certain mean unknown unto men, and
unspeakable; and that it is His property to mollify and soften the
hardness of man's heart when He is once received thereinto, either by the
wholesome preaching of the Gospel, or by any other way: that he doth give
men light, and guide them unto the knowledge of God; to all way of truth;
to newness of the whole life; and to everlasting hope of salvation.

* * * * *

We believe that there is one Church of God, and that the same is not shut
up (as in times past among the Jews) into some one corner or kingdom, but
that it is catholic and universal, and dispersed throughout the whole
world. So that there is now no nation which may truly complain that they
be shut forth, and may not be one of the Church and people of God: and
that this Church is the kingdom, the body, and the spouse of Christ; and
that Christ alone is the Prince of this kingdom; that Christ alone is the
Head of this Body; and that Christ alone is the Bridegroom of this
spouse.

Furthermore, we believe that there be divers degrees of ministers in the
Church; whereof some be deacons, some priests, some bishops; to whom is
committed the office to instruct the people, and the whole charge and
setting forth of religion. Yet notwithstanding, we say that there
neither is, nor can be any one man, which may have the whole superiority
in this universal state: for that Christ is ever present to assist His
Church, and needeth not any man to supply His room, as His only heir to
all His substance: and that there can be no one mortal creature, which is
able to comprehend or conceive in his mind the universal Church, that is
to wit, all the parts of the world, much less able rightly and duly to
put them in order, and to govern them rightly and duly. For all the
Apostles, as Cyprian saith, were of like power among themselves, and the
rest were the same that Peter was, and that it said indifferently to them
all, "feed ye;" indifferently to them all, "go into the whole world;"
indifferently to them all, "teach ye the Gospel." And (as Hierom saith)
all bishops wheresoever they be, be they at Rome, be they at Eugubium, be
they at Constantinople, be they at Rhegium, be all of like pre-eminence,
and of like priesthood. And, as Cyprian saith, there is but one
bishopric, and a piece thereof is perfectly and wholly holden of every
particular bishop. And according to the judgment of the Nicene Council,
we say, that the Bishop of Rome hath no