the man that indureth temptation for when he is tried hee shall receiue the crowne of life which which the Lorde hath promised to them that loue him 1. Pet. 1.6.7 Wherein yee reioyce though now for a season if neede require yee are in heauinesse through manifold temptations that the tryall of your faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fier might bee found vnto your praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christe 1. Pet. 4.14 If yee be rayled vpon for the name of Christe blessed are yee for the spirite of glory of God resteth vpon you which on their part is yll spoken of but on your part glorified Mat. 5. 10.11 12. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are yee when men reuile you and persecute you and say all maner of euil against you for my sake falsly Reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen Roma 8.28 Al thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euē to thē that are called according vnto his vnchaungeable purpose Phil. 2.27 In nothing feare your aduersaries which is to them a token of destruction but to you a token of saluation and that of God All the persecutions and afflictions which yee suffer are a manifeste token of the righteous iudgement of God 2. Thess 1.5.6.7 that yee may bee counted worthie of the kingdom of God for the which yee also suffer For it is a righteous thinge with God to recompence trybulation to them that trouble you and to you whiche are troubled deliueraunce and rest with vs When the Lorde Iesus shal shewe him selfe from heauen with his mightie Angels This is a true saying 2. Timo. 11 1◠That if wee die with Christe wee shall also liue with him and if wee suffer with hym wee shall also raigne vvith him Nowe out of these places wee gather a verye greate and singular comforte An exhortation to the faithfull paciently and couragiously to beare their crosse For in the firste place wee knowe that there is not any ignominie or shame in the persecutions and afflictions whiche we suffer for Iesus Christes sake but that they are a good and sweete smellynge sauour before GOD because he approoueth and alloweth our obedience when that by the Sacrifices of our selues wee doe most willinglye presente and offer our selues vnto him Moreouer our combat and fighting shall not bee without good hyre for rest and quietnes is set out vnto vs in our pain and trauel and eternall life in our death of which it is writtē Psal 116.15 Precious before the face of the Lord is the death of his Saints And we are wel assured that this our good god beholdeth from aboue our good will and the cōfession of his holy name which we make and yeeld and that as he aideth our strength and power so also that hee will crowne our victorie and rewarde in vs all that which hee hath giuen to vs and wyll honour that which he himselfe hath begun and made perfect in vs. In summe by these persecutions we aduaunce and thrust forwarde our selues to goe to the true and eternall dwelling places of the Martyres that wee may there clearely beholde God and that there we may be partakers of so excellēt a glory as all the afflictions sufferings of this present life euen as Sainte Paule saith are not worthie of Rom. 8.18 Isaiah 6.4 1. Cor. 2.9 For the things which the eye hath not sene neither the eare hath hearde neither came into mans heart are they which God hath prepared for them that loue him Wherefore let vs not feare them which kill the body Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the soule but let vs rather feare him which is able to to destroy both soule and body in Hell Mat. 10.32.33 Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men saith Iesus Christe him Will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny mee before menne him will I also deny before my father which is in heauen Hee that will saue his life shall loose it Mat. 10.39 and he that looseth his life for my sake shall saue it Let vs knowe and vnderstand this that from the beginning of the world it hath beene thus ordeined and determined that all which will liue godly in Iesus Christ shal suffer persecutiō 2. Tim. 3.12 And that by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen For at the beginning the righteous Abell was slaine and put to death and after him all the righteous persons the Prophetes and Apostles sent by God whereof some were deliuered and cast to wilde beastes others died in prison through famine others were hanged and strangled others digged into earth buried quicke therein others drowned burned beheaded broken and ground as it were to peeces dismembred rosted boiled singed and sawed flayed all aliue stoned whipped c. And is ther any which is able to describe and set out all the tormēts which the tyrants as wel vnder the old as vnder the newe testament iudged the Christians worthie of Now the Lord Iesus hath set out vnto vs an example in himselfe teaching vs that none shall come to his kingdome but they which haue followed him by his owne way Mat. 16.24 Wherefore let vs not bee faint hearted for the persecutions and afflictions which shall come vnto vs but let vs shewe our selues strong and constant and let vs through a certain spirituall power and force pursue that euen to the end the way into which wee are entred If the waues billowes and surges of the Sea of this worlde lift vp themselues and rise against vs to swallow vs vp and to ouerwhelme vs if our enimies in great companies and bands compasse vs on euery side and assault vs Let vs crie with the apostles Mat. 8.25 Maister or Lord saue vs and he will deliuer vs out of al dangers If death feare vs let vs remember that Iesus Christ in dying hath brought this to passe that death is not death vnto vs but a very redy way to guide leade vs to life eternal glory If the world continue his assaultes against vs yea dubbleth them and trebbleth them as you would say Mat. 10.22 2. Timo. 2.5 let vs cal to our remembrance that he Which endureth vnto the end shal be saued and if any man striue for a maistery Mat. 28.20 Mat. 10.28 2. Tim. 1.12 Psal 112.6 he is not crowned except he striue as he ought to do The sonne of God is our protector and defender who hath promised vs to be with vs alwaies euē vntil the worlds end If we die for him for his sake he will keepe our soules Pro. 10.7 and that which we haue committed vnto him shal be very sure in his hands euen
be alwayes present in the middest of his Church to rule and gouerne the same what hath he to doe for a Vicar or Lieuetenant And as concerning charges and offices we know what executors he hath established and left S. Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians affirmeth Ephes 4.11 c. that Iesus Christ being ascended into heauen hath giuen some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelistes some Pastors some teachers to whome he hath giuen in charge and committed his Church 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 Church generally and for all times Nowe you may see what lieutenantes Iesus Christe hath substituted in his place but that he shoulde giue vnto Peter a primacie to bee Pope and heade of the Church is a meere leasing The seconde reason is this Iesus Christ onely is the foundation of the Church 1. 1. Cor. 3.11 Corinth 3.11 Wherevpon it followeth that the Church is founded vppon Iesus Christ and at no hande vpon Saint Peter and by consequent that Iesus Christ alone is the heade of the Church and not Saint Peter Touching that which Iesus Christ speake vnto Peter Thou art Peter Matt. 16.18 and vpon this rocke I will builde my Church we wil anon declare the true and naturall sense thereof The thirde reason S. Peters charge 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 GOD. It followeth then that Saint Peter was not an vniuersall Apostle nor a soueraigne high bishoppe ouer all the Church Otherwise Saint Paul shoulde haue done ill in so limiting hedging in as it were the the charge and office of his Apostleship yea and that eighteene yeares after the death of Iesus Christ But I would wish the Romishe Catholikes to take some better viewe of and heede to this reason For if their Pope snatch and take vnto himselfe the primacie for this reason because hee is Saint Peters successors he must then exercise his primacie or popedome ouer the Iewes and preach vnto them the Gospell that hee may gaine them and drawe them to Iesus Christ leauing vnto him whosoeuer he bee that will take vppon him to be called the successor of Saint Paul primacie ouer the Gentiles The fourth reason One wife hath but onely one husband which is her head But the Church is the spouse of Christ 2. Cor. 11.2 Ephe. 5.22 Reue. 21.9 2. Cor. 11.2 Ephesians 5.22 Reuelat 21.9 The Church then hath none other but Christ alone for her husbande and head The fifth reason It is certaine that Saint Peter vsed the power and authoritie which Iesus Christe gaue him for otherwise hee shoulde haue neglected his charge and hidden his talent in the ground and so by consequent haue disobeyed his Master not seruing him purely and faithfully But so it is hee neuer vsurped any primacie ouer the other Apostles or ouer the Church for hee maketh himselfe equal to the other pastors 1. Peter 5.1.21 c. naming himself a pastor and an Elder with them and hee hath saide also that it is not lawefull at anie hande for anie man to haue Lordship ouer the Lordes inheritaunces Then it followeth that hee receiued not anie primacie or Lordshippe from Iesus Christ ouer the Church of God The sixth reason Act. 8.14 Saint Peter was sent together with Iohn into Samaria by the other Apostles Nowe if hee had beene the head of the Church and had had rule and authoritie ouer the Apostles it had apperteined vnto him to sende others not to others to send him The seuenth reason If Saint Peter had had the right of primacie to what end woulde he haue suffered himselfe to haue beene reproued by S. Paul and that before the people In sext decr de Con. cap. Licet distinct 19. ca. si Roman in Glossa de conces prae tit 8. ca. pro. posuit alibi for this was done euen then when hee both might and ought to haue shewed his authoritie and rule As at this day the Pope who saith that hee is aboue right neither is helde or bounde by lawes that he may preferre through his interpretation equitie vnwritten before lawe writen that wee ought to allowe or dissallow all that he alloweth or disalloweth that he is not subiect to any censure hauing all lawe and right in the coffer of his breste and stomacke Now Saint Peter did not alledge any whit or parte of all these blasphemies but tooke in good worth Saint Paules censure and reproofe acknowledging himselfe his companion and fellowe and one that was ioyned with him the other Apostles in felloweshippe of office yea inferiour to the whole bodie and subiect to the admonitions and censures of his brethren The eight reason So it was that among the Apostles in the time that our Sauiour Christ was bodily conuersant with them Luk. 22.24 c. there was a controuersie which of them shoulde bee esteemed or iudged the greatest but Christ laboreth to bring them to humilitie and to take from amongest thē all ambition saying thus The kinges of the nations beare rule and they which exercise authoritie ouer thē are called Gratious lords but ye shall not be so But let the greatest among you be as the least and the cheifest as he that serueth And afterwardes hee setteth himselfe foorth for an example For who is greater he that sitteth at Table or he that serueth is not he that sitteth at the table And I am among you as he that serueth and ye are they which haue continued with mee in my temptations Lastly he concludeth Therefore I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed to me These are our principal reasons to declare that Saint Peter was not appointed Lorde ouer the Church and that hee had no more authoritie or preheminence in it than the other Apostles his companions and fellowes had Nowe let vs heare the contrarie reasons which the Romish Catholikes make The firste is this Matt. 16.18 Iesus Christ hath said to Saint Peter Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will builde my Church It followeth then that Saint Peter is the foundation of the Churche and by consequent the head thereof I aunswere that the holy spirite is not contrarie to it selfe but hee hath spoken plainely to the Corinthians That Iesus Christe alone is the onely foundation of the Church 1. Cor. 3.11 and that none can lay anie other than that which is laide alreadie Therefore he affirmeth not in that place of S. Matthewe the contrarie to this And marke this deed Iesus Christ hath not said and vpon thee O Peter I will builde my Church but vpon
heare that which Saint Paule saith That it appertaineth to GOD 1. Cor. 3.7 to giue the increase to that which the ministers plant and water And Iesus Ioh. 6.44.65 That none can come vnto him except his father drawe him Sometimes also the scripture speaketh of man without comparing God and him together and then in respect that God vseth his ministerie to accomplish his own worke by that is attributed to him which is proper and peculiar to God As when it is saide 1. Cor. 3.6 that the ministers plant and builde Churches 1. Cor. 3.6 Philemō 10. Luk. 1.16 Ioh. 20.23 Iude 1.23 that they beget men and winne them to God that they turne mens heartes that they remit and retaine sinnes that they saue All this must be vnderstoode in that they are the instrumentes and as it were the hande of GOD to bring all these thinges to passe by for then the question is not of that whiche man doeth by his owne vertue and power but of that which God worketh by the hande and ministerie of man Wherefore God is alwayes the efficient or working cause of our saluation and man together with the worde of GOD which he propoundeth and preacheth vnto vs is nothing else but the instrument and minister wherewith GOD serueth him selfe or which he vseth for the performaunce of so excellent a worke Wherevpon it followeth that they which despise and reiect the ministerie which God hath ordained doe despise and reiect God him selfe Luk. 10.16 For this cause Iesus Christ saith He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And Saint Paule writing to the Corinthians declareth right well in what authoritie reuerence and account we ought to haue the ministerie of the worde when he saith That GOD hath committed vnto the Pastors and ministers of the Church 2. Cor. 5.18 the embassage or ministerie of reconciliation And writing to the Thessalonians 1. Thess 2.13 We thanke God without ceasing that when ye receiued of vs the worde of the preaching of God ye receiued it not as the word of man but as it is indeede the word of God which also worketh in you that beleeue It is for the verie selfe same reason that speaking vnto the Romanes of the worde preached by the ministers he saith Rom. 1.16 That the Gospell is the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue And to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1.18 that Though the worde or preaching of the crosse be to them that perish foolishnesse yet it ceaseth not to be the power of GOD to vs which obtaine saluation Nowe the preaching of the worde is so called by Saint Paule bicause it is the powerfull and effectuall instrument which GOD vseth to saue vs. And for this cause it is called also by Isaiah The arme of the Lord. Isai 53.1 In summe we ought diligently to take heede to 1. Cor. 3.9 and to regard that which S. Paule faith vnto the Corinthians We together are Gods laborers ye are Gods husbandrie and Gods building in so much that we alwayes set before vs two things when the question or dispute shall be touching the ministerie that is to say on the one side the minister that shall speake and preach vnto vs and minister the sacrament vnto vs and on the other side God who worketh inwardly in our heartes and indeede accomplisheth and fulfilleth in vs that which the minister speaketh vnto vs and doth outwardly represent and shewe vnto vs. As we haue a notable example thereof in the sixteenth of the Actes where it is said that as Saint Paul preached the word of God to Lydia Act. 16.14 a seller of purple God was he alone which opened her heart that she attained vnto and vnderstood the things which S. Paul spake CHAP. XI Of the holinesse of the Church WE haue seene heard heretofore that the Church is the companie of faithfull people which is also called the communion or fellowshippe of the Saintes and holie ones The Churche therefore is holye because it is compacted or made of saintes or holy ones but here we must marke foure pointes The first is howe and in what sense we are called Saintes or holy ones It is not as the idiots or ignorant people vnder stande it who by saintes meane none other but those which are alreadie dead so canonised by the Pope or else the priestes and Friers clad in white or blacke girded with a rope But by saintes wee vnderstande them who being elected from before all euerlastingnesse of time are in their time that is to say in the time which God hath appointed thē before the foundations of the worlde were laide sanctified by God through Iesus Christe and cloathed with true faith Nowe such are all true Christians and faithfull people The seconde that it is not of our selues that we are Saintes or holy ones Psa 51.5 c Gen. 8.21 neither of our owne nature for by our owne nature all wee are altogether corrupted Rom. 8.6 c. and the children of wrath But we are saintes because Iesus Christ hath sanctified vs Ephe. 2.3 Iohn 17.19 as he him selfe saith in Saint Iohn For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified through the trueth Nowe he hath sanctified vs by the vertue and power of his holy spirite which by reason of this effect is called the spirite of sanctification Rom. 1.4 And this is that which S. Paul meaneth when he saith Ephe. 5.25.26.27 that Iesus Christ hath redeemed his Church and hath sanctified it that hee might make it vnto him selfe a glorious Church Nowe this sanctification or holinesse is brought to passe first by the imputation or account of Christes righteousnesse vnto vs 1. Cor. 1. for he was giuen vnto vs by the father to be our sanctification Secondly by the purging or cleansing of our filthinesses that is to say by the forgiuenesse of our sinnes in the bloude of Iesus Christe as Saint Paul declarerh it in the Corinthians when he saith Bee not deceiued neyther fornicators 1. Cor. 6.9.10.11 nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkardes nor railers nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God and such were some of you but ye are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are iustified in the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God And indeede Saint Paule in an other place sheweth that filthinesse is opposed and set againste sanctification and holinesse when hee saith to the Romanes Rom. 6.19 As you haue giuen your members seruauntes to vncleanenesse and iniquitie to committe iniquitie so nowe giue your members seruauntes vnto righteousnesse in holines Also to the Thessalonians 1. Thess 4.7 GOD hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse The thirde poynt is That the holines of the Church
corne into the Lords barne Afterwards he expoundeth the saide similitude saying He that soweth the good seede is the sonne of man and the fielde is the world Matt. 13.37 c. the good seede are the children of the kingdome the tares are the children of the wicked and the enimie 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 world 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 fornace 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 second similitude he saith Matt. 13.47.48 That the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a drawe net cast into the sea that gathereth of all kinde 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 he giueth the exposition thereof So shall it be saith he at the end of the world Matt. 13.49.50 The Angels shall goe foorth and seuer the wicked from amongest the iust and shall cast them into a fornace of fire where shall be wayling and gnashing of teeth By these two similitudes Iesus Christe verie plainely expresseth what shall be the visible state and condition of the Church so long as it shal be on earth that is to say that the wicked shal continually be mingled therein with the good and that in such sorte as the tares are amongest the good wheate in the fieldes and as euill fishes are mingled with the good in the sea whereof followeth that which we haue saide before in the third Chapter to wit that all they which are in the Church are not for al that of the Church And indeede experience hath in all ages shewed the same vnto vs and maketh vs to behold the same as yet euē euery day Cain was the first that defiled the Church of GOD Gene. 4.3 c. although he offered sacrifices in outward shewe as his iust brother Abel did Noah preached vnto those of his time and continuing his exercise a long season some thinke sixe score yeares hardly would his owne housholde beleeue his worde Gene. 7.1 c. so that GOD destroying all the worlde by the floud onely eight persons of the foresaide Noahs housholde were reserued by the meane of the Arke And euen yet of those eight persons with whom GOD had made a newe couenaunt touching the establishing againe of his Churche Ham Gene. 9.22 in his time verie manifestly declared his hypocrisie Matt. 27.3 c. Act. 1.16.17 c. Reue. 2 6. Amongest the twelue Apostles Iudas is found a traitor and vnfaithfull Amongest the seuen Deacons one Nicholas was an heretike at the least if that be true that this Nicholas was one of the seuen Deacons as Clemens Clemens strom lib. 3. Euseb hist eccles lib. 3. cap. 29. Alexandrinus and Eusebius certainely affirme it S. Iohn speaking of Antichristes wherewith the Church was in his time troubled and tormented saith 1. Ioh. 2.19 They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they would haue continued with vs. And what at this day Howe many hypocrites and great mungrell mastifes are found at this day in the outward Church and are suffered therein Certainely there are verie many which are acknowledged and allowed for members of the Church of whome GOD who beholdeth all mens heartes doth in the meane season iudge otherwise Wherefore the Church euen in this respect is not at any time in the world without wrinkle The fourth point which we must note here is that our sanctification is not performed or wrought all at one time but there are three degrees or steppes thereof to the end that it may be perfect The first degree is during this life when that our Lorde Iesus Christ giueth vs his holy spirite thereby to resist and withstande the world the diuell sinne and our owne flesh to the end that we may loue good thinges and hate euill Herevnto may be applyed that which Saint Paule speaketh of him selfe Rom. 7.22.23 c. writing vnto the Romanes in the seuenth Chapter verse 22.23 The second is after this life when the soule enioieth the presence of Iesus Christ giuing it selfe vnto all holinesse but our other part that is the bodie resting it selfe in the dust without being able to applie it selfe vnto any thing to sanctifie the name of God by The thirde shall be after the last iudgement when being perfectly ioyned with Iesus Christe our head we shall beholde God euen as he is who shall all in all and that after such manner and sorte as Saint Paule saith 1. Cor. 1.30 that Christe is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Therefore when that our Lord Iesus Christ shall so worke in vs that there shal be no spot Philip. 3.21 1. Ioh. 3.2 but that our verie bodyes shal be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodye and we shall be like vnto him then truely shall our sanctification be accomplished and made perfect which nowe is but as it were begunne in vs. CHAP. XII Whether the Church may erre or no. THis question to wit whether the Church can erre hath bene diuers times tossed and handled for the opening vnfolding whereof we must first striue to knowe after what maner or in what sense the word Church is here to be taken I meane whether we must vnderstand this of the Catholike and vniuersall Church or else of the particular Churches But the controuersie is not in my iudgement of the Catholike Church for we all agree herein that she can not erre as touching faith And indeede howe should she erre seeing that following Iesus Christ her head and her husband she walketh not in darkenesse but in the light of life On the other side it is impossible that all faithfull people vniuersally euen from the first vnto the last should fall into errour for there haue bene alwayes some preserued through the goodnesse and grace of GOD by whome trueth it selfe through other mens naughtinesse brought as it were to nothing or at the least destituted and forsaken hath yet notwithstanding bene restored to her former force and is yet still maintained and preserued Wherefore this question is touching a particular Church Touching which it seemeth good vnto vs in the first place to heare the iudgement and reasons of the Romish Catholikes vpon this that they affirme that the Church so taken can not erre following herein the Nouatians Donatistes and other heretikes And afterwardes we will shewe foorth and put downe our aduise and reasons