An answer to a letter of a Jesuit named Tyrie, be John KnoxAn answer to a letter of a Iesuit named Tyrie, be Iohne Knox

And therefore have we most justly rejected the Rabble of ceremonies which the Papistis held for the chief exercise of their Religion, as things having no better ground then the invention and consent of men. Now shortly of the Kirk commonly called Catholic. The name of the Kirk is common, and is taken aswell for the congregation of the wicked, as for the assembly of the godly, as it is plane be the words of David, saying,¹ I have hated y• Kirk, or the assembly of the wicked, the term ⟨image 11⟩Catholic, which signifies universal, he• not included in it that virtue which Papists allege, That is, that whatsoever is catholic, y•, must be good. For if so were, then sin in the original world should have been good, for it was so Catholic (that is universal) that it overflowed y• hole earth only one house excepted. How universal Idolatry was amongst the Gentiles, Histories witness, and how braid the pestilent sect of Machomet is this day spread, experience does teach us. And yet we suppose, that no man of right judgement will either approve the one or the other, notwithstanding of their universality, & there fore we must have a better assurance of y• Kirk, to the which we ought to join our selves then that it is Catholic, or universal, To wit, it must be holy, & the communion of Sanctis. For in the confession of our faith, we say not I believe the Kirk universal, but I believe the holy Kirk universal, the communion of Sanctis. Wherefore we affirm, that if that Kirk which is called Catholic or universal have not holiness in the heart be true faith, & the Confession of the same in the mouth, & in the forehead, it ceases to be y• immaculate ⟨image 12⟩spouse of Jesus Christ, in whose bosom the sons of God are nourished to the life everlasting. And so before that the writer of the letter shall be able to convict us, that we have declined from the holy Kirk, he must first define what is the very holiness of the Kirk, wherein it consists▪ from whom it flows, and what is the effect of the same. And when thus he hes done, he must prove that the Kirk of Rome hes been and is only holy, so that no Kirk before it did ever enjoy that title, nether yet that any that after may ensue it, may so be justly called, & thus we think shall be very hard to Master Tyrie and all the Jesuits in Europe to prove.