obtinet omnes gētes Shall not we my brethren showe the churche as the new mone is shewed to men is not the churche euydente is it not manyfest rayneth it not in all nations To the whyche manyfest church he gaue manifest and visible ministers as Apostles Prophetes Ephe. 4. euangelystes pastores and doctours which are were and shal be to the worldes ende vysyble and not inuisible Math. 5 for to them Christ said Vos estis lux mundi You are the lyght of the world which cold not be true yf they were not sene and perceiued If the church be not sensible but insensible then the sacramentes the ministerye ecclesiasticall offyces the Ecclesystycall mynysters the vocations to Ecclesiasticall offyces Yea the worde of GOD wrytten and preached shoulde be insensyble whyche shoulde be agaynste Saynte Paule saying Rom. 10 Faythe is by hearynge and hearynge by the worde of Chryste Seynge therefore by these aucthoryties I haue although brefelye yet suffisientli proued the catholycke churche which is eueri where to be manifestly knowen I will lykewise god helping proue the same not to erre in the materyall points of our religiō although some corrupte mēbres be therof The catholyke churche doth nor erre For albeit in this vnyuersal churche whyche is vysyble be many bad so well as good iniust as iust folyshe vyrgyns Mat. 25 as wyse euel sedes as good sedes and in the net badde fyshes as good Mat. 13 yet we may not thinke the same catholyke vysyble Churche to erre in the necessarye poyntes of Chrystyanitye no more then dyd the apostles in ther belefe preachinges doctryne bycause trayterous Iudas was of ther felowship we maye no more brynge the doctryne ordinaunces and interpretations set fourthe to vs by the vniuersall Churche in doubte by cause there be some bad therin then we maye call in doubt the Apostles doctrine bycause euell Iudas was of that congregation If it be an vntruthe to affyrme that all the hole company of Aungelles in heauen dyd erre bycause some of them dyd erre and fell from heauen Who wyll affyrme to be a truethe the whole multytude of Chryste hys Churche whyche the scrypture calleth the kyngdome of heauen Mat. 13 to erre bycause some euyll chrystians therein do erre The arche of Noe Gene. 7. an expressed fygure of the Church hauyng therin beastes clene vnclene hauing therin 〈◊〉 Cham the wicked chyld of Noe wyth the rest that were good erred not from the tuition and protection of God nor were drowned in the deuouryng whaues of the ragynge floude but was cōtynually in the sure certain and safe custodye of almyghty God so preserued kept in most certeyne safetye to the full ende of the said floude shal we then say or thynke the catholyke churche of chryst the verye veretye represented by that arke to erre and wander from Chryst Ephe. 15. and Chryst his regiment the hed thereof seing that he is Seruator corporis sui The Sauyour and preseruer of hys body whyche is the Church as teacheth the Apostle Paule Seyng Christ who is verytye hathe ben is and wylbe contynuallye with hys church to the worlds end Ioh. 14. and. 16. Seyng I saye that the holye Ghost the fyrme cōforter hath ben is and wil be without surceasse duryng this worlde resydent in the same to teache it all the truethe and therein to comforte confyrme and establyshe it At Antioch were certeyne Iues which taught the Chrystians that excepte they were circumcised after the maner of Moyses they could not be saued after greate dysputation hadde therevpon wyth Paule Act. 15. and Barnabas the Iues woulde not be satysfyed as sectes commonly be not in soo much that Paule and Barnabas wyth others were sente to the Apostles and senyors at Iherusalem for the decision of this question among the whiche certayne that had bene of the pharisaycal secte and then christened affyrmed that christians ought to be circumcised and that the churche shoulde commaund the lawe Moysaicall to be kepte and yet Peter and Iames with other the congregation there decreed to the contrarye that the christians shoulde not be cyrcumcysed and were bolde to say and wryte Visum est spiritui sancto nobis c. It pleaseth the Holye ghoste and vs to burden you with no more but with these necessaryes c. Althoughe in this councell and congregation were some that erred as they which had ben Phariseis yet we cannot without impietie saye that the whole holye assemblye dyd erre Whyche truelye dydde saye it pleaseth the holye ghost and vs. Wherfore to affyrme the whole catholyke churche of Christe to erre in matters of our fayeth and necessarelye appurtenaūt to christian manners because some euell be amongest them is a wycked sclaunder to the mistycall bodye of Chryste and an vngodlye blasphemye to Christe hymselfe the heade thereof yea and to the holye ghoste contynuallye resydente therein to whose inspirations reuelations instructions and regiment the catholyke churche alwaye is obedyently subiecte or els the holy gost wuld not contynuallye abyde in it accordynge to Chrystes promyse Ps 14◠whyche promyse cannot be vntrue for he is faythfull in all his wordes So that although that euel be mixt with the good in the churche yet we muste not thynke it to erre in the wayghtye matters 1. Tim ◠but to stande to it as to the pyllar of trueth and not to forsake it as aduertyseth vs Saynte Cypryan Ci◠epi 3 lib. 3. Et si uidentur in ecclesia esse zizannia non tamen impediri debet aut fides aut charitas nostra ne quoniam zizannia in ecclesia esse cernimus ipsi de ecclesia recedamus Although corrupt seeds do appeare and be sene in the church Yet our fayth or charity shuld not be lette molested nor troubled so that bycause we se corrupte and noughty seades growynge in the Churche therfore we should relinquyshe and forsake the churche but to suffer the euyll by charytie beyng studious and carefull to kepe the vnytie of the spyryte by the bād of peace as wylleth S. Paule and rather to be stronge in toleratyng the badde Ephe. 4. then to be vngodly in forsaking the good But forsake not they the churche for corrupte seades which for naughty chrystians sake do denye refuse and reiecte the Decisions determinations ordinaunces of the churche her vnderstandynges of scriptures and in slaunderynge the churche to erre in poyntes of our fayth and of chrysten relygyon bycause corrupted chrystyans be amonge the incorrupte Let vs remember that no man hauynge the ryghte vse of hys wyttes wyll refuse corne bycause chaffe or cockle is myxt with the corne no more can he be estemed a ryght christyan that reiectethe the vnyuersall churche of Chryste for the baddes sake therin Forasmuch as they whyche doo forsake the good holesome and true Doctryne of any preacher for hys euyll lyfes sake cānot be accoūted obediente
he vnited to him one spouse the catholike church of vnite wherof euery faythfull seuerally accompted is a chyld and as he is but one hed so hathe he but one mystycal body the church vnited to hym by one faythe and one baptysme of the whiche body euery Chrystian rekened singulerly a part is a member As he is nother a partyall nor a partyculer God of thys or that country but God of all realmes Empyres and natyons Likewise his onely spouse and bodye the Churche is not a pertyculer multitude of people in thys or that nacyon onely but of the vniuersall christian multitude in al natioÌ„s realms coÌ„tries through out the whole world As god is not a youÌ„g or a newe god lately sprong vp lykewyse hys sayde spouse mistical body is not yoÌ„g newe and late but of olde antyquyty euen from the beginnynge Wherefore you can in no case excuse your selfes at the dredefull day of Iudgement but the you may well dyscerne the new and late spronge vp scysmatycall churches dissentyng from the vniuersall aunciette coÌ„sent of the vniuersall aunciett congregation of Chrystes faythefulles agreyng constantlye in one faith in one true religion from Chrystes time continually and perseueraÌ„tly to this day and soo wyll contynue to the worldes ende So that it is in you whether that you wyll beleue that late vpstarted anguler and pertyculer Churche of contentious dessention whereof lying Sathan is the hed or the vniuersall aunciett church of vnytye the hed wherof is Chryst who is verytie Whosoeuer wil be partaker of the lyuely sucke sappe descendyng from the lyuely hed Iesus Chryste into hys onely body the catholyke churche and into euerye synguler member thereof Let him not dismeÌ„bre him selfe from that lyuely body by anye kinde of newe doctrine dystrepant from the olde auntiette vnyuersall doctryne receaued from Chryst and his primatiue churche for he that dismeÌ„breth hym selfe from the church dysmembreth himselfe from christ the hed thereof Non tenens caâ—ut ex quo totum corpus per nexus et coniunctiones subministratum et constructum Collo 2. Ephe. 4. crescit in augmentum dei Not hauyng nor holdyng the hed of whom the whole bodi by ioyntes and ioyninges receauyng nurriture and coÌ„pact in one groweth to a godly perfection the whole body is the whole vniuersall Churche the hed is Chryst who is lyfe and the ioyntes wherwith the body is ioyned to the hed Ioh. 14. be faith charitie and the SacrameÌ„ts by whome spyrituall nurryshment and lyfe be deriued into the said vniuersal body the church and to euery member thereof so that consequeÌ„tly he that disseperateth him selfe froÌ„ Christ seperateth hym selfe from lyfe let vs not therfore forsake the vnytye of Chryst hys churche for that holi martyr and excellent clarke S Cipryan sayeth also Hanc vnitatem qui non tenet Cipri de simp pre dei legem non tenet non tenet patris et filij fidem vitam non tenet et salutem He that kepethe not thys vnytie kepeth not the fayth of our father and of hys sone he hath not lyfe and saluation and to th end that we should kepe this vnytye peace and concord we are called into one bodye the Churche as writeth Paule to the Collossyans Collo â— In whose holy lap the vniuersal aunciett coÌ„seÌ„t the sea Apostolyke kepte that aunciette father and incomparable clerke S. Austen as is uydent by this followyng Aug. to 6 in epi. ma ca. 4. quaÌ„ uocant fuÌ„damenti Multa sunt quae me in ecclesie gremio iustissime tenent tenet me consensio populoruÌ„ atque gentiuÌ„ tenet authoritas miraculis inchoata speuutrita charitate aucta uetustate firmata tenet ab ipsa sede petri Apostoli cui pascendas oâ—es suas post resurrectionem suam dominus commendauiâ— usque ad presentem episcopatum successio sacerdotum tenet postremo ipsum catholice nomen quod non sine causa interiam multas hereses sola obtinuit Many thynges saythe Austen there be whych do kepe me in the lappe of the catholike church The consent of the people and nations kepeth me the auctorytie therof begonne by miracles nowrished by hope encreased by charytye confyrmed established by antiquitie kepeth me The successyon of prystes froÌ„ the seate of Peter thappostle vnto whome our Lorde commytted after his resurrection his shepe to be fedde vnto this present Byshoprycke last of all kepeth me the churches name of catholyke bycause not with out matter amonge so manye heresyes she onely hath had the vyctory This obedient chylde of our holy mother the church Saint Austen declareth four pryncypall poyntes which did holde hym in obedience vnto her whych be these consent of al chrystiaÌ„ nations in one faith the antiquitie of the churches aucthoritie and the vniuersalitye of the same sygnifyed by the name of Catholyke yea and the aucthoritie of the sea Apostolyke of Peter froÌ„ whence procedethe the successyon of pryestes in the Church of Chryste agaynste the whyche sea Hel gates hath not preuayled but from Peters tyme to thys day hath contynued the nexte hed vndre Chryst of the catholyke churche and hath stand in the fayth thereof and so shall perseuer to the worldes ende And yet agaynst al other the Apostles seas hel force hath so auailed that it hath theÌ„ subuerted Forasmuch as these fore poyntes dyd kepe Saynt Austen in humble obedience vnto the Churche out of the whyche is no saluatioÌ„ what shal al good chrystyans recken one suche whom the fame nothynge doo moue surelye that they haue Chryst and his Church in contempt and that the spyryte of truthe resydente in the church is with them of no credence yet they know the Church for that that the spyryte of verity is contynuallye resyaunt therin to be called in scrypture the house and temple of God as for examyle An uescitis quod templum dei estis et spiritus dei habitat in uobis 1. Cor. 3. Do not you knowe saythe Paule that you be the temple of God and that the holy gost doth dwell in you WherevppoÌ„ that olde auntyent and excelent clarke LactaÌ„tius Lacta de uera sap li. 4. c. 30 groundyng hymselfe dyd wryght thys folowynge Sola igitur catholica ecclesia est quae uerum cultum retinet hic est fons veritatis hoc est domicilium fidei hoc templum dei quo si quis non intrauerit uel a quo si quis exiuerit aspe uitae ac salutis eterne alienus est It is the onely catholike church whych hath in it the true worshyppinge of god thys is the fountayne of truth this is the mansyon house of faythe thys is the temple of God wherein yf any do not entre or oute of whom yf any do depart he is a strauÌ„ger far distant froÌ„ hope of lyfe and saluation eternall Wherewyth accordethe that holy learned Bysshoppe S. Epiphanius saying Est uia regia sancta dei
A brefe treatyse declaryng what and where the churche is that it is knowen and whereby it is tryed and knowen Made by Iohn Churchson Beati qui habitant in domo tua domine Psal lxxxiii Blessed be they O Lorde that dwell in thy house Anno Dom. 1556. ¶ To the reader MAruayle not gentle reader that I haue attempted to penne this briefe treatyse of the churche a matter of suche importaunce as requyreth a man of muche more readynge knowledge and iudgemente For I haue not made this enterprice of any presumptioÌ„ but of good zeale good mynde and intent trustynge that my well meaned attempt shall ministre occasion to some synguler clerke of notable name calling to his pitiful remembraunce the pitilesse slaughter of no small number of soules thoroughe contagious factions and sectes in this realme to bear vp like as Atlas heauen in the steade of Me a pigmey this weighty cause to perfourme and perfyt the imperfectioÌ„ of this my enterpryce and that this my offred farthynge shal moue some notable man Mat. 12. bountifullye enriched with Goddes treasure to bryng out thereof both new and olde to the aduauncemeÌ„t of this matter Mat. 13. so necessarye to the restitution reparatioÌ„ and mayntenaunce of euangelicall concorde in Christen religion as the sonne fire and water in earth is not the lyke not doutyng but that the trauayle wil be most thankfully taken For no person except a reprobate is so affectionate to vntrueth but that he wylbe at the least indifferent betwene truth and vntruth his owne saluation and dampnation especially yf it be remembred that humayn prayse and paynted flatterye mouynge to the defence of vntrueth be but vanities shall not auayle before oure iuste iudge who wyll iudge not after the face nor accordynge to the fleshe but as is the trueth Iohn 8. For as he deceyueth not so is not he deceiued by any colour countenaunce hypocrysye or faced allegations of scriptures agaynst scripture Ieroni to 4. pagin 374. which consisteth not in the vocables but in the sence vnderstandynge spirituall marowe pyth and kernyll conteined within theÌ„ If we would remember that the seruauntes of God shoulde not be contentious but meke tractable mylde to al persons readye to be taught the truth which is in the catholike church onlye we woulde not seake in the worde of peace concorde and vnitye for scisme diuision and discorde agaynst vnytye but euery of vs woulde make the petition that the manne of God kynge Dauyd â—sal 26. desyrous to lyue in vnitye made saying One thinge I haue desyred of our Lorde and that also I wil requyre which is that I may dwell in the house of our lord all the dayes of my lyfe This house of oure Lorde the house of vnytye is the mylytaunte churche of Christe agaynste whome the lighte harneysed souldiers and foreprickers of Antechryst hath often skirmished to spoyle it yf it myghte be of gods precious verities that Antechryst their generall at his owne personall comming with his hugle army maye haue the lesse to doo the more open way and the frankar en tree to inuade our true messias hym selfe who is the onely marke that his fore renners prickethe at and he hym selfe woll shoate at Wherefore god graunt to euerye factious person repentaunce and turnyng of mynde to truth and to retyre to the vnitie of Chryste his catholyke churche that he maye be in the safe protection of the inuincible hede capytayne thereof Chryste Iesus Wherevnto Godes owne seruaunt our vertuous and gratious Soueraygne Lady the Queene castynge her highnes pitefull eyes vpoÌ„ our late most miserable state hath by the godly assystence of our godlye and Prudente Soueraygne Lorde the kyng restored this her Maiesties Realme consyderyng ryght well suche to be no lesse then infidelles Mat. 10. and publicans by chrystes doctryne whyche doo not humble them selfes to the same for that sayeth Austen that the soule is in the naturall body of man Aug. to 10 serm 186 that is the holy Ghost in the mistycal body of Chryst and that doth the holye Ghoste in the whole Church that the Church doth in al her members of one body and as yf a corporall membre fortune to be cut of from mans Body the soule and lyfe foloweth it not but whereas the member lyued beynge in the body and deuyded losethe lyfe semblablye a chrystyan man is catholyke whyles he lyueth in the bodye of Chryst the catholyke churche but beyng cutte of he is become an heretyke for the spyryte of GOD folowethe not a deuyded member If therefore you wyll lyue of the Holy Ghost kepe charytie loue truth desyre vnytye that you may atteyne to eternytye Thus thys fynyshynge wyth Saynte Austens wordes I commende you to the handes of oure GOD of peace entyerly euen from the pryuye chaÌ„ber of my harte desyryng you to reade thys lyttle boke with indifferent eyes and desyre of christian concord so I wyshe you dayly encrease of godlye vertue and knowledg with most harty farewel in our sauiour Iesus Chryst the Churche FOr asmuche as of late tyme manye dyuerse scismes sectes and heresies haue sprong vp in the churche of our sauiour Iesus Chryst where with the same onely churche hath bene most contentiously disquieted most cruelly inuaded and as it wer most piteously rented and defaced to the extreame perdition and distruction of innumerable soules boughte not with corruptible gold and syluer but with the mooste precious bloud of the immaculate lambe our sauiour christ especiallye in this realme of England I thought it ryght necessarye to declare vnto you with no lesse breuitie than the matter wyl suffer wherevnto you maye and shoulde constantly cleaue for the sure vpholdyng and continuall maintenaunce of your true fayth agaynst the fradulent thrustyng fourthe of scismaticall and erronious opinions That ye shal vnderstaÌ„d to be the parmaneÌ„t word of god the catholike churche 1. Tim 3 which is the house of god the piller fyrme foundation of truethe as writeth the apostle Paule The churche I adde vnto the wrytten worde of GOD because the sayde worde for hys profundite bountifull sence is not to be expounded by the priuate interpretation of thys or that priuate brayne 1. Pet 1. but by the vniuersall interpretation of the vniuersall churche inspired with the holy gost bicause it is most playne the churche to be the faythfull keper of the scryptures 1. Tim â— Rom. 3. concredited and coÌ„mitted vnto her custodye bycause also that Chryst Mat. 29 Ioh. 14.16 who is trueth promised him selfe and his spirite of trueth to be resyaunt and resident in the catholyke churche to teach it all the trueth not for a day a moneth a yeare or two but perpetually and continually euen to the worldes ende and therefore onelye mete to whome the interpretation of goddes worde shoulde be committed and to whose onely iudgements and determinations in all controuersyes of religion we shoulde fastly stand
ipso nomine ostenderent quia per totum est secuÌ„dum totum enim catholon grece dicitur A question is amonge vs wher the church is whether it be among vs or amonge them meanyng the donatystes the whych churche truely is one the whych our forefathers named catholyke that they by the verye name it selfe myghte declare that it is through all for thys worde Catholon is in greke expressed in and by all the whole This of AusteÌ„ teacheth the holy church to be called catholyke of the forefathers to s Austen Aug. to 2 epi 170 that by that very vocable we myghte vnderstande the same not to be affyxed or tyed to anye one Realme nation or people but to extend to al men of euery countrye excludynge no man that doth communycate in chrystes one fayth and one baptysme whiche agreeth to the holy kyng and prophete Dauyd postula a me et dabo tibi gentes hereditateÌ„ tuam et possessioneÌ„ tuam termi nos terre Aske of me sayeth the heauenlye father to his onelye sonne our sauiour Iesus christ and I wyl giue to the nations to thyne inheretaunce and for thy possessioÌ„ the extreame borders of the worlde consonant to Dauid is this of Christ himselfe Math. 8. Multi ab oriente et occidente uenient et recumbent cum Abraham Isaac Iacob in regno celorum Many shal come from the East and from the West whyche shall reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kyngedome of heauen Euthimius Euthimius a greke author vp on thys texte sayeth That by East and West is signifyed all places of the vniuersall worlde soo that of all the partes of the whole world there be that do obeye the Gospell taught by the Apostles their successours whych hath doth and shal witnes with mouthe or penne the catholyke faythe vnto the furthesse people of the worlde accordyng to Chryst Actes 1. hys sayinge vnto them you shall wytnesse me in Ierusalem in all Iurye in all Samary and so fourthe to the vttermoste partes of the Earth By thys Scryptures it is most playne the holy churche to be catholike and vniuersall and not perticuler as in England or any other partyculer realme or countrye and therefore the Apostles taught it and named it catholyke saying I beleue the holy catholike Churche whyche is the coÌ„munyon and felowshype of sayntes Vincent Lirinens that is to say of catholikes as expounded it Vincentius Lirinensis aboue a leuen hundred yers past bycause the church extendeth to all partes vniuersallye of the whole world By Paule also it is euydent that the churche is vniuersall saying Rom. 10 Non est distinctio iudci et grecae There is no difference betwene the I we and the gentle Act. 10. And by Petre. Non est personarum acceptor deus sed in omni gente qui timet deum et operatur iustitiam acceptus est â—lli God doth not partially accept men nor is an affectionat estemer of persones but he that feareth hym and worketh ryghteousnes is accepted of hym in al and euery nation and place so that no countrye Prosp â—t cap. 29 excludeth from God any person fearyng hym for as Ioseph made barnes throughout all Egypte to laye therein their whete not moueable with euery wynde euen so Chryste our Lorde and gouernor dyd consecrate hys churche thoroughe the wholle worlde therin to place his faythefull constant and immoueable in all stormes of temptations moued agaynst the materyall poynte of chrysten relygioÌ„ Bye the barnes the churche is signifyed bye all egypte Prosper all the worlde is represented sayth prosperus whereby it is enforced the holye churche to be catholycke and vniuersal that is to saye to streatche into euerye realme regyon and natyon of this worlde Wherewith that singular doctor S. Austen makethe most manyfestlye Ecclesia est corpus Christi capitis Augu in Psal 57. non ista aut illa sed toto orbe diffusa The church is the body of Chryst the hed therof not this or that church but the churche whiche is defunded and spred abroade all the world It is to be marked that the churche whych is the misticall body of Chryst is not a perticuler Churche included in this or that corner but a catholyke congregation spreddyng abroade her beames braunches into all nations for thys purpose maketh fully also this notable saying of Saynt Austen folowynge Credimus sâ—nctâ—m ecclesiam catholicam Au. to 10 sermo de temp 181 sciendum est quod ecclesâ—am credere non tamen in Ecclesiam credere debemus Quia ecclesia non est deus sed domus dei est catholicam dicit toto orbe diffusam quia diuersorum hereticorum ecclesiae ideo catholice non dicuntur quia perloca atque suas quasque prouincias continentur hec uero a solis orâ—u vsque ad occasum fidei splendore diffunditur We beleue the holye catholyke churche we should learne the churche to be but not beleue in the church for the churche is not God but the house of God catholyke he calleth it because it is spredde throughe al the worlde For the conuenticles of oure aduersaunt heretikes are not for that called catholyke because they are conteyned within certeyne perticuler places and theyr owne seuerall prouynces but thys churche stretcheth from the risynge of the sonne to the goynge downe of the Sonne with the splendeÌ„t and shyning lyghte of one fayth As bye the interpretation of this worde catholyke s AusteÌ„ teacheth vs where the churche is that is the churche to be in all places of the worlde euen frome the east to the west so he teacheth the vnleafull assemblyes of heretikes to be but in anguler places and seueral prouynces Wherefore they be not the catholyke churche of Christe but the malignaunte churche of Sathan The places also named by Peter in the Actes as Pontus Galatia Capadotia Asia Bithinia Phrigia Pamphilia Mesopotamia Egypt the partes of Lybye c. And Smurna Pergamus Sardis Thiatris Philadelphie Laodicea the Ephesians to whome S. Iohn dyd wryte the Apocalypse The Romaynes Corynthes Galathians Ephesians Philippians Collocensians Thessalonians Hebrues to whom Paule dydde wryghte The dispersed tribes to whome Iames dyd wryte The people dyspersed as strauÌ„gers at Pontus Galathians Capados Asie Bythinie vnto whom Peter dydde wryte do testifye the church to be catholyke and vnyuersall and vniuersally to extend into al realmes regions nations prouinces and countreyes throughe the whole vniuersall worlde and therefore to be not in this or that countreye onely but to be in all the worlde to the vttermost people of the four partes thereof Psal 18. For the sounde of the Apostles and preachers went into al landes and their wordes into the endes of the worlde Therfore I may well conclude with Austens saying folowynge Sicut per uerba dei nouimus ubi sit plantatus paraâ—isus Aug to 7 â—ont lite petil li. 2 sic â—er uerba Christi ubi
quos sanctos maiores ac patres nostros celebrasse manifestum est Yf that we do by no meanes go backe from those vnderstaÌ„dinges iudgementes whom it is playne our holy aunciettours and forefathers to haue preached and publyshed Of the same antiquitie Saint Paule admonyshed the Corrinthians saying If any man appeare to be contentious he must vnderstand that we haue no such custome nor the church of God whereby it is mooste playne that the church of God in S. Paules tyme dyd much and highly esteame customes how much more then shoulde auncient customes prescryptions and traditions deryued deduced brought from chrystes primatyue Church to the next age and so froÌ„ age to age contynuallye vntyll thys present be much estemed earnestly embraced and reuerentlye obeied of vs in these latter daies wherein many arroganthedes are desyrous of neuer receiued doctrines procedyng of proud singularitie coÌ„trary to our euer approued and r eceyued doctryne religion customes prescriptions and traditions euen from the begynnyng The whych Saint Iherome hauing in muche remembraÌ„ce sayd reuerentlye Ieron ad Oceanuâ— et panâ—â— â—llam senex tenebo fidem in qua puer natus sum I being an olde man wyl kepe that fayth that I a chylde was borne in knowyng ryght well not onely vnyuersalytie but also antyquytie of the vnyuersall Doctryne and relygion to be a sure and an vndouted token of the catholyke Churche and therefore he dyd wryght vnto Theophilus Scito nobis nihilessâ— antiquius quam nec Christi iura Ihero in Theophilum nec patrum transire terminos Knowe thou O Theophile nothyng to be vnto vs more acceptable than not to transgresse passe the lawes of Chryst and the determinations of our forefathers Galat. 1. And no merueyle for Paule hym selffe called immedyatlye by Christ and bountifully breathed wyth the Holye ghoste asceÌ„ded to IherusaleÌ„ to know hys auncyettes and predycesoures the apostles Galat. 2. and to consulte wyth them leste he hadde renne in vayne that is to saye lest he had not beleued as they beleued and had not preached Tertulli contra Merchio nem li. 9. as they preached Forasmuch as Paule so notable Apostle and the chosen vessell of Chryste dyd soo muche esteame the aucthoritie of hys aunciettes with the whyche he desyred to aduauÌ„ce his faith preachinge howe much more then shall it become vs ignorauÌ„tes and graceles in comparison to obeye and folowe the vniuersall antiquitie of the catholyke doctryne an infallible sygne of the catholike Church And not to enclyne to a Doctryne neuer receyued nor practysed in Chryst hys vniuersall church but in all ages and in al countryes professing Christ iustly condempned for heresye Therefore most plaine it is the late Doctryne heare in Englande not to be a sounde but a corrupte Doctryne not catholyke not vniuersal but partyculer and pertiall not acknoledged nor knowen but straunge to Chryst his auncient catholyke Church the onely treasure house of GOD and of the ryght wourshyppyng of God Here bicause I wold be loth to be tedious I wyll surcease to speake any more of antyquyty and procede to the declaration of the thyrde sygne whych is vnytie Vnitie Where is not consent vnytie and agreament in doctryne there is scisme diuision and heresye Wherefore the catholyke Churche whereof Chryst is the hed who is oure peace Ephes 2 and hath made of bothe Iues and gentyles before dyuyded in relygion one bodye is not a myshapen confused disordered multitude but it is a conuocation moste ordrelye shapen of moste consonant ordre and proportion and that of beleauyng people vnyted and lyncked togyther in one religion of our Sauyour Chryste by one fayth and his visyble sacramentes Aug. â—oÌ„t Faust lib 9. ca. 11. and therefore the Apostle Paule taught the Corynthyans broughte then by false teachers into scysme to embrace vnytye saying Obsecro uos per nomen domini nostri Iesu Christi 1. Cor. 1. ut id ipsum dicatis omnes non sint in nobis scismata sitis autem perfecti in eodem sensu et in eadem sententia I exhorte you in the name of our lorde Iesus Chryst that ye all saye one thynge and that there be no scismes among you but be ye perfect in one sence one mynde The same vnytye Paule teacheth by the similytude of a corporall body which as it is compact of many members in such a harmonye that ther is mutual coÌ„munion participatioÌ„ of coÌ„meÌ„ mutual nurriture coÌ„moditi helth among them euen so the mystycall body of our Sauyoure Iesu the Churche is knytte together in one spyrytuall socyetye wyth suche a vnytye that there is a common and a mutuall participation of the whole mystycall body the vniuersal church in those spyrytuall thynges whyche be spyrytual nurriture of the soules in chrystian relygyon vnto the atchyuynge of lyfe eternall scysme and contentioÌ„ be so contrary vnto the vnytye of Chrystes Churche that Paule dyd wryte vnto the Corynthyans beyng in diuisyon and contention these wordes ensuyng 1. Co. 11 Si quis autem uidetur contentiosus esse nos talem consuetudinem non habemus neque ecclesia dei Yf any man do appeare to be contentious he must knowe that we haue no suche custome nether the church of God Note here that contention concernyng faythe and chrysten life is not among the catholykes the vniuersall congregation of God accustomed to vnitie and not to contentious diuisioÌ„ And therfore we reade in scrypture Deus qui inhabitare facit vnanimes in domo Psa 67. It is god whych maketh people of one mynd to dwel in his house whych is the Catholike Churche Wherby it is most manyfeste that scysme diuysion and conteÌ„tyon be manyfest sygnes of the vnleafull assembles of heretykes and vnity the most vndouted and manyfest token of the leafull and godly congregation of faythfulles the whych vnitie plainlie to declare the scriptures affyrme to be but one church as ye maye reade in the genesis Gene. 6. We had but one arcke the expresse fygure of the church therfore Chryste hath but one churche that the veryty maye aunswer the figure Also in the seconde booke of Moyses it is written Cipri de coena domini In vna domo commeditur agnus The lambe shal be eaten in one house the which house Saint Cypryan vnderstandeth to be the churche saying Vna domus est ecclesie in qua agnus editur There is one house of the churche in the whych the lambe is eaten The lyke saying hath S. Austen addynge vnto Churche this worde Cotholyke which is thys In una domo agnus comeditur Aug. de sermo de uigil pen tec. quia in una ecclesia catholica uera hostia redemptoris immolatur The lambe is eaten in one house bycause the true and very hoste and oblation of our redemer is offered in one catholyk Church Thus Saynt Austen teacheth to be but one churche and the same to