; and therefore much less a Note.

3. If these Words lay down a true Note of a Catho­lick Christian, then no Body of Christians can be more evidently proved to be no true Catholicks, than those of the Roman Communion may, in all those Articles of Faith which are peculiar to themselves. For, as to Points of mere Belief, how much more than the Apostles Creed can they shew us to have been received, always, every where, and by all Christians? But as for that large Addi­tion of Tridentine Articles, annexed to that Creed by P. Pius the 4 th, no unbiassed Person can believe, they have ever done any thing like proving, that any of them have been received always, and much less every where, and by all those whom themselves own for Catholick Christians.

[Page 81] 4. By this Note of a Catholick, no Society of Christi­ans can bid so fair for Catholicism, as the Reformed Churches, but especially the Church of England; whose avowed Principle it is, to receive nothing as an Article of Faith, Artic. 6. but what is contained in the holy Scriptures, or may be proved thereby. Nor doth she embrace any one Do­ctrine as an Article of Faith, but what is clearly expres­sed in those Books, of whose Canonicalness there never was the least Dispute in the Primitive Church.

Secondly. I proceed to shew that if we should acknow­ledg this to be a true Note of the Catholick Church; in­stead of enabling the Church of Rome, to make good her Pretension of so being, it will destroy it: And instead of doing Disservice to the Reformed Churches, it will do them excellent Service, and be a certain Argument of their being true Parts of the Catholick Church. And,

1. I will shew that it will not at all Advantage the Church of Rome as to that her Pretension, and therefore can do us no Prejudice. The Cardinal proves,

(1.) That his Church began to fructify throughout the World in the Days of the Apostles, from these Words of St. Paul, Col. 1. 6. The Truth of the Gospel is come unto you, as it is in all the World, and bringeth forth Fruit, as it doth also in you, &c. But what is this to his Church? Is the Gospel's bringing forth Fruit in all the World, the same thing with the Church of Rome 's so doing?

(2.) He adds the Authority of several Fathers, for this Church's being spread in their Time, all over the then known World, but gives us none of their Sayings except St. Prosper's. The first Father he cites is St. Ire­naeus, in the 3 d Chapter of his Book. Edit. Paris. P. 53. But the Father here only saith, That this Faith (which he sums up immediately before, and is but the chief part of the [Page 82] Apostle's Creed) the Church disseminated throughout the World diligently preserves, as if it were confined but to one House. But how doth this concern the Church of Rome? Which is not once mentioned with others here parti­cularly named; except we could be made to believe that wheresoever the Word Church is found, that Church is still to be understood. Next he cites Tertullian adversùs Iudaeos, Edit. Rig. p. 189. and having search'd that Book, these, or none, are the Words he means, viz. Those Words of David are to be understood of the Apostle's, their Sound is gone forth in all the Earth, and their Words unto the End of the World: For in whom have all Nations believed, but in Christ, who is now come? The Parthians, Medes, Ela­mites, and those that inhabit Mesopotamia, Armenia, Phrygia, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia and Pamphilia, E­gypt, Africa, and beyond Cyrene, the Romans and Jews now in Jerusalem, and other Nations; as now of the Getu­li and Moors, all Spain, divers Countries of the Gauls, and those of the Britains, which the Romans could never conquer, are subject to Christ, &c. But I again ask, What is all this to the Church of Rome, more than to any other particular Church belonging to any one of the many Nations, of which that of the Romans is one, and two whole Quarters of the World, here mentioned? His third Father is St. Cyprian, Edit. Oxon. p. 108. in his Book de Vnitate Ecclesiae. But here is nothing he could fancy to be for his purpose, except these Words: The Church is one, which by its Fruitfulness is extended into a Multitude; As there are many Rays of the Sun, and but one Light, &c. So the Church of our Lord, which being filled with Light, sends forth her Beams through the whole World, is but one Light, which is diffused every-where. But though this be said of the Catholick Church; is here the least Intimation that the Church of Rome is this Catholick Church? After [Page 83] St. Cyprian follow several of the later Fathers, their Books being only directed to. But the narrow room I am confined to, will not permit me to examine them; nor need we look any farther to be satisfied, how this greatest Man of the Roman Church condescended to the most shameful impertinence, in citing Scripture and Fa­thers for the doing her Service. But we must not over­look St. Prosper's Verses, in his Book de Ingratis, viz.

Rome the Seat of Peter, being made the Head of Pasto­ral Honour in the World; whatsoever Country she pos­sesseth not by her Arms, she holds by her Religion.

But, considering how early this Father lived, viz. about the beginning of the Fifth Century, he could mean no more than this, That the Church of Rome, the most Honourable of all other (by means of that Cities being the ancient Seat of the Emperors) keeps still possession of those places by the Religion they received from Her, over which she hath lost Her Old Dominion. And what is this, but another plain Instance, of most idle quoting of Ancient Authors? Not to reflect upon Fetch­ing Arguments from Poetical Flourishes.

But, not to stand to consider how Ample the Roman Church was in the times of those Fathers, nothing is more evident, than that that part of Christendom she took up, was but a small Spot of Ground compared with the Space those Churches filled; which, tho they held Communion with Her, were distinct Churches from Her, and owned no Subjection to Her. And it was about [Page 84] or above, an Hundred Years after the youngest of those Fathers, that the Pope was invested by that Execrable Wretch Phocas (a Blessed Title in the mean time) with the Primacy over all Churches. And Gregory the Great, who died in the Beginning of the Sixth Century, not only sharply inveighed against Iohn Patriarch of Con­stantinople, and his Successor Cyriacus, for assuming to themselves the Title of Vniversal Bishops (though there was no appearance of their designing any thing more thereby, than an Addition of Honour (not of Power) to that Patriarchate) but also called those who should affect such a Haughty Title, Greg. Epist. 37. & 70. lib. 11. & Ep. 30. l. 4. the Forerunners of Antichrist. And, as these Bishops taking this Title, was a Demon­stration, that they acknowledged not the least Subjection to the Bishops of Rome; so Pope Gregory's calling those Bishops who should so do, without Exception, Forerun­ners of Antichrist, is as plain a Proof, that the Bishops of Rome to his time, did not look on themselves as ha­ving a Primacy over all Churches. And 'tis manifest that in the time of the Council of Nice, the Church of Rome was not thought to include the Catholick Church, or to be any more than one part thereof: This, I say, is manifest from the Sixth Canon of that Council, viz. Let the ancient Customs be preserved, for the Bishop of Alexan­dria to have Iurisdiction over Egypt, Lybia and Pentapo­lis; because the Bishop of Rome hath a like Custom, &c. Which is as much as to say, that the Bishop of Alexan­dria had then the same uncontroulable Power in his large Jurisdiction, that the Bishop of Rome had in his. And therefore that Council knew nothing of this Bishop's ha­ving any Power over the Alexandrian, and much less over the whole Catholick Church. Nor is any thing more certain, than that the mere Superiority of Honour, which the Roman Church had, was founded on no Divine [Page 85] Right, but only on that Cities being the Seat of the Em­pire. For, as the Second General Council, viz. that of Constantinople, decreed in its Third Canon, That the Bi­shop of Constantinople should have the priviledg of Ho­nour next to the Bishop of Rome; upon the account of its being the Imperial City, and therefore called New Rome: So in the Twenty eighth Canon of the Fourth Ge­neral Council, viz. that of Chalcedon, it was ordained, that for the same Reason, the Bishop of Constantinople should have equal priviledges with the Bishop of Rome. So that 'tis a plain Case, that whosoever shall undertake to prove from any Sayings of the Ancients, for the first 500 Years at least, that the Church of Rome and the Catholick Church were reputed to be the same, and con­sequently that whatsoever they said of the Amplitude of this is to be understood of that Church, must necessarily make as sad work of it, as Bellarmin hath here done. And therefore it is apparent too, that no Service can be done to the Church of Rome by this Note, as to her pre­tension of being the true, Catholick Church: From whence it will likewise follow, that no prejudice can from thence accrue to the Reformed Churches. But this is not all; For,

2. This Note, were it a true one, would be Destru­ctive to that her Pretence, and do the Reformed Churches great Service, viz. in demonstrating them to be true parts of the Catholick Church. This also may be con­cluded from what hath been said, but it will be made more evident by these following Considerations.

1. If the Church of Rome had as Ample a Spread over the World, for some of the first Ages, as Bellarmin con­tends for, this would far more redound to the Advantage of our Churches of the Reformation (were Amplitude a distinguishing Property of the Church) than to the [Page 86] Advantage of the present Church of Rome, because that Church then was more ours, than now it is the Romanists. For there can scarcely be a greater Disagreement in Do­ctrine and Worship between any two Christian Churches, than there hath for a long time been between the same Church as she was then, and is now. But the Agree­ment is as great between the Ancient Church of Rome, and our Churches; and especially between Her and the Church of England. This our Adversaries could not but see, would they impartially compare the Doctrine and Worship of each together. And the only Quarrel they have with us, is, that we will not admit more into our Creed, than the Christians of the First Ages did into theirs: And that we worship God only by the alone Mediation of Jesus Christ, as they did: That our Laity partake of the Communion in both kinds, as theirs did. And, in short, that we believe the Holy Scriptures to be a compleat Rule of Faith, as it was every where belie­ved to be by the Primitive Catholicks; and that we will not receive into our Worship the Roman Novelties; those things which were utterly unknown to both the Roman and all other Churches in those Ages.

Now, whereas the Cardinal would have it observed, for the better explaining the meaning of this Note, That if one Province alone should retain the true Faith, it might properly be called the Catholick Church, so long as its Faith is one and the same, with that which at one time or other had prevailed in the whole World: We desire no greater Ad­vantage to our Church, and all other in Communion with Her; since these and those Churches which in the Primitive Times were extended all over the then known parts of the World, are agreed in much more than all the Fundamental Points of Faith.

[Page 87] 2. It hath been estimated upon Computation, that the Churches subject to the Roman See exceed not much the Reformed Churches in Amplitude, or Multitude of Members: See the Preface to Brerewood's Enquiries. Especially since Italy, Spain, and Portugal are detained in the Romish Religion, not by Choice or Judgment, but by Ignorance and the Tyranny of the In­quisition. But who can be ignorant that the Church of Rome bears not the least proportion upon those Accounts, with these Churches considered in Conjunction with that part of Christendom which agreeth with them, as in all the main Points of Christianity, so in refusing Subje­ction to that Church; and in most of those Doctrines and Practices, which we condemn in Her as contrary to Holy Scripture, or as not founded thereon (and yet made necessary to Salvation by Her) and not taught by the Primitive Church? So that should all the Churches which deny that of Rome to have any Authority over them, deal with Her as she hath dealt with them, and pronounce Her to have nothing more left Her than the mere Name of a Church; this Her Note would be an unanswerable Objection against Her being A true Church, as well as The true Church; on supposition that (as she holds) of two Parties of Christians rejecting Com­munion with, and unchurching each other, but one of them can be a true Church. That so large a part of Chri­stendom, I say, agrees with the Reformed Churches in all the Grand Articles of Faith, and in the Chief of those wherein they are at Varience with the Church of Rome, as makes the whole an incomparably greater Body of Be­lievers than all those together who own that Church for their Mother, is so notorious, that 'tis impossible our Adversaries should dispute it.

The Cardinal indeed tells us, on this Note, That Be­sides all Italy and Spain and almost all France, which the [Page 88] Church of Rome possesseth: And besides Germany, Eng­land, Poland, Bohemia, Hungary, Greece, Syria, Ae­thiopia, Egypt, in which many Catholicks are found; even in the New World (viz. America) She hath Churches without the mixture of Hereticks. And we can Reply, That Besides, England, Scotland and Ireland, in which Protestancy is the National Religion; and in the two former of which, the Number of Papists is very incon­siderable: And besides Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the Vnited Provinces, in all which 'tis also the National Religion: And besides Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Transilvania, in which are abundance of Protestant Churches (as there were lately in the Kingdom of France too, and 'twill never be forgot by what Methods they have been extirpated); Besides all those Countries, I say, the Protestants have also their Churches in the New World, no less without the mixture of Hereticks: And these consist of other kind of Believers than those the Romanists boast of in that Quarter. For, whereas Surius and others have told prodigious Stories of incredible Numbers of them, that have been baptized by particu­lar Priests; Acosta, tho a Iesuit, acknowledgeth that De Procur. Ind. Sal. l. 6. c. 3. Ovied. Hist. Ind. Occid. l. 17. c. 4. Benzo Hist. Nov. Orb. l. 2. [...]6. 19. Many of them were driven to Baptism as Beasts to the Wa­ter. And Oviedo saith of Cuba, That there was scarcely any one, or but extremely few, that willingly became Christians. And both he and Benzo, who were long conversant in those parts, say of Cuba and New Spain, That they had scarcely any thing belonging to Christianity, besides the bare Name of Christians. That they only minded the Name they received in Baptism, and not long after forgot that too. And the former of these makes this no matter of Won­der, since he declares their Converters to be no better Christians than these Converrts: And excellently expo­stulates with them about the horrible Wickedness of [Page 89] their Lives; telling them that would they give the poor Indians good Examples, this Method would signify much more towards the making of them good Christi­ans, than that Course they took with them. And the old Monsieur Arnaud, in an Assembly at Paris, scoffed at the Iesuits for the Conversion of the Indians; cal­ling it a brave warlike Conversion, Conversionem bel­lam & bellicosam; and telling them that they had converted Gladium oris in os Gladii.

And whereas the Cardinal, in the Words follow­ing those last cited, makes this flourish, that Rome hath Churches in all the four Parts of the World; to the East in the Indies, to the West in America, to the North in Japan, to the South in Brasil, and the uttermost Part of Africa: If his meaning was more than this, That there is no Country in all those Parts, but what hath Romanists in it, it was (to say no worse) a mere Flourish: If he meant no more than so, we may dare to affirm as much con­cerning Protestants. But it matters not much whe­ther we can or no, since there are infinite Num­bers of Christians, who, though they bear not the Name of Protestants, yet agree with them in not being Papists, and (as was said) in all the great Points of the Christian Religion; whether of Faith or Practice.

To pass by the Christians under the Patriarch of Mozall, of whom Postellus saith, Cosmog. p. 69. Though they are but few in comparison of what they have been, yet they are many more than us Latines. To say no­thing neither of the Armenian Christians, falsely cal­led Nestorians (whose Catholick, as they call their Patri­arch, [Page 90] Otho Frisingensis reports to have under his O­bedience above a thousand Bishops, See Brere­wood 's En­quiries, p. 211. last Edit. from the Re­port of his Legats sent to Rome) both which vast Bodies of Christians acknowledg no Subjection to the See of Rome▪ I say, to pass by these, we need not instance in any besides the Greek Church, for the foresaid Purpose: Which hath had an uninterrup­ted Succession of Bishops from the Apostles, and is of greater Antiquity than the Church of Rome, and which hath produced more Fathers than that Church. This Church is divided into many Nations, as the Hyberians, the People of Colchis (now Mengrelia) the Arabians, Chaldaeans, Aethiopians, Aegyptians, Mos­covites, Bulgarians, Sclavonians, Albanians, Carama­nians, Walachians, Moldavians, Graecians, &c. And we may guess what a huge Disproportion there is in Largeness, between all the Greek Churches, and those Subject to the Church of Rome, by this, That the Countries in Europe and Asia, which the Mosco­vites alone inhabit, are computed to be near of as great an extent as all Europe besides.

The Greek Church hath Four Ancient Patriarchs, the Constantinopolitan, the Alexandrian, the Antiochian, and the Patriarch of Ierusalem. And since the Pa­triarchate of Constantinople hath been under the Tur­kish Tyranny, there hath been a Fifth Patriarch, viz. of Mosco. Cyril Patriarch of Alexandria, and since of Constantinople, Bellarmin 's Contemporary, saith of the Greek Church dispersed through the foresaid Na­tions, that They are stedfast in the Faith of Christ: That no Innovation in Matters of Faith is found a­mong them; and but only some difference in Ceremo­nies. Ep. 2. ad. Vy­tenbogard. inter Ep. praest. Vir. p. 399. in Octavo. He acknowledgeth that some of those Nations [Page 91] are not free from Superstition; but adds, that with­out detriment of the Faith it is connived at, because it can't be remedied, in regard of many Difficulties: But in those things which belong to the Essence of Faith, Per­severantes sunt & permanentes, they are fixed and un­alterable. He also writes, that Whereas the Oriental Churches seem to be Reproached for their Ignorance; Ep. 1. ad eun­dem. ibid. p. 369. Philosophy and other sorts of Learning being gone from thence into other parts, since they have been opprest with many Miseries by reason of the Tyranny of the Turk, yet they reap no small Advantage hereby; because by this Means they are unacquainted with those Pestiferous Questions, which at this time infect Mens Ears; and with the new Monstrous Portentous Doctrines: And 'tis plain what Doctrines he chiefly meant. He adds, that They are content with incompta Fides, See the Rvd. Dean Stilling-fleet's De­fence of the Greek Church from the Roma­nists charge of Heresy. In his Learned Vindi­cation of Arch­Bishop Laud. a plain undrest Faith, taught them by the Apostles and their Ancestors, and herein they persevere even unto Blood: That They keep [...] integram, the Faith entirely: That They see themselves bereft of all their Substance, their Children snatch'd from their Embraces; and are continually brought into the greatest Tribulations, yet it is not grievous to them to suffer these things for the Faith of Christ, &c.

So that the Motto which Minutius Felix made for the Primitive Christians, Non magna Loquimur sed Vivimus; Great things are not so much Talk'd as Lived by us: This Great Prelate (whose Fidelity in this Account is unquestionable, he being a Person of as fam'd Piety as Learning) doth assure us is de­served by these Greek Christians. But for all this, They must all be doom'd to Hell Torments, as effe­ctually as the Church of Rome's Sentence can do it, [Page 92] because they will not▪ Truckle under Her, and so be made subject to a double Bondage.

And thus have I sufficiently shewed, That it would be for the Interest of the Reformed Churches, that Cardinal Bellarmin's Fourth Note of the Church were as true as we have proved it false: And that it would then overthrow instead of establishing the Church of Rome's marvellous Pretence of being The True or Catholick Church.