triumphant is the companie of blessed spirites who hauing gotten victory through Iesus Christ against their enemies the diuel the world the flesh sinne death and hell triumph at this present on high in heauen praising God and celebrating the glorie of his name with all ioyfulnesse We haue a goodly description of this Church in the Reuelation Reue. 7.9.10 Cap. 7.9.10 The Church militant is the assemblie of all the faithfull people who as yet on earth fight vnder the banner or standard of Iesus Christ their head against the foresaide enimies whose armours or weapons are set out by S. Paule in the Ephesians Eph. 6.13.14 c. chap. 6. For it is not the Lords will that so long as we are to walke here belowe we should bee without afflictions but hee will haue vs to be continually in the battell and alwayes troubled and tormented through the malice of men yea so much the more by howe much we shall earnestly indeuour to serue him in all godlinesse and holinesse Act. 14.22 this matter also being alreadie concluded that by many tribulatiōs we must enter into the kingdome of God Wherevnto doe appertaine also Ioh. 15.20.16.2 2. Tim. 3.12 the sentences of Iesus Christ and S. Paul Ioh. 15 20. Ioh. 16.2 2. Tim. 3.12 But hereafter we will speake more largely of the afflictions of the Church The second distinctiō is that the Church is called either Catholike that is to say vniuersall or generall being dispersed thoroughout the world and comprehending vniuersally all the faithfull and elect people of God or else particular whiche is a part of the vniuersall for wee vse to call them particular Churches or congregations whiche are limited within a certaine number and inclosed in certaine places being as it is saide before partes and members of the vniuersall suche in former time were the Churches of Corinthus Rome Ephesus such are at this day the Churches of Fraunce Germanie England Switzerland and other places of all which together consisteth the vniuersall which notwithstāding is but one as anon we shall see The third distinction is that the Church is sometimes said to be inuisible and sometimes visible The inuisible Churche is streitly and narrowly considered and is the verie same which before we called Catholike or vniuersall comprehending only the faithfull and elect in whiche number they also are to be accoūted that be alredy dead The visible Church is considered more largely and comprehendeth al them which are called by the preaching of the Gospell to be of Christes flock Augustine in Psal 64. S. Augustine vseth this distinction in his writings For writing vpon the 64. Psalm he saith that the church which is signified by Ierusalem tooke beginning from Abell and Babylon from Caine and yet notwithstanding in his booke of Baptisme against the Donatistes chap. 16. August Lib. 1 cont Donatist cap. 1 6. taking the Church in a more generall signification he saith that the same which begate ingendered and brought foorth Abell Enoch Noah Abraham and the Prophetes did also begette ingender and bring foorth Caine Ismaell Dathan and others such like But wee must more narrowly and deepely search this matter declare what it is which doth properly belong to the Churche as well Catholike and inuisible as to the other which I said was visible But first of the Catholike and inuisible Church CHAP. II. Of the Catholike and inuisible Church which indeede is but one albeit it haue manie particular partes and members BY that which hath bin said before it is an easie matter to gather make a good certaine definition of the Church Wherefore first we say that the Catholike and inuisible church is the cōpanie of al faithful people scattered throughout the whole world whō God hath chosen to euerlasting life With this definitiō agreeth that which may bee gathered out of that whiche Saint Paule saith to the Corinthians to witte that the Church is the companye of all those 1. Cor. 1.2 that beeing sanctified through Iesus Christe and called to bee Saintes doe call vpon the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe in euerie place The Church then is not an house of woode or of stone builded by mans hande but the congregation commonaltie and fellowship of all those whiche followe the trueth of faith Which matter also we may confirme by these reasons following Gal. 1.13 Act. 9.14 First S. Paul confesseth That he persecuted the Church of God Ananias saith that he had authoritie from the high Priestes to bind all those that called vppon the name of the Lorde that is to say Christians Here we see that Saint Paule calleth those the Church whome Ananias nameth Christians or such as did call vppon the name of the Lord. Eph. 1.23 1. Cor. 12.27 Secondarily the Church is called the bodie of Christe and the companie of faithfull people is also called the bodye of Christ wherevpon it followeth that the Church is no other thing but the companie of the faithfull Ioh. 10.16 Thirdlie Iesus Christ him selfe calleth the Churche a sheepfolde wherevnto sheepe apperteine and belong but by sheep are meant the elect as appeareth by that which is said Math. 25. The Churche then is nothing else Mat. 25 32.3◠but the sheepefold or congregation of the elect Fourthly the auncient writers haue so declared it August in Psal 122. and set it out For behold howe Saint Augustine hath spoken therof All faithfull Christians saith he are the Church And Chrysostome Homil. 20. de expuls ipsius Lib. 7. de stroma The Churche saith hee consisteth not in walles but in the multitude of faithfull people Clemens Alexandrinus saith also I call the Church not the place or the temple but the congregation of the elect This Church is called Catholike or vniuersall for three reasons First in consideration of the place for it is not tyed to one certaine place as citie prouince or kingdome but is dispersed and scattered abrod throughout all the worlde Mat. 28.18 euen as Iesus Christ hath saide that hee hath receiued all power both in heauen and in earth and as the second Psalme sheweth that all nations and all the endes and coastes of the earth Psal 2.8 are by the Father appoynted to his Sonne for his inheritaunce and therefore also did Iesus Christe sende foorth his Disciples through out all the worlde to preache the Gospell and to minister the sacramentes Mat. 28.29 Wherefore Donatus erred when hee went about to tie the Church to a certaine corner of Affrica onely The Romishe Catholikes also doe at this day abuse themselues when they indeuour to tie it to Rome alone For though it were so that the Church of Rome were a true Churche wherof we will speake in a whole plaine chapter afterwardes yet it could not be but a particular Church at no hand the vniuersall churche wherof we speak They also are likewise deceiued who thinke to chase and
be written to Iulius Bishoppe of Rome by which there shoulde be declared vnto him that he did attribute and take vnto himselfe an authoritie whiche did not at anye hande belong vnto him and that in so doing hee offered greate wronge to other Churches and other Bishoppes And there was added to the letters that he should no more meddle with them whome they had deposed then they medled with those whiche were deposed by the bishop of Rome and others whiche were ioyned with him therein To whiche purpose they alledged the example of Nouatus whiche was as yet verye freshe and newe For when this Nouatus was reiected by the bishoppe of Rome none of the rest of the Metropolitanes and Bishops of other prouinces did gainsay the same neither any manner of way intermedled therein Furthermore if that whiche is maintained and practised at this day amongest the Romishe Catholikes touching the large iurisdiction and soueraigntie of their Pope were in force by Gods lawe as they woulde perswade the simple people thereof shoulde not then al the foresaid Bishops al others together with their Councelles and Churches whiche haue not at any time confessed the Bishoppe of Rome for their head be verie greeuously censured or punished and woorthie of a verie seuere and sharpe reprehension It is true that men may finde that some amongst the anciēt fathers haue somtimes called the Bishoppes of Rome high Priest and Pope but they did heretofore call after the same sorte all Bishops For as touching the name high Priest Theodo lib. 2. cap. 7 Theodoretus in his second booke chap. 7. speaketh on this maner that two hundreth and fiftie high priests were assembled together in Sardis And Athanasius in his first Oration against the Arrians Athanasius oratio 1. contra Arriano◠doth not onely call Iulius and Liberius the bishops of Rome high Priestes but also hee calleth by the very same name the Bishops of Grecia Dacia Cappadotia Affrica Ruffin lib. 2. cap. 26. Italie Sicilia and Armenia Ruffinus also in the second booke and 26. chapter called Athanasius the great high Priest As concerning the name Pope we will speake therof by gods grace and aide hereafter in the ninth chapter Moreouer let vs consider by what tokēs and markes the Pope of Rome saith that he is Saint Peters successour It is say the Romish Catholikes because that Saint Peter had his seate and chaire in the churche of Rome being there the Pastor and hauing borne rule there a long time and that after him there came in order his successors the Bishops of Rome hauing the same authoritie which he had before But touching the first it is vncertaine whether S. Peter was Bishop of Rome or no at the least whether he bate rule there and helde the seat They are not able plainely to proue the same neither to approoue it as truth at what time it was neither vnder what Emperour neither how long because that out of the holy scriptures they are not able to bring Cal. lib. 4. Instit cap. 6. sect 14. so muche as one onely probable coniecture but rather the contrarie as Caluin hath well and sufficiently declared in his Institutions Secōdly if S. Peters abode at Rome hath giuen this autoritie to the Romish bishops to bee the heads of the Church and vniuersall Bishops from whence commeth it that the Councels haue limited to all the Patriarkes who were many and diuers yea euen after that they were brought to foure Concil Nic. Can. 6. Concil Antioch Can. 13. their seuerall charges making them Metropolitanes euery one in his owne prouince the Bishop of Rome hauing no more authoritie ouer others than others ouer him For at that time the Bishop of Rome might very well haue alleadged Saint Peters seate and the other Bishops and Councels woulde very well haue confessed and allowed the same if it had beene true and if the same could rightly haue giuen the title of primacie to the Bishop of Rome On the other side what an argument is this Saint Peter was Bishop of Rome and there suffered martyrdome therefore it followeth that this Churche is the mother and mistresse of all the rest and that the Bishop thereof is the vniuersall and generall head of all Christendome Verily if in this respect the question bee to establishe and set vp a primacie it ought rather to bee placed at Ierusalem than at Rome For Saint Peter preached there Act. 2.14 Act. 2.12 Act. 4.3 yea the firste after Christes ascention where hee together with his fellowes and brethren builded vp the Churche did great miracles was imprisoned Act. 5. 18 and sundrie times persecuted The Prophetes likewise preached there and all the Apostles yea whiche is more Iesus Christ him selfe Ioh. 2.13 7.14 8.2 c. 18.20 died there and rose againe and from thence ascended vp into heauen There also was the first Synode that euer was helde in the Christian Churche assembled of all the Apostles There also Iesus Christ sent downe his holy spirite vpon his Apostles and disciples Act. 15. 6 c. Act. 2.1 c And to bee shorte from thence it was that the doctrine of saluation shoulde come forth to bee spread abroad throughout all the world euen as the Prophets had before tolde Isai 2.3 Michah 4.2 which things we cānot after any sort say or affirme of Rome Moreouer if we must respect and regarde the Apostles there is as muche or rather more reason to make Saint Paul the first Bishop or Pope of Rome as Saint Peter For in the first place besides that hee was not in any thing lesse or inferior to the most excellent or chiefe Apostles 2. Cor. 11.5 wee fynde not that S. Peter did at any time reprooue him in his ministerie Gal. 2. 11 as he reproued or blamed S. Peter And besides wee haue a certaine and an assured testimonie in the holy scripture touching Saint Paule Act 23.11 Act. 28.30 31 that he was sent by God to Rome there to beare witnesse of him that hee there preached the kingdome of God two whole yeeres together that from thence he writ diuers Epistles to the Churches that hee was there prisoner and at the last beheaded by Nero. And as touching Peter wee haue no assured testimonie that hee went to Rome or that he tarryed there exercising there the ministerie If they will replie that Iesus Christ gaue him the keies of the kingdom of heauen and that by that meanes he was preferred before Saint Paul and made head of the Church we haue answered that heretofore which we mind not heere to repeate Besides though it were so that S. Peter was ordained to beare rule ouer all Churches as an Apostle yet it can not thereupon followe that his successours ought to haue any such right or authoritie as he because they which succeeded the Apostles haue not the same charge and the same office that the Apostles had For
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
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.
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
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
be helde taken or acknowledged for any other then Apostolicall pro consanguinitate dictrinae saith he that is to say for the nighnesse in blood or by reason of that doctrine which they maintayne keepe and holde with the Churches which the Apostles them selues ordayned and set vp S. Augustine writing to one Generosus Aug. op 156. doeth so extoll the succession and continuall order of Pastours that hee nameth thirtie Bishops of Rome putting Anastasius for the nine and thirtieth but hee addeth euen presently or immediatly after In all this ranke or bande there was not to be founde one Donatist And against the Manichees he writeth thus Epist fundament cap. 4. There are verye many thinges whiche holde and keepe me in the lappe of the Catholike Church the consent of people and nations the authoritie whiche was begunne by myracles nourished through hope augmented by charitie and confirmed by antiquitie moreouer the succession of Pastours euen from the seate of Saint Peter to him that is at this day present And a little after But on your parte sayth he to the Manichees ye alledge or bring foorth no suche thing but onely ye retaine or stande to a promise of trueth which indeede if it did declare it selfe so euidently that a man coulde not any more dout thereof I confesse consent that it ought to be preferred before antiquitie succession and all other thinges S Hierome Hierom. epi. 1. ad Heliod habetur they are not saith he the sonnes and children of holy men that hold and possesse the places of holy men but they which followe their doctrine and practise their woorkes Distinct. 40. Can. And Chrysostome in a certayne place There are sayth he many Elders and fewe Elders manie in name and fewe in deede Beholde my brethren how ye are placed and set in the chaire For it is not the chaire or place that maketh an Elder but the Elder the chaire or place Beholde after what maner and sort the ancient writers haue spoken But would we know in one word by the word of God of what value is the most common and olde succession that a man can suppose if the puritie of doctrine bee wanting S. Paule teacheth it vs Gal. 1.8 writing to the Galathians when he saith If wee our selues or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise then that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Moreouer I woulde gladly demaunde of the Romish Catholikes for what cause they holde not the Churches of the East for true Churches They will not say that it is because that succession is not on their side for they want not that but it is on their side euen as olde and auncient at the least as in the Romish Church Wherefore they must needes say that it is by reason of the doctrine receiued amongest them to wit because they hold not the Pope for their head because they deny purgatory because their ministers be married because they celebrate and minister the holy supper with leauened breade because they giue both kindes to the people and such like thinges Nowe if as touching the East Churches the Papistes iudge of the Churches not by succession but by doctrine wherefore do they when they dispute with vs stay them selues rather vpon succession then vpon the doctrine seing that the question in controuersie betweene vs is to examine the markes of the Church Secondarily touching the matter of succession we say that if we shall enter into the sifting of the succession of Popes and Bishops in the Church of Rome we shal easily finde that if men will theredy iudge of their vocation or calling it shall not serue their turne very much or stand them in any great steade For this we shal be sure to finde that they haue oftentimes succeeded tyrāts schismatikes excommunicate persons and Bishops or Popes not lawfully called For what was Gregorie the seuenth who was named before he came to the pope dome Hildebrand Vrspergensis Vrspergensis witnesseth that hee vsurped the Papall seate through tyrannie and not by a lawfull vocation And the councell holden at Wormes Concil Wormat in the yere 1080. saith also of the said Hildebrand that he was not chosen by God but that he did without shame thrust in himselfe thether by deceit and money and that he ouerthrewe the ecclesiasticall order that he was an offensiue person a mouer of debate and an obseruer of diuinations dreames yea a manifest Necromancer or coniurer What was the woman Pope Ioan about the yere 854 Platina Platina in her life saith that she was an English woman who in her youth followed and accompanied a younge scholler in studies and profited so well therein that at Rome shee was esteemed amongest the most skilfull and learned for which cause shee was exalted to bee Pope they supposing shee had been a man But she was founde great with childe and at the last deliuered in an open streate and as they were going in solemne procession vpō the shoulders of those that caried her where also shee died What was Benedict the ninth The storie writers declare that after he was accused of many crimes by the Romanes he was driuen away and in his place was ordained the Bishoppe of Sabina called Siluester the thirde who likewise was deposed and put downe because he was an idiot ignoraunt and vnprofitable and the saide Benedicte recouered the seate againe from whence through couetousnesse hee put him selfe downe and ordayned in his place Iohn the Archdeacon of Saint Iohn port Latine who was named Gregorie the sixt to whome he solde the Popeship for verye muche money paid downright Iohannes Maior Mare Historiarum Nauclerus Platina as witnesseth Iohannes Maior The sea of histories Nauclerus Platina and the same Gregorie beeing Pope was iudged as well by the Cleargie as by the people to bee a murtherer and a symoniakal person What was Siluester the seconde Platina saith that being a Frier hee gaue himselfe to the diuel vpon condition that he would aide helpe him to obtaine that which hee desired so by that meanes he came to be Pope What was Eugenius the fourth He by the definitiue sentence of the Councel of Basill was condemned for a schismaticke rebell and stubborne person and so deposed and one Aimus Duke of Sauoie substituted in his place in the yeere 1439. the 16. of Nouemb. Notwithstanding he being supported and vpholden by the fauour of certaine princes abode in the possession of his Popedome and Aimus his election passed into smoake and was of no force or value But without passing to anie other examples for this cā not be done but in long time may we now affirme first that in al the time of these Popes there hath not been some interruption or breach of personall succession in the seate of Rome veryly we must confesse it vnlesse a man would say that heretikes and notorious schismatikes were the heads of the church
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
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
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
men make the plough continually to goe to rent or cleaue it to turne it vpside downe Therfore also Saint Paule saith in the Acts Act. 14.22 That by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdom of God 2. Tim. 3.12 And in the 2. Epistle to Tim. All those that will liue godly in Christe Iesus shall suffer persecution Iesus Christ saith also vnto his Disciples Iohn 15. 20. Remember the woorde that I saide vnto you that the seruaunt is not greater than his Master If they haue persecuted mee Iohn 16.1 2 they will persecute you also Also These thinges haue I saide vnto you that yee should not bee offended They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that hee doeth God seruice And this is the state and condition wherein God will haue his Churche to glorifie him heere belowe on the earth And in deede the first lesson that Iesus Christ gaue to his Disciples was touching this matter of the Crosse and persecutions â—at 1â— 24 If any man saith hee will come after mee let him forsake himselfe and take vp his Crosse follow me The experience of all times ages doth sufficiently shewe vnto vs the truth of this matter whether wee consider somewhat narrowly as well the state of the ancient Churche vnder the olde Testament as the state of that which came afterwarde vnder the newe Testament insomuch that it may rightly say Psal 129 1. They haue often afflicted me from my youth and haue done me a thousande euils at is said in the Psalmes For euen from the beginning the Diuell hath alwaies beene like to himselfe that is to say a lier a murtherer Iohn 8. 44. enuious and a false and priuie accuser and warre hath alwaies continued Gen. 3.15 2. Cor. 6.14.15 betweene the womans seed and the serpents seede And howe can any man ioyne and put together thinges which are of a contrary nature Howe can any man make agreement betweene God and the Diuell betweene Christ and Belial betweene the faithfull and the vnbeleeuers Iesus Christ in the 3. chapter of S. Iohn sheweth a reason to declare why it is impossible that the good and the wicked shoulde suffer one with another agree together Ioh. â— 19.20 to wit that all the workes which the world doeth are wicked and therefore least they should bee discouered and laid open by the light it hateth the light and loueth darkenesse From hence is it that euen from the beginning of the world enmities betweene the faithfull and the aduersaries of the truth haue taken and had their originall and first foundation This is the cause why Cain slue his brother Abell that Lot the faithfull seruant of the Lord was hated of the Sodomites that Ishmael mocked Isaac and persecuted him that Esau went about to oppresse and kill Iacob euen from his youth that Ioseph had his owne brethren for his enimies that the Prophetes could not agree with the wicked Kinges nor Saint Iohn Baptist with the incestuous Herode nor Iesus Christe with the high Priests Scribes and Pharisees nor the Apostles and Martyrs with the infidels and vnbeleeuers of their times And therefore it is meere folly to suppose and thinke that the children of God can euer bee beloued of the worlde Whereupon by good right and for good cause Saint Iames saith Iames. 4.4 That the amitie of the worlde is the enmitie of God and hee that will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God And for this cause also Iohn 15.19 Iesus Christ hath said to his Disciples If yee were of this world the world would loue his owne but because yee are not of this world but I haue chosen and separated you out of this world therefore the worlde hateth you To be short if wee woulde that the Church of God should be without persecution theÌ„ of necessitie must it be that the world should be without hatred the Diuel without enuie and our nature without vice or sinne But to the ende that wee may specifie and declare cetaine things A discourse of the tenne great persecutions of the Church touching the persecutions of the Church let vs examine as it were one by one the tenne persecutions which came vpon it after the death of Iesus Christe vnder the Emperours whereof the Ecclesiasticall historie maketh mention True it is that in the time of Augustus the seconde Emperour the Churche was much persecuted vnder the great Herode who thinking to put to death the King of the Iewes in the very cradle commaunded men to slaie all the babes and little children of Bethelehem and of all the borders thereof from two yeeres olde and vnder Also vnder Tiberius the third Emperour by Herode Antipas the Tetrarch of Galilee who was the sonne of the first Herode who tooke away his brother Phillips wife and put to death Iohn Baptist because hee reproued him for that sinne and offence And by Pilate also who condemned and caused to bee put to death on the Crosse Iesus Christ the high Priests Scribes Pharises and Elders of the people beeing the principall blowers of the fire chiefe persecutors Moreouer vnder Caius Caligula that horrible monster who was appointed the fourth Emperour in the nine and thirtieth yeere after Christes birth and raigned three yeeres tenne monethes and eight dayes and vnder Claudius also his successor And it appeareth by the historie of the Actes and the Epistles of the Apostles howe the Churches were tossed and persecuted in Asia Antiochia Pisidia Iconium Lystra Galatia Ephesus Macedonia Phillippi Thessalonia Corinthus Berrhoe Rome and many other places but al these persecutions were as yet particular and but in some one place or other God moderating and mitigating the heartes and handes of men and gouerning after a wonderfull sorte his Church in those Emperours daies to the end it might more blessedly and plentifully growe But omitting these let vs speake of the tenne great and generall persecutions as they are called by which the Church was eagerly assaulted and cruelly tormented on all sides The first persecution was vnder Nero the sixt Emperour who was called Claudius Domitius Nero. Hee was ordeined Emperour in the yere 57. after the birth of Christ and reigned xiiii yeeres seuen monethes and certaine dayes And some say that the fiue first yeeres hee was a good man but that afterwardes hee so disordered himself and fell into suche excesse by incests murthers and all manner of wickednesses that hardly there is as yet any other Emperor to bee found who was defiled with such filthinesses Tertullian rehearseth in his Apologetico Tertul. Apolog cap. 5. that this Emperour was the first persecutor of the Church Looke saith hee into your historie and registers and you shall finde that Nero was the first which exercised crueltie against the Christians whiche were vnder the Emperours authoritie and principally against the Churche which was
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
only in respect of ciuill iudgements and because they are the tutors mainteiners and defenders of publike good things and common wealth but also because the principall parte of their charge and office is to serue God in nourishing and mainteining his seruice as well outward as inward in causing pure doctrine and religion to florishe and in keeping the state of the Church safe and sound and whole in euery parte For whiche effect and cause they are also named in Isaiah Nurcing fathers Isaia 49.23 1. Tim. 2.24 and Nurces of the Church The Apostle writing vnto Timothie sheweth vs the selfe same matter when after he had exhorted them to pray for the kinges and for all those which are placed in authoritie hee addeth as a fitte reason and very strong for that purpose That vnder them wee may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie For thereby hee euidently declareth that the Magistrates office is to haue care that the people whiche are committed to them shoulde liue not onely in honestie and in peace one of thē with another but also in all godlines and feare of God But if the holy scripture did not teache vs this yet wee might in some sort learne it out of prophane authours that is to say Philosophers and Heathen lawemakers For among the Philosophers Aristotle in his Politikes hath saide Aristot in Politicis That Godlinesse and religion are the matters whiche Magistrates ought to esteeme moste necessarie for the establishment of common weales Plato in Epinom And Plato in his Epinomis saith also That Princes shoulde not at any time bee persuaded that there is any thing more profitable and necessarie for mankinde then that vertue is which men call pietie and godlinesse that is to say religion and the seruice of God And as concerning lawemakers wee knowe that they hauing to prouide for necessarie thinges and to make ordinances and decrees therefore haue alwayes giuen the first and most honourable place to pietie or godlines and the seruice of GOD. And indeede because they woulde that their lawes shoulde be of greater authoritie and better receiued of their people as well agreeing with pietie and godlinesse Minos they haue made them beleeue that their Gods were authours thereof Minos the Lawemaker of the Cretenses gaue them to vnderstande that hee was Iupiters familiar friende and that hee spake often to him to the ende the people might beleeue that hee receiued from him the lawes which hee established amongest them Zoroastes Zoroastes giuing lawes to the Bactrians and Persians said that hee receiued them from Oromason whome they accounted for God authour of al goodnesse Trismegistus saide also Trismegistus that hee had receiued from Mercurius the lawes whiche he gaue to the Egyptians Carondas Carondas the lawemaker amongest the Carthaginenses referred and ascribed his lawes to Saturnus Licurgus Licurgus the lawemaker of the Lacedemonians referred the lawes which hee gaue to Apollo Solō Draco Solon and Draco the lawemakers among the Athenians referred their lawes to Minerua Xamolxis Numa Xamolxis the lawemaker among the Scithians ascribed his lawes to Vesta Numa to the ende he might get authoritie to his lawes amongest the Romans feigned that in the night season hee had great acquaintance or lay with the goodnesse Aegeria Wherefore this remaineth resolute and standeth sure that Princes and Magistrates to the end that they may in good policie and order gouerne their Lordships and frame the maners of their subiectes ought alwayes to beginne with pietie and the seruice of God as with the most necessarie matter and as without the which there is no regiment or gouernment in the worlde which can long subsist or stand And therefore for this cause specially is it that good kinges princes and lords are praised in the Scripture as Dauid Iosiah Hezekiah amongest kinges Ioseph and Daniell among the rulers and gouernours of prouinces for kings Moses Iehoshua and the Iudges amongst those who had the guiding and leading of people whiche were free Wherefore the flatterers of the courte doe villanously abuse and mocke the very Lordes and Princes when they blow this into their eares that the cause of religion concerneth them nothing at all and that they ought to bee content with this that they haue some care of politike matters committed vnto them and charge of their domesticall and housholde affaires and namely of their Horses Dogges Haukes Foules c. For warre for hunting hauking and for their other particular pleasures without trauelling and taking any more paine for all that or any part thereof whiche concerneth the good estate affaires of Gods Church Thankes bee to God my Lorde that you bee farre otherwise instructed in that which belongeth to the duetie of Christian lordes and magistrates than that which the courtiers brabble and prate not to suffer your selfe to bee distracted neither to goe astray from that which the truth hath once taught you And I hope yea I hope it very stedfastly that that great god who hath put and placed in you so good seede will giue it so good an increase that he will be thereby for euer glorified and that that true not counterfet profession of the religion which you haue will bring to passe that you shall bee more and more loued and honored of good honest people and feared reuerenced of the wicked and persecutors On mine owne parte that I might bring some aide and succour to the faithfull people to the end that they might learne by your example to put a difference betweene the true and false Church by the same meane to resolue to keepe and stay them selues vppon the true Church and that I might also giue some familiar and plaine order to all to knowe on which side the true Churche is I haue as diligentlye builded framed and prepared this present discourse as it was possible for mee wherein I intreate of the Churche and all the points and partes thereof that I thought meete and purposed to touch or could think vpon And therin I haue followed the most apt and cōuenient order that I coulde choose without confounding the matters therin declaring al that which wee ought to behold and beleeue of the church touching her estate forme guiding gouernment For I shewe therein what is the true Church whiche are her true and infallible markes which is the true succession calling of Pastors therin what is her spreading abrode increase of continuance who is the head thereof howe shee is holy whether she may erre what is her power and authoritie amongest whom it is what be the degrees and orders of her guiders what is her discipline whether the Ministerie bee necessarie in her And lastly I speake of her persecutions and afflictions in which point I am somewhat more large then in the rest because I knewe that the present neede and occasion required it to the end I might confirme and
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
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
Church he ceaseth not for all that to be an heretike Secondly S. Paule declareth that hee Rom. 12.6 who hath the gift of prophecy ought to prophecy that is to say expound the scriptures according to the proportion of faith Now if in this behalfe we would take heed to and marke the expositions whiche the Romishe Catholikes make and bring foorth vpon the scripture we shall finde at the least for the greatest part that they alledg or bring nothing lesse than the right true sense therof not following the analogie proportion which is required namely when the question is to expound these wordes of Iesus Christe Matt. 26 2â— This is my body For seeing that they tye Iesus Christ here belowe on the earth meaning also that he should bee bodily in the sacrament and that neuerthelesse the articles of our faith which are taken and drawen out of the holy scripture doe teach vs that Iesus Christ is aboue in heauen Act. 3.21 that he must of necessitie in respect of his body be therein contained remaine there vntil the last day that he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead it followeth well that in such an exposition they go farre astray and wander very much from the analogy proportion of faith As much also may we iustly say in that behalfe of manye other articles which they haue corrupted Matt. 15.9 besides that very ofteÌ„ they propound teach for doctrine mens traditions which are not onely not drawne or taken from the word of God but which is more are altogether contrary therto as coÌ„cerning abstinence from meats forbidding of marriage inuocation of Saints praier for the dead adoration or worshipping of reliques and images many other such like matters And as concerning the sacrameÌ„ts it is certaine that they are not lawfully administred by those men neither yet according to the forme and ordinance of Iesus Christ but they adde and ioyne to them in the ministration thereof infinite abuses and superstitions do corrupt them through a certaine kinde of idolatrie which is detestable and full of vngodlines for that I may speak nothing of the fiue sacraments which they haue added of their owne let vs consider in what puritie baptisme and the holie supper is administred amongest them First is this a small abuse to applie or minister baptisme to things without sense as to bells which was not ordayned but for reasonable creatures Is this a sleight prophaning therof to ioyne to this sacrament oyle spittle salt and other such thinges as though it did not behoue vs to be content with that simplicitie wherein and wherewith Iesus Christ hath commaunded his Apostles to administer the same And touching the holy supper when they cause men to woorshippe a morsell of breade for Iesus Christ when they denye to the people the signe of wine when the Priest eateth all by himselfe so that there is not any communion or partaking at all what is a corruption of the sacrament and an ouerthrowing of the ordinance of Iesus Christ if this be not Now seeing that these matters fall out thus we are to make this conclusion to wit that seeing it must needs be that the word of God should be purely preached and expounded and the sacramentes lawfully administred to the ende that men may holde take them for right and certaine markes of the true Church that we are certaine and it manifestly appeareth that the contrarie be found amongest the Romishe Catholikes it followeth very well that these are not to be attributed to them although they would make men beleeue that these markes doe agree vnto them and their Church as well as vnto vs. But we will dispute more largely in an other chapter of this matter to witte whether the Romishe Church be the true church or no CHAP. V. Of the succession and calling of Pastors BVT it may be that some will demaund Is not the succession and ordinarie calling of Pastours a marke also of the true Church yea one of the principall markes I aunswere that the Romish Catholikes do affirme so indeed for this is that which they coÌ„monly obiect vnto vs to weaken our calling by being not able in the rest to find any thing to say or set against the doctrin whiche we preach vnlesse they intangle themselues in infinite contradictions and manifest absurdities But in the first place concerning succession I demaund what this is whiche they meane there I suppose that it is not such a succession as is from the father to the sonne as it hath beene heeretofore in the line and race of Aaron as to say that he should be a priest that is the sonne of a priest for so they might ouermuch discouer and vnfolde the vilanie of their high priestes but that they meane a continuall succession of Bishops and Pastors succeeding one an other euen from the time of Iesus Christ and his Apostles But where is this to bee shewed that they haue founde that suche a succession should simplie bee necessarie and make a vocation or calling lawfull Doeth S. Paule Timoth. 4. 1. c. Titus 1.7 c. describing what qualities and conditions ought to bee alwayes in those whiche shoulde bee chosen for Pastours of the Church make any mention at all of this succession No indeede And yet notwithstanding it had beene verie fit yea necessarie if the succession whereof wee speake had beene wholie required in a Bishoppe or Pastor to make his vocation sure certayne and lawfull But that we may not speake confusedly of this point we must distinguish betweene the succession of persons and that which is of the chaire and place and betweene the succession of doctrine and office As concerning the succession of doctrin we say that it is altogether on our side and no whit at all on the Romishe Catholikes side for we make profession to teache the pure word of God alone following therein the Prophetes and Apostles whereas they of the Romish Churche staying them selues vpon their inuentions teache for doctrine the traditions and commandements of men Matt 15.9 which thing Iesus Christe expresly forbiddeth And as touching that succession which concerneth the execution of the office or of all the chardge and dutie of Pastours which consisteth in preaching the Gospell purely in administring the sacramentes lawfully in caring for the poore in visiting the sicke in redressing offences in exhorting comforting teaching reproouing and such like exercises trueth it selfe and experience doe sufficiently shewe who doe indeede and verily succeede the Apostles therein whether the priestes of the Romish Church or wee Saint Augustine hath sometimes sayd That the name of a Bishoppe Lib. 19. cap. 19. de ciuitat Dei is a name of charge or burthen and not of â—â—nour that he indeed is a Bishop which desireth to profit his flocke in teaching them and not simplie to beare rule ouer the same Also in an other place We are not
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
might be glorified Isaiah 61.3 Isai 61.3 Moreouer this Church notwithstanding the sharpe and harde persecutions which it hath suffered hath not yet ceassed alwayes to bee as it is at this present and shall be vnto the worldes ende For as Dauid sayth The Lorde hath chosen Sion that is to say Psal 132.13 c. the Church and hath desired it for his seat â—it hath been saith he my rest for euer Iesus Christe also hath promised his disciples Mat. 28.20 to bee with them alwayes euen vnto the ende of the worlde But chiefly Saint Paule hath declared and sette out the perpetuitie and continuaunce of the Church when hee assureth vs Ephes 3.21 that GOD shall be glorified in the Church through Iesus Christ throughout all generations for euer and euer They then are ouermuch past shame whiche limitte the continuance of the Churche to a certayne tyme Aug. de ciui tat Dei lib. 18. ca. 54 as those of whome Saint Augustine speaketh who durst boldely affirme that the christian religion should not last but 365. yeares They likewise doe abuse and deceiue themselues which thinke that by the assaultes which they giue vnto the Church they are able to beate it downe consume it wholy take it away out of the worlde For is it possible that God should be without a Church Psal 10. 1 c. hath not he himselfe promised that his sonne shall raigne and beare rule for euer ouer all his enimies Verily the Church which is the spouse or wife of Christ is become or made so mightie and stronge through her husbande that being euen one bodie with him she is more forcible and mightie in her weakenesse then al the world in his pride and hautines But as we haue alreadie saide once heretofore we will hereafter speake more amplie and largely of the Churches force and power in persecutions To bee shorte amongest so manye and so diuerse chaunges of the kingdomes of this worlde God alwayes preserueth his Churche and bringeth to passe that nothing in all the worlde is durable and perpetuall but shee not that shee is alwayes florishing or hath a continuance which followeth all by one threede that is commeth altogether but because that God not minding that his name should be put out in the worlde doeth alwayes in his Churche raise vp some of whome hee is sincerely and purely serued Nowe when the question is to discerne the true Church from the false some there are that stay themselues vpoÌ„ the multitude and great number But they are very farre from their right reckoning or account For GOD measureth not his Church by the number He loueth his faithfull people and keepeth himselfe in the middest of them Mat. 18.20 although they be a verie small number on the other side he hateth those that doe dispise it and disdayneth them though the number of them be neuer so great And indeede on the side of the multitude and great number the false and bastardly Church is rather founde than the true and lawfull one And that it is so let vs first mark the places of scripture which withdrawe vs from the multitude and teach vs to stay cleaue to the little flocke Thou shalt not followe a multitude to doe euill Exod. 23.2 Mat. 7.13.14 neither agree in a controuersie to decline after many and to ouerthrowe the trueth Enter in at the straite Gate for it is the wide gate and broad way which leadeth to destruction many therebe which go in thereat because the gate is strait and the way narrowe that leadeth vnto life and fewe there bee that finde it Feare not little flocke Luke 12.32 for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome Wee see by these places that the greatest numbr is not alwayes the best neyther the soundest and that the Churche of God is founde rather amongest the small number then among the multitude Secondly let vs note the reasons following which are taken from examples that we finde in the scripture touching this verye matter On which side was the Church Gene. 7.1 Heb. 11.7 when Noah alone with his litle familie whiche was not in all but eight persons followed the true religion God approuing him by his faith condemning all the rest of the worlde On which side was the Churche 1 Kin. 19 10 when Elijah saide O Lord the children of Israel haue forsaken they couenant they haue destroyed thine Altars and slayne thy prophets with the sworde and I am left altogether alone and yet they seeke my soule to take it away On which side was the Church when the foure hundred prophetes deceiued Ahab 1. Kin. 22.8 and Michaiah being alone and contemned did yet notwithstanding resist theÌ„ and speake the truth On which side was the Church when Ieremiah was sent from God to say In that day the heart of the king shall perishe Iere. 4.9 and the heart of Princes and of the Priestes shall bee astonished and the Prophetes shall wonder and that therefore the Prophetes resisted him Iere 10.18 layed crimes vnto his charge and imagined mischiefe against him Math. 26.3 On which side was the Church when the chiefe Priestes and scribes and Elders of the people assembled themselues together into the Hall of the high Priest named Caiaphas and helde a Councell how they might take Iesus Christ by subtiltie put him to death Certainly by these examples it is plainely prooued that if it were sufficient to alledge the multitude the greatest number for to vnderproppe and vpholde a Churche the false and bastardly Churche shoulde euer preuaile in the matter and get the better in that respecte because that the number which cleaueth to it and followeth and maintayneth it is alwayes the greatest August in Psal 128. Let vs adde here a sentence of Saint Augustine From the time sayth hee that the Saintes haue begun to be the Church hath beene and is on the earth Somtimes it was in Abel alone who was slaine by his wicked brother Cain Sometime it was in Henoch alone who was reiected of the vngodlie Sometimes it was in the onely house of Noah and he bare with or suffered all them that perished in the floude and the Arke swimming vppon the floudes was saued and set vppon the drie land Sometime in one onely Abraham of whome we knowe thus much that hee suffered many thinges by the wicked Sometimes in Lott alone and in his onely house in the middest of the Sodomites whose iniquities and vngodlinesse he indured and suffered so long till God drewe him as it were by violence from among them Sometimes in the onely Israelites tormented by Pharaoh and the Egyptians By these wordes that appeareth verie well to be true and right which I haue sayd to wit that the Church ought not to be iudged or acknowledged by the great number The faythfull then shoulde not at this daye bee offended though they bee
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
the vse of the keyes is vnderstood not the rule or ouersight of the whole Churche but the power to binde and loose or else to pardon or not pardon sinnes as it is declared in the 18. Chapter of the Gospell after Saint Matthewe and Chap. 20. after S. Iohn Mat. 18.18 Iohn 20.23 Now seeing that so it is that power to remitte or to retaine sinnes was giuen not vnto Peter onely but equally vnto all the Apostles it followeth well that the vse of the keyes was not giuen to Saint Peter alone but also to all his companions fellowes by consequent if he were the head of the Church to whō the power of the keyes was giuen it woulde followe that the Churche had so many heads as it had then Apostles But some will say Iesus Christe speaketh onely to Peter It is true indeede Howe be it by the name of Peter is vnderstoode the whole Church For euen as Iesus Christ was willing to heare what iudgement not onely Peter but also all his fellowes had of him when he demaunded of them But whom say ye that I am Mat. 16.15.16 And that Peter alone in the name of all answered and made this confession Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God So on the other side Iesus Christ giuing the power of the Keyes vnto the Churche addressed his speeche vnto Peter alone although he meant to speake as well vnto all the rest Augu. in Iohan tract 50 And so doeth Saint Augustine vnderstande it for beholde howe hee speaketh Peter saith hee signifieth the whole Churche For if that in Peter there were not the figure of the Church Christ woulde not haue saide vnto him I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen And againe when Iesus Christ sayd vnto Peter I will giue vnto thee the keyes c. Hee ment without doubt the whole Church And the reason would be marked why Iesus Christe in the person of one spake vnto all that is to the ende hee might comend set out the vnity of the Churche euen as also the auncient writers haue marked and obserued the same Cypr. tract 3 de simpli praelat S. Cyprian saith thus Our Lorde in the person of one man hath giuen the keyes vnto all thereby to denote and set out the vnitie of al. The other were the same in deede that Peter was fellowes in equall honour and in equal power But Iesus began with one man to the ende to shewe that the Churche is one And Augustine August in Iohan. tract 11. So it was saith he that all were asked Peter alone answered him thou art Christ c. and to him was it said I wil giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen as though power to bind loose had been giuen vnto him alone But as he answered for all so he receiued the keyes together withall bearing as it were the person of vnitie Wherefore he alone was named for all because there was vnitie among all 3 The third reason is Iohn 21.16 Iesus Christ commaunded Peter aboue all the rest yea that three times to feed his sheepe Hee then did constitute and make him an vniuersall Bishop and head of all Churches I aunswere that this consequent is false for there is a very great not onely difference but contrarietie betwene these two to haue charge to feede the sheepe of Christ and to haue a most high Empire and vniuersal rule ouer the whole Church Besides if to feede the sheepe of Christ bee no other thing but to minister and giue vnto them the spiritual food of their soules Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.15 by the preaching of the Gospel as it is in deede and seeing that it is most euident and plaine that Iesus Christe hath giuen this commission to al his Apostles generally it followeth very well that he hath not giuen it to Peter alone And indeed Peter himselfe doth well confesse the same 1. Pet. 1.5 c. when he exhorteth his fellowe ministers to feede the flocke of Christ which is committed vnto thē And Basil confirmeth the same saying Iesus Christ himselfe teacheth vs this to wit that he is the onely head of the Church who did constitute and appoint Peter the pastor of his Church after him For he saith Peter louest thou me feed my sheep consequently he hath giuen this very same power to all pastours and teachers and hereof this is a certayne signe and sure token that all binde and loose without any difference as well as hee The fourth reason S. Peter is diuers times in the scripture named the first among the Apostles Therefore he was chosen to haue rule aboue the other his fellowes yea aboue or ouer the whole Church I answere first that this argument is friuolous and vayne yea worthie to bee mocked and hissed at For be it that we confesse that S. Peter was the first and chiefe as it were amongst a fewe people that is to say amongst the twelue Apostles yet very farre set is this that it shoulde therefore followe that hee was the firste or chiefest ouer all Christians or that hee did beare rule ouer all the worlde Secondly if because that S. Peter is the first named he is therefore the first and chiefest among the Apostles wee must then say by the contrarie that the virgin Marie is the last and least of all women because in the first chapter of the Actes where also S. Peter is set the first in the catologue or nūber Act. 1.13.14 shee is set the last after others Which matter the Romishe Catholikes will not at any hande say or affirme which if they should it woulde be founde in deede a very absurde thing Thirdly we read in many places that S. Peter is not named first And S. Paule in the seconde Chapter of his Epistle to the Galathians Placeth Iames before him Gal. 2.9 Iames then by this reason shoulde haue authoritie ouer Peter because he is named before him Besides in the Councell of Hierusalem the speach and aduice of Iames which was had after that peter had giuen his Actes 15. 13 c. had such weight with it that al consented and agreed to his iudgement And this muche concerning the firste point Let vs come to the other which concerneth the Pope who sayth that he is Saint Peters successor and so by consequent the head of the Church First if it manifestly appeare by that which hath been said heretofore that Saint Peter was neuer established head of the Churche and that hee neuer had any suche preheminence and authoritie attributed vnto him by what title or right can or will the Pope who sayth that he is his successor pretende at this day any suche Lordshippe rule and authoritie Let vs also on the other side well marke this S. Peter dyed as they say vnder Nero and there succeeded him Linus Cletus and Clemens in the tyme of S. Iohn who
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
of the Romish Churche are they condemned I aunswere that wee leaue the iudgement thereof vnto GOD for it belongeth not to vs to determine and iudge of that which is hidden from vs and which indeede passeth our knowledge and calling It is very true that the holy Scripture pronounceth Ioh. 3.18.36 that they whiche die without the faith of Christ are damned and we cannot but say amen and giue our consent to this Neither serueth it to any purpose to alleadge ignoraunce and to say that it excuseth the sinner before GOD For the scripture is plaine and manifest therein The seruant saith Iesus Christe that knew his masters wil Luke 12.47 48. prepared not him selfe neither did according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes But he that knewe it not and yet did commit thinges worthie of stripes shall bee beaten with fewe stripes Also Math. 5.14 If the blinde lead the blinde they shall fall both into the ditche Saint Paule saith also As many as haue sinned without the lawe Rom. 2. 12. 2. Thes 1.6 shall perishe also without the law and as many as haue sinned within the law shal be iudged by the law And againe it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest and deliuerance with vs when the Lorde Iesus shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rēdring vengeance vnto them that doe not knowe God and which obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ which shal be punished with euerlasting destruction c. These places doe openly enough declare what is the ende of those that die without faith although they bee ignorant for their ignorance cannot excuse them nor serue them for a cloake or couering to absolue and set them free from the iudgement of God For confirmation and proofe whereof wee may alleadge also and put downe that which is written in Leuiticus Leui. 4.2 touching the offering commaunded by God for the sins whiche were committed through ignorance Loe what wee haue to say for one point But to that which remaineth touching our fathers and predecessours God might well shewe mercy vpon them at the ende of their dayes making himselfe knowne vnto them by the secret vertue and power of his holy spirite and putting it into their harts to beleeue in Iesus Christ his sonne that so they might bee saued For God is almightie to saue his owne people yea without vsing any of these meanes which he is accustomed commonly and ordinarily to vse to plant faith in vs and to ingraue it in our hartes to our owne saluation And this is Saint Cyprian his answere Cypri lib. 2. epist 3 touching those that die in some false opinions If some one of our predecessours saith hee either by ignorance or through simplicitie hath not kept and held that which the Lorde hath taught vs to doe by his example and authoritie the mercy of the Lorde may pardon him But wee cannot helpe the same beeing admonished and instructed by him Behold what Saint Cyprian pronounceth herein It is true that he speaketh properly touching the matter of the holy supper but nothing letteth but that wee may applie his speech generally to the matter of al the other articles of the faith The IX CHAP. Of the degrees of Ministers in the Churche where mention is made of the order of the popish Clergie and of the offices and duties of true pastors VVE haue seene and heard heretofore Mat. 9.38 that it apperteineth vnto the Lord of the haruest to sende foorth workemen in to his haruest For it belongeth not to any what giftes soeuer he hath receiued frō the Lorde to thrust himselfe into the work of the ministerie vnlesse he be lawfully called thereto Now the Apostle Saint Paule writing to the Ephesians Ephe. 4.11 sheweth vs what workemen the Lorde hath sent into his haruest that is to say Apostles prophets Euangelistes pastours and doctours Apostles Touching the Apostles they were chosen immediatly from Christe and their office was to sowe and spreade the Gospell abroad throughout all the worlde neither had any one of thē any limits or borders set them or some certaine Churches appointed to them Mat. 28.19 Mat. 10.2 Gal. 2. ◠but Christe would that in euerie part or place where so euer they came they should doe their message before all peoples and nations Such were the twelue named in the Gospell to whome Saint paule was added who was specially appointed to beare the name of Christe among the Gentiles Nowe because this degree of the Apostles was instituted and ordained by God for the establishing of churches those churches beeing planted and established this name of Apostle ought not any more to bee vsed among the ministers as to be giuen and communicated to them And yet we reade that sometime it is taken generally in the scripture for a Pastor and preacher of the Gospell As Epaphroditus is called the Apostle of the Philippians Barnabas is named an Apostle Philip. 2.25 Act. 14.14 Act. 14. Prophetes are distinguished into two sortes or o ders Prophetes Some were vnder the olde Testament and in that time who being instructed and taught by a speciall reuelation from God did foretell things to come The other were in the newe Testament who in the first place had an excellent gift and singular grace to interprete the Scripture 1. Cor. 11.4 also they were suche as were indued 1. Cor. 14. 1. c. with great wisedome and readinesse wel to prouide for the necessitie of the Church and to speake properly they were as interpreters of the will of God In this ranke or order were comprehended the Prophetes that had the gift to vnderstand foresee and reueale thinges to come Act. 11.28 such a one was Agabbs who by the holy Ghoste foretolde that a great famine should fall throughout all the worlde whiche also came to passe in the Emperour Claudius Caesars dayes also that Saint Paule should be bound at Ierusalem Act. 21.10 c. Act. 13.1 There is mention made also in the thirteenth of the Actes of certaine Prophetes of the Churche of Antioche to wit Barnabas and Simeon who was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manahen which had been brought vp with Herode the Tetrarch and Saul And in the one and twentie mention is made of Phillips foure daughters which did prophesie Act. 21.9 These degrees or this office of Prophetes was ordained by God to indure but for a time only as the Apostles Euangelists Euangelistes generally are those whiche performe the office of an Euangelist that is to say which preache the Gospell Sometimes also this name Euangelist is referred to those foure who haue written the storie of the Gospell that is to say S. Matthew S. Marke S. Luke and S. Iohn But in this order of the Church the question is
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
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
restriction or restraining it into a narrow roome he plainly declareth that hee promiseth to his children suche a knowledge that they shall not be any more learners of the A.B.C. neither young scholers in the doctrine of saluation For these words Know the Lord denote point out the first rudiments or instructions of faith and of the heauenly doctrine And indeed if we well weigh marke how rude grosse and ignorant the old fathers were we shall find that they were as it were litle children euen as S. Paul saith Gal. 4. 1. c. as yet in their A. B.C But God hath shewed vnto vs a far greater grace because that wee haue a more manifest cleere shining light to leade vs to the knowledge of God and of the misteries of our saluation For this cause Iesus Christe said Mat. 13.16.17 Luke 10.23 24. Blessed are your eyes for they see your eares for they heare For verily I say vnto you that many Kings Prophetes righteous men haue desired to see those things which ye see haue not seene them and to heare those things which you heare and haue not heard them In summe the Lorde promiseth heere that his people shall not be founde so grosse and ignorant vnder the newe conuenant or Testament that they shall haue need of the principles and beginnings of christian doctrin But if wee would not take this place in this sense how shall wee expound an other of Isaiah which seemeth to be contrary to this He saith It shall bee in the last dayes Isai 2.2 3. that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall bee exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flowe vnto it and many people shall go and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes It is certaine that he prophesieth euē as Ieremiah of the grace of God which should bee made manifest through Iesus Christe in the time of the Gospel Now one of them saith Euerie one shall not teach his neighbour for they shall all knowe the Lorde The other saith The people shall runne together and say Come Let vs goe vp to the mountaines of the Lorde and hee shall teach vs his wayes Howe shall wee make these two places agree seeing that both of them prophesie of one and the self same thing Verily Ieremiah meaneth that the people of God shall be in such sort lightened vnder the newe Testament by the light of the Gospell that they shall haue no more neede of the rudimentes or first instructions of religion neither to bee so taught as the olde people were by the shadowes ceremonies of the law And as touching Isaiah he meaneth that vnder the same Newe Testament the people shall though they be wel aduanced and instructed in the points of Christian doctrine notwithstanding diligently indeuour more more to aduaunce themselues grow forward therein that for that purpose they shall continually exhort one another to the end they may better profit in the knowlege of the law Ioel. 2.28 49. The fourth argumēt It is written in Ioel At that time that is to say in the time of the new Testament I will poure out my spirite vpon all flesh saith the Lord your sōnes your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dreame dreames your young men shall see visions And also at that time I will powre our my spirite vppon the seruants vpon the maides Nowe by this promise the charge office to teach is without any differēce laid vpon al vpō fathers children vpō sonnes vpon daughters vpon old folke vpon young vpon seruants maides wherefore it foloweth that the ministery of the word is not necessarie in the Church I aunswere that there is nothing in this argument or reason but a meete cauil It is true that this prophesie ought to be referred to the kingdom and comming of Iesus Christ that the gift of prophesying shold then be common both to men women to old young to be short to all estates But in the first place this is to bee marked that the prophet speaketh heere by comparison vsing a figure commonly called Hyperbole that is to say a maner of speehe very excessiue because of our wearisomnes slacknesse and negligence for hee doth not presently promise that al vnder the Gospel from the first to the last shal be partakers of this gift but in respect of the olde people vnder the lawe For if wee compare the estate and condition of the olde Churche with the singular treasures which God hath powred out and giuen vnto his people after the manifestation and reuealing of Iesus Christe wee shall finde that in this latter time the Lorde hath spreade abroad and powred out the giftes of his spirite vppon all fleshe that is to say almost vppon all men when as vnder the lawe a very small number was partakers therof Wherfore when he saith That the Lord will powre out his spirite vpon all fleshe this particle or worde all is not heere taken in his proper signification as though it were simplie and altogether vniuersall but is indefinite and must bee referred to all estates and conditions of people and not to euery singular person as in this sentence of S. Paule where it is saide 1. Tim. 2.4 that God will haue all men to bee saued that is to say all persons of what qualitie and condition soeuer they be And in that place of Saint Matthewe where hee saith Mat. 4.23 that Iesus Christ being in Galilee healed all sicknesse and all diseases among the people That is to saye all sortes of sickenesses and diseases And indeede Saint Peter in the seconde Chapter of the Actes Act. 2.16.17 maketh this sense manifest and plaine vnto vs when hee saith that this prophesie was then accomplished when Iesus Christ sent his holy spirite vpon the Apostles Nowe we knowe that all fleshe that is to say all men were not at that time indued with the gift of prophesie Secondly The Prophet speaketh not heere of the publike office and charge to teache but of the particular dutie of euery one calling them generally Prophets who in the time of the Gospell shoulde bee indewed with so great light of doctrine that they might after a sort bee compared with the auncient prophetes Whereunto also must bee referred the place of Ieremiah Iere. 31. 34. which wee haue expounded in the former argument Mala. 4.2 Mat. 13.16.17 and likewise the place of Malachie and of Iesus Christe in the 13. of Saint Matthewe It is not then without cause that Ioel attributeth this tytle or name of Prophete to them who haue no publike charge or office to teache but are onely inlightened by the holy spirite and the preaching of the Gospell because that this
Churche although that poore people were deceaued by false Prophetes and carried away to another gospel contrarie vnto that which he had preached vnto them These places doe manifestlye declare that the Church is neuer so pure and perfect in this worlde but that it hath alwayes neede to bee more and more purged and sanctified Which thing Saint Paule sheweth yet more plainely and openly when hee writeth vnto the Thessalonians For hee calleth them the Church 1. Thes 1.1 1 Thes 5.23 and yet hee prayeth vnto God for them that he would sanctifie thē throughout True it is that the Nouatians Donatists and Anabaptistes who doe not agree with vs in this point are not without their replies For first they alleadge vnto vs that which S. Paule writeth vnto the Ephesians That Iesus Christ gaue himself for his church EPhe. 5.25 26. 27. that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious church not hauing spot or wrinckle but that it shoulde bee holy and without blame But wee want not an aunswere also Saint Paul considereth the Churche not in her selfe but in Iesus Christe her heade whiche shee taketh holde of by faith So shee is said to bee without wrinckle and vnblameable by reason not of her owne righteousnesse but of Iesus Christes righteousnesse whereof shee is made partaker because it pleaseth God to impute and reckon the same vnto her for whiche cause also it is in another place 1. Cor. 1.30 that Iesus Christe is made of God the father vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Moreouer wee might saye that S. Paule speaketh of sanctification or holinesse promised and which is not yet full accomplished as though hee called and saide the Church to bee without spot not that it is so here below on the earth but bicause that one day it shall so bee aboue in heauen And after this sort Saint Augustine vnderstandeth it August lib. de nuptiis concupisc cap. 34. Iesus Christe saith hee cleanseth his Churche by the washing of Christians to make it vnto himselfe without spot or wrinckle not in this worlde but in the world to come They alleadge moreouer that whiche Saint Iohn saith 1. Iob. 3.6.9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not Whereunto I aunswere by a distinction Those that are borne of God that is to say the faithfull sinne not that is to say serue not sinne or rather sinne doth not raigne in them because they doe withdraw themselues as muche as they can or are inabled from sinne and with all their hearte giue them selues to holinesse of life that they may glorifie GOD. And in this sense Saint Iohn taketh it and speaketh it Again they that are borne of God sinne that is to say can not doe liue so holyly but that oftentimes they stumble fall into sinnes For although they bee sanctified yet for all that by reason of the reliques and remnauntes of nature corrupted whiche yet resteth and remaineth in them euery day they turne aside from the right way and sinne In this sense Saint Iohn ment not that which he saith that whosoeuer is born of God sinneth not for so he should speake against him selfe hauing before saide 1. Ioh. 1.8.10 If wee saye wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs yea wee make God a lyar and his worde is not in vs. So it is then that though there seeme to bee some contrarietie betweene those two to say that wee are sinners and sainctes bothe together yet all agreeth together very well for euerye man if wee consider him in his owne nature according to which he is called the childe of wrath hee is a sinner worthie of death and eternall damnation but if wee consider him in Iesus Christ as a Christian and faithfull man hee is holy so that he sinneth not that is to say serueth not sinne and his imperfections are hidden and couered because that they are not imputed vnto him and moreouer the Lorde Iesus maketh him partaker of his righteousnesse And so beeing a sinner in respect of his owne nature hee is notwithstanding reputed and accounted holy iust before God But that which we haue hitherto spoken toucheth or concerneth the members of the Church particularly Wee may also well say touching the Church considered in her owne bodie that it shall neuer here be purged from al filthinesses because that so long as shee shall bee on earth there shall bee in her wicked ones mingled with good ones Which thing Iesus Christ hath declared in the Gospel by two similitudes Mat. 13.24.25 c. In the first hee saith that the kingdome of heauen that is to say the Church is like vnto a man which sowed good seede in his fielde but while men slept there came his enemie and sowed tares amongest the wheate and went his way And when the blade was sprong vp and had brought foorth fruite then appeared the tares also Then came the seruaunts of the housholde and saide vnto him Master sowedst thou not c. And woulde presently haue gone and gathered them vp but the Lorde woulde not suffer them least while they went about to gather the tares they plucked vp also with them the wheate Therefore hee willed that they might both growe together vntill the haruest and in the time of haruest the reapers shall gather the tares and binde them in sheaues to burne them but they shall gather the good corne into the Lords barne Afterwards he expoundeth the saide similitude saying Hee that soweth the good seede is the sonne of man and the fielde is the worlde Mat. 13 3◠c. the good seede are the children of the kingdome the tares are the children of the wicked and the enemie that soweth them is the Diuell the haruest is the end of the world and the reapers be the angels As then saith he the tares are gathered and burned in the fire so shall it be in the end of the worlde The sonne of man shall send foorth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them which do iniquitie and shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be wayling gnashing of teeth Then shall the iust men shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their father In the seconde similitude hee saith Mat. 13.47 48. That the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a drawe net cast into the Sea that gathereth of al kind of things which when it is full the fishers draw to land on the shoare and put the good by them selues into their vessels and cast the bad away And afterwardes hee giueth the exposition thereof So shall it bee saith he at the end of the worlde Mat. 13.49 50. The Angels shall goe foorth and seuer the wicked from amongst the iust and shal cast them into a furnace of fire where shall bee wayling and gnashing of teeth By these two
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
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
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
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
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 met together when Iames was to take counsell of that which Saint Paule had to doe Act. 21.18 touching the purging and cleering of himselfe from the slaunders that were laid vpon him and giuen out against him And wee see also whither Iesus Christe sendeth the offenders who are stiffe not yeelding to a confession of their fault when he saith Tell it vnto the Church Mat. 18.17 For by the Church there hee meaneth no other thing but the Consistorie that is to say the gouernours and guiders of the Church euen as Chrysostome hath expounded it as wee haue before obserued it and put it downe in the first Chapter To be short it is very manifest plaine that there must be in the Church Ancients or ouerwatchers appointed to this end to watch ouer the manners of the people and who also together with the Pastors must looke to the exercise and execution of discipline that the church may be wel guided and gouerned The fourth head or point is Of the corrections and censures of the Church touching the corrections and censures of the church Wee haue saide that in euery church there ought to be a Consistorie to exercise and execute the discipline Now wee adde that this ought to be found true and declared specially in the corrections and censures Whereupon we haue certaine considerations to bee obserued and marked The first is that wee must make a difference betweene secret faults those which are publike and open that wee may applie thereto meete and conuenient censures I call them secret faults which are knowne to one alone or to very fewe persons And I call them publike and open faultes which are notorious and manifestly knowne of euery one or els of very many men If then the faultes be secret wee must follow in the correction and amendment therof the rule which is prescribed by Iesus Christ Mat. 18.15 in Matthew 18. where it is said If thy brother offend or sinne against thee goe tell him thereof betweene thee and him alone c. But if the faults be publike and open we must follow the commandement and example of Saint Paul 1. Tim. 5.20 His commandement is this Suche as offend reproue openly that the rest also may feare His example is in that when S. Peter had committed an offensiue fault hee did not warne him thereof apart Gala. 2.14 or by himself but did reproue him openly that before the Church The second consideration is that among open faults and offences there are some whiche are lesse than othersome are and therefore discretion and iudgement ought to be vsed in the censuring thereof But all the circūstances cannot be easily expressed wherefore the Consistorie ought to bee wise of good iudgement to practise the admonition and warning of Saint Iude Iude. 22.23 whē he saith Haue compassion of some in putting difference other some saue with feare pulling them out of the fire For amongest faults some deserue but simple or bare admonition alone othersom suspention from the holy supper others excommunication and other some other censure But we cannot be deceiued in this what so euer it bee in following doing that which the worde of God commaundeth vs that is to say to cut off from the church rebellious impenitent persons also faultie persons Mat. 18.17 1. Cor. 5.3.4 Tit. 3. 10. whiche stand stiffe in their faultes and consequently heretikes The thirde consideration is that when the question is of Censures and namely of cutting off from the vse of the Supper or of excommunication one alone should not take vpon him the knowledge thereof but it is necessarie and meete that the iudgement of the Church should bee interposed or come betweene For one man alone whatsoeuer graces hee hath receiued from God cannot or ought not to attribute vnto himselfe suche an authoritie And therefore S. Paul being willing to excommunicate the incestuous person saith thus 1 Cor. 5.3.4.5 I verily as absent in body but present in spirit haue determined alredie as though I were present that he that hath thus done this thing when yee are gathered together and my spirite in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that such a one I say by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ be deliuered vnto Satan c. Although hee was an Apostle yet hee alone and of his owne authoritie doth not cut off from the Church this incestuous person but communicateth his aduice order to with the Churche to the ende that the matter might be done by common authoritie and consent And indeede in olde time this was the common and vsuall maner to wit that the Ecclesiasticall censures shoulde bee executed Tertul. Apologeti ca. 39. by the Consistorie For as it appeareth by the Apologetike or defensiue writing of Tertullian if question shoulde bee had touching them that ought to bee excommunicated or of them that had committed certaine faults whether they ought to bee receiued or no this authoritie appertained to the Ministers and Elders of the Churche who ordinarily and commonly assembled and met together for that purpose and matter But the denouncing or publishing of the excommunication or the casting of one our or the publike receiuing of him againe before the Churche was done by the Pastour In this sorte Origen ordaineth Origen in Iohan. Hom. 7. that hee whiche hath beene three times admonished and yet afterwardes amendeth not shoulde bee cut off from the bodie of the Church by the gouernors of the Church And Saint Cyprian Cypri lib. 3. epist 10. 14. 27. making mention of the custom and manner vsed in his time touching the publike and open censures of the Churche saith that nothing at all was done by the Bishoppe without the counsell of the Clergie and the consent of the people Wherefore the Pope of Rome declareth him selfe to bee a false dealer and indeede a Tyrant when snatching away and that by violence from the Church the right and power that belongeth thereto hee arrogateth to himself and to his power authoritie to cut off from the Churche and to excōmunicate whom so euer hee or any of them shall thinke good The fourth consideration is touching the ends which men ought to set before them in the corrections of the church namely in excommunication Now there are three speciall endes thereof The first is that those which be of wicked life and conuersation may not haue anye place amongest true Christians to the contempt of Gods name The second is that good people may not bee corrupted by the conuersation of the wicked 1. Cor. 6.6 for a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe The thirde is that they which haue fallen and offended may bee confounded and ashamed in themselues and aftewardes lifted vp againe comforted and reconciled to the Church That is it which S. Paule setteth out and meaneth 2. Thes 3.14 when he saith If any man obey not our
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
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