A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

Fifthly, We see not the Promises, made unto the Catholic Church, fulfilled unto you; as we see that to have befallen your Church, which is contrary unto ⟨p. 199⟩the Promises that ever is should befall the Catholic. The conclusion then will necessarily on both instances follow, that either your are not the Catholic Church, or that the Promises of Christ have failed and been of none effect. And you may easily guess, which part of the Conclusion, it is best and most safe for us to give assent unto. I shall give you one or two instances unto this last head. Christ hath promised his Spirit unto his Church, that is the Catholic Church, to abide with it for ever, Joh. 14. 16. But this Promise hath not been made good unto your Church at all times; because it hath not been so unto the head of it. Many a time the Head of your Church hath not received the Spirit of Christ; for our Saviour tells us in the next words, that the world cannot receive him; that is men of the world, carnally minded men cannot do so: for he is the peculiar inheritance of those that are called, sanctified, and do believe. Now if ever there was any world in the world, any of the world in the earth, some, many of your Popes, have been so, and therefore by the testimony of Christ could not receive the Spirit that he promised unto his Church. Again it is promised, unto the Church Mystical or Catholic in the first and chiefest notion of it, that all her children shall be holy, all taught of God, and all that are so taught, as our Saviour informs us, come to him by saving faith; you will not I am sure for shame affirm that this Promise hath been made good to all, either Children or Fathers, of your Church. Innumerable other Promises, made to the Catholic Church, may be instanced in, which you can no better or otherwise apply unto your Church, than one of your Popes did that of the Psalmist to himself, Thou shalt tread on the Lion and the Basilisk, when he set his foot on the neck of Fredrick the Emperor. But the Arguments are endless ⟨p. 200⟩whereby the vanity of this pretence may be disproved; I shall only add,

Fifthly, We see not the Promises, made unto the Catholick Church, fulfilled unto you; as we see that to have befallen your Church, which is contrary unto ⟨p. 199⟩