Page:Elizabeth Elstob - An English-Saxon homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory.djvu/72

 the Devil, who are taken Captive by him at his Will.'' This is a kind Prayer of the Benedictines, supposing us in such a wretched Eslate. But did they rightly understand the present State of our Religion; both in Faith and Worship, how much more it agrees with that which was sent hither to us by St. Gregory, than what is now to be discover'd in the present Church of Rome; they had spared their commiserating Reflection, and must have been ashamed to produce it: And we assure them, we are not afraid, nor streighten'd, in our Answers to the Queries they object to us. For, from the Instances I have given of the Faith, and Worship, and Discipline introduced hither by St. Augustine, and continued for so long time in the English Saxon Church: it will appear, that we have enquir'd of our Father, St. Gregory, concerning the Faith he transmitted to us; and find, to our great Satisfaction, that we still retain it in the Apostles, and Nicene Creeds, and in the Holy Scriptures. But that he knew nothing of their Trent Articles, neither do we acknowledge them. We have enquir'd of our Elders, St. Augustine, and his Assistants, what Reverence was paid to the Roman See: and perceive that our Ancestors paid it that Reverence, which the Christian Religion wou'd allow them; while it had so good a Bishop as St. Gregory, who pretended not to Lord it over God's Heritage; but must declare that neither they, nor we, ought to reverence an usurp'd Supremacy, and a corrupt Church. We perceive''