Animadversions on a treatise entitled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…

1. The Supposition on which all his ensuing Queries are founded, must be rightly stated, its terms freed from ambiguity, and the whole from equivocation: which a word or two, unto, first, the Subject; and then, secondly, the Predicate of the Proposition, or what is attributed unto the Subject spoken of; and thirdly, the proof of the whole; will suffice to do. The Thesis laid down is this, The Church of Rome, was once a most pure, excellent, flourishing and mother Church: This, good St. Paul amply testifies in his Epistle to them, and is acknowledged by Protestants. The Subject is the Church of Rome. And this may be taken either for the Church that was founded in Rome, in the Apostles days, consisting of Believers, with those that had their rule and oversight in the Lord; or it may be taken for the Church of Rome, in the sense of latter Ages, consisting of the Pope its Head, and Cardinals, principal members, with all the Jurisdiction dependent on them, and way of Worship established by them, and their ⟨p. 60⟩Authority; or, that collection of men throughout the world, that yield obedience to the Pope in their several places and subordinations according to the Rules by him and his Authority given unto them. That which is attributed to this Church, is, that it was once a most pure, excellent, flourishing, and Mother-Church; all, it seems, in the superlative degree. I will not contend about the purity, excellency, or flourishing of that Church; the boasting of the superlativeness of that purity and excellency, seems to be borrowed from that of Revel. 3.15. But we shall not exagitate that, in that Church, which it would never have affirmed of it self, because it is fallen out to be the interest of some men in these latter days to talk at such a rate, as primitive humility was an utter stranger unto. I somewhat guess at what he means by a Mother-Church; for, though the Scripture knows no such thing, but only appropriates that Title to Jerusalem that was above, which is said to be the Mother of us all, Gal. 4.26. which I suppose is not Rome, (and I also think that no man can have two Mothers,) ⟨p. 61⟩nor did purer Antiquity ever dream of any such Mother, yet the vogue of latter days, hath made this expression not only passable in the world, but sacred and unquestionable;