Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 1. may bee said to be without spot because it is washed and purged by the blood of Christe and without wrinkle because it is clothed with the righteousnesse of Christe by the imputation of whose righteousnesse wee are at Gods handes both absolued and sanctified 24 The Church of Rome hath and may erre BEholde the bountifulnesse and seueritie of GOD towardes them Rom. cha 11. verse 22. whiche haue fallen seuerytye but towardes thee bountifulnes if thou continue in his bountifulnes or else thou also shalt be cut off If the Churche of Rome could not erre why should Paul write this Lib. 1. cont Marcionem Tertullian makes mention of alters dedicated to vnknowen gods which he calleth the Idolatrie of the Athenians and to vncertaine gods which he calleth the superstition of the Romanes Hormisda a Bishoppe of Rome in a writing of his to the Bishops of Spayne maketh this matter very cleare The sum of his wordes is this Dearely beloued let vs pray without ceasing that we may cleaue soundly vnto Christ and not forsake him least we be iustly forsakē of him If Saint Pauls doctrine in the Epistle to the Romaines be sounde whereof none that feare God doth make any question then the popishe Church whiche holdes many thinges disagreeing from that Epistle is not free from errour Let the questions of iustification election freewill obedience to the Magistrate be considered Besids their spoyling Christ of his priesthood and Gods people of the cup in the Lordes supper their transubstantiation a number of grosse absurdities which they hold are manifest demonstrations of the erring of the Popishe Church 25 They may not bee accompted Schismatikes which forsake the Church of Rome If any Church giue ouer the trueth of Gods religion wee must forsake that Church that we be not infected with that leprosie and yet wee may not be accompted Schismatikes for men are then Schismatikes when they depart from the true Church and doctrine not when they returne from errour to trueth He is a Schismatike whiche is the cause of schisme and not hee which beginneth the separation euen like as he whiche denieth the lawe is the cause of the processe and not he which first began The Protestantes haue not forsaken Siō but Babylon not Bethel but Bethauen they haue not erected Alter against Alter Aug. epi. 162. as Ieroboam and the Donatistes did but they haue cast the Alter of Damascus out of the Lordes house and haue restored the true worship of God 26 The Church must bee built vpon the word of God Ephe. chap. 2. verse 19.20 NOwe therefore yee are no more straungers and forreiners but Citizens with the Saintes and of the housholde of GOD and are built vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christe him selfe beeyng the chiefe corner stone c. If the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles be the foundation of the church howe can the Church stande if the doctrine be remoued and howe can the doctrine continue without sounde teachers and what hart canne they haue to teache when they want maintenance Shal they which bee noble mens and gentlemens gardiners huntsmen be bountifully prouided for of their Lordes and Maisters charge and shall not they which are fitte to attende vpon the Lords vine field garden orchard haue allowance of the churches charge If this soare be not looked vnto many students of diuinitie must of force betake them selues to some other course for men must liue and to go a begging is a point next the worse and a very vnfit occupation for a learned student in diuinitie The Gospell and spirite of life Iren. lib. 3. cap. 1.11 is the foundation and piller of the Church They which wil build Gods Churche without the foundation of the word build with vntempered morter for Gods word is the life of the Church Obiection The Church was before the worde of God therefore it is not built vpon the word of God Answere The argument followes not I confesse that Gods Church in the beginning as for example Adam Abel Enos Noe Sē Abraham and many other of Gods children was before Gods word was put in writing but Gods church was not before Gods word For if the Church be an assemblie of the faithful the mē cānot be called faithful wtout faith that faith cannot consist without the woorde of God it is a necessarie consequent that Gods woorde was before Gods Church Gene. 4. Heb. 11. Abell sacrificed vnto almightie God by faith Therefore Gods expresse woorde was his direction for faith hath relation to no other thing The difference of cleane and vncleane beasts is mentioned in Genesis before the flood Gece 7. but this difference could not bee vnderstanded but by the voyce of almightie God Noe after his comming out of the Arke offered a burnt offering this sacrifice of Noe pleased God therefore it is a good consequent that Noe had Gods worde to direct him for no wilworshippe did euer please God Obiection 1. Tim. 3. verse 15. The Church is the piller and grounde of trueth therefore the worde is not the foundation of the Church Answere It followes not and the Church is therefore called the piller and grounde of the trueth because amongst men it vpholdeth and retayneth Gods trueth 17 The Church is knowne by the worde of God SEarch the Scriptures Iohn chap. 5. ver 39. they testifie of mee saith Christ We knowe Christ by the Scriptures therefore we knowe the Church by the Scriptures This consequent is very good and is framed thus by Augustine In the Scriptures wee haue learned Christ Epist 166. saith Augustine in the Scriptures we haue learned the Church And a little after where we haue knowne Christ meaning in the scriptures there we haue knowen the Church which sentence he repeateth very often in that epistle The Donatists said that Christs church remained only in Africke Epist 166. but Augustine telles them that their warrant is not taken out of the lawe or the Prophete or the Psalme or the Apostle or Euangelist but out of their owne heartes and cauils of their progenitors by which words it is euident that the Churche is knowne and must be shewed by the worde of God We seeke the Church in the holy scriptures Aug. devnita Eccle. cap. 2. Epist 48. and in the same scriptures we doe manifestly knowe the Church 28 Iesus Christ alone is the foundation of his Church OTher foundation can no man laye then that which is laid 1. Cor. 3. ver 11. which is Iesus Christ Thus saith the Lord God behold I wil lay in Sion a stone Esai 28. ver 16 1. Pet. chap. 2 verse 6. a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation that is Iesus Christ so doth the Apostle Peter expounde it Yee are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophetes Ephe. chap. 2. ver 20. Iesus Christ himself being
the true Churche neither is euery discorde a sure argument of a false Church THe Iewes which thinke that the Messias is not yet come haue had vnity many yeres but their consent proues thē not to be Gods Church Acts 19. Demetrius the siluer smith his company in Ephesus were at great vnity for the vpholding of Diana against S. Pauls preaching but that vnity was no argument that they were Gods Church Apoc. cap. 14. ver 8. The Angel saith that Babylon made all nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Therefore the generall consent and vnity of al nations in religion doth not make a true religion The Arrians Nestorians Eutichians the blasphemous Heretikes of the family of loue haue doe consēt in their blasphemous opinions but this consent of theirs prooues them not to be the true Church of God Vnity in the essential points of Gods religion is an infallible argument of the Church of God Euery discord is not an argument of a false church 1. Cor. 1. 11. cha There were dissentions in the church of Corinth and yet God had his church at Corinth The Bishops whiche were assembled in the Nicene counsell against Arrius were at greate variance Notwithstanding they were Gods seruants The East West Churches were greatly deuided about the feast of Easter and yet they were the Churches of God Acts 15 Galat. 2. Aug. Epist 9. There was hot stirre betweene Paule Barnabas betweene Paule Peter betweene Augustine Hierome yet all these were Gods seruants Gods truth sometimes deuideth the faithfull amongest themselues Iohn chap. 6. ver 66. Christes sermon that his flesh was the true meate was an vndoubted truth yet it made a partition between the twelue the other which beleeued in Christ I confesse that Gods spirite is the spirite of peace vnitie This spirit should wholly possesse vs if we were wholly regenerate But the best men are shorte of that 19 Multitude is not an infallible argument of Gods Church Gen. 7. 1. King 19. 22. chap. IN the times of Noe Elias Micheas c. The greater part was the woorse part when the x. tribes did set thēselues against the tribe of Iuda Gods Churche was in Iuda Except the Lord of hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a small remnant we should haue beene as Sodome Esay 1. ver 9 and should haue beene like vnto Gomorrha Whereby it is manifest that Gods Church was very little and that the greater number was the worse Enter in at the straight gate for it is the wide gate broade way that leeadeth to destruction many there be which go in thereat because the gate is straight the way narrow that leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that find it Mat. 7. ver 13.14 If the multitude had byn an argumēt of the Church Christes speech were not to be liked of Christ calles his flocke a little flock Christ himselfe was condemned to death by the greater number of the Iewes Luke 12. Math. 27. It is saide that Satan deceiueth all the worlde Apo 12. and 20. As the greater number is no sure proofe of the Church if they haue not the markes of the Church amongest them so is not the lesse number an argument of Gods church vnlesse they haue the essentiall markes of Gods Church amongest them if they may be come by 20 The Church is not to bee measured by the externall shewe Reioyce thou barren Gal. 4. that bearest no children c If the Apostle out of the prophet Esay call the Churche barren it is a good lesson to teache vs not to measure the church alwaies by the outwarde shew Esay 53. Christe the bridegrome was so afflicted that hee had neither forme nor beautie When the Churches case is such we must remember that it is Christes spouse When the Israelites were in captiuitie at Babylon Ezec. chap. 11 ver 15.16 Gods Churche was in Chaldaea as in a dungeon albeit they which remained in Ierusalem thought otherwise If Gods Church had beene measured by the outward shewe it had been wide with them which were then in captiuitie Cant. 6. I confesse that Gods Churche is saide by Salomon to be faire as the Moone pure as the Sonne But it is so to mens eyes not in the time of persecution but in the time of the peace of the church when as the order in Gods Church is very beautifull Esay 60.9 When we reade in Esay that the ships of Tharsis shall bring to gods churche sonnes from farre and their siluer their gold with them We must not by and by dreame of a golden church as the Iewes doe of a golden Messias but the meaning is that God will greatly aduaunce his Church and set it out with excellent furniture If they of Tharsis deserue great commendation for bringing their owne siluer gold with them to Gods Church I am sure they deserue very little which by cropping the Churches maintenance hinder the building of the spirituall temple For can gods churche be built without skilfull masons and carpenters I meane able ministers and cā they either prouide instrumentes for the framing setting vp of Almightie gods house when they are kepte fasting from the Churches allowance And is not this the true cause why in many places of this noble lande some such open Gods booke in the body of the church as would be goodly implements ornamentes in the Belfray I will not rub this sore any longer I am very sure that all whiche loue religion do pray heartily for the redresse of this 21 None which are or haue been alients from the church of God are to be admitted rashly into it If Rahab of Iericho and her companie Iosu 6. had been presently admitted into the Israelites assemblie their vncleannesse would haue been easily forgotten but the putting of them apart for a time without the host of Israel was of great force both to make them ashamed of their former behauiour to esteeme the companie of gods people afterward a more excellent benefit Acts. 9. The not admitting of S. Paul at the first amongest the Disciples did teache him to prefer the lowest place in Christs Church before the highest roome in the Sinagogues of the Pharisees and may teach vs not to open the Church dores ouer hastily to euery one without exception Acts. 19. Many which beleeued in Ephesus came confessed shewed their workes before they were ioined to the Church 1. Tim. chap. 3. ver 6. If no man may be admitted rashly into Gods church then no man may rashly be set ouer Gods Church Vnseasoned timber will not serue for a groundesell Hee is not fit to be a Captaine whiche cannot be accounted a souldier No man may be allowed a Prophet which hath not been the sonne of a Prophet 22 Gods Church may erre To erre is to goe
the chief corner stone that is the foundation of the Church Vpon this rocke I will builde my Church Mat. chap. 16. verse 18. Aug. lib. 1. retract cap. 12 By this word rocke Christ vnderstandeth himselfe whō Peter cōfessed The Apostle Peter cannot be the foundation of the Church for Peter was mortall and the foundation of Gods Church must be immortall 29 What the Catholike Church is The catholike Church is the number of all Gods elect which haue been from the beginning of the world and are nowe presently in the worlde and shal be vntill the ende of the world 30 The Catholik Church is not visible AL the elect whether they be in earth or in heauen do belōg to the Catholike Church But all these cānot be seen of vs. Christ when he vttered these woordes vpō this rock I will build my Church did meane that Church Mat. 16. which should be vnto the end of the world but that church is not visible If the Catholike Church were now visible it were vnproperly said in the creed I beleeue the Catholike Church for inuisible thinges are beleeued and not those which are seene They therefore which say that the Catholike Churche is visible eyther beleeue not that whiche they confesse in the Creede or speake otherwise then they beleeue whiche is a grosse absurditie I confesse that the particuler churches of Corinth Ephesus Thessalonica were visible in Paules time not onely because they of whome these Churches consisted were visible but because of the order and externall forme of those Churches which order and externall forme are the cause why the Churches are visible 1. King 19. The seuen thousand of whome Almightie God spake to Elias albeit they were visible in that they were men yet they were not in the visible Church otherwise Elias had seen them A fewe of Gods elect are called the Church but yet the inuisible Church not because 2. Tim. cha 2 verse 19. we do not see the elect but because wee do not descerne with our eyes who are Gods elect for GOD alone knoweth who be his FINIS ⧠A godly and shorte Treatise against the foule and grosse sinne of oppression Written by Robert Some Oppession maketh a wise man madde Ecclesiastes chap. 7. verse 9. To the Reader IT hath pleased an Englishe Papiste to giue out in print that the Church of Rome doth both teach and require actuall restitution and that our Church doth neither His speech of vs is verie slaunderous my treatise against oppression is argumentes inough to confute him If they of Rome teach and require actuall restitution it is no woorke of supererogatiō they do no more but their duties If wee shoulde faile in this cleare point we deserue great condemnation at almightie Gods hands I confesse that a man is good and therefore iustified in Gods sight before he doth good workes but with all I set downe this that good works doe followe him that is truely iustified and that such as haue oppressed or iniuried any man shal not be pardoned at Gods handes vnlesse they make actuall restitution if they bee able to doe it If any require proofe of this I refer him to this Treatise of mine against oppression A table of such pointes as are contayned in this Treatise 1 What oppression is 2 It is not lawefull for any man to oppresse another 3 They which haue done wrong vnto or oppressed any must make actuall restitution 4 It is the dutie of the Magistrate to deliuer the oppressed out of the handes of the oppressour 5 The Magistrate looseth nothing by deliuering the oppressed 6 Oppressours shall bee grieuously punished 7 Oppressours haue no religion in them A godly Treatise against the foule and grosse sinne of oppression Question VVHat is Oppression Answere It is vniust deailng vsed of the mightier either by violence colour of lawe or any other cunning dealing against such as are not able to withstande them The ground of this definition is conteined in these places of scripture Micheas chap. 2. verse 1.2 1. Thes chap. 4. vers 6. It is not lawfull for any man to oppresse another Giue vs this day our dayly bread Mat. chap. 6. verse 11. Euery christian desires God to giue dayly bread that is all thinges necessarie for this life both to him selfe and to others therefore no christian is priuiledged to spoile another of his necessarie food If one of vs must pray for the good of another one of vs may not pray vpon an other Eccle. chap. 34 verse 23. Hee that taketh away his neighbours liuing is a murtherer Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours house his fielde c. Deut. 5.21 If wee may not desire his house or land then we may not spoile him of his house or land Mich. chap. 2.1.2 or inclose that ground wherby the poore either by right are or by right ought to be relieued If thou meete thine enemies oxe or his Asse going astray thou shalt bring him to him againe If thou see thy enemies Asse lying vnder his burden wilte thou cease to helpe him thou shalt helpe him vp with it againe Exod. 23.4.5 Almightie God commaundeth vs to deale wel with our enemies Asse therefore we may not by vndoing our neighbour or spoyling him of any part of his lande or goods make him an Asse and send him a begging Hee that oppresseth the poore reproueth him that made him c. Pro. chap. 14. ver 31. It is a grosse sin to reproue the maiestie of God therefore it is a grosse sinne to oppresse the poore It was one of the sinnes of Sodom not to reache out the hande to the poore Ezech. 16.49 If it be a great sin not to releeue the poore it is a very grosse sinne to spoyle the poore The bread of the needefull Eccle. 34.22 is the life of the poore he that defraudeth him thereof is a murtherer There is a writte in England which beareth this name Ne iniustè vexes that is to say vexe not any man vniustly This is a godly lawe and is deriued frō the lawe of God which forbiddeth and condemneth oppression There are certaine beggers which of purpose keepe their legges sore to gette money by it If they are iustly misliked which gaine by their owne sore legges what deserue they to be thought of whiche gaine by other mens sore legs When thou sellest ought to thy neighbour or buiest at thy neighbours hande yee shall not oppresse one another Leuit. 25. ver 14. This is the will of God that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter 1. Thes 4.6 Therefore men of trade may not gaine by litle measures false weights and false speeches othes nor any mightie men may gaine by cunning dealing by colour of lawe or by vsing any violence whatsoeuer 3 They which haue done wrong vnto or oppressed any must make actuall restitution GOd saith thus vnto Moses speake vnto the children of Israel when a man or woman