wherefore to th eÌ„d that you may the better know the sayde churche I wyll god wyllyng attempte to open vnto you accordyng to the proportion of my gyft what the churche is wher it is that it is knowen and how you may know it that you maye the more certeynely kepe your selfes sound in the found fayth therof For our aduersaryes denying not but confessyng to be a churche I wyll not spend tyme in prouyng it to be but in declaryng the aforesayde poyntes accordynge to my promyse For the performance whereof Fyrste you must vnderstand that the militant church of chryst edyfyed at the fulnes of tyme What the church is warryng and fyghting against hell gates Gal. 4. Mat. 16. scisme and heresye and hauyng souldyers valyante faint stable and instable good and bad is a communyon societye and felowshyppe called by god from GeÌ„tylitie and Iudaisme to the profession of one faythe one Doctrine 1. Pet. â— and one kynd of Sacramentes from darkenes to hys marueylous lyghte and by the same visible Sacraments brought into the vnitie of one visible body professing one fourme of chrystian religion It is a congregation called as wel appeareth by the greke word eccleliae deduced of the greke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sygnyfyeth to cal out And also by Paule Vocati est sinunum corpuâ— Collo 3. you are called into one body Agayne Fiaelis est deus 1. Cor. â— perqueâ— uâ—cati estis in â—acietatem filij eius iesu Christi Domini nostri God is true by whome you are called into tâ—e societie of his sonne Iesu Chryste oure Lorde so that the churche is a conuocation a congregatyon and societie called by god out from the dampnable bondage of Sathan vnto the lyuely coÌ„munion and free company of our lyuely head Iesus Chryst from darke and blynde ignoraunce vnto the merueylous lyghte and knowledge of christyan verytye And the same called societie and congregation is knit together as is said into one body not in one place but in one fourme and profession of one fayth and one Doctrine and that by one maner of sensyble Sacramentes as is manyfest by Saynt AugusteÌ„ In nullum nomen religionis seu verum Aug. to 6. coÌ„ fau li. 19 c 11. seu falsum coagulaâ—i homines possunt nisi alique signaculorum vel sacramentorum nisibilium consortio colligentur Men cannot be gathered into ani name other false other true of religion excepte they be tyed and ioyned togyther by the communion and participatioÌ„ of visible signes or sacraments out of the whych communyon and societie are heretykes scismatikes paynymes and excommunicates heretikes and scysmatykes be not of that coÌ„gregation by cause theye of theyr owne mynde went oute and voluntarylye forsoke the sayde congregation hauyng it in contempte and contemptuously persecutyng it nor paynymes be of that societie bycause they nother be nor at anityme were in the churche nor do acknowledge it no nor excommunicates bicause they by the publyke sentence of the churche are separate excluded and put out from the exteriour societie of the churche vnto theyr repentaunce and amendemeÌ„t of lyfe but thoughe other christians fallynge into deadelye sinne be not ioined to the good with the vnitie of the liuely spiryte and bande of charitie but doo lose the grace of the internall communion neuertheles they are vnited to the good with a certayne exterior vnion of the visible sacramentes soo longe as they kepe peace wyth the Doctryne and professyon of fayth as was Peter the Apostle Mat. 23. notwithstaÌ„ding his thryse deniall of chryst as Iudas not withstandyng his auarice as such whose doctryne our Sauyour Chryst commaunded to be obserued notwythstaÌ„dynge theyr euil doynges and as are ministers also persystynge in theyr seuerall vocations although by some synne mortall they be internally deuided For as the dryed hand of the man mencyoned in the Gospel was before the healynge thereof a membre of hys body and as a membre whose bones vaynes and synewes be broken hangeth outwardly by the skynne continueth styll a membre and a parte of the bodye euen soo a christian dyuyded inwardelye by synne but cleauynge to the body of Chryste the church externally by the outwarde vnion of the professian and vysyble fourme of one faith and by the exterior participation of the vysyble sacramentes the exterior syghnes 1. Tim 3 and fourmes of petye is externally styl a member of Chryst his misticall bodye the churche although not profitable and continuethe in the externall societye of the same church For the militante churche conteyneth good and bad penitent synners iust and vniuste as is euydente by the parable of the field briÌ„ging forth good fead cockle by the primatiue church wherin was good peniteÌ„tes false couetous Iudas yet of this church militaÌ„t the apostles made meÌ„tioÌ„ in an artycle of oure faythe as followeth Credo sanctam ecclesiam catholicam I beleue the holye called vniuersall churche congregation multitude Obserue here by the way that this article namethe the church holye not bycause it consysteth of onely iust ryghteous and perfect chrystians for therein be good and bad iuste and iniuste Mâ—â— â—â— constante and inconstante as is aforesayde as playnelye teacheth also the parable of the nette comprisynge good fyshes and badde and as playne is by the greate house sygnifyeng the greate vniuersall churche 2. Tim 2 which conteineth vesselles to honour and dishoner and by dyueres other lyke scryptures but it is named holy bycause al chrystians which make one church and congregation be called of our holy god by hys holy worde vnto holye lyfe be sanctifyed and made holye by one holye fayth and one holye Baptysme and do persyste in the communion of the same for Paule wryteth to the Corinthian churche a membre of the vniuersall churche 1. Cor. 5. notwithstandynge that therein was the incestuous fornicator contentious persones and doutyng in the resurrection of the bodyes as foloweth Paule the Apostle by the vocation of Iesus chryste 1. Cor 15 and by the wyll of God 1. Cor. 1. Sostenes a christen brother vnto the churche of God whyche is at Corynth sanctifyed by Chryst Iesu and called to holynes and holy thinges Wherefore we maye not thynke straunge that the catholyke churche whereof holye Chryst our sanctyfycation Ephes 5 is the vndouted hed conseruer preseruer as writeth Paule is named the churche of God and holy though euell chrystians therein be commyxt with the good for that notwythstaÌ„dynge they be all called by one name as affirmeth S. Austen In una domo omnes sub vno sunt nomine Aug. to 2 â—pis 203. Quam uis enim moribus diuersi sunt uâ—o tamen nomine censentur et professione In one house all be vnder one name for albeit they be diuers in maners yet they be named by one name and one profession The same affirmeth Ambrose mayster to Austen In uno domo
omnes sub uno sunt nomine Ambrosi 2. timo 2 uno enim domini sui nomine censent ur omnes In one house sayeth S. Ambrose all be vnder one name for all are called by theyr Lordes name Which is not dissonant from the principle Euerithynge is to be named by the best and worthyest parte But our Lorde holynes it selfe is the best parte and worthyeste membre of the churche beyng heade thereof Therefore the churche ryghtly is called holy of holy Christ oure Lorde and heade yea and of the holy gost resydent therein Nowe that I haue briefly opened by the waye the cause why the catholyke churche is called holy ye must vnderstaÌ„d the sayde article to teache vs the holye churche to be a communion of saynctes Vincent Airen that is to saye of Catholykes whereby we are taughte the catholyke churche to be a communitie societie or felowshyppe of catholykes because they persyste in the communion of the catholyke and vniuersall holy fayth that was and is obserued in the catholyke and vnyuersall churche and in the communioÌ„ also of the holye sacramentes whereby it is incorporate to oure holy heade Iesus Christ and clensed in his holy bloude Ephes 5. hallowed with his holy spyrit hath and doth holy thynges teacheth holye and holesome doctryne Of this conuocatioÌ„ communion and feloweshyp speakethe the electe vessell of Chryst Saynt Paule Multi unuÌ„ corpus sumus in Christo Rom. 12. We beynge manye are one body in Christ So that the whole many and vniuersall multitude professiÌ„g one holye fayth and doctryne and being partakers of the same holye Sacramentes are the mystycall body of Chryst whiche is the Catholyke churche Therfore S. Ambrose sayeth Corpus Christi non unus aut duo christiani sed omnes Ambros in 1. cor 6 The bodye of Chryste is not one or two Christians but all Chrystians As in a natural bodye one two or three members make not the whole naturall bodye but all the meÌ„bers ioyntlye in theyr places so the mystical bodye of Christ whiche is the Churche is not constituted by one or two christians but by all the ChristiaÌ„s in theyr vocatioÌ„ wheresoeuer they be ioyned and lynked together by the communion and participation of the same Sacramentes The lyke doctrine also S. Paule taught the Ephesians Vnum Corpus Ephes 4. You are one bodye Wherevpon Erasmus dyd wryte as foloweth Vnum corpus estis omnâ—s ab uno pendetis capite You are all one bodye and do depende of one heade Thus it is manyfeste all Christians to be the bodye of Christe that the integritie of Christ his misticall bodye consystethe by no lesse then all Christians and that therof is one head Christ hymselfe of whome the sayde bodye the Catholyke churche dependeth Albeit that in namynge the churche to be Christes body Christ is named the heade thereof for elles it could not be his bodye yet you may reade many Scryptures that he is by expresse words named the heade thereof whereof I wil reherse this one folowing Et ipsum dedit caput supra omnem ecclesiam Ephe. 1. que est corpus ipsius And GOD the fathermade him meaning Christ heade ouer all the vnyuersall churche whiche is his bodye Hereby you maye euydentlye se Christ to be head to all the churche all the church to be his bodye and by that worde all Paule teacheth the churche to be a vniuersall congregation Lykewyse to the Corynthians and to al christians professynge Christ as the Corynthes dyd Paule dydde wryte 1. Cor 12 Vos autem estis corpus Christi You be the bodye of Chryste Wherevpon Primasius saieth Omnes corpus al be the body of christ for the vniuersall and the whole body of Chryste was and is of all faythfulles Primaâ—â—us and not of Corinthe onely Chris hâ— 23. in 1. Cor. 12. Therefore Chrysostome sayth Vniuersum corpus non illa Corrinthiorum est solum sed que vbilibet toto extaâ— terrarum orbe The vnyuersall body of chryst is not the Corinthian churche onelye but the churche that is euery wher through the whole worlde for the churche of Corinthe was but a particuler churche parte or member of that vniuersall church To be short Paule proueth the same by the symylytude of a naturall body 1. Câ— 1â— saying Sicut enim corâ—us unum est et membrahabet multa omnia autem membra corporis cum sint multa vnum tamen corpus sunt ita et christus For as a a naturall body is one hathe many members but thoughe all the members of that one body be many yet they are but on body euen so is chryste that is to say euen so is christ his churche as Chrisostome Iherome Primasius Theophilact with other olde aunciente wryters do expounde it as the bodye hed in man maketh one maÌ„ in lykewise the whole congregation and flocke of faythfulles and chryste the heade of them make on churche Chrisos ibidem And for that cause Chrysostome affyrmeth chryst in the sayd scrypture to be put for the churche naming the churche by the worthyeste and best part thereof And S. Austen sayeth Aug. to 9. ho. 17. trac 108 Vnus est christus caputet corpus The hed and the body is one chryst Wherefore the bodye whyche is the churche maye well be named by christ As breade also is made of innumerable graynes so the misticall body of Chryst the churche consysteth of innumerable faythfull members howe soeuer they be locally distant for Vnus panis et unum corpus multisumus 1. Cor. 10 We beynge manye sayeth the Apostle Paule are one breade and one bodye that is to saye we beyng manye lyke as manye graynes make one breade do make one body by on baptime and one faith incorporate to one heade our Lorde Iesus Chryst By a folde also of shepe is sygnified the catholyke churche as is wrytten in the tenth of Iohn Io. 10. and by Ciryll vpon the same so that the catholike churche is called also by scrypture the foelde or flocke pasturynge feadynge through the whole greate felde the worlde Mat. 13. wherin is the catholyke churche of the which Iesus Christ is the hed sheperd Nowe that I haue coÌ„petently declared what the catholyke churche is my promise byndethe me to enterpryse the declaration wher the same is Where the church is By thys worde catholyke whych is to say vniuersall added vnto the whole Churche most manyfestly we be taught where Chryste his Churche is for it declareth the sayde churche to strecth out her brauÌ„ches and members in to all and euery part of the vniuersal world as well affyrmethe famouse Austen Aug. to 7. coÌ„ epi. pet de unitate ecclesie c. 2 Questio certe inter nos versatur ubi sit ecclesia utrum apud nos an apud illos quae utique una est quam maiores nostri catholicaÌ„ nominarunt ut ex
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