A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

But there were also other Exceptions put in, unto your Application of this Principle unto your purpose, upon supposition that there were any Truth in the matter of Fact asserted by you. For, suppose that those who from beyond Sea first preached the Gospel to the Saxons, came from Rome, yea were sent by the Bishop, or if you please the Pope of Rome; I ask, whether it was his Religion, or the Religion of Jesus Christ that they brought with them? Did the Pope first find it out? or did they publish it in the name of the Pope? You say, It was the Popes Religion, ⟨p. 41⟩not invented but professed by him, and from him derived unto us by his Missioners. Well, and what more; for all this was before supposed in my enquiry, and made the foundation of that which we sought further after. I supposed the Pope professed the Religion which he sent; and your Courtly expression derived unto us by his Missioners, is but the same in sense and meaning with my homely phrase, they that preached it were sent by him. On this I enquire, whether it were to be esteemed his Religion or no; that is, any more his, than it is the Religion of every one that professeth it; Or did those that were sent baptize in his name, or teach us that the Pope was crucified for us? You answer, that he sent them to preach: I see —Nil opus est te Circumagi, quendam volo visere non tibi notum. you understand not what I enquire after; but if that be all you have to say, as it was before supposed, so what matter is it, I pray, who planted, and who watered; it was the Religion of Christ that was preached, and God that gave the increase: Christ liveth still, his Word abideth still, but the planters and waterers are dead long ago. Again, What though we received the Gospel from Rome? doth it therefore follow, that we received all the Doctrines of the present Church of Rome at the same time? Pope Gregory knew little of the present Roman Doctrine about the Pope of Rome. What was broached of it, he condemned in another, (even John of Constantinople, who fasted for a kind of Popedom,) and professed himself an obedient servant to his good Lord the Emperor. Many a good Doctrine hath been lost at Rome since those old days, and many a new fancy broached, and many a tradition of men taught ⟨p. 42⟩for a doctrine of truth. Hippolyte, sic est;

But there were also other Exceptions put in, unto your Application of this Principle unto your purpose, upon supposition that there were any Truth in the matter of Fact asserted by you. For, suppose that those who from beyond Sea first preached the Gospell to the Saxons, came from Rome, yea were sent by the Bishop, or if you please the Pope of Rome; I ask, whether it was his Religion, or the Religion of Jesus Christ that they brought with them? Did the Pope first find it out? or did they publish it in the name of the Pope? You say, It was the Popes Religion,