Wesley Corpus

The latter justify their charge by producing such authors as have in several ages not only taught that doctrine, but taught it as the doctrine of their Church; the former deny the charge, by appealing from particular authors to an higher authority, to Councils and public acts and decrees, to Missals, Breviaries, and Catechisms. Now, though those Protestants are not to be blamed, when the authors they quote have been first licensed and approved in that Church, and were never afterward condemned by it; yet in composing this Catechism, to avoid contention as much as I can, I have generally observed their directions, and have seldom made use of particular authors, but when it is for the explication of a doctrine that is not sufficiently explained, or for confirmation of a doctrine generally received. I am very confident that the quotations throughout are true, having again and again examined them; and I have been as careful as I could not to mistake the sense of them; that I might rightly understand and truly represent the doctrine which I profess to censure; for without a faithful and impartial examination of an error, there can be no solid confutation of it. oF THE CHURCH, AND RULE of FAITH. QUESTION 1. WHAT is the Church of Rome? ANswer. The Church of Rome is that Society of Christians which professes it necessary to salvation to be subject to the Pope of Rome,” as the alone visible head of the Church.t REPLY. Christ is the Head, from whom the whole body is fitly joined together. And the holding to that Head (Coloss. ii. 19) is the one great note of the Church, given by St. Austin. * Dicimus, definimus, pronunciamus absolute necessarium ad salutem, omni humanae creature subesse Romano Pontifici. Extravag. c. Unam sanctam de Majoritate et Obedientia. “We say, define, and pronounce, that it is absolutely necessary to salvation, for every man to be subject to the Pope of Rome.” + Bellarm. De Eccles. milit. l. 3, c. 2, sec. Nostra autem sententia; et cap. 5, sec. Respondeo neminem (De Unit. Eccles. c. 3, 4.) But there is neither in Scripture nor antiquity any evidence for a visible head, and much less for the visible head, the Pope; and, least of all, that it is necessary to salvation to be subject to him.