the corruption of the Churche see Isaiah 1. verse 21. to the 24. verse Isaiah Isaiah 3. ver 8.9 Isaiah 5.13 Isaiah 30. ver 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. ver 10. vnto the 15. ver 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 22. ver 3. vnto the end of the Chapter Ezechiel 33. ver 24. vnto the 30. Deuteron 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. ver 47. Isaiah 43. ver 21. vnto the end of the chapter Isaiah 17. ver 10.11 Isaiah 63. ver 9.10 Ieremiah 2. ver 6.9.21.22 Ieremiah Ieremiah 12. ver 7. Ezechiel 16. ver 15. Ezechiel vnto the 24. ver Zechariah 11. ver 8. Zechariah vnto the end of the Chapter Deuteronomie 32. Deuteron ver 15.18.23 Hosea 12. ver 1.9 Hosea 13. Hosea 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 6. 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. Ieremiah ver 24.29 vnto the 33. ver Ieremiah 5. ve 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 end 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. Ezechiel 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 throughout the whole Chapter Hosea 5. ver 4. Amos 4. Amos. ver 6. vnto the end of the Chapter Zephaniah 3. Zephaniah Zechariah Prouerbs ver 5. Zechariah 7. ver 11. vnto the end Prouerbs 1. ve 24. vnto the end Matth. 11. Matthew ver 16.17.21 and so vnto the 25. ver Matth. 12. ver 41.42 Matth. 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 be aboue the holie scripture that is to say whether the holy scripture depend of the iudgement and authoritie of the Church THE Church indeede hath a very great authoritie among men in so much as it behooueth 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 shee ought alwayes to bee subiect vnto him as vnto her husband head and teacher And therfore this is an article which we must hold inuiolable and without breach to wit that the Church ought to depend and hang on Christ and his word and to haue her authoritie from the same word and not on the other side that the worde of Christ should depend and hang vpon the credite and authoritie therof from the Church Notwithstanding many are found which 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 holie scripture hath no more certaintie and authoritie than it pleaseth the Church that by her allowance and consent it shall haue And these be the Romish Catholikes who speake of the Church after this manner giuing it authoritie ouer aboue the word of God to make men to beleeue that what so euer it decreeth determineth and concludeth we must hold her iudgement sentence and resolution as a certaine oracle comming from heauen and to be short as an article of our beliefe And beholde their reasons for this The first reason The Church by her iudgement hath brought to passe that the holie scripture hath bene acknowledged for the true word of God and hath distinguished separated and sundered it from al all other writings what so euer which men haue published and brought into the world For who is it that in the beginning hath assured vs that the holie 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 iudgemēt 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 Church the word 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 Aug. de assumpt virg Mar◠cap. 1. The authoritie of the trueth saith he is fruitfull and plentifull and if she be diligently examined men shall finde that of her selfe she maketh her selfe to be sufficiently knowne Alfonsus de Cast li. 1. ca. 8. cont haereses Wherefore Alfonsus de Castro hath sometimes saide seeing that the holie scripture is come foorth from GOD it hath of it selfe alreadie deserued that we should giue trust vnto it and beleeue it And when the Church publisheth this that it is giuen by God she doth wholie euen as a witnesse which beareth witnesse to some thing So that the trueth of the scriptures is certain not bicause of the witnesse but by reason of it selfe and the credite it hath and not bicause the church receiueth it and publisheth it but bicause that GOD hath giuen it and made the same manifest vnto vs. Besides is this a small matter that we haue the testimonie of the holie spirite dwelling in our hearts Ioh. 16.13 1. Ioh. 2 27. It is saide that it is his peculiar office to guide and leade vs into all trueth and to teach vs all things Wherevpon it followeth that he teacheth vs this trueth that the holie scripture is of God and from him 2. Cor. 2.12 It is saide moreouer that we haue receiued the spirite of God that we
might knowe the thinges that are giuen to vs of God 2. Cor. 2.14 Also that the things of the spirite of God are spiritually discerned that is to say by the efficacie mouing and working of the holie spirite Wherefore it followeth that the holie spirite teacheth vs and maketh vs to discerne betwene these bookes which we 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 bicause that heretikes oftentimes bragge that they haue the spirit of God which they haue not indeed and we knowe howe they haue alwayes indeuoured to make their doctrines of authoritie and credite through their inward reuelations which they haue imagined to proceed from the holie Ghost But we can easily aunswere this to wit that in this matter we can easily auoyde al daunger if we vse and followe the remedies which S. Iohn doth furnish vs withal 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 word of God as we 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 he saith thus Many boast of the spirit Chrysost de sanct adorand spiritu but they which bring any thing of their owne doe falsly pretend the same As Christ witnessed that he spake not of him selfe bicause that his doctrine was taken out of the lawe and Prophets 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 accomplishment and fulfilling of the lawe and Prophetes so is the holie Ghost of the Gospell But how can we by this way or meane discerne and knowe the spirites that is to say whether the doctrine which they shall propound and set foorth vnto vs be from the holie Ghost 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 Ioh. 7.18 For as Iesus Christe saith He that seeketh the glorie of God is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him Secondly if it be conformable and agreeable Rom. 12.6 to the proportion of faith that is to say if it agree and accord well with the heads foundations of Christian religion whereof we haue spoken more largely heretofore in the fourth Chapter The second thing that I aunswere touching the foresaide reason of the Romish Catholikes is that the consequence thereof is not necessarie neither well grounded when they say that the Church yeldeth testimonie to the word of God and doth commend the same vnto vs that therefore the certaintie and authoritie of the worde of God dependeth vpon the authoritie iudgement of the Church For as we haue but a little while agoe alledged out of Alfonsus de Castro The word of God is certaine not by reason of the Church which beareth witnesse thereof but bicause of it selfe and his owne credite The Apostles yelded testimonie Ioh. 15.17 Act. 1.8 and bare witnesse of Iesus Christ And who is he that will therefore say that Iesus Christe his authoritie doth depend 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 he therefore by his triall 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 be published and proclamed 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 be interpreteth it according to the Kings intent and meaning But doth the parliament for al this cause it or make it to be the Kings lawe Doth it giue authoritie to it Hath it any authoritie to chaunge any thing in it or to add 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 word of God yet it can not at any hande giue it authoritie as to say that the certaintie of the word of God hangeth vpon the authoritie and iudgement of the Church For when the Church acknowledgeth and alloweth the word of God and doth put a difference betweene it the doctrines and inuētions of men she doth no other thing but heare the voice of her pastor Ioh. 10.5 discerneth knoweth it frō the voice of a stranger Nowe there is great difference betweene discerning the Pastors voice from astrangers and adding authoritie credit thereto bringing to passe and that according to trueth 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 notwithstanding there was a Church Wherfore it followeth that the authoritie of the church is aboue the authoritie of the holie scripture First and formost I aunswere that the consequence of this argument is none at all For graunt it that one thing be more auncient and olde than an other 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 Gospell 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 world there was no scripture which the father 's vsed yet for all that the word of God ceased not to be bicause it was written and ingrauen in the fathers hearts and moreouer sounded verie clearely in the Church which word was in good time brought and committed to writing first by Moses and afterwards by others and therevpon called the holie scripture wherefore seeing that the holie scripture and Gods word is nothing but one and the selfe same thing it followeth verie well that if our first fathers haue had the word of God they haue had also in substance the holie scriptures Aug. cont epist fundamen cap. 5. The third reason S. Augustine hath saide I would not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Catholike Church did not moue
15. for he is a chosen vessel vnto me to beare my name before the Gentiles and Kinges and the children of Israel Which is a matter worthie to bee noated to the ende that we shoulde carefully looke vnto our selues that we take not vppon vs to iudge of any man rashlie and before the time CHAP. III. Of the visible Church and of the true markes thereof THe visible Church is the cōpanie of all those who by the preaching of the Gospell are called to be of Christs flock as indeed 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 Lorde Lord Math. 13.24 Matth. 7.21 Matt. 20.16 shal not enter into the kingdom of heauē Also that many are called but few are chosen Also by that Saint Paul saith Rom. 9.6 that all they which are of Israel are not therefore Israel 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 would haue continued with vs. We haue an example hereof in Iudas as Iesus Christ himselfe witnesseth the same in Saint Ioh. Here then we haue to marke this Iohn 6.70.13.18 that the outward profession of Christan religion is not sufficient to saluation Furthermore this Church is knowen by her own proper marks which are two verie principall and substantiall The first is the pure preaching of the worde 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 gentiles haue had their seruices hymnes songes praises vnto their Gods The Iewes haue the barke or huske of the lawe and their own Thalmude The Turkes haue the Alcoran of their Mahumet and the heretikes also boast thēselues of the doctrin of the Gospell and yet all these are false signes or markes But the true church hath for her first and principall marke the worde of God purely preached to the which the church consenteth conformeth hir selfe as we proue it plainely by these places of scripture Iohn 10.27 Iesus Christ saith My sheepe heare my voyce and I knowe them and they followe mee And Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2.20 you are saith he builded vppon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christe himselfe being the cheife corner stone And indeede if this be true as of necessitie it must needes be that by the Scriptures wee are brought to the knowledge of Christ as Christ himselfe affirmeth Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures diligently for they are they which beare witnesse of me ought we not then by the same scriptures to be guided and leade to the knowledge of the true and right Church This matter the auncient fathers respected when they taught the the true Church ought to shewe and declare it selfe by the holy scriptures as Saint Augustine saying There is great disputation betweene vs and the Donatistes Contra pitilia cap. 2. to knowe where the Church is What is then that we haue to doe herein Shall we search it out in our owne wordes or rather in the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christe the head thereof verily we ought rather to seeke for it in the wordes of him that is trueth and knoweth very well his owne body For the Lord knoweth them that be his And againe 2. Tim. 2.19 Cont. Pitili cap. 3. Aug. epist 166. I will not shew or declare the Church by the doctrine of men but by the word of God Also by the scriptures saith he we haue learned Christ by the scriptures likewise we haue learned to knowe the Church We haue these scriptures common amongest vs wherefore then doe we not retaine and holde in them both Christ and his Church And Chrysostome saith Supr Matth. exposit 2. Homil. 49. cap. 24. He that will knowe which is the true Church of Christ by what meane can he knowe it in such and so great a confusion of outward shewe if it be not onely by the scriptures Lib. 2. de Iacob cap. 7. Saint Ambrose saith also The true and Catholike Church is there where GOD him selfe appeareth and speaketh to his seruantes by his owne worde The other marke of the Church is the lawfull administration of sacraments Cont. Faustū Manich. lib. 9. cap. 11. Saint Augustine hath sometimes saide that men can not vnite or knit them selues together in any religion what so euer be 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 holie supper And therevnto must be referred that which Saint Augustine saith The Lorde hath vnited or knit together the newe people that is Ad inquisit Ianuar. ca. 1. the people vnder the newe Testament by the sacraments 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 doth in like sort rightly teach vs this when he saith first of baptisme 1. Cor. 12.13 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 bicause we al are partakers of one and the selfe same breade meaning thereby that these two sacraments are in such sort 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 amongst the Romish Catholiks THese then are the two certaine and infallible markes of the true Church by which men must examine all assemblies that pretend the name and title of the Church least otherwise they be seduced and deceiued Wherfore if a man will knowe 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 behoue 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 way
and lawfull succession of the chaire or place is on our side For there the ordinarie Bishops haue receiued the Gospell and preach it so that we shall not neede to dispute of their vocation no more then for the calling of the Priestes which are at this present in the Romish Church called by the Pope but euen only of their doctrine CHAP. VI. That the Church hath bene alwayes from the beginning is now and shall be euen vnto the worlds end but that it ought not to be esteemed or acknowledged by the great number WE must not thinke that the Churche had her beginning where the Apostles began to preach the gospel throughout all the world at which time the disciples were first named Christians in Antiochia but that she began to be in the world euē from the verie time of our first parents Adam and Heuah For in them and by thē God began to be serued on the earth hauing blessed them and cōmended vnto thē his seruice and after their fall hauing preached vnto them repentance and assurance of victorie against the serpent through Iesus Christ his sonne But the world increasing the Church also was augmented seruing God For as S. Paul saith God created the world Act. 17.26 hath made of one bloud al men that they might seeke and serue him And he himselfe saith in Isaiah This people haue I formed for my selfe Isai 43.21 they shall rehearse and shewe foorth my praise GOD then created in the worlde and that from the beginning a Church thorough free adoption to this ende that his name might be duely praised by conuenient fit and meet witnesses for so excellent a worke For this cause also the Church is called the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Isai 61.3 Isaiah 61.3 Moreouer this Church notwithstanding the sharpe and hard persecutions which it hath suffred hath not yet ceased alwayes to be as it is at this present and shal be vnto the worldes end For as Dauid saith The Lord hath chosen Sion Psa 132.13 c. that is to say the church and hath desired it for his seat it hath bene saith he my rest for euer Matt. 28.20 Iesus Christ also hath promised his disciples to be with them alwayes euen vnto the end of the world But chiefly Saint Paul hath declared and set out the perpetuitie and continuance of the Church when he 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 which limit the continuance of the Church to a certaine time as those of whome Saint Augustine speaketh August de ciuitat Dei lib. 18. ca. 54 who durst boldly affirme that the christian religion should not last but 365. yeares They likewise doe abuse and deceiue themselues which thinke that by the assaults which they giue vnto the Church they are able to beate it downe consume it wholy take it away out of the world for is it possible that God should be without a Church Psal 100.1 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 short amongest so manie and so diuerse chaunges of the kingdomes of this worlde God alwayes preserueth his Church and bringeth to passe that nothing in al the world is durable and perpetuall but she not that she is alwayes florishing or hath a continuance which followeth al by one threede that is commeth altogether but because that God not minding that his name shoulde be put out in the worlde doeth alwayes in his Church raise vp some of whome he is sincerely and purely serued Nowe when the question is to discerne the true Church from the false some there are that stay themselues vpō 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 Matt. 18.20 He loueth his faithful people keepeth himselfe in the middest of them although they be a verie small number on the otherside 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 marke the places of scripture which withdrawe vs from the multitude and teache vs to stay and cleaue to the little flocke Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not followe a multitude to doe euill neither agree in a controuersie to decline after many and to ouerthrowe the trueth Matth. 7.13.14 Enter in at the straite Gate for it is the wide gate and broad way which leadeth to destruction many ther be which go in thereat because the gate is straite and the way narrowe that leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that find it Feare not litle flocke Luk. 12.32 for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome Wee see by these places that the greatest number is not alwayes the best neyther the soundest and that the Church of God is founde rather amongest the small number then among the multitude Secondly let vs note the reasons following which are taken frō examples that we finde in the scripture touching this verie matter On which side was the Church Gene. 7.1 Heb. 11.7 when Noah alone with his litle familie which 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 Church 1. Kin. 19.10 when Elijah saide O Lord the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenant they haue destroyed thine Altars and slaine 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 ◠King 22.8 and Michaiah being alone and contēned did yet notwithstanding resist them and speake the trueth On which side was the Church when Ieremiah was sent frō God to say Iere. 4.9 In that day the heart of the king shall perishe and the heart of the princes and of the priestes shall bee astonished Iere. 10.18 and the Prophetes shall wonder and that therefore the Prophetes resisted him layed crimes vnto his charge and imagined mischeife against him On which side was the Church when the chiefe Priestes and scribes