deuided the people into certaine circuites and countries or rather parishes in deede whereof some were cōmitted to the charge of certaine pastors and othersome to the charge of certaine other Pastors From thence came the name Curate although some woulde haue it deriued from Cura that is to say from the care that the pastors ought to haue ouer their flocks which were giuen committed vnto them in charge And the abuse comming on and growing vp more more they called the benefice or reuenewe that was assigned them to maintaine themselues vpon for the doing of their office by the name of Cure And from thence it commeth that when any one goeth about to get suche a benefice they diligently enquire of the value thereof and that wherof they seeme to haue the greatest regard is to know how muche the cure is worth As concerning Bishops and Elders Bishops and elders or according to papistes Priestes Hierom. ad Euagrium or as they cal them priests we haue before shewed and seene that these two names signifie one and the selfe same office or charge And S. Ierome in his Epistle to Euagrius witnesseth that in the time of the apostles there was no distinction or difference betweene these two degrees but afterwardes whiles schismes were in the church one was chosen from among the elders placed in the highest roome and called Bishop because hee differed from the Elders onely for the executing of order Nowe by these wordes wee may easily knowe and gather that this difference beganne in the Churche about that time and in that the office of a Bishop is held and accounted for a more high or more excellent office than the office of Elder or as they terme thē priestes it was not doone by the institution and ordinance of God but rather by mans authoritie that for the maintenance as they suppose of order and discipline Archbishop or Metropolitanes The names of Archbishoppes and Metropolitanes which were taken for one and the same estate were vnknowen to the Apostles and to the olde and auncient Churches but marke howe they were brought in Princes hauing put certaine degrees betweene their cities and townes making a difference betweene some of them in respecte of dignities and priuiledges they called those which they woulde establishe aboue the reste Metropolites as if you woulde say Concil Calcedon Canc. 12. Mother Cities as wee may gather out of many histories and namely and expresly out of the Councell of Calcedonia where it is saide that they ought not to account any Townes or Cities for Metropolites but onely those to whome Kings and Princes haue shewed and giuen this honour by their Edictes and statutes Nowe as Princes lifted vp their Metropolitane Cities to beare rule ouer others vnder their obedience so the Bishops placed in those Cities vsurped iurisdiction and authoritie ouer others they beeing fauoured by their Princes and Magistrates who easily accorded and consented to this that their Bishops shoulde bee placed in authoritie aboue others For this cause the Bishops of those places were named in the councel of Nice Metrepolitanes Conce Nice can 6. Conc. Calce can 1. and their seates were called in the councell of Calcedon the first seates You see then what was the fountaine and beginning of Archbishops or Metropolitanes who at the beginning were lifted vp to such a degree for a good end and purpose in outward shew for they were so placed and established as it were Ecclesiasticall presidents and rulers in their prouinces to the end they might guide gouern the affaires of the Churches and direct call Synods in good order without confusion when there was neede thereof Conc. Nice can 6. Conc. Anti. can 13. yet none among them had any authoritie one ouer an other For that effect and purpose the councels ordained that al Metropolitās should haue like power and equall authoritie Conc. Sardi can 19. Conc. Constātinopolita can 2. euerie one in his own prouince that the Bishop of Rome who was also Metropolitan had at Rome in the churches which were vnder his charge Whereby it appeareth that the Bishop of Rome was not then Pope and vniuersall bishop ouer all churches but that he had his charge limited bounded hauing no more authoritie and iurisdiction ouer other Metropolitanes than the other had ouer him Cardinals Touching Cardinals I know not what we may speake of certaintie because there is not so much a one onely authour who liued or writ while the churche was in some puritie that maketh any mention therof at all Yet we cannot be deceiued in speaking of that which we finde touching it We read in Nauclerus Nauclerus that in the time of Pontianus Bishop of Rome who was about the yeere of Christ 235. there was at Rome 36. Priestes Cardinals that is to say principall and chiefe among the rest Volateran lib. 22. Antropolo For as Volateranus saith in his Antropologie the name Cardinal was in old time take to signifie as much as principall was saith hee giuen to the Priestes as they call them and Deacons of the Church of Rome because that as the Bishop of Rome was held taken for the principall and chiefe of Bishops because he was in the principall citie of the Empire so the Priestes as they call them and Deacons of that citie were helde and taken for Cardinals that is to say for principall and chiefe among other Priestes and Deacons Whereupon hee addeth some examples There is a certaine Epistle saith he of Gregorie the first to them of Peloponezus who demaunded a Prieste to minister the sacraments vnto them wherein he saith we send vnto you our beloued sonne A Prieste Cardinall Also there is amongst the auncient Charters in the Church of Aretinum a donation or gift of a certaine Romane Senator named Zenobius which was made vnto the saide Churche in the time of Damasus the high Bishoppe wherin there is contained this subscription And I Io. S. R. E. Deacon Cardinall doe on the behalfe of the high Bishoppe Damasus approue and confirme c. And of these Priestes or Deacons Cardinals Marcellus Bishop of Rome ordained fifteene to baptise children Petr. de Nat. lib. 2. cap. 83. Polydor. lib. 4. cap. 9. and to burie the dead about the yeere of Christ 301. If the Cardinals of these dayes woulde take their beginning from these let them marke then what is their charge calling without taking that vpon them which belongeth not vnto them But we know what great difference there is betweene their estate and these because at this day we may in euery place beholde it to bee an estate or calling of honor not of office charge as it was then Beside when was it that they were so lifted vp and by whom A thousand yeeres and more were spent before that the Church was burdened with such cardinals as wee haue at this day hauing
off and cease at the least to strengthen them selues so muche with their succession and so often to oppose and set against vs their vocation and sending The end wher fore the lord sent his work men into his haruest Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.15 1. Cor. 11 23.24 Ioh. 12.15 Act. 20.28 But will we examine the end or whiche the Lord of the haruest hath sent forth his workemen into his haruest He him selfe hath declared it when he commanded thē to preache the Gospel and to minister the Sacramentes after his example Whiche in an other place is signified by the worde of feeding the sheep euen as Iesus Christ said vnto peter Peter louest thou mee feede my sheepe And Saint Paule speaking to the Bishop of Ephesus Take heed to your self saith hee and to all the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made you Bishop or ouerseers to feede the Church of God Also S. Peter The elders which are amongst you I beseeche 1. Pet. 5.1.2 who am also a fellow elder feede the flock of Christ which is committed to you Wherefore cursing and woe is by the Lorde pronounced against the Pastors which feed themselues Ezech. 34.2 and feede not their flockes or sheepe And Saint Paule hauing regards thereto saith in his Epistle to the Romanes Rom. 1. 8. That hee was called and sent by Iesus Christe to preache the Gospell of God And to the Corinthians Necessitie saith hee to preache the Gospell 1. Cor. 6.17 is laide vpon mee and woe is vnto me if I preach not the Gospell because the dispensation thereof is committed vnto me In the Epistle to the Hebrewes it is saide Heb. 13.17 that the pastours and guiders of the Churche ought to watch for the soules of them that are committed vnto them as they that must giue account thereof And that is it that the worde bishop importeth and meaneth that is to say a watche man or an ouerwatcher bicause the pastors ought to bee as it were watches or watch men according to the Prophesie of Ezechiel Ezech. 3.15 33.3 that they maye watche ouer the flocke Saint Paule in other wordes setteth out this ende Eph. 4.11.12 when hee saith to the Ephesians That Iesus Christe hath giuen Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes Pastors and Doctors for the gathering together of the Saincts for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christe 1. Cor. 4.1.2 that is to say the Church And writing vnto the Corinthians hee saith in one worde That it is required of the Ministers of Christe who are the disposers of the secretes of God that euery man bee found faithfull behauing himselfe faithfully diligently and rightly in the execution of his charge and office Nowe according to this rule can the Popes Cardinals Byshops other priestes of the Romishe Church saye that they occupie themselues in their charges to feede the flocke of Christ to preache the Gospell to administer the sacraments to assemble the saints to giue ouer themselues wholy to the worke of the ministerie to edifie the Churche How doe they satisfie and answere the ordinance and commaundement of Iesus Christ Howe can they excuse them selues that they should not be almost all accursed according to the testimonie of Ezechiel and Saint Paule whereof we spake not long sithence what can they say or alledge for themselues that they should not be excommunicated and deposed if the canons which they attribute to the Apostles of whiche we spake in the fifth Chapter were well and rightlye obserued amongest them as they say they shoulde bee indeede But behold their vngodlynesse they say that they exercise and execute their foresaid offices and charges by their Vicars and deputies whom they haue substituted and appointed vnder them in their places ouer their parishioners Yea but whē Iesus Christ called sent foorth his Apostles did he say vnto them goe and bee the pastors of my Church teaching it and feeding by Vicars substituts and lieuetenants which you shal put in your places It is certaine that hee did not so but he gaue vnto them in their owne persons the speciall charge of his Churche and commaunded them in plaine and expresse tearmes to preach the Gospell them selues and to administer the Sacramentes Moreouer what sufficient Vicars or Deputies are they wont to haue and howe faithfull meete and able to doe the duetie of Pastours Such Bishops and persons such Vicars and Lieuetenants that is to say one of them as ignoraunt foolish and vnskilfull as the other But why doe they take vppon them the name and charge of an office which they will not exercise and execute why take they the hyre wages and reuenue of that labor and work which at no hand they doe neither in deed will doe For they haue no care to haue Vicars and Liefetenants but that thereby they may enioy prebendes and the reuenewes of their benefices and yet they will seeme to haue them as though it were to doe their duties Yea which is more then this they make accursed and more then profane diuision of their offices betweene them and their Friers vilanously separating that whiche Iesus Christe hath ioyned together For to whome was it that Iesus Christe committed the office to minister the Sacramentes but euen to them themselues and to them alone also whome hee inioyned and commaunded to preache the Gospel But these men to wit the Bishops parsons and other Priestes do reserue vnto themselues the administration of the sacraments such as they haue with the rents and reuenewes of their bishoprickes parsonages and other benefices and post ouer the charge and office of preaching the worde vnto the Friers leauing them the bagge wallet and staffe whatsoeuer by begging they can get for their hyre and wages But seeing that they leaue vnto the friers the office of preaching why doe they not leaue vnto them also the office and charge to administer the Sacramentes For these two offices are ioyned together and may not at any hand be separated or sundred one of them frō an other Notwithstanding there is in the popedom a plaine prohibition and forbidding that friers in as much as they are friers shoulde meddle with or take vppon them to administer any Sacrament except they bee such as haue charge or vnlesse they bee dispensed withall for the doeing of it But why then are they suffered to preach For this is to doe against the ordinaunce and institution of Christ and to deuide and sunder things which he hath ioyned together Or seeing that they are come so farre as to forbid friers to administer the sacraments why do they suffer them to say masse seeing that they all hold and affirme that the masse is the Sacrament of the holy supper which for this cause also they call The Sacrament of the altar Indeed to speake according to the truth making also an ende at the length of this matter these men cannot after any maner whatseouer vaunt or
boast thēselues to be true bishops pastors seeing they are not called by Christ to such offices that they doe not any maner of way exercise duties charges according to the ordinaunce and cōmandememt of the Lord of the haruest The X. CHAP. Whether the ministerie of the worde bee alwayes necessarie in the Church and howe much men ought to attribute or giue vnto it AFter that wee haue spoken of the diuers degrees of ministers in the church of their charges and offices it shall be very meete and requisite that wee declare whether the ministerie of the worde bee alwaies necessarie and needfull in the Church or no. For there are some which doe despise it and vtterly disallowe the same as though it were superfluous vnprofitable and vaine whose argumentes and reasons wee must first examine and afterwards we will alleadge and bring foorth our reasons and warrantes against them Their first argument is this The holy Ghost is our inward doctor 1. Iohn 1.20 Iohn 16.13 who teacheth vs all thinges and leadeth or bringeth vs to the knowledge of all truth It followeth then that we haue not any need of the outward ministerie neither that any doe teach vs with the liuely or liuing voice I aunswere that the consequent is false and that the argument is captious and sophistical by reason of the insufficient numbring or reckoning of causes For there are three very right causes by which wee are guided and ledde to the knowledge of the truth The first is the holy ghost the second is the outward ministerie of the worde The third is our wil but yet regenerated agreeing with these two Now of these three causes or means we are not to despise any one seeing that God by thē wil accomplish and bring to passe his owne worke in vs. Wherfore although it he the proper and peculiar office of the holy spirit to lighten vs within and to lead vs to the knowledge of the truth yet so it is notwitstanding that the outward ministerie of the worde is not vnprofitable because that god vseth the same as an inferiour or secondary meane for the aboue named effect and purpose And indeede the preaching of the worde and the administration of Sacramentes doe then shew and bring foorth their effect power when the holy ghost ioyneth his withall by the which only the eares are pearced the harts opened the affections touched and the wils disposed and prepared thereby to giue an entrance to the outward ministery insomuch that if this inward master or teacher do faile vs the outward ministerie can no more profite our soules than the light of the Sunne helpeth blind eyes or than a voyce which soundeth lowd profiteth deaf eares In the meane while the outward ministerie is not vnprofitable or vaine when the operation of the holy Ghoste is ioyned therwith working within but is full of vertue efficacie and power euen as it pleaseth God to blesse it The second argument is Those which knowe all things and haue not neede that any should teach them haue nothing to do with the outward ministerie but the faithfull know all thinges as S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 2.20.27 and haue no neede that any should teach them It followeth thē that the faithfull haue nothing to do with the outward ministerie I answere that the place of S. Iohn is very yll peruersly applyed For when he saith that the faithfull to whome hee writ knewe all things first this ought to bee referred to that which hee had before saide in the 14. verse to wit 1. Iohn 2.14 that they knew the father for he that knoweth the father certainely knoweth all because the father is knowne in his sonne in whome are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2.3 as saith Saint Paul And therefore also the same Apostle declareth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 2.2 that he esteemed not to know any thing among thē saue Iesus Christ and him crucified Secondly when he saith that they knew all things it is as if he had saide that they were not yong schollers rude ignorāt but expert well skilled in the matters which he propoūded set forth vnto thē and that therfore he did not set out these pointes to them as though they were altogether vnknowne to thē but that he did onely bring these things to their minds that they might remēber them As S. Peter writeth vnto the faithful 2. Pet. 1.12 I Will not bee negligent saith he to put you alwayes in remēbrance of these things though that ye haue knowledge and be established in the present truth Finally when he saith that they had no need that any shoulde teache them this ought not to be read alone by it selfe but ought to be ioyned with that which followeth to wit 1. Iohn 2. 27 but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things it is true and is not lying As if he would say you haue been taught of the holy ghost who is alwaies true and no maner of way a lyar You then haue not neede that any should teach you some other matter as they are wont to doe which teach for doctrine mans inuentions but if any doe teach you that he folow that which the holy ghost hath taught you in whose doctrine it behoueth you alwaies to abide The third argument the Lord saith thus And they shall teach no more euery man his neighbour Iere. 31.34 and euery man his brother saying Knowe the Lord for they shall all know me frō the least of them vnto the greatest of thē This promise must be referred to the state of the Church vnder the new Testament therefore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde ought not any more to haue place now in the church I answere that the application of the place of Ieremie is altogether contrary to the meaning intent and purpose of the holy ghost For first and formost the Lord making cōparison betweene the olde people and the new meaneth not any other thing but that vnder the Gospell he woulde sende vnto his people so great a light by the means of Iesus christ his sonne that his knowledge should bee common familiar to all wheras vnder the law he manifested and declared himselfe darkely and that vnder certaine shadowes figures As indeed the ancient people that is to say they which were in the time of the olde Testament were not so familiarly plainely and perfectly taught as we be at this day by reason whereof also the Prophet Malachie calleth Iesus Christ the sonne of righteousnesse Malac. 4. ◠signifiyng therby that the fathers vnder the law had indeed som light but yet not such a light as we through his goodnes haue at this day Furthermore we must mark that the lord doth not say simplie They shall teache no more euery man his neighbour euery mā his brother but he addeth saying Know the Lord. By which
whiche hee giueth not but vnto his children alone the members of Iesus Christ his sonne and by consequent if wee woulde bee saued and made blessed wee ought to hold and keepe our selues firme sure and well staied in the Churche so that there bee no force of tyrants no violence of stormes and tempestes no persecution of enemies no promises no threatnings nor to bee short any thing els which may turne vs away or cause vs to separate our selues from it But in the meane while wee see what controuersie and disputation there is at this day amongest men touching the point or matter of the Churche that beeing true whiche Lactantius saith to wit That euery companie of Heretikes supposeth that they are true Christians Lact. de vera sapien ca. 10 and their Church is the Catholike Church as wee knowe that Parmenianus the Donatist said That there was not a church but amongst his sort and companie insomuch that sundrie of this age suffer them selues to drop away and be deceiued by the feigned name and visardlike title of the Church abiding hardened in their superstitions and blinded in errours making no account August ad Catecum cap. 20. of Saint Augustine his aduertisement and counsell who speaketh thus This Catholike Church is our true mother yea shee is our faithfull and chaste mother decked within with the dignitie and worthinesse of her husbande and not coloured or painted without with lying and falshoode and afterwardes hee addeth Let vs looke well to our selues that the strange and false name of the Churche turne vs not away from this mother of ours and that the outwarde shewe or borowed bare title of the Churche doe not deceiue vs. There are some others who remaine astonished as it were and doubtfull not knowing to which parte to turne neither on which side to set themselues in order Seeing the Romishe Church armed with great force and authoritie mainteined and vpholden by great personages cloathed with diuers ornaments outward apparrell and followed of the greatest number On the other side beholding the reformed Church feeble and weake in outwarde shewe made and standing for the most part of the smalest and basest according to the world simple in deckings and ceremonies and followed of very fewe people But the doctrine of the trueth which is our principall light and chiefe guide giueth vs a good remedie and aide in this difficultie shewing vs that the true Churche ought to bee discerned from the false by her owne right and true marks which are the pure preaching of the worde and the true and right vse of the sacraments and not the great number of people nor pompes not outward ceremonies inuented deuised by men themselues You my Lorde haue sometimes seene what trouble and combates the very visarde bare name and shining shewe of the Romishe church hath brought to som mens consciences and spirites and that not only amongest the rudest and ignorant sort but euen in the rancke and order of those which made profession and tooke vpon them to teach others yea so farre it hath carried them that by reason there was nor in them a full resolutenesse they knew not of what companie they shoulde bee Notwithstanding as touching your selfe after that God had honoured you with his knowledge and called you into his Churche that you mighte bee comprehended within the sheepefolde of Iesus Christes his sonne hauing almost made open profession of his Gospell and cast away the beastes marke whatsoeuer shaking and staggering you perceiued in diuers others you notwithstanding haue alwayes continued through Gods grace grounding and setling your selfe vpon his assured and inuincible worde And in deede by what force and strength coulde the backe flydinges of some the Sophisticall disputations of other some astonishe your faith or beate downe your constancie so well mainteined and vpholden by the holy Ghoste How could these assaultes cracke your courage or change and make colde your zeale so hotte in the seruice of God Certainely this is a great matter that all the worlde hath an eye vpon you wondering at and louing the great and singular affection which you beare to the aduancement of Gods true religion and seruice But the question is nowe to continue in well doing and to proceede dayly from good to better For this is nothing to beginne well except a man perseuere and continue euen to the end And wee knowe what Iesus Christe saith to wit That hee which putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is not apte to the kingdome of God Luke 9.62 2. Tim. 2.5 And Saint Paule If any man saith hee striue for a mastrie hee is not crowned except hee striue as hee ought to doe There are some whiche say that this is enough for a man to haue some testimonie in his conscience that hee belongeth to God albeit hee make not any declaration or profession of his religion But by the testimonies heere aboue marked and put downe it is easie for vs to gather what neede wee haue to range and bring our selues into the true Churche that wee may therein liue Christianlie in the seruice of God seeing that any where els there is neither life nor light And also what assurance can they haue of their saluation which liue in this worlde as dogs and swine following the traine and steppes of Sardanapalus or of Epicurus to eate and drinke to laugh and reioyce to play and to giue themselues to pleasure without thinking any whit at all of God or remembring any religion Wherefore my Lorde euen as you haue well and blessedly begunne hauing had right knowledge to discern betweene the true and false Churche so it yet resteth that you perseuere and continue yea that yet you proceede and passe somewhat further to range and bring into order all your house in the feare of God that it may be vnto him a holy and chaste Churche in the middest whereof hee may take pleasure to dwell that thereby hee may blesse you and make you to prosper You knowe with what ardencie and zeale the Prophete Haggai reproued the Iewes of his time Haggai 1.4 lately returned out of Babylon because they builded many houses for themselues and did diligently feele and carue them but they had no regarde to builde vp the Lords Temple Hag. 2.3.22 And wee must note that the Prophet directeth not his speech only to the people and Priestes to moue them to doe their duetie for the furtherance and setting vp of this building but also vnto Zerubbabel the gouernour of Iudah Which serueth well to declare that great lords and Magistrates as well as ministers and the rest of the people ought with all their mighte and power to imploy themselues for the edification and aduancement of the Churche of God Rom. 13.4 Psalm 82.1 And thereuppon commeth it to passe that Sainte Paule calleth Magistrates the Ministers and seruants of God and that in another place They are called euen Gods to wit not
banish this Church out of the worlde For seeing that it is vniuersall it shall neuer want place but it shall alwayes bee gathered together receiued in some quarter or corner of the earth Secondlie it is called Catholike in consideration of the persons for it receiueth and containeth all the faithful of what estate sex or condition soeuer they bee as S. Paule sheweth when hee saith That there is neither Iewe nor Greeke Galat. 3.28 Collos 3. 11. bonde nor free man nor woman but that all are one in Christe Iesus And in the Apocalipse this Churche is described and set out in this behalfe as a certaine Citie hauing twelue Gates Reue. 21.13 three on the East side three one the North side three on the South side and three one the West side And therefore the Iewes are deceiued when they suppose that the church ought to bee restrained to the onely fleshlye race and linage of Abraham Thirdly in consideration of the time for it shal indure and continue in the world not as some doe imagine a hundred or two hundred yeares a thousande or two thousand yeares onely but euen as long as the worlde it selfe shall last as wee will declare more at large when wee shall speake of the perpetuitie or continuance of the Church Furthermore we holde that this Church is one euen as it is saide Cantic 6.8 Ioh. 10.16 2. Cor. 11.2 Reue 21.9 1. Cor. 12 1◠that there is but one onely Doue perfecte and the onely Daughter of her Mother one sheepefolde one spouse of Christ one bodie And indeede this vnitie or onenesse of the Church doeth not consist in a common and bodilie dwelling together nor in certaine outwarde ceremonies but in a certaine verie spirituall vnitie and in an assured consent of doctrine and faith For amongest all those which truely beleeue in Christ there is one bodie and one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one GOD and father of all which is aboue all and in all and through all and therevppon it is that Saint Paul saith of the whole church Eph. 4.4.5 Gal. 3.28 That wee are all one in Iesus Christe All the particular churches then whiche consent in true doctrine ought to be holden and esteemed for one onely Churche seeing that the Church is but one Wherevpon Saint Cyprian saide There is no more but one onely Church which is spreade abroade or stretched out farre and wide as there are manye beames in the Sunne De simplicit Praelat and yet the light thereof but one and in a tree there are manie branches or bowes and yet but one bodie which is stayed vpon his owne roote and from one onely fountaine runne manie riuers which no whitt at all hinder or let that the vnitie or onenesse should not abide in the fountaine Now herevpō it followeth that al Schismatiks which by factions sectes partakinges doe breake the vnitie of the Church doe sinne greeuously 1. Cor. 1.13.3.3 as also S. Paule declareth the same writing vnto the Corinthians We say also that this Church is inuisible and that there is none but God alone who knoweth the same therefore Iesus Christ saith Ioh. 10.14 That he knoweth his sheepe and that he knoweth them whome hee hath chosen And Saint Paule The Lord saith hee knoweth those whiche are his Ioh. 13.18 And as concerning our selues wee beleeue it as wee protest confesse 2. Tim. 2.19 in the christiā articles of our beleefe whē that by outward signes we can not point it forth or marke it out For albeit we do not many times see behold the same yet it ceaseth not for all that to bee as it was declared vnto Elijah when hee cōplayned that he was alone making profession of the name of God 1. Kings 19. 10.18 Rom. 11.3.4 No no saith the Lorde vnto him I haue reserued vnto my selfe seauen thousande men whiche haue not bowed the knee to Baal But let vs marke that wee speake of the bodye of the churche generally and not of the members thereof particularly For there is no doubt but that wee may by signes and outwarde testimonies profitably iudge of election euen as men iudge the tree by the good fruite and yet this must bee vnderstoode singularly and specially when the question concerneth our selues For according to the testimony of S. Peter 2. Pet. 1.10 We make our calling election firme sure through good workes Moreouer this churche containeth also many persons whiche are not yet called vnto the visible church euen as our Sauiour Iesus Christ sheweth in S. Iohn when he sayth Ioh. 10.60 Other sheepe I haue also whiche are not of this folde them also muste I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall bee one sheepefolde and one sheepehearde And hereof wee haue an example in Saint Paul for when he persecuted the Churche it seemed verily that hee did not appertaine to the Churche beeing not yet called to be a sheepe of the visible sheepefolde of Christe Notwithstanding the Lorde saith vnto Ananias Goe thy way to him Act. 9.15 for hee is a chosen vessell vnto me to beare my name before the Gentiles and Kinges and the children of Israell Which is a matter worthie to be noted to the end that wee shoulde carefully looke vnto our selues that we take not vppon vs to iudge of any man rashly and before the time CHAP. III. Of the visible Church and of the true markes thereof THe visible Church is the cōpanie of al those who by the preaching of the Gospell are called to bee of Christes flocke as indeede they are supposed to be amongest whome notwithstanding manie are not of the number of the Elect as appeareth by the parable of the seede whereof Iesus Christ maketh mention in the 13 chapter of the Gospell according to S. Matthew and by that which he saith that all they which say vnto him Lord Lord Mat. 13.24 Mat. 7.21 Mat. 20.16 Rom. 9 6 shall not enter into the kingdom of heauen Also that many are called but fewe are chosen Also by that Saint Paule saith that all they whiche are of Israell are not therefore Israell And S. Iohn They went out from amongest vs Iohn 2.19 but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they woulde haue continued with vs. We haue an example hereof in Iudas as Iesus Christ him selfe witnesseth the same in Saint Ioh. Here then we haue to marke this Ioh. 6 70.13 18. that the outward profession of Christian religion is not sufficient to saluation Furthermore this Churche is knowen by her owne proper markes which are two verie principall and substantiall The first is the pure preaching of the woorde with a right and common consent thereto There was neuer yet any religion which was not vpholden maintained and pointed out by some doctrin So we se that the gētiles haue had their seruices hymnes songes praises vnto
and very often also of wicked life and this they doe through fauour mony robberies spoiles factions and other lewde and naughtie practises ouerthrowing all order and subuerting all good pollicie and discipline And yet notwithstanding the Canons which they attribute to the Apostles ordeyne and determine that euery bishoppe Elder or Deacon Can. Apost Can. 29. 30. that shall haue obteined his office by monie or giftes or by the fauour of the princes and potentates of this worlde shoulde not onely be deposed from their estates and offices but also excommunicated and cast out of the Churche and that not onely they them selues but also they which shall admit and receiue thē nto such charges and whiche shall shewe them fauour and shall communicate with them Nowe let men marke howe these Canons are at this day obserued and practised in the Romish Churche and by consequent howe right and lawfull the vocation is of the Bishoppes and priestes of that Church It is true that they vse indeed the imposition or laying on of hands but euerie one knoweth with howe many trifling toyes and superstitions it is accompanied And indeede this is the onely poynte whereof they can vaunt themselues which is not so necessarie but that we may verie well ouerpasse or little regard it as hauing no expresse commaundement touching the vse thereof For touching the two substantiall pointes Titus 2.7 they wante them wholy contrarye to the ordinaunce of Saint Paul Titus 2 7. But touching our vocation it is an easie matter for euerye one to iudge whether it be true and lawefull euen by the proceeding which they that chose vs keepe holde in the right examination diligent inquirie that they make as well of our doctrine sufficiencie meane and manner of teaching as of our life manners and conuersation also by the allowance and manifest consent of the people who do receiue vs after that they haue a certaine space heard and tryed vs. For wee holde and teach that none ought of himselfe to teach and haue charge in the Church vnlesse hee be lawfully called therevnto Mat. 9.38 It apperteineth to the Lorde of the haruest to sende foorth workemen into his haruest And S. Paul touching this matter asketh Howe shall they preach except they bee sent Rom. 10.15 And therefore in the Prophet Ieremiah they are taxed and reproued as false Prophets Iere. 14. 14.23.21 which did runne not being sent And Iesus Christ sayth also That they which enter not in by the dore into the sheepefolde Iohn 10.1 but climbe vp some other way are theeues and robbers But perhaps the Romishe Catholikes will not so much examine our calling as that of the firste reformers and restorers of our Churches and will demaunde of vs from whome it is that they receiued imposition of handes and finding in theyr owne iudgement as they suppose that they had not any certaine vocation therevppon they woulde inferre that then they coulde not chuse cal vs to our charges so by consequent our vocation shoulde bee none at all wherevnto we answere two thinges The first is that we ought to exercise our calling according to the visible state of the church which is either altogether corrupted or else abiding safe soūd If thē the state of the church abide in her puritie whiche is then when pure doctrine is kepte therein and the lawfull administration of Sacramentes with the right vse of the discipline we saye that an ordinarie calling that is to say the waye and manner of chosing Pastors prescribed by the woorde of God according to whiche wee haue beene called placed in our charge ought to bee obserued followed But if the state of the Church be altogether corrupted we say that then an extraordinarie vocation hath place euen according as it shall please God to rayse vp his seruauntes and to employe them to reforme the Church and to bring it to her olde puritie For God is not always bound to ordinary means which he vseth notwithstanding when it seemeth so good vnto himselfe And this was practised in former time euen then whē the ten tribes of Israel were altogether become bastardes and corrupted through their idolatries For God did extraordinarily stirre vp 1. Kin. 10.1.9 vnto them Eliiah to reforme them and to indeuour to bring them into good order touching his seruice yea I say Eliiah who was not a priest and had not in that respect any succession So likewise we holde and affirme that God hath dealt in our time in the choyse and sending of some of our ministers who were inspired and stirred vp by GOD to streatch out the hande vnto the Churche which in respecte of the outwarde and visible state was wholy almost beaten downe and ouerthrowen And these men neyther coulde not ought to looke to be sent from or to be approued by the Pope his people whose intollerable abuses and false doctrines they had in charge to reprooue no more then they that woulde take vppon them to reforme a companie of Women who had openly fallen to whoredom fornication c. ought to wait to be stirred vp or required therevnto eyther by altogether or some of them they pleasing them selues and being desirous to continue in their former dissolution and leudnes Here to alledge that for the making of an extraordinarie vocation certaine and approued some miracles are necessarie or else some certaine plaine and manifest places of Scripture is to no purpose at all or they say as much as if they saide nothing For as concerning places of Scripture wee are not destitute thereof Iesus Christ speaking in the Gospell to the Priestes who did not well and rightly execute their office in their charges demaundeth of them When the Lord of the vineyard shall come Mat. 21.40.41 what will he doe to these wicked husbandmen Vnto whome they answere condemning them selues He wil cruelly destroy these wicked men and will let out his vineyarde vnto other husbandmen which shall deliuer him the fruites in their seasons Now this was in deede iustly and faithfully accomplished For the Lorde tooke away his vineyarde that is to say the gouernment of his Churche from the Priestes Scribes and Elders of the people who did not yeeld him the fruits which did belong vnto him and committed the same vnto other husbandmen that is to his Apostles and their successours whiche haue yeelded him fruites in their seasons And euen in like manner hath the Lorde done in the Popedome beholding euill workemen in his vineyarde that is to say wicked and naughtie Pastors in his Church which did not at any hande their duetie and office he hath not destroyed his Churche but hath chaunged the state and condition thereof taking away her blinde guides and giuing vnto her others which see clearely It is also written in the Apocalips The holy citie shall they tread vnder foote two and fortie monethes Reu. 11.2.3 but I will giue power vnto my
the deadlie poyson of his false doctrine as they may neuer after be able to taste or smell the sweetnes pleasātnes of the word of God To bee short then in that the deuill hath so great a sway in the world it is a very manifest signe or as a man would say a banner displayed of the iust vengeance of GOD and of his horrible and fearefull furie vpon all those who reiect and persecute the Gospell of his sonne For the vngodly perseuering in their vnbeliefe deserue to bee couered and clothed with so great abhomination seeing that the trueth of God can finde no place amongst them CHAP. VII That Iesus Christ alone is the head of his Church and not Saint Peter neyther any Pope what so euer EXperience teacheth vs what euill it bringeth vs when wee turne aside frō the worde of God be it neuer so litle In old time al the pastors of the church were commonly called Elders Ancients Bishops they were all brethrē fellowes equall also of like authoritie in their ministeries And this continued vntill such time as he that was chosen in the assēblies of the Pastours there for the time to be president and to gather the voyces came at the last to bee especially and as it were only named a Bishoppe Hence the diuell beganne to frame and spinne as it were the tyrannie of Antichrist in the Churche euen suche as wee beholde it at this day so that the man of sinne and sonne of destruction reuealed is set downe in the Temple of God as God 2. Thes 2.3 4 shewing him selfe as though he were GOD. For from Bishoppes they came to Metropolitantes who also are called Archbishops and that vnder goodly shewe and great pretence For these Metropolitanes were not but as it were Presidentes or rulers to sette the other in order and to call them together when it was needefull to haue some Synode for the affaires and businesses of the Churches of the Prouince and in good order and without confusion to redresse and guide matters in the assemblyes made From Metropolitanes they leaped to foure Patriarches as though the whole Christian common wealth ought to be diuided into foure partes and bee ruled and gouerned by foure prelates These Patriarches were one of Antioch who bare rule ouer Syria one of Alexandria who gouerned Egypt and Ethiopia one of Constantinoble bearing rule ouer Asia Grecia and Illyricum and one of Rome ruling all the west that is to say Italie Fraunce Spaine Germanie Here vpon afterwards there arose contentions and stirres betweene these foure Patriarches touching their iurisdiction and primacie in so much that they in such sorte set them selues one of them against an other with the hurt and losse indeede of the poore Churche that at the last two to witte that of Antioche and that of Alexandria gaue place and yeelded their roomes to the other two that is Constantinople and Rome the controuersie beetweene which endureth as yet euen vnto this day For it is not yet well determined nor made plaine which of these two ought to be head and vniuersall Bishoppe In some sorte to quiet them and to make them contented and to keepe them selues within their owne boundes men haue limitted their charges thus the Patriarch of Constantinople to beare rule ouer all the Churches of the East and the Patriarch of Rome to beare rule ouer al the Churches of the West Wherefore the latter of these two is hee whom the Romishe Catholikes make them selues to beleeue that hee is the head of the vniuersall church as being the Vicar of Iesus Christe on earth and the lawfull or ryght successour of Saint Peter But wee haue here two pointes to examine and sift the one touching Saint Peter The other touching the Pope who sayeth that he is his successour Concerning the first wee shall not finde in all the scriptures that S. Peter was ordained at any time to bee head of the whole Church and to beare rule ouer it neyther that he him selfe did at any time eyther pretende or vsurpe suche a iurisdiction and primacie because it did not at any hande beelong vnto him but vnto Iesus Christ alone as wee hope to prooue and manifestly to shewe it by the reasons following The first reason is this Iesus Christe alone is called the heade of the Churche Ephesians 1. verse 22. Ephesians 5. verse 23. Ephes 1.22 Ephes 5.23 Saint Peter then is not otherwise the Churche shoulde bee a bodye with two heades If they will replie say that Iesus Christ in deede is the onely head of the Chuche because that hee alone raigneth ouer it and that by his owne onely authoritie yet that this nothing hindreth but that there may be an other head ministeriall as they call it that is to say one in respecte of the execution of the charge and office vnder him who shoulde be his great Vicar and liuetenante generall for to gouerne the Churche I will demaunde of them to shewe mee when and howe this ministeriall head was ordayned by Iesus Christe for if Iesus Christe be God liuing for euer what neede hath hee of a successour Rom. 9.5 If wee haue all his will in writing and if hee bee alwayes present in the middest of his Churche Ioh. 15.15 Act. 20.27 Mat. 18.18.28 20. to rule and gouerne the same what hath hee to doe for a Vicar or Liuetenaunt And as concerning charges and offices we knowe what executors he hath established and left Saint Paule in the Epistle to the Ephesians affirmeth Ephe. 4. 11. c. that Iesus Christ being ascended into heauen hath giuen some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some pastours some teachers to whome hee hath giuen in charge and committed his Churche to order and guide the same This is not spoken onely for two or three or for some other small number neither yet for one age but for all the Pastours of the Churche generallie and for all times Nowe you maye see what lieutenantes Iesus Christe hath substituted in his place but that hee shoulde giue vnto Peter a primacie to bee Pope and heade of the Churche is a meere leasing The seconde reason is this 1. Cor. 13.11 Iesus Christe onely is the foundation of the Churche 1. Corinth 3.11 Wherevpon it followeth that the Churche is founded vppon Iesus Christ and at no hande vppon Saint Peter and by consequent that Iesus Christ alone is the heade of the Churche and not Saint Peter Touching that which Iesus Christe spake vnto Peter Thou art Peter Mat. 16.18 and vppon this rocke I will builde my Church we will an one declare the true and naturall sense thereof The thirde reason S. Peters charge and office was limited and set within certaine bondes For S. Paul witnesseth of himselfe and Peter thus Galat. 2.7 That he was the Apostle of the Gentiles and Saint Peter of the Iewes And saith that this diuision was made by the reuelation and ordinaunce of
or seruitour In whiche sense S. Paule calleth the Magistrate the Deacon of god that is to say Rom. 13.4 Ephe. 3. 7. Rom. 15.8 the seruant or minister of God and he nameth himselfe the Deacon that is to say the minister of the Gospell as also hee calleth Iesus Christ the Deacon of circumcision that is to say the minister thereof Wherefore being so taken and referred to the estate calling of the Pastor it is commonly translated and turned by this worde minister or seruant as in the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Collossians and the third chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians Colos 1.7 1. Cor. 3.5 But sometimes it is taken more straitly for thē which haue a charge and office to gather the almes to dispense or bestow them among the poore The first occasion that was giuen to chose these Deacons in the Church was this because the Apostles could not very well prouide for or furnish both the charge of preaching the woorde and of distributing the goods of the poore And for this cause were the seuen Deacons chosen of whom is spoken Acts. 6. Acts. 6.2 And the conditions and qualities which ought to be in the Deacons that men will chose are there described and set out and also in the third Chapter of the first Epistle to Timothie 1. Tim. 3.8 c. These are the degrees of the Churche or ecclesiastical orders which Iesus Christ him selfe set vp and his Apostles after him established for the regiment and gouernment of the Church which order was afterwards in the Popedome by litle and litle not onely corrupted but vtterly ouerthrowne For in that tyrannous kingdom after that corruption had once craftily ouertaken or stolne vppon the doctrine of the Churche they deuised and forged a stewardship dispensation and bestowing of ecclesiasticall offices and charges which was altogether farre off and estraunged from the former simplicitie and plainenes whereof we haue spoken Wherin first they made a sacramēt without the warrant of Gods worde of the orders and degrees of ministers Afterwardes they deuised a certaine kinde of creame or oyle to annoint them as they say but in deede it is to grease or smeare them fetching that through a false zeale from Aaron and that which was done in olde time vnder the lawe And also shauing or shearing specially of the crowne of the head against the custome both of the Apostles Act. 18.18 and of the primitiue Church It is true in deede that Saint Paule did once cause his heade to bee shorne in Cenchrea after the maner of the Iewes but it was by reason of a vowe which hee had made and not that hee was then ordeined into some ministerie but a great while after his calling And in that hee caused himselfe to bee shorne he did it not for any other purpose but to applye himselfe thereby to the Iewes who were as yet very rude not wel instructed as he himselfe protesteth in the Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 9.20 That of his owne accord willingly he became vnder the law although he were deliuered there from to the end he might winne the Iewes Orders of the Romishe church Next they established or made seuē orders of the church the first Porters or doore keepers the second Readers the thirde Exorcistes or in plaine english Coniurers who as they faine had power giuen them to lay their hands vpon madde men and men possessed with diuels and to heale them the fourth Acoluthes that is to say followers who wayted vpon the Bishop in his householde seruices and did continually accompanie him first for honours sake and then that no suspition shoulde aryse of them the fifth Subdeacons or vnderdeacons the sixt Deacons and the seuenth Priestes of which last sort they haue made many degrees whereof they call some simple or single Chaplaines Others Curates and Vicars others Bishops others Archbishops or Metropolitanes other some Cardinals And afterwarde they came to the foure Patriarches and lastly to the Pope himselfe But from whence commeth this goodly hierarchie or order of Pristes who hath established it and set it in nature or being Did Iesus Christ or his Apostles the scripture maketh no mentiō therof But let vs discourse a little vppon the fountaine and beginning of these goodly degrees I say and meane onely of those whiche they conteyne vnder the name Priest For the others keepe not the place of true Bishops and Pastors of the Church as these woulde seeme to doe And yet notwithstanding hee that will heare speeche thereof Theo. Beza lib. confes Punct 7. ca. 11. let him reade the confession of Theodorus Beza As concerning Chaplaines Durandus in his booke called Rationale diuinorum offic alleadgeth two reasons to shew why priests were so called The one is because the kings of Fraunce in time heretofore when they went to warre were wont to carrie with them Saint Martins cappe or hoode which they kept vnder a tent which of the cap kept in it was named Capella that is Chappel and the Clerkes or Priests that had the keeping of this Chappell were called Chaplaines and afterwardes in continuance of time this name was in some countries giuen generally to all priestes And these little Cabbines or corners or rather high places which were in the popish temples wherein the Chaplaines saide their masses were called chappels The other reason is that when in olde time there were set out an armie or to doe some exploite by souldiers they had in the campe certaine speciall tents to say masse in which tentes were couered ouer with goates skines Now a goate in latine is called Capra or Capella that is to say according to the portuise of the priestes which are at this day Chappell Wherefore because these tents were couered with goates skinnes they were named Chappelles and the priestes which had the keeping of them and who did therein sing their masses were called Chaplaines Beholde verilie two reasons to shew from whence this name Chaplaine is taken which reasons are very high full of great speculation or insight conteining verie great mysteries and such as are meruelously deepe but we leaue thē to bee meditated or loked into diligētly to the priests which are the Popes Chaplaines to the end that they should aduise and take counsell to see whether they can be willing that their reuerende name shoulde bee fet and drawen from these base beginnings Curates Curates haue another fountaine In old time according to the order established by Iesus Christ the Pastours were ordeined placed distinctly and without confusion in seuerall Churches For to the end that euerie Pastor might knowe his owne charge and bee able to yeelde a better account of his flocke and that one shoulde not any whit at al incroch vpon or intermedle with others also to the ende that the flocke and sheepe might knowe where they might seeke for and find their owne pastors they
Wherefore whatsoeuer we shall finde in them conformable and agreeable to the proportion of faith and agreeing with the authoritie of the holy scriptures wee ought to receiue the same without any scruple or doubt But if they propound vnto vs and set out thinges contrarie to that we ought and we may without any difficultie or danger reiect and refuse them as suspected and dangerous doctrines For as Saint Ierome hath sometimes saide HieroÌ„ in 9. cap. Ierem. Wee ought not to followe the errors of our fathers and predecessors but the authoritie of the scriptures and the commandement of God Who teacheth vs. Gerson par 1. de exam doctrin Abbas Panormita Epist de electia one elect potest cap. 5. Whereupon also Gerson and Panormitan haue concluded that in matters which concerne faith the Pope and his Bishops may not determine and decree anye thing against the worde of God and that if a generall councell shoulde come so far as to decline and goe aside either through malice or through ignorance of the Gospell a simple man alleadging in that councell the worde of God ought rather to bee heard and yeelded vnto then all they Let vs enter or come nowe to our aduise and let vs bring foorth and alledge our reasons to prooue that the Churche may erre The first reason is this That great companie of the people of Israel which was in the wildernesse with whome GOD had made a couenant and had made them bounde vnto him by an infinite number of benefites and good turnes had giuen vnto them Sacraments and Ceremonies which were as it were visible signes of his grace that great companie I say was a very goodly and a very excellent Churche But they were vilely deceaued and erred fowly when forsaking the commaundement they made vnto themselues a golden calfe offering and giuing vnto it that honor which was due to God alone yea and Aaron himselfe the high priest did not so constantly and boldly withstande them as he ought but rather consented thereto indeede wherefore it followeth that the church may erre and be deceiued The second reason The Church in olde time did offer and giue the holy Supper to little infants staying and grounding themselues vpon the place of Saint Iohn Except yee eate the fleshe of the sonne of Man Iohn 9.15 drinke his blood yee haue no life in you And this custome was in vse in the time of pope Innocent Saint Cyprian and Saint Augustine as it appeareth by their writinges But nowe this is not any more vsed for children whiche can not prooue and examine them selues are not at this day receiued to the partaking of the Sacrament Wherefore the Churche in olde time hath erred or els it erreth now But if we would answere that the Churche hath power and authoritie to chaunge suche customes and manners I replie to the contrarie for now the question is not heere of a thing indifferent in the vse but of the worde of God which is alwayes constant and not subiect to any change as to say that to day it hath one sense and vnderstanding to morrow another wherefore if the place of S. Iohn commaunde to giue the supper to little infants of necessitie as the forenamed ancient fathers haue vnderstood and expounded the same the Church hath â—one well in time heretofore to follow that commandement and at this time it erreth in not following it any longer Or els if the said place be not to be referred properly vnto the holy Supper neither commaundeth to distribute and giue the sacrament to infants but it is of necessitie required that he to whom wee must administer the saide sacrament haue knowledge to trie and examine himselfe according to Saint Paules doctrine 1. Cor. 1.2 as indeede this is the pure and only truth it followeth then that the Churche hath in former time erred to admit little infants to the holy supper and that at this day it doth well to practise the contrary The third reason If the Churche coulde not erre Saint Paule had without cause feared 1. Cor. 11.28 least the Corinthians whome he calleth a Church shoulde through the subtiltie of the serpent bee corrupted 2. Cor. 11.3 and turned away from the simplicitie that is in Christ And indeede in vaine shoulde hee haue called the assemblies of the Corinthians and Galathians Gala. 1.2 Churches which yet notwithstanding erred in doctrine in faith in manners and in life But Saint Paule did nothing of all this without cause or in vaine otherwise Saint Paule himselfe should haue beene deceiued wherefore it followeth that the Churche may erre The fourth reason Those that cannot erre haue no neede of the forgiuenesse of sinnes but the Churche hath neede of the forgiuenes of sinnes for Iesus Christ giuing it a forme of praier hath commanded it to demaund and aske of God Mat. 6.12 forgiuenesse of their sinnes Wherefore it followeth that the Church may erre The fift reason The Church which was in olde time in Ierusalem was oftentimes reproued of error by the Prophetes which thing declareth that the Church is not in this worlde without will and deed to erre But to the end I may not be ouerlong in recyting by peecemeale and as it were one by one all the sentences which make mention of the falles of the Churche let men reade that whiche is written thereof in these places Touching the corruption of the church see Isaiah 1. verse 21. to the 24. verse Isaiah Isaiah 3. ver 8.9 Isaiah 5.13 Isaiah 30. verse 9. to the 13. ver Isaiah 59. ver 2. vnto the 17. ver Isai 64. ver 6.7 Iere. 2 ver 5. Ieremiah to the end of the Chap. Iere. 3. ver 2.3.20 Iere. 4. ver 22. Ieremiah 5. ver 1. vnto the 15. ver and afterwards from the 19. ver to the end of the Chapter Iere. 6. ver 7. vnto the 11. ver Ieremiah 8. ver 4. vnto the 11. ver Ieremiah 9. ver 3. vnto the 17. ver Ieremiah 13. verse 10. vnto the 15. verse Ieremiah 22. euen vnto the end Ieremiah 16. ver 11.12 Ieremiah 18. ver 13. vnto the 18. ver Ezechiel 5. ver 6. vnto the 12. Ezechiel ver Ezechiel 22. ver 3. vnto the end of the Chapter Ezechiel 33. ver 24. vnto the 30. Deutro ver Deuteronomie 32. ver 5.6.32.33 Touching the ingratitude and vnthankfulnesse of the Church see Isaiah 1. ver 2.5 Isaiah Isaiah 5.47 Isaiah 43. ver 21. vnto the end of the chapter Isaiah 17. ver 10.11 Ieremiah Ezechiel Zachariah Deuteron Hosea Isaiah 63. ver 9.10 Ierem. 2. ver 6.9.21.22 Ieremiah 12. ver â— Ezechiel 16. ver 15. vnto the 24. ver Zachariah 11. ver 8. vnto the ende of the Chapter Deuteronomie 32. ver 15.18.23 Hosea 12. ver 1.9 Hosea 13. ver 6. Malachie 1. ver 2.8 Touching the obstinacie and rebellion of the Church Isaiah see Isaiah 1. ver 5. vnto the 7. ver Isaiah â— ver
was taken out of the lawe and prophetes in like manner if any vnder the title and name of the spirite shall bring vnto vs any thing which is not contained in the Gospell let vs not beleue it For as Christ is the accomplishmente and fulfilling of the lawe and Prophetes so is the holie Ghost of the gospell But how can wee by this way or meane discerne and know the spirites that is to say whether the doctrine which they shall propound and set foorth vnto vs bee from the holy Ghoste or no After two sortes or by two meanes you shall knowe this First if it tend to this end to exalt establish and set vp the glorie of God For as Iesus Christe saith Ioh. 7.18 Hee that seeketh the glorie of God is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him Secondly if it bee conformable and agreeable Rom. 12.6 to the proportion of faith that is to say if it agree and accorde well with the heads foundations of Christian religion wherof we haue spokē more largely heretofore in the fourth Chapter The second thing that I aunswere touching the foresaide reason of the Romishe Catholikes is that the consequence thereof is not necessarie neither well grounded when they saye that the Churche yeeldeth testimonie to the worde of God and doth commend the same vnto vs that therefore the certaintie and authoritie of the worde of God dependeth vpon the authority and iudgement of the Church For as wee haue but a little while agoe alleadged out of Alfonsus de Castro The word of God is certaine not by reason of the Church whiche beareth witnesse thereof but because of it selfe and his owne credite The Apostles yelded testimonie and bare witnesse of Iesus Christe Iohn 15.17 Acts. 1.8 And who is hee that will therefore say that Iesus Christe his authoritie doth depende of the authoritie and iudgement of the Apostles The Goldsmith trieth the golde and putteth a difference betweene that which is good and pure and that which is naughtie mettall But doth hee therefore by his tryall and proofe make that the golde is either good or euill A Parliament receiueth some edict or lawe which commeth from the King that it may bee published and proclaimed Inquirie is diligently made whether it come from the King or no Afterwardes all knowe that it commeth from the King what doth the Parliament then It is true that it alloweth the edict that it acknowledgeth the same that it beareth witnesse to it and commendeth and setteth out the same yea and if neede bee interpreteth it according to the Kings intent and meaning But doth the parliament for all this cause it or make it to bee the kings lawe Doth it giue authoritie to it Hath it any authoritie to chaunge any thing in it or to adde any thing to it or to clippe or take any thing what so euer away from it It is certaine no. Euen so standeth the case with the Church For although it be an excellent testimonie to the worde of God yet it cannot at any hande giue it authoritie as to say that the certaintie of the worde of God hangeth vpon the authoritie and iudgement of the Churche For when the Church acknowledgeth and alloweth the worde of God and doth put a difference betweene it the doctrines and inuētions of men she doth no other thing but heare the voyce of her pastor discerneth knoweth it frō the voice of a strāger Ioh. 10.5 Now there is great difference betwene discerning the Pastors voice from a strangers and adding authoritie and credite thereto bringing to passe and that according to truth that it should be such or such that is either true or false The second reason is The Church is more auncient than the Scriptures For in the time of Adam Abell Seth Noah Abraham Isaac Iaacob there was no scripture For Moses was the first penman or writer of matters concerning religion and yet notwithstāding there was a church Wherfore it followeth that the authoritie of the Church is aboue the authoritie of the holy scripture First and formost I aunswere that the consequence of this argument is none at al. For graunt it that one thing be more ancient and old than another yet it followeth not for all that that it should be of greater authoritie and credite otherwise we must inferre that Moses hath more authoritie than Iesus Christe and the lawe more than the Gospel Secondly as touching the antecedent or former proposition I say that it is sophisticall captious and full of deceit For albeit that in these first times of the worlde there was no scripture which the father 's vsed yet for all that the worde of God ceased not to bee because it was written and ingrauen in the fathers heartes and moreouer founded verie cleerly in the Churche whiche worde was in good time brought and committed to writing first by Moses and afterwards by others and thereupon called the holie scripture wherefore seeing that the holy scripture and Gods worde is nothing but one and the selfe same thing it followeth very well that if our first fathers haue had the word of God they haue had also in substance the holy scriptures Aug. cont epist fundamen cap. 5. The third reason S. Augustine hath said I woulde not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Catholike Church did not mooue mee thereto Wherefore it is certaine that the Gospell taketh his authoritie from the Church I answere that the consequence is starke naught for that which S. Augustin speaketh to one purpose or in one respect is applied to another end This holy doctor speaketh so as hauing regarde to that hee was then when he tooke the part of the Manichees and as it were disputing against them Now the Manichees would that the Epistles of Manicheus their authour which they called Fundamental containing in it all their false opinions should be of like and equall authoritie with the Apostles epistles Beside they allowed one part of the Gospel disallowed an other that not by the aduise and iudgement of the Church but of their owne proper and particular authoritie S. Augustine hauing taken in hand to confute the saide Epistle in the beginning speaketh thus The Epistle beginneth after this manner Manicheus the Apostle of Iesus Christe by the prouidence and appointment of God the Father I aske who is this Manicheus you wil answere the Apostle of Iesus christs I beleeue it not What wilt thou say thereto Perhaps thou wilt bring foorth the Gospel and thereby thou wilt lift vp and establish the person of Manicheus But what if thou haddest to doe and deale with a man who doth not yet beleeue the Gospel what wouldest thou do whē hee should say vnto thee I beleeue not the Gospell For as touching my selfe I would not beleeue the Gospel if the authoritie of the Catholike Church did not moue me thereto Beholde Saint Augustines wordes by which it is altogether
saying note him by a letter and haue no companie with him that hee may bee ashamed Also speaking of the incestuous person 1. Cor. 5. 5. I haue determined saith he that hee shoulde bee deliuered to Satan for the destruction of the fleshe that the spirite may bee saued in the day of the Lord Iesus These three ends are very largely laid out and at length discoursed vpon in the fourth booke of M. Caluines Institution cap. 12. Sect. 5. Calu. lib. 4. Inst cap. 12. sect 5. Wherof the summe is that in corrections and censures men must regarde and looke to three ends that is to say the glorie of God the edification of the Churche and the repentance and conuersion of sinners The fift consideration is that men in the reprehensions and censures of the Church looke well to this that they haue not such cōsideration regard or respect to the outward appearance and shewe of mens persons that they tread the little ones or poore people vnder their feete and support ayde and hearten the great and rich Deut. 10. 17. Gala. 3.28 For as God accepteth no mans person and in the Church there is neither Iewe nor grecian bonde nor free male nor female but all are one in Iesus Christe so the gouernours of the Church ought alwayes to walke with an vpright and equall foote without turning aside any maner of way in receiuing and allowing some and in refusing and disallowing others It is very true that corrections ought alwayes to bee tempered measured and accompanied with gentlenesse softnes and courtesie to the ende as Saint Paule saith that hee that is reproued or blamed 2 Cor. 2. ◠may not be swallowed vp with ouer much heauinesse For otherwise wee shall turne the remedie into poyson and hurte And therefore the same Apostle doth exhorte vs Gal. 6.1 That wee should restore with the spirite of meekenesse such as be fallen into or ouertaken with some fault 1. Tim. 5.12 And againe Rebuke not saith hee an Elder vnreuerently but admonishe or exhort him as a father the young men as brethren the elder women as mothers the younger as sisters with all purenesse and chastitie Wee must therefore moderate with gentlenesse and meekenesse the rigour or hardnesse of the discipline least we hurt rather then profite But so farre off is it that they ought to spare any man that the corrections must be equally and indifferently applied and administred to all them which shall haue neede thereof whether they be men or women whether they bee great or small whether they be masters or seruants whether they bee Gentlemen or of the common sort Wee knowe with what earnestnesse and heate Chrysostome was angrie against the Pastours in his time who for feare of great and rich men durst not reiect or put from the supper any of them when they offred them selues thereto not before they were admitted thereto Chryso hom 3. in Mat. The blood saith hee of these men shall bee required at your handes If you feare mortall men for their greatnesse and riches verily men shall mocke you but if so be that you feare the liuing God he will bring to passe that euen men themselues shall haue you in honour and estimation And those which are lifted vp to dignitie An admonition to great men not to reiect or despise the discipline ought not to refuse to submit themselues and to make them selues as it were subiect to the discipline and they ought not to refuse the corrections of their Pastours and Elders seeing that by this meanes the Lorde will set them againe vpon their feete after they are fallen There is I knowe not what manner of pride in manie whiche hindereth them from submitting them selues vnto the discipline There is besides I know not what manner of foolish and filthie shame whiche when it hath once seised or taken holde of them they loue rather to continue in their vices than to bee aduertised or admonished thereof to the end that they may keepe themselues there from But the Emperor Theodosius was better aduised and of a more godly minde For we reade that when Saint Ambrose had excommunicated him Ambr. lib. 1. epist 8. in oratio Theodosu by reason of much innocent blood which was spilt and shead at his commandement he tooke suche a censure in good part and so far off was it that hee was stubborne and selfe willed againste his Pastor and his Elders to recoyle backe againe or to with drawe himselfe from the Churche that on the other side approuing the same correction and censure hee vnclothed himselfe of his kingly ornaments and openly bewailing his sinne in the Churche hee did with teares gronings and sighes demaund and aske forgiuenesse thereof Certainly this is not in vaine that Iesus christ hath said to the pastors of his church Whatsoeuer yee shall bind or loose in earth shal be bound or loosed in heauen Mat. 18. 18. For thereby hee hath authorised his church in the vse of the keyes by the worde of God to condemne the peruerse stubborne and vngodly and by the same word to reconcile and receiue to mercie all true penitent sinners Which authoritie of the Churche is not restrained or hedged in to bee exercised and executed among the common people only but also vpon Lordes and Magistrates Whereupon it followeth that none can distract or withdrawe himselfe therefrom but hee renounceth and forsaketh the meane of his saluation The conclusion is this that seeing God hath ordeined correction and discipline to the end that wee should profite grow vp in his doctrine that we shoulde not be hardned in our sins but rather that they might be reproued to the end they might not ingender and worke in vs an vncurable rottennesse or infection It followeth that they which flie and refuse the admonitions and censures of the Church which are made and giuen them in the name of God refuse God himselfe despise their owne saluation Beholde this is that which wee haue heere to note and marke as touching the discipline of the Churche For concerning the lawes which shee may establishe and set vp according to the authoritie giuen her of GOD wee will speake thereof in the Chapter following The fifteene Chapter Whether it belong to the Church to make lawes and if she make some how farre the faithfull ought to obey her WHen the question is of the lawes of the Church wee knowe that som concerne the doctrine vnder which wee comprehende the Sacramentes also and other the discipline or pollicie and order that is to say the fashion and maner of doing The lawes which concerne doctrine touch the conscience and in the knowledge and practise of them standeth the seruice worship of God our own saluation Of this sort are al the points articles of doctrine conteined in the Scripture which we must beleeue and obserue without adding any thing thereto or diminishing therfrom in changing it
Those which concerne the discipline are to bee referred to the order and honestie which ought to be kept in the church and cōsist in a maner fashion of doing altogether outward and these may a man call indifferent which a man may vse either well or euill of this sort are ordinaunces touching the places the times the seasons the houres set for preachings ministration of the Sacraments the celebration of marriages fasts publik praiers such like things yet notwithstanding this must be knowne that no man may appoint in the practise and perfourmance of these matters the seruice of God or our saluation neither must any man thinke that of themselues they concerne the conscience Nowe the difference and disputation that some moue and make in the Church touching this matter is not as concerning this laste kinde of Lawes apperteining only to the discipline or pollicie So euery one knoweth and cōfesseth that the church cannot want her pollicie order and that to the end shee may abide vnited and tyed together shee hath neede of certain outward bonds wherfore the church may without any difficulti or doubt make lawes apperteining only to the outwarde discipline and take them away or change them according as she shal iudge them to be expedient profitable hauing alwaies speciall respect to the times places and persons As for example the church may ordeine appoint some day of the week for publike praiers whether the prayers be ordinary or extraordinary the Churche also may chose a certaine day or a certaine houre to giue thankes vnto God when it shall haue pleased him to haue deliuered out of some greate daunger either the whole Churche or the Countrie or the Magistrate or some other members placed in authoritie the Churche also may publish a fast so often as necessitie and occasion shall require It may take order also that Baptisme be ministred at a certaine time after the preachings that the holy Supper be celebrated and ministred so often in a yeere and at those seasons which they shall iudge expedient and meete that the as kings or publishing of the banes of marriage shoulde bee as it were proclaimed or declared three seuerall Sundaies And lastly that the saide marriages should bee celebrated at the Sermons or preachings either in the morning or euening that the consistories for the maners of the people and the assemblie or company which haue care for the poore assemble and meete together so often in a moneth as shall bee found expedient and profitable Wherefore the Churche may establish these lawes and other such like which the faithful ought to obey to the ende that there may not be any disorder or any confusion among the people of God But the question is of lawes concerning doctrine and the Sacraments or els other lawes touching the discipline by which they woulde binde consciences inclose and comprehende therein simplie the seruice of God that is to say whether it belong to the Churche to make Lawes thereof or no The Romish Catholikes say they may and wee affirme the contrarie and these are their reasons following The first reasō is this The Church hath authoritie to teach wherefore she hath also authoritie to make lawes belonging to the doctrine or teaching But this argument may be ouerthrown in two wordes if we denie the cōsequence For these be matters very much differing to wit to haue authoritie to teache and to haue authoritie to make Lawes belonging to the doctrine Iesus Christe hath in deede giuen the first of these to his church but so hee hath not the seconde And as God hath expressely forbidden to add any thing vnto his law Deut. 4.2 12.32 so Iesus Christ hath cōmāded his disciples to teach only the doctrine which they had heard and receiued of him The second reason The church hath the vse of the keies can bind and loose absolue and excōmunicate Wherfore it followeth that shee hath also authorie to establishe lawes apperteining to the doctrine I answere in one worde that the consequēce is false as it was in the argument last before going for a Lorde or Ruler will in deed giue power and authoritie to his officers to absolue to condemne according to the lawes ordinances but yet it will not folow for al that that he giueth them power of thēselues to make new lawes ouer his people to iudge by them according to their own fantasie So Iesus Christ hath in deed giuen vnto his apostles disciples this power to binde to loose according to his lawes but this is ill concluded to say that therefore he hath giuē thē this power this authoritie of thēselues to make lawes to establishe them in his Church and thereby to binde mens consciences The third reason Iesus Christ hath said Mat. 23.2.3 The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue do Heb. 13.17 And the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrwes Obey thē that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues to thē Wherfore it followeth that we ought to obey the Pastors of the Church in keeping and obseruing their lawes I answere that when wee are commanded to obey our Pastors this ought to be vnderstood so farre foorth as their commandements proceede and come out of Moses chaire that is to say out of the word of God For otherwise the Lord protesteth and openly witnesseth that hee is worshipped in vain when men set out and preach for doctrine the commandemēts of men Matth. 15.9 And he himself doth straightly cōmand vs earnestly to take heed beware of the leauen of the Pharises Saduces Touching which matter Mat. 16.6 August in Iohn Tracta 46. Cap. 10. let vs heare Sainte Augustine The Scribes saith hee and the Pharisees sitte in Moses seate doe that therefore which they shall shew vnto you For being set in the chaire or seate of Moses they teach the law of God and so God teacheth by them But if they would teach any thing of their owne heare them not and doe not that which they will say for they seek their owne profite and gaine and not Christes profite In summe then if the Churche make ordeine for vs commaundements drawen and taken from the word of god it is our duetie to receiue them and to yeelde our selues obedient thereto otherwise not For it is not the Churches dutie to goe beyond the boundes of Gods worde in making lawes of her owne head and authoritie inuenting new fashions and maners to serue God by And the rule of our obedience ought alwaies to be the very selfe same worde of God as Cornelius saide vnto Saint Peter Acts. 10.33 Now are we al heere present before God to heare all thinges which are commaunded thee of God The fourth reason wee must obey the voice of the Churche Mat. 18.17 Luke 10.16 as wee haue a commandement giuen vs
An excellent and plaine Discourse of the CHVRCH whereby the Godlie may knowe and discerne the true Church from the Romish Church and all other false and counterfet Churches as well for matters of doctrine as Discipline c. Written in Frenche by M. Bartrand de Loque a godlie Minister of Dolphenine And faithfully translated into English by M.T.W. SEENE AND ALLOWED Jmprinted at London for Thomas Man 1582. ¶ The summe of the Chapters conteined in this present Treatise Chapter 1 TOuching the diuers significations and takinges of this worde Church and how the Churche is commonlie distinguished Pag. 1. Chap. 2. Of the Catholik vniuersall Church which is one although there be diuers particulers thereof Pag. 7. Chap. 3. Of the visible Church and of the true marks thereof Pag. 14 Chap. 4. Whether the true markes of the Churche are to bee found amongest the Romish Catholikes Pag. 19. Chap. 5. Of the calling succession of pastors Pa. 24. Chap. 6. That the Church hath alwaies been from the beginning of the worlde is and shal be vnto the end thereof but yet the Churche must not bee regarded or acknowledged for the great numbers sake Pag. 55. Chap. 7. That Iesus Christe alone is the head of the Churche and not Saint Peter neither any Pope Pag. 68. Chap. 8. Whether the Church of Rome be the true and Catholike Church and whether wee doe well to withdrawe or separate our selues from it Pag. 102. Chap. 9. Touching the degrees of Ministers in the Church where also speeche is had of the orders of the Popes Cleargie and of the office and dueties of true Pastors Pag. 128. Chap. 10. Whether the ministerie of the word be alwaies necessary in the Church and howe muche men may attribute or giue thereto Pag. 160. Chap. 11. Of the sanctifie or holinesse of the Churche Pag. 184. Chap. 12. Whether the Churche may erre Pag. 197. Chap. 13. Whether the Church bee aboue the holy scripture that is to say whether the holy scripture depend on the iudgement and authoritie of the Church Pag. 213. Chap. 14. Of the Discipline of the Church Pag. 234. Chap. 15. Whether it belonge to the Churche to make lawes and if shee make some howe far the faithfull ought to obey her Pag. 25◠Chap. 16. Concerning the afflictions and persecutions of the Church Pag. 274. ¶ To the most noble Lorde my Lorde Henrie de la Tour Vicount of Turenne Countie of Monfert Baron of Mongacon Oriergues Bonsolz Fey Seruissac Croc c. Captaine of fiue hundred men at armes of the kings armies MY Lorde Lactan. lib. 4 de vera sapient cap. 30. Lactantius hath very properly and fitly called the Church the fountaine of trueth the house and dwelling place of faith and the Temple of God adioyning withall that if there bee any whiche entreth not into this Temple or if there bee any that goe out thereof hee is shut out from the hope of life and from eternall saluation For euen as in the time of the vniuersall flood none could bee saued whiche were out of Noe his Arke Gene. 7.20.23 so without the Churche there is neither hope nor faith nor grace nor saluation Whiche thing also the Apostle Saint Paul did verie well declare and meane when beeing purposed to excommunicate some and to caste them out of the Churche 2. Cor. 5 3.5 1. Tim. 1.20 hee saide hee muste deliuer them vnto Satan For as Iesus Christ reigneth in the Churche so Satan reigneth without the same and as they whiche are in the Church hauing Iesus Christe for their head are in very good state blessed so they which are out of the Churche hauing the Diuell for their head cannot but be wicked and accursed And therfore it is said both in Isaiah in Ioel That in Sion and in Ierusalem there shal be saluation Isaia 46.13 Ioel. 2.32 There being meant by Syon and Ierusalem the Church of God as also by the worde heauen there is meant the same thing in the Apocalips when S. Iohn saith I hearde a great and lowde voice Reue. 12.10 saying Nowe is saluation in heauen On the other side wee reade that when God declareth that hee will vtterly roote out some from the heauenly life hee denounceth against them and threateneth Ezech. 13.9 That they shall not be in the counsell assemblie of his people neither written in the role of his seruantes And Dauid very well knewe and felt this when sometimes being in exile all griefes and aduersities were vnto him tollerable and as a man woulde say easie to beate excepting this that hee was depriued of and wanted the solemne assemblies wherein men made publike declaration and protestation of Gods religion and seruice Wherefore be wailing his condition because hee was excluded from the visible Churche hee beeing also shut out from accesse or comming to the Tabernacle by the crueltie and tyrannie of his enemies hee cryed out earnestly and saide O Lord of hostes how amiable are thy Tabernacles Psalm 84.1.2.4.10 My soule longeth yea fainteth for the courtes of the Lorde for my hearte and my fleshe leape for ioy in the liuing God And a little after Blessed are they which dwell in thy house they will euer prayse thee For a day in thy courtes is better then a thousand other wheis I had rather bee a doore keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the Tabernacles of the wicked For thereby hee hath declared that the condition of those men which bestowe their life yea although it were but a day long in the seruice of God in the middest of the Church among faithfull people is farre more blessed then theirs who liue though it were neuer so long out of Gods house and in the midst of those out of whose companie their religion is banished To which purpose also belongeth that which the same Prophete singeth in an other Psalme Psalm 27.4 One thing haue I desired of the Lorde that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beautie of the Lorde and to visit his Temple And againe when hee saith Psal 106.45 Remember or haue mercie on mee O Lorde with the fauour and good will of the people and visite mee with thy saluation That I may set the good thinges of thy chosen ones and reioyce in the ioy of thy people and glory with thine inheritaunce And for this verie cause and occasion the Apostle to the Hebrwes commendeth praiseth Moses Heb. 11.24.25 when hee saith That by faith hee beeing come to age refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaoh his daughter chosing rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a short season Wherefore if wee woulde that GOD shoulde gouerne vs by his holy spirite to the ende to make vs inioy and possesse his spirituall and heauenly good thinges
strengthen the faithfull peoples consciences at this time in which it seemeth that the Diuell the enemie of Gods glorie and our saluation is vnchained and vntyed and that all the worlde is kindeled with rage and set on fire with furie and conspired with him furiously to rushe vpon the poore Church setting out and making a shewe against it of all that that crueltie can deuise Wherefore I shewe what is the state and condition of the Church on earth that shee hath alwaies had such a vertue of patience and so great constancie and courage in the middest of the crosse that tyrants haue rather left to persecute her then that shee hath failed and fallen away by their torments insomuch that shee hath abode inuincible and vnconquered against the vehemencie violence of so many horrible combates as shee was to sustaine and indure and out of all them hath brought a famous victorie and most glorious crowne In summe that the sonne of God hath alwaies founde place and passage in the middest of the worlde notwithstanding the fires swordes torments furies outcries and horrible scatteringes abrode which were made against him As touching the fruite and profit which may come of this little labour I dare not affirme any thing thereof except it be in respect of you my Lorde For I doubt not but you take as muche pleasure to heare mee discourse in writing vpon this matter of the church as you commonly do when you heare mee speake either particularly to your selfe or publikely in the execution of my charge and office And yet if you regarde that which is mine without doubt the fruite will be none but if you consider the argument and the large laying out of the matters conteined in this present treatie I assure my selfe that it will not bee altogether vnprofitable and that they which shall reade the same will not repent themselues thereof Furthermore I staying my selfe my Lorde vpon your accustomed goodnes through which you disdaine not or dislike any thing which commeth from your seruants offer and dedicate vnto you this litle booke most humblie beseeching you to accept it and to take it well that it commeth out into light vnder the inscription of your name and to receiue it with such gentlenesse and curtesie as you haue been accustomed to loue vertue and fauour Christian religion and those that make profession thereof For I hope that if you receiue and take it well that your name shall procure it more grace and liking and shall get it more authoritie and purchase it more fauour amongst all because that thinges dedicated to great personages are better receiued of the lower sort although the things of themselues are oftentimes very base and of small account and value And also as touching my selfe I was gladly minded to declare and shewe by this slender meane a testimonie of the obedience which I owe you and for the singuler earnest desire which I haue to doe you the most humble acceptable seruice that I can in the Lorde whom I beseeche with all my heart to maintaine you my Lorde and my Ladie the Countesse your sister in his most holy and most worthie keeping and to preserue you both in a blessed and long life augmenting and increasing in you dayly more and more the giftes and graces of his holy spirite wherewith hee hath so plentifully decked liberally inriched you From Turenne this xxv of March 1577. Your most humble and most obedient seruant Bertrand de loque A TREATIE OF the Church containing a true discourse in which a man may clearely behold and see what is the nature forme gouernement and guiding of the true Church together with the infallible markes and tokens by which a man may know it and discerne the same from the Romish Church and all other false and counterfeited congregations CAP. I. Of the diuers significations and acceptions of this word CHVRCH and how the Church is commonly distinguished MEN are accustomed to saye that euery woorde which may be taken in many senses and in diuers significatiōs should rather bee distinguished then defined For a man can not otherwise rightly declare the nature vertue and disposition of any thing vnlesse he be first resolued of the sense and meaning in whiche it ought to bee taken For as much therfore as this word Church is of that sort being a Greeke word which signifieth an assemblie or congregation is taken or deriued from a worde which in that tongue signifieth to call or to cause to come it is meete and necessary that before we giue the difinition thereof wee declare after howe manye sortes men vse to take it 1 Nowe men sometimes take it for a companie or assemblie of wicked persons Psal 22.16 as Psalme 22.16 The Churche or the Synagogue of the wicked haue inclosed mee and in Psalme Psal 26.5 26.5 I haue hated the Churche of the wicked that is to saye the companie For there is in the Hebrue text two words which the Greekes haue turned Synagogue and Churche which doe signifie as muche as a companie troupe or assemblie 2 Sometimes it is put for the assemblie of citizens and burgesses of a towne in whiche meeting they intreate of the common and ordinarie affaires of the common wealth and so doth Saint Luke vse it Actes 19.32.39 Act. 19.32.39 3 It is also taken for the place whether the assemblie is called together as Iudeth 6. Iudeth 6.16 verse 16. And they called together all the auncients of the citie and all their youth ranne together to the Church or assemblie that is to say to the place of the congregation or assemblie 4 Also for the Senate or consistorie of the Churche that is to say for the Pastors and Elders of the Church who are indeede the conductours and guiders thereof as when Iesus Christ sayth Tell the Churche Mat. 19.17 Chrysostom Hom. 62. vpon Matth. that is to say euen as Chrysostome also expoundeth it the Pastours leaders and gouernours of the Churche according where vnto we see that Saint Iohn making mention of the consistorie of the Iewes in which it was sometimes determined to thrust out of the Synagogue euerie one that would confesse Iesus Christ Ioh. 9.22 hee sayth generally that the Iewes made this decree although it was indeede the Consistorie onely 5 But in the question or matter of Christian religion it is taken for the companie and assemblie of faithfull people which make profession of the true pure religion of God Of this Church speaketh S. Paule when he saith to the Pastors therof Take heede to your selues and to all the flocke Act. 20.28 whereof the holie Ghost hath made you Bishops or ouerseers to feede the Churche of GOD whiche hee hath purchased with his owne bloud But here wee must obserue certaine distinctions for euen in this signification the Church is commonly distinguished into three sortes First it is called triumphant or else militant The Church
their Gods The Iewes haue the barke or huske of the lawe and their owne Thalmude The Turkes haue the Alcoran of their Mahumet and the heretikes also boast them selues of the doctrin of the Gospell and yet all these are false signes or markes But the true churche hath for her first and principall marke the woorde of GOD purely preached to the whiche the churche consenteth conformeth her self as wee prooue it plainely by these places of Scripture Iesus Christ saith My sheepe heare my voyce Ioh. 10.27 and I knowe them and they follow mee And Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Ephesians you are saith he builded vppon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Eph. 2.20 Iesus Christe himselfe beeing the chiefe corner stone And indeede if this be true as of necessitie it must needes bee that by the scriptures wee are brought to the knowledge of Christ as Christ him selfe affirmeth Search the Scriptures diligently for they are they which beare witnesse of mee Ioh. 5.39 ought wee not then by the same Scriptures to be guided and lead to the knowledge of the true and right Church This matter the auncient fathers respected when they taught that the true church ought to shewe and declare it selfe by the holy scriptures Contra Pitilia Cap. 2. as Saint Augustine saying There is great disputation betweene vs and the Donatistes to knowe where the Church is What is then that wee haue to doe herein Shal we search it out in our owne wordes or rather in the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christe the heade thereof verily we ought rather to seeke for it in the wordes of him that is trueth and knoweth very well his owne bodie 2. Tim. 2.19 For the Lord knoweth them that be his And againe I will not shew or declare the Church by the doctrine of men but by the worde of God Cont. Pitili cap. 3. Aug. epist 166. Also by the scriptures saith he we haue learned Christ by the scriptures likewise wee haue learned to know the Church Wee haue these scriptures common amongest vs wherefore then doe wee not retaine and holde in them both Christ and his Church And Chrysostome saith Supr Matth. exposit 2. Hom. 49. cap. 24. Lib. 2. de Iaco. cap. 7. Hee that will know whiche is the true Churche of Christ by what meane can he knowe it in suche and so great a confusion of outwarde shewe if it be not onely by the Scriptures Saint Ambrose saith also The true and Catholike Churche is there where GOD himselfe appeareth and speaketh to his seruantes by his owne worde The other marke of the Churche is the lawfull administration of sacraments Cont. Faustū Manich. lib. 9. cap. 11. Saint Augustine hath sometime sayde that men can not vnite or knit themselues together in any religion whatsoeuer bee it true or false but by the meanes of some sacramentes or visible signes So the Gentiles had their sacraments and sacrifices The Iewes had Circumcision and some other outward signes of their religion But the true Church hath for the second of her markes her owne sacraments instituted by Iesus Christe the head thereof that is to say baptisme and the holye supper And therevnto must bee referred that which Saint Augustine sayth Ad inquisit Ianuar. cap. 1 The Lorde hath vnited or knit together the newe people that is the people vnder the newe Testament by the sacramentes which are few in number easie in obseruation and very great in signification to wit by baptisme consecrated or administred in the name of the blessed Trinitie and by the communicating or partaking of his body and of his bloud Besides Saint Paule doeth in like sorte rightly teach vs this 1. Cor. 12.13 when hee saith first of baptisme that we are all baptised by one spirit into one body and afterward of the Supper we that are many 1. Cor. 10.17 are one breade and one body because we al are partakers of one and the selfe same breade meaning thereby that these two sacramentes are in suche sorte the two common signes of the Church that by the same we are visibly gathered together into the house of God that we may there be accounted in the number of his housholde seruants and contained in the vnitie of the body of the Church withall the faithfull and by consequent drawne taken and separated from all other people prophane nations CHAP. IIII. Whether these true markes of the Church are to be found amongest the Romish Catholiks THese then are the two certain infallible marks of the true church by which men must examine all assemblies that pretend the Name and Title of the Churche leaste otherwise they be seduced and deceiued Wherefore if a man will know whether the true Church be among the Romish Catholikes or no we neede not haue recourse to any other proofe or touchstone then this onely But it shall behooue vs to holde and to keepe in memorie one foundation or sure ground to wit that these two markes must alwayes be retained and kept in their puritie without being any manner of waye falsified or corrupted that is to say that the preaching of the doctrine must be pure and the administration of the sacramentes sound and lawfull For indeede in outward shewe they would make men beleeue that these two markes are to be found amongest the Romish Catholikes but when all shall be rightly and duely examined wee shall finde that the true Churche is not for all that on their side For as concerning the worde it is not preached by them rightly or purely but as S. Hilarie sayth they make a sense vppon the scriptures and take it not out of the scripture and make it as it were a leaden rule which men commonly call Regula Lesbia applying it to their owne intentes and purposes and not submitting their owne purposes to it Touching this matter it is needefull for vs to knowe that all exposition of holy scripture must bee referred to two principall heads or ends that is to say that it tend to the glory of God and that it bee conformable or agreable to the analogy proportion of faith For touching the first Iesus Christ sayth He that seeketh the glory of God Iohn 7.18 is true Now without doubt when the Romish Catholikes extol mans free will ascribe vnto man some merit for his works they snatch and as it were by violence pull away frō God some part of the glory which is due vnto him and so by consequent whē they serue them selues with certain peeces of the scriptures to proue that whiche they pretend they can not therein excuse them selues but that they corrupt and falsifie the scriptures declaring them selues hereby right heretikes indeede For as S. Ierome saith Who so euer expoundeth the scripture otherwise then the sense meaning of the holy Ghost requireth In epist ad Galat. although hee haue not withdrawne or separated himself from the
Bishops of our selues but for them August cont Crescon Grāmat lib. 2. cap. 11. to whō we administer the word Sacraments Now here I speake vnto al Cardinalls Bishopes Abbots Priors Curates and other priestes together with their Pope himselfe and will them to examine and iudge themselues in their owne consciences and see whether they can with good right boaste them selues to bee the Apostles successours in sound doctrine and in faithfull execution of their charge and office and to marke howe they obserue those canons which the attribute to the Apostles whereof the fiftie eight canon Can. Apost can 58. excommunicateth the Bishoppes and Elders who haue not any care either of their cleargie or of the people the charge of whome is cōmitted vnto them and which doe not teach them in the doctrine of true religion which canon also ordeineth that if such continue in their negligence carelesnesse they should be deposed There resteth the succession of persons or that whiche is of the Churche or place touching which first wee say that the auncient doctours did not alwayes ayde themselues with this argument when the were to fight with heretikes for hauing to deale with suche as did receiue and allowe the worde of God as well as them selues the dispute and matter in controuersie between them being onely in the true interpretation thereof they contented them selues to alledge scripture expounding places one by an other euen as Saint Augustine sayth August That that which is darke in one is cleare and manifest in an other But when they were to reason against them that would adde to the holy scriptures as Manichaeus who woulde that men shoulde receiue his Epistle whiche hee called fundamentall euen as it were the Gospell it selfe there and in that respect they serued their turne with the argument of succession And yet when they vsed it it was not either theyr onely or their principall defence For in the first place they shewed by the woorde of God that they were in error and afterwards added as a good bulwark or meane of resistaunce the consent of the Churche witnessed by a continuall succession of all ages and times Also they helped themselues therewith as with a verie likely or probable argument and good inough in the defence of trueth against errour but yet not so as though it had a like force and strength for the maintenance of errour against trueth it selfe Lastly when they demaunded of heretikes from whence they came from whom they descended who were their predecessoures c. they meant not to speake of their vocation or calling whiche they neuer called into doubte or question for the greatest number of them were Bishoppes as Nestorius was Bishoppe of Constantinople Samosatenus of Antioche all lawfully called and hauing right and authoritie to teach in the Church but they meant to speake of their doctrine whiche was newe and not hearde of beefore Wherefore when they alleadged or laid succession for them selues they did not so muche meane the occupying of the chaire or enioying of the place as the continuance conformitie and agreement of the doctrine whereas on the other side our aduersaries do not demaund of vs who were the authours of our doctrine but inquire of vs touching our vocation and calling and are contented with this to declare that their Bishoppes are descended from all antiquitie but not their doctrine and yet notwithstanding they deceiue them selues For neither in the primitiue Church neyther long time after such Bishoppes as bee nowe in the Popedome had anye place so that a man may safely say they are not descended from the Apostles nor frō theyr true successors To conclude we say that it is verye certaine that such a succession of the Pastours in the primitiue Churche was of greate weight and importance because the Pastors at that time had not onelye the name and title of Pastors but did withall faythfully exercise the Charge and office thereof But what is at this day the dutie of bishops and priestes of the Church of Rome Let the most sound iudge thereof Is the controuersie in the Church touching succession to some inheritance to haue the possession and enioying thereof No but rather for men to set their hands to worke and labour as the Apostles haue done to watch diligently ouer Christes flocke and to minister vnto it the foode which is necessarie and meete for it As S. Paule sayth If any man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a good or excellent worke And againe 1. Tim. 3.1 speaking vnto bishops Take heede to your selues saith he and to the whole flocke Act. 30.39 whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Bishoppes or ouerseers to feede the Church of God And S. Peter The Elders which are among you I beseech which am also an Elder with them 1. Pet. 5.12 feede the flocke of Christ whiche is committed vnto you caring for it not by constraint c. The succession then of the Chayre or place is nothing without the succession of doctrine and dutie For if the byshoppe bee deade as saith S. Cyprian when no sounde goeth foorth of his mouth Cyprian lib. 1 epl 4. Greg. epl 24. If he be deade as sayth S. Gregorie when hee preacheth not by what title may a man saye that the Romish byshoppes and Priestes succeeded the Apostles and haue the possession of their chayre or place if they be deade or altogether dumbe or else not the followers of the Apostles in doctrine truth for let vs a little beholde howe the auncient fathers haue ioyned and knitte the succession of person or place with the succession of doctrine and office Irenae lib. 4. cap. 33.34 Irenaeus saith We are commaunded to yeeld obedience to the elders which are in the Churche who haue their succession from the Apostles and together with the succession of the office of a Bishoppe haue receiued according to the good pleasure of the father certaine grace and knowledge of the trueth Tertullian saith also If some heretikes dare be so bold to intermingle themselues with the times of the Apostles thereby to make men beleeue that they were deliuered from the Apostles them selues because they were vnder the Apostles or in their dayes we may say let them shewe then the beginninges of their churches let them vnfolde or discouer the succession of their Bishops in suche sorte running and flowing by continuall order from the beginning that the first Bishoppe hath had some of the Apostles for his author and predecessor or some one of them who were the followers of the Apostles who also did notwithstanding perseuer and continue with the Apostles And a little after The Churches saith hee whiche were planted after the Apostles time those which are yet planted at this day although that they bring not any author for them from amongest the Apostles themselues or Apostolicall persons yet notwithstanding beeing founde consenting in the same faith they are not to
when Iesus Christ ordained his twelue Apostles he ordained them for a time only and after them he hath not substituted or ordained others in their place to haue so ample and large a charge as theirs was Likewise we read not that the Apostles established other apostles in their steed but onely Elders auncients that is to say Pastors and Ministers who had their callings charges offices limitted Wherefore albeit S. Peter might well be an vniuersall Bishop yet so it is that those that came after him cānot rightly attribute vnto themselues such an office But to conclude by what markes can the pope bragge that he is the successor of peter whose office he doth not any maner of way execute and whom he followeth not in any thing whatsoeuer CHAP. VIII Whether the Church of Rome be the true and Catholike Church And whether wee doe well to separate and withdrawe our selues from it WHen wee call the assemblie of papists the Romish Churche wee meane not that wee hold or take the same for the true Church For we take the worde Church in his generall signification for a companie or fellowship or congregation And in deede wee holde and affirme that among the papists the true church is not but only some little tract or path of a Churche to the ende that that which S. Paul saith may be accomplished to wit 2. Thes 2.4 that Antechrist doth sit as god in the temple of God This being true much lesse can we say that the assembly which is amongest the papistes is the Catholike Church which point we proue by these resons following The first reason The true Church is foūded or builded vpon the doctrine of the prophetes and apostles as S. Paul saith Ephes 2.20 but the papacie or popedome hath not any suche foundatiō because that it hath ouerthrown the doctrine of the prophetes and apostles as may plainly appeare by the examination of their traditions The popedome therfore is not the true Church The second reason In the true Catholike Church the truth shold reigne beare sway for S. Paule saith 1. Tim. 3.7.15 the church is the piller and ground of truth but in the papacie truth reigneth not but on the contrarie side falshood lying as appeareth by the doctrine of the masse of Purgatorie of inuocation or prayer to Saints of idols of merites and other such matters Wherfore it followeth that the papacie or popedome is not the true Church 2. Cor. 11.2 Ephe. 5.22 The third reason The true Church is the spouse or wife of Christ But the Church of Rome is not the spouse of Christ For the spouse of Christe contenteth her selfe with Christ her only husband euen as an honest woman doth content herself with her only husband without admitting or suffering any other with or besides him which the Romish church doth not because she receiueth the Pope of Rome for her husband ioyneth him together with Iesus Christ Wherfore it followeth that the Romish church is not the true church The fourth reason The true Churche is the sheepfold of Iesus Christes sheepe Ioh. 10.16 But the popedome is not the sheepfold of Christes sheepe for it heareth not the voyce of Christ the true pastor or sheepheard but the voice of a strāger that is of the pope whose lawes it followeth and keepeth more then the lawes of Christ The papacie then or Popedome is not the ttue Church The fift reason The true Church is the body of Christ Ephe. 1.23 but the Romish Churche is not the body of Christ For the body of Christ contenteth it self with Christ the only head thereof otherwise it should be a mōster with two heads as we haue declared before in the seuenth chapter which thing the romish church doth not bicause it receiueth holdeth the pope for her head Wherfore it foloweth very wel that the Romish church is not the true church The sixt reason Though it were that the church of Rome were the true Church yet it could not be but a particular church euē as the Church of Corinthus Ephesus others whereupon it foloweth that it is not neither can be the Catholike and vniuersall church The 7. reason In the true Church these 3. markes are found without fayling that is to say the lawful calling of pastors the pure preaching of the word and the right administration of the sacraments But in the Romish church these 3. markes are not to bee found as it is easie to shew by the examination that a man might take thereof Wherof it followeth that the Romish church is not the true and right church Nowe seeing that wee haue sufficiently shewed that the churche of Rome is not the Catholike Churche neither yet the true Churche men must not deeme it straunge that wee cannot agree with it but that wee depart and separate our selues from it and that in so doing we ought not at any hand or any maner of way to be held and accoūted for Schismatiks because we do not forsake the ancient and Catholike Church no not the auncient Romane Church but do altogether agree with the same For would wee knowe what manner of Church the Church of Rome was in ancient time Tertullian teacheth it vs when he speketh therof after this maner A blessed Churche for which the Apostles haue spread abrode all the doctrine with their blood Tertul. de praescr haeretic where Saint Peter suffered such a death as the Lorde him selfe did where Paule was crowned with martyrdome where Iohn the Apostle was put into burning or flaming oyle and yet was taken out of the same without any hurt or blister and afterwardes sent into exile Let vs looke vpon that which shee learned and that which shee taught and what concorde and agreemente shee hath had with the Churches of Affrica Shee hath acknowledged confessed and allowed one onely God the Creator of all things and Iesus Christ the sonne of God borne of the Virgine Mary shee hath beleeued also the resurrection of the flesh shee hath receiued the law and the Prophetes with the writinges as well of the Euangelists as of the Apostles and from thence shee draweth or fetcheth faith she marketh hers with the Sacramente of Baptisme and shee clotheth them with the holy Ghoste she nourisheth them with the Sacrament of the Supper shee exhorteth by martyrdome and shee receiueth not any person against such instruction Behold Tertullian his woordes Wherefore we haue not forsaken this auncient churche of Rome but the newe and particular Romishe churche which since hath lifted vp her selfe whiche aduoucheth the pope for her head and alloweth him for the Vicar of Iesus Christe on earth which worshippeth him and obeyeth his lawes againste the lawes of GOD. For shee hath degenerated and gone out of kinde and hath loste all her authoritie euen as the cleargie of the saide Church hath sometimes foretolde writting to Saint Cyprian saying That the prayse that Saint Paule gaue to that
Churche Cyprian lib. 2. Epist. 7 Rom. 1. 8. to wit that their faith was spreade abroade and published throughout all the woorlde shoulde be turned to their shame and dispraise if they went out of kinde and became bastards and if they continued not to be the heires of the same faith And by this departure from her we haue declared the obedience which wee owe vnto God who hath commaunded vs to doe so saying Goe out of Babylon my people that ye be not partakers of her sins that ye receiue not of her plagues And haue receiued the counsell of S. Ambrose who saith If there bee any Church whiche refuseth the faith keepeth not the foundation or ground-works of the Apostles preaching we must leaue her least she bring with her the infection of error and vnbeliefe This he hath written vpon the ninth chapter of the Gospell according to S. Luke But some will say yee account the reformed Churches of Germanie for the true church though ye finde there many things to be amended as concerning the supper it selfe and som other ceremonies Why then make you not the like accoūt of the church of Rome I answere that it is very true that there is some controuersie betweene the Germaines and vs touching some pointes of religion but it is not in respect of the essentiall or substantiall pointes thereof I call them essentiall or substantiall pointes that are so of the substance of religion that if men erre in one point the same cannot subsist or stande For euen in that which concerneth the holy Supper wee all beleeue that wee are partakers of the bodye and blood of Christe The difference is not but in the Consubstantiation whiche they maintaine which is not of such great importaunce and weight as transubstantiation which the Romish pretendeth whiche euen in that one point ouerthroweth and vtterlly bringeth to nothing godlines puttyng an Idole of bread in the place of the sonne of GOD and making of the creature a Creator and of Christe a subiect to corruption rasing from the foundation and turning topsie turnie as we say that which concerneth the proprietie the nature and the glory of Iesus Christ his body All whiche abhominations and idolatries the Germans that are refourmed doe detest and set them selues against as well as wee But if some that are willing to make diuorce as it were and seperation betweene the Germanes and vs will alleadge that the foresaide Germans haue not the like opinion of vs that wee haue of them and that they holde and account vs for Heretikes as may bee seene and proued by certaine writings which they haue set abroad and published wee answere that the passions affections and heates of some particuler persons who haue written somewhat more freely then they shoulde ought not so to bee regarded and esteemed that thereuppon they wyl make a general conclusion of all the rest and so proue that there is a diuision betweene all them and vs. For albeit there bee some diuersitie betweene them and vs in this point touching the Supper and in some certaine ceremonies yet vnitie doth not therefore cease to cōtinue and remaine alwayes amongest vs. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Socrates who writ the Ecclesiasticall historie saith thus There is not any religion which obserueth the same Ceremonies though it doe receiue and admitte one and the selfe doctrine touching Ceremonies And in deede they whiche haue the same faith sometimes differ amongest them selues touching some ceremonies and obseruations Irenaeus writing to Victor the Bishop of Rome Euseb lib. 5. cap. 26. rehearseth that there was great diuersitie in the Churches touching fasting and the celebration of the feast of Easter afterwards he addeth Notwithstanding though there were diuersitie amongest all these touching ceremonies yet so it was that they did alwayes agree with vs and the discord or difference about fasting did not breake the concord or vnitie of faith So then following these places we affirme that wee leaue not of to acknowledge the companie of the reformed Germanes for the true Churche although that we be not in euery point and throughly agreed with them touching some matter considered in the supper some ceremonies obserued amongest them And the rule of charitie teacheth vs this as Saint Paule hath giuen vs a good example thereof when he calleth the Corinthians and the Galathians 1. Cor. 1.2 2. Cor. 1.1 Gal. 1.2 Saintes and faithfull ones and giueth vnto them in generall the name of the churche although there were amongest them great and greeuous faultes as wel in ignorance of the doctrine as in their owne life and maners This is that also which hee hath set foorth in an other place saying That all they which holde and keepe the foundation doe not alwaies build gold and siluer and precious stones but hay and stubble But some say why folow you not the same rule on the behalfe of the church of Rome wee answere that in the ceremonies seruice of the Romishe Churche the puritie of religion is not there obserued and kept but the whole seruice of God is amongest them corrupted and falsified and therefore can not without offending God applie or frame our selues vnto them And Saint Augustin hath giuen vs this lesson teaching vs howe farre wee may communicate in the Ceremonies and seruice of other churches August ad Ianuarium There is no better rule in this behalfe saith hee than a wise and sober Christian himselfe which will frame himself to that custome which he shall see vsed in that Church wherein hee liueth For that which is not established against faith or against good manners must bee helde for indifferent But the Church alloweth not that which is against faith and good life yea she dissembleth it not neither doth it To bee shorte then for so much as wee cannot bee present at the seruice and Ceremonies of the Romishe Churche without defilyng our selues in their manifest idolatries you may see wherefore wee doe wholy and altogether renounce and forsake the same And in this deede of ours we followe the example of the Prophetes For in the kingdome of Israel in the dayes of Ieroboam Circumcision was administred and there they offered sacrifices yea the lawe was esteemed there amongst them as holie and which is more GOD him selfe was called vpon and prayed to there yet notwithstanding by reason of their superstitions and ceremonies whiche men had deuised and set vp against the ordinance of God all that seruice was reiected and condēned neither can any man shew that Eliiah or anie other whether he were a prophet or of any other calling did at any time worship or offer vp sacrifice in Bethell But see more largely touching this matter in that which M. Caluine hath written thereof in the fourth booke of his Institutions Chap. 2. sect 1.2.3.4.5 c. Caluin lib. 4 Instit cap. 2. sect 1.2.3 4.5 c. Moreouer when wee doe thus separate our selues from
the Romish Church wee breake not the vnitie of the Churche bicause that in the Romish Churche there is no true vnitie For first of all it is not at vnitie in it selfe as appeareth by the seuerall sectes and rules which are amongst them one saying I am of the order of S. Augustine an other I am of Saint Dominick his order an other I am of S. Frauncis an other I am a Iesuite contrarie to that which S. Paul writ to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1.11.12.13 in the first chapter Secondly that Church is not vnited with God which vnion or vnitie is necessarilie ioyned with the former 1. Ioh. 1.3 as Saint Iohn declareth it And that this is true that it hath not any vnion or fellowship with god it is sufficiently plaine by this only reason that hee that hath vnion or fellowship with God ought by the testemonie of the holy spirit and by faith to be assured hereof that God dwelleth in him and he in God euen as the scripture teacheth vs. But the faith of papists is this that we must alwaies doubt whether wee be in the grace and fauour of God wherefore they can not haue vnion or fellowship with him Furthermore this is to bee marked that there is no vnion or agreement betweene the doctrine of papists and the worde of God wherevpon it followeth that they are not all vnited with him Which being cōsidered to what end and purpose would they haue vs to remaine abide in the vnitie of the Romishe Church seeing there is not in it any vnitie I meane holy vnitie and such as agreeth wel to good Christians and the true members of Iesus Chirst They will obiect further you hold indeede that baptisme ministred in the Romish Churche is true Baptisme why then doe you not holde this Church for the true Church I aunswere that this reason is verie weake For wee doe not acknowledge the assemblie of heretikes for the true Churche although wee cease not to allowe the baptisme ministred amongest them for true and profitable euen as the councell of Carthage decreed the same because that Baptisme is alwaies the Baptisme of Christ and not of heretikes although it bee ministred by heretikes who haue notwithstanding some vocation and allowaunce of the people Wherein let vs heare Saint Augustine Augu. lib. 3 cont Donatist cap. 10. The water saith hee ouer whiche the name of God is called vpon is not bastardly for neither the creature nor the name is prophane or bastardly Wherefore the Baptisme of Christ being sanctified and hallowed by the wordes of the Gospel is holy among the adulterous and in the adulterous although they them selues be shamelesse and vncleane And in an other place Aug cont Crescent lib. 3. cap. 6 The baptisme is such as is he by whose vertue it is administred and suche as bee by whose handes it is administred August de fide ad Pet. cap. 36. Also because it is manifest that in what so euer place where baptisme is administred it ought to be but once ministred this is to be marked that though it be administred by heretikes in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghoste it ought to be reuerently receiued and at no hand reiterated Wherfore we esteeme and take the baptisme of the Romish Church for true baptisme because it is ministred not in the name of the Pope but in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghoste and confesse that the infants which receiue it are truly baptised euen as they whiche were circumcised in the time of Ieroboam and of Caiaphas were helde for true circūcised persons although at that time the state of the churche was almost altogether peruerted and corrupted But yet this remaineth that albeit we haue receiued baptisme in the popish assemblie and that wee hold the same for true baptisme yet we are farre off from holding or accounting that assemblie for the true Church Caluine hath sufficiently answered this difficultie or doubt whose wordes I will bring in place heere contenting my selfe therewith Caluin lib. 4 Instit cap. 2. sect 11.12 As in the time of Ieroboam saith he there were certaine prerogatiues belonging to the Church which remained amongest the Iewes although at that time the seruice of God was very much corrupted so we denie not but that the Papists haue at this day som steps and pathes of the dissipation or scattering of the Church which through the grace of God haue remained with them For as Circumcision could not be so defiled by the vncleane hāds of the Iewes but that it was alwaies a signe a sacrament of the couenant of God for which cause god called the infants or children which were borne of this people his which could not any maner of way belong vnto him but by a certaine special blessing and priuiledge After the same maner also because hee hath once placed his couenant in France in Italie in Germanie other countries although that al that was afterwardes oppressed by the tyrannie of Antechriste yet to the ende that his couenant might remaine amongest them inuiolable and vnbroken it hath pleased him that baptisme shoulde there remaine for a testimonie witnesse of that couenant which bicause it is ordained hallowed by his owne mouth retaineth and keepeth her owne force notwithstanding the vngodlinesse of men Likewise hee hath by his prouidence brought to passe that there shoulde remaine amongest them other remnants also as the Lordes prayer the Apostles Creede the Commaundements of GOD c. leaste the Churche shoulde vtterly perishe And as sometimes buildings are pulled downe in such sort that the foundations remaine and some shewe of the ruines and destructions so the Lorde hath not suffered that his Churche shoulde be so rased or destroyed by Antichrist that nothing of the building shoulde remaine And although that he might take vengeance of the vnthankefulnes of men who despised his word he hath suffered such a horrible shaking and fal to be made yet it was his pleasure that some part or portion thereof should remaine as a signe token marke that the whole was not abolished Wherefore when we refuse simply to graunt vnto the Papistes the title of the Church wee doe not therfore vtterly deeme them that they haue not any Churches amongest them but we onely reason of the true and right estate of the Church which importeth a fellowship as wel in the doctrine as in al that which belōgeth to the profession of our Christianitie Daniel 9.27 2. Thes 2.4 Daniel and S. Paul haue foretold that Antichrist shall sit in the temple of God We say that the Pope is the head of that execrable abhominable and cursed kingdome at the least he is so in the West Churche Nowe seeing it is saide that the seat of Antichrist shall bee in the temple of GOD thereby is meant that his kingdome shall bee suche as shall not altogether
abolish the name either of Christ or of his church Hereby therfore it appeareth that we denie nor but that the Churches ouer whiche hee beareth rule by his tyrannie remaine Churches still but wee say that hee hath prophaned them by his vngodlinesse and so poysoned them by his false doctrines that there appeareth amongest them a picture or image of Babylon rather than of the holy citie of God To conclude we say that they be Churches first because that the Lord hath myraculously preserued amongest them the remnants of his people though they be poorely and thinly scattered abroad Secondly because there remaine amongest them some markes and rokens of the Church specially these tokens the power and effectualnesse whereof cannot be abolished neither by the craft of the Diuell neither by the malice of mē But on the other side because the markes which we haue principally to regard in this dispute or question bee blotted out there we say that there is not amongest them a right shewe and lawfull forme of a Church neither in any of their particular assemblies neither in the whole body And these are the woordes of Caluine But though we might in deede accorde and agree to this that the Romish Churche were the true Church in respect of the baptisme which it hath yet there should be no reason to inferre thereupon that we ought also to take and hold it for the true church in respect of the other points of doctrine for it is most manifest that for the moste parte they are altogether contrarie to the expressed word of God And as concerning baptisme albeit they adde many vaine and superstitious Ceremonies ministred in a tongue vnknowne to the people and not vnderstood of them yet so it is that notwithstanding the substance remaineth and that which is the principall or chiefe point of the forme as we haue shewed Nowe if one would demaund why then suffer wee not our infants to be brought to the Romish Church there to bee baptised seeing that the baptisme which is there ministred is good I aunswere that wee suffer it not because God hath giuen vs grace to knowe the superstition and idolatrie which is there committed 1. Cor. 10.14 1. Ioh. 5.21 to whiche wee may not at any hande sticke cleaue or consent whatsoeuer appearance and shewe of good wee suppose may come thereby either to vs or to our children For Saint Paule saith Rom. 3.8 That we ought carefully to looke vnto our selues not to doe euill that good may come thereof And also because that through Gods grace and goodnes we haue a meane and way opened to haue our foresaid children baptized in the refourmed Churches without any abuse error superstition or idolatrie They will say yet further that Iesus Christ ceased not to approue and allow the Church of Ierusalem in his time though it had in it store of errours which hee well declared when hee was there present at the sacrifices and feastes Wherefore then doe not wee approue also the Romishe church althogh it haue errors in it For if a church shall for some abuses faultes or errors loose the name of the true Churche where shall wee then finde one alone in the whole worlde I aunswere firste that wee holde not that a true Churche looseth the name of a true Church for some abuses or errors therein For S. Paule left not of to name the faithfull people of Corinthus the Church although he blamed and reproued them for many errors and corruptions not onely in respect of their manners but also concerning their doctrine And we shall see hereafter that particuler Churches are neuer so perfect in this worlde but that they bee oftentimes subiect to error and goe astray But wee rightly hold and affirme that the Romish Church ought to leese the name of a true Churche because shee hath degenerated and gone out of kinde from the auncient and Catholike Churche For the true auncient and Catholike Churche cleaueth to her only heade and husbande Iesus Christ shee beleeueth his worde and followeth him she is faithfull to him without committing adulterie with idols which the Romishe churche doeth not which thing we haue a little while agoe shewed Secondly as concerning that that Iesus Christ did approue the churche of Ierusalem in his time we say in the first place that there is very great difference betweene the estate of that church then as it was and the estate of the Romishe church such a one as we beholde it at this day For the abuse and corruption as well of doctrine as of Sacraments the manifest Idolatry which beareth sway at this present in the Romish church was not at that time in the church of Ierusalem Which is easie to proue because that Iesus Christ would not haue made much a doe to beat downe the idols and to reforme other abuses if they had had place there as hee ouerthrewe the tables of the money changers Ioh. 2.14 and cast out of the temple those that there sold openly sheepe and Doues Moreouer Iesus Christe woulde not reiect or disalowe the churche of Ierusalem because that the time was not yet come wherein hee shoulde put an ende vnto the ceremonies of the lawe Leuit. 17.3 Deut. 12..13 Wherefore for as much as the faithfull had the commandement of God whereby it was appointed them not to searche or seeke newe places to offer their sacrifices and oblations in but to come and to stay them selues within the Court of the tabernacle or of the temple Iesus Christe woulde not despise this place But wee knowe that whatsoeuer corruption was there no faithfull man was inforced to cleaue or sticke to any superstitious manner or custome whiche is not practised at this day in the Churche of Rome For as all there is full of superstition and manifest idolatrie so they will constraine and inforce the faithfull by fire and sworde to consent thereto and to pollute and defile themselues therewith against their owne consciences and Gods expresse forbidding Lastly to what point did Iesus Christe bring the Church of Ierusalem when the high Priestes Scribes and Pharisees shewed them selues great madde men not doeing their duties towardes it did hee not take his vineyard from these husbandmē who did not giue him the fruites which belonged vnto him and committed the same vnto others that is to his Apostles and their successours to yeeld him fruite in their seasons Euen so likewise hath the Lorde doone therewith in the Popedome Hee hath not destroyed his Churche but hath only chaunged the estate thereof taking it out of the hand and guiding of the Bishops and Popishe Priestes and placing it againe vnder the gouernement and charge of other guiders and leaders who can see more cleerely and bee of better trust as it is spoken in Saint Matthewe Mat. 22.40 vnder the similitude or parable of the vineyard To conclude if they aske what shall become then of our predecessours who dyed in the faith
of an other charge or office These men of whome wee speake were as it were fellowe helpers to the Apostles whom they did follow and were almost continually in companie with And their office came somewhat nigh to the office of an Apostle the difference was onely in the degree of dignitie Of this sort were Silas Timothie and such like In the one and twentie of the Acts Philip is called an Euangelist Act. 21.8 And Saint Paul admonisheth Timothie in one of the Epistles which hee wrote vnto him to continue to doe the worke of an Euangelist 2. Tim. 4 5◠These likewise had their time are no more in vse at this present Pastors are they Pastors that haue the charge of some certaine flockes and of some certaine Churches to rule and gouerne the same preaching the Gospell administring the Sacramentes and exercising discipline in those Churches This degree and office must haue his course and continue in the Churche euen vntill the ende of the worlde Doctors Doctors are they which the Churche in olde time called Catechisers that is to say instructors or teachers whose charge and office was plainely and simplye to expound the scriptures that men might haue the right sense and vnderstanding thereof and namely to teach the Catechumen◠that is to say those that were yet to be instructed in the points and principles of Christian religion Of this sort are the Doctors teachers of our age which teache youth in schooles expounding vnto them the scripture And their office consisteth heerein carefully to prouide that sound doctrine may be kept and published to the end that pure religion may continue and remaine in the church Some suppose that the office of Pastor and Doctor is all one as Chrysostome and Saint Augustine yet there is no dout but that they are two distinct offices which men may not confound and mingle together For albeit that this be the charge and office of al Pastors to teach yet they go somwhat further than the Doctors do For first formost they preach and exhort applying the doctrine to the necessities of the Church next they administer the Sacraments and in the third place they haue the charge gouernment and execution of the discipline to which matters the Doctors charge reacheth not they being only ordained to expounde the scriptures to the end that pure and sound doctrine may alwayes bee preserued maintained in the church And indeede such a one may be very apt to execute the office of the Doctor as hath not the gift to preach such a one on the other side may verye well haue the gifte to preache as shall not at any hande be meete or fit to exercise the charge office of the Doctor although that sometimes hee that shall bee the Pastor may also well bee the Doctor but yet this is to bee marked that they are diuers and seuerall charges or offices And these be the fiue degrees or orders of ministers to whō the Lorde hath cōmitted the gouernment of his church to feede the same of which fiue the last two onely remaine to bee alwayes vsed in his Churche Saint Paule indeede maketh mention in other places of some other names as of Bishops that is to say watchmen Bishops and Elders or Auncients or ouer-watchers and of Elders that is to saye Senators or Ancients but these two names signifie one and the selfe same thing as the Apostle himselfe declareth Titus 1. 5 writing to Titus For marke what he saith For this cause left I thee in Creete that thou shouldest continue to redresse the things that remaine that thou shouldest ordeine Elders that is to say Auncients in euerie citie as I appointed thee And afterwardes hee addeth an excellent description of true Elders and Auncients For a Bishop saith he must bee vnblameable as the guider or steward of Gods owne house and so foorth We fee that those whome he named Elders or auncients in one verse hee nameth the same Bishops in an other verse Now these two names of Bishop and Elder and the name also of Pastor are taken in the scripture to signifie one and the selfe same estate For the charge and office of the Pastor is to feede the sheepe as appeareth by that which the Lorde saith in the foure and thirtie Chapter of Ezechiell Woe be to the shepheards of Israel Ezech. 34.2 which feede them selues Should not the sheepheards feede the flocks But the Bishops and Elders are called to the same thing Act. 20.28 as both Saint Paule and Saint Peter doe declare Saint Paule speaking thus Take heede to your selues and to the whole flocke ouer which the holie Ghoste hath made you Bishoppes or ouerseers to feede the Churche of God which hee hath redeemed with his owne blood And Saint Peter thus 1. Pet. 5.1.2 The Elders which are amongest you I beseech which am also an Elder with you Feede the flocke of Christe whiche is committed vnto you caryng for it not by constraint c. If one woulde knowe the reason why the Pastours are called Elders or Auncients it is for honours sake not as though when in olde time they chose Pastours they were all auncient in age and yeeres but because that they specially chose them from amongest the Auncients and also because they ought to bee men both ripe wise and also very well experienced Old age commonly hath more wisedome more experience and grauitie But yet it doth not alwayes fall out that white or grey haire maketh men wise yea sometimes wee shall finde young men which are farre more fit to exercise and execute the charge office of a Pastor such a one was Timothie than those that be of greater yeeres It is true that there are two sortes of Elders that is to say Ancients One sort haue charge and office to minister the worde of God and Sacraments and to watche ouer the discipline and ouer the whole Church The other are ioyned vnto these to aide them in the exercising and execution of discipline without medling any whit at all in the preaching c. Saint Paule setteth out this order when he saith to Timothie The elders that rule well 1. Tim. 5.17 are worthie of double honour specially they which labour in the word and doctrine For in that he maketh mentiō of bearing rule hee giueth vs well to vnderstand that those whom hee nameth Elders or Auncients that is to say the Pastors and such as are ioyned vnto them are chosen to haue charge and office in the Church ouer the people And in that he more commendeth those whiche minister the worde and doctrine than the other hee euidently declareth that all haue not one and the selfe same charge Wee may beholde this order euen at this day obserued in the reformed Churches Deacons The Apostle maketh mention likewise of Deacons whiche woorde is taken in holie scripture in two senses or sortes Sometimes generally for euery minister
benefices without exercising and executing offices It is affirmed that Pope Innocentius the 4. of that name about the yeere of Christe 1244. did so exalt their estate and calling that he commanded by Edict that frō that time forward they should go on horseback and should weare a red cap or hat a scarlet to be for a signe and witnesse that they ought to be alwaies readie and prepared to suffer and shed their blood for the defence of Christian religion And Paul the second about the yere 1470. hath ratified the same Edict and in some point augmented inlarged it But some will set vp him selfe and say that these Priestes and Deacons of Rome which were called Cardinals obtained that name because at the time they were such as the Cardinals at this present are that is to say hauing authoritie and iurisdiction ouer all other Bishops and Priestes I aunswere that the case goeth not so For we find this that the Priestes and Deacons of Rome were in times past much lesse and inferiour to the Bishops in steede whereof at this day they goe before them in honour and dignitie And that so it is we reade that when the Bishop of Rome sent two Embassadours or Legates to the councell of Carthage wherof one was a Priest of the Church of Rome he was set the last of all Also that in the coūcel which Saint Gregorie held the Priestes of the Church of Rome were set last made their subscription apart by themselues and the Deacons had not so much credite as to subscribe Touching the foure Patriarches Patriarches we haue spoken thereof in the beginning of the 7. Chapter Now we must vnderstand that the names of Patriarch and Metropolitane were in time heretofore takē for one charge or office as appeareth by this Socrates lib. 5 cap. 8. that Socrates the historiographer speaketh of the councel of Constantinople wherein mention is made of Metropolitanes These Patriarches then or Metropolitanes beeing lifted vp in degree of honour aboue all the rest of the bishops in processe of time thrust on foreward with ambition haue so incroched one of them vpon another that at the last they haue brought all the Patriarches euen to the number of foure as wee haue named and described them in the aforesaide seuenth chapter And this hath principally come to passe because that either for the antiquitie of the Churches or for the renowne of the cities and excellencie also of the Bishops men haue reuerenced and honoured Rome Constantinople Alexandria and Antioch aboue all other Cities and by consequent the bishops of those places as those that were the principall or chiefe The Pope Nowe these foure Patriarches haue yet in such sort so robbed one an other that the Patriarch of Rome and hee of Constantinople haue quite and cleane taken away the roome and place of the other two And as touching the two of Rome Constantinople wee knowe what iarre and contention there hath been betwixt them which is not as yet well compounded or ended In the time of Gregorie the first of that name about the yere sixe hundred two there was great controuersie and stirre for the primacie of the Church For Iohn Bishop of Constantinople was declared and published in a full and solemne Synode of the Grecians vniuersall Patriarch and the Emperour Mauritius commanded Gregorie to obey the said Patriarch of Constantinople But Gregorie woulde not indure or suffer this presumption that any Bishop should be an vniuersal bishop ouer the rest in his Epistles he yeeldeth reasons thereof First he saith Greg. lib. 6. epist 76. Greg. lib. 6. epist 86. If hee fall that is called the vniuersall Bishop the whole church falleth frō her estate Secondly None of my predecessors hath euer desired to haue or vse this prophane worde For if there bee one Patriarch that is called vniuersal the name of Patriarch shall bee taken from all the rest To consent to this execrable and accursed name is no other thing but to betray the faith and to destroy Christianitie Thirdly Greg. lib. 7. epist 196. I speake freely and boldly that whosoeuer calleth him selfe vniuersall Bishop or desireth to bee called by that name the same is in his pride the forerunner of Antichrist because that by his pride he preferreth himselfe before all This controuersie being betweene these two Patriarches of Rome of Constantinople it fell out and was agreed that the Patriarch of Constātinople was appointed head of the Churches of the East and the Patriarch of Rome head of the Churches of the West and this latter was afterward so established and lifted vp by Phocas about the yeere 604. as wee haue declared in the seuenth Chapter that he was created Pope and vniuersall Bishop of all Churches And as touching the name pope it hath bin heretofore generally attributed and giuen to all Bishops as may bee proued by these testimonies Aurelius Bishop of Carthage is called by this name Pope in the beginning of the councel holden at the said Carthage of which councell hee was President In the hundreth fiftie and one Chapter of the same chuncell Innocentius Bishop of Alexandria is called Pope Saint Cyprian in certaine Epistles which hee writ to the same Bishop calleth him Pope The Elders and Deacons of Rome Cyprian lib 2. Epist 7. called Cyprian Pope in their Epistles Saint Ierome oftentimes calleth Augustine Pope in his epistles Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria in the thirde Epistle to Philemon calleth Heraclas his predecessor Pope as wee may see in Eusebius his seuenth booke Euseb lib. 7. cap. 7. seuenth chapter There may bee many suche like testimonies founde whiche declare that the name Pope was in auncient time common to all Bishops If the question be touching the signification of the name Suidas saith that it signifieth in the language of Syracuse as much as father But we haue disputed and discoursed heretofore largely enough of this primacie Nowe let vs returne to our first purpose and speeche who is hee that hath ordained these orders and ecclesiasticall degrees by what dore haue these pastors entred into the Lordes sheepefolde who hath called placed them in their charges was Iesus Christe who is the chiefe sheepehearde the Prince of Prophetes the wisedome of the father so ill aduised or so carelesse that hee hath not placed so many degrees and offices in his Churche as hee sawe and knewe to be needefull for the rule and gouernement thereof seeing hee loued it so much and esteemed it so deare and precious vnto himselfe that he deliuered himselfe vnto the most cruel and most shamefull death of all others to saue it Let these reuerende Prelates put downe their authors Let them shew from whence they are come and from whome it is that they bee as it were installed established and set in the Churche Let them bringe foorth and alleadge the woorde of GOD if they can or if they can not let them leaue
light is farre more excellent then the gift of Prophesie it selfe was in diuers who liued vnder the lawe 1. Thes 5.11 And also though wee are bounde to exhorte one another and to teach one another in the doctrine of godlinesse and the feare of God yet for all that the publike ministerie of the worde is not superfluous or vaine in the Churche For the selfe same God that hath commanded fathers to instruct their children and all vs to admonishe one an other hath also ordeyned the publike ministerie of the worde in the Church that it may bee there practised and exercised not for some fewe yeeres onely but euen vnto the ende of the worlde And thus muche touching the arguments of the aduersaries and such as set theÌ„ selues agaÌ„inst the ministerie of the Church Nowe let vs bring foorth our reasons to proue the contrarie The first reason is Iesus Christe hath commaunded that the Gospel should bee preached and the Sacraments administred in the Church vnto the ende of the worlde Then it followeth that the ministerie is alwayes requisite and necessarie in the Church I proue the Antecedent or former proposition by these wordes of Christ written in the last Chapter of Saint Matthewe Go and teach all nations Mat. 28.19.20 baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost teaching theÌ„ to obserue whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you and behold I am with you vnto the worldes ende For after the commaundement to preache the worde and to administer Baptisme vnder which Sacrament the other also of the holy Supper is conteyned because the Disciples might doubt or feare their charge as being great in labour and harde to execute Iesus Christ addeth a promise of his assistaunce not for tenne or twentie yeeres onely but for alwayes euen vnto the ende of the worlde Wherein hee manifestly setteth out and declareth two thinges One that hee willeth and ordeineth that the ministerie bee exercised in the Churche not for one age onely but continually vnto the consummation and end of all thinges The other is that hee promiseth that although Satan subtillie deuise inuent and practise all that hee can to hinder the ministerie the work of Gods seruants and the tyrants by their practises and violences inforce theÌ„ selues to the vttermost of their power to ouerthrow to bring to naught the church of God yet hee will by his godly and heauenly power alwayes maintaine his truth in the worlde and preserue his Church therein by the ministerie and labour of his faithfull pastors The seconde reason Rom. 1â— 17 The Apostle Saint Paul saith to the Romanes That faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Whereby he declareth that God hath accustomed to plant faith in our heartes by the preaching of his worde It is true that the power of God is not tyed to this outwarde meane but that hee is able to beget faith in vs after some other fashion and by some other meane although it be to vs incomprehensible euen as it shall please him selfe but notwithstanding all this the ministerie of his word is the ordinary meane which hee vseth or serueth himselfe with to giue vs faith by so that they which will haue faith without the preaching and hearing of the worde doe as much as though they woulde liue without meates drinks which God hath ordeined for our bodilie life Now hereupon we take and frame our argument thus Faith is in all times and alwaies necessarie for men But faith is giuen vnto men from God by the ministerie of the worde Therefore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde is in all times and alwaies necessarie for men The third reason It is certaine that for as much as the Sacraments are ordeined by God to bee as it were seales of the worde to seale in our heartes that which is therein conteined alreadie that is to say the vnion fellowship and partaking which wee haue in Iesus Christe it followeth that where there is not the worde of God preached there wee cannot haue any Sacrament For as a seale is altogether vnprofitable yea is not allowed a seale vnlesse bee bound or set to some instrument or writing for the confirmation thereof euen so the Sacrament is altogether vnprofitable yea indeed is not a Sacrament if it be not ioyned with the worde of God preached to confirme the same vnto vs. Whereupon Saint Augustine hath sometimes saide Augu. sup Iohan. Hom. 13. Let the word bee ioyned to the Sacrament and there shal be made a Sacrament Of what worde speaketh hee verilie not of a worde mumbled vp murmured or whispered without vnderstanding ouer the Elements but of the worde of God preached to the faithfull receiued of them through faith as hee himselfe maketh it plaine wlien speaking of baptisme he addeth this is the word of faith which we preach by which baptisme is consecrated and hallowed 1. Cor. 11. â—â— to haue power to make cleane Now from that which is aboue said we reason after this manner The administration of the holy Supper is alwayes necessarie in the Church euen vnto the end of the worlde for Iesus Christ hath commanded vs to celebrate it and by that meanes to preach or shewe foorth his death vntill his comming againe But the administration of the supper can not bee performed without the ministerie of the worde Therefore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde is alwayes necessarie in the Church The fourth reason Iesus Christ hath giuen and established the ministers of the worde Ephe. 14.11 for the worke of the ministerie till wee all meete together in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the sonne of GOD vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that is to say till that Christ be perfect in vs and haue in vs his ful grouth and increase But wee can not obtaine suche perfection vnto the ende of the worlde at what time GOD shall bee all in all For as Saint Paule saith Wee knowe in parte and wee prophesie in part But when that which is perfect is come 2. Cor. 13. 9.10 then that which is in part shal be abolished Wherefore it followeth that Iesus Christe hath giuen and placed the ministers of the worde for the woorke of the ministerie vntill the ende of the worlde and then God shall be all in all These reasons are sufficient for this present to teach and proue that the holy ministerie is continually requisite and necessarie in the Church as indeede the Lorde hath for our good saluation established the same to abide in all ages therein applying and framing himself to our weaknesse which is so great we being corrupted thorough sinne that without this means meet and agreeable to our nature we coulde not bee well instructed in the points of our saluation For if God should speake vnto vs in his maiestie wee coulde not at
Iesus Christ saith Luk. 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent mee And Saint Paule writing to the Corinthians declareth right well in what authority reuerence and account wee ought to haue the ministerie of the worde when he saith That GOD hath committed vnto the Pastors and ministers of the Church 2. Cor. 5.18 the embassage or ministerie of reconciliation And writing to the Thessalonians 1. Thess 2. 13 Wee thanke God without ceasing that when yee receiued of vs the word of the preaching of God yee receiued it not as the word of man but as it is indeede the word of God which also worketh in you that beleeue It is for the verie self same reason that speaking vnto the Romanes of the word preached by the ministers hee saith Rom. 8.18 That the Gospell is the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue And to the Corinthians that Though the worde or preaching of the crosse be to them that perish foolishnesse 1. Cor. 1 1â— yet it ceaseth not to be the power of God to vs which obtaine saluation Nowe the preaching of the word is so called by Saint Paule because it is the powerful and effectuall instrument which GOD vseth to saue vs. And for this cause it is called also by Isaiah Isa 53. 1. The arme of the Lorde In summe wee ought diligently to take heede to and to regard that which S. Paule saith vnto the Corinthians 1. Cor. 3 9â— We together are Gods labourers yee are Gods husbandrie and Gods building in so much that wee alwaies set before vs two things when the question or dispute shal be touching the ministerie that is to say on the one side the minister that shal speake and preach vnto vs and minister the Sacrament vnto vs and on the other side God who worketh inwardly in our hearts and indeed accomplisheth and fulfilleth in vs that which the minister speaketh vnto vs and doth outwardly represent and shew vnto vs. As we haue a notable example thereof in the 16. of the Acts where it is said Act. 16. 14. that as S. Paul preached the word of God to Lydia a seller of purple God was hee alone which opened her heart that shee attained vnto and vnderstoode the things which Paule spake CHAP XI Of the holinesse of the Church VVE haue seene and heard heretofore that the Church is the companie of faithfull people which is also called the communion or fellowship of the Saints holy ones The Church therfore is holy because it is compacted or made of Saints or holy ones But here wee must marke foure points The first is howe and in what sense wee are called Saints or holy ones it is not as the idiots or ignorant people vnderstande it who by Saintes meane none other but those which are alreadie dead and so canonised by the Pope or els the Priestes and Friers clad in white or blacke and girded with a rope But by saints wee vnderstande them who being elected from before all euerlastingnes of time are in their time that is to say in the time which God hath appointed them before the foundations of the worlde were laid sanctified by GOD through Iesus Christ and clothed with true faith Now such are all true Christians and faithfull people The seconde that it is not of our selues that wee are Saintes or holy ones Psa 51.5 c Gen. 8.21 neither of our owne nature for by our owne nature all wee are altogether corrupted and the children of wrath But wee are saints Rom. 8.6 c Ephe. 2.3 Ioh. 17.19 because Iesus Christe hath sanctified vs as hee him selfe saith in Saint Iohn For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified through the truth Nowe hee hath sanctified vs by the vertue and power of his holy spirite which by reason of this effecte is called the spirite of sanctification Rom. 1.4 And this is that which Saint Paule meaneth when hee saith Ephe. 5.25.26.27 that Iesus Christe hath redeemed his Church and hath sanctified it that hee might make it vnto him selfe a glorious Church Nowe this sanctification of holinesse is brought to passe first by the imputation or account of Christes righteousnesse vnto vs for hee was giuen vnto vs by the Father 1. Cor. 1. to be our sanctification Secondly by the purging or cleansing of our filthinesses that is to say by the forgiuenesse of our sins in the blood of Iesus Christe as Saint Paule declareth it in the Corinthians when hee saith 1. Cor. 6.5.10.11 Bee not deceiued neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God and such were some of you but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirite of our God And indeede Saint Paule in an other place sheweth that filthinesse is opposed and set against sanctification and holynesse when he saith to the Romanes Rom. 6.19 As you haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannesse and iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members seruauntes vnto righteousnesse in holines Also to the Thessalonians 1. Thess 4. â— God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse The thirde pointe is That the holinesse of the Churche is not at any time perfecte so long as shee trauelleth and fighteth in this worlde whiche maior I prooue thus First if the Church were without spot in this world in vaine hath our Sauiour Christ taught it alwayes to pray Mat. 6.12 forgiue vs our trespasses and sinnes But the Lorde Iesus hath not without good cause giuen vs such doctrine and instruction wherefore it followeth that the Churche is not in this worlde without spot yea rather that shee hath continuall need alwaies for to pray vnto God that shee may bee more and more sanctified and obteine the forgiuenesse of all her sinnes Secondly these which are without spot and wrinckle haue nothing to doe with any washing because they haue no neede thereof But the faithfull although they bee washed haue notwithstanding neede yet of washing still as Iesus Christ himselfe declareth it vnto vs Ioh. 13.10 when hee saith Hee that is washed needeth not saue to washe his feet For by the washing of the feete hee meaneth a continuall sanctification It followeth then that the faithful are not in this world without spot 1. Cor. 1.2 Thirdly Saint Paule ceaseth nor to adorne and bewtifie the Corinthians with the title of the Church who notwithstanding greeuously abused the holy supper of the Lorde and had amongest them diuisions and partakings which are not smal faultes yea indeede they were in doubt also touching the resurrection of the dead Gal. 1.2 Also he nameth the assembly of the Galathians the
similitudes Iesus Christe very plainely expresseth what shall bee the visible state and condition of the Churche so long as it shall bee on earth that is to say that the wicked shall continually be mingled therein with the good and that in suche sorte as the tares are amongest the good wheate in the fieldes and as euill fishes are mingled with the good in the Sea Wherof followeth that which we haue saide before in the third Chapter to wit that all they which are in the Church are not for all that of the Church And indeede experience hath in all ages shewed the same vnto vs and maketh vs to behold the same as yet euē euery day Gen. 4. 3. c Cain was the first that defiled the Churche of God although he offered sacrifices in outwarde shewe as his iust brother Abell did Noah preached vnto those of his time And continuing his exercise a long season some thinke sixe score yeeres hardly woulde his owne housholde beleeue his worde Gen. 7.1 c so that GOD destroying all the worlde by the flood onely eight persons of the foresaide Noahs housholde were reserued by the meane of the Arke And euen yet of those eight persons with whome God had made a newe couenant touching the establishing againe of his Churche Ham Gen. 9.22 in his time very manifestly declared his hypocrisie Amongst the twelue Apostles Mat. 27. 3. c. Act. 1.16 17. c. Reue. 2.6 Clemens strom lib. 3. Euseb hist eccles lib. 3 cap. 29. 1. Iohn 2. 19 Iudas is found a traitour and vnfaithfull Amongest the seuen Deacons one Nicholas was an heretike at the least if that be true that this Nicholas was one of the seuen Deacons as Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius certainely affirme it Saint Iohn speaking of Antichristes wherewith the Churche was in his time troubled and tormented saith They went out frō vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they woulde haue continued with vs. And what at this day Howe many hypocrites and greate mungrell Mastiffes are found at this day in the outwarde Church and are suffered therin Certainely there are very many whiche are acknowledged and allowed for members of the Churche of whome GOD who beholdeth all mens heartes doth in the meane season iudge otherwise Wherefore the Church euen in this respect is not at any time in the worlde without wrinckle The fourth point which wee must note heere is that our sanctification is not performed or wrought al at one time but there are three degrees or steppes thereof to the end that it may be perfect The first degree is during this life when that our Lord Iesus Christ giueth vs his holy spirite thereby to resist and withstande the worlde the diuell sinne and our owne fleshe to the ende that wee may loue good things Rom. 7.22 23. c and hate euil Hereunto may be applied that which Saint Paule speaketh of himselfe writing vnto the Romanes in the seuenth Chapter verse 22.23 The seconde is after this life when the soule enioyeth the presence of Iesus Christ giuing it selfe vnto all holinesse but our other part that is the bodie resting it selfe in the dust without being able to applie it self vnto any thing to sanctifie the name of God by The third shal be after the last iudgemēt when beeing perfectly ioyned with Iesus Christ our head we shall behold God euen as he is who shal be all in all and that after such maner and sort as S. Paule saith that Christe is made of GOD vnto vs wisedome 1 Cor. 1. 30 righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Therfore when that our Lord Iesus Christe shal so work in vs that there shal be no spot Philip. 3. 21. 1. Ioh. 3.2 but that our very bodies shall be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie and we shal be like vnto him then truly shal our sanctification be accomplished and made perfect which nowe is but as it were begunne in vs. CHAP XII Whether the Church may erre or no. THis question to wit whether the Church can erre hath beene diuers times tossed and handled for the opening and vnfolding whereof wee must first striue to knowe after what maner or in what sēse the word church is heere to be taken I meane whether wee must vnderstand this of the Catholike and vniuersall churche or els of the particular Churches But the controuersie is not in my iudgement of the Catholike church for wee all agree heerein that shee cannot erre as touching faith And indeede howe shoulde shee erre seeing that following Iesus Christe her head and her husband shee walketh not in darkenesse but in the light of life On the other side it is impossible that all faithfull people vniuersally euen from the first vnto the last shoulde fall into errour for there haue beene alwayes some preserued through the goodnesse and grace of GOD by whome trueth it selfe through other mens naughtines brought as it were to nothing or at the least destituted and forsaken hath yet notwithstanding been restored to her former force and is yet still mainteined and preserued Wherefore this question is touching a particular churche Touching which it seemeth good vnto vs in the first place to heare the iudgement and reasons of the Romishe Catholikes vppon this that they affirme that the churche so taken cannot erre following herein the Nouatians Donatistes and other heretikes And afterwardes we will shew foorth put downe our aduise and reasons to proue the contrarie The Romishe Catholikes thinke that the churche cannot erre although shee doe and appoint any thing without the worde of God for beeing guided by the holie Ghost she may goe and walke without the order and direction of the worde and although shee goe and walke yet shee cannot erre or goe astray But they separate that whiche ought alwayes to remaine abide ioyned together for if the churche followe not the worde of God it is impossible to keepe her from error as on the other side if shee followe it therein she doth well and cānot erre The reasons wherby they would persuade men that the church cannot erre are these following The first is this Iesus Christe doeth not at any time forsake his churche whiche is his spouse or wife Wherefore it followeth that it cannot erre I aunswere by a distinction So farre foorth as the church foloweth Iesus Christ it cannot bee forsaken of him and cannot erre but in as muche as it liuing in the worlde doeth stray from Christ and goeth aside from gods commandements it is forsaken of him and doth erre The second reason The Church is called The piller and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3.15 Wherfore it cannot erre I answere that there is in this argument a double error the one touching the word Church For Saint Paule meaneth the Catholike Church not any particular one The other is concerning the meaning of the Apostle For he calleth the Church the piller
and ground of truth not that it is so simplie and indeede of it selfe but in respect of vs because that the truth of God hath not place in the worlde saue onely in the Church For as much therefore as God maintaineth his truth amongest men Chrysost in 3 cap. 1. ad Timoth. and maketh it alwayes to goe his right course by the ministerie of the Churche therefore is the Church called the piller and grounde of the truth To be short because that God himselfe commeth not downe from heauen and doth not euery day sende his Angels to maintaine his truth among men to publish it to the world but vseth the ministerie of the Church for this effect that is to say the preaching of the word for this cause it is called the columne or pillar of truth because that by the preaching of the worde it is reteined amongest men and countergarded to the ende that it decaye not or perish from the memorie or remembrance of men The thirde reason The Church is gouerned and guided by the holy Ghoste howe then can it erre I aunswere that so farre foorth as the Church is gouerned by the holy ghoste suffering it himselfe to be guided by him obeyeth him shee cannot erre but if shee doe the contrary shee may erre and doeth erre The fourth reason In the kingdome of heauen no error can haue any place Mat. 13.24.16.19 For trueth reigneth therein but the Churche is the kingdome of heauen It followeth then that in the Church no error can haue place All this is true of the Catholike Church yea and of particular Churches also so farre foorth as they shewe themselues to bee the kingdome of heauen and not the kingdome of this worlde and of the fleshe that is to say so farre foorth as they are assemblies subiect in al things to Iesus Christ the king of heauen But where is that particular church so obediēt to Iesus Christ the king of heauen that it erreth not and fayleth not in many points and particular duties The fifth reason councels cannot erre but the church consisteth of councels therfore the church cannot erre This Syllogisme pretendeth and laboureth to proue an vncertaine thing by another thing yet more vncertaine For many examples do plainely testifie that the councels may erre as indeede they haue oftentimes erred And touching the first the councell that Ahab assembled of foure hūdred prophetes did not it erre It is written that they beeing come to this wicked king to flatter him 1. King 22.6 c. Satan was sent out by and from God to bee a lying spirite in their mouthes so all of them with one consent condemned the truth Michaiah alone withstanding them who was reprooued as an heretike beaten and put into prison Iohn 11.47 The councell which the high Priests and pharisees assembled in Ierusalem against Iesus Christ did not it erre wee see how they condemned Iesus Christ litle regarded yea much despised his doctrine And what shall wee say of the councels and Synods which were helde and kept after the death of the apostles euen vnto our age whereof some haue reproued and vndone that which was established and done by others for of necessitie either the one or the other haue erred they being repugnant and contrary one to another Examples hereof The councell of Carthage in whiche Saint Cyprian was president did decree Con. Cartha that those whiche were baptised by heretikes shoulde bee baptised againe Which decree was broken and ouerthrowen by an other Councell of Carthage holden after Con. Cartha The second Synode of Ephesus Synod Ephe. consented to Eutiches his error and imbraced the same receiued it in this that he confessed in Iesus Christe but one only nature that is to say the diuine nature which error was afterwardes confuted and caste downe to the ground Con. Chalce by the general councell of Chalcedonia The councell of Constantinople Con. Constant called by the Emperour Leo about nine hundred yeeres agoe ordeined that men shoulde throwe downe and breake in peeces all the images that were in Churches which ordinaunce the Councell assembled at Nice Con. Nicen. by the commaundement of Irene the Emperours mother was immediatly after broken and cracked and commaundement giuen that Images should be set vp againe Con. Neoces Con. Maien Con. Cartha 2. Con. Nicen. The Councell of Neocesaria and of Maience and the second councel of Carthage did forbidde marriage to the ministers and Elders of the Church The councel of Nice decreed the contrarie permitting ministers to marrie Con. Braca Con. Tole 3. Con. Roma The councell of Bracara did pronounce curse against those that absteined from eating flesh and this decree was confirmed by the thirde councell of Toletum but the councell of Rome ordeined the contrarie forbidding the vse of fleshe vppon certaine dayes of the yeere August lib. 2. de Baptis contra Donatist cap. 3. To bee short Saint Augustine plainly declareth that which I speake to wit that coūcels may erre For he expresly saith that the letters and Epistles of particular Bishops are corrected by prouinciall councels and the prouinciall councels by vniuersall and the former vniuersal councels annihilated and disanulled by the latter when by some certaine experience of thinges that which before was secrete is opened that which was hiddē is made euident and plaine neither shall it stand them in any steede at all to say that this place of Augustine ought to be vnderstood of outward and indifferente things for Saint Augustine disputeth there of a point of doctrine that is to say of the opinion of Saint Cyprian and of the councell of Affrica touching rebaptisation or baptising againe Now then in so great diuersitie and gainesaying one of another what shall wee say To whiche councell shall wee giue greater faith and credit For this we perceiue cleerly and plainely that they thus crossing and contrarying one an other did not all consent and speake according to the truth that therefore wee must of necessitie conclude that some of them haue erred and that by their false and erronious determinations they haue degenerated and gone astray from the right way of the worde of God Certainely it is very meete and requisite An admonition touching Councels and Synods that wee shoulde bee wise and very well aduised when the question is either to set out or to receiue that which shal bee determined by councels and Synods For it is altogether manifest and plaine that councels and Synodes may be deceiued And therefore as touching their decrees and determinations this is that wee haue to say that we must bring the weight of them make it subiect to the balance that is to say wee must trie and examine them by the worde of God Gala. 1.8 which is indeed the balance whervnto not only men are subiect but also the Angels as S. Paule teacheth in his Epistle to the Galathians
9.10 Isaiah 8. ver 10.11.13.16 Isaiah 26. ver 10.11 Isaiah 28. ver 9.12.13 Isaiah 30. ver 9.15 Isaiah 42. ver 19.20 Isaiah 48. ver 4. Isaiah 65. ver 11. Ieremiah 2. Ieremi ver 24.29 vnto the 33. ver Ieremiah 5. ver 3. vnto the 8. ver and ver 20. of the same chap. vnto ver 25. Ieremiah 6. ver 10. in euerie verse almost vnto the ende of the Chapter Ieremiah 7. ver 24. vnto the 28. ver Ieremiah 8. ver 4. vnto ver 8. Ieremiah 17. ver 1.23 Ieremiah 10. ver 11.15 Ieremiah 25. ver 4.8 Ieremiah 29. ver 17.20 Ieremiah 35. ver 13.16 Ieremiah 43. ver 2. Ieremiah 44. ver 7.10.11.16.20 Ezechiel 2. Ezechi ver 3. vnto the end of the chapter Ezechiel 3. ver 5.10.26.27 Ezechiel 4. ver 3. Hosea Ezechiel 12. ver 2. Hosea 4. througout the whole Chapter Hosea 5. ver 4. Amos 4. Amos. Zephaniah Zachariah Prouerbs Matthew ver 6. vnto the end of the Chapter Zephaniah 3. ver 5. Zechariah 7. ver 11. vnto the end Prouerbs 1. ve 24. vnto the end Matth 11. ver 16.17.21 and so vnto the 25. ver Matth. 12. ver 41.42 Mat. 23. ver 37. Touching the Pastors specially and particularly see Isaiah 56. ver 10.11 Ieremiah 6. ver 13. Ieremiah 14. ver 14. Ieremiah 23. ver 1.2 c. Ezechiel 22. ver 25.26.28 Ezechiel 34. ver 23.4 c. Hosea 9. ver 8. 1. Kings 22. ver 6. Iohn 7. ver 47. CHAP. XIII Whether the Church bee aboue the holy scripture that is to say whether the holy scripture depend of the iudgement and authority of the Church THE Church indeede hath a very great authoritie among men in so much as it behoueth vs to heare the same if we will not be accounted rebels against God Yet notwithstanding seeing she is the wife and scholler of Iesus Christe she ought alwaies to be subiect vnto him as vnto her husbād head and teacher And therefore this is an article which wee must hold inuiolable and without breach to wit that the church ought to depend and hang on Christe and his worde and to haue her authoritie from the same worde and not on the other side that the worde of Christe shoulde depende and haue the credite and authoritie thereof from the Church Notwithstanding many are founde whiche holde altogether the contrarie setting as we say the cart before the horses and plowe or waine before the oxen and vtterly ouerthrowing all order For they suppose that the holy scripture hath no more certaintie authoritie than it pleaseth the Church that by her allowāce and consent it shall haue And these bee the Romishe Catholikes who speake of the Church after this manner giuing it authoritie ouer and aboue the worde of God to make men to beleeue that whatsoeur it decreeth determineth and concludeth wee must hold her iudgement sentence and resolution as a certaine oracle comming frō heauen and to be short as an article of our beliefe And behold their reasons for this The first reason The Churche by her iudgement hath brought to passe that the holy Scripture hath beene acknowledged for the true worde of God and hath distinguished separated and sundered it from all other writinges what so euer whiche men haue published brought into the world For who is it that in the beginning hath assured vs that the holy scripture is the word of God but the Church alone And who is it that euen to this day can certifie and assure vs that the same word of God is come safe sound and whole euen vnto our age but onely the same Church Wherefore it followeth that the authoritie and certaintie of the holie scripture dependeth vpon the authoritie and iudgemente of the Church I aunswere two things or two manner of wayes First that this is a most wicked opinion to say that without the Churche the worde of God could not haue a sufficient witnesse to commend and set forth the authoritie and credite thereof vnto vs. Let vs heare what Saint Augustine saith hereof The authoritie of the truth saith hee is fruitefull and plentifull Augu. de assumpt Virg. Mart. cap. 1. and if she be diligently examined men shall finde that of her selfe shee maketh her selfe to bee sufficiently knowne Wherefore Alfonsus de Castro hath sometimes saide Alfonsus de Cast li. 1. ca. 8. cont haereses seeing that the holie scripture is come foorth from GOD it hath of it selfe alreadie deserued that wee shoulde giue trust vnto it and beleeue it And when the Church publisheth this that it is giuen by God shee doth wholie euen as a witnesse which beareth witnesse to some thing So that the truth of the scriptures is certaine not because of the witnes but by reason of it selfe and the credite it hath and not because the Church receiueth it and publisheth it but because that God hath giuen it and made the same manifest vnto vs. Besides is this a small matter that wee haue the testimonie of the holye spirite dwelling in our heartes It is said that it is his peculiar office to guide and lead vs into all truth Iohn 16.13 1. Ioh. 2.27 and to teach vs all things Wherevpon it followeth that he teacheth vs this truth that the holy scripture is of God and from him It is saide moreouer that we haue receiued the spirite of God 1. Cor. 2.12 that we might knowe the thinges that are giuen to vs of God Also 1. Cor. 2.14 that the thinges of the spirite of God are spirituallie discerned that is to say by the efficacie mouing and woorking of the holy spirite Wherefore it followeth that the holy spirite teacheth vs and maketh vs to discerne betweene these bookes which wee ought to receiue without gainesaying and the other which we ought to reiect and refuse Some perhaps will say that this article or point is daungerous because that heretikes oftentimes bragge that they haue the spirit of God which they haue not indeed and wee knowe howe they haue alwayes indeuoured to make their doctrines of authoritie and credite through their inwarde reuelations whiche they haue imagined to proceede from the holy Ghost But we can easily aunswere this to wit that in this matter wee can easily auoide all danger if wee vse and followe the remedies whiche S. Iohn doth furnish vs withall when he saith that we ought not to beleeue euery spirite 1 Ioh. 4. 1. but to trie and proue the spirites whether they are of God or no. And what shall be the meane and way of this triall and examination euen the worde of God as wee see that therby the men of Berea Act. 17.11 did proue S. Paule his spirit and doctrine And to this meane doth Chrysostome send vs when hee saith thus Many boast of the spirite Chrysost de sanct adorand spirit but they which bring any thing of their owne doe falsly pretende the same As Christ witnessed that he spake not of him selfe because that his doctrine
manifest that he mindeth not to infer that the Gospell hangeth vppon the allowance and authoritie of the church but only that the Church hath great weight to induce and moue the miscreants and vnbeleeuers to beleeue the Gospel This holy Doctor then speaketh not of the foundatioÌ„ of his faith but of the beginning thereof that is to say of the occasion and outward meanes by which he was prouoked stirred vp to beleeue the Gospell when hee was a Manichean heretike and not as yet a Christian to wit because he sawe the good accorde consent and agreement of the Church in receiuing the Gospell In the fourth Chapter he confessed that in former time he maintained the Maniches part and that hee was very eger and sharpe therein and blinded in the doctrine of their sect Now hee speaketh thus Howe wilte thou proue that Manicheus is an Apostle of Christ shall this bee by the Gospell But if some one that beleeueth not the Gospel woulde say vnto thee I beleeue not the Gospel what hast thou to replie As if hee shoulde say wouldest thou not purpose put downe and shewe vnto him the authoritie and testimonie of the Church For as touching my selfe in the time that I was a Manichean I had not beleeued the Gospel if the authoritie and testimonie of the Catholike Churche had not driuen mee thereto As if againe he should say For as concerning my selfe when I was of your faction and sect I was so setled staied in your opinions and had hard them so attentiuely and diligently yea I beleeued them so stedfastly and did maintaine them with such courage and stomack this is that which hee speaketh in the fourth Chapter that very hardly I had euer forsaken and renounced them to beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie and testimonie of the Church had not induced mooued and prouoked mee thereto The fourth reason Hee that hath authoritie and power to take away or to change some thing in the worde of God hath also authoritie ouer it But so it is that the church hath authoritie and power to take away or to change something in the word of God It followeth therfore that the Church hath authoritie ouer and aboue it They thus proue the assumption whiche is the second proposition or sentence of the reason Saint Peter had authoritie and power to take away and to chaunge some thing in the worde of God for he changed the forme of baptisme prescribed by Iesus Christe as appeareth by this that Iesus Christe hauing commaunded to baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne Mat. 28.19 and of the holy Ghost Saint Peter changing this forme hath enioyned and commaunded men to bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christe onely Act. 2.38 As it is written in the second of the Actes verse 38. Nowe if Saint Peter haue had this authoritie and this power why also should not the whole church haue it as well as hee I answere first for the consequence that it is not necessarie and good For who is he that will yeelde to this that all that whiche was in former time permitted to the Apostles should nowe bee permitted to the Pastors and ministers of the Church who are their successors Secondly I say that that which is taken from Saint Peter as true and right is false For Saint Peter did in no case chaunge the forme of Baptisme and in the place of the Actes before alleadged it is not saide that they must be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ onely Act. 2.38 Pâ—â—â—us Lombâ—â—â— lob 4. dâ—â— 3 sect B. 〈◊〉 de Cosecrat dâ—â—t 4 â—â—â—in Sinod c. Act. 8.12 Act. 10.48 Ambr. lib. 1. de 〈◊〉 sanct cap. 3. but simplie saide thus and bee baptised euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ But let vs see how Peter Lombard the master of the sentences expouÌ„deth this place If any saith he be baptised without inuocation of the trinitie he is not a perfect christian vnlesse he be baptised in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy ghost yet we reade in the Acts of the Apostles that the Apostles baptized in the name of Christe but vnder this name as S. Ambrose expoundeth it is vnderstoode the whole Trinitie for when a man nameth Christ these are vnderstood to wit the father of whom the sonne was annointed and the sonne which was annoynted and the holy Ghost by whom or with whom hee was annointed Beholde the aduise and iudgement of the master of the sentences who doth not altogether satisfie vs though he speake much for vs. For whether wee regard the substance of the sacraments or els the forme thereof we holde that the Lords ordinance ought to be retained and followed in the whole and through the whole and that it doth not belong to any particular person no not to the church it self to alter or change any thing therein And in deede as I haue alreadie saide Saint Peter did not chaunge the forme of Baptismeâ— But marke this His intent purpose was to teach that the foundation accomplishment and fulfilling of baptisme is in Iesus Christe alone For to bee baptised in the name of Christe is taken and vsed by S. Peter for to bee receiued to grace and fauour in baptisme by the name of Iesus Christe So that this manner of speeche which Saint Peter vseth is not in any sort to bee referred to the forme of Baptisme but onely declareth that all the vertue power and efficacie of baptisme consisteth onely in Iesus Christe alone because that all that whiche baptisme doth represent and figure vnto vs 1. Ioh. 1.7 Rom. 6.4 is comprehended in him alone For by the blood of Iesus Christe wee are washed and purged from all our sinnes and by baptisme buried with him to the end that as he is raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life The fift reason The Church hath changed the Sabboth to the Lordes day or that which we call Sunday although that God by expresse writing commaunded the obseruation and keeping of the said Sabboth Wherfore theÌ„ it followeth that the church hath power and authoritie ouer the holy scripture I aunswere in the first place That the Church hath changed nothing at all of the commaundement touching the obseruation of the Sabaoth in or coÌ„cerning the substance thereof but onely in or concerning the circumstance For the thing or matter abideth alwaies that is to say the substance of the commaundement seeing that one day of the weeke is reserued to be imploied and bestowed vpon the holy rest whiche thing is enioyned by the commandement as being indeede the veritie and truth therof So that the obseruation and keeping thereof is only chaunged in respect of the time which change doth not derogate any thing from the commandement neither altereth nor changeth any thing therein of that which God minded to commend
and commaund to vs. Next the commaundement of the Sabaoth in respect of the figure was temporall and indured but a season and therfore it ought to haue an ende as the other ceremonies of the lawe had Wherefore the figure was taken away and changed not by the authoritie of the Church properly or as you would say of it owne authoritie but by the trueth it selfe which declared and shewed it selfe in Iesus Christe whereupon also the Apostle saith Col. 2. 16.17 Let no man therefore condemne you in meat and drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the newe moone or of the Sabaoth day which are but a shadowe of things to come The sixt reason The Apostles decreed in the first Councell which they held in Ierusalem Act. 15. 29. that the Christians shoulde abstaine from blood and from that that is strangled which decree yea brought and put into writing the Church hath taken away and chaunged after the time of the Apostles giuing leaue to christiās to vse both blood and that that is strangled It foloweth then that it is lawefull for the Church to change som thing in the word of God and by consequent that the Church is aboue the same worde I aunswere that the place of the Actes touching that which the Apostles determined in the Councell whiche they helde in Ierusalem is ill vnderstood and yet more ill applied to fetch and drawe from it such a consequence For the Church after the Apostles hath not established any thing against the decree of the Apostles in that they haue suffered Christians to vse and eate blood and that that is strangled For the decree of the Apostles was made set vp and published for a time onely and therefore it ought to ende The Church in the time of the Apostles was builded as well of the Gentiles as of the Iewes Some weake ones amongest the Iewes thought that they were yet bounde in their consciences to the obseruation of the lawe of Moses that is to say to the ceremonies thereof The Gentiles on the other side strengthening themselues with that Christian libertie which Iesus Christe hath brought vnto vs woulde without any difference vse all manner of meates and so amongst the rest blood and that that was strangled Wherevpon the Apostles least that so free a vse of blood and of that that was strangled might breede and bring some offence to the weake Iewes determined and decreed in their Councell that euerie one shoulde abstaine from such meate for a time til that they might see a good agreement peace betweene these two peoples Now afterwardes the feare of such an offence beeing taken away the Church iudged that the obseruation and keeping of the said decree was not any more necessarie or any longer needefull and therefore respecting the intent and purpose of the Apostles gaue libertie to the faithfull to vse all kinde of meates or els to speake better did by the word of God declare vnto them the libertie that they had to vse all maner of meates without in any thing altering changing the intent purpose of the Apostles when they made and established the foresaide decree not being appointed and set vp by thē but for a time onely And thus much touching the reasons of the Romish CatholikS who affirme that the certaintie truth of the word of God doth depend of the iudgement and authoritie of the Church Beholde nowe our reasons to the contrary The first is this The certaintie of the church dependeth vppon the authoritie of Gods word It followeth then that the contrary cannot bee true to wit that the certaintie of the worde of God shoulde depende vpon the authoritie of the Churche Nowe wee proue the antecedent or former proposition by that which the holie Ghost saith Ephe. 2.20 that the Churche is builded vppon the foundation and doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles Whereupon it followeth that the Church dependeth vpon the authoritie of the same doctrine And heereunto belong the sentences of the ancient doctors which wee haue cited and quoted before in the third Chapter by which this is shewed and proued that the Church is marked declared and knowne by the holy scriptures The second reason The holy scripture being giuen by inspiration of God 2. Tim. 3.16 as S. Paule saith hath the authoritie from it selfe as we haue declared in the beginning of this Chapter in answering the first reason of the Romish Catholikes wherein we haue followed the iudgement of Alfonsus de Castro It followeth then that it taketh not credite or authority from the Church neither more not lesse than the edict and lawe of the King which hath the authoritie it hath from it selfe that is to say frō the king from whom it proceedeth and commeth and not from the Parliament to which it is sent although that the same bee allowed praysed yea and expounded sometimes by the saide parliament The thirde reason If the word of God ought to be heard aboue the Church then certainly it doth not hang of the authority of the Church but that the worde of God ought to be heard aboue the Church it appeareth by this which S. Paule saith that it ought to be heard aboue the Apostles Gal. 1.8 yea the Angels them selues Wherefore it followeth that the word of God doth not hang of the authoritie of the Church The fourth reason Aug. cont Max. lib. 3. cap. 14. Saint Augustine openly declareth that the holy scripture is aboue the Councels and so by consequent aboue the churche represented by Councels For writing to Maximinus the Arrian touching the worde Homousios that is to say consubstantiall or of the selfe same substance together with the father whiche word was confirmed by the coūcel of Nice and on the other side disallowed by the councel of Ariminum in the time of the Emperour Constantine he saith thus Now I haue not to vse or alleadge the Councel of Nice neither thou the Councel of Ariminum to preuaile thereby one of vs against another For as I am not bound to the Councel of Ariminum so art not thou bound to the Councel of Nice We haue the authority of the scriptures which are not partiall or particular witnesses for the one or for the other but are commō witnesses to both of vs. Let vs therefore by them dispute and reason of the matter in controuersie betweene vs. CHAP. XIIII Of the discipline of the Church NOW wee must speake of the Ecclesiasticall discipline in which notwithstanding wee wil be briefe short because there is of this matter a verie large sufficient treatie extant alredie which may satisfie and content all good mindes and is intituled The confirmation of the ecclesiastical Discipline The confirmation of the Ecclesiasticall discipline obserued in the reformed Churches of the kingdome of France And also hee that will reade the Institution of M. Caluin Caluin li. 4. inst Beza in cōfes fidei specially in his
fourth booke and Theodorus Beza his confessiō shall finde there all that which may be said touching this point or matter if so be it that he will content himself with reason Wherfore then we haue in this matter of the Ecclesiasticall discipline for this present time to consider of foure principall heads or points The first is Discipline is necessarie in the church that discipline is most requisite most necessarie in the Church if wee will not haue all thinges mingled and disordered therein yea full of confusion For euen as there is no Citie nor Towne nor house which can bee without discipline or policie or some order for the gouernement thereof so the Church which is the citie house of God cannot at any hand be without his policie and spiritual gouernment And therefore Saint Cyprian hath sometimes called the discipline of the Churche Cyprian de tract Virgin The keeper of faith and the mistresse of vertue For if it shall bee lawefull for euery one to doe what they will without beeing helde backe by some bridle what confusion and disorder shall wee see in the church The same Doctor compareth also the Discipline to the rudder or helme of a ship Cypri lib. 2 epist 7. thereby to declare not onely how profitable the same is for vs but also howe necessarie and needeful For seeing that the churche is in this worlde as a ship vpon the Sea that is to say subiect to the billowes waues and tempestes of tyrants and persecutors yet to windes and whirlewindes of false doctrine how could it bee able to subsist and stand if together with the worde of God it had not for the ordering and guiding thereof her discipline to be as it were a rampart ground worke foundation and stay Wherefore those whiche either disallowe or despise this remedie which serueth to preserue the churche from dissipation or scattering abroad to keepe men in the obedience of God and to holde euerie one in his order and calling labour and indeuour no other thing whatsoeuer they will pretend than to ouerthrowe the state of the church and to bring into the same al beastly excesse and barbarous disorder and that they are to bee esteemed in the number of them of whom is spoken in the 50. Psalme who giuing themselues to all iniquitie Psalm 50.16 17. and hating correction and discipline or to bee reformed are reproued for this that they tooke vpon them to speake of and rehearse the ordinances of God to take his couenant word in their mouthes The seconde head or point is The discipline doth not so muche as set a foote into the Magistrates office that the Ecclesiasticall or Church discipline incrocheth not any thinge at all vpon the magistrates charge and office For first the iurisdiction and gouernement of the churche and the ciuill iurisdiction or gouernement differ greatlye one of them from an other because that the one is spirituall and reacheth to the inwarde man and the other is bodily and outwarde Therefore Saint Paul said 2. Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mightie through God to cast downe holdes The churche then hath not prisons or sergeants or swordes thereby bodily to punish euill doers neither vseth it force of handes confiscation or losse of goods or amercements to punish thē in their goods and riches but onely draweth out and occupieth the spirituall sworde of Gods word to correct men Ephe. 6.17 and to bring them to amendment as the Magistrate draweth out and vseth his materiall swoord to punishe them either in their goods or in their bodies And so both of them doe their duetie the one of them not bringing any prejudice or hurt to the other but contrariwise verye well aiding them selues betweene them selues and helping one another and being most necessarie and needfull in their seuerall charges and offices the one not being able to doe that which the other doth One example to make the matter plaine If some one haue committed whordome and so by that meanes and fault the ciuill lawes shall be transgressed and broken and the church also offended Nowe in reformed Courtes and places of lawe such a one shall bee punished either by imprisonment or by whipping or by some other punishment and so the offender shall haue satisfied the Magistrates lawes but yet the offence shall not be repaired or reformed in the Church For it may bee that suche an euill doer will in steede of giuing or shewing some signe of repentaunce murmur bee angrie and despitefully deale with the Churche In such a case the Churche before that it receiueth him to the holy Supper shall require of him a publike testimonie and open token of his repentaunce and by consequent as the Magistrate shal haue his iustice satisfied and answered so shall the Church haue her discipline satisfied and answered In summe the Magistrate in the exercising and executing of his office respecteth mens goods their bodies but the Church in the exercise and execution of her discipline regardeth simplie and onely the soules and consciences of men Secondly so farre off is it that the discipline of the Church derogateth or taketh any thing at all away from the Magistrate that contrariwise she maintaineth the obedience that is due vnto him For if she tend to no other end or shoot at no other mark but to cause vs to practise that which is cōtained in the word of God and so it is that Gods worde teacheth vs to submitte our selues to yeeld our selues subiect Rom. 13. 1. Tit. 3.1 to our Magistrates and that not for feare of wrath onely but also for conscience sake who seeth not this that she is established and set vp by God to maintaine the Magistrate in his authoritie to cause that obedience to bee rendred and yelded to him which belongeth vnto him And also this is to bee noted that the church hath not any particular member or person in it which she doth not most willingly make subiect to the magistrate following therein that which S. Paul saith Let euery soule that is to say Rom. 13.1 euery person or man bee subiect vnto the higher powers Touching which the Priestes Friers Monkes of the Romish churche and in summe all those of the Popes Cleargie shoulde heere verie well take them selues by the nose that if it may be they may be ashamed and so come to repentance For whereas they reproue and accuse vs to be rebels to our Superiors I woulde wish them to looke to them selues and to marke howe farre they shewe themselues obedient and by what title and right they can boast them selues to bee exempted from all suche subiection It may bee that they will not beleeue Saint Paules words without the interpretation of som of the fathers let them then well looke to and mark that which Chrysostome hath written vpon this place whose wordes are very cleare and plaine Chrysost in 13.
cap. ad Roman When the Apostle speaketh thus saith Chrysostome Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers he declareth that this commaundement is directed to all yea to Priestes and Monkes and not onely to them which are busied and occupied about the affaires of this present life wherfore be it that thou art an Apostle or an Euangelist or a Prophet or any other thou oughtest to bee subiect to the Magistrate For this subiectiō doth not hinder disanul or take away godlines These are this holy doctors own words who if hee had liued at this day I leaue it to your selues to thinke of howe sharply and earnestly would hee set vp himselfe Causa 15. quaest 6. cap. Aelius Romanus c. against the Romish priests namely against him who doeth not onely not subiect or submit himselfe to kinges but also maketh kings subiect to him and translateth to his owne proper vse Kingdomes Empires and is not in the meane while ashamed to say that hee is Iesus Christes Vicar and the successor of the Apostles whereas indeede Iesus Christ subiected himself to magistrats Mat. 17.27 yea euen to pay them tribute and hath saide vnto his Apostles Luke 22.25 that the kings of the earth beare rule c. But it shall not be so amongest you The discipline ought to bee exercised by the Consistorie Mat. 10.17 Act. 22.5 The thirde head or point is that for the exercising and executing of the discipline there must be in the Churche a Consistorie that is to say an assemblie or a Councell compacted made of the ministers and elders to watch ouer the insolencies breakings out and offences which may fall amongest the members of the Church This consistorie was heretofore in vse among the Iewes and was called Synedrion and Presbyterie Nowe if when corruption burst into the Church men abused both the title and the right and lawfull vse of the Consistorie it followeth not for all that that Iesus Christ or his Apostles woulde haue it abolished but rather haue brought it backe againe to his former safetie and soundnesse and vsed the same when the time was for it This is that which Saint Paul meaneth when writing vnto the Romanes Rom. 12.8 hee saith Let him that ruleth doe it with diligence For it is certaine that hee speaketh not to Magistrates but hee speaketh to the Elders Ancients and ouerwatchers who were ioined to and with the Pastours for the ruling and guiding of the Church Also when he saith to Timothie 1. Tim. 5.17 The Elders that rule well are worthie double honour specially they whiche labour in the worde and doctrine For hee maketh there two sortes of Ancients or Elders some that trauell in the word and doctrine such are the Pastours and Ministers and other some which exercise an other charge as the Elders or as wee say ouerwatchers who are appointed to haue regard to and to watch ouer the manners of the people But to make this point more plaine we must speake yet somewhat more thereof S. Paule writing to the Romanes Rom. 12.6.7.8 diuideth the functions or offices of the Church into two sortes or kindes that is into the office of Prophetes and into the office of Deacons as in an other place 1. Tim. 3.1 ◠Tit. 1.6 c. Philip. 1.1 Acts. 6.3 4. he maketh mention but of Bishops Deacons according to the example of the Apostles Acts. 6.2.3 4. c. Againe hee diuideth these two kindes or sortes into certaine other Of Prophets hee maketh two rankes or orders some he calleth Pastours and the other Doctours whose charge and office is to labour in the worde and doctrine as we haue heretofore sufficiently declared in the ninth Chapter Of Deacons hee maketh three kindes Some giue themselues wholy to the gatherings and distributions of the almes which properly indeede are called Deacons Other some are they to whome specially and chiefly this charge belōgeth to watch ouer the maners of the flocke and ouer such offences as may fall out amongest them and these are properly called Ancients Elders and ouerwatchers The third sorte are they which haue a speciall care of the sicke persons to be diligēt about them to take care ouer them and to vse them courteously gently and well and such were heretofore the widdowes 1. Tim 5.9 c. whereof mention is made in the scripture Touching which matter this is to bee marked that in succession processe of time certaine Councels and Synods ordained that women should bee no more admitted into such offices and charges of Diaconesses this was done to the end they might meete withall and preuent all inconueniences offences rising thereon in the place and steede of whiche women Diaconesses the like administration office was cōmēded to and laide vpon men lawfully chosen and called thereto Now marke how these offices and charges be at this day exercised and vsed in the reformed Churches As concerning the pastors and Doctors they handle intreate on and expound the worde as we haue said shewed before in the ninth Chapter the elders and Deacons not any maner of way medling therewith There are two other companies or sortes The one is called the assemblie or cōpanie which haue care of the poore the other the Consistorie Both in the one and in the other the pastors are vsually to be found and had as well to make publike prayer as to giue aduise and counsell touching that which ought to be done In the assemblie or company which haue care of the poore they take aduise order for collections and distributions for aide and assistance to be giuen to the poore and that the sicke and diseased may be holpen and succoured And then are present with the Deacons so many of the Ministers and Elders yea and of other citizens and towne dwellers or parishioners as occasion and necessitie requireth The Consistorie is composed made and consisteth of the Pastors and Elders whervnto also are admitted and receiued the Doctors and Deacons so farre foorth and in as much as they shall iudge it to bee expedient and profitable to aduise giue coūsell and consider of the Censures and of that which is requisite and necessarie for the guiding and gouernmēt of the church Therefore of this companie is it that wee speake to which wee say appertaineth the spirituall gouernement of the Church And indeede it appeareth that the primitiue Churche was gouerned and guyded after this manner by the Apostles accompanied with the Elders who altogether assembled and met together so often as there was neede of such an assemblie to be had For it is saide in the Actes of the Apostles that the Church of Antioch being desirous to haue aduise and iudgement in a difficult and hard question concerning doctrine Act. 15.2 did send to the Apostles and Elders of the Church of Ierusalem and that they assembled and met together Also that the Elders of Ierusalem were assembled
therfore in these places Mat. 18. Luk. 10. But the lawes commandements of the church are the churches voice wherefore it followeth that we must obey the lawes cōmandemēts of the church I aunswere as aboue is aunswered that wee must obeye the voyce of the Church when it commeth out of Moyses chaire and seate that is to say when her commaundementes shal be taken and set from the word of God and when also the question shall bee of thinges indifferent which shee shall ordeine and establish to keepe good order to serue for edification and the maintenance and vpholding of the discipline For in the things which are contrarie to Gods worde and in those also which of them selues are indifferent but yet become and made euill thorowe superstition to wit because that in them they would place the seruice of God and that they would think by them to deserue Gods grace and the forgiuenes of sinnes in these thinges I say we ought not at any hand to obey Acts. 4.19 5.29 but in such commaundementes of the Church wee ought to say that it is better to obey God then men The fift reason Ester 9.26 27 As in Ester it was ordeined that besides the feastes commaunded in the lawe they should celebrate euerie yeare the feast of lottes which was called Purim 1. Macha 4.59 and in the historie of the Machabees the feast of the dedication called in Greeke by Saint Iohn Iohn 10.22 Encaenia So the Christian church may well at this day ordeine feastes as shall seeme vnto her to be expedient and profitable for the glorie of God and the edification of the people as it hath in time heretofore ordeined the feastes and holie dayes of saint Peter of saint Anthonie of saint Marcellus of saint Margaret and all the rest I answere that there is no likenesse at all betweene the feastes of Purim or lots and of the dedication and these of saint Peter saint Anthonie and such others I deny not but that those two first were in former time established by the church besides the feastes ordeined in the lawe but let vs marke I pray you howe and to what ende Certeinly this was for the glorie of God to bring to their remembrance his great benefites towardes his church that they also might giue him thanks therfore For in Ester it is saide that the feast of Purim or lottes was ordeined by the church for remembraunce of this that the people was deliuered from the cursed conspiracie of Haman And Iudas Machabeus with the consent of the whole church ordeined the feast of the dedication otherwise called Encaenia in remembraunce of the deliueraunce of the people and of the repairing and hallowing againe as it were of the Temple which had beene polluted by Antiochus And wee deny not but that Synodes may ordein certain dayes and solemnely keepe them to the end that the people may cease from their own workes to fast to pray vnto God and to yeeld him thankes according as things shall fall out occasion be ministred so that it be don without superstition idolatrie or euill example But how can we by the examples of the two feastes aforesaide approue or allowe the feastes of the Papacie or Popedome First they were but two onely But in the Popedom there is an infinit number For what measure did they euer keepe in the number thereof Secondly the two aboue spoken of were instituted to the name of God and at no hande to the name of any dead Saints But these are ordeined to the name of creatures and not to the name of God as we heare they cal them the feastes of S. Anthony of S. Frauncis of Saint Vincent of Saint Sebastian of Saint Agathon of the virgine Mary and so of others Thirdly those had their foundation and beginning for the seruice of God and alwayes serued to edification for they were established and appointed as hath beene said to thank God to giue him praise for the benefits which hee had bestowed vpon his Church These had no foundation or beginning but in superstition and idolatrie serue to no other purpose or matter either more or lesse than the feastes and holie dayes of the Paganes and Ethnickes For wherfore is it that the Papistes giue the names of Saintes to their feastiuall dayes but because they meane to sanctifie the saide feastes in the honour of those Saintes as they call them whose name they beare And in so doing do they not set vp the Saintes in Gods place because they serue giue that honour vnto thē which apperteineth to him alone as in olde time the Paganes did in the celebration of their feastes and diuine seruices These are the principall reasons vpon which the Romishe Catholikes grounde them selues thereby to proue that it belongeth to the Church to make lawes to tye mens consciences withall Nowe it remaineth that wee shewe and set downe our reasons to proue the contrarie The first is this It is written in Isaiah Isaiah 33.22 The Lord is our Iudge the Lord is our lawe giuer the Lord is our King Iam. 4. 12. And in Saint Iames. There is one lawe giuer which is able to saue and destroy whereby it is verie clearely seene that it belongeth to God alone to make Ecclesiasticall lawes apperteining to his seruice The second reason There is none but God alone that can institute and ordeine a lawfull seruice which may be agreeable to himselfe and acceptable in his sight for this cause he him selfe saieth Deut. 12.8.32 Yee shall not doe after all these thinges that yee doe heere this day that is euery man whatsoeuer seemeth good in his owne eyes but whatsoeuer I commaund you take heed yee do it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom And in Ieremiah Ier. 7.22 23. I spake not saieth he vnto your fathers nor commaunded them whē I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices but this thing I commanded them saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and yee shal be my people and walke yee in all the wayes which I haue commaunded you that it may be well vnto you He saieth also by his Prophet Samuell 1. Sam. 15.22 Thinkest thou that the Lord hath as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when his voice is obeyed Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fatte of Rammes Wee may read many such or the lyke sentēces but specially this is notable and excellent that the sonnes of Aaron were horribly burned and consumed with the fire which was sent out from the Lord Leuit. 10.1 c. because they offered straunge fire and which in deede was not commaunded them But wee adde that the lawes which concerne doctrine and by which mens consciences are tied apperteine to the seruice of God And therfore it foloweth that there is none but God
alone which can make and establish such lawes The third reason Lawes concerning doctrine and such as binde mens consciences ought to bee vnto vs a testimony pledge of the wil of God But God alone by his word can giue vnto vs this testimony and at no hand or by no meanes men as of them selues Isaiah 40.13 c. Rom. 11.34 For who hath instructed the spirite of the Lord or was his Counsellor or taught him as the scripture saith It followeth theÌ„ that God alone may make establish lawes concerning doctrine and which shal serue to binde mens coÌ„scieÌ„ces The fourth reason If it belong to the Church to make lawes concerning doctrine the seruice of god this must needs be that she hath receiued the prerogatiue and authoritie from God him self for meÌ„ haue not here in their life any power so to doe But so it is that the Church hath not receiued from God this prerogatiue authoritie For coÌ„trariwise God hath expresly plainly forbidden them to ioyne or adde any thing to his lawe Deut. 4.2.12.32 Wherefore it followeth that it doeth not apperteine to her to make lawes touching doctrine and the seruice of God The fift reason It is necessary that they which make lawes shoulde haue Lordship rule authoritie ouer theÌ„ to whom they giue those lawes But the church hath no Lordship or rule ouer the consciences of the faithful 1. Pet. 5.3 for S. Peter speketh with a loud voice plainly That the Pastors Bishops haue not any Lordshippe ouer the Lordes inheritance that is to say ouer the faithful of whoÌ„ the church is composed made 2. Cor. 1.4 And S. Paul plainly protesteth touching himself that hee hath not any dominion ouer the faith of the Corinthians Wherefore it followeth that the Church may not make or establish lawes to binde the consciences of faithfull people Mat. 15.9 The sixt reason The Lorde saieth In vaine they worship mee teaching for doctrine mens precepts and commaundements 1. Tim. 4.1 c. And S. Paul calleth lawes traditioÌ„s touching forbidding of marriage and vse of meats the doctrine of Deuils Collos 2.16.18 Also he saieth Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holy day c. Let no maÌ„ at his pleasure beare rule ouer you by humblenes of minde and worshipping of Angels By these sentences it is most plaine and euident that the Church ought not nor may not establish any such lawes to binde tye or restraine mens consciences The seuenth reason The lawes which take away from vs that Christian libertie which Christ hath gotten and purchased for vs ought not in any case to be established or tollerated For S. Paule exhorteth vs Galat. 5.1 to stande fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free and that we should not be intangled againe with the yoke of bondage But the lawes giuen by men not from God him selfe touching matters which are commended vnto vs with an opinion of necessitie and which are required of vs as workes meritorious or as the seruice of God take away from vs the christian libertie and freedome which Christe hath purchased for vs of this sort are the lawes made touching the obseruation and keeping of Lent celebration or keeping holy of certaine feasts not to eate fleshe vpon Friday Saturday and certaine other dayes and such like things Wherfore it foloweth that such lawes ought not in any case to be established set vp tollerated or borne withall But wee wil make or put an ende to this Chapter with two sentences which make altogether for vs are altogether againste the Romishe Catholikes Tho. Aquâ—â— in summae part 3. in addititio 46. Artic 6 The one is Thomas of Aquine his owne saying thus Because that the Church is founded alreadie and grounded in the faith and in the sacraments it doth not belong to the Ministers of the Churche to make newe Articles of faith or newe Sacraments or to take away those which are alreadie made and established For this is the excellencie and power which belongeth onely vnto Iesus Christe who is the fouÌ„dation of the church The other senteÌ„ce is of AlphoÌ„sus de Castro his own conteining these wordes Alphons de Cast aduers omnes haere lib. 1. cap. 8. It may not at any hand bee either done or suffered that the Church should establishe a newe article of faith but that which was in former time the true faith and which notwithstanding was hidden from vs the Church bringeth to passe by her testimonie and witnes that the same is made knowne vnto vs. And the Abbot is very much deceiued in the decretals expounding the chapter which beginneth Cum Christus that is when Christ c. in the title of Heretikes when he saith that the Pope may make newe articles of faith Hee knew not nor vnderstood not what it was which hee spake and therefore erred was deceiued as a Shoomaker should be if hee woulde take vpon him some matter ouer and besides his occupation THE XVI CHAP. Of the afflictions and persecutions of the Church THere are diuers whiche woulde fayne haue a Church of Sugar or of veluet as you would say that is to say that in seruing God they might bee exempted from all afflictions Suche were Zebedeus his sonnes Iames and Iohn who beeing couetous and greedie of worldlie honours and desiring to liue at their ease and rest demaunded of Iesus Christe Mark 10. 35. c. That hee woulde graunt vnto them to sit in his glory the one at his right hande and the other at his left But the scripture teacheth vs altogether the contrarie that is to say that so long as wee haue to walke heere belowe it standeth vs in hand to battell or fight yea to passe thorowe the thornes and to bee tormented by the malice of the Diuell and wicked men his instruments yea so much the more by howe much we shall indeuour and labour sincerely to serue God Which thing also Iesus Christe hath well and sufficiently declared to the abouesaide sonnes of Zebedeus when he answered them Mark 10. 38 Yee knowe not what yee aske Can yee drinke of the Cup that I shall drinke of bee baptized with the baptisme wherewith I shal be baptized Meaning thereby that the common state and condition of Christians is this that they shoulde bee exercised in this world by the crosse tribulations before that they can be crowned And this is the cause wherefore the church is called militant or warfaring so long as it is heere belowe on the earth euen as wee haue seene and hearde in the first Chapter And for this very selfe same cause also Mark 4.36 c. it is compared to a little ship altogether tossed vp and downe in the midst of the billowes or surges and of the tempests of the Sea also Ps 129.3 to grounde continually ploughed ouer and thorowe whiche
because hee serueth him selfe with Princes tyrants and wicked Magistrates and vseth them that hee may by them punishe the vngodlinesse and vnthankefulnesse of his people Wherefore Isaiah speaketh excellently well That our iniquities haue made a diuision or separated betweene God and vs. Isaiah 59.2 And therefore when wee are afflicted and persecuted wee ought to confesse and acknowledge that God by that meane punishe vs as wee indeede haue rightly deserued it Yet all this notwithstanding wee haue to consider and weigh an other cause for which the worlde persecuteth vs whiche ought to be a great comfort vnto vs in the middest of our Crosse and Martyrdome For in the first place the worlde in persecuting vs looketh not to our sinnes but to that religion which wee make profession of which religion indeede the world reiecteth and persecuteth because it knoweth not the authour thereof and because it is altogether contrary to his maners and peruerse and wicked orders of life and conuersation euen as Iesus Christe hath foretolde the same and made his Disciples to see it Ioh. 3.19 20. when he said vnto them This is the condemnatioÌ„ that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then the light because their deedes were euill For euery man that euill doth hateth the light neither commeth to light Iohn 15.20 21. least his deedes should bee reproued Also if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also But all these thinges will they doe vnto you for my names sake because they haue not knowne him that sent me And againe Iohn 17.14 Father I haue given them thy word the world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I am not of the worlde Hereby we may see that the right and verie cause of the persecutioÌ„s of the church is the plaine profession of the trueth righteousnes worde of God as S. Paul saith That That all they whiche will liue in the feare of God or godly in Christe Iesus 2. Tim. 3.12 shall suffer persecution And also what shoulde bee our consolation and comforte in the middest of the crosse if this point were not Socrates The answere which Socrates made to his wife was very apt and fit for the purpose shee lamented because they put him to death wrongfully but hee beeing somewhat moued answered That it was better for him to die an innocent without cause than if he had offeÌ„ded But how much greater matter and iust cause haue wee of comfort and ioy seeing wee knowe that God of his vnspeakeable gentlenesse goodnesse mercy burying all our sins giueth vs ouer and leaueth vs but for a time to suffer vniust persecutions to the end that we bearing the Crosse with Iesus Christ shoulde communicate also and bee made partakers of glory with him The punishment Saint Augustine hath saide maketh not a Martyre but the cause August And the Diuell hath as well his witnesses and Martyrs as Iesus Christ hath his In former times there were Heretikes whiche bragged much and boasted wonderously vnder the shadow colour that men persecuted them And at this day the Anabaptists do in that behalfe the very selfe same thing yea and that so farre that by this meanes they account them selues blessed and happie But we must marke what the scripture saith Mat. 5.10 Blessed are they thus saieth Iesus Christe whiche suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaueÌ„ Luke 6.22 Blessed are you when men hate you wheÌ„ they separate you reuile you put out your names as euill for the sonne of maÌ„s sake If yee bee railed vpon for the name of Christ saith Saint Peter 1 Pet. 4. 14.15 â—6 Blessed are yee For the spirite of glory and of God resteth vpon you which on their part is euill spoken of but on your part is glorified But let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a theefe or as an euill dooer or as a couetous person of other mens goods or as a busie bodie in other mens matters But if any man suffer as a Christian let him not bee ashamed but let him glorifie God in this behalfe And this is the marke or badge by which the scripture discerneth the Lordes true Martyres from others that suffer For the wicked men and vngodlye persons doe in deede suffer persecution but in the meane season it so falleth out that they cannot boast theÌ„ selues for all that to bee true Martyres neither by consequent that they are blessed for they suffer not for righteousnesse sake neither to maintaine Gods truth as doe the Martyres and witnesses of Iesus Christ Moreouer wee ought to marke that our good God sheweth vs great grace aduaunceth vs to singular honour when hee vouchsafeth vs meete and worthie to suffer any thing for his names sake when as he might very iustly if he would haue pursued vs with rigour nay if hee woulde haue proceeded against vs by iustice haue punished vs with all kindes and sortes of afflictions sending them to vs and laying the same vpon vs wherein he dealeth with vs as if a king should take from the Gibbet or Gallows some man who had rightly deserued to be bound thereto and hanged thereon and yet would set and appoint him among the chiefe Captaines of his orders that he might goe to warre and imploy him for the maintenance and defence of his crowne of his kingdom For who or what are wee Poore wormes of the earth dwelling heere in filthinesse and corruption and infected with so many spottes as nothing more than we yea wee are abhominable sinners who haue rightly deserued not onely by tyrantes in this life to bee persecuted in our goods and bodies but also to bee for euer lost drowned and swallowed vp in the Diuels possession in hell and yet notwithstanding that God hath vouchsaued vs worthie of this honour to vse our life and our death to withstande his enemies and to mainetaine and aduaunce his glorie by our Martirdome If wee had but so muche as one drop of good iudgement and were pushed on forwarde with as little right zeale as may bee to serue our God shoulde not this kindle and inflame vs in a singuler and wonderfull desire to imploy bestow our selues in the maintenance of his honour whatsoeuer assaultes should bee set before vs and to keepe our selues strong and stedfast in the middest of persecutions that we might suffer abide the same couragiously and chearfully for the name of Christ The ninth point What bee the endes which God respecteth and regardeth in the persecutions and afflictions of his Church and of his faithful people wherof wee will marke and put downe eight First that the glorie of God might bee aduaunced For it is said Prou. 16.4 The Lord hath made all thinges for his owne sake and glory yea euen the wicked for the day of euil When the Disciples asked Iesus Christ
vengeance of God beeing fallen on him hee was locked vp and closed in with such terrible griefes that beating and striking him selfe with his owne handes and thinking to finish and end his euils in pricking forwarde and hasting his owne death hee killed himselfe Behold hitherto the horrible example of Gods vengeance vppon these tyrantes and persecutours of the Churche For it must indeede needes be that they which had prouoked God and men against them shoulde so cursedly and wickedly finish their dayes God they prouoked principally in this that they had warred and fought against his worde and men in this that they left not off any crueltie or barbarousnesse which they exercised not against them But as wee haue heeretofore more particularly described the cruell persecutions assayed and executed by the Emperours against the Church generally so wee must here speake of their wicked and cursed endes Nero. Wherefore now to begin with Nero Eutropius in his eight booke Eutrop. lib. 8 speaketh thus of his ende A decree was made by the Senate that Nero shoulde bee ledde naked openly before all the people that a forke shoulde be put on his necke that hee should bee beaten with roddes vntill that death followed thereof and that afterwardes hee should be cast downe from the toppe of a rocke After this manner beeing forsaken of all hee fledde out of the Palace and about midnight went out of the Citie accompanied onely with Pharon and Epaphroditus Neophitus and Spore his Eunuch and beeing about foure mile of from the Citie hee thrust himselfe cleane thorow with one stroke of a sword and because his hand trembled shooke his Eunuch helped him to thrust forwarde the sworde before which time hee not finding any mā that would strike him he beganne and tooke vpon him to crie Is it so that I haue neither friende nor enemie I haue liued villanously but yet I dye more villanously Beholde then what wages and hire this cruell Emperor receiued for his greeuous wickednesses and accursed offences Domitian receiued also the reward and Domitian recompence of his cruelties For hee was slaine in his own Palace by the hands of his owne seruauntes and housholde people his owne wife Domitia beeing consenting thereto and the Senate of Rome decreed and ordeined that his bodie should bee carried and brought to the earth by the buryers after a vyle manner and without honour and that all the Images of his person should be beaten downe and cast to the grounde Therefore the said Senate also disanulled al his ordinances and decrees and called backe all other men whiche by his authoritie and commaundement were exiled and banished Traian Dion Traian as Dion saith did no more escape the vengeaunce of God than the rest For first hauing had all his members withdrawne all his body without feeling and his senses dulled and stopped vp as it were so that hee conceiued an opinion that he had beene poisoned Moreouer being become full of the dropsie and very much puffed vp and swollen at the last he dyed verie poorely in Selmion a Citie of Sicilia Marcus Antonius Verus Marcus Aurelius otherwise called Marcus Aurelius hauing persecuted the Church at the length died feeling the wrath of God vpon him after this maner Beeing in the warre of Pannonia The diall of princes Cap. 40. which at this day is called Hungarie and keeping besieged a famous Citie in that Countrie called Vēdebonna and going vpon a certaine night round about his campe to visit his bands and hundreds sodeinly there fel vpon one of his armes a palsie insomuche that frō that time forward hee could not either put on his garmentes or drawe his sword neither yet beare a speare After this another sicknesse came vpon him called a Lethargie wherewith he was wonderfully tormented and troubled Thus being sick in his Tent he caused a cruell battell and a hard assault to be giuē against that people and there was a cruell fight betweene his people the Hungariās in somuche that there was great bloodshed committed on the one side on the other The Emperor hearing of the euill order amongest his souldiers and namely that fiue of his captaines were dead and that none of them all coulde there bee founde a certaine heauinesse seazed and possessed his heart insomuche that all thought that vpon a sodeine and as it were in the turning of a hande he had lost his life and so hee continued two dayes and three nights without hauing a will or minde to beholde the light of the firmament or to speake to any man in the worlde so that his heate was verie great his rest verie little he had continuall sighinges and groninges a great thirst small appetite to eate no sleepe and aboue all he had his visage altogether wrinckled his lippes altogether blacke his eyes hollow and suncke into his head and his tongue swollen without beeing able to spitte And so a little while afterwardes not knowing to whom he might commit and commend his soule but as it were one altogether loste and cast away speaking these wordes vnto Commodus his sonne Remembring me of this that I haue come into life I haue nowe no more delight or pleasure to liue But as I knowe not whither death carrieth vs so I feare refuse death it selfe What should I do seeing that the Goddes tell mee not what I shall doe Immediately he roled and turned his eyes and lost his feeling and hauing been in this paine and agonie by the space of more than a quarter of an houre he yelded vp the Ghost Seuerus was blessed and happie in the beginning of his raigne Seuerus but so soone as he had moued persecution against the Christians then immediately his prosperitie began also to faile and hee was distracted and drawne hither and thither by many daungers diuers ciuill warres Platina as Platina saith And as touching his end although he were not slaine or that his blood was not shead Victor notwithstanding as Victor hath left it in writing feeling a vehement griefe in all his members specially in his feete hee asked and desired that some woulde giue him poyson to cause him to die and so with a hastie headlong death he finished his dayes in England Maximinus Maximinus after hee had begunne his persecution was so ouercouered with shame that there was neuer any Emperor more miserable than hee The Senate of Rome in despight of him This is found written in Aurelius Victor and Capitolinus chose other Emperors while he liued His souldiers reuoulted frō him in Affrica And at the last after that he had raigned whole three yeeres hee was slaine by his owne souldiers beeing threescore yeeres olde and with his owne sonne being nienteene yeeres olde and the manner of his death was terrible and fearefull for hee was cut in peeces and cast into the Riuer and this scoffe or taunt trotted and was rife in the souldiers
a moment and twinckling of an eye make them to fall backwarde to the earth yea and cast them headlong to the depth or bottome of hell O that tyrants persecutors would thinke well of these matters But what What should a man do to hard hartes and to blinde eies The wicked become more proude through the prosperitie which they haue in this world as though that no punishmente for their cruelties were perpared for them It fareth with them as with Dionisius the tyraunt who after hee had spoyled and robbed a Temple went to the Sea and seeing hee had a good winde beganne to say that the Gods fauoured Churche robbers or spoylers of Temples So likewise these men when they behode that their offences remaine vnpunished and that their villanies and wickednesses are not corrected immediately they giue themselues ouer to worke wickednesse outragiously and to conclude in their carnall and fleshly vndestanding that there is no iudgemente of GOD at all and that hee hath no punishmentes readie and prepared for their iniquities But as the holye Scripture determineth and pronounceth the quite and cleane contrarie so ordinary and common experience of the examples of Gods wrath doeth sufficientlye shewe vnto vs that when God spareth the wicked persecutors of his people for a time and maketh as though hee seemed not to looke vpon their extortions outrages and violences it is not because hee is fauourable vnto them neither because hee reacheth them his hande and helpeth them for it cannot otherwise bee but that one day as hee is a iuste iudge hee will giue vnto the enemies of his glorie and the good and saluation of his Children suche recompence and hyre as they shall haue deserued first in this life if it bee expedient that they may shamefully and wickedly ende their dayes and afterwardes in the other worlde that they may vtterly perishe if they repent and amend not in this life and may bee tormented eternally in Hell fire where there is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth FINIS ¶ A Table conteining the principall matters handeled in this present booke A AFflictions and the causes thereof Pag. 333. c. Afflictions of the Church Pag. 274. Afflictions of the Church and the ends which God respecteth therein Pag. 340. c. Afflictions of the Church increase when the deliuerance thereof is high Pag. 325. Afflictions of the Churche is alwaies ordered and gouerned by Gods hande Pag. 321. Afflictions come not without the prouidence of God Pag. 318. Afflictions their issue in respect of the faithfull Pag. 345. Afflictions and their issue in respect of the persecutors Pag. 357. Auncients Pag. 133. Antiochus Pag. 359. Apostles Pag. 128. Archbishops Pag. 69 144. Aurelian Pag. 304. 372. Augustine and in what sense hee saide that hee woulde not beleeue the Gospell without the authoritie of the church Pag. 222. Auncient fathers did not acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for Pope Pag. 92. c. B BAptisme of the Romane Church Pag. 115. Bishop Pag. 69. 133. 143. Bishop vniuersal is a title of Antichrist when it is giuen to men Pag. 94. C CAlling see vocation Cardinals Pag. 146. Censures Pag. 247. Censures three ends thereof Pag. 252. Censures of the Churche must bee applied with out respect of persons Pag. 255. Chaplines Pag. 140. Councels Pag. 202. Consistorie Pag. 241. Corrections and censures Pag. 257. Curates Pag. 142. Church whence it commeth Pag. 2. Church how many waies taken Pag. 2. Churche whiche is true hath two susbstantiall markes Pag. 15. Church and her continuance Pag. 55. Church and her head is Iesus Christ alone Pag. 68. Churche and her holinesse Pag. 184. Churche compared to a palme tree roses lilies and to a vine Pag. 332. Olde Churche of Rome what a one it was according to Ter tullian his iudgement Pag. 106. Church Catholike is one alone Pag. 11. Church catholike and inuisible what it is Pag. 7 Church distinguished into three sortes Pag. 4. Churche in what sense called the piller and grounde of truth Pag. 200. Church in what sense saide to bee without spot or wrinckle Pag. 189. Church whether aboue the Scripture Pag. 213. Church whether more olde then the scripture Pag. 220. Church must not be iudged by the great number Pag. 58. Church whether it may erre Pag. 197. Church why called catholike Pag. 9. Church why saide to bee inuisible Pag. 12. Churche represented by a bright lampe or fire brand in the middest of a burning or smoking furnace Pag. 330. Church represented by the burning bush Pag. 330. Church of Rome hath not the markes of the true church Pag. 19. Church of Rome is not the true churche Pag. 102. Church of Rome hath not true vnitie Pag. 113. Church increaseth in the middest of persecutions Pag. 330. Church visible what it is Pag. 14. D DEcius Pag. 299. 370. Deacons Pag. 136. Diaconisses Pag. 244. Dioclesian Pag. 305. 373. Discipline necessarie in the Church Pag. 235. Discipline incrocheth nothing vpon the magistrate Pag. 237. Doctors Pag. 132. Domitian Pag. 283. 365. Donation of Constantine to Siluester Pag. 87. E EVangelistes Pag. 130. ExcoÌ„munication 3 endes thereof Pag. 235. Exposition of Scriptures and two principles necessarie therein Pag. 20. Elders Pag. 135. G GAlerius Pag. 376. Galien Pag. 30â— God deliuereth his Church out of afflictions when it is time Pag. 327. God why hee afflicteth rather his church then other people Pag. 319. God why he sendeth not succour to his church so soone as it is afflicted Pag. 323. H HEad of the Church is Iesus Christe alone Pag. 68. Herode Agrippa Pag. 362. Herode Antipas Pag. 392. Herode the great Pag. 360. High or chiefe Bishop Pag. 97. Holinesse of the church vnperfect Pag. 187. I IGnorance excuseth not Pag. 125. Iulian the apostata Pag. 313. 377. K Keyes in the Church and the vse thereof Pag. 79. L Lawes Ecclesiasticall Pag. 258. M MArcus Aurelius Pag. 293. 35â— Maximianus Herculien Pag. 305. 373. Maximinus Pag. 297 369. Metropolitanes Pag. 69. 144. 149. Ministerie and howe much shoulde bee giuen thereto Pag. 179. Ministerie of the worde ordeined by God for our weakenesse sake Pag. 177. Ministerie necessarie in the Churche Pag. 160. Ministers considered after two sortes Pag. 180. Ministers of the Churche and their degrees or orders Pag. 128. Myracles are not sufficient to proue a calling Pag. 53. Multitude maketh nothing at al for the church Pag. 58. N Nero. Pag. 184. 364. O Orders of the Pope his Cleargie Pag. 139. P POpe Pag. 79. 152. Pope and his blasphemies Pag. 75. Popes two at Rome at one time Pag. 91. Pastors Pag. 131. Patriarkes Pag. 69. 149. Paule shoulde rather bee taken for Pope then Saint Peter Pag. 100. Persecutions of the Church Pag. 274. Persecutions of the Church tenne greate and generall and a discourse thereof Pag. 279. Persecutions come not without Gods prouidence Pag. 318. Persecution the first vnder Nero. Pag. 283. Persecution the second vnder Domitian Pag. 283. Persecution the third vnder Traian Pag. 284. Persecution the fourth vnder Marcus Aurelius Pag. 293. Persecution the fift vnder Seuerus Pag. 296. Persecution the sixt vnder Iulian Maximinus Pag. 298. Persecution the seuenth vnder Decius Pag. 299. Persecution the eight vnder Valerian and Galien Pag. 302. Persecution the nienth vnder Aurelian Pag. 304. Persecution the tenth vnder Dioclesian and Maximianus Pag. 305 Pharao Pag. 358. Peter whether hee were Bishop of Rome is vncertaine Pag. 98. Peter was not the head of the Church Pag. 71. Pilate Pag. 363. Pontifex or high Bishop Pag. 97. Predecessours of ours who died in the faith of the Romane church whether saued or condemned Pag. 126. Priâ—stes Pag. 140. Prophetes Pag. 129. Parsons Pag. 158. S SAbaoth changed to the Sunday Pag. 228. Sanctitie or holinesse of the Churche is vnperfect Pag. 18â— Sanctification howe wrought in vs. Pag. 186. Sanctification and three degrees of it Pag. 169. Saincts in what sense wee are called Pag. 185. Sennacherib Pag. 358. Seuerus Pag. 296. 269. Succession and three sortes thereof Pag. 26. Succession to what ende and in what sense the auncient Doctors vsed an argument taken therefrom Pag. 28. Succession personall hath some times had a breache in the seate of Rome Pag. 35. Succession and calling of persons Pag. 24. T TRaian 284 356. Teachers Pag. 132. V VAlens the Emperor Pag. 314. 378 Valerian Pag. 362. 371. Vicars Pag. 140. Vnitie in verity is not in the Romish church Pag. 113 Vocation of Pastors three things necessarie therein Pag. 39. Vocation ordinarie and extraordinarie Pag. 47. FINIS ☜ Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson for Thomas â—â—an 1582.