The successive visibility of the church of which the Protestants are the soundest members…

Qu. [Whether the Church, of which the subjects of the Pope are Members, hath been visible ever since the days of Christ on earth.] In which these three Questions are involved, which you have to prove: 1. Whether the Papacy, that is, the Universal Monarchy, or Sovereign Government, or Vice-Christship of the Pope (take which term you like) hath continued from Christs days till now. 2 Whether all the Catholic Church did still submit to it, and were subjects of the Pope. 3. Whether those that did submit to it, did take it to be necessary to the Being of the Church, and the salvation of all believers, or only to the more peaceable and better being.] If you call for Catalogues, or proof of Visible succession, and pretend so high to it your selves, and yet will give us none when we importune you to it, you tell us that you seek not to reveal the truth and Church but to hide them. I urge you the harder (though it may seem immodest) because as the Cause doth lie upon your proof here, so I know ⟨p. 192⟩you cannot do it: Pardon my confidence: I know you can do no more then Baronius, Bellarmine, Bullinger, &c. set together have done: and therefore I say, I know you cannot do it. I know your Vice-Christ (I doubt the Antichrist) is of humane introduction, springing out of a National (I mean Imperial) Primacy, which also was of humane invention. It was but one Civil Government or Commonwealth, in which your Bishop had his Primacy, and that long without a Governing power. And this National Primacy, because of the greatness of the Empire, was at last called Universal: And even this was long after the days of Christ (some hundreds of years) a stranger in the Church, unless as the Greatness of the Church of Rome, and advantages of the place, did give that Church such authority as ariseth from magnitude, splendour, honour, and accidental advantages from the populousness, wealth, and glory of the City of Rome.

Qu. [Whether the Church, of which the subjects of the Pope are Members, hath been visible ever since the dayes of Christ on earth.] In which these three Questions are involved, which you have to prove: 1. Whether the Papacy, that is, the Vniversal Monarchy, or Soveraign Government, or Vice-Christship of the Pope (take which term you like) hath continued from Christs dayes till now. 2 Whether all the Catholick Church did still submit to it, and were subjects of the Pope. 3. Whether those that did submit to it, did take it to be necessary to the Being of the Church, and the salvation of all believers, or only to the more peaceable and better being.] If you call for Catalogues, or proof of Visible succession, and pretend so high to it your selves, and yet will give us none when we importune you to it, you tell us that you seek not to reveal the truth and Church but to hide them. I urge you the harder (though it may seem immodest) because as the Cause doth lie upon your proof here, so I know