Which is the true church? the whole Christian world, as headed only by Christ…

And because true Order requireth first that we understand each others terms, I must begin with that, though it be the last thing in his Book; in which you will see what a sandy fabric it is which is adorned by them with the great Epithets of Apostolical, Ancient, Universal, Infallible, and how little they know, or can make others know what it is of which they do dispute, or what that Church is, to which so many hundred thousand Christians (called by them Heretics) have been sacrificed by sword and flames.

And because true Order requireth first that we understand each others terms, I must begin with that, though it be the last thing in his Book; in which you will see what a sandy fabrick it is which is adorned by them with the great Epithetes of Apostolical, Ancient, Universal, Infallible, and how little they know, or can make others know what it is of which they do dispute, or what that Church is, to which so many hundred thousand Christians (called by them Hereticks) have been sacrificed by sword and flames.

In the second Part I defend the Visibility of the Church which the Protestants are members of, against his vain Objections. And in the third Part I defend those Additional arguments by which I proved it.

In all which I doubt not but the impartial understanding Reader may see, that their Terrestrial Universal Monarchy, and their condemnation of the greatest part of the Church of Christ, are contrary to Sense, Reason, Tradition, Consent, Antiquity and Scripture; and that their Kingdom standeth but on three Legs, IGNORANCE and deceit, worldly INTEREST, and the SWORD and violence. And when these (and especially the sword of Princes) do cease to uphold ⟨image 4⟩it, it will presently die and come to nothing. For though Melchior Canus say, that the Roman Privileges (as he calleth them) have stood, though the greater number of Bishops and Churches, and the Arms of Emperors have been against them, yet was it upheld against all these by no better means than those aforesaid. The greater number of Churches and Bishops (viz. of East and South) being against them; and all the other four Patriarchates renouncing them (as they do to this day) they laid the faster hold of the West, and by mastering Italy, flattering and advancing France, promising Kingdoms and Empire to their Adherents, threatening the deposition of others, dividing Germany and all Europe, that many might need the Pope, and few be able to resist him, and by keeping men ignorant that they might be capable of their Government, by these means they overcame the Arms of Emperors, and made them their Subjects, whose Subjects they had been.